2.2 Million Starving Gazans: What Price Victory Israel?

According to a recent United Nations report, 2.2 million people are facing starvation conditions in Northern Gaza along with a lack of drinking water. Approximately half or 1.1 million are facing "catastrophic" famine sometime between mid-March and May of this year.  

The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (ICP), a multi-partner initiative involving governments, NGOs, the United Nations, and others, stated that "acute hunger and malnutrition has far exceed  the threshold for famine". In addition, the ICP said this represents the "highest number of people facing catastrophic hunger ever recorded". 

The ICP goes on to warn that people have already resorted to eating grass, animal feed, and drinking dirty water to survive. Pregnant women (or "birthing people" as they are known in "woken parts of the " United States), unable to produce enough milk, are begging government officials for baby formula and any other assistance.

Nevertheless, there are hundreds of tons of food, water, medicine, and other aid lined up on the Israeli-Gaza border waiting to cross over. Ships and cargo planes arriving almost daily bringing relief but little to none are reaching those who need it the most---the people of Gaza.

Some UN officials are blaming the Israeli Government of deliberately holding back the aid in an attempting to starve out the Gazans, and that opinion is spreading among other relief agencies such as the World Relief Programme's Executive Director, Cindy McCain, who said "the people of Gaza are starving to death right now. The speed at which this man-made hunger and malnutrition crisis has ripped through Gaza is terrifying".   

The European Union's top diplomat, Josef Borrell of Spain, has accused Israel of using starvation as a "weapon of war" by preventing humanitarian aid from entering Gaza, which Israeli officials have strongly denied.

Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu said in a press conference that Israel does not intend to promote an artificial famine,  but to allow as much humanitarian aid into Gaza "as necessary". He added that it was Israel's intentions to be the sole entry point of all aide going into Gaza. Israel, according to Netanyahu, would see to it that Gaza got a much aide as it required.

Netanyahu's statements have been vigorously disputed by aide workers from various global agencies and even some government officials from neighboring countries. They report that Israel's "Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories" (COGAT) has been the principal barrier preventing humanitarian aid from reaching the starving 2.2 million people in Gaza. The role of COGAT is monitor access to Gaza .

COGAT has been accused of issuing confusing and contradictory  instructions in which to intentionally delay or prevent food, medicine, fresh water, and other essentials from crossing into Gaza.  So, with an apparent standstill, where does that leave the people of Gaza?

Netanyahu has repeatedly vowed to annihilate the leadership of Hamas following its attack on Israeli civilians on October 7, 2023. 1139 mostly civilians were raped, beaten, tortured, and  finally murdered, including small children. Another 240 were taken prisoner.  

The early morning attack, which caught the vaulted Israeli intelligence forces and military totally off guard reminiscent of the 1973 Yom Kipper War. Hamas, along with soldiers from 9 other Palestinian paramilitary groups, the coordinated use of paragliders, scuba divers, small attack boats, and a mechanized unit comprised of several white Toyota pickups full of troops or mounted machine guns, a few dozen Honda motorcycles seating two fighters, and most impressive of all, surveillance/attack drones.

The highly coordinated training for the attacked largely took place just barely a mile from the border and watchful eyes of Israel. The training, which in some instances took over year to complete (such as for the paragliders and drones) took place in 14 training centers scattered throughout Gaza. Some of the training included the most efficient way to seize a house, destroy an Israeli tank, breach Israeli border walls to how to move Israeli hostages quickly while getting the maximum propaganda coverage.

Andreas King, a Senior Lecturer of Security Studies at Kings College in London  gave one of the best descriptions of how Israeli intelligence monitoring was beaten.  According to King, "while there was centralized planning, execution was decentralized, with each squad operating as it saw fit". Secondly, there was no effort to hide anything. Everything was done out in the open to make it look as routine as possible.

Hamas is considered a terrorist organization backed, supplied, trained, and financed by the Iranian government. Iran and Israel have a long history of  mutual hatred. Iran has repeatedly promised to "wipe Israel off the map" including the use of nuclear weapons regardless of the consequences to the people of Iran or the region. Iran also backs other terrorist groups regardless of whether they are Shia or Sunni such as Hezbollah, ISIS, Al Qaeda, and Boku Harem.  

Hamas was first "elected" to government to a series of political campaigns and  open warfare between Hamas and Fatah over the control of Gaza, the West Bank, and Palestinian refugee camps.  Fatah which was previously known as the Palestinian National Liberation Movement. Fatah is a nationalist social democrat political party originally founded by individuals like Yasser Arafat and Khalil al-Wazir.

Hamas was originally known as Islamic Resistance Movement, a group of radical Sunni Islamists who follow an extremist form of political religious of the Koran similar to Iran. Historically it has had a close relationship with the Muslim Brotherhood, including the pro-Nazi Grand Mufti of Jerusalem, Mohammed Amin al-Husseini.  It emphasizes their version of Sharia law everywhere, anti-Zionism, pan-Islamic unity, and full rejection of non-Muslim influences.

Hamas has managed to "win" and keep control of the Gaza pretty much since 2007. Their control has been a combination of intimidation and placation. However, their goal has always been on the removal of Israel and restoration of a united Palestine under their Sharia law.

In their attacks on Israel, Hamas has routinely used private homes to store munitions and military supplies. They typically operate rockets and missiles from mosques, minarets,hospitals, businesses and schools against Israel and also where they store their supplies.

It's commonplace that the homes of innocent civilians are used to fire on advancing Israelis while the residents are forced to remain in place. Hamas is well aware of the propaganda value of a retaliatory strike by Israel against a school full of students or a mosque full of worshipers, or hospital full of patients. But nothing is mentioned about the military use of these sites which prompted the Israel's retaliatory strikes. 

They've also developed an extensive and highly sophisticated network of tunnels extending well into Israel and Egypt which put the tunnels built by the Viet Cong or the Sinaloa drug cartel to shame. They use these tunnels to move terrorist cells, train, organize and plan. They even had munitions factories, repair shops, and well equipped Hamas only hospitals. Most importantly, smuggling of everything from advanced weapons to food, clothing, and medicine. Smuggling?  

Yes. The majority of what they smuggle is used for Hamas purposes. Most is sold or traded on the black market, while hospitals and the public receive whatever is parceled out to appease the populace. In addition, Hamas takes in millions of aid  which follows a similar path. The smuggling generates between $12 and $15 million a month.

As a result, while the people of Gaza starve, Hamas spends at least $100 million annually on its military infrastructure.  Meanwhile, Hamas receives as much as $360 million dollars from oil rich Qatar as well as  millions more from other Arab countries like NATO/EU member, Turkey, and wealthy Arab families.

As an aside, despite the abject poverty of Gaza, the senior most Hamas leadership are all billionaires thanks to grafted "donations". For instance, its top three leaders are worth a purportedly $11 billion dollars which goes to support their luxury lifestyles in Qatar and elsewhere. 

 The United Nations spends over $600 million to fund and run schools and operate hospitals (much of that money comes indirectly from U.S. taxpayers). This means all of the needs of Hamas are provided from outside, leaving it with millions on it military while its people starve.

