. . .
Brown: 5 – Plessy: 4
. . .
Bumper sticker of the week:
June 26: A day that will live in famy
Brown: 5 – Plessy: 4 (June 29, 2015)
Posted in Due Process, Equal Protection, Gay Politics, Less Government Regulation Series, Supreme Court on June 29, 2015 by e-commentary.orgOpportunity, Welfare And Unrest (June 15, 2015)
Posted in Collapse, Global Climate Change, Global Warming, Kleptocracy, Minimum Wage, Poverty, Slavery, Society, Wages, War, Welfare on June 15, 2015 by e-commentary.org. . .
4 “They say that welfare is the bribe paid to the underclass not to revolt. The bribe is no longer enough. The underclass reasonably seeks more from the overclass. Many of them do not want a bribe, they want opportunity. There is no opportunity today and will be even less opportunity tomorrow. There is more restiveness. There is more restlessness. There will be more unrest.”
6 “The war on poverty has become the war on those in poverty.”
4 “Always a war. Could be a hot summer. Or a hot winter.”
6 “A hot winter? Is that anthropogenic global climate change?
. . .
Bumper sticker of the week:
“Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable.” John F. Kennedy
High-Frequency Trading = Cybercrime (June 8, 2015)
Posted in Crime/Punishment, Cyberactivities, Law on June 8, 2015 by e-commentary.org. . .
7 “Imagine the surprise a part-time summer intern for the federal government will receive upon learning that his or her personal data was purloined decades later by someone or something unknown.”
. . .
9 “High-Frequency Trading (HFT) is Cybercrime. Period. And the government does absolutely nothing about it.”
7 “Because it is done by the Owners, it is allowed. If it were done by the Chinese or by the Russians or by the Iranians, bombs would fly.”
9 “High-Frequency Trading (HFT) is Cybercrime. Period.”
7 “And the government does absolutely nothing about it.”
. . .
7 “There may be a few individuals within the government who know what is going on but are throttled from doing anything about it by those in power.”
9 “High-Frequency Trading (HFT) is Cybercrime. Period.”
. . .
[See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High-frequency_trading.]
Bumper sticker of the week:
High-Frequency Trading (HFT) is Cybercrime. Period.
Pensions, Conflicts Of Interest And The Illinois Supreme Court (June 1, 2015)
Posted in Conflicts of Interest, Courts, Judges, Judicial Arrogance, Judiciary, Law, Pensions on June 1, 2015 by e-commentary.org. . .
7 “How the h-e-double hockey sticks can the Illinois Supreme Court rule on a matter that goes to the heart of its and its members core fundamental financial interests – their pensions.”
9 “They are judges. Period.”
7 “The court as an institution was obligated to recuse itself. Each justice should have recused himself and herself.”
9 “They are judges. Period.”
7 “No one will ever get a fair hearing on the matter before a partial court. Judges like to make a public spectacle about recusing themselves for some minor insignificant matter to give the appearance that the system is fair and impartial.”
9 “They are judges. Period.”
7 “The constitutional language cited by the court is aspirational and premised on a functioning economic and political system.”
9 “They are judges. Period.”
7 “The plausible arguments are rejected with some snitty aside that ‘the argument is absolutely without merit’ or some such intellectually dishonest drivel. And then the court sanctions the attorney.”
9 “They are judges. Period. They do what they want to do. Period. It is not that difficult. Period.”
. . .
[See the e-commentary at Pensions and Other Entitlements: Pt. 1 (April 14, 2008), Pensions and Other Entitlements: Pt. 2 (April 28, 2008) and June – Celebrate Terrorism-Free Month (June 2, 2014).]
Bumper sticker of the week:
Celebrate Terrorism-Free Month in June. Reject your fears for a few weeks and reflect on your hopes for a few minutes.
Trans-Pacific Partnership / United Nations Convention On The Law Of The Sea (May 25, 2015)
Posted in Clinton, Foreign Policy, International Finance, Kleptocracy, O'Bama, Politics, Presidency, Trade on May 25, 2015 by e-commentary.org. . .
5 “The United Nations Convention On The Law Of The Sea (UNCLOS) cedes minimal U.S. authority to international institutions; the Republicans vehemently oppose the treaty. The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) concedes substantial U.S. sovereignty to international corporations; the Republicans ecstatically support the treaty.”
6 “Go figure. If O’Bama supports something, the Republicans hate it. If O’Bama opposes something, the Republicans love it. O’Bama supports the TPP, the Republicans love it. What is up?”
