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This has been around for awhile. I lost it. I just found it again. I think it is an article giving information very appropriate to the emerging lifestyle we are experiencing. MB
Saturday, November 29, 2008
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You may recall I was very active with the UN when they were trying to put together the UN Youth Assembly. See http://www.michaelbutler.com/orlok/michael/uthant.html for the full story. Due to this involvement as their principle fund raiser I appeared on the screen when Benjamin Quinto was seeking out those involved. He tracked me down as he was starting on his quest to found the Global Youth Action Network (GYAN). Since then I have had the pleasure and honor of getting to know Benjamin and serve on the GYAN Board of Directors. He has recently started a new pursuit of doing great work in activism. He is someone worthwhile to follow as he departs on this new path. MB
Sunday, November 23, 2008
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This is a great review of a very interesting book. It outlines aa positive approach to our climbing out of the abyss into which the last two terms have plunged us. MB
Monday, November 17, 2008
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Perhaps a bit of history however let us recall where we were at not so long ago. Let us hope he does not forget where we came from. MB
Thursday, November 13, 2008
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I will not apologize for my current barrage of economic news. It is simply too important
to ignore. We are in a perilous situation which will not respond to the system we following since Nixon.
I tell all my rich friends, In HAIR I wanted to create a dialogue between generations. I wanted to explain to the elite (the theatre audience) what the young felt and sensed.
I felt matters were so polarized that we were near a revolution. Remember the Civil War was the most terrible war in our history.
I feel that nowadays the current probability of great disruption is more dangerous than the end of the 60's.
You must recognize, my rich friends, that we are outnumbered 1000's to 1. The only solution is to raise all boats. Otherwise we sink with all. MB
Monday, November 3, 2008
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In the heavy duty publications which we read nowadays economics are usually covered by pronouncements so obtuse that they bring to mind the unlamented former head of the Federal Reserve, Alan Greenspan. Vanity Fair is a publication which has a reputation of being a glossy celebrity rag. This tag comes from those who have not really studied the magazine. It always has some very serious political and social articles. In addition it has an Editor, Graydon Carter whose editorials are worth the publication.
Now Joseph E. Stiglitz, a noted economist from Columbia University, has weighed in with a profound article about our current financial predicament. 'Current' may be a misnomer. One wonders whether we should not consider this crisis permanent or at least extended. In this article not only is there the obligatory litany of who made this happen but simple explanations of what happened.
Most important Stiglitz has laid out some programs which deserve serious consideration. Thus we are not only left with gloom and doom but we are presented with some ideas well worth our time of study. Being an optimist this article impresses me. It is a great example of what we need to read more often. MB
Saturday, November 1, 2008
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This is one of the most levelheaded, in depth articles one can read about Peace and War. It emphasizes the importance of the most critical decisions which we will be called upon to make in the coming election. It sure bring backs some memories. It posits a simulated situation which we are actually facing.
I urge you to read this. MB
Thursday, October 30, 2008
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George Milman, consigliare and one of our astute Editors kept insisting that I read "American Fascists" When I finely succumbed it almost created nightmares. A tome for serious thought, one thinks it cannot happen here but it can. This movement has a long lead time of preparation. To counter its siren sounds is going to take serious work. It will notgive in easily nor shortly. It is frightening when he deals with the number of politicians who are committed to support this movement.
I include an excellent review:
By Preston C. Enright (Denver, CO United States)
Hedges does a great job of exposing how the Christian Right serves fascism - fascism defined as the marriage of corporate power and the government, along with beligerent nationalism and the utilization of state violence. There's no better example of that marriage than our massive military industrial complex and the growing prison industrial complex. It can be difficult to get normal, healthy human beings to support invasions, overthrows, economic injustice and global class war; but when people like Pat Robertson and James Dobson are there to put a smiley, pious face on it, then "good" Americans will rally behind the cause of Christo-fascism..
Not surprisingly, the high priests of Christo-fascism, people like Michael Medved, Hugh Hewitt, Dennis Prager and others spend countless hours on this nation's airwaves to rally the troops. Oftentimes accusing our victims of the sort of terror and plans for world domination that our masters of war have been implementing for generations.
That's one aspect of this pseudo-Christian movement Hedges should've spent more time on, the role of right-wing talk radio to misinform an intellectually vulnerable segment of the US population. Then again, there are those who simply want to be deceived, since they are the ones who have been pulling the triggers on the Apache attack helicopters and the .50 caliber machine guns.
As Sinclair Lewis said, "When fascism comes to America, it will be wrapped in a flag and carrying a cross."
