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Friday, 21 October 2016

Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton,John Podesta, Russia Today (RT) and Those Wikileaks Emails


I just want to very briefly touch on Russia Today
(Keiser Report, 22nd October) to show how biased against Hillary Clinton the Presidential Campaign has become.

'Right On the Money'
When President Obama assumed office in 2008 it is alleged that Citicorp/Citibank choose his Cabinet for him.
Not at all.
Being 'right on the money' (reference to Podesta's response to Citicorp when consulted about the best people to choose for particular Cabinet posts) is not the same as asking Citi to nominate the Cabinet members.
But this has been lost upon the populace as a whole who prefer to listen to Donald Trump's interpretation of RT's interpretation of the emails rather than either analyse the latter for themselves.

What A Consultation 'Exercise' Is
I want to relate a particular instance when NATO was involved in a very controversial campaign several decades ago.
At that time I was active in the Atlantic Council of the UK.
Because the NATO policy was new and controversial (believe it or not!) NATO ran a consultation 'exercise' to gauge the 'thinking' of members. I do not know if it was across the board or random sampling.
In any event I was asked if I approved of this particular policy and if not what my own suggestions would be.
I thought long and hard about my response because, like my nemesis (the politicians) I appreciated that I was being asked for a view which could (conceivably) feed into 'the system' (up the chain so to speak) and affect the lives of others.

Obama Saved The U.S. and World Economic Order – And If You Don't Like Me Saying That, Tough
What the transition team were effectively doing,
in the midst of the worst economic crisis the United States and the world had seen since the 1930s (yes folks, you have rarely been told, but President Obama saved not just the U.S. but the economic structure of the world – much to the disappointment of Russia Today and the Kremlin. For that, he and his original Cabinet will be forever hated in Moscow) were attempting to identify the best people to fill posts in what was an 'emergency' 'firefighting' Cabinet where the 'best brains in the land' (within the known 'system') were desperately needed to save America and the world economic system as we know it from total collapse – and to assist in a process of domestic and world recovery.

What Citi was being asked was part of a 'round robin' consultation with corporations (which included JP and other leaders in the field of economics and social policy) close to the administration.


Wikileaks Is Not Infallible(!)
Wikileaks was unable to 'put the total picture together' because what it could 'hack' or what were leaked were coming from independent mainframe systems – some of which were more vulnerable than others to either hacking (again probably by Moscow) or infiltration.

Take Clinton Down! At All Costs!
But the only story which Moscow is 'pushing' on the eve of the American election is that John Podesta asked Citigroup to select the U.S. Cabinet of President Obama – so the U.S. Presidential election process was a sham.
Nothing could be further from the truth.
The desperation (and now panic in Moscow) to see Mr Donald Trump as the next U.S. President could not be more in evidence than this last fling of everything – including 'the kitchen sink' – at the Clinton Presidential campaign in one last ditch, one last desperate bid, to save Donald Trump from electoral defeat in 3 weeks time.

Will it work? Are the American electorate so gullible? Will America choose a billionaire as it's 'man of the people'; as a man who 'understands' from personal experience and suffering, 'ordinary folk', their fears, their needs, their hopes and desires for themselves and for their families?
Only time will tell.

To paraphrase (or constitutionally interpret!) one Supreme Court Judge:

''you'd wanna be a real dummy (or dopey) to select Trump for President.
Me, I'm getting the hell outta Dodge if he comes into Office!''


©Patrick Emek, October 2016


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Podesta

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruth_Bader_Ginsburg



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Thursday, 20 October 2016

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Tuesday, 18 October 2016

Russia Today (RT)

(I'm A Celebrity, Get Me Outta Here!)

Making News

The last thing a journalist or news network ever desires is to be in the news.

Our task is to make the news – not to be a star (or celebrity) in it (!)

That's exactly what happened to Russia Today yesterday – but don't expect to be informed about it on the BBC, Fox or Sky Television Networks.

Russia Today is part-funded by the Russian government and is, for want of a better word, run lock stock and barrel by staunch supporters of Mr Vladimir Putin.
(No different from our own major news and commercial networks - which are owned by companies who themselves have strong links with the political class, at very senior levels.)

Leni's Children
I have on several occasions cited RT as being the most effective news propaganda machine in the world today.
It replaced the BBC about 5 years after it first started broadcasting – and the world of news (or propaganda) has never been the same since.
The BBC, CNN and Fox all changed our perception of what news is or should be.
Russia Today Televison Network is the 'new kid on the block' and it too has changed the world of information - as we know it.