5 “What is up? O’Bama is not allowing anyone other than a few Senators to review the language of the legislation. That is surreal.”
6 “And perverse and undemocratic. If the Republicans had pulled that stunt, they would have gotten hammered.”
5 “At the end of his administration, Clinton capitulated to the Republicans and signed the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) and the Gramm–Leach–Bliley Act (GLBA), the legislation that repealed part of the Glass-Steagall Act of 1933 and has led to reckless financial speculation. The damage done by DOMA has been undone, but the damage done by GLBA will undo America.”
6 “O’Bama may be the first President in American history to switch political parties while in office.”
5 “Other than Clinton. They will still hate O’Bama because he remains Black.”
6 “Historians so inclined will be able to uncover the critique of a few prophets with honor who chronicled the dismantling of America in real time.”
. . .
Bumper stickers of the week:
“A great civilization is not conquered from without until it has destroyed itself within. The essential causes of Rome’s decline lay in her people, her morals, her class struggle, her failing trade, her bureaucratic despotism, her stifling taxes, her consuming wars.” Will Durant
George Carlin was right
World Trade Center Building 7 And The AIA (May 18, 2015)
Posted in Airlines, Architecture, Aviation, Awards / Incentives, Collapse, Courage, Perjury, Profile In Courage Award, Pulitzer on May 18, 2015 by e-commentary.org. . .
A “If they presented a Profile in Courage lantern, would someone seek the light?”
B “If they provided a Pulitzer Prize, would someone pursue the truth?”
A “If they fielded a Fields Medal, would someone prove that 2 plus 0 is not 3?”
B “It they supplied only two planes, could someone destroy three buildings?”
. . .
A “On Saturday, delegates of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) overwhelmingly voted down Resolution 15-6 which called for AIA to support a new investigation of the destruction of World Trade Center Building 7 on 9/11 2001. By a vote of 3892 – 160, the resolution, introduced by AIA member Dan Barnum FAIA, was voted down.”
B “96% of the delegates voted to ignore the facts, the science, and the evidence which is today common knowledge among those who care about the destruction of Building 7.”
A “The vote says more about architects, at least 3892 architects, than anything ever said about architects.”
B “And about 160 architects.”
. . .
Bumper sticker of the week:
Give prizes for the truth and you may get some truth; give prizes for untruth and you will get untruth.
Profile In Courage Award, 2015 (May 11, 2015)
Posted in Awards / Incentives, Courage, Global Climate Change, Privacy, Profile In Courage Award, Society on May 11, 2015 by e-commentary.org. . .
K “Former U.S. Congressman Bob Inglis (R-SC) who recognizes that the Earth is not flat and that the Earth is getting flattened by global climate change received this year’s Profile In Courage Award. The right person and the right issue.”
J “Fitting. I still say that they just cannot stomach giving it to the individual who undertook the most courageous act of the past decade.”
K “Agree. Awards for intelligence are rarely given to the most intelligent. Awards for creativity are rarely given to the most creative. Awards for courage are rarely given to the most courageous.”
. . .
[See the e-commentary at Profile In Cowardice Award (May 12, 2014).]
Bumper sticker of the week:
Edward Snowden – Profile in Courage Award recipient, May 2027?
Preserve Cash; Preserve (Some) Privacy (May 4, 2015)
Posted in Airlines, Banks and Banking System, Gold, Privacy, Taxation on May 4, 2015 by e-commentary.org. . .
L “Over the decades, the private sector has addicted us to plastic with little reflection or resistance by us. One irresistible inducement of the credit card is the prospect for person to accumulate miles on an airline mileage program.”
M “The public has embraced plastic. You have embraced plastic. I have embraced plastic. I read that the government considered requiring airlines to issue an IRS Form ‘1099-FF’ (Frequent Flier) statement declaring the market value of the airline ticket provided to a taxpayer. The public regards the free or discounted tickets as an entitlement and off limits from the tax man. The proposal was shelved. For a time.”
L “Those without a credit card likely have an EBT card. The transition to 100 percent dependence on plastic was effortless and seamless. We tossed the ultimate plastic explosive in our back pocket.”
M “Plastic and electrons in the service of the government and the corporations.”
. . .
L “There is a campaign to eliminate cash from society. JP Morgan Chase restricted the use of cash for selected markets and restricted clients from using cash for credit card payments, mortgages, equity lines and auto loans. Customers also will not be able to store cash or bullion in their safe deposit boxes.”
