An Act of Assymetrical Caution

It was reported today that Venezuela's president, Hugo Chavez, has ordered the repatriation of his country's gold from storage in European vaults.

No doubt scrinched up sphincters like Senator Mitch McConnell will decry the act as the dastardly deed of an asymetrical terrorist, lunatic. But we wonder...

It certainly seems beyond the pale of short term probability that the United States is intending to invade Venezuela. So why would Chavez apprehend that the world's Righteous Constable would bring intense pressure to bear on its European allies to embargo Venezuela's gold, as they recently embargoed Libya's? One word: Iran.

Is this a whiff in the wind of Zio-Con desires to invade Iran? We hardly need clues from Chavez as to that; and that can hardly have been news to Chavez. But Iran and Venezuela do have commerical and military ties, agreed upon several years back. Of course, we can count on the U.S. press (and its stepinfechts in Europe) not to connect the dots. They, along with the senatorial sphincter, will palaver hotly about what a crazy man Chavez is.... made crazier of course by the chemo... But given the sanctions and pressure that have been brought to bear on Iran and which were this past week announced by the Great Obambi himself, the level-headed man in the equation is in Caracas.

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Blundering Goons Strike Again

One good outcome of the Occupy Wall Street protests is that Americans are (dimly) coming to understand the true face their rulers. This weekend another video went viral, as it showed a cop in riot gear blasting pepper spray into the faces of seated protesters at U.C. Davis, California

Explaining the use of chemical force, Charles J. Kelly, the lieutenant who wrote the department's use of force guidelines, told CBS News that pepper spray was a "compliance tool" that can be used on subjects who do not resist, and which is preferable to simply lifting protesters. "When you start picking up human bodies, you risk hurting them," Kelly said. "Bodies don't have handles on them."

Where exactly on the DSM-IV axis does Kelly’s mental disorder fall? What would anyone call a parent who used a “compliance tool” on a child that was not “non-compliant”? “Sack of Shit” is what comes to my mind, although it doesn’t sound very clinical.

To make matters worse, Kelly blandly proffers up a “rationale” that itself qualifies as pure bullshit. Does Kelly think normal people will fall for this crap? He does. Why not? Judges lap it all the time, in case after case on a daily basis.

Anyone who has any doubts need only attend a Fourth Amendment suppression hearing, (if any are being held anymore). If sober minded, impartial, professionally trained magistrates and Supreme Court justices find such justifications to be “reasonable” why shouldn’t the public?

One of the most constitutionally destructive statements ever uttered was Justice Cardozo’s moronic statement that excluding illegally seized evidence means "the criminal is to go free just because the constable blundered." (People v. Defore (1928) 242 N.Y. 13; 150 N.E. 585.)

There was no “blunder” in Defore. In that case, the officer arrested defendant, in a public place, on suspicion of petty theft (for which he was later acquitted). Without a warrant, he then entered and ransacked defendant’s private quarters as a result of which he seized an illegal blackjack.

Although intoned in the context of an illegal search, Cardozo’s Stupidity quickly entered American lore. Our police, ever valiant and ever true, don’t do evil or sadistic things ... they just ...uh... blunder.

They blunder on the stand. They call it “testilying”. They blunder in sworn affidavits. It’s called “mis-omissions.” They blunder into murder, “confusing” the grip of their gun for their tasers.

And when they cannot think up of a blunder on their own, the appellate courts of the country are there to help them conjure up fantasy “safety rationales” and other excuses aimed at justifying unrestrained police prerogative and brutality.

The public lapped it up too, never missing a chance to jump for a hobgloblin which proved the cheapest way for politicians to gain votes. The cry went up: “Don’t shackle the police!” After all, the Constitution is too good to “waste” on criminals.

A culture of indulged and excused brutality permeated our para-militarized police forces which increasingly saw themselves as a society unto themselves. Even judges, who ought to have known better, didn’t bat an eye as police referred to ordinary, lesser citizens as “civilians”.

Here’s a clue: police are civilians too. When they cease to be civilians, society is ruled by de facto martial law. That day already arrived. The grunts doing their basic “full spectrum” training in Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan, who do not succumb to PTSD, will be tomorrow’s “blundering constables” kicking ass on American streets.

The corporate-bankster police state is prepared. Although the snivelling, stepinfechit press doesn’t report on it, police departments around the country are armed with spy and killer drones. They are armed with slippery goo that reduces all friction and makes it impossible to stand or even sit. They are armed with sonic cannon that make such brain blasting sounds you can’t control your own bowels. They are armed with laser beams that cause “intense” agonizing burning sensations. And if anyone thinks that cops have a shred of even animal decency that would embarrass them from using these “compliance tools” on you, think again.

Photo: AP/Thomas K. Fowler

Our Daily Belt

A very disturbing video circulating on YouTube captures a Judge William Adams, of Rockport Texas beating his then 16-year-old daughter with a belt, apparently, for violating house-rules on computer use and internet browsing. The video has been handed over to Federal prosecutors who have yet to comment on the matter.