If you really understand propaganda (and I have been very fortunate in my life to have an opportunity to study it in operation) then you can appreciate Fox, CNN, The BBC and now RT, not just as news outlets but as art forms in themselves.)

Run, Buddy, Run

RT is so effective a propaganda machine (much more than CNN or Fox) that questions have been raised continuously on the Hill about how to stop it's influence – worldwide. Nothing so far has worked in this regard.
No amount of millions or hundreds of millions of dollars thrown at other networks have had any significant impact in any way shape or form on RT nor of its ability to influence the shape of events worldwide.

Part of the reason for the failure to halt the haemorrhaging of the local populace away from 'traditional networks' (such as the BBC for example) towards RT can be found in what I call the 'type' of individuals entering politics in Western Europe and the United States today and their perception of news as a technology of political control.
Because they see RT with 'tunnel vision' they haven't a clue about where to start to counteract it's influences both at home and across the planet:

''if all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail''



Ours Is News – Yours Is Propaganda !
If you step back you can see across Europe a move away from traditional politicians and towards extremism.
(Ironically, RT, as a propaganda network, has been encouraging such divisions simply to cause as much disruptions to the political and financial structures as is possible within the limits of its remit. To complicate matters even further, our own politicians have been 'aiding and abetting' RT over at least the past two decades with remarkable foreign policy blunders which have destroyed our abilities in the West to sell basic goods and services (everything except weapons) across much of the Middle East and North Africa today.

Killing The Messenger

The 'nuclear' solution to the problem caused by RT's successful inroads into popular viewing availability options is to simply find ways of closing it off from mainstream media access network streams and push it into the back alleys. Effectively, to isolate the channel and make it harder for the general populace to access it's propaganda or news.
The decision to withdraw UK banking facilities is just one step in this direction.

Neither is it inconceivable that mobile networks will not 'pull the plug' on RT or recategorize it as 'premium rate' for access.

This, in my opinion, as I said a year ago or longer, is a very dangerous path to go down.
The only time I would ever support such action would be in the advent of a world war (really serious stuff!)

Information and It's Messengers
Are Always Amongst The First Casualties Of War
Long gone are the days where you 'declare war' on another country.
Today and tomorrow you will just have to look for the (subtle) signs elsewhere that The Rubicon has been crossed.

(There is no doubt in my mind that many in mainstream news in the UK are concerned about RT's right to broadcast without hinderance – but they too have mortgages, bills to pay, families, careers and promotions to think about.)

Support for colleagues at a foreign news network (RT) dedicated to the economic and political destruction of life as we know it is not a very motivating factor to garnish their support - under such circumstances (!)


Mad, Mad As Hell (!)

I have been incensed by the vitriol against U.S. Presidential Candidate Hillary Clinton being spewed out by RT on a daily basis. It has been a very long time since I have seen such biased coverage of a U.S. election campaign by a major foreign TV network.

Should Hillary Clinton be elected President of The United States, RT might just as well pack it's bags on the American continent as a whole. In this regard, it has only itself to blame.


The First Real Cyberwar Between the Superpowers (The Russian Federation and The United States)

Should President Clinton assume office in January (which I hope she will) forget about throwing hundreds of millions of dollars to counteract RT propaganda– it will simply be closed down on the U.S. mainland. Companies such as Verizon will, more likely than not, introduce access streaming fees which specifically target the ability of the RT network to provide an effective service.
But this will only be the start. Expect the Russian government to retailiate with similar restrictions on European and U.S. networks.

I call this the first global cyber war because access to RT, even at cyber cafes, will be 'closed down' across the world (at least that cyber world where servers pass through mainland and other territorial jurisdictions of the United States.)

It might well be in your interest to learn the meaning of different HTTP error codes now – before you start to see them on your screen when attempting to access RT.

As to whether restricting RT's broadcasts will help or hinder the fight for the heart and soul of propaganda worldwide, only time will tell.


Are we at war? Watch out for the signs - or shapes in the clouds - because for sure, the media of today will never tell you straight to your face (!)



