Murky Empires

Hawaiians are studying how "powerful" nations deal with very distant colonies.

96% here voted to remain in the European Union, but...

(27 Dec 2017, Gibraltar border)

Ignored Inheritance

Native Hawaiians received an apology from the USA for overthrow of the Kingdom (US Public Law 103-150). 

But without compensation for illegally seized lands & property, Native Hawaiian inheritance is hugely and wrongly diminished. 

Chief beneficiary of this aggressive crime is the US Federal Government, who occupy far too much of the 1,800,000 acres of crown, government & public lands of the Kingdom of Hawaii taken without the consent of or compensation to the Native Hawaiian people or their sovereign government. 

Until legal reconciliation is achieved, Native Hawaiian descendants should not be liable for US Federal taxes or duties.

Han Sang-gyun, political prisoner in Korea

South Korea continues to imprison Han Sang-gyun (한상균), the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions KCTU President. He was arrested for leading demonstrations against the corrupt Park Geun-hye administration. Although a new government is now in power, he's still held behind bars as a political prisoner.

Amnesty International (link) as well as the global Public Services International (link) trade union federation, and many others monitoring global injustice demand Korea release Han Sang-gyun. President Moon Jae-in, a positive force in many ways, could pardon Han Sang-gyun immediately. Non-violent civil disobedience should be cherished in South Korea... instead, we see resurgence of controls & democracy suppressed.

Corruption & chauvinism in South Korea must be stopped.
Free Han Sang-gyun !

American Accounting

When a person is kidnapped, beaten, and forced to work many months or years without pay, there should be criminal liability; surely businesses or individuals profiting from forced labor should pay compensation. Simply to free the slaves is not enough.

 

Much ado abo

Why's Democracy Bullshit? Count the Days

US Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia died 13 Feb 2016.

As required by the US Constitution, the President nominated Scalia's successor, but while Congress was in session the Republican-controlled Senate took no action for 326 days.

Another nominee from the new President was eventually confirmed -- but the important US Supreme Court seat was vacant for 420 days.

This type of tactic is improper; it taints semi-Justice Neil Gorsuch.

Expect the same delaying tactic with the recent democratic election of Doug Jones as US Senator for Alabama. Because Republican control of the Senate will be negatively impacted, they'll go slow.

Senator-elect Jones will only be able to take-up his seat after any recount is conducted, and "either campaign could request a recount. As long as that campaign is willing to put up a bond and pay to cover the cost, the state will recount the votes. Sen. Luther Strange (R-Ala.), who had been appointed to fill the seat until the special election, will remain Alabama's junior senator as long as the process takes." (link)

Rich scum ignore democracy as long as possible.

Withdrawal Method May Fizzle

The UK government under Theresa May seeks to favourably re-position the nation by withdrawing from the European Union.

Some segments of the populace may indeed benefit. But many others will suffer grievously.

Can Britain setup as a wholly independent player in a world where teamwork offers the many benefits of lower transaction costs and economies-of-scale? Much alarm has been generated by xenophobia - but surely the UK has much more to offer than deliberately painting itself out of a diseased world.

Decent people should be worried by Theresa May & Boris Johnson manipulations, and especially spiritual leader Nigel Farage and his UK Independence Party. The Theresa May government's use of half-truths is shocking. Sudden pie-in-the-sky assurances and gross dishonesty may keep them in office for more weeks, but the nation and even the world are put at risk by their deceits.

After months of vague & secretive backroom bunco, PM May's sudden explicit assurances are so much hot air aimed to save her job -- wholly unreliable. This historic process needs attention far beyond partisan politics or the conceit of a handful of individuals.

Mr & Mrs Anglican, please confirm from any Roman Catholic older & wiser: forget WITHDRAWAL -- it's both unfulfilling & unsafe.

Yes ICAN

Congratulations once again to ICAN, the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons, for winning the Nobel Peace Prize.

As reported here before, the United Nations Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons was agreed last July. To a large extent, this was a response to nuclear non-proliferation agreements, where the nuclear powers pledged to cut-down and eventually eliminate their nuclear arsenals but instead have boosted them.

Here's a summary from the Nuclear Threat Initiative

UN links are confusing & incomplete; here's their best (PTNW)

Overview from Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists noting media bias

Unfortunately, the nuclear weapons states tried to deflect attention from the UN Treaty efforts & boycott proceedings. The USA also pushed junior partner states such as Australia, Japan & Norway to help rubbish efforts toward nuclear prohibition. (Here's how the Treaty stands now - link)

This ignorant stance continues, as reportedly the US, UK and French ambassadors callously skipped last night's Nobel banquet in Oslo which honored ICAN.

They failed to disarm as promised. Now they hide.  SCUM ! 

