How Information Is Controlled

"Perhaps, when a nation’s press is like this, controlled by oligarchs, the political drift towards and into fascism is inevitable. A ‘democratic’ fascism results if the public are deceived by an oligarchy. Racist fascism becomes then the way to build a passionate reactive compliance among the public, so they’re devoted to destroying what the oligarchs want them to fight and kill, thus to grab for the oligarchs land and resources the oligarchs want to conquer. Such a reactive passion among the public produces for oligarchs cheap soldiers. It cuts oligarchs’ costs, and thereby increases oligarchs’ profits. The idea that the press is merely a passive component in the body-politic is false; maybe it’s actually an oligarchic fraud. But, in any case, a press like this doesn’t merely result from racist fascism; it produces racist fascism. And maybe that explains what is happening in our time. Maybe that’s it. Maybe this press doesn’t merely result from fascism; maybe it causes fascism. Maybe that’s why Hitler posthumously is winning the ideological war he waged against America’s President in his time, FDR. Maybe that’s how fascism is taking over America, at last." 

Note the date of this quote is Nov 2014. I ran across this quote when I read an article that one of the suspects in the downing of MH17, Ukraine,  wrote the official report that blamed the separatists. I found this difficult to believe. However a quick Google search gave strong indication that this was the case. At least they controlled it. And I ran across this quote. 

I still think that the separatists shot down the plane using captured Ukrainian missiles thinking it was one of the bombers attacking civilians. It was at least criminal neglect by Ukraine to route the plane through a war zone. In addition the Ukrainian government has in the past shot down a civilian airliner by accident, as has Russia, as has the US. 

The main point of this blog post is not the airline tragedy. Instead I hope you will focus on the control of the world media by, as the quote puts it, the oligarchs. The "powers that be" control the standard news outlets. You can be assured that if you see something on the news--you are meant to see it. Yes, there are right- and left-wing media sources. But they are wings of the same airplane. 

A good example is pharmaceutical ads I used to see on Faux News when I had cable. These companies are advertising relatively rare medical problems. It cannot really be designed to increase sales. Although with the horrendous markup for these drugs, it might make more economic sense than I am implying.  But the main reason for the ads is to prevent the News from talking about the price that these companies are charging wealthier countries in Western Europe. This is the true market price, and it is much lower than what US medical consumers are charged. As the old saying goes,"He who pays the piper, decides the tune." 

While the alternative media world is better, the obvious ideological blinders make that source also suspect. Not to mention the weirdness of such sources. Actually I will mention it--no matter what you've read on some alternate news source, Michelle Obama is not a man. 

On a recent trip I listened to some talk radio. It has declined dramatically in quality in my old stomping grounds in the Ozarks. One recent guest on talk radio I heard was promoting her book, How to Talk to Aliens. I quickly returned to my iPod music. 

If you do decide to watch traditional media or alternative media, remember that you are being played. I find myself reading less and less of both. I would rather watch old Charlie Chan movies on YouTube. 

Why I Won't Vote For Hillary

Why would I vote for someone who does what God hates? (Yes, I realize that means I won't vote this year.)

 

Proverbs 6: 16-19:

16 There are six things the Lord hates, 
    seven that are detestable to him:
17         haughty eyes,
        a lying tongue,
        hands that shed innocent blood,
18         a heart that devises wicked schemes,
        feet that are quick to rush into evil,
19         a false witness who pours out lies
        and a person who stirs up conflict in the community.

Week 13: How Much of This Are you Doing?

While I do not agree with all of this video that I embed below, I think it is a good starting place to begin again my blog series on health after my vacation. (If you are curious, I already am back to my pre-vacation weight.)

My disagreements focus on two areas.

First, I am more open to supplementation, especially in the short term as one experiments on oneself to decide what works best for you. I do agree that it is important to actually measure vitamin D levels in your blood if you are going to supplement. How else would you know if it is needed or if it is working? In addition I would recommend that one also take magnesium and K-2 if you are taking vitamin D... well, even if you are not. Our modern foods are very low on these items, and they work together with vitamin D. I do not recommend calcium for men. I discussed this in week 5.

