Europe hastily awarded some jailed Chinese dissident with some prestigious human rights prize before embarking on a plane for Beijing.
There, Jose Manuel Barroso, Nicolas Sarkozy et al went down on their knees and begged the Great Socialist Empire to let some of its wealthy reserves trickle down over the bankrupt Capitalist rest of the World.
From DC, Hank Paulson also asked the IIIrd Millenium's Hyperpower to consider some kind of a Marshall plan ("could you please bail out the US of A ? you know, we don't hate socialists that badly, after all - according to John McCain we're even about to elect one as our President").
In other words, capitalism defies socialist China : "Show me the money".
Wen Jiabao is all ears. And smiles*. "Yes, we can".
Yes, Wen can provide some kind of relief to his new admirers, but he has some fish to fry at home as well. Will he chose to secure China's business model and one fifth of the World's population, to help the richest fifth, or to give a hand to the forgotten rest ? Probably a little bit of each : China will durably strengthen its positions in Asia, Africa, Europe and America, but the trickiest part will be China itself (see "Pervasive China's CIA (Central Investment Agency)").
New series of models will emerge. Not this week-end. Nor November the 15th, when the World Egghead Forum takes place. Nor even during the couple of years to come. But timely (at a geologic time scale at least).
They will differ from XXth century socialism or capitalism (see "This is not a financial crisis"), and China is no exception.
* Actually, I'm wondering how badly Wen's jaws hurt - he was already jubilating during his interview with Zakaria a couple of weeks ago (GPS @ CNN / Newsweek). But not as much as I did, listening to Alan Greenspan swallow just a tiny little bit of his titanic pride.
20081022
October 29 Surprise ?
I just received Joe Biden's robomail for Barack's 10/29 special :
If something really huge must hit the fan before November 4 (e.g. China invades North Korea), I'm ready to bet a buck on that very date.
---
addendum 20081027 (see cartoon)
Dubya eventually picked Syria to deliver the October Surprise McCain needed (red flag provoquing an artificial tension). Smart move : putting economy behind security is one thing, but boosting AIPAC vs JStreet may keep FL red.
"Next Wednesday, October 29th, is a perfect night for supporters like you toAnd I thought to myself hold on a minute. I'm John McCain, I don't have a dime to spare and my opponent is trusting prime time TV. My only way out is to have something else making the headlines that day. My new pal Dubya happens to be at a position where strings can be pulled...
host a party in your home. Barack will appear on TV at 8:00 p.m. Eastern for 30
minutes. He'll share a positive message with Americans and discuss his plans for
healthcare reform, economic recovery, and a responsible end to the war in Iraq."
If something really huge must hit the fan before November 4 (e.g. China invades North Korea), I'm ready to bet a buck on that very date.
---
addendum 20081027 (see cartoon)
Dubya eventually picked Syria to deliver the October Surprise McCain needed (red flag provoquing an artificial tension). Smart move : putting economy behind security is one thing, but boosting AIPAC vs JStreet may keep FL red.
20081021
Drop ACORN, pick-up YPM
YPM (Young Political Majors) are under several investigations for voter frauds across different states (ie bait-and-switch registration schemes). YPM owner Mark Jacoby has just been arrested in Ontario*.
Now here is a genuine threat to democracy, Mac. The problem is, YPM was hired by the GOP to do this, so you'd better keep quiet a low profile on ACORN... which has nothing to do with the Obama-Biden campaign, nor even the Dems.
I guess this is it, John McCain. All your accusations have failed lamentably :
How can you say Obama is a threat to democracy when HE is its last chance and YOU are ready to destroy it ?
How can you say Obama is a socialist when HE is working on the salvation of the whole economy, and YOU are voting for the same rescue package ?
How can you say Obama is palling around with a former terrorist when HE is simply accepting a membership to the same charity run by Republicans (the said terrorist turned into a Chicago Citizen of the Year), and YOU are a member of the USWCF board during the very peak of this organization's most infamous exactions ?
How can you say Obama doesn't share American values when HE is fighting for the restoration of America's greatness and advocating a sound, respectful and profound approach of religion, and YOU are fueling racial and religious hatred, courting Amerika's worst enemies, and reciting empty mantras in which you obviously don't even believe ?
