How are you doing these days, rc?

I note that your trading activities are going apace and, clearly, in a direction with which you are very properly pleased … and certainly, besting “them” at their own chosen “game” can only be a good thing, a very good thing.

;~DW

Good morning, everyone.

Great to see you back, TD!!!

Naturally, we are all looking forward to hearing about what happened, from a inside perspective.

Your diaries are going to be among the most popular, ever … guaranteed.

DW

A toothsome tale, seaglass. Actual vampires, I am informed, by my youngest daughter, have a strict code of honor and ethics, while this nation’s epiphytic class are more like lampreys and leeches …

The “revolving” aspect is a new twist however, and so very, very clever.

Riddle: What do armed drones and US politicians have in common?

;~DW

Ah!

The fault lies not with the stars, but with the career paths.

Who could have calculated so very wonderfully well?

It’s all just an accident.

Once upon a time, someone who shall remain nameless, made a mess on a career path … so, everybody who followed turned right … into a revolving door, which was “there”, and it was handy … the rest, as they say, is hysterical …

And, to think that I have not thought kindly of these sainted souls, thinking them to be, very often, sociopaths of the most narcissistic, and self-serving sort … when, in fact, it was just the damned “path” … now a super highway, of course, but now I realize that all those wonderful souls are just as unhappily trapped as the majority of those who don’t have such awesome and critical responsibilities …

I guess I shall just have to vote for both wonderful parties to make everything right?

If I can learn to speak out of both sides of my mouth, then I’ll always know what is the right thing to say, and, I’ll be forever fair and balanced … right?

Happy days are here again …

*Note: The above snark is for entertainment porpoises only … although they MUST stop complaining about “the Spill” … I shall inform them about the door revolution and cajole them to accept that this really, really is the best, well, the only possible world and that they’d best get on with their career paths and stop bitchin’. We all owe our country at least that much … right?

;~DW

Ah yes, the “refreshing”, casual, even nonchalant, attitude of the “players”.

Ain’t it sweet and quite a hoot?

“Corruption”?

Baby you ain’t seen nuthin’ yet!

Another decade or so of this particular political “derivative” … why we’ll all by in “it” up to our eyeballs, by holy jingling lucre, you can even bank on it.

Too bad there are no alternatives, isn’t it?

I mean, this stuff can’t be good for democracy … and it turns the rule of law into a complete joke … har, har.

Speaking of which, we are no longer heir to the wisdom of the Founding Fathers … as we, now, owe our souls and “security” to the Funding Furthers … much to their revolving-door credit … it’s good as money in the banker’s pocket, ya know?

I can hardly wait for the next exciting installment of “As Democracy Crumbles, the Shock, the Awe” … the exceptional nature of everything touched by the political class in their extravagant efforts to service the appetites of the natural masters.

Why do I call them “natural masters”?

Well, it must be preordained, it must be what Gawd wants, because there sure as hell doesn’t seem to be an alternative that anyone cares to discuss.

Lots of bitchin’ by hoi paloi, but then, dutifully voting for the “only choices” in the universe of possibility because … well, just because.

Wonder what it will take to change all that?

Can’t be different political parties, or a new social contract, hell it can’t even be a new or different vision of HOW “it” should work, of WHAT “it” COULD be … no, we’ve given that all up for our current perfection.

And it is perfect isn’t it?

Perfectly absurd … and unsustainable to boot.

Really, its cute, the brightest and the best play their asinine games, war, economic pillage, social repression, and so on … while the capacity of planet earth to support human life collapses, owing to “our” diligent efforts these last several hundred years …

Quite a noble bunch, these Americans, yes sir, quite a “spin” the American political class puts on “it” … its adorable, that there “shuffle”.

DW

Now I am confused, storyofo, I was under the depression that this “deal” was done UNDER that fabled table.

When “they” re-arrange the deck chairs to “they” re-table, as well?

As may be. Clearly, there is NO ROOM at the table for ninety-nine percent of us.

And those who are supposed to have our interests at heart, “representation”-wise, all are concerned with gettin’ their elbows on the table and THEIR cups in the punchbowl … “networking” the “spread”, don’t you know.

