We’ve lived so long under the spell of hierarchy—from god-kings to feudal lords to party bosses—that only recently have we awakened to see not only that “regular” citizens have the capacity for self-governance, but that without their engagement our huge global crises cannot be addressed. The changes needed for human society simply to survive, let alone thrive, are so profound that the only way we will move toward them is if we ourselves, regular citizens, feel meaningful ownership of solutions through direct engagement. Our problems are too big, interrelated, and pervasive to yield to directives from on high.
—Frances Moore Lappé, excerpt from Time for Progressives to Grow Up

Saturday, March 14, 2020

Posts that I especially recommend today: Saturday, March 14, 2020

The Defender-Europe 20 military exercise is obviously directed against Russia. So why is it patently inconsistent with the otherwise drastic measures such as limiting crowd sizes, closing schools, cancelling political and sporting events, limiting travel, etc. that many nations are taking to limit the spread of this new Coronavirus that originated in China? Don't misunderstand me--this is a real threat especially to elderly. Meanwhile, this viral attack and NATO countries severe reactions could be the catalyst that tips capitalist economies into collapse if recent adverse effects on capitalist economies continue.  I will await further information on this topic before I consider any suspicions of a 9/11 type of false-flag event to serve several fascist and imperalist interests of the Empire's Deep State, the trans-national finance capitalists whom we are all literally in debt to. (Also, see this --I restored the link to the Voltaire website after discovering that it ultimately went to Facebook. Hopefully it will remain.) Ruling capitalist classes are perfectly capable of gross crimes against humans such as this as they have demonstrated in the past. Whether or not they are capable of this crime, only future events and whistleblowers can reveal. (Update: I noticed this article on the following Monday that Germany is withdrawing their participation in the exercise.)
  • Toilet Paper Is the People’s Vaccine by Edward Curtin from his weblog Behind the Curtain. (Note: I had revised the formatting of my comment when I inadvertently erased my comment. I had a personal experience today with this startling phenomenon, followed by Curtin's article which proposed a theory to explain it. I was not convinced of his theory, but I don't have any other explanation for this irrational practice.)
  • Tulsi’s Emergency UBI Plan & More For Coronavirus. Tulsi Gabbard, who is now excluded from candidate debates by the Democratic Party, appears with Jimmy Dore (via a YouTube channel) to offer her recommendations to cope with the Coronavirus and the experience of Hawaiians who she represents in Congress.
With the last post I have run out of time and energy. Sorry, but I have tasks I need to do.