Disqus - Friends of haywoodwhy

Re: The Life-and-Death Significance of Democracy

wjohnfaust — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 20:32:25 -0000

Is it democracy or is it the system of private property that inherently unstable. Clearly, democracy is fading here in the US but it seems to be conflated with the notion of private property. As private property is concentrated, so is power.

Re: Is America's Problem That Things Aren't Collapsing Fast Enough? | | AlterNet

wjohnfaust — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 10:49:16 -0000

The problem with a slow collapse is that the planet will continue taking hits. Without a healthy (okay healthier) planet we are really in deep doo-doo. What we need is a collapse of the industrial machinery that is doing most of the damage. Otherwise, there won't be anything left to build on.

Re: Will Peak Oil Turn Flying into Something Only Rich People Can Afford? | Drugs | AlterNet

wjohnfaust — Sat, 08 May 2010 19:52:32 -0000

Actually, this is not a bad thing. Traveling fast is of little value now and will be of less value in the future. As the economy evolves into something more suitable for "the rest of us", life will be decidedly more local and travel will be largely for pleasure or edification. That means it should be slow. Think trains and forget airlines. Let the rich have their toys; they have so little else of value in their lives.

Re: Noam Chomsky: The U.S. Continues to Be a Terrorist State | Books | AlterNet

wjohnfaust — Wed, 12 May 2010 20:46:23 -0000

Mr. Whitney, you have to be careful when you try to discredit someone like Mr. Chomsky who has such a command of the facts and the language. You can quickly get in over your head. And you did.

Re: Chomsky: How the Tea Partiers Are Getting Screwed by Their Own Ideology | Economy | AlterNet

wjohnfaust — Fri, 14 May 2010 14:45:56 -0000

Thanks for another thoughtful (and concise) analysis. We also appreciate the fact that you always provide a very useful language in which to think, discuss and write about these issues -- very important. Hadn't read Mr. Stack's manifesto and didn't realize it was that perceptive.

Re: Nouriel Roubini: How to Break Up the Banks, Stop Massive Bonuses, and Rein in Wall Street Greed | Economy | AlterNet

wjohnfaust — Tue, 18 May 2010 13:26:57 -0000

So what if we took the need for economic growth -- our officially sanctioned Ponzi scheme -- out of the picture? Would things look better then? Would we still have to wring our hands over the relative strength of currencies? Would we still be at the mercy of someone else's policies -- someone to whom we are just "a market" and someone for whom our loss is their gain?

Is economic growth the only path to personal and social well being? What if we abandoned those flashy corporate treadmills set for unlimited, mindless consumption and returned to those set for meeting real needs? Would we have more leisure time? more time for each other? healthier bodies? less burdened by the debris of our consumption frenzies? a healthier planet?

Just wondering.

Re: Are We on the Brink of a New Deal for Local Economies? | Vision | AlterNet

wjohnfaust — Mon, 24 May 2010 13:01:14 -0000

It's a nice encouraging article. Yes, it is still a small movement but a movement nonetheless. It will certainly gain momentum as the deeply-flawed global economy continues to collapse around us. People will ultimately have to turn to local economies. The small efforts now become the models of post-collapse survival. More importantly, if we survive that transition, we might just find we have rediscovered our humanity.

Re: Are Goldman Sachs and the Megabanks Able to Wipe out an Entire Economy with a Keystroke? | Economy | AlterNet

wjohnfaust — Thu, 27 May 2010 16:38:35 -0000

I take it the hypersonic trading that takes place is sold as "merely" an efficiency mechanism that seeks out micro-differences in stock prices in support of arbitrage activities. I also suspect that it is a highly nonlinear system that is also capable of destabilizing the markets in which it operates by propagating false signals throughout. Thus you get things like the Flash Crash.

Whether it is an efficiency tool or a destabilizing tool could depend on the settings of one or more system parameters that can be altered by the operator. If that is true, then it ought to be outlawed until it is demonstrated it is not a destabilizing tool. Anything operating in the market should not change the character of the market -- in this case by destabilizing it. The proprietary nature of the software argument is a crock. Having the ability to propagate false signals throughout the system should not be right. Didn't Goldman Sachs once allow that their software (in the wrong hands) could manipulate the market? Maybe it is in the wrong hands -- GS hands.

Re: 5 Reasons Obama Must Take Over BP | News & Politics | AlterNet

wjohnfaust — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 12:19:02 -0000

I agree. That is what should happen; BP should be nationalized (or placed in receivership). However, that would leave the administration no wiggle room and the problem may indeed be unsolvable. That is, it might not be any easier to cap this gusher that to cap the Icelandic volcano. In that case, it's convenient for the administration not to be in charge. At least if you don't take over, you can superficially blame someone else. But yes. You are right. The administration does need to take over if the interests of the American people count for anything. Hopefully your comments will spark a discussion of this issue beyond this list.