Israeli intelligence, including the famous Mossad and Shin Bet failed magnificently on October 7th, and to an extent, so did the numerous U.S. intelligence agencies like the NSA, CIA, and DIA. They never saw what was coming, which is likely how future operations such as this will play out.

Netanyahu is furious, and rightly so. He knows all too well that lesser failures like this have brought down Israeli governments.  He knows too that these kind of failures expose weaknesses in Israel's defenses. Yes, the Israeli military---the IDF---performed with brilliance in its recovering and counterpunch.

There's little doubt that COGAT is intentionally delaying the release of humanitarian aid to Gaza at the direction of  Prime Minister Netanyahu.  He knows better than most, including  some bureaucrat in the United Nations or in some ivory tower NGO, that little of those supplies will actually reach the average citizen in Gaza. The majority of those supplies will be diverted (likely at gun point) to Hamas.

 Just a few weeks ago video footage was secretly shot of bread being selectively passed out to Gazans to keep them from rioting. At the same time, Hamas soldiers were firing their guns into the crowd to keep them back and in abeyance. Obviously, Hamas, which brought the war to Gaza, can't  now lose control over the people. The aid lined up on Israeli check points stand an excellent chance of being sold on the black market by Hamas, and you can be sure than none of Hamas' leadership have lost any weight.

Netanyahu has vowed to destroy  Hamas at any cost. In that, he has been largely successful. As many as 10,000 Hamas and associated fighters have been killed with over four thousands taken prisoner. Several of Hamas' top leaders have been killed, however, their senior most likely left the area before the October 7th attack for someplace safe and relaxing (applying a lesson from ISIS and Al Qaeda).

However, Netanyahu has to be very careful about winning the battle and losing the war. A large number of countries, financial institutions, and powerful NGOs have openly accused Israel of genocide (and withholding aid would seem to support that). Even in the United States and Germany, two of Israel's strongest allies, public opinion shows 65% blame Hamas while a large minority---35%---blame Israel.

 But let us remember that it was Hamas---not Israel---which started this war knowing full well the hellfire which would rain down on the people of Gaza, and chose to do it anyway.  Let us also not forget that Hamas regularly launches tens of thousands of rockets and missiles against Israel on a monthly basis, although that's of cold comfort to the starving 2.2 million men, women and children Hamas has bequeath to the world. 

Israel must reach as a realistic deal for a single Palestinian state. That's at the heart of Israel's national security and would deprive its enemies of their key weapon. Perhaps a good start would be for Israeli troops to accompany a relief convoy into Gaza and pass out the aid themselves, thus ensuring the food, water, and medical supplies  goes where need and denying Hamas both a propaganda and humanitarian victory. Nevertheless, Hamas has to go. It must be replaced by a government which sincerely cares for the wellbeing of Gaza and truly wants peace. Until then, this level of carnage will only continue. 

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The 'Conspiracy Theorists' Were Right About Covid-19? The Origin of the Pandemic

 

Remember when Covid-19 pandemic first made its mysterious appearance?  Do you recall all the different state and federal government mandates ranging from self-quarantining, mandatory masks, maintaining a distance of at least 6 feet, or the defacto looting of stores of their toilet paper, paper towels, hand sanitizer, and practically anything that could be consumed (and that doesn't even include the price gouging)? It must be pointed out that there were no natural shortages of these items. It was hoarding motivated by greed which kept products off the shelves and drive up prices. 

Some of us found a little smug satisfaction and sardonic amusement at the self-proclaimed "preppers" who were caught off guard materially and mentally for the ensuing chaos just like the rest of us. Nevertheless, many of us promised ourselves then and there that we would never be caught short like that ever again.

Then came the government's body count as government officials would hold afternoon press conferences to update the public with the latest death counts due to Covid, or the number of individuals officially diagnosed with Covid,  often simultaneously showing images of bodies being stored in outdoor cooling units until they could be properly handled by a funeral home, hospital personnel running around in hazmat suits, and horror stories about ventilator shortages. It was a grim display aimed at showing us the seriousness in which the government wanted us to take the situation.

I clearly remember representatives from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) explaining to us how the virus mysteriously exploded on the world from a bowel of Chinese "bat soup" consumed by some unassuming tourist in Wuhan China, wherever that was.  Instinctively, I knew something wasn't quite right with that story. Coronaviruses rarely jump from animals to humans as we've observed from the recent past with other viruses.

I also vividly recall the Centers for Disease Control announcing that not only has a vaccine been produced, but there were actually a number of vaccines available, and not just that, but how quickly they were green lighted for human inoculation.  Typically it takes years of exhaustive research before any vaccine was ready for human trials, but here we were in just a matter of a couple months and we just don't have a single vaccine, but at least four worldwide!

Thousands lined up to get the "jab" as it was called in the hopes of staving off the deadly virus. Meanwhile, it was mandatory that we continue to wear our masks, regularly use our hand sanitizer, and of course, maintain proper "social distancing". After receiving the vaccine, we were encouraged by government and health officials to carry our vaccination cards  and be prepared to show them as proof of our compliance.

For some reason, that just seemed so "Nazi" to me.  It was so sterile and regulated. It was reminiscent of the old Nazi Era "Ihre Papiere bitte" ("your papers please") which would be uttered by the dreaded Gestapo in their sinister chic black leather coats and matching black fedoras to unsuspecting passersbyers on the streets of Berlin, Paris, or Prague.  

With so many vaccines suddenly available, it seemed to me that there was either an army of seriously brilliant "Doctor Strange"  type of scientists doing nonstop viral research using supercomputers or there was already a vaccine prototype worked up.  If that were the case, then there had to be a biochemical "fingerprint" of the virus available to study. But for that to happen, it meant that "someone" already knew what the deadly Covid virus looked liked at a molecular level , and that meant the mysterious "bat soup" virus had to be man made.

Apparently though I wasn't the only one who reached that conclusion! Quite a few people around the world who were much more familiar with the topic of virology than me came to the same conclusion. However, it wasn't long before the media started labeling these individuals "conspiracy theorists" or worse, "conspiracy nuts" for questioning the official narrative despite having some seriously impressive credentials. Others soon joined in to question the government's explanation of events in a cascading loss of official credibility.  To many things simply didn't add up whether Dr. Fauci or anyone else said otherwise.

A growing number of people kept pointing out the similarity of Covid was to the flu or the fact that we seemed to be missing our normal "flu season". Many people started treating the Covid virus like the flu, albeit  a more serious one for those with health preconditions which affected their immune system. Oddly, many of those people seemed to do just fine thank you.  How could that be?

Meanwhile, in what had the earmarks of an orchestrated response, many of those who refused to get the shots, wear masks and so forth were being ridiculed, ostracized, and even threatened with violence. Some employers refused to allow individuals to come back to work while several large restaurant chains, banks, and retail stores denied service to anyone without a vaccination card or mask.  

