Author: Payam

Chemist, philosopher, vagrant.
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Groveling for Dollars

Telegraph | News | US is only country to oppose UN arms trade treaty

The British profited from the slave trade for decades after they had outlawed the notion in England. This hypocrisy, however, was committed nearly two centuries ago. As this news story nicely demonstrates, the former imperial powers have grown rich enough and moral enough to be willing to refuse to grow rich by dealing in human misery, indignity and death.

The United States, however, seems to have not learned this lesson. It is shameful that a country so rich and so powerful insists on profiting from the misery of the wretched, on deferring to the greed and animosity of warmongers for a modest profit (nationally), and on accepting and encouraging the ignorance of barbarians for the sake of a handful of immoral companies.

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Bush More Dangerous than Kim Jong Il

British believe Bush more dangerous than Kim Jong-il | Special reports | Guardian Unlimited

It would seem as though our brethren across the Atlantic are endowed with a far more realistic assessment of George W Bush’s capability for calamity than the Americans who defied logic by reelecting him. For all of his madness, Kim Jong Il’s havoc has so far afflicted North Koreans primarily. Kim Jong Il’s sphere of evil is decidedly more limited in size (though not magnitude) than the sphere of ignorance in which George W Bush happily resides.

Why am I writing this stuff? Will this madness end?

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Drug Abuse Declines in Teens, Booms in Baby Boomers

Illicit drug use declines in US teens, but increases in baby boomers

What do you call a generation of people who received free education, who grew up in the opulence of postwar America, who profited from America’s economic domination of the world, and elected to hoard all of the wealth and addle the three generations that follow them with crushing debt? You would call them the worst generation, of course. Discussions of their political and economic enslavement of the generations that followed them will come later. For now, let’s focus on this generation’s unabashed self-aggrandizement, which manifests itself in persistent drug abuse.

The results are from the most recent authoritative National Survey on Drug Use and Health. Two quotes from the article say it all.


David Murray, special assistant to the director for the Office of National Drug Control Policy said the findings were surprising from the baby boomers point of view, “Rarely have we seen a story like this where this is such an obvious contrast as one generation goes off stage right, and entering stage left is a generation that learned a lesson somehow and they’re doing something very different,” he said.

…the peak of drug use among youth in the United States occurred in the late 1970s. “And they brought it with them like baggage when they hit 50 and 60. So they have rates of use that are starting to stand out as persistent.

In other words, the generation that was telling my generation, the gen-Xers of the 80s, to “just say no” is still having problems saying no. This hypocrisy would have been excusable were it not for the fact that the baby boomers insist on extending it to the financial sector, as well. It was ok for them to get free education and good healthcare, but not for us. It was ok for them to build businesses, but not for us. It was ok for them to become media moguls, but not for us.

Thus, those of us who are aware of the grotesque malice of the baby boomers continue to fume as we toil to live in substandard housing, to drive on abominable roads, and to drink, to climb rocks and to play video games in order to numb our brains out of the bland misery to which baby boomers have reduced American life and culture. Those not sufficiently numbed and not utterly exhausted by the boring life attempt suicide, move to another country or get trapped into the inanity of the Iraqi “War”. Others maintain a blog. The vast majority, the vanquished, eat, get fat, and watch TV.

And, so reap the baby boomers what they sowed long ago. All too happily, while they drive their SUVs and implicitly encourage wars that feed the SUVs.

What a wonderful world…

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Bush Is for Oil…And, That’s about All

Suits Say U.S. Impeded Audits for Oil Leases – New York Times

Memorable quote from page 3 of the article:

“From 1989 through 2001, according to a report by the Congressional Budget Office, auditing and other enforcement efforts generated an average of $176 million a year. But from 2002 through 2005, according to numbers that the department provided lawmakers last May, those collections averaged only $46 million.

In another clash, frustrated federal auditors have complained that the Interior Department no longer allows them to subpoena documents from oil companies.”

