Why Tom Brady is the ideal American

Whether it’s winning wars or winning Super Bowls – a primary component of the American ethos is doing ‘whatever it takes’ to win.

Dick Nixon embodied this admirable trait when he did whatever it took to win the Presidency (though it subsequently cost him – but that’s politics I suppose). He also refused to give up during the Vietnam War and bombed the hell out of Cambodia and Laos just to prove a point.

A more modern example would be the Global War on Terror and George W. Bush’s vow to do ‘whatever it takes’ to win – even shitting upon the very tenants of what makes America America through the now exposed NSA surveillance program and a number of other draconian measures.

Extending this even further, we’ve rationalized torture, drone strikes on American citizens, and a whole host of other dystopian projects that would make even Goebbels feel uneasy.

But back to Tom Brady. I don’t know what the truth is – whether he had a hand in deflating footballs for an unfair advantage or not – but if he did, then that would make him a prime example of what it means to be an ideal American by embodying the urge to commit to do ‘whatever it takes’ to be a winner. Except in his case – it has seemed to work.

On the Firebombing of Tokyo

Must Read: The Firebombing of Tokyo: Seventy years ago today, the United States needlessly killed almost 100,000 people in a single air raid over Tokyo.

“Killing Japanese didn’t bother me very much at that time . . . I suppose if I had lost the war, I would have been tried as a war criminal.” - Gen. Curtis LeMay

As Howard Zinn put it in his final speech before he died:

Gen. Curtis LeMay

"This idea of good wars helps justify other wars which are obviously awful, obviously evil. And though they’re obviously awful — I’m talking about Vietnam, I’m talking about Iraq, I’m talking about Afghanistan, I’m talking about Panama, I’m talking about Grenada, one of our most heroic of wars — the fact that you can have the historic experience of good wars creates a basis for believing, well, you know, there’s such a thing as a good war, and maybe you can find, oh, parallels between the good wars and this war, even though you don’t understand this war.

But, oh, yes, the parallels. Saddam Hussein is Hitler. That makes it clear. We have to fight against him. To not fight in the war means surrender, like Munich. There are all the analogies. . . .You compare something to World War II, you immediately infuse it with goodness."

Above all, don't lie to yourself.

"The man who lies to himself and listens to his own lie comes to such a pass that he cannot distinguish the truth within him, or around him, and so loses all respect for himself and for others. And having no respect he ceases to love, and in order to occupy and distract himself without love he gives way to passions and coarse pleasures, and sinks to bestiality in his vices, all from continual lying to other men and to himself..." - The Brothers Karamazov

Carl Sagan was spot on about the decline of America

“I have a foreboding of an America in my children's or grandchildren's time -- when the United States is a service and information economy; when nearly all the manufacturing industries have slipped away to other countries; when awesome technological powers are in the hands of a very few, and no one representing the public interest can even grasp the issues; when the people have lost the ability to set their own agendas or knowledgeably question those in authority; when, clutching our crystals and nervously consulting our horoscopes, our critical faculties in decline, unable to distinguish between what feels good and what's true, we slide, almost without noticing, back into superstition and darkness...  

The dumbing down of American is most evident in the slow decay of substantive content in the enormously influential media, the 30 second sound bites (now down to 10 seconds or less), lowest common denominator programming, credulous presentations on pseudoscience and superstition, but especially a kind of celebration of ignorance”  

― Carl Sagan, The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark

5 tips to help protect you from NSA surveillance

Ever since Edward Snowden exposed the true depth of the NSA’s surveillance programs – there have been numerous movements to counter these threats to privacy. Signing petitions, emailing your local representative, and voicing your outrage on twitter are all great outlets – but I have a few tips that are 100% guaranteed to protect your online privacy.

1) Instead of emailing, calling, or texting someone who lives in your city – why not meet them in person and have a face to face conversation?

2) If you can’t meet someone in person – email, call, or text them. You probably have nothing interesting enough to say that would warrant the NSA’s suspicion anyways.

3) Continue to use social media as you would normally. Eventually, the NSA’s massive data center in Utah will become so inundated with selfies, pictures of your children, and your dinner that its servers will reach capacity and cease to function. Problem solved.

4) Communicate purely in emoji and LINE stickers. It’s not as if you had anything that requires the use of words and compound sentences to communicate anyways.

5) Write on a piece of paper and mail it. Perhaps the most controversial of all my suggestions – writing a letter is a fool proof way to throw off the NSA data scientists that are hot on your trail.

Of course, I could also include the use of carrier pigeons and smoke signals – but as mentioned – you’re probably not saying anything interesting enough to pique the interest of the NSA anyways – so no need to resort to such drastic measures. Plus, all the content you’ve willingly given to Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Google will end up in the hands of those corporate mega conglomerates regardless of your privacy settings – so take solace in knowing that your communications are trivial to pretty much anyone not trying to sell you that new scent of underarm deodorant.

William J. Casey, by all accounts, was a bad ass motherfucker

William J. Casey, for better or worse, was a bad ass motherfucker. He swindled Reagan into office, scored the position of DCI, and co-founded the International Center for Economic Policy Studies - a lovable conservative think tank with ties to Bill Kristol (PNAC co-founder).

He was also an OG is the OSS and probably tortured/made friends with numerous war criminals. 

Most importantly though, Mr. Casey helped funnel over $1 billion in covert assistance to the mujahadeen in Afghanistan. You know, those guys who were eventually blamed for knocking down a few of our buildings. 

