Professor Emeticus at work

The stuff one has to ingest....

(Remember Helen Thomas from yesterday's post? Coincidentally today: an excellent interview by Amy Goodman from Democracy Now! That woman -- redolence of J. McCain... -- Helen Thomas, who was born to Lebanese Christian parents in 1920, is simply phenomenal. I vote that a statue of her be placed opposite that pompous Mount Rushmore carving!)

My parents had a hilarious book in their vast library. It was called The Other Victorians by Steven Marcus and explored, presented and commented the bizarre pornography of that allegedly buttoned-up age. If my memory serves me correctly, that is where I first heard or read the expression "daisy chain." Yesterday, the public was regaled with a similar porno-political display, namely George Bush giving Tony Blair the Medal of Freedom. Time to cast a new medal for great public service, the MofF has just been disgraced forevermore. My source is the BBC, where the story had very short shelf-life, but the picture they posted along with the story does look like something out of, say, Brokeback Mountain.

Blair, who joyfully joined in the orgy that turned Iraq into a charnel house, is now a Catholic, so one must suppose that his soul is cleansed. Scruples is one thing that that man does not have. He seems to believe that lying about lying means the Truth. I wish some philosopher would crawl out of the dusty halls of academe and point out to him that that is not so.

Or are we faced with an Epimenides Paradox, "All politicians lie, said the politician." This may be one reason why nothing ever really gets done and the news all looks the same all the time, like those Hollywood titles called "films."

Israel, Israel, Israel

At any rate, these two men have focused immense attention and energy and resources on a neo-conservative adventure in Iraq, while leaving the real problem untouched: Israel and Palestine and some 12,000 square miles of territory that is causing about 75% of the political trouble around the world. America's consistent and blind support of Israel, which is aimed at maintaining divisions, war and instability in the Middle East, has made the region far more dangerous. Just imagine peace in the region: suddenly, no more bugaboos, no more scapegoats, nowhere to point a finger to make sure attention is not focused on real problems.... And the right wing in Israel and elsewhere has figured out long ago that war turns entire populations into complete imbeciles frothing at the mouth for revenge. Pavlov's dog with a rabies. Permanent war. The solution to all problems.

But in the Middle East, there can be no peace, because people like George W. Bush have been approaching the problem with some simplistic ideas like "Israel has a right to defend itself." Not enough on a negotiating table, but what more can you expect from such a low-watt bulb. Enlightenment? Clarity?

Speaking of the BBC.... Still an organization with a little backbone left (I have long been convinced that evolution is actually going the other way than Darwin suggested, we are ascending towards the amoebal state, at least that's what the evidence shows... Their comment section is full of wild speculations and rants, but oddly, three that I left were "not published". Here they are: Try and find anything irritating (small changes, because there is more space here). I drop them here for some consideration...

#1: BBC Question: Are the raids on Gaza justified?
Answer: Killing innocent people through indiscriminate bombing is never justifiable. Period. And Americans should remember that "Made in USA" is actually printed on the (Israeli) ammo somewhere, so do not be astonished when you are made responsible, too. Not published.

#2: BBC Question: How can a truce be achieved in Gaza?

Answer 1: I am 51. I started reading papers at the age of around 10. One bit of continuity: The world itself has been held hostage by these two miniature nations not being able to get along for that long at least. I for one am sick and tired of it, I am tired of reading about it, I am tired of the fingerpointing and all this biblical nonsense. Had these two peoples decided to set aside their differences and ask the Swiss, for example, how do they manage, they would be living in a sort of Garden of Eden. But someone, somewhere must be profiting immensely from this conflict.

Answer 2: As of today, nearly 800 Palestinians (this was a few days ago, the number tops 1000 today) have been killed, mostly innocents, versus a few Israeli soldiers. This is exactly what the extremists want. Because it is a rhetorical victory in terms of facts. To the "man on the street", Israel is the bogeyman. But Israel has responded to the extremists by doing their bidding, i.e., "heating up the street." (Nevertheless, it is the people who are clamoring that Israel stop the bombing who are being called friends of the terrorists, etc.)

So, who is giving in to the terrorists, I ask? Yes, Israel.

The second answer was stretched a little... Just to underscore the complete lack of logic in the Israeli attack on Gaza.
That is how bizarre everything has become.

Best regards,

Professor Emeticus

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