McMetaphor

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Global Economic Collapse Simply Explained

Do you need a video that will explain everything that is happening in the worldwide economic situation - inflation, stagflation, recession and more, and all in 5 minutes? Even your most uneducated friends or family can follow it.

It was created by paladex77, and can be found on YouTube.

Rich Dad Poor Dad Preps for Collapse

You ever heard of Rich Dad/Poor Dad? They run it a lot during PBS pledge drives.

TL;DW: Rich Dad author "Robert Kiyosaki" and his advisory team discuss how they have prepared for the coming depression:
- Year's supply of food
- Guns
- Gold & silver
- Cash on hand

They speak of the coming depression (inflationary or not it's going to happen), shutting down the credit card system, and higher taxes no matter what. Budget-cutting police forces promotes lawnessness. They advocate that you buy a gun.

They're casually laughing at the coming doom. But note, they're already prepped. Are you?

Oil and Water

For those of you who want to see some sparks fly this weekend....

Members and fellow travelers of George Soros' MoveOn.org will march on all 50 state capitols on Saturday to support the public-sector unions in the Wisconsin dispute.

In response the Patriot Action Network is calling for "boots on the ground" to counter their protest. That's a fabulous idea!

Meantime, 50 Tea Party leaders support Gov. Scott Walker. They write:

…like the federal government, [Wisconsin] has become too big, too expensive, too in debt, and it is not going to embrace change easily. However, we believe the results of the 2010 elections provided you with a mandate to implement change, so that Wisconsinites can have more jobs, more freedom, and more opportunity to pursue happiness now and for generations to come.

…When politicians bestow unsustainable benefits and pension plans on government employee unions (often overwhelming subsidized by taxpayers), and in exchange these unions use their financial power often collected through mandatory dues to systematically reelect these same politicians, there is a clear conflict of interest. This vicious cycle has led to a projected $3 trillion pension deficit nationwide, with taxpayers expected to foot the bill.

…We applaud the serious approach you have taken to tackle the challenges facing your state. We call on Wisconsin/s Senate Democrats to match your seriousness by returning to the jobs that Wisconsin voters elected them to do. It is time that Wisconsin Senate Democrats stop shirking their responsibilities and show up for work.

Click here for the entire letter.

Me? All I see is a bunch of children fighting over the sprinkles after the cupcakes are all gone. It's already over folks.

Blood in Egypt

Bloodbath In Egypt: 300 Feared Dead And 500 Injured As Mubarak Mob Attack Peaceful Protesters

* Army turns water cannon on protesters in desperate bid to end violence
* Mubarak supports charge Liberation Square on horses and camels
* Rocks and concrete blocks hurled at pro-democracy demonstration
* World leaders call for calm as situation spirals out of control

Thousands of supporters of President Hosni Mubarak today attacked anti-government protesters as fresh turmoil gripped Egypt.

Backers of the president, who last night agreed to relinquish his grip on power, fought with the crowds in Cairo's Tahrir (Liberation) Square, at least 500 injured.

Some rode into the ranks on horses and camels and wielding whips. In chaotic scenes, they pelted each other with stones, large sticks and machetes.

The death toll since protests began is now believed to have hit 300.

Read more ....

Unified Quest 2011

Ever since the crash of 2008 the defense intelligence establishment has really been paying a lot of attention to global markets and how they can serve as a threat to U.S. national security interests. At one upcoming seminar next month they’re taking a look at a lot of the issues.

source: see the CNBC video report provided

According to the report, the Army has spent time on financial market trading floors with JP Morgan and others, in the hopes that they can learn more about how a financial and economic attack may occur, and what the ramifications of such attacks on US stocks and bonds may be.

The Army, in a year-long war games series called Unified Quest 2011, is looking at a variety of possibilities and how to deal with them, including:

* the implications of “large scale economic breakdown” inside of the United States
* how to maintain “domestic order amid civil unrest”
* and ways to deal with fragmented global power and drastically lower budgets

Wait, we're on the road to recovery - everything is fine - we're all good now. Right? Right? Why do I have the feeling the US government is a combination of Kevin Bacon and Chief Wiggum waving their arms in front of the fireworks display assuring us "There's nothing to see here" ?

Dear Blasphemes readers... time to learn how to grow your own food.

