Middle East and Western Hypocracy

Great article on the current situation on the Middle East.

Shock Doctrine Wisconsin

I can't say it any better than Paul Krugman, but I can recommend "The Shock Doctrine" by Naomi Klein.  Whether it's Chile, Madison, Wisconsin or some small company, the Shock Doctrine is endlessly and blatantly exploited by those in power.

FBI Screws It Up Again

A couple and their friends were kidnapped by Somali pirates and held on their yacht.  The FBI gets involved and has talks with the pirates.  In the course of these talks, the leaders of this group of pirates visit a U.S. ship where the FBI, in all their wisdom, decides to detain them!  Well, chaos breaks out of on the ship and all hostages end up killed.  Now, you might think that the FBI would be experts in such a case, but clearly someone is incompetent!  I hope they investigate and someone is held accountable.  If I ever get kidnapped, I hope no one calls the FBI.  The poor couple might still be alive if the FBI did nothing! 

Tax Rates for Big Corps Lower than Joe Sixpack!!

It's hard to believe or I guess it's not really that hard to believe, when the whole U.S. government is run for and by special interests, but these big corporations are getting away with such a scam.  In a day when the Republicans are slashing and burning any program that might benefit the middle class, when Republicans demanding the middle class to give up their collective bargaining rights in Wisconsin—big corporations are not paying their fair share in taxes.  Can you believe a big company like Boeing had a tax rate of 4.5% over a 5 year period recently?  It's shocking that we Americans put up with this nonsense.  When will Egypt, Tunisia and Libya's revolts move to the U.S.?  Oops, they already have in Wisconsin!

NASA

Here's a video depicting some of the different missions that NASA conducts.  I don't know so well, but things like flying airplanes through hurricanes to get a better understanding of them.  They get my respect!  Also you can check out http://www.nasa.gov/home/index.html for more info!

Today's Quote

"Knowledge is a process of piling up facts; wisdom lies in their simplification."  That quote is from Martin H. Fischer, an American doctor and educator.

Noam Chomsky Speaks of an Uprising in the U.S.!!

Noam Chomsky, the linguist and political activist, advocates a U.S. revolution in his interview on Democracy Now.  I'm expecting the Department of Homeland Security or the C.I.A. to do a bit of an extraordinary rendition—a.k.a., illegal kidnapping—to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.  Find the transcript here.


Here is part 2 of Noam Chomsky's interview:

This is Now an Urban Homestead Site!

Not sure I really understand it, but no one should own these words!

Warren Buffett's Annual Shareholder's Letter

Warren Buffett writes a letter every year to his shareholders.  You can find them at http://www.berkshirehathaway.com/letters/letters.html.  They are gems of straight forward writing and advice.  He looks at himself as a teacher and partner to his fellow investors.  These letters are probably as valuable as an M.B.A.  Also, his speaking on YouTube is worth a watch.  Here is the first part: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DfuXKpMFUjc.  "The Snowball" written by Alice Schroeder is also highly recommended for background on this legendary investor.

Middle East Seems a Complicated Place

Here is a great article going over the history of  the "royal" families in the middle east.  Very interesting reading and informs current events very nicely. 

Google Body

Here's an interesting gadget from Google: http://bodybrowser.googlelabs.com.  If you have any interest at all in anatomy, and who wouldn't being human and all, you might want to check it out.  You may need to update your browser to Chrome beta or Firefox beta to get it to work.

Social Security

I'm sure the republicans will be screaming that we must cut social security soon.  The class warfare this congress has embarked upon has only just begun.  Anyway, Robert Reich, who was Secretary of Labor under Bill Clinton from January 20, 1993 – January 20, 1997, lays out a simple solution that will get social security back on solid footing.  You can read it yourself here: http://robertreich.org/post/3331762717.

Barbara Jordan - Congress January 3, 1973 – January 3, 1979

Barbara Jordan was the first southern black woman to serve in congress.  Here is her 1976 Democratic National Convention keynote speech. You can find the transcript here. The video omits her first 2 sentences which were "Thank you ladies and gentlemen for a very warm reception. One hundred and forty-four years ago, members of the Democratic Party first met in convention to select a Presidential candidate."  It's a great speech that resonates today just as it did in 1976. It's understatement to say she is inspirational.   I would encourage all to check out her other speeches perhaps here or maybe here.

