"Bailed out with what!"

Now here's a perspective:

"The Federal Reserve System was the crucial anomaly at the very core of representative democracy, an uncomfortable contradiction with the civic mythology of self-government."

This is what William Greider wrote in the first chapter of his book 'Secrets of the Temple - how the Federal Reserve runs the country." His book arrived yesterday in the mail. Here's a quick summary - and my extrapolation from - the first 6 pages.

The western capitalist system depends on 'deeper transactions' than elections. Central banks are inconsistent with representative forms of government. They are, in fact, more powerful than elected governments because they possess the power to answer the main questions of political economy - who shall fail and who shall prosper. Central banks are both directors of the private economy and the protector of the most powerful players within it.

The co-emergence of concentrated political and economic power in the hands of the modern global corporation has meant that these entities have been able to accumulate profits at a greater rate than the development of wealth on the planet. As a result, inflation became a permanent feature of the world economy. If the central banks had implemented policy to put the breaks on this dangerous development it would have worked against the narrow self-interest of these multinationals. Inflation was, instead, addressed by increasing dangerous forms of 'productivity'. Forests were no longer given time to regenerate. People in third world nations (in particular) were forcibly evicted from their lands and conscripted into low-wage manufacture for TNCs. Environmental regulation was dismantled and dangerous forms of industrial agriculture were expanded everywhere. Wages were kept low across the globe.

Profits for the global corporation continued to expand at an even faster rate and now exceeded any relation to real wealth. It became truly fictional. Having brought the planet beyond the brink of reversible climate change and increasing impoverishment of humanity everywhere there is now very few places left to 'invest'.

The role of the US Fed had been to ensure that debtors would be rewarded over savers because such action was the corollary of ensuring the profits continued to flow to big business.

In 2008 the debtors can no longer pay their installments. It should be game over but the global corporations want to be bailed out yet again. Bailed out with what?!

Posted by Brenda Rosser at Econo Speak

Of course, Krugman seems to be suggesting it's just money going around in a circle (is that the same as funny money?). So we're not really paying anything so the wealthy can remain wealthy? Why don't I believe it?

Tell me the world's not going absolutely bonkers ...

Former prime minister Tony Blair has promised to "spend the rest of my life" uniting the world's religions (via)

He is launching a "faith foundation" in New York on Friday.

Mr Blair, who recently converted to Catholicism, said: "Faith is part of our future, and faith and the values it brings with it are an essential part of making globalisation work."

Values? Isn't it odd how so many of the warmongers, haters and destroyers go on about 'values.' Values such as invading and destroying and murdering people for oil, power and control. Values for controlling the lives and causing the deaths of others. Values.

Make globalization work? Why would we do that? So these people with values can globalize their religion and call it 'uniting?'

There must be something contagious about George W. Bush or maybe Tony Blair was always a fruitcake.

Yesterdays's QUOTES ...

In the right direction? ... The agency does not have data on companies pulling call-center services back from overseas but is aware of the trend anecdotally, said Laura Shaw, a spokeswoman for TREO. ... now lets get some manufacturing back. The same cheaply designed and produced product from every retailer is not what I call progress.

Ya don't say ... “The acceptance of sexist humor leads men to believe that sexist behavior falls within the bounds of social acceptability.”
Chuck Schumer, just another Rubberstamp Democrat ... Yes, isn't it appealing for the United States Senate to say unambiguously that that torture is wrong. Wow, what a concept. But apparently not appealing enough for Chuck Schumer.... so Mukasey told Chuckie Cheesie that he, Mukasey, would follow the law. Told Chuckie privately? But would NOT say the same publicly to the nation? So Chuckie is what? Stupid? So gullible he never learns even after 7 long and painful years? Or he is just plain complicit with the illegal goings-on of Bush's corrupt administration.

Yesterday's QUOTES ...

This is the flawed premise which brings down the whole house of cards. It assumes that globalization allows for America to be first but the America we know - with worker rights and environmental protections - can't be first in this race. And there is absolutely no interest I see from the people powering the competition to have that America finish the race at all. This is the most important point that most average people involved in making ends meet do not understand. "America" is not meant to win the globalization derby.

