lewrockwell--2020-03-09--Sick Days, Market Crash, and Shut Borders

Perhaps I have really bad body odor , but these days , I mostly eat and drink alone , sitting in completely empty restaurants and cafes , like right now .
This casual yet elegant joint is called Ottchill .
It has solidly built wooden chairs padded with homey cushions .
The two baristas are young , attractive and courteous , and they ’ re here to serve me , and me alone , for the next hour or so .
Only the music sucks , predictably .
Aggressive , urban and earnest , it corrodes your self consciousness , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ moronic English , mostly .
You ’ re living through a sonic hell , nearly whenever and wherever you ’ re among others , and even alone if you ’ re weak willed .
It ’ s a global virus .
What a waste .
On a subway platform , I just bought for 80 cents a Snicker-like chocolate bar called Ghana .
Something is not kosher here , so we must alert the Anti-Defamation League , Southern Poverty Law Center and every Holocaust museum director , worldwide .
There must be six @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Just because it ’ s brown , nutty and cheap doesn ’ t mean it should be associated with anything African !
A boycott is definitely in order .
All flights from unwoke South Korea must be barred immediately !
I ’ ve been in Seoul eight days .
I had to come , especially since the price was coronavirus affordable .
My one-way ticket cost just $ 109 , plus $ 18 for a checked luggage .
I have extra stuff because I ’ m homeless .
Like a turtle , I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I ’ m a bag gentleman .
Postcards from the End ... Linh Dinh Best Price : $ 7.22 Buy New $ 12.95 I got out on one of the last flights from Hanoi , just hours before the Vietnamese decided to quarantine all passengers arriving from South Korea , thus ceasing all flights between the two countries .
I had fully anticipated this scenario .
I have a closet-sized room in Myeong-dong for just $ 24 a night .
It has heat , wifi and its own toilet , and there are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
A subway station is a quick scramble away from the guest house ’ s door .
I have a tiny window with opaque glass panes , so there ’ s no sky or skyscrapers to gaze at .
I even have a fridge , but it doesn ’ t work .
When I pointed this out to the manager , the young man said , “ Most of our refrigerators are second-hand.
” What I ’ m in is basically a capsule apartment , of the type widely available in Japan , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ smaller than the American efficiency , none has a kitchen and most don ’ t even have a porcelain throne .
Mine , though , is elevated , so I ’ m on stage , so to speak , for each humbling performance .
Anyway , a goshiwon apartment costs around $ 300 a month here , and tenants don ’ t just have access to a communal kitchen , but usually even unlimited cooked rice , kimchi and sometimes even noodles , so starvation is not an issue .
The poorest Koreans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ goshiwon .
Around Seoul Station , the misshapen homeless droop on steps or trudge down sidewalks , past greasy spoons , chain cafes , bareboned poolhalls and grimy window displays of prosthetic limbs .
The station itself is grand and sparkling .
Nearly all men , these down and outers nudge coins into the cheapest coffee machines .
Battered by frigid winds , they rub their hands , sneeze and hack out viruses .
With less than a thousand street dwellers , Seoul ’ s homeless problem pales compared to most cities , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ must say no to just about everything .
Think convents .
The first Korean quarantined herself .
She was a bear .
The son of God , Hwanung , wanted to be human for a change , so he went down to Korea , where he met a tiger and a bear who also wished to become solipsistic , narcissistic , self-pitying and eternally lonely bipeds with a laughable taste in clothing and everything else .
“ You can become human , ” Hwanung said , “ if you stay in this cave @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mugwort and garlic.
” The tiger couldn ’ t hack it , but the bear turned into not just one gorgeous babe , but Hwanung ’ s wife , and together they ’ ve spawn a great and enduring nation that has given to this shamefully ungrateful world Goryeo celadon , kimchis as side dishes and the Korean Zombie , etc .
Even after Japan had opened up to the world , Korea stayed shut in , thus it was labeled as “ the last of the hermit nations ” by William Elliott @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Korea is the world ’ s most hermetic society , which it justifies with an ideology , juche , that stresses self-reliance in all spheres , from economic , political , self-defense to diplomatic .
As for South Korea , it is remarkably homogeneous compared to other advanced nations .
In Seoul , there are whites , blacks , Turks and Arabs in Itaewon , and there ’ s a smallish Chinatown in Daerim .
Vietnamese and Thais are here , but they don ’ t form distinct neighborhoods .
An hour away @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stationed , and in nearby Incheon , there is a huge , theme park-like Chinatown , plus Filipino sailors nursing beers in their own club , but in Greater Seoul , you ’ ll rarely see a non-native away from touristic sites .
There are no tribal groups in the mountains .
Just two weeks ago , I was in Si Ma Cai , Vietnam , where ethnic Vietnamese made up only 1 % of the population , yet everyone was a native .
Nothing like that exists in Korea .
Despite this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cosmopolitan , for they ’ re open to just about every culture , without welcoming too many aliens .
Seoul has a food culture to rival the best .
Well , almost .
If New York is a 10 , Seoul is an 8.5 .
Bitches who go on about not finding edible Ethiopian here haven ’ t been to Club Zion for lunch , so just shut your trap , awright ?
It is cold and dark , and I don ’ t know where I am , or what I ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Like everyone else , I wear a mask , not because I fear imminent death , but because it would not be nice to infect anyone here with whatever I already have .
I turn into an alley , because why not ?
Suddenly , I see five white people , dead for centuries : Pope Paul III , Queen Elizabeth I and three others I can ’ t identify .
You tell me , smart ass .
It ’ s a Five Alls pub .
In England , there are still some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I enter .
It ’ s only slightly brighter inside .
At the short bar , a beefy biker is parked in front of a row of lick her bottles : Fireball , Jim Beam , Jack Daniel ’ s , Captain Morgan , Jagermeister , Tiffin Tea Liqueur , as well as the more obscure Black Nikka from Japan and Sobieski Vodka from Poland .
It ’ s just a neighborhood joint , where a pint of Guinness costs just 7,000 wons ( $ 5.87 ) .
Although three cats feed right @ @ @ @ @ @ @ your drinks over or stick their furry heads into your food .
I can hang .
It ’ s Five Alls ’ menu , though , I want to highlight .
Among the rather extensive offerings , it has Canadian poutine , German curry wurst , British sausage and mash , Irish lamb stew , Swedish meatballs , Italian mushroom risotto , Spanish calamares a feira , Indian beef keema , Okinawan taco rice , Japanese meat sauce doria and American buffalo wings .
In case you think these are just garbage versions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rice , and it was fantastic , something I wouldn ’ t mind as my last meal before being shot or hanged .
Any foreign population that would happily scarf poutine or curry wurst must be Mother Teresa tolerant and forgiving , more open than a progressive border or maybe just insane .
Five Alls ’ music selection is also noteworthy , for it favors blues from 60+ years ago , ragtime , stride piano , jazz vocalists , and rhythm and blues from the 60 ’ s .
I focus as Dinah @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ m an evil gal , don ’ t you bother with me / I ’ ll empty your pockets and fill you with misery / I ’ ve got men to the left , and men to the right / Men every day and men every night / I ’ ve got so many men , mmm , I don ’ t know what to do.
” Although both Korea and Japan have made a sustained and comprehensive effort to modernize and Westernize , South Korea may have gone even further than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ traditional architecture left , and most tellingly , more Christians than Buddhists here .
Walking around , I see almost no Buddhist temples , but churches everywhere .
With their thin spires , many merely occupy the top floor of a commercial building , then you have the mega churches .
Large or small , almost all are hideously ugly .
South Korea leads the world in cosmetic surgery , and the most popular procedure is to make one ’ s eyes seem larger .
Unlike in Vietnam , Laos , Cambodia or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ see South Koreans wearing anything but Western clothing , and the palette tends to be dark , most often black .
Even before this coronavirus crisis , the ambience on any Seoul subway car is decidedly funereal , and even grimmer , actually , for everyone is sepulchered within his own cyber world .
Two weeks ago , I was at a weekly market in Can Cau , Vietnam , where tribal peoples wore their colorful best to go shopping , but that ’ s barbaric , dude .
A highly cultured and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coffin bearer or occupant .
Perusing photos of Seoul from the 1960 ’ s , I see little traffic , beat up buses , men or oxen pulling heavy carts , cattle on streets and women with babies strapped to their backs , or with baskets on their heads .
Now , Koreans make good cars , excellent smart phones and the second most ships in the world annually .
They erect monster skyscrapers for foreign countries , such as the PNB 118 in Kuala Lumpur .
Koreans have paid for this progress @ @ @ @ @ @ @ workweek , one of its highest suicide rates and weeping children in cram schools , but it ’ s all worth it , for no one has subscribed more to the forward religion .
My first exposure to Koreans was in Saigon in the early 70 ’ s , and I remember being impressed by how well-built and confident looking the ROK soldiers were .
Now , I see feminized Koreans , preening or with flowers in their hair , staring at me from many Seoul ads .
As Korea gains more muscles @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but a return to old school arrangements , virtues and taste is coming , I think .
Has the bullet train towards the future been derailed by the coronavirus ?
On February 24th , Anatoly Karlin boldly wrote an article titled , “ Corona Will Kill Millions & Crater the World Economy , ” yet on March 2nd , Israel Shamir weighed in , “ There is nothing to panic about , said Trump about the Corona , and he is right .
Corona is a mental virus of fear , not much @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : the Diamond Princess liner had been marooned in the ideal , for virus , circumstances of single ventilation system .
Many people had got the decease , but only two persons , aged over 80 , had died .
No children became sick .
Apparently it could be dangerous only for people over 60 .
There was no reason for panic at all.
” Although they ’ re both super smart , only one can be right , and we ’ ll find out soon enough , perhaps by Opening Day .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ lunging whiff : if the coronavirus wasn ’ t serious , China would not have shut down its economy for over a month , thus affecting every other economy on earth .
Even if millions of people won ’ t die , this crisis has already been very disruptive to the daily life of billions , especially if they ’ re just trying to make a buck to survive another day .
In Si Ma Cai , Vietnam , I talked to a woman who sold banh mi sandwich for just 64 cents @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , because Vietnamese schools had been closed for weeks , and students were her primary customers .
If it wasn ’ t serious , Vietnam wouldn ’ t have stopped all flights from South Korea and China .
These countries aren ’ t just Vietnam ’ s top two sources of tourists , but foreign investments .
Another morning , another empty Seoul café .
On a wall , there ’ s a Styrofoam board with over a hundred loyal customer cards , but I drink alone , thanks to the coronavirus .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ is also empty .
Normally , it would still be packed on weekends .
Unlike China , South Korea has not shut down entire cities , so Seoul is still at work , with its subway cars somewhat filled , and many people are still eating and drinking out , but business is clearly way down .
It ’ s awkward to stroll past so many brightly lit yet empty stores , with their proprietors idling outside , looking anxious .
With 7,041 coronavirus cases and 47 deaths , South Koreans are trying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but already they ’ re being banned or restricted from entering 95 countries !
Borders are suddenly shut , and if this pandemic intensifies , more nationalities will be grounded or , worse , quarantined .
With harsher policies adopted by governments , citizens will become more exasperated and angry .
Much ugliness will ensue .
In hip Seogyo-dong , there ’ s a handwritten sign taped to a restaurant door , “ Chinese NO entry / NO China , ” and as an afterthought , in smaller script , “ Sorry !
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , though .
Nearby , there ’ s a two-story bar and café , Blackjack , which opened just over three weeks ago , mere days before the coronavirus crisis hit South Korea .
“ Bad timing , Jack , ” I said to the owner .
“ I know , ” he chuckled .
“ I ask God , ‘ why ?
’ When I first opened , people were queuing outside , to get in.
” After finishing law school , Jack moved to Las Vegas , where he stayed for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an English language academy , which did so well , he launched Blackjack .
Now , both of his businesses are suffering .
Many firms have demanded their employees stay home as much as possible after work , so no evening English classes even , which companies normally pay for .
His waitress , Chris , was a stewardess for Eaststar .
She ’ s tall , slim and strikingly beautiful .
Recently , Chris applied at Korean Air .
Certain of getting this job , she told Jack she was quitting .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Now , Korean Air won ’ t hire anyone.
” Peak travel is in our rearview mirror .
“ God wants her to stay with you , Jack !
” Blackjack is decked out with Victorian furniture and framed prints of 18th century Europeans , mostly aristocratic .
He ’ s certainly laid on the gooey cheese .
Over the counter , there ’ s a sign , “ You Only Live Once / Enjoy This Moment with BLACKJACK.
” Love Like Hate : A Novel Linh Dinh Best Price : $ 5.10 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , it was suggested the coronavirus would only kill Chinese or Orientals , but Iran ’ s official death toll is already 107 , with the real figure likely much higher , and Italy has 197 coronavirus deaths , with 49 dying in the last 24 hours .
Italian schools are shut , soccer matches are played in empty stadiums , entire towns are quarantined and cities have gone quiet and empty .
A growing list of countries are also banning travelers from Italy .
On March 3rd , I got an email @ @ @ @ @ @ @ smettere di volare !
” [ “ Linh , do not stop flying !
” ] The desperate ad continues , “ THE WORLD KEEPS TURNING , WE MUST DO THE SAME !
We are born to travel , discover , love , dream and follow our passions .
Doing all this means we haven ’ t stopped growing , or enriching ourselves with new experiences and most beautiful places , or being free.
” The economic fallout from all this is already enormous , and it has just begun .
Perhaps we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not that it was all that free for much of the world .
It ’ s evening in Seoul , but the bright lights still beckon .
Strapping on my mask , I will march outside .
As published at Unz Review and Smirking Chimp , 3/7/20 .
The Best of Linh Dinh

