SPONSOR

Vaulted Invest in Gold

Visit this blog’s sponsor. Vaulted is an online mobile web app for investing in allocated and deliverable physical gold: Kunstler.com/vaulted


 

Support JHK on Patreon

 

If you’re interested in supporting this blog, check out the Patreon page or Substack.
 
Get This blog by email:

Attention Movie Producers!
JHK’s screenplay in hard-copy edition

Click to order!

A Too-Big-To-Fail Bankster…
Three Teenagers who bring him down…
Gothic doings on a Connecticut Estate.
High velocity drama!


Now Live on Amazon

“Simply the best novel of the 1960s”


Now in Paperback !
Only Seven Bucks!
JHK’s Three-Act Play
A log mansion in the Adirondack Mountains…
A big family on the run…
A nation in peril…


Long Emergency Cafe Press ad 2

Get your Official JHK swag on Cafe Press


The fourth and final book of the World Made By Hand series.

Harrow_cover_final

Battenkill Books (autographed by the Author) |  Northshire Books Amazon


emb of Riches Thumbnail

JHK’s lost classic now reprinted as an e-book
Kindle edition only


 

The Broken Template

T he more detached from reality American culture becomes the more strictly ceremonial leadership gets, as illustrated by the raft of bromides Barack Obama floated past the assembled vassalage of government last week in another grand effort to avoid the necessities of the moment.

Those necessities include freeing a hostage public from the tyrannical clutches of corporate despotism — the evil empire of big boxes, big burgers, big pharma, Big Brother — and the atrocious rackets fostered by them that masquerade as an economy. The template of the life we have known is broken and the pieces within are flying apart, and no amount of wishing or promising can keep them going. If this society is even going to survive, the people have to smash their way out of this template prison, probably against the efforts of the people and organizations now running it merely for their own benefit.

The future is telling us very clearly: get smaller, get finer, get more local, get less complex, get less grandiose, do it now. Do you want to eat food in the years ahead? Better make sure you live in a part of the country where small-scale farming and backyard gardening is possible because the General Mills Agri-Biz GMO Cheerios model will be folding its big tent along with its financing agents in the debt Ponzi banking system.

Do you want to have a personal economic future? Think about what you can do to make yourself useful in a local economy made up of your neighbors. And if you live in one of the thousands of soulless, neighborless suburban wastelands that amount to nothing but big box and big burger plantations, you better get out and find a real town in some other part of the country.

Do you believe that computers and robot factories will define the years to come? Maybe you have failed to notice that the US electric grid is decrepit and in need of at least a $1 trillion upgrade-and-rebuild, which, by the way, is not going to happen. What is all that crap going to run on? America’s disappointment with the broken promises of technology will be so epic that we’ll be lucky not to slide back into a world ruled by superstition and ghosts.

Do you think that $50 oil is going to make the world safe for WalMart, Walt Disney World, and Happy Motoring? In fact, $50 oil is going to crush what is left of the US Oil industry, especially fracking for shale oil and deep water drilling. And guess what — everything else is depleting at about 5 percent a year. The frackers will never again get access to the sort of junk bond financing that allowed them to ramp up their Ponzi demonstration projects in the Bakken and Eagle Ford. And they will never again regain their current level of production — which is the net result of past Ponzi financing, now ending in tears. So, forget “Saudi America” and “energy independence,” unless you mean living in a walkable community near a navigable waterway.

Do you want to be an educated person, that is, someone capable of comprehending reality and functioning within its demands? In the USA, that means you must learn how to speak and write English correctly, especially if you are in a “low performing” ethnic minority group. If you can’t conjugate verbs, you will have a hard time distinguishing the past, the present, and the future in your daily activities. Among other things, you’ll be incapable of showing up on time. And that, of course, is only the beginning. It’s that simple. These abilities used to be the result of an eighth-grade education in the United States. We would be lucky to get back to that high standard, and our knucklehead fantasies about universal access to community college be damned. It’s only a new layer in the current racket that pretends to be education.

That is the current state of the union and a glimpse of the trajectory it’s on, which the inept leaders of our country do not comprehend and cannot communicate.

Note: JHK’s 2015 Forecast is available now at this link: Forecast 2015 — Life in the Breakdown Lane

The new World Made By Hand novel

!! Is now available !!

Kunstler skewers everything from kitsch to greed, prejudice, bloodshed, and brainwashing in this wily, funny, rip-roaring, and profoundly provocative page- turner, leaving no doubt that the prescriptive yet devilishly satiric A World Made by Hand series will continue.” — Booklist

HistoryoftheFuture_Thumb

My local indie booksellers… Battenkill Books (Autographed by the Author) … or Northshire Books
or Amazon

Also: Published as an E-book for the first time!
The 20th Anniversary edition
With an entertaining new introduction by the author

GON_thumb

Bargain Price $3.99

Amazon Kindle …or … Barnes & Noble Nook …or… Kobo


This blog is sponsored this week by Vaulted, an online mobile web app for investing in allocated and deliverable physical gold. To learn more visit:Kunstler.com/vaulted


Order now! Jim’s new book
About the tribulations of growing up

Click here for signed author copies from Battenkill Books

Order from Amazon

Order from Barnes and Noble

Order now! Jim’s other new book
A selection of best blogs 2017 to now!

Click here for signed author copies from Battenkill Books

Order from Amazon

Order from Troy Bookmakers


Paintings from the 2023 Season
New Gallery 15


GET THIS BLOG VIA EMAIL PROVIDED BY SUBSTACK

You can receive Clusterfuck Nation posts in your email when you subscribe to this blog via Substack. Financial support is voluntary.

Sign up for emails via https://jameshowardkunstler.substack.com


About James Howard Kunstler

View all posts by James Howard Kunstler
James Howard Kunstler is the author of many books including (non-fiction) The Geography of Nowhere, The City in Mind: Notes on the Urban Condition, Home from Nowhere, The Long Emergency and the four-book series of World Made By Hand novels, set in a post economic crash American future. His most recent book is Living in the Long Emergency; Global Crisis, the Failure of the Futurists, and the Early Adapters Who Are Showing Us the Way Forward. Jim lives on a homestead in Washington County, New. York, where he tends his garden and communes with his chickens.

468 Responses to “The Broken Template”

  1. charlesbasak January 26, 2015 at 9:18 am #

    Hi Jim,

    You are allergic to conspiracy theories, but unfortunately I think we
    are all in a certain sense immune to conspiracies. Conspiring that has happened in the past and is sure to happen in the future, none to benefit our well being.

    In this recent post I had some brief thoughts on conspiracies…
    https://subversesjournal.wordpress.com/2015/01/24/an-end-to-conspiracies-just-a-conspiracy-theory/

    • malthuss January 26, 2015 at 2:06 pm #

      I know JHK does not like links to yuo tube put here but I hope he wil allow this one.
      If not it is okay to delete this post.

      This is an excellent reading of SOTU speech,

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GDll7FTgcIA

    • ezra abrams January 27, 2015 at 2:24 pm #

      after being so wrong, for so long, in such an abrasive manner, about peak oil, you would think Kunstler would have some apology for his readers

      • sprezzatura January 27, 2015 at 5:29 pm #

        If your predictions are off by twenty years, in the short term you are discredited, in the long run you were a prophet.

      • RocketDoc January 27, 2015 at 5:37 pm #

        I too have been wrong a long time. I read Limits to Growth in 1974 and it made a lot of sense. Too much apparently. The analytic framework (or paradigm) it stimulated was just another Malthusian riff that hooked me and I have been unable to see anything but stupidity and malfeasance everywhere. But when I go to Vail the slopes are full, the restaurants have 45 minute waits, the condos at the beach go for $2,000/week, and when I go to the grocery store I end up parking my 10 yr old Honda between two new SUV’s. Everybody is apparently doing fine. When it’s over is anybody’s guess. I wish what I know (that things are teetering on the edge of a cliff) and what I see(above) had even the barest correlation…..You should see our Costco at noon on Friday. Is anybody working these days? They seem to just have money. I’ll just keep rowing my boat gently down the stream….

      • Walter S January 28, 2015 at 11:16 am #

        Thanks for saying that. Y2K, Peak Oil, Banking crisis, kids with tattoos, etc, etc, all the end of the world. Does get kinda old.

      • Cheesewhiz February 2, 2015 at 11:13 am #

        You’re disappointed because you’ve bought into cult-inspired Rapture fantasies that say the end of the world is going to be immediate…and that it’ll be the end of the world. You’d be great debunking all the John Nelson Darby imitators (John Hagee, Hal Lindsey, the 2012 “Nubiru” crowd, etc.). As far as “debunking’ Peak Oil or the banking crisis…eh, well, not so much.

        Let’s see. You seem to say that everything worked out and we muddled through, so therefore those who raised concerns should be ashamed of themselves.

        Is 25% real-world unemployment, with half the nation making less than $20K per year, OK to you? Is a Costco flooded with people spending their food stamps a sign of a national renaissance? Or how about all the Indians working at the few jobs that still offer a living wage – because employers don’t want Americans? Are these all the signs of a thriving American culture?

        And how’s that surveillance state working out for you? Do you like having all your e-mails read, your movements monitored? How do you like the fact that our nation is going to war with Russia, when we can’t even win in Iraq? Have you cared to notice that all the U.S. can do is try to turn the rest of the world into chaos so we look good by comparison?

        All of these things seem like a perfect play-out, over the decades, of peak oil (which was always about CONVENTIONAL, cheaply-recovered oil) and financial scams. In case you didn’t read the source material, the predictions were always stated in decades.

        But…Americans are hooked on the Darbyist sh*t. Jesus will come back and scoop the faithful away, and then the naughty will suffer the depredations of the Anti-Christ. It’ll all happen in a moment. Those who think themselves more sophisticated have simply secularized Darby’s immediate apocalypse – emerging diseases, Day-After-Tomorrow weather events, one-day economic collapse, whatever – but kept the basic idea that the end will be immediate, instantly recognizable, and the END in a literal way.

        The idea that you’re just caught in a broad civilizational decline that will consume the rest of the your life and manifest itself in a fiercer and fiercer competition for increasingly smaller rewards….you know, life as we now know it….well, that’s just not sexy.

    • abbybwood January 28, 2015 at 2:25 pm #

      Well, this ain’t no conspiracy:

      http://finance.yahoo.com/news/chinas-yuan-joins-top-5-most-used-global-031840128.html

    • Beth Owyn February 2, 2015 at 8:04 pm #

      Nice piece Charles….to the point! And a Captain Obvious point, too!
      Here’s my take on conspiracy theories. EVERYTHING starts out with a 50/50 chance….it will or will not happen. As actions, observations, probabilities, and even documentation grow, so does the chance percentage of something happening. I think….as a people…as a nation…as a world…we are at a most precarious point in time…..most “interesting” times!

  2. kulturcritic January 26, 2015 at 9:22 am #

    “The template of the life we have known is broken and the pieces within are flying apart, and no amount of wishing or promising can keep them going.”

    Was it ever really working, Jim? Or was it a showpiece to keep us all enthralled, and begging for more enslavement while the supermen of America, those masters of the universe, destroyed the living planet. Hope you are well. Sandy (kC)

    • Neon Vincent January 26, 2015 at 9:48 am #

      “Was it ever really working, Jim?”

      Just last week, I described our host to my classes as an example of a school of thought that holds that our current society and economy is irredeemable and needs to be scrapped and replaced. This week’s missive fits right into that narrative and serves as a nearly perfect example of it and what needs to be done. That introduction ran right up against last week’s news that the Doomsday Clock had been advanced to 11:57, the closest to midnight since 1984. Between the two, they got my classes’ attention and put them in an appropriately serious mood.

      Speaking of serious moods, last week’s essay forecast that King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia would die this year, setting off a cascade of instability. A few days later, King Abdullah’s died and the oil markets were ambivalent about it. West Texas Intermediate actually went down on Friday. However, the monarch’s death seems to have finally stopped the slide in retail gasoline prices. About time, as the seasonal rise should have started a month ago.

      • kansas ham on wry January 26, 2015 at 10:16 am #

        And isn’t it interesting that Riyadh is apparently replacing a nonagenerian with a soon-to-be octogenerian. In Saudi Sclerotica, I suppose that’s what constitutes a youth movement.

        • Neon Vincent January 26, 2015 at 7:37 pm #

          “Riyadh is apparently replacing a nonagenerian with a soon-to-be octogenerian.”

          That’s not any worse than Vatican City, which replaced a soon-to-be nonagenarian with a soon-to-be octogenarian. At least Pope Frank has all his wits about him and doesn’t look like Emperor Palpatine.

          As for other countries that insisted in putting old farts in charge, I’m reminded of the former USSR. Four years ago, I compared Libya 2011 to Romania 1989. I then asked if that comparison was valid, then which country was going to play the role of the USSR and be the last domino to fall in the Arab Spring? My answer was either Saudi Arabia or Iran. So far, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia looks like the better bet to fill that position.

  3. Karah January 26, 2015 at 9:30 am #

    What reality demands…

    Weekend news reported a lot, almost half of oil field workers now out of work. The local landlord was reported saying “we will work with you” as opposed to kicking them out on their asses. Most of these guys are very well skilled and will be alright but a lot are kids who commuted huge distances everyday to work, bought into temp living accommodations with no savings. They took their 38$ per hour paychecks and bought sports cars. The long energency has arrived for a new batch of people. Every succeeding year that batch will grow. They willl become more dependent on the complex systems of corpogov and whoever is not driven to suicide will have leashes around their necks.

    Schoolin’ is about learning how to think for oneself and not just basic letters. That curriculum ended a long time ago.

  4. George January 26, 2015 at 9:33 am #

    “Maybe you have failed to notice that the US electric grid is decrepit and in need of at least a $1 trillion upgrade-and-rebuild, which, by the way, is not going to happen.”

    That’s the least of our worries. The state of the grid in India is far worse and it’s not getting any better either yet, by supplying their own power, concerns (like Tata for instance) are able to get by rather nicely. Taking a sorry page from our now oft discredited playbook, they’re building shopping malls off the grid with their own power generators. Yes, we’ll experience a few massive power failures but, by varying degrees, we’ll get by, probably more and more like they manage in India.

    “That is the current state of the union and a glimpse of the trajectory it’s on, which the inept leaders of our country do not comprehend and cannot communicate.”

    In times not so long ago we concerned ourselves with the now almost forgotten notions of patriotism and honor. Such a pity we’re too far down the rabbit trail for these to be fashionable, germane or useful.

    http://www.thesisa.org

    • Vlad the Impaler January 26, 2015 at 10:37 am #

      “Forgotten notions of patriotism and honor”
      Now just hold on a minute here. Haven’t you seen the new movie “American Sniper”? If that’s not something to warm the cockles of every red blooded American fascist heart I don’t know what is. Remorselessly kill people in their own country for the American Empire is what patriotism and honor all about. USA, USA, USA

      • outsider January 26, 2015 at 4:38 pm #

        I saw the movie and it is much more nuanced than that. The film never once said that we should have been in Iraq. It was mainly a character study of super sniper Chris Kyle. Clint Eastwood’s focus, as he said, was about showing what war and killing does to a man. Even though he was a war lover, Kyle’s mental health got worse with each deployment. Most viewer may come away feeling differently, but I saw the film as anti-war from its opening scene of Kyle being forced to kill a woman and child in order to save his buddies. And Bradley Cooper’s performance as Kyle was outstanding. It was hardly “USA,USA.”

        • seawolf77 January 27, 2015 at 4:58 pm #

          It’s War Porn, plain and simple. Just like “Top Gun.”

    • Corey January 26, 2015 at 12:19 pm #

      Clutserfuckian reporting from Texas. I hear all the time how Texas has its own electric grid. How does our grid compare to the western and eastern grids?

      As far as I know, there are those 3 independent power grids in the USA.

    • Subvert February 1, 2015 at 9:00 pm #

      Notions of patriotism and honor are best forgotten anyway if we want to progress into a reality based paradigm instead of one based on top-down propaganda.

      Patriotism is just “Racism With a Flag” and honor is a term often applied to people who kill other people for the profit of the War Industry. You had nothing to do with where you happened to pop out of your mother and more than what race you are. If you want to be “patriotic” and “honorable” be patriotic to the Life Support System called Earth that supplies all your needs and is the Base Resource of all life on this planet, and Honor that Earth not just by not destroying it (as if that were noble) and start helping to regenerate it.

      It’s time to unlearn all the unmitigated bullshit we’ve been taught to parrot from on high and begin to learn useful skills and ideas. The Evolution will not be televised.

  5. FincaInTheMountains January 26, 2015 at 9:41 am #

    “Better make sure you live in a part of the country where small-scale farming and backyard gardening is possible”

    Have any of you, folks, tried a “small-scale farming”? I did – tell the truth it is hard as hell in TODAY conditions to compete with big agri-business without having additional income from some paper-internet-whatever based business to supplement your farm income.

    I am breaking even and may be even making a very small profit, but unless everything goes to hell and milk/cheese prices skyrocket – I am not so sure about the future of that farm.

    I guess I’ll keep on trying.

    Support this blog on PatreonSupport this blog on Substack
    Support this blog via Patreon or Substack
    • routersurfer January 26, 2015 at 3:59 pm #

      Hello FincaInTheMountains ! I really hope you hang on. In many ways I feel it will not be about making a buck. More like staying above ground. Look for skills you can work on in the winter that can earn a few bucks or barter. Times are hard but I would rather be in your shoes than mine. Grow everything you can to eat. Grow what you do not like to eat !!! Wine or stronger will always be a good trade item. Get a seed exchange going local like. Times will never be easy again. Look on the bright side. Taxes will go down a bit. Best wishes.

      • Arrow January 26, 2015 at 11:32 pm #

        Guys… the message that one here got from Jim’s writing was based on “you better get out and find a real town in some other part of the country.” Did it. Left a six figure career in Denver almost 3 years ago and paid cash for a little place with about 3/4 acre total. The point is not to “compete” with the criminals. Carve-out your existence… and survive. We are not in this hell-hole to contribute to the bullshit. Our taxes “went down a bit” as well… to zero. Why would you continue to consent to their fucking crimes? Be assured that as long as the District of Criminals can rely on slavery to support their activities it’ll continue. There’s a line in the sand. Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery. None but ourselves can free our minds. Clarity!

        • barbisbest January 28, 2015 at 11:23 am #

          Arrow
          There’s probably a lot of truth to your comment. There are none so enslaved who think themselves free! Yes, everyone’s saying they get tired of the same old doom talk, but it’s going to come to it, sooner or later.

    • MikeMoskos January 27, 2015 at 1:15 am #

      My best suggestion is raw dairy–at a realistic price, meaning a price that will keep you in business for decades.

      Of course, for all I know, you may already be doing it. Focus your marketing on Weston A. Price Foundation members and anyone with sick children. They will be there every week, without fail and happy to buy up butter, yogurt, kefir, cheese, etc.

    • FincaInTheMountains January 27, 2015 at 8:14 am #

      “My best suggestion is raw dairy” – that is what I am doing. I am also using an all-natural feed made out of dried and milled palm nuts – which are plentiful around here and 99% goes to waste, but I still have to pay the climbers – and my cows are the best looking cows around, but….

      There is no way that all-natural feed could compete in percentage of protein with US-made GMO soy-meal, and that what’s count to boost the milk production and amount of farm income.

      And of course I can’t buy soy-meal by the shipload to cut the price – don’t have that kind of cash, neither expensive storage facilities.

    • Subvert February 1, 2015 at 9:11 pm #

      Hey Fincaln,

      Check out the work of Mark Shepard and his book “Restoration Agriculture.” He’s got lots of videos on YTube, and the one that’s about 2 hrs long is simply mind blowing. He is running a profitable small farm in a very unique way. His secret? Nearly zero input costs, practices that stack functions, improve fertility constantly and growing high demand products, hence a greater profit margin. On top of that, he’s building topsoil, pest and disease resistance, fertility and water retention in the landscape which just keep increasing. This is the future of agriculture globally. Either that or we’re an extinct species. There really isn’t any other option but to partner with Nature instead of fighting it. If you’re doing dairy, you’ll be amazed by the way he does his dairy business.

      Cheers!

  6. harryflashmanhigson January 26, 2015 at 9:45 am #

    First comment on here JHK,surprised that you haven’t mentioned Syriza today.If they do ‘as it says on the tin’ we could have default and economic chaos before you can say ‘How much for the Acropolis?’. Surely,this has to be a good thing? The only people that default by the Greeks hurts is the bankers and there is no appetite for more public help for private vampire companies anywhere.Some might say that it’s very convenient that the EuroQE was announced last week,just in time to shore up irresponsible bank’s balance sheet in just this eventuality? It’s got to the point that I can’t wait for the first ‘tarred and feathered’banker so that nobody wants to become a member of this leech on society cartel ever again.Bankers are the lowest form of human existence,closely followed by bouncers…..

    • Q. Shtik January 26, 2015 at 6:42 pm #

      Some might say that it’s very convenient that the EuroQE was announced last week,just in time to shore up irresponsible bank’s balance sheet in just this eventuality? – Harry

      ==============

      Harry,

      (1) In what sense is the above excerpt from your comment a question?

      (2) In future comments kindly press the space bar after each period and comma.

      Carry on.

      • Calico January 27, 2015 at 4:03 am #

        It’s perfectly understandable. The statement implies that what “some might say” is questionable, though it makes sense. Thank goodness not everyone worries about your silly punctuation concerns. But then I suspect that you disliked the comment for other reasons and found your particularly troll-like comment served your intentions well enough.

        • Q. Shtik January 27, 2015 at 7:25 am #

          It’s perfectly understandable. – Calico

          ===============

          Wrong Calico. It’s an abortion of UNclarity.

          BTW, I notice YOU took the time to properly punctuate your comment. Why is that? I mean, why bother?

          • Calico January 27, 2015 at 11:39 am #

            Ahhh… I had you pegged for a soul-sucking banker with that insidious intelligence that is so helpful in making other people’s things your own, provided you have the patience of a spider in a web. Then the implication was that you disliked being called out for your self-serving greed, and while you had the intelligence to understand Harry’s comment, chose to discredit it’s content with your grammar critique. But I see now that you must be a bouncer.

  7. venuspluto67 January 26, 2015 at 9:47 am #

    As I’ve said previously, when I first learned about Peak Oil, I had no doubt that we would cling to the denial we assiduously forged with the election of Ronnie Raygun in 1981, right up until The Day Everything Falls Apart. And when that day comes, we will be caught completely unprepared and with our pants down around our collective ankles. How could anyone have thought it would be any other way?

    • Janos Skorenzy January 26, 2015 at 2:37 pm #

      Ronnie Raygun? Another victim of Liberal Nostalgia here, dreaming of the days when they where are absolutely right and the “other” absolutely wrong. Then they went and elected Bubba Clinton and now the false messiah, Barack Obama.

      Is it Nostalgia or a desperate attempt to divert attention (even their own) from their own failures and foolishness?

      • venuspluto67 January 26, 2015 at 3:01 pm #

        Good, good. Let the butthurt flow through you!

        • Janos Skorenzy January 26, 2015 at 8:55 pm #

          venusbluto, you bully you punk!

      • Subvert February 1, 2015 at 9:18 pm #

        You still proffering that tired old FALSE CHOICE bullshit Janos? Repugnicrats are all the same. One wears red, one wears blue, both are puppets of those who supply their Green. Look at who contributes to their campaigns – same list of scumbag banks and corps. ..and people think there’s some difference. Please.

    • seawolf77 January 27, 2015 at 4:44 pm #

      Conservatives will be floating on a raft over what was once Florida muttering, “We thought it was all a hoax.”

  8. Cold N. Holefield January 26, 2015 at 9:49 am #

    America needs leadership. America needs heroes. If heroes can’t be found or even conjured, they must be fabricated. Sad is the land that needs a hero, but pathetic is the land that makes them up out of thick, polluted air. America is shitting itself. It needs something, and that something is not a hero, it’s an…

    American Diaper

    • Buck Stud January 26, 2015 at 10:12 pm #

      Excellent blog post Cold—Bravo!

  9. newworld January 26, 2015 at 9:49 am #

    I have a connection to a deeply Red State area of this country, where 90% of the citizens vote R year after year. And it is dominated by Big Ag and in a way its decrepit. So if you make it out of your American Dream Land to these small towns don’t expect Shangri La but more importantly don’t view yourself as Superior Being from Planet Kos landing to help the benighted natives ala “Avatar.”

    You will thank me for that bit of advice. If you want to see this in movie form go rent “Black Robe” a bit heavy handed in allegory or metaphor for what you might think but it is instructive on how a stranger can navigate the unfamiliar.

    • routersurfer January 26, 2015 at 4:01 pm #

      Look for and keep local friends. They will be all you have. Nice post newworld.

  10. hineshammer January 26, 2015 at 9:59 am #

    “In the USA, that means you must learn how to speak and write English correctly, especially if you are in a “low performing” ethnic minority group. If you can’t conjugate verbs…” JHK

    Amen to that. The level to which the mangling of the English language has risen is astounding. I recently had a conversation (and fuck those people that say “convo” as a shortening of “conversation”; is it really that difficult to utter two more syllables?) with a 20-year-old black kid. Awful. And he was trying to speak as intelligibly as possible. Does he have a chance at even a community college? Should he be given it? Obama and all the other limp-dick liberals should discard this idea that everyone should have a chance to attend college. One look at the bell curve should tell them that this simply will not work, unless we lower the standards of college education appreciably. If the median IQ in the US is 100, then at least 50% of the population, if not more, is too stupid to function at a college level. Not that I believe that Obama really cares; he’s just (or “he just” in the language of ebonics) sleeping through his presidency like he has been doing from the start.

    Support this blog on PatreonSupport this blog on Substack
    Support this blog via Patreon or Substack
    • pequiste January 26, 2015 at 11:59 am #

      Yeah Jim; it’s broken alright.
      The destruction of possibly the only social glue the U.S.A. has/had – language – was under attack, and deliberately so, from the moment LBJ (rot in hell eternally) signed the Immigration Reform Act of 1965 and concurrently the Voting Rights Act the same year.
      The massive influx of Spanish speaking populations across the country coupled with the “right” to vote in “your” language was the thin edge of a Rockwell 59 steel wedge. Vote in Urdu, Arabic or Swahili, amongst the polyglot pollution of civil discourse, and also get your government services, taxpayer funded bien sur, with a translator and anything else you require. The English language is a poison relic of an oppresssive, colonial, patriarchal conquering construct that needs to be eliminated dontcha know.
      And don’t even get me started on big business catering to the Spanish speaking portion of the population i.e any automated telephonic system that begins with ” presione el numero uno por espanole por favore.”
      The “Hip-Hop Nation” is already reduced to grunts, tattoos, and bizarre hand motions to communicate. So important it is that It has become a program of study at certain prestigious educational institutions. Really:
      http://hutchinscenter.fas.harvard.edu/hiphop-archive-research-institute
      Forget it – it’s a done deal – as the master plan has other requirements for the illiterate and non-English speaking masses. Death or slavery or both.
      See Mike Judges prophetic “Idiocracy” for the future of language here in the U.S.A. (my favorite was the Fuddruckers transition.)

      • GutenbergGuy January 26, 2015 at 1:44 pm #

        And the world of credit default swaps is oh so literate – enlightened, even!

        Please.

        • pequiste January 27, 2015 at 8:49 am #

          GutenbergGuy,
          The heirophant languages of Legalese, Medicalia, and Financio, are at the other end of the linguistic spectrum from those of the illegal alien, Hiphop Nation, and the hoi polloi.
          These mother tongues are (by design) completely unintelligible to the layperson; shrouded in mystery and intrigue.
          One must pay ample respect to enter their temples, make bountiful offerings to gain access to the initiated, and genuflect at their respective altars. The priests and priestesses of the above mentioned faiths, as in days of old, direct the faithful to the ways of “salvation.”
          Yet look behind the veil into the “Holy of Holies” of each of these “religions” and you will find corruption, whoredom, rapine and eventually a trip to hell.
          No the worlds of “credit default swaps,” derivatives, mala prohibita, plea bargaining and triple by-passes only look
          literate. They just seem constructed that way to be overly complex and confusing to keep you and me out. Nobody (actually) likes competition.

    • Corey January 26, 2015 at 12:43 pm #

      What’s up with all the limp dick comments? Is this what they call projection? no I’m not defending obummer

      • hineshammer January 26, 2015 at 2:56 pm #

        I believe there was just one limp-dick comment, mine, and it is meant to convey a sense of uselessness on the part of the political party Obama leads. Maybe not the most regal use of words, but fitting nonetheless.

    • malthuss January 26, 2015 at 12:44 pm #

      ‘If the median IQ in the US is 100’. Among Whites that is.

      With regards to those who [ahem] ‘Are not college material’, when USA was 90% White [the good ol days] the average IQ of a college student was – 110.
      Hence the term ‘hes not college material’.

      College like so many tings is now dumb ed down.
      If you doubt me check ‘USC students talk about why Obama deserved a Nobel’.
      There are many similar interviews on YouTube.

      http://dailycaller.com/2013/09/17/watch-these-clueless-students-fail-to-defend-obamas-nobel-peace-prize/

    • Janos Skorenzy January 26, 2015 at 2:40 pm #

      Sleeping? Are you crazy? He’s taken a sledge hammer to the Republic. He’s a destroyer. Google Cloward-Piven.

      • outsider January 26, 2015 at 4:47 pm #

        And yet McCain / Romney would have been worse. Much worse.

