Question: How many of the 10 planks of the Communist Manifesto below have you heard in one form or another being shoved down your throat and who are the people beating the drum? Don’t be shy—you know their names…

10 Planks of the Communist Manifesto from Marx’s pen to your brain.

1. Abolition of property in land and application of all rents of land to public purposes.
2. A heavy progressive or graduated income tax.
3. Abolition of all right of inheritance.
4. Confiscation of the property of all emigrants and rebels.
5. Centralization of credit in the hands of the State, by means of a national bank with State capital and an exclusive monopoly.
6. Centralization of the means of communication and transport in the hands of the State.
7. Extension of factories and instruments of production owned by the State; the bringing into cultivation of waste-lands, and the improvement of the soil generally in accordance with a common plan.
8. Equal liability of all to labour. Establishment of industrial armies, especially for agriculture.
9. Combination of agriculture with manufacturing industries; gradual abolition of the distinction between town and country, by a more equable distribution of the population over the country.
10. Free education for all children in public schools. Abolition of children’s factory labour in its present form. Combination of education with industrial production, &c., &c.^[4]

According to the Communist Manifesto, all these were prior conditions for a transition from capitalism to communism. Above taken from Wikipedia.

Let’s see what happens when we put these 10 planks into todays words.

1. Land that can’t be used for any other purpose—ie drilling, building, etc. Also, Eminent Domain.
2. We need more taxes on the people—During the Roman Empire the govenment took only 10% what % do you pay? And it’s not enough we need more. Why?
3. Bring back the inheritance tax—after you die you are taxed again before you can give YOUR money to YOUR FAMILY. How is this ever fair?
4. Not sure what to do with this one: 4 Confiscation of the property of all emigrants and rebels.
5. Government bailing out the banks who are having financial difficulties to the point of needing to control it.
6. Government regulating travel and communications, setting prices
7. Oil controlled by congress
8. Making employers pay for certain taxes, insurances, setting minimum wages.
9. Not sure; Combination of agriculture with manufacturing industries; gradual abolition of the distinction between town and country, by a more equable distribution of the population over the country.
10. Free education, free health care, for everyone including people illegally here.

Seems like quite a few before me see the same thing—WAKE UP!

Ron Paul agrees
http://www.ronpaulforpresident2008.com/blog/node/101

laissez-fairerepublic agrees
http://www.laissez-fairerepublic.com/TenPlanks.htm

A few more for good measure!

http://www.garymcleod.org/communis.htm
http://www.uhuh.com/nwo/communism/10planks.htm
http://www.criminalgovernment.com/docs/planks.html

Technorati Tags: Communism, Election 2008, Manifesto, Marxism, Socialism

Why So Serious?

Saw Batman last night. I liked it, it was good, it was dark, it was a little long in spots…

Heath—it’s a shame you’re gone—you did a great job! Really!

I liked how it was more of a classic drama action movie with very good acting than a pop super hero movie. Is this the new direction of Comic book hero movies??? When Heath started monologuing the movie, his stock, and performance really took off!

It seemed choppy in some scenes and I wonder if the film had been repaired and spliced together at times, can’t believe it was edited that way.

I liked the dark evilness of the story and characters and at the same time didn’t love the total darkness—I can’t fully explain it.

I liked Aaron Eckhart the Two Face character and had no idea the character would be introduced—great surprise for me!

The makeup on Joker and Two Face was fantastic—awards are coming I’m sure! Heath is probably deserving an award too, I think his character will be really appreciated the more you see it.

I like Christian Bale and think he really has come on strong as an actor.

I wasn’t sure if I was in the same city of Gotham as the first in this series of Batman movies—just looked and felt different.

I liked how a lot of the violence and gore was implied and not actually shown—it was really well done in this regard. I could feel the sides of my mouth being sliced open when it happened on the big screen!

I liked it a lot, I’m just not sure I loved it yet—give me some time to digest…

“The hero we need ” versus “the hero we deserve” hits me particularly hard—I compare it to other subjects, issues, and times. Was this intentional by the filmmakers? Does it’s meaning also apply to the opposite position than I’m thinking it does? Why if we can see it in a movie we can’t see it in real life?

Still my favorite so far this summer is Iron Man—still reins supreme!

—iChef Cinema

Stay in school! Don’t do drugs!

Technorati Tags: Aaron Eckhart, Batman, Christian Bale, DC Comic, Heath Ledger, Superhero

We were headed to eat out last night, but I got this bug in my ear about a curry flavored soup with fish swimming around in it. Where could we go so I didn’t have to make it myself? Hmm… Yaz, Yaz, I’m sure plenty of places could make it, but would it be what I had now desired? Probably not… So sad!

