"

Monday, June 30, 2008

Crass Bastard Ho

If it's too good to be true, then it's --- really cool in an alternative reality or some parallel dimension sort of way, don't you think?

Perhaps. But then again, perhaps not.

With a name like Cash Blaster Pro, how can one have doubts that someone somewhere is up to no good in a good old-fashioned dastardly manner ala Snidely Whiplash?

And so it goes . . .

. . . like this ---

--------------------------------------------------------------------


After being spammed relentlessly about this so called opportunity I deceided to take a look at it and will http://www.123cheapdomains.com
Phone support available 10AM-6PM PST Mon-Fri
This company may be contacted for domain login/passwords,
DNS/Nameserver changes, and general domain support questions.

Own A Custom Web Address For Less!
$13.95/yr Domain Registration
-------------------------------------------------
Includes:

- Free domain forwarding / redirection
- Free URL Masking / Framing with Meta Tag Support
- Free DNS services(mx, ip, cname pointing)
--------------------------------------------------


Registrar of Record: TUCOWS, INC.
Record last updated on 01-May-2008.
Record expires on 20-Jan-2009.
Record created on 20-Jan-2008.

Registrar Domain Name Help Center:
http://domainhelp.tucows.com

Domain servers in listed order:
NS1.WEB2UPGRADE.COM
NS2.WEB2UPGRADE.COM
[/i]

OK now notice the bolded entry in the Whois result which shows stilladreamr@yahoo.com, this is the main email address of the administrator. Hmmm, a company that is going to give away a million dollars that uses a free yahoo email address? Now I am becoming curious and wondering if this might be a scam.

Next I try a search for the email address in google, http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=%...mr@yahoo.com%22 which you can try for yourself. I found the domain whois info which is fairly common but what caught my eye was the result at the bottom.

For Sale Wanted... to buy an XS650 custom chopper/bobber, or anything like this - please send details, pics, asking price and location to stilladreamr@yahoo.com - THANKS ...
www.650motorcycles.com/ForSale.html - 120k - Cached - Similar pages


http://www.650motorcycles.com/ForSale.html

Here is the full ad
Wanted: I am looking to buy an XS650 custom chopper/bobber, or anything like this - please send details, pics, asking price and location to stilladreamr@yahoo.com - THANKS

We now do a search of just stilladreamr

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=s...G=Google+Search

and we find an interesting link to a bike site for Yamaha XS650 buyers, remember the previous site where he was looking for a Yamaha XS650?

Information for Yamaha XS 650 buyers Classic Bike PictureseBay Feedback Profile for stilladreamr. Buyer: usaf936 ( 4 ) Dec-07-07 14:56. yamaha xs 650 flasher relay stock oem xs650 (#300155020688) . ...
classicbikepictures.co.uk/c319/p2390/buyers/information_for_yamaha xs_650_buyers.html - 34k - Cached - Similar pages


http://classicbikepictures.co.uk/c319/p239...650_buyers.html

Now a look on this page reveals the following

eBay Feedback Profile for stilladreamr
Buyer: usaf936 ( 4 ) Dec-07-07 14:56. yamaha xs 650 flasher relay stock oem xs650 (#300155020688) ... Detailed item information is available for 90 days. ...


which indicates our million dollar giveaway internet technician has an ebay account. Let's see if we can get a better idea about this person from those who have previously done business with him to try and guage his integrity.

http://feedback.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?...eedbackAsSeller

Ooops It appears that he is no longer a registered user because his feedback fell below the accepted level causing ebay to terminate his account.

stilladreamr ( 144) Not a registered user

OK so let's take a look at some of the Negative feedback on ebay and see if it was really justified or not.

They take my money but didnt send my item. Take a look at the mirror. ramistereo ( 6 ) Dec-21-07 09:16
-- (#300158421366)

After over 2 months still waitting. No answer to my emails. ramistereo ( 6 ) Dec-21-07 09:16
-- (#300158081583) --

The salesman did not send the item, does not obtain contact per 90 days, CARE. joaquimcarlos2006 ( 24) Dec-13-07 06:30
-- (#300158423276)

Never received the items rolfg3495 ( 21) Dec-08-07 15:00
-- (#300159680522) --

Never received the items rolfg3495 ( 21) Dec-08-07 15:00
-- (#300159679220) --

Scum, liar, THIEF!!!! Nothing else describes him/ her better. glenmaniac ( 165) Dec-02-07 15:18
-- (#300161690162) --

this seller not send the items mc-bror ( 322) Nov-26-07 10:30
-- (#300159681972) --

the seller not send the items mc-bror ( 322) Nov-26-07 10:29
-- (#300159679528)

After 3 emails no response from seller. Item not received. Very disappointed! purplecoyote112 ( 253) Nov-23-07 07:54
-- (#300157042984) --

Never received item I have paid for, no more e-mail reply, might be a scam abeblinkin ( 25) Nov-20-07 14:24
-- (#300152077622) --

Paid Imeadiately,never received part, no reply on emails after 1 month. chevysong ( 44) Nov-17-07 18:56
-- (#300155021640) --

item not recieved and no anser to my emails frankw6963 ( 54) Nov-17-07 11:10
-- (#300155386595)

Never received Total owed after 7 dys. Moved on to different seller. LOSER! lipbrother ( 76) Nov-06-07 08:00
-- (#300158388885) --

Paid through paypal then seller sends me a cod for 100.00 30 days late! Scammer! cyclefreak1965 ( 402) Nov-01-07 11:37
-- (#300159681729)

RECIEVED 2 DEFECTIVE HORNS! NO RESPONSE FROM SELLER! 9412walter ( 153) Oct-26-07 12:56
-- (#300155807789) --

PAID FOR ITEMS PROMPTLY! NEVER RECIEVED ITEM! 9412walter ( 153) Oct-26-07 12:53
-- (#300155817538) --

paid for items promptly.....NEVER RECIEVD ITEMS, STILL DONT HAVE THEM! 9412walter ( 153) Oct-26-07 12:51
-- (#300155816222)

Hmmm obviously his customers don't think very highly of him or his honesty and neither do ebay so this gives us a pretty good indication that the claims on his site are likely to be completely false and that he is likely to be completely untrustworthy and most likely a scammer who doesn't deliver on his promises if ebay is anything to go by.

On this page http://feedback.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?...s=25&page=6 of his ebay feedback I noticed it said

Robert over at Crazy Horse Customs is AWESOME!! Great Ebayer, Great motorcycles, toddster-123 ( 15) Sep-04-07 10:49
-- (#300144736541) --


So I googled "Crazy Horse Customs" and Robert.

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=C...+Customs+robert

We find crazyhorsecustoms.com but alas it is just a holding page because it requires renewing but is however registed via 123CHEAPDOMAINS.COM just like his other myriad of domain names.

The Registry database contains ONLY .COM, .NET, .EDU domains and
Registrars.Registrant:
Crazy Horse Customs
NW 91st Ave 3-214
Coral Springs, FL 33071
US

Domain name: CRAZYHORSECUSTOMS.COM

Administrative Contact:
Horse, Crazy sales@crazyhorsecustoms.com
NW 91st Ave 3-214
Coral Springs, FL 33071
US
+1.9547532305


I also found this in the same results and again relates to Yamaha XS650 mororcycles.

MySpaceTV Videos: XS650 Yamaha Chopper by RobertSep 25, 2007 ... XS650 Yamaha Chopper by Robert Watch it on MySpace Videos. ... At Crazy Horse Customs (www.crazyhorsecustoms.com) we take a stock XS650 ...
vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=18851725 - 34k - Cached - Similar pages


http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseacti...ideoid=18851725

where it describes Robert as being:

39 years old
FORT LAUDERDALE
US
Total Plays 2
Subscribers 1

and has his picture.

