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The MoA Week In Review – Open Thread 2020-05
Last week's posts at Moon of Alabama:
Related:
Iran has a 'shockingly strong' war-crimes case against Trump over Soleimani's killing — and it could win – Business Insider
Trump recounts minute-by-minute details of Soleimani strike to donors at Mar-a-Lago – CNN
>In his speech — held inside the gilded ballroom on his Mar-a-Lago property — he claimed that Soleimani was "saying bad things about our country" before the strike, which led to his decision to authorize his killing.
"How much of this shit do we have to listen to?" Trump asked. "How much are we going to listen to?"<
Other issues:
Self driving cars ain't a thing:
Key Volkswagen Exec Admits Full Self-Driving Cars 'May Never Happen' – The Drive
Reality Check: Tesla, Inc. – Plainsite
>Our fourth Reality Check report: Tesla, Inc. $TSLA. The company's financial disclosures are largely fraudulent and litigation is piling up because CEO Elon Musk is a habitual liar unfit to serve as an officer or director of any publicly traded company.<
737 MAX:
Boeing is working on a new software issue on the 737 Max– ABC News
>Boeing is working to fix a newly discovered problem with software powering up on the 737 Max, adding to the list of tasks the aircraft maker faces to get the grounded plane back in the air.<
Boeing claims that it found the problem itself but the issue comes up in the very same week in which regulators arrived to audit the software.
Use as open thread …
After the emotive demonstrations of Iranian mourners, which put our hair on ends, the sardine movement demonstrations are probably the next most moving mass event in the world….Both antifascist movements… both come to give hope to the masses on that another world is possible in a convoluting changing world, which is not less in the convoluted Mediterranean, a world without bullies, without fear, withour hatred, …
This seems to be a new movement of center-left claimming for peace and an end to confrontation, a come back of responsability, honesty and effort in politics and to pay attention to the claims of the people…
Is this not a world wide clamor?
Sardines and the country that needs a policy that goes beyond anger and fear
There is an Italy afraid and trembling: and its transformation into a free fish in the sea is a poetic image but also a political project. Because the government also depends on the January 26 elections.
The transformation of Italy that has fear and anger, seen in recent years, into a free and happy sardine is Makkox’s poetic and brilliant intuition, but it is also a political project for now only in embryo. That speaks of the limits seen in these years. And that tries to answer some questions.
First: it is not true that the right is not politics. It has done a lot of it in these years. It talked about the “what”, security, poverty, the feeling of frustration that arises from feeling alone and marginalized, while the left spoke of the “how”, the open or closed primaries, the new containers, the electoral or constitutional reforms, stuff from satisfied and fulfilled people. Will Sardines also talk about the “what”, after conducting an election campaign on language and communication to be snatched from hate entrepreneurs? It is to be hoped for.
Second: the right wins by exasperating the public debate, creating a state of exception, while the goal of a new force must be to go back to talking to the normal everyday life of people in flesh and blood. There are many respectable and capable local administrators of the Democratic Party who do it night and day, while the executives in Rome move the soldiers of the small power that remains to them, they have grown up in this way, they have fun like this. Sardines represented an extraordinary response to a crucial problem, the inability of the leaders of left-wing parties to speak the language of ordinary people. Will they know how to cross the normality of people, who cannot mobilize on every weekend but would like places of participation, as they used to say, weekdays, that is, compatible with the times of life and work?
Third: the merit of the Sardines is to have brought back words such as responsibility and effort, tearing the rhetoric that always points to good people against the corrupt Palace, to the people against Casta, slogans on which have prospered during the last year the various anti-political leaders. Once you have taken this step it should not be difficult to make the next jumps.
Consider that politics is conflict, not just loving yourself. Admitting that politics is a job, to be done well even if not for a lifetime as in the past And therefore rebelling against the idea of being used, rejecting the compliments of certain ancient marionons of left-wing partyism, the gray eminences that pontificate in the newspapers after directing anything (and having failed even more), or even by the Prime Minister in search of his own party. Avoid being exploited as a splash of novelty, to avoid a real renewal.
The square and the conclave. The opposition and the government. Extraordinary nature and normality. The old and the new. In the ER, Emilia Romagna which is our Emergency Room, all these dimensions are touched: the transformation and enthusiasm, the fear of losing and the desire to win, the bubble to be broken and the horizon and the scent of the sea . In a navigation that does not stop on January 26, however it goes, in fact, it has just begun.