Two final links: on lapdog media and PTNW (treaty text)

Swing to the Flim Flam

The Sandwich, Massachusetts, Heritage Museum drove a flim flam now being challenged by local Cape Cod residents.

First -- Heritage Museum shouldn't be in the aerial adventure zipline business. Could the museum leadership have a dark plan to expand operations into off-topic activities, then cut-back & liquidate, taking away Cape Cod treasures? The zipline park attracts additional people, but strangely defines HERITAGE...

A big problem has become destruction of trust. Heritage initially listed the wrong permit application address (67 Grove Street), resulting in no neighbor notifications. The actual address for the aerial park is 0 Shawme Road and 0 Pocasset Road. Nearby neighbors & abutters had minimal chance to challenge the project. 

Terrible! ...this stinks. The adventure park is operated by Outdoor Venture Group of Connecticut, with a pattern of Continental trickery. The Connecticut firm partnered as well with TreeTop Adventures of Canton, MA whose address was also misrepresented, and for which their license to operate was subsequently ordered withdrawn (link). Many people reportedly are both distrustful and disgusted.

Make no mistake, Cape Cod justice should not be fooled

Any improper application should be rejected when incomplete or false (even if mistakenly first permitted).

(Here's a recent news link)

Trump Puppet

Congratulations Finland !

Promises promises

Keywords: President Trump, Native nations, Hawai'i, Land management, resource extraction, pipeline, Koch industries, US militarism, lying sack o' shit, forked tongue

Livestock Nation

Louise Hay (British muzungu aka Louise Linton; in $635 leather gloves) w/ U.S. Treasury Secretary husband & newly-printed Steven Mnuchin dollars

Cape Wind Greased

The Cape Cod Times reports the end of Cape Wind offshore renewable energy project. They quote Director of Public Policy Jack Clarke from the Massachusetts Audubon Society (which supported the project) "Over 50 lawsuits were filed by opponents, led by Bill Koch" - the Osterville property owner and primary financial backer of the Alliance to Protect Nantucket Sound (link)

The New York Times identifies Koch as "a billionaire industrialist who made his fortune in fossil fuels."

Greenpeace is considerably less kind, labeling the Koch fortune "dirty money" (link to .pdf report)

Could Koch influence the many other people such as fishermen or the local Native American tribe who came to believe Cape Wind was problematic?

Sure!

How many of these people want to breathe coal smoke everyday? How many wish Cape Cod beaches were covered by the ooze of an oil spill, or hope to completely lose their homes & communities to rising seas or horror storms from global warming?  Not a single person wants such suffering from any Koch industries.

End Redskin Ridicule - 2 haiku 俳句

They brought us disgrace...

Who knew?
Donald J. Trump is a dangerous psycopath.

Who knew?
Republican running-mate Mike Pence: "Gay Mikey"
Republican Speaker of the House Paul Ryan: "Lil'Oscar"

Who knew?
Texas Republican Sen. Ted Cruz: "Lyin' Ted"
Florida Republican Sen. Marco Rubio:  "Little Marco"
Former Florida Republican Gov. Jeb Bush: "Low Energy Jeb"
New Jersey Republican Gov. Chris Christie: "Big Boy"
Arizona Republican Sen. John McCain: "POWduh"
Former Massachusetts Republican Gov. Mitt Romney: "Vo Mitt"

Who knew?
Ivanka Trump:"Very Voluptuous"
Melania Knauss Trump: "Cheesecake-remake"


etc...

Trump Jerky

Trump: Take a Haiku

Yesterday the President of the United States invited three highly-decorated military veterans - elderly "Navajo code talkers" - to join him up on the White House podium. 

In front of a heroic portrait of Andrew Jackson, the draft-dodging US President was condescending. He tried to cleverly brandish the word "Chief" before he mocked & denigrated a political enemy (absent), doubting her family ancestry.

Of course, while a wealthy businessman for many years he did similarly to Pres. Obama in regard to birthplace and citizenship. 

But now Trump is President.
Trump is a disgrace.
Those enabling Trump are horribly obscene.
They know they're doing wrong.

(Heartfelt Apologies to those peaceful Native American veterans)
Trump links the Navajo & Pocahontas.; very different peoples & cultures who both suffered. Physically separated 2100 miles (3400km; Dinétah or Farmington NM, to Jamestown VA), more than Beijing - Kathmandu, or Paris - Jerusalem.

Support Our Troops !

Betrayed

America's betrayed by its leadership.

We can each wish simplicity & unity might create a virtuous dynamic society. But it ain't gonna happen.

The leadership itself is deeply corrupt.

Difficult problems are deliberately hidden. Reality is ignored in favor of bullshit [talking nonsense in order to deceive].