Although Covid has largely disappeared from the headlines and officials have quietly suspended their nightly death toll report, the issue of Covid's origin and the government's response still continues.  Many of the "conspiracy nuts" looked to the supposedly secret Chinese medical research center in Wuhan Province as ground zero for the virus leakage, which many claimed was intentional.

Others decided to follow the money which appeared to show billions in U.S. funds being routed to Chinese research facilities for years  from U.S. government agencies, including the CDC while it was under Fauci's watch. Was that true? Why would the CDC and other agencies work with Chinese on weaponizing the flu virus? A number of individuals was determined to find out, especially Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky.

Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) launched a full on assault  into the official records (which many of us don't have access to). He  conducted a series of government hearings in ways that only a U.S. senator could do to get at the truth, which included subpoenaing key individuals and their records. While it's taken a number of years, it appears that many of the "conspiracy nuts" were largely right after all.

Dr. Paul reported his findings in a speech he delivered on November 1, 2023 at the Allan P. Kirby Center for Constitutional Studies and Citizenship on Hillsdale's Washington D.C. campus entitled "Deception: The Great Covid Cover-Up". The speech was also published in a edited version in Hillsdale's "Imprimis" newsletter (December 2023 Volume 52 Number 12).

I've provided a link Dr. Paul's speech below. I strongly recommend that you read it, especially if you lost a friend, a family member, or if  you or someone you were acquainted with had Covid. This also goes to anyone who was laid off, lost their job or forced to close their business due to Covid-19 enforced mandates. So, what, if anything, have learned from the pandemic?

Hopefully we've learned that there was quite a bit of truth uncovered by those individuals who were disparagingly  referred to as "conspiracy nuts", "troublemaker" or much worse. Some of what they confirmed ranged from the likely origin of the virus from a Chinese military lab in Wuhan Province, the striking resemblance of Covid to the flu virus,  the virus being man made or it  having a possible weaponized application, which would be illegal under the UN's Biological Weapons Convention, and a great deal of "under-the-table" funding by the U.S. government.

I also want to point out a serious object lesson we should have learned as we delve further into an expanding AI, more sophisticated facial recognition software, data mining,  supercomputers, human like robots and their self-awareness, declining privacy, and a growing surveillance state under the control of elite plutocrats, plus the strong likelihood of more enhanced viruses or diseases.

The Covid-19 pandemic (or scare if you prefer) taught us that ordinary people of all walks of life can easily be coerced into "self-isolating" with little effort. All that's required is a little manufactured fear generated by the government and cast to the winds by a willing media.  We learned how individuals can be intimidated into wearing a nearly ineffective mask with the same ease as making group of individuals don yellow felt Stars of David to their clothes.

We should have learned that it's just as easy to persuade people to get a injection of some unknown substance into the arm as it was to demand a people to assemble in the middle of a town square and board cattle cars for a destination unknown.

People are quite pliable and gullible. We tend to react as a herd animal, little different from sheep, cows, or pigs. Most of us are afraid to step very far out of line for fear of being singled out or losing the perceived protection of the herd. The conspiracy theorists (or "nuts") were the ones who spoke out the loudest. They tried to rouse the herd into looking up. They were the voices in the wilderness that the Status Quo tried to silence.

There's no doubt that Covid-19 was a "live fire" exercise on a global scale. Real people died. Many of the immune compromised were hospitalized. Was this intended to "thin the herd" or merely to see how we would react despite our anti-government rhetoric? Well, the masses did dutifully obeyed. They covered their faces.  They self-incarcerate. Those who didn't may have inadvertently self-identified as most likely to challenge authority next time and bear monitoring. 

But perhaps what mattered the most to the ruling elites in this little exercise  was just how easily people the world over, regardless of religion, culture, or politics could be made to willingly obey with very little effort.  All that's required is a little fear and some gentle, but firm guidance from sympathetic sounding  authority figures. I truly hope you all will check out Dr. Paul's link below.

 

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Lessons From the Great Covid Cover-Up by U.S. Senator Dr. Rand Paul (R-KY).

Socialism or Neo-Fascism? Which Way Is America Going?

 

It seems that the Right is perpetually speaking about Democrats leading us down the road to socialism's perdition. When Donald Trump was in office, the Democrats and those on the Left kept comparing "The Donald"  with Hitler and Republicans with the Nazis. It seems that neither side is familiar with history.

 First off, there's no way those in power on the Left or Right would allow this country to become "socialist", Communist or anything else that requires them to surrender their wealth or power to the State. Secondly, the two party system is a farce. Wall Street owns both parties. 

The only real difference between the two parties is the two competing corporate cliques. Citizens United has ensured corporate control of the political system. It has put political reform all but out of reach of the average American. Corporate lobbyists write the laws, leaving voters with the illusion of choice. 

National Socialism (or "Nazism") was a fascist partnership of sorts between the government and Big Business with the latter assuming a junior role,  and we all know Wall Street would never go for that today.   By the way, the "socialism" part of National Socialism didn't mean what most people today assumes it meant.  For the Nazis, it meant a community of like-minded people or "Volk".

Actual  socialism, which remains an abstract idea, means that the people essentially  own everything.  Power and the control of wealth is in their hands. Businesses and corporations would be typically employee owned and run while others, particularly essential businesses, would be run by the State.

Nevertheless,  I don't see Wall Street or their K Street lobbyists allowing anything like that to happen do you?  Certainly not after  the "Citizens United" or "McCutcheon's" decisions by the Supreme Court gave them carte blanche to the halls of power and the public trough.

What passes for "socialism" today is an admixture of capitalism, democracy, and a welfare state comprised of social programs  under the heading of "Democratic Socialism", which is common in Scandinavia and places like Germany and Netherlands. Think of it as "capitalism with a friendly face".  

 Nevertheless, despite high taxes (especially on the wealthy and corporations), the democratic socialist form of government have proven to be quite popular with the masses, with practically everything being subsidized. However, it requires everyone to pitch in and contribute back into the system. But when you have a mass of people who draw on the system without contributing to it, it fails, which is what seems to be happening in Scandinavia and other parts of Europe.   

Under Communism, which is often---though incorrectly--- used interchangeably with socialism, there are again no privately own properties, especially corporations. The State owns everything. Everyone works for the State. The State is everything. Do you see corporations and the rich---people like Zuckerman, Musk, Bezos, or Buffett  surrendering their power and wealth to Washington? So, what is America is morphing into? The answer is a Corporatocracy, which is a de facto form of neo-fascism.

Fascism is, as its founder Benito Mussolini said, was more accurately described as "corporatism". Specifically, Mussolini said this "Fascism should more appropriately be called Corporatism because it is a merger of state and corporate power". Novelist Upton Sinclair called fascism "capitalism plus murder" while Vladimir Lenin referred to fascism as "capitalism in decay".

Politically, it borrows some of its goals and techniques from the Left and some from the conservative Right, including militarism. It grafts various national traditions and values to its cause as needed and jettisons what is no longer of use.  Corporatism is, if nothing else, adaptable. It's objective, however, is always corporate control plain and simple. The role of government is to serve as the lesser partner and "middleman" between the "elites" and masses. It's objective is to serve the rich. 