Sardini d´Italia! Avanti popolo!
There is only one week left for crucial elections in Emilia-Romagna that could have consequences nationwide. Liga and PD are practically tied in the polls. Yesterday Salvini warned in Maranello, and today sardines have filled Bologna.
https://twitter.com/annabujcusso/status/1218996744861757441
Come si fa a non emozionarsi?
https://twitter.com/lauraboldrini/status/1218969869569404929
Posted by: Sasha | Jan 20 2020 23:11 utc | 125
I’ve been mostly silent on Putin’s Federal Assembly Speech from the 15th, six days ago. At its outset, this observation I deem critical:
“Our society is clearly calling for change. People want development, and they strive to move forward in their careers and knowledge, in achieving prosperity, and they are ready to assume responsibility for specific work. Quite often, they have better knowledge of what, how and when should be changed where they live and work, that is, in cities, districts, villages and all across the nation.” [My Emphasis]
The bolded text is an excellent example of what’s known as Democratic Centralism–a situation where individual performance and feedback travels up the decision making chain to the main planners. What was learned from Soviet experience was this communication required honesty. China’s political-economy could never be as efficient as it is now without this being highly functional. The USSR’s fundamental problem was the lack of honesty in communications because of the Fear Factor instilled from the Top. Putin has worked very hard to change this part of Russia’s culture, which he emphasizes in almost every speech directed primarily to a domestic audience. The change in government while customary to some degree is also based on the need to motivate to government to perform in concert with its citizens. (This of course will never be heard within the Outlaw US Empire except perhaps at the county level.) Putin finishes his thought thusly:
“The pace of change must be expedited every year and produce tangible results in attaining worthy living standards that would be clearly perceived by the people. And, I repeat, they must be actively involved in this process. [My Emphasis]
What was thought by the millions of Russians as they heard Putin’s exhortations as they too were being called upon to get busy? And not just busy raising the population, which was his next topic. I won’t review the very strong, energizing words Putin put to use in describing this unacceptable situation, but again how were his words perceived by Russians, particularly those he was talking to directly? (I can’t ever recall any national leader being this frank about national demographics and their condition.) It might have been a campaign speech except that it was very much a fundamental Russian interest that’s languished too long and now must be rectified.
When I first read this part of the transcript, this all sounded very Bismarckian. Afterall, a nations human capital ought to be seen as its #1 asset (which is why the Outlaw US Empire is failing) and made to be as strong and resilient as possible. IMO, Putin’s very impressed by China’s performance and feels there’s nothing to impede Russia from performing similarly. I really can’t avoid citing his summation of this topic I full:
“So colleagues, here is the point I want to make, in short. I would like to emphasise – all the steps we are taking are aimed at creating a streamlined, large-scale and, most importantly, an effectively working family support programme, so that people’s incomes, especially for those raising children, are high enough for a decent life.
“Secondly, what I said at the beginning of the Address: the steps that we took in previous years in the field of demographic development have already brought results. They have yielded results back then: a large generation is growing up in Russia. I am referring to children who are in preschool and primary school now. It is very important that they adopt the true values of a large family – that family is love, happiness, the joy of motherhood and fatherhood, that family is a strong bond of several generations, united by respect for the elderly and care for children, giving everyone a sense of confidence, security, and reliability. If the younger generations accept this situation as natural, as a moral and an integral part and reliable background support for their adult life, then we will be able to meet the historical challenge of guaranteeing Russia’s development as a large and successful country.” [My Emphasis]
It ought to be clear from the bolded text as to the reasons why Putin sees Liberalism as a failure, indeed as an enemy of the state. Now, I’m open-minded and tolerant in my views, but I must applaud Putin here as the Cult of the Individual and Atomization of the Family have wrecked havoc in the West and especially within the Outlaw US Empire to the point where much of society and its culture are dysfunctional, which is why we have a Carnival Barker POTUS.
And onward Putin goes explaining current and future plans to continue strengthening Russians and thus Russia. It’s almost as if Sanders is talking while an slowly rising murmur from the audience is now audible–Socialism! Yes, with Russian Characteristics. The programs and direction he outlines cannot be left to private companies that must profit from these goals. They’re too vital to Russians and Russia. Too bad that mindset is missing from the Western Ideal. The rest of the speech dealing with the Constitution I’ll parse tomorrow.
Posted by: karlof1 | Jan 22 2020 2:21 utc | 156
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