Suburban Collapse

Arcade Fire collaborated with Spike Jonze to create this weird, moving portrait of suburban life slowly going to hell as the military rounds people up. I've never seen anyone successfully create a wistful apocalyptic tone the way Jonze does here.

Arcade Fire's indie rock soundscape perfectly compliments Jonze's images of bored, innocently destructive teens in the suburbs riding bikes and play-fighting. But the tone begins to darken as we see smoke in the distance, and armed guards everywhere. Then we start to get flashes of people being rounded up at night by people with guns, while our teen protagonists try to lead normal lives - still playing with bikes, still working at a fast food joint.

It's an intense, emotional snippet, and I wish I could see a feature film that captured this same mix of teen aimlessness and social apocalypse. The best part? You never know if there really is some massive social breakdown going on, or if these trucks full of military guys and cops are just an ordinary part of the suburban landscape.

Contact Annalee Newitz, the author of this post, at annalee@io9.com

Guess Who Voted to Limit the Liability of Oil Companies?

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Man, people are pissed about that oil spill. But some of that blame is (rightfully) bouncing back to the congress-persons who voted for the Oil Pollution Act. Many believe that those who voted for it are directly responsible for the oil spill in the Gulf. That's a stretch... But they did enable British Petroleum to loosen their safety procedures, to operate without redundant oil spill prevention systems, to take risks, and be, you know, capitalist pig dogs. The argument is that this is why they're using the same oil spill clean up technologies used the in the late 70’s are still in place today.

The Oil Pollution Act diluted (heh heh) any motivation for improvement in oil spill safety, prevention and oil spill containment procedures by removing the penalties for neglect.

Many congress-persons who voted for this act are still in office today. The cry for these people to be removed is getting louder... and yes, I agree, but not for this. What we really should be outraged is that government, which demands obedience to protect us from these things, accepts no liability when they happen.

But anyway, here are their names (these congress-persons voted for the Oil Pollution Act of 1990):

United States Senators – [source]

Richard Shelby – Alabama

John McCain – Arizona

Barbara Boxer – California

Chris Dodd – Connecticut

Joe Lieberman – Connecticut

Joe Biden – Delaware (currently Vice President)

Tom Carper – Deleware

Daniel Inouye – Hawaii

Daniel Akaka – Hawaii

Dick Durbin – Illinois

Richard Lugar – Indiana

Chuck Grassley – Iowa

Tom Harkin – Iowa

Pat Roberts – Kansas

Jim Bunning – Kentucky

Mitch McConnell – Kentucky

Olympia Snowe – Maine

Ben Cardin – Maryland

Barbara Mikulski – Maryland

John Kerry – Massachusettes

Carl Levin – Michigan

Thad Cochran – Mississippi

Kit Bond – Missouri

Max Baucus – Montana

Harry Reid – Nevada

Frank Lautenberg – New Jersey

Jeff Bingaman – New Mexico

Chuck Schumer – New York

Kent Conrad – North Dakota

Byron Dorgan – North Dakota

Jim Inhofe – Oklahoma

Ron Wyden – Oregon

Arlen Specter – Pennsylvania

Tim Johnson – South Dakota

Orrin Hatch – Utah

Patrick Leahy – Vermont

Robert Byrd – West Virgnia

Jay Rockefeller – West Virginia

Herb Kohl – Wisconsin

U.S. House – [source]