Monday, October 20, 2008
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This is an incredibly interesting graph which shows the comparison between the Democratic and Republican administrations in delivering good economic results to our country. Recall that the Republican administrations have claimed to be better stewards of our economy. Judge for yourself. MB
Friday, October 17, 2008
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This is an incredibly important article on the more extreme aspects of our world situation. It covers the consumption of the worlds resources while we ignore the clear road signs of where we are headed. In many way it posits that democracy, as we profess it, is not workable in such large national units. Predatory structures political, capitalistic, ecological, cultural and spiritual are predominate. As the poor so outnumber the wealthy terrorism becomes an easy way to try to equalize the frustrations of being impotent. Why not? to the majority there is a feeling of no future. Cancerous growth in so many forms of nations, corporations and systems ignore the basic tribal structures which bring cohesion to clans and families.
First step is peace not war. We have too many conflicts with our human problems to be fighting amongst ourselves. Make the current time of our lives worthwhile. MB
Monday, October 6, 2008
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This article was posted in MB CIVIC. In deserves a second look. Reading this is really alarming in showing a very weird side of John MCain. I can think with a possibility of players such as John McCain and Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in command we are in for a wild ride which could not be more perilous. And there some other wild people around. None as frightening as the aforementioned pair. MB
Thursday, October 2, 2008
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Friday, September 26, 2008
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It is not hard for me to decide which is more important - the free press or eduction. As the media is the most obvious source of current information I would have vote for the free press. As America keeps being converted from democracy to state capitalism we need information - truthful information - to ward off the ever increasing fascism of corporatism. Which came first, acquisitions, censorship, short term profit. Acquisitions of most sources of media by corporate conglomerates has bee accelerated since the 60's when the establishment became threatened by the movement of peace and love. This attack against media independence was supported by all administrations whether Democrat or Republican. Nowadays you even have Murdoch acquiring MySpace and Microsoft after Yahoo so you have internet under siege. Sam Zell acquires the Tribune Company with its multiple papers and TV to improve its short term profitability. That is not just one outlet going down but several and in very important cities. Censorship, particularly in military matters, is practiced by the Pentagon. Not just in security items. When did you last see a picture of death or violence amongst our troops or even coffins arriving at Dover air base. Major media will not admit it was wrong in selling the war to us. How are we going to get the straight stories as to what is happening. How are we going to be given the truth. The Internet is our major hope. With that in mind remember that Moyers mentions SaveTheInternet.com. MB
Sunday, September 14, 2008
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Ponzi had nothing on these guys - the present benefactors of our current financial system - Only bankers and financiers who concentrate on making money with money - not making things to make money. The acronym FIRE (Finance Insurance Real Estate) overcomes labor, production or consumption. In foreign affairs the promotion of
kleptocracies to expand this US imperial system of dollar dominance in as many countries as possible. The bellwether was the emasculation of the Glass-Steagall Act by Clinton and Rubin. This should have signaled that the financiers buy-off of the politicos. Congress could have cared less as long as the cash kept coming in to their campaigns. Very cheap price for what the financiers got out of it. MB
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
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"Delusions of grandeur, insecurities and greed" are a summation, by Robert Scheer, of the drives behind our imperial hubris. This great book by a serious author of our political scene really emphasis our pornography. Scheer quotes Washington's and Eisenhower's final addresses. Both should have been taken seriously. Those remarks should be required reading. Two of our greatest military chieftains have sounded the same tocsin.The false premises upon which most of our imperial adventures have been based. Greed has been the mantra of our current administration. Wanting it all for us. The rest of the world go hang. A total waste of resources which are not infinite. Actions based on false premises sold to an unsuspecting and ill-informed public. Totally ignoring that peace and prosperity go hand-in-hand. We must get out of the empire business. If we do not I guarantee the sunset of the American dream. MB
Thursday, September 4, 2008
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Robert Scheer covers a lot of ground in this article. I always liked the Reagan's socially and I continue to admire her. His politics were deplorable. Anyone who followed his governorship of California could attest to that. We were horrified when he was elected. More so when he gained the White House.
Now comes along Gramm who riding on Reagan's coats and Clinton's acquiescence emasculated the major act of protection from what my grandfather used to call, "those damn eastern bankers". Killing the Glass Act just allowed a return to the perils felt by the Great Depression. Look where we are today due to that protection ebing removed.
Further Scheer points to the Gramm/Enron connection. He goes beyond to point out the teaming of McCain and Gramm for economic consul. This is a setup which could make the Keating scandals of McCain a minor act. MB
Sunday, August 31, 2008
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This is a rather extreme dissertation. However it is very hard to find fault with what he says. For sure the corporate dominion of world politics is a fact. It is a tragedy when current capitalism theory is paramount for short term, current results. Most sound business structures do better in the long term while the short term is counter to nature. Education is the only answer to help raise all boats. Media has done a horrible job of truly educating the public to issues of importance. To service the short term demands for profit entertainment helps the bottom line. Media takes the dumb down method of reporting. The middle class, the bed rock of sound policies, has been decimated and is under such pressure help will not come from them. If we don't slow this growth of empire in favor of saving the nature of our planet we will see our lifestyle truly endangered. Not matter what - forever changes. Get ready and don't give into fear, It could be, it will be exciting. MB
Thursday, August 21, 2008
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