One Hundred Billion Mark Nation
I didn't think this post from a couple of days ago would need updating so soon. But via Ron Suskind's new book, the false flag list just got longer. This part of the story stuck out to me:
If true, it answers any remaining questions about the reasons for this bizarre ceremony, which took place twelve months later.
We'll see where this goes. So far the reaction has been underwhelming. I'm beginning to think if we learned tomorrow that an asteroid was about to destroy the planet, the story would come in a sleepy third to Paris Hilton and breaking news on Beijing's air quality. If Suskind's revelation elicits little more than a national and congressional yawn, Thomas Mann probably explained it best:
Again, inflation is simply a symbol for any period of profound institutional failure to which the public becomes inured.
If that sort of psychological trauma explains our great national shrug, it has important implications -- not only for where one might want to live, work, own property, raise kids, and certainly invest money and keep savings, but for where it's safe to do so. No doom and gloom or Reynolds Wrap chapeau needed, just a basic historical perspective. As readers of this space know, that perspective has been enormously profitable during the past few years. And since history shows that economic events often precede and determine important political, social, and military ones, the latter three could get "interesting" from here -- and, depending on whether history repeats or merely rhymes, possibly calamitous.
In his book, Suskind writes that Tenet gave Rob Richer, the CIA's former head of the Near East division and deputy director of clandestine operations, the fake letter during a fall 2003 meeting. Suskind quotes Richer as saying, "George said something like, 'Well, Marine, I've got a job for you, though you may not like it.'" |
If true, it answers any remaining questions about the reasons for this bizarre ceremony, which took place twelve months later.
We'll see where this goes. So far the reaction has been underwhelming. I'm beginning to think if we learned tomorrow that an asteroid was about to destroy the planet, the story would come in a sleepy third to Paris Hilton and breaking news on Beijing's air quality. If Suskind's revelation elicits little more than a national and congressional yawn, Thomas Mann probably explained it best:
The market woman who demanded in a dry tone "one hundred billion" mark for a single egg had lost during inflation her ability to be amazed at anything. Since that time nothing was so mad or so atrocious that it could have caused any awe in people anymore. |
Again, inflation is simply a symbol for any period of profound institutional failure to which the public becomes inured.
If that sort of psychological trauma explains our great national shrug, it has important implications -- not only for where one might want to live, work, own property, raise kids, and certainly invest money and keep savings, but for where it's safe to do so. No doom and gloom or Reynolds Wrap chapeau needed, just a basic historical perspective. As readers of this space know, that perspective has been enormously profitable during the past few years. And since history shows that economic events often precede and determine important political, social, and military ones, the latter three could get "interesting" from here -- and, depending on whether history repeats or merely rhymes, possibly calamitous.
posted by The Cunning Realist at Wednesday, August 06, 2008
11 Comments:
Add the 'lone gunman' theory on Dr. Ivins as the anthrax killer: Case Closed? If this stands, we can declare a state of national somnabulism.
"May you live in interesting times!" is reputed to be the English translation of an ancient Chinese proverb and curse.(Wikipedia page with history rhyming quotes Here.)
Man, screw that!! I want to live in boring, predictable times where is looks that the shit won't hit the fan.
But alas and alack.
TCR, I have read the articles about this book and its allegations and yes, it does infuriate me to no end.
However, so far, without reading the proof there seems to be no hard evidence or people willing to testify, under oath, in court to the truth of this.
(Side note: What was all that bs about people under in the Bush administration negotiating to testify before Congress but not under oath?! ANYTHING anyone and everyone, from President down to you and me, says before Congress in a committee or hearing should be under oath! End of story! End side note.)
And without that hard proof, without people willing to testify, this is just another crying wolf incident. Do I believe that it is highly likely that a forged letter thing happened? You bet!
I just have no faith that we're going to see any conviction. My dual citizenship with Ireland looks better and better each year....
Hey Spider,
I'm just thinking I need to get after that paperwork for Irish citizenship........
This is getting friggin ridiculous.
- Whammer
When you look at what happened with (1) telecom immunity, (2) de facto immunity for torturers and war criminals by virtue of the actions that have now been legalized via the Military Commissions Act and other laws passed in the last two years, and (3) Scooter Libby, when you see how (intentionally) helpless Congress is to enforce its own subpoenas and press its own investigations, and when you realize the almost inevitable pardons that will be issued by Bush on his way out of office, it becomes clear that the question is not "why is there no one who will testify under oath?" but rather "why on earth would they?" What is the point of sticking your neck out-- like the ATT whistle blower did on the NSA spy program, for example-- when it will likely bring you to ruin and accomplish absolutely nothing? Or actually, accomplish worse than nothing-- the end result of that whistle blower's efforts was a bill immunizing the law breakers and legalizing the illegal behavior and setting up a statutory scheme that allows for even worse abuse.
