Tuesday, September 28, 2021

What Is A Suspicionist?

A Suspicionist 
is a person who does not, for lack of final factual verification, completely accept any particular conspiracy theory, but who nonetheless 
has sincere and strong suspicions that the 
"official stories" given for certain 
big events in human history are 
not adequate, seem incongruous or flawed, 
or could realistically be a "coverup-story"----Especially when the concept of  CUI BONO ("who benefits"?) is applied, and a strong probable motive is discovered for powerful forces who would reap that benefit. 

Tower 7 on 9-11
 

Link:
 Judge Napolitano says: Be suspicious of 9-11 "Official story"

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                                                 Remember The Maine...

                        Destroyed hulk of USS Maine, Havana Harbor, 1898


link:
American Citizens lied to and tricked into wars, again and again


                                 




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Saturday, September 18, 2021

Inconvenient Fact: Immigration Cannot Be Separated from Other Issues

Trade Policy, Economics and Foreign Policy are Big Drivers of Immigration; The Drug War Has Been a Giant Driver of Asylum-Seekers. -- We need to stop talking about immigration as a separate issue, all by itself, because it’s not. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If we are honest and avoid shifting blame, we will see that America itself is most of the cause of any immigration problems certain politicians are making noise about. The US fully supports (yes, both Obama AND Trump) oppressive, thuggish regimes in Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras, and other countries in the hemisphere, who threaten, imprison and kill their own citizens and are nowhere near democratic. ==== U.S. policy in Honduras has driven immigrants to leave their home country and go north to the U.S. This is a long-term problem. U.S. foreign policy over a century has affected immigration from the countries America exploits. ==== In 2018, Mexico elected a moderate Democratic-Socialist leader who purportedly wants to do some things for the Mexican people (not just the oligarchs). If we let him, more Mexicans could possibly have a decent life there, and have something to stay for, instead of fleeing north. ====
America has a long history of meddling and dominance in this hemisphere, empowered by the so-called "Monroe Doctrine". So it would be normal for the US to find ways to interfere with Mexico’s socialist-populist reform efforts, if they hurt American profits in any way. We will see. ====
This is true of most countries in Central and South America. Many have pondered this simple point -- If America could just let the people in those countries live a decent, self-supporting life, then they would have no reason to uproot their families and leave on the perilous journey north. ====
Trade Policy Is a Big Driver of Immigration -- NAFTA (passed by an alliance of Republicans and Clinton-Democrats) destroyed the ability of millions of small farmers who could modestly support their families by selling their produce in local markets. ==== NAFTA allowed big industrial agricultural corporations in America to flood Mexico with cheap produce and put those small farmers out of business. Millions were compelled to leave Mexico in the mid-late 1990s and flee north, fueling the rapid flow of undocumented immigration at that time. NAFTA is a perfect example of how neoliberal pro-corporate policy can have an adverse affect on immigration. ====
The Drug War Has Been a Giant Driver of Asylum-Seekers -- Central America’s current drug-gang cartels started right here in America, and were seeded by the deportation of hard-core gang members in the 1980s/1990s. ==== By themselves, those deportations wouldn’t have been enough to create the current level of problems. But the huge volumes of drugs that flow North, combined with the large amounts of money and arms that flow South, over decades, has cultivated and nurtured those gangs into some of today’s most deadly and powerful cartels. ==== These are the same cartels that kill and threaten citizens in Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador, and drive them north to escape being attacked or murdered. ====
America's long-term policy of installing or backing regimes who behave favorably towards US Corporations contributes greatly to economic hardships in Latin America----The kind of hardships that motivate people to want to leave their countries of birth and make a new start elsewhere.==== Right now, 2 countries that do not yet send a large flow of immigrants north are Venezuela and Nicaragua. America does not have influence or good relations with the governments of either country at this time. But wealthy corporate forces have a longterm financial interest in de-stabilization and regime-change in those countries. They are already at work doing just that, although progress has thankfully been slow. So far, immigration from those 2 countries is still very low. ==== However, such de-stabilization, if continued, will likely result in those 2 countries having leaders installed who will oppress their own people, degrade the standard-of-living for average citizens in those countries, and drive millions more of them north to America in a desperate flight for survival.
This is the established pattern in a group of Central American countries. And, let’s not pretend otherwise -America is in the driver’s seat. ==== We need to stop talking about immigration as a separate issue, all by itself, because it’s not. It’s time to start talking about immigration in terms of the several other major issues that clearly affect it. ====
America could cut immigration back hugely by just being a decent country to others in the hemisphere, actually promoting Democracy (like it always SAYS it does) and not being such a bad influence on other countries in its sphere, in order to gain economic or other favors with oppressive ruling elites. ==== America could stop supporting cruel oligarchs who give American corporations sweetheart deals, and start supporting popular leaders who sincerely seek to improve the standard-of-living in their country. America could stop pursuing trade deals that by design, hurt average citizens in many countries (including America) in order to enrich international investors and business owners. America could end the Drug War once and for all, and stem much of the flow of drugs going north, money and guns going south.
America should also stop reflexively attacking other countries in its sphere for the ”crime" of seeking mild socialistic policies that benefit regular people in those countries (in terms of education, healthcare, and decent infrastructure). ==== These policies can create more stability and make those countries more desirable to live in, resulting in decreased immigration. That’s a no-brainer. Or at least it should be. Many of America’s policies, basically, in total, constitute immigration-driving bad behavior by the dominant player in this hemisphere, due to its addiction to exploitation of weaker countries. ==== But let’s face it—Bad behavior makes money for our ruling wealthy elites. That’s why America does it. So this horror will probably just keep on going. Until we seriously question and re-evaluate those other policies, you can forget about finding a real solution to any problems America may have with immigration.