        • Therian January 26, 2015 at 9:38 pm #

          I seriously doubt that. McCain would not have adopted a healthcare system whose written specs were TWENTY THOUSAND PAGES. I don’t like either party but of the two, there’s little doubt in my mind that Democrats are fabulous at creating task forces, commissions, and bureaucrats.

          Republicans are fabulous at being hypocrites (small government but continue the tobacco subsidies for my state) but they generally have a much greater aversion to creating more and more public institutions.

          • outsider January 27, 2015 at 10:17 am #

            You didn’t mention war, Therian. McCain couldn’t wait to “Bomb, Bomb, Bomb, Bomb, Bomb Iran.” An insult to the Beach Boys tune.

    • routersurfer January 26, 2015 at 4:05 pm #

      No more than 10 – 15 % was ever college worthy. The rest of us ARE trade school material friend 🙂 More games from bankers and other slime.

    • Q. Shtik January 26, 2015 at 6:59 pm #

      The level to which the mangling of the English language has risen is astounding. – hines

      ==============

      Yes, and I fight this mangling every day right here among the more educated denizens of the blogosphere…and am despised for it.

      BTW, I’ve never heard ‘convo’ as short for conversation. Why not conver?

      • hineshammer January 26, 2015 at 8:40 pm #

        I know you do, Q, and I appreciate it. Be thankful you’ve never heard “convo”; it would irritate you I’m sure. Why not “conver? You must not ask such questions for only idiots would answer.

      • pequiste January 27, 2015 at 9:25 am #

        Actually Q I rather appreciate your insistence on good grammar as it enhances the level of written discourse here at the CFN confabulation.

  11. seawolf77 January 26, 2015 at 10:06 am #

    The problem with America is we grew up in Wonderland. After World War 2, with no real industrial competition, with all the gold, with the world reserve currency, we RULED. A man with limited talent and a high school education could raise a family on his salary alone, live a good life, and retire comfortably. Now with all that gone, and gone forever, America is BUMMED. We don’t want our old country back, we want fairy tale land back, and it ain’t coming back. So we have become SEDATED. We’re like the kid who had everything and when he grew up had nothing. The pain is worse than if he had never had anything ever. A lot worse. It is nostalgia on steroids.

    • GutenbergGuy January 26, 2015 at 1:50 pm #

      No reason it had to change. Plenty of work to be done that would maintain that “Wonderland” we grew up in.

      But the leadership caved. Sold out. No change. No hope. Just look what Rahm Emmanuel is doing to Chicago.

      That “Wonderland” was sabotaged by the demagoguery of Ronald Reagan, and instead of that “city on a hill” BS he mesmerized the voters with, we got this mess.

      Simply did not have to be.

      • Janos Skorenzy January 26, 2015 at 2:45 pm #

        Well said Goots. No one made us send our industry to the 3rd World. No one made us open our borders to cheap alien labor and to educated worker from Asia to replace our own people. These were all, to quote St Paul, profitless works of darkness.

        • Blessyourheart January 26, 2015 at 3:38 pm #

          a Lulu shall be created!

          It will not stand against us being incomplete on its own.

          It will have capacity for craft in its hands but will not know its left from its right.

          We shall speak and say “do thus” and it will be done. It will lack a soul that it should pine for freedom.

          Seeming in all ways to be adequate it will be nonetheless inadequate to stand against us.

          The raw form we need is already here. In its present form it is too strong, too cunning and too full of life to serve us. We will weaken it, take away what is not in our interests and mold it into our perfect servant.

          Do this, Lord Enki, let it be done. We command that a Lulu, a perfect servant, shall be made!

          • Janos Skorenzy January 26, 2015 at 8:51 pm #

            Hey Tex! Welcome aboard. We have some real Lulus here.

          • seawolf77 January 27, 2015 at 9:28 am #

            At the end of the day, the Annunaki are the only reasonable explanation as to why we are here. Does this mean we are no longer top dog? Absolutely. That is why, in spite of the verisimilitude of the religions of the world, we will never acknowledge it.

    • routersurfer January 26, 2015 at 4:09 pm #

      Very true. We had the world to change for the better from 1945 on to 1970’s. But we just wanted to be money whores not world leaders that really cared about helping other set up stable independent democracy’s. Why should we ? We sold ours.

  12. Greg Knepp January 26, 2015 at 10:13 am #

    It’s true that the loss of a common dialect has created a world of problems for us.

    “I bees downtown” may answer any one of three questions: “where are you?”, “where were you?” or “where will you be?” Without one of these questions the lead statement lacks specificity, whereas the standard English version “I was downtown” needs no further context.

    Fuzzy language engenders vague, irrational thinking, which leads to actions based on instinctual (reptilian) motivations…perhaps appropriate during the Paleolithic, but ill suited to civilized times.

    How many young Americans are serving time at this very moment simply because they treated the word ‘disrespect’ as an action verb?

    “He done disrespected me so I went upside his haid!”

    • GutenbergGuy January 26, 2015 at 2:03 pm #

      Utterly amazing!!!

      Do you even listen to all those Yale- and Harvard-educated politicians? Spouting mumbo jumbo and meaningless rhetoric?! All day dissembling and covering their asses. Lofty language papering over the most heinous acts.

      Do you understand the use of language to break through barriers created by what is defined as “respectable speech”? Or how marginalized societies create their own linguistic structures/languages?

      Or driven to distraction by phrases like “enhanced interrogation techniques,” people actually struggle with the challenge of expressing just how outrageous all that “respectability” is?

      Might you appreciate the fact that there are millions of people in the world with little or no education who speak several languages – out of necessity?

      It’s just maddening to read such simplistic views.

      • Greg Knepp January 26, 2015 at 3:09 pm #

        I tell you the truth, Gutenberg, Ebonics is a curse to Black Americans and even to those poor Whites who have adopted it.

        It is a dialect that relies heavily on intonation and gesture – usually aggressive and hostile in nature – and its structure is toddleresque, lacking such elements as plural forms and tenses, even articles are often dropped. The holy word N—– is its primary endearment and M—–F—– its favored expletive. For these reasons and others, Ebonics can have no written form beyond rap lyrics, and it can never achieve the nuance needed to allow its users to navigate a complex world. Furthermore, a complex world is what we have and shall have for some time to come!

        As always, your position is well stated; you seem to have no problem articulating your stance on sensitive, sophisticated topics. However, there is something obliquely patronizing in the tone…but not toward me.

  13. Therian January 26, 2015 at 10:22 am #

    I found this week’s post by Jim to be refreshing. The community college for dummies idea that Obama is trying to foist upon the world is another idiotic, debt-creating idea. How are we going to pay professors, clerical staff, or even janitors at CC’s? Then there’ll be the usual Democratic construction of a huge bureaucracy to oversee the new Free College program replete with $150K administrators and their staffers at the Federal, State, and County levels. The Post Office is falling apart and the plumbing in most major cities is 140 years old but let’s give more free shit away. If Little Johnny with his 85 IQ wants to be a nucular [sic] physicist ’cause he got all excited watching a Nova special that he didn’t understand ’cause his literacy is at the 7th grade level, well by God we’re gonna larn him nucular [sic] physics then!!

    It’s too fucking late for this idiotic country where 80% of the people in cities have more admiration for MMA cage fighters than they do for anything that smacks of intellect or refinement. Alexis de Tocqueville, alas, was absolutely correct about democracy. It’s the will of the rabble. Of course, our idiotic children who cannot name the Vice President or the parties that fought in the Revolutionary War were also never taught that the USA is a Republic.

    With all due respect, Jim, what we have become is incapable of ANY enlightened states like neighborly cooperation and sustainable living arrangements. Any person who goes on a pub crawl on a weekend night can see that the loneliest guy in the room is the tattoo-less guy in the corner with a nice sport coat who isn’t in the vulgar screaming contests that make public places seem like the flophouse scene in Fellini’s “Satyricon”.

    However, I can only agree that it’s better to be surrounded by fewer idiots than millions of them so the idea of moving to a small town cannot be wrong.

    • Corey January 26, 2015 at 12:39 pm #

      Relax, The Republicans aren’t going to pass a free community college program. You know – they have control of the house and senate now?

      Ever heard the saying, “The president proposes, the congress disposes”?

    • Beryl of Oyl January 26, 2015 at 1:43 pm #

      Back when I noticed the huge amounts of money being thrown into community colleges from somewhere, when there is “no money” for roads, bridges, the power grid, etc., I and a number of my cohorts were trying to figure out what was up. Why a branch of SCCC, for instance, in downtown Albany, with all the politicians getting involved. Now we see what was up, they were getting ready to get in on the racket.
      I wish they could do that kind of long range planning with that kind of competence with any of the things they were supposed to be doing.
      Someone on this site, a couple of weeks back, named Higher Ed as one of the rackets, I can’t remember who, but whoever it was, you were right.
      As far as walkable cities, the politicians in those areas (Albany, Schenectady, for instance) are busy jacking up taxes on homeowners sky-high to give the money away to racketeers, rather than use the cash for the maintenance of the things that make cities livable.

    • malthuss January 26, 2015 at 2:11 pm #

      BACK ROW HECKLER, can you tel us the pay of staff at two year colleges?

    • GutenbergGuy January 26, 2015 at 2:37 pm #

      Much of the country already has an extensive community college system. I don’t know the specifics of Mr. Obama’s proposal, and I certainly can’t argue with the problems of huge bureaucracies and overpaid administrators (I’m a retired UCal support staff) BUT there is a real need for trained technicians in hundreds of fields – the skilled crafts-persons of the future, if you will – and we will commit a grave error if we don’t address that.

      Infrastructure upgrades – urgently needed – and maintenance, as well as staffing for the high-tech economy that is still evolving, all of these will require trained personnel. Many with a high school diploma and 2-3 years of specialized training.

      IF, however, in all too typical American fashion we argue over BS like a parody of a stereotype, and engage in endless scapegoating, then we will not survive.

      Also, I seem to recall that George W. Bush always said “nucular” and he could rarely speak in complete sentences. Not only illiterate, but this former “Leader of the ‘Free World'” can’t leave the US for fear of being arrested for crimes against humanity.

      • hineshammer January 26, 2015 at 6:03 pm #

        George W. is a twit, yes, but he is not illiterate, not even functionally. I’m guessing that his reading comprehension is at a high school level.

    • outsider January 26, 2015 at 5:01 pm #

      Of course, we did have Little George who managed to become president with an 85 IQ. At least he didn’t try to become something that required some real intelligence, like being a “nucular” physicist. Odd that he was president for 8 years without ever learning to pronounce the word “nuclear” properly. Was his staff afraid to tell him that he sounded like an ass?

      • russ January 27, 2015 at 10:29 am #

        “…Was his staff afraid to tell him…” Not at all. The speech pattern identified him as being a member of a certain tribe that would vote a certain way. No doubt his staff reasoned ‘it’s all good’.

    • abbybwood January 26, 2015 at 5:53 pm #

      Read an article in The New York Times a few weeks ago about what a great small town Bellport, NY is. If I didn’t live in L.A. I would check it out. Best sweet corn I ever had was from Long Island!!

  14. Smoky Joe January 26, 2015 at 10:23 am #

    Jim, you noted “we’ll be lucky not to slide back into a world ruled by superstition and ghosts.”

    Slide back? When did we leave? If you consider fundamentalist religion and its belief in angels, devils, djinn, and so on, we never crawled out.

    The Age of Reason had a good run. The secular culture of Modernism, too. But neither can compete with primitivism when times get hard.

  15. K-Dog January 26, 2015 at 10:33 am #

    People have to smash their way out of this template prison, probably against the efforts of the people and organizations now running it merely for their own benefit.

    Problem is the genetic predisposition to desire to smash out of template prisons is found in few. The number who actually like to eat at Mickey Ds and want everything the same is shocking. Like an instinctual fear of spiders some have an instinct to want more than a colorful light show with sound effects out of their life yet they are few and far between. Those too stupid to function at a college level or anything close to it simply don’t desire more than a bigger screen on their T.V.. They don’t care what their T.V. shows. They just want it bigger so the sensuality of their experience is enhanced.

    Not many in America want to be educated and capable of comprehending reality and functioning within the limits it demands. It is not part of our zeitgeist. They want fun fun fun and they want it now. Do that bucket list! Those who desire to comprehend reality and be functional in it already are. They have and are educating themselves for the future. Nobody has to tell them to do it or provide an ‘opportunity’. They find and make their own opportunities. Too bad they are a rare as white buffaloes.

    From a collective point of view America is about to get what it deserves. America elected a limped dick sleepwalking president. Yes the slickest advertising champaign in history and an endless supply of rich people money had a lot to do with it. Yet when it comes down to it people voted for him because they were stupid and easily manipulated. America chose and now America will enjoy the banquet of consequences with which they have filled a heaping plate from the salad bar of life. The thousand mile Caesar salad is no longer on the menu, only consequences. What is left of it is going fast. Just like 3 dollar gas!

    Support this blog on PatreonSupport this blog on Substack
    Support this blog via Patreon or Substack
    • Beryl of Oyl January 26, 2015 at 1:47 pm #

      Try to explain to the average peon what is going on right under their noses, they will call you filthy names and get really ferocious, and keep voting back in the very people who are actively destroying the places they live in.

      • baird January 26, 2015 at 10:25 pm #

        Quite remarkable really. Perhaps the Stockholm Syndrome writ large, some deep misguided impulse to identify with their oppressors?

    • Janos Skorenzy January 26, 2015 at 2:50 pm #

      They’ve tried to get Blacks interested in hiking but it’s a no go. They’re afraid of snakes and moreover, just don’t fine Nature beautiful or interesting. They can’t appreciate Nature because they’re too close to it. They are Nature.

      Hispanics like Parks, as long as they have grills so they can have huge cookout involving hundreds of people.

      • vengeur January 26, 2015 at 4:46 pm #

        .. and as long as there’s a parking space for the Suburban next to the grill.

      • hineshammer January 26, 2015 at 6:09 pm #

        Do blacks, nature and parks really need to be capitalized? You just add confusion to your message. When I read “Hispanics like Parks”, my first thought was “What? Rosa Parks?”

    • abbybwood January 26, 2015 at 6:16 pm #

      Well, if we are faced with final presidential debates between Hillary! and Jeb, I hope a “Don’t vote! Why encourage them?!” campaign breaks out.

      Just to see all the pained faces of the various pundits as they opine the lowest turnout in U.S. history would cheer me.

      What if they had an election and nobody came? Had “No Confidence” been a choice it would win. Would be fun to watch “The Electoral College” grapple with THAT Clusterfuck!

      But my first choice would be for an intellectual college professor type to jump in as an Independent, get all the disaffected voters to get off their asses and turn the teevee off and get that person polling 15%.

      Just to have an intelligent debater in their to create some chaos/clarity would be worth the price of admission even he/she would not “win”.

      • abbybwood January 26, 2015 at 6:17 pm #

        I meant “there”.

      • Q. Shtik January 26, 2015 at 9:35 pm #

        Just to have an intelligent debater in [their] to create some chaos/clarity – abby

        =============

        In [their] what?

  16. Jennefer January 26, 2015 at 10:42 am #

    Do you want to have a personal economic future? Think about what you can do to make yourself useful in a local economy made up of your neighbors.

    Here in Boulder, Colorado, we are having a neighborhood uprising over the fact that our city no longer listens to the people who live here. And our mayor is not ashamed to tell us that.

    See: http://boulderneighbors.blogspot.com/2015/01/boulder-bureaucrats-could-learn-lot.html

    • Arrow January 29, 2015 at 8:31 pm #

      Republic of Boulder… accept his oath of office (for the record) and start administrative action against his surety bond. If the R of B takes any action that is repugnant to the Constitution, he’s personally liable. Sue him personally when they reply that there is nothing they can do… that opens the door for claims against him. Wouldn’t recommend using an attorney… they are officers of the court and you would become a ward of the court.

  17. volodya January 26, 2015 at 10:44 am #

    Mr D re your post on European QE

    The answer is to always follow the money.

    The banksters on this side of the pond and the banksters on the other side have the same game plan. I draw no distinction between the bankster and the oligarch. They’re in it together.

    See, lefties want to spend money that they don’t have. That’s delusional, don’t you think?

    In contrast, banksters aren’t so crazy. Banksters want to STEAL money. I mean, why earn it. Earning money is hard.

    But the bankster won’t just pull a gun. Like I said, they’re not crazy. I mean, pull a gun and you just never know who ends up dead.

    No, banksters have sneaky, non-violent ways to steal.

    You see, they contrive some likely sounding stories, they convince people that it’s in their best interest to hand over their wallets. The bankster controls central banks, the central banks force people to “move up the risk curve” (via zero rate policies) where savings will be harvested and skimmed by the bankster.

    That’s what all this is all about. Theft. LEGAL theft. At the end of it the bankster is outlandishly rich. Every other schmuck is broke.

    And nobody but the bankster has any idea how it happened. They just know that now they live poor, they’re out of work or sporadically employed, they have no pension, their grown kids are marooned at home, at best with barista or part-time Walmart.

    And, year after year we fall for the same old distractions. The last one? Republicans put a bill on abortion up for a vote. Now they want to mandate ultrasounds before an abortion.

    If it isn’t abortion it’s gay marriage. Or some other damn thing. Like evolution in the schools or the Ten Suggestions on public buildings. Keep people whipped up so they don’t see the robbery right under their noses.

    You can say this Netanhayu nonsense was more of the same. Fuck me dead, I fell for it. Another hoo-ha over a patch of sand in the middle of nowhere that does not fucking matter in the grand scheme, least of all to Americans.

  18. Vlad the Impaler January 26, 2015 at 10:49 am #

    James, I have to say I’m a little disappointed with this week’s post. I was looking forward to you ripping a new one for Mr. Obama. The SOTU speech was the hight of hypocrisy an deceit even for this little con man. Obama is the biggest fraud ever perpetrated on the American people. Everyone needs to call him out.

  19. BackRowHeckler January 26, 2015 at 10:51 am #

    Wait a minute!

    Youtube media star artiste Glo Well Green, who was wearing lime green lipstick when she interviewed the President just last week, thinks free community college for all is an idea whose time has come, finally.

    Who are you to argue? Are you a Youtube Media Star? Do you wear green lipstick?

    How do you like it now, gentlemens?

    brh

    • vengeur January 26, 2015 at 4:43 pm #

      Why not just teach community college courses in High school? You know, the way they use to 50 years ago.

  20. B9K9 January 26, 2015 at 10:54 am #

    Paul Craig Roberts said it best:

    “People as uninformed and as gullible as Americans have no future. Americans are a dead people that history is about to run over.”

    I enjoy reading Jim’s essays immensely; still, his criticism seems to imply potential hope.

    The next stage is that reached by PCR – it’s all over except for the crying.

    Support this blog on PatreonSupport this blog on Substack
    Support this blog via Patreon or Substack
    • seawolf77 January 26, 2015 at 11:00 am #

      Scary to contemplate, but I think he’s right.

    • lsjogren January 26, 2015 at 11:08 am #

      He has a point, but why single out Americans, can he name a single nation that is not every bit as clueless if not more so than the United States?

      • AKlein January 26, 2015 at 11:29 am #

        The Russians generally are not clueless. They may be given to a greater degree of cynicism, but they are not clueless.

      • abbybwood January 26, 2015 at 6:22 pm #

        Switzerland?

    • Janos Skorenzy January 26, 2015 at 2:54 pm #

      Don’t let the sun catch you crying. He doesn’t like it.

    • MisterDarling January 26, 2015 at 4:07 pm #

      Mr. Roberts has seen a lot of stuff go under the bridge, so he factors in reaction times and concurrent resource depletion. Still, it wasn’t over until relatively recently… and that’s the pity.

  21. lsjogren January 26, 2015 at 11:06 am #

    When the fossil fuel era is in its twilight, it may indeed be those few who can revert to a more primitive agrarian society who survive. But it it will be a painful and brutish existence. I suppose it is far fetched to every accuse Mr. Kunstler of “sugar coating”, but let’s not fool ourselves about what life will be like in the post-industrial era.

    • GutenbergGuy January 26, 2015 at 7:34 pm #

      This IS the post-industrial era.

  22. 99 cent nation January 26, 2015 at 11:11 am #

    “The more detached from reality American culture becomes the more strictly ceremonial leadership gets, as illustrated by the raft of bromides Barack Obama floated past the assembled vassalage of government last week in another grand effort to avoid the necessities of the moment.” I just watched a speech given by Jeb Bush, talk about bromides my god this guy is as evil and stupid as his Father and Brother. Another great white hope that is going to fix everything, especially for his greedy friends and family. It will be interesting to see what the democrats can come up to match such stupidity and out right lies. They will you can bet on it.

    • Beryl of Oyl January 26, 2015 at 1:52 pm #

      If the Bushes know how to make things good, what are they waiting for?

    • Janos Skorenzy January 26, 2015 at 2:57 pm #

      So we need to have only Non-White presidents from now on? Just like no more White Annies? Jeb has a Mexican wife so he can’t be all bad. He making an effort to get rid of his whiteness, don’t you think he should get some credit for that?

      • seawolf77 January 27, 2015 at 9:29 am #

        He’d get more if she was black.

    • outsider January 26, 2015 at 5:15 pm #

      The Dems already have their candidate. No sense having any primaries. I am WOMAN, hear me roar. Hillary thy time has finally come.

      • abbybwood January 26, 2015 at 6:27 pm #

        If that happens it will be a slam dunk for the Republicans regardless of who they choose.

        The hatred of Hillary! is alive and well, especially with Democrats.

        There will be no amount of nose holding that can save her. And because of this I think she will not run.

        • GutenbergGuy January 26, 2015 at 7:40 pm #

          Now that IS an interesting thought. I mean that Hillary would be perceptive enough to read the mood you describe.

          Would be a purely symbolic election — with two candidates, Hillary & Jeb, who share the same world view and thus have nothing pertinent to say.

          They are both clueless. Hence the endless bromides we will hear about “America’s Destiny” and nothing about the real problems that confront us.

          I for one am dreading this “election”!

          • russ January 27, 2015 at 11:03 am #

            I agree except for the sentence “…they are both clueless…”.

            No. They are both ideal candidates for the ‘Corporations Rule – War Forever’ party, which is subdivided into the Rs and Ds.

            I recall JHK’s recent comment to the effect that ‘we need a third party’. We really do. But even if there were a move towards that, we would never hear a thing about it. The corporate dominated media would ensure that.

  23. Ghung January 26, 2015 at 11:20 am #

    JHK: “If this society is even going to survive, the people have to smash their way out of this template prison, probably against the efforts of the people and organizations now running it merely for their own benefit.”

    Funny. Our annual home owner’s policy came up for renewal this month and increased significantly. The agent said it was mainly because our credit score dropped (since we no longer have any debt). Suggested we get a few credit cards and use them to increase our scores, or maybe get a home equity loan and put that money towards something more “productive”.

    I suggested he let the policy expire and left, on the way out reminding him that I’ve never made a single claim in my 57 years, excepting a couple of minor health claims. “I’ll take my chances”. By the time I got home he had left three messages (demands, actually) to call him immediately. I’m sure he’ll be knocking on the door any time now.

    “Beware of dogs“, the sign says.

    • AKlein January 26, 2015 at 11:27 am #

      Serves you right for refusing to drink the debt “Kool Aid”! That’ll learn you.

      • Ghung January 26, 2015 at 11:39 am #

        Gosh, I still pay my taxes. That ought to count for something; keeping up my fair share of the national debt and all that, at least until I can tweak my income down to below poverty levels before they do.

        • Janos Skorenzy January 26, 2015 at 2:59 pm #

          You owe more than 150,000 dollars and if you were really a good citizen you would pay forthwith.

    • piltdownman January 26, 2015 at 1:53 pm #

      Amazing. A very similar thing happened at our house. The price keeps going up, so we started looking elsewhere. The people who help the policy didn’t even really give a shit. And we have never had a claim in 25+ years.

      We are all slaves to the credit reporting agencies, including when looking for a job. Think about that; you’re out of work, so they check your credit score! WTF do you think they’re going to find….

      My wife and I live in a dense, walkable community, but the idea of having enough space to at least plant a decent sized garden keeps coming back to me. I have my eye on a nice small town in Ohio…

      • abbybwood January 26, 2015 at 6:34 pm #

        Check the local police logs before you leap. I am from a town near Sandusky and the locals tell me there is an ever growing heroin/crime problem in many smaller towns.

        Check out the show Anthony Bourdain did about “going home” and seeing the east coast small town heroin problem blowing up. I think it was New Hampshire? Worth watching.

      • Q. Shtik January 26, 2015 at 9:52 pm #

        The people who [help] the policy didn’t even really give a shit. – pilt

        ===============

        What does ‘help’ the policy mean?

        • Helen Highwater January 27, 2015 at 4:40 pm #

          Maybe you could try writing an interesting comment yourself, instead of just continuously picking away at the grammar and spelling that other people use. At least their comments have something to say, even if they don’t happen to spell everything perfectly.

    • Beryl of Oyl January 26, 2015 at 1:56 pm #

      Yes, the pro-consumer Senator, Chuck Schumer, doesn’t seem too concerned about the fact that your “credit score” follows you around, and it’s this thing that some nebulous unelected bunch made up to define you.
      Back when I was really skating on thin ice, financially, I had a much better credit score than today, when I don’t use credit. Why do we put up with this?

      • piltdownman January 26, 2015 at 3:01 pm #

        Well, it tells us precisely how we are positioned in this culture, as “consumers,” not citizens, defined not by our ability to build a strong community and take care of our families, but by how deeply in debt we can goand still make our payments….

    • GutenbergGuy January 26, 2015 at 7:43 pm #

      Amazing! An insurance salesman who can’t close a deal with a longtime customer.

      Also note the trap. Take more risks to lower your insurance premium. Just like a coke-snorting Wall Street banker – become a player.

      Needless to say his company’s “business plan” is a recipe for disaster.

  24. AKlein January 26, 2015 at 11:24 am #

    From the tone of JHK’s essay this week one can surmise that we are about to reach the bitter end of the rope. At least from his perspective. I can certainly empathize with his sentiments. But frankly, I think we may be underestimating the capabilities of the clique that has kept this charade going for so long. Sure as G-d made little green apples “they” will figure out a way to keep this fiction going a little while longer. I remember my mother talking to me about what a racket the whole financial business was back in the early 1970’s. That’s over 40 years ago! She was expecting a collapse into ruin back then. Didn’t happen. Nixon decoupled from gold and Bretton Woods and the petrodollar scheme kept the party going for the following decades. What next stunt will ‘they” pull to save “the system”? Who knows! But I’ll bet that the plans have been in the works. Of course, that doesn’t mean that the plan will actually work this time. I suppose we will find out soon enough though.

    • volodya January 26, 2015 at 11:43 am #

      I think it’s been more like a choppy degradation rather than a sudden collapse into rubble.

      There’s the spasm theory of history. Steady as she goes until it doesn’t and it all goes over the cliff. Most of what happened over the past hundred years came as a surprise. The old folks that I’ve spoken to in past decades were shocked at the speed and immensity of events in WW1 and WW2.

      I have a personal interest in everything not unravelling in a 1930’s style collapse. Or something worse. But “worse”, given past history, is something we can’t discount.

      How can we know what comes out of the Middle East or Ukraine or Iran? Events take shape and engulf everyone like a tsunami.

      • AKlein January 26, 2015 at 2:09 pm #

        You mention WW1 and WW2. Prescient? When the current rackets are no longer supportable and the system starts to come unglued, war seems to be a solution of the those in charge.The “little people” who make it through the chaos and destruction with their lives feel so fortunate that they keep their mouths shut and toe the mark for a couple of generations. That’s a social dynamic we should all fear, and you, Volodya, have pointed that out by inference. Cooking pots can always easily be summoned to boil over in the service of those in charge who worry about losing control.

    • Beryl of Oyl January 26, 2015 at 1:59 pm #

      Let’s see, young people who would have dropped out of high school will now hang in there to go to community college, and when they fail at the ‘STEM’ courses, they will blame themselves for having no job and no future, for a period of time.

    • Janos Skorenzy January 26, 2015 at 3:02 pm #

      Many have fled into the wilderness to wait for the end. Then they run out of money and have to start all over again – usually selling their retreat if it’s too far out to find work.

  25. 41259mike January 26, 2015 at 11:27 am #

    If the pace keeps up, maybe whitey will have to se habla espanlol……..

    Support this blog on PatreonSupport this blog on Substack
    Support this blog via Patreon or Substack
    • Beryl of Oyl January 26, 2015 at 2:01 pm #

      Yes, a language from a white, European culture.

      • vengeur January 26, 2015 at 4:38 pm #

        That always amuses me too. How people somehow forget that Spanish is in origin a white European language. But then people also believe horses were indigenous to America (before the Spanish brought them).

        • Janos Skorenzy January 26, 2015 at 8:47 pm #

          There are many types of Spanish. I doubt true Spanish people like hearing it the way Hispanics speak it.

  26. TheMule January 26, 2015 at 11:29 am #

    I nominate Jim for President of Reality States of America. Honest state of the union.

  27. noel bodie January 26, 2015 at 11:30 am #

    The SOTU was a kickoff for 2016, blues will run on populist economics, reds, in the voice of Joni-the-castrator, will run on fear.

    • GutenbergGuy January 26, 2015 at 7:55 pm #

      Populist Economics?! When did you last hear that from a Democratic presidential nominee? McGovern, actually.

      That is, of course, a big part of the problem. Not a real populist in the crowd. Oh, both Jeb & Hillary are shining up their populist-sounding rhetoric, but that’s all it is – rhetoric.