Maybe we should insist upon seeing this table, at least once in a while.

BTW are we “clients” or “customers” now that “they” are no longer “public” servants?

Like I say, a class act, fer sure.

DW

By all means, if it is all meaningless then lets go with what sounds best.

Cynicism DOES make the Dems look bad … however, they are “good”, right.

I mean it only looks bad.

In actuality its great, the Dems are greater but at the same time “lesser”?

This gets SO dreadfully confusing.

It must be a GOOD thing that we don’t have to deal with more or different choices in politics then, right?

Well, it looks good.

Because if there were only ONE choice that would look very bad.

You’re right, Jon, some things just roll off the tongue with such poetry and cadence as to bring tears to the eyes.

I just love this mature kabuki, don’t you?

It comes “across” in fashion so suave, sophisticated, and even debonair … that none can deny that it is real class stuff.

If the substance sucks, then at least the appearance is all swanky smooth and great sounding.

Jon, if you continue in this vein, then the Dems are going to become very displeased with you … and, doubtless, shall blog you to task.

;~DW

David, do I understand you aright?

Are you suggesting that neither of the TWO (ostensibly) legacy parties which control all of the political possibilities in this nation are behaving in ways supportive of the well-being, safety, and personal security of “the people” of this nation?

That, in fact, BOTH the Republicans AND the Democrats are seeking to quash dissent, monitor our personal communications, protect the wealthy and powerful in all of their many depredations, economically and environmentally, by doing away with the rule of law and so on and so forth … is THAT what you are suggesting is going on?

Quite a shame that there are simply NO alternative parties, ideas, or possibilities … isn’t it?

At least none worth talking about or seeking more exposure for?

I guess we are just in an impossible position.

Nothing can be done.

The only question is which of the two flavors of despotism is what, I forget … um … sweeter! … uh, no … hmmmm … more manly and robust!

…No? … ah … um … what is that word …damn … it’s almost a campaign slogan … no not the “suck less” label, the other one, jeez, if I could just see it, I’d know what it was, if I could just hear it, it’s right there, at the tip of my mind, I’d know what it was …

Say it somebody! What is that word … the lesser something or other.

Seems kinda un-American, choosing the lesser of anything … I mean, if we ain’t Gawd’s most chosen people, then who in hell might be “greater”?

Wouldn’t it be a good thing, to look for a party that was even “less” than the current “lesser”? I mean if less is good than lesser is better, and least is best.

No? We gotta stick with what we got or the sky will fall down, raising heck with birds, planes, and them pigs droning around up there wearin’ lipstick and rouge … the bottom will fall out of something or other and … and.

What IS the proper four-letter word?

Is we gettin’ pissed yet?

Or still trying to maintain a neutral stance?

You remeber what Howard Zinn said about “neutral” on a moving train?

Thanks again, DDay for bringing us the news.

Gotta say though, one can just about predict that the “bad” news is gonna keep comin’ and comin’ … pattern-like, although it is going to keep getting worse …

Maybe, someday, we will simply have to think about alternatives?

Ah … well.

;~DW

OT, yet somehow connected to the increasing belligerence of the political class … the end of anonymous commenting on the internet … note especially the section on “helping politicians” …

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/22/anonymous-online-comments-internet-protection-act_n_1537673.html

No more protesting and no more nasty anonymous comments from hoi paloi …

Afterall, the people’s “business” is NOT to be sidetracked nor questioned by … the people, as the masters know best, and they have the repression to prove it.

Anyone notice a distinct chill in the air these last few years, months, and days?

DW

David, you are being particularly hard on Obama and the Democrats, today. .

It is simply too bad that the people are NOT getting what they want and need from the two legacy parties … especially given that there are no alternatives. At least none officially worthy of recognition or attention at “mainstream” news sites.

So, when we speak of, or ponder, the problems which we, the people, face, then that lack of alternative ideas or possibilities, that lack of other parties or different “approaches” or understandings of how an economy can and should function, of how a civil society may honestly and equitably govern itself, and protect itself, the appalling lack of all of these things is also a part of the problem, perhaps the very biggest part? Especially for an ostensible democracy.

