Delayed

Due to a relapse of political depression, I have been woefully absent from posting here. 

That is likely to continue, at least through memorial day. Myself and 3 other friends are headed to Joplin, MO for the 3 day weekend to help with the relief.

Postings will continue at some point next week. 

Catch 22

I was going to put a post on here telling you about this book I had finished reading known as Catch-22 by Joseph Heller, which I had just finished listening to on Audible, which you should try for free.


That was in the past.


Today I have to tell something less interesting:


Catch-22 is a scatter shot work of a demented pen, deserving of all distinction I would cater to a garden gnome with. Beyond indecipherable and bristling with idiocy. DO NOT READ. 




You should still try Audible for Free with no catch!
Try Ender's Game by Orsen Scott Card or Liberty Defined by Ron Paul.
Just not anything by Heller. 

Review: Thor

To begin, my expectations were high for this film. In the Marvel Comic Universe, the god of Thunder known as Thor Odenson is one of the more powerful characters, at least in terms of combat and its sundry accessories. The blend of Norse mythology and classic science fiction styling is also very appealing, making a complex tapestry of the Viking pantheon and the likes of Spiderman and the X-Men. 


While this film can stand alone in the genre of superhero-comic book movies that I so much adore, it is in large part a set up for the coming attraction of The Avengers. The intent of this coming movie is to combine the story lines of Ironman, Ironman 2, The Incredible Hulk, Thor and Captain America into a unified narrative typically seen only in the games or comic books. 


I'm excited, and Thor only whetted this appetite. 


Adored with more artistic eye candy then can be consumed in a single sitting, this film makes no pretense at being the gritty competitor to The Dark Knight. Stylistically it is more in line something like Independence Day. The story revolves around Thor, his brother Loki, their father Oden (think Zeus) and the changing of the guard in 'Asgard', which is the home of the gods. Their ever present enemy is the Frost Giants, whom earth has been saved from by the efforts of Oden. Thor is overpowering in his militancy and insufferably arrogant, while Loki is relegated to the role of seeking power through mischief and deceit. Thor is cast to earth to learn humility, and much to Gino's pleasure, will meet Jane. Slow and predictable drama ensues, with a few laughs tossed in. On earth, this film is dull and pedantic.


In the heavens, this is a lot of fun. Combat. Archaic dialogue. End of the human race at stake. Giant swords. Mighty Hammers. Icy giants. The haughty learning humility to save what is loved. Stereotypical, perhaps. Much fun yet remains. 


More then anything else, I felt the powerful need to find something productive to do with a hammer after this movie. Perhaps that is the most lasting message, that a hammer can be used both for war and for building. Choose wisely. 


I'll probably get the blu-ray of this when it comes out, its a visual feast without any glaring weaknesses in the story or production. 

What Happened?

Cafe Hayek: "Go back to the campaign of 2008, McCain (remember him?) and Obama. Suppose in the middle of the campaign, someone returned from the future and told you that by 2011, the President of the United States will have kept Guantanamo Bay open, launched a war against Libya, and crossed covertly into an ally’s territory to assassinate Bin Laden. Who would you think that would be? McCain or Obama?


Couldn’t be Obama. The man who was repulsed by American exceptionalism, who pledged to close Guantanamo Bay, the man who said the way to deal with bad guys is to talk to them, not attack them.


What happened?"
What We've Learned about Obama (And Power) by Russ Roberts, thought provoking post. 

Round Two!

The eagerly anticipated econo-rap from Econstories.tv has arrived:



If you're unfamilar with econo-rapping, try this one on for size. Fear the Boom and Bust t is remarkably full of economic truth and historical context. 


These are the brain child of John Papola and Russ Roberts. Roberts is an economics professor of George Mason Universitée, and runs a stellar economics podcast over at Econlib.org

American Execution

"Today, at my direction, the United States launched a targeted operation against that compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan.  A small team of Americans carried out the operation with extraordinary courage and capability.  No Americans were harmed.  They took care to avoid civilian casualties.  


After a firefight, they killed Osama bin Laden and took custody of his body."
-President Obama


The intention of the mission, as per Reuters, was to kill Osama Bin Laden. This was not a mission to capture a man and bring him to trial. This was not an operation designed to draw justice from the waters. This was an overt political assassination in the midst of a sovereign nation performed under the full auspices of Presidential authority. Bin Laden was killed by US soldiers, not in a firefight nor by cross fire, but by an execution with the collective leadership of this administration observing and directing and approving. 


No plausible deniability was planned or asked for by this administration, which is taking full credit for the successful orchestration of the assassination. Hiding no longer behind the intelligence agencies as geopolitik dirty work is handled brings a blast of openness, not often seen by political entities. Admirable in the utmost Mr. President. 


Less admirable is the following fact: With the full knowledge and consent of the chief of state, the United States is now operating in overt political assassination against foreign citizens with no regard for justice or due process of law.
The old saw states 'One man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter'. The fact is there has been nothing noble nor liberty seeking in the actions of Bin Laden and his ideals. But the term 'terrorist' is amorphous, easy to apply to those who stand in disagreement with the nation-states of this world. The contemporary ramifications of this may be a surprise to most Americans. It is seldom that a Ron Paul supporter, pro-life activists or flag-waving-gold-owning Americans are considered as a 'terrorist' by normal people. The seeds of a dark future are being sown, I pray we do not water them further.  


The future holds few certainties. History does show a handful of certainties. Governments will continue to try and increase their share of control. Government will be run by men, of whom power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. To hand the keys of life and death over the opposition to a man, any man, is a problem. The American system is designed with the checks of the law and the balances of the legislature to limit and mitigate the power of the executive. These instruments of restraint have been demonstrated yet again as powerless. Without a hair of congressional approval for war in Pakistan. Without even a pretense of justice through the use of a moral legal structure the United States has practiced open assassination.


If we believe what we have been told, Bin Laden is sleeping in Davy Jones Locker. I hope he is the last of such corpses to sent to the depths at the hands of an American assassination team. 


As the echoes of America's jubilee fade away we are left with more powerful tools of tyranny. 
In the hands of the future who can say where they will be directed?

This is Only the Beginning

10 years later, the question "When will the War on Terror be won?" is still prominent in our foreign policy. 

The answer has nothing to do with Bin Laden, and this 'War on Terror' is far from over. 

Thank you Mr. President. 




EDIT:
This is also an easy excuse to up the Terror warning another level. As demonstrated by the past decade of history the warnings from our overlords obstinately refuse to go back down, leaving this as a permanent status to continue the inequitable swap of liberty for security.


EDIT:
Note please the announcement came in the middle of Donald Trump's television show, but has yet to happen. Premature news frenzy happens while the White House prepares its teleprompters for the big guy to come out and speak, but it consumes the time slot slatted for Trump.
Coincidence?


EDIT:
The US has an active assassination policy at this juncture in history. We just executed a man in cold blood without a trial.