Your smear ads backfired to the point Republican candidates are begging you to stop them. Colin Powell broke the dam, and will unleash a flock of true Republicans who cannot subscribe to your not-so-hidden agenda***.
You lost, because you chose the wrong side of your party, the wrong side of your country, the wrong side of your own self.
You lost the War in MacCainistan.
* see "Voters contend they were duped into registering as Republicans" (LA Times 20081017)
** see "Ontario police arrest man in voter fraud case" (LA Times 20081020)
*** at last ! see "GOP : Time to Split"
PS : don't forget to report any voter fraud attempt (more more about this CMD initiative on "The Election Protection Wiki")
Addendum 20081022 : speaking of the wrong side of America, here is Jon Stewart wondering where the pf..k is real America :
Now here is a genuine threat to democracy, Mac. The problem is, YPM was hired by the GOP to do this, so you'd better keep quiet a low profile on ACORN... which has nothing to do with the Obama-Biden campaign, nor even the Dems.
I guess this is it, John McCain. All your accusations have failed lamentably :
How can you say Obama is a threat to democracy when HE is its last chance and YOU are ready to destroy it ?
How can you say Obama is a socialist when HE is working on the salvation of the whole economy, and YOU are voting for the same rescue package ?
How can you say Obama is palling around with a former terrorist when HE is simply accepting a membership to the same charity run by Republicans (the said terrorist turned into a Chicago Citizen of the Year), and YOU are a member of the USWCF board during the very peak of this organization's most infamous exactions ?
How can you say Obama doesn't share American values when HE is fighting for the restoration of America's greatness and advocating a sound, respectful and profound approach of religion, and YOU are fueling racial and religious hatred, courting Amerika's worst enemies, and reciting empty mantras in which you obviously don't even believe ?
Your smear ads backfired to the point Republican candidates are begging you to stop them. Colin Powell broke the dam, and will unleash a flock of true Republicans who cannot subscribe to your not-so-hidden agenda***.
You lost, because you chose the wrong side of your party, the wrong side of your country, the wrong side of your own self.
You lost the War in MacCainistan.
* see "Voters contend they were duped into registering as Republicans" (LA Times 20081017)
** see "Ontario police arrest man in voter fraud case" (LA Times 20081020)
*** at last ! see "GOP : Time to Split"
PS : don't forget to report any voter fraud attempt (more more about this CMD initiative on "The Election Protection Wiki")
Addendum 20081022 : speaking of the wrong side of America, here is Jon Stewart wondering where the pf..k is real America :
20081019
Sarah Palin @ SNL
Tina's fancy patriot walking :
Amy's Palin rap :
Too bad the show was ruined by a fake moose and a fake candidate.
Amy's Palin rap :
Too bad the show was ruined by a fake moose and a fake candidate.
20081016
Debate # 3 : That One tamed The Whipper
And the winner is... Joe The Plumber. Or maybe Bob Schiffer.
John McCain survived another day, leading the first half of the debate, putting Barack Obama on the defensive, wording his distance with Bush ("Senator Obama, I'm not President Bush"), and winning the closing address.
In his best debate so far (and the last one : should he win, Palin will probably do the next one), McCain even survived the Veep test, Obama failing to point out the fact that Joe Biden was ready to lead the country from day one.
But the Sitting Bull looked once again very grumpy when his opponent was talking, and Obama, who gracefully dodged the abortion ("Nobody's pro-abortion") and Bill Ayers bullets, wrapped the second half thanks to health and education. And he was a little bit more subtle when it came to courting Ohio / Michigan voters ("Joe The Plumber" crushed by a Detroit motorcade).
Obama was tired and not in his best day. But he didn't make any mistake and didn't hurt his batting average that badly.
He was just a nice smart man debating with a nervous person who came to make a show or better : to fight on a ring. McCain came out smiling, but Americans are not in a mood to count this kind of points.
Wrestling with Joe The Plumber, The Maverick won the WWF bout, but facing America, Barack Obama won the Presidential Debate.
John McCain survived another day, leading the first half of the debate, putting Barack Obama on the defensive, wording his distance with Bush ("Senator Obama, I'm not President Bush"), and winning the closing address.