50 Yamaha Chopper
1:21
This is a great example of an XS650 Chopper. At Crazy Horse Customs (www . crazyhorsecustoms . com) we take a stock XS650 Yamaha and chop and bob it into either a hard-tail chopper or soft-tail bobber. You can see examples of our bikes at the link above. [less]


Type www.robertkuntz.com into your web browser and it will forward to cashblasterpro.com

Administrative Contact:
Kuntz, Robert stilladreamr@yahoo.com
1560 NW 128th DR #108
Sunrise, FL 33323
US
+1.9545984344

Now we google for that domain name

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=%...ertkuntz.com%22

and we find this link.

http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseacti...logID=358245514

http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fusea...endID=333999358

http://www.myspace.com/homebizguru

"MISSION: Take Over the World!"

Male
39 years old
ALTAMONTE SPRINGS, Florida
United States

Last Login: 5/3/2008

On the original stilladreamr search I found

http://www.flickr.com/photos/25044614@N07/

stilladreamr's photostream
Sets Tags Archives Favorites Profile

Guest Passes let you share your photos that aren't public.

Anyone can see your public photos anytime, whether they're a Flickr member or not. But! If you want to share photos marked as friends, family or private, use a Guest Pass.

If you're sharing photos from a set, you can create a Guest Pass that includes any of your photos marked as friends, family, or private. If you're sharing your entire photostream, you can create a Guest Pass that includes photos marked as friends or family (but not your private photos).

Learn more about Guest Passes![?]

pretty lat/longjittercup


JitterCup Social Networking Community coming May 1st! New technology that will change the web1

Hmmm ok it sounds remarkably similar to his other blurb for july 1st and has an image that says www.jittercup.com on it.

http://jittercup.com/

Welcome...

This is the development site for JitterCup.com

Please keep posted for our official launch of May 1st 2008!

Regards,
JitterCup Admin


Domain name: JITTERCUP.COM

Administrative Contact:
Kuntz, Robert robert@robertkuntz.com
1560 NW 128th DR #108
Sunrise, FL 33323
US
+1.4074850101

Again this is registered via the same registrar, could this be the amazing new Web 2.0 technology he boasts about. May the 1st has been and gone, maybe he is now trying to re-market this flop to you guys, next there will be some kind of fee to pay, can anyone say hold on to your wallet because this smells like a HUGE scam?

Anyone can perform these searches and will get the same results and I am sure you will reach the conclusion through research, common sense and logic that cashblasterpro and all it's other url's is just a scam waiting to happen. In essence people are promoting this joke with the expectation of receiving a cut of 1 million dollars, it is almost a mirror image of the greenzap scam where you will get nothing unless you either pay or you get others to pay. Just wait and see if you don't believe me.



--------------------------------------------------------------------

This info came from Scam.com. And I found that js at 9PlanetReviews also posted the same excerpt from Scam.com with the following preface ---

--------------------------------------------------------------------

Just got the below from my upline. Turns out that the “switch to Web 2.0” programme is a scam. I myself wondered how one could change all websites on the ‘net by the click of one button. I don’t think it is technically feasible, but.. I thought it was no harm, as they open on July 1st. Well, I’ve had many folks join. And read the below and decide for yourself.

“Hello Gang,

Just a quick heads up and an apology to anyone who joined the following program under me. It has come to my attention that a program I heavily promoted is looking like it is a scam. The program is cashblasterpro and promises to upgrade the entire internet to web 2.0 at the click of a button. I should probably have known better and apologise to all who joined this program under me. If you have joined under me please do not upgrade your accounts or recruit anymore members and please pass this message that was posted in the mmg forum to all your friends and acquaintences to warn them about it. The message is below and the research was remarkably simple to duplicate. It offers compelling evidence that this program is a scam.

Again I apologise to anyone who joined this program under me and urge you not to give any of your money to these scumbag scammers. Luckily we caught this one early and if we spread the word fast we can ensure that nobody gets hurt. Please forward this message to everyone you know or post it to any of the forums or message boards you might use to stop others from being scammed by this scam artist.

I try my best to only bring profitable and honest programs to you but everyone makes mistakes sometimes, this was my mistake and I am only glad that it is not too late to fix it.

Thank You All
God Bless

--------------------------------------------------------------------

And, faithful Chaos Chasm II readers, there's more still, from Gerry Patterson at PGTS Humble Blog, posted there June 26th, so its very recent, just last Thursday (today being Monday the 30th, right? [and CBP was supposedly going to be launching tomorrow]) ---

--------------------------------------------------------------------

On Thursday the 12th of June, I started to receive a lot of spam claiming to be from Robert Kuntz and BJ Bishop. It was coming mostly from non-portable addresses, and it was very aggressive. Although Spam Assassin was diverting the spam to my spam folder, I was concerned about the sheer volume. In order to stop it I black-banned the offending IP addresses in the postfix access DB.

This incident prompted me to finish a script that I had been working on for a while. It is a perl script that automatically black-bans offenders for 24 hours. I call this the SA (Spam Assassin) Sin Bin. As I have become confident of the fact that Spam Assassin will not return false positives (because I've tuned it that way), I now feel sanguine about implementing this script. I will try to release details of it soon.

I was so busy with the technicalities that I didn't bother checking further about Robert Kuntz and BJ Bishop. At the time I had thought it might be an early Friday the 13th type jape, which spammers seem to think is so amusing.

It turns out this was the work of a nest of very bold spammers. The domain which they were promoting, cashblasterpro.com, makes little attempt to hide itself or their operations and their phony, scamming, scummy intent. Their sites (and affiliated sites) are chock full of the most blatant, outrageous bullshit, sprinkled with technical jargon, that I have encountered this year. I won't even dignify the load of bollocks on their sites further by commenting on it. If you are curious go and visit them. Just be careful if you are low-level Microsoftie using IE. These guys are just the type to deploy rat-cunning malware dirty tricks against unwary visitors. It would be a lot safer to go to scam.com and read the thread about Robert (if that is his actual name) and his activities.

Cashblasterpro.com is registered by our old friends TUCOWS Inc, as are the domains robertkuntz.com and bjbishop.com.

Robert Kuntz (if that really is his name) is listed as the administrative contact for the cashblasterpro.com domain. The details are as follows:

 Robert Kuntz
1560 NW 128th DR #108
Sunrise, FL 33323 US

BJ Bishop, if that really is his name, is listed as the administrative contact for bjbishop.com, also at the same Florida address:

 Bishop, BJ
1560 NW 128th DR #108
Sunrise, FL 33323 US

Laura Lynch (if that is a real person) is also mentioned as someone who helped design these sites. Seems she works at the same address.

Another domain registered at this address is web2upgrade.com. Both web2upgrade.com and cashblasterpro.com use the same primary and secondary nameservers (ns11.cashblasterpro.com and ns12.cashblasterpro.com) Robertkuntz.com and bjbishop.com use the nameservers ns1.web2dashboard.com and ns2.web2dashboard.com.

Web2dashboard.com is another domain administered by our old mate Robert Kuntz, and operating from the same Florida address. It must be one busy little place there in Florida, operating all of those domains.

These sites appear to use a San Fancisco company, 123cheapdomains.com as their ISP. All of them are registered by TUCOWS Inc.

That busy little location in Florida appears to be a genuine address in Fort Lauderdale. Or at least Google Earth will take me there. It does seem strange that the address is in the middle of the road rather than one of the buildings. But maybe it's a very mobile operation.

It looks as if there is a block of offices close by. I cannot tell if there is an actual sign saying "Cashblasterpro.com", since Google Earth will not show me a street view. But the aerial view shows only a few car parking spots out the back. I don't know how all those people, Robert, BJ and their helper Laura and their staff and all the staff for web2upgrade.com and web2dashboard.com, robertkuntz.com, bjbiship.com, etc all fit in that tiny little space ... Especially if they really do work in the middle of the road!

It seems that Robert (if that is his real name) started out with the email address of stilladreamr@yahoo.com, which he has used as the Administrative contact for many of his domains.

It also seems at one stage, stilladreamr had an eBay account. However the account was suspended for non-compliance. He may have had an interest in motorcycles.

