ICEMAN

NEWSWEEEK (2010) 2/22

FINEMAN/ 16

Senator Mitch McConnell, Minority Leader of the Senate in the 21st century, is a man who celebrates the golden age of the past. Coming the Confederate wing of the United States as a child he heard how the south lost a noble war over 100 years ago. Further in the 60's federal troops, forced folks to mix with" them " when they did not want to.

McConnell is the modern version of those days. He is chilly, charming,

and knows not to want make waves that folks can see. His job is to destroy Obama. He is one of "them" and he knows how to work the senate and the public.

Years ago, Lee Atwater and Kevin Phillips were the ones to create the

"Southern strategy." It is the politics of resentment. Atwater on his death bed asked for forgiveness of his political strategies. Phillips to atone for his sins, started speaking and writing books about the virtues

of political moderation rather than bare knuckle underhanded stiffs to

the opposition. The "southern strategy" is to put a black face on every social problem. That includes domestic and international areas as well.

With 230 bills plugged up in filibuster (Rule 22), he has made Obama look like a well intentioned but a flawed president. The votes are there, but 80 filibusters can jam up any presidency. To McConnell, you must love your country and hate your government, save the military.

The south shall rise again.

SURVIVNG IN AMERICA

U.S. NEWS& WORLD REPORT (2010) MARCH

NEWMAN/14-16

There is a new America emerging and it is much different than the past. Particularly after W.War II., the ideal was something like this. You work hard, go on working right through college and get the necessary degrees. From there, you moved in to the professions or managerial work. Some even make it to the top. This did not necessarily apply to women and minorities. However, even that changed too.

Now do to NAFTA, snakes on Wall Street, consumer spending, and

endless wars, expectations for the middle and blue collar should diminish. One may go on to school, but a PhD does not mean that you can get a job in your field. A BA in a general area means flipping burgers. Perhaps community college to get a skill or skills and move into work is the best choice. Loyalty to a company and all of that has gone up in mist. IF you would like to stay in your home town or have some geographic stability, you go to work for the government and make sure it is in area that is in need and cannot be outsourced. Further, you must take a salary cut for that kind of stability.

Yanks will probably reduce family size because all have part time jobs. Thus, they can pool their money so they can have a house together and everyone including 3 generations live under one roof. That means it is crowded, but new customs emerge to deal with that.

We have moved into another America. HOWEVER, there is always that

Black swan and/or psychedelic butterfly that could somehow rearrange all this. What is described is a likely scenario, but to say that it will

happen has sullied forecasters before. Back in the mid 70's, some futurists said by now in the 21st century, nearly all of us would be much

richer and work a 3 day week. What would we do to fill our time?

However, the scenario presented above is the most likely.

A STUDY IN PARALYSIS

THE ECONOMIST (2010) 2/20

24-26

(The Economist is a conservative periodical from the United Kingdom.)

Yanks have a problem with their political system. One is the filibuster, the second is 59-41 senate division, and the third is that Americans don't particularly like each other.

There is more than the filibuster. It means that any senator from any state can stop legislation or Rule 22. Further, the electoral college means that Yanks cannot vote directly and that small populated states have too much power. Wyoming and South Dakota have roughly the

population of a borough in New York City or less.

Thus, a small but dedicated minority can elect the next president of the United States. If the filibuster was dropped, and the senate made symbolic like the House of Lords, and there was the power of one person one vote, you would have a more powerful and adaptive government. Further, in the sweep of things, if the legislative body swings too far off course, there is always the possibility of the Supreme

Court over ruling the congressional wing.

Further, one can have more than two parties and with a parliament(few have a government like the USA) parties could work for votes and form coalitions with other parties. In the states, 2 parties must have very large umbrellas. At the moment with gerrymandering, the hard left but more likely the hard right can run the entire party. No room is available for compromise in the middle. Multiple parties means that compromise must come up front.

THE WEEK (2010) 2/26

HEALTH AND SCIENCE

It appears that Botox may make people happier because it is harder for them to read negative physical or non-verbal emotions.

The older the mother, the more likely a child is born with autism. Thus, there is a correlation.

Drinking beer appears to build up bones in one's body.

Stuttering appears to be more genetic than environmental.

Third hand smoke appears to come from being around furniture

and cloth related material in a household where former owners were

smokers. Nicotine is mixed with a common chemical called nitrous oxide in the home and young children can put their hands in their mouths with this chemical combination, thus they ingest potent carcinogens.