http://newsfromneptune.com "Either you repeat the same conventional doctrines everybody is saying, or else you say something true, and it will sound like it's from Neptune." --Noam Chomsky Fri, 31 Oct 2008 04:21:07 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en The new video version of News from Neptune (radio with pictures), from the studios of Urbana (IL) Public Television, with thanks to Jason Liggett, features CGE and David Green. Topics include *elitism and contempt*, *class in America*, and *the Pareto principle*. http://newsfromneptune.com/2008/10/26/news-from-neptune-the-tv-edition-17-october-2008/ A correspondent writes, "...how on earth can Milton Friedman be considered 'liberal' anything...?" Because he preached the virtues of the "free [Latin = liber]  market." DON PEDRO. Why, then are you no maiden. Leonato, I am sorry you must hear: upon mine honor, Myself, my brother and this grieved count Did see her, hear her, ... http://newsfromneptune.com/2008/10/25/whos-neoliberal/ Don't tax productive economic activity, tax wealth. Remove all corporate taxes (that's practically been done) but also remove the civil rights of corporations as "legal persons." But wealth owned by corporations should be assigned to individuals (principally shareholders) for accounting purposes and then taxed. (We do that now informally -- ... http://newsfromneptune.com/2008/10/25/tax-and-expend/ Friday's NYT has an obit for an Italian anti-fascist, Vittorio Foa, who recently died at 98. Jailed by Mussolini, he led a left-wing labor union after WWII and was a socialist senator. The Times describes him delicately as "a leading intellectual of the non-Communist left [who] in the 1960s inspired some extra-parliamentary ... http://newsfromneptune.com/2008/10/25/left-or-right/ Senator Barack Obama said Wednesday he would order a surge of U.S. troops – perhaps 15,000 or more – to Afghanistan as soon as he reached the White House [Globe & Mail 20081022]. Obama's position has been clear for some time. But it's been expressed in such a way that ... http://newsfromneptune.com/2008/10/25/the-democrats-and-obama-have-co-opted-the-anti-war-movement/ "The people can vote for whoever they want. I control the nominations." --Boss Tweed of Tammany Hall, ca. 1870 The presidential election campaign was primarily a distraction.  There were serious issues presumably at stake, notably the war and the economy, and the campaign not only ignored them but purposely obscured them. The reason's not ... http://newsfromneptune.com/2008/10/02/the-presidential-election-did-not-take-place/ [A DC lawyer of my acquaintance sends the best analysis of the bailout I've seen, and a counter-proposal.] Taxpayers receive preferred stock and collateral from a bank borrowing from the Taxpayers, both in the full amount of the loan sought by the bank.  In other words, stock plus collateral in double ... http://newsfromneptune.com/2008/09/24/27/ [1. US WAR POLICY] Perhaps the most ominous story of the week is that of the attack by American ground troops inside Pakistan.  US soldiers were landed from helicopters and killed as usual women and children -- but inside Pakistan.  The Pakistani military was outraged. Within Bush's war council Defense ... http://newsfromneptune.com/2008/09/13/news-notes-from-the-first-week-of-september/ In regard to the much-ballyhooed Palin interview with Charlie Gibson,  I think it's important to try to separate the form (altho' that's politically important, too) from the content.  Look at what Palin actually  said about foreign policy and war, and tell me if you can find any substantive difference with ... http://newsfromneptune.com/2008/09/13/palin-channels-obama/