Implosion USA

The USA has always been gawky and awkward, an overly-large nation.

National survival is now threatened by this ungainliness. America has lost its message, and internal divisions threaten to break the nation into segments.

The US political process highlights many problems. Some now predict the collapse of two-party control, but the true problem is deeper.

Today's Washington Post is extremely pessimistic in discussing Donald Trump: "The Republican presidential defeat that likely impends will reflect an entirely appropriate national revulsion at the GOP candidate, whose personal record of chicanery and wild rhetoric of bigotry, misogyny and misplaced belligerence are without parallel in the modern history of either major party. It is entirely conceivable that the damage done will be permanent."

Yet the problem is clearly far beyond a single jingoistic individual. America itself's in the shit. It's truly a nation of too many cops, too little justice. There's no proper excuse for 35,000+ US military troops in Germany, and 50,000+ in Japan. We wrongly occupy places such as Iraq, Afghanistan, Okinawa, Hawai'i, Guantanamo, etc., as key parts of our warfare business. Yankee's military eagerly supports (link) the corporate-driven Trans-Pacific Partnership, or TPP, so we must be very afraid for the future.

The Republican Party, and many Democrats, bitterly attack welfare - but WARFARE is far more dangerous. War is a huge part of the US economy & national mentality. "Sustaining U.S. global leadership" is DoD doublespeak for permanent war, including War on Americans by our own violent government.

We make hundreds of mistakes everyday - many are deadly errors. We're now led to expect to pay the minimum amount possible, including with mission-critical public procurement, though many such transactions predictably will fall apart. America doesn't take proper care of its many retired soldiers. America needs to withdraw from overseas adventurism and instead "get its house in order." Hopefully this can be done without violence and zealotry. But US history is rooted in ruthless brutality. Reform in the USA is likely to lead to widespread repression before anything gets better...

National Teacher Day

May 3rd is National Teacher Day in the USA.

Some nations celebrate Teacher's Day with a national holiday, many others offer a school holiday. In the USA it's business as usual. Many teachers work through the day never knowing about the celebration...

To my many great teachers: Thank You!

To my Parents, who were both Teachers: Aloha!

And hugs to my Lovely Wife, now at school teaching
 (8AM to 6PM today!)

Shealey the Killer

Ben Shealey is in prison for killing an innocent pedestrian while driving drunk & racing away from the Cape Cod cops.

Benjamin Shealey paid about $60,000 cash for a Range Rover, and drove it away with illegal plates because his driver's license was suspended from previous drunk driving violations. Shealey has admitted that around 6PM on the warm summer evening of 13 July 2013, he drunkenly sought to escape from police. He ran down pedestrian Albert Della Malva, killing him & mangling the remains, plowed into a family car, and destroyed other standing vehicles. The 9-year-old Tomlinson twins visiting from Virginia were seriously injured; their parents perhaps physically less damaged, but left fearful of their daughters' survival.

Many remain greatly troubled... How's Shealey specially connected?

On being read his rights at Cape Cod Hospital after the crash, Harwich Police Officer Keith Kannally recalls Shealey laughing and smiling (link). Was Shealey mocking the law? He refused to supply a blood sample to determine degree of intoxication -- requesting his attorney instead. The written police report states Shealey laughed & intoned "Good luck!" as Officer Kannally departed.

Shealey ultimately pleaded guilty to:
- manslaughter by motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol
- two counts of operating under the influence of alcohol
- driving recklessly causing serious bodily injury
- assault with a dangerous weapon
- resisting arrest
- unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle
- uninsured operation of a motor vehicle

Shealey was first represented in court by his uncle Frankie. Later interviewed outside the courtroom, "Faultfree Frank" Shealey's now a poster boy for legal evasiveness (link). Both Shealey family performances can be seen here (link). Perhaps a 'good lawyer' admits nothing, but wholly innocent people have been horribly damaged by Ben Shealey's rampaging.

Shealey was sentenced in April 2015 to 7½ to 10 years in Massachusetts State Prison. His team of lawyers now seek a sentence reduction, claiming Shealey has become "remorseful" for the killing. The grandmother of the injured young girls (one continues to suffer from brain injury) is blunt: "He took a life... His family enabled him to do this."