Don Young – Alaska

Jon Kyl – Arizona

Howard Berman – California

David Dreier – California

Elton Gallegly – California

Wally Herger – California

Jerry Lewis – California

George Miller – California

Nancy Pelosi – California

Dana Rohrabacher – California

Henry Waxman – California

Ileana Ros-Lehtinen – Florida

Cliff Stearns – Florida

Bill Young – Florida

John Lewis – Georgia

Jerry Costello – Illinois

Dan Burton – Indiana

Pete Visclosky – Indiana

Hal Rogers – Kentucky

Barney Frank – Massachussetts

Ed Markey – Massachussetts

Richard Neal – Massachussetts

Steny Hoyer – Maryland

John Conyers – Michigan

John Dingell – Michigan

Dale Kildee – Michigan

Sander Levin – Michigan

Fred Upton – Michigan

Jim Oberstar – Minnesota

Gene Taylor – Mississippi

Frank Pallone – New Jersey

Chris Smith – New Jersey

Donald Payne – New Jersey

Gary Ackerman – New York

Eliot Engel – New York

Nita Lowey – New York

Charles Rangel – New York

Jose Serrano – New York

Louise Slaughter – New York

Ed Towns – New York

Howard Coble – North Carolina

David Price – North Carolina

Marcy Kaptur – Ohio

Peter DeFazio – Oregon

Paul Kanjorski – Pennsylvania

John Spratt, Jr. – South Carolina

Jim Cooper – Tennessee

John Duncan – Tennessee

Bart Gordon – Tennessee

John Tanner – Tennessee

Joe Barton – Texas

Ralph Hall – Texas

Solomon Ortiz – Texas

Lamar Smith – Texas

Frank Wolf – Virgnia

Jim McDermott – Washington

Nick Rahall – West Virginia

Alan Mollohan – West Virgninia

Dave Obey – Wisconsin

Jim Sensenbrenner – Wisconsin

and

Newt Gingrich

Now what ought to REALLY anger you is how many of these jokers are still incumbents TWENTY years after. That is greater of incumbents that existed under one party rule in China and the Soviet Union. I think only Castro has outlived these lifetime Congressional 'leaders'?

And since we're on the issue, weren't these the same idiots who were against liability caps for medical malpractice just a few months ago, pointing to the increased cost of business that are incurred as a result of doctors taking great pains to avoid litigation? If you didn't support the doctors in that case and then turn around and yell they didn't put big enough caps or should have unlimited liability in the case of Big Oil Spill, perhaps you can share why? Also, do you consider a cap on medical liability an intrusion of government? Why would your opinion change so radically, and so quickly?

Welcome to Chicago - the Next Detroit

First the Cubs fall apart in April. Then Jay Cutler and the Bears fail to show up to their expectations, then Chicago loses the Olympics, and now all of its trade shows.

As for the last on that list, it's too easy and lazy to accuse union price gouging at exhibit halls as the only reason... ah that's been goin' on for decades. However, those shows heading for the exits has become a stampede.

The International Plastics Showcase, which has been exhibiting in Chicago since the 1970s, and the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society waved a giant single finger McCormick Place. And now the National Restaurant Show, a Chicago convention fixture for more than 50 years, is thinking about 86'ing the town as well.

When the food people come to town, they eat out - they spend a lot, and tip a lot. Bye bye.

From the Chicago Tribune:

Derrek Hull, a spokesman for the restaurant show, said, "I'm not aware of any discussion about moving the show as of right now."

"However, what I can tell you," said Hull, "is that we've been through this before ... and the association and all our exhibitors continue to be very vocal. They continue to be concerned about the costs of doing business in Chicago and at McCormick Place."

The association seriously contemplated a move in 2006, but chose to stay after the city wrested labor work-rule changes from unions that work at McCormick Place.

That was chump change. Meanwhile, a task force designed to turn things around for struggling Chicago's convention industry met today. The group is made of staff from several politicians, trade show leaders, hospitality executives, and unions. I love task forces and blue ribbon panels. They're the nice tablecloth that politicians drape over the broken, bloodstained wobbly tables.

Chicago is a loser. It's not just her sports - although Chicago sports are the gangrene of the a dying limb.

Chicago is expensive. Not having a show in Chicago might save you 20 million dollars... which is a number I heard floated around. 20 Million in savings by having a show in Orlando. And in Orlando, you can take the kids to DisneyWorld! But that's not all. How about the nickle-n-dimes that add up in every purchase? How about that damned 10.25% sales tax on all those nice folks coming to the windy city?

10.25% - still. And even after the Mighty Quinn changed the rules for the Cook County veto over the President "Toddler" Todd Stroger... they still can't roll it back, and that's less than 70 days before the Cook County Board Election - as if we won't notice.

Look, even if the Cook County rolled back the tax - it's too late. The damage is done and the collateral damage is everyone who depends on tourists coming into this stupid town to pay our bills, debts, truck scandals, lawsuits against the police, and overpriced parking meters.

Welcome to Chicago - the Next Detroit! Be sure to pull all the copper out of the walls before you leave.

UPDATE: And the toilet keeps flushing - Oprah might be leaving Chicago as well. I know for sure that she's ending her talk show.

The media mogul Oprah Winfrey will end her daytime talk show, "The Oprah Winfrey Show," in 2011 as she prepares to start a cable channel of her own. Read More on Oprah. Okay, I'm only guessing that she'll leave -- but I can't