Perhaps I have really bad body odor, but these days, I mostly eat and drink alone, sitting in completely empty restaurants and cafes, like right now. This casual yet elegant joint is called Ottchill. It has solidly built wooden chairs padded with homey cushions. The two baristas are young, attractive and courteous, and they’re here to serve me, and me alone, for the next hour or so.
Only the music sucks, predictably. Aggressive, urban and earnest, it corrodes your self consciousness, sociability and even heritage with a relentlessly moronic English, mostly. You’re living through a sonic hell, nearly whenever and wherever you’re among others, and even alone if you’re weak willed. It’s a global virus. What a waste.
On a subway platform, I just bought for 80 cents a Snicker-like chocolate bar called Ghana. Something is not kosher here, so we must alert the Anti-Defamation League, Southern Poverty Law Center and every Holocaust museum director, worldwide. There must be six million of them, I reckon. Just because it’s brown, nutty and cheap doesn’t mean it should be associated with anything African! A boycott is definitely in order. All flights from unwoke South Korea must be barred immediately!
I’ve been in Seoul eight days. I had to come, especially since the price was coronavirus affordable. My one-way ticket cost just $109, plus $18 for a checked luggage. I have extra stuff because I’m homeless. Like a turtle, I must carry everything as I move. I’m a bag gentleman. Postcards from the End... Linh Dinh Best Price: $7.22 Buy New $12.95 (as of 05:45 UTC - Details)
I got out on one of the last flights from Hanoi, just hours before the Vietnamese decided to quarantine all passengers arriving from South Korea, thus ceasing all flights between the two countries. I had fully anticipated this scenario.
I have a closet-sized room in Myeong-dong for just $24 a night. It has heat, wifi and its own toilet, and there are hundreds of stores and cheap restaurants nearby. A subway station is a quick scramble away from the guest house’s door. I have a tiny window with opaque glass panes, so there’s no sky or skyscrapers to gaze at. I even have a fridge, but it doesn’t work.
When I pointed this out to the manager, the young man said, “Most of our refrigerators are second-hand.”
“So they don’t work?”
“No,” he shrugged. “Maybe ten years ago.”
Fair enough.
What I’m in is basically a capsule apartment, of the type widely available in Japan, South Korea and Hong Kong. Even smaller than the American efficiency, none has a kitchen and most don’t even have a porcelain throne. Mine, though, is elevated, so I’m on stage, so to speak, for each humbling performance. Anyway, a goshiwon apartment costs around $300 a month here, and tenants don’t just have access to a communal kitchen, but usually even unlimited cooked rice, kimchi and sometimes even noodles, so starvation is not an issue.
The poorest Koreans can’t even squeeze into a goshiwon. Around Seoul Station, the misshapen homeless droop on steps or trudge down sidewalks, past greasy spoons, chain cafes, bareboned poolhalls and grimy window displays of prosthetic limbs. The station itself is grand and sparkling. Nearly all men, these down and outers nudge coins into the cheapest coffee machines. Battered by frigid winds, they rub their hands, sneeze and hack out viruses. With less than a thousand street dwellers, Seoul’s homeless problem pales compared to most cities, however.
To be pure, you must say no to just about everything. Think convents. The first Korean quarantined herself. She was a bear.
The son of God, Hwanung, wanted to be human for a change, so he went down to Korea, where he met a tiger and a bear who also wished to become solipsistic, narcissistic, self-pitying and eternally lonely bipeds with a laughable taste in clothing and everything else. “You can become human,” Hwanung said, “if you stay in this cave for one hundred days and eat only mugwort and garlic.” The tiger couldn’t hack it, but the bear turned into not just one gorgeous babe, but Hwanung’s wife, and together they’ve spawn a great and enduring nation that has given to this shamefully ungrateful world Goryeo celadon, kimchis as side dishes and the Korean Zombie, etc.
Even after Japan had opened up to the world, Korea stayed shut in, thus it was labeled as “the last of the hermit nations” by William Elliott Griffis in 1882. Now, North Korea is the world’s most hermetic society, which it justifies with an ideology, juche, that stresses self-reliance in all spheres, from economic, political, self-defense to diplomatic.
As for South Korea, it is remarkably homogeneous compared to other advanced nations. In Seoul, there are whites, blacks, Turks and Arabs in Itaewon, and there’s a smallish Chinatown in Daerim. Vietnamese and Thais are here, but they don’t form distinct neighborhoods. An hour away in Pyeongtaek, 30,000 American soldiers are stationed, and in nearby Incheon, there is a huge, theme park-like Chinatown, plus Filipino sailors nursing beers in their own club, but in Greater Seoul, you’ll rarely see a non-native away from touristic sites. There are no tribal groups in the mountains.
Just two weeks ago, I was in Si Ma Cai, Vietnam, where ethnic Vietnamese made up only 1% of the population, yet everyone was a native. Nothing like that exists in Korea.
Despite this demographic uniformity, South Korea is astonishingly cosmopolitan, for they’re open to just about every culture, without welcoming too many aliens. Seoul has a food culture to rival the best. Well, almost. If New York is a 10, Seoul is an 8.5. Bitches who go on about not finding edible Ethiopian here haven’t been to Club Zion for lunch, so just shut your trap, awright?
It is cold and dark, and I don’t know where I am, or what I’m doing, so I walk. Like everyone else, I wear a mask, not because I fear imminent death, but because it would not be nice to infect anyone here with whatever I already have. I turn into an alley, because why not? Suddenly, I see five white people, dead for centuries: Pope Paul III, Queen Elizabeth I and three others I can’t identify. You tell me, smart ass. It’s a Five Alls pub. In England, there are still some left. Momentarily finding a purpose, I enter.
It’s only slightly brighter inside. At the short bar, a beefy biker is parked in front of a row of lick her bottles: Fireball, Jim Beam, Jack Daniel’s, Captain Morgan, Jagermeister, Tiffin Tea Liqueur, as well as the more obscure Black Nikka from Japan and Sobieski Vodka from Poland. It’s just a neighborhood joint, where a pint of Guinness costs just 7,000 wons ($5.87). Although three cats feed right on the bar, they never knock your drinks over or stick their furry heads into your food. I can hang.
It’s Five Alls’ menu, though, I want to highlight. Among the rather extensive offerings, it has Canadian poutine, German curry wurst, British sausage and mash, Irish lamb stew, Swedish meatballs, Italian mushroom risotto, Spanish calamares a feira, Indian beef keema, Okinawan taco rice, Japanese meat sauce doria and American buffalo wings. In case you think these are just garbage versions, I had the $6.71 taco rice, and it was fantastic, something I wouldn’t mind as my last meal before being shot or hanged.
Any foreign population that would happily scarf poutine or curry wurst must be Mother Teresa tolerant and forgiving, more open than a progressive border or maybe just insane.
Five Alls’ music selection is also noteworthy, for it favors blues from 60+ years ago, ragtime, stride piano, jazz vocalists, and rhythm and blues from the 60’s. I focus as Dinah Washington belts and growls, “I’m an evil gal, don’t you bother with me / I’ll empty your pockets and fill you with misery / I’ve got men to the left, and men to the right / Men every day and men every night / I’ve got so many men, mmm, I don’t know what to do.”
Although both Korea and Japan have made a sustained and comprehensive effort to modernize and Westernize, South Korea may have gone even further than its neighbor. There is very little traditional architecture left, and most tellingly, more Christians than Buddhists here. Walking around, I see almost no Buddhist temples, but churches everywhere. With their thin spires, many merely occupy the top floor of a commercial building, then you have the mega churches. Large or small, almost all are hideously ugly. South Korea leads the world in cosmetic surgery, and the most popular procedure is to make one’s eyes seem larger.
Unlike in Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia or even Japan, you don’t see South Koreans wearing anything but Western clothing, and the palette tends to be dark, most often black. Even before this coronavirus crisis, the ambience on any Seoul subway car is decidedly funereal, and even grimmer, actually, for everyone is sepulchered within his own cyber world. Two weeks ago, I was at a weekly market in Can Cau, Vietnam, where tribal peoples wore their colorful best to go shopping, but that’s barbaric, dude. A highly cultured and civilized man must always appear like a coffin bearer or occupant.
Perusing photos of Seoul from the 1960’s, I see little traffic, beat up buses, men or oxen pulling heavy carts, cattle on streets and women with babies strapped to their backs, or with baskets on their heads. Now, Koreans make good cars, excellent smart phones and the second most ships in the world annually. They erect monster skyscrapers for foreign countries, such as the PNB 118 in Kuala Lumpur.
Koreans have paid for this progress with the world’s second longest workweek, one of its highest suicide rates and weeping children in cram schools, but it’s all worth it, for no one has subscribed more to the forward religion.
My first exposure to Koreans was in Saigon in the early 70’s, and I remember being impressed by how well-built and confident looking the ROK soldiers were. Now, I see feminized Koreans, preening or with flowers in their hair, staring at me from many Seoul ads. As Korea gains more muscles, it celebrates its sissy side, but a return to old school arrangements, virtues and taste is coming, I think.
Has the bullet train towards the future been derailed by the coronavirus? On February 24th, Anatoly Karlin boldly wrote an article titled, “Corona Will Kill Millions & Crater the World Economy,” yet on March 2nd, Israel Shamir weighed in, “There is nothing to panic about, said Trump about the Corona, and he is right. Corona is a mental virus of fear, not much else. We have a sterling proof: the Diamond Princess liner had been marooned in the ideal, for virus, circumstances of single ventilation system. Many people had got the decease, but only two persons, aged over 80, had died. No children became sick. Apparently it could be dangerous only for people over 60. There was no reason for panic at all.”
Although they’re both super smart, only one can be right, and we’ll find out soon enough, perhaps by Opening Day. Batting ninth, here’s my lunging whiff: if the coronavirus wasn’t serious, China would not have shut down its economy for over a month, thus affecting every other economy on earth. Even if millions of people won’t die, this crisis has already been very disruptive to the daily life of billions, especially if they’re just trying to make a buck to survive another day.
In Si Ma Cai, Vietnam, I talked to a woman who sold banh mi sandwich for just 64 cents each, and she was seriously hurting, because Vietnamese schools had been closed for weeks, and students were her primary customers.
If it wasn’t serious, Vietnam wouldn’t have stopped all flights from South Korea and China. These countries aren’t just Vietnam’s top two sources of tourists, but foreign investments.
Another morning, another empty Seoul café. On a wall, there’s a Styrofoam board with over a hundred loyal customer cards, but I drink alone, thanks to the coronavirus. Nearly every shop in this underground mall is also empty. Normally, it would still be packed on weekends.
Unlike China, South Korea has not shut down entire cities, so Seoul is still at work, with its subway cars somewhat filled, and many people are still eating and drinking out, but business is clearly way down. It’s awkward to stroll past so many brightly lit yet empty stores, with their proprietors idling outside, looking anxious.
With 7,041 coronavirus cases and 47 deaths, South Koreans are trying to function more or less normally, but already they’re being banned or restricted from entering 95 countries! Borders are suddenly shut, and if this pandemic intensifies, more nationalities will be grounded or, worse, quarantined. With harsher policies adopted by governments, citizens will become more exasperated and angry. Much ugliness will ensue.
In hip Seogyo-dong, there’s a handwritten sign taped to a restaurant door, “Chinese NO entry / NO China,” and as an afterthought, in smaller script, “Sorry!” Such a display is still rare, though.
Nearby, there’s a two-story bar and café, Blackjack, which opened just over three weeks ago, mere days before the coronavirus crisis hit South Korea.
“Bad timing, Jack,” I said to the owner.
“I know,” he chuckled. “I ask God, ‘why?’ When I first opened, people were queuing outside, to get in.”
After finishing law school, Jack moved to Las Vegas, where he stayed for six years. Repatriating, Jack opened an English language academy, which did so well, he launched Blackjack. Now, both of his businesses are suffering.
Many firms have demanded their employees stay home as much as possible after work, so no evening English classes even, which companies normally pay for.
His waitress, Chris, was a stewardess for Eaststar. She’s tall, slim and strikingly beautiful. Recently, Chris applied at Korean Air. Certain of getting this job, she told Jack she was quitting.
“She told me too soon! Now, Korean Air won’t hire anyone.”
Peak travel is in our rearview mirror. “God wants her to stay with you, Jack!”
“She doesn’t listen to God.”
Blackjack is decked out with Victorian furniture and framed prints of 18th century Europeans, mostly aristocratic. He’s certainly laid on the gooey cheese. Over the counter, there’s a sign, “You Only Live Once / Enjoy This Moment with BLACKJACK.” Love Like Hate: A Novel Linh Dinh Best Price: $5.10 Buy New $11.14 (as of 10:10 UTC - Details)
For a while, it was suggested the coronavirus would only kill Chinese or Orientals, but Iran’s official death toll is already 107, with the real figure likely much higher, and Italy has 197 coronavirus deaths, with 49 dying in the last 24 hours.
Italian schools are shut, soccer matches are played in empty stadiums, entire towns are quarantined and cities have gone quiet and empty. A growing list of countries are also banning travelers from Italy.
On March 3rd, I got an email from Alitalia, “Linh, non smettere di volare!” [“Linh, do not stop flying!”]
The desperate ad continues, “THE WORLD KEEPS TURNING, WE MUST DO THE SAME! We are born to travel, discover, love, dream and follow our passions. Doing all this means we haven’t stopped growing, or enriching ourselves with new experiences and most beautiful places, or being free.”
The economic fallout from all this is already enormous, and it has just begun. Perhaps we’ve also reached peak freedom, not that it was all that free for much of the world.
It’s evening in Seoul, but the bright lights still beckon. Strapping on my mask, I will march outside.
As published at Unz Review and Smirking Chimp, 3/7/20.
Reprinted with the author’s permission.
The Best of Linh Dinh