Shealey's unregistered Range Rover (above) and the family car he hit (below)

You Poor? You're Jerked

It's horrible making payments on credit card debt - interest rates are high & largely hidden. How much did you pay in interest & financing last year? Probably more than you know. Look at those numbers and weep.

Bank (lender) cost of capital is very low.

What's worst, those same banks got free money from the US government at the Bush-Obama bailout. They needed it - because they were scammy shitty businessmen. But the people paid their bills.

Why should Big Capital get helped, and the little guy gets a sharp stick up the ass?

Vote Democrat, Vote Republican -- both are corporatist.
They don't care for you at all.
Wake up America -

We want You working as a Slave to Big Money -- Forever.

Acknowledging a Supporter?

"The candidate acknowledges a supporter in the wildly cheering crowd."   Sure.  American media feeds the masses the 'distant friend' gimmick. Do voters believe? Or are we bemused & disturbed at the shenanigans, and think: Shameless!

Point my way!  Yes, this candidate really likes ME!

Within a month of gaining office, they feed us dogshit.
And say it tastes good.

Or they disappear, to the fascist state-sponsored shill hangout.

The Establishment foists grinning weasels on America. And the American people repeatedly lap it up. We want to believe. US-led genocide in Vietnam? Don't think about it. Torture & war crimes throughout the Middle East? Tom Brady's footballs were underinflated. "Folks can't get ahead..." cause our elected leaders are corporate pets.

The "Situation Room" photo was admittedly staged: there was no live video feed, Clinton, the photograph's stress & emotional highlight, or 'punctum' (link), later claimed she was merely stifling a cough or sneeze... Fool me once (link)...? Surely nothing to laugh about.

Distant Friend of Politicians

I'm sick of seeing political hacks practicing "Distant Friend" fellowship on the American podium.

These are people with few real friends. Are they seeing a familiar face? Or are they posing? ..acting a part, poorly... Is someone there ... or too many?

Point the finger off to the distance, Make a friendly & funny face.
For "ingratiating" numbskulls? No doubt a highly-paid political consultant coached them "try this... it works!"

The practice can be seen as ominous because these friendly faces serve America's brutal power, occupying bases around the globe, killing "when necessary" without mercy or remorse.

Remember the US government-led horrors in Vietnam? The errors of the Iraq invasion? Remember there are truly countless millions who have died - as we disregard Old Glory's underside.

When you see this blockhead maneuver practiced by the US political class, think: "Here's a dumb fucker without real respect for Americans."

Why Big Trade Deals will Hurt You

TTIP (Transatlantic Trade Investment Partnership) and TPP (Trans-Pacific Partnership) promise to help the world with more efficient, better trade possibilities. The so-called "level playing field" will boost business and offers the chance for lower prices. What's not to like?

Almost everything is wrong with these agreements. In an abstract sense, we're all invited to the party, but in reality, seats at the table are already taken, the room is full, the door to the outside world has deliberately been jammed, and even the street outside is blocked & monitored.

Big Business has 'helped' create these agreements, but they've each already participated to maximize their own profits. Smaller players and the general public have been outmaneuvered - deliberately, deceptively and depressingly. Corporations don't want competition; the models assume 'open markets' that can never develop because of sinister restraint of trade by megacorps.

Looking for which multinational is dirtiest? Start with the American Legislative Exchange Council or ALEC (link) which works with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce pushing right-wing, worldwide Social Darwinist policies. These dinosaurs claim divine right to eat the weak. -- But when they overextended the economy and suffered potential collapse in 2007 & 2008, we had no chance to pick their bones: they forced massive bailout using public funds.

Welcome to the Party?   It's already over & the presents carted away...

Native Hawaiian Governance Conference, 'Aha 2016

In February 2016, more than 120 Hawaiians gathered daily over four weeks at Maunawili (O'ahu) to regain self-government.

In the midst of grand nature, all people in Hawai'i have a stake in our world-famous Aloha, threatened by commodification & Social Darwinism.

Peacefully working for change, and a minority in our heavily-militarized homeland, we drafted a new Constitution for the Native Hawaiian Nation (see 'Ōiwi TV video), which we're now working with the wider community to ratify.

Key lines from the preamble: "We are a people who Aloha Akua, Aloha ‘Aina, and Aloha each other. We reserve all rights to Sovereignty and Self-determination, including the pursuit of independence."