Under a Corporatocracy, there is little to no strong middle class; certainly not in the way we're used to. There's the insanely rich and then there's everybody else. Sound familiar? Can you see the one percenters giving up their money; their penthouses; their private planes and yachts?  Under socialism, they'd have to; the same under Communism.

Consider this too, while Unions exist in a Corporatocracy, they are weak and fairly ineffective. A far cry from the unions of old. Their prime purpose to keep the masses in their place---on the job and off the strike line---while generally backing the decisions of the corporate bosses.  They serve the interests of the corporation, even if it means cutting benefits, pensions,  and hours.  

Under Communism, the State serves as the union and if you work, you automatically belong to it. But again, no strikes and no complaining, and a set wage. Under socialism, there are wage differences based on the job, but no broad income disparity, at least not like we have today where the top 10% own 52% of all wealth.

So in reality, we are morphing into a neo-fascist corporate State.  Corporations, using the government, previously pushed us to the Right and now is pushing us toward the Left, but the ultimate goal is to diminish the power of the individual while increasing our dependence on the State, which in turn, is controlled by Wallstreet and the corporate elite.

 In short, we're to become economic serfs with the government serving as the overseer and corporations as the owners of us all. Of course, the "big prize" is the creation of a single interlocking global corporation. That means creating and using  global organizations to serve as the intermediaries on global projects and national one's on more regional projects.

Under corporatocracy we can expect national governments, like Washington, become ever more pervasive in the role of overseer while local and state governments become weaker and more dependent on the federal government.  This role also enables corporations an ever growing access to taxpayer money to acquire resources domestically and globally while at the same time shielding their intentions behind the illusion of a sovereign government.  

They can also use the national government take other actions on their behalf, like wars, trade agreements, or treaties, to enhance their wealth and power on the taxpayer's dollar.  In further defining corporatism, its founder, Benito Mussolini said, “Fascism, the more it considers and observes the future and the development of humanity, quite apart from political considerations of the moment, believes neither in the possibility nor the utility of perpetual peace.”. In short, war and the threat of war is good for business.

Il Duce is also talking about is the concept (novel for his time) of the implied foreign policy we're now experiencing, that of perpetual war---like the "war on terrorism"---to maintain control over the population and the exploitation of resources by corporations, be they natural resources or national resources for the sake of the bottom line. It artificially stimulates the economy, masks actual unemployment numbers, and allows for near unlimited deficit spending.  Sound familiar?

As an aside, what did Mussolini think of socialism? After all, his father, Alessandro,  was a prominent Italian socialist and Benito started off his political career as a socialist. This was his opinion, "Socialism is a fraud, a comedy, a phantom, a blackmail".

So, when someone starts complaining about America becoming "socialist" or "Communist", remember that famous line from movie "The Princess Bride" as utter by the swordsman Inigo Montoya (played brilliantly by Mandy Patinkin), "You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means".  

 

If you want to know more about this article's topic, please check out the links below. If you enjoyed the article, please consider passing it along to others and don't forget to subscribe. It's free! Lastly please be sure to "like" us on whatever platform you use to read anotheropinionblog.com. It helps with the algorithms and keeps our articles in circulation. Thank you! 

 

Whyinequality is growing in the US and around the world

Eight Billionaires Own asMuch as the Poorest Half of Global Population

 

The Rich 1% Own Almost Half the World's Wealth & 9 Other Mind Blowing Facts About Wealth Inequality

https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/wealth-inequality-oxfam-billionaires-elon-musk/ 

What Are We To Make Of The Current UFO Craze?

In case you've been living under a rock (rather than living on one; third from the sun), you've no doubt noticed that UFOs (aka UAP for unidentified aerial phenomena) has become all the rage lately. It likely stems from the recent footage, mostly released from the U.S. Navy, of some strange flying objects (nicknamed "tic tacs" by fighter pilots based on their shape) which seem to defy aerodynamics and reach speeds we can only dream of (these objects have been clocked at speeds exceeding 20,000+ miles per hour). There's even footage shot by a submarine of one diving into the ocean and coming out again.

Interest in UFOs and aliens go back thousands of years, at least based on some authors, and dozens of television shows like "Ancient Aliens" which appears on the History Channel (similar shows also appear on other channels including the Travel and Science channels), not to mention movies and pop culture. There are conventions and all sorts of associations and clubs which focus on the study of UFOs.

Some claim that Mankind is the product of these alien visitors thanks to genetic manipulation, while others claim they provided Humanity with all sorts of technology and know-how as pseudo-gods in the likeness of Prometheus or Sekhmet who, along with hundreds of other gods, gifted Humanity with fire, taught us medicine, agriculture, and smithing.  This is even true of the Abrahamic religions of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam which credits a single entity rather than a pantheon of gods.  

In fact, every civilization and culture to have existed or currently exists on this rather insignificant blue and green orb floating in the backwater of a relatively small and nondescript solar system attributes their origins to those from "up there", not to mention their accomplishments or even their downfall. 

However, starting around 1933, interest, along with reported encounters with these mysterious beings, seems to have taken off. During the later stages of the war, Allied pilots used to report rapidly moving bright balls of light ("foo fighters") harassing or at least monitoring their flights over Germany which were attributed to being one of the Luftwaffe's "Wunderwaffe" or "wonder weapons". These "foo fighters" are thought of as forerunners of EMPs, or electromagnetic impulses designed to knock out a plane's electronics by way of an electrical discharge.

It was learned that after the war, German pilots were also experiencing similar contact with these mysterious balls of light, which reached speeds of over 200 mph, and had no explanation as to what they were.  Nevertheless, maybe these orbs had something to do with the Nazis after all, and the subsequent increase in UFO sightings after the war.  Here's how.

Starting with Hitler's election as Chancellor in 1933, the Nazis went all out with their rallies, thanks in large part to Nazi Architect Albert Speer, who was put in charge of the organizational and technical aspects of the party rallies. The most popular (and notable) feature was the "Cathedral of Lights", which employed 130 to 150 heavy anti-aircraft searchlights aimed straight up into the night sky to form large columns of light which were powerful enough to be seen from space on a clear night.

Each searchlight (either a type 34 or 37) used a 150 centimeter (which is just under five foot in width) highly polished parabolic glass reflector. Each emitted  990 million candelas and could see targets over three miles into the sky. They were powered by a 24 kilowatt generator, driven by a 51 horsepower 8 cylinder engine. That is a massively powerful searchlight, and to think that they were using 130 to 150 of them at any given time.

If you were an alien from other planet who just so happened to be looking our way anytime from the 1933 through 1938, it's just possible you would see a unusual---certainly not natural---focused column of lights emanating from one specific location which might peak your interest. But that wasn't all. If you were also listening, you may catch something else too.

