NYT gives some fellow named . . . Piranha, I think, 8 pages in which to lecture the United States regarding its hegemony and how it must surrender power.  Full of bluster and synergy, inevitable as plate tectonics, and more revelatory of the NYT’s worldview than anything that might come to pass in actual history, I prophesy (or profess, sighing) that it will take its place in the dusty annals of absurd long-term predictions vouchsafed to the hoi polloi by self-important ignoramus Nostradamuses.
WARNING: reading at one sitting may cause permanent brain injuryÂÂ
Dinsdale?
I seem to recall not all that long ago, that the Slimes believed the Triumph of Soviet Communism was also inevitable. Hell, most of the smug European intelligencia was utterly convinced of it.
The NYT, like good lackeys, did their best to emulate their betters.
Europeans use intelligence and the police to apprehend radical Islamists, social policy to try to integrate restive Muslim populations and economic strength to incorporate the former Soviet Union and gradually subdue Russia.
Jaysus on a Pony, that is some real high-grade pharma induced alternative reality there …
Can a guest editorial by Aymin al-Zawahiri be far behind?
Dinsdale?
Isn’t that the name of the town in Fairy Odd Parents ?
No, no, JD. Dinsdale Piranha.
Well, thanks…I was going to do a big write up on it, but I think in one paragraph you’ve pretty much put the lie to NYT.
Maybe I’ll add a little gloss later, after all…but this is good!
Thanks, Americaneocon. I thought of fisking it, but on second thought realized that it would need to be dissertation-length to be thorough. If you decide to do part of it, let me know.
vs.
What a dick.
Wow, this article must be spank material for the Times editorial staff.
I got as far as “muscular moralism,” and decided that this is such a good thing that it has become my motto: Cowboy, he’s morally muscular.
That’s not hyper-masculine is it?
“For I have the strength of ten men because my heart is pure.”
sorry, I didn’t “get” the criticism of the article.
It was lucid and economically correct.
Again, critism of the article here is so far, again, only invective. You are without any counterarguments other than comments like “paranha” or “dickhead”.
I, however, am on the ground investigating America’s reality (which the ‘invective’ here seems to miss). And after spending a weekend in the city of “brotherly love” I see the majesty of America laid to bare: A very thriveing upper class: Bently ads taking top billing in the main paper and in the outskirts of the city some really pricy homes and great artistic unheralded community in the older district near the Deleware R. However, entry level jobs in same city paper are alarmingly low. I was rewarded with friendly and kindly help from the majority Black culture there although a White myself. I used mass transit which was used almost exclusively by Blacks and it was run by them but I was never met with hostility. However, the poverty seen in that same community was alarming. One street used clothes hustler hadn’t had a real job since 1999. He never begged for money and I regret I never repaid him for his free info about the city. He got off the train too quickly for that.(I was clueless on how the trains worked and the city’s highways were clogged and it was a relief to leave the car in the parking lot. And I found a parking space for 18 bucks a day rather than the exurbitant 41 a day the Marriot wanted.)
While panhandling was rampant in the relatively safe financial district next to the Marriot where I was staying, hostility was non existant. It seemed a much more friendly city than NYC and Chicago IMO and easier to get around in (minus car). Most attractions were within walking distance.
One vignette: a Dunkin Donut shop: run exclusively by Indians from the sub continent which wouldn’t hire the many unemployed Blacks, I gathered info. about the shop: family from Mumbai, etc. then a well fed White older guy comes in and wants to know how I thought of his city, says he’s a “Judge” from city hall ‘cross the street’. I could only reply, it’s a Beautiful City but you need more jobs (to keep the panhandlers and beggers busy). He nodded knowing what I meant.
I’d wish you critics of intellectual concerns about America’s decline would get out and see what’s happening: declining infrastructures, a growing chasm by a minority of upper class ‘technocrats’ (I was there to enable my teenaged son to facilitate a educational/technology seminare at a ‘magnate’ school, and was surrounded by vestiges of the new economy: many vans working on wireing new high rises with broadband technology due the city center’s financial district’s proximity. But to so many Americans begging on streetcorners, so few entry level jobs, the contrast with a rising Europe and a mercilously growing Asia gives one to pause and reflect on the said Indian expat’s article.
invective and “patriotism” and “jingoism” reflected by the invective-cum-criticism won’t deflect the intelligence and truth given: http://www.newamerica.net/people/parag_khanna
I, however, am on the ground investigating America’s reality
Perspective, dude, perspective.
