December, 2011 archive
Unreality Politics 0
Steven M. thinks he has figured out why the Republican Party persists in promoting policies and theories, such as voodoo economics, that are demonstrably false:
Follow the link for the rest of his reasoning.
Everybody Must Get Fracked 0
Facing South reports on the frackers P. R. efforts. A nugget:
The disturbing revelations came during an oil industry conference held last month in Houston, in remarks recorded by attendee Sharon Wilson, director of the Oil and Gas Accountability Project at Earthworks.
(snip)
During a session titled “Understanding How Unconventional Oil and Gas Operators Are Developing a Comprehensive Media Relations Strategy to Engage Stakeholders and Educate the Public,” Matt Carmichael, manager of external affairs for Texas-based Anadarko Petroleum, said:
If you’re a P.R. representative in this industry in this room today, I recommend you do three things. … Download the U.S. Army/Marine Corps counterinsurgency manual. Because we are dealing with an insurgency. There’s a lot of good lessons in there, and coming from a military background I’ve found the insight in that extremely remarkable.
In other fracked up news,
“Disclosure isn’t for the industry, they know what they are using,” Gwen Lachelt, of Durango, told the Colorado Oil and Gas Commission. “Disclosure is for the public.”
What you don’t know can’t hurt them.
Twits on Twitter 0
I’ve found that persons who resort to name-calling are the persons shortest on reasoning power.
Hermain Cain’t Control 0
Herman Cain is off the stage, but the circumstances of his exit, stage rightwing, raises larger questions.
This weekend, Bob Cesca observed
Thom Hartmann explores this question with a caller, without reaching a conclusion:
I have my own theory.
It has to do with beliefs about who should be in control of the wombs of the world.
Buried deep in the Republican “family values” psyche is a belief that it should not be women.
“Here’s Comes the Donald” 0
If you listen to nothing else, catch the bit about six minutes in where Mike Papantonio describles how Newt the Gingrinch is the perfect Republican candidate:
QOTD 0
Albert Einstein, from the Quotemaster (subscribe here):
Any intelligent fool can make things bigger, more complex, and more violent. It takes a touch of genius – and a lot of courage – to move in the opposite direction.
Social Contracts 0
Robert Reich recalls Henry Ford’s decision to pay his employees enough to buy his cars, then remuninates on refusing to learn from the past. A snippet:
Sound familiar? It should. The same thing happened in the years leading up to the crash of 2008.
The latest data on corporate profits and wages show we haven’t learned the essential lesson of the two big economic crashes of the last 75 years: When the economy becomes too lopsided – disproportionately benefiting corporate owners and top executives rather than average workers – it tips over.
In other words, we’re in trouble because the basic bargain has been broken.
I Wouldn’t Want To Disclose It Either 2
This is enough to make your nose twitch:
There’s a reason one Delawarean I know refers to her as “Christine O’Dodo.”
We Need Single Payer 0
At the Guardian, an English reporter forced to visit the ER tells of his experience with U. S. health care. A nugget:
No amount of fresh towels and edible breakfasts can make up for the feeling that your health is less important than the capacity of your chequebook.
Dis Coarse Discourse 0
Eric Alterman on the shibboleth of “some people say” and the cult of balance:
Why I’ve Lost Interest in College Sports, Reprise 0
Katha Pollitt comments in the Nation. A snippet:
Nowhere To Hide 0
I wonder what sort of data these will collect:
It calls it the first “hands-free” video gaming console of its kind.
Herman Cain’t, Just as I’ve Been Saying 0
Herman Cain has “suspended” his campaign, while continuing to say, “Look, I’m the victim here.”
Josh Marshall explains that “suspending” a campaign has a legal meaning: the money train can keep chugging.
Always Just under the Surface 0
DougJ at Balloon Juice cuts to the quick on the current and altogether fabricated kerfuffle about whether or not the Democratic Party is “abandoning the white working class,” pointing out the difference between “effect” and “cause” (emphasis added):
The Republican Party’s odious Southern Strategy continues apace.
Follow the link for DougJ’s take-down of David Brooks’s contribution to the discourse.
Headline of the Day 0
Surprisingly enough, it appears to be neither a politician nor a coach of something-or-other.