Archives for category: politics
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Will Ukraine crisis hasten decline of Russia’s global image?

April 13, 2014 //
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By reading the comments at the bottom of this post one would get the feeling that the current Ukrainian government is nothing but a bunch of islamists and that Russia deserves kudos for standing up to western bullies…
Well…the Ukrainians are anything but islamic, bar the Tartars now living in the Russian occupied Crimea, and Putin is not standing up against any bully but trying to get some more elbow room at the bully convention he, and others, is currently attending.
And the rest of us, middle of the road people, will continue to stay in the sorry state we currently dwell as long as we’ll let others speak for us, unchecked. I understand why too many of us are so disheartened but this is exactly where the bullies want us to be and the longer we stay here the harder it will be for us to climb out of here.
So get hold of your shoe laces, pull yourself up and let’s go.
Don’t ask/wait for guidance. You already know, deep in your hearts, what is it that you have to do.

PS I must also mention that there is a big mistake, albeit a common one, to conflate the image of a people with that of those who temporarily rule that people. Yes, there is link between the two, but they are not the same thing. Not even when the rulers are democratically elected and so much less so when we are discussing a country that finds itself under a totalitarian regime.

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Categories politics, Psychology, yes but

Liberty of expression or hidden agenda?

April 10, 2014 //
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I just found out that there is something called MGIMO, a Russian school for diplomats, and that a professor who used to teach there has been sacked for publishing an article in which he equated the annexation of Crimea with Hitler’s 1938 Anschluss. (You can read that article, translated in English, by clicking here)

I did that by reading an article from The Moscow Times, published more than a month after these events have taken place and whose apparent point of interest was the state of turmoil prevalent at MGIMO.

Now, that I finished reading, I am left with a nagging question. What is the real purpose of this article? To demonstrate, against the prevalent feeling, that there still is some ‘freedom of expression’ left in Russia or just to ‘discreetly’ remind us that  “MGIMO has seen at least one other prominent expression of public protest against the government’s actions. In 1956, 18 Hungarian students left MGIMO to protest the advance of Soviet troops into Hungary. Nothing like this happened after the annexation of Crimea, according to Silantyev, who said there were some 1,000 foreign students from about 55 countries studying at MGIMO.”?

Well, Hitler might have acted differently, had Chamberlain and Daladier responded more appropriately to his opening gambits…

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Categories politics, Psychology

Sitting together on a train were Pres. Obama, George W. Bush, a little old lady, and a young blonde girl with large breasts

April 6, 2014 //
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Excellent post.
Obama failed to fulfill, by far, both the promises he made when he run for president AND the hopes/illusions nurtured by those who voted for him but holding him accountant for all the misery that befell on the regular Joe is a little too much.
This kind of mistakes is very costly. Those who forget that the daily actions of each and everyone of us aggregate into our common destiny tend to believe that we might change our fortune simply by changing the leader.
History has proven, time and again, that we’ll keep making the same mistake until we’ll eventually understand what went wrong. And start doing ourselves what needs to be done instead of looking up to somebody above us to direct our actions.

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Categories 1989 and the Global Financial Crisises., politics, Psychology, The world as described in jokes

One joke that covers all corners… of the world

March 31, 2014 //
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Little Akio

The teacher said “Let’s begin by reviewing some history. Who said: ‘Give me Liberty, or give me Death’?” She saw a sea of blank faces, except for Little Akio, a bright foreign exchange student from Japan, who had his hand up: “Patrick Henry, 1775 ” he said. “Very good!”

“Who said: ‘Government of the People, by the People, for the People, shall not perish from the Earth’?” Again, no response except from Little Akio: “Abraham Lincoln, 1863”. “Excellent!” said the teacher continuing.

“Let’s try one a bit more difficult. Who said, ‘Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country’?” Once again, Akio’s was the only hand in the air and he said: “John F. Kennedy, 1961”.

The teacher snapped at the class “Class, you should be ashamed of yourselves. Little Akio isn’t from this country and he knows more about our history than you do”.

She heard a loud whisper: “Fuck the Japs”. “WHO SAID THAT? I want to know right now!” she angrily demanded. Little Akio put his hand up “General MacArthur, 1945”.

At that point, a student in the back said “I’m gonna puke”. The teacher glares around and asks “All right! Now who said that?” Again, Little Akio says “George Bush to the Japanese Prime Minister, 1991”.

Now furious, another student yells “Oh yeah? Suck this!” Little Akio jumps out of his chair waving his hand and shouts to the teacher “Bill Clinton, to Monica Lewinsky, 1997!”

Now with almost mob hysteria someone said “You little shit! If you say anything else, I’ll kill you!” Little Akio frantically yells at the top of his voice “Michael Jackson to the children testifying against him, 2004”.