Re: Is God Irrelevant? | Belief | AlterNet

wjohnfaust — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 16:30:38 -0000

From an aesthetics point of view, I really do favor the monistic view of the universe. The dualistic view now seems cobbled together either to alleviate uncertainty or fill in some of the gaps in our understanding. As we progress to a deeper understanding of our elegant Universe, the 'supplemental' god becomes less attractive. A Universe that evolves on a few basic principles from a singularity to something at least as rich as our minuscule planet is god enough for me. Besides, I like not knowing where we are going.

Re: Wall Street Reform: A Good First Step

wjohnfaust — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 22:09:22 -0000

Incrementalism is the way this maladapted "system" works. You offer a few palliatives to those in pain (or just those that might vote); then, while everyone is breathing a pointless sigh of relief, you take it all back and then some. We are a nation in collapse, there isn't much time for small steps. It's just like global warming. There are tipping points looming ahead (or already passed) and we need something fundamental.

On the other hand Zach, I have found your reporting to be very helpful. :^)

Re: Do You Care Whether the Religious Ideas You Believe in Are True or Not? | Belief | AlterNet

wjohnfaust — Sat, 26 Jun 2010 20:29:14 -0000

Greta, This is truly an obsession of yours. Tends to make you appear a bit insecure. I too am an atheist. Have been one since I escaped from the tentacles of Christian belief more than 45 years ago. However, I also know that my reality (grounded in the physical sciences) is based on some assumptions -- most notably there is no transcendent dimension in my universe.

However, I can't prove it doesn't exist. I can only say that up until this point in time, I have no observations that suggest it does. Was Einstein an idiot for claiming that "He [god] does not throw dice" when writing to Born on the seemingly random character built into quantum mechanical laws? Probably not. Can't think of anyone who had a deeper understanding of physical reality. Even though a transcendent dimension hasn't been useful or hasn't interfered in my reality, doesn't mean it can't or won't at some point in the future. It is not a subject for experimental sciences.

Even though many religious beliefs can be harmful, personally, socially and environmentally, I suggest you focus on belief systems that are inherently harmful (e.g., ever-growing economies, human exceptionalism, the transcendence of human technology, empire) and use your considerable thinking skills to struggle against those. When religious belief becomes harmful, it is normally used in the service of some other insidious belief system like those listed above.

I must confess when I was young I spent too much energy trying to disabuse others of their erroneous faith systems. :^)

Re: GOP, proud defenders of corporate interests

wjohnfaust — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 23:39:03 -0000

Quite true. The differences are not meaningful. One "advantage" of having the Rs in control is that things might collapse sooner leaving a bit more of the natural world to work with. With the Ds it would just be death by a thousand cuts. The greens would be fine except that it would take a Faustian bargain to gain admittance to the inner circle.

Re: BP's Hole in the World: The Absurdity of the Fix-It Mentality | News & Politics | AlterNet

wjohnfaust — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 16:45:09 -0000

The precautionary principle would certainly slow things down -- particularly the accumulation of obscene levels of financial wealth. Might even give a lot more of us a chance to experience real wealth -- living on a healthy planet of growing rather than shrinking diversity.

Re: How Twilight Offers Fans the Magic Missing from Organized Religion | Media and Culture | AlterNet

wjohnfaust — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 17:40:27 -0000

It is too bad we have marginalized the nonhuman physical world through technology and outright destruction. It's beauty and mystery (without transcendent dimensions) would more than fill our needs for such things. Sadly, our fabricated human culture has moved such things out of view and emptied our lives correspondingly. Therefore we invent these missing dimensions and do so badly by comparison.

Re: Jackass of the Day Jon Kyl: Huge Tax Breaks for Wealthy Must Continue

wjohnfaust — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 17:27:08 -0000

As Arizonans, many of us feel a strong need to apologize to the rest of the nation (much of it anyway) for the people we send to Washington DC. Sadly, they don't work for us either. They are simply carrying water for the those who finance their election -- corporate America. If you think Kyl and McCain are bad, watch out if someone like J.D. Hayworth beats McCain in the upcoming primary. In any case, we really are sorry.

Re: Log In

wjohnfaust — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 21:24:06 -0000

I find it interesting and encouraging that so many have decided there is little point in pursuing relevant change (deep structural change) through conventional politics. (The "accomplishments" of the Obama administration have made that abundantly clear.) It is encouraging because it should redirect those wasted energies in more productive directions.

