Wednesday, November 30, 2016

It's time for NYT to let Paul Krugman go

I agree with this:

Krugman's job is redundant. Let's outsource it.


Paul Krugman serves no purpose.

As Ava and C.I. pointed out in October:



Trog's the phase another scream queen has now entered: Yes, we're referring to the ultimate drama queen Paul Krugman.

The media has not played fair during this election cycle and frightmare Paul has been among the worst.

His cry that reporters should take sides and bury Donald Trump should be enough to end his career as a columnist for THE NEW YORK TIMES.

Should be.

But his fellow pscyho-biddy Gail Collins wrote how many 2011 and 2012 columns referencing Mitt Romney's dog?


The reality isn't just that she should be fired as well but that they all should be.

The only exception is Maureen Dowd.

Why keep Dowd?

Not because she's won the Pulitzer (though she has) but because she's a wild card.

You don't know what she's going to write.  She's not doctrinaire.

Paul Krugman, Gail Collins, Thomas Friedman, et al have written the same column over and over.

They are read only by the people who already agree with their opinions.

They have nothing new to offer.

They've also, reality, aged out.



[. . .]

The hacks offering opinions on the pages of today's NYT need to be let go.

You know what Krugman's going to say before you read the column.

He's predictable and, yes, boring.

Yes, boring, even in all his high drama, the queen is boring.

He deserves his own special Razzie.

Grasp that he is supposed to be about thought -- that's what opinions are.

And yet he insisted that the press take down Donald Trump because he didn't trust the thinking or the opinion of voters.

That's a drama queen that needs to see a permanent fade out real damn quick.

Paul is Joan Crawford in TROG.




Agreed.


This is C.I.'s "Iraq snapshot" for Wednesday:




Wednesday, November 30, 2016.  Chaos and violence continue, Mosul remains a slog, War Crimes continue, Elise Labott continues to be useless and much more.



In Iraq, the operation to liberate or 'liberate' Mosul is now on day 44.

Hayder al-Abadi is insisting it will (finally) wrap up by the end of the year.


This despite Elise Labott of CNN making like she was at a county fair pig hollering contest by hollering "NO!" in the midst of an October State Dept press briefing when a reporter offered that it was a slog.

It's not a slog?

Day 44 and it's not a slog, Elise?

Mosul was seized by the Islamic State in June of 2014.

Despite having over two years to plan an effort, the Baghdad based-government and the White House did not bother to factor in the refugees that would be created by this effort or the suffering of the civilians who remained in Mosul.


WORLD BULLETIN notes, "Up to 500,000 civilians in Mosul face a 'catastrophic' drinking water shortage as Iraqi forces advance on the ISIL group in the city, the United Nations warned on Wednesday."  AL JAZEERA adds:

"We are facing a humanitarian catastrophe," said Hussam al-Abar, member of Mosul's Nineveh provincial council, adding that 1.5 million people were still inside Mosul.
"Basic services such as water, electricity, health, food are non-existent."




AFP notes, "Some residents said the sudden water shortage was caused by air strikes from the US-led coalition that damaged the main carrier bringing water from the western side of the city."



So not only are they suffering, some are saying it's because of the US-led coalition.

(It may or may not be because of the US-led coalition.  That'll be determined at a later date most likely.  Right now, the point is that the actions of the US-led coalition have been so destructive that some residents believe this is also their fault.)

The refugees, the ones who have made it out?

They're not fairing any better.



Iraq refugees: 'We are dying here. The dirt is consuming us.'










Where was the planning?

Why wasn't the US State Dept leading on this?

Where's the outcry?



None of that troubles Elise Labott.

The woman who wants to be the third Mrs. John Kerry is too busy lusting after the Secretary of State -- doubt it, check out her Twitter feed.





Secretary comments on U.S. leadership at .

Secretary Kerry Comments on the Importance of U.S. Leadership
Secretary of State John Kerry comments on U.S. leadership at the Women's Foreign Policy Group Conference on November 29, 2016. - U.S. Department of State


 
 
 




This is the speech where Kerry gets his little jab in.





Not mentioning by name, aims criticism toward using "pithy tweets" to address global concerns

 
 
 



Pithy Tweets?


Poor John.

For years he wanted to be America's chief diplomatic officer.


The highest he made was Chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

But then he got it, he finally got it.

And once he became Secretary of State -- possibly still hurting over the mocking of his war record -- all he wanted to do was pretend he was Secretary of Defense. 

