The Many Faces of Greta

Here's a question: If you press this button, there's a 99% chance nothing will happen and a 1% chance the world will be completely destroyed. You can press it only one time. How much money would you accept to press it?

Here's another question: One person truthfully answers the above question with, "I would never press that button." Another answers truthfully with, "All the money in the world." Who is the more successful person?

There are correct answers for both questions. The correct answer for the first question is the first answer for the second question. "I would never press that button." Ironically, in today's world, the answer to the second question is the person who answered the first question incorrectly.

The person who would risk the entire world to satisfy his/her greed is the person who climbs the corporate ladder, who becomes a captain of industry, who rises to a position of power, and who is elected to a position of leadership. There have been a few notable exceptions, but in general this is the truth about our world.

You may think I'm wrong. You may think that only a person without much love or empathy or social conscience would EVER press that button. You've just described a lot of people who are incredibly successful. So successful that their lack of love, empathy and social conscience is considered their greatest "virtue." And if I gave you a list of those people, you might say, "He has empathy," or "He is married and has kids so he has love." But love, empathy and social conscience are easily enough faked, and in each example you used to object to my proposal, one might list that as their SECOND greatest "virtue." Show me a "successful" man who's only been married once and in all likelihood it'll be one of my few notable exceptions. Or he looks at the portrait of Ben Franklin on the 100 dollar bill, (insert different portrait/currency) with an emotion that, if not for its pure evil, may approximate love, and it's at a strength not shared with any human connections.

These people are sick. They have the most dangerous undiagnosed disease known to man. You don't need to be a doctor to see it. The problem is, most doctors, and for that matter the majority of the medical industry, are in constant exposure to the virus and are therefore at higher risk of catching it than most. Call it "currencitosis," "lucritis," "moolahbola," or just call it the money disease, whatever it's called, it's very real and very dangerous. Look at Martin Shkreli or J. Michael Pearson. Are they healthy, reasonable, clear-minded individuals or are they plagued? For that matter, look at any billionaire. Now, some of them might tell you they don't NEED a billion, but try to take a buck from them in taxes and you'll see genuine attachment, unwillingness to part, you'll see NEED! And that's nothing compared to the whining and complaining you'd hear from right wing "don't tax the rich" political groups.

But seriously, nobody NEEDS a billion dollars because nobody could spend it (reasonably). Give this a read. Is that not an "unimaginable amount of money?"

Relax, this is not going to be another post about Trump although, to mix a metaphor (with a simile) the shoe fits like a glove. The shoe of the money plague, not the billionaire. I don't think he's ever made a billion though I DO believe he's lost that much. I am more concerned with the danger these highly functioning basket cases pose to our society, way of life and even our existence. If you're like me and you think Noam Chomsky might be about the smartest guy alive today, you know with the possible exception of an incurable, highly contagious and very deadly virus (like Moolahbola, which could be the cause of one of the following here), there are two things that are the biggest threats to our existence today: nuclear war and climate change. Nuclear war is not my topic but with the leaders of nuclear capable countries getting dumber and dumber I wouldn't be surprised to witness a nuke before I die. Like I mean just a fraction of a second before I die.

Here's another smart guy who concurs. Yuval Noah Harari said there were three main threats to human existence: nuclear war, climate change and technological disruption. I don't think the robots are going to kill us, but there's another noted intellectual who is worried about climate change. And (he just keeps coming up!) of course it's Trump as his foil. Another UN embarrassment too. Remember that when the world leaders all laughed at his made up list of his accomplishments? That was a good chuckle for me too.

There is an overwhelming consensus that the earth is warming and in the extreme likelihood that the causes are man made. Like a 97% consensus of publishing scientists according to this. But to be fair, there are some scientists who disagree. And here they are. It's not a very long list and it's not growing. The science is not 100%. That's the point here. But it seems to me, the more salient point is if all 97% are wrong and we go with them and cut back on pollution, the result is a cleaner planet and (boo hoo) some super rich fossil fuel companies losing some money. Whereas, if we go with the minority in the face of great odds against, and continue irresponsibly polluting our planet and burning fossil fuels so those companies can make more money to throw on their impossibly massive piles, the result could be the end of the world. It seems like the no-brainer here is to play it safe. In January last year the Doomsday Clock was changed to two minutes to midnight. Can we change our focus away from making money and concentrate on survival yet?

