Wednesday, February 09, 2011

So soon as a mention of 'privacy' as a stimulus to the economy, all kinds of flags go up for the Right Wing.

They immediately think "nudity and kiddy porn." 

That is the furthest from the truth and is actually even more reason why 'privacy' is vital to a democracy.

Earlier I mentioned a book about the founder of The Muslim Brotherhood.   I mentioned that for a specific reason.  But, let's just assume some innocent 'intelliectual' decides to borrow that book from a library.

That same person is seeking employment in a security company.  The person is qualified, more than qualified and his background check is complete and sent to the 'decision makers' for his employment.  They see the applicant reads some rather 'disturbing' material.  So, as a result the applicant that has read historical Muslim material is declined for a 'lesser applicant' without controversial library choices.

There is damage done to a well qualified applicant and it is all because employers can be voyeurs to their employees personal choices.

Republican politicians (click here) on Thursday called for a sweeping new federal law that would require all Internet providers and operators of millions of Wi-Fi access points, even hotels, local coffee shops, and home users, to keep records about users for two years to aid police investigations....

The damage goes beyond personal damage, it impacts social tones and ultimately political decisions.  Economies, quiet frankly, can 'stall' in 'variety' to bring about a very 'stale' market place.

So, if there are such problems in gainful employment how does that translate into economic dynamics?

What will occur and I am confident there are elements in the USA right now, is that people will 'see the profit' in limiting their choices.  Oh, the choices will be there for as long as there is a minimal market, but, the 'self-discipline' of individuals will create a limited demand for specific 'cultural' demands.  The producers of those cultural leanings will do fine, but, there won't be competition from other venues.  The markets will becomes saturated by 'the current fashion' and sales will drop off.  When there is LITTLE change in the market to encourage 'hunger for knowing' there are huge dynamics that create not just limited market choices, but, 'self-limited' political choices.  Elections become meaningless.

When a society becomes 'monotone' and steers away from 'certain topics' then 'the brain trust' is limited.  There is NO creative impact to effect markets.  The culture is stagnant, the knowledge base limited and all kinds of negative dynamics begin because of lack of imagination and creativity.  And let's face it, the people 'getting the jobs' are less qualified, yet more amenable to 'iconography.'

There in lies the dangers of 'the ideologue.'  The perfect world.  The perfect society.  The ANSWERS to all problems. 

World domination to bring about a 'monotone' peace has within its definition GENOCIDE.  Where that so called 'peace' is a result of war, there will be significant deaths that accompany 'change.'

Where 'self-regulation' of choices due to invasion of privacy that results in 'real world' consequences exists SOCIAL BEHAVIORS will result.  That doesn't mean the society is even stable, so much as contained.

Part of what is witnessed in the Middle East is a 'break down' of BEHAVIORS in favor of freedom and choices within that freedom.  There was absolutely NO WAY of predicting what is now transpiring and while it seems 'correct' to pick on the intelligence agencies, the dynamics were ALWAYS there.  I am sure 'that potential' is in reports across years if not decades of assessments.

It is sort of like a bottle of champagne.  The potental for 'the pop' of the cork is inherent to champagne and its 'carafe.'  How does one ask an intelligence agency to 'predict' paradigm shifts?  It is a silly question, because, if intelligence gathering could predict 'social shifts' in behavior Wall Street would be using it for strategies.

The 'day before' the violence in Tunisia was basically the same as it always had been.  What occured when 'the cork popped' in Tunisia was a result of 'the human mind' and the choices it made 'that day.'  What occurred after Tunisia was somewhat more predictable, but, it occurred as quickly as the speed of light becuase 'the champagne' is basically the same across the political spectrum of Northern Africa.  The exception is Egypt and why Egypt is such a wonderful 'leader' for benevolent change in this area of the world.

Intelligence agencies can track weapons, drugs and the people that use both items to elicit power over others, but, it is really difficult to know what information received over social media will 'pop the cork' to explode a new paradigm.