Native Hawaiian people are united with and integral to the island environment. We thrive -- not for the megawealthy from elsewhere -- but together with nature. Let's all celebrate our world together -- Aloha!

Nation of Laws? USA in Hawai'i

The USA has a huge legal system. But the laws serve the well-connected. Justice is often absent, overlooked, or suppressed.

The 1893 takeover of the Hawaiian Kingdom was repeatedly declared illegal that year by U.S. President Grover Cleveland. In 1993, the centennial year of the illegal coup d'etat, the U.S. Congress echoed those statements with an apologetic joint resolution, also signed by the President, Public Law 103-150 (.pdf)

In a judgement publicized on an April Fool's Day, the U.S. Supreme Court forced itself on Hawai'i (Hawaii et al. v. Office of Hawaiian Affairs et al.; No. 07–1372, "certiorari" review of Supreme Court of Hawaii, decided 31 March 2009). The Yankee Supremos claimed (link) there were only two substantive provisions to the American apology, Public Law 103-150: verbiage in the first was "all conciliatory or precatory" but insufficiently enforceable. As for the second substantive provision, the far-off alien Justices used sophistry to declare distant separation between the USA and the State of Hawaii -- all while inserting their own buttinski uninvited.

This is a chronic pattern, translating as "Yankee speak with forked tongue"... And the bullshit still continues...

Another recent lawsuit has attempted to stifle Hawaiian self-determination. Native Hawaiians seeking to gather for a constitutional convention were impeded by those with differing ideas.

The legal case rose repeatedly to the U.S. Supreme Court
http://www.supremecourt.gov/search.aspx?filename=/docketfiles/15a551.htm
 (The Appellant complaint to halt the Native Hawaiian election was first denied in U.S. Federal District Court, as were repeated requests for an injunction pending appeal).

The complainants then approached the  U.S. Supreme Court with an Emergency Application for Injunction Pending Appellate Review.  The U.S. Supreme Court intervened with an injunction pending appellate review, first imposed by Justice Kennedy, and later supported by four other bums (to prevail by 5-4 majority).

The election was first extended, then cancelled (15 Dec). A new format invited 196 former candidates to the convention, and 154 people accepted.

The U.S. Supreme Court unanimously denied a subsequent effort (19 Jan) to have the revised Native Hawaiian 'Aha declared in civil contempt.

But like plague brought on a peaceful community, bleeding continues...
http://www.supremecourt.gov/search.aspx?Search=15A551&type=Site

further history (.pdf via Grassroots Institute):
Na'i Aupuni 5 Feb 2016 brief to US District Judge J. Michael Seabright

Somehow, throughout these trials & troubles, the "Justices" overlook the fundamental illegality of them having any voice at all in Hawaiian affairs.

Billionaires

America is ruled by the Billionaire class.

That's not strange - it's a Darwinistic society: the weak are steppingstones & fertilizer for the megawealthy and favored.

As society becomes frayed and starts to disintegrate, gaps between the top 1% and regular poor schmucks is more noticed.

Typical fools focus on declared winners, as in a sports contest, and then move on. It's a little noticed footnote that tens of thousands of voters were inexplicably purged from eligibility in the 2016 New York primary election (link). Millions more were ineligible -- only registered Democratic Party members are allowed votes in the Democratic primary (not independent voters who might typically vote Democrat). Further, voters needed to have declared as a Democrat or Republican (link) six months or more before the election. The federal lawsuit filed 18 April by Election Justice USA resulted in no substantive official assistance on New York Primary Election Day. (Last November, while a key Hawaiian election was underway, a single US Supreme Court Justice forbid vote counting & publishing results; five days later by 5-4 majority, the full US Supreme Court sustained the halt pending lower court appeal).

The 2000 Presidential election highlighted Florida's inability to count ballots (link), while brief focus in 2004 was on shenanigans in Ohio (link, and more here and here). 

Elections thus display & highlight extreme corruption.

Billionaires bought Clinton. They expect good return on investment. Hillary's a dependable cog in the Big Money Establishment, she's worked many years for Big Business & Israel, and she's sure to continue doing so. Her links to Citicorp and Goldman Sachs draw out her energies & passions as she earns big speaking fees. Hillary's a survivor of Whitewater and Goldmangate. She's wholly prepared to crack-down on America, to sternly oversee continuity, to use our federal ship of state to create a global penal colony.