In actuality, the video does not show anything more unusual or outrageous than what takes places cuotidianum hodie in the ordinary, average dysfunctional family unit: Dad wallops shrieking, crying, pleading daughter while a hubby-supportive and self-exculpating wife looks on and explains that daughter has brought this all upon herself.

Speaking to reporters, Judge Adams, says that the video "looks worse than it is." He should know. It's the sort of excuse he must hear every day from criminals up for sentencing.

Plus... we should not forget that supposedly innocent daughter was the one who secretly stashed away a camcorder so as to capture the whole scene... no doubt including her knowing and well-effected dramatic skills. Some victim!!

So Judge Adams yells and screams at his daughter for seven minutes straight and tells her repeatedly to lie on her stomach and (as mother puts it) take her punishment "like a grown up woman." You earned it, now take it. We all get what we deserve. Even Jesus.

Clearly, children can be disobedient, deceptive and manipulative. And when they are so chronically, what's an exasperated parent to do? What judge dipshit doesn't seem to understand is that children are just that: dependents. They are not autonomous. Everything they need, are and habituate to is a reflection of the Dominus Domi. However things got to the point where daughter felt the need to secretly tape dad reacting to whatever violation of house rules took place, the responsibility must of necessity return to source. In law, Judge, it's known as respondeat superior.

The well advised angel hesitates to tread into anyones domestic affairs; and, it is perhaps the case, that the thwacking looks worse than it really was. But it's the ice-berg beneath the surface that is causes the shudders.

If Judge Adams does this to his daughter, what must he do to his dogs?

Brrrrr.

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Flash-Banging the Right to Peaceably Assemble

Scott Olsen, 24, served two tours of duty in Iraq as a U.S. Marine. In July 2011, after returning Stateside, he moved to the San Francisco Bay Area where he worked with a software company. He also became active with Iraq Veterans Against the War.

On Tuesday, October 26, Olsen joined approximately 1000 other “Occupiers” marching on Frank Ogawa Place, in Oakland.

Earlier in the day, the police had “cleared” the two-week long encampment at the Plaza. At 4:45 AM (Tuesday) hundreds of multi-task force officers marched on the Plaza and ordered to Occupiers to disperse. Five minutes later, the police lobbed “flash-bang” grenades into the crowd

Speaking in de rigueur mili-cop speak, Oakland city spokesperson, Karen Boyd, said "We have contained the plaza, we are in the process of mobilizing the clean-up phase."

Boyd went on to say that “it was apparent that neither the demonstrators nor the city could maintain safe or sanitary conditions, or control the ongoing vandalism" and that "those arrested now face charges for camping or assembling without a permit".

Throughout Tuesday, police and demonstrators contained one another on the streets leading to the park. At this time, protestors splattered the police with paint.

The confrontation continued on into the night at which time things had more or less lulled into a standoff. Videos taken at the scene show protestors standing about in an intersection with the police aligned behind metal barricades drawn across the street leading to the park.

(video by vimeo.com/31187119)

At this time, and without any provocation, the police fired tear gas cannisters and a flash-bang into the crowd hitting Olsen in the head. Olsen fell to the ground and the police continued firing as other protestors rush to his assistance. Olsen is carried away with a bloody gash in his forhead and taken to hospital where he was listed as being in critical but stable condition.

As Olsen was being carried off, President Obama was being broadcast on the Jay Leno Show. Obama says that the protests indicate people are “frustrated”.

The following day (Wednesday) Oakland officials start the usual cover up.

Police Chief Howard Jordan said at a late afternoon news conference that the events leading up to Olsen's injury would be investigated as vigorously as a fatal police shooting. (Yawn)

"It's unfortunate it happened. I wish that it didn't happen. Our goal, obviously, isn't to cause injury to anyone," the chief said. (Yeah, "obviously". )

"We are committed to allowing free speech," he said, "but the First Amendment doesn't allow violence or endangering the public or property." (What "violence"? The potential violence that might have occurred had police not fired into the crowd to prevent violence from occuring?)

As it emerged, on Thursday, that the police had in fact lobbed a flash-bang, officials began back pedalling further.

City officials claimed that the plaza was damaged by graffiti, litter and unspecified vandalism. Police officials implied that perhaps non Oakland police units were responsible for the projectile that hit Olsen, although they did not deny having used flash-bangs earlier in the day.

In a news conference, Oakland major, Jean Quan sought to distance herself from the police action, saying she was away in Washington at the time and had not expected it to unfold the way it did.

The New York Times opined that “stressed out cities” around the country were having difficulty containing the protests. Speaking on the Jay Leno Show, on the night Olsen was hit, President Obama said that while he understood the “frustration” felt by many people he could not condone lawlessness.

The “frustration” people feel is at a corpocracy that does not minimally meet the needs of ordinary people. Democrats and Republicans can log-jam one another all they want neither party meets the needs of ordinary people. President Obama can understand all he want, he chose to help out banks instead of ordinary people.