There are no easy choices; but, of the nonviolent choices available, one practical approach seems to be purposeful withdrawal from the global, grow-forever economy. In its place we begin work on local economies that are in balance with local ecologies. In a sense, it is already happening in movements like urban gardens, farmer's markets, Transition Towns, some intentional communities, and ecovillages. To continue working within a political system that offers no meaningful choices seems pointless; we would be far better of simply abandoning it.

Some day, maybe those banksters will wake up to discover there are no more mortgages to fraudulently securitize. Well, let them eat dollars.

Re: Log In

wjohnfaust — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 19:03:36 -0000

Very nice article Chip. I certainly agree that the community is the right place to start to begin to abandon the industrial juggernaut. It is the level at which we can have an impact and where useful repairs to our social fabric can be made.

I like the Transition Towns Movement as long as it carries re-localization far enough. Political solutions won't come from the national and global levels. Better to simply withdraw from the global economy and attend to real needs locally.

Not sure I agree that technological advancement has to be a part of the solution. Let's learn from Gaviotas.

Re: Shocking: Ben Stein Says The Unemployed Are People With ‘Unpleasant Personalities…Who Do Not Know How To Do A Day’s Work’

wjohnfaust — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 16:11:44 -0000

More gross generalizations from the desperate right. How sad.

Re: Republicans Reveal Just How Heartless They Feel to the Unemployed | News & Politics | AlterNet

wjohnfaust — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 13:25:33 -0000

I would agree with Ben Nelson about the extensions not impacting the deficit -- as long as the compensating spending reductions were limited to the DoD & Pentagon budgets. Actually, they would hardly notice the impact. However, it would be fewer tax dollars that go unaccounted for in that labyrinth of contractor welfare.

Re: Republicans Reveal Just How Heartless They Feel to the Unemployed | News & Politics | AlterNet

wjohnfaust — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 14:12:20 -0000

Thoughtful comments. I couldn't agree more that the current economy is pulling us into the abyss. The only problem is that the hungry and homeless who still have hope are hard to enlist in a struggle to build the next economy. The transition will not be easy regardless. Re-establishing localized economies requires a lot relearning and recovering of lost skills.

Maybe the extensions will keep alive the illusions of recovery for a while. But at some point, its repeated failures will make it clear that re-establishing cooperative, local communities will be the only way out. I expect to see more and more begin to withdraw from the global economy as it becomes clearer that it has little to offer them.

Re: Republicans Reveal Just How Heartless They Feel to the Unemployed | News & Politics | AlterNet

wjohnfaust — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 22:43:33 -0000

I have no quarrel with what you say as long as it moves in the direction of a new, localized economy. If it becomes simply a holding pattern until the global economy starts blowing a new bubble, it won't work no matter how much pride or dignity the workers gain in the process. We've spent our cheap energy and we have made a hell of a mess in the process. Yes, it must be green. But green and global are antipodal.

Re: 4 Bogus Ways Bankers and Their Political Puppets Are Trying to Trash Elizabeth Warren | Economy | AlterNet

wjohnfaust — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 11:03:39 -0000

Well stated. Of course the first three pillars would probably follow quickly if you could just get number 4 -- the invisible cornerstone of our corporatocracy. Presumably that would unwind more than a century of lame SCOTUS decisions.

Re: Are Nations Going Extinct? | World | AlterNet

wjohnfaust — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 14:12:05 -0000

Very interesting article. It really does seem futile to struggle against the status quo. Fuller's advice to quietly build the alternative rather than struggle against, in this case, the existing corporatocracy seems wise. After all, nothing less than a new set of guiding principles and structures to support them will be useful for the majority of us. It is not just the enormous costs of trying to reform it from within the current political framework, it is also the hubris to think we can get things right on such a massive scale. When we look at what we have done to our home, humility should be our first response.

Some of the examples you cite (e.g., Hezbollah and La Familia Cartel) remain transnational and/or ideological. My guess is that those are doomed expire along with the global economy and its dependence on abundant energy and material resources. It will probably be the small seeds (the hyper local efforts) planted in the spaces vacated by our dysfunctional system that flourish and provide the lasting answers.

We probably need to follow nature's example. She performs small experiments and some of those perturbations flourish and many do not. Maybe someday we can learn to stand in awe of the universe's chaotic, emergent and self-organizing ways -- even when it doesn't fit our ideological patterns.

Re: Log In

wjohnfaust — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 14:43:14 -0000

Beyond your thoughtful analysis, we are eternally grateful for the delightful humor it is seasoned with. Without it, these rancid acts of social and environmental injustice would be difficult to keep down let alone digest. The late Molly Ivins would be delighted to see these misfits roasted so elegantly on your spit.