Oh Ommm
New GLOBAL CORRUPTION rankings out. (Jeez, it’s like the NFL or something.)
According to “expert analysis of public sector sleaze”, the least corrupt countries are Denmark, followed by New Zealand, Finland and Sweden.
The most corrupt? Somalia, North Korea, Sudan and Afghanistan.
What about your lovely country? Full rankings and more here
And again, if you haven’t read McMafia: A Journey Through the Global Criminal Underworld, give it a go. Very disturbing. Very enlightening
Can a gal from Terrace, B.C. bring down the biggest US Banksters?
Great piece by Matt Taibbi in Rolling Stone :http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/the-9-billion-witness-20141106
“The $9 Billion Witness: Meet JPMorgan Chase’s Worst Nightmare:
Fleischmann is the central witness in one of the biggest cases of white-collar crime in American history, possessing secrets that JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon late last year paid $9 billion (not $13 billion as regularly reported – more on that later) to keep the public from hearing.”
Nature created just four seasons. And “Flu Season” isn’t one of them.
In fact, the term was probably dreamed up by some marketing genius on the payroll of the pharmaceutical industry with the express intention of making you feel scared. Why? Because they sell a lot more drugs and vaccines that way. (The stress alone probably makes some people sick.)
So next time you hear some shill yapping about “Flu Season”, have a laugh and remind yourself that only a small fraction of Canadians gets the flu every year (estimates go as low as 5%.)
And that with some very simple techniques – wash your hands regularly, cough or sneeze into your elbow, and don’t burn out your immune system with too much skiing, partying and work – you’ll probably be one of the 80-90% of Canadians who is flu-free this winter.
“Flu Season??” Ha! Bring on the snow.
Lyrics
SAD TO SAY
It seems at times we never learn
We light the fires and watch them burn
We feel the pain the victims feel
But flat deny the sex appeal
Of front-row seats to agony
That we keep tuning in to see
It’s sad to say we crave the fires
That satisfy our dark desires
It’s sad to say we bow our heads
To empty men on empty quests
Who steal the gold and buy the power
Then broadcast to us every hour
That everything will be just fine
As long as we just stay in line
So we don’t mind the things they do
As long as it’s not to me or you
It’s sad to say, it’s sad to say
Yeah it’s sad to say, so sad to say
That we don’t learn
We just don’t learn
No, we don’t learn
It seems at times we worship gods
Who’d have us die for worthless causes
Text your friends and Tweet your list
About the sale you almost missed
Describe the prize that’s in your hands
But don’t admit you don’t understand
The emptiness that gnaws inside
You swore this one would satisfy
It seems at times we learn the most
When we’re down to our one last hope
One last chance to make things right
To bare your soul with all your might
Confess your crimes, confess your sins
Tell her what a fool you’ve been
Then wait for her to make the move
‘Cause you’ve made her the judge of you
It’s sad to say, it’s sad to say
Yeah it’s sad to say, so sad to say
That we don’t learn
We just don’t learn
No, we don’t learn
©2010 Van Clayton Powel
Eminem singing “Lose Yourself”. From 2002. A bit of staying power? Unh huh!
More of a concern for any business using Facebook. But interesting nonetheless.
After air and water, sand is the most used commodity in the world.
The world as we know it would stop functioning without it – no glass, no highways, no computer chips, no concrete buildings, etc. And due to greed and sand’s value, it is quickly disappearing.
I’d never even given it a thought previous to seeing a brilliant documentary film on Knowledge Network last night. More here:
Pretty cool. Julian Assange appears at an event in Nantucket via hologram from the Ecuadorean Embassy in London. I like the high-five attempt at the end.
The brilliant comedian/philosopher nails it again:
Not sure of the source or accuracy of this anecdote, but it’s rich none the less.
When Mahatma Gandhi was studying law at the University College of London, a professor whose last name was Peters, disliked him intensely and always displayed animosity toward him.
Also, because Gandhi never lowered his head when addressing him as he expected, there were always “arguments” and confrontations.
One day, Mr. Peters was having lunch at the dining room of the University, and Gandhi came along with his tray and sat next to the professor.
The professor said,”Mr Gandhi, you do not understand. A pig and a bird do not sit together to eat.”
Gandhi looked at him as a parent would a rude child and calmly replied, “You do not worry professor. I’ll fly away,” and he went and sat at another table.
Mr. Peters, reddened with rage, decided to take revenge on the next test paper, but Gandhi responded brilliantly to all questions.
Mr. Peters, unhappy and frustrated, asked him the following question: “Mr Gandhi, if you were walking down the street and found a package, and within was a bag of wisdom and another bag with a lot of money, which one would you take?”
Without hesitating, Gandhi responded, “The one with the money, of course.”
Mr. Peters, smiling sarcastically said, “I, in your place, would have taken the wisdom.”
Gandhi shrugged indifferently and responded, “Each one takes what he doesn’t have.”
Mr. Peters, by this time was fit to be tied. So great was his anger that he wrote on Gandhi’s exam sheet the word “idiot” and gave it to Gandhi.
Gandhi took the exam sheet and sat down at his desk, trying very hard to remain calm while he contemplated his next move.
A few minutes later, Gandhi got up, went to the professor and said to him in a dignified but sarcastically polite tone, “Mr. Peters, you autographed the sheet, but you did not give me the grade.”