Documenting Anarchy

confusing..

E-Commerce was a flop..and would still be again..don`t worry of that..

Oil is not going anywhere..its there..and Iraq is getting ready to open its own reserves..which are to last for several more years..

Jihadists bite but would be hard if their agenda shifts from Oily purposes to some benign and more spiritual..

umm..good read..good analysis..
the world is not coming to an end that soon..

keep writing..the gist of future everytime..

The author is correct in pointing out the transformation of our world into one that is bureaucratically (as against coersivelly) controlled, though I would argue it has been going on for a while now, as C. W. Mills documented in the 1950s. 9/11 merely brought aspects of it into the limelight, so to speak for many to see.

See this link; http://robots.asadi.org
and this one on reason and freedom, http://politicaleconomy.50webs.com/reason_files/frame.htm

Regarding giving validity to the ``Jihadis`` and America`s role in doing that, the author is accurate in this observation as well. In order to create an enemy to justify their tyranny, the US elite have blown the reality of these rag tag “Jihadis” way out of proportion, given them world wide media coverage and presented them as an equal opponent (which is quite preposterous). This has not only created an image among the poverty stricken masses in the third world of a Robin Hood like group, battling an empire, it has provided direct legitimacy when the empire treats them as a foe its on an official war with (on the mass media). Like I have said before the “Jihadis” and the American elite have a symbiotic relationship with each other, they mutually feed and grow in their perversions based on each others actions. The former are the petty barbarians (terrorists) the latter the higher barbarians (terrorists).

Back in April of 2004, when the media reported that Osama had floated a so-called truce to the Europeans that was officially treated by the US admn and his sidekick, I commented thus in a letter to Egypt`s Al-Ahram
(http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/2004/687/letters.htm)


Crackpot realism

Osama Bin Laden, in his grab for attention and authority which Bush has gladly handed to him by his ``war on terror`` methodology, is playing a Captain Kirk (of Star Trek fame) of sorts, issuing threats and truce offers much beyond his realistic scope or authority.

And Bush, in command of the most massive military machine in the world, is scaring the masses at home with threats from people who live in caves, train in playgrounds and command box cutters, AK-47s (and a few RPGs).

Bin Laden is made the commander-in-chief of over a billion Muslims by such confrontation and legitimacy, and Bush gets to feed the permanent war economy in America (and handing out hundreds of billions of dollars in war contracts -- Lockheed Martin is just one case in point -- not to mention the massive tax cuts to the rich).

The elites (Bin Laden, Bush and Co.) have enacted a theatre for the fulfilment of their subtle motives, the only difference is that in this theatre the ones getting killed are real people, the common folk on all sides, who had no part in directing the play.

The European nations, by ``rejecting`` the truce offer and not ignoring the nonsense, are giving legitimacy to the ``crackpot realism`` of Bin Laden and Bush.

M Asadi

19: Do not Yawn

Naushad is No more.

jaanay vaalay sey mulaquaat naa honay paee:and I was looking forward to meet him this summer.

what music! what poetry!

Saima,
You have obviously worked hard at this and performed considerable research. Thank you for educating us about the evils of the Patriot Act, gas guzzling SUVs, terrorism, oil cartels, oil companies, Republican neo-cons, misogynists, jihadists, Jerry Springer, and covert Government programs run by the DOE. I could have watched FSTV or LINK TV and obtained the same doom and gloom. If I slash my wrists in the next few days, this blood`s on you. :)

Gawd what a yawnfest!

This is not one article but a dozen compressed in one. Kind of Saima`s quota of grievances for this month.:-) all packaged and delivered to your doorsteps.

=== Interact Filtered ===
view this users filtered interacts

Author, you make a rather abrupt shift from bemoaning the loss of individual liberties and privacies to trying to solve the world’s energy crisis.

The novels and movies that you mention are long outdated. 1984 has come and gone. In the present day, the purpose of trying to obtain conformity and homogeneity is not to suppress and control but to ensure consistency – which is best accomplished by removing the human elements and leaving the task to the machines. In the past, the sheer volume of information made the task impractical but technology has come a long way.