Choice is an economy.  All by itself it is an economy.  The PRIVACY to 'explore' those choices is vital to the growth of those economies.  If there are unexpected events experienced as 'those choices' are made all we as human beings on Earth can hope for is peaceful people seeking their own justice in peaceful ways.  Otherwise, why reach for change if one is not going to be able to enjoy it?

Looks like the oversized potalo masher didn't ease the responsibility of actually counting votes.

Would this have happened to Former Speaker Pelosi? NO!  She knew down to the wire what she was looking at on any bill passage.  Wow.

...The Patriot Act, (click title to entry - thank you) a Bush Administration legacy, has typically been more strongly supported by Republicans than Democrats.
But the House leadership was blindsided Tuesday evening when a Patriot Act extension was defeated....

Blindsided is an interesting word.  Very interesting.

The New Republicans actually gave Boner something to cry about.

They did it 'their way.'  A 'true' Up or Down vote.  I think I am proud of them and if they are finding common ground with Democrats has I had hoped, then I know I am proud of them.

It is interesting to actually see a sincere "Up or Down Vote."  One might call it refreshing.

I also believe they are correct; in that; the Patriot Act was never patriotic.  It is over-reaching and institutes government in the "W"rong places.  The people of the USA need security NOT invasion of privacy for privacy.  If library records are exposed to 'any man' then freedom is lost, not just from the exposure, but, the impunded behavior of citiznens worried about their well being and choices.  Life becomes very politically oriented and is the beginnings of something terrible.  Allowing privacy actually should enhance the market place.

I found an article about 'jobs' from 2003 that I thought might be interesting.

It was from "Business Week."  The cover story is "THECEOOFHIPHOP."

The article I found interesting begins on page 40.  The title to the article is "JOBS: THE TURNING POINT IS HERE."  Yes, it is my personal copy and is in front of me as I write this.

Jobs from 2000, First Quater went from a little over 2% growth to an all time low in Third Quaater, 2001 of Negative 2%.  I don't suppose anyone remembers that?  It occurred right before September 11th.

The jobs rate recovered to a 'flat-line' during the Second Quarter of 2002 and continued there with occassion dips into the negative side for years.  Oddly, the GDP was remarkably well with increases to 6% by Second Quarter 2003.  It was probably war related as it was lackluster previous to that.

Hello?  Saddam was good for Bush /.Cheney-o-nomics.

The bottom line is that GROWTH was viewed in Real Estate, Construction, and Commercial Banking with top job creation falling to Health care and social assistance, Temporary-help services and Accommodations and food service with Government coming in fourth.

We lost construction, real estate and commercial banking at the end of 2008, so what the President is doing to BEGIN new venues of growth in the USA is 'spot on.'  The economy of the Republicans was dead in 2003 and simply died in 2008.

Go, President Obama, Go.

Cause and Effect?

Muzaffar al-Din Shah Qajar (left), king of Persia from 1897-1907, granted a concession in 1901 to William Knox D’Arcy (1849-1917) (right), a British investor, to explore for oil in southern Iran. D’Arcy never visited Iran or any part of the Middle East. He became the first director of the Anglo-Persian Oil Company in 1909.  (Click here)

Certainly every Right Wing Nut recognizes this gentlemen.  I probably don't have to say a word.

I said to myself, "Self?  I wonder if there is any relationship between the arrival of The West and radicalism in the Middle East?"

That gentleman, Imam Shahid Hasan Al-Banna, is the founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, somewhere around the year 1928, I believe.  He was assassinated.  Imagine that, an Imam assassinated.  The year was 1949.

I believe the first oil well was drilled by a US company in Saudi Arabia about 1933.

My dates are a little off.  He was a teacher, as was his father.  He knew little of nothing about Europe and the USA even a the time of his death from assassination at the age of 42-43 years old.  Imagine an Imam being assassinated.  Wow.