Ah well, our collective political economy either belongs to us or it does not … and if not, then … well, what then?

Do we seek, actively and intentionally some better way forward, or do we continue doing what the legacy parties want us to do?

Frankly, neither the Republicans nor the Democrats have the people’s interests or needs at heart, as you daily explain so wonderfully well.

So, do you imagine, David, that certain progressive POLITICAL blogs might, at some point, do what the lamestream media will not?

Or is “that” not politically progressive?

One merely wonders.

Well, to be honest, one also hopes … however forlornly.

I suggest that it is merely a matter of time … Have you any thoughts on this wee, yet important, perhaps even fateful series of questions?

As always, DDay, much appreciation for ALL you do … and for the lot of things which you don’t and won’t do.

DW

Well, when it comes to a “government” enthralled with money and power, in the service of the elite, building the “private equity” which the elite did NOT “lose”, in fact the elite lost nothing and gained “bonuses” for their clever “control” these past many years.

Oh, you were serious?

Perhaps, so am I … beyond the apparent facetiousness lies the reality that the ONLY losers, so far, are NOT the elites, corporate or political, but ONLY the people, and tied to the political climate of fear and the teriss menace, the political economy is steaming along toward a “compromise” between wealth and power, government will be “run” like a corporation and corporations will run the world into ruination.

Then, if humankind is very lucky, they will seek to rebuild … with the VERY great likelihood that your prediction of yesterday, that the elite will simply take over and “run” the whole thing into shambles … again.

Unless the rest of us decide that civil society MUST protect itself from concentrations of wealth and power … but THAT plays havoc with heroes, knights in shining armor, political parties, and capitalism, it also debunks myths and the appeal of empire … especially if the following understandings and actual realities come to be embraced.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UAG0HkpDnaM&feature=player_embedded

Then we shall have “The Empathic Civilisation”.

DW

Good morning, eCAHN.

Let us consider the contrary: How long until “government” collapses & leaves private equity with a stranglehold on everything, (including the damned “bag”)?

BTW, DDay, the Obama supporters hereabouts will not take kindly to your honest appraisal of their man … and, when it is added to Obama’s other “tendencies” … well, the less said the worser.

Money may yet prove to be the bane of both candidates and it is a very (there, I used an unnecessary modifier … and I’ll toss out some more excessively flowery verbosity when I get muh steam up, as I most decidedly don’t wish to be confusulated with any low-grade Congress types, no how, no way, ;~D …) good thing that most other people do not deserve very much of “it”, money, that is, as excessive demand would crimp the style of our noble political class (aren’t we ever so lucky to have a choice of evils? Pity about all those poor un-represented people who were not smart enough to be born into a democracy … but then, that is what personal responsibility is ALL about and they shall have to live with their choices … unless our intrepid leaders decide that they should not, everything being right with the world and so on … Really, you could get eaten by a mountain lion or struck by lightning, so why all this droning-on fuss about “collateral damage”? Oh, you’re not going to start with all that silly due process and rule of law stuff are you? It’s torture, that’s what it is, pure torture … and right when this great nation is beset by disaffected, dangerous, and deluded demonstrators asking embarrassing questions and interfering with the Peoples’ Business … just because of a moldy, quaint old piece of paper and a bunch of silly notions … what’s that? So what if the Dems aren’t doing anything about global climate change? At least they all claim to believe that it is real … they just have other priorities … oh, and they know things that you don’t know, SO? If you haven’t done anything wrong … and don’t know anything, then you don’t have anything to worry about.

Well, that about covers it for now … and I defy anyone to say that ain’t first grade quality material I just done filled yer head with.

Curmudgeons Unite!

All you have to lose is fear itself … nonetheless, watch yer step, there’s lots of BS … everywhere.

DW

Well, that’s an ell of a thing.

Thanks, SD.

;~DW

Seems to be a linkage problem … ’tis there, at Huff Po, in the “Business” section, however, and worth a wee gander.

DW