Posted on 10/25/2011 5:44:35 AM PDT by Travis McGee
In spite of having a healthy sized ego I’ve always known my limitations. Even though I’ve been writing about survival and preparedness for many years on daily basis I’ve never considered myself a writer, not even a mediocre one. I know what a writer is and I know I’m not one. I’ve read the work of excellent ones, and I know I just lack that art. I am though a somewhat acceptable story teller, and that’s how I managed to write a book that people can relate to, can learn the lessons I want to transmit and read it without deciding to use it for tinder after ten pages. The most recurrent topic in my blog has been preparedness stories and anecdotes, specifically oriented towards real world survival events and how the people of my country managed to get up, shake off the dust and continue in spite of what this country throws at us.
Some of the events I’ve written about have been hard to digest. Even though I’m firmly against the doom and gloom fascination so common in the survival and preparedness world, there’s times when you just have to tell it as it is. You can’t disguise the death of a person you know, or relate incidents of crime and violence looking through pink-shaded glasses because one extreme is just as bad as the other. The nature of the topics discussed here are serious, sometimes matters of life and death, so that’s why to a certain nouvel readership it might seem dark to read. Even with a pragmatic eye and objective point of view none of this reads like a walk in the park.
As I write this, I can’t avoid feeling two very clear sensations. The first one I can only explain by saying that it’s like stepping out of a boat just as it finishes its slow, decadent sinking and finally goes under the surface. The second one is genuine sadness. Of all the posts I’ve written, this is without a doubt the saddest one I’ve written. I’m not talking about the loss of culture, standards of living or the death of a friend. Its not about the starvation of children of violence towards people close to me. It’s about all that and more. It’s about the death of a country itself.
As the press all over the world talks about the political success of the current administration, and mentions the “flourishing”, prosperous Argentina, a clear minority which I’m part of sees things differently. It makes you wonder and ask yourself a few other things as well. Who writes all these praises? What kind of data do they use to make such positive statements? How can a country be booming economically, yet keeps having shantytowns grow at an accelerating rate, poverty, misery and decadence never backing down one inch, and the 3rd greatest inflation in the planet as the icing on the cake? After reading some of the emails people sent me on the “success” of Argentina, I wonder if its just innocent stupidity, lack of professionalism or if there’s more to it than meets the eye and there are other intentions behind it.
Argentina was fatally wounded almost ten years ago and Argentina as I knew it died yesterday, October 23, 2011, when Ms. Kirchner was re-elected with over 50% of the votes, gaining complete control of the country. She now controls the executive of course, but also the congress, unions and even the media through the Kirchner Media Law. The headlines of the world consider this something of a surprise, a small number of Argentines such as myself consider this the culmination of a decade long process that started with the destruction of opposing parties by any means, legal or not, the indoctrination of the generations to come through several channels including the mandatory “Citizen Formation Studies” in schools and even an officially approved version of history. It seems insane, but the “History” I was taught twenty years ago is different from the one my son is taught, much worse, its different from the recent history I SAW with my own eyes.
One can only wonder how can such an authoritarian leader earn so much public support? Wasn’t it bad enough when they controlled the media through an unconstitutional law, or what about our retirement funds begin stolen (nationalized) right in our faces?
How Did This happen?
The process was long and patient at some times, brutal at others. People from other parties or simply with different views suddenly found themselves facing various charges or harassment. People that didn’t play along simply didn’t end up well, and by that it includes every possible end you can think of. Soon enough politicians that used to be the opposition ended up siding with the ruling K party. Journalists and political analysts that didn’t play ball would be threatened to remind them of their position, or eventually found themselves unemployed and no one willing to hire them. The young adult sector was dealt with by the son of the Kirchner’s, Maximo. He formed “the young Ks”, with their leaders grouped in an organization called “La Campora”.La Campora was formed by friends of the son’s president, at times such a useless and lazy gang, not even Nestor Kirchner himself could place them in the positions they wanted on occasions. During a meeting with the Young K leaders he’s quoted to have said” guys, guys, you come here asking for positions of power and management, but you don’t even have a high school diploma for me”. Almost like a Homer Simpson parody, even the slightest degree of competence would place you in charge of an area of the government or in charge of a recently “nationalized” company, like when they took back “Aerolineas Argentinas” airlines from the Spaniards.