©Patrick Emek, October 2016





https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/if_all_you_have_is_a_hammer,_everything_looks_like_a_nail

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal_Security_Service

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KGB

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_HTTP_status_codes

http://www.tvparty.com/recrunbuddy.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Run,_Buddy,_Run
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p1czI_IBbpE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y1vVOXqFzIY


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I%27m_a_Celebrity...Get_Me_Out_of_Here!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leni_Riefenstahl
On 17th October, 2016, RT Released the press statement below:

''RT has received a letter from Natwest, part of the Royal Bank of Scotland Group, which has a significant shareholding by the UK government, informing it that its UK banking facilities with the bank will be withdrawn without explanation or redress.
This decision is incomprehensible, and without warning. It is however, not at odds with the countless measures that have been undertaken in the UK and Europe over the last few years to ostracize, shout down, or downright impede the work of RT.
RT UK will continue its operations uninterrupted.''
 
 

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Wednesday, 12 October 2016



Introduction
Thailand is, as with Hong Kong, with Malaysia, and Singapore, a model for economic development - especially for the continent of Africa.
In my previous blog in March 2014 (reproduced below) I left out some important information.
Some years ago I had the opportunity to meet and question the former Thai Premier, Thaksin Shinawatra.  The setting was a Press Briefing at Carlton House in Central London.
I also had the opportunity for a 'one-to-one' chat with Mr Shinawatra.
(The premises is no longer used by the International Press for briefings.)
Thaksin Shinawatra was one of the most likeable Prime Minister's I ever met.
Very much at ease with the Press, very humble, great sense of humor, and very polite. 
I contrast that with Kofi Annan, the former U.N. Secretary General (on whose 'watch' the Rwanda genocide took place) who, the only time I met him at a venue in central London, asked me ' and what do you do for a living?'  When I informed him that I was Secretary of The Chartered Institute of Journalists, Freelance Division, he darted a cold steely look directly at me - which already said 'then you probably know all my secrets!' and hastily moved on.  (Actually I do know a lot not in the mainstream about Kofi Annan but I have never been in the 'peddling dirt' end of media research so I just committed it to memory because it was all so fascinating.)  Likewise when I was introduced by a friend to the former Malaysian Premier at a private gathering in the British House of Commons, that same 'Kofi Annan' syndrome (as I coin it!) was apparent when the words 'media' and 'researcher' were used to describe me. 
Not true of Mr Shinawatra, former Premier of Thailand, loved by half of the country and despised by the other half (including the armed forces - who mounted a coup d'etat just to prevent him from returning to power - when he would have been elected overwhelmingly by the populace in any free and fair election.  Even today, in a free and fair election, Thaksin Shinawatra would be Premier of Thailand.)
Interestingly, as with Mr Donald Trump, Mr Shinawatra is one of the wealthiest individuals in the world.  Unlike Mr Trump, he is so polite, so friendly, well-mannered and so cordial
that they were both obviously 'schooled' then 'baptised' in the fires of the business and political worlds, through very very different paths and encounters. 
I omitted this information from the article below because events in Thailand were, say, very delicate, at that time, and it would have served no useful purpose (indeed it would have been counter productive) to bring Mr Shinawatra into the equation.

A press release about the health of the King was issued yesterday - which is most unusual in the wording and stylized manner in which it has appeared.
The Thai government appears to be preparing the country (and the world) for the imminent demise of King Rama IX (Bhumibol Adulajev.)

The Thai military, by mounting a coup (Thai style - nobody killed just the removal of identified 'troublesome' politicians from office) two years ago have already firmly ensured through the ensuing 'democratic elections' (Thai-style) which followed, that there will be no return of Mr Shinawatra nor political chaos in the country in the (anticipated?) event of the death of King Rama IX.
I have heard all the 'locker room' talk about the Royal Household when last in the country.
Because people are forbidden by law from talking about the King and Royal Household in the media and in public, almost everyone banters and gossips ('locker-room' style - including 'girls talk'!) about what is happening at 'the Palace' in the privacy of their homes.
The nature of what I heard (maybe real maybe imagined) convinced me that, well perhaps a more 'open' approach would benefit the reputation of the Royal Household amongst the Thai people, as a whole.
It's a very brief article but because the international media will not speculate about the King's succession (they would loose their VIP 'access privileges' in Thailand if they did !) I thought you might want to see how the Thai people view the issue of succession (in private - since they cannot by law talk publicly about this matter in the country.)



*Kofi Annan:

I must add here that there is nothing detrimental to Mr Annan. The Secretary General at the time of the Rwanda Tutsi genocide was Boutros Boutros-Ghali.   I said on Mr Annan's 'watch' referring to his delegated departmental responsibility - and not as Secretary General. 

