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I consider this a Radical Gumbo, with many varied ingredients making more than the sum of its parts. We are no-holds barred, passionate and not overly PC here. Yes, Liberals can have Fangs. Jump in and be part of the cutting edge!
This past week it was our turn. The "Professional Left" has been identified as an opponent by the Obama Administration. We ought to undergo drug testing to see why we refrain from extra loud cheering of the great accomplishments of this Administration. Instead, we criticize.
If it is any consolation, we are not the first such group to be so ostracized. Let's see a bit of the company we keep now. Not too bad a crowd, actually.
The project is only just started, and there would be many "blanks" associated with some of the categories now. But in browsing at the "Low-Tech Magazine" site, I noticed an article about developing an inventory of many traditional skills and indigenous people knowledge compilation from all over the world.
It may take several years to fully develop this UNESCO site, but it might be a site to "bookmark" as it gets more developed.
Good day. I had originally posted this information as part of an Open Thread; Diane asked that I repost it as an essay. I hear and obey. (Congressperson from Wisconsin, if I'm not mistaken).
I had not been aware we had such an affliction. But it looks like we did, once upon a time.
And it seems we have cured that particular problem once and for all.
Unless the workers of China say otherwise. (And unless, perhaps, the geological limits of the Earth contribute, as well).
I was reading an article over at "EnergyBulletin" about "The End of Capitalism?: Part 2B. Social Limits and the Crisis".
I see that the 1928 book by Edward Bernays, "Propaganda", is now in the public domain. When we use the phrase "powers that be", it might be wise to think of this book. When we believe, most often mistakenly, that we are exercising free will in the market place, think of this book. When we wonder why our choices in the political arena don't really seem to fully represent our interests once they assume power, think of this book.
It's not a terribly lengthy book; I got through it in about three sessions of an hour each, and I am a slow reader. I thought I would pick out some excerpts here and there as some "food for thought" for your consideration.
An introduction to the topic by Noam Chomsky and the posting of the book is here:
(I wish every state would do this! - promoted by Diane G)
Via the "EnergyBulletin" site, I noticed an article concerning the concept of a publicly owned bank. Dear God - I can hears the howls of horror from the Federal Reserve. I can hear the accusations of "socialists" and "communists". Sounds like sweet music to my ears. I hope this concept catches on and grows. Keeping money close to home to be used in projects beyond the greedy grasp of Wall Street? What would the world come to?
Links and excerpts I thought were useful highlights below.
One of the things that separate worthwhile progressives, such as ourselves, from - as Kunstler would say - "cornpone Nazis" and other assorted worthless creatures such as Repukes and Tea Baggers - is that we give a higher priority to pledging allegiance to the Constitution and the Rule of Law, rather than to "THE FLAG" and/or an individual who places himself clearly above the law. GW Littleboots clearly comes to mind in this latter category.
Maybe we should rethink that, however. Should we necessarily pledge allegiance to a Constitution which for the first 80 years of its existence was the mechanism of law justifying a national slave state, and with the exception of a 10 year window immediately after the Civil War, has been used for the past 130 years to legally exult corporate "persons" far above mere "natural" persons?
Oh, just a couple links here FYI. As we are all aware, Greece could be staring at a currency crisis and possibly risk defaulting on national debt instruments.
Well, son of a gun, how long did it take to have the name "Goldman Sachs" appear somewhere at the bottom of this?
Not long, per the folks at "The Automatic Earth".
And another site gives us a primer on what is meant by the "Giant Vampire Squid". (Hint: They are not discussing calamari rings.)
Two broad categories here; that which I am labeling as "useful" concerns an design competition open to professional and student teams alike. The purpose:
designers were asked to envision a new legacy of publicly-supported infrastructure, projects that explore the value of infrastructure not only as an engineering endeavor but as a robust design opportunity to strengthen communities and revitalize cities.
Oh, it's heavy sour stuff. You may get a very poor return on energy investment; lots of energy input to realize a not so great at all energy return. But it does raise questions.