As for the rest of the population, nothing has ever worked as well for the peronist party as keeping those families poor and numerous, and the Ks repeat that same recipe. The handouts for one reason or another make sure those votes keep coming. Handouts per child, for political support, its all there if you show up to the rallies or protest against the companies that aren’t “team players” with the government. If you are a company owner, in the legal or illegal pharmaceutical business, a good amount of donations will go a long way in ensuring the health of your business. Where does the money come from? Stealing the retirement funds helped, so does sucking the blood out of what’s left of the middle class through taxes, but the key is Argentina’s Green Gold: Soy. In a world in crisis commodities such as soy are expensive. What did the K’s do? Take so much from the farmers through taxes with no regard to the future, so that today the land almost grows soy exclusively. In agricultural terms this is madness but they are doing it anyway. Get rid of everything, cattle, other agro, just plant soy. Soy kills the land and ten years from now we’re looking at a food crisis, but who cares? The amount of pesticides used already has consequences with child mortality and significant amount of malformations. No one seems to care.
But the most brilliant part of this evil plan was the children, the generations to come. Political brainwashing thanks to the mandatory citizen formation classes, combined with the iron grip on the media that ensured the famous in the showbiz which the uneducated masses follow play along supporting the Ks, all this “work” had its results eventually. This was complimented with an extreme liberal agenda, from gay marriage and adoption to the official nod to drug abuse. Keep in mind that this has been going on for a decade now. It was first four years of Nestor K, then four more of Cristina K during which Nestor died. Now its four more of Cristina K, and the first generation of indoctrinated kids finally had a chance to vote in these elections.
Don’t repeat Our Mistakes
Ms. K won with over half the country voting for her. This may appear to be a triumph of Democracy. You have to wonder though, if it really is a democracy after everything that has happened, including the sharing of power between husband and wife to extend their period in power. Hugo Chavez was voted at some time into office. So was Hitler.
Many people consider what happened to Argentina after its economic collapse to be a window into the possible future of USA. In many ways and in spite of the differences I do think it is. I do see so many of the similarities that I feel encouraged to make certain warnings which followers of my blog read time and again. One of them is being watchful of the calamity of crime and the suffering it causes. Argentina is already becoming like Venezuela in that area as well.
The one I want to make sure people listen to in this case is to please be careful of authoritarian governments. They sprout and grow within the political system and government structure during hard times like we’ve seen it happen so many times in the past, in different countries at different times. Never forget Hitler got voted into office thanks to the desperation of the Germans just wanting to believe the promises after so much economic struggling. Argentines would hand over a freaking crown to this woman if she asked for one, but they already gave her so much more than that. Please learn from our experience in this as well. Never give more power to a president than the one he should have. Remember that he’s always an employee of the people, and not the other way around. Punish authoritarianism by taking action, talking with your representatives and remembering it when its time to vote once again.
USA has real hope in its Tea Party movement and politicians like Ron Paul. Support them. Support movements like the Appleseed Project, those are great folks that teach a key part of the TRUE history of the United States and not a sanitized politically correct version.
Take care everyone,
FerFAL
This woman's husband won with less than a quarter of the vote 3 elections ago before she succeeded him again this time.
These folks are Peronistas basically, left wing Nationalists
hard to figure except it ain't good
problem with Argentina is where we are headed ..though I think racially we will be more Brasil...Argentina is far less Africoid with almost no pure AmerIndians
but they both are largess cultures supported by a minority of earners...but here is the kicker...government largess there is not a cell phone and decent care and air condiditoning sitting on yer ass collecting entitlements like her
it's just barely living ...or squatting
Like JP2 said, sin eventually devours itself. Hitler messed up a lot of life, as did Stalin, but they eventually collapsed.
So, yea, it will be a fight if we lose, but a fight for us to make until it is won. Then a new opportunity will arise - for those to toss away or fight for anew.
Hope is in God, not man. Pray and fight. Pray and eat. Pray and fight some more. Pray and sleep. Repeat entire life. That’s our call.
When evil takes over, life gets easier (clearer) - there’s less guesswork in who/what to fight. Like the Polish and East Germans, even the indoctrinated see through all the crap without help, and renewed brainwashing efforts have the opposite effect.
The goal is a civil society with the rule of law and real respect for individual civil and property rights.
Democracy is merely the mechanism that has on average been the most successful at creating and maintaining such a society.
IOW, don't confuse means with ends. It is not impossible to imagine an absolute monarchy that effectively meets these ends, or a true democracy that doesn't. In fact, we're well into experiencing this.
Facepalm...
