The Pitchfork Memo

Wealthy Nick Hanauer warns fellow rich people: pitchforks are coming for America's economic elite ! 

He claims rising inequality endangers the plutocrat class, and we must raise the minimum wage -- Unless rank & file workers earn more (and thus shop more), class war will surely destroy "the filthy rich" ...

Hanauer urges the predatory megarich to invest in the middle class. Otherwise he sees unsustainable capitalistic concentration leading to uprising, physically endangering the upper crust. Surely now our society wastes huge talent, but Revolution will tragically damage further good, productive people. Hanauer calls for counter-intuitive collective action, perpetuating America's social Darwinism. But malicious pitchforks are the more likely future -- however wrongheaded, illegal & cruel.

http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2014/06/the-pitchforks-are-coming-for-us-plutocrats-108014.html

Boiled Frog?

Too many Americans have never heard of the "boiled frog" phenomenon - we sit quietly while opportunists harvest our resources, drain our energies, and murder our freedoms.

Hillary Clinton wishes to become Chief Commandante of Prison Camp America. Certainly she's a clever and energetic person, but if I support her, will she be working for me?

No way. Hillary Clinton works First for herself, and next for others glib & rich.

Ms. Clinton is just now a private citizen (not in government employment) with a huge pulpit from which to comment & criticize, but she says very little of value. She knows details of hundreds, perhaps thousands of scandals and shortcomings - typically her lips are sealed. She feeds us sound bites and semi-humorous entertainment. She's a poster girl for the obedient warder, the capo, the All American prison guard. Hillary Clinton is a clever political hack -- like thousands of others in Washington, passionless except for orthodox payoff issues.

Hillary Clinton is known for having been passionate about health care coverage expansion. But since 2002 when Congress amended HIPPA, (the Health Information Portability and Accountability Act) government is able to vacuum-up the health data & doctor's records of any and all Americans (link). Do we hear Mrs. Clinton speaking up for our protection? Of course not!

The medical profession is now enlisted to spy on us:
“We may also disclose your PHI [Personal Health Information] to authorized federal officials as necessary for national security and intelligence activities.”

This statement is clear - it's not simply for "national security" (which might be argued) but they explicitly further added "intelligence activities" (which can mean whatever).

MuthaFuckin MiniFolk

We the people are miniFolk (mF)
- a mass of trouble, vermin

Some qualify as miniVoters (mV)

To mock democracy:
Prefer poverty?  (or) 
Prefer to lose an eye?

Details of society's upper reaches
Will now never be described...
For reasons of National Security

Perhaps you've been selected out?
Promised escape from the herd?

Smiles are Big, and glitter BRIGHT
Masking Death's cold grin.

Sisi The Assassin

Egyptian ruler Abdel Fitta el-Sisi, "King Crook of Cairo" is dubbed "Sisi The Assassin" for butchering thousands of his countrymen as he wrestled control from the democratically-elected government. Sisi is a brutal dwarf punk under foreign control; his legacy will be decades of violence and murder among the peace-loving Egyptian people.

Big Banks Blackmail US

There is far too much mechanical speculation in our financial system. It's an area ripe for taxation - in part because when speculators lose big, they shelter from creditors via political interventions (as in the 2008 bailout).

Unfortunately, big finance has too many politicos on their payroll. Efforts to impose a modest financial transactions tax have been cruelly stifled.

Now big finance hopes to impose the Trade in Services Agreement (TISA) around the world, without public debate. We should never be bound by a secret treaty created by industry and unaccountable officials, perhaps well-meaning but likely corrupt. This horrible treaty seeks to hobble us, serving the financial sector in dozens of ways, while putting the industry beyond regulation, and leaving no ability to renegotiate a new world order. Disgusting!

Redskin Fight

Plastic Hillary

Hillary Clinton has been at the pinnacle of the crony power elite for more than 20 years. In that long time, she ain't done shit. No - let me rephrase - she's been worse than useless. She's conducted the decline of America, and led us into the cul-de-sac of senseless militarism. If elected President, it'll be surely worse...

Read of her artifice & deceit (by Ralph Nader; click for link)

Black rat, Brown rat, Lady rat
... No matter ...
Sell-Out for chunks of cheese

Anti-Zionist African Babies?

Why should a malnourished child in Burundi, Africa, hate fatties Avigdor Lieberman & Bibi Netanyahu? Can men & women who selflessly work for gender equality suddenly become anti-Semitic?

Yes. Because American politicians always bow down and kiss the fat arse of Israel's Zionist extremists. When UNESCO allowed Palestinian representation, the USA along with Israel stopped paying UNESCO dues. It's now three years (under the "progressive" regime of Barack Obama), and the USA is many hundreds of millions of dollars in arrears. These would be funds for the poorest of the poor, assisting people in horrible difficulties.