We live in complex times. We rely upon many intricate and highly-technical systems everyday to survive. We've great need for quality control. Organizations such as NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology, in the US Department of Commerce) have worked many decades to improve safety and reliability in products & services. Such operations are being cut-back (and some programs eliminated) via short-sighted greedy private interest lobbyists.

Low Taxes = Good?
Less Government = Good?
When you step outside and the concrete disintegrates around you due to shameless, poor quality insider contracting, don't complain. You gave government to idiots & swindlers.

安倍政権? Abe's a Bum

The idea that Japan's PM Shinzō Abe has some fundamental policy vision to rescue Japan is bullshit. Japan is wonderful in many ways, but most national-level politicians are unhelpful. The cumbersome bureaucracy is a horribly expensive burden. Abe surely is more part of the problem than solution.

The dude has been Prime Minister for more than five years, and he's a bullshitter.

The promise of "Abenomics" is silly. Abe served one year in his first term, and will soon be five years in his second term. He's wholly ready to grasp credit for any systemic economic gains, but there've been almost none. He's a bum.
BUM

Sorry Japan

Losing Internet in America

Americans:  You elected aggressive predators who govern the nation.

Now these people are dismantling internet access protections.

Read details here (link) and Act Fast

Change your government, numskulls!

Forced to Brexit

Brexit. Sounds so glib & neat. Brexit is a huge boon to military spending and aggressive policies -- in service to Big Brother.

There's been deliberate misinformation about EU costs & benefits, and blatant lies promising how funds would be reallocated. Some voters have no confidence in the referendum process itself. Was it done fairly?

The process is far more important than the proclivities of individual politicos, but the inattentive failings of UK PM David Cameron are cited as acceptable if regrettable. Why?

Why couldn't long-term British expats vote? And while local voting by British residents is allowed in other EU nations, similar people in the UK were shutout from the Brexit poll.

Most of all it's surely odd how quickly any analysis becomes nasty. We're bullied to shut up. It's harshly demanded we "respect the democratic vote of the British people" - though world conditions are always changing, and are now different. Soon it's eighteen months since the 23 June 2016 referendum, and it's time we reconsider the Brexit error. 

Patriotism

Identify with a sports team?   It's Silly. 
But my Mondays are happier. 

Thanks!

Social Contract in Sweden

Richie Rich Bitch

SVT's Uppdrag Granskning recently questioned amajor Swedish business leader about parking a portion of his wealth overseas(2017-11-05; link)

Leif Östling, chair of the Confederation of Swedish Enterprise (Sweden's largest business federation)

Svenskt Näringslivs ordförande Leif Östling

"What the hell do I get for my tax payments?"

"Vad fan får jag för pengarna?"

If you've paid all that wealth, why not pay in full and do the right thing for all you have in Sweden? 
Om man nu har betalat all den där skatten, varför inte betala helt och hållet och göra rätt för sig i Sverige för precis allt man har?

- No; Why should I? This is the structure now - it's allowed & all right.
 – Nej, varför då? Nu finns den här strukturen där, och då får den ligga där.

What does 'society' mean if each individual only looks out for their own best interests?

Vad betyder det för samhället om varje individ bara ser till sitt eget bästa i den här frågan?

- Yes, there's always egoism in everything. Anyone paying 20-30 million kronor per year asks himself:  What the hell do I get for the money?
 – Ja det finns ju alltid en egoism i det hela. Man frågar sig också, betalar man in 20-30 miljoner om året, vad fan får jag för pengarna?

You mean you get nothing for the money? 

Får du inget för pengarna menar du?

- Not much.
 – Inte mycket.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

https://www.thelocal.se/20171106/swedes-hit-out-at-tax-havens-exposed-in-paradise-papers-leak

Leif Östling, the chairman of Sweden's largest business federation, the Confederation of Swedish Enterprise (Svenskt näringsliv), ended up in hot water after the leak revealed he kept German stocks worth 30 million kronor ($3.56 million) in a company on Malta. 

He insisted it was all above board, and is not suspected of any legal wrongdoings, but was forced to backtrack on Monday after controversial comments he made in an interview with SVT on Sunday:
"It's a problem with the Swedish tax system, the taxes are insanely high in this country. (…) You ask yourself: If you pay 20-30 million kronor a year – what the hell do I get for the money?"

It is famously said that Sweden has some of the highest tax rates in the world. The cliché is that Swedes all happily pay their taxes, safe in the knowledge that the public services they receive in exchange will be of a good standard, and Östling's comments caused quite the stir, with the hashtag #whatthehelldoiget (#vadfanfårjag) trending on Twitter on Sunday evening.

"#whatthehelldoiget? Live in the world's best country, paid parental leave, free university education, free healthcare, pension, a better society," suggested self-described left-wing Twittter user André Mattsson.

"Shameless (comments) against teachers, nurses and police who make sure the country is working while you make money," tweeted the minister for health and social affairs, Annika Strandhäll.