Wednesday, February 10, 2021

KEY REPEATED WORDS IN TRUMP'S JAN 5TH PRE-RIOT SPEECH

fight--used 20 times, and echoed/repeated additional times by the crowd peace--Used once (in word, "peacefully") cheat--Used 3 times ("cheat", "cheated", "cheating") voting-used 11 times vote--used 97 times ("vote", "votes", "voters") totally--used 11 times constitution--used 15 times (includes "unconstitutional", twice) ballot--used 55 times (occasionally "ballots" or "balloting") steal--used 4 times rigged--used 4 times democrat--used 22 times ("democrat" or "democrats") won--used 11 times win--used 8 times ("win", "wins") lost--used 7 times republican--used 23 times ("republican", "republicans") media--used 16 times I hope--used 7 times fake news--used 6 times weak--used 12 times ("weakened" twice, "weakness" once) strong--used 5 times ("stronger" once) problem--used 5 times tough--used 4 times ("tough", "get tougher") destroy--used 6 times (mostly "destroyed", "destroy" used once) help--used 6 times ("help" 3 times, "helped" 3 times) hurt--used 6 times false--used 3 times security--used 3 times hell--used 13 times bullshit--used once damn--used 3 times fraud--used 22 times ("fraudulent", "defrauded") control--used 4 times China--used 4 times America--used 16 times ("American" or "Americans", used about 1/2 the time) election--used 53 times (includes "elections" at least several times) guts--used 4 times courage--used 8 times ("courageous" twice) President--used 25 times (in "Vice president" twice) illegal--used 24 times (includes "illegally" 11 times) great--used 31 times (includes "greatness" several times, "greater" once) challenge--used 4 times Text of speech: Good background info on Trump's use of language: https://www.brandeis.edu/now/2021/january/trump-language-capitol-riot-mcintosh.html?fbclid=IwAR3imSkIJtOFz_ykS6_exZ_aWXol-rZmO4TIfeQUzsuNdHSNN9jBsgP2z90

Monday, February 8, 2021

ANTI-FASCISM ---- SOME HISTORY


In a very real sense, Hemingway was an Original "ANTIFA" member


     Hemingway reported-on and assisted the anti-fascists of Spain 
                               in the 1930s)





                               
                               The Famous Motto on Woodie's Guitar


"The biggest threat to America today 
is not communism. It's moving America 
toward a fascist theocracy"
----Frank Zappa








      Link:    
   Hedy Lamarr, Actor, Inventor, Anti-Fascist





                        Pablo Picasso's anti-fascist 
                        and anti-war masterpiece,
                        Guernica
Link:
Picasso’s weapon against fascism: 
Why “Guernica” is the greatest of all war paintings



PAN'S LABYRINTH--"Del Toro's monster movie of fascism"

          Link:
    The Antifascism Of Pan’s Labyrinth














LINK:
CHRIS HEDGES ON THE CURRENT RISE 
IN AMERICAN FASCISM

Link:
AN ARTIST SHOWS US A WAY OF BATTLING FASCISM


                                                      KU  KLUX  KLOWNS


Even the slapstick 3 Stooges satirized German fascism
back in 1940, ahead of US public consensus, in their famous episode, "You Nazti Spy!"





                              Chomsky on fascism




“A fascist is one whose lust for money or power is combined with such an intensity of intolerance toward those of other races, parties, classes, religions, cultures, regions or nations as to make him ruthless in his use of deceit or violence to attain his ends.” 
  ―Henry A. Wallace


“If a nation is leaving democracy and choosing fascism, it means that it is taking itself from a peaceful garden to a bloody slaughter house!” 
  ―Mehmet Murat ildan



“When Fascism came into power, most people were unprepared, both theoretically and practically. They were unable to believe that man could exhibit such propensities for evil, such lust for power, such disregard for the rights of the weak, or such yearning for submission. Only a few had been aware of the rumbling of the volcano preceding the outbreak.” 
  ―Erich FrommEscape from Freedom