So I was off to the store!

Ingredients:

• Olive oil
• Garlic—minced
• Lemongrass—split 3/4
• Ginger—pealed and thin sliced
• Oyster mushrooms—rough chop
• Onion—fine brunoise
• Fennel—trimmed and quartered (reserve one piece to fine bruniose garnish)
• Thai basil—leaves and sprig for garnish
• Lemon thyme
• Chives—garnish
• Green curry paste
• Curry powder
• Brown sugar
• White wine
• Coconut milk—light version
• Chicken stock
• Corn kernels
• Peas
• Halibut—dusted with S & P and flour

Continue Reading »

Technorati Tags: Halibut, iChef, Recipe, Soup, Thai

It was the best of times it was the worst of times.

Palo Alto vs. Los Gatos

In this corner from Palo Alto the Italian Stallion: Il Fornaio and in the other corner from Los Gatos the Hoppin’ Jalepeno: Pedro’s Cantina. Yes, two different cuisines. Yes, two different levels of service. Yes, two different scales of pricing. Mismatch, let’s see!

Bring it on! Cage Match!

Wednesday night dinner for three at Il Fornaio. People dressed nicely, several tables of men looking like they’re in talks about trading and trafficking women. A table on the patio was very lovely, bread and oil vinegar very tasty. 2 glasses of white wine ordered and brought by transferable carafe which I thought at the time was genius (because of the tall wine glasses that probably cost them a few profits when they often broke—my speculation on this type of wine service.) The wine was on the warm side and this was noticed more when the third glass was ordered and sipped from. The third glass was very tasty and the proper temperature made all the difference in the world. (At $8.50 each glass=$25.50 for the 3 glasses and maybe, a 2.5 oz pour in each, maybe. It should at least be at the proper temperature)

The temperature was discreetly mentioned to the waiter. He apologized, but did mention that some people prefer their white wine warm because they get more flavor from it—so more of a you’re an idiot and an excuse than an apology.

Hello! I was pointing out that I am not one of those people and don’t try to infer that there’s something wrong with me! I was hoping for him to remove said glasses of warm wine and return with some properly chilled wine! Or at least offer!

Continue Reading »

Technorati Tags: Cage Match, iChef, Il Fornaio, Pedros, Restaurants

Is it possible that Barack Obama said what he said today? From BO’s lips to my own ears…

His mother grew up in the heartland, but his father grew up hurting goats! He said these exact words, “…and my father grew up hurting goats and kittens.” Then he laughed about it quite a bit. My question is why hurt goats or kittens? Why laugh about it? Watch it for yourself on his website!

There might be something a bout goats, maybe, but there’s certainly nothing funny about hurting kittens, goats maybe… But to do it in another country with hundreds of thousands of people who don’t even speak English is just dead wrong. Weren’t any lessons learned from Steve Martin and cat torture. If we do not learn from our mistakes we are truly doomed!

Something else bothered me, BO starts off the speech saying he’s not speaking as a candidate, but as a citizen of the world… Not a candidate? How stupid does he think everyone is? Who does he think he is? I almost want him to get the rude awakening he deserves by being President of the USA—But I’d like to keep my nose, right where it is, between my eyes.

(BO knows he’s not running for President of the World, right?—I mean he does know the Germans can’t vote in our election, right?)

Then there was something he came close to saying (between the lines, subliminal, play the record backwards crap), but he never said it exactly, but that is BO’s MO isn’t it? He kept saying “…citizens of the world…” this and “citizens of the world…” that. He spoke as Citizen of the world. Was he saying, Citizens of the world UNITE ? Think about it a moment. Is there an underlying message? What is it that the radical left wants? (one world, without borders, everybody the same, everything taken care of for everyone, world peace—please people can’t even get along with their own family…)

Continue Reading »

Technorati Tags: Barack, Germany, Obama, ObamaNation, Politics, World

Danger! Danger Will Robinson! there are people everywhere trying to steal your money! How to actively deal with an obvious scam (not passively—passively would be to ignore it, delete it, don’t tell anyone else about it.) Below are some fun tips and tricks to safely deal with an apparent scam—sample included!.

Things You’ll Need:

• someone attempting to scam you online
• common sense
• a strong sense of humor
• a strong constitution
• spare time

When:

• Someone you don’t know asks for money for some ridiculous purpose.
• Form letters where they don’t include your name (or better yet something like this: “Dear (insert name here) I know that this proposal might appear as a great surprise to you, but do consider it as an emergency.”
• Funny lines like, “My parents were involved in a gastric motor accident last two years…”
  “…my father’s relatives invaded our house and threatened to kill me…”
  “I managed to escape with… (20.6 MILLION)”
• An opportunity to get way too much money for doing practically nothing.
• Poor (funny) English or grammar usage
• Anything involving offshore or overseas accounts, accidents, deaths, incomprehensible situations.