And since history shows that economic events often precede and determine important political, social, and military ones, the latter three could get "interesting" from here
Civilizations come and go...
Ohhhh...Ireland. I'm on board. I could spend a year or two hanging out at McGann's in Doolin...Walking along the cliffs every morning (unitl McGann's opens). When we leaving?
These days I am constantly reminded of one of my favorite movie quotes. From Tommy Boy:
"What the American public doesn't know is what makes them the American Public, all right?"
It's funny because it's true. I really think that most people in this country are too wrapped up in their own lives to realize what is going on. In a family with two working parents and two kids, do the parents have time to take more than a cursory glance at the news? Besides, the "news" often doesn't tell you what you really need to know anyway.
Real investigative journalism is a dying art. Most of the news I see on TV (when I can bare to watch) is celebrity gossip, weather, sports, and local unfortunate events (building fires, car accidents and the like). There is no discussion or analysis of topics that bear any weight. There is no meat. Who is interested in actually informing the public? I hardly see anybody.
I think there is also the factor of willful ignorance. People know, generally, that these are perilous times. They are not completely clueless. But when one takes a good hard look at the many potential calamities at our doorstep (oil, climate change, economic instability, "terrorism", inflation, etc.) it gets really scary really fast. Add to that the fact that a lot of people then have personal economic issues, families to raise and provide for, and jobs they are trying to hang on to, and the psychic burden becomes quite heavy. Add to that the fact that many people are confused because they do not really understand what is happening and why, and that their elected representatives are often ineffectual or corrupt, and we are in nervous breakdown territory. So they tune it out. They don't think about it. They see the news and say, "Wow, that doesn't sound good!" and then they move on.
At this point I don't see what I can do besides strap in and hold on. Am I going crazy, or is it the world around me? Sometimes it's hard to tell.
Maybe I'm naive, but isn't there any country loyalty, pride? 250+ years and that's it. Things are just starting to get interesting, where we can deliver on our true potential. I remember in 2000 reading rags like Money magazine, how folks were leaving the country because of things that were wrong. But is that it, when things get tough, the tough leave? All our great thinking minds, and the answer is run like hell.
Isn't it ironic that it may be the Conservatives, without the conservation, that bring us down. Isn't there a saying, "Conservatives don't believe government works, and get elected and prove it".
The Price of Risk
"... Remember, "conservative" used to mean risk-averse. Now it means "risk be damned, I want my oil, my house, my risky financial instruments, and my government bailout when they fail." You can even see where they under-priced the risk of their war in Iraq, with that nonsense of how we'd be embraced as liberators.
Enough, already. We've got a chance to show these greedy, short-sighted, risk mongers the door. Let's be sure to take advantage of it..."
I heard an interesting saying the other day: "If you want to live like a Republican, vote Democratic". ~Harry Truman
Things seemed to hit a pinnacle with the current Prez. Perhaps we can chalk this up to one really, really bad leader, and one even MUCH worse VP.
Jane Meyer was on Tavis Smiley, and she was describing that Cheney knew how to stroke Bush's ego, and manipulated him. Really depressing.
Another good quote, "Nothing that erodes the rule of law can be moral". Remind you of this admin. Could it have been any more surreal. And on top of it, a useless media. Do your job really, really bad. Medal! It's not "dirty air", it's "clean air". "Greeted as liberators". "The war would last "weeks, not months." Ay Crumba!
And finally when businesses get back to the business of staying in business - innovating, researching, and employing - and not just making a profit (including creative accting) and watching their stock prices, our Nation will be healthier (and that's what it is all about, right). Perhaps they need to reread their Deming.
Thanks for the Thomas Mann quote, reminding me of the post WW I German inflation and a people that had lost the ability to be amazed at anything mad or atrocious.
In fact, since Poland and the USA have reached an agreement on anti-missile missiles in Poland, the fact that the agreement further calls for a US military base in Poland does not strike awe or surprise in me.
It is obviously needed to defend against an Iranian land-based attack.
I think and I'm so agree because it need updating because that information is a little bit old at least that's what I want because yesterday I read other information in an important magazine.
So, I do not really imagine it may have success.
Сборный дом
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