The ring of integrity ... "During the many interrogations, I never laid hands on anyone," said George Frenkel, 87, of Kensington. "We extracted information in a battle of the wits. I'm proud to say I never compromised my humanity."
... seems like only yesterday that the US of A had the wits to accomplish the impossible. Today, witless and stupid, it tears down not only other countries, but its own.
The drug war is intended to disenfranchise those selectively prosecuted.
From such a tyrannical perspective the drug war is a great success. Rich druggies go on to become President or radio hacks while poor druggies become felons.
It’s easily possible to set up an enforcement system for beef safety in this country, but the Republicans decided the money for their buddies was more important for the welfare of our people. The American people would figure out Republicans do not give a shit about anyone but their .5% richest of the country cronies if this story was reported correctly, Newsweek, thank you so much. It’s not surprising money precludes the truth with this typically lousy corporate journalism, but maybe one day dead American children might actually move them to do their jobs.

So when I tell you that Americans need to change both the cars they drive and the way they drive them, don't think I do it from spite. It's from love. It's because I sincerely believe that if we don't change paths – now, today – soon enough no one will have that chance to do what cars do better than anything else: give you the freedom to go anywhere you damn well please, just because it pleases you to go.
Judgement on the pavement ... After miles in the desert we stopped at a small restaurant in al Rutba where the name Bush was painted in white in three different spots in the parking lot, so customers could step on it. ...

Choose violence and all is lost to the worst that can happen to a people, both to those who initiate it and those who suffer from it. Retribution almost always follows that quickly spins out of control, sometimes for hundreds of years. Jesus, the violence of war is not what you think it is, it can never work positively! We hung Nazis at Nuremburg for precisely the logic of “pre-emptive war,” yet these amazing Americans quoted whine about Bush being called a moron, oblivious to how apparently stupid they themselves are to not know these utterly known and basic facts about chosen war, it’s just incredible.


[...] As if it couldn’t get more sickening, one of the killers says “..as long as the possibility of being successful's there, you can justify continuing the effort."

... Jesus nothing could be more horrifying or shameful than lying, killing “public officials” of the United States of America blathering on in clueless denial to send more humans souls to miserable senseless killing war deaths.

It's all about marketing and spin ...

UPDATE: For more on the destructive direction of the U.S. read: Forty Million High-Skilled Jobs Headed Over Seas

The multinational corporations have no loyalty except to the bottom line and their compensation.

___________________
Is there anything else left in the U.S. We have no manufacturing to speak of. We import too much of our food. There is a 'christian' movement to deny science and to turn us into a country of dunces. We have politicians, lawyers, fast food restaurants. Media companies and insurance companies (which control our politicians more than we, the electorate, do).

In order to control those being 'served,' businesses need advanced clipping services. And, apparently, they have them. One is called Relevant Noise.

From their sign-in page:

Welcome to relevantNOISE and the sonar blog mining platform. Log in to easily track and view the blogosphere "noise" that's important to you.

sonar provides an easy-to-use reporting interface that shows you the volume of relevant mentions over time - and whether the tone of those mentions is positive or negative. You can even sort your results and drill down to view the actual blog posts.

With sonar you'll be able to determine real-time fluctuations in your share of voice versus your competitors', gather the intelligence you need to quickly address brewing problems with your product or brand, and identify and capitalize on growing trends in your marketplace.

Listen and Learn^TM

If you have any questions or need help, give us a call at 908.788.8844, or send us an e-mail at info@relevantnoise.com. We'll be happy to assist you.

Notice that they've trademarked a very common set of words in a very common grouping?

And a blog too? The blogger is, I think, on his/her way to appointment in some government agency aiming to keep the public pacified.

An excerpt from a post on poisoning-our-pets (Menu Foods and the Pet Food Recall Scandal):

Bloggers are a very vocal bunch (really, we are) and Menu Foods has been taking a beating in the blogosphere. Is it just that people blame them exclusively for poisoning their beloved pets? As Jeanne Bliss over at MarketingProfs Daily Fix sees it, this was “another majorly missed opportunity” Not their responsibility over the ingredients, but Menu Foods’ responsibility to its customers to provide timely, honest communication on a horrible situation.

And another post [cute title; murky Merck] -- Mercky Waters: Bloggers on Gardasil, the HPV Vaccine

Has the damage been done? Looking at sonar the buzz around Merck and Gardasil the tone is mixed; however if you take school-aged children out of the mix, it’s definitely negative. Looking at their stock for the past year, the negative buzz doesn’t seem to be hurting Merck where it counts, at their bottom line.

The bottom line's OK. Is there anything else?

There's just something unsettling about marketers (and economists) when they apply their verbal/visual/psychological (and numerical) trades to the detriment of our lives and well being in favor of making money.