In 1936, the Nazis hosted the Olympics in Berlin. This was "officially" billed as projecting world harmony through friendly competition as well as Germany's first major  "coming out" event and reentry into the community of nations since WWI .  For the Nazis, however, it was time to show off not just the superiority of German athletes, but how robust the economy was and all the innovations Germany had taken the lead in.

One of those innovations was the ability to broadcast the Olympic worldwide to 41 countries through an early version of television for the first time ever. Although it was broadcasted at a modest 40 MHz, it was still powerful to break through the earth's Ionosphere and into space. Hitler later used similar powerful transmitters when making several of his speeches.

So, if our voyaging alien voyeur had the technology, it's possible they could have been able to watch (or at least listen) to the 1936 Berlin Olympics. At the very minimal, they would have been able to hear Hitler's speeches as they reached into space.  Consider that for a moment.  Their first introduction to Humanity would have come from Nazi Germany and their first human image or voice belonged to Adolf Hitler. Gives new meaning to "take us to your leader"...or should it be "Der Fuehrer"?

Nevertheless, contact (or alleged contact) has been on the rise ever since. There has been countless sightings, supposed abductions (some of which can only be summed up as sexual attacks), passive attacks on military bases housing nuclear weapons, nuclear reactors, sites where there has been nuclear testing, and on nuclear powered ships. In addition, they appear to have been monitoring our space flights, be it to the moon, satellites and shuttle launches, the International Space Station, and so forth.

What's more, it isn't just us. Numerous other nations have reported similar events, ranging from Russia, China, Mexico, England, France, and just about every other technically advanced country on the planet. This is truly global. Some astrophysics have cited possible radio signals as proof of possible alien contact. 

We can't forget crop circles, which may be important messages from space. Then again, they may be nothing more than alien graffiti or more earthbound hucksters. But what about cattle mutilations which appear to be done in the dead of the night with precision skill? How do you explain those?

So, what's really going on? Is there anything to all this alien "visitors" business or is it just massive hallucination coupled with some wishful thinking and maybe some down home trickery thrown in for good measure? Could it be one big cover up by a cabal of secret groups, the military, and intelligence agencies to create a "New World Order"? If it is, it has to be the most elaborate hoax ever carried out. 

We, as a species, have been scanning the sky since our beginning. We understood early on that the stars, moon and sun could help us determine the best time to plant and harvest crops. They could help us anticipate the seasons, and even predict the weather. We saw fire, first realized as a lightning strike. It was a powerful force, which we interrupted as some great entity above us giving us both a tool and a warning of their power. We later assigned other events we experienced to new gods, and eventually, at least for those in living in Canaan, to a single god (possible carried over from the "Aton" of Egypt).  

However, with the rise of science, logic and reasoning, the power of the gods consolidated ever smaller, and eventually began to fade. It turned out that the world wasn't flat. The sun didn't revolved around us. We weren't the center of the universe; the lights in the sky weren't pinholes, angels didn't pour water down, and no one was infallible. Yet we kept looking skyward for answers. 

But what are we looking for? Is our search part of some deep innate longing to reconnect with our ancient space faring "ancestors" who planted...or abandoned...us on this rock eons ago? Some claim that earth was/is a giant laboratory  and we're the lab rats. Others claim earth is penal colony.

Given our unruliness and warlike behavior as a species, it may be a bit of both. But are we being breed for violence or servitude? Maybe, like in the Twilight Zone episode, "To Serve Man", we're simply being cultivated to be the "other red meat". Now, that's a scary thought isn't it?  

Interestingly, NASA recently acknowledged spending one million dollars advising the world's religions on what to expect when---not if---aliens decide to pay us a visit. It will certainly shake a lot of people's faith, not to mention weaken the hold organized religion and even government has on many of us.

Maybe we search the heavens for another reason---fear of being along in the universe. After all, we are a highly social species. We don't like being totally alone. Perhaps it's a quest to seek out someone to save us from ourselves; an intergalactic "savior" who can solve all our problems for us, both globally and individually. Instant Nirvana without really trying.

We know that we're in serious trouble, and not just locally or regionally, but globally. We are facing multiple disasters, mostly of our own making, plus a few thrown in from Mother Nature for good measure. We know that our so-called "leaders" are a bunch of super rich buffoons faking it without ever really making it. All they're doing in running a giant ponzi scheme at our expense.

In truth, they haven't a clue. They create more problems than they solve. Are we hoping that some intergalactic race will come to this planet and save our collective butts. Isn't that what some religions teach---saving the deserving few while leaving the rest to a fate of their own making?

Mankind has been looking for someone to get us out of the mess we create over and over since time immortal. We never learn from our mistakes.  In the beginning, it was "the gods"; a whole plethora of beings with the their own assigned powers, who enjoy tormenting and occasionally blessing us mere mortals.  Then it became a single deity playing good cop/bad cop. Now, we realize it was us all along.

Seeking out intelligent life in space ultimately serves to remind us of our isolation. All we have is each other, yet we squabble like spoiled children with sharp objects. We want to know there's someone out there like "ET" or a pointy ear-like "Mr. Spock" to bail us out if we go too far (I suspect they're actually badass biker types that think of humans as a bucket full of KFC thighs. They just need to find a biscuit).

Dr. Werner von Braun, the father of not just Nazi rocketry (the V1 and V2 were the world's first cruise missile and ICBM respectively), but also of NASA and our missions to the moon, was allegedly asked once where he and the other Nazis scientists who came to be part of "Operation Paperclip" came up with the technology that put Nazi technology over a generation ahead of everyone else? Supposedly Dr. Braun simply smiled, pointed up, and said "them".

Perhaps he was joking. Perhaps the event never really happened and it's just urban folklore. But, regardless, Nazi technology was decades ahead of everyone else. There was a rumored UFO crash in the Black Forest region of Germany, near Coburg, in 1936 (how they fly billions of miles through space, dodging asteroids and space debris, get here and have a wreck is beyond me). They had occult groups which actively sought out contact with aliens, and there were all sorts of weird aircraft such as a prototype of B-1 type stealth bomber, "flying disks", and, of course, "Der Glock" ("the Bell") which, if we're to believe the stories, was something of a time machine which used electromagnetic energy.

Regardless though, we won't stop until we know for sure. Perhaps our exploration of space will eventually create our own version of an alien through modified humans like Star Trek's "Borg"; individuals augmented with artificial prosthetics to enhance our strength or endurance, or compensate for a lack of gravity, couple with artificial intelligence (perhaps a merger with AI), leaving the rest of us to deal with the increase radiation resulting from a depleted ozone layer, polluted air, and synthetic foods made from who knows what (I saw the movie "Soylent Green", which takes place in 2022). Time will tell. But, as Buddha once said, "the trouble is that you think you have time". 

 

The Cathedral of Light of Nazi Rallies, 1937

Will Hitler Be the First Person Aliens See?

Why is Congress being briefed on UFOs---and what they learn?