The Rwanda genocide of the Tutsi people was an institutional (United Nations) failure at all levels.  The failures were systemic and, to this day, few lessons have been learned.  For those who were U.N. Officers it was very frustrating and decisions were taken which, to say the least, were in bad judgement.   Mr Annan was not at that time The Secretary General.


 It is also an appropriate time to mention these facts again because what is happening to the ordinary people  in The Yemen and in Syria are crimes against humanity - for which nobody will ever be brought to account.  The Yemen because it is one of the poorest countries on the planet with little to no influence internationally - and Saudi Arabia, the United States, Iran and the Russian Federation will never agree as to who are 'war criminals' in the civil ( tribal-religious) war; in  Syria because any 'war criminals' will never be agreed  between the United States, Saudi Arabia, the Russian Federation, Iran, Lebanon, Turkey, The Kurdish people and the government of Syria (which, the way outsiders are speaking, you might be forgiven for thinking that this was not a sovereign independent country but governed by Imperial powers or the Ottoman Empire.)


http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/general/1108093/thais-don-pink-for-his-majesty


http://www.globaltimes.cn/content/1010762.shtml

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thaksin_Shinawatra

unrelated travel information:
http://www.thaitravelblogs.com/2013/09/dont-fall-for-the-grand-palace-is-closed-scam/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rwandan_genocide


Nothing appears on the official government website (below.)
The official explanation is that there is no connection between the Royal Household and the Thai government - other than in it's capacity of acting as 'protector' of the Thai Constitution and Royal Household against destabilization and insurgency - at home and abroad.

http://www.thaigov.go.th/en.html

http://www.thaigov.go.th/index.php/en/component/search/?searchword=King+Rama+IX&ordering=newest&searchphrase=all

http://www.thaigov.go.th/index.php/en/the-cabinet1


 March 2014 article (reproduced)
 

King Rama IX (Bhumibol Adulajev)
Reports have it that Thailand's much loved and revered King Bhumibol is again in ailing health.
Fortunately his premature expiration has been falsely predicted on many occasions and, for many years, he has managed to soldier on – and the country continues prosper as a beacon of economic success and development for South East Asia and rest of the world.

Most Thais would rejoice if the King's daughter* succeeded her father to the throne.
She is (genuinely) much loved by the populace as a whole.
But the Royal line of succession precludes a Queen of Siam.
It is for this reason that millions of Thais are praying that the King will continue to live – for forever and a day.   We all know that such is not going to happen and talk in the country about the Royal succession, whilst strictly forbidden, is nonetheless the main event in every other Thai household.
The King's son, however, is the likely successor.

*eldest

[Interestingly, there has been a Buddhist prophesy for centuries that after the IX Rama, the dynasty will end.   I am unclear as to whether this solely refers to the male lineage or the dynasty as a whole.   There are so many different versions and interpretations of this prophesy that it would just be too confusing to mention all of them - other than to say that some Thais give considerable weight and respect to prophesy.]


King Bhumibol has brought stability, economic prosperity and development for Thailand as a whole.
Yes, admittedly there are groups – political parties, farmers, local communities, trades union representatives who will tell you a different story - and there are genuine grievances about wealth distribution, corruption, intrigues for power and influence within the elite of the Armed Forces and the Royal Thai Police.
Then there are border disputes with Cambodia which, thanks to international mediation and restraint by both sides, rarely escalate beyond occasional skirmishes over temples.
In November of last year, much to the disappointment of Thailand, the U.N. Court ruled in favor of Cambodia in the area around Preah Vihear Temple and ordered Thai forces to withdraw from the immediate vicinity.  This area is likely to be the flashpoint for further future conflict between the two countries as Thai nationalists and their supporters in the armed forces will never accept this decision.
There is also the prospect of Islamic insurgency intensifying in the South of the country as Malaysia does little to bring the insurgents to heel - for fear that the Jihadi militias will turn their attention (guns and bombs) to waging a campaign to destabilize the peace and quiet of Malaysia proper and an even greater threat is that they will link across with Jihadi insurgents in the province of Sabah to create a unified front – which could have devastating consequences for economic and political stability in the region as a whole.
[The Malaysia authorities will argue that they work in cooperation with Thai security forces to prevent terrorist infiltration across both sides of the border and will also suggest that arms and explosives are reaching Islamic rebels not across the Thai-Malaya border but from other countries.]

Hence the successor to King Bhumibol  will require the continued unanimous support of the Police and Armed forces to ensure that peace on the Thai-Cambodia and Thai-Malaysia borders are maintained as these areas could quickly flare into all-out wars between both parties, if outstanding border and Islamic identity issues, are not resolved to the long-term satisfaction of protagonists, and continue to linger.