Husband who preceded her was German Speaking Swiss descent ...and Croat.
He and Wifey are arguably the most beloved by Jewish groups there and worldwide as any Latin American leaders.
During the military repression of Communist Revolutionaries there in the 70s and early 80s, Jewish students were disproportionately involved in the Communist movements (Montoneros)themselves and hence were often liquidated by the military. The Kirchners...not Jewish to my knowledge...were allied with Montoneros and have worked to overturn the amnesty granted military from that time by civilian successors and they have returned stolen art taken to Argentina during and after WWII to Jewish groups in Europe.
The World Jewish Congress adores this bunch, so I doubt they are descended from Odessa File sorts
NOT SO!!! Yes, soybeans help replenish nitrogen (as do all legumes), they don't do so completely and they take other nutrients. But, to say "soy kills the land" is not true either.
The normal pratice is to continually rotate crops and, although it is done, it is not considered good practice (at least in the Midwest, where I run my family's farm) to plant the same crop in consecutive years.
btw...I highly recommend Suicide of a Superpower if you don’t already have it
btw...I highly recommend Suicide of a Superpower if you don’t already have it
We have to change our history, change our culture, change the way we think. - Michelle Obama
Nah, of course not, what wuld make you think so?? /sarcasm
“There’s a real possibility for a ‘civilizational collapse.’ Won’t be the first. Nor will it be the last.”
I suspect that only one in four or so even here - with a very well informed base - really understand what you are talking about: Sea Peoples; Vandals; Chichimecas; the An Lushan Rebellion; the Thirty Years War. Catastrophic technological and population decline.
A quick glance on the net.. Don’t Cry for Weeds, Argentina
Genetically Modified Soy Stirs Up Trouble in Argentina
Argentina’s adoption of genetically modified soy was touted as a big GM success story, propping up struggling farmers and the country’s sinking economy, but seven years later it is causing an environmental disaster, say researchers. The crop, sold by GM giant Monsanto, raised yields so quickly that it spread like a virus and now covers half the arable land in Argentina. Big farmers, eager to plant more, have driven some 150,000 small farmers off their land. The soy was bred to be resistant to Roundup, Monsanto’s patented herbicide. Problem is, the soy is so tenacious that it pops up where it doesn’t belong, prompting farmers to dump other, more powerful herbicides on it. This heavy herbicide use can screw up soil and devastate neighboring farms. Also worrying is the development of herbicide-resistant weeds. Monsanto denies that this cocktail of vicious cycles is the fault of the crop itself, instead placing the blame on monoculture — the planting of one crop to the exclusion of all others — something they were shocked, shocked to find Argentinean farmers engaging in.
the source: The Guardian, Paul Brown, 16 Apr 2004
***
eorge Soros to Invest $300 Million to Produce Biofuel in Argentina
Argentinean Federal Planning minister, Julio de Vido, revealed yesterday in New York the interest of the group lead by Hungarian financier and philanthropist George Soros in developing bio-fuel in Santa Fe province, Argentina. The investment would be “between 250 and 300 million dollars”, he informed after meeting with Soros’ son -Jonathan Soros-, and it would be oriented to produce bio-fuel from corn and sugar cane. The plant would be settled in Santa Fe province, one of the closest to Buenos Aires and one of the main centers for farming activities in the country. More specifically, it would be set at Venado Tuerto city. The project would employ “1,300 people directly and among 8 and 10 thousand people indirectly”, the minister considered, and anticipated a production of 200 million liters of bio-fuel. The Soros group was already involved in real estate investments in the country and then got to manage over 170 thousand hectares of country land in several Argentinean provinces. It has now strong investments in cattle, soy, corn, wheat, sunflower, and milk production. Though their bio-fuel interest has a background with the buying of an ethanol plant in Minas Gerais -Brazil-, they surely saw an opportunity in Argentina after the recent fuzz about the bio-fuel law declared by the government -approved in 2004 and re-approved in April with a different text-. This law...
... sets tax deduction incentives for the production of bio-fuel, and makes mandatory for all liquid fuels from petrol to contain 5% of ethanol or bio-fuel. Though it might seem a positive initiative, the duplicate approval left a sour feel to it.