“How anyone can vote to support any form of fascism, knowing history, is beyond me - which leads me to draw the conclusion that either the people who voted to support it don't know what they are doing - or that they know exactly what they are doing.”
   ―Christina EngelaAll That Remains



“The worst illiterate is the political illiterate, he doesn’t hear, 
doesn’t speak, nor participates in the political events. He doesn’t 
know the cost of life, the price of the bean, of the fish, 
of the flour, of the rent, of the shoes and of the medicine, 
all depends on political decisions. The political illiterate 
is so stupid that he is proud and swells his chest saying 
that he hates politics. The imbecile doesn’t know that, 
from his political ignorance is born the prostitute, the 
abandoned child, and the worst thieves of all, the bad politician, 
corrupted and flunky of the national and multinational companies.” 
Bertolt Brecht

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Opinion of this blogger:

While not everyone who claims to be anti-fascist may be sincere or honorable (and they may be judged on their tactics), 
those who insist on a false equivalency between Fascism and Anti-Fascism are either uninformed, or fascistic themselves.






In America today, there are many 
non-violent ways to accomplish this:







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Monday, June 29, 2020

WAS THE 1952 KERN COUNTY, CALIFORNIA EARTHQUAKE CAUSED BY OIL DRILLING?



The 1952 Kern County,California Earthquake near Bakersfield had a 7.3 magnitude (listed at 7.5 in some references), caused much damage, killed 14 people and injured hundreds. 

Most of Southern and Central California felt the shaking

                     Many pictures of the damage were taken.






But was this earthquake actually triggered accidentally by oil-drilling operations underway on the White Wolf fault in the Tehachapi mountains, as recent studies seem to indicate?

EXCERPT:
                                      "Several recent studies have presented evidence that significant induced earthquakes occurred in a number of oil-producing regions during the early and mid-twentieth century related to either production or wastewater injection. We consider whether the 21 July 1952 Mw 7.5 Kern County earthquake might have been induced by production in the Wheeler Ridge oil field. The mainshock, which was not preceded by any significant foreshocks, occurred 98 days after the initial production of oil in Eocene strata at depths reaching 3 km, within ~1 km of the White Wolf fault (WWF). Based on this spatial and temporal proximity, we explore a potential causal relationship between the earthquake and oil production. While production would have normally be expected to have reduced pore pressure, inhibiting failure on the WWF, we present an analytical model based on industry stratigraphic data and best estimates of parameters whereby an impermeable splay fault adjacent to the main WWF could plausibly have blocked direct pore pressure effects, allowing the poroelastic stress change associated with production to destabilize the WWF, promoting initial failure. This proof-of-concept model can also account for the 98-day delay between the onset of production and the earthquake. While the earthquake clearly released stored tectonic stress, any initial perturbation on or near a major fault system can trigger a larger rupture. Our proposed mechanism provides an explanation for why significant earthquakes are not commonly induced by production in proximity to major faults."

2nd  EXCERPT: 

"The hazard associated with induced earthquakes has come to the fore in recent years with the rise in seismic activity, including events with magnitudes upwards of 4, in areas where there has been an increase in subsurface fluid injection and production operations, including both hydraulic fracturing (Schulz et al. ; Atkinson et al. ) and injection of large volumes of wastewater (Keranen et al. ; Goebel et al. ; Walsh and Zoback ; Weingarten et al. ). While the association between earthquakes and wastewater injection was established in the late 1960s (Evans ), and a small number of published studies in the twentieth century identified potentially induced events associated with fossil fuel production (Caloi et al. ; Kovach ; Simpson and Leith ; Nicholson and Wesson ), the level of hazard associated with induced earthquakes has only in recent years been evaluated (Petersen et al. ). Several recent studies have presented evidence suggesting that oil and gas production and/or wastewater injection may have caused damaging induced events as early as the early- to mid-twentieth century (Hough and Page ; Frohlich et al. ; Hough and Page ). In this paper, we explore the possibility that the 1952 Kern County, California, earthquake, estimated magnitude 7.3–7.7, might have been induced by oil production in the Wheeler Ridge oil field. We first review the history of oil production in this field; we then discuss the earthquake and its possible association with production."

Final statement:

"Although we cannot rule out the possibility that the 1952 earthquake was purely tectonic in origin, the proximity of the rupture zone for this event to the producing reservoir and the short time lapse between onset of deep production and the occurrence of the 1952 earthquake (98 days) supports the hypothesis that this event was triggered by stress changes associated with oil production."

Excerpts are from:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5693966/









LINKS:

WAS THE 1952 KERN COUNTY EARTHQUAKE INDUCED OR TRIGGERED?



1952 Kern County Earthquake




Other, more recent quakes may have been triggered by oil-drilling as well: 


Kern oil field injections suspected of causing series of 2005 quakes



Study: Oil field operations caused California earthquakes (in 2005)