Patrick Emek



http://www.thestar.com/news/insight/2011/08/03/kings_failing_health_and_his_30b_fortune_puts_thailand_in_jeopardy.html


http://kanchanapisek.or.th/library/Tambiah-Thailand3.htm


http://madeinthai.wordpress.com/2011/04/20/the-nine-kings-of-the-chakri-dynasty-rama-i-%E2%80%93-the-founding-father-2/


http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424127887324906004578289220025564486


http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/12/world/asia/un-court-rules-for-cambodia-in-temple-dispute-with-thailand.html?_r=0


https://ca.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20130108213038AAciCU3
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Tuesday, 11 October 2016

The Second CNN (not so!)
Presidential Debate
Last Sunday

In One Corner Of the Ring:
The Mouth Without A Brain:– The Thrilla Gorilla Who Says:
'I Eat The Clintons For Breakfast!'

-''The Donald'' -

V

In The Other Corner Of the Ring:
Crooked ''I'll Cut That ***k and those ****s of Yours Off, then Serve Them, Cooked and Marinaded, On A Silver Platter, To Rosie And All Abuse Sufferers''
    -''Hillary'' -


Donald Trump : Master Of Punk Political Oratory

I wouldn't vote for him. Six out of ten people I know would not vote for him. My cat probably (!) wouldn't vote for him. Nonetheless 'The Donald', is a master of aggressive punk oratory, regardless of the fact that the only politician who whole-heartedly endorses him is the British MEP Nigel Farage. Perhaps 'The Donald' will, as the first Supreme Dictator of America, should he be elected, appoint Nigel Farage as his Vice-President (or President For Vice) when he eventually falls seriously out with Mike Pence over some or other issue.

Undoubtedly, in my opinion, his oratory and movements in the most recent CNN debate were, for want of a better word, masterful and the work of a brilliant punk communicator, prowling agressively, like a wolf or bear, up and down, whilst contemplating how to quickly gut, fillet and de-bone his supper – and sup it down with a nice cup of ********* blood from the 'orifices'.
There is very little sh*t left on 'The Donald Sh** Cart' to throw at Hillary and Bill Clinton – except, perhaps, the empty smelly cart itself (!)

There was so much of it, the smell dispersed worldwide, at the half-speed of light, thanks to modern communications (!)



[If 'The Donald' is elected (which, however unlikely, is still possible!) expect turbulent times in Washington on The Hill, up at The Supreme Court, down at The Federal Reserve, over at the NSA, across at CIA and at the Pentagon.]




''If I'm Elected I'll Jail Hillary!''
Trump doesn't talk about the issues – because he hasn't a clue what the issues are – except perhaps, his knowledge about tax avoidance and tax evasion (!)
What brilliant strategy for a U.S. Presidential candidate to operate under cover of than to deny the issues and make your opponent the subject of the debate (!)
Another reason, in my opinion, to vote for Hillary Clinton:
VOTE HER IN - TO KEEP HER OUT!



How 'Low' Can You Go!
(and don't read any sexual innuendos into this title folks!!)
Certainly 'The Donald' has taken political debate to a new all time 'low'.
You know what they say: where America is today the world will follow tomorrow (!!)



''Locker Room Talk''
'The Donald' is absolutely correct. This is 'crude' male [hetero] 'banter'. Of course it is offensive to many people today – especially those who have had a dysfunctional life or existence caused by historical abuse. For this, he offers no apologies whatsoever.

I was on a bus with *** ******** some long time ago.
A girl (about 20 years, female) and her 'Mom' (in her 30s/40s) got on.  (We knew it was Mom because they were arguing, in ****** and she said 'Mom'.)
My companion said something to his friend in ****** which he later translated to me as 'that's a fine pair of **** she's got!' The recipient looked a little puzzled. 'No, I don't mean that scrawney tight ***** ***** ***** with the ****** tee-shirt but her Mom' I'd love to get ****** her ***** and f*** her **** up *** **** and ** *** ***
The younger girl looked shocked. Then the horror of it dawned on the 3 of us – she understood what X had just said (!)
The Mom didn't bat an eyelid – as her daughter appeared looking in her direction for some guidance.
When getting off the bus, Mom 'cat-whistled' the 3 of us and said smiling 'have a nice day boys!', in ******, waving slowly to us with a courteous smile as the bus departed – to the chagrin and apparent anger of her daughter (!)
(I had to ask for translations in aftermaths since I don't speak ******.)

