INTERESTING TIMES

This documentary is well worth seeing.  It explains how the 13th Amendment did more than free the slaves, because it had an exception that said criminals could be imprisoned.  A massive cultural effort ensued to criminalize blacks, and our so-called "criminal justice" system was not sufficient to protect them from powerful white men determined to keep them down.

A Netflix documentary (called 13TH) shows us is just how easy it is to criminalize a previously enslaved population.  This history is ugly, and the present is not pretty either.  The percentage of our populace that is behind bars far exceeds that of any other nation, and the percentage of that imprisoned mass that is black or brown in skin color is also ridiculous.  There is definitely something wrong.

13TH was directed by Ana DuVernay who has quite a resume.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ava_DuVernay
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/13TH_(film)
( What I learned so far (we haven't finished watching the documentary) )

And you thought you could trust a pharmaceutical company? LOL, probably not, you're smarter than that. GSK promoted off-label uses for two drugs, and didn't reveal safety information on another. (They make lots of vaccines, in case you don't know.) Scientific research done by corporations with a profit motive is guaranteed to be reported in a biased way. This will be the biggest fine ever paid by a drug company, and it might even big enough to serve as a disincentive to standard pharmaceutical policies of disinformation. Too bad that these drugs are what insurance will pay for, and not preventative care. And too bad that nobody goes to jail; the decisionmakers of GSK get to hide behind the corporation. Maybe their bonuses will get cut. I can only hope. I know there are humans behind these decisions. Humans with greed and pride where their love and compassion ought to be.

NEWS
http://www.mercurynews.com/business/ci_20990296/glaxosmithkline-pay-largest-health-care-fraud-fine-history?source=rss
http://bottomline.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/07/02/12525279-glaxosmithkline-settles-fraud-case-for-3-billion?lite
http://www.cbc.ca/news/health/story/2012/07/02/health-glaxosmithkline-fraud-settlement.html

It would be our second Constitutional Convention. The first one happened back in 1774 when our government system was designed. I think we should do it. We're clearly not getting anywhere letting them have their way, and things are getting desperate.

Everyone is so upset about it. The lady next to me on an airplane said "It's not fair!" and I had to ask her what wasn't fair about gas costing $4/gallon. I didn't understand her answer. And I tried. It had to do with corrupt politicians, but corrupt how? What exactly are the politicians doing that makes the price of gas unfair? How exactly is it Obama's fault? Someone said he wanted the US price of gas to go up to European levels. Please inform me if you understand this. It seems to me that we as a nation have been paying off the gas companies in the form of subsidies and lax regulation. They claim the opposite, that the burden of regulation and taxation is destroying them. But then the numbers come through, how much money Exxon makes, or Chevron, Citgo or whoever. These companies are raking in billions, and getting tax breaks to boot. It's not clear exactly how those billions get distributed to humans who can spend them. Except for the CEO, who is not going hungry. Maybe the money America gives to gas companies is why gas prices are as low as they are. Maybe if we stop subsidizing oil, the prices will go up. To the real price. That would be the only way we could stop subsidizing them, is if we'd be willing to pay the cost directly instead of through our system of government. And the only way we'll get our gas for cheaper is if we get it ourselves with less waste, extravagance and middle men. I wouldn't be surprised if Obama has this in mind with his plan to expedite drilling in Alaska and the Atlantic. And I'm certain he wouldn't mind depriving the big oil companies of some profit, but he's not allowed to say or act on that. I am, though, being nobody out here on the web.

There's a cynic in me that rears higher when I hear a report about "SOS" signs showing up along the roads in Haiti. The closer to the airport the signs are, the more likely they are to be scams. With loaded humanitarians pouring in, everybody will be trying to get in on the do-gooding action. And it is so much easier to do-good if you have someone local who knows the ropes. Why do your homework when someone there says they will take the money and do good with it in your name? Where money goes, greed awaits. The opportunists will make good on this crisis. I hope that people who are NOT putting up desperation shingles on the road from the airport aren't forgotten.

This video is over 2 hours long and starts with a bunch of sound effects and histrionics--but soon does settle down into some more rational reporting on what is happening in the world, and in America. I'm sorry to say that much as I adore Obama on some levels, he is failing us. His policies in finance are no different from those of Shrub, and we are headed just as quickly in the same direction--toward world dictatorship by the corporations, for the corporations. It may not seem to matter much, and during this generation indeed it does not, since we are still fat and comfortable. Future generations will wonder why we did not stop it. Perhaps it is already too late. I don't know. I just watch in horror.

It may be no surprise to you to hear that the protests that shut down the recount of votes in Florida 9 years ago were orchestrated (and manned) by the Republican party. Rachel Maddow just had a segment in which she illustrated this point by naming the front 9 protesters. Rather than being a spontaneous citizen protest, it was a collection of Republican staffers from all around who went to Florida to stop votes from being counted. It appears that MSNBC won't let me embed the segment. No wonder, they're another corporation with much to lose.

In another segment Rachel reports that the belligerent mobs currently obstructing town hall meetings on healthcare reform are also thanks to Republican/corporate organizing. It just figures. Anytime somebody is completely unreasonable and determined to shut down all conversation, it is my humble opinion that they should simply be excluded from the discussion. Because we need some of the good part of democracy there days; open discourse and compromise, instead of shouting matches and abuse.

I remain impressed with the quality of Rachel's reporting, though she doesn't admit how many of us would like to see government get smaller and spend less. Her humor when she disagrees is mocking, and she does not always recognize the legitimate argments against her own positions. She is not free of bias. But at least her bias includes a hairy eyeball toward corporations and government. I'm glad she's keeping an eye on them.

There's a link to her show on the left column of this blog, if you feel inclined to peek.