They were scholars of 'hadith.'  I doubt anyone reading this knows what 'hadith' is or could state what the 'context' of it might be.  As IGNORANT as these scholars were of The West, could not even conceptualize it; "The West" was never a good landlord and was as IGNORANT about 'hadith' in the land where they found vast profits.  Instead, 'The West' was all about itself and making money.  Shouldn't eveyrone else be?

"A Mosque?  What are you talking about, that thing you wear on your face on Halloween?  Five times a day?  These guys pray in a Mosque five times a day.  No, thanks, once on Saturday or Sunday is all the holiness I need.  They ought to give it a shot, you know?"

S.M. Hasan Al-Banna (click here)

Imam Shahid Hasan Al-Banna born in Egypt (1906- 1949), The founder of Al Ikwan Al Muslimin (The Muslim Brotherhood) the largest Islamic Movement of our time.

He studied Hadith and Shafi' fiqh under his Father Shaykh Abdur Rahaman Al-Banna, which he was considered one of the top Hadith scholar of his time, Shaykh Abdurhaman Al-Banna re-arranged the Musnad of Imam Ahmed ibn Hanbal thus made it much easier for the students of knowledge to search for hadith.
Imam Al Banna is considered by many Muslim scholars worldwide as the Mujaddid of his time (A revival of Islam in the 20th century). He was assassinated in 1949.

This is where it really gets interesting.  The Yom Kipper War.  It was the first time Arab nations encountered the militarization of Israel.

Remember the 1973 oil embargo?  A cartel thing for money, right?  "W"rong.  The embargo was initiated to make an impression on 'The West' regarding the militarization of Israel.  The Arab nations decided their sovereignty was at risk in a way they grossly underestimated.

Oh, yeah. 

What occurred 'to save face' was the first "Middle East Peace Engagement."  There were successful negotiations with Israel to pull back from the Sinai and Golan Heights once the fighting stopped.  The West would do anything for oil and Israel was, after all, dependent (OPPOSITE OF INDEPENDENT / INDEPENDENCE).  The Nixon Administration (George H. W. Bush was ambassador to China at the time.  I think.  Well, he was ambassador to China, I am just wondering the 'timing.') negotiated both with the Arab oil exporting countries end to the embargo in tandem with Egypt, Syria and Israel 'peace settlement.'

It was then the nations of the Middle East found 'the weapons trade' with The West.  They called it "Weapons Trade with Under-developed Countries."  DC still calls it that today.  It is an oxymoron.  Why would any country trade weapons with 'undeveloped' countries?   Any guess?  I can't come up with any.  In this case, it is because The West didn't want economic collapse when the oil spigot was turned off.  Then later there was the Iran Contra Affair and that whole mess. 
Interesting, huh?

So, now that "Twitter" and social media has opened up the world to Arabia and the people finally 'get it' about democracy and a responsive government, The West is suppose to believe the worst about The Muslim Brotherhood.

Why?

It is probably the first time Arabs 'on the street'' actually know what WESTERNS look like!

So, before the 'morons' on the Right Political Spectrum of the USA start being paranoid about The Muslim Brotherhood, they need to 'bone up' on 'hadith.'  Should be interesting for them.  To actually thinik after all these years of 'fiscal exploitation' of the Middle East, they might actually come to understand 'the natives.' 

After 'really, really' getting ones mind entrenched in 'faux fear' of Middle East Democracy, it sincerely makes one come to appreciate 'The Peace Movement' and opposition to weapons sales.

Get over it.  The Middle East is 'coming into its own,' finally!

Oppression breeds poverty.  Poverty breeds ignorance and extremism.

The USA needs to MODIFY its policies in The Middle East to include 'prudent' weapons sales AND quality of life of civilians.

Bill O'Reilly conducted one of the poorest interviews I have ever witnessed.

I learned NOTHING, except, what O'Reilly wanted the President to say and how insecure the Murdoch anchor was to maintain control of the final product.

What there something 'exclusive' in that interview?

NOPE!  Just incredible disrespect for the President and the audience.