Tour of Osaka

This video is a great tour around Osaka!  Speaks for itself...

Who is this President?

This is Harry S. Truman—the 33rd President of the United States.  This picture was taken in France in 1918 where he served as an artillery officer and this and many other photos can be found at http://commons.wikimedia.org.  Harry S. Truman failed at nearly everything he did until World War I, but somehow he kept going.  His life might resemble a bit of Forest Gump in that he seemed to bumble along and be an unwilling participant in his becoming president.  In David McCullough's book "Truman," his independent spirit and strength comes through loud and clear.  

This next photo of Truman was taken shortly after he became Vice President of the United States.  The actress is Lauren Bacall and was taken on February 10, 1945.  Apparently Vice President Truman was just playing the piano, as he was known to do, when Ms. Bacall showed up posing on the piano.  Truman continued playing and the photos became an international sensation.  Harry S. Truman literally came from the fields of Missouri to become president.  He will probably be the last President of the U.S. to ever actually come from the people. I'm just bringing Harry S. Truman up here to remind myself to read Mr. McCullough's book again!  Good reading!  See http://www.c-spanvideo.org/program/Trumano also.  I'm trying to find the series "Decisions: The Conflicts of Harry S. Truman," but haven't found it yet.

Never Heard of This Japanese Airline?

I'm not in this stock, but Skymark Airlines (closed at 1309 yen) does look like a play on a relatively new airline in Japan.  I like that upward slope on this chart.  I may never buy it, but it looks like something that might warrant more research.

              Source: Bloomberg

April 2, 2011 Follow-Up: Skymark has taken a beating since the earthquake and tsunami. Here is Skymark in the news at Bloomberg.  And here is an updated chart:

The Downward Trend in Interest Rates - Forever?

I just wanted to post this to remind myself that these extraordinarily low interest rates can't last forever.  Who knows how long they can hang on the low end of this--something like a decade or two in Japan--but the U.S. is not Japan.

Source: Federal Reserve

CIA's Plan to Manipulate Public Opinion in France and Germany

Just read this gem of a memo from the CIA if you still think that democracy means following the will of the people.  Basically the CIA is worried that France and Germany will remove their troops from Afghanistan due to public opinion.   According to the CIA memo "the Afghanistan mission’s low public salience has allowed French and German leaders to disregard popular opposition and steadily increase their troop contributions to the
International Security Assistance Force (ISAF)."  The CIA is worried that French and German leaders won't be able to ignore popular opposition forever.  The solution: manipulate public opinion so German and French leaders can continue to disregard public opinion.  Does this at all sound familiar?  I remember a fair bit of lying, exaggeration and scare-mongering when Bush decided he wanted to link Iraq to 9/11.  Just in case you missed it, that was entirely false!!

It Seems George W. Bush Can't Travel Much!!

Apparently Bush was planning to go to Switzerland until he realized he might be arrested for that little illegal torture he was promoting with his good friend and un-indicted co-conspirator Dick "Water Board 'Em" Cheney. I was giving up hope that these guys would ever be held accountable for the illegal war they duped the American public into and the illegal torture orders they issued while in office, but with signs like this there is hope. Hopefully these two will end up behind bars or, at least, in a court room!

Dubai Marina, Dubai, UAE Panoramic--Beautiful!

These are too cool not to post one more.  Check out this panoramic view  at http://www.360cities.net/image/dubai-marina-dubai-uae.

360° Views of Different Cockpits

Check out this piece of art and experience 360° spherical views of several different airplane cockpits just as if you were sitting in there.  http://blog.360cities.net/airplane-cockpits/

Gotta love it if you are into flying at all!  Also, if you think you might want to make panoramic photos yourself check out http://help.360cities.net/taking-panoramic-pictures/how-to-get-started.

Water-powered Jetpacks

Well if you've ever seen the Jetsons, you'll love the idea of this one!  For around $100,000 U.S. you can be like George Jetson too!

Improvised Helmets in Egypt

I love the creativity!!

Al-Jazeera

Aljazeera English

You've gotta love Aljazeera's coverage of the turmoil in Egypt--just raw reporting.