Category: government

the real damage done by Republicans

On By Rick McIn economics, ethics, governmentLeave a comment

The real goal of the GOP — rich get richer — very successful under Trump. Follow the money.

Noam Chomsky is right:

The United States doesn’t just interfere in elections. It overthrows governments it doesn’t like, institutes military dictatorships. …

What’s going on is a very systematic two-tiered operation. One of them is Trump, Bannon, the effort to try to make sure you capture the headlines, that you’re top of the news, one crazy thing after another just to capture people’s attention. …

Chomsky essentially believes that the contrived pseudo-scandal that is Russiagate, serves as a distraction from the actual scandalous things that take place on a daily basis in Washington, D.C., and only serve to better the “rich and powerful.”

While everything is focusing on that, the Paul Ryan republicans, who are, in my view, the most dangerous and savage group in the country, are busy implementing programs that they have been talking quietly about for years. Very savage programs, which have very simple principles. One, be sure to offer to the rich and powerful gifts beyond the dreams of avarice, and [two], kick everyone else in the face. And it’s going on step by step right behind the bluster. …

“Trump Is A Distraction, Used By The Deep State To ‘Systematically Destroy’ America!” Says Chomsky

The Bridge (U.S. TV series)

On By Rick McIn government, travel, travel Mexico, TV1 Comment

Important issues in the era of Trump’s hateful America.

Yes, there are detectives and, yes, there is a killer. But the true mysteries of The Bridge lie in the great swaths of land and stories surrounding the U.S.-Mexico border. …

Episode 7 Recap: The Defiant Weirdness of ‘Destino’

Click PLAY or watch a trailer on YouTube.

The Bridge is an American crime drama television series … based on the Danish-Swedish series Broen/Bron. …

The show stars German actress Diane Kruger and Mexican actor Demián Bichir in pivotal roles.  …

The complete series consists of two seasons of 13 episodes each. The series debuted on FX in the United States on July 10, 2013, and the series finale aired on October 1, 2014. …

The American version takes place on the U.S. and Mexican border where a murdered body on a bridge between El Paso and Juárez (the Bridge of the Americas) bring together El Paso detective Sonya Cross (Kruger) who is mentored by Hank Wade (Levine) and Chihuahua State police detective Marco Ruiz (Bichir). …

Detective Sonya Cross has undiagnosed Asperger’s syndrome or a similar autism spectrum disorder. She’s awesome. Meticulous, direct and prickly. No empathy.

Many of the minor characters are excellent too. Casting is great.

Cult-figure Steven Linder (Tom Wright) is my favourite. Wright’s been compared to Daniel Day-Lewis.

Linder believes that he has a calling to help people, including the women and girls in Ciudad Juarez, hundreds of whom have been killed or disappeared since 1993.

I got the series from Warren. And will continue watching season 2. And then the Danish-Swedish version.

the world needs more immigration, not less

On By Rick McIn economics, ethics, governmentLeave a comment

Steve Jobs was the son of a Muslim Syrian immigrant.

The progressive case for immigration

That’s legal immigration with support in place on arrival.

Click PLAY or watch it on Facebook.

100,000 Banned Books To Build A Full-Size Parthenon

On By Rick McIn books, ethics, governmentLeave a comment

Heinrich Heine:

“Where they burn books, at the end they also burn people,”

Argentinian artist Marta Minujín, 74, has created a monumental replica of the Greek Parthenon from 100,000 copies of banned books. According to the artist, it symbolizes the resistance to political repression.

The Parthenon of Books in Kassel, Germany is part of the Documenta 14 art festival. With the help of students from Kassel University, Minujín identified over 170 titles that were or are banned in different countries around the world, and constructed the full-size replica of the iconic temple from those books, plastic sheeting, and steel. …

Bored Panda

Frantz (film)

On By Rick McIn ethics, governmentLeave a comment

Frantz is a 2016 drama directed by François Ozon. It is about a young German woman whose fiance was killed in World War I, and the remorse of the French soldier who killed him. …

Brian, Jane and I all enjoyed this one.

Excellent acting, especially the two leads Paula Beer as Anna and Pierre Niney as Adrien.

Click PLAY or watch a trailer on YouTube.

Peter Travers – ‘Frantz’ Review: French WWI-Era Mystery Takes on Modern Nationalism, Hate

Francois Ozon’s beguiling tale of a German widow and a Gallic stranger takes on xenophobic hatred that’s as timely as Trump

 

 

Immigrants (We Get The Job Done)

On By Rick McIn economics, ethics, government, musicLeave a comment

Immigration is good for the economy.

In Canada I trust immigrants more than I trust non-immigrants.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

That said … every nation needs immigration laws. Illegal immigrants should be quickly and ethically brought to trials. The Canadian legal system is too slow.

via NPR

whatever happened to racist Kellie Leitch?

On By Rick McIn ethics, government, human rights, humourLeave a comment

Recall the Canadian version of Donald Trump?

She got 6% in the recent Conservative leadership campaign. There’s not much of a market for hateful intolerance in the Great White North.

Click PLAY or watch a This Hour has 22 Minutes spoof on YouTube.

That bit is making fun of her eight-minute campaign video which, if anything, is even worse.

Kellie Leitch should leave politics and return to her medical practice.

I’m not celebrating the 4th of July

On By Rick McIn bad news, economics, ethics, government, things getting worseLeave a comment

His approach is not working. Five months into his first term, Mr Trump presides over a political culture that is even more poisonous than when he took office.  …

The Trump presidency has been plagued by poor judgment and missed opportunities. …

Economist

Unethical, immoral, illegal and unconstitutional. If you still support Trump I’d prefer we never speak again.