April 1, 2011 archive

from firefly-dreaming 01.4.11

this is an Open Thread

Essays Featured Friday the 1st of April:

When Love Comes to Town Late Night Karaoke ROCKS!

Six Brilliant Articles! from Six Different Places!! on Six Different Topics!!!

                Six Days a Week!!!    at Six in the Morning!!!!

Friday Open Thoughts from slksfca are Sacred & Profane

Mishima Leaves DailyKos on a Huffy!

Gha!

Foods of the Supergods from patric juillet tells of some of the healthiest foodstuffs you can eat.

Afternoon music from Timbuk3: The 100 Greatest Rock Songs of All Time!

Tonight #91  

The latest chapter of My Little Townfrom Translator Etta & Roy Chandler  

 

Today on The Stars Hollow Gazette

Our regular featured content-

And these articles-

In addition we are expecting the latest edition of Translator’s weekly feature, Popular Culture.

The Stars Hollow Gazette

What Is Morality?

Note: I originally posted a version of this at FireDogLake.com, only to see it flagged as spam and my account deactivated.  I guess certain persons don’t like having their lack of any moral foundation challenged.  Oh well.

In my previous two entries, I discussed why it is important for people who call themselves left-wingers to have a solid moral foundation.  To sum up, one cannot call one’s self a progressive or a liberal and support the extreme right-wing policies of those in government.  To support Obama’s continuation and expansion of Bush-Cheney fascist policies, whether directly or by refusing to challenge him electorally, or by simply remaining silent in the face of ongoing crimes and usurpation of Constitutionally delegated powers, is immoral.

But what is morality, and how should the American left apply it to politics?

Beauty …..and blog moderation!

I believe the highest aspiration human beings can achieve is to create beauty. Why? Because I (and the quantum physicists and shamans) also believe that everything we see around us, all of nature, all of man, all of thought action and being itself is, underneath the illusions we ourselves create and perpetrate in order to deal with the fact of our existence, is nothing but waves of energy. Waves of energy vibrating at different frequencies. Frequencies whose differences in vibration determine how we perceive, create, and react to the manifestation of those energies….by assigning them form, value and solidity.

More on that later as this adventure in blogging (which is, of course, nothing but waves of energy) plays out.

But, if we agree with the newest science and some of the oldest “religious” observations…everything we see, know, interact with and create in this existence is energy vibrating at different frequencies.

It can be said then that the “meaning of life” is a series of transformations, using the palette of our existence on (the energy plane) of earth as the method and medium to increase the frequency of our “individual” energy vibrations. And in raising our vibration, raise the vibration of this plane of existence. And in raising the vibration of this plane of existence, to raise and transform the vibration of the universe in which it exists.

And, I believe, that that which we perceive as beauty is indeed the manifestation of the highest vibrational frequency we are, in this limited state of being, capable of achieving.

In that way…..this blog is dedicated to beauty, as it’s entire purpose is to raise the vibration of every sentient being on this plane of existence. In order to raise and transform the vibration of the universe itself. Thus continuing the long arc of raising, as Hermes put it, the gross to the fine. And continuing the journey of the universe itself to the highest vibrational frequency possible.

To that end, all comments will be moderated, lol, in the attempt to create and maintain the highest possible vibration….while still encouraging dynamic discussion and inclusive participation. The standard for comment moderation is simple. Does this comment foster beauty and higher vibrational frequency? Can it lead to discussion and interaction that will ultimately raise the vibrational frequency of those that participate and the wider world and universe?

Comments that lower the vibration, that are not beautiful, will not be posted. Comments that raise the vibration will be highlighted on the front page. If you wish to contribute a thought or essay to the blog, leave a comment and an e-mail address and we will contact you to discuss it.

Many of us have participated on political blogs….or in perhaps the comments at You tube or, say, a knitting forum. we urge you to put aside all of your previous experience of posting elsewhere on the internet! No one here is trying to tell anyone what to do, what is real, what you “should” believe, or how you “should” act. Though, due to our human reactions, programming and conditioning, posts here may “push your reaction buttons” and cause you to want to “argue” points or assertions.

That is fine.

Just take a moment before you react…..and in that moment, ask yourself….is this reaction raising the vibration? Or lowering it?

If you can make your argument beautiful, it is welcome! If not, your comment will not be posted, and we can have a private discussion via e-mail about how to present your point in a fashion that does not lower the vibration of the blog for everyone else. Because the higher the vibration this blog generates, the higher the vibrations it will “sympathetically” attract. And the higher the vibration it attracts, the more the interactions of the posters, words and ideas it generates….will further raise the vibration.

Which is the reason we are all here….for the beauty!

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WWL Radio #103 The Road to Sedition


Friday, April 1st at 6pm EDT!