There is also a veritable splodge of sploggers (if I can coin a collective noun), creating bogus entries in various blogs about what a great new technology Robert and his spammer buddies have discovered and how they are going to make you rich, if you just give them your personal details. When I googled for Robert Kuntz (how do you pronounce that?) I found ample evidence of splogging.

The scam is a type of pyramid scheme, that these days is often referred to as Multi-Level Marketing (MLM). It probably also includes harvesting email addresses, credit card numbers and personal information. In the past they may have been involved with the mortgage spammers, who always had a strong presence in Florida. The mortgage spammers seemed to have connections with organised crime as well as the more shady side of the finance sector. However that is pure speculation on my part. There is no definite evidence for the mortgage connection. Florida did seem to be a haven for mortgage spammers in the past. I imagine that the perpetrator is a small time fraudster with aspirations to make it to the big-time.

Now, you might consider me incredulous, but, I do make a living out of being a sceptic. And I couldn't help noticing that the names Robert Kuntz, BJ Bishop and Laura Lynch already have entries in Wikipedia, for different (and legitimate) activities. Which is why I suspect that these names are phony. Of course that doesn't mean the sites cannot be shut down. We know the IP addresses. We know who registered them. They can be taken down in a couple of milliseconds. We just don't know their real names and addresses.

Of course I could just be a mistrustful sceptic and there really are three conscientious little Florida citizens, Robert, BJ and little Laura, all of them working their little buns off just trying to get a sizable piece of the American dream before they retire early (with other peoples' money).

But on the other hand it would be possible to shut them down. If someone accused them of being affiliated with a weird Islamist group, they'd be off air in less time than it would take to type "Google" into "Google".

Last century, before the lawyers, scam-artists and spammers made such a big move on the Internet, a domain like cashblasterpro.com would have been taken down within a couple of hours. These days it will probably take weeks or months to shut these scam-artists down.

Of course the netblocks from which the spam originated have now changed hands.

This does not do a lot to promote confidence in the Internet or the US authorities abilities to enforce the law. It does foster Florida's inglororious reputation as the spam capital of the world and TUCOWS Inc as the spammers' preferred Registrar.

If anything it illustrates how ineffective and ineffectual US anti-spam laws are, when a crew like this can openly and persistently flout not only those laws but several other laws regarding fraud, identity theft etc.

Copyright © 2008, Gerry Patterson. All Rights Reserved.

--------------------------------------------------------------------

Now, what and where is my responsibility towards all those that signed up under yours truly during the past three months to get in on this so-called Net-based Web 2.0 upgrade of the entire World Wide Web. Besides feeling abhorrently ridiculous, which I always seem able to recover from, for having bought into this scam, I feel that I should contact all those folks I made contact with on Saturday just before the pre-reg page went south. Damn, and I was looking forward to watching the second half of Season 1 of Weeds tonight. It's a good thing I didn't tell toooo many of my cynical friends about this. But I suppose I deserve to be laughed at disparagingly for a few minutes or months for not having checked out as deeply on the Net as I could have much earlier, way back in April, whether this thing was actually technically possible or not. A very cool scam, I must admit. "Bastards!" Telly Savalas would have said.

Saturday, June 28, 2008

Somewhere Under The Rainbow

I just spent all afternoon and evening and into the next morning sending out individual emails to my entire Level One downline network of thirty peeps in Cash Blaster Pro. As I was just beginning to get into sending to my Level Two and Three crew, the message came through the CBP pipeline that due to hacker hassles the pre-reg system was closing down a few days early. Here is a version of the letter that I had sent out:


XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX


So-and-so Somebody, hi.

My name is Someone Such-and-such, and I am in your Web 2.0 Upgrade upline (Member #7332). You are in my Level Three downline network under Whoever Person. The launch date for this new software is right around the corner, so in that sense time is running out. The original deal is that for those individuals who help to promote CBP before the launch of the program on July First, 2008, and who are able to get at least two other people to register in one's downline to help with the promotion efforts, you can share in one million US dollars as a "reward" for doing so.

If you have not done so yet, I highly recommend logging into your CBP back office and listening to the teleconference calls. You can find the links to these calls by clicking on the "home" icon to the far left of the tool bar at the top of the initial post-login back-office webpage. Then, once the home page loads, scroll down ever so slightly to find the teleconference links. There is a lot of very important info in these calls that very well may inspire you in the next few days to build your own CBP downline.

Okay, as I write this, I myself have nearly 150 downline members spread across four levels with 30 people in my direct Level One downline, giving yours truly 15 shares of the eventual share in the one million dollar payout.

As I write this, there are altogether now 106,781 people registered in CBP. Okay, so, one million divided by that number does not result in oddles of cash. However! Very few people in my entire downline of almost 150 people have built their own downlines. So it could well be that there is actually a chance to earn more than a few bucks out of the one million dollar offer.

Again, however. I am not entirely counting on that. I am personally more interested in the software itself. Still, that said, I am continuing to try to build my First Level downline during the last few days.

If you are wondering how to do this and have little experience in online marketing prior to finding the CBP Web 2.0 Upgrade opportunity, I would like to offer some help if I may. Therefore, following are some online marketing tools that I have used for this opportunity as well as other Internet-based biz things before this one. So here we go:

These guys are known as "listbuilding" programs. Each website provides a list of people's emails that you can promote Net-bound ops to. This is good stuff. These are also my own affiliate links to these programs. They do cost cost anything to sign up in, but each offers paid upgrade versions.

Your Lucky List
http://runurl.com/xx.php?l87

The List Machine
http://runurl.com/xx.php?l88

List Bandit
http://runurl.com/xx.php?l1b

Triple Your List
http://runurl.com/xx.php?l89

The List Auction
http://runurl.com/xx.php?l8a

List Hero
http://runurl.com/xx.php?l8b

List Dot Com
http://runurl.com/xx.php?l8c

List Joe
http://runurl.com/xx.php?l8d



Okay, now this next program has been instrumental in building both my CBP downline as well as my wife's. I am sure a number of the peeps in my Level One downline came via Free Survey Leads and the send-to-a-friend feature inside the back office. If you can afford to do so, it is well worth upgrading to Lifetime Diamond membership (a one-time payment of $99.98).

Free Survey Leads
http://runurl.com/xx.php?l8e

Here is an example of a letter that can be sent to these leads (which I grabbed from my back office). Change to your liking but keep the
pertinent details:

------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------

Hi,

Someone Such-and-such here . . . You have got to see this -- WOW!

I found this new FULL INTERNET UPGRADE technology that is about to upgrade THE ENTIRE INTERNET to Web 2.0 standards and IT'S FREE! FULL Social Networking functionality on EVERY WEBSITE on the
Internet with a click of a button.

This is going to change the entire Internet OVERNIGHT.

Plus, they are giving away ONE MILLION DOLLARS to spread the word about it - and you can get a share for helping - NO COST!

Check it out at:
http://www.cashblasterpro.com/iagodeotto

Let me know what you think or if you have any questions.

Thanks,
Someone Such-and-such

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Alright. Next on the agenda is the Traffic Exchange phenomenon. There are tons of TE programs, but here are a few TE hubs that bring together the good ones. These TE hubs are:

Cyber Wheelers
http://runurl.com/xx.php?l8f

Traffic Hoopla
http://runurl.com/xx.php?l8g

Start Page Clicks
http://runurl.com/xx.php?l8h

There are also some other websites from which you can purchase leads to market to. From my experience these are the best ones to make use of:

Rent-A-List
http://runurl.com/xx.php?l8i

Planet-Traffic
http://runurl.com/xx.php?l8j

Digital Ad Gear
http://runurl.com/xx.php?l8k

I hope this helps you to get a piece of that $1,000,000 while there is still time and some of it to get.

Someone Such-and-such
www.mynetbiz.biz
www.chaoschasm.ws
www.chaoschasm2.blogspot.com

P.S. Well, maybe one more thing. This one is a totally wonderful online marketer's dream factory. And again, it costs nothing to sign up for.
ISO Register --- http://runurl.com/xx.php?l8l

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

A bit of a bummer. Kind of a letdown. Slightly depressing.

