The Kleptocratic Empire

[pan]

Stealing us blind.

[waldopaper]

thought I had finally shaken off that black-dog depression yesterday... today it's coming back with a vengeance.... but gonna fight it- unless some physical shit follows- but so far/ so good.  Last night showed a class a South Park episode that explains the "economy" better that anything so far.  The "academics" aren't any smarter... get ticket punched-- get a "J.O.B." ... wonk away for a "paycheck."  Me too... took the best "paper hat" paycheck I could find... because it gradually dawned that even with punched ticket I was totally unemployable in the korporat world.  Old and ugly.  Bad attitude (and "credit")... yadda blah. 

Around 35% of Amerikkkans and stock-ass fucking stoopid.  To return to an old theme, after spending about 20 years trying to figure out what happened to the Germans... well, be careful what you wish for.  The "rhetoric," the Weltanschaung is almost exactly the same... blame the (fill in the blank), exterminate the (fitb), and the "problem" will go away.  "Cut Spending" is the big booyah here in krakkkerland... and they leave off the last of the equation... "for everybody EXCEPT ME."  Dissociative disorder.  The krakkkers will "believe" fucking ANYTHING... as long as it fits into their kandyland fantasy... and they ARE DANGEROUS. 

8am main "google news" story:  Egyptian Army to Back Mubarak.  9am..."story" GONE.  Goebbels could only DREAM of such bullshit. 

 

 

[pan]

Yesterday the wife suggested that, since I can't find meaningful employment that reaches at least half-time (the magic 8 credits when benefits kick in) I should consider going for my fourth degree and become a "Doctor".  After recovering from my bout of depression that that suggestion catalyzed, I was willing to consider her rationale - I would be getting paid as a graduate assistant (and possibly receiving a Fellowship) and, even though the additional letters behind my name would do nothing to improve my job situation, at least I would be surrounded by some semi-intelligent people in the pursuit of learning for a couple of years rather than the idiots here at this Dumbfuck University in Dumbfuck Momoland.

 

The Mormon Mafia is vicious and well-organized; Ms Medusa continues to be subjected to continued baseless accusations, contentious and non-collegial behavior and the temporary Lecturer and temporary part-timer who are "made women" continue to be guaranteed immunity and de facto tenure.  The new Chair is a decent guy but says he "doesn't have enough evidence" in spite of the very well documented pattern of behavior because he is a meat puppet for the old Chair (now Ass. Dean) - a fat toad Born Again hypocrite who feels like Viagra is running through his corpulence when he can "be a man" and defend these women against the nasty, ol' outsider strong woman who doesn't know her place and thinks that she should be judged on merit, not how well she heaves her bosoms and acts the fainting damsel in distress.

 

I brewed some beer yesterday.  Been drinking too much - not stupor stupid 'cuz I know that that just makes me feel like crap and doesn't really do anything to change my depressed state - but still, enough to make it embarrassing to answer truthfully when my Doctor asks me.  I pick myself up and get ready to send out more job applications because I need to get even more rejection letters to complete my collection.  Ms Medusa goads me into continual effort - we are going to Italy to do a project this year because she kept insisting that we do it and I will be putting out grant proposals and incorporating a not for profit arts org. 'cuz she insists that we keep trying to move forward.  I know it's good to keep striving forward even when there is no forward motion so, at the very least, I can fool myself into thinking there is a reason to keep putting one foot in front of the other.  Lack of motion is absolute zero.  Not ready for that yet.

[BO]

From Little Old Me's post about Betty Garrett dieing...

"Garrett had been in good health and taught her usual musical comedy class at Theater West, the non-profit organization she helped found, on Wednesday night, but Friday checked into the hospital with heart trouble, and died with her family at her side the following morning."

 

She was 91. Just think Pan...you could have another 35 years of non-profit work ahead of you. Cherish the thought!  ;-)

[BO]

Hey, how about: "Dancers Without Borders"

[waldopaper]

the PhD thing did not "pencil out" for me last time it was calculated... but going ahead anyway, would be almost there by now.  as is, flopping toward the early "social security" tape.  just in time for the catfood "austerity."  hm- the dox don't ask "that" question much any more.  going in to the ticker guy on monday. 

my little niche is steeped in "rhetorical analysis," i guess because it's 2500 years old, it must be "safe."  every time i hear, "who's your audience" i want to kick furniture.  "perception" is "reality," the "postmodern" paradigm that's wearing a bit thin.  perception is plastic.  does it change "reality," quantum nuh-uh not withstanding?  sheesh.  Sokal hoax waiting to happen (again). 

so i spoze we keep on keepin on cuz dats wot we do.  buzz buzz buzz... i wonder why he does?  "create our own reality..." except where we do not... or CAN not.  is this an important difference?  believe that it is.  "less government" and "stronger defense" is shit.  time to "promote general welfare."  do we even know what that IS?  Perhaps it waits for us... in Slipspace. 

 

 

[waldopaper]

Hate to be a skipping disk, but... "they did this in Germany..." 

"Big business was urging the following demands on the Bruning government:

1. The government must take steps to lower the cost of production and widen the profit margin.

2. Lower taxes

3. Reduce the size of government.

4. Lower unemployment insurance benefit

5. The government must allow wages to progress to lower levels, by voiding labor contracts and binding arbitration." 

 

...and here in krakkkerland, you get to hear this kinda krap all the time.  We export it. 

Mebbe that's why Germans think we're insane. 

[BO]

This ain't a country...it's a resort for the rich. Only question in my mind is, how fucking long will it be before the idiot house servants start to kill the guests.

[waldopaper]

Good time to re-read The kitchification of Sept. 11... because the "9-12 patriots" are very much among us. 

"We are not as dejected as we profess but in fact excited, a repulsive notion that we hide from ourselves, burying our euphoria deeper and deeper in sentimentality, becoming all the more long-faced the more gleeful we are at having come together as one." 

Ein Volk.  Ein Reich.  Ein Fuehrer. 

 

"

[waldopaper]

Really- are any of us THAT different from the Westboro Baptist Church?  

[BO]

I hope so.

[pan]

Yes.

Some of us responded to the kitsch and the war drums that followed the bombing of the symbols of US dominance and decadence - the World Trade Center and the Pentagon - by waking up to just how absurd the herded American culture is.  Some, in more prominent positions like Ward Churchill, dared to say that the Emperor wore no clothes.  Others, toiling away in nearly complete anonymity like the members of this little community, dare to say it locally by writing letters to the local paper, demonstrating with the 10 or so fellow travelers while having abuse heaped upon them by white rednecks in blue jeans,  posting articles on their office door - sometimes rewarded by having colleagues meekly and secretly saying thank you for being brave enough to make a public statement against the lockstep bigotry.

[BO]

Must be a republican cat...