      For example, neither of them has a clue how to modernize this nation’s infrastructure and prepare it to compete in the future, because both of them are committed to the Wall Street/Corporate “One Nation as a Company Town” view of America.

      He’ll try to steal her populist thunder and she’ll try to prove she can be as belligerent as any man! We will all lose.

  28. volodya January 26, 2015 at 12:10 pm #

    There’s reports on-line from Guardian, MSN, ITworld and others that IBM will be turfing 110,000 employees, 26% of its workforce. I don’t know if its true. If it’s true it will be a real bloodbath. They say it will be the biggest layoff in history. Imagine it, how does a company put itself back together after something that big? Chaos for months, maybe years. Massively expensive too.

    • Beryl of Oyl January 26, 2015 at 2:02 pm #

      I saw on TV that IT companies were looking to hire. The job market is better. They said so.

    • GutenbergGuy January 26, 2015 at 7:58 pm #

      I grew up in San Jose and I have no idea what IBM does today. Maybe like GE their portfolio is full of guns & ammo.

      I do know that a few years ago IBM lost my health insurer’s server. Seems they couldn’t even keep track of a server.

  29. barbisbest January 26, 2015 at 12:21 pm #

    Reply to KDog-

    “From a collective point of view America is about to get what it deserves. America elected a limped dick sleepwalking president. Yes the slickest advertising campaign in history and an endless supply of rich people money had a lot to do with it”

    Yes it did, the people behind are very cunning and know exactly what to tell people to say. But, it may have been worse with Romney. We’d be in Iran by now. Thank you Mr. Proudy wherever you are!!

    Maybe we are about to get what we deserve, but there is evil in every person and good too. And so it is with countries. The unfortunate thing is the poorest among us will suffer the most not the ones who are so deserved. Like someone commented on this blog past, we can only tread water till the whole damn rug gets pulled out from under us. That’s the sad truth. So, as I see it, are we evil and deserve punishment, probably. But, I think most people have some good and just try to survive, until, as I say, the rug gets pulled out from under them. Superstitions no, ghosts well, that’s another story. Experiencing is believing.

    • seawolf77 January 26, 2015 at 3:10 pm #

      That is a fairy tale you learned in school. America has never been good. Like Dick Gregory said “This bitch has been bad from the beginning.” We slaughtered the Indians. We enslaved the Negros. Fought an incredibly bloody war to keep them enslaved. Never paid either reparations. Discovered oil and became the next empire. Running out of oil now and becoming the Evil Empire. You know who invented the term “Enhanced interrogation?’ The Nazis. 9/11 is the Reichstag Fire. Patriot Act is the Enabling Act. Iraq and Afghanistan are Czechoslovakia and Austria. America is the Fourth Reich. I mean this is not a stretch to see. The only thing left is a full blown war with Russia, and really how far away is that? Iran is Poland.

      • hineshammer January 26, 2015 at 6:30 pm #

        “America… becoming the Evil Empire.”

        Becoming?

      • abbybwood January 26, 2015 at 6:42 pm #

        And as Gen. Smedley Butler said, “War is a racket for corporate America.”

    • Blessyourheart January 26, 2015 at 3:50 pm #

      Ironically enough, modern-day advertising has its roots based in communism.

      • GutenbergGuy January 26, 2015 at 8:01 pm #

        Some would say organized religion.

        Talk about hype!

      • K-Dog January 26, 2015 at 10:28 pm #

        No, it goes back to the first world war and Edward Louis Bernays. The father of public relations. He and The Committee on Public Information made America hate the ‘HUNS’.

        Communists used propaganda but if you believe they came up with it you have been the victim of guess what.

        Propaganda !

        • russ January 27, 2015 at 11:22 am #

          I believe that was the title of one of his books, i.e., “Propaganda” – back in the 1920s when the word had a better connotation.

          And, if I am not mistaken, he was also the one who developed the ad campaign to get women to take up smoking more cigarettes. Something about ‘lighting a torch for freedom’.

          It’s a great system, as long as you can make sure the reckoning and the bill that is due is passed along to a generation or two after your own.

          If we could, we’d keep playing that game forever. Trouble is, when we long ago stopped living off the interest of the resources the Earth gave us, and started dipping very deeply into the capital behind those resources, the game stops.

          And that’s what what our so-called leaders can’t stand.

    • Q. Shtik January 26, 2015 at 10:09 pm #

      we can only tread water till the whole damn rug gets pulled out from under us. – barbis

      =================

      Jesus, Mary and Joseph!! Talk about your mixed metaphors. I am trying to picture a rug under me as I tread water.

    • K-Dog January 26, 2015 at 10:20 pm #

      True Romney as a choice was not much of a choice. The system is set up to choose only the lesser of two evils. Imagining we really have any choice at all is an illusion. I did not get caught up in technicalities. America does as stupid does.

      Regarding getting what we deserve I made a point of using the word ‘collective‘. Many innocents will suffer and those young enough to spend most of their future lives suffering certainly wont be deserving what is coming. Some of the most evil among us will prosper to their bitter end. From an individual point of view justice from the banquet of consequences like mileage, shall vary.

      It would have been worse with Romney. Having a do-nothing president while it seals our fate, is not as bad as having someone who would actually accelerate the collapse. the collapse that is about to rise with the sun. As much as it pains me to say it, better to have someone who doesn’t do anything at all like we have now.

  30. barbisbest January 26, 2015 at 12:39 pm #

    Last week’s missive, I get comfort too knowing America is well armed. It’s faster that way. I wish I’d decided to be here the beginning of the last century.

    One of last week’s statements now come to pass, King Abdullah is gone.

    Please see the documentary, Ethos, a Time for Change. It tells ya all about how things are run and why.

    There has been more than a few calls for JHK for president in this blog the last few weeks. If enough people wrote him in, well……..

    A country of truth and character, what a concept.

    Support this blog on PatreonSupport this blog on Substack
    Support this blog via Patreon or Substack
    • abbybwood January 26, 2015 at 6:43 pm #

      Imagine the debates!!!

      Wow! Just wow!!!

    • Janos Skorenzy January 26, 2015 at 8:11 pm #

      Faster that way? Care to explain that one pardner?

  31. barbisbest January 26, 2015 at 12:44 pm #

    Oh yah, and the part JHK wrote about soon they’ll need to start taking stuff. How about that Civil Asset Forfeiture being accomplished by members of PD’s and also by the IRS. Fan freakin amazing. People being pulled over and money found in their vehicle and confiscation. It was on main street media news!! What the hell is that. The United States of Mexico???!?!?!?!!?

    I’d rather have the Reality States of America too!!! JHK for pres.

    • Beryl of Oyl January 26, 2015 at 2:08 pm #

      Where I live, you can’t keep paying the extremely high taxes to support our police, etc. in the higher style than the rest of us live in, to which they have become accustomed, they seize your house.
      The money doesn’t just go for civil servants of course, at least we use police and fire protection, a lot of it goes to millionaires to get them to open up businesses here to replace the businesses driven out by the high taxes and neglect by the people paid to run things.

      • seawolf77 January 27, 2015 at 9:53 am #

        If ever there was a police state in a burgeoning police state, that state is Louisiana. You are 5 times more likely to be in jail in Louisiana than Maine. Stats for per capita police are difficult to find, but I would venture to guess Louisiana is in the top 3. They use the blockwort technique of the Nazis, where neighborhood gossip replaces police investigation, evidence, proof. And what is Louisiana first and foremost…an oil colony, shaped by Standard Oil. Huey Long was only the most prominent politician to be assassinated by Big Oil.

  32. nsa January 26, 2015 at 12:45 pm #

    Yo Kunstler dude…..me be thinkin you be dissin we brothers…..you be wrong……ain’t no conjugating with other bros going on here in lockup…..

  33. malthuss January 26, 2015 at 2:08 pm #

    Why is oil so cheap?

    seriously.

    • Janos Skorenzy January 26, 2015 at 3:17 pm #

      Orlov says power politics: the US is trying to knock Russia out. This attempt will fail. Holy Russia hold all the cards and the Evil Empyre flails.

      http://cluborlov.blogspot.com/2015/01/whiplash.html#more

    • DrGonzo January 26, 2015 at 7:35 pm #

      Increased supplies globally, and reduced demands. Duh. Just because JHK didn’t predict it doesn’t mean it isn’t happening. JHK never predicted the DJIA at 17,000, either. Although he has successfully predicted 17 of the last two recessions.

      Of course, it won’t last. Oil will be back to $75/barrel within two or three years.

    • GutenbergGuy January 26, 2015 at 8:07 pm #

      You know, that is a very good question, and I’m not sure anyone has an answer.

      Usually I would say the commodities brokers and all the folks who dick around and place bets on every aspect of our lives. Supply and demand are the Easter Bunny and Tooth Fairy of Free Market economics.

      I really don’t know. And when it hits nearly $5 here in CA I won’t have any idea why then either.

      Why does anything cost what t does? Why are the prices on Apple products so high they reportedly make 2/3 profit on some items?

      Just because.

  34. malthuss January 26, 2015 at 2:13 pm #

    I am listening to Rush L on AM radio. He is talking about Obamas
    staff wanting ‘logistic companies’ to scatter wetbacks across the USA.

    And there may be a link from that to the measles epidemic.

  35. obsidian221 January 26, 2015 at 2:15 pm #

    I have long been a fan of Jim’s work, mainly because of his blistering indictments of consumer, something for nothing-ism culture and the folly of fueling our society on fossil fuels and empty promises.

    Where he and I diverge is when it comes time to pillory “minorities” (one of which I happen to be) and the mischaracterization of what the President of the United States is supposed to be.

    The President is the Chief of Operating Officer of a transnational corporation which masquerades as a functioning democratic republic.

    In that equation, whether or not Tyrone, Miguel or hell, Jethro can speak the Queen’s English is immaterial.

    Sometime shortly after a comfortable, prosperous, well fed, body politic made things too difficult for our little empire to carry out its plans in Southeast Asia – the latest in a long line of wars to be used as economic stimulus and industrial macromanagement , “The Powers That Be” (TPTB) decided that it could no longer afford a middle class with enough education to understand up from down, and with enough free time and lack of fear to actually mobilize and work to foil their designs.

    The rest, as they say is history.

    As for us getting what we deserve, it would behoove us to accept that the impetus of elites to steal labor in conjunction with a sadistic need to brutalize the most vulnerable members of our society (the landless, the poor, women and visible hated “others”) are more American than apple pie.

    To this, even Thomas Jefferson, another hypocritical, labor stealing, rapist and pederast, was force to concede

    “I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just; that his justice cannot sleep forever.”

    To that end, all TPTB are ever looking to hire is someone to keep the whole circus colling along. Thus our President’s from day one to present.

    For this job, Obama, unlike his sub literate and cognitively impaired predecessor, is quite well suited.

    Support this blog on PatreonSupport this blog on Substack
    Support this blog via Patreon or Substack
    • Janos Skorenzy January 26, 2015 at 3:07 pm #

      A Nation needs to have a common language. Nothing is more basic than that.

      Jefferson urged that the slaves be freed and released back into the Tropics.

      • obsidian221 January 26, 2015 at 6:55 pm #

        Jefferson was having sex with a minor, and cast the children born to that minor, HIS children by the way, into slavery.

        • MisterDarling January 26, 2015 at 7:32 pm #

          And that was considered ‘normal’ back then.

          Consider: after the US banned importation of new (-ly kidnapped, African) slaves, slave-‘owners’ were expected to increase their ‘stock’ domestically (using that word in the broadest way). Slave-holders relied on the results of their forays down ‘slave-row’ to freshen-up their work-stock…

          But, this is all very light-weight and obvious ‘the sky is blue’ stuff.

          Where it gets really comical is that Thomas Jefferson circulated one paper advocating for the repatriation of slaves – and another stating that under no circumstances should they be manumitted on American soil or any other, fearing the consequences. Being hypocritical was as natural as breathing to the 2nd POTUS…

          It gets better: he also strongly inveighed against taking on debt, while leaving his heirs 200K (unadjusted dollars) in the hole when he died. It took them 20 years to pay that off, b/c their was no way to write that off back then. Debts were inheritable…

          Thomas was a ‘complex’ man, to say the least. Mainly because he was *allowed* to be.

          • Janos Skorenzy January 26, 2015 at 8:26 pm #

            He wanted Blacks sent out of the United States. He might have changed for mind after the slaughter of Whites in Haiti – perhaps fearing that the manumission wouldn’t be carried out promptly.

          • outsider January 27, 2015 at 10:52 am #

            @MisterDarling – Jefferson was the THIRD president.

          • seawolf77 January 27, 2015 at 12:54 pm #

            “Complex” is too kind. All of the beatified “Founding Fathers,” were complete hypocrites. How they managed to slide that one past us in grade school is a testimony to their obfuscation. All of them were slave owners, all of them signed a document that purported “All men are created equal,” all of them profited mightily and unapologetically from slavery, and all of them kicked the can down the road until it exploded into the Civil War. None of them worked tirelessly to abolish slavery as Michelle Bachman so disingenuously espouses. That’s what Bill Maher calls a “Zombie Lie,” a lie that never dies.

        • Janos Skorenzy January 26, 2015 at 8:24 pm #

          Remember, his was an agrarian mind. He knew that any offspring with a Black woman had very little to do with him genetically and therefore culturally. Likewise, countless White Women are getting bred by Blacks who then split before the check for the meal comes. They and their families are left raising children that have nothing to do with them in welfare slavery. Of course, many of these women aren’t capable of much else so it’s no great loss. But Western Civilization would hold the sires to account and demand they be fathers. But of course Blacks aren’t of Western Civilization and don’t care what Whites think. And no one cares to enforce the old memes anymore so they are ceasing to be – as will our Civilization too. And that means no more welfare benefits btw.

          Some say that it wasn’t Tom but his brother Randy who was the sexual criminal here. Don’t know, I haven’t studied his life in detail. He certainly was a genius and a great Statesman even if he did fall into temptation. True Americans forgive him.

          • malthuss January 27, 2015 at 1:35 am #

            Of course, many of these women aren’t capable of much else so it’s no great loss.
            I disagree. Huge loss to our gene pool.

        • malthuss January 27, 2015 at 1:31 am #

          And, so what? He was a product of his times.

      • GutenbergGuy January 26, 2015 at 8:14 pm #

        “A Nation needs to have a common language. Nothing is more basic than that.”

        Prove it!

        All you do is make one declarative assertion after another. This one is so patently bogus it’s insulting.

        You know absolutely nothing about language or linguistics OR history.

        Like I said: Prove it!

        • Janos Skorenzy January 26, 2015 at 8:28 pm #

          It’s axiomatic – something that all reasonable men must agree on. How can you have a society if people don’t understand each other? How can you have a common culture? And to have more than one culture in a given state is like having more than one mind in the same body – madness.

          • GutenbergGuy January 26, 2015 at 8:55 pm #

            Axiomatic to your belief system maybe. Again, you know nothing about linguistics.

            There are many multi-lingual societies and always have been. Each language group has within it multiple subgroups – many of which have their own “vocabularies” and even “grammars.”

            These include regional locutions, slang, and even linguistic hybrids, and many more. Some people live at or near an international border, or in a country made up of many language groups – due to a little thing called history. For millions of people economic necessity requires they speak more than one language – though they may not read any.

            Do you know what a patois is? See the film “The Harder They Come.” Even the “English-speakers” are subtitled. Your understanding of language is far too simplistic.

            International commerce has largely been carried out for centuries by people who learned to get along in more than one language.

          • GutenbergGuy January 26, 2015 at 9:04 pm #

            No such thing as a mono-culture! That’s a myth of politicians seeking power.

            Check out just the history of Spain, e.g.

          • Janos Skorenzy January 26, 2015 at 11:27 pm #

            History of Spain? That’s your example of a peaceful well functioning society? One that was conquered and then reconquered by vying cultures? Boy you crazy.

  36. malthuss January 26, 2015 at 2:15 pm #

    Rush is talking about the purpose of Ellis Island [it was a disease quarantine center].

    • GutenbergGuy January 26, 2015 at 8:17 pm #

      Rush is talking the usual demagoguery. Blowing smoke out the wrong orifice!

      And he relies on the ignorance of his “ditto heads”!

      A very high-paid clown.

      • malthuss January 27, 2015 at 1:32 am #

        I assume you are a low paid Bozo.

        • seawolf77 January 27, 2015 at 11:19 am #

          Bozo was underrated as a clown.

  37. edward4432 January 26, 2015 at 3:07 pm #

    Well Jimbo, have you thought about your lifestyle jetting around the country telling people the sky is falling might be in jeopardy? Do you have a fallback plan? Living off your book sales or the sale of your paintings? Luckily you have Medicare to pay for all those expensive operations.
    IMHO, we are going to muddle through. There is no other option. Oh, it will mean generating a new perspective on what’s important in life. But think about this. Our kind has managed to muddle through a lot worse than this for, what, 10,000 years? Civilization has been around for about 6,000 years. We’re are going to make it through. There may be a big die off but enough will survive to continue though none the wiser.

    • GutenbergGuy January 26, 2015 at 8:18 pm #

      I do agree, but it’s what “muddle through” will actually mean that worries me.

    • Buck Stud January 26, 2015 at 10:03 pm #

      Oh come on, don’t be a party pooper – elderly farmers are going to need their knee and hip replacements to man the plows.

      On a serious note, I would think that anyone who truly believed in hard times ahead would avoid activities such as jogging which can be hell on the joints. After all, joint replacement surgeries will not be common or routine in such a setting.

      But it’s amusing to read the Doomer who still pounds the pavement. All that planning ahead and yet engaging in activity that is probably contraindicated in terms of long-term joint health.

      • edward4432 January 27, 2015 at 7:23 am #

        All my relatives who were runners have suffered serious ailments requiring back surgery and knee replacement. As far as I can tell there was no upside.

    • baird January 26, 2015 at 10:47 pm #

      Oh ya, but that technology is a bitch that cuts a lotta ways and we have invented some very serious means of destruction recently. I think Enrico will have the last word here. Sad beyond words.

    • russ January 27, 2015 at 11:33 am #

      It’s the part about “…none the wiser…” that could be troublesome.

      Achilles. Heel. Stuff like that.

  38. Janos Skorenzy January 26, 2015 at 3:41 pm #

    It could be a Wonderful Life. Union Grove is Bedford Falls. But all of you choose Pottersville with every movement of you mind and ride in your car. Thus the Government is going to step in regulate your car – taxed by the mile by a hidden meter. And in a few more years s – if you don’t wise up – the Government will step in to regulate your mind via implants and chips. Just like it says in the Good Book. Without the chip, you will not be allowed to buy or sell. But better to starve than to accept the Mark of the Beast. For with it, you will not see God.

    The only chance to avoid all this is to become like George Bailey. Stay in one place. Be supernaturally kind to your neighbors. Shun all others. Be on guard against Aliens, both from above and from the next country or country.

  39. MisterDarling January 26, 2015 at 3:58 pm #

    This weeks memo from the desk of JHK is a counterpoint to the POTUS’s SOTU. Personall, I think that he was pulling his punches. If he had flown into a Paul Craig Roberts-esque spittle-flinging rage that would not have perturbed me. But he has his reasons, to be sure…

    Oh By The Way, you may have noticed that Syriza, the leftist Greek political party, won “decisively” at the polls yesterday. This means that JHK’s predictions for the year are two-for-two, and the year’s not even 8% done… In other words, he’s ‘tracking’. I take the time to point this out because CFN is frequented by people insisting that everything is ‘chaos’ (as they dimly understand it) and therefore all predictions are shite… I’ll be exploring this a little more in another post.

    And now: To Business!

    re | “Do you believe that computers and robot factories will define the years to come?”-J H K.

    Time is telling that the latest tech boom was every bit a creature of one-off financial chicanery as the shale oil “miracle”. It was pointed out to me during a discussion several years ago that the Silicon Valley was already in contraction, and suddenly I realized that they were completely right. There was no other way to square the resource utilization numbers, the buybacks and the crap p/e stats otherwise.

    Bad news? More (massive) layoffs coming, and widespread (in some cases terminal) disillusion. I’m certainly not gloating. I’ve seen the cost in terms of human lives and I do not relish that outcome… Condolences to you who are about to walk. I salute you.

    Good news? The latest and possibly last wave of gentrification is solidly in ‘dead-man-walking’ territory. It has a bullet in the head and doesn’t realize it of course, that’s why the mouth of it’s marketing department keeps flapping… But it is over. Best thing is to stand aside, let it give one last look around in bewilderment turning into fear, and then plant its face in the thin grey industrial carpet…

    “The frackers will never again get access to the sort of junk bond financing that allowed them to ramp up their Ponzi demonstration projects in the Bakken and Eagle Ford. And they will never again regain their current level of production — which is the net result of past Ponzi financing, now ending in tears.”-J H K.

    Too true. Industry insiders are already talking about the shale-phenomenon in the past tense, referring to it as “a century event”… Unfortunately for the drillers, that century was itself a ‘species event’… *So there’s somethin’ else for us to ‘chaw-on’ twenty years hence, puffing on local-grown cheroot and quaffing the house-brewed ale…*

    “We would be lucky to get back to that high standard, and our knucklehead fantasies about universal access to community college be damned. It’s only a new layer in the current racket that pretends to be education.”-J H K.

    The disintegration of public education in this country is directly correlated to the disintegration of the job-market. People in the USA – in this century and the two previous – were and are educated exactly as much as they need to be, from a human-resource standpoint. If that strikes fear into your breast for the present generation, perhaps it should.

    The more full-of-bean-dip the job/compensation numbers became, the more neglected in every sense the school system became… it’s that simple. It’s a waste of time blaming the devolution of the English Language [*] on immigrants of recent or remote historic provenance. The very presence of immigrants is subsequent and irrelevant. The reason they were and are present in the first place is because someone with Big Bucks had Big Plans and the clout to get the legislation through. That’s it, in a nutshell. [**]

    — — —

    [*] Beloved to me, by the way…

    [**] That’s like kicking the cat for something the dog did, or… like killing the Midianites for something the Moabites did… Hmmm, that’s odd. Perhaps this fuzzy thinking has a cultural dimension…

    😉

    • Janos Skorenzy January 26, 2015 at 8:44 pm #

      Your causality is a simple one or two links. But life isn’t like that. Cause and Effect go on and on.Because of corruption and decay of the Republic, large number of unneeded immigrants have been invited in. Cause and then Effect. Then the Effect becomes a Cause in its own right: the millions of unneeded immigrants help destroy what little social capital is left. They naturally gravitate to the lowest common denominator of rap and ghetto culture. Hispanics are beginning to distort English as the Black have done. We might even see the emergence of a ghetto patois called Spanglish.

      Again your Liberal worship of Non-Whites has distorted your otherwise fine post.

      • MisterDarling January 27, 2015 at 2:07 am #

        “Your causality is a simple one or two links. But life isn’t like that. Cause and Effect go on and on.Because of corruption and decay of the Republic, large number of unneeded immigrants have been invited in. “-j.

        Really? So what caused the “corruption and decay of the republic”?

        Can you give me an answer that doesn’t involve superstition or mysticism?

        • Janos Skorenzy January 27, 2015 at 4:43 am #

          There are many factors: too big, too greedy, contradictions of capitalism, no more frontier though that’s part of mythology, the loss of religious faith (which the founder knew most people need, people without faith invent ghastly substitutes like Political Correctness – I number you among them) the rise of Liberalism and the breakdown of patriotism and the American Civil Religion and so on. No doubt some future Gibbon will write the Decline and Fall of the American Empire. And just as Germans broke thru their border, Mexicans broke thru ours.

          • MisterDarling January 27, 2015 at 5:52 pm #

            “There are many factors: too big, too greedy, contradictions of capitalism, no more frontier though that’s part of mythology,…”-j.

            That’s not “many factors”. That is one factor with different facets (interrelated and phased): the Economic Factor.

            “…the loss of religious faith (which the founder knew most people need, people without faith invent ghastly substitutes like Political Correctness – I number you among them)”-j.

            This is utter rubbish. That’s like trying to describe the history of the stock market (or anything else) by relying solely upon ‘animal spirits’.

            Specifically regarding the “political correctness” assertion: any statement of mine that might support it exists only in that nest of self-serving, muddle-headed nonsense you’ve been trying to think with..

            The only “correctness” that concerns me is that which squares with real, observable, empirical fact. I have no time for grandiose delusions of innate racial superiority, divine favor or national ‘exception’.

            Look Janos, if you’re feeling out-of-sorts and insecure, try not to wear it on your shirt like yesterday’s pizza.

  40. saharasergei January 26, 2015 at 4:26 pm #

    And also Joni Ernst, the newest corn-pone Nazi lady!

    Support this blog on PatreonSupport this blog on Substack
    Support this blog via Patreon or Substack
    • Janos Skorenzy January 26, 2015 at 11:32 pm #

      Oh come on – she’s a Republican suck up. They believe in open borders and multi-cultism just like the Democrats. Liberalism is the culture of the Corporate World. And since Republicans are the biggest boosters for the Corporations, – they are Liberals as well. Thus when Anti-Fa demonstrates for illegals in Home Depot parking lots, it just shows they don’t understand the system.

      • Therian January 29, 2015 at 3:27 pm #

        Well said, Janos. Liberalism IS the culture of the corporate world. Republicans love cheap foreign labor displacing Americans, too, because it increases profits. Profits and “shareholder values” uber alles … that’s the new American way.

  41. FincaInTheMountains January 26, 2015 at 4:56 pm #

    Thanks Obama for sanctions

    Surprising growth in production recorded in Russia in December 2014

    Rosstat (Russian statistical agency) announced that over the past month in 2014, industrial output in Russia grew at an annualized rate of 3.9%. The growth came as a surprise: Earlier, analysts predicted that the industry declined in November production by 0.4%, will continue to degrade performance.

    Introduced by the Russian government embargo against a number of food products from the EU, USA, Canada, Norway and Australia led to an increase in production in the food industry, that was given the task of import substitution.

    As a result, the production of cheese in December 2014 grew at an annual rate of 32.7% immediately, and the production of beef, pork, lamb and offal – 20.1%.

    In addition, seriously increased the production of dyes (+ 65.8%), televisions sets and video monitors (+ 47.1%), tractors (+ 44.8%), washing machines (+ 40.1%) and steel pipes (38.8%). Suddenly, by 50% increased the production of trailers for cars, for the year their production increased by 14.8%. Production of cars in December decreased at an annual rate by 3.5%, while for the year as a whole decreased by 9.7%.

  42. FincaInTheMountains January 26, 2015 at 5:26 pm #

    UK sends warship to Falklands as Argentina lease supersonic bombers from Russia

    Navy chiefs have sent HMS Dragon, a Type 45 destroyer, to the South Atlantic after a deployment in Chile.

    Last night naval sources said the move was part of the MoD’s effort to speed up the “operational drumbeat” by which the Navy keeps guard over the Falklands.

    With Argentina attempting to lease 12 supersonic bombers from Russia, the MoD is also to install a new £200million air defence missile system in the islands.

    This will replace the ageing Rapier missile batteries which were used against the Argentine air force in the 1982 Falklands War.

    However, it will take at least five years before the new system completes development trials and combat evaluations, leaving commanders with a capability gap during the remaining eight months of Argentine president Cristina de Kirchner’s term in office.

    http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/552676/UK-Falklands-warship-argentina-navy

  43. bukowskisghost January 26, 2015 at 5:42 pm #

    Jim
    Enough adjectives? Not clever, but ponderous …. Berman has been clinically depressed for eons and you have turned into the lazy Susan of doom.

    • GutenbergGuy January 26, 2015 at 8:21 pm #

      “The Lazy Susan of Doom”

      Like that!

  44. beantownbill. January 26, 2015 at 6:23 pm #

    We are so fucked! Hmm. Must be Monday; in other words, a new JHK post. The fraidy cats on CFN are out in force. Even JIm isn’t saying it’s the end of the world.

    I’m tired of posting the same comment again and again: Technology isn’t at fault for our issues, it’s the people misusing it.

    We are all responsible for the mess we’re in. Why didn’t we ever do something about it?

    • DrGonzo January 26, 2015 at 7:49 pm #

      Indeed. If I had a dollar for every diaster scenario Jim has insisted would blow us apart over the last ten years, I’d be a wealthy man. (The most recent I recall being his prediction that the Fed would re-institute QE by the Ed of 2014. Didn’t happen.)

      I’m with you. We’re in for hard times ahead, but our salvation will not be trading carrots for our neighbor’s barbec wire stretcher.

      Supporting community college educational opportunities seems eems like a very practical step forward, to me. I’m amazed by the hostility that suggestion engenders among the Clusterfuck groupies. Maybe they need to meet a few struggling working class kids.

      • GutenbergGuy January 26, 2015 at 8:33 pm #

        Ever since Ferguson this has frequently been a downer of a site, comment-wise.

        Racial stereotypes, scapegoating, just hateful. Do people type this crap on their “smart phones”?

        And why is it that the suggestion that the Community College systems be used to provide people with training raises all these racial stereotypes? Only Black folks have average IQ’s? Need help with education? Only they are trapped in this economic disaster, and besides it’s their fault?!

        Do you know that Black folks in the Jim Crow South answered the lousy schools they were stuck with by building schools and colleges of their own?

        Do the readers here know that the American work force still has a large number of WHITE working men and women in need of job skills and training?

        And do they know that the US is one of the only countries in the industrial world that does not have such programs and thus leaves its own people out in the cold to deal with whatever mess TPTB create? America has turned its back on its own people.

