At a session of the G20 meetings in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Vladimir Putin and Mohammed bin Salman exchanged smiles and a high-five.
Here are some clues as to the origin of this budding bromance. Officials in the United Kingdom now believe that Putin personally approved the deadly nerve agent attack that was carried out last year in England. And most authorities on Saudi Arabia are convinced that the Saudi crown prince at least knew of, and may have ordered, the murder of journalist Jamal Kashoggi.
Like I said, birds of a feather ...
Saturday, December 1, 2018
Friday, November 30, 2018
A 21st Century American Caste System
The caste system that evolved in India millennia ago is one of the world's oldest forms of social stratification. The book Winners Take All posits a new, American-based but worldwide, caste system. The book suggests that uber-wealthy individuals like Jeff Bazos and Mark Zuckerberg offer technology as a panacea or elixir - almost a modern snake-oil.
Trouble is, many folks lack either the financial resources, or simply the opportunity, to take full advantage of the latest technologies - particularly information technologies. An individual might, for example, be able to afford a high-end cell phone, but not understand what a gig is, or know how to incorporate that concept into day-to-day activities.
Ergo, such a person would, in effect if not by intent, be trapped at a level of participation in our economy and society that severely constrains that individual's ability to make lateral or vertical moves.
I. e., a modern American caste system ...
Trouble is, many folks lack either the financial resources, or simply the opportunity, to take full advantage of the latest technologies - particularly information technologies. An individual might, for example, be able to afford a high-end cell phone, but not understand what a gig is, or know how to incorporate that concept into day-to-day activities.
Ergo, such a person would, in effect if not by intent, be trapped at a level of participation in our economy and society that severely constrains that individual's ability to make lateral or vertical moves.
I. e., a modern American caste system ...
Thursday, November 29, 2018
Case Closed
Today marked the beginning of the end of the Trump presidency. Today, Michael Cohen, Donald Trump's former consigliere, whom Trump labelled weak, pleaded guilty to lying to Congress regarding involvement between Russia and the Trump campaign.
Expect a surfeit of nastiness from Mr. Trump over the next few days and weeks. He has little practical knowledge. But he is fully aware that, come January 3, 2019, when Democrats take over the House of Representatives and its various investigative functions, his goose isn't just cooled, it's deep-fried.
To paraphrase John Donne, never send to know why midterm elections, and your vote, are important. November 6 helped bring about today's avalanche of events.
Expect a surfeit of nastiness from Mr. Trump over the next few days and weeks. He has little practical knowledge. But he is fully aware that, come January 3, 2019, when Democrats take over the House of Representatives and its various investigative functions, his goose isn't just cooled, it's deep-fried.
To paraphrase John Donne, never send to know why midterm elections, and your vote, are important. November 6 helped bring about today's avalanche of events.
Wednesday, November 28, 2018
Truculent, and a Bully
In an interview with the New York Post this past Wednesday, Donald Trump threatened to wreak havoc with the Democratic Party, out of fear of their newly-won control of the House of Representatives, and the investigations of him he fears might result.
With the simplicity of expression, lack of understanding, and absence of ethics so characteristic of him, Trump told the Post he's delayed the release of classified documents until he can use them against Democrats most effectively. It's much more powerful if I do it [ that way ] ... he said.
With the simplicity of expression, lack of understanding, and absence of ethics so characteristic of him, Trump told the Post he's delayed the release of classified documents until he can use them against Democrats most effectively. It's much more powerful if I do it [ that way ] ... he said.
Tuesday, November 27, 2018
From the Annals of Buck-Passing ...
They're making a car that people don't want to buy.
So said White House Press Secretary Sara Sanders today, regarding General Motors feeling itself forced to eliminate 15,000 jobs, most of them in the United States. Ms. Sanders' boss met that action by GM with a threat to withdraw subsidies from the automaker. Sorry, Donald - such subsidies, like the $3,494,237,703 allotted to GM in 2014, are largely under the control of Congress.
But an economic impact more prodigious than any Sanders' disdain or Trump's threats could produce happened when General Motors moved much of their manufacturing to Mexico. The relocated 15,000 jobs represent 30,000,000 hours. As recently as 2016, the starting hourly wage for members of the United Auto Workers was roughly $23.00 per hour.
Given that, the 30,000,000 hours lost by communities and workers in Wisconsin, Ohio, and Maryland removes about $690,000,000.00 from the economies of those areas.
Many economy wonks attribute this loss to Donald Trump's tariffs and economic policies ...