lewrockwell--2020-03-09--The White Suit and White Stuff

The White Suit and White Stuff

GSTAAD—I shoulda been a weatherman .
No sooner had I announced snow to be a Gstaad rarity than it came down nonstop .
Then it rained , so everything ’ s hunky-dory .
Older rich people who don ’ t ski are happy after the scare of a snowfall , while younger types who do indulge are over the moon .
Happy , happy Gstaad , but not really ; the coronavirus news has some scared out of their wits , in fact this alpine village is beginning to feel like Der Tod in Venedig , or Death in Venice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ African doubles specialist Frew McMillan , now the best tennis commentator on TV , used to call me Dirk , as in Bogarde , because he thought I looked a bit like the thespian .
“ Different sexual proclivities , ” I used to shout back at him .
Dirk was great as Aschenbach in Venice , and then there was my grandson Taki announcing at dinner that I was the likeliest to catch the damn thing because I ’ m over 80 , have smoked for seventy years , and when drunk @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of strangers .
Death in Venice Mann , Thomas Best Price : $ 4.99 Buy New $ 5.99 What was it they say about “ from the mouths of babes ” ?
But death is on everyone ’ s mind nowadays , especially in this small community inhabited by people who don ’ t have to do a 9 to 5 chore daily .
The young who ski know they will never die .
The oldies cling to a fantasized life and think that death will not happen today or tomorrow but sometime @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is that life should be celebrated for its ephemeral beauties , with death recognized as ever present and just around the corner .
Only self-centered people fear death .
It ’ s as natural as life , and everyone ’ s bound to experience it .
Living dangerously helps put death in the right perspective .
One thing is for sure : In this hyperconnected world , the types who run our lives were slow to yell fire in case we insulted the Chinese .
I ’ m not saying we should go @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but to remember that commies always speak with forked tongues .
China should have been isolated as early as last December , but we were all too busy waiting for Nike sweatshops to deliver their cheaply made goods for our Christmas trees .
Now we ’ re doing the sweating and half of Italy is shut down .
And still today fake-news journals like The New York Times are reluctant to write anything that might give aid and comfort to antiglobalization forces in case they sound like The Donald .
The Best of @ @