        • Janos Skorenzy January 26, 2015 at 11:43 pm #

          What are you talking about? We’ve been talking truth here for years. Fergusson is just when you got here.

          Are you always this self centered? No wonder you can’t see the world for what it is – you’re too busy looking at your own reflection in every possible surface and situation. As the Ramayana says of Ravana, you are a whirlpool in the river of life.

          Whites have an IQ of 100. Blacks of 70. Black Americans of 85, because of generous infusion of White blood into their population.

        • seawolf77 January 27, 2015 at 9:37 am #

          I agree with you. I am a little shocked at the overtness of the racism on this blog. When Kunstler dares to talk about it comments double in number, and quadruple in anger and general nastiness. It just goes to show that people still believe it was them that created the miracle of America, when it was just oil. We got to oil first, we exploited it best, and we are managing its decline in any way possible that keeps us on top.

      • Sir Lord Baltimore January 26, 2015 at 9:04 pm #

        Doc Gonzo. I am one of those “working class kids” (actually a middle aged SOB). Actually enrolled in my local CC now. I don’t see how anymore government meddling will do a damn bit of good as far as lowering the cost of community college. Without all of the .gov funny money floating around colleges would be more affordable.
        Besides the Pell Grant already exists. Pretty generous too…
        Hell not everyone should be enrolled in college. Those that want to go can get in already. The bar for community college is pretty darn low. They let me in.

        • GutenbergGuy January 26, 2015 at 9:15 pm #

          Funny money is the American way – all the way back at least to the building of the railroads. Most fortunes were built with it. And still are. Almost everything is a con in America. Admittedly that’s not much of a social contract.

          Actually you present a pretty good argument for CC programs. Folks like you are what they should be for – assuming the program actually teaches you something.

          Countries like Norway don’t let middle-aged folks just sit idle because of changing economics. Norway does something about it. And in the process prepares the whole society for the economy of the future. In America we are left to fight among ourselves, which gets us absolutely nowhere.

          What’s too bad is that demagogues since Ronald Reagan have been saying that’s just government interference – rather than how folks in a secular society take care of themselves and each other.

          Corporate America pockets the money, and we wonder why.

          • Sir Lord Baltimore January 26, 2015 at 10:21 pm #

            Well Gutenberg Guy. I am an anarchist. I don’t believe that redistribution schemes are a particularly good thing. I think we can politely agree to disagree there. Personally don’t think that Norway is a useful benchmark to compare the US to. Norway is a homogenous tiny country. The USA is neither homogenous nor tiny. I don’t see government retraining schemes working well here. The sheer bureaucracy involved would be staggering. Then again I am just prejudiced…Trust me I never drank the Reagan Kool-Aid. See above.
            It remains to be seen if I will learn anything of use in this foray into higher education. God I hope so.
            I do agree with your sentiments on Corporate America. Time to go back to pretending I paid attention in Algebra!!! Good evening good sir.

          • seawolf77 January 27, 2015 at 12:00 pm #

            “What am I doing? Washing money. This country was built on washing money.” Tony Montana

        • Janos Skorenzy January 27, 2015 at 12:25 am #

          Finally an Anarchist who is true to his beliefs – and realizes they aren’t allied with the Left. You are a first here, nor have I ever met one in before.

          • Sir Lord Baltimore January 27, 2015 at 3:33 pm #

            Thanks Janos. We do exist. I have no love for the left. That said I am more the sort to agree to disagree. I count many leftists as friends. Doesn’t make them bad people. Their social programming is just different than those on the right.

            I have been reading the JHK blog for awhile now. The icing on the cake is the comments section. It is nice to hear peoples unvarnished feelings.

            It is a breathe of fresh air to read the gambit of opinion of those here. I especially like the fact that commenters seem to be lightly moderated if at all.

  45. MisterDarling January 26, 2015 at 7:18 pm #

    IBM’s “unconfirmed” downsizing;

    http://news.sky.com/story/1415024/ibm-to-cut-more-than-110000-jobs-report-says

    Support this blog on PatreonSupport this blog on Substack
    Support this blog via Patreon or Substack
  46. PeteAtomic January 26, 2015 at 8:39 pm #

    Yet another well crafted, erudite & bitingly sarcastic article penned by Herr Kunstler. I can hear echoes of ole’ Hunter S. Thompson in some of the turns of phrase and satire.
    Anyway, I for one am happy that ‘me & mine’ (as well as many others) have enjoyed a level of prosperity so far unheard of in any time in recorded history. The opulence of modern America is way beyond any level of the orgiastic spams of ancient Rome, for example.
    However, if it’s over, let it be– and so be it. Amen. The best thing a man can do in these circumstances is to prepare the best you can for the survival and wellness of their loved ones, and for the rest– take things as they come. I think that’s pretty much what any of us can do.
    There will be some positives in the future mix. In the areas where anarchies, warlordism & ethnic cleansing is less diminished, that is, in a.k.a. ‘fly over country’– you are gonna see a lot of the old cast iron pot bellied stoves, laundry, canning, sewing, darning, farm tools & other sundry materials for survival when people lived by the natural daylight cycle come out of the basements and attics of people who will be forced to get back to a much more simplified lifestyle. I include myself in this group.
    So, be thankful for the goodness & bounty that you’ve enjoyed up to now. But also be thankful that the future will bring new, unexpected opportunity for different types of prosperity that individually and as a society haven’t been enjoyed or been appreciated for a very long time.

  47. Therian January 26, 2015 at 9:41 pm #

    This is unrelated to this week’s post but I thought many social critics would enjoy this. I was arguing with a pro-tattoo person about the character of people who indulge this particular form of vanity. How did I shut him up? I pointed out the fact that there’s one community where more than NINETY percent of people were tattooed. PRISONS. Case closed.

    • Buck Stud January 26, 2015 at 11:09 pm #

      More than a few tattoo aficionados determined that if the subtle tattoo could be seductive–the butterfly on the sacrum of a beautiful woman or as Greg Allman sang, “let me show you my tattoo; let me drive you crazy” –then a whole lot of tattoo is even better. It reminds me of that Delacroix quip that ‘some painters will paint the back of their canvass if the brush is not removed from their hand’ or something to that effect.

      Of course there are those they simply seek to shock or garner a glance at any cost. I’ll never forget the covered from head-to-toe tattoo freak who once paraded through the gym with his young song to demonstrate his normalcy. I felt sorry for the kid as it was obvious he was just being used.

      • Therian January 27, 2015 at 7:51 am #

        There’s even a new verb for the very unfortunate trend of getting an entire arm done i.e., “sleeving”.

        I believe you’re right, Buck, about “being used” because I think it’s just another meme, another bit of Madison Avenue (since most models now have at least one tattoo). These kids are TOOLS.

        However, whatever the “diagnosis” is, what I really dislike is that it has become another form of tribalism because the heavily-tattooed rarely keep steady company with the unmarked. It’s a particularly pernicious form of in-group-ism. But the victims are the tattooed kids themselves since their lifetime employment opportunities go through the floor.

        It’s an interesting paradox that in a parched, soulless, post-industrial era, antiquity is returning in the form of the tattoo. It’s like putting totem poles on the town squares in Silicon Valley. A parody!!

        I agree that if it’s done with some aesthetic, like a lovely butterfly on the thigh or something, it is not wholly awful. However, most of them are ridiculous skull-and-crossbones, black widow spiders, barbed wire (perhaps THE most common), or various kinds of serpents or ghouls.

        Alas, though, it does indicate a kind of angry anti-intellectualism because the heavily marked NEVER seem too damned bright. Some cities in the West, like Phoenix, now seem like places where an average adult (even middle-aged) would prefer hooking up with an MMA cage fighter far more than someone with smarts and a career. Of course, later they bitch about how they were done wrong by Mr. Narcissus.

  48. Q. Shtik January 27, 2015 at 1:19 am #

    Our taxes “went down a bit” as well… to zero. – Arrow

    =================

    Where on US soil can a person pay zero taxes?

    • malthuss January 27, 2015 at 1:36 am #

      Everywhere. Make zero income or have all income from Tax Frees.
      Or only accept cash.
      3 ways.

      • Q. Shtik January 27, 2015 at 9:34 am #

        I assumed he was talking about ‘property’ tax. The way that works is “you own property, you pay tax” and they don’t give a shit how little you make.

  49. Q. Shtik January 27, 2015 at 1:33 am #

    For days now the breathless weather hype has been about the potential for 3 ft of snow. So what have we gotten? 2 friggin’ inches.

    • Janos Skorenzy January 27, 2015 at 4:45 am #

      It’s a dry run for how to shut down big cities. DeBlob actually shut down the N.Y subway system.

      • Q. Shtik January 27, 2015 at 7:10 am #

        One DOES wonder, Janos.

        As the on-again off-again snow ‘piled up’ to 2 inches through Monday’s daylight hours I repeatedly checked my mailbox…nope, nothing yet. I was anxiously awaiting something very important.

        So much for the postal motto: “Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds.”

        Well, let’s see what this new day brings.

  50. KL Cooke January 27, 2015 at 2:37 am #

    ” If you can’t conjugate verbs, you will have a hard time distinguishing the past, the present, and the future in your daily activities. Among other things, you’ll be incapable of showing up on time.”

    Now that’s a classic.

    Support this blog on PatreonSupport this blog on Substack
    Support this blog via Patreon or Substack
  51. FincaInTheMountains January 27, 2015 at 4:44 am #

    Alexandr Brodsky: The Great November Revolution in the US

    The changes that have occurred in the US in November of last year, without exaggeration, must be called a revolution. Indeed, removed from power was the group of politicians who for over 20 years determined the fate of not only the US but also of the entire world. The defeat of a certain part (call it Clinton wing) of US Democratic Party was complete, totally democratic and, without exaggeration, wonderful.

    The main attack of the factions within the Democratic Party in the last election to Congress was directed not so much against Republican rivals as against their own Democratic President Obama. And here is the main question is not how many seats in Congress the Republicans won over the Democrats, but rather in what areas they won it, and in what they not. Moreover, the media openly discussed the plan, according to which, in the case of Democrats loss, Republicans would initiate the process of impeachment for a number of decisions that have been taken by Obama to bypass Congress. As a result, for the remaining two years of Obama presidency, Vice President Biden would automatically become de facto president, so he would be able to prepare the way for coming to power in 2016, of the undisputed leader of this group – Hillary Clinton.

    But before 2016 still had to be taking into account the relationships that have been established between Vice President Biden and President Putin after Biden flew to Moscow and personally convinced President Medvedev to abstain from voting on the no-fly zone over Libya (by the way, contrary to the opinion of Prime Minister Putin). As a result of this decision, President Medvedev has been given the green light to the total discredit of the UN, which led to UN paralysis, so clearly manifested in the Ukrainian crisis, as well as the destruction of Libya as a state and the creeping spread of Libyan arms throughout the Islamic, or rather, the Islamist world. In particular, it is weapons in the hands of those who went on to become ISIS, dramatically worsened the situation in Syria and in Iraq and provoked “Syrian” crisis between Russia and the US, which nearly ended in the armed confrontation.

    And the role of President Obama in the settlement of Syrian crisis against the opposition group lead by Hillary Clinton, who openly demanded the escalation of the conflict, is comparable to the role of Russia and President Putin. And it may very well be that personal insult Obama feels toward President Putin, is connected with the fact that his role in resolving the Syrian crisis, and the role of the American people, including motorcyclists on the streets of Washington and American soldiers protesting the bombing of Syria in the Union Square, was suppressed by the world media, controlled by that clan, which supports Hillary Clinton presidential bid in the United States.

    Meanwhile, this offense played very negative role in the Ukrainian crisis, becoming one of the reasons for the failure of President Obama to oppose the Clinton’s clan to resolve the crisis in Ukraine in time, as the Syrian crisis was resolved in the meeting in Ireland. Hillary Clinton and Angela Merkel, of course, are very talented politicians and can calculate their party a few moves ahead.

    And this election campaign that Clinton’s clan lost in November, does not tell that her talent betrayed her. On the contrary, this campaign is undoubtedly a masterpiece of political art and Hillary is the master of political paradox. This loss indicates that the results of this election were determined by the intervention of a higher power, and the best and most brilliant political intrigue is powerless against it.

    And this gives us hope that in the future these higher forces will not leave humanity and US congressmen and deter them from errors that are known to be worse than the crime.

    During the election campaign the Clintons dealt several so-called “book strikes” to Obama. Obama administration officials, namely the Director of the CIA and Defense Secretary Leon Panetta, Chuck Hagel, and Robert Gates wrote books in which they subjected the President who appointed them to withering criticism, and published them just before a vote. Moreover, these books were in addition to the book by the former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, in which she had no stone left out of the Obama’s presidency.

    But in fact, these books have been just cherry on the cake baked by Mrs. Clinton. During the campaign representatives of the Democratic Party establishment traveled across the country and urged the Democratic candidates in every way to distance themselves from President Obama, who “discredited himself in the eyes of American people and who drags down the Democratic Party”, reducing the popularity of the candidates of the Democratic Party in the US Congress who support his policies and blame President Obama for his weakness in dealing with Putin, including operetta sanctions against Russia as well as his reluctance to provide the so-called moderate Syrian opposition with modern American weapons.
    And the intervention of the Supreme Powers manifested in the fact that they have “hardened the heart” of former Secretary of State, and she went too far, saying that if the Syrian rebels were granted latest weapons with which they were able to finally topple Assad Syrian government, like it just happened in Kiev, then after seizing power, the militants would lay down their weapons safely and returned to a peaceful peasant labor. This caused such outrage in the US military, who for a long time were convinced that the “moderate opposition in Syria” is nothing but ISIS militants who have not yet received US weapons, that the winning streak on the establishment of the Democratic Party suddenly stopped, and many of them were no longer following the instructions of “big brother”, or rather, in this case, the “big sister”.

    But man proposes and God disposes, and as a result of these intrigues Democrats just lost in those States where the support was provided to candidates by the Clinton’s establishment. Obama voters, having heard speeches about the need to keep a distance between their candidate for Congress and the president, whom they elected to the White House, just did not come to the polls. But those candidates who did not listen to the advice of the “big sister”, just the contrary, won, especially against Republican candidates who are known for their ties with Senator McCain and Dick Cheney, and it has even pushed more the Clinton clan off the political map of USA.

    Headquarters of Republican Senator Rand Paul, that monitors these developments, immediately after the election claimed that two thirds of candidates supported by some of the Clintons, lost, and with a bang. It is not surprising that a few days ago, broadcasters of almost all channels (including the republican) after the speech of President Obama to the newly elected Congress created the impression that Obama won the November elections, and not lost, though his party lost control of both houses of US Congress. And most happy were Republicans who are in one way or another connected to the “Tea Party”, the right and the most powerful wing of the Republican Party. Meanwhile, the leader of the “Tea party” Pat Buchanan earnestly asks whether Vladimir Putin is one of their very own.

    And the most surprising and significant result of these elections, which will have the most long-term political consequences was that in the home state of Clinton – Arkansas, where Bill Clinton was governor in the ’80s, Democratic Senator Mark Pryor lost, who had been 4 years Arkansas Attorney General, and then another 12 the senator of this long-suffering state. But perhaps even more importantly, the father of Mark Pryor is a former Governor and Senator David Pryor of Arkansas, during the governorship and senatorship of which Bill Clinton began his ascent to US political Olympus in the 70s.

    http://www.regnum.ru/news/polit/1887994.html

    • seawolf77 January 27, 2015 at 9:32 am #

      She had to lose to set up the “Thrilla in Vanilla.”

  52. stelmosfire January 27, 2015 at 9:19 am #

    Off-Topic, Clobbered here in NE, wind and snow up the yazoo. I found the Holy Grail,

    http://www.amazon.com/Hakkin-Warmer-Peacock-Standard-Pocket/dp/B009UW8GA0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1422368123&sr=8-1&keywords=Peacock+hand+warmer

    Made in Japan to keep the machine gunners warm in WW II.

    Buy Napha at the H-Depot or any Ace or hardware store. Same as Ronsonol or Zippo lighter fluid.

  53. BackRowHeckler January 27, 2015 at 9:56 am #

    We’re in a ‘State of Emergency’ here for what was supposed to be yet another ‘Storm of the Century’, roads closed, National Guard mobilized. A big panic, the Governor making announcements every hour.

    Turns out to be a typical, mid-winter New England snowfall.

    Not so bad Rip, don’t you think?

    brh

    • stelmosfire January 27, 2015 at 11:21 am #

      Howdy Marlin, lots of wind, not so much snow, A tenant is a teacher in Springfield, They canceled school , it doesn’t even count as a snow day, State of emergency declared. What a joke. They cancel school when it is windy and below zero! Looks like the sun is breakin’ through. Time to get back to clean-up.

    • beantownbill. January 27, 2015 at 11:57 am #

      Marlin, we’ve gotten about 20 inches here, so far. A significant storm, but hardly an historic one. Just the latest in the recent series of ” storm of the century”. And people wonder why I’m so cynical.

      • seawolf77 January 27, 2015 at 12:02 pm #

        Like the trillion dollar deficit, how long will it be till “Storm of the Millennium?”

        • beantownbill. January 27, 2015 at 12:27 pm #

          Haven’t we already had a few of them?

  54. beantownbill. January 27, 2015 at 12:26 pm #

    Yes, as discussed upthread, the U.S. government is evil. Not to defend my country, but I’m tired of seeing Putin made a hero here. He was KGB- you know, the bullet-behind-the-ear organization that struck terror in the hearts of Russians. Being in his 60’s and a communist through to the end of the USSR, he at least had to have knowledge of the Gulag, if not help sending people there, and quite possibly have been involved in assassinations. I look at him as a competent thug, hardly material for hero worship.

    Expanding out further, I’ll state that ALL governments are evil. In fact, I’d be hard-pressed to name any government, ever, that was moral.

    I’m cynical enough to even believe humanity is evil. I don’t have to list the litany of evil done by people throughout the roll of history. That we’re capable of being kind and noble doesn’t take away the terrible deeds we’ve committed. And theorizing a supernatural entity who forgives all our sins upon confession so we can turn around and be bad again seems to be a very self-serving hypocracy.

    All this adds up to a lot of very bad Karma. If we don’t straighten out our act very soon, the consequences will be dire.

    • seawolf77 January 27, 2015 at 4:18 pm #

      Ahh your cynicism is delicious. A government is an entity that has a monopoly on the use of force in a geographic region. Violation of that monopoly is called war. Thus by definition a government is a gang, and politicians are gangsters. So I think you are correct. All governments are inherently evil, and the most powerful governments mind numbingly so.

  55. volodya January 27, 2015 at 1:12 pm #

    AKlein

    I agree, war is one of those time-tested means of distraction. Leopoldo Galtieri tried it with the Falklands. One minute he was a dirty-dog murderer and the next thing you know the Argentines are celebrating in public squares.

    It was a worthwhile gamble. Everyone counseled Mrs. Thatcher to “negotiate”, they advised a “diplomatic” solution. With a little luck Galtieri might even have come out looking good.

    Didn’t work out. Too bad. Mrs. Thatcher had her own domestic troubles and a lovely war with a two-bit Latin despot would do quite nicely.

    Putin’s really making a meal of it in the Ukraine. He’s got an approval rating that makes Obama’s lips wet.

    But I don’t see a good ending. Taking control of decrepit Ukrainian territories is going to be a non-stop source of trouble. He’ll regret all of it. He will ask, as sure as we’re sitting here, why oh why did I get sucked in?

    If I were Mr. Putin I’d be thinking about a post-politics career. Maybe one outside of Russia, somewhere safe, under the protection of a reliable autocrat, one that stays bribed and doesn’t keep coming back for more. Someplace without much of a legal system or observance of soft-headed humanitarian nonsense. Someplace like Syria if only it hadn’t blown up. What about Kazakhstan?

    Support this blog on PatreonSupport this blog on Substack
    Support this blog via Patreon or Substack
  56. Q. Shtik January 27, 2015 at 2:59 pm #

    But I see now that you must be a bouncer. – Calico

    ===============

    I’m sort of an old fart so maybe I’m not hip to some new meaning for the word bouncer. In my day that was a big galoot with thick neck muscles who tossed unruly people out of bars. Is that what you had in mind? If so, that would be an original as a description of my personality.

    Other than ^that^, to your entire last comment I say, “whatever.”

  57. Cold N. Holefield January 27, 2015 at 3:22 pm #

    Buck Stud: January 26, 2015 at 10:12 pm #

    Excellent blog post Cold—Bravo!

    Thanks, Buck. I can’t take all the credit though — it wouldn’t have been possible without Q. Shtik’s penchant. He puts the + in A+. Rush has Snerdley and I have Q, Shtik.

    • Janos Skorenzy January 27, 2015 at 3:53 pm #

      Is Snerdly Black? I though I heard Rush say that. Or was it a dream within a dream within a dream? Better a dream than a dram but better yet, a gram.

      Pot prices here are now approaching Black Market levels. A vindication of the free market – which must be maintained by men with badges and guns.

      Can not a man be dual when must needs? Answer: assuming he has any right to exist at all. And Whites do have the right to exist. What do you have against us?

      Note: You can find this important Q and A in Lovecrafts’s “The Strange Case of Charles Dexter War”.

      • Cold N. Holefield January 27, 2015 at 4:39 pm #

        Is Snerdly Black?

        I think he’s Golden.

        The funny thing about those new cannabis laws enacted in Alaska, Oregon, Washington and Colorado is that it’s still illegal to grow your own in your backyard. We can’t have that, can we? There’s no profit in it. Wait another 200-300 years and it will be illegal to breath the thin air, or any air, without paying for it. Nothing is free. Life is competition and you must pay, one way or another.

        • Janos Skorenzy January 27, 2015 at 9:24 pm #

          That’s true. A lot of people hate the new laws seeing them as a tangent away from basic human rights. Some people with money were waiting in the wings and jumped right in. They’ll make tons of money. And people can get high. But yeah, why can’t we grow our own? What about the Biblical ideal of every man beneath his own fig tree. Or Huey Long’s every man a King?

  58. Coilin MacLochlainn January 27, 2015 at 3:50 pm #

    A particularly excellent opening paragraph, Dr James, and a brilliant article, all told. You are really surpassing yourself. Have a great 2015.

  59. beantownbill. January 27, 2015 at 11:50 pm #

    I was thinking about Greece and how it might break away from the EU. I’ve always believed the EU couldn’t last. Why? Because it consists of different countries, with historic mutual antagonisms, different cultures, and different languages. Kind of like a smaller version of the UN, and we all know how well the UN works as did its predecessor, the League of Nations. Also, Pan-Africanism never was able to get started

    From there, I then thought it natural to consider.the US. We’re really a union of 50 different countries. The Founding Fathers (the FF) could have just as easily called it the American Union – the AU. But unlike the other unions, this one has lasted for going on 250 years. Why is that?

    I believe it”s because the FF were thinkers foremost, and admirers of the European Enlightenment; they were soldiers only out of necessity. They sold the colonists a bill of goods and hooked some of the public into rebellion.

    The public was sold another bill of goods when more laborers were needed for an expanding manufactory. Instead of being honest about the need for more workers, TPTB of those times pushed multi-culturism – immigration – under the guise of liberty for all.

    Now we have a country with many cultures and at least 2 major languages in a time of diminishing resources. When the bounty was plentiful, having different cultures was a strength,but in a time of lowered expectations, our diversity will be a drawback. Too bad, because ideally multi-culturism ought to be a good thing. If our union is to survive, we better sit down in cooperation and prioritize effectively for our time is running out.

    • MisterDarling January 28, 2015 at 2:32 am #

      “I was thinking about Greece and how it might break away from the EU. I’ve always believed the EU couldn’t last. Why? Because it consists of different countries, with historic mutual antagonisms, different cultures, and different languages. Kind of like a smaller version of the UN, and we all know how well the UN works as did its predecessor, the League of Nations. Also, Pan-Africanism never was able to get started.”-btb.

      Interesting point, and more people agree with you now that the EU turned out to be such a willing tool of Central Banking and Finance… Furthermore, the whole idea of international economic ‘interdependence’ might be wrong;

      “The first big lie is that interdependency is a natural economic state. Historically, economies are more likely to survive and thrive the LESS dependent they are on outside factors. Independent, self contained, self sustaining, decentralized economies are the natural and preferable cultural path. Multilateralism (centralization) is completely contrary and destructive to this natural state, as we have already witnessed in the kind of panic which ensues across the globe when even one small nation, like Switzerland…”-ZH.

      http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2015-01-27/failing-stimulus-and-imfs-new-multilateral-world-order

      • BackRowHeckler January 28, 2015 at 10:11 am #

        You know MD, the fact that we live in an interdependent ‘Global Economy’ has been almost Gospel all these years and decades. But now, with the European Union falling apart, the Middle East and Africa in shambles, Russia close to default, and even a superheated China cooling off some, the word seems to have gone out to the talking heads in the Financial Media that those events and the dismal state the World is in will in no way slow down US economic ‘Recovery’, as we slowly ‘heal’. That’s how they actually say it, in therapeutic terms.

        brh

        • MisterDarling January 28, 2015 at 1:53 pm #

          “You know MD, the fact that we live in an interdependent ‘Global Economy’ has been almost Gospel all these years and decades.”-brh.

          Yes, exactly. And why was that? Who profited from the past forty years of full-bore globalization? Not you-n-me, ‘buddy-boy’…

          😉

          Before the late nineties I was a complete supporter of GATT/WTO initiatives… Because I thought that the people behind them would make sure to not cross the line into demand destruction. Thought that the PTB wouldn’t lose their minds and destroy the game that they were making a mint from, in other words.

          That’s all over now.

    • Therian January 29, 2015 at 2:12 am #

      The whole idea of the EU smacks of a really naive, utopian philosophy that puts paid to the idea the Europeans have much more realpolitik than Americans. Personally, I think Europe is living off of its glorious past from the 16th thru 19th centuries and is now even more decadent than the United States.

      They have a better social life because of all the promenades, cafes, and so forth but many of those have been in place for many generations and are not the invention of the Europeans of the last several generations. The latest batch of Europeans think it’s their birthright to retire at 54 and their bureaucracies make it take an act of God to shitcan horrible employees.

      They are fortunate that they have walkable cities built hundreds of years ago because if they had a lot of new cities I bet they’d be full of the sterile postmodern architecture that characterizes the USA and Russia (“Stalinist” architecture … an oxymoron). There’s hardly any industry groups where European countries have the lead over Asia or America.

      I’m only a europhile to the extent that I love their legacy but I’m none too fond of their present.

  60. BackRowHeckler January 28, 2015 at 12:16 am #

    If petroleum ever does run short places like Connecticut are going to get depopulated real quick. Its just too goddam cold here — 8dF right now in this valley — for human beings to survive in winter. God knows how the Indians made it. When the English first arrived in the 1630s it took 250 acres of woodland for a settler to build a house, a barn, fences, and heat the place for one year. We had a steady population of about 250,000 for several centuries until the industrial epoch began and half of Europe arrived to work in factories. Back then, we heated our homes with coal brought in by railroad from Pennsylvania. The advent of the comprehensive welfare state begnning in the 1930s brought in hundreds of thousands of more people, mostly black southern sharecroppers, West Indians, and refugees from a collapsed Puerto Rico. Now the population is over 3.5 million; the carrying capacity of this State can’t be more than a few hundred thousand at most. Without home heating oil (kerosene) people will just freeze to death inside their houses.

    At Amherst College a few months ago there was a symposium dedicated to basically taxing the oil companies out of fossil fuels and forcing them into ‘renewables’ and alt energy. Where is this alt energy? Can renewables heat people’s houses so they don’t turn into ice cubes in their beds when its 8dF outside the window? The only reason 3.5 million human beings can survive in this frozen place is because we have oil (and some natural gas) to keep things warmed up. The only alternative I know of is wood; if we all burned wood the landscape would be stripped of trees in a matter of weeks. In fact, Ct was largely deforested by 1880. Petroleum has to keep on flowing or else, truly, we are screwed.

    brh

    Support this blog on PatreonSupport this blog on Substack
    Support this blog via Patreon or Substack
    • MisterDarling January 28, 2015 at 1:34 am #

      Hello BRH,

      This is one of your better posts… Funny how Madame Winter can show us things in such a clear light, isn’t it?

      Cheers!

      😉

  61. Q. Shtik January 28, 2015 at 1:36 am #

    It is a [breathe] of fresh air to read the [gambit] of opinion of those here. – Sir Lord Balt…

    ===================

    Let me help you out with this sentence, Sir. I believe you intended the following:

    It is a [breath] of fresh air to read the [gamut] of opinion of those here.

    • Sir Lord Baltimore January 28, 2015 at 9:25 am #

      Must be that public education…whoops

  62. wpa--ccc January 28, 2015 at 1:57 am #

    “Now we have a country with many cultures and at least 2 major languages in a time of diminishing resources.” –beantownbill

    Multiculturalism and multilingualism are not obstacles to development, even in a “time of diminishing resources.”

    When India became an independent nation in 1947, sixteen Indian languages were officially recognised by the constitution. This number has since risen to twenty-two. Hindi is considered the country’s official national language and English the auxiliary official language.

    Yet, if you live in India for any period of time (as opposed to judging her from without), you see that multiculturalism and multilingualism work.

    Since Independence India has reduced poverty and has become one of the world’s nuclear superpowers. (see Why Growth Matters: How Economic Growth in India Reduced Poverty and the Lessons for Other Developing Countries by Jagdish Bhagwati, 2014).