The question begs itself --- is the entire Cash Blaster Pro phenomenon just another scam ala Our Power Forced Matrix (which was a real doozy)? Should know in a few more days whether all the work I put into this since the beginning of April is just time lost or a healthy investment.

And so it goes, hardy har har . . . .

Monday, June 23, 2008

Kitchen Kegger

I don't even remember how I originally came to this particular weblog but after having just now returned to it, I can recommend giving it a visit. This guy can write what's well worth reading.

Relativity, Honesty and Ego Drink Beer in the Kitchen

Thursday, June 19, 2008

I Huff And I Puff

Well, this one is totally unrelated to making money on the Net. But I had earlier been pondering the mercenary mind-munchkin mentality of boys with toys after being informed that as of July First the Taipei City Police Force would no longer be providing security at the gate (So that's what they have been doing! And I thought they were just, you know, kinda hanging out. Hmm . . . .), said task to be assumed by a "private security agency". Upon hearing this, in my head I was going full metal jacket on freaking Blackwater, but I asked from out of that cavity beneath my nostrils something like, "Are they gonna be wearing balaclava-like face masks or anything?" Apparently I am gonna have to get some kind of ID card. Otherwise they might shoot me.

But anyway, a little later I was casually reading over some comments posted on an article about a new John Cusack film entitled War, Inc. in "The Huffington Post" and found this stuff. It freaked me out a bit further, especially this part:

"What is Blackwater and the other private security armies real purpose. That we have yet to find out. One thing we can be sure of is that they are right wing in ideology and that they are ruthless and without conscience."

So, I wrote Bartcop about it, and then I felt better.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/arianna-huffington/iwar-inci-cusacks-savage_b_106837.html

Reply Posted 04:28 PM on 06/13/2008
- + Artos See Profile I'm a Fan of Artos

Hitler was able to form his own Private Army (the Brown Shirts), and with them was able to intimidate the German Government so that they hesitated to put a halt to his activities. We know the outcome. What is Blackwater and the other private security armies real purpose. That we have yet to find out. One thing we can be sure of is that they are right wing in ideology and that they are ruthless and without conscience. Can we afford to overlook them or allow them to exist? I think we do so at our own peril.
Reply Posted 04:17 PM on 06/13/2008
- + charon See Profile I'm a Fan of charon

Ruthless and without conscience=psychopathy. Interestingly, Eric Prinz, head of Blackwater, is a fundamentalist Christian.
Reply Posted 03:37 AM on 06/14/2008
- + koolwoman See Profile I'm a Fan of koolwoman

I ,too, am concerned about the Blackwater army and the lack of acccountability. Remember they were sent to New Orleans during Katrina and they shot people suspected of looting. I would guess that some of the citizens were just trying to find food. After all ,the citizens of New Orleans and the gulf coast were left to drown and to starve, while M r Bush and Mr McCain were partying in Arizona and California. If they are planning a terrorist attack or a scare, they could proclaim martial law, and guess who would enforce it, while our National Guard is tied up in Iraq. This way they might stop the elections and stay in power. Let us be alert and ever vigilant for more lies and trickery and be ready to protest .
Reply Posted 03:29 AM on 06/14/2008
- + eyesopenwide See Profile I'm a Fan of eyesopenwide

The People need to express strong opposition to the privatization of public services paid for by the taxpayers. This must be stopped before they steal all of our treasure for their own personal enrichment.

What the hell are we going to do, People, to put a stop to the raping and pillaging of our national treasure.

I just read that it looks like the dems are going to cave and give Bush what he wants once again--immunity from prosecution for the telecoms. I am extremely angry over this. According to the article I read, in 18 months, this was the only matter that the democrats didn't cave into Bush over, and now they've decided to go ahead and give it to me after all. So, the electing the democrats in 2006 has made absolutely no difference. They have given Bush pretty everything he has demanded with barely a struggle. It is becoming more and more apparent that the democrats and the repukes both violated their oaths of office and have betrayed and abandoned their people.

You know, maybe the problem lies in the fact that they're not afraid of us or what we might do. Since we seem to have no recourse--
Reply Posted 03:18 PM on 06/14/2008
- + realistic2008 See Profile I'm a Fan of realistic2008

Good points, just an observation, they are not armies, by a strict definition, they are mercenaries and war porfiteers, the neo-cons "new world order"
Reply Posted 09:42 AM on 06/14/2008
- + ATFIllinois See Profile I'm a Fan of ATFIllinois

Not protest, FIGHT!!!!
Reply Posted 08:35 AM on 06/14/2008
- + mheister See Profile I'm a Fan of mheister

I was clued in to this film by Democracy Now! a couple of weeks ago, when Amy Goodman interviewed John Cusack and Jeremy Scahill. Scahill gave his stamp of approval to the film, saying it accurately depicts the Green Zone. I knew from that recommendation I had to see it. I can't speak to the accuracy of it; I haven't been to Iraq, so I have to defer to Scahill and the soldiers cited above. I can say, however, the film is funny, rough, and feels oddly real. It's well-executed from an artistic standpoint.
Reply Posted 04:13 PM on 06/13/2008
- + demfriend See Profile I'm a Fan of demfriend

Blackwater is stil working on invading us in San Diego so they can "train" all the different people who might need the training they can provide. These are for example, border guards, police, military and oh yes the foreign countries that might need the "help". The fact that Balckwater is full of former military and mercenaries from all over the world should scare the hell out of us. This administration has made war big business as these big business owners are their friends. The information about all of this has been quietly, until War Inc, been lying under the paper work sent to Congress and has not gotten any attention by MSM unless forced on them too. This should be a must see for the Congress who has balnk checked Bush and Haliburtin (Cheney's former (?) company). The GOP who refuses to back the GI Bill should have, as any Congress person should have, every single voter who truly supports our troops on their butts with call emails and letters. We can do something if we act.
Reply Posted 04:04 PM on 06/13/2008
- + boomer1949 See Profile I'm a Fan of boomer1949

The KBR issue was exposed first hand and on tape in PBS's Bad Voodoo's War. Stranded the whole platoon returning from an escort assignment when it was 102 degrees at 10 in the morning. These guys waited 8.5 hours before they finally received assistance -- nope not KBR -- another convoy escort.

Talk about War, Inc. -- Bad Voodoo's War tells it like it was for them and is for the troops still over there. FFunny thing though, the platoon leader, Sfc. Toby Nunn? Has since been screwed by the Army, investigated, reprimanded, and is being drummed out. For what? Telling the truth. Go figure...

If you haven't seen this -- your really should -- it's an eye-opener.

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/badvoodoo/
Reply Posted 03:59 PM on 06/13/2008
- + Tulka2 See Profile I'm a Fan of Tulka2

The review for War Inc. in "The Seattle Post Inteligencer" this morning was not good. You can read it on-line at the paper's website. I have been eagerly awaiting this movie, but was not surprised about the bad review because the movie reviews in this paper are often out of tune with the paper's left editorial page. (Bill O'Reilly called the Seattle Post Intellingencer the "worst paper in America". High praise indeed.) I know this movie will be grist for the left's mill. Can't wait to see it. It is playing in Seattle, but google Fandango to find a theater in your area.
Reply Posted 03:44 PM on 06/13/2008
- + Hare See Profile I'm a Fan of Hare

Thanks

Tuesday, June 17, 2008

Scowl Vs Smell Vs Smile

I just keep finding more and more. At least she has a persuasive smile, but that it might be misleading to be flashing all that cash . . . hmmm . . . well, I think it is. But never mind that, just imagine my surprise when I realized there is even more in my arsenal to get familiar with before beginning to implement the Really Big Guns that are to ensure the certainty, no! --- the certitude, the eventuality, the manifested destitude --- no, I don't think I mean destitude, that is too much like destitute --- well, whatever, the attitude that I am . . . destined! Yeah, that's it! It is my density to become an Internet kazillionaire! And I will make highly intelligent use of this program from Raamakant S. to do so just like I will be intelligently using this program to do the same.




