Tuesday, July 13, 2004

 

(Reprinted from the message board on Brahma's World)

 

A member writes in to say:

 

(I) Invested in oil and gas in the late 80's early 90's  --the Bush  -- Saudi connection ( with Clinton's policy consistent) sure made sure that  cheap domestic energy was not gonna compete with foreign ( Saudi) oil.  The market was so flooded with oil at less than 20 a barrel for most of the time ( obviously high enough for the Saudi's to rake it in) that ant domestic drilling program could not afford to recover and sell their reserves.

Had we developed that resouce we would be much less dependent on Arab oil.

 

 

what to do...what to do

 

please select from the following

 

1) develop domestic gas from wells that already exist

2)take over the Saudi Oil fields

3) Take over the Russian Oil Fields

4) Withdraw the oil from Tommy Gomez' greasy head and use that for fuel

5) all of the above and more

 

The Brahma responds:

 

The question has been raised….what to do.  In all probability, the grease from Tommy Gomez’s head could be up to 60% depleted by now…..with the remainder already a division of Halliburton.  If  “taking over” the oil fields of others implies by force, I don’t consider that a viable option.  Getting the leftovers from abandoned wells sounds good as well as sensible…..and I think alternative resources should get more attention….as well as tax breaks at least equal to the corporate welfare that status quo energy companies enjoy.  As aura of conservation should be encouraged instead of speech directed toward “consuming” America back to economic health.

Apparently, diesel engines can run efficiently using old fryer grease from fast food establishments….( as well as grease from virtually every restaurant found on the open road )  Considering American’s penchant for such fare, if we took it seriously enough we could produce enough used grease to not only run every machine in the country, but start importing our leftovers to Saudi Arabia….where they have a serious deep fat-fry shortage.  Why, just the grease used to satisfy Michael Moore for one week on the road is enough to light the streets of Flint Michigan for a year!

Speaking to Bongo…. It’s getting hard to find any svelte radicals these days since most of them are over 50…or look like they are.  In fact it would be nice to have some svelte young spokesperson from the 18-25 crowd speak up against the Empire. That contribution is essential to real change in this country….but it’s yet to be found.  Our generation of old farts found such inspiration in music of that time…..messages, be they real, imagined, or subliminal (or subliminally imagined!) were found in practically every song.  I won’t even give any examples…..using your own memory and imagination will probably be more effective.  We can compare notes later.  But these times see Clear Channel with a stranglehold on music…live and recorded.  They control the content….at least they can delete or control any “questionable” material.

But…back to the gasoline situation now…. There’s something inherently wrong with the present situation as I see it.  The price of gas has risen to record proportions….but the availability has stayed abundant.  Pull in to any gas station in America….there are no lines and you can buy all you want!  You may have to apply for a loan to fill an RV…but if you got the do-re-me pal, you can get all you can carry.  Usually, wouldn’t the price of a commodity have a close relationship to availability?  Perhaps there is a very simple solution to my quandary…but I stress the word simple, for a convoluted response would probably seem incomplete.  The mid 70s saw a sharp increase, but at least a (contrived) shortage was responsible for lines that stretched for blocks and “even and odd” days for legal access.   What the dealio?

Since gas is in such abundance, it hardly seems to qualify as an “energy” crisis as it does a price management “crisis”.  It’s sort of a Republican answer to Bone’s dream of American sacrifice….but unfortunately, the sacrifice is derived from necessity rather than willingness.  If you can’t afford it, use less.

Now…to the subject of what is or is not propaganda.  I have many thoughts on the subject and don’t quite know where to begin.  Despite what may be evident, I strive for concision in these writings….. but let me just jump in willy-nilly.  Always wanted to say willy-nilly in a sentence.

While “Fahrenheit 9/11” would be considered propaganda by the strictest definition, i.e. 1. publicity to promote something: information or publicity put out by an organization or government to spread and promote a policy, idea, doctrine, or cause…. I don’t believe it fits the secondary and more popular definition of:

2. misleading publicity: deceptive or distorted information that is systematically spread

And here is where I see the difference.  Fox News lays claim to “Fair & Balanced” news reporting and provides anything but.  THAT meets the qualification of misleading…..masquerading as a viable news source while spreading the Republican message is akin to fraud….never mind propaganda.  Michael Moore never makes such a claim…in fact, quite the opposite.  He states in the advertising that it contains the other side of the story…. one not reported often enough.  He uses images not shown to the American public ….that should be shown.  He didn’t make them up….didn’t recreate scenes of carnage using Hollywood make-up or special effects… or put fake words into the mouths of the Bushies.  All dialogue verbatim.  Bush explains how well he’s cooperating with the 9/11 committee right before Moore cuts to the committee head saying they’ve been waiting 6 weeks past the due date for certain material.  The movie details Bush Sr.’s job with the Carlyle Group…..and shows him in Saudi Arabia  flashing a big greasy smile while kissing every white-robed ass in sight.  That alone is enough to make me retch.

And here’s something else to consider.  O’Reilly, Hanratty, Limbaugh, Novack….these are NOT stupid people.  In fact, I take them to be quite intelligent, albeit misguided or mistaken.  Wouldn’t it stand to reason that if Moore’s movie was so full of untruths, one of those League of Douchbags would compile a veritable shopping list to refute his charges?  The evidence they’ve presented thus far is flimsy at best.  A Congressman is distraught that his response wasn’t included when he was asked if he would like to help by sending one of his children to war.  His admitted response was…..non-responsive….mentioning a nephew who is going.  I’m even doubting that…. since “nephew” can imply a lot of things, including a not necessarily blood-related person.  His wife’s half-brother’s stepsister’s child for instance….somebody he met once at a family function.  Hardly comparable to sacrificing one’s own flesh and blood, you’d agree?  I’d like a full investigation into the matter…..these guys have been hedging the truth too much.  What is his name, where is he stationed, what is his precise relation and how often have you met or spoke?  Even if he turns out to be his brother’s son who he raised as his own…it hardly qualifies as misleading.  He doesn’t respond directly and is irrelevant to the question posed.  The frame freezes with a look on his face that speaks volumes.  Which brings me to another related subject…that I hope the clock doesn’t prevent me from satisfactory completion.

I’ve found it to be fact in my personal relations that very often words by themselves aren’t to be entirely trusted.  The real truth usually can be seen by a combination of body language and subliminal expressions.  Expressions that we don’t even realize are occurring.  I know this to be fact.  I inadvertently stumbled upon this truth during a particularly vivid, chemically induced mind expanding experience that occurred back during the reign of the original Sandoz crystal.  Please allow me to skip the details….. but at that time, this gift was unenjoyable.  I can explain with greater detail at a later date.

Faherheit 9/11 employs the technique of displaying many of the subliminal expressions we unknowingly use to communicate our real thoughts.  Words can be and often are used to mask actual true feelings….or facts.

In conclusion….I’m finding it rather odd that so many are qualifying the movie as proaganda….and then agreeing with the message!  Here’s a perfect example from a S.F. writer that we’ve quoted here before:  By Mark Morford, SF Gate Columnist

"Fahrenheit" On The Brain
Who cares if Moore's flick is flawed, shameless propaganda? At least it makes America think  

~*~  It’s a good article…I recommend it if you find the time.  But will someone please explain why he has to qualify it as propaganda before agreeing with the basic premise?  Is it just to appease the centrists?

OK….overstayed my alloted time…and probably my welcome too.  Have a good one all

I bid you good night

~Brahma*

 

posted by ~Brahma 11:27 AM