The teacher fainted.

As the class gathered around the teacher on the floor, someone said “Oh shit, we’re screwed!” Little Akio said quietly:

– “Albertans, if Justin Trudeau gets elected PM”.

– “The people of Pakistan, when Zardari became President, 2008.”

– “The City of Toronto, if Rob Ford gets re-elected as mayor.”

– “The Egyptian people, 4 month after Moursi was elected.”

– “The Australian people, when Gillard was elected, August 2010.”

–  ‘The Bermudian people, November 9, 1998.’ …

.

.

.

“What’s the meaning of all this?”, you probably ask yourself right now!
Well…how about globalization going on so well that we all share the same problem?

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Categories politics, The world as described in jokes

‘NSA proof internet platform’?!?

March 28, 2014 //
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“MIT researchers built NSA proof internet platform.

Major online security and data hacks exposing sensitive user information have become commonplace in the digital age thanks to criminals and governments alike, but researchers at MIT think it’s time to change that….”

Read more: http://dailycaller.com/2014/03/26/mit-researchers-build-nsa-proof-internet-platform/#ixzz2xFiTNUjA

 

I have a strong hunch that if those guys at NSA weren’t so ‘aggressive’ at collecting all kind of data all from all over the world it is highly possible that people wouldn’t have gotten so pissed off about the whole thing as to invent this contraption…
Now, with this new tool at their disposal, conspirators have gotten a gulp of fresh air at the expense of the rest of us…

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Categories politics, yes but

Pe ce se bazeaza increderea

March 26, 2014 //
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Pe timp si pe experienta lucrului facut asa cum trebuie:

 

“Surowiecki ne spune că un sistem fiscal eficient se bazează în primul rând pe încrederea contribuabililor: în primul rând în Guvern că foloseşte banii judicios şi, în al doilea rând, în faptul că toată lumea respectă regulile jocului şi nu încearcă să trişeze. Dacă această încredere este erodată, atunci întreg sistemul se clatină şi merge către colaps”, punctează Gabriel Sincu.”

http://www.money.ro/aletra-72prc–dintre-antreprenori-considera-ca-mediul-fiscal-s-a-deteriorat_1257701.html

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Categories aici sunt banii dumneavoastra, Culture, Economy, politics, Psychology, Tara din care traim

Cum e cu ‘rostul’.

March 23, 2014 //
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A incercat sa construiasca capitalismul in Romania si n-a reusit dupa cum nici parintii sai n-au reusit sa construiasca socialismul.
N-a mai rezistat asa ca a plecat pe alte meleaguri.

Dar nu s-a scarbit atat de tare incat sa nu-i mai pese si sa nu se mai uite inapoi.
Ne-a lasat mostenire o radiografie foarte exacta.
Iar acum, la ceva mai mult de patru ani distanta, radiografia asta este inca si mai actuala, daca se poate asa ceva, decat atunci cand a fost facuta.

Cum procedam?
Plecam cu totii? Si atunci cine mai stinge lumina?

Sau intelegem o data pentru totdeauna ca ‘Batrinii’, ‘Pamantul’ si ‘Credinta’ nu pot face totul. Ei s-au straduit si ne-au pus la dispozitie roadele muncii lor. Atata au putut! De acum incolo e treaba noastra. Degeaba ne vaicarim sau dam vina pe celalalt.

“Rostul” nu este ceva care poate fi mostenit la nesfarsit. El trebuie luat cu grija de la ‘Batrani’ si reconstruit de fiecare data folosind cu ‘Credinta’ toate resursele pe care ‘Pamantul’ acesta generos ni le pune la dispozitie.

Ne uitam in jur sa vedem pe ce putem pune mana ca sa ne apucam de treaba si pe cine ne putem bizui? Daca da atunci primul pas, adica cel mai greu, catre iesirea din rahat este ca si facut.
Ii chemam inapoi si pe cei care au plecat dar carora inca le mai pasa si care au invatat cate ceva pe acolo pe unde au fost? Ce bine ar fi, in cazul asta am iesi si mai repede la liman.

Ne opreste cineva?
Adica altcineva in afara de temerile noastre?

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Categories politics, Psychology, Tara din care traim

“It’s the law!”

March 23, 2014 //
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“Furthermore, the bill clearly prevents an outside agency, such as the Kansas Bureau of Investigations, from opening an investigation into an allegation that the WPD has already ruled upon.”