Sunday, June 15, 2008

Breathe Down To The Dantian

If you have any interest whatsoever in the so-called "ancient art" of Qi Gong, as in Chi Gung, they scurry on over to the link in the title of this posting for the ultimate in free online experiences of such same stuff.

And of course there is always the National Qigong Association at this URL ---

http://www.nqa.org

--- which is a nice little URL.

Getting To Know You . . . .

If you are looking for a truly valuable source of information in regard to making money online, Jason Mangrum has just started a new weblog, Marketing Machine Tactics. You might want to head on over there to find out what he has to say about Google Base in his posting entitled "Underground Secret Method To Double Your Traffic".

And something rather cool just came my way in an email from Free Viral telling yours truly that as a Free Viral member I am eligible to be Grandfathered into another program, Market-It, but then I was thinking, hey, that sounds familiar, and lo and behold a memory worked its way up from somewhere deep in the recesses of my mental maze, I looked through some papers, and there it was, my login stats for good ole Market-It, and upon scooting on over and jumping inside I learned that I am already automatically a granddad there due to my being, as the folks at Market-It explain it, "a loyal member". It makes me feel all warm and gooey inside knowing that I am considered loyal even thought I kinda sorta forgot about even being attached to it. That's the type of loyalty I can really get used to. That said, I am now reminded of how absolutely awesome Market-It is, that is now that I am looking at its contents again.

Pray tell, one might query, how so?

Well, for example, and this is just an inkling, under the category of "How-to Videos" there are listed 43 of such entities covering the following targets: a) Website Marketing; b) Payment Processing; c) Selling on eBay; d) Webmaster Training I; and e) Webmaster Training II.

Since I haven't been inside Market-It for a few eons, I had to look around to figure out a few things once again, one of these things being an attempt to scrounge up an affiliate link to give y'all, and was I ever flabbergasted to find (Yes! Flabbergasted!!) that due to a change from CCBILL to PayPal, said affiliate link is temporarily unavailable and that the Reseller Center Main Page is closed, and thus, off-limits. Makes me wonder if I could have learned the same thing if I had watched one of the four training videos on Payment Processing, but maybe that's how the folks at Market-It found out. Hmmm.

And so, I cannot in good conscience redirect you there via a hyperlink so that you would sign up under me and give me all your money. But bear in mind that you can give me all your money anyway if you really were into that kind of thing. I wouldn't try to stop you from living out a fantasy like that if it was so important to you, that is the kind of nice guy I am. But, yeah, Market-It, I will remember you now. And ain't it cool, I found out about being a grandfather on Father's Day, and the day before yesterday being Friday the Thirteenth and all (although it escapes me whether or not some misfortune befell yours truly on Friday, but hey!, that's in the past, so why worry about it, and anyway, I got lucky today.)

Friday, June 13, 2008

Dipping Wickets

I was mildly surprised to find myself enjoying the content on a Blogger of Note as chosen by the Google Blogspot gang. That is where this pic comes from ---

Okay, wait a minute, I have to figure out something techy beyond my ken before I place a copy of this pic here. Dang! But anyway, this is the site from which it comes ---

http://half-dipper.blogspot.com

The pic is of this guy doing Taiji Quan, and as I have a bit of talent along those lines, it got my mojo working, that picture did.

And on The Half-Dipper there is also a link to Wicked Uncle, which I have not really looked at too closely yet, but the guy leaves good comments and it is an intriguing title, it a twisted sort of way.

Thursday, June 12, 2008

For More And More For

Ah, yes, yet another screw to add to the construction site. On Qassia today I had the pleasure of finding a short read that has led me to believe that a forum is a necessity to efficiently qualifying eventually as an official Internet kazillionaire. So, for the time being, I am merely listing a few URLs offering such a service that good ole Google has thrown my way.

http://www.forumsplace.com

http://www.phpbber.com

http://www.netfreehost.com/phpbb


http://www.eamped.com


http://www.freeforums.org

http://fanforum.cc


That should be enough for now. Whoopie, more stuff to learn so that I can learn the importance of taking action as opposed to learning more things that can ead me to taking action. I love the conundrumicity of it all, like napalm in the morning.

Fultility Is Resistant

Well, I couldn't resist. Why engage in futility? I got the invite from Jason, and that's always a sure bet. So, look what I now have to work with:


Click here to get The Butterfly Marketing Manuscript



You most certainly must now be impressed as all get out, come on, admit it. Go ahead, we both know you're just dying to click on that baby. Go with the flow.

Tuesday, June 10, 2008

Darn Hard Learnin'

It took DHL long enough, but they finally figured out how to deliver a package to me that I have been waiting for for a number of months. Just as I was getting ready to head out the door this morning, the phone rang, as it is wont to do at such times. DHL calling to find out if I was who I claim to be and WhereTF I actually am. I told them to go somewhere else to find me, and they actually did. Good on ya, DHL!

So around 2:30 this afternoon my package finally found its way into my evil clutches, and I am now the proud owner of --- get ready for this, boys and girls --- Derek Gehl's The 'Insider's Secrets' to Marketing Your Business on the Internet from Derek and the gang at the Internet Marketing Center.

Cram-packed with information this package certainly is. The DHL guy forewarned me as he was passing the box into the evil clutches of my sweaty palms, "It's heavy." I didn't tell him it's not my brother, and actually I would venture to say that it was not like picking up a dumbell. But that there box, it be stuffed. Two, count 'em, 2, one two, spiral hard-bound notebooks of several hundred pages each. The bundles of pages for each notebook come in a shiny plastic wrapping. The first notebook contains six "chapters", called "steps" --- but whatever --- and they are:

Step 1, Find a Niche Market; Step 2, Decide What You'll Sell; Step 3, Write Compelling Salescopy; Step 4, Build Your Website; Step 5, Collect Sales Leads; and Step 6, Drive Traffic to Your Website.

And that's all straightforward enough. The second brand new looking hard-bound notebook? Likewise, straightforward and comprised of six "chapterish" steps: Step 7, Pay-Per-Click Advertising; Step 8, Search Engine Optimization; Step 9, Email marketing; Step 10, Affiliate Programs; Step 11, Advanced Testing and Tracking; and to round it all off, Step 12, Adding New Stream of Income.

Granted, I probably have access to all this information already, but it is scattered across the plethora of websites I have hiding in my bookmarks or in my various email accounts or on my hard drive, but it is nice to have everything all bundled together in nice, shiny plastic.

There is also the 56-page sleek little tome entitled Marketing 2.0: How to Make Your Business Social -- And Plug Into the Internet's Most Powerful Communities, which will come in quite handy as I address the whole CBP scenario.

And of course, the six CDs (Count 'em, one, two, thr . . . --- oh, never mind!): CD1, Find a Niche Market with Profit Potential; CD 2, Write Salescopy that Compels Readers to Take Action; CD 3, Create a Winning Pay-Per-Click Ad Campaign; CD 4, Optimize Your Website for Top Search Engine Rankings; CD 5, Internet Marketing Rolodex and Swipe File; and CD 6, Real-World Success Stories and Website Reviews (which I hope is not full of stories about eagle eggs).

There is a separate CD that comes contained in an envelope marked "Welcome...", and on the CD are the thought-provoking words, The Internet Entrepreneur Club, and what with me being the famous Intrepid Netrepreneur, I can tell you, I am intrigued. This little welcoming envelope also has an edition of the IEC newsletter similar to what I get in the snail mail already, but that's cool with yours truly. There is a second envelope reading Open to get your *Surprise Invitation!*, said invite being to a free consultation through an 800 number. I have never called an 800 number in the States before from Taiwan, so, we'll see how that goes. There is another letter, but it didn't get its own envelope; it's from Derek, and it looks like his signature is printed, not penned. That's pretty impersonal, but, hey, I can handle it. And finally, there is one more piece of paper (in orange, and well, I guess that can make up for the disappointment I am feeling over the printed signature --- but hey!! I CAN HANDLE IT!!!!!), telling me of $330+ in value of pay-per-click traffic. Hooray!!!