"I think this is bad and morally wrong," Liberal Party representative Mats Persson told SVT.

The youth wing of the Social Democrats demanded Östling's resignation. "His actions, devoid of principles, go against everything the Swedish model stands for. It is not appropriate as the leader of Sweden's largest organization of employers," wrote chairman Philip Botström in a statement.


Östling backtracked on some of his comments in an official statement on Monday, saying he had spoken as a private individual, not as the head of the Confederation of Swedish Enterprise.  "During the conversation I said, among other things, that I do not get 'a lot' for the taxes I pay in Sweden. It was carelessly expressed. Sweden has a generally functioning welfare system. What I was trying to say was that I personally had used it very little compared to my financial contribution to it," he said, pointing out that although he had invested some of his money abroad, he had also paid 84 million kronor in income tax and 23 million kronor in capital gains tax in Sweden over the last seven years.

Don't Fall for "Tax Reform"

Trump and the Republican Party are trying to impose their cruel Oligarch Tribute Bill on America's mostly-impoverished rubes.

It's not "tax reform" -- it is so much more.

Forced wealth transfer to the Overclass. This means You are Shut-out from the Best in Life. 

If you're American, you're probably among the 320 million losers. Do you resent the "rube" label? Can't imagine yourself a sucker? 
Tough world... and it gets tougher as these people get more money.

All-American Law?
 Oligarch 'Rewards Plus'
 

Louise Linton (in $635 leather gloves) w/ Treasury Secretary husband & newly-printed Steven Mnuchin dollars

Personal Attack Deflects Debate - PsyOps 101

Colonial Spain is being criticized for personal attacks on Catalan leaders. They've imprisoned key people & begun dirty tricks. Spanish national public broadcaster RTVE (link) played the creepy Exorcist theme "Tubular Bells" when Catalan independence leader President Carles Puigdemont was in the news.

The USA and allies tried similar deflections when handling leaked information of multiple crimes. Wikileaks released blatant details of undiplomatic treachery and US espionage toward allies, as well as video of the airborne murder of journalists. Julian Assange, singled out for attention, suddenly became enmeshed in sex crime allegations. Reporting about Assange deflected many people from understanding the depraved official operations of militarists (and, yes, murderers). Chelsea Manning's gender transition further misdirected objective reasoning.

Assange & Puigdemont are not the problem. We are enslaved by the likes of Lockheed Martin & Raytheon, Exxon & the Koch billionaires, General Electric, Murdoch's News Corporation, Cheney & Erik Prince (Blackwater), and Monsanto. Wake Up !

Demand Better !

Militarism has controlled America for more than 50 years.

The military system costs a huge amount of money, and wastes lives and health around the world. We prop-up an Overclass of wealthy elites who shit on the rest of us.

We should spend time & effort in more productive directions.

We might focus on "frugal innovation" जुगाड़ (jugaad) or lifehacks. We can improve internal infrastructure. We can profit from environmentalist business models -- upgrading from dirty, less sustainable industries. We can build better communities. We must truly improve our lives. 

The Leaders only claim to care - they fail to work for us.

RIP Her Majesty Queen Lili'uokalani

The sovereign Kingdom of Hawai'i maintained neutrality via treaties with the world's major powers, allowing freedom of navigation inside Kingdom ports & waters, and protecting neutral rights of other nations. The USA unilaterally abrogated mutual treaty responsibilities; Her Majesty Queen Lili'uokalani resisted aggression, tried to maintain peace, and endured the tragedy of colonization. Today's the centennial of her death.

Ua Mau ke Ea o ka ʻĀina i ka Pono

Belittling Terror in America?

The attempted bombing of Asheville Regional Airport in North Carolina has been described as odd.

Alleged perpetrator Michael Estes was caught; his nail-laced bomb did not explode. The 46-year old suspect reportedly admitted leaving the improvised explosive device at the airport in order to "fight a war on US soil." 

Here's the criminal complaint (link)

Estes early October arrest by the FBI supposedly got little attention due to racial favoritism (see argument here).

But while Estes was described as "White" while a wanted suspect, some report he's Native American (link). Michael's unsubstantiated Wikipedia entry quotes his father Jimmie Estes as disputing any Native American roots (as of 10 Nov 2017; link). Further detail here (link) and here (link).

On the other hand, whatever the ethnicity, it may be that publicizing American "home grown" or "lone wolf" terrorists encourages more such people, and perhaps fuels violent extremist activities?

Ultra-right fascists & militarists of all persuasions are all too common throughout America.

America needs to teach peace & tolerance. We can't ignore domestic crazies. We surely don't want secret detentions & arrests. We need vibrant press coverage that keeps our citizenry informed and prepared.

Alleged Asheville Airport bomber Michael Christopher Estes