In his best debate so far (and the last one : should he win, Palin will probably do the next one), McCain even survived the Veep test, Obama failing to point out the fact that Joe Biden was ready to lead the country from day one.
But the Sitting Bull looked once again very grumpy when his opponent was talking, and Obama, who gracefully dodged the abortion ("Nobody's pro-abortion") and Bill Ayers bullets, wrapped the second half thanks to health and education. And he was a little bit more subtle when it came to courting Ohio / Michigan voters ("Joe The Plumber" crushed by a Detroit motorcade).
Obama was tired and not in his best day. But he didn't make any mistake and didn't hurt his batting average that badly.
He was just a nice smart man debating with a nervous person who came to make a show or better : to fight on a ring. McCain came out smiling, but Americans are not in a mood to count this kind of points.
Wrestling with Joe The Plumber, The Maverick won the WWF bout, but facing America, Barack Obama won the Presidential Debate.
20081013
20081011
SNL Prez debate #2 - Mac lost his bearings
Featuring Barack Obama / Fred Armisen, John McCain / Darrell Hammond, Tom Brokaw / Chris Parnell and William Murray / Bill Murray
+ Actors Studio bonus : I like to say "body language doesn't lie", but Kathlyn and Gay Hendricks went much further on the Huffington Post ("Body Politics: Sarah Palin's Body Language And Why It Should Worry You"). Here are the first 3 flags they raised about Sarah Palin (2 more to come) :
- Attitude-Flag #1: The Aggressive Confidence Of The Con-Person
- Voice-Flag #1: The Exaggerated Folksiness Of The Huckster
- Voice-Flag #2: The Metallic Shriek Of The Fear-Monger
- Attitude-Flag #1: The Aggressive Confidence Of The Con-Person
- Voice-Flag #1: The Exaggerated Folksiness Of The Huckster
- Voice-Flag #2: The Metallic Shriek Of The Fear-Monger
20081010
John, Ben, Barack Hussein, James, Thomas, and other beautiful American names
What do McCain and Obama have in common ? Any of the two would be the 15th US President with a Semitic name*.
Yep. Barack Hussein is as American as John, Joe or Sarah.
And Barack Hussein Obama is no more un-American than such radical terrorists as Benjamin Franklin or Abraham Lincoln. Maybe President McCain would arrest Bin Yamin Franklin for inventing a weapon of mass destruction collecting energy from lightning bolts, or Abraham for sporting such a suspicious beard...
Obama never made a mystery of the nature of his relationship with Bill Ayers, and repeatedly denounced his past actions. We have yet to hear from John McCain about his relationships with John Singlaub and his presence at the board of the sulfurous U.S. Council for World Freedom (not exactly the board of a charity at that time, ask any Nicaraguan).
"Who is Barack Hussein Obama ?" We know the answer, the man is quite open about his past, present and future, about what he knows and doesn't know, about what he did wrong and right, about where he stands and whom he stands for.
"Who is John McCain ?" I'm not sure John himself wants to face the answer.
* praise Juan Cole : "Barack Hussein Obama, Omar Bradley, Benjamin Franklin and other Semitically Named American Heroes"
---
Addendum 20081019
Praise also Colin Powell for not only endorsing Barack, but also setting the record straight about US Muslims (NBC's "Meet the Press" 20081019) :
see also Barack's reaction - ABC News "Obama 'Beyond Humbled' as GOP's Powell Says He'd Be 'an Exceptional President'" 20081019)
Yep. Barack Hussein is as American as John, Joe or Sarah.
And Barack Hussein Obama is no more un-American than such radical terrorists as Benjamin Franklin or Abraham Lincoln. Maybe President McCain would arrest Bin Yamin Franklin for inventing a weapon of mass destruction collecting energy from lightning bolts, or Abraham for sporting such a suspicious beard...
Obama never made a mystery of the nature of his relationship with Bill Ayers, and repeatedly denounced his past actions. We have yet to hear from John McCain about his relationships with John Singlaub and his presence at the board of the sulfurous U.S. Council for World Freedom (not exactly the board of a charity at that time, ask any Nicaraguan).