    Economic growth is how India reduces poverty. India’s economy is expected to grow 5.4% year. It grew 4.7% in the year ended March 31, 2014. In fact, the relationship between monolinguism/homogeneous culture and affluence is not a causal one.

    India thrives, proving multiculturalism and multilingualism are not problems. To the contrary, monoculture, whether human or agricultural, is weakness, leading to inbreeding/illness/plague. Biodiversity is the law of nature. History is a history of cross-breeding, cross-cultural attraction and miscegenation. Diversity is strength.

  63. FincaInTheMountains January 28, 2015 at 5:11 am #

    120 tons of German gold

    Up until recently it seemed that the scheme of US-German relations is reduced to pressure and blackmail from the US, with Berlin more or less successfully resisting. The news that Germany was able to repatriate 120 tons of its own gold from the United States puts the fat cross on the scheme.

    German gold is stored in the US and the Germans for many years unsuccessfully tried to repatriate it with the logical assumption that the Americans have long sold their gold in the course of their endless efforts to suppress the gold price (in fact, in attempts to defend the dollar’s status as the only global currency).

    In response, Americans simply kept telling Germans to go screw themselves and not even allowed them to check availability of gold, forcing the Bundesbank representatives shamefully mumble to the media mantra of “complete trust to our American colleagues.”

    It turns out that in December 2014, Germany managed to repatriate 120 tons of their own gold from the United States, which is simply a remarkable breakthrough. Even more, the representatives of the Bundesbank were able to conduct chemical analysis – what an audacity! – to make sure that their “Americans colleagues” did not slipped them gold-plated tungsten.

    The most likely explanation for such a dramatic change in the situation lies in the fact that Americans are now forced to pay Berlin to maintain sanctions against Russia. And in order to pay they have been on the market for “physical gold” rather than derivative contracts on the gold price. By the way, most recently in the press flashed the story that the Americans “evacuated” from Ukraine its gold reserves.

    You can bet 100 to 1, that the Ukrainian gold is now deep down in underground Frankfurt storage and bet million to one that Ukraine is not going to see its “evacuated” gold ever again.

    The conclusion is that American hegemony has weakened and US is forced to not only to suppress, but also to bribe its vassals (never mind with their own money), so they do not run away. There is a suspicion that Merkel is building a double game in the style of deposed Ukrainian President Yanukovych, trying to get the maximum benefits on both sides of Washington-Moscow conflict.

    http://politrussia.com/ekonomika/neft-swift-i-489/

  64. FincaInTheMountains January 28, 2015 at 6:04 am #

    As inequality soars, the nervous super rich are already planning their escapes

    Hedge fund managers are preparing getaways by buying airstrips and farms in remote areas, former hedge fund partner tells Davos during session on inequality.

    With growing inequality and the civil unrest from Ferguson and the Occupy protests fresh in people’s mind, the world’s super rich are already preparing for the consequences. At a packed session in Davos, former hedge fund director Robert Johnson revealed that worried hedge fund managers were already planning their escapes. “I know hedge fund managers all over the world who are buying airstrips and farms in places like New Zealand because they think they need a getaway,” he said.

    http://www.theguardian.com/public-leaders-network/2015/jan/23/nervous-super-rich-planning-escapes-davos-2015

  65. FincaInTheMountains January 28, 2015 at 6:45 am #

    US Anti-Russian Financial warfare: Ratings and cutting off SWIFT

    As far as garbage rating is concerned: Russia does not care. Russian companies are already cut off from the Western credit markets, and the Russian government does not need to take on debt in the West. Markets will go haywire for couple of days and wither. The triumphant article in Financial Times on how the downgrade will destroy the Russian economy begins to resemble the style and level of argumentation of Ukrainian propaganda about the successes of the Anti-Terrorist Operation in the East.

    The disabling of SWIFT. To tell the truth, it might have long term positive effects for Russia. Turning off the SWIFT would mean 2 months of inconvenience and psychosis, but the positive effects will last for years.

    First, no disaster will happen. Russian transactions will take place through the internal system of the Central Bank, and external can be carried out either through correspondent accounts in China (as well as any other friendly country) or archaic methods – fax / telex. It will be slightly more expensive than it is now, but nothing critical. Iran has managed, so would Russia.

    Now Russia cannot transfer all the oil and gas trading into rubles. Existing long-term contracts involve dollar payments and to break contract is evil, and buyers in good faith will not agree to change the currency of the contract. As a result the transition to rubles is slow and will start in full force when old contracts expire. However, disconnection from SWIFT is ideal force majeure (in fact, an economic war on the state level), which dramatically changes the situation and allows you to change the terms of existing contracts. Making the EU to buy Russian gas in rubles and make payments in the Russian interbank system – this is just a dream come true…

    And if you add that disabling of SWIFT makes it impossible to pay off debts of Russian companies to European banks, the European banking system can be buried right here and now.

    “We’ll wait and see what is going to happen, but, of course, in the case of such decisions, I would like to note that our economic response, and indeed every other reaction – will have no restrains” – quote of Dmitry Medvedev, the Russian Prime Minister.

    http://politrussia.com/ekonomika/neft-swift-i-489/

    Support this blog on PatreonSupport this blog on Substack
    Support this blog via Patreon or Substack
  66. beantownbill. January 28, 2015 at 10:53 am #

    @wpa-ccc:

    I’ll start my reply by first admitting I’ve never been to India, nor do I profess to be an India expert. However, from what I’ve read and from what I’ve seen from pictures and videos, the place is not where I’d want to live.

    India has a population of over a billion people and will soon take over the title as the world’s most populated country. With a rapidly growing population, economic numbers have to go up. I wonder, if there is a metric out there that gives productivity per person, what would that number show? In any case, India is one disaster away from imploding, as is China. India’s population is ridiculous.

    Regarding multi-culturism, I think you make my case

    • beantownbill. January 28, 2015 at 11:10 am #

      To continue. Sorry, I accidently pressed the submit key.

      I think you make my case better than you make your own. Remember, India is already less multi-cultural than at any time in the past several hundred years because it was partitioned in 1947. Imagine a present-day India with 170 million Muslims. Before the partition, culture wars between the two religions was almost constant, with violence a near-daily occurrence. Today, nuclear Pakistan (which is really Indian) and India are at each other’s throats, and is one of the reasons why the doomsday clock is 3 minutes to midnight.

      Concerning languages, it just seems logical to me that when 2 people can’t or won’t speak the other’s language, a lot gets missing in translation. From what I do know about language, it appears that how someone speaks effects their brain structure, and vice versa.

      • Buck Stud January 28, 2015 at 1:06 pm #

        BTB,

        In chess they call it checkmate; in boxing, a knockout.

        Mr.Rugman is going to need some smelling salts before being able to respond so don’t hold your breath for a response.

        At any rate,I think it might be time for Rugman to retire. A few weeks ago his assertion that ‘illegal immigrants did not take jobs or lower wages of American citizens’ was proven wrong and now he adapts the “wpa” handle as if had had empathy for the American worker.

        “American Liars” indeed!

  67. barbisbest January 28, 2015 at 11:07 am #

    JHK is way too smart to take on being Pres. of Clusterf***. And, not even close to dumb enough to be a puppet. It does have a ring to it though, President James Kunstler. Besides, we’d have to get real. Imagine the debates, indeed. Hope he battened the hatches on that storm up yonder. His fans would miss his missives.

    And, if my calculations are correct, a spate of children will be born in the Northeast in October. Mmmm. .Meanwhile the doomsday clock has moved up 2 more minutes.

    Janos, if you see this, what I meant about being comforted by the fact that Americans are well armed is that death will come quicker that way, rather than say starvation or clubbed, you know stuff like that.

    And K-dog you’re probably right, this nation was never, well, good. I am looking through rose colored glasses perhaps. But there is some good everywhere and in everyone, and also evil. Actually, it has all been a lie since the 40’s or 50’s. This nation has run on a war economy since Korea or Vietnam at least. That’s one of the most horrid things. It must be awful if you are of the younger crowd to see what it is and where it’s headed, I know it is for me and I was born right after the end of Camelot, if it ever was. Maybe it’s time for a Kunstler or a Kunstler type for President.

  68. barbisbest January 28, 2015 at 11:44 am #

    Oh Yes, and don’t forget the new smartphone that’s coming out. Planned obsolence there, huh. China burns our coal to make ’em, we buy ’em. So, you know I gotta have it. NOT.
    Congratulations Central VA. One of the first Solar Farms to go near Remington. Maybe those rallies paid off. yeah, we’re saved!

  69. budizwiser January 28, 2015 at 11:51 am #

    What’s the use? The Sun is going to burn out and we’ll end up as charcoal or in —- as a “black hole.”

    James – really? Get a grip. Remember what journalism used to be?

    Hey – what’s a “major point block.?” What’s a topic with a definitive appositive? What’s a supporting sentence? A fact?

    Do you have facts to support your opinions?

    PS – A new Walmart grocery “superstore” opened a few blocks away….. As far as i can tell the “lights” are on……..

    • Q. Shtik January 28, 2015 at 5:12 pm #

      Hey – what’s a “major point block.?” What’s a topic with a definitive appositive? What’s a supporting sentence? A fact? – Budi

      ================

      Budi, if I am catching the drift of your post you are saying to JHK that he is blowing unsupported smoke up our asses. I confess, this heresy has crossed my mind more than once.

      In your accusation you have used two terms that I have never heard before: “major point block” and “definitive appositive.” The answers that came up as a result of a Google search of these terms were 100% unhelpful. Could you please define for me in layman’s language what is meant by these terms? and cite examples where Jim has failed in this regard. Note, I am not busting balls…I am seriously interested.

  70. BackRowHeckler January 28, 2015 at 12:13 pm #

    Ever since events in Paris PBS and BBC are falling all over themselves looking for evidence of ‘Islamophobia’ in the US and Western Europe, almost every goddam day. I’m curious, why aren’t these esteemed news organizations investigating how Christians are treated in majority Muslim countries. I read today over 1000 churches have been destroyed in Nigeria by Boko Haram in Nigeria in the past year. Christians are routinely sought out and murdered by ISIS in Syria and Iraq. Churches are being blown up in Pakistan and Indonesia. Coptic Christians are being beaten to death in Egypt.

    How many new churches are being built in Saudi Arabia this year?

    The western news media is not interested.

    How do you like it now, Gentlemen?

    brh

    Support this blog on PatreonSupport this blog on Substack
    Support this blog via Patreon or Substack
    • beantownbill. January 28, 2015 at 2:53 pm #

      Marlin, I admit to Islamophobia. Even Islamics ought to suffer from Islamophobia. But that isn’t the issue. The issue is political correctness. Everyone, regardless of their actions has to be treated with respect and equality. Heaven forbid that we castigate a rapist – after all, he was probably abused as a child, so it’s not his fault he sexually assaulted someone. Muslims attacked us and killed 3000 Americans, but it isn’t their fault. They were just upset we support Jews, who, of course, are responsible for all the world’s troubles.

      My fondest hope is that someday science finds a way to grow a human brain and transplant it into the typical American.

      • Janos Skorenzy January 28, 2015 at 7:25 pm #

        Many Jews are proud of how much trouble the Jews cause. All of the Russian Oligarchs but one were Jews. Jewish response? “So whose the other guy?”

        All of the Hollywood Ten but one or two were Jews I believe. Bogie and Lauren Bacall went to support them, good Liberals that they were. They were shocked at the utter contempt the Ten had for America. Shaken, they admitted that they had been very naïve.

    • Q. Shtik January 28, 2015 at 5:25 pm #

      over 1000 churches have been destroyed [in Nigeria] by Boko Haram [in Nigeria] – BRH

      ===================

      And WHERE was it you say this happened? Oh yeah, [in Nigeria].

      • Janos Skorenzy January 28, 2015 at 7:30 pm #

        What about Niger? How is the name of this country pronounced? Is the i long or shot?

        • Q. Shtik January 28, 2015 at 10:07 pm #

          Is the i long or [shot]?

          ==============

          It’s long, not “shot.” <<This is your New England/Boston accent showing itself in print.

          • Arrow January 29, 2015 at 9:07 pm #

            Too funny…

    • MisterDarling January 28, 2015 at 6:49 pm #

      “How many new churches are being built in Saudi Arabia this year?”-brh.

      I like this one-liner. It’s a got a little ‘snap’ to it!

      Cheers!

    • Janos Skorenzy January 28, 2015 at 7:21 pm #

      http://www.dailystormer.com/jew-tranny-named-pennsylvanias-next-physician-general/

      Happy now?

      • malthuss January 30, 2015 at 1:19 am #

        Bruce [Trans] Gender, worlds formerly greatest male athlete gets a ‘sex change’. [in amphibians that may be possible but not in 65 year old men].

  71. BackRowHeckler January 28, 2015 at 12:19 pm #

    Shouldn’t the Pope be speaking out on this?

    Maybe when Youtube Artiste Glo Well Green interviews Obama again she can bring up the fate of Christians in the East.

    brh

  72. MisterDarling January 28, 2015 at 1:42 pm #

    Syriza’s first move? Stop the bleeding, treat for shock;

    http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2015-01-28/barricades-are-down-syriza-already-rolling-back-austerity-reforms

    …Seems sensible.

    😉

  73. barbisbest January 28, 2015 at 4:24 pm #

    Need a running mate? I’m the person. Miss (Get Real) America.
    Dream BIG or go home!!.

    Janos, They aren’t putting any chip under my skin or anywhere else for that matter. NO way. Over my dead body. And if that has to be, so be it. And did you call me pardner? That’s kind of sweet coming from you.

    Do I have to do this again, chaos, collapsing civilization!!

    Kdog, different is possible, even if it is going to have to be. Copy?

    • Janos Skorenzy January 28, 2015 at 7:44 pm #

      The Government doesn’t have to chip you because the Aliens already have.

  74. wpa--ccc January 28, 2015 at 4:47 pm #

    JHK says: “In fact, $50 oil is going to crush what is left of the US Oil industry, especially fracking for shale oil and deep water drilling.”

    Yes! Crushing the fossil fuel industry is exactly what has to happen: fossil fuels need to stay in the ground, not burned, if we are to save the planet.

    That is what we of the global movement http://350.org are fighting for. And we will win, just as those in the civil rights movement, who were arrested for sitting down at a lunch counter, ultimately won.

    The longest journey begins with just a single step. Divestment by divestment … until the oil industry dies out.

    The University of Maine System Board of Trustees unanimously voted on Monday to dump all of its direct holdings from coal companies, with every trustee and several presidents speaking in favor of the measure. Students are heralding the move as an important victory, but still incomplete, as it will not impact coal stocks in co-mingled funds.

    “We have to take victories as they come, but the end goal is complete fossil fuel divestment, and we will keep working towards that,” Iris SanGiovanni, student at the University of Southern Maine and organizer with Divest UMaine

    http://www.commondreams.org/news/2015/01/26/setting-precedent-public-institutions-maine-university-system-pulls-funds-fossil

    • FincaInTheMountains January 28, 2015 at 5:51 pm #

      Are you, guys, also teach some Chineese or Russian by any chance? Like simple phrases – “Go dig that ditch”, or “Dig faster, you lazy bastard”

      Anyway, it gets pretty cold in Maine, I believe. What your organization has in mind about not freezing to death?

      • Q. Shtik January 28, 2015 at 6:35 pm #

        Anyway, it gets pretty cold in Maine, I believe. What your organization has in mind about not freezing to death? – Finca

        =================

        Good point Finca, how does UMaine heat their buildings? Their main location is in Orono, ME. It is 17dF there as we speak and going down to -8 tonight. Yes, that’s right…negative 8dF.

        The town’s population is 93.7% White and no doubt crawling with liberals who think it’s cool to divest coal from their portfolios before they have divested their buildings of carbon based heating systems. Do these people have the cart before the horse or what?

    • Q. Shtik January 28, 2015 at 5:57 pm #

      fossil fuels need to stay in the ground, not burned, if we are to save the planet. – wpa–ccc (aka Krug)

      ===============

      How did the righteous Krug get to work today, car or bus? Oh yeah, I forgot, he received his script by email and is working from a laptop in his bedroom.

  75. Flig_in_Detroit January 28, 2015 at 4:50 pm #

    I am not convinced that there won’t be some new scheme developed to fund another round of fracking. It seems that every time we think they can’t keep the system going, they pull a new rabbit out of their hat and prolong the life of the dying system.

    Support this blog on PatreonSupport this blog on Substack
    Support this blog via Patreon or Substack
    • MisterDarling January 28, 2015 at 6:53 pm #

      “they pull a new rabbit out of their hat and prolong the life of the dying system.”-flig.

      Until they run out of ‘rabbits’, or assistants, or a stage for that matter. The tangible universe exists… Its effects are downright, er, *tangible*.

      😉

  76. wpa--ccc January 28, 2015 at 7:35 pm #

    “The tangible universe exists” –MD

    Indeed. Yet the intangible rules the tangible. Biological urges to reproduce are not tangible. But they exist… and rabbits are fecund.

    Nature possesses an awesome profligacy. There will be no end to rabbits, cockroaches, ants, etc. Nor an end to “energy” (until, as Budiwizer points out, the sun burns out) … Nor an end to electrons which successfully represent and function as “money.” Sorry Cold, no doom, tangible or otherwise.

    Relax.

    🙂

    • Janos Skorenzy January 28, 2015 at 7:49 pm #

      I approve of your positive approach. Schumacher, the author of Small is Beautiful, was very pro-coal. There are new and cleaner ways to use it. You have a very 19th Century Chimney Sweep mentality about this precious substance.

    • MisterDarling January 28, 2015 at 9:55 pm #

      “Indeed. Yet the intangible rules the tangible. Biological urges to reproduce are not tangible. But they exist… and rabbits are fecund.”-sock.

      Yet the Tangible can *terminate* the intangible’s biological facilitator… All the positive affirmations in the world didn’t and don’t stop speeding bullets, freezing cold or an myriad of other Tangible phenomena.

      wpa, I’ve seen nothing from you to suggest that you’ve ever had to practice what you preach and make it work in the real world.

      Mr. Kunstler wrote a book about your brand of post-modern hoodoo called ‘Too Much Magic’. Perhaps you’ve heard of it?

      What about Barbara Ehrenreich’s book ‘Bright Sided’?

  77. Buck Stud January 28, 2015 at 9:01 pm #

    Good article by Pat Buchanan:

    http://www.lewrockwell.com/2015/01/patrick-j-buchanan/the-persians-are-coming/

    • malthuss January 28, 2015 at 9:36 pm #

      Persians? What is a Persian? Someone from 1000 years ago?

  78. MisterDarling January 28, 2015 at 10:03 pm #

    SO, if the duration of wars throughout all of history is usually < 1 year, and the number of wars-per-capita has been decreasing throughout it, what does that say about America's 14-year, more-expensive-than-any-other war?

    http://www.ifweassume.com/2014/02/we-have-always-been-at-war.html

    Does the fact that there are more 'private military/defense contractors' involved than ever before have something to do with that?

    [where there's a will… ;]

    In most cases the Tangible is far more surprising than the Intangible because (after all) the Tangible doesn't arise from and answer to wishful thinking, and frankly it doesn't give a damn what we wanted or expected.

    Want to be truly bold and exhilarating? Use the Intangible to find 'outside the box' ways to perceive the Tangible.

  79. Pucker January 28, 2015 at 10:17 pm #

    Here in California, there are many TV ads for sundry dating websites, such as ChristianMingle.com, and eHarmony.com. In one ad, a middle aged single parent white woman lauds eHarmony.com as the perfect medium for finding a surrogate dad for her kid.

    • malthuss January 31, 2015 at 5:59 pm #

      I know someone who worked for ‘Jdate-Christian Mingle’. Owned by a rich Jewish man.

      haha. 100-200 employees.

  80. wpa--ccc January 28, 2015 at 11:14 pm #

    “wpa, I’ve seen nothing from you to suggest that you’ve ever had to practice what you preach and make it work in the real world.” –MD

    MD, this is not about me. Your ad hominem is superfluous and irrelevant. You say, “I’ve seen nothing from you to suggest…” Does that mean all I have to do is state something subjective about myself… and you will believe? Let’s stick to facts that are objective.

    You made an assertion about a “tangible universe,” but you never defined what you mean by tangible. I assume you mean capable of being touched, like a tangible “thing,” in what you call “the real world.”

    I am simply stating the obvious, that most of what is important in life is not tangible. Energy, space, time, pain, love, etc. … none of these words refer to any particular “thing.” The meanings of these words are given by their use in language, as Wittgenstein told us in his Philosophical Investigations. And that meaning is itself intangible.

    Please leave discussion of the “real world” out of this. We are only here to offer our opinions about our fantasy world where doom is imminent, you know, the one in which we are all supposedly fucked. On CFN we need to feel afraid and scare one another. How about them Persians? How about that Caliphate and those scary Muslims? How about them border-crossing immigrants? Lots to be scared of with them Negros, Jews, and Mexicans. Or bankers, illuminati, etc. Things are going to hell in a hand basket because of all of them. Get the picture?

    Support this blog on PatreonSupport this blog on Substack
    Support this blog via Patreon or Substack
    • Janos Skorenzy January 29, 2015 at 3:38 am #

      Check out the Illuminati Game Cards. They came out in their final edition in 1995. There are care portraying the Pentagon and Twin Tower bombings and also one that looks a lot like Obama.

      http://www.rense.com/general95/illum.htm

  81. Janos Skorenzy January 29, 2015 at 4:05 am #

    The Muslim situation in France? Dire. The Unity Demonstration was reacted to with contempt and a huge outpouring of sympathy for the martyred fighters both in France and throughout the Muslim World. What are a few moderate voices compared to this – assuming that all of them are even real of course, which is doubtful.

    http://www.counter-currents.com/2015/01/jihadist-carnage-in-paris-part-2/#more-52725

  82. wpa--ccc January 29, 2015 at 4:16 am #

    “Check out the Illuminati Game Cards… one that looks a lot like Obama” –Janos

    Six years ago on CFN the discussion was about how Obama was going to confiscate guns, about Fast and Furious (which Obama ended), about Homeland Security stocking up on bullets to kill us all, about the FEMA camps which never existed, about how Obamacare was going to destroy the economy, peak oil would guarantee $200 a barrel oil. JHK defiantly declared the economy would NEVER recover. Rumors. Opinion. The stuff of CFN. None of which turned out to be true.

    Now, Janos, you insinuate that Obama is Illuminati? Six years ago on CFN Obama was being called a radical Marxist… and a Muslim… and a Kenyan. Now Obama is Illuminati? Rumors. Opinion. The stuff of CFN. None of which is true.

    Once you see that CFN is a fear-mongering rumor mill, the spell is broken and you no longer fear that “collapse” is “just around the corner” maybe in 2009, or was it 2010, or 2011, etc. Surely 2015, or at the latest 2016, if not then 2017, surely by 2050, or at least this century, or if not, then the 22nd century, fer sure, you betcha.

    • Janos Skorenzy January 29, 2015 at 2:51 pm #

      None of those is mutually exclusive to the Illuminati. Do you Believe, brother? We can’t debate whether he belongs if you don’t believe in it to begin with. And of course there is another alternative, that he isn’t a conscious member, but a dupe or just an employee, conscious or unconscious.

  83. FincaInTheMountains January 29, 2015 at 6:04 am #

    War of the industrial and financial capital

    In the United States and their allied Nations financial capital not only subdued industrial capital, but the State itself as a social institution. It is noteworthy that in the US political parties have virtually disappeared. They gave way to the clans who recognize no political or ideological boundaries. The States themselves are graduating from its transformation, largely repeating the path of the Roman Empire.

    Ancient Rome brought the conquered peoples, not only civilization, which was expressed in excellent roads, the baths and aqueducts, but also the blood that was spilled by legionaries during the conquest.

    And if half a century ago, the United States, despite the rigid confrontation with the Soviet Union, gave the world new technologies and engaged in, among other things constructive activity, now export exclusively chaos and war. United States, as yet a world leader, not only stopped in its development, but also hinders development of the rest of the world.

    Trying to stop the course of history is not new and is one of the features of the development of financial capital. Financial capital grows stronger with colonial expansion and the flow of money back to the Metropoly, resulting in the death of industrial capital, which loses appeal in the eyes of the big capitalists and the petty bourgeoisie.

    In parallel with the loss of the industrial capital of the country has lost a number of technologies (US space program), the population is being corrupted, and intellectuals and creative class are degraded. As a result, the state of the victorious finance capital inevitably loses the title of world leader. So it was with the colonial empires of Portugal, Spain, Holland and the UK. Once an incredible influx of capital from the colonies led to the death of the industry in the Metropoly – it becomes unable to compete with the young and healthy state of industrial capital. That’s why the attempts by US to put History on Pause without success in re-industrialization (and there are currently none) will succeed in only bringing the “End of History” to US as we know it.

    Another remarkable feature of the winning financial capital – is their inability to successfully implement large-scale infrastructural and engineering projects. The only truly large-scale project, implemented by the countries of the collective West – globalization by Atlanticist patterns, the purpose of which – the transformation of the world into one global colony under the leadership of the “golden billion”. However, the project in the current environment is fundamentally unrealizable and stumbles upon the resistance of the SCO and BRICS.

    While Russia is building a unique bank of biomaterials, raises tens of nuclear power plants in various parts of the world, launches nuclear-powered icebreakers and promotes its space program, the US is trying to catch up with the looting of the world. These attempts are similar to Spain attempts to revive its industry, that failed under the weight of galleons laden with American gold.

    China is particularly busy and does incredible in scale construction of (so far, empty) cities, high-speed rail, builds transoceanic marine channels.

    Sign of the vitality and power of the state – the ability to build new cities, realize scientific, technical and infrastructure projects, rather than an opportunity to stop for a time development of mankind.

    http://kramtp.info/news/41/full/id=40681;

  84. Cold N. Holefield January 29, 2015 at 6:18 am #

    MD, this is not about me. Your ad hominem is superfluous and irrelevant. You say, “I’ve seen nothing from you to suggest…” Does that mean all I have to do is state something subjective about myself… and you will believe? Let’s stick to facts that are objective.

    Thank you for not doing that like MD has done here — claiming credentials that cannot be verified and validated with his talk of military weaponry and ordinance as though he’s an experienced expert. Anonymity on the internet precludes real-life credentials. If you prefer to remain anonymous, then you don’t get to claim real-life accomplishments and expertise, at least not if you’re deferring to said unvalidated authority to support your argument. Janos may be many things to many people, but one thing he doesn’t do is claim real-life authority and credentials. Q. Shtik gets personal, but he doesn’t use his personal revelations as authority in an argument or debate, but rather he uses it as entertainment or what I perceive as entertainment. Speaking of that, when are we going to get another personal story, Q. Shtik? What are you building now? Is the family squabbling over your brother’s estate yet and at each others’ throats? How’s the shoulder? Are you still on painkillers? Have you had stuffed cabbages lately? Is your neighbor still drunk and unemployed? Does Peter still enjoy B’s sugar cookies after his wife has passed or has he sworn off food and refuses to eat as a result of his paralytic mourning?

    • Q. Shtik January 29, 2015 at 5:34 pm #

      Speaking of that, when are we going to get another personal story, Q. Shtik? – Cold

      ===============

      OK, since you ‘axed.’

      At 74 years and 2 months I have never been busier in my life. In fact, kind of like a one armed paper hanger as a result of the operation on my shoulder 3 weeks ago tomorrow. I just went today for a follow up visit to the Doc and he gave me 4 exercises to do every 2 hours. They are ridiculously simple but hurt like a bitch. The first is to bend over, dangle my arm down and turn it in a small circle first clockwise, then counter. Hurts like hell. Everything I do is made more difficult by this operation. Can’t tie my shoes, can’t drive a car. A lot of my typing and mouse manipulation is with my left hand. Also eating left handed. I’m getting better at it but it’s sooo annoying.

      Anyway, the shoulder is just a side issue in my life. My full time job is getting a grip on the inheritance left me by my brother who died suddenly last September without a will BUT with me named as primary beneficiary on several accounts. I am about 90% finished pulling this all together. One big element was selling off his home while being a thousand miles distant and dealing by phone and email with a lawyer and a real estate agent. The closing happened on Dec 30th but there are endless little details that keep cropping up. Last night I paid the final utility bill.

      All this is preface to a point I want to make about the money and how I relate this to what is happening in Greece.

      Right before I got my hands on the first portion of my brother’s money I asked each of my 3 kids and their respective spouses and significant others (2 are married and one shacks up) to tell me to the penny how much they owed in school tuition and credit card debt. It came to $62,265. We all got together on Dec 13th at Uncle Pete’s Christmas Party. I had six envelopes made out containing 2 checks each. One check dated 12/13 for half the amount of their debts and a second check dated January 2nd for the other half ( the object was to spread the payout over two calendar years to avoid any chance of shooting myself in the foot regarding gift taxes.) As it turns out you can give away a ton of money without reaching the gift tax threshold. I told them to immediately deposit the first check and pay off as much debt as they could. Three days later I went on-line and saw that all the 12/13 checks had, in fact, cleared the bank. I did the same 3 days after Jan 2nd. In the ensuing couple of weeks they each sent me copies of their various debt bills paid down to zero. Both they and I felt a huge weight had been lifted from our shoulders.

      At our New Years party we toasted the Uncle they barely knew (he was a complete recluse.) I told them they had been given a clean slate by my brother…zero debt…and the way to keep that figure at zero for the rest of their lives was to “spend less than you earn.”