M “The most safe safety deposit box may be under your bed or in your safe. I read that the authorities were able to confiscate gold from one’s bank safety deposit box after Roosevelt banned the use of gold as a currency in 1933.”
L “The real goal is to eliminate the ability of individuals to transact business without the knowledge of those in power.”
. . .
M “Can you imagine the joy of transacting business with a Saint Gaudens Double Eagle gold coin. An artwork crafted by the government and available to the public for decades for daily use.”
L “Sure would be nice to undertake a few transactions that are not monitored by the government and companies even if we only use fiat currency. With cash, we can also store some money in the Sealy Posturepedic Credit Union. I like that freedom and privacy.”
M “Without cash, the banks end run the possibility of a bank run.”
. . .
M “The airlines no longer trust underpaid flight attendants to take cash for the food that was once free. A few more bytes logging what you bite at 35,000 feet are now available.”
. . .
L “In five to ten years, the IRS or its successor will send a statement via e-mail or its successor to each taxpayer proclaiming the amount that a person earned and spent during the year and dictating the taxes electronically debited from one’s account.”
M “And the IRS will tax the market value of all frequent flyer airline tickets provided to a taxpayer.”
. . .
[See the e-commentary at Monitoring The Masses: The Card And The Chip (January 12, 2015).]
Bumper stickers of the week:
He who has the gold makes the rules; he who makes the rules has the gold
Who would have thought that we would one day cherish worthless fiat currency?
Keep currency in circulation
Transact in dollars; protect your privacy
Prepping: Public And Private Perspectives (April 27, 2015)
Posted in Bail In, Bailout/Bribe, Bankruptcy, Banks and Banking System, Collapse, Debt/Deficits, Depression, Economics, Global Climate Change, Guns, Population, Recession on April 27, 2015 by e-commentary.org. . .
C “A system that cannot go on forever will not go on forever. The System in its current incarnation cannot go on forever. Thus, the debate shifts fundamentally from ‘if’ to ‘when.’ The syllogism suggests that fundamental change is in store. Do we have the stores?”
D “‘When’ not ‘if’ and also ‘what.’ Plan B is by definition less desirable than Plan A or presumably it would be Plan A. The most desirable plan is failing. What is Plan B?”
C “The other systemic challenge is weather. That problem like the financial machinations is also substantially man-made and man-modified. Mother Nature allocates every region a specially-tailored natural catastrophe. Florida and the Southeast get hurricanes, the Midwest gets tornadoes, the West Coast gets earthquakes, other regions get typhoons and cyclones. And Mother Nature is shifting the script so that some areas get floods and some get drought. The jet streams and the gulf streams are working in tandem to change things on the ground.”
D “Leaves you wondering what is Plan B?”
. . .
C “The script never varies. The public Emergency Preparedness offices provide detailed lists of necessary supplies and valuable advice yet always unfailingly avoid even hinting that a gun, even one for hunting squirrels or pigeons, is a wise and prudent investment. Some of them are reluctant even to mention acquiring a knife other than a pocket knife or perhaps a scalpel.”
D “And the private sector prepper sites go to the other extreme and focus the entire discussion around guns and ammo and ammo and guns and guns and ammo. The alpha, the bravo, the charlie and the delta of preparation for the Great Omega.”
C “Get a gun. We have a moral duty to protect our family and friends. And get an LED flashlight. And extra batteries.”
D “And beans and bullets. My personal Plan B combines public and private sector suggestions.”
. . .
C “Going it alone is a failure from the start, yet desperately few humans have the intellectual and emotional software to engage others cooperatively. Finding others who have resources, skills and tools is not promising.”
D “At heart, the most prudent preparation is to restrain the dragons in our soul to free our mind.”
. . .
[And this past weekend, earthquakes in Nepal.]
[National PrepareAthon! Day on April 30 is a grassroots campaign for action to increase community preparedness and resilience.]
[See the e-commentary at Beans and Bullets (April 6, 2009), We Ain’t Ants; We Are Grasshoppers (April 9, 2012), On Community (June 3, 2013) and On Roiling And Rolling Collapse (March 9, 2015).]
Bumper stickers of the week:
Get a garden rake, get a gun, get a grip
“If you want to awaken all of humanity, then awaken all of yourself; if you want to eliminate the suffering in the world, then eliminate all that is dark and negative in yourself. Truly, the greatest gift you have to give is that of your own self-transformation.” Attributed by some to Lao Tzu, but who knows.
e-commentary 