End of an era ...

Privacy - what's 'dat?

http://original.antiwar.com/jwhitehead/2012/03/27/everybodys-a-target-in-the-american-surveillance-state/

By any definition, the 9/11 attacks have been 100% effective in causing the destruction of the American constitutional democracy. Interestingly enough, it has been the American government itself which decided to do all the dirty work which killed off the freedoms that were intended to be enshrined in the US Constitution. The expression "They hate us for our freedoms" no longer has any validity.

It's just as if a hockey team decided to shoot the puck at its own goal.

My Alma Mater makes the news ...

... in a manner that makes me wanna puke:

http://www.care2.com/causes/climate-denier-teaches-university-climate-science-course.html

I sure am glad I don't donate money to the alumni fund at this place.

Another overview of the decline of our western civilization

I realize this is all depressing, but every so often it is worthwhile to examine what has actually happened in our world during our lifetime. There is indeed a concerted campaign to destroy our liberal constitutional democratic way of life and, as of now, any legal impediments that would prevent an absolute dictator are gone.

We no longer have intrinsic rights as individuals against our government's decrees.

http://www.truth-out.org/scorched-earth-politics-americas-four-fundamentalisms/1330979344

Have a nice day!

An overview of our situation

Jonathan Turley offers up a good summary of why the western world is sinking into totalitarianism, even if the politicians deny it:

http://jonathanturley.org/2012/01/15/10-reasons-the-u-s-is-no-longer-the-land-of-the-free/

US Attorney-General Holder's recent speech defending the government's right to murder it's citizens without any recourse to the public justice system is just another example of the thug rationalizing his crimes in pretty words. Here's another analysis of Holder's comments:

http://www.progressive.org/eric_holder_pathetic_rationale_for_assassinating_U.S_ctizens.html

It would be interesting to see this sort of linguistic claptrap used by a defendant in a murder trial. Do you suppose that "I thought he might have been able to help somebody hurt me." is now an acceptable excuse for killing someone you don't like?

Here's another look at private enterprise

This article really does ask the right questions and helps deal with the left vs right shibboleth that consumes so much of our political discussions these days.

http://theragblog.blogspot.com/2012/03/richard-razinkov-privatization-of.html

I am particularly impressed by the argument that there are certain activities within a society which should never be generating a profit for anyone, like prisons.

Here's another look at the meaning of 'free trade'

This makes you wonder whether making money really is the ultimate reason for living:

http://www.truth-out.org/free-trade-or-democracy-cant-have-both/1330792757

Eventually, ya gotta spend your dough. Most people choose to do so with other people, if there's any left around.

The State of The Culture

Here's a great summary of where our culture is these days, according to Phil Giraldi. Good food for thought (if anyone still remembers what that is):

http://original.antiwar.com/giraldi/2012/02/29/corruption-and-the-citizen-american-style/