Anyway, the best thing that can happen to Americans is that they retain their confidence in the long-term survival of their lifestyle, because a massive crisis of confidence is the last thing they (and the rest of the world) need. Nothing is 'mere'. — Richard P. Feynman
We must work hard to educate everyone about the fact that the invisible hand of democracy, which supposedly calls our children to fight in Iraq, etc, and which supposedly materializes in objects like cars, is not the hand of democracy but of corrupt profiteers who are exploiting many Americans' faith in the goodness of people and in democracy for their own personal gain. Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities. -Voltaire
But people are in general divorced from the consequences of their actions. It's very hard for anyone to think that his or her particular air conditioning unit is causing massive carbon emissions and threatening the environment as we know it.
And if there is a problem--blame big corporations, greed, shortsighted politicians, and other blameworthy targets. But that's not the whole story. Every American household is using more electricity than 20 years ago, whereas industry has actually been able to cut back on consumption.
I do not see any of the people I know driving less, consuming less energy, or practicing conservation apart from some longstanding, obligatory recycling of glass, newspapers, and plastics. Even though gasoline costs more at the pump, you can pay with a credit card, so there's not pain associated with the moment of purchase--more like a shrugging regret at the cost and the idea of thinking about the problem later, when the bill comes. But you only have to pay a small percentage of your credit card debt in order to keep floating.
I thought the Democrats were gay.
Homophobic joke of the month by Commander Alex in Toulouse (sorry jandsm, but I've been practicing these past few days as my gay cousin is in town and we've been rivalling to see who can come up with the worst jokes)
you are the media you consume.
It would have to be the US against the world. While this might feed fantasies of US exceptionalism, it really isn't a realistic as a military strategy.
Great article, btw.
Consider the neoliberal wetdream that is is the Rumbo Propio movement for Zulian independence from the "Socialistic" government of Hugo Chavez.
The Way Out This is the ads we have let the people know ... What Can You Get List of 12 Results A very superior level of life for you, for your family and for all. More jobs, better jobs and more productive and profitable ones. Very much less poverty, with real solutions, no peanuts. Very much less corruption. Law and order. Public amenities. Yearly profits shares from oil companies. High quality private education and medical care for all. Private Pension Funds for all. Very much more free time. Unions in its really genuine functions. Vouchers for education, medical care and pensions to poor people, that will become very much less, and become very much less poor. How Can You Get All these benefits for you and your family if our State reach an Act of Autonomy, granting four-folded Political, Legislative, Administrative and Fiscal Autonomy. We are speaking of an Act of Autonomy in each State of our country, that will enable and will empower our people with ... Bill of 11 Rights A strong but limited Government, in charge of Security, Law-Enforcement and Public amenities. A strong and rich full employment and high life level and free-market economy. A neutral State, with no opinions in private non offensive matters. Low taxes. No huge amount of public debt. Hard money, free money. Popular privatizations of oil and economic state enterprises, with shares for all. Law, no regulations. Private Institutions, non State dependent ones. Popular privatizations of educational, medical and pensional state institutions for teachers and professors, doctors and nurses, clerks and workers. Vouchers for poor people.
This is the ads we have let the people know ...
What Can You Get
List of 12 Results
All these benefits for you and your family if our State reach an Act of Autonomy, granting four-folded Political, Legislative, Administrative and Fiscal Autonomy. We are speaking of an Act of Autonomy in each State of our country, that will enable and will empower our people with ...
Bill of 11 Rights
This is a serious attempt to severe of much of Venezuela's oil and agri-business resources.
And the idea seems to be catching on.
Was in the Dutch or the Portugese that purposely limited the scope of their African colonies to where the mineral resources were at? And I'll give my consent to any government that does not deny a man a living wage-Billy Bragg
What I meant was that our response to the inevitable rise in the price of gasoline will be that of a spoiled child. We are on the second or third generation of Americans who think The American Way of Life(TM)* is their God-given right. The neocons and the theocons have ridden to power on just that sort of delusional thinking. Their answer to everything is more tanks, more bombs, more guns.
*Loosely defined as More of Everything Than Everybody Else. Now where are we going and what's with the handbasket?