If they're aliens in those UFOs, they must not like us

Haunebu

The master's voice

 

 

Enhanced Driver's Licenses and the Bigger Picture

Well, Kentucky has finally decided to get onboard with the new "enhanced" driver's license. Not that it had any real choice. The demand came about in the usual "closing-the- barn-door-after-the-cows-are- out" fashion by the federal government following 9/11 and the subsequent "Patriot Act". Of course, the fact that Kentucky is some 20+ years late is par for the course. As Mark Twain allegedly once said, "When the end of the world comes, I want to be in Kentucky because it's always twenty years behind the times”. Whether he did or not, it seems appropriate doesn't it? After all, look at how the Kentucky legislature continues to drag its feet over the issue of legalizing medical marijuana! Meanwhile, it's a done deal in others states.

Nevertheless, this idea of an "enhanced" driver's license was originally conceived as a national identification card, but was watered down slightly to become a state issued identification card tied to your driver's license or other state issued IDs. I supposed this seemed a little less menacing; less "Empire Strikes Back". However, for some, it still smacks of images of Gestapo or KGB Security agents demanding "Ihre Papiere bitte" or "Ваши документы, пожалуйста" which translates as "your papers please".

The law goes into effect in Kentucky the first of March 2019. The state is already getting out the word and has created an pretty nifty website which helps you select which of types of ID you get to pick from, be it a regular ID, a simple drivers license, or a four or eight year license which also serves as a passport and allows you entrance into certain federally administered sites such as onboard airplanes, cruise ships, and government facilities. You even get to pick if you want your veteran status highlighted. You will need to bring with you original or certified birth certificate, marriage license, and proof of your address (such as phone or MSD bill addressed to you). Another photo ID can be used too. However, you should check the website to see what you specifically need, again depending on which type of license you want.

Please note that they will keep the documentation you submit, which will be processed and returned to you later. Regardless though, the application will start off with a photograph. Why you ask? As most everyone knows, getting your picture taken is typically the last thing you do in getting your license. No more. The reason is because your mug will be run through a facial recognition program to see if there is any outstanding warrant or other restrictions waiting out there in cyberspace. Also, you can change your hair color, add color contacts, grow a beard or whatever. It doesn't matter since it looks at subtle measurements of your face which can't be altered. It will also access other data such as height, built, tattoos, etc. If so, your picture will send up a red flag. Now just how special is that? But it gets better!

As an added bonus, each license includes a vicinity activated Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) chip which will alert a "secure system" and automatically pull up you bio-metric and biographic data for the appropriate government personnel to read as you approach. In addition, each card comes with its own bar code which, to be blunt, identifies you just the way a scanner at the grocery store price checks a loaf of bread.

Can you imagine what would have happened if the British had something like this in 1772? There would have been no American Revolution because there would have been no revolutionary agitators like Samuel Adams, John Hancock, or Paul Revere; no revolutionary leaders like Thomas Jefferson, Patrick Henry, or James Madison. They would have been quickly identified and arrested! Even resistance fighters or Jews, Gypsies and others attempting to evade the Nazis in Europe during WWII would have found it nearly impossible to beat this system.

On the upside of this, it means it will be harder for terrorists to board airplanes departing US airspace (supposedly, foreign passports are screened while overseas and run through a database operated by Interpol. However, there several airports which are notoriously lax in their security procedures. Hopefully, these passports are again screened upon arrival in the US although that doesn't do much good if the bad guys are able to board overseas and intend on doing harm before landing in the US it also doesn't help if they are able to get a package---aka a bomb---onto the plane while overseas). All the same, it does make things a bit more safe.

Another bonus is that it makes it harder for illegal immigrants since they would typically lack the documentation needed to get their license and especially when their photo is run through the facial recognition program. Even a stolen social security number won't help anyone here! However, I have to wonder if these cards will be cross linked with E-Verify to confirm employment status, a correct SSN, current immigration status (such as a valid Green card or a expired Visa)? It would certainly make for a good tool to do so.

On the other hand, what about states which issue drivers licenses to illegal immigrants or allow them to register and vote in local or state elections? What states typically operate under a broad federally mandated reciprocity agreement whereby certain licenses, including drivers, are accepted from one state to another, how will this apply to the new "enhanced" driver's licenses? Will they be denied outside of their state of their issuance? Would their immigration status make them subject to arrest or being detaining until ICE can be summoned?

Just because one state decides to break federal immigration law and offer "sanctuary" status doesn't mean that all other states have to go along with it does it? Look at the trouble Arizona got into just for trying to uphold existing immigration laws under the Obama Regime! Imagine one state not accepting another state's license because it doesn't comply with the new federal mandate should that individual try to apply for a license or register to vote in a non-sanctuary state. I'm sure this will come up and will ultimately be brought before the Supreme Court in the not to distance future.

Of course, this may be also much to do about nothing. After all, despite President Trump's determination to secure our southern border, Washington has been ignoring the American People on this and other issues for a long time now, going back to at least President Reagan who first granted "amnesty" to illegal immigrates hiding out in the US at the time. There is a determination by both the political and business class to allow illegal immigrants to enter and remain in the US which appears to be unremitting despite the fact that a majority of Americans have consistently opposed illegal immigration for decades.

Some people argue that the culprits are the Democrats. Allegedly, they anticipate that the vast majority of these individuals will register to vote as Democrats and thus stem the rising conservative tide in the country. Of course, the trouble with this argument is that illegal immigrates aren't allowed to register to vote, not that some haven't tried and as I stated earlier, a few states are allowing them to vote in local elections. Another problem is that the majority of these individuals have no interest in trying to become US citizens and thus to vote legally. Even among those who are here either legally or by birth have not taken a strong interest in politics, but that appears to be changing.

In 2018, voter participation among Hispanics increased by a whopping 11% with 27% voting for the first time (compared to 18% among blacks and 12% among whites). 69% of Hispanics voted for Democrats while only 29% voting for Republicans (blacks voted 90% for Democrats while 77% of Asian did as well. This compares to 54% of whites voting Republican). If we break it down by race and gender, we find that 74% of Hispanic women voted Democrat as opposed to 63% of Hispanic men. Meanwhile, 92% of black women and 88% of black men voted Democrat. 60% of white males voted Republican while white females were split at 49%. In several states, such as Nevada, Florida, Texas, and Arizona, Hispanics were the deciding factor in several key races. It's no wonder that the Democratic Party is catering to the Hispanic community or that most "sanctuary" areas are controlled by Democrats (it's also a wonder why the GOP hasn't been more pro-active in attracting Hispanics to its tent as well as Asians and blacks who are historically conservative but vote Democrat).

Of course unions, the cash cow of the Democrats since the 1930's, have found themselves all but replaced by corporate donors. Nevertheless, they are still courted for the relatively little money they do donate and for troops they can muster to knock on doors and make phones. Where do they stand? Well, several of the larger unions actually support illegal immigration. The reason is simple economics. Illegal immigrants tend to fill jobs at the low end of the employment spectrum, which also happen to be highly unionized. Thus, that bolsters their already depleted numbers as most jobs are non-unionized these days, but more importantly, it puts money in their near empty coffers. Money, I might add, which doesn't get refunded in the event of deportation.