The Sanders - Clinton contest is important. In many ways, it's far better we proles have rays of hope -- when lost, the mob's more likely to become unruly.

Prepare for Disaster

(Not a post aimed at Mrs. Clinton & U.S. politics)

Last week's earthquakes in Ecuador & Japan, and yesterday's flooding in Houston, Texas, show the importance of disaster preparation.

It's best to keep rescue & safety equipment nearby, and prepare relief supplies.

But basic knowledge is also extremely important. Flooding generally means sewer & cesspool contents enter the floodwaters, so even a small cut or abrasion can have very bad consequences. In the city, manhole covers often lift from below by floodwaters - the spot becomes a mantrap, and horrible death to fall down. Waiting for rescue services in a big disaster is often inappropriate - they cannot arrive in time. Save people from collapsed wooden buildings if at all possible (link) - fire roasted alive 10% of the 6500 dead from the 1995 Kobe earthquake.   etc. etc.

Learn Now,
or be culled by coming disaster...

(Above) Two disaster photos after tsunami, Tohoku, Japan; 

(Below) Joplin, Missouri USA after tornado. Each photo is 2011. 

Goldmangate - No Hope

Election Day in New York.  The Crown is being prepared...

Clinton's greed does not make her a bad candidate.
She's an American capitalist! 

But Hillary evades & minimizes her rich relationships.
Corporatist Hillary is squarely on the side of the bosses.

Same old, same old -- or even worse.
When America needs Big Changes Now.

Tired whine. Thanks for your efforts Hillary.
Please find private sector work.

Goldmangate

Testing Japanese PM Abe

Japan's Prime Minister Shinzō Abe (安倍 晋三), puppet of American militarism, chauvinist of Yamaguchi, has a great chance in the present earthquake crisis to grow & lead.

Don't expect much, but Let's See...  Remember Abe was born to a supremely powerful (and wealthy) political dynasty, grandson of WWII architect & Class A war crimes captive Nobusuke Kishi.  He's sought forcefully and repeatedly to generate new tribalism in an already highly-homogeneous society that has low tolerance for variation.
Good Luck Japan!

Hillary's GOLDMANGATE

Will Hillary Clinton's speeches to Goldman Sachs poison her candidacy?  

In 2013, Clinton spoke at three Goldman Sachs events for US$675,000.

Former Senator Hillary Clinton still claims solidarity with working folk & asserts (link): "I did stand up to the banks. I did make it clear that their behavior would not be excused."

Seth Abramson writes (link) that if we saw Clinton's Goldman Sachs speech transcripts, "it could end her candidacy for president."

Goldmangate !

Assorted transcripts & tapes of other Clinton speeches now pepper the internet. But the three Goldman talks (reportedly each an hour-long, @ $225,000 each) were "private" sessions not open to the public. Nice work if you can get it -- but surely not a working class wage.

Major problem is seeking to hide the fact she's highly-corporatist.

Worse for Clinton, the financial services industry is belatedly under huge negative attack from the Panama Papers, Oxfam ("Broken at the Top" - link), and the Bernie Sanders campaign. Self-regulation by Big Business is a dirty joke, considering Enron, the four Trump business bankruptcies, disastrous corporate-led trade agreements (TPP, TTIP), and public bailout of private firms. Now Americans wake up to the rude fact they've heavily subsidized top businesspeople. Surely the Clintons , who've lived top of the world now for 25 years, poorly represent typical citizens. They work hard, but protect the backs of big finance, the banking industry, etc. Hillary's big-money endorsements and coziness with big financiers show she herself is a wealthy oligarch -- no time to befriend the common man, and a tough sell when full-time work doesn't pay a living wage.

http://www.oxfamamerica.org/explore/research-publications/broken-at-the-top

A&B = Corporate PIG

The people of Hawai'i are troubled by water problems. Many areas are dry and in constant fire alert status, large segments of Maui are brown and suffer from desertification.