Listen live by clicking the link icon below:

Listen to The Wild Wild Left on internet talk radio

The call in number is 646-929-1264 to join the conversation!

The live chat link goes live around 5:45, and can be found at the bottom of the show page when you listen, or by clicking the link below.

CHAT LINK

Tip: In order to comment in chat, you must create a BTR account, its free and only takes seconds. I read chat while on air, so make yourself heard.

Its the First of April, and we are being played as fools. I wish it were something so blythe as a prank. The Ruling Class of this country have initiated and succeeded in Sedition against every principle we were taught our country stands for; every action is Sedition against you, me, we the People.

PhotobucketState by State they illegally restrict our rights and our ability to redress our complaints. They outlaw Unions, they restrict aid, threaten our very right to representation.

Nationally, the Uniparty blows smoke up our collective hineys, while continuing the process of extraction upward to move the wealth of the land into a few Oligarch’s hands.

Internationally, the Military Industrial Complex continues its march toward hegemony and terror.

All the while the people continue to be distracted by shiny lies, false-flag enemies and the kabuki theater of Good Cop/Bad Cop that our two-party system has become. The Left, as well as the Right continue to believe that a D or an R is their only option, rather than trashing the corporate funded lot of them, and rallying behind a new Party, in some twisted logic of “lesser evil” that makes the Rich squeal in delight.

You fight fire with fire, and sedition with sedition. Only is it really sedition to defend ourselves and refuse to comply with those who have co-opted our government; demand freedom, health, life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness?

We are being FORCED down this road. To live as slaves or die as free men.

Game On.

Miss the show? The podcasts are available at the link above, or at the Wild Wild Left

Join Wild Wild Left Radio every Friday at 6pm EST, via Blog Talk Radio, with Hostess and Producer Diane Gee to guide you through Current Events taken from a Wildly Left Prospective….  her Joplinesque voice speaking straight from the heart about the real-life implications of the Political and the Class War on everyday American Citizens like you.

Controversy? We face it. Cutting Edge? We step over it. Revolutions start with information, and The Wild Wild Left Radio brings you the best in information and op/eds from a position that others on the Left fear to tread…. all with a grain shaker of irreverent humor.



WWL Radio: Bringing you “out there where the buses don’t run” LEFT perspective with interviews, op/eds and straight talk since January of 2009!


The US, Saudi Deal over Libya


You invade Bahrain. We take out Muammar Gaddafi in Libya. This, in short, is the essence of a deal struck between the Barack Obama administration and the House of Saud. Two diplomatic sources at the United Nations independently confirmed that Washington, via Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, gave the go-ahead for Saudi Arabia to invade Bahrain and crush the pro-democracy movement in their neighbor in exchange for a “yes” vote by the Arab League for a no-fly zone over Libya – the main rationale that led to United Nations Security Council resolution 1973.

The revelation came from two different diplomats, a European and a member of the BRIC group, and was made separately to a US scholar and Asia Times Online. According to diplomatic protocol, their names cannot be disclosed. One of the diplomats said, “This is the reason why we could not support resolution 1973. We were arguing that Libya, Bahrain and Yemen were similar cases, and calling for a fact-finding mission. We maintain our official position that the resolution is not clear, and may be interpreted in a belligerent manner.”

As Asia Times Online has reported, a full Arab League endorsement of a no-fly zone is a myth. Of the 22 full members, only 11 were present at the voting. Six of them were Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) members, the US-supported club of Gulf kingdoms/sheikhdoms, of which Saudi Arabia is the top dog. Syria and Algeria were against it. Saudi Arabia only had to “seduce” three other members to get the vote.

Translation: only nine out of 22 members of the Arab League voted for the no-fly zone. The vote was essentially a House of Saud-led operation, with Arab League secretary general Amr Moussa keen to polish his CV with Washington with an eye to become the next Egyptian President.

Thus, in the beginning, there was the great 2011 Arab revolt. Then, inexorably, came the US-Saudi counter-revolution.

More… from Pepe Escobar today

Mishima Leaves Daily Kos On A Huffy

Why am I leaving Daily Kos? Oh there are so many reasons one cannot even comprehend them using 10% of their Liberal minds.

Blow Out Over the Blowout Preventer

Cross posted from The Stars Hollow Gazette

Somehow, I have a feeling that BP will use this as a defense to stop any liability suits. Meanwhile the Obama regime, ever bowing to their corporate masters, continues to issue permits for deep water drilling in the Gulf of Mexico with absolutely no safe guards.

Tests on BP Well Blowout Preventer Confirm Redesign a Necessity

By Bob Cavnar at The Daily Hurricane

Yesterday, the Department of Interior released Det Norske Veritas’ (DNV) report on the forensic testing that it conducted on the blowout preventer (BOP) that failed to shut in BP’s blown out Macondo well almost a year ago.  I’m still going through the 500-plus page report to find answers to my many questions about the failed BOP, but I do agree with the over riding recommendation to the industry from DNV:

   “The finding of these studies should be considered and addressed in the design of future Blowout Preventers and the need for modifying current Blowout Preventers.”