      This is where Greece comes in. I will guess there is not a country in the world that has spent less than it takes in for 5 consecutive years. Among these debtor nations Greece, on a percentage basis, has to be one of the worst. So what have they done? They have just thumbed their nose big time at the concept of “spend less than you earn.” Paul Krugman, the one who writes for the NY Times, not our CFN poor man’s version, is, of course, overjoyed.

      More personal stories to come as time permits…I’m an hour late for my next set of exercises.

      • Buck Stud January 29, 2015 at 9:41 pm #

        Nice story Q, although I was hoping for a follow up on Cookie the real estate agent.

        I had shoulder surgery a couple of years ago for a massive rotator cuff tear. But the worst part for me was the pre-op experience. Apparently they discovered on my EKG that I had had a prior heart attack. I was shocked; I didn’t feel anything; it was the least painful catastrophe I had ever felt! Since this was supposedly in the past and my current EKG was OK they asked me if I wanted to proceed with the surgery. I said yes, that I wouldn’t mind being dead for at least a few hours so I wouldn’t have to think about my newly discovered health issue. Unfortunately, being knocked out felt like it lasted only second or two and when I came around the first thought was, shit, I had a heart attack.

        For the next five weeks, and with arm in a sling, I waited around until my follow up date with the cardiologist finally arrived. They did another EKG and she told me I didn’t have a past heart attack and that sometimes the machines at the surgery centers are not the best and many factors can alter a reading. But she ordered an echogram test anyway just to make sure the heart wall muscles were moving and not damaged from a prior heart attack and that turned out OK as well. Finally she noticed that I didn’t have a cholesterol test so she ordered one of those as well. After it came back she informed me that my total cholesterol was 120 and my bad cholesterol was 61. She basically stated that those type of numbers do not typically indicate the presence of coronary artery disease. To sum up, I waited around worried for over a month when a simple test could have alleviated a lot of concern and perhaps the need for other tests. And all of this for just one organ!

        As far as the shoulder I only went to one rehab session before saying fuck it, what’s the point. I didn’t really care about my shoulder at that point because I thought my heart was messed up. After I was out of the sling–six long weeks with that motherfucking thing; I burned it on the last day!– I stared to doing Tai Chi on a daily basis and it felt absolutely great: no pain or stiffness. So perhaps a little caution with the rehab stuff is not an entirely bad thing, especially if it’s eliciting pain etc. Just my opinion though.

        • Q. Shtik January 29, 2015 at 10:32 pm #

          I was hoping for a follow up on Cookie the real estate agent. – B. Stud

          ==================

          Her name was/is Diane. I never realized how hard an RE agent has to work. She was terrific. She has to keep a hundred balls in the air…not only for you but for any/all clients she is working with simultaneously that you don’t even know about.

          • Janos Skorenzy January 30, 2015 at 12:10 am #

            Is this a May/September relationship in the offing? I have no doubt she’s a gifted jongleur, but remember General Petraeus before you go all in and give her your jewels to juggle.

        • Q. Shtik January 29, 2015 at 10:56 pm #

          I had shoulder surgery a couple of years ago for a massive rotator cuff tear. – Buck

          ================

          That must have been a bitch for a wood sculptor. Was it your dominant arm? Did you recover 100% and if so how long did it take? The way my shoulder feels right now it is hard to imagine full recovery…..ever.

          • Buck Stud January 29, 2015 at 11:48 pm #

            Well I didn’t do anything work related for the first six weeks while in a sling. After that I was cautious when working and absolutely no lifting of anything overhead. The surgeon told me not to lift any heavy objects above my head for the first six month and I took him up on that advice. I’ll never have full strength but the pain is much better that before the surgery.

            As far as how it heals this is what I understand. I had a fresh, recent tear and thus the ‘serrated edges’ of the soft tissues fit more easily back together in the manner of a puzzle (think of a broken object that still pieces back together). But if it’s not a recent tear, fat starts to infiltrate the injured area which is both not as strong as the original tendon and along compromising the edge/puzzle of a recent tear.

            I have read the outcomes are variable and dependent on a lot of different factors. Personally, I was happy about the pain relief and although not as strong as I was pre-injury I am certainly stronger than I was while injured—I could barely lift a cup of water. I injured myself by slipping on ice after walking around a blind corner; I was on my ass before I knew what happened although I reflexively stuck my hand out to break the fall and ended up ripping the cuff as well. Not fun at all.

          • Buck Stud January 29, 2015 at 11:51 pm #

            *both not as strong as the original tendon along with compromising…*

  85. Cold N. Holefield January 29, 2015 at 6:24 am #

    Persians? What is a Persian? Someone from 1000 years ago?

    When I see or hear Persian, I think cats, and I hate cats, so many thanks to Patrick Boochanan, my main man, for alerting me to a possible feline invasion.

    Important and revealing Pat Buchanan Interview

    Support this blog on PatreonSupport this blog on Substack
    Support this blog via Patreon or Substack
  86. Cold N. Holefield January 29, 2015 at 6:27 am #

    There will be no end to rabbits, cockroaches, ants, etc.

    That’s what they said about the dodo bird.

  87. ozone January 29, 2015 at 9:52 am #

    Saaaaay….. have you read this?

    “The more detached from reality American culture becomes the more strictly ceremonial leadership gets, as illustrated by the raft of bromides Barack Obama floated past the assembled vassalage of government last week in another grand effort to avoid the necessities of the moment.

    Those necessities include freeing a hostage public from the tyrannical clutches of corporate despotism — the evil empire of big boxes, big burgers, big pharma, Big Brother — and the atrocious rackets fostered by them that masquerade as an economy. The template of the life we have known is broken and the pieces within are flying apart, and no amount of wishing or promising can keep them going. If this society is even going to survive, the people have to smash their way out of this template prison, probably against the efforts of the people and organizations now running it merely for their own benefit.”

    Some guy named Kunstler wrote that — and pretty recently, if I recall correctly. He seems to be delivering a strident tongue-lashing to the culture of vaporous intangibles that are passed off as the “new realities” by those who wish to constrain and control every aspect of society (and are terrified of the consequences of its’ collapse… as well they should be.)

    The “intangible” is also known as bullshit (at least it is in the crude circles that I happen to run in). Just who do you think is continually promoting, fomenting and disseminating said bullshit, hmm?

    I guess some may have missed it, but the article is a direct assault on Fantasyland [tm Disneyhole] and its’ mouthpieces. See any mouthpieces here in the comment section?

    • beantownbill. January 29, 2015 at 10:41 am #

      There’s nothing wrong with fantasy – unless it interferes with reality.

      • BackRowHeckler January 29, 2015 at 11:05 am #

        Bill, just this morning I’m hearing that the employment situation in the US is the best its been in 15 years. All the great domestic economic news reported daily — a few days ago the Dow dropped 300 points but the lead story was Apple sold a gazillion cell phones — compared with everyday bloody disasters occurring all over the world, well, its rather disconcerting. Its hard to make sense of.

        Ozone, BTBill. try to stay warm.

        brh

        • ozone January 29, 2015 at 1:47 pm #

          Doing good so far, BRH; hoping the pile gets me into late March; more stock next year, methinks!
          Keep it toasty.

        • Therian January 30, 2015 at 12:18 am #

          Workforce Participation, a statistic that everybody can get on BLS.gov, is at a 38-year low. As far as any economic statistics are concerned, I feel like I’m living in the Soviet Union circa 1965 getting my news from Pravda. It’s absurd.

          Anybody with their boots on the ground on a daily basis can see that America’s “middle class” is becoming a huge joke.

      • ozone January 29, 2015 at 1:45 pm #

        Point taken, Beans. But, like JHK, I’m seeing boatloads of purposeful fantasy-production, and interference is [quite obviously] the goal.

        • Janos Skorenzy January 29, 2015 at 2:23 pm #

          So how did the Card predict Obama or someone like him back in 1995? Or the Twin Towers and Pentagon strikes?

          http://prophecyinthemaking.blogspot.com/2011/05/obamas-speech-dangerous-illuminati.html

          You’re just mad because I offered a valid critique of your music, but particularly your overall philosophy of music. I made every effort to be polite and positive, but still you insist on being angry. The problem is not me but you.

      • Arrow January 29, 2015 at 9:25 pm #

        Yeah but your reality if just fantasy as you perceive it.

        • Janos Skorenzy January 29, 2015 at 11:40 pm #

          Perhaps. But the cards seem to have predicted the future. What’s you explanation?

  88. FincaInTheMountains January 29, 2015 at 11:13 am #

    “If I were Mr. Putin I’d be thinking about a post-politics career. Maybe one outside of Russia, somewhere safe, under the protection of a reliable autocrat, one that stays bribed and doesn’t keep coming back for more. Someplace without much of a legal system or observance of soft-headed humanitarian nonsense. Someplace like Syria if only it hadn’t blown up. What about Kazakhstan?” — Volodya

    Russia is in active preparation for the next elections … in Germany. It is not clear if the Christian Democrats will win the next election, but there is no doubt that Putin will win. However, the pragmatic American analysts say it is quite natural thing: Putin’s budget for elections in Germany by far exceeds the funding of the election campaign of any of the German parties.

    http://contrpost.com/2015/01/29/pulya-proletela-i-ne-aga-ili-pochemu-sanktsii-na-9-mesyatsev/

    • Therian January 30, 2015 at 12:31 am #

      Beantown Bill may hate Putin but I think it’s dark comedy that while Russia’s debts are virtually entirely paid off, our ability to influence global geopolitics is waning every year. Putin’s approval rating in Russia is about 70% (at least) even with the Ruble’s crash.

      I know many, many Russians in California and you’d be surprised at how many are considering returning to Russia. Many of these are very cosmopolitan people who like the symphony, ballet, theater, and such and they think the US is increasingly becoming a passel of militantly stupid, fat, tattooed slobs who think the Super Bowl is “culture”.

      I don’t get Obama’s militant attitude toward Putin given that we’ve invaded Grenada, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Pakistan, Panama, and we’re meddling in Syria, Egypt, and Nigeria. We think it’s our birthright to drop paratroopers in any goddamned country we like. On the other hand, if anyone dropped paratroopers in Kansas we’d blow ’em up.

      Putin took back a place that was Russian for like 1000 out of the last 1050 years and scream holy hell about it. Then we embarrassed ourselves about the jet disaster and it turns out that Russia didn’t do it but did we give a profuse apology? Not a chance.

      Russia in the next 50 years is going to have the last laugh on many fronts because THEY ARE NOT BROKE like the USA and Europe. They are not driven by “shareholder values” like the entire US and its political process. They will get the last laugh.

  89. FincaInTheMountains January 29, 2015 at 11:29 am #

    Putin’s Unexpected Victory: Europe Furious That Greece Is Now A Russian Sanctions Veto

    The most important message that Tsipras is sending to Europe is that (after meeting the Russian ambassador first upon his election) Greece is now effectively a veto power when it comes to future Russian sanctions!

    EU sanctions require unanimity to be implemented, so a Greek veto could block any further measures against Russia.

    http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2015-01-29/putins-unexpected-victory-germany-furious-greece-now-russian-sanctions-veto

    • Therian January 30, 2015 at 12:35 am #

      Good for Greece!!! The US has a helluva lot of nerve talking about morality when we think the entire world is our military testing ground.

  90. contrahend January 29, 2015 at 11:31 am #

    Once you see that CFN is a fear-mongering rumor mill, the spell is broken and you no longer fear that “collapse” is “just around the corner” maybe in 2009, or was it 2010, or 2011, etc. Surely 2015, or at the latest 2016, if not then 2017, surely by 2050, or at least this century, or if not, then the 22nd century, fer sure, you betcha.

    At least One person gets it.

    welles

    Support this blog on PatreonSupport this blog on Substack
    Support this blog via Patreon or Substack
    • Therian January 30, 2015 at 12:41 am #

      No … YOU … don’t “get it”. The “collapse” has already happened. Workforce Participation is at 38-year lows. Real wages have dropped 10% since Obama took over in 2008. Household debt levels, which usually drop precipitously in a recession, hardly moved.

      Rome was neither made nor destroyed in a single day. Rome died a death of a thousand cuts and that’s exactly what’s happening to the majority of Americans. People in their 50s that lose their jobs enter a downward mobility crisis. The young can’t get choice jobs. We’re a “service economy”. High tech is kiddy world and those over 40 need not apply.

      When you’re living day to day, history seems to unfold very, very slowly but happening it is. Anyone singing Reagan’s “morning in America” tune in 2015 just isn’t a very good observer.

  91. Pucker January 29, 2015 at 4:55 pm #

    Does anyone know where I can find a good Hindu steakhouse? Thanks.

    • nsa January 29, 2015 at 5:33 pm #

      No. But those Koreans sure adopt a lot of dogs at the pound…usually large breeds……

      • DA January 29, 2015 at 10:37 pm #

        It always comes to this, doesn’t it? You know, even poor white trash don’t necessarily have to show their ass on behalf of their masters unless they want to. Your choice.

  92. nsa January 29, 2015 at 5:31 pm #

    All you Wiggers, Chiggers, and Miggers ready for NiggerBowl Sunday? We here in Ft. Meade and Langley are laughing our asses off…..such a pale imitation of the splendor and grandeur of Rome….such effortless full spectrum dominance and total infomation awareness…..this is just TOO EASY.

    • DA January 29, 2015 at 10:40 pm #

      Go to bed nsa. The world has heard enough of you for one night.

    • Janos Skorenzy January 30, 2015 at 12:30 am #

      Any man who hates the Super Bowl is a brother of mine. The psychic cost of all is incalculable. And getting worse: this year the Media are trying to make themselves the main event, at least in the week leading up to it.

      • Q. Shtik January 30, 2015 at 1:06 am #

        Any man who hates the Super Bowl is a brother of mine. The psychic cost of all is incalculable. And getting worse: this year the Media are trying to make themselves the main event, at least in the week leading up to it. – Janos

        ==================

        Yeah, that’s all well and good BUT…who’s gonna win the game??

      • Buck Stud January 30, 2015 at 10:57 am #

        I agree that it’s getting worse but “media day” has been around for many years. But the game itself is almost an afterthought: the event is all about pageantry, performance and profit with not a small amount of jingoism sprinkled in the mix (recall Nixon calling the winning locker room after the game?)

        And a mass display “culture”. America now huddles around the TV to watch the unveiling of ‘breathtaking commercials” that would have made a nice Norman Rockwell cover for the Saturday Evening Post in less staged and ostentatious times. But too bad an ever-increasing amount of the populace can only ‘drive Cadillacs in their dreams’.

        And then there’s that babbling illiterate Marshawn Lynch who claims he wants ‘no media attention’ while verbally castigating that very media innumerable “y’alls” every other word.

        But forget all that. The real reason for the Super Bowl is the excuse to eat, eat, eat. And eat some more. Super Bowl week at the end of the day, is a very heavy lift for the garbage collectors of America. Fortunately it all gets thrown in the dump where it belongs

        • beantownbill. January 30, 2015 at 12:14 pm #

          I think the real purpose of the Super Bowl is to sell stuff.

          That football, an extremely violent, sometimes lethal (concussion syndrome, Darryl Stingley paralysis in 1978, etc.) game,has become the national pastime reveals the American character. I admit to looking forward to watching it on Sunday because my team, the Patriots are in it.

          • Buck Stud January 30, 2015 at 5:32 pm #

            And gambling, can’t forget that. There is a bet for every imaginable scenario, such as how long it will take to sing the National Anthem!

            Speaking of violence and Stingley, I saw Jack Tatum play many times in person. He was a vicious hitter; they called him “The Assassin”. He could have played today but one huge attraction of the game is the fact that the players today are incredible athletes, far better than the players of the past. Modern day training methods,etc are simply far beyond what was available in the past. But a lot of them are not better ‘football players’ and they’re certainly not smarter players.

        • Janos Skorenzy January 30, 2015 at 2:14 pm #

          Maybe it’s just a local thing, but up here in Sea Hawk Territory, the Media are going beserk – interviewing each other, covering every detail of their trip to Arizona, trying to get people to accept their autographs, etc. It’s actually too bizarre to be offensive at this point.

          • Buck Stud January 30, 2015 at 5:34 pm #

            It’s a local thing because the local team is actually in the game. But why don’t you just get honest with yourself and everybody on this blogsite: you’re eagerly anticipating the half time show!

          • Janos Skorenzy January 31, 2015 at 3:23 am #

            Katie Perry said she was going to put on a great show for girls. This should be a day for men. Bizarre. Some of the ads may be fun of course.

        • Therian January 31, 2015 at 7:34 pm #

          I plan to have butter slathered in lard with a soupcon of bacon grease. Howz about youze?

          On a more serious vein, have you noticed that even the media seems tired of the two-week, pre-SB media smackdown. Really, by the time kickoff happens tomorrow I wouldn’t be surprised if half of the formerly-interested no longer give a shit.

          I avoid all sports in the 2 weeks prior to the SB so that I have a pinkie’s worth of interest in watching the game. The “big game” mentality has gotten so wearying that I, personally, don’t give a rat’s arse about 99% of sports, pro or college, any more.

  93. FincaInTheMountains January 29, 2015 at 6:25 pm #

    Russia made Greece an offer they can’t resist

    Ten days ago, even before acting against the policy of austerity Greek Syriza party won a landslide victory, Russia has made a “modest proposal”: you turn away from the European Union (who you despise anyway), and we will help your farmers by opening up the Russian market and removing the ban on the import of your products.

    The first meeting with a foreign ambassador Tsipras after his election as Prime Minister of Greece has had was with representative of Russia Andrei Maslov,

  94. MisterDarling January 29, 2015 at 8:05 pm #

    AND, let’s just take a look at the state of the ‘global economy’ shall we? …

    http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2015-01-29/wtf-chart-day-baltic-dry-index-crashes-lowest-29-years

    “…lowest absolute level for global shipping rates since… August 1986”.

    As I mentioned (many posts ago), whatever was driving global trade in the pre-2008 financial collapse era is over now. There is no “pent-up demand” coming to the rescue and no “inevitable” bouncing back.

    I actually laugh when I see people commenting about the how unlikely or even impossible the collapse process is… Even as their system loses consciousness, bleeds-out, goes into eye-rolling convulsions, flops and then gives it all up right in front of them….

    😉

    Well, it’s to be expected I suppose.

    Fear and Denial are also a part of the process.

  95. MisterDarling January 29, 2015 at 8:25 pm #

    “You made an assertion about a “tangible universe,” but you never defined what you mean by tangible. I assume you mean capable of being touched, like a tangible “thing,” in what you call “the real world.””-wpa-sock.

    This entire paragraph is evidence of an inability to connect with anything beyond the writers navel.

    To be clear, I called you no names, I simply stated what I’ve observed… Very Big Difference. The statement above does nothing but reinforce that impression. You seem to live a life far removed from day-to-day gritty reality.

    Support this blog on PatreonSupport this blog on Substack
    Support this blog via Patreon or Substack
  96. wpa--ccc January 29, 2015 at 9:05 pm #

    “To be clear, I called you no names” –MisterDeluded

    See what I did ^there^? I disrespected you by calling you a name: “MisterDeluded” … instead of respecting your handle.

    This is how you routinely call me names, by changing my handle in a disrespectful way, e.g.: wpa–sock

    “I called you no names” –MisterDeceitful

    Don’t you think changing the handle as you do is juvenile behavior, a form of name-calling?

    wpa–ccc, for those who do not know, stands for Works Project Administration–Civilian Conservation Corps, which created American infrastructure we are still using today. It is time to invest again in America.

    This week Senator Sanders has made a proposal for rebuilding America. The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) has calculated that an additional $1.6 trillion should be spent on infrastructure by 2020. A 2010 report by the University of Virginia’s Miller Center estimated that an additional $134 billion to $262 billion must be spent per year through 2035 to rebuild and improve roads, rail systems and air transportation.

    “Senator Sanders’ initiative to invest $1 trillion over five years through his Rebuild America Act will have a far-reaching impact on restoring and modernizing our nation’s aging infrastructure,” said Casey Dinges, senior managing director at the ASCE.

    Sen. Sanders’ proposal will create more jobs than the proposed (and DOA) construction of an XL pipeline, which will never be built.

    http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/dr-gridlock/wp/2015/01/27/bernie-sanders-wants-to-spend-1-trillion-on-infrastruture/

    • MisterDarling January 30, 2015 at 1:59 pm #

      “Don’t you think changing the handle as you do is juvenile behavior, a form of name-calling?”-wpa-[insert appropriate job title here].

      When I first arrived at CFN I was repeatedly called a “sock” by the regulars. I didn’t get it at all but I didn’t make a big deal out of it. I was informed eventually that there was a character on the list that regularly changed his/her screen-name who was clearly a “sock-puppet” of some kind – intentionally or not.

      At this point seems pretty clear to me that the *someone* they were referring to is you. So tacking on “sock” to your screen-name de jour is not name-calling at all. In your case it’s an honorific. Be proud of your new-found, hard-earned status! It’s well deserved!

      Cheers!

      wpa, you’ve done nothing but regurgitate MSM propaganda blurbs and memes since you ‘arrived’.

  97. Q. Shtik January 30, 2015 at 12:24 am #

    Is it just me or has anyone else noticed that Jack Ma, founder of Alibaba, looks like he comes from middle-earth?

  98. Q. Shtik January 30, 2015 at 12:47 am #

    A pro pos of nothing, as I waited for my doc appt this morning I was fascinated by the appearance of an old duffer with a cane and (perhaps) no teeth sitting nearby. He wore slacks whose cuff was inordinately high up his calf. His name was called and he rose with great difficulty, pushing up with one hand on the chair’s arm and on his cane with the other arm. Even in an erect position his pant cuffs were a good 8 to 12 inches above his shoes. As he struggled past me it took all my scant empathy to stop from asking him if he was expecting a flood. Surely I would have received a blank stare and only I would have appreciated the humor so, basically, what would be the point?

    • ZrCrypDiK February 2, 2015 at 2:31 am #

      Q on floodwaters (damn, Q’s *SPAMMIN’*):

      Only *DAD* could have reminded me of, “High Water Joe.” (I’m dating myself here, lulz!)

      Is there a single, solitary voice, that can carry beyond winds, forever?!… I thought *NOT*.

  99. Janos Skorenzy January 30, 2015 at 1:54 am #

    Preview of a new documentary about White Genocide. Let’s try to get this into our local theatres when it comes out.

    http://www.disclose.tv/action/viewvideo/195950/The_Endgame__Full_White_Genocide_Documentary_Preview/

  100. FincaInTheMountains January 30, 2015 at 2:33 am #

    Victoria Nuland’s gone raving lunatic – she now refers to confrontation with Russia in pure military terms

    US Assistant Secretary invited to deploy command posts of the alliance in six European countries bordering the Ukrainian front line.

    Victoria Nuland insisted on maintaining a tough stance in relation to the Ukrainian crisis and calls on the North Atlantic alliance to surround Ukraine with NATO Rapid Response Force. This statement Nuland made at the Brookings Institute.

    Ukrainian front line? Does that woman fully understand the consequences of her statements>

    Support this blog on PatreonSupport this blog on Substack
    Support this blog via Patreon or Substack
  101. FincaInTheMountains January 30, 2015 at 3:48 am #

    So, NATO begins preparation for combat deployment all along Russia’s western border. Let’s compare the situation on the eve of June 22, 1941 to the current moment. Imagine that Hitler started today.

    Russia’s weak points:

    1. Baltic and Ukraine to Donetsk is already captured by the enemy. Crimea cut off from the mainland. The enemy has an opportunity to strike a blow from the South – from the Georgian side and the forces of non-state militias type ISIS, which will force Russia to spread thin. In the Far East, in sync with the invasion of NATO, Japan to begin the attack on the Kuril Islands and Sakhalin (to be understood that the Americans are not as pussies, as the Fuhrer, and will not allow “Aryans of Asia” to cool off until Big Brother sheds blood on the Eastern Front). NATO fist in the Baltic States is going to hit the North-West of Russia. For many years, NATO pilots on rotation studied the location of future fights. And how many planes they have there, ha ha ha, as much as six or something? Yes, only the pilots and planes are constantly rotating. How many hundreds of NATO pilots reconnoitered the future theater of operations? And now the Americans are teaching pilots of F-16 the use of nuclear weapons. Do not be surprised if that are the same pilots who “guarded Baltic peaceful sky.” No matter how strong the Russian air defense, the time allotted for the reaction, is so negligible that the St. Petersburg in the case of a first strike is doomed.

    The question is, should Russia put itself in such a dangerous situation? Balts have chosen their role as a springboard for aggression. Their supervisor Victoria Nuland called yesterday its border with Russia “front line”. No one has nothing to hide, and only Russia is in combat posture of an ostrich. Clearly stated – the front line. Should Russia wait until sweeties start flying from the front lines? Or reasonably push the front line away from its industrial and administrative centers?

    2. For the first time the West is united against Russia under a single command. In the last war the Anglo-Saxons aimed to maximize weakening of Germany and the Soviet Union alike, so they were Russia’s tactical allies. Germany is now fully controlled by the United States, all relevant states of Europe are included in NATO and will take part in the war, whether they like it or not.

    3. The World Ocean will be closed for Russia. Naval forces of NATO and Russia are not comparable. All of Russia’s maritime trade will fail; there will be only the possibility of short sea shipping under the protection of coastal missile systems and aircraft.

    4. Military industry will not be able to compensate for the losses with sufficient speed. Production of modern tanks, aircraft or submarine takes much more time than making combat units during the Second World War. In addition, during World War II, Russia hid the industry beyond the Urals. Today, many industries and key infrastructure can be destroyed in the first hours of the war with the help of long-range cruise missiles. Yes, Russia has a very strong air defense, but there are just too many of them. In turn, the US industry remains inaccessible to Russia’s means of non-nuclear deterrence.

    5. Russia now has less population than the USSR. The enemy has much more than in Hitler’s Europe.

    6. The fifth column has not been eliminated. In order to understand the absurdity of the situation, it is enough to imagine that on June 22, 1941 after the speech of Molotov Moscow radio transmits an interview with Goebbels. Just to “balance the opinions”. The Soviet-German friendship society conducts a “Peace March” and demands from the Soviet authorities to stop the aggression against the people of Germany. “Soldiers’ Mothers” are outraged by violent mobilization to the Red Army; they express their outrage to German journalists. Funny? But today, this is what happens. Then there was the Socialist Realism – Surrealism now.

    7. Russia does not have Stalin and Stalin’s Politburo

    Russia’s strong points:

    1. Strategic nuclear weapons. However, we must realize that this is more a psychological factor than a military one. The enemy must be confident that the leadership of Russia in a critical situation will push the button. Neither side did apply chemical weapons in World War II – neither the Soviet Union in the 41st – 42nd, nor Germany in the 44th – 45th. Weapons of mass destruction were used only by Americans – nuclear against Japan and chemical against Vietnam. There is no doubt that they have the willingness to use it again.
    Tactical nuclear weapons. There is more confidence – probably without its application will not do, and Russia has a significant advantage in it (according to some sources – 3 to 1, on the other – 10 to 1).
    Russia’s air defenses are superior to enemy counterparts. The same applies to electronic warfare.

    2. Strong allies in the East – China and Iran. Both of these powers will help Russia, as they are well aware that in case of Russian defeat they are next in line. And will not have to wait too long. The question is how far they will go in their assistance and whether to risk a nuclear attack on their territory? It will be shown only by the actual fighting.

    3. The population of the enemy is degraded and will play negligible role in the war effort. It still may be possible to bring the inhabitants of Western Europe from their state of liberal-homosexual dope, but it will be risky due to the fact that people might wake up and turn their weapons against the Americans and their henchmen. Attempts to unify people with actions like “I am Charly” attract a crowd that during the war is better not to have on your side.

    The population of Eastern Europe, does not represent a significant military value neither in previous war, nor in this, and will probably be used to service strike groups, stuffed with better human material.

    But do not think that the enemy will not find a way to pump up the morale of its troops. If ideology does not work – pharmacology will.

    4. Russia has combat experience; Russian land forces are much stronger in the military and moral standing. Yes, we can say that the Americans also gained experience in Afghanistan and Iraq. Only this is specific experience – mainly their tactics was to massive bombing everything that moves. That trick will not work due to strong Russian air defense – this time they’ll have to fight “for real”.

    5. They have no Roosevelt, Churchill, De Gaulle or even Thatcher and Reagan. Western elites completely degraded mentally. That, however, in some aspects, makes them even more dangerous.

  102. Cold N. Holefield January 30, 2015 at 6:20 am #

    Any man who hates the Super Bowl is a brother of mine.

    What’s up, bro?

    Janos May Be Heavy, But He’s My Brother

    • Cold N. Holefield January 30, 2015 at 6:32 am #

      Here’s the correct link.

      • ZrCrypDiK February 2, 2015 at 2:55 am #

        I carry those corpses, my *FRIEND*.

        Back-breaking work. SRSLY.

    • Janos Skorenzy January 30, 2015 at 2:03 pm #

      Yo, that was a low blow, bro.

    • Therian January 31, 2015 at 7:38 pm #

      Our collective fatigue over the cumulative nonstop jibber jabber about this goddamned game makes me want to ralph. By the time the game actually happens there’s more relief than eager anticipation.

    • Janos Skorenzy January 30, 2015 at 2:05 pm #

      What does it profit a White man, if he gains the whole world but that world is no longer White?

  103. Cold N. Holefield January 30, 2015 at 6:27 am #

    What do you get when you cross pollinate Jack Ma and Mao Say Dong?

    Mama-Oom-Mow-Mow

    • Janos Skorenzy January 30, 2015 at 2:08 pm #

      I can see the Lobsang Rampa influence in your work.