While overall, both parties---the Democrats and Republicans---are hemorrhaging voters as the majority of Americans shift to the more solution-oriented Independent column, the increase in Asian and Hispanic voter participation could all but eliminate the GOP from much more than a localized political party. That would leave Independents as the majority voting bloc followed by the Democrats with the GOP and third parties bringing up the rear (as some of you may already know, Indies are already the largest voting bloc in the US and have been for several years now).

So why aren't the Republicans doing anything? Why are there Republicans who seem content in allowing illegal immigration to continue with little or no increase in border protection? A political death wish perhaps? I don't think so. Actually, they have their own economic interests at heart as well. Like the Democrats, the GOP is owned by corporations whose interests are to make money and lots of it. One important way is by overloading the job market.

That increases competition for jobs, which drives down wages and benefits. In addition, with increased globalization and the exporting of jobs, American workers are now competing with workers in India, Singapore, China, Vietnam and elsewhere throughout the world; no less so with illegal immigrates who could be better described as economic migrants; individuals willing to shift to where the jobs are.

Politically speaking, the GOP is now dependent on mostly white males as their base, but also white females; both of whom are both declining in number (white males are officially a minority according to the US Census Department) and aging (the majority of whites are Babyboomers--1946-1964--or older). However, the Republican Party has in recent years been courting older black, Asian, and Hispanics which tend to be more conservative, solidly middle class, family oriented, former military and/or patriotic, and attend religious services; all key GOP values. As an aside, many naturalized or native born Hispanics as well as Asians strongly oppose illegal immigration). In addition, there is a sizable minority of Millennials who lean libertarian who are attracted to the libertarian wing of the Republican Party (they face competition of course from the Libertarian Party). So don't count the GOP down and out just yet. So, how does the new "enhanced" driver's license play into all this?

As seemly separate as the two subjects might seem, they do. The "enhanced" licenses will make it easier to track and monitor not just ordinary Americans, but especially illegal immigrants. If it is eventually tied into E-Verify and the IRS, it will be easy to monitor employment and income (thus making money laundering more difficult for drug dealers) and identification for law enforcement. If we can expect social media sites like Facebook to continue to monitor our social habits and feed the information to various intelligence agencies as they have been doing, it's quite conceivable that the joint government-corporate Deep State or ruling Oligarchy will be able to monitor the whereabouts of not just drug cartels and terrorists, but of all Americans.

So if you're one of those "off-the-grid" types, it looks like the game is over. Even if you simply want to keep a low profile and protect your privacy, you're in for a very rude awakening. Imagine what it would be like credit agencies, banks, and employers were all to link to these cards, or better yet, incorporate them into a implantable chip? There would be nearly nothing about you which couldn't be monitored. I can just see Chairman Mao or "Uncle Joe" Stalin smiling now can't you? Even Himmler would be rubbing his hands together with anticipation. Then imagine a international component added to it which presently includes the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI). I shudder to even consider the possible ramifications resulting from that.

Thus, while the idea was born out of noble intentions, the corruption and greed of the permanent political class and their corporate overlords have seemingly forged another link in our collective leach. Yes, some good will certainly come of it. Even Hitler started off with good intentions. Under Emperor Hadrian, the citizens of Rome begged the emperor to do something about the rampant crime and chaos, which included periodic invasions--military and peaceful--from surrounding barbarian tribes. The people were desperate. It was affecting commerce as well as society in general. They wanted security no matter the price.

So, Hadrian complied. In short order it was said that "a virgin could walk naked at night along the length of the Apain Way into Rome without being molested". That was largely true. Security was restored. Crime was reduced. Commerce flourished once again, and the borders were secure, at least for awhile. However, at the price of this security Romans lost much of what was left of their freedoms, which had already been curtailed by previous emperors in slow incremental steps.

There is no question that we must secure our borders or that we must prevent illegal immigrants from entering just as we need to keep terrorists and those who seek to overthrow what's left of our Republic and turn it into either a theocracy or battleground out. However, we must not be so willing to sacrifice our freedoms for security either, especially when that sacrifice is to a state which has long ceased to have our interests at heart. But right now we're being subtly directed into thinking of ourselves not as American citizens but as global consumers with no national loyalty or sense of heritage. Our loyalties are to brands. Instead of individualism, we're increasingly part of the collective and the herd mentality which is directed from corporate boardrooms.

We should focus on stopping demand by going after those who seek to encourage, support, and aid illegal immigrants be they businesses or religious institutions. We should restrict those who enter this country on temporary visas and more closely monitor those who are accepted (perhaps they should be the ones required to have these "enhanced" licenses which are linked to their Green cards and visas). We must also stop trying to justify our national sovereignty, and instead, demand it and enforce it just as every other country does.

America also must cease trying to be the world's policeman. That is not only the polar opposite of what our Founder's wanted, we simply don't have the resources or mandate to fix the world's problems. Just because another country has chosen a government whose political ideology is something that we may disagree with gives us no right to try and overthrown that government, especially if it means imposing a unpopular and unwanted military junta and/or dictatorship on the populace. If they want to trade as equals, then we trade as equals. If not, then so be it. We don't have to trade but we don't have to be enemies either.

So, when you go to get your new "enhanced" drivers license, think about the bigger picture and ramifications this so-called "smart ID" entails...and be sure to smile big. My turn is coming shortly and I can't wait to see what red flags go off when my picture gets snapped! I'm sure I'm on somebody's list somewhere. If not, after all the articles I've written and comments I've posted I should probably be ashamed of myself! Meanwhile, I think I'm going to grab my copy of George Orwell's "1984" and "Animal Farm" from the fiction section in my library and move it into to my political science or current events section. It just seems more fitting these days. What do you think?



Enhanced Drivers License: What Are They?


What is an Enhanced Drivers License (EDL)?


Key takeaways about the Latino voters in the 2018 midterm elections

Word Games and Misdirection

Maybe it's me but I just can't help laughing at some of the partisan name calling that goes on between the Left/Progressives/Liberal/Democrats and the Right/Conservatives/Republicans. Of course, I understand the whole point of it, which is to demonized the other side; unusually by accusing the opposing side of doing the same thing you're doing! At the same time, there's something a bit frustrating about how many ordinary people accept at face value these accusations. I don't know if that's because of a faulty education system, willful ignorance, or the part of the joy of living in a echo chamber is never having to actually think for yourself.

I suppose it's a bit of all three. There's no arguing that the education system in the US is sorely lacking. According to all the data metrics, American school kids are mediocre at best (we usually rank in the lower middle half according to most surveys). In specific topic areas, we tend to rank towards the bottom quadrant. Some school systems in the US are dismal; little more reformatory prep schools than anything. Teachers are forced to act more like wardens or babysitters than educators (that is when some of them aren't not having sex with the kiddies).

I don't know what went wrong. Look back at the school books of the 1930's or 1950's and compare them to the academic criteria of today from elementary school through high school. To be blunt, kids today couldn't begin to hack it. Since the 1960's, we've continued to dumb down education. Instead of preparing these students for living and working in the world, we simply flunk them on through and wish them luck. We spend more time worrying about hurting their feelings than we do preparing them for life.