And as he leaves office, all he wants is full out war with Syria.

John Kerry was supposed to prize diplomacy and offer a sure hand but instead he lurched around the globe like . . . Well, like Lurch on THE ADAM'S FAMILY.

And US President Barack Obama was forced to ice John out of key decisions and to elevate Brett McGurk to a higher post and, for all practical purposes, let Brett be Secretary of State.

Disgraced and with his tail between his legs, John will soon be heading home.

If only John had confined himself to Tweets -- pithy or otherwise -- the world might be a safer place.  Instead, he was constantly trying to egg on war -- with Syria, with Russia . . .

What a sad and embarrassing end to the career of a one-time grandstander (tossing those medals doesn't look so brave now as John ends his career, it just looks like another example of rank hypocrisy -- and that was the best moment in his life).


He'll be the one who looked the other way as War Crimes took place in Iraq -- carried out by the people the White House supported.




  1. Iraqi army crimes

    عاجل الحشد الشيعي الارهابي يذبح العراقيون السنه التركمان في تلعفر

    تطهير عرقي واباده جماعيه بتواطىء ودعم

    حسبنا الله







pics from Tal Afar

Genocide and ethnic cleansing

Iraqi Sunnis civilians killed by Iraqi army
















John Kerry is an embarrassment and will have to live with the shame of his inactions for years to come.



Isaiah's THE WORLD TODAY JUST NUTS "Recount" went up last night and the following community sites updated:
















  • And we'll close with this press release




    Indie singer and decorated war veteran, John Preston, will release his new song, Superman Falls, for presale mid-December. Preston said, “My whole purpose in life is to create music that heals the souls of veterans who have served. It is a battle every day for so many to stay mentally healthy after serving our country. There are too many men and women who have fought for our freedom that end up taking their lives because of depression and PTSD. This cycle needs to stop. Working in partnership with the Valkyrie Initiative to release this song has been a step in the right direction in helping those who need healing. I am truly grateful for this opportunity.”
    Preston has had his life experience with PTSD after returning from Iraq. He struggled with alcohol and depression for 15 years before pulling himself out of it. His brother was not as lucky; he ended up taking his life in January. “My brother was so strong mentally and physically I just didn’t see his suicide coming,” said Preston. “We are taught in the military not to show weakness, but they need to know it’s okay to ask for help. I don’t want anyone ever to think they are weak because they have PTSD and need some extra support services.”
    Preston partnered with the Valkyrie Initiative because it is a non-profit aligned with his purpose to help veterans with Post Traumatic Stress by treating the mind, body, and soul. The proceeds from the CD will all go to help fund programs for Veterans. The CD will feature ten artists and 14 tracks. Some of the other well-known artists include Dave Bray, the Scooter Brown Band, Ryan Weaver, and Dee Rock.
    About the Valkyrie Initiative:
    It is a non-profit dedicated to the to successfully facilitating the transition of Veterans, First Responders and their families using jobs and life skills training, animal therapy, systems education, and stress reduction for those who suffer from Post Traumatic Stress.
    About Singer John Preston:
    John Preston is a Pacific Records recording artist and full-time firefighter. Preston was a Marine Corps field wireman from 2000 to 2004 achieving the rank of Sergeant in his 4 years of service and with Second Battalion Seventh Marines (2/7) served as a mission squad leader for 2/7 H&S running over 100 combat missions while in theater. 
    John began his music career while in Iraq writing his song "Good Good America" which became an overnight success and gave him his first shot at the music industry signing a record deal upon his return from Iraq. The song and video inspired by Iraqi school children was a national media topic and was viewed hundreds of thousands of times in 2004. 
    John returned to the music industry in 2014 signing with Pacific Records and quickly releasing his first single "this IS war" in October of 2014. The song also became a national media topic when the Marine veteran made a call to action to veterans across the nation to stand against ISIS which had just made a surge through Syria and Iraq. The music video had thousands of views and secured a second release with Pacific Records. 
    Later in 2014, Preston released his Los Angeles Music Awards nominated EP "Your War is Over.” In 2015, he released in the Top 100 New Alternative Albums chart with his second EP "Day to Night." The album released on the one-year anniversary of the death of the Marine for whom he had written the song. John's video for Day to Night has had hundreds of thousands of views.
    John's life took a turn of tragic irony when in January of 2016 his brother fell victim to post-traumatic stress and took his own life. The passing of his brother was enough to make him consider ending his career, but has instead fueled his passion.
                            ###