Some problem is sugar industry diversion of water to their extensive private plantations. Biggest user Alexander & Baldwin (A&B d.b.a. Hawaiian Commercial & Sugar Co. and East Maui Irrigation Co.), has enjoyed favored access to public water supplies for over a century. Protected by political connections, and using their leverage on Maui as supplier of agricultural work for hundreds of people, they've diverted streams and tapped into aquifers. They reportedly (link) divert 160 million gallons of water from 100 streams every day.


This same local power allows them open burning of cane fields, a process that fills the air with smoke, ash, and unknown carcinogenic substances (pesticide residues & miles of plastic pvc pipe and black polyethylene are burned with the cane). Subsequent dust is a further problem - blowing offshore and fouling Hawaiian reefs. Their sloppy land stewardship led to generations of complaints, many claimed local health problems, and continuing scars on the beautiful Maui landscape & offshore.

Now A&B are cutting back. They'll soon stop growing sugar cane. But they still demand continuing priority supplies of fresh Maui water.

Hawai'i's State Legislature should no longer give this billion-dollar-plus corporation open-ended authority to divert an unlimited supply of needed public water for their private operations. 

mauitime magazine cover, 27 Sept 2012

Zapata !

Emiliano Zapata was assassinated on 10 April 1919 age 39.

Zapata struggled for a better world. RIP

Hawaiian Self-Government

Please consider the argument for Hawaiian self-government. Hawai'i's ruled from east coast USA, 5000 miles (8000km) away.

I support Native Hawaiian sovereignty, and have much sympathy for Hawaiian Kingdom activists and the sovereignty asserted & protected by a treasured minority over many decades. But since the 1893 illegal overthrow of Queen Lili'uokalani, it's been 123 years. We've not achieved operational Hawaiian self-government. Controlling a cul-de-sac or a few hamlets is insufficient.

If Native Hawaiians ratify our Kumu Kānāwai (proposed constitution), we then start to form a government. We must expect resistance. Some people probably fear this stage because we're open to infiltration, and entrenched interests will surely seek advantages. We don't wish to trade one set of captors for another. But when the alternative plan is decades more abuse & diminishment from far & near with minimal response, or begrudging Aloha, I'm ready to forge forward now.

Those elected to serve the Native Hawaiian people will be responsible for community reconciliation, and for developing better relationships among the nations of the world, including with the USA. I personally hope we can pilot our lāhui & nation to full & complete independence, maintaining peace, and one day celebrate the shutdown of US military bases. (Others disagree.) Predictable future difficulties include promotion of a complex economy, and the huge challenge to govern unruly Hawaiians. And yes, we may be outmaneuvered once again. But I speak confidently for many Hawaiian warriors --
We will Never Give Up! 

Fools Trust Media

Just saw an interview by Swedish state-run television SVT with Icelandic PM Sigmundur Davíð Gunnlaugsson, where the PM hastily escaped (link) after questions focused on his personal finances.

http://www.svt.se/nyhetsklipp/article7557950.svt

Unfortunately the interview tape (labeled "long version" at 7min 44sec) is nonetheless edited down at a critical time (about 6:18, just before Gunnlaugsson stands up). How much was shaved away, and why? We may never know...

Did the PM in fact "storm out" of the interview as widely reported around the world​? At minimum, the SVT link should not be labeled as "(lång version)" if & when it is crucially incomplete.

Perhaps the Icelandic PM discussed his personal financial details for five or ten minutes before refusing to continue. This is not at all to defend the interviewee, but editing / chopping the tape at that important point is bad journalism.

Important documents such as this interview should be ​trustworthy. The tape is raw in other ways, showing the lighting setup and production staff -- presumably to generate trust.

Show the whole tape. The edit reflects badly on SVT globally. 

We pay for SVT and I feel manipulated.

(more via The Guardian here)

Peaceful Freedom: Malta & Hawai'i?

The highly-strategic Mediterranean islands of Malta were repeatedly occupied by outside forces over thousands of years. Recent transitions were from a British colony, to an independent Commonwealth state, to an independent Republic from 1974 (with British forces still resident). But renegotiated lease agreements at much higher rents led to British military withdrawal in 1979. I enjoyed 31^st March 2016 "Freedom Day" in Malta, and dream Hawai'i finds a similar peaceful path to self-government. The US military, perched on confiscated Hawaiian lands, can't justify or properly pay for their half-dozen military golf courses on O'ahu. Hearty goodbye with Aloha.