patrick.net

this review of Collapse is quite interesting. like Guns and Steel, i might wait for the TV series, heh. i'm still trying to finish The Third Chimpanzee...

http://www.grist.org/advice/books/2005/02/08/kavanagh-collapse/index.html

the case of Easter Island is a chilling metaphor for the world, particularly if everyone does act in a self-interested and unenlightened way without regard for the wider environment - single-mindedly obssessed with gaining material 'success' to meet their esteem needs and to gain the esteem of others...

I loath Dubya. Hated him even before he was elected to his first term. Knew he would be a horrible president. Watch him fall through my low expectations, adjusted my expections lower, repeat…

hmm, the chimp who smirks - selected, not elected - by rigging the elections in 10 ways...

the Republicans have repeatedly put forward candidates that are an insult to the American people - Reagan, Quayle, Bush Sr, Bush Jr. Questions of election rigging aside, they seem to have worked out the formula that putting up an inarticulate but amiable idiot will win an election by presenting a folksy impression that will hook the voters...and leave the real backroom political maneuverings to the usual bunch of unpleasant sharpies whom no-one likes...

anyone know any good haikus?

I disagree. The U.S. government is all TOO eager to jump in an intervene in plenty of areas it has no damned business sticking its nose into –like banning gay marriage, soft drugs, ...

that's a good point. the Republicans have invaded the bedroom. what is it, god, gays and guns?

interestingly, pollies here are far too diffident to really engage in those issues. australians are either morally indifferent or just tolerant, and a pretty secular culture overall. so there's no god, no guns, that just leaves the gays, and nobody is too fussed there, either...

the big issues here seem to be about industrial relations, mostly...

Actually, Australia is already cutting a deal to export Uranium to China. So I don’t think democracy is much of a concern anyway.

PS

cool. we're going to sell uranium to china and india and all the other NPT signatories... actually, india hasn't even signed the NPT, but never mind... as long as they're good payers...

no democracy? no problem... poor democracy rating is no obstacle, as long as you can make the repayments...

testing

Courtesy of "Rainman18"at Ben's blog:

Bubblefucius say:
Man who carry risky loan sure to suffer broken ARM.

And...
Bubblefucius say:
Condo flipping like swift kick in the scrotum. Both painful and you left holding the bag.

And...
Bubblefucius say:
Low-ball offer today look higher tomorrow when you are on knees.

And...
Bubblefucius say:
Housing comps like instant coffee; both good until the last drop.

And...
Bubblefucius say:
Man use stated income to buy two story house; one story before and one after.

Not Haiku or poetry, but here's one of my all-time favorite REIC bullshit filters that resurfaces from time to time:

RE.Agent Says:

This asset bubble is different than all of the others - it will never slow down, or pop. The gains are permanent.

Also not Hailu, but worthy of remembrance:

‹^›_‹(ô¿ô)›_‹^›

(c/o Surfer-X)