All societies are inherently non-democratic – all economic systems are inherently unfair –because virtually all human beings are highly self-centered. The “agonizing” period of self-examination that you refer to was a mere temporary interlude between the Vietnam War and the Iranian hostage crisis.

It has been said that as long as one is alive, one will never be truly free – the practicalities of real life always restrain people – be it through a paycheck, through intimidation, or through coercion. The only way to avoid being dictated to by the society is to become a recluse and to go live in a forest like a hermit. Societies comprise of individuals – individuals are imperfect, inconsistent, immature, and impossible – therefore societies represent the same on a much larger scale.

Because of well-known reasons, persons associated with certain (“sensitive”) countries receive a higher degree of attention and scrutiny from law enforcement at this time. I am sure that this would be considered unfair by the large majority of individuals who are just plain ordinary people. But if data is bound to be shared – it is important that everything be done to make sure that such data is accurate and its use takes place in a consistent manner. A “burqa” must not be allowed to become an excuse for concealing identity – although it is intriguing why anyone would be so protective of their women’s looks and work so hard to ensure others don’t get to see the same – is a woman’s body simply a piece of property belonging to her “owners”? And also, isn’t beauty – which is temporary anyway – there for a reason, that the world could admire it – and since beauty lies in the eye of the beholder to begin with – so what is there to protect?

The loss of the “privacy” that you refer to was never really there – it has always been an illusion. That illusion has been taken away in some respects.

On the energy side, hydrogen can at most be a currency of energy but there is not any hydrogen available to address the needs of the world’s energy shortage – and where hydrogen is indeed available (e.g., within a compound – like water), it requires more energy to get it out than it can provide upon being taken out.

14: Zeemax
thanks & congrats. [is no surprise though]. Will do.

#13 by echoboom

Yaar climbed up the ladder ... but your sha`iri is unmatched. I am just a `zarra` in front of you. Nevertheless, zeemax@hotmail will reach me.

Zeemax:

are you still same same place & position?

kabhhee....nazar aa libaas i majaaz meiN. yaah kum uz kum pataa dey.

#10 by echoboom

Echoboom ... what a party pooper ... I was only talking about the fuel for the internal combustion engine, and now you have brought out the plastics and the asphalt ... now I`m really depressed ...

Raat bhar jaagtey rehtey hain dookano`n key chiragh

...contd... #8

Actually not two but three articles in one. Missed the database-ing of people. The Big Brother in the most democratic manner will now know what I had for lunch and whether instead I cheated on my wife during lunchbreak (not that I contemplate anything of the sort ... but nevertheless ... should an opportunity arise ...) or not.

Who could have guessed a few years ago the collapse of a ``system`` (communism) , a ``sharia`` (marxism) and a ``creed`` (super-powerism).

``Avval O aakhir fanaa, zahir O batin fanaa``.

So saima:

`` Din judai kay yeh bhhee guzar jaaengay``

A good phrase by gandhi: ``But provoke we must, until they react.They are not in control, we are!`` [Hindus: no need to play your armpit music]

All this digitalistion etc, the firaun tactics, won`t work. In the end it is all by & for humans. Everyone was ``documented`` in a village or small-town not too long ago through relatives & friends. Did that stop ``anarchy`` or the overthrow of the haughty & greedy?

---

Zeemax:
Oil will flow wherever it burns. It is not going to affect anyone except those who are vying to make money. It sure helps to manage ``free-trade`` when helped by the military.

Alternate fuel sources will INCREASE the demand for oil rather than lessen it. Oil (and gas) is no longer just a fuel, it even more important as a ``material of construction``. next time you sit in your car, think about this: You are driving 70% oil ( plastic content), burning oil, AND riding over oil (asphalt).

The inherent fault-line in US & Canada is its road system infra-structure which need repairs year round & just to cater to tiny small town. The dinasaur size of these lands with a perverted obsession to not letting people in would pit it against europe, which would just balloon , as time goes by, with those the seemingly insulated US & Canada are trying shield from.


`` Miri taa`meer meiN muzmir hai soorat ikk kharabi kee``--Ghalib.

tr: the seeds of destruction of EVERY system are sown when the foundation is laid.

Some ``super-power``: Lahaul-vila-Quvvat.