''Girls Talk''
If you're a female of the world and reading this, no doubt you too, have, likewise heard girls and women banter 'locker-room' style ('Girl Talk' as I think it's called.)
I certainly have – when I shouldn't have been listening (!!); and what I heard was far far far worse than anything I heard on ''The Donald Tapes'' (!)

Natural Born Thrillers (!)

[Don't also forget that some 'twisted' minded males – and females (!) - will find his 'stamina' appealing and alluring in an age of [enforced] PC and [enforced] male conformity to stringent legal guidelines about what to say so as not to cause any offence to anybody at any time anywhere in public or private, in civil society.]


Up Yours! Donald!

(no sexual innuendo here either!)


I would not vote for 'The Donald' for reasons other than his puerile comments about 'hot chicks' and erotic fantasies about what he would like to do with them - male hetero 'bitch-in-heat-like' - and more related to his ignorance of the policy issues he hasn't got a clue about – and will divide, rule and ruin the country, if elected President of the United (or should I say dis-United) States of America (!)


©Patrick Emek, October 2016




https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m8X6WA02e8Q

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_Born_Killers





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Friday, 7 October 2016







A Picture Can Say A Thousand Words

The above picture you have been reflecting on for several days is a satirical allegory.

'World TV' referring to how we get, perceive and interpret information in the here and now (instantly) – especially that relating to violent acts.
Because information is transmitted worldwide in the here and now, we are asked to (indeed have to) respond likewise in the here and now.
Different words have different meanings and it is how the media asks us to interpret them which conditions our reactions.
For example, the same words, in the context of torture in Iraq will have a different interpretation than, say, in a consensual setting.
Likewise the same words in a childrens 'game' (or tying someone to a tree in such a game) is an entirely different context than where a crime has been committed ('Cops and Robbers' 'Cowboys and Indians' – themselves also, subject to controversy and different interpretations in todays world.)
We are constantly being asked to interpret information in the context in which the media presents it to us – supposedly for our decision – whereas in reality the media has already a position which it simply wants us, as the mass populace, to blindly go along with and endorse – without question.

One function of satire – from Plato's 'Republic' to Sebastian Brant's 'Ship Of Fools' - is to hold up the fallacy of the accepted order of things to ridicule. To give the masses an opportunity to reflect on the absurdities and contradictions which are leading it into the abyss. It also, sometimes, provides abstract constructs for reflection and deeper thought.

It is for individuals to appreciate in satire the more subtle aspects of thought, imagination possibilities, the meanings, perceptions and interpretation of words.

I drew a mythical creature and subjected it to apparent torture by a person unknown.
But if someone was to set up, say a chicken farm and a slaughterhouse for millions of chickens or cows or any other animal this would be perfectly legal – throughout the world.
In another context, if someone was to 'torture' a chicken or just chop off it's head and pluck it's feathers out in public say on The Mall (which leads to Buckingham Palace) or the Champs Elysees (which leads to the Louvre) or indeed on Fifth Avenue before putting it in the pot (see the film 2012) would create an unholy furore bigger than if I were simply to go into a Kroger Company or J Sainsburys or an Edeka Centrale and simply buy a chicken – which someone else has already slaughtered, pulled apart limb by limb then carefully and neatly packaged for hundreds of millions of the populace to buy and cook and then eat.
In some countries, such as France, horse meat is perfectly acceptable for (human) carnivores eating whereas in others, such as Great Britain, such action is, in many quarters looked down upon as 'savage' and 'uncivilised' behavior by 'foreigners' – such as, for example, 'the French'.


The reference to 'Jewel Robbery' is mentioned in the context of the Champs Elysees – famed for surounding shops which sell some of the rarest pieces of finely crafted jewels in the world.

Indeed film producers (and actors) have made careers from inspiration taken from the exquisite nature and value of such items on display not in London nor in Berlin but from Paris, France ( see the The Pink Panther films.)
In yet another context, the glorification, adulation, and for some, awe, which jewel theft 'inspires' is in total contradiction with the very real crime itself which has been committed – yet we are asked by the media, by Hollywood and other production centers to accept one and all at the same time, without question, without contradiction, and total acceptance with nothing other than surface thought.
We are told that the horrors of war are evil. Yet all politicians in the developed world, in the West and in Russia, know that before sending troops into war zones they need to be made aware (psychologically) about what will await them – humans torn from limb to limb, bits and pieces of body parts, blood guts, brains and everything else you can imagine (and more) all over you -maybe even looking at your own body parts, dismembered.
What better preparatory tool than horror films or other visuals depicting all of the scenes you are likely to encounter in order to inure you, in advance, from what is about to come.
There always has been 'psych-up' before a battle or war zone – by all sides. Yet we are all instructed by the media to accept this without question – on this particular occasion out of patriotism and love of country.   Even the War Chaplin will not raise any objections to such violence beeing screened in this context because he or she knows all too well what horrors await the unit. (He or she might opt not to view it – but they too are human are will be subject to the same experiences as others in their platoon.)