"Who is Barack Hussein Obama ?" We know the answer, the man is quite open about his past, present and future, about what he knows and doesn't know, about what he did wrong and right, about where he stands and whom he stands for.
"Who is John McCain ?" I'm not sure John himself wants to face the answer.
* praise Juan Cole : "Barack Hussein Obama, Omar Bradley, Benjamin Franklin and other Semitically Named American Heroes"
---
Addendum 20081019
Praise also Colin Powell for not only endorsing Barack, but also setting the record straight about US Muslims (NBC's "Meet the Press" 20081019) :
see also Barack's reaction - ABC News "Obama 'Beyond Humbled' as GOP's Powell Says He'd Be 'an Exceptional President'" 20081019)
20081009
The Election Protection Wiki
I forgot to mention this great initiative from (who else ?) the Center for Media and Democracy :
From John Stauber :
The Election Protection Wiki: A Dynamic Website Helps Safeguard America’s Right to Vote
The non-profit, non-partisan Center for Media and Democracy (CMD) has launched a unique website to help safeguard the fairness and integrity of US elections, using the power of citizen journalism. The Election Protection Wiki is now online at EPWiki.org . It enables citizens, journalists and government officials to actively monitor the electoral process in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. CMD and its community of volunteer editors will continue to improve, expand and update the EP Wiki beyond the upcoming November 4th election.
The Election Protection Wiki: A Dynamic Website Helps Safeguard America’s Right to Vote
The non-profit, non-partisan Center for Media and Democracy (CMD) has launched a unique website to help safeguard the fairness and integrity of US elections, using the power of citizen journalism. The Election Protection Wiki is now online at EPWiki.org . It enables citizens, journalists and government officials to actively monitor the electoral process in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. CMD and its community of volunteer editors will continue to improve, expand and update the EP Wiki beyond the upcoming November 4th election.
The EP Wiki is part of CMD’s award-winning SourceWatch website and operates on wiki software which allows anyone who registers on the website to participate in creating and updating articles. SourceWatch contains in-depth articles on every member of (and most candidates for) the US Congress at Congresspedia.org . CMD employs both professional and volunteer editors who work together online to ensure articles are fair, accurate and fully documented.
epwiki.org
epwiki.org
Next stop - destroy Unidentified Financial Objects
This financial meltdown doesn't come as a surprise. Everybody knew something had to be done before it was too late. The surprise was to see how deep in the hole the people in charge would remain in denial and inaction*.
Sure, the US Presidential campaign didn't help. Sure, no one in charge wanted to be blamed for crying "fire" first, and igniting the panic movement. But this farcically suicidal ballet of leaders pretending to control the situation was a disgrace for democracy worldwide.
The first quick fixes are being applied to prevent the bleeding from overflowing too much, but the said bleeding has yet to stop.
The first "global" plays of the day are being broadcast - mere tactical moves with equally insignificant impact.
Megamergers in the financial sector are under way... with not so glamour bargain shopping tags all over.
Some national institutions are crying uncle, and I don't think minor league stock exchanges and currencies will make sense in the medium term.
Some crisis are like onions. They make you cry and they stink, but furthermore they have layers. This is one of those moments when you should try peeling off a few of them.
Sure, the US Presidential campaign didn't help. Sure, no one in charge wanted to be blamed for crying "fire" first, and igniting the panic movement. But this farcically suicidal ballet of leaders pretending to control the situation was a disgrace for democracy worldwide.
The first quick fixes are being applied to prevent the bleeding from overflowing too much, but the said bleeding has yet to stop.
The first "global" plays of the day are being broadcast - mere tactical moves with equally insignificant impact.
Megamergers in the financial sector are under way... with not so glamour bargain shopping tags all over.
Some national institutions are crying uncle, and I don't think minor league stock exchanges and currencies will make sense in the medium term.
Some crisis are like onions. They make you cry and they stink, but furthermore they have layers. This is one of those moments when you should try peeling off a few of them.
I don't mean "deregulate", to the contrary, but "keep it smart and simple", make oversight easier by removing black boxes, blowing up smokescreens, and destroying Unidentified Financial Objects.
* see "This is not a financial crisis"
* see "This is not a financial crisis"
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