False Flags in Wisconsin

A prosecutor from Indiana sends Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker an email suggesting that Walker arrange a fake attack on himself so that he may lay blame upon his opponents in the union movement and vilify them. The prosecutor admits his misdeed and then resigns.

It should not come as a shock that those in power resort to such manipulation. The classic example is a Nazi sympathizer burning a government building allowing Adolf Hitler to condemn Communists and cement his position as a bulwark against terror. This helps him to claim dictatorial powers. The flag burning of the sixties and seventies has a similar feel. The so called protesters burn the flag and bring discredit to their movement and an important symbol is ceded to the right wing. These are false flag operations, where one group commits an act and is able to blame another group and sway public opinion against the second set. This operation is nipped in the bud and the fault is put on one lone nut prosecutor. It is a suspicious tale and there may be others involved. This is a story worth watching carefully.

One Per Centers and Social Security

Recently, I viewed an AARP commercial touting the generational continuity of the Social Security system. I then thought of how President George W. “Stinky” Bush wanted to invest Social Security capital into the stock market in order to maximize gains. At the time I thought this a terrible idea and time has proved me right. I felt then that the one per centers were trying to get their hands on our money and then grab it during the next stock market crash. The crash happened and many lost a great deal and it must be assumed that a few on the top profited greatly.

Americans should never allow Social Security funds to be invested in the market, as it is too vulnerable to manipulation and thievery.

Pat Robertson and Allah

The other day while awaiting the start of another TV program I see the end of the 700 Club. Pat Robertson is asked a question about Allah and says that Allah is some other entity than the God of Christians and Jews. Some research on the cbn.com site reveals that Robertson's thinks that, “Allah was the moon god from Mecca.” Pat Robertson seems like an intelligent and educated man, but I find this to be really ignorant. To begin with God is not God's name, but is rather His job title. Robertson correctly points out that His name is Yahweh (sometimes Latinized to Jehovah) which translates to I Am that I Am. Allah is the Arabic word for god. So, if an Arabic speaking Christian is to refer to God, he says, “Allah.” Now, I am certain that the Christian, Muslim and Jewish views of God have some differences. Maybe they are all correct, for there is no other non-God entity that is able to completely contemplate the entire nature of Him. Since, Robertson is not as ignorant or stupid as he appears, I must assume that he is playing to his audience and their ignorance. I do not know which is more evil, intentional ignorance which the audience displays, or Robertson's manipulative display of ignorance.

Defeatist Design

Recently San Francisco Chronicle architecture critic John King writes of the “Guilty Pleasures” of some local architects. I get the impression that such a pleasure probably involves enjoying a building that some of the elite of the profession consider tacky. What catches my eye is Cary Bernstein's characterization of AT&T Park as, “'...depressing for its defeatist design aspirations.'” Defeatist? Is he engaged in some sort of combat? I must admit that I do not get modern art, but if it is confined to museums and private homes, I have no problem with it.

I do not like being assaulted by this weird looking stuff in public, whether it is in cathedral design (CarpeHunc, February 23, 2011) or Cate Blanchett on the Academy Awards red carpet. This appearance is not even worthy of a rating on the Skin-O-Meter (CarpeHUNC, February, 14, 2011), but I have to take this opportunity to say how awful that dress is. It is hard to see what Cary Bernstein finds so depressing. I just hope he spares the public his ideas of mental stability.

Tax the Wealthy

There is a story in today's San Francisco Chronicle by Joe Garofoli discussing potential taxes that Governor Jerry Brown may consider. The idea of an additional 1 percent tax on individual incomes greater than $500,000 is dismissed by “Analysts and activists,” as too politically perilous, because Brown also wants to extend sales taxes and vehicle license fees. The article points out that the top one percent of earners from 1978 to 2008 see income increases of 81 percent, while the incomes of the bottom 20 percent drop by 11.5 percent. One would think that earners between 21 and 89 percent did not do nearly as well as the 1 per centers. The first question is; who are these ANALysts and activists? Secondly; where is the political risk of raising the income tax of the wealthiest along with the regressive taxes on sales and automobiles?

The 1 per centers are responsible for the state of the economy. They should pay more to see the state and ultimately the Federal Government out of this mess which they have made. Some worry that these Brahmins will take their jobs and leave. Most of the jobs they now create are in Chinese prisons. They have no regard for the society in which they live and their problems should not be the concern of the 99 per centers.