It leaves one to wonder what “conservatism” means anymore if a purportedly conservative government insists on subsidizing the most profitable industry in the world. If conservatism implies that governments should not interfere in markets, then why on earth would conservative people give a handout to an industry that needs no more economic advantage, an industry that dominates energy totally? If subsidizing solar cells is wrong, then why is subsidizing oil companies right?

It also causes despair to those who think about policy and responsibility on the part of the government. What aspect of this energy policy is responsible? This approach is tantamount to subsidizing the AT&T monopoly 30 years ago, instead of investing in the development of the internet. Now the internet is challenging the phone system as a viable new means of communication. Instead of being at the mercy of phone companies, consumers have some recourse. The servile Bush energy policy explicitly extends and strengthens the oil monopoly at a time when supply is scarce. It subjugates the needs of businesses to the profit motive (not imperative) of the oil industry at a time when the industry could not possibly reap greater profits. It is an energy policy that serves no need, no national purpose and no economic imperative.

Fortunately, impeachment is now a possibility.

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Americans Buy Crap That Others Won’t

U.S. Rules Allow the Sale of Products Others Ban – Los Angeles Times

The familiar refrain is “America is number one”. Stories like the one above ought to make one wonder “in what?” Concentration of wealth? Perhaps. Distribution of wealth? Not so. And, now, it seems not so when it comes to having safe products, either.

And, surely, many Americans will take pride in this ranking, for self respect and self worth are commodities that are present in scarce quantities in a land where just about everything is present in abundant quantities.

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Publishing, Academics, and Freedom of Information

Chemical & Engineering News: Letters-

The American Chemical Society remains the greatest professional society dedicated to chemistry because it is mature enough to respect and to publish dissenting opinions like mine. What a wonderful example for other institutions, the government especially, to emulate. Thank you, ACS.

You need to be a member to access the full article, but you can click the image below to read my dissent. Everyone should weigh in the subject of access to academic publications and freedom of information; information funded by tax dollars in particular.

The problem with access to academic journals by Payam Minoofar

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It Just Makes You Want to Spend!

The Apple Store (U.S.)

This is why Apple shares are soaring. Look at the product. Look at the accessories: an airline power adapter! When so many people plunk down $2200 on a single purchase, the only way to go is up, Baby.

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One Problem GM Does not Have

Honda To Boost Civic Production – International Business Times –

Today, Tuesday, November 14, 2006, the big three “American” automakers (Chrysler is not really American anymore) met with President Bush to beg for handouts. Getting creamed in the marketplace should be no grounds for handouts, but chances are that they will get it.

Interestingly, one request would be for the US government to move toward a universal payer system, like in Europe and Japan, whose automotive output has utterly vanquished the big three, especially GM.

Meanwhile, Honda is having problems meeting demand for its cars! After decades of customer clamor for fuel efficient cars, you think that GM would have understood, but they did not. They continued building on ancient chassis, ancient assembly lines and ancient technology in order to maintain 10% profitability in an industry defined by 3% profitability and high capital investments. The resulting erosion of market share for Ford and GM (Chrysler is doing surprisingly well) should come as no surprise. Of course, Chrysler’s exception may well be attributed it to its German ownership.

Ultimately, the fault falls on the shoulders of shareholders who are stupid enough to tolerate CEOs more concerned about their bonuses than the well-being of the company. Nevertheless, if the CEOs who commit this sort of highway robbery (literally, in a way) face with no consequences down the road, GM shareholders will not be the only ones who suffer from GM’s ultimate demise.

Ah, to have Honda’s problems….

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Of Mice

Crooks and Liars » Olbermann Gives Us The Visual To Limbaugh’s Attack On Michael J. Fox

Ultimately, all bullies are cowards. Of all the examples of the cowardice that bullies normally exhibit, an instance more egregious than Rush Limbaugh’s attack on the terribly debilitated Michael J. Fox may not be even conceivable.

The elections are over. The craven party has lost, for now. One can only pray that people remember and act against this remarkable showing of the utter lack of character and courage that defines “conservatives” and neo-conservatives for the next century. Civilization may well survive if they do.

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