So said White House Press Secretary Sara Sanders today, regarding General Motors feeling itself forced to eliminate 15,000 jobs, most of them in the United States. Ms. Sanders' boss met that action by GM with a threat to withdraw subsidies from the automaker. Sorry, Donald - such subsidies, like the $3,494,237,703 allotted to GM in 2014, are largely under the control of Congress.
But an economic impact more prodigious than any Sanders' disdain or Trump's threats could produce happened when General Motors moved much of their manufacturing to Mexico. The relocated 15,000 jobs represent 30,000,000 hours. As recently as 2016, the starting hourly wage for members of the United Auto Workers was roughly $23.00 per hour.
Given that, the 30,000,000 hours lost by communities and workers in Wisconsin, Ohio, and Maryland removes about $690,000,000.00 from the economies of those areas.
Many economy wonks attribute this loss to Donald Trump's tariffs and economic policies ...
Monday, November 26, 2018
Wall Math
It's been reported recently that the wall on the U. S. / Mexico border, for which Donald Trump so yearns, will cost about $20 million (that's $20,000,000.00) per mile. The figure can be broken down further.
Even the smallest of these costs would pay for about one year at a "community" or "junior" college. That same amount would cover about 1.5%, of healthcare costs for a couple during their retirement (projected at 20 years).
Under Article 1 Section 7 of our Constitution, the Democrats who will control the House of Representatives after 01/03/2019 must be the point of origin for all revenue-raising Similarly, the House controls spending , and is required to publish a regular Statement and Account of the Receipts and Expenditures of all public Money ...
Join me in forwarding the table above to your Congressperson, and in asking him or her to ensure that the monies cited are spent for something more beneficial than a pagala wall.
|
Cost
of Border Wall per Unit of Distance
|
|
|
One Kilometer
|
$12,000,000.00 ($12 million)
|
|
One Yard
|
$11,364.00 ($11K and change)
|
|
One Foot
|
$3788.00 (nearly $3.8K)
|
Even the smallest of these costs would pay for about one year at a "community" or "junior" college. That same amount would cover about 1.5%, of healthcare costs for a couple during their retirement (projected at 20 years).
Under Article 1 Section 7 of our Constitution, the Democrats who will control the House of Representatives after 01/03/2019 must be the point of origin for all revenue-raising Similarly, the House controls spending , and is required to publish a regular Statement and Account of the Receipts and Expenditures of all public Money ...
Join me in forwarding the table above to your Congressperson, and in asking him or her to ensure that the monies cited are spent for something more beneficial than a pagala wall.
Sunday, November 25, 2018
Things to Come
While H. G. Wells is best known for novels like War of the Worlds and The Time Machine, he also wrote directly for the screen. His film Things to Come chronicles the downfall, and subsequent rebuilding, of Western society.
Metaphor alert! Booop!! Booop!!! Booop!!!! Come January 3, only thirty-eight days from this writing, Republicans will face something like the disintegration and re-assembly around which Wells constructed his movie. So, think of this post as a trailer or preview.
Elijah Cummings (D - MD) is the putative head of the House Oversight Committee. In that capacity, Mr. Cummings has promised to work with Republican (minority) members of his Committee, but to deny them the extensive subpoena power they've held and exercised in the past two years.
Jerrold Nadler (D - NY) will, after 01/03/19, head the House Judiciary Committee. Nadler hopes to conduct inquiries into the Trump administration’s policies of separating immigrant families at the U.S.-Mexico border, increases in anti-Semitic incidents and hate crimes since the president took office, voter suppression, Russia’s interference in the 2016 election, and, should it come about, impeachment.
Adam Schiff (D-CA) , soon to head the House Intelligence Committee, has vowed that it and he will investigate Donald Trump's financial ties top Saudi Arabia.
Looks like there are lots of interesting things to come ...
Metaphor alert! Booop!! Booop!!! Booop!!!! Come January 3, only thirty-eight days from this writing, Republicans will face something like the disintegration and re-assembly around which Wells constructed his movie. So, think of this post as a trailer or preview.
Elijah Cummings (D - MD) is the putative head of the House Oversight Committee. In that capacity, Mr. Cummings has promised to work with Republican (minority) members of his Committee, but to deny them the extensive subpoena power they've held and exercised in the past two years.
Jerrold Nadler (D - NY) will, after 01/03/19, head the House Judiciary Committee. Nadler hopes to conduct inquiries into the Trump administration’s policies of separating immigrant families at the U.S.-Mexico border, increases in anti-Semitic incidents and hate crimes since the president took office, voter suppression, Russia’s interference in the 2016 election, and, should it come about, impeachment.
Adam Schiff (D-CA) , soon to head the House Intelligence Committee, has vowed that it and he will investigate Donald Trump's financial ties top Saudi Arabia.
Looks like there are lots of interesting things to come ...
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