DNV was addressing a recommendation to the industry that it study the causes and results of “elastic buckling” of the drill pipe within the Macondo BOP that pushed it to the side of the wellbore, preventing the blind shear ram, or the ram that is supposed to cut the pipe and seal the well, from doing so.  During the time of the blowout, the forces within the well were so strong that it lifted the drill pipe, causing it to buckle and push over to the side of the BOP bore, positioning it outside of the shearing faces of the rams.

BP Can Do More Tests on Deepwater Horizon Blowout Preventer, Court Rules

By Laurel Brubaker Calkins and Allen Johnson Jr. at Bloomberg News

BP Plc (BP/) can conduct additional tests on the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig’s blowout prevention equipment now that government examiners have finished their own forensic testing, a judge ruled.

“The additional BOP testing shall be performed in a manner that preserves the evidence to the maximum extent possible,” U.S. District Judge Carl Barbier said in his order, referring to the blowout prevention equipment. He ruled that other companies involved in the disaster could also now run additional tests, so long as everyone is allowed to monitor the procedures and share in the results.

The 300-ton stack of valves failed to seal off BP’s runaway well last April, triggering a fatal rig explosion and the worst offshore oil spill in U.S. history. BP asked Barbier for permission to partially dismantle and conduct laser scans on the blowout preventer, which was recovered from the sea floor off the Louisiana coast last year.

BP is clearly looking for any liability they can pin on the BOP,” said Houston lawyer Brent Coon, one of the lawyers marshalling evidence for the consolidated oil-spill damages lawsuits against BP and other companies involved in the failed drilling operation, referring to the blowout preventer.

(emphasis mine)

Deep Water Permits Issued With No Lessons Learned

In an exclusive investigation Rachel Maddow shows how the Department of the Interior is issuing deep water drilling permits despite a report finding the blow-out preventer design is flawed and despite drilling companies submitting emergency response plans that pre-date the Deep Water Horizon spill and therefore reflect none of the lessons of that disaster

Six In The Morning

Britain in talks with 10 more Gaddafi aides

Inner circle turn their backs on besieged Libyan dictator

By Cahal Milmo, Oliver Wright and Donald Macintyre in Tripoli Friday, 1 April 2011

The British Government said it was in urgent talks with up to another 10 senior figures in Colonel Gaddafi’s creaking regime about possible defection following the dramatic arrival in Britain of the Libyan dictator’s chief henchman for much of his 40 years in power.

As former foreign minister Moussa Koussa was reported to be “talking voluntarily” to British officials yesterday, the Libyan regime was desperately struggling to limit the damage of the stunning desertion, suggesting he was exhausted and suffering from mental problems.

Muse in the Morning

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Muse in the Morning

Time for a break from poetry…in order to create some art.

Strongest minds are often those of whom the noisy world hears last.

–William Wordsworth



Drips 2

Late Night Karaoke

Obama rolls out “plan” to cut oil imports by 2025

Washington (CNN) — President Barack Obama outlined a plan Wednesday to cut America’s imports of foreign oil by a third by 2025 — a response to growing global energy demands and instability overseas.

What a crude little pearl of bullshit.  First, even if Obama wins in 2012 (and why would he want to?), he’ll have been out of office for nearly a decade by 2025.  He might as well say that by 2025, every American will be king of their very own earth-like planet, a perpetual fountain of youth, and stables full of trick-ass ponies.  Dude has no imagination.

Worse yet, he grossly underestimates the magnitude of his “planned” cuts to America’s imports of foreign oil.  And it has less to do with the exigencies surrounding peak oil than the fact of peak oil itself.  We might be able to reduce our imports by only one third by 2025, if (a) we were operating on the gross Hubbert curve, and (b) the United States took the vast majority of the remaining oil leaving everyone else high and dry.

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Unfortunately, we’re not going to get all of the oil that’s in the ground (gross Hubbert curve) out of the ground.  We grabbed the good, low-hanging fruit first; and are left with the cruder, more difficult to access, and more expensive to extract and process remnants.  Very quickly oil will become more expensive to extract than it’s worth, leaving us operating on the net Hubbert curve, where the declining limb of production is very, very steep; where 2025 indicates world GDP more than halved due to oil depletion alone.  Hell, Obama may be presiding over a terminal credit collapse even before his first term is over, due to the severe and continuing financial malfeasance.

Obama’s “plan” to cut imports by 2025 sounds a lot like my retrospective “plan” to be among the long-term unemployed.  I forget where I read that Americans are like “super-sized crash-test dummies,” but I’m sure that was part of the plan, too.

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