Second, the mania for increased grain consumption is not good for a substantial subset of the population. Actually, the difference between whole grain and processed grain is not large in one important area. Both are converted to sugar by the body rather rapidly. We talked about the Glycemic Index in week 9.  Some people think they have had their vegetables if they had French fries for lunch and rice for dinner. No, no you have not. Ketchup is not a vegetable either! I suggest you limit all starches to a large degree. If you are going to eat them, and I do, include them in the grain category. I will be talking about starches and grains next week.

Since the video is a general video I thought it might be time to review what we have talked about. In week 1 I encouraged you to write down everything you eat. With modern iDevices this is actually not as difficult as one would think. It is extremely helpful to actually know, not just think you know, what you eat. 

While I do occasionally drink a diet soda when I am traveling, I have mostly eliminated them from my diet. It is helpful for everyone to do so. Fat people drink diet drinks. 

In week six I point out that one must reduce calories. This is not good news, but it is obviously true. 

Yes, moving your body is necessary. I gave some fun ways to do exactly that in week 7.

Are you eating your vegetables? In week 8 I suggest a very modest 1 cup of cooked vegetables, and an occasional salad, one that you make yourself to control what is in the salad dressing. Not at all difficult, yet many of us don't do it.  

In week 10 we talked about sugar and the dangers it gives to those that eat it. I am not talking about an occasional slice of birthday cake. I am talking about those daily donuts on the way to work. We are just sabotaging our health when we eat too much sugar, especially fructose. 

If we are cnstantly bombarded by food ads, it makes it difficult to avoid eating these foods, usually without even thinking about it. in week 11 we explored advertising and ways to avoid it. 

Restuarants, as much as you can, should be avoided. In week 12 I offer some suggests about how to reduce your eating out.  

We are overweight for a multitude of reasons. I will continue to explore these reasons and suggest ways for gradual improvement.

But in any event this presentation is quite good and helpful and is your "homework" for this week.

Middle Class Angst

Trump is benefiting from the angst the middle class is feeling. The middle class has been hammered for 30 years, and while the middle class may not understand it, they feel it. 

First, what do I mean by middle class? This would be what used to be called blue and white collar workers. Here is one definition from a small business website: 

The terms "blue collar" and "white collar" are occupational classifications that distinguish workers who perform manual labor from workers who perform professional jobs. Historically, blue-collar workers wore uniforms, usually blue, and worked in trade occupations. White-collar workers typically wore white, button down shirts. and worked in office settings. Other aspects that distinguish blue-collar and white-collar workers include earnings and education level.

There are differences between these two groups. The office and lower managerial part of the middle class, white collar, have not been affected as much by the generation-long malaise that the statistics say the middle class is experiencing. The office staff does not care where the widget their company sells is made, New Jersey or Taiwan, they just don't care. The worker making the widget obviously does care.  

The obvious solution from the blue collar perspective is tariffs against the lower wage countries.  Trump and Sanders are the only ones talking about this, and the other Republican candidates are opposed to tariffs for ideological reasons. Of course the fact that those who give money in Republican primary elections tend to be of the class that benefits from a lack of tariffs is just a coincidence.  

The ideology advanced by free trade advocates is supported by what was called "comparative advantage," invented by an Englishman 200 years ago. Of course it is again a coincidence that the country that invented it at the time had all the trade advantages. 

What is comparative advantage? 

Concept in economics that a country should specialize in producing and exporting only those goods and services which it can produce more efficiently (at lower opportunity cost) than other goods and services (which it should import). Comparative advantage results from different endowments of the factors of production (capital, land, labor) entrepreneurial skill, power resources, technology, etc. It therefore follows that free trade is beneficial to all countries, because each can gain if it specializes according to its comparative advantage.

While this is "settled science," I am not at all convinced. First it needs to be pointed out that the playing field between countries is not at all level. I am not talking here about the low wages, although that is a significant factor. A good example is the fact that a modern industrial society's that does not have to properly dispose of its toxins has a much lower cost factor. Health and safety, the lack of worker's compensation, and lower taxes all play a part. Modern economic theory has turned American manufacturing into a wasteland of abandoned factories. 