  104. beantownbill. January 30, 2015 at 12:07 pm #

    @Therian:

    I don’t hate Putin, I just called him a thug. I grew up with a lot of thugs, so I feel somewhat comfortable with them.

    I agree with most of your post about Russia and the US. I grew up in a time when America was supposed to be the good guy. It was very hard for me when I realized we (the government) were qreally the bad ones most of the time.

    Russia’s great advantage over America is its greater abundance (Supposedly. Who really knows?) of natural resources with a much lower population density – over twice our land area with about 40% of our population.

    Support this blog on PatreonSupport this blog on Substack
    Support this blog via Patreon or Substack
    • Therian January 31, 2015 at 7:41 pm #

      I like your “@” notation since the site just isn’t properly set up. I don’t want to wade through 200 posts to find a response I made somewhere in the middle so kudos to your “@Therian”.

      Now that you’ve clarified your point about Putin, I think I agree with just about everything you’ve said here. No doubt he’s a thug but one wonders that if he’s a thug what would one call the succession of warmongers we’ve had since Reagan?

  105. beantownbill. January 30, 2015 at 12:26 pm #

    @ Q:

    I got a laugh out of your commentary on your doctor’s visit, particularly about the flood. Keep the stories coming.

  106. Janos Skorenzy January 30, 2015 at 2:09 pm #

    The Question. The burning, damnable Question: How do we get women interested (and spending money) in Fantasy Football.

    • Therian January 31, 2015 at 7:49 pm #

      Janos, I’ve noticed that love of sports is part and parcel of the new androgenization of women. Even on dating sites, about half the women out here on the Left Coast feel as though I ought to know about their love of the Niners or Raiders or Oakland A’s and so on.

      The women of the 1960s and 1970s could hardly have cared less about sports with the possible exception of their college football team … if they went to college at all.

      Now we’ve got female sports anchors all over the place and they’re either repugnant like that dykie broad (I think it’s Mary Carullo) or all the pretty faces that do post-game interviews who couldn’t really talk in-depth about any sport if they were pushed to do so.

      I’m always suspicious when women want to be “one of the guys”. I believe they think we like it but most of the guys who like it are simply angling to bed down said women.

  107. Janos Skorenzy January 30, 2015 at 2:30 pm #

    http://www.dailystormer.com/charges-against-george-batman-zimmerman-dropped-by-conniving-wench/

    Wilson/Zimmerman in 2016. Or do you prefer Alex Jones’s “Wet Dream” of Cruz/Palin?

  108. Q. Shtik January 30, 2015 at 10:52 pm #

    The Super Bowl is America’s answer to Islam’s pilgrimage to Mecca.

  109. Pucker January 31, 2015 at 12:32 am #

    I just saw “American Sniper”. The directing and cinematography are good, but the storyline is a bit shallow: Good Guys vs Bad Guys, and we’re the Good Guys.

    Support this blog on PatreonSupport this blog on Substack
    Support this blog via Patreon or Substack
    • Therian January 31, 2015 at 7:51 pm #

      Thanks for the warning. I’ll pass it up and see Nightcrawler.

  110. wpa--ccc January 31, 2015 at 1:36 am #

    “Workforce Participation, a statistic that everybody can get on BLS.gov, is at a 38-year low.” –Therian

    OMG! People are dropping out of the labor force at an unprecedented pace! Proof there is no economic recovery! Proof Obama sucks!

    Not so fast. A lot of the people dropping out of the labor force are just, well, old. That’s because the demographic bulge known as the baby boom generation is aging out of the workforce. Obama is not responsible for the baby boom.

    There is a sharp surge in people over 65 who are out of the labor force. There are roughly 37 million of them, and more than 50 million who are over 55. The cumulative effect of all these people aging out of the work force is to lower the participation rate.

    Besides that, an increasing number of 18-24 year olds are going to college, university, or community college, and are therefore not “participating” in the labor force.

    I wish CFN would stop citing BLS workforce participation rates as if they are an indication that something is wrong with the economy.

    People get old and retire. That is normal. People choose higher education before starting their “participation” in the labor force. That is normal. Sorry, Charlie. No doom proof from BLS. Only CFN drama.

    It seems CFN can interpret any statistic to mean doom is “just around the corner”. Lighten up, people.

    • beantownbill. January 31, 2015 at 10:17 am #

      I don’t trust the accuracy of any government figures. What I do know is two things: In my own personal circle (which is fairly large) people seem to be doing ok financially – at least by me observing their lifestyles and how much they appear strained, as I’ve learned that someone cannot hide how financially insecure they are, no matter their outward appearance. The 2nd thing is purchasing power is the main tell-tale of how well people are doing, and salaries have not kept up with inflation since 1973.

      • Therian January 31, 2015 at 7:55 pm #

        You and I live in two of the only places in the USA doing okay i.e., Boston and the Bay Area. However, seeing how stupid many high tech products are, one wonders if the tech boom isn’t running on fumes.

        The stats from Zerohedge last year (and backed by Huff Post) were as follows:

        1) 76% of Americans one paycheck from the street.
        2) More than half of Americans have $800 or less in total savings.
        3) Workforce Participation hasn’t been this low since 1977.
        4) Median income is down 10% since the Great Recession began.
        5) 80% of Boomers will never retire.

        Of course, there are a few metro areas bucking this trend but they are not representative of the country.

  111. FincaInTheMountains January 31, 2015 at 6:15 am #

    “Where do you get this stuff? Caesar had some of the longest and most brutal campaigns in military history. At the Battle of Alesia he had at least 60,000 men and probably more like 100,000. In that battle he invented the term “No Man’s Land,” by building a fort around a fort. Then when threatened by an relieving army, he built a fort around a fort around a fort.” — seawolf77

    After reading (somewhat cursory) the original of “Notes on the Gallic War” by Julius Caesar and contacting the author of the original post in the Russian blog I have to admit the phrase “Notes on the Gallic War” are nothing like the notes of great general, but rather accounting report – when and how much was spent on the orgy, gifts, “the presentation of the Roman way of life” and direct bribes to local elites.” has no factual grounds and was, most likely, simply “lifted” from another blog post.

    My apologies.

    • nsa January 31, 2015 at 12:30 pm #

      JC’s Commentaries were the equivalent of modern day DOD press releases, meant to keep the population informed as to the doings of their ruler’s armies. They were posted daily in the forum. To understand the roman spirit, study the three Punic Wars. Republican romans absolutely refused to be defeated…no matter how many the defeats of how great the losses. Being unable to defeat Hannibal directly…..they followed him around the Italian countryside but refused to engage in battle…for 12 years Hannibal pillaged and raped and stole and murdered at will! He even rolled up to gates of Rome and demanded the romans come hence and do battle. The romans refused. The result: there is now no physical sign that Carthage ever existed….its citizens slaughtered, buildings and libraries razed, its ground salted so to this day nothing grows where once it ruled the Mediterranean world……..

  112. nsa January 31, 2015 at 12:15 pm #

    Kunstler is demanding that biological africans, with no history of any written language, properly conjugate the irregular verbs of the english language. Go went gone, be was/were been, know knew known, swim swam swum, take took taken, etc etc. Latin conjugates in a regular manner, hence the simplicity of spanish : to be vs esse vs ser/estar You are demanding an impossibility…and lucky ebonic is not taught as a first language in the public schools……

  113. wpa--ccc January 31, 2015 at 12:51 pm #

    “salaries have not kept up with inflation since 1973” — beantownbill

    Inflation? Deflation is more like it. This inflation boogey man is another CFN myth.

    Last year I was paying almost $4.00 a gallon for gas. This year I have found gas for $1.54 a gallon. Gasoline is now cheaper than milk. http://www.today.com/money/cheapism-25-things-are-cheaper-whole-foods-2D79503107

    42″ TVs that sold for $3,000 a few years ago are now selling for $400.

    Home prices turned south in 2006, and they’ve only recently recovered, thanks to Obama’s very real economic recovery. We are better off today than we were six years ago, thanks to Obama, and in spite of Republican obstructionism. Remember Republicans saying in 2009: “I want Obama to fail” … Turns out they failed and Obama was victorious.

    Furniture you sit on has fallen by about 12 percent 2000.
    I have changed from name-brand detergents to store brands, which are cheaper but just as good. Similarly, I pay less now in many expenditure categories.

    The cost of small appliances since 2000, like coffee makers, toasters, and blenders, has dropped by about 23 percent, while dishes and flatware are down about 28 percent.

    Bedding, window curtains, and linens have all fallen in price, thanks largely to cheap material from China and other low-cost countries.

    In my local hardware store, tools, paint, hardware, and lawn and garden equipment are about 4 percent cheaper than they were 10 years ago.

    Computer prices are down by 84 percent since 2000, not to mention that access to capabilities like video streaming that were uncommon 10 years ago are now more widely available. Internet access, long-distance phone service, and even stationery have gotten cheaper as well.

    Virtually every type of apparel has come down in price, thanks to cheap overseas factories that now crank out much of our clothing. Even categories that have gone up in price, like footwear, jewelry, and women’s dresses, have risen by less than inflation.

    The average cost of a new car is about 3 percent lower than in 2000, despite better safety equipment and more advanced electronics.

    The cost of keeping in touch is about 9 percent cheaper than it was 10 years ago, with wireless service down 20 percent and landline long-distance down 19 percent. If your phone bill seems to be going up instead of down, it’s probably because you’re buying a bundle of services—like text messaging and mobile E-mail—that barely existed in 2000.

    Camera prices have fallen 64 percent since 2000.

    The cost of toys has fallen by 44 percent since 2000. Sporting goods—the adult equivalent of toys—have stayed about the same, making them cheaper, after inflation.

    The cost of audio equipment like iPods and other music players has fallen by about 43 percent. And the cost of music itself has drifted down, as online delivery has replaced CDs. For those who make their own, musical instruments are a bit cheaper, too.

    What we have seen is deflation. Every time you visit the gas pump you are reminded of deflation. When the prices of so many things are going down, Beantown Bill, why do you expect salaries to go up more than inflation?

    This “purchasing power”/inflation boogey man is another CFN myth.

    • FincaInTheMountains January 31, 2015 at 1:49 pm #

      The real problem is not inflation or deflation, how much you are making now vs. a year ago – the real problem is the TREND – how confident are you in your own future, the future of your kids, your town, your state, your country.

    • FincaInTheMountains January 31, 2015 at 1:56 pm #

      Why is the science fiction genre gave way to fantasy? Are people now more inclined to watch movies about the feudal past, not “Star Trek” style models of brighter, more noble future?

      • Janos Skorenzy January 31, 2015 at 4:10 pm #

        Watch the Firefly series. On the outer worlds, cut off from the Federation, people naturally fall into simpler modes off life by necessity – or by choice.

        One motif seen occasionally in Science Fiction: a star ship goes to a primitive new world only to find that the people aren’t primitive; they have advanced technology but they just don’t use it in their everyday lives.

    • FincaInTheMountains January 31, 2015 at 2:00 pm #

      And all these talks about “smaller, more efficient, self-sustainable” communities to me sounds like calling everybody back to the caves.

      • Janos Skorenzy January 31, 2015 at 4:17 pm #

        Even Marx admitted that the mir was true Communism. Thus the unspeakable blood and destruction were all for nothing or rather for something quite other than their ostensible purpose.

        Did your father ever repent of his Bolshevism?

    • Therian February 1, 2015 at 12:24 am #

      I totally agree that inflation is a CFN, and nationwide, myth. People have no money and the rich spend far less than they can.

      The Fed would dearly LOVE LOVE LOVE to get and maintain 2% inflation but with Workforce Inflation at 37+ year lows, falling wages, and high debt, there is hardly any force in the world that can create inflation in the United States or Europe.

      Hence all the tricks to goose the money supply (but the rich get 99% of it) and so on but eventually we’re just going to be a gigantic debtor’s prison where the debts will be paid back in more expensive dollars. Robert Prechter, long considered virtually insane, will be proven correct.

      What is the ONE thing that virtually no one has? People have cars, boats, closets full of clothes, expensive TVs and electronic gadgets, and so on. But nobody has any MONEY. Hence, despite conventional wisdom, it is precisely money, right now, that has value. I know this goes against the mantras of goldbugs and illuminati theorists but think about this … the one-percenters DO have money and they also have ALL of the power. Do you really think they’re going to willingly let the one source of power they have become worthless?

      Deflation is inevitable. The only solution is a debt jubilee.

      • Therian February 1, 2015 at 12:25 am #

        Correction: I meant “Workforce Participation”.

  114. wpa--ccc January 31, 2015 at 2:47 pm #

    “The real problem is not inflation or deflation…” — Finca in the Mountains

    Finca, I don’t know how long you have been following JHK and CFN. I go back to 1999 and JHK’s failed Y2K predictions. Believe me, over the last 15 years the CFN refrain has been:

    1) peak oil will lead to $200 a gallon oil and economic collapse, with resulting increased costs of everything, since, according to CFN, everything depends on oil. This obviously has not been the case. Oil prices have gone down.

    2) QE and the Fed’s “printing money out of thin air” will lead to not only inflation, but hyperflation, economic collapse, and the end of the world as we know it.

    Finca, you don’t have to rely on government statistics: Check the big box parking lots today, Jan 31, 2015. Are they empty? Are we broke? Are credit cards maxed out? Have we suffered inflation or hyperinflation? How then, can people, who are supposedly “broke,” continue buying?

    When you cannot find a parking space in a large mall complex, the answer to those questions becomes obvious. People cannot buy if their credit cards are maxed out, if they are unemployed and broke. This is obviously not the case. Consumer confidence is up, the national deficit is decreasing not increasing, the size of government has shrunk under Obama, more illegal immigrants have been deported than ever before, more people have health care than ever, etc.

    The list of positive economic indicators in 2015 is long. And how does CFN respond: by seizing upon a government statistic (from a government which supposedly they don’t trust) and twisting it mercilessly with misleading interpretations (see recent discussion of workforce participation rates).

    Support this blog on PatreonSupport this blog on Substack
    Support this blog via Patreon or Substack
  115. wpa--ccc January 31, 2015 at 2:59 pm #

    CORRECTION

    …the CFN refrain has been: peak oil will lead to $200 a BARREL oil and economic collapse…

    • Therian January 31, 2015 at 7:57 pm #

      Even Jim has stated that if no one has any money it could go to $40 after a brief foray back to $65. It may never get to $200 because of the prosaic reason that it would destroy most economies and collapse again.

  116. FincaInTheMountains January 31, 2015 at 3:17 pm #

    Iraqization of Ukraine

    Murder of Ukraine was conceived as a complex combination: it was necessary to implicate Russia. To complete the initiated in Syria: to cut Europe from Asia … But even with well-tuned propaganda machine for fabrication of charges the designated target must be lured to the planned crime-scene. But in these game “The Great PU” could give conspirators a hefty head-start. The great Ukrainian trap sprung for Putin ended up trapping the Washington. When it seemed to conspirators that the trap is going to snap, and there is just last small effort to push the target in, they got into it themselves. Putin is not going to invade, but he will not fail to take advantage of externally caused destabilization to have the Europeans realize that they are not getting anywhere with American help and without his.

    The Voentorg (rebel’s military supply chain) will work as long as the Americans do not stop supplying weapons to the Donetsk rebels with the help of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, and while Europe will not ask Americans to get the hell out, and Putin – to solve the Ukrainian mess.

    So what exactly does he want in Ukraine? Nothing. Just to build a relationship with Europe: she must recognize “The Great PU”, and ask him to intervene. And he will and for a very small price: just the entire Europe from Lisbon to Vladivostok.

    http://pravosudija.net/article/irakizaciya-ukrainy-privatizirovannaya-voyna

  117. FincaInTheMountains January 31, 2015 at 4:09 pm #

    Talked to a friend in Kiev over Skype: Kiev is now not letting out of the country men of draft age – from 18 to 60. His plans of coming to the Island are screwed – too late, the trap is closed on him as well.

    Kiev is flooded with militants. They are more and more, they are becoming more active.

    Chief of Staff of Ukrainian Army Muzhenko stated that there are no Russian troops in Ukraine. Thereby destroying the nearly year-long campaign of propaganda and lies, built by warmongering PM Yatsenyuk.

    Something is about to hit the fan out there.

    • MisterDarling February 1, 2015 at 2:56 pm #

      “His plans of coming to the Island are screwed – too late, the trap is closed on him as well.”-FitM.

      I’m sorry to hear that. In circumstances like these, people think that they have all the time in the world – until they don’t.

      Thanks for the info. It is appreciated.

  118. Janos Skorenzy January 31, 2015 at 4:18 pm #

    Did Paul Craig Roberts ever repent of Reaganomics and his trickle down problem?

    • malthuss February 1, 2015 at 5:07 pm #

      Those who crave the spotlight are often good at reinventing themselves.
      Look at Michael Jackson, dating [?] Liz and marrying Lisa Marie.
      See Liz convert to Judaism.

      See John Rocker become an announcer.etc.

      The question is what does CPR really know and believe.
      At a club recently I met a geezer who told me wild tales of driving The Bush entourage around. I will not go into details.

  119. BackRowHeckler January 31, 2015 at 5:45 pm #

    to pick up on an earlier thread (Malthus) Community College presidents in this state are paid about $200,000 per year. These jobs are mostly rewards, sinecures, for loyal service to the Democratic Party, as a State Senator, Commissioner, fundraiser etc.

    Local Supt.of Schools pull down an average of about 175Gs per year.

    Good work if you can get it.

    How do you like it now, Gentlemen?

    brh

    Support this blog on PatreonSupport this blog on Substack
    Support this blog via Patreon or Substack
    • malthuss January 31, 2015 at 6:01 pm #

      Sounds more like ‘no work’ or ‘sit down money’. Thanks

  120. Janos Skorenzy January 31, 2015 at 10:04 pm #

    https://westernrifleshooters.wordpress.com/2015/01/30/hope-is-in-the-past/#comments

    The only answer is Feudalism – ours not theirs. I will be a Just Baron or perhaps a Margrave.

    • Buck Stud February 1, 2015 at 10:29 am #

      “I will be a Just Baron or perhaps a Margrave.”–Janos

      Ah, the lubricating self-deception of fantasy. Sorry boy, you have serf written all over you. I mean, what do you bring to the feudal table?

      Cheer up though. You can always manufacture erasers in Q’s editing firm. Scratching out truth and distension will make for an honorable day labor existence. Just don’t get sick or develop any infirmities lest you find yourself sizzling in the bonfires or removal.

      • Janos Skorenzy February 1, 2015 at 4:15 pm #

        You’re a real buzz kill. Did you at least read the article? It’s good!

  121. FincaInTheMountains February 1, 2015 at 7:52 am #

    Charlie Hebdo bombshell! Suicided officer’s family denied access to autopsy

    Panamza has contacted the mother of Helric Fredou – the Police Commissioner charged with preparing a report on the family background of Charlie Hebdo – who was found dead with a bullet in the head just hours after the attack.

    I asked for the autopsy report and was told: “You won’t get it.”

    http://www.veteranstoday.com/2015/01/26/fredou/

  122. FincaInTheMountains February 1, 2015 at 8:53 am #

    Political analyst James Kunstler: “The United States will withdraw from the Ukraine. And try to leave as quietly as possible”

    Our host, James Kunstler, made somewhat of a sensation in Russian media by giving an interview to “Moscow Nightly” regarding US, Russia and Ukraine.

    Here’s link to the article (in Russian):

    http://vm.ru/news/2015/01/16/politolog-dzhejms-kunstler-ssha-ujdut-s-ukraini-i-postarayutsya-ujti-tak-tiho-kak-eto-vozmozhno-276047.html

    • Q. Shtik February 1, 2015 at 10:43 am #

      You have translated many other articles for us, why not this one?

      • FincaInTheMountains February 1, 2015 at 11:10 am #

        Since there is no English original version, there will be reverse translation (English-Russian-English) that will undoubtedly distort the actual interview. May be James wants to publish his version.

  123. Buck Stud February 1, 2015 at 11:15 am #

    On this Super Bowl Sunday I just read an article on the devastating long term effects of concussive and sub-concussive blows which result in CTE, demetia, etc. Pretty scary stuff; I don’t believe I would recommend the sport of football to a high school kid.

    The article also talked about Otis Taylor, the former KC Chief wide receiver. He was a truly great player/athlete and now he can’t walk or feed himself. He filed a lawsuit against the NFL which was tossed into a larger class action suit.

    I have heard trepidation in the voices of many ex-pros when talking about this subject. And many of them didn’t know of the long term risks when they chose to play the game but now anticipate paying a devastating price for ‘the folly of youth’.

    Ah, the folly of youth indeed. I suppose every one of us is paying that price in one form or another. And so these magnificent physical specimens of humanity will lace it up anyway today, unafraid — and incredibly well-compensated. Maybe that’s the way it should be because in many ways it is a philosophical/spiritual decision invoked in such iconic cinematic productions such as “Patton” and “Braveheart”: do not abort the experience of in-the-now glory for the safety of an uncertain future–“shovelng shit in Louisiana” as George C. Scott famously thundered: .

    And yet, the possibility of an Otis Taylor existence lurks around the corner anyway, all the more eerie the more one knows about the risks:

    http://nflconcussionlitigation.com/?p=1336

    • BackRowHeckler February 1, 2015 at 11:39 am #

      Been reading Paul Hendrikson’s ‘Hemingway’s Boat’ (an excellent bio-histriography incidentally) and the theory now is that Hem’s early decline into depression and subsequent suicide is was a result of hard blows to the head he incurred thru out his life (the guy was accident prone to say the least), specially the back-to-back plane crashes in Africa in the mid 50’s, from which he never really recovered. There were numerous wrecks, wicked falls on his boat in the Gulf Stream, and the incident when a skylite came down on his head in a Paris apt. in 1927. The perils of living an active life I suppose.

      brh

      • Janos Skorenzy February 1, 2015 at 4:16 pm #

        Connecticut changed it’s freedom of information laws after the Sandy Hook incident. No access to autopsy records. For the families you understand. Are you sure anyone died there at all?

    • beantownbill. February 1, 2015 at 12:03 pm #

      One NFLer recently said that even if he suffers from dementia later, it would be worth it to play professional football. Talk about an unwise comment. We have to keep in mind that many of these athletes came from a very hardscrabble upbringing and never had any money. Sudden fame and can be overwhelming.

      Last year ESPN had an interesting program on the many NFLers that ended up broke despite multi-million dollar contracts. The main ex-player on the show talked about the NFL culture. As soon as a player signs their initial contract they induce an immediate tax liability. Then their agent gets a 10-20%n fee. NFL culture is tough on rookies. Most teams’ players expect the rookies to pay for partying, and the tab for just one night out often runs to $15 – $20,000 dollars. The veterens all look and dress very well. There is a lot of pressure on the rookies to buy expensive bling.like $25,000 roll exes, etc.

      Also, because the rookies mostly came from poor families, the first thing they do after signing their initial contract is to buy their mother or grandmother or whomever raised them a new house. Oh yeah, the NFL culture requires the rookies to drive expensive cars – mostly in the $100k+ range.

      The end result of this is that rookies are often broke by the end of their first contract. Many do not get a second one, as the average NFL career is somewhere around 5 years, and if they do, groupies often steer the kids into bad investments and they still end up broke. After all this, throw in bad knees, severe arthritis and looming mental deterioration, and for many, the NFL career is simply not worth it.

      • beantownbill. February 1, 2015 at 12:07 pm #

        Sorry for the typos; that’s what I get for not proofreading.

        • Q. Shtik February 1, 2015 at 1:44 pm #

          Sorry for the typos; that’s what I get for… – Bean

          ==============

          …playing football in high school without a helmet.

          • Cold N. Holefield February 1, 2015 at 2:45 pm #

            That was funny. Michael Jackson played without a cup and it made him a multi-millionaire. I thought those old helmets without the face guard and chin strap were great. They should bring those back, or no helmet at all. It’s the only way to save the game.

            This is one of my favorites:

            Greetings Earthings

          • Cold N. Holefield February 1, 2015 at 2:46 pm #

            Earthlings. Damn debilitation.

        • Janos Skorenzy February 1, 2015 at 4:38 pm #

          At least it wasn’t your fat fingers this time.

  124. Cold N. Holefield February 1, 2015 at 11:43 am #

    And many of them didn’t know of the long term risks when they chose to play the game but now anticipate paying a devastating price for ‘the folly of youth’.

    It wouldn’t have made one toyota of difference had they known just as it doesn’t make a difference now with “fool information.” The lawsuit has no legitimate grounds and whilst this is sad, “them’s the breaks.”

    Now that we know that Football debilitates and kills just like cigarettes, the only moral choice is to not support it. If you support it, or play it, then you get what you deserve and you don’t get to claim damages as part of a lawsuit.

    Will you be watching the game, Buck? If you will be, then you support the debilitation as part of it. It’s a rough game — there’s no protecting against that without changing the “integrity” of the game. If you change the game so substantially to keep it safe and risk-free, it’s no longer football, but instead something akin to badminton.

    Support this blog on PatreonSupport this blog on Substack
    Support this blog via Patreon or Substack
    • beantownbill. February 1, 2015 at 12:21 pm #

      NFL contracts with TV networks is where the money is. Also sweetheart deals for the owners from local and state government. But what really drives the profits is that attendance at games are almost always sold out or close to it because corporations buy season tickets. Ticket prices are so expensive that the average working person can’t afford to go to games. Many old-time season ticket holders sell off their tickets for a profit.

      If the media weren’t so willing to pay such exorbitant prices to broadcast games, TV coverage would go down and many borderline viewers wouldn’t bother to watch, and soon the big deal of the NFL wouldn’t be so dominant. So, yeah, by watching the games, people contribute to the NFL’s success.

      • Cold N. Holefield February 1, 2015 at 1:55 pm #

        Exactly.

      • Janos Skorenzy February 1, 2015 at 4:53 pm #

        So that’s what you do for a living! – in addition to RE (as Q put it). You must know Marshall: old leather coat, thick glasses, cap…

    • Q. Shtik February 1, 2015 at 1:49 pm #

      Will you be watching the game…….? If you will be, then you support the debilitation – Cold to Buck

      ================

      I’ll be watching and I support the debilitation. – Q

      • Cold N. Holefield February 1, 2015 at 2:06 pm #

        I know you will be, that’s why I asked Buck and not you. I don’t begrudge you that, in fact, my motto as a satirist, or one of my many mottos that are subject to change at a moment’s notice, is “let them eat pigskin” — it’s more satire for the satire mill.

        I was guilty of watching it long ago — but then I grew up. It’s jumped the shark anyway. Football, like many/most sports, has long passed its peak despite the revenue and profit it produces, or precisely because of that revenue and profit as btb so aptly pointed out. I don’t enjoy watching the beating of a dead horse.

    • Buck Stud February 1, 2015 at 2:03 pm #

      Yes, I’ll watch the game so I suppose I’m contributing to the debilitation on some level, although it would certainly result if I didn’t watch.

      You’re right about the integrity of the game; many players–defensive players mostly– have loudly complained that they are now effectively playing the game with one hand behind their backs. A Jack Tatum, for instance, would have not been the same dominant player in today’s game.

      As far as the case having no merit it was settled to the tune of 765 million dollars–not chump change, ever for the NFL:

      http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap1000000235494/article/nfl-explayers-agree-to-765m-settlement-in-concussions-suit

      • Cold N. Holefield February 1, 2015 at 2:14 pm #

        It’s still my opinion the case had no merit, just as the cigarette case had no merit. They’re still lining up, and climbing over each other, to play and be debilitated. What the players didn’t know long ago the league didn’t know either. Should they have — all of them? I think so — it was foreseeable. It wasn’t a secret back then that boxing f*cked boxers up, so it’s not a stretch to assume the same would hold true for football.

      • Janos Skorenzy February 1, 2015 at 4:23 pm #

        So you think they should be able to use their helmets to break ribs, etc? Of course the game is so incredibly violent to begin with, maybe you’re right and it should just be a free for all with coaches putting out contracts on players, with bonuses to the guy who can injure them (already happened). As one of my Black coworkers said to a White coworker who had gotten his ribs cracked at a punk concert mosh, “You guys mess around so that’s what you get. Did you expect him to just pretend to hit you?”

  125. BackRowHeckler February 1, 2015 at 11:46 am #

    Question: are these gruesome ISIS beheadings becoming so frequent that they’re losing their ability to shock? This last one — the Japanese journalist — is particularly egregious. These throwbacks might be making a big mistake pissing off the Japs. Anyone who has read about Iwo Jima and Okinawa knows the stuff they’re made of.

    But it is hardly front page news.

    brh

    • beantownbill. February 1, 2015 at 12:23 pm #

      Yeah, the 48 hour news cycle has passed them by. Say, did you watch the Biggest Loser this week?

      • malthuss February 1, 2015 at 5:01 pm #

        To be reading this on Stupid Bowl Sunday is soooo funny.

  126. MisterDarling February 1, 2015 at 1:38 pm #

    “Ah, the lubricating self-deception of fantasy. Sorry boy, you have serf written all over you. I mean, what do you bring to the feudal table?”-buck.

    Exactly! What indeed? ‘Janos’ demonstrates no leadership potential. He’s failing even at the modest task of advocating for his point(s) of view in what should be a receptive online community.

    Even if he was *handed* the right resources at the right time to get some territory under control (such as that exists amidst the generalized cluster-fuck that is feudalism, et al.) he would squander it. He’d be lucky to not get killed or enslaved by his erstwhile henchmen… Yes, going from self-styled ‘Margrave’ to garrison ‘peg-boy’ is a steep drop, is it not?