And that wraps up this Chaos Chasm II session. Time to close down the machine and head off to my night gig. After all, I do need to make some income before I start becoming an Internet kazillionaire. So back off!

Blogging Goodies

"Blogging Goodies" is and isn't exactly what you may or may not think it is or isn't. It's all up to you as well as not being so. And if that makes any sense, well, good for you.

http://www.blogtrafficschool.com/forums/search.php

Monday, June 9, 2008

NetWorkStar

Oh, I remember! That's right! How fabulous! It's ------------------

NetWorkStar!!!!!!!!!!!!

More on this later . . . if you're lucky . . . maybe . . . it's a GDI kinda thing.

A Happenin' Thing

Here's a little update.

I now have between Levels One and Four a total of seventy-three individuals in my Cash Blaster Pro downline.

To quote lots of people: "I'm excited."

And then there is this inspirational drivel to confound my excitement. I was in fact inspired to post a comment at this site but was deflected from such a mission due to the fact I was required to "log in" prior to posting. "Log in to what?" I wondered. But anyway, instead of logging in on a site I have no inclination whatsoever of even registering with in the first place just to post a sarcastic comment, I figured that I can post said drivel on Chaos Chasm II as long as I give the writer full and deserving credit. The reason I am inspired to do this is because the drivel inspired a bit of drivel of my own, a piece of fatty tissue to get stuck between my mental teeth, all gristly, whose protein pales in comparison to the grandiose flight of purpose this parable unfortunately is not actually a parody of. The thought I am all a-flutter with after reading this blog entry from www.eagleslog.com --- "Which came first, the eagle egg or the chicken?"


************************************************

Are You a chicken or An Eagle ???

Posted on May 31st, 2008 in Personal Development, Recent Posts by Sarah Thompson

Hi Sarah here;

I saw this - and felt compelled to post it - I am not sure about everyone, but I want to soar with the Eagles - This is what we can help you do

“When thou seest an eagle, thou seest a portion of genius;
lift up thy head.” - William Blake

Here is a little story (of unknown origin) that helps to illustrate a difficulty that many people will face at some time in their life.

A man found an eagle’s egg and put it in the nest of a barnyard hen. The eagle hatched with the brood of chicks and grew up with them. All his life, the eagle did what the barnyard chicks did, thinking he was a barnyard chicken. He scratched the earth for worms and insects. He clucked and cackled. And he thrashed his wings and flew a few feet in the air.

Years passed and the eagle grew very old. One day he saw a magnificent bird above him in the cloudless sky. It glided in graceful majesty among powerful wind currents, with scarcely a beat of its strong, golden wings.

The old eagle looked up in awe, “Who’s that?” he asked.
“That’s the eagle, the king of birds,” said one of the hens. “He belongs to the sky. We belong to the earth - we’re chickens.”

So the eagle lived and died a chicken, for that is what he thought he was.

My friend, you too were born for the sky. As a unique human being, you have, deep within yourself, a burning desire to achieve something with your life. But for many people, the reality is that they get so caught-up in the daily-grind of trying to make a living, that they never really discover that desire and so they end up living their entire lives like the “chicken”.

What the “chicken” really needed was to discover that he really was an eagle; and then he would have been able to begin to learn how to fly (even eagles need to learn); and eventually he would learn how to soar.

If you are ready for your flying lessons, there is no better place to start than by studying Michael Dlouhy’s Success in 10 Steps Get Your copy for Free by clickng on the link

************************************************

I mean, what's wrong with being a chicken? At least you're grounded and your head's not in the clouds. "He scratched the earth for worms and insects. He clucked and cackled. And he thrashed his wings and flew a few feet in the air." Sounds good to me.


Friday, June 6, 2008

Network

More diversion here from the theme of this weblog, the original theme being to track my experience and progress with My Net Biz and My Internet Business --- and since there has been little substantive "experience" nor any "progress" whatsoever --- I guess that this really isn't going to harm my SEO rankings hardly at all, as if Chaos Chasm II even had any of those rankings at this point. So here goes.

I came upon this via another Blogspotter, one Imagine Karl Rove on meth and you have Bush's shadow advisor, Belacqua Jones"
Pain And Conscience

By Charles Sullivan

30 May, 2008
Countercurrents.org

It is evident that a substantial majority of U.S. citizens are, in principle, opposed to the most destructive governmental policies stemming from the nation’s capital. These include, but are not limited to—the continuing war and occupation of Iraq, as well as the pervasive consumer fraud that preys upon the innocent and the unwary and causes them undue hardship. These charges are born out by the abysmal approval rating of Congress and the president. It is equally evident that the government, while pretending to be sympathetic to these views, continues to carry forth those same policies both at home and abroad. It does so without the consent of the people and, therefore, it has abrogated its responsibility to them.

These destructive policies are formulated in the various branches of government and in the corporate board rooms of America. They are a prominent feature of the run amok presidency of George W. Bush, where they manifest themselves to the world. However, their history precedes Bush and his corporate gangsters by generations, and they are an outgrowth of the exploitive capital system.

In some respects the presidency serves as a distraction from the machinations that are operating behind the scenes to spew forth one disastrous policy after another. With so much attention given to Bush, the people are failing to confront the root cause of which George W. Bush is but a single manifestation: the sociopolitical system that put the present criminal regime in power.

Beyond capitalism, other destructive paradigms are operating to produce a hybridized and even more virulent form of economics. One might call it hyper capitalism. This explains why the American form of capitalism is so much more destructive than most of its European counterparts. For example, most European workers enjoy a shorter work week, higher wages, and have more paid vacation than do American workers; and most of them have union representation and, therefore, more and better benefits. In Germany, even Wal-mart is unionized.

One of these harmful paradigms that interact synergistically with capitalism is the idea of American exceptionalism: the persistent belief that America knows best and everything we do is good for the world. This synergism is tinged with powerful elements of racism, sexism, and other belief systems that are rooted in bigotry, hate, and religious intolerance. It is this lethal combination that gave rise to the concept of Manifest Destiny. It was these paradigms that attempted to sweep the continent clean of its indigenous population, and is blowing across the planet, touching ground in the Middle East and beyond like a violent cyclone.

What is so exasperating to many of us is that the corruption of the political system is widely understood and yet so little is done about it. The people continue to participate in it; they continue to vote in the absence of meaningful choice and they continue to support it with their taxes. There have been peace marches and other forms of token protest, but they have had little bearing on the continuing policies of economic disparity, environmental destruction, and imperial war that are prominent features of American capitalism.

Because protest in America has become more symbolic than effective, those in power can afford to ignore it. Even when participation in protest is great, it is of short duration; it does not cause serious economic or political disruption, and it does not pose a real threat to the established orthodoxy. After a few hours of peaceful marching, the people pack up and go back to their lives and everything remains as it was before they came.

Effective protest causes economic and political disruption. It persists until the just demands of the people are met. The established orthodoxy feels pain and discomfort from it; it feels a palpable threat and understands that the injustice cannot continue. Either it addresses the demands of the people, or it perishes. This is a manifestation of democracy. It is serious stuff that requires enormous sacrifice from those who protest in this way. The Montgomery bus boycott of the 60s was that kind of protest; and it was a protest that was won by the people, despite a constant threat of violence and death.

These days few people are willing to put anything tangible on the line. One wonders: Is there anything that the American people are willing to fight and die for? Is there anything real that we really believe in? Or do we relish the symbols of freedom more than we love freedom itself?

American exceptionalism is fostered in all of our social and political institutions. This includes the educational system and religious institutions. Thus, these beliefs are continually reinforced from cradle to grave, and never more so than in the corporate media. So it is not surprising that our political leaders behave as if they were endowed with the powers of deities, even though they are nothing more than fallible human beings like everyone else. It requires enormous hubris for anyone to adopt such doctrines, but there appears to be an inexhaustible supply of hubris in this country and a paucity of humility and compassion. Those who think in this way are prone to behaving toward the world with vitriol, as we witness daily.