GSTAAD—I shoulda been a weatherman. No sooner had I announced snow to be a Gstaad rarity than it came down nonstop. Then it rained, so everything’s hunky-dory. Older rich people who don’t ski are happy after the scare of a snowfall, while younger types who do indulge are over the moon. Happy, happy Gstaad, but not really; the coronavirus news has some scared out of their wits, in fact this alpine village is beginning to feel like Der Tod in Venedig, or Death in Venice for non-German speakers.
The great South African doubles specialist Frew McMillan, now the best tennis commentator on TV, used to call me Dirk, as in Bogarde, because he thought I looked a bit like the thespian. “Different sexual proclivities,” I used to shout back at him. Dirk was great as Aschenbach in Venice, and then there was my grandson Taki announcing at dinner that I was the likeliest to catch the damn thing because I’m over 80, have smoked for seventy years, and when drunk go around shaking hands with all sorts of strangers.
Death in Venice Mann, Thomas Best Price: $4.99 Buy New $5.99 (as of 04:01 UTC - Details) What was it they say about “from the mouths of babes”? But death is on everyone’s mind nowadays, especially in this small community inhabited by people who don’t have to do a 9 to 5 chore daily. The young who ski know they will never die. The oldies cling to a fantasized life and think that death will not happen today or tomorrow but sometime in the faraway future. The trouble is that life should be celebrated for its ephemeral beauties, with death recognized as ever present and just around the corner. Only self-centered people fear death. It’s as natural as life, and everyone’s bound to experience it. Living dangerously helps put death in the right perspective.
One thing is for sure: In this hyperconnected world, the types who run our lives were slow to yell fire in case we insulted the Chinese. I’m not saying we should go back to treating them like coolies, but to remember that commies always speak with forked tongues. China should have been isolated as early as last December, but we were all too busy waiting for Nike sweatshops to deliver their cheaply made goods for our Christmas trees. Now we’re doing the sweating and half of Italy is shut down. And still today fake-news journals like The New York Times are reluctant to write anything that might give aid and comfort to antiglobalization forces in case they sound like The Donald.
Read the Whole Article
The Best of Taki Theodoracopulos


lewrockwell--2020-03-09--The Consequences of Identity Politics

The Consequences of Identity Politics

We face more dangers—perhaps greater ones—than the coronavirus .
Both the US as a community of people and its economy are under dangerous assault by forces of our own making .
This article focuses on the threat to community .
A future article will address the threat to the economy .
Here are three examples ( here , here and here ) of what has happened to the United States as a community of people .
In the first link above a college professor who emigrated to the US from the Soviet Union as a young woman describes the Sovietization @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mean that the economy has been communized or socialized .
She means the rise of denunciation in place of reasoned discourse .
Education has become the home of wokeness and Identity Politics .
These ideologies allow “ people to hound and persecute with impunity .
People love it because it allows a little person to completely destroy somebody who has done something great .
This is very human .
Once you have removed any moral or religious obstacles to that behavior , what ’ s to stop anybody ?
” On her campus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ team that prowls the campus looking for signs of non-compliance .
We had the same thing in the Soviet Union .
Right now they ’ re on campus , but eventually , they ’ re going to be in every workplace .
If you have everybody in your workplace trained in diversity , then you can treat your workers however you like.
” Circle in the Darkness ... Johnstone , Diana Best Price : $ 16.44 Buy New $ 16.60 In the workplace as well as in the educational system , the culture @ @ @ @ @ @ @ co-workers into enemies .
“ Either they can get you in trouble , or they are out to destroy you with an accusation .
It destroys all sorts of communities – friendship , families , church communities .
When you set people against each other , they are much easier to control .
This is what it was like under totalitarianism.
” But in the United States , the conformity is not being imposed by the government .
It is the offspring of the leftwing that abandoned the working class , peace , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ read this story in Diana Johnstone ’ s brilliant memoir of our time , Circle in the Darkness .
The college professor says that in the “ Soviet Union when you were a student and assigned to write a paper , you knew that the thing to do was to go straight to the correct books in the library and copy the relevant articles , word for word , with no deviations .
That was your paper .
When my family left , we arrived in Canada , and I entered the university @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first paper , I found it impossible to believe that the teacher really did want me to think for myself .
It was an incredible feeling !
To think about something , and to say what I really thought about it !
It was so weird , but so liberating .
Now , I ’ m seeing young people who are just like we were in the Soviet Union .
They are afraid to think for themselves .
They only want to know what the “ right ” answer is , and repeat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ She mentors early career academics , but the graduate students are not capable of producing scholarship .
Instead they turn in “ collections of woke slogans.
” She says the students don ’ t even understand what she wants from them .
“ It seems like all they get in the schools is dogma .
They have no real knowledge of anything – they just repeat slogans , and when you ask them to explain it , they turn blank.
” The American educational system has become a place where people are afraid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The slightest wrong thought or word can bring denunciation .
They fear being marginalized , cancelled as a person , turned into a pariah .
“ If somebody departs from the dogma , even by an inch , that person is an evil , hate-filled bigot.
” She says it wasn ’ t this way 10 years ago , but quickly spread in academia and now the workplace like a virus among the population .
The second link above shows the consequence of decades of teaching American blacks to hate American whites .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ now being further institutionalized in the American educational system by the New York Times ’ 1619 Project .
After the experience in Russia and China of communists teaching people hatred of capitalists and the bourgeoisie and the hatred of Jews generated in pre-WWII Germany , why does the New York Times and the American Left want to repeat the experience here ?
The third link shows that not even well-organized feminists , an influential victim group , are immune from woke attacks from the Identity Politics that enabled the feminists to rise as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sword and die by the sword .
This seems to be the future of America .
The liberal attack on religion did not liberate people or their consciousness .
The attack liberated evil from moral control .
In a multicultural society , the danger is apparent .
The Best of Paul Craig Roberts

We face more dangers—perhaps greater ones—than the coronavirus. Both the US as a community of people and its economy are under dangerous assault by forces of our own making. This article focuses on the threat to community. A future article will address the threat to the economy.
Here are three examples (here, here and here) of what has happened to the United States as a community of people.
In the first link above a college professor who emigrated to the US from the Soviet Union as a young woman describes the Sovietization of America. She doesn’t mean that the economy has been communized or socialized. She means the rise of denunciation in place of reasoned discourse.
Education has become the home of wokeness and Identity Politics. These ideologies allow “people to hound and persecute with impunity. People love it because it allows a little person to completely destroy somebody who has done something great. This is very human. Once you have removed any moral or religious obstacles to that behavior, what’s to stop anybody?”
On her campus, “We have this bias response team that prowls the campus looking for signs of non-compliance. We had the same thing in the Soviet Union. Right now they’re on campus, but eventually, they’re going to be in every workplace. If you have everybody in your workplace trained in diversity, then you can treat your workers however you like.” Circle in the Darkness... Johnstone, Diana Best Price: $16.44 Buy New $16.60 (as of 04:31 UTC - Details)
In the workplace as well as in the educational system, the culture created by diversity and sensitivity training turns co-workers into enemies. “Either they can get you in trouble, or they are out to destroy you with an accusation. It destroys all sorts of communities – friendship, families, church communities. When you set people against each other, they are much easier to control. This is what it was like under totalitarianism.” But in the United States, the conformity is not being imposed by the government. It is the offspring of the leftwing that abandoned the working class, peace, and empathy for others. You can read this story in Diana Johnstone’s brilliant memoir of our time, Circle in the Darkness.
The college professor says that in the “Soviet Union when you were a student and assigned to write a paper, you knew that the thing to do was to go straight to the correct books in the library and copy the relevant articles, word for word, with no deviations. That was your paper. When my family left, we arrived in Canada, and I entered the university there. When I was assigned my first paper, I found it impossible to believe that the teacher really did want me to think for myself. It was an incredible feeling! To think about something, and to say what I really thought about it! It was so weird, but so liberating. Now, I’m seeing young people who are just like we were in the Soviet Union. They are afraid to think for themselves. They only want to know what the “right” answer is, and repeat it. It’s depressing.”
She mentors early career academics, but the graduate students are not capable of producing scholarship. Instead they turn in “collections of woke slogans.” She says the students don’t even understand what she wants from them. “It seems like all they get in the schools is dogma. They have no real knowledge of anything – they just repeat slogans, and when you ask them to explain it, they turn blank.”
The American educational system has become a place where people are afraid to express opinions and debate issues. The slightest wrong thought or word can bring denunciation. They fear being marginalized, cancelled as a person, turned into a pariah. “If somebody departs from the dogma, even by an inch, that person is an evil, hate-filled bigot.”
She says it wasn’t this way 10 years ago, but quickly spread in academia and now the workplace like a virus among the population.
The second link above shows the consequence of decades of teaching American blacks to hate American whites. This highly destructive teaching of hatred is now being further institutionalized in the American educational system by the New York Times’ 1619 Project. After the experience in Russia and China of communists teaching people hatred of capitalists and the bourgeoisie and the hatred of Jews generated in pre-WWII Germany, why does the New York Times and the American Left want to repeat the experience here?
The third link shows that not even well-organized feminists, an influential victim group, are immune from woke attacks from the Identity Politics that enabled the feminists to rise as a denunciatory force. Live by the sword and die by the sword. This seems to be the future of America.
The liberal attack on religion did not liberate people or their consciousness. The attack liberated evil from moral control. In a multicultural society, the danger is apparent.
The Best of Paul Craig Roberts


lewrockwell--2020-03-09--How To Become a Federal Criminal

How To Become a Federal Criminal

The United States is supposed to be the land of the free .
But in practice , the number of laws and rules which have to be adhered to call this claim into question .
In 2014 , Mike Chase , a white-collar criminal defence lawyer , set up the wildly successful @ CrimeADay Twitter feed .
It draws attention to the overwhelming volume of criminal laws on the books by highlighting some of the maddest ones .
Imprisonable offences in the US include clogging a toilet in a national forest , writing a letter to a pirate , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ make a film that isn ’ t about falconry .
The Twitter feed has now become an illustrated book , How To Become A Federal Criminal .
spiked caught up with Chase to find out more about these strange laws and what they mean for liberty .
spiked : Which are your favourite unusual crimes ?
Mike Chase : I love food crimes .
I love that in the United States , you can ’ t sell ketchup that is too runny .
And that is defined as ketchup that runs faster than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ celsius .
The United States has embraced the metric system when it comes to putting people in prison .
Against the State : An ... Rockwell Jr. , Llewelly ... Best Price : $ 5.02 Buy New $ 5.52 I like animal crimes , too .
It is not that I like to see animals get hurt , but these crimes are all based on really stupid and gross things that people have done to animals over the years .
I like to think about people who tried to ride manatees or who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ aeroplane .
I have always been of the view that if you can shoot a fish from an aeroplane , you should be able to keep the fish .
We shouldn ’ t arrest those people for a good shot .
But the feds want to lock those people up .
spiked : Where do these crimes come from ?
Chase : I think they come from three places .
You have garden-variety crimes which we would all want to prohibit : murder , fraud , all that kind of stuff .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from regulators – people who are not elected , people that you would never know if you walked by them on the street .
They pass rules , and they don ’ t have to go through the legislature .
They just pass rule after rule after rule .
Congress will pass a broad law that says any violations of their regulations are a federal crime .
And so without any action by the lawmakers , regulators end up effectively creating law .
And so we end up with hundreds of thousands of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ category is Congress making reactive laws .
When somebody is afraid of some very bizarre thing happening , they lobby Congress to get a law passed .
The flipside of that is old concerns that are no longer concerns .
But because nobody ever goes through to clean up the books , we just have these old laws that hang around .
For instance , the United States used to be very concerned about pirates and piracy .
And so we have a huge number of pirate crimes on the books .
Certainly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ parts of the world , but we don ’ t have a lot of pirates anymore around the coasts of the United States , and there and very few pirate prosecutions .