In any case, Mr. Casey, despite his penchant for assassinations, coups, and unregulated black Ops, was a bad ass motherfucker who's fingerprints can still be found upon America's current foreign and domestic policies. 

War Is A Racket

"War is just a racket. A racket is best described, I believe, as something that is not what it seems to the majority of people. Only a small inside group knows what it is about. It is conducted for the benefit of the very few at the expense of the masses.

I believe in adequate defense at the coastline and nothing else. If a nation comes over here to fight, then we'll fight. The trouble with America is that when the dollar only earns 6 percent over here, then it gets restless and goes overseas to get 100 percent. Then the flag follows the dollar and the soldiers follow the flag. 

I wouldn't go to war again as I have done to protect some lousy investment of the bankers. There are only two things we should fight for. One is the defense of our homes and the other is the Bill of Rights. War for any other reason is simply a racket.

There isn't a trick in the racketeering bag that the military gang is blind to. It has its "finger men" to point out enemies, its "muscle men" to destroy enemies, its "brain men" to plan war preparations, and a "Big Boss" Super-Nationalistic-Capitalism. 

It may seem odd for me, a military man to adopt such a comparison. Truthfulness compels me to. I spent thirty- three years and four months in active military service as a member of this country's most agile military force, the Marine Corps. I served in all commissioned ranks from Second Lieutenant to Major-General. And during that period, I spent most of my time being a high class muscle- man for Big Business, for Wall Street and for the Bankers. In short, I was a racketeer, a gangster for capitalism.

I suspected I was just part of a racket at the time. Now I am sure of it. Like all the members of the military profession, I never had a thought of my own until I left the service. My mental faculties remained in suspended animation while I obeyed the orders of higher-ups. This is typical with everyone in the military service.

I helped make Mexico, especially Tampico, safe for American oil interests in 1914. I helped make Haiti and Cuba a decent place for the National City Bank boys to collect revenues in. I helped in the raping of half a dozen Central American republics for the benefits of Wall Street. The record of racketeering is long. I helped purify Nicaragua for the international banking house of Brown Brothers in 1909-1912 (where have I heard that name before?). I brought light to the Dominican Republic for American sugar interests in 1916. In China I helped to see to it that Standard Oil went its way unmolested. 

During those years, I had, as the boys in the back room would say, a swell racket. Looking back on it, I feel that I could have given Al Capone a few hints. The best he could do was to operate his racket in three districts. I operated on three continents."

-Marine Maj. Gen. Smedley Butler 

Why You Should Admire Richard Nixon

Amidst the recent news that LBJ believed Nixon was sabotaging Vietnam peace talks shortly before the 1968 Presidential election – let’s just say that tricky Dick’s legacy as a crook, traitor, and all around vile human being has been sealed.

However, I feel that Nixon was in fact the archetypal American political animal – one in which much of Washington’s current political scum take cue – and one that you too should admire and emulate if you want to be a powerful business man or politician in the modern United States.

Here’s why:

Political prowess – Nixon was not one to be fucked with. If you crossed him you were sure to end up on his enemies list. Yes, he had a fucking enemies list. Not quite as hardcore as Obama’s Disposition Matrix – but scary nonetheless. If you’re an aspiring Wall Street Banker or Congressman, then you should already have one – if not – get to work.

Ruthlessness – The genocidal acts carried out by Nixon during Operation Menu and much of the Vietnam War will forever echo in the annals of history as proof of the existence of Satan. But his ruthless and decisive decision making at the time are characteristics you’ll have to master if you want to get to the top.

Whatever it takes attitude – If you’re not willing to break some laws or some necks during your climb to the top of the mountain of power – then you’d better stay at home. Nixon – as we all know – was all too willing to do a little of both. Just make sure you don’t get caught.

So, there you have it – want to make it big in America? Then you’d better leave your morals and soul at home and do your best impression of our vaunted 37th President.

Truth from the Grave

From John Cusack's IAmA on Reddit a brilliant quote from Hunter S. Thompson;

"We have become a Nazi monster in the eyes of the whole world -- a nation of bullies and bastards who would rather kill than live peacefully. We are not just Whores for power and oil, but killer whores with hate and fear in our hearts. We are human scum, and that is how history will judge us. No redeeming social value. Just whores. Get out of our way, or we'll kill you. "Well, shit on that dumbness, George W. Bush does not speak for me or my son or my mother or my friends or the people I respect in this world. We didn't vote for these cheap, greedy little killers who speak for America today -- and we will not vote for them again in 2002. Or 2004. Or ever. "Who does vote for these dishonest shitheads? Who among us can be happy and proud of having all this innocent blood on our hands? Who are these swine? These flag-sucking half-wits who get fleeced and fooled by stupid rich kids like George Bush? "They are the same ones who wanted to have Muhammad Ali locked up for refusing to kill gooks. They speak for all that is cruel and stupid and vicious in the American character. They are the racists and hate mongers among us -- they are the Ku Klux Klan. I piss down the throats of these Nazis. And I am too old to worry about whether they like it or not. Fuck them."

Oscar On Mistakes

“Nowadays most people die of a sort of creeping common sense, and discover when it is too late that the only things one never regrets are one's mistakes.” ― Oscar Wilde, The Picture of Dorian Gray

Sage advice indeed – makes my mistakes – most of which were committed in states of utter inebriation more palatable.

Indeed – they make me a more dynamic person – and what great tales I have to tell my descendants!

I will have to omit various salacious details – of course.