Continue Reading »

Technorati Tags: Fun, PSA, Scam Alert, warning

Current: Oil Barrel Prices

Okay, I’ve been on a roll, eating a lot of good food served by many good people.

Stayed a little longer than planned in SC, to squeeze a few more experiences into the vaca. Like in Vegas, if you play long enough—you’re gonna lose! Well the streak has ended. It was a good one that was bound to end. It didn’t end in spectacular fashion as one might imagine, but it did end at Buzz’s Roost in Litchfield, South Carolina.

Continue Reading »

Technorati Tags: iChef, Pawleys Island, Restaurants, SC

iChef Politikos

Best web finds of the day

Current: Oil Barrel Prices

A la: iChef Politikos

• What if the world wasn’t flat and the sun revolved around the earth
  

A la: CNN

• Lieberman: Obama is choosing to lose the Iraq war

A la: Drudge

• One week After Barack’s OpEd, NYT REJECTS MCCAIN’S EDITORIAL; SHOULD ‘MIRROR’ OBAMA. Hmm…
  

• McCain OpEd Not Up to NY TIMES’ Snuff…

• McCain Challenges: Obama Should ‘Admit He Was Wrong About Surge’…

• WIRE: Europe’s governments immune to fever…

• PAPER: STEVE JOBS’ HEALTH IN QUESTION…

A la: Sig, Carl and Al

• Yes, We Have No Bananas And Other Themes From The Obama Campaign

• The Beast That Is Samir Kuntar: ‘She could not understand that it wasn’t personal’

Technorati Tags: Government, News, Politics, Reporting

Just saw Hancock.

I don’t think it’s possible for Will Smith to make a bad movie.

Hmm, is that right?

Or is it that I don’t think it’s possible for you to dislike Will Smith in a movie—that’s right!

Even in a movie where the idea is for you to dislike Will Smith or make you think he is anything other than an Asshole… Just don’t say that again or hope your head isn’t the short stick because you won’t like where it will be, not one bit.

Charlize Theron, is there someone other than her that you could gawk at for days at a time, with drool—that is if you could get her character Aileen from her oscar winning performance Monster out of your head. Charlize’s Aileen made the pasta scotta if you know what I mean. Hancock is the second movie I didn’t even know she was in before walking in. The first, In the Valley of Elah, I didn’t realize she was in the movie until the closing credits rolled—which is a credit to her!

Jason Bateman just rocks—I love this guy! He’s so likable—even when he has a herpes blister oozing onto your lap (if you sat in the front row) while parading in panties and bra in Smokin’ Aces! Can’t say enough about this actor!

I liked the premise in the beginning of this movie, liked the characters, but something was missing and I don’t know where it goes from here—don’t really see any sequel potential, but… Overall the best part was when Will Smith was being a badass asshole superhero and then as the story developed or didn’t it kind of fell flat for me—again, I liked it I think, definitely liked the actors, but…

—iChef Cinema

Technorati Tags: Charlize Theron, iChef Cinema, Jason Bateman, Movies, Will Smith

Can somebody tell me how we got here?

Traveling / flying really sucks these days. As a child I rode a school bus, the train, the public bus that you had to pull the cable attached to a bell to let the driver know he needed to stop, but I never flew on an airplane. I didn’t have that pleasure until I was in my 20’s—I believe it was on my honeymoon flight to Jamaica. On this trip I loved the entire event including being interrogated by US Customs Agents and the food and wine in little bottles with screw tops! I have a story about US Customs Agents, but not here. Not now.

Well, I have since flown quite a bit, back and forth, all over the country and across the pond a few times and the honeymoon is definitely over. Over, to the point of never wanting to strip down to my bare feet, or be probed by people with gloves, or to have my personal belongings (including a delicate machine that helps me stay alive while I sleep) fiddled with—checking in at a post 9/11 airport means checking my dignity at the curb (not that it was so much fun before, it’s just so much worse now) I don’t want to get into the whole flight thing, including paying ridiculous fees from the ticket that has a terrorist tax included, the food which isn’t included, and now extra moo-la for my luggage! If a person was quick enough to add up all the nickel and diming going on they would never fly because they would be outraged at the actual cost—much like taxes coming out of your paycheck. *tangent warning* Continue Reading »

Technorati Tags: iChef PSA, Rude