The Supreme Court and Anti Gay Protests

The Supreme Court rules that anti gay protesters can not be sued for demonstrations at the funerals of military personnel. The justices equate this to burning of the flag during the Viet Nam era. The Court must protect Free Speech. However, those who protest at funerals are as foolish as the flag burners of the sixties, when an important symbol is ceded to the right wing. The current protesters smack of those who abused Viet Nam veterans, who do not accomplish anything and sow seeds of divisiveness that endure to this day.

Images of North Korea on the Attack

In today's San Francisco Chronicle there is a story describing a promotion for a new video game from THQ, a Southern California company. THQ releases 10,000 balloons on which they attach ads for their game. Many of these balloons alight in the bay and some environmentalists now have their panties in a bunch.

What is of greater concern are the contents of this game, in which the United States is invaded by North Korea. This is,of course, preposterous. The only Asian power that came close to this were the Japanese. If they won at Midway, the plans were to attack Hawaii at a later date. This would have left the West Coast vulnerable to invasion, but the Japanese were more interested in protecting their flanks from the U.S. Navy, while they pursued expansionist plans in resource rich Southeast Asia. North Korea is in no position to mount any kind of invasion of any of the island bases in the Pacific, much less the mainland of the United States.

Images have power. During the Gulf War, or Bush War I, Scud Stud Arthur Kent is broadcasting from Jerusalem when he comes under missile attack from Iraq. The image of Kent donning his gas mask while the sirens sound is memorable. A young relative of mine has great fear that he will be attacked here at home. There is no chance of this happening given the range of Iraqi missiles and the distance from ours shores. It is understandable how a youngster, who may not understand these facts, might give into fear. It is distressing that many adults today, who do not have basic knowledge of history, geography and certainly not aerospace, may also be seduced by such images.

It is a concern that, “The Military Industrial Complex,” is marketing a perception of North Korea as something to fear. Of course, the purpose of engendering this trepidation is maintaining Defense Department spending and lucrative contracting opportunities that some of these companies enjoy since the 1940s.

2011 Acamemy Awards Skin-O-Meter Ratings

It is now time for the 2011 Skin-O-Meter Ratings for the Academy Awards. We have devised the Skin-O-Meter in order to rate the dresses worn. It is a scale from 0 to 100, with 100 being the top rating. It is just our overall opinion but a high rating will involve copious cleavage filled out appropriately as well other skin, such as leg, display. Selected celebrities are rated.

Natalie Portman 85: A nice little V neck that shows the swell of her bust line. Now that she is pregnant she may have a little extra swell, so flaunt it while you got it, Natalie.

Halle Berry 86: She always gets points for being about the most beautiful woman on earth, even though her cleavage efforts are zero here especially considering earlier endeavors. We do like the bare back leading to her nicely shaped bottom (we do like those, too), which gives the illusion or fantasy of nudity.

Penelope Cruz 89: Nice bust line shown to great effect.

Sandra Bullock 80: Good neck line plunge, but we do not see anything.

Jennifer Lawrence 84: Barely able to see top of the bust line.

Jennifer Hudson 97: Side shots show a good portion of her breast and leaves us with the fantasy that it might pop out. For this effort JHud gets the top rating this year. Although, as we said with her undertaking at the Grammys, she looks like she lost a little too much weight. Her breasts just do not have that nice full look that we so love.

Gwyneth Paltrow: 48: As with her Grammy dress, we like the deep plunge, but nothing to show for it.

Mila Kunis 86: Nice display of what she has.

Celine Dion 85: Good swell of bust.

Annette Bening 83: She makes an effort.

Camila Alves 96: She is Matthew McConaughey's date and the her top dips way down and seemingly barely covers her nipples.

Melania Trump 87: Wife of The Donald, is in a strapless gown that plummets a little lower than similar dresses that are popular this year.

Scarlet Johansen 80: This is a beautiful girl that has a great deal to show and does not,which we can not rate too highly.

Marisa Tomei 83: One of our favorite actresses. This dress looks like it has potential to show off a great deal of cleavage, but leaves us with nothing.

So there we have this year's ratings for the Oscars. We will have the Skin-O-Meter working again when we feel like it. This takes some time and reflection, but somebody had got to do it. See you next time.