Military and assorted other growing aid from the USA continues to flow to wealthy Israel -- billions of Yankee dollars, a tribute to one vocal minority whose suffering supposedly justifies any form of cruelty to other peoples.

Cameron Threatens Queen

UK Prime Minister David Cameron dislikes (link) how Europe selects leaders - but his outburst undercuts his own long-serving British sovereign, as Her Majesty ... "did not stand anywhere and was not elected by anyone."

The Tory PM might be invited to depart 10 Downing Street to reside in the Tower of London.

Cantor's Disgrace

US House Majority Leader Republican Eric Cantor lost his Virginia primary election to an underfunded, little known opponent. Republican Party spin-Meisters seek to pin the loss on a single issue - they're partly right: that issue is that Eric Cantor is worse than a pile of shit.

Too many people in America are disgusted as the Republican Party do nothing except reward the ultra-rich. The Republican mantra of "Just Say No" to policymaking is easy, and an empty chair costs almost nothing compared to the publicly funded riches Cantor has squirreled away.

Republicans waste our money. But so do professional windbags such as Nancy Pelosi & John Kerry & Hillary Clinton. Rather than reelect such knuckleheads, we'd do better electing a Hello Kitty doll.

Obama-Reinfeldt to Head EU?

The BBC slyly mentions (link) that lame-duck Swedish PM Fredrik Reinfeldt is jockying to be appointed head of the European Commission.

This would be a mistake. The rightist Swedish PM is a slightly better choice than weasely Tony Blair, but either is too clearly Uncle Sam's willing tool. Reinfeldt has provided great service and he need never work again -- it's best he don't.

The European Commission should not be controlled by Obama or other puppet-masters. America has ample reason to undercut European competition and the euro -- they resent any counterbalance to Yankee domination. All rhetoric aide, the militarists hate Europe's newly peaceful coexistence. The EU has also tackled how multinationals abuse consumers, and has provided protections in other ways North American governments have failed to assist their citizenry.

Fishy in Korea

South Korea has a vibrant democracy. But democratic processes are seriously threatened by organized right-wing efforts to stifle & shift opinion.

Korea gave birth to one of the worst, most flagrant, anti-democratic efforts among advanced OECD nations -- when Korea's National Intelligence Service worked officially in late 2013 to create massive internet support for one party and presidential hopeful, and to vilify and smear another presidential candidate. This goes far beyond party politics - it's a stab to the heart of democracy that even partisan supporters should condemn.

Korea's Cyber Warfare Command, Psychological Warfare Division of the National Intelligence Service, have performed shamefully. Even if ordered by higher-ranked officials to comply with such illegal operations, they should have refused. There should be mechanisms and processes to prevent this type of outrage & sabotage: a vibrant & free press, an ombudsman system, protection for whistleblowers, etc. Instead, the press subsequently has been systematically threatened by the President's Office.

Don't believe that Korea lacks passionate and honorable people. There are many such hardworking people throughout Korea. But their nation is undermined by an arrogant and powerful minority. Such people of wealth & power are ultimately responsible for the Sewol ship sinking tragedy by ignoring safety measures, and behind Samsung's poor conditions for their armies of irregular workers. But we share responsibility if purchasing their blood-spattered products or honoring stooge leaders.

More on Korea's Psy-Ops Election Sabotage at:
http://askakorean.blogspot.jp/2013/11/presidential-election-and-spy-agency.html

Sad Samsung ?

Last week I visited the Samsung Electronics flagship showroom building in Gangnam, South Korea. Inside, it was cool and modern, with many high-tech gadgets and well-displayed top-line Samsung products. There were assorted 'experience' areas where we could enjoy super graphics. The staff was smiling & professional. Last Saturday morning there were very few other visitors.

The building itself was nice from the outside, but marred by being surrounded by police vans -- dozens parked bumper-to-bumper around the block, and hundreds of riot police spookily marching back & forth.

Like low Samsung prices? They come at the expense of the people working on Samsung products.

Samsung uses an army of irregular workers paid substandard wages. Labor is protesting corporate insensitivity. Many stories are pitiful, some have ended in suicide. Samsung management is reportedly highly vindictive, retaliating against activists. More about the worker struggle here (link).

Samsung is famous for demanding a lot from its workers (one Japanese potential new hire told me Samsung required working 13 of 14 days - every other Sunday off). Their products seemed to me overly shiny, but now the shine is dulled knowing Samsung megacorporation cares little for people.

But most giant organizations care nothing for regular folk. Until we citizens agree to reign-in corporate cruelty, welcome to reality: the Hunger Games.

Let's hope Samsung can manage to create a sustainably strong team that supports the aspirations and balanced living of their workers. A truly caring company can win admiration & loyalty from consumers around the world