I think intellectuals ought to get out a bit.
We all have jobs, families, etc. Explain to me how your perspective is more enlightened than mine, please.
And while you’re at it, why don’t you fill me in about Philadelphia politics. Are they liberal? How’s that working for them?
I am still traveling so not at my computer.
Perspective? Yeah. We’re all for that. I read some of the guys other articles and they seemed balanced and non “leftist”. One, he has ample criticism of Hugo Chavez (as does the NYTimes) but notes that American belligerance maybe has solidified the role Chavez has. Our tendencies toward unilaterialism is what is hurting American influence while EU and Chinese more concilatory attitudes give them more influence. Maybe Chavez has “played” the US?
as to “perspective” I note there is a thriving upper class in certain suburbs of America. The fact that a Bentley is on thsecond page of a inner city newspaper as example and huge mortgages for just condos are evidence too.
too many misspellings and someone’s old computer and lack of broadband here is another example of American decline imo. We can only get a satelite hockup here in central NY due to Verizon’s monopolistic b.s…which in Europe wouldn’t be allowed as the EU insists upon competition.
got to go, I just read the article before seeing Dan’s thread. I was amused by the reaction. The article had a lot to say.
I worry too much, I’ll agree.
but my concerns have relevance:
US militarism has a cost.
balance of payments (with other nations) have a cost
lack of saving and lack of capital have costs
corrupt and elitist leadership (whether Democratic “Billery” or Reaganist Republicans) has costs.
I just want to hear some benefits coming from the critics of the article?
help? innovation, education, democracy, cooperation of private and govt. sectors, I am thinking these could be America’s assets. But so far I hear mostly fear of terrorism, jingoism, and greater costsinto health care and military/industrial monopolistic enterprizes.
example: Republican economics advisor on NPR said we could grow ourselves out of a recession by a thriving Health Care Industry. Explain to me how that’s ‘good’?
I denounce the thriving upper class in certain suburbs of America.
I’ll add Dan, before turning off this ancient 5 yr.old computer that I agree that maybe Guilani’s antistreethawking and antipanhandling strictures maybe a good bandaid for somethings. I talked with the streethawker about that, he said there was a red zone in NYC and that Philly’s more benign approach maybe facilitates his ‘business’. City Hall waived even charging him a street merchant fee…. It could hurt business maybe but crime seemed no problem in the Central district and maybe just having a few beggers around humanized the situation. I could see maybe a more proactive government with stricter control of beggers and such with more social worker backups.
It did seem a very friendly city in comparison but the streethawker warned me that the alleged crime wave in the South ghettoized areas was for real. Guiliani’s methods required a good deal of bucks too. And the highways in Philly and PA mostly were not fun to travel. It was a relief to get back to the roads of NY.
annedotal and vignettes is about all it’s worth. But I added a little variety here for what it’s worth.
later
So America is on decline because of the presence of panhandlers? She must have been on decline since 1789.
You know what the most frightening part about datadave’s rant was? When he said “later”. Like it was foreshadowing. *shiver*
We can only get a satelite hockup here in central NY due to Verizon’s monopolistic b.s…which in Europe wouldn’t be allowed as the EU insists upon competition.
Bwahhahahahaha.
–From someone who lived in Europe.
But you are required to wear a beret when you’re in a European internet cafe, right mishu?
[…] why shouldn’t that British journo schmuck think that? The NYT tells him it’s so. Posted by Dan Collins @ 6:25 pm | Trackback Share […]
You are without any counterarguments other than comments like “paranha†or “dickheadâ€Â
Not to forget “ass-hattery” and “twatwaffle,” please.
explain the loquacious pictures you’ve got on your ‘blog’, guinsPen?