BILL MOYERS JOURNAL | William K. Black | PBS – YouTube

Karl Sanda sent this video. I am a great fan of Bill Moyers work. Somehow I missed this which was broadcast 9 april 2009. It is current history so pertinent to the crisis of today. It concisely explains the causes of the depression of today. 30 minutes and worth everyone. mb
Posted by Michael Butler, Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Meet Gary Johnson, the GOP’s Invisible Candidate | Rolling Stone Politics |

My, this man comes as a real surprise compared to the more publicized GOP contenders. I do hope we see, hear more of him. mb
Posted by Michael Butler, Thursday, June 16, 2011

Bill Moyers: “Facts Still Matter …”

Bill Moyers, that great journalist, has given us a great graduation speech. A graduation message for all of us. He starts out with a premise best expressed by a quotation sent me by Bette Layton, a good friend. "The past is another country, they do things differently there.' L.P.Hartley. Moyers goes on to discuss twisting facts, constant fabrications, corporate corruption, the selling of our Congress. And the importance of freedom of information, the control of media by giants tied to government influence. Further, false information about everything foreign. Not to forget the importance of the FCC to the internet and our ability to use it. All this and much more under such pressure by forces of control and coercion. It's our present and future being addressed here. mb
Posted by Michael Butler, Sunday, February 20, 2011

Gore Vidal’s United States of fury – ICH

In full disclosure, I have known Gore Vidal for at least 50 years. I first got to know him when I optioned his book "Messiah". It is about a religion which takes over the world. I wanted to film it with Tyrone Power, my Godfather. Ty passed away on a film set in Spain. So the option passed and the project lanquished. i never forgot the book. As religion has become ever more controversial the suject of "Messiah" has emerged even more apropos. I saw Gore recently and spoke with him on his birthday. I can readily understand the tone of this interview. Gore is a bitterly disappointed man about the drift of his beloved country. He, like so many of us, has almost given up. Yet he soldiers on. mb
Posted by Michael Butler, Saturday, October 17, 2009

Stas Namin on Khodorkovsky

My 'Russian Bear' partner, Stas Namin is writing about his friends at Yukos Oil. They are incarcerated as a result of a messy show trial to gain control the largest oil company in Russia. A sub plot, or perhaps the primary plot, was to silence them politically. They were constantly criticizing the government for corruption, lack of transparency and incompetence. Normally when such activities exist nowadays in Russia they are ignored by the government. In this case taking down the wealthiest Russian, grabbing an oil company and eliminating a strong political rival was too tempting for Putin to ignore, mb Besides Stas's article I suggest you look at the Khodorkovsky website (English version). It is interesting. I have saved it.
Posted by Michael Butler, Friday, May 1, 2009

Make Banks Smaller

Cancer, that is what is destroying our financial system. Just like the disease. Out-of-control growth consumes the very body it grows on. If you are not concerned with the social nor spiritual consequences of consumerism to our very existence, you should be. Approach the problem of growth in a pragmatic way. We are plundering our planet home to feed our obscene obesity. At this pinnacle are our big banks, so large that their collapse endangers the financial system. Look at what Lehman Bros did or the current GM situation. Think over these points. MB
Posted by Michael Butler, Monday, February 23, 2009