The United States is supposed to be the land of the free. But in practice, the number of laws and rules which have to be adhered to call this claim into question. In 2014, Mike Chase, a white-collar criminal defence lawyer, set up the wildly successful @CrimeADay Twitter feed. It draws attention to the overwhelming volume of criminal laws on the books by highlighting some of the maddest ones. Imprisonable offences in the US include clogging a toilet in a national forest, writing a letter to a pirate, and using a falconer’s falcon to make a film that isn’t about falconry. The Twitter feed has now become an illustrated book, How To Become A Federal Criminal. spiked caught up with Chase to find out more about these strange laws and what they mean for liberty.
spiked: Which are your favourite unusual crimes?
Mike Chase: I love food crimes. I love that in the United States, you can’t sell ketchup that is too runny. And that is defined as ketchup that runs faster than 14cm within 30 seconds at 20 degrees celsius. The United States has embraced the metric system when it comes to putting people in prison.
Against the State: An ... Rockwell Jr., Llewelly... Best Price: $5.02 Buy New $5.52 (as of 11:35 UTC - Details) I like animal crimes, too. It is not that I like to see animals get hurt, but these crimes are all based on really stupid and gross things that people have done to animals over the years. I like to think about people who tried to ride manatees or who tried to shoot a fish from an aeroplane. I have always been of the view that if you can shoot a fish from an aeroplane, you should be able to keep the fish. We shouldn’t arrest those people for a good shot. But the feds want to lock those people up.
spiked: Where do these crimes come from?
Chase: I think they come from three places. You have garden-variety crimes which we would all want to prohibit: murder, fraud, all that kind of stuff.
But then there are these laws that come from regulators – people who are not elected, people that you would never know if you walked by them on the street. They pass rules, and they don’t have to go through the legislature. They just pass rule after rule after rule. Congress will pass a broad law that says any violations of their regulations are a federal crime. And so without any action by the lawmakers, regulators end up effectively creating law. And so we end up with hundreds of thousands of things that are prohibited.
The final category is Congress making reactive laws. When somebody is afraid of some very bizarre thing happening, they lobby Congress to get a law passed. The flipside of that is old concerns that are no longer concerns. But because nobody ever goes through to clean up the books, we just have these old laws that hang around.
For instance, the United States used to be very concerned about pirates and piracy. And so we have a huge number of pirate crimes on the books. Certainly there is piracy that happens in other parts of the world, but we don’t have a lot of pirates anymore around the coasts of the United States, and there and very few pirate prosecutions.
Read the Whole Article


lewrockwell--2020-03-09--There Is Nothing ‘Loony’ About Bill Ayers as Obama’s Muse

This past week several people called my attention to a post by Scott Johnson on his influential PowerLine blog that addressed the literary relationship between Barack Obama and his radical friend , Bill Ayers .
In the post Johnson spoke of his high regard for David Garrow ’ s “ staggeringly researched ” 2017 Obama biography , Rising Star .
“ Without resolving all mysteries , ” Johnson writes , “ [ Garrow ’ s ] scholarship belies the notion that [ Dreams from My Father ] was ghostwritten by Bill Ayers or other such collaborator.
” Johnson emailed Garrow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and Garrow responded , “ I don ’ t recall exactly where the Bill Ayers [ stuff ] got started , but it , like the Frank-Davis-as-father notion , is just beyond loony , ’ cause Dreams is already *in galleys* when Barack and Bill first get to know each other.
” I do know where the Ayers stuff got started because I started it with a major assist from American Thinker on these pages on October 9 , 2008 .
I never said Ayers wrote Dreams , but I presented overwhelming @ @ @ @ @ @ @ skilled writer and editor , helped Obama shape Dreams .
I did not advance this theory casually .
I understood then what Obama biographer David Remnick would later affirm , namely that my theory , “ if ever proved true , or believed to be true among enough voters , could have been the end of [ Obama ’ s ] candidacy.
” Deconstructing Obama Cashill , Jack Best Price : $ 13.57 Buy New $ 17.14 My research on this topic , aided by several helpful literary detectives , culminated in my @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Schuster , Deconstructing Obama .
I think I can safely assume Garrow has never read it .
I would invite those curious about the evidence to read the book or even to read the preliminary article cited above .
That Garrow does not know the source of a theory he dismisses offhand as “ beyond loony ” is , unfortunately , altogether typical of establishment political writers .
His airy dismissal , in fact , reinforces the theme of my forthcoming book Unmasking Obama : The Fight to Tell the True Story of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , I use the phrase “ samizdat ” — Russian for underground press — to describe the loose coalition of conservative blogs , online publications , talk radio shows , and legal monitors such as Judicial Watch that challenged the Left — and , occasionally , the “ responsible ” right — for control of the Obama narrative .
For eight-plus years , the samizdat broke virtually every major unflattering story about Obama and his presidency , some of which the major media grudgingly confirmed , some of which they continue to suppress @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the individuals in question managed to break these stories out .
In every case , as you might imagine , the samizdat journalists were met with condescension , if not outright contempt , from the major media .
Obama ’ s biographers were among the more contemptuous .
Curiously , the four major biographers are all named David — Mendell , Remnick , Maraniss , and Garrow .
The last three are Pulitzer Prize winners .
To his credit , Garrow was the only one of the four who refused to prop up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ signature appeal : the use of the details of his own life as a reflection of a kind of multicultural ideal.
” The story Obama told about his happy multicultural family at the conventions was pure fiction .
According to Garrow , Obama ’ s mother , Ann Dunham , and Barack Obama Sr. “ never chose to live together at any time following the onset of Ann ’ s pregnancy.
” Garrow quotes approvingly one unnamed scholar to the effect that Obama Sr. was no more than “ a sperm donor in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of this was common knowledge in the samizdat as early as 2008 , but it came as news to many of Garrow ’ s readers in 2017 .

This past week several people called my attention to a post by Scott Johnson on his influential PowerLine blog that addressed the literary relationship between Barack Obama and his radical friend, Bill Ayers.
In the post Johnson spoke of his high regard for David Garrow’s “staggeringly researched” 2017 Obama biography, Rising Star. “Without resolving all mysteries,” Johnson writes, “[Garrow’s] scholarship belies the notion that [Dreams from My Father] was ghostwritten by Bill Ayers or other such collaborator.”
Johnson emailed Garrow to follow up on the authorship question, and Garrow responded, “I don’t recall exactly where the Bill Ayers [stuff] got started, but it, like the Frank-Davis-as-father notion, is just beyond loony, ’cause Dreams is already *in galleys* when Barack and Bill first get to know each other.”
I do know where the Ayers stuff got started because I started it with a major assist from American Thinker on these pages on October 9, 2008. I never said Ayers wrote Dreams, but I presented overwhelming literary forensic evidence that Ayers, a skilled writer and editor, helped Obama shape Dreams.
I did not advance this theory casually. I understood then what Obama biographer David Remnick would later affirm, namely that my theory, “if ever proved true, or believed to be true among enough voters, could have been the end of [Obama’s] candidacy.” Deconstructing Obama Cashill, Jack Best Price: $13.57 Buy New $17.14 (as of 03:04 UTC - Details)
My research on this topic, aided by several helpful literary detectives, culminated in my 2011 book, published by Simon & Schuster, Deconstructing Obama. I think I can safely assume Garrow has never read it. I would invite those curious about the evidence to read the book or even to read the preliminary article cited above.
That Garrow does not know the source of a theory he dismisses offhand as “beyond loony” is, unfortunately, altogether typical of establishment political writers. His airy dismissal, in fact, reinforces the theme of my forthcoming book Unmasking Obama: The Fight to Tell the True Story of a Failed Presidency.
In the book, I use the phrase “samizdat” — Russian for underground press — to describe the loose coalition of conservative blogs, online publications, talk radio shows, and legal monitors such as Judicial Watch that challenged the Left — and, occasionally, the “responsible” right — for control of the Obama narrative.
For eight-plus years, the samizdat broke virtually every major unflattering story about Obama and his presidency, some of which the major media grudgingly confirmed, some of which they continue to suppress. In the book I tell how the individuals in question managed to break these stories out. In every case, as you might imagine, the samizdat journalists were met with condescension, if not outright contempt, from the major media.
Obama’s biographers were among the more contemptuous. Curiously, the four major biographers are all named David — Mendell, Remnick, Maraniss, and Garrow. The last three are Pulitzer Prize winners. To his credit, Garrow was the only one of the four who refused to prop up what Remnick called Obama’s “signature appeal: the use of the details of his own life as a reflection of a kind of multicultural ideal.”
The story Obama told about his happy multicultural family at the conventions was pure fiction. According to Garrow, Obama’s mother, Ann Dunham, and Barack Obama Sr. “never chose to live together at any time following the onset of Ann’s pregnancy.” Garrow quotes approvingly one unnamed scholar to the effect that Obama Sr. was no more than “a sperm donor in his son’s life.” All of this was common knowledge in the samizdat as early as 2008, but it came as news to many of Garrow’s readers in 2017.
Read the Whole Article


lewrockwell--2020-03-09--The Media Vilifies Preppers and Those Stocking Up as ‘Selfish Hoarders’ While Potential Quarantines

The Media Vilifies Preppers and Those Stocking Up as ‘Selfish Hoarders’ While Potential Quarantines Loom