What stresses out cities is non-existent revenues which are the result of non-existent economies. Last, but not least, what is “lawless” is police firing at people as if they were targets in some cop joy-shoot. No action of the protestors damaged much less “endangered” property. Since when does marching down a street put property “at risk” other than in a fevered imagination? It is precisely to foreclose that kind of repressive excuses that the Constitution guarantees the right to peaceably assemble.

For exercising that right, Scott Olsen was almost killed by a “non-lethal” projectile fired at close range.

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Half a Percent for Ninety Nine Percent!

In the news today, it was reported that President Obama once again used his executive authority to implement a legislative change -- this time, to ease the debt burden on student loans.

According to reports, the executive order moves up the effective date of a previoulsy enacted law which reduced maximum required repayments from 15 to 10 percent of annual discretionary income. Under Obama's order, the law will take effect in 2012 instead of 2014. Obama's executive action will also allow student-borrowers to consolidate their loans into a single government debt, carrying an interest rate that is half a percent lower than at present.

Obama's move is such patent financial demagoguery it is hard not to laugh. Obama is obviously feeling the heat of his own betrayal of the 99 percent. His answer? Shave off half a percent!

This is the third time within the week that Obama has announced an executive action which bypasses the congressional dead end. Earlier in the week he announced a housing re-fi plan and a job-training program for veterans. Needless to say, the Republicans are huffing indignantly about constitutionalism and the End of the Republic!

In all honesty, it would be unfair to accuse Obama of "currying favor" with the demos like kings scattering coin to the jubilant throng or would-be emperors promising donatives to the Praetorian Guard in quid pro quo of electoral support. It would be unfair because such transparent skullduggery is exactly what American democracy is all about. Getting some change to the Code of Federal Regulations is what a thousand-bucks-a-plate is for.

What is scandalous is how cheaply Obama seeks to buy student support. Big Bank, Big Pharma, Big Inc., big anything get small, teensy changes in the law through which billions in profits are siphoned. Rope through the eye of a needle? No problem. But when it comes to buying the support of ordinary people, the small change produces small change.

According to the WSJ, Julie Margetta Morgan, a policy analyst at the liberal think tank Center for American Progress, called the Obama plan a step in the right direction, but said that without Congress on board, the White House can't advance "the kind of really big changes we want to see."

The really big change would be for Obama and Congress both to stop thinking in terms of leveraging the profit generator to gear-in some small social or economic change. What students need is European style merit-based university education that taxes only the brain.

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Official Bullshit and Twin Hole Memorial

But lo! On closer inspection, all the skillfully "angled" photographs were not able to hide a salient fact: virtually no one showed up for the events, and those that did were mostly in some sort of uniform or married to a uniform. The number of people surrounding the massive Twin Hole Memorial, could not have numbered more than 1000 and was more like 500. And this despite the Real Presence of two Presidents!!

What was the rest of the country doing? Around here, at least, they were strolling babies, walking dogs, necking in woodsy nooks and splashing into water holes, on a lovely bright day.

As for "the News".... it was all Official BULLSHIT.

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Transparency

Headline (August 22): Rebels Enter Tripoli. (ABC News)

News story shows fresh-faced Twitterites rejoicing.

Headline:(August 23): The Scramble for Access to Libya's Oil... Begins. (NYT)

"Colonel Qaddafi proved to be a problematic partner for international oil .... A new government with close ties to NATO may be an easier partner for Western nations to deal with."

Headline (August 25): European Firms Hoping for Big Business in Libya (Spiegel)

"[Under Qadaffi] it was a difficult country to do business in. State-owned companies dominated most markets,... Now, though, companies are hopeful that the incoming government -- however it might ultimately look -- will provide better conditions for doing business. During [a] meeting with the transitional council, the German economic leaders were assured that the private economy would be strengthened, ..."

Headline (August 26): United Nations unfreezes Libyan Assets (NYT)

"The Obama administration is working to find ways to provide financial assistance to the rebels in Libya, officials said Monday ..." and as a result "[t]he Security Council committee that monitors sanctions against Libya agreed on Thursday to unfreeze $1.5 billion in Libyan assets for emergency aid to the country, where rebel forces that have ousted Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi are confronting a humanitarian crisis as they attempt to establish security and form a new government."

-oOo-

We previously wrote that the Obama Administration had successfully roped in NATO as an adjunct partner in the U.S. global war against terrorism.

We recently wrote that the core strategy of the U.S. "security wars" is to promote chaos and civil degradation so as to create perpetually fluid conditions for exploitation and control of resources. The strategists and leaders of the "First World" have realized that it is no longer necessary to go through the trouble and expense of installing despot puppets like Augusto Pinochet. It quite suffices to destroy whatever national authority exists and to negotiate contracts with whatever tribal or urban gangs (passing off as a "transitional government) are nearest to the bananas we want to pick.

©Woodchip Gazette, 2011.
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