The collective result of so many individually destructive paradigms is dehumanization. When we allow people to be dehumanized it is easy to hate them and to exploit them; to see them as entities endowed with less inherent value than ourselves or our chosen kind. It is easy to kill or subjugate inferior people and inferior beings. That is also how the government (the economic elite) perceives the working class and in their eyes that perception makes working people exploitable and expendable. Giving our continued allegiance to such government is irrational and immoral; it is also cowardly and self-destructive.

We are faced with a situation in which the body politic not only does not care what the American people think; it disdains populism as much here as it does in Latin America and elsewhere in the world. Populism and its close cousin—democracy—pose an enormous threat to the established order; and that order provides wealth and privilege to a select few, while denying it to everyone else. This is why corrupt politicians and so many academicians spare no effort to suppress and crush democratic movements, and cover up their crimes through a disingenuous rendering of history.

Yet with so much of the population aware of the government’s disdain of the people’s needs, why isn’t there effective organized resistance to it? Why isn’t there widespread social and economic disruption? Why do the people not revoke their consent to be governed and refuse their allegiance to a government that is not only corrupt and devoid of moral capital but is also clearly predatory or even cannibalistic? Why do we continue to fund criminal governments, including our own, with our taxes? Why isn’t there social unrest and civil disobedience in the streets? Why are those who expose these crimes punished and the criminals go free and reap financial reward for their malfeasance?

One explanation for the widespread social malaise in this country is that people are overwhelmed by it; shocked and awed by it; disorientated by it. They cannot believe the audacity of the Bush regime. Disorientation makes the plunder of the commonwealth easy to carry out. Even while dazed and confused, so many people remain wed to the idea of America’s inherent goodness and moral superiority to the rest of the world, despite mountains of evidence against such views. Thus, they view the criminal Bush regime as an aberration rather than a continuation of an historical pattern.

Social justice advocates are rightly infuriated to know that amidst this worsening climate a solid majority of the people can remain indifferent and willfully ignorant of what is being done in their names. There is a reason for this. The American people do not want to acknowledge any wrong doing on the part of their government, which is, in theory, an extension of the people. Of course, that is not the actual practice. This refusal psychologically absolves them from guilt or complicity and it permits them the luxury of apathy. By refusing to acknowledge wrong doing, no further action is required of them. They can go on consuming, falling asleep in front of the television and sending their offspring to die in unnecessary wars, while sinking ever deeper into debt and economic servitude.

Furthermore, the inert masses are mentally and spiritually ill equipped to deal with reality; so they block it out of their minds—aided, of course, by the corporate media and the propaganda apparatus of the government, itself. This is why fantasy is freely substituted for reality; plutocracy is mistaken for democracy, and the majority of the people do not know the difference. Millions of good people thus refuse to allow into their psyche the suffering and misery that U.S. policy has produced and exported to the world, even as that reality is closing in upon them. Unfortunately, I can point to my own family as an example of such delusional thinking, as no doubt can many of my readers.

Understanding this, the greatest obstacle to creating a vibrant and effective social justice movement is convincing the inert masses that they must acknowledge the suffering we have caused and are continuing to inflict upon the world. The multitudes must see the wisdom of looking behind the veneer of propaganda and confronting an ugly and often painful truth: the brutal and violent history of our nation, including the suppression of democracy wherever it is encountered. Eventually, perhaps very soon, they must also come to grips with the demise of capitalism.

We the people must find the courage to confront reality, and that means that we must be willing to feel the pain and suffering we have inflicted on others. We must admit that we are not exceptional or superior, and that we are not more entitled to our share of the world’s bounty than any other people. But we must go even deeper than that: we must bring about restitution for our past wrong-doing.

The citizens of the United States must become one with the world and look beyond nationality; beyond race, sex, and religious creed. Suffering and joy are conditions of life and they should be kept in balance as much as possible. Because suffering causes discomfort that few people want to experience, the alleviation of suffering is powerful motivation to demand justice; and that is the force that motivates most good people to do what they do, which is resist the tyranny of evil government. Once our indiscretions have been acknowledged and acted upon, we will find that the world is more than willing to forgive our past transgressions. This act alone will allow us to rejoin the world, so to speak.

Many years ago I questioned my mother about eating meat and the suffering it caused so many innocent animals. Her response revealed much about the American consciousness. She did not witness the suffering of those animals. She did not hear their cries of pain. She saw no blood in the sanitized product that was sold in the grocery store, wrapped in clear plastic and served up on pristine styrofoam. So their suffering was not real to her; it was too far removed from her experience. But the suffering of those animals and their cries of pain are very real indeed; and so is the suffering the United States government is inflicting upon the world.

Were we on the receiving end of our government’s foreign policies, we would have a very different perception of them. But like wrapped meat in the grocery store, we do not see the pain and the blood—or the suffering. So for many people it is not real; it is not happening…but it is.

By admitting some of this pain into our lives we are simultaneously admitting all of the other things into our lives that define our collective humanity; among them hope and joy. Then, and only then, can we take a principled stand for social and environmental justice and build an effective movement toward these ends. We must pry open closed minds and allow reality to penetrate delusion, as witnessing cause and effect often does. By this process sheeple are transformed once again into people, each of them endowed with a conscience capable of distinguishing right and wrong. This moral evolution is itself a revolutionary act of monumental import to any justice movement. It provides the means for people to act according to the dictates of conscience, and that is an act of liberation from dogma.

Revolution begins by altering consciousness. We stand at the brink of a multitude of possible futures, many of them tragic. The failure to act and rebel when the conditions demand it is a betrayal not only of our own humanity; it is a crime of great magnitude. The world’s foremost thinkers and visionaries have always understood this. Can we?

Charles Sullivan is a nature photographer, a naturalist, an environmental educator and free-lance writer residing in the Ridge and Valley Province of geopolitical West Virginia. He welcomes your comments at csullivan@copper.net(no spam).


Hissyfit Heaven

I just posted this comment on the Times Online following a short article by one Daniel Finkelstein pointing out that Bill Clinton might be suffering from what I think Mr Finkelstein implies is perhaps some neurochem imbalance following the ex-prez's heart surgery leading Bill to retort to another writer's recent criticism of Clinton by saying that the critic is "slimy" and a "sleezeball", or words to that effect. I do not know Finkelstein at all, but what's wrong with calling a sleezeball a sleezeball, even if you used to be the US prez? Geez, Louise . . . but anyway, my comments await the writer's "approval" --- will Mr Finkelstein approve my "critique" of his "critique" of Clinton's "critique" of somebody else's "critique" of Clinton? My answer to that? So what, who cares, well, maybe somebody . . . .

Why does Bill Clinton have to be perfect? The guy has done a lot of "good things" during his time on the planet, and he most certainly was NOT "the worst president ever", said (dis)honor going to, in my humiliating --- I'm sorry
, squeeze me, I mean "humble" --- opinion, one so-called pretzeldent (the story of which apparently to be revealed in Ollie Stone's purported biopic of Incurious George Duh II) . . . everyone gets a bit of grit under their nails during this passage, has a few bones on a hanger kicked to the back of the wardrobe. But hey! Go ahead, throw the first stone, if it makes you feel better about yourself in some journalist fashion, you know, like as if you are "reporting" something. And I hope that this comment does not cause you to throw a hissyfit of your own, those things are always so unbecoming, especially in public where they are more easily noticed and open to humiliating opinion, and I do mean humiliating.

Posted by: Iago | June 06, 2008 at 04:13 A

But besides all that boys and girls, do not hesitate to be influenced by my weblog etchings in a good way and give me all your money. Thanx in advance. You can start here.


Wednesday, June 4, 2008

Blog Grog

I came upon these two weblogs of note, and I'll drink to that.

On CreateDebate, which I discovered via Qassia, there is a list of tactical tips on using Digg to one's advantage, and the DoshDosh blogger notes in the comments section of CD that one point was quite reflective of DD's positon on that same point.