[I am deeply indebted to my Secondary School (Sub Mariae Nomine) for enabling me to experience the classical works of ancient Greece and ancient Rome.]

'Ship Of Fools' by Sebastian Brant was another inspiration for the above satirical allegory.


That is why, folks, it is often said, ''a picture paints a thousand words.''


©Patrick Emek, October 2016


https://www.reddit.com/r/philosophy/comments/s4nne/viability_of_platos_republic/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Symposium_(Plato)


http://www.aviewoncities.com/nyc/fifthavenue.htm

http://www.londondrum.com/cityguide/mall.php

http://en.parisinfo.com/transport/73130/Avenue-des-Champs-Elysees


https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=sebastian+brant+ship+of+fools&client=firefox-b&biw=1280&bih=895&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&sqi=2&ved=0ahUKEwjP4pSmwcrPAhUqKsAKHW6KCxAQsAQIOw

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ship_of_Fools_(satire)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republic_(Plato)
https://www.cliffsnotes.com/literature/r/republic/about-platos-republic

https://www.gutenberg.org/files/1497/1497-h/1497-h.htm






http://pokemondb.net/move/psych-up


https://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http://www.gstatic.com/tv/thumb/movieposters/1168/p1168_p_v8_af.jpg&imgrefurl=http://google.com/search%3Ftbm%3Disch%26q%3DThe%2520Pink%2520Panther&h=1440&w=960&tbnid=Ymr8XXSncOGbcM:&tbnh=160&tbnw=106&docid=LdxwMhhMdkUy5M&itg=1&client=firefox-b&usg=__k7t656W-4TdgEEIvWR95RAw5nGg=


https://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http://www.gstatic.com/tv/thumb/movieposters/6286/p6286_p_v8_aa.jpg&imgrefurl=http://google.com/search%3Ftbm%3Disch%26q%3DTrail%2520of%2520the%2520Pink%2520Panther&h=1440&w=960&tbnid=gUCvF0WqBmdsmM:&tbnh=186&tbnw=124&docid=jgvvpuKv0epT6M&itg=1&client=firefox-b&usg=__uZdzXbFwkhXqc8x6E78JwJU7hs4=


https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=innure&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&client=firefox-b&gfe_rd=cr&ei=e4r4V4LXJo-xtgft-aKoBw#q=a+picture+paints+a+thousand+words+meaning


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_picture_is_worth_a_thousand_words


http://www.myenglishpages.com/site_php_files/random-idiom.php?c=321



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Thursday, 6 October 2016

.

Oh, What A Lovely War!


Last year I said that if not careful we could be going down the path towards war with Russia over Syria.
It is a terrible thing to say but someone had to say it because the politicians are either too deaf or too ignorant to be paying attention.
Perhaps a war is required to silence the 'Gung-ho' attitude coming from Washington Senators and House of Representative Members whose only knowledge of war is derived from Hollywood and its characters?

On The Other Hand.........

What would a war between the United States and Syria entail?

Let us get a number of issues straight here.
A war with a superpower (Russia) will not be confined to Syria but, as I said eighteen months ago, involve the European Union and Britain (no matter how great a distance both attempt to place themselves from the political and military position of the United States via-a-vis the Russian Federation) it will cut no ice when the rubber meets the road.

With Friends Like These...................

The likelihood is that Turkey, given the present political climate, would declare itself 'neutral' (yes folks, withdraw from it's NATO commitments) if such a particular conflict went 'hot'.


Lines In The Sand
In the case of Syria, Russia has pretty much said to the United States (if it cared to listen) - 'this far and no further - this is where we draw our line in the sand.'


Living In Another World

The frightening thing for myself is that Washington is in its own 'bubbleworld' and is living in a sort of 'Reality TV' environment - which bares little to no relationship with what is happening in the real world.