On the other hand, it’s no surprise the project takes place in Santa Fe province, since it’s home to several bio-energy initiatives. Major oil companies have projects for soy conversion into bio-fuel, and petrol companies such as Repsol have plans for millionaire investments.
http://www.treehugger.com/files/2006/09/george_soros_to_1.php
“We have to change our history, change our culture, change the way we think. - Michelle Obama”
In a way she is correct, she is just looking through the wrong end of the spyglass. We need to uproot and utterly destroy every vestige of leftist cultural oppression and policy, beginning no later than Woodrow Wilson and the other ‘progressives’. Authentic federalism needs to be restored. The size, scope and authority of the Washington government must be curtailed with particular focus on administrative agencies and the federal judiciary. The welfare state, the police state and the education-indoctrination racket need to be cut off at the roots and those systems killed. Those are the historical and cultural changes that must and shall inevitably come. The only question is whether Icarus will land soft or hard.
bttt
bookmark, thanks for posting.
As I understand it (and I am just a home gardener) legumes only release that nitrogen as the plant roots decompose. If you continually plant legumes and never let them decompose in an off-season, I’d guess they don’t add any nitrogen back.
And of course legumes use other nutrients, so if you mono-crop intensively with soy (or corn or wheat for that matter), you are going to cause soil degradation problems.
—From my basic understanding of ag and somewhat more knowledge of soil science. But IANAF or SS
1. Mixture - different societies come into contact and produce a society with an outlook different from any of the combined parts.
2. Gestation - the period of time between the mixing of the different societies and the expansion of the civilization.
3. Expansion - the surplus generated by the society is invested in activities that benefit the civilization. This can include an increase in knowledge, increase in physical area, technological advancements that increase efficiency, etc. Civilizations make use of different instruments of expansion. Quigley calls a social organization or unit an instrument if it meets social needs.
4. Age of Conflict - The rate of increase resulting from the use of one or more social instruments slows down which results in "interesting times". The instrument can be reformed or a new instrument consistent with the civilization's outlook can circumvent the old instrument. If reform is achieved, a new age of expansion begins. If the vested interests of the previous instrument of expansion increasingly consume resources while serving no social needs, Quigley says that the instrument has then become an institution. Expansion can continue, but it is at the expense of neighbors, which leads to imperialist wars. When the vested interests have crushed all internal opposition, the next stage appears.
5. Universal Empire - typically a state or political unit on the periphery of the civilization gains power over the whole civilization. The illusion of a golden age appears. The social organization remains stagnant.
6. Decay - lack of belief in the civilization's outlook or inability to meet needs of the people leads to people opting out of the system. An age of cynicism, low cunning and despair.
7. Invasion - external forces disrupt the civilization's social organization and it is unable or unwilling to defend itself. That spells the end of the civilization.
Quigley stated that modern Western civilization as embodied by America has succeeded in arriving at the brink of the Age of Conflict stage no fewer than four times, but has always managed to reinvigorate itself by launching into a new Age of Expansion. Recall that expansion in Quigley's terms doesn't necessarily apply to the acquisition of new territory. If he’s correct, we’re now out of options, and that we’ve progressed rapidly through to stage 6. As you may know, I have my own ideas about what’s going on with respect to the role that the will to power has played in modern times.
An excellent reference appears here: The Catastrophe” What the End of Bronze-Age Civilization Means for Modern Times
A very interesting and informative post. Thanks for that. I’ve reviewed it for now, but I will be coming back to really chew this one over. It deserves real thought.
>>>> BOOKMARK! <<<<
When Lady K went to the G20 summit there was extensive coverage here about the gross riches spent on shoes, for example, that would have made Isabella Marcos blush.
To hear she was re-elected was not a surprise, but it has to be as disappointing to FF as news of Caligula's re-election next year would be to myself here in the U.S.
I appreciate the post and also recommend everyone to read FF's diaries.
It's true. The majority who happen to vote in one contest on one particular day does not make something right or wrong. The boundaries are clear. You can read about them in the U.S. Constitution. We're on the precipice of civil strife, beginning not with drumming unions taking over city parks and supported by corrupt and stupid urban politicians, rather perhaps with a protracted guerrilla campaign, one without statements and pronouncements. It might be triggered by a bad choice by a single judge in a particular Supreme Court 5-4 decision, after which there will be no more innocents. There are no non-combatants in real war, as opposed to play house war. Anyone who supports usurpation of the Rule of Law will become fair game when lawlessness officially becomes precedent defended by an equally lawless and presumptuous self-styled monopoly of force.
*UGGGGH* How many times do I have to point out that Hitler was NOT elected?!?!? He was appointed, then engineered a coup behind the scenes.
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