I would tell you more about this scenario, but rather than do that for you, I am going to selfishly continue something totally different for me me me. Continue to get my main Gmail account more together. But in the mean time, go ahead and check these two weblogs of note out.

And by the bye, as I list these sites I will be continuing to unearth from within the deep recesses of my main Gmail account, dusting the furniture in the back room, I am gonna be thinking this --- "I am getting organized, and I am putting the info here so that I know where it is, kinda, until I forget again and this here Chaos Chasm II weblog is centuries
old and I am still getting organized . . . let the party begin!!"

. . . on the next entry, the title of which is yet to become apparent to yours truly.


Emotional Evidence

According to my government gig computer clock, it is 10:50 in the morning here in Taipei.

On Tuesday evenings twixt 7 and 9, I have what can be termed a "teaching" commitment, a TEFL sort of thing. This event takes place at the friendly neighborhood Global Village on Nanjing East Road near the corner of Dunhwa North. Kittycorner from said, uh, corner, one may espy the Taipei Baseball Stadium if one were to pay enough attention. This would be the northwest corner, by the bye. Any old hoo, I have had the recurring habit these past several months while attending to this aforementioned "commitment" (I am supposedly the sub . . . the permanent sub, it seems) of strolling across Nanjing after nine and then down along Dunhwa a couple of blocks to Dan Ryan's Chicago Bar and Grill, directly across the boulevard from the stadium, to quaff a few double Jameson's on the rocks and chat with whoever else happens to be hanging out there, visiting business types from wherever in the world or other so-called expats, maybe some local lads or lasses. Dan's is my favorite watering hole.

That said, it is always a battle deciding whether to go to Dan's or not on these recent Tuesday evenings, basically because a few turns into a number and sometimes I miss the last choo-choo train home, which departs Taipei Central Train Station a little after the witching hour, TCTS itself a metro subway ride away of about fifteen minutes, or maybe ten, and the metro station is another five-to-ten minutes away from Dan's by bus or by taxi, depending on, on down Dunhwa in a southerly direction, and once I reach Shulin, it's another ten-minute drunken walk home from the Shulin Railway Station, twenty minutes from Taipei City, and when missing that last post-midnight train ride to Shulin, it's a taxi ride all the way home, me struggling (somewhat) to stay awake, and of course there is the hangover the next day (like today) to contend with.

Okay, that was an eyeful, I suppose. Anyway, yesterday (Tuesday, right?), the second (okay, third, whatever) day of a new week and meant to be the beginning of a new adventure for yours truly, Iago de Otto the Intrepid Netrepreneur and my sometimes better-half, the kind-hearted Mrs Iago, 38, looks 28, acts 18, whereas I was initially totally determined NOT to go to Dan's and spend probably more than twice the bucks I had just made in my role as "TEFL facilitator" and miss the fucking train once again and spend even more money passed out in the back of a cab, waking up, passing out, kind of, again, waking up, et cetera et cetera et cetera, the taxi speeding past all the garish lights of the greater Taipei City and County metropolitan Blade Runnerish weirdness of this densely populated Asian nation, and all that, Mrs Iago waiting for her dear hubby to stumble in through the door in whatever mood his drunkenness guides him into, because, I think, she misses me, and too because Mrs Iago had earlier in the evening attended her very first ever yoga class after first visiting her elder twin sis and the twin's new hubby and their first ever new bouncing baby boy, one month or so old tomorrow (Thursday the Fourth, having been born Thursday the First, the first Thursday of last month, this month being June), this yoga thing an extension of our new adventure, all about "change" and "hope" (Go Hillary, that's my grrrl --- huh, Barack got it? --- okay, dude, take it to the bank!! Get those Bush bastards outta there!!! McSame? Hah, Bush Lite, the kinda guy you'd like to break a beer bottle on . . . but I digress . . . .) . . . .

Where was I? Don't answer that.

So.

There I was, walking along Nanjing East Road toward my seven o'clock teaching gig, my mind brewing and stewing over the concept of getting right home after class with no Irish whiskey in my system so as to better enjoy Mrs Iago's story of her first ever, oh most wonderful yoga class and an update on my new nephew, and who should ring my cell but a fellow expat bud, this one telling me he's going to Dan's and to the Philippines, moving to Manila, and --- we lost the connection, and ten minutes later I was "teaching". So, at nine, I went to Dan's, because this friend of mine was in need of counsel (I tell myself), and I felt a need to tell him he's being an asshole fuck abandoning his true-blue most wonderful gal of the past eight years, a Chinese Filippina of moral and mental substance, a most excellent human being and a good, good friend of the Iagos as well, a woman that everybody absolutely loves and respects, just so he can drink himself to death and mess about with younger Filippinas in the isles and get paid the same he gets paid here in Taiwan for doing the same thing he does here but in a much more expensive society (Taiwan being the more expensive of the two, if you got confused there with all that, as far as daily stuff goes, like being a drunk expat), and well, he was his normal disgustingly bullying drunken self-hating self, boresome and tiresome, an occasional self-pitying crying jag, he gulping gin and tonics, me slurping Jameson's, the bartender, an angel with a cynical attitude, everyone's fab gal at Dan's, frowning at my bud's antics with the occasional glance at me which I know means "Please get him outta here.", and finally I did, we (us?) climbing into a cab, mere moments to spare before that last train from Yuma, I mean Taipei --- and it just hit noon. I'm going to get a bite, a lunchbox, be back in twenty to wrap this baby up, the point being that I haven't even gotten to the point yet, the thing that happened before all of this just keyed in brouhaha, the real bad shit that happened before I even got home at about one in the AM, this morning which just now finished. I am fucking starved. It is now twelve oh two in the PM. Okay, be right back, folks.

12:27. Lunchbox open and in front of me, monitor behind that looking at me looking at it, my fellow government functionaries milling about, eating, closing drawers, chatting, the patriotic-sounding marching music for our lunch-time enjoyment blaring from the speaker over my desk --- why it has to be over my desk, I'll never know, but oh well . . .

. . . and anyway, the saga continues amidst my lunch munch moments here.

Climbed outta the taxi, my buddy smooching my mouth, me biting his lower lip, all faggy-like, and then yours truly scurrying frantically below street level in the failing flailing hopes of catching the metro subway to Taipei Main, with the even smaller hope, a wish really, that I can/could catch the last choo-choo outta Dodge, I mean Taipei, and get home to the wonderful Mrs Iago and her yoga story while a sense of sobriety was still winning the battle over the onset of authentic inebriation.

Lo and behold, mere minutes past midnight and I had made it onto the train platform with only nano-seconds (well, about ten minutes, actually; the train was a little late, methinx, if memory serves and so forth) to spare. I call up Mrs Iago on my cell, a "report in" marriage-harmony tactic. She's on the land line with my dad on the Oregon coast, a little residential outcropping at the edge of the Pacific just three miles south of Depoe Bay, the fishing port Jack takes the crazies and the hookers out from in One Flew. The topic of their convo? His one and only brother, the elder of the two, nearing the 90 mark, has gone on to meet his maker.

And so it goes.

1:32PM. The "return-to-lunch" music has just chimed in here at the bureau offices. My fellow government functionaries return to their assorted duties, except for L_____, who continues to snore on the floor behind the desks in front of me. He'll wake up soon, as he always does, but he's sawing some really thick logs right now. Ah, those lunch-time naps.

But anyway. Yes, I made it back home. I called my dad. We talked. He talked a lot, in a manner which seemed, well, words fail me, but perhaps giddy will do. A tough thing to lose a sibling, and these guys were very, very close. I called my cousin, the eldest of three sons and ten years or so my elder, yours truly being the eldest of four sons. This has been hard on him. He's a good guy. Fucking bummersville.

Okay, enough for now. Suffice it is to say, this morning at work I have written what I would like to think of as an eulogy to my dearly departed Uncle Russ. All on company time in my role as foreign-contracted government editing and translation consultant. I'm pretty sure Russ would get a kick out of that.

So, Uncle Russ, here's to you. And be seeing you soon enough down there in the astral plane.


Requiscat in Pace