With the Covid19 virus popping up across the country , people who are preppers are adding a few last-minute things to their stockpiles .
Those who aren ’ t preppers are starting from scratch to get what they think they might need to handle a potential quarantine at home .
While most of the folks on this website would read this and think , “ Of course they are ” there are a few who think , “ What a bunch of selfish people , hoarding supplies instead of only taking a little and leaving the rest for other people.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ are those “ other people ” who failed to prepare and who are upset that they missed their window of opportunity to get the necessary supplies .
But the media and government certainly aren ’ t helping paint those getting prepared in a good light with headlines about “ panic buying ” and “ hoarding.
” An article on USA Today starts out : The Flat Broke Cookboo ... Luther , Daisy Best Price : null Buy New $ 8.95 The article goes on to use phrases like “ impulsive buying binges , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” “ stripping store shelves of toilet paper , ” and “ the crush of humanity ” at Costco .
The entire article dismisses stocking up as ridiculous and even irresponsible , blaming shoppers for causing shortages .
Experts say not to worry and to stop “ hoarding.
” Supply chain experts say to stop worrying about hoarding basic necessities beyond having on hand the recommended 14-day emergency supply of food and necessities .
Perishable food such as fruits and vegetables are unlikely to be limited in the short term .
Supplies of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at risk but were already curbed by trade sanctions .
Packaged goods such as cereal and toothpaste and dry goods won ’ t be affected in the near term , either .
For items that are now in shorter supply , such as hand sanitizer , plenty of substitutes exist such as soap .
Some people are even making their own… …Even with images of all those empty shelves flooding social media feeds , supply chain experts urged people to stop , well , freaking out .
“ We don ’ t have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ country .
We have plenty of toilet paper to go around , ” said Per Hong , a senior partner in the strategic operations practice at Kearney , a global management consultancy .
“ Those supplies will be fully restocked and my ability to go to the store to get those supplies isn ’ t going to go away anytime soon.
” ( source ) I don ’ t know about you , but I certainly wouldn ’ t feel comfortable facing a possible lockdown like the one in China with only a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
And if what ’ s happened in Italy is anything to go by , your ability to pop out to the store to get more toilet paper absolutely could go away sometime soon .
An article on Los Angeles News Today continues in the same vein with its own experts chiming in .
So according to them , you only need to be prepared for a few days .
No biggie .
Stocking up is occurring around the world .
Wise people around the world are gathering up supplies .
According to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the spread of the coronavirus has folks everywhere “ actively stockpiling emergency supplies.
” Of course , what they call hoarding , I ’ d call preparing for the worst .
Did you notice a word being repeatedly used ?
The word “ hoarding ” is being repeatedly used throughout news reports .
They ’ re already working to paint preppers as bad and selfish people .
They ’ re already vilifying those who hurry out to fill any gaps in their supplies .
They ’ re making it seem like a mental @ @ @ @ @ @ @ potentially be a long stretch of time at home with only the supplies you have on hand .
This is a frequent trick of propagandists everywhere .
Repeat a word often enough and suddenly everyone begins using it .
Everyone begins to believe that the people labeled with an ugly word are terrible , selfish , and threats to decency .
A friend of mine wrote about an article she had read : This is a recurring theme .
Those who prepare are demonized while those who do not are portrayed as victims @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because you ’ re going to hear words like “ hoarding ” and “ selfish ” a lot more often as this situation continues to evolve .
State governments and the CDC are at odds State health officials in places like Hawaii and Minnesota have recommended that residents get prepared for what could be a bumpy ride .
Residents of those states are paying attention and stocking up .
The CDC ( irresponsibly ) couldn ’ t disagree more .
( You know , the same CDC that ’ s been sending out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . )
They are literally telling people not to stock up .
There , there .
Don ’ t worry .
The government will save you .
Go order a pizza and don ’ t worry your silly little head about some virus .
Many see preparation as selfishness .
I ’ ve gotten comments on my own website and also in the group that I run on Facebook that preparedness is a “ selfish ” endeavor .
And it ’ s always in the comments that you find out how people really @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as their guides .
There was this rather naive comment on a mainstream article .
Someone who is no longer in my Facebook group told us .
A commenter on my own website said : The author of an article about being in quarantine finds those stocking up to be selfish too , which is kind of mind-boggling when you not this author is in the position in which we all worry about finding ourselves .
Watch closely .
You will see the word “ selfish ” getting thrown around right up there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of people in the United States are spending weeks at home under self-quarantine .
I ’ ll bet if you asked them , there are probably all sorts of things they wish they had on hand right now , and this is even with the ability to order things that can be delivered to their doorsteps .
What would happen if all of us within a region faced the type of lockdown happening in northern Italy where there are potential criminal penalties for being out unnecessarily ?
Wouldn ’ t you then wish @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the store ?
The Ultimate Guide to ... Luther , Daisy Buy New $ 16.99 Stocking up is the responsible thing to do .
It means that your family will not be dependent on government services .
It means that nobody has to run out in the middle of a pandemic because there ’ s not any Tylenol and somebody has a fever .
It means you don ’ t have to risk infection in order to have food for your children .
Stocking up to care for yourself means that you won @ @ @ @ @ @ @ limited government resources being dispensed and there will be more for people who did not prepare .
It means you don ’ t need to order deliveries , causing some other person to risk their own health bringing supplies to you after things get bad .
Stocking up is practical .
Whether you ’ ve done it over a period of years , as most of us have , or whether you ’ re topping up now ( which I ’ m doing since I ’ ve been traveling for quite some time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ daughter ’ s place is well-supplied ) , taking the steps you need to be prepared is the height of personal responsibility .
There ’ s one really good mainstream article on Scientific American that talks about the wisdom of stocking up .
Aside from that , the mainstream is studded with the usual mockery toward the self-reliant .
Some folks have noted that what is going on right now as shelves get emptied across the country is not prepping – it ’ s panic buying .
While there ’ s a little @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ d still rather see people in the stores getting what they need than waiting for a handout .
Over the past couple of weeks , I ’ ve hit the stores myself to replenish a stockpile that my youngest daughter has been using .
I ’ m certainly not panicking but I ’ d be a fool not to fill in some gaps .
Whether you ’ ve had your supplies sitting there for a year or you just picked them up over the previous week , I commend you for making @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could possibly be a lengthy period of quarantine .
I know that a lot of people in the prepping world have spoken badly of those making last-minute purchases and I strongly condemn that .
Please , if you ’ re new , know that all of us in the preparedness community are not smug and discouraging .
Most of us welcome you and would love to help with any advice you might need .
Is it better to do this far in advance ?
Sure .
Is it better to do this at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
Also , sure .
For those who have waited longer than might be ideal , check out this guide for panic preppers and this guide that offers substitutes when the merchandise at the store is picked over .
The media will try to make us look bad…again .
Regardless of how the Covid-19 outbreak plays out in the United States , rest assured that those who prepared will be painted with a dark brush by the media .
This is one of those situations in which OpSec is of primary importance .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ neighbor to know you ’ re doing just fine with your canned goods and dried fruit after they failed to go to the store .
Our first responsibility is always , without fail , to our own families .
Don ’ t let the mainstream media try and tell you otherwise .
Reprinted with permission from The Organic Prepper .
The Best of Daisy Luther