We tell them they need to go to college (where many our ill-prepared for) and four or six years later, they wind up with useless degrees in terms of their marketability and a debt load they'll spend most of their early adulthood paying off. Instead, we should recognize that not everyone if cut out to go to college, and not every job needs a four year degree to do. Many of these young adults would be better off going to a technical or trade school. First, you get through it a heck of a lot faster. It's cheaper, so not huge debt to pay off, and there's actually a demand for those jobs. Besides, the money is usually great and so are the benefits.

As for the willful ignorance, what can I say? You either do your own homework or you have to trust what you're reading, watching, or hearing. As adults, we're expected to have at least some common sense (often wishful thinking I know). However, if what you're reading for instance is from a partisan site, you can be pretty sure that what you're reading is slanted. It doesn't matter if its Left or Right or whatever. Each side always tries to put itself in the best light and make it seem that the other side is Evil incarnated. That's just the way it is.

Let's take as an example the recurring theme of the Left calling the Right (be they Alt Right, Conservative, Tea Party, or Republican) something like "Fascists" or "Nazis". Meanwhile, the Right calls the Left (or Liberals, progressives, or Democrats) names like "Socialist" or Communist (often using the two similar but unrelated terms interchangeably) or "Nazis" (yes, seriously). First, neither side are Nazis despite often deliberate misrepresentation of the abbreviation, however, the term is used as the all-purpose "boogeyman" to scare people into envisioning people goose stepping down the street and folks in brown shirts going around beating up people.

So, before we get into some detail, let's get the term "Nazi" out of the way. The term "Nazi" is actually shorthand for National Socialist German Workers Party or Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei in German, which abbreviated as " Nazi" from the first two word, Nationalsozialistische (it was more formally known as NSDAP). The "National" meant Pan-Germany, or all the lands which were or had been inhabited by the Germanic People. "Socialist" didn't have the same meaning Karl Marx attached to it. It was not the internationalist form of socialism that served as the foundation of either Socialism or Communism.

What Hitler meant was a community of people of similar ethnic heritage, values, culture, and traditions. In short, a Germanic/Nordic community supporting a common heritage and belief system. "German" really needs no explanation. "Workers" meant just what the word means, ordinary working class people, which included middle class, craftsmen/artisans, and white collar employees and shop owners. The name was purposefully chosen to attract a broad base of supporters (the original name of the party was "German Workers Party" or "DAP" in German. Still, it was far Right, racist (meaning supporting a particular race. In this case, German/Nordic), populist, and nationalistic.

In terms of economics, the Nazi economy was pretty much Right of center, but in terms of social programs, they leaned slightly Left. However, unlike the Left, the Nazis dissolved all unions, but not entirely. In their place they created a national union, the German Workers Front or using the German abbreviation, "DAF" (they even adopted the International Day of the Workers, May 1st, as a national holiday; something the old unions could never get accomplished), while keeping the many of the rights and benefits the unions had provided plus the power of the State (there were some negatives to this, but that goes beyond the scope of this article).

Corporations maintained their independence and carried on as before. Of course, many supported the State when it came to its war efforts because, well, just like now---military contracts pay extremely well and they often got subsidies from the government. However, capitalism continued. There were of course, changes in education (including a toughing of academics and physical education), mandatory community service, new social programs such as ending smoking, more Holistic healthcare and better hygiene, environmentalism, public housing, and so forth. However, voting was suspended. The people would have to trust their fate to one party and above all, one leader, which many Germans were willing do after what they perceived was the failure of a democratic Republic under the Weimar Government. As an aside, Fascism is where big business and the government work in partnership to achieve economic and political control over society.

Now, Communism was the exact opposite. First, there was no private enterprise. The State owned everything---farms, factories, and you. It regulated nearly everything you did. So, let's break Communism down. One of the most important things to understand is that "Communism" as we've come to know it is quite different from what Karl Marx envisioned in his theories of State and economics (better known as "Marxism"). "Communism" developed more as a reinterpretation of Marx's ideas by Vladimir Ulyanov, better known to the world as Vladimir Ilyich Lenin.

Under Marx, all means of production would be owned equally by the workers. All profits would be shared equally. Everyone would have the same access to education, medical care, ownership of land, and so on; "each according to their needs" was the catchphrase. Race, ethnic group, religion, gender were meaningless to Marx. This "worker's paradise" would be global, hence the term "international". Instead of banks, there would be something like credit unions. Businesses would be run by worker or employee committees. These committees would chose representatives to come together in other committees to work on other projects. This was Marx's version of Socialism. However, under Lenin and later, Joseph Stalin, there was to be "temporary" intermediate phase called "dictatorship of the proletariat" whereby the State would take ownership of everything until such time that the workers could assume full power. This, of course, never happened.

Under what was essentially Stalin's version of Communism given Lenin's early death soon after the revolution, the State assumed complete control over society, what education, to who worked where--depending on the needs of the State, to complete control over factories. All businesses were State owned or State approved. There was no independent businesses; there was no free enterprise. There were elections, but only one approved party and usually just one candidate per office on the ballot. This then is Communism, which is obviously different from Socialism.

So, when you see, read, or hear one group making some dire accusation about another that so-in-so are "Nazis" or "Communist" or try to use the term "Socialist" interchangeably, you'll know better. By the way, lately I've been seeing the term "Democratic Socialist" used as a form of Communism, and you're right to be suspicious of the comparison. Democratic Socialism is first and foremost, a democratic society. However, the citizens determine what is and isn't needed, and take full responsibility for paying for it. So, if they vote for a tax increase to pay for roads, schools, or healthcare, that's fine. The citizens stepped up and took responsibility. By the same token, the citizens could nix various government programs they don't want to pay for. Another way of thinking of it is as an ideology which strives to introduce democracy into the workforce, using worker or employee co-operatives and committees (formal and ad hoc) which aim to ensure that there is a public provision covering basic human needs which are satisfied with full knowledge and approval of the costs by the workers. Of course, these definitions are the highlights. We could spend days and weeks examining every nuance, but you get the idea.

I guess you can see why I chuckle at the constant finger pointing by various groups at their ideological nemesis and how they will purposefully misuse a term or distort a description in order to demonize the other side. Ultimately, the idea is to play on our emotions, and hopefully, get us to react without thinking. In the end, it's to divide us and keep us from realizing that we have more in common than not; that we share the same common enemy in the ruling Oligarchy which seeks absolute control.

The Oligarchs already control the economy and financial system. They already control 96% of all media outlets; we so often find ourselves dancing to their tune without even realizing it. They control both political parties. No one gets elected and stays elected without their support, especially since the Supreme Court mistakenly upheld "Citizens United". They help write the bills that Congress then votes on, and provide summaries for the Congress members to read, along with their recommendation on how to vote. Divided, we focus our frustration and energy on each other. United, we focus our anger on those responsible for the destruction of the Republic and on all the manufactured hatred. It's up to us...for now.