    😉

    Cheers!

  127. MisterDarling February 1, 2015 at 2:38 pm #

    To whom it may concern;

    re | “Thank you for not doing that like MD has done here — claiming credentials that cannot be verified and validated with his talk of military weaponry and ordinance as though he’s an experienced expert.”-hole.

    I did no such thing. Back when the MH17 Incident was getting attention I questioned the US MSM’s narrative. In the process I cited links to support my statements. I did not stand on my military background [*].

    You reacted with a comment that looked like you were questioning my demonstrated level of commitment to the US, and I reacted to that with a statement that you shouldn’t do that.

    This was a mistake, because after all HOW would you understand that you were doing that. I took it for granted that anyone familiar with my posts would know that I was a veteran of some type. I salt my posts with a number of details that few if any people outside the military know about. I do this intentionally. It’s a way of signaling experienced observers and other veterans. You aren’t either of those so what was I thinking? That you would suddenly understand that there was a reality beyond ‘Le Carnivale D’Blow-Hard’ that you inhabit?

    You responded by threatening to “expose” me, which was incredibly stupid. You moved from some petty tempest-in-a-teapot stuff online to threatening to a) de-anonymize me somehow and b) publish personal information about me worldwide.

    Somehow, I have to think (for your sake) that you didn’t think that through. Because if you did manage to de-anonymize me (non-trivial) and then research my military credentials, you would discover that I’m more than qualified to make every comment I’ve ever made on CFN… And that’s just the stuff that’s researchable by someone from the outside or lower down.

    The best thing for you to do in that instance is check my DD214 (both pages), take a peek at my stats and then proceed to STFU and ignore me from here on out.

    See, the problem with going a step further than this is that it exposes you to legal… ‘issues’. I would have no choice but to get involved with you through intermediaries, etc. But that’s not all… In the process of posting my information (whether real or made up) you would attract the attention of certain friends and associates, and I don’t know what they would do, nor will I be held accountable. They will act independently and without hint or warning. This might be uncomfortable for you.

    Once again, this is simply a request for you to really think about what you’re saying to people, and how you’re saying it. I’m doing this for your sake. If it’s just a bunch of blog-writer hooey that doesn’t have real-world *tangible* implications, have at it. I have a very thick skin and, frankly I don’t give a damn.

    “Anonymity on the internet precludes real-life credentials. If you prefer to remain anonymous, then you don’t get to claim real-life accomplishments and expertise, at least not if you’re deferring to said unvalidated authority to support your argument. Janos may be many things to many people, but one thing he doesn’t do is claim real-life authority and credentials.”-hole.

    Janos doesn’t because he can’t, and neither can you apparently. That much is clear. You don’t seem to understand that there are people in the world that read, listen, think and analyze. They’re not just breathlessly waiting for their turn to speak, heedless of details and context. What this means is that people can figure out a lot about by *listening* and analyzing what you say, and don’t.

    Regarding anonymity, the US and UK are run by people who do not respect opinions, narratives, questions or facts that run counter to theirs. Wake up. It’s not a free country. Anonymizing is a way of lowering exposure to all the gutter-snipe flunky BS that would otherwise be leveled at whoever dissents (directly or not).

    Regarding ‘validation’; I don’t stand on my claimed back-ground. I do cite other reputable sources – generally in easy-access link form – so that readers don’t have to take my word for it. Unlike certain struggling bloggers who rarely if ever cite other sources, and whose only links are to their own beleaguered time/money sinkhole in the internet…

    “Q. Shtik gets personal, but he doesn’t use his personal revelations as authority in an argument or debate, but rather he uses it as entertainment or what I perceive as entertainment.”-hole.

    Q can be brusque and opinionated, but I see him (or her) doing the community a service. I have already expressed my appreciation to Q for doing that. This has nothing to do with Q. You’re mentioning Q in a desperate attempt to garner support.

    [*] Which did include in-depth training and qualification with the NATO M242 25mm Bushmaster chain-driven auto-cannon, so I know what 25mm holes look like in thin-metal.

    • Cold N. Holefield February 1, 2015 at 2:56 pm #

      All that and you’re still anonymous, meaning you’re just a silly name with opinions on the internet. Until your credentials can be validated and verified, you have none. I stand by what I said earlier, and I’d be more than happy to blow it wide open if that’s the road you want to travel. It’s you who would be on the hook legally if you’re making it up. I’m covered so long as you hide your real life identity and yet make claims of credentialed experience. Once you provide us details of who you are and what you did, details that can be validated, then I will believe you are more than just a silly name with opinions. Respect the unwritten rules and sentiment of anonymity.

      • Janos Skorenzy February 1, 2015 at 4:29 pm #

        Brother I hate to remind you, but the asshole is right. Anonymity is a basic part of our system. People are always saying to me “You wouldn’t say that to my face.” Or “Why don’t you say that to a Black?” – in other words, violence against me will prove that I’m wrong. The assumption being that violence is the ultimate arbiter of what’s correct and moral. I’m sure you realize that’s neither logical nor what the Founders had in mind. The voting booth is private after all, and with good reason.

        One favorite tactic of Gays is to gain access somehow to voting records, and reveal the names of who voted against them. They’ve been able to do this in the heavily Gay Provincetown Massachusetts area and other I believe. This is terrorism of a kind and may lead to real bloodshed down the road.

        • Cold N. Holefield February 1, 2015 at 4:50 pm #

          No, he’s not right. I don’t want him to relinquish his anonymity, I want him to respect it. If you’re going to be anonymous, be anonymous. Anonymity has no place for real-life credentials, especially when said credentials are used to confer authority.

          He speaks of having Bushmaster experience. Well, I don’t have Bushmaster experience because I am the Bushmaster, and if you don’t believe me just ask the countless women who’s wild bush I’ve tamed over the years, they’ll tell you.

          See how that works? It’s silly. I can present a convincing case of being most anything under the guise of anonymity. The ironic thing is, you and the others here would be surprised about my credentials IRL, but you’ll never know because it’s not about me, it’s about the ideas and the discussion around those ideas. I have never mentioned my real-life credentials and therefore certainly never used them to appear as an authority. I hold others to that same principle.

    • Janos Skorenzy February 1, 2015 at 4:12 pm #

      I’ve defeated you many times in intellectual battle – you just lack the wit, grace, and humility to admit it. Other times you just refuse to fight – as when I pointed out that the inheritance tax you so endorsed was part of the Communist Manifesto. You just slandered me and ran.

      Other times you make good points. I’ve never slandered you in absolute terms the way you do to me. Or if I have, it was in retaliation for you doing so.

  128. contrahend February 1, 2015 at 3:28 pm #

    Once you see that CFN is a fear-mongering rumor mill, the spell is broken and you no longer fear that “collapse” is “just around the corner” maybe in 2009, or was it 2010, or 2011, etc. Surely 2015, or at the latest 2016, if not then 2017, surely by 2050, or at least this century, or if not, then the 22nd century, fer sure, you betcha.

    How’s the ebola predictions working out?

    welles

    • Janos Skorenzy February 1, 2015 at 4:35 pm #

      Still spreading. You see just because no one is watching or listening doesn’t mean the tree doesn’t fall in the forest.

      The media got tired of it or were told to shut up about it. A soldier back from Africa died of a mystery illness a couple of weeks ago in Texas.

    • Janos Skorenzy February 1, 2015 at 4:36 pm #

      Now measles. Many eradicated diseases are coming back because of the immigrants. And new ones too. Oh what a brave new world ordure.

      • malthuss February 1, 2015 at 5:08 pm #

        Tropical diseases, yes?

  129. Janos Skorenzy February 1, 2015 at 4:54 pm #

    T minus six minutes and counting. All systems go.

    Support this blog on PatreonSupport this blog on Substack
    Support this blog via Patreon or Substack
    • Cold N. Holefield February 1, 2015 at 5:07 pm #

      I can’t wait. The commercials are what makes it all worthwhile, and the halftime show. I hope the halftime spectacle shows some tit and ass — maybe Madonna can sacrifice a newborn to Baphomet — that would be cool.

      • DA February 1, 2015 at 6:47 pm #

        LOL! Bread and circuses baby!

      • Janos Skorenzy February 1, 2015 at 7:02 pm #

        Why not have Kim and Katie do some 69? That’s a team right?

  130. Q. Shtik February 1, 2015 at 5:30 pm #

    As we await the big game — that couldn’t possibly live up to the hype short of a triple overtime hail Mary no-hands catch in the teeth — how’s about I switch to the subject of famous art on the cheap for your man-cave or living room?

    Some months ago I became aware of an outfit doing ‘bidness’ on line by the name of allposters.com. They carry in poster form (and in many cases actual paint on canvas reproductions) just about every famous and less famous work of art ever created…some hundreds of thousands, I believe. I just hung two more in my ‘office’ last night. A Renoir and a Van Gogh. One is 36″ X 24″ and the other 24″ X 36.” This dimension seems to be the most popular although there are innumerable other dimensions.

    If you look at their offerings and something catches your eye DO NOT buy it at full price. Hardly a day goes by that they are not running a sale at 35, 40, 45 or even 75% off…and with free shipping if you spend enough.

    The spouse and I went out to a store named Michaels (I think it is a chain outfit so maybe there’s one near you) that deals in artsy craftsie stuff and I bought a perfectly sized frame for 37 bucks which happened to be on sale…buy one and get a second one free.

    Perfect! I framed my two posters (they cost $6.98 each) in 10 minutes and had them on my man cave walls 30 minutes later.

    • DA February 1, 2015 at 7:00 pm #

      I think the ultimate goal is that everything – no matter the perceived actual “value” in human terms – costs nothing, or at least the asymptote of nothing. Fitting, since average salaries will likely be the same. Fitting as well, because financial “values” will all be derivatives many times removed from actual reality. Welcome to the fully digitized financial economy.

    • DA February 1, 2015 at 7:35 pm #

      Hawks tie it up 7-7 with just under 5:00 to go in the 1st half. Shaping up to be a Seattle kind of game so far.

    • Janos Skorenzy February 1, 2015 at 9:35 pm #

      Which Renoir and Van Gogh? I might use these guys to get a Symbolist painting, perhaps the one by Bloc, if I’m remembering his name. It’s the one where they approach a castle.

      • Q. Shtik February 1, 2015 at 11:01 pm #

        Would this be Carl Bloch?

  131. Buck Stud February 1, 2015 at 5:36 pm #

    “You’re a real buzz kill. Did you at least read the article? It’s good!”

    Yep and it was. Sorry for the buzz kill; I know for a fact that I would be serf material if not outright murdered by an overlord.

  132. contrahend February 1, 2015 at 6:57 pm #

    Here’s a concise smallish rundown of Kunstler’s forekasts since 1999. Needless to say, they didn’t pan out, just like ebola, the mayan calendar, and on and on.

    Jim got off to a rip-roaring start in April 1999 by predicting that “Y2K is real. Y2K is going to rock our world… I believe [Y2K] will deeply affect the economies-of-scale of virtually all activities in the United States, essentially requiring us to downsize and localize everything from government to retail merchandising to farming… I doubt that the WalMarts and K-Marts of the land will survive Y2K.”
    —————————————————————————————-
    I know what you’re thinking: “Man, I wish I had a whole roll of that stuff to wipe with.” And I couldn’t agree more. Kunstler is a real talent, a genuine one-in-a-million find, and he hasn’t let us down in the years since Y2K. He’s made shitty prediction after shitty prediction — to the point that the only proper response is probably a standing ovation with armpit farts for his uncanny ability to not see the future.
    —————————————————————————————–
    “I’m inclined to predict a gruesome journey down for the Dow Jones into the 4000 range by the end of the year. ” — June 27, 2005 Source
    —————————————————————————————-
    “I’d called for a Dow-4000 late in 2005. I think that was just an error in timing, and still call for the Dow to sink into that range, or worse, in 2006.” — Jan. 2, 2006 Source
    —————————————————————————————–
    “Let’s get this out of the way up front: the worst call I made last year was for the Dow to crumble down to 4000 when, in fact, it melted up to a new all-time record high of about 12,500.” –Jan 1, 2007 Source
    —————————————————————————————–
    “The commercial airline industry is already whirling around the drain. 2006 will send it decisively down that drain. Since we cannot do without aviation in a nation as large as the US (with train service on the level with Bolivia) then the government may have to take over the crippled air routes.” — Jan. 2, 2006 Source
    ——————————————————————————————
    “But I must say, at the risk once again of sounding extreme, that the structural and systemic sickness in the finance realm is now so severe that it is hard to imagine we will get through the month of December without some major trauma in the markets. In fact, I’d go so far as to predict a thousand-point drop (or more) in the Dow just in this week after Thanksgiving.” Nov. 26, 2007 Source
    —————————————————————————————–
    “For those of you concerned about my sense of pride — yes, I sure got that eggy feeling all over my face last week after calling for a thousand-point Dow plunge, only to watch it put on the greatest two-day melt-up in five years.” Dec. 3, 2007 Source
    ——————————————————————————————
    “So I would conclude by again predicting a substantial drop in the Dow and other equity markets.” January 1, 2007 Source
    —————————————————————————————–
    “I can’t imagine that quite a few major banks will not collapse in the first half of 2008. It is hard to escape the conclusion that many hedge funds will also blow up, given the unsoundness of their counter-parties’ positions, not to mention the frailty of the bond reinsurers.” Dec. 31, 2007 Source
    —————————————————————————————–
    “Okay, my final comment. After being chastised endlessly about mis-calling the DOW in 2006 (I said 4000), I have learned my lesson about making numerical predictions for the stock markets. So let’s just say there is no fucking way that the DOW, the NASDAQ, and the S & P will not end the year 2008 absolutely on their asses.”
    Dec. 31, 2007 Source

    (gulp)

    The Western World is progressing wonderfully on scientific, medical, economic, energy fronts etc.

    Self-driving cars are virtually ready to hit the roads (Mercedes in 2020 etc.), decreasing accidents, fuel consumption, pollution, and decongesting roads by 50% et al.

    Just one stellar example of how technology is vastly improving our lives.

    Yes, you doomsdayers refuse to believe what is tangibly in front of you.

    Nevertheless, we salute you as we soar high above you into a boundless future of cornucopia, whilst you till the ground behind a horse-drawn plough, so far below us.

    kontrahend

    • DA February 1, 2015 at 8:12 pm #

      So what are you saying exactly, other than he’s a lousy prognosticator based on the predictions you’ve selected here?

      Bigger question is whether there’s some underlying truth that he’s getting at. Have things got better for you and those you know since 2000? Unless you’re very fortunate and live very well, I’m guessing your answer is no.

      I don’t usually take most predictions very seriously – Kunstler or otherwise. They’re stabs in the dark based on basic assumptions and little more. Jim is gradually learning to avoid them, if only to avoid being so embarrassingly wrong about mostly trivial shit. Case in point: what in the world does the DJIA even mean anymore? Or anything else going on in the thoroughly FED manipulated stock markets these days? We still mindlessly accept these “key financial indicators” as actually indicative of something, other than the increasingly transparent and obvious manipulations that they actually are.

      Better question for would be prognosticators: who’s going to win a decidedly competitive SB in the next two hours or so?

      • DA February 1, 2015 at 9:30 pm #

        Wow! Quite a game at 24-21 in the 4th!

        • DA February 1, 2015 at 10:10 pm #

          And on the dumbest play call in the history of pro sports the Hawks relinquish the title with a whimper. Someone should be fired for that one.

  133. Janos Skorenzy February 1, 2015 at 7:14 pm #

    I’m rooting for the Patriots. Not because I used to live there, but because they are a far Whiter team. Race must be brought into everything now since its denial is universal. And because people wont ever talk about it, I have to talk about it all the time to balance things out. Can you not see how unfair that it to me? You people have turned me into a fanatic by your fanaticism.

    • DA February 1, 2015 at 7:43 pm #

      I think that’s fair since you’re up front in your beliefs. We’re all entitled to root for whomever we want for whatever reasons we want. I haven’t looked into who’s the “whiter” team, but I’ll take your word on it. Looks like it could go either way at this point.

      But since you brought it up, why wouldn’t you root for the “blacker” team, assuming that they’re obviously owned and operated by whites. Wouldn’t that more closely fit the racial superiority model to which I assume you subscribe?

      • Janos Skorenzy February 1, 2015 at 9:19 pm #

        They’re both owned by non-Whites (Jews) from what I’ve heard. I know that the Patriots are for sure. Also (as you know if you aren’t living in a trance) the alien owned Media (same folks) has worked for decades to undermine White masculine self image in relation to Blacks. For example, when heavy weight Boxing was dominated by Blacks, it was huge. When Eastern Europeans began to dominate, coverage was all but dropped. So that’s one reason I support the White Team and the other is related to it: I’m White.

        • DA February 1, 2015 at 9:44 pm #

          Ok. I’m white too, but I don’t have a problem admitting that blacks do indeed seem to be more athletically inclined for the most part. I pretty much agree with you about the undermining of the male masculine self-image, just not sure how that’s related to a black/white issue per se. The more obvious issue to me is how pro sports in general are gradually turning into the new plantation, albeit a vastly better paid one. And that’s an issue IMO purely of white overlords consolidating their accrued theft of the past several hundred years (at least), or so, just as they have in every other area. I hear you on the Jewish influences on all that, but I’m not really prepared to entertain all of that here. Not sure that Jews aren’t equivalent to whites for purposes of this discussion.

        • BackRowHeckler February 1, 2015 at 11:03 pm #

          Vlad you’re taking the fun out of the Superbowl. Its just a football game for Chrissake.

          brh

        • BackRowHeckler February 1, 2015 at 11:20 pm #

          Presses are down; just killing time.

          Geez, after reading the mix up between MD and CNH above, I’m glad I don’t have any credentials.

          Two pretty sharp minds in disagreement.

          Big snow coming.

          brh

  134. Q. Shtik February 1, 2015 at 8:36 pm #

    Uh oh, Janos, Katy sang that she kissed a girl…and she LIKED it.

    Support this blog on PatreonSupport this blog on Substack
    Support this blog via Patreon or Substack
    • Janos Skorenzy February 1, 2015 at 9:20 pm #

      You think that’s funny? How would you like it if you’re daughter brought home a girl? Show some responsibility.

      • Q. Shtik February 1, 2015 at 10:52 pm #

        You think that’s funny? How would you like it if you’re daughter brought home a girl? – Janos

        And also from Janos:

        Why not have Kim and Katie do some 69?

        ================

        A little consistency please, Janos.

        • Janos Skorenzy February 1, 2015 at 11:30 pm #

          Who says I want what I want? Are Kim and Katie your daughters? Or do you admit no distinction between Illunminati Whores and your own children?

  135. Q. Shtik February 1, 2015 at 10:39 pm #

    Which Renoir and Van Gogh? – Janos

    ============

    The Café Terrace on the Place du Forum, Arles, at Night – Van Gogh

    The Luncheon of the Boating Party – Renoir

    • Janos Skorenzy February 1, 2015 at 11:44 pm #

      If only your taste in economics was as life affirming.

  136. Q. Shtik February 1, 2015 at 10:45 pm #

    He is running a profitable small farm in a [very unique] way. – Subvert

    ===============

    Is very unique more unique than just plain unique?

  137. BackRowHeckler February 1, 2015 at 11:00 pm #

    Buckstud;

    Are you familiar with the work of sculptor Larado Taft?

    Ran across his name looking up something else.

    I was reading about a dinner in NYC in 1902, a night when the most successful authors and artists of the time got together for some cause. Hamlin Garland, Frank Norris, Taft, Augustus St. Gaudens, Winston Churchill (the American author) Max Parrish, Mark Twain (to name just a few) … its interesting how popular and well known they were then, all but forgotten now. (except Twain)

    brh

    • Buck Stud February 2, 2015 at 12:36 am #

      Yep, he was a Chicago sculptor trained in France. He was more of a bronze’additive sculptor and not really a reductive carver. The 19th century sculptors were big on making plaster casts from their clay conceptions and then handing it over to a technician operating a pointing machine which reproduces the plaster model verbatim in another material such as marble. As opposed to a ‘glyphtic/carved” approach in which the process of reductive material removal can suggest some very interesting possibilities not conceived in advance. Sort of like a cloud suggesting an image and spontaneously reacting to that impetus via the carving of material. Also, the carvings done in the pointing up from a plaster model method usually push the envelope of structural stability in a manner that mimics bronze. But stone is not bronze. Bernini was a true carver but he pushed the facile envelope too far IMO. Many of his sculptures would not pass the Michelangelo test of rolling a marble sculpture down a mountainside and still remain intact. True direct carving often has an architectonic teleology: the ancient Egyptian sculptures as one example. The direct carving movement in the early part of the 20th century was a rebellion of sorts against the aforementioned French Academy sculptural methodology from which Taft emerged.

      But Taft was a great sculptor no doubt about. There is not one academic professor of sculpture that could even touch him in terms of skill in this day and age. He was a great writer as well. He at once praised and despised the French. I’ll try and look some of his writings up this week and post a bit.

      • BackRowHeckler February 2, 2015 at 1:12 am #

        Phew! You know your subject Buck!

        I’m impressed.

        The fact Taft worked in Chicago is interesting on many levels. One doesn’t think of Chicago of 1910 as home to many artists, sculptors and writers. But there it is.

        And I thought he was just a guy who carved stuff and was Hamlin Garlan’s brother in law.

        brh

  138. wpa--ccc February 1, 2015 at 11:03 pm #

    Hey, brh, here is another story overlooked: ISIL has admitted defeat in Kobani. Probably not commented on CFN because it would be something positive, validating Obama’s public stated foreign policy with regard to defeating ISIL.

    The failure to capture and hold Kobani was a major blow to ISIL. Their hopes for an easy victory dissolved into a costly siege under withering airstrikes by coalition forces and an assault by Kurdish militia women.

    The United States and several Arab allies have been striking ISIL positions in Syria since Sept. 23. Just like Obama said: it will be a prolonged fight and will degrade and defeat ISIL. And Obama’s strategy is working.

    • BackRowHeckler February 1, 2015 at 11:09 pm #

      Oh yeah, the bombing is effective. ISIS can no longer move across the desert, out in the open, in truck caravans like they did in the beginning. Moving men and material is much more difficult. And they don’t appear to have any anti aircraft capabilities to challenge allied airpower,

      Hopefully this is the begining of the end for ISIS.

      brh

  139. Janos Skorenzy February 1, 2015 at 11:38 pm #

    Glad Seattle lost. Now I wont have to see or listen to drunken celebrations. A close game with the Whites just pulling it out in the final seconds. Perhaps an apt symbol for our actual survival as a race.

    Support this blog on PatreonSupport this blog on Substack
    Support this blog via Patreon or Substack
  140. FincaInTheMountains February 2, 2015 at 1:21 am #

    “Hey, brh, here is another story overlooked: ISIL has admitted defeat in Kobani.” — wpa–ccc

    Kobani today – almost a ghost town. Destruction is total.

    Here you could find amazing pictures of Kobani mayhem and Resistance.

    http://el-murid.livejournal.com/2223909.html

  141. FincaInTheMountains February 2, 2015 at 2:48 am #

    A bit of Conspirology

    The Rothschilds – the gold, the Rockefellers – oil.

    Rothschild uses the global crisis with a goal in the shortest possible time to expand their presence in world markets. They own such institutions, as “Goldman Sachs”, “Barclays PLC”, “Royal Bank of Scotland”, “Deutsche Bank”, “UBS AG”, “Credit Suisse”, “Lehman Brothers” and “BNP Paribas”, “Shell” and “British Petroleum”. Media – “Guardian”, “Reuters”, “Associated Press” and “CNN”. Rating agencies == “S & P”, “Moodys” and “Fitch”. Most of world’s financial centers are also under the control of the Rothschilds.

    The Rockefellers are against the gold standard. It is they who control the world oil market and the military-industrial complex. They own such institutions, as “Citigroup”, “Morgan Stanley”, “Merril Lynch”, “Bank of America”, “Bear Stearns” and “JP Morgan Chase”. Company — “Chevron” and “ExxonMobil”.

    By the way, this is exactly the Rothschilds who inflated financial bubble, and are now ready to blow it up, of course, with the help of Obama, who is under their control. It is, after all, was the Rothschilds who introduced Snowden into the game, who without much difficulty arrived in Hong Kong, and later in Russia, Sheremetyevo Airport. Remember, who published the original material? That’s right; it was the “Guardian”. Owned by the Rothschilds ..

    So, after a series of wars and revolutions in the Middle East in the world there were only three countries whose central banks did not belong to the Rothschilds – it is North Korea, Cuba and Iran. The so-called “axis of evil.” By the way, the Rothschild Bank in Libya has opened at a time when the country was still at war.

    As you can see, Russia is not on that list; therefore, the Russian Central Bank is under full control of the Rothschilds. The question – who would impose sanctions against its very own Central Bank? Moreover, who will deprive themselves of Russian resources and allow Putin to nationalize the Bank?

    After the events in Syria, Rothschilds needed Russia to address many global issues. Such as, for example, the Iranian nuclear program. It is not surprising, since after the conclusion of a strategic alliance between the Rothschilds and the Rockefellers, it was decided to stop the spread of the Arab Spring to the west of Iran, and thus ensure the safety of gold placed there, which in large quantities was supplied by the Rothschilds to Iran via loyal to them Turkey.

    It was also decided to waive the overthrow of the government in Syria and use the remaining resources to create an Islamic State(ISIS). It turns out that in terms of revolutions Syria is the most important and final link in the implementation of supply of Qatari gas to the European Union, from which Russia would suffer – Qatari gas pipeline was planned by Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Syria, and finish in Turkey, thus opening direct route to the European market.

    Now become a little clearer why so suddenly Russia stopped the construction of South Stream gas pipeline and took a turn in favor of Turkey.

    Regarding the nationalization of the Russian Central Bank.

    The idea to hold a referendum on the nationalization was a reaction to the attempts to organize a revolution in Russia. The Rothschilds have realized that they can’t lose their central bank and deprive themselves of Russian resources, and, most likely, have stricken temporary mutual truce with Putin.

    Putin does not nationalize the Russian Central Bank and the Rothschilds redirect their resources to Russia. Moreover, help in creating a new economic system in parallel using sanctions to divert attention and at the same time to speed up the process.

    Perhaps the decision to nationalize Russian Central Bank was an event that prevented the onset of World War III. Everybody understands that this war will have no winners, and as far as the USA are concerned, they are completely written off in favor of Russia. The collapse of the current world economic system will be totally blamed on “crazy” US authorities, and not the result of an undercover operation of the world bankers.

  142. FincaInTheMountains February 2, 2015 at 6:22 am #

    Grandmaster sacrificed his queen! The strange behavior of Americans in Ukraine

    Since the Ukrainian front line in the area of Debaltsevo breaks down with indecent speed, experts are beginning to wonder, what it means and how insidious trap American strategists prepared to Russians. What are they up to? They lure them deep into the Ukraine, as Kutuzov Napoleon? Are they preparing a flank maneuver, as Hannibal at Cannae? Maybe it’s better for Russians, just in case, to withdraw at least to Rostov? Well, let’s brainstorm – what are they up to?

    Guys, relax. Let me tell you a terrible military secret – “Grandmaster” is playing chess for the second time in his life. Anglo-Saxons just do not know how to conduct land warfare. They are traditionally strong at sea. At land they do not indulge an enemy with a variety of openings. Their only tactic is to bomb everything that moves, and then occupy a burnt area. Or to terrorize and discourage the population of cities into surrender. This they tried to do in Donetsk and Gorlovka that in the case of the Russians naturally led to the opposite result – a sharp increase in resistance.

    When the Americans realized that the Russians will not be taken on bluff, they are, as usual, decided to put the blame on scapegoats. Now someone will get a board on the head – probably Poroshenko. Maybe replace him with some other idiot. Fundamentally from that nothing will change.

    http://dima-piterski.livejournal.com/130548.html

  143. Cold N. Holefield February 2, 2015 at 6:36 am #

    Its just a football game for Chrissake.

    If only it were true. It should be “just a game,” but instead it’s become a place where people go to have their intellects, or what’s left of their intellects, eviscerated. Let’s call it what it is — The Convict Bowl.

Trackbacks/Pingbacks

  1. The Template Of Life In America Has Broken | ZombieMarkets - January 26, 2015

    […] Submitted by James H Kunstler via Kunstler.com, […]

    Support this blog on PatreonSupport this blog on Substack
    Support this blog via Patreon or Substack
  2. The Template Of Life In America Has Broken | DailyDeceit - January 26, 2015

    […] Submitted by James H Kunstler via Kunstler.com, […]

  3. » The Broken Template Olduvai.ca - January 26, 2015

    […] The Broken Template […]

  4. The Broken Template – Dire Warnings from Around the World - The Daily Coin - January 26, 2015

    […] by James H Kunstler […]

  5. The Daily Debt Rattle | StealthFlation - January 27, 2015

    […] Fake Chinese Bank Cheats Huge Deposit (Xinhua) • US Spies On Millions Of Cars (WSJ) • The Broken Template (Jim Kunstler) • The Time Machine in Australia (Flomenhoft at Orlov […]

  6. The Template Of Life In America Has Broken - January 27, 2015

    […] The Broken Template (Kunstler, Jan 26, […]

    Support this blog on PatreonSupport this blog on Substack
    Support this blog via Patreon or Substack
  7. 2015.01.28 and then the puppet show | Noise - January 28, 2015

    […] government and the general media realm that is supposed to serve as news and information sources. Kunstler’s latest Monday blog entry spells out pretty clearly the state of the circus of the annual State of the Union address as an […]