With the Covid19 virus popping up across the country, people who are preppers are adding a few last-minute things to their stockpiles. Those who aren’t preppers are starting from scratch to get what they think they might need to handle a potential quarantine at home.
While most of the folks on this website would read this and think, “Of course they are” there are a few who think, “What a bunch of selfish people, hoarding supplies instead of only taking a little and leaving the rest for other people.” Often the people with this mindset are those “other people” who failed to prepare and who are upset that they missed their window of opportunity to get the necessary supplies.
But the media and government certainly aren’t helping paint those getting prepared in a good light with headlines about “panic buying” and “hoarding.”
An article on USA Today starts out:
Keep calm and stop hoarding. The spread of coronavirus in the U.S. won’t wipe out our toilet paper supply. Or supplies of hand sanitizer, bottled water and ramen. That is, unless the frenzied stampedes for hand sanitizer and bottled water continue at their current pace. (source)
The Flat Broke Cookboo... Luther, Daisy Buy New $8.95 (as of 05:00 UTC - Details) The article goes on to use phrases like “impulsive buying binges,” “air of aggressive competition,” “stripping store shelves of toilet paper,” and “the crush of humanity” at Costco.
The entire article dismisses stocking up as ridiculous and even irresponsible, blaming shoppers for causing shortages.
Experts say not to worry and to stop “hoarding.”
The USA Today article blithely reports:
Supply chain experts say to stop worrying about hoarding basic necessities beyond having on hand the recommended 14-day emergency supply of food and necessities. Perishable food such as fruits and vegetables are unlikely to be limited in the short term. Supplies of imported frozen meat and fish are more at risk but were already curbed by trade sanctions. Packaged goods such as cereal and toothpaste and dry goods won’t be affected in the near term, either. For items that are now in shorter supply, such as hand sanitizer, plenty of substitutes exist such as soap. Some people are even making their own… …Even with images of all those empty shelves flooding social media feeds, supply chain experts urged people to stop, well, freaking out. “We don’t have a shortage of toilet paper in this country. We have plenty of toilet paper to go around,” said Per Hong, a senior partner in the strategic operations practice at Kearney, a global management consultancy. “Those supplies will be fully restocked and my ability to go to the store to get those supplies isn’t going to go away anytime soon.” (source)
I don’t know about you, but I certainly wouldn’t feel comfortable facing a possible lockdown like the one in China with only a 14 day supply of food and necessities. And if what’s happened in Italy is anything to go by, your ability to pop out to the store to get more toilet paper absolutely could go away sometime soon.
An article on Los Angeles News Today continues in the same vein with its own experts chiming in.
Los Angeles County health director Dr. Barbara Ferrer said residents should be prepared just as they should always be for a natural disaster or other emergency. “That means having some water in your house and some food and your medications that last for a few days,” Ferrer said. “You don’t need to rush out and buy out weeks and weeks worth of supplies, but you (do) need to have what we always ask you to have — enough supplies in your house to get through a few days.” (source)
So according to them, you only need to be prepared for a few days. No biggie.
Stocking up is occurring around the world.
Wise people around the world are gathering up supplies. According to the Nielsen consumer market research agency, the spread of the coronavirus has folks everywhere “actively stockpiling emergency supplies.”
“They’re also starting to think beyond emergency items, such as basic foodstuffs, including canned goods, flour, sugar and bottled water,” according to Nielsen. “Concerns are having a ripple effect into non-food essentials as well. In the U.S., sales of supplements, fruit snacks and first aid kits, for example, are all on the rise.” The agency noted “significant spikes” in hoarding of emergency supplies in China, the United States and Italy, “where consumers are rushing to build what are being labeled ‘pandemic pantries.”(source)
Of course, what they call hoarding, I’d call preparing for the worst.
Did you notice a word being repeatedly used?
The word “hoarding” is being repeatedly used throughout news reports. They’re already working to paint preppers as bad and selfish people. They’re already vilifying those who hurry out to fill any gaps in their supplies. They’re making it seem like a mental illness to get prepared for what could potentially be a long stretch of time at home with only the supplies you have on hand.
This is a frequent trick of propagandists everywhere. Repeat a word often enough and suddenly everyone begins using it. Everyone begins to believe that the people labeled with an ugly word are terrible, selfish, and threats to decency.
A friend of mine wrote about an article she had read:
There’s a single quote that sticks out to me: “The government ended up subsidizing masks so that every family could have them after people decided to hoard them like they were bottled water in a storm.” Do you see what happened there? Those who prepared ahead of time are being vilified. This theme is being repeated over and over again if you start reading what the experts are writing. History tells us that those who are prepared are either hailed the heroes (when they have enough for everyone) or the villains (when they have enough for themselves).
This is a recurring theme. Those who prepare are demonized while those who do not are portrayed as victims of the “hoarders.”
Keep listening because you’re going to hear words like “hoarding” and “selfish” a lot more often as this situation continues to evolve.
State governments and the CDC are at odds
State health officials in places like Hawaii and Minnesota have recommended that residents get prepared for what could be a bumpy ride. Residents of those states are paying attention and stocking up.
The CDC (irresponsibly) couldn’t disagree more. (You know, the same CDC that’s been sending out a faulty Covid19 test all this time.) They are literally telling people not to stock up.
CDC Director Robert Redfield on Thursday told a U.S. congressional hearing that there was no need for healthy Americans to stock up on any supplies. “We should have one unified message,” said Robyn Gershon, a clinical professor of epidemiology at New York University. “When there’s an absence of a good, strong and reassuring official voice, people will get more upset and start doing this magical thinking.” (source)
There, there. Don’t worry. The government will save you. Go order a pizza and don’t worry your silly little head about some virus.
Many see preparation as selfishness.
I’ve gotten comments on my own website and also in the group that I run on Facebook that preparedness is a “selfish” endeavor. And it’s always in the comments that you find out how people really feel, often using MSM talking points as their guides.
There was this rather naive comment on a mainstream article.
The thing I have with INDIVIDUAL preppers is that why not leave it in the store? Why don’t people see the grocery store as a prepper’s storage unit? Prepping is inherently selfish IMO. (source)
Someone who is no longer in my Facebook group told us.
You people are part of the problem. You go out and hoard things when it wouldn’t hurt you to leave some stuff on the shelf for other people. If there aren’t enough supplies for everyone, it is selfish for you to only think of your family. What about everyone else’s family? Oh right, you only care about yourself.
A commenter on my own website said:
What a bunch of selfish jerks you all are. You don’t need 10 packages of toilet paper at a time. What about the other people who can’t afford ten packs of toilet paper?
The author of an article about being in quarantine finds those stocking up to be selfish too, which is kind of mind-boggling when you not this author is in the position in which we all worry about finding ourselves.
I was sorely disappointed by the amount of items that were out of stock after Singaporeans rushed to buy a whole plethora of goods (including instant noodles and toilet paper) when DORSCON Orange happened. Given such uncertain times, I can empathise with the panic. But I couldn’t help but feel that this hoarding mentality is really selfish. Because this means that a good portion of people–those on their weekly grocery runs or others like myself looking to get groceries delivered as I am unable to leave the house–cannot get their hands on essentials. (source)
Watch closely. You will see the word “selfish” getting thrown around right up there with “hoarding.”
These people are wrong.
Currently, thousands of people in the United States are spending weeks at home under self-quarantine. I’ll bet if you asked them, there are probably all sorts of things they wish they had on hand right now, and this is even with the ability to order things that can be delivered to their doorsteps. What would happen if all of us within a region faced the type of lockdown happening in northern Italy where there are potential criminal penalties for being out unnecessarily? Wouldn’t you then wish you had made that last-minute run to the store? The Ultimate Guide to ... Luther, Daisy Buy New $16.99 (as of 02:13 UTC - Details)
Stocking up is the responsible thing to do. It means that your family will not be dependent on government services. It means that nobody has to run out in the middle of a pandemic because there’s not any Tylenol and somebody has a fever. It means you don’t have to risk infection in order to have food for your children.
Stocking up to care for yourself means that you won’t be a drain on those limited government resources being dispensed and there will be more for people who did not prepare. It means you don’t need to order deliveries, causing some other person to risk their own health bringing supplies to you after things get bad.
Stocking up is practical. Whether you’ve done it over a period of years, as most of us have, or whether you’re topping up now (which I’m doing since I’ve been traveling for quite some time and I want to make sure my daughter’s place is well-supplied), taking the steps you need to be prepared is the height of personal responsibility.
There’s one really good mainstream article on Scientific American that talks about the wisdom of stocking up. Aside from that, the mainstream is studded with the usual mockery toward the self-reliant.
Panic buying vs. Prepping
Some folks have noted that what is going on right now as shelves get emptied across the country is not prepping – it’s panic buying. While there’s a little bit of truth to that, I’d still rather see people in the stores getting what they need than waiting for a handout.
Over the past couple of weeks, I’ve hit the stores myself to replenish a stockpile that my youngest daughter has been using. I’m certainly not panicking but I’d be a fool not to fill in some gaps.
Whether you’ve had your supplies sitting there for a year or you just picked them up over the previous week, I commend you for making the effort to get prepared for what could possibly be a lengthy period of quarantine. I know that a lot of people in the prepping world have spoken badly of those making last-minute purchases and I strongly condemn that. Please, if you’re new, know that all of us in the preparedness community are not smug and discouraging. Most of us welcome you and would love to help with any advice you might need.
Is it better to do this far in advance? Sure. Is it better to do this at the last minute than not at all? Also, sure. For those who have waited longer than might be ideal, check out this guide for panic preppers and this guide that offers substitutes when the merchandise at the store is picked over.
The media will try to make us look bad…again.
Regardless of how the Covid-19 outbreak plays out in the United States, rest assured that those who prepared will be painted with a dark brush by the media. This is one of those situations in which OpSec is of primary importance. You don’t want your unprepared neighbor to know you’re doing just fine with your canned goods and dried fruit after they failed to go to the store.
Our first responsibility is always, without fail, to our own families.
Don’t let the mainstream media try and tell you otherwise.
Reprinted with permission from The Organic Prepper.
The Best of Daisy Luther


lewrockwell--2020-03-10--Central Banking Is Socialism

Central Banking Is Socialism

Last week , the Federal Reserve responded to Wall Street ’ s coronavirus panic with an “ emergency ” interest rate cut .
This emergency cut failed to revive the stock market , leading to predictions that the Fed will again cut rates later this month .
More rate cuts would drive interest rates to near , or even below , zero .
Lowering interest rates punishes people for saving , thus encouraging consumers and businesses to spend every penny they make .
This may give the economy a short-term boost .
But , it inhibits long-term economic growth by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ businesses and jobs .
The result of this policy will be more pressure on the Fed to indefinitely maintain low interest rates and on the Congress and president to create another explosion of government “ stimulus ” spending .
Boston Federal Reserve President Eric Rosengren has suggested that Congress allow the Federal Reserve to add assets of private companies to the Fed ’ s already large balance sheet .
Allowing the central bank to buy assets of , and thus assume a partial ownership interest in , private companies would give the Federal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It could also allow the Fed to advance a political agenda by , for example , favoring investment in “ green energy ” companies over other companies or refusing to purchase assets of retailers who sell firearms or tobacco products .
End The Fed Ron Paul Best Price : $ 2.18 Buy New $ 5.68 Mr. Rosengren ’ s proposal to allow the central bank to “ invest , ” in private companies seems like something one would hear from democratic socialists like Senator Bernie Sanders .
This is not surprising since @ @ @ @ @ @ @ textbook example of socialism .
The essence of socialist economics is government allocation of resources either by seizing direct control of the “ means of production ” or by setting prices business can charge .
Federal Reserve manipulation of interest rates is an attempt to set the price of money .
Federal Reserve attempts to set interest rates distort the signals sent by the rates to investors and business .
This results in a Fed-created boom , which is inevitably followed by a Fed-created bust .
Economic elites benefit when the Federal Reserve @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they have access to the money created before there are widespread price increases .
Artificially low interest rates also facilitate the growth of the welfare-warfare state .
The Federal Reserve ’ s inflationary policies harm the average American by eroding the dollar ’ s purchasing power .
This forces consumers to rely on credit cards and other forms of debt to maintain their standard of living .
Many Americans are unable to afford their own homes because they are saddled with student loan debt that can even exceed their income .
Since the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a growing understanding that the current system is rigged in favor of the elites and against the average American .
Unfortunately , popular confusion of our system of Keynesian neoliberalism with a free-market economy , combined with a widespread entitlement mentality , has led many Americans to support increasing government control of our economy .
The key to beating back the rising support for socialism on both the left and right is helping more people understand that big government and central banking are the cause of their problems and that free markets in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — is the solution .
It is important that the liberty movement put pressure on Congress to cut spending and rein in or , better yet , end the Fed .
The Best of Ron Paul