Russia has also learned that relying on others for essential goods leads to economic dependency, and when sanctions are installed, essential products are no longer able to be purchased. We will see how this plays out as Russia implements a policy of import substitution, where domestic goods are used instead of foreign imports. 

As for the coming election, the number of people that are hurt by free trade are greater in voting power than those that benefit. It is, of course, just a coincidence that those that are hurt are powerless and those that benefit hold the reins of power. Trump is tapping into the angst of the middle class, and Trump will receive a lot more votes from this angst than anyone realizes. This includes tripling the black vote that Romney received in 2012. Ridiculing this phenomenon as "angry white men," in addition to being inaccurate, has increased the alienation felt by the middle class. 

While I still expect another President Clinton in our future, Trump is being lifted up by real economic trends that the establishment refuses to recognize, or gives lip service to without any intention to act on it. 

Week 12: How Dependent Are You?

From Time Enough for Love by Robert Heinlein:

A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects.

So how much of this can you do?

I read recently that "Millennials" spend more for eating out than all the rest of their grocery budget. Since eating out is expensive, I can see that this is true. Let me remind you that the purpose of a restaurant is to separate you from your money. Of course the best way to do that is to provide good service and good food. But anything "good" will be expensive. Another way to make money in a restaurant is not good but quick and cheap. Do you want to bet me about which option most people take? If you drive through any commercial area, you know the answer.

So my action plan for this week is to reduce your eating out, and when you do eat out, eat at better restaurants. Ethnic restaurants can be good choices. But since it is difficult to beat something with nothing let me offer you a way that with an investment of one hour a week you can prepare your lunches in advance. I have used this technique for decades, although currently due to freezer space shortage I am not. I am also assuming that you have access to a microwave at work.

The basic idea is that you make a hearty soup/stew once a week and freeze it into individual servings for lunch. Then, so you don't get tired of one thing, you label these frozen meals with a day of the week. So after your first batch you have lunch for one day for the next 6 weeks. Then you do the same the next week and repeat. After 6 weeks you have a lunch meal for 6 days a week. So you can't complain about a lack of time, who doesn't have one hour a week? This will "kill two birds with one stone." It will be a much healthier alternative and it will be a lot cheaper than eating at a restaurant for lunch.

Here is a recipe for chili that works well for this.

2 lbs meat

One onion

3 cans of beans

I can of peppers in adobo sauce.

1 can of Ro-Tel (hot pepper flavored) tomatoes

2 cans regular tomatoes

2-4 tablespoons chili powder

I fill the large pot I will be making the chili in with regular tomatoes, the Ro-Tel tomatoes, and 1/2 can of the adobo peppers. (I freeze the rest for the next batch.) I also add half the chili powder at this time. I put it on high and stir constantly until it is boiling. My goal is to caramelize the tomatoes, but be careful not to burn them. I reduce the heat to medium. Continue to stir as the boiling stops and then stir from time to time.

Next I prepare the meat in a separate pan. I left the type of meat vague because there are many options. Most would use ground beef. I often use stew meat—but my favorite is lamb. Depending on the meat you may need to use some oil for cooking. I add the rest of the chili powder to the meat. After cooking, remove the grease from the meat but keep it for later. Add the meat to the other pot with the tomatoes.

Add enough of the reserve grease to cook the onion in the same pan that you cooked the meat. I prefer bigger chucks of onion personally. Add the onions to the pot. I personally throw out the leftover grease. If I use good meat, there is usually none left.

While there is considerable debate about beans in the diet, I use them in moderation. For this dish I use one can each of kidney, navy, and black beans. Although the beans are already cooked, I want the flavor to meld so I cook for 30 minutes more.

This makes about 8 servings.

So with a one hour time investment each week you can have your lunches completed in advance You will probably wait longer than that at a restaurant for 6 lunches.

Action Plan: reduce your eating out. Preparing food in advance and freezing is one technique to accomplish this.