I don’t know exactly how penal law works in Kansas but in general there are provisions against people who make malicious complaints which are made with the intent to harass, knowing exactly that those complaints are not really justified. Anyway such provisions should cover everybody, not just the policemen, and extending them to include all false complaints, even those made in good faith, is preposterous.
But even more dangerous is the fact that this law would transform WPD into a self governing agency shielded from outside scrutiny.
If that quote accurately describes the bill and the bill is passed into law then that’s it, the WPD agents will basically be able to do whatever they see fit without having to answer to anybody about their actions….

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Categories politics, Psychology

Mai este politica o arta?

March 15, 2014 //
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Politica a fost o arta si ar trebui sa revina la acea stare.
Din pacate materialitatea vietii cotidiene a pervertit atat conceptul de arta cat si pe cel de politica.
Arta a inceput sa fie inteleasa ca o activitate umana generatoare de frumos iar politica ca pe o actiunea de a reusi intr-un fel sau altul sa ajungi in capul bucatelor pentru a le imparti dupa bunul tau plac.
Daca ne uitam cu mai multa atentie observam totusi ca adevaratii artisti sunt cei care reusesc sa aduca in spatiul public idei sau interpretari noi, care reusesc sa depaseasca obisnuitul pentru a gasi ceva diferit de ceea ce stiam pana atunci. Cu alte cuvinte arta consta in a a gasi o metoda acceptabila pentru a sparge limite considerate pana atunci a fi inexpugnabile.
Tot asa adevarata politica este arta de a pastra impreuna pe membrii unei comunitati, a asigura unui polis cadrul social in care acesta sa poata supravietui. De fapt treaba politicianului consta in a face in asa fel incat sa-i convinga pe locuitorii unui polis sau pe cetatenii unei tari ca le este mai bine daca se ajuta unul pe celalalt decat daca se lupta unul cu celalalt.
O alta formulare ar fi ca misiunea politicianului este sa puna la dispozitia locuitorilor unui polis/cetatenilor unei tari un spatiu social in care acestora sa le fie mai bine atunci cand colaboreaza decat atunci cand incearca sa se insele intre ei.
Iar latura artistica a politicii consta tocmai in faptul ca politicianul de adevarat succes este acela care lasa spatiul respectiv sa se organizeze singur, politicianul intervenind doar pentru a extrage/neutraliza pe cei care rup urzeala firii firii si abtinandu-se de fiecare data cand este tentat de a spune cuiva ce sa faca.

Sau cel putin asa interpretez eu citatul acesta din Lao-tzu :

“As restrictions and prohibitions are multiplied in the Empire, the people grow poorer and poorer. When the people are subjected to overmuch government, the land is thrown into confusion. When the people are skilled in many cunning arts, strange are the objects of luxury that appear.

The greater the number of laws and enactments, the more thieves and robbers there will be. Therefore the Sage says: “So long as I do nothing, the people will work out their own reformation. So long as I love calm, the people will right themselves. If only I keep from meddling, the people will grow rich. If only I am free from desire, the people will come naturally back to simplicity.”

If the government is sluggish and tolerant, the people will be honest and free from guile. If the government is prying and meddling, there will be constant infraction of the law. Is the government corrupt? Then uprightness becomes rare, and goodness becomes strange. Verily, mankind have been under delusion for many a day!”

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Categories Culture, politics, Tara din care traim

Marx, un epigon al lui Platon?

March 12, 2014 //
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Revederea acestui filmulet mi-a readus in minte o mare nedumerire:

Nu cumva Marx este un urmas intarziat al lui Platon?
Varianta originala a povestii se termina altfel.
Platon sustine ca cel care a cunoscut deja adevarul are obligatia de a le deschide ochii fostilor sai colegi, chiar folosind forta daca acestia nu se lasa de buna voie condusi spre lumina.
Tocmai din cauza acestei ‘obligatii’ resimtite de amandoi stau si ma gandesc daca nu cumva de la Platon a imprumutat Marx convingerea ca ‘avant-garda clasei muncitoare’ (patidul comunist) are ‘menirea’ de a-i conduce pe proletari in paradisul terestru, chiar si impotriva dorintei lor…
In ceea ce priveste ‘realitatea’… ambele lumi sunt la fel de reale…in primul rand pentru ca existenta lor nu poate fi pusa la indoiala dar mai ales pentru ca nimic nu este cu adevarat real pana cand nu este luat la cunostinta de un subiect cunoscator.
Simpla existenta unui obiect sau a unui fapt nu ii confera acestuia statutul de real, ele devin reale abia dupa ce existenta lor a fost certificata prin observare de catre o entitate constienta. (de fapt constienta de constiinta sa, e nevoie de o entitate care se poate dedubla, care isi poate spune siesi ‘i-a uita-te ce chestie se intampla aici!’)…

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Categories Lumea descrisa prin bancuri, politics, Psychology
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