Last week, the Federal Reserve responded to Wall Street’s coronavirus panic with an “emergency” interest rate cut. This emergency cut failed to revive the stock market, leading to predictions that the Fed will again cut rates later this month.
More rate cuts would drive interest rates to near, or even below, zero. Lowering interest rates punishes people for saving, thus encouraging consumers and businesses to spend every penny they make. This may give the economy a short-term boost. But, it inhibits long-term economic growth by depleting the savings necessary for investments in businesses and jobs. The result of this policy will be more pressure on the Fed to indefinitely maintain low interest rates and on the Congress and president to create another explosion of government “stimulus” spending.
Boston Federal Reserve President Eric Rosengren has suggested that Congress allow the Federal Reserve to add assets of private companies to the Fed’s already large balance sheet. Allowing the central bank to buy assets of, and thus assume a partial ownership interest in, private companies would give the Federal Reserve even greater influence over the economy. It could also allow the Fed to advance a political agenda by, for example, favoring investment in “green energy” companies over other companies or refusing to purchase assets of retailers who sell firearms or tobacco products. End The Fed Ron Paul Best Price: $2.18 Buy New $5.68 (as of 09:55 UTC - Details)
Mr. Rosengren’s proposal to allow the central bank to “invest,” in private companies seems like something one would hear from democratic socialists like Senator Bernie Sanders. This is not surprising since the entire Federal Reserve system is a textbook example of socialism.
The essence of socialist economics is government allocation of resources either by seizing direct control of the “means of production” or by setting prices business can charge. Federal Reserve manipulation of interest rates is an attempt to set the price of money. Federal Reserve attempts to set interest rates distort the signals sent by the rates to investors and business. This results in a Fed-created boom, which is inevitably followed by a Fed-created bust.
Economic elites benefit when the Federal Reserve pumps new money into the economy because they have access to the money created before there are widespread price increases. Artificially low interest rates also facilitate the growth of the welfare-warfare state.
The Federal Reserve’s inflationary policies harm the average American by eroding the dollar’s purchasing power. This forces consumers to rely on credit cards and other forms of debt to maintain their standard of living. Many Americans are unable to afford their own homes because they are saddled with student loan debt that can even exceed their income.
Since the bailouts of 2008, there has been a growing understanding that the current system is rigged in favor of the elites and against the average American. Unfortunately, popular confusion of our system of Keynesian neoliberalism with a free-market economy, combined with a widespread entitlement mentality, has led many Americans to support increasing government control of our economy.
The key to beating back the rising support for socialism on both the left and right is helping more people understand that big government and central banking are the cause of their problems and that free markets in all areas — and especially in money — is the solution. It is important that the liberty movement put pressure on Congress to cut spending and rein in or, better yet, end the Fed.
The Best of Ron Paul, MD


lewrockwell--2020-03-10--Is This How Europe Ends?

Is This How Europe Ends?

So declares the Financial Times in the closing line of its Saturday editorial : “ Europe Can not Ignore Syrian Migrant Crisis.
” The FT undertakes to instruct the Old Continent on what its duty is and what its future holds : “ The EU will face flows of migrants and asylum seekers across the Mediterranean for decades to come.
” Can Europe not repel this unwanted home invasion from the Global South ?
It is “ delusional ” to think so , says the FT. Europe must be realistic and set about “ providing legal routes for migrants and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was Greece ’ s rough resistance to Turkish President Erdogan ’ s funneling of thousands of Syrian refugees , who had fled into Turkey , right up to the border with Greece .
The Death of the West : ... Patrick J. Buchanan Best Price : $ 2.12 Buy New $ 12.46 Erdogan is threatening to inundate southeastern Europe with Syrian refugees to extract more money from the EU in return for keeping the 3.5 million Syrians already in Turkey away from EU frontiers .
Another Erdogan objective is to coerce Europe into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prevent President Bashar Assad from capturing all of Idlib province and emerging victorious in his civil war .
In the human rights hellhole that is Syria today , we may see the dimensions of the disaster wrought when Wilsonian crusaders set out to depose the dictator Assad and make Syria safe for democracy .
When the Arab Spring erupted and protesters arose to oust Assad , the U.S. , Turkey and the Gulf Arabs aided and equipped Syrian rebels willing to take up arms .
The “ good rebels , ” however , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ assumed dominance of the resistance .
Facing defeat , Syria ’ s president put out a call to his allies — Russia , Iran , Hezbollah — to save his regime .
They responded , and Assad , over four years , recaptured all of Syria west of the Euphrates , save Idlib .
There , the latest fighting has pushed 900,000 more refugees to Turkey ’ s southern border .
The 21st-century interventions and wars of the West in the Islamic world have not gone well .
George W. Bush was goaded @ @ @ @ @ @ @ persuaded to overthrow Colonel Moammar Gadhafi in Libya and the Assad regime in Damascus .
Obama ordered U.S. forces to assist Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in his war to crush Houthi rebels who had ousted Riyadh ’ s resident puppet in Yemen .
And what has the West reaped from our Mideast wars ?
In Syria and Yemen , we have helped to create two of the world ’ s greatest human rights disasters .
In Libya , we have a new civil war .
In Iraq , we now battle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ liberated ” in 2003 In Afghanistan , we have concluded a deal with our enemy of two decades , the Taliban , that will enable us to pull our 12,000 troops out of the country in 14 months and let our Afghan allies work it out , or fight it out , with the Taliban .
America is washing its hands of its longest war .
In five wars over 20 years , we lost 7,000 soldiers with some 40,000 wounded .
We plunged the wealth of an empire into these wars @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Patrick J. Buchanan Check Amazon for Pricing .
And what did these wars produce for the peoples we went to aid and uplift , besides hundreds of thousands of dead Afghans and Arabs and millions of people uprooted from their homes and driven into exile ?
Now , Europe is being admonished by the FT that , having done its duty by plunging into the Mideast , the continent has a new moral duty to take in the refugees the wars created , for decades to come .
But if the EU opens @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Africans and Arabs , where is the evidence that European nations will accept and assimilate them ?
Will these migrants and asylum seekers become good Europeans ?
Or will they create in the great cities of Europe enclaves that replicate the conditions in the African and Middle East countries whence they came ?
The history of the last half millennium tells the story of the rise and fall of a civilization .
In the 16th , 17th and 18th centuries , Spain , Britain , France and Portugal , and then Belgium , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ believing in the superiority of their civilization , went out into the world to create empires to uplift and rule what Rudyard Kipling derisively called “ the lesser breeds without the law.
” After two world wars , the rulers of these empires embraced a liberalism that now proclaimed the equality of all peoples , races , creeds , cultures and civilizations .
This egalitarian ideology mandated the dismantling of empires and colonies as the reactionary relics of a benighted time .
Now the peoples of the new nations , dissatisfied with what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , have decided to come to Europe to enjoy in the West what they can not replicate at home .
And liberalism , the ideology of Western suicide , dictates to Europe that it take them in — for decades to come .
The colonizers of yesterday are becoming the colonized of tomorrow .
Is this how the West ends ?
The Best of Patrick J. Buchanan

Shop all books by Pat Buchanan
“Fortress Europe is an illusion.”
So declares the Financial Times in the closing line of its Saturday editorial: “Europe Cannot Ignore Syrian Migrant Crisis.”
The FT undertakes to instruct the Old Continent on what its duty is and what its future holds: “The EU will face flows of migrants and asylum seekers across the Mediterranean for decades to come.”
Can Europe not repel this unwanted home invasion from the Global South?
It is “delusional” to think so, says the FT. Europe must be realistic and set about “providing legal routes for migrants and asylum seekers.”
What occasioned the editorial was Greece’s rough resistance to Turkish President Erdogan’s funneling of thousands of Syrian refugees, who had fled into Turkey, right up to the border with Greece. The Death of the West:... Patrick J. Buchanan Best Price: $2.12 Buy New $12.46 (as of 06:40 UTC - Details)
Erdogan is threatening to inundate southeastern Europe with Syrian refugees to extract more money from the EU in return for keeping the 3.5 million Syrians already in Turkey away from EU frontiers.
Another Erdogan objective is to coerce Europe into backing his military intervention in Syria to prevent President Bashar Assad from capturing all of Idlib province and emerging victorious in his civil war.
In the human rights hellhole that is Syria today, we may see the dimensions of the disaster wrought when Wilsonian crusaders set out to depose the dictator Assad and make Syria safe for democracy.
A brief history.
When the Arab Spring erupted and protesters arose to oust Assad, the U.S., Turkey and the Gulf Arabs aided and equipped Syrian rebels willing to take up arms. The “good rebels,” however, were routed and elements of al-Qaida soon assumed dominance of the resistance.
Facing defeat, Syria’s president put out a call to his allies — Russia, Iran, Hezbollah — to save his regime. They responded, and Assad, over four years, recaptured all of Syria west of the Euphrates, save Idlib.
There, the latest fighting has pushed 900,000 more refugees to Turkey’s southern border.
The 21st-century interventions and wars of the West in the Islamic world have not gone well.
George W. Bush was goaded into invading Iraq. Barack Obama was persuaded to overthrow Colonel Moammar Gadhafi in Libya and the Assad regime in Damascus. Obama ordered U.S. forces to assist Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in his war to crush Houthi rebels who had ousted Riyadh’s resident puppet in Yemen.
And what has the West reaped from our Mideast wars?
In Syria and Yemen, we have helped to create two of the world’s greatest human rights disasters. In Libya, we have a new civil war. In Iraq, we now battle Iran for influence inside a nation we “liberated” in 2003
In Afghanistan, we have concluded a deal with our enemy of two decades, the Taliban, that will enable us to pull our 12,000 troops out of the country in 14 months and let our Afghan allies work it out, or fight it out, with the Taliban. America is washing its hands of its longest war.
In five wars over 20 years, we lost 7,000 soldiers with some 40,000 wounded. We plunged the wealth of an empire into these wars.
And what did these wars produce for the peoples we went to aid and uplift, besides hundreds of thousands of dead Afghans and Arabs and millions of people uprooted from their homes and driven into exile?
Now, Europe is being admonished by the FT that, having done its duty by plunging into the Mideast, the continent has a new moral duty to take in the refugees the wars created, for decades to come.
But if the EU opens its doors to an endless stream of Africans and Arabs, where is the evidence that European nations will accept and assimilate them?
Will these migrants and asylum seekers become good Europeans? Or will they create in the great cities of Europe enclaves that replicate the conditions in the African and Middle East countries whence they came?
The history of the last half millennium tells the story of the rise and fall of a civilization.
In the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries, Spain, Britain, France and Portugal, and then Belgium, Italy, Germany and America, all believing in the superiority of their civilization, went out into the world to create empires to uplift and rule what Rudyard Kipling derisively called “the lesser breeds without the law.”
After two world wars, the rulers of these empires embraced a liberalism that now proclaimed the equality of all peoples, races, creeds, cultures and civilizations. This egalitarian ideology mandated the dismantling of empires and colonies as the reactionary relics of a benighted time.
Now the peoples of the new nations, dissatisfied with what their liberated lands and rulers have produced, have decided to come to Europe to enjoy in the West what they cannot replicate at home. And liberalism, the ideology of Western suicide, dictates to Europe that it take them in — for decades to come.
The colonizers of yesterday are becoming the colonized of tomorrow. Is this how the West ends?
The Best of Patrick J. Buchanan