A Stitch In Time
[As you may not know, very few U.S. politicians have ever travelled outside the territorial boundaries of the United States.  A few have travelled to NATO allied countries for conferences but that's about it.
I don't wish to be too critical here but our 'open society' does not provide adequate arrangements to facilitate most but the very senior U.S. VIPs (Senators and House members) to travel abroad with the resourced security detail required to guarantee their safety.  This is just one of the reasons so few travel outside the territorial boundaries of the United States.  
I want here to relate a story from some time ago (at least one decade.)
I recall a visiting VIP (Head of State/Senior Politician) had his/her own security.  A sort of row broke out between his/her (government assigned) security and British security (which was of course also assigned to protect the VIP whilst on British soil.)
The row was because I gave 'priority' (in the context of my minor involvement) to the  visiting VIPs security detail as opposed to the British security detail (because of their known reputation for efficiency, alertness and expertise.)   An unholy row almost broke out between me and the senior officer assigned by H.M. government to protect the VIP - which I managed to diffuse - and things settled down with everyone (almost!) happy again.  I could say more about this matter but I don't want to slight anyones reputation since some may still be serving officers in some capacity somewhere or other.  Suffice to say, here, at this time, I got the message - loud and clear(!)
Of course everything went smoothly.  But.....looking back....and with hindsight..... it would have been far better to have given priority to the visiting VIPs security detail because they were better trained than their British counterparts.  Indeed, their country provides training in diplomatic and personal protection to nations, corporations and VIP agencies across the globe - and has a reputation second to none in this regard.
The point I want to make here is that a number of countries have genuine concerns about the adequacy of 'local' security when their VIPs travel overseas - and in many cases they have every justification in being concerned in this regard.  So it should therefore not come as a total shock to learn that few U.S. Senators nor House Members travel abroad for the above reasons.]


Where The Rubber Meets The Road
Thankfully (at least at the present time) there exist in the senior ranks of the Pentagon, people who do have their feet firmly on the ground.
I have said for many years - and I repeat it again, the last thing any military high command  in the democratic world wants is to go down a path which could lead to nuclear war - especially with another nuclear superpower such as The Russian Federation.
If I am to be blunt and honest, military Staff in the democratic world would prefer to give speeches (about war preparations and readiness to fight future wars) attend conferences worldwide and 'party' than to fight in real wars (!)
This was the case in the past, and it's still the case today in the democratic world.
The last thing any sane serving officer wants to do is to fight in a real war - which they will of course do (with maximum efficiency) should they be so directed  by their politcial bosses.  Many have had first hand experience of a war zone in the course of their careers.  From what I was told, when you have this, the last thing which you want is to fight a war - because you have experienced, first hand, the horrors of warfare on both your colleagues and on the general populace.
I will not get into the argument here about drone warfare and how 'dehumanizing' it is to the remote service personnel. 


Ship Of Fools
The Chief of Defense Staff and senior military personnel have repeatedly warned U.S. politicians that a confrontation with the Russian Federation will become likely if they embark on particular actions.
The U.S. military is ready and prepared for a confrontation with Russia over Syria - should the need arise.
(Indeed I would imagine that battleplan operations to defeat Russia in Syria have been rehearsed for several years.)


Harum Scarum
What appears to be happening in the United States at present, particularly in the run up to the Presidential Election, is that both parties want to appear strong and confrontational with regard to Syria and Russia.
(Russia, in many respects, meddling in U.S. politics, has only itself to blame.  The heads of Russia's FSB and GRU should both be fired for gross incompetence since their actions equally share responsibility for the current state of tensions between Russia and the West.)
The Democrats cannot be seen to be perceived as 'weak' on defense matters - nor can the Republicans.
So expect everything to 'hot' up in the run up to the final countdown (Election Day.)
I would hope that after the election, the rhetoric will ease off  and then just pitter away into oblivion with the war in Syria just dragging on for years - with no end in sight - and, more importantly, no major military U.S. ground forces commitment into Syria.

So that's it folks (!)   The likely shape of things to come in Syria.
Iraq, however, with its strategic asset, is a very different kettle of fish.


©Patrick Emek, October 2016


References

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oh!_What_a_Lovely_War
(but remember folks, this was another era; these days, it's the democratic civilian politicians who are in ignorance and arrogance,  not their generals, in most instances)

http://www.theatlantic.com/video/index/473025/syria-red-line-that-wasnt/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ship_of_Fools_(satire)

http://www.dictionary.com/browse/harum-scarum

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harum_Scarum


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