Urstruly,

Are you telling us that your ullema got it wrong all these years? Congratulations! You’ve stabbed these honorable leaders of ummah in the back. Although one wonders … what else did these ullama get wrong all along?

Tell us about coming of Issa-ibne-Marriam to save ummah’s a$$ from this Dajjal …

Click [Second Coming of Jesus … ahem, ahem …]

This is two articles in one. One about the inbuilt-self-defeating nature of `Democracy`, and the other of Oil Politics. Though Saima has knit both together brilliantly in her usual competent manner, one would really not know where to begin if the whole was commented upon. Both issues are so inflammatory, and of such critical relevance to not too distant future of ours, that both evoke deep emotions. Thanks. Saima has identified these issues clearly and with skillful reason.

I did find it chilling though.

Fourth, all politicians want power, so any alliance that will increase power e.g., Church/Madrassah/Mullah/Corporations is a temptation beyond belief. A truly just politician would be he/she who has no desire for power. (The Republic, Plato). And people who have no desire for power wouldn’t be attracted to the job and really without power not much can be done.

This is the bane of democracy. It depends upon votes of vested interests to remain in power. That, compromises the very principles and agenda it used most sincerely, to get into power in the first place. In democracy, attaining power to carry out a programme is one thing, but to remain in power to complete it is quite another. Democracy doesn`t work.

However, there actually were people who had no desire for power but treated power as a great burden and responsibility; and there was a system so decentralized that it took account of multitudes of ethnic/communal issues bordering on the anarchic, while unifying under a few simple principles. But that existed in the 7th Century. It is not fashionable to talk about it now. Nevertheless, that was the perfect system.

Oil consumption of countries where there are huge deposits of oil is low—they aren’t too modern. They can have four wives. They live in a large family set-up. Low key violence is somewhat normal here, they have the least political freedom, and the least upward social mobility. But heck, at the end of they day they don’t consume that much oil. Even after a higher relative degree of modernity—they just never hopped on to the industrial dream. Too lazy maybe.

Saima knows the truth about that but doesn`t want to sound like a conspiracy theorist, so a bitter remark suffices.

Not Lazy. The post-Ottoman British/French mandates in M.E and post-colonization make-ups in other oil regions ensured compliant regimes placing a seal on their using their own resources for development, but rather exporting basic raw material, i.e. crude oil in this case, to be refined elsewhere. Refining capacity in the producing countries is revealing data. It is not economical to refine locally because of the entire cost-structure determined by the large oil conglomerates.

WTO was the last nail in the coffin for the value-adding manufacturing capacities of the non-oil countries, but, interestingly, this commodity of oil cannot be manufactured elsewhere nor can be controlled through the open market competetive mechanisms. This is a uniquely essential commodity unlike any other. It cannot even be grown agriculturally. The only way it can be controlled is to be physically captured.

Which takes us to the next point:

Oil in Saudi Arabia is getting harder and harder to extract .... but just after getting to USA, people perform day in and day out to get a big house and a few big cars, while the whole numbing cycle of never-ending consumption starts and never ends (did I say it never ends?).

I`m not sure about the first part of the statement. The `Light Sweet Crude` of the Gulf is still the easiest to extract just under the surface and the actual extraction (not including exploration and finance) costs about $2 per barrel compared to $ 20+ per barrel in Canada and Alaska. Iraq is around $5 per barrel and 70% of Iraq is unexplored, but estimates suggest it is floating on oil with much larger reserves than Saudi Arabia.

About the second part, yes. America wants to consume and discard. That is the American way of life. If it wants cheap t-shirts and dvd players, it will have WTO. If it wants six cylinder cars, it will have a gulf war, and another, and still another.

As for Oil substitution and alternatives, there are none. Not at this cost. When the oil runs out, only then the alternatives will become viable. Fossil fuel even at $100 a barrel is cheap compared to the alternatives.

It may be that global oil production has peaked. Meaning that there will be a plateau for a while—we don’t know how long a while before an actual slump in oil production. It is at this time that the Islam conflict could reach its climax into a full-fledged war over oil.

Yes there will be a slump, and there will be a full-fledged war.

It`s perfect for the Americans. The Americans want to kill them and the Jehadis want to die .

Like they say: `` Bring it on``.

Rgds