Well, not according to some, and I'll get to them later, but I think you might have guessed who the star of this post was going to be. I used a quote from a young girl named Greta Thunberg above, did you notice? It was the unimaginable amount of money comment. I find her story so delicious I am compelled to write about, not to say "sing it from the mountain tops!"

First of all she has Asperger's Syndrome and calls it her superpower. Some of the symptoms may be difficulty with social interaction, hypersensitivity to sensory assault like loud noises or crowds, trouble changing routine, repetitive behavior, challenges with empathy and extreme focus on specific topics of interest. Well I think she might have that last symptom. Her extreme focus on calling out global governments on their climate change apathy has lead to thousands, even MILLIONS of people protesting worldwide. Here's a pic from my country:

They estimate half a million marched in Montreal on Friday. That's the biggest strike in the history of that city. And guess who was there braving the loud noise and crowd:

She got the key to the city and I heard Schwarzenegger lent her his electric car to drive there. Prime Minister Trudeau met with her and promised a 3 billion dollar climate fund if re-elected. Liz May was there and Jagmeet Singh marched in Victoria. Scheer didn't march, rather he used the opportunity to call Trudeau a hypocrite saying he is also funding the Trans Mountain Pipeline. Well if you read my blog you'll know that Trudeau HAS to build that pipeline because of a deal Scheer's hero and Canada's worst PM ever Stephen Harper made. I'm sure he knows that but it's election time so tell some lies and sling some mud. Asshole comment of the day was won by Maxime Bernier who has always portrayed climate activism as "alarmist," when he described Thunberg as "clearly mentally unstable."

Not long before this, on Sept. 23, Greta spoke at a UN climate summit scolding world leaders saying, "How dare you? You have stolen my dreams and my childhood." And then, "You say you hear us and that you understand the urgency, but no matter how sad and angry I am, I do not want to believe that. Because if you really understood the situation and still kept on failing to act, then you would be evil and that I refuse to believe." I dunno. I'm a bit older and more jaded than our Greta and I believe there might be a touch of evil here...

Trump, who pulled the US out of the Paris Agreement, endured maybe 15 minutes of this summit before leaving, and has made countless anti-environment moves as POTUS, got this now famous look from Greta:

In January of this year, Greta was in the Swiss Alps at a World Economic Forum in Davos where she did the same thing. "Some people, some companies, some decision-makers in particular have known exactly what priceless values they have been sacrificing to make unimaginable amounts of money, and I think many of you here today belong to that group of people." Journalist and climate activist Naomi Klein said of Greta, "It takes deep courage to go to Davos and tell the masters of the universe to their faces that they knowingly torched the planet to become filthy rich." Greta met Jane Goodall at this summit. Check out the difference in facial expression!

Australian PM Scott Morrison is one of Greta's detractors. He says she is causing "needless climate anxiety." Like a good politician, his speech at the recent UN climate summit was at times true, at times misleading and at times false. He's a big supporter of fossil fuel companies. And I wonder what the Chinese, by FAR the world's most notorious ignorers of climate change, are going to do with all that land they're buying up down undah!

Maxime Bernier has long been a proponent of the oil and gas industries and proposes to inexplicably "reduce corporate welfare" by reducing taxes on fossil fuel corporations, which is corporate welfare. He says he believes the climate is changing but that CO2 is just food for plants. He says a carbon tax would have zero impact on the climate. To employ some Trumpian sarcasm, I just can't imagine why he wouldn't like Grata Thunberg.

And you knew we'd get back to him, Donald future ex-president Trump doesn't like her either. The guy who four times said he didn't know there were category five hurricanes while category five hurricanes became part of his presidential duties. The guy who may have done more for the fossil fuel industry than anyone in the last 3 years. The guy who was ready to go to war when somebody bombed his oil buddies and some of his best, hard cash paying customers, Saudi Arabia. He says, with heavy sarcasm, "She seems like a very happy young girl looking forward to a bright and wonderful future."

Well, even a broken clock is right twice a day. Unless it's digital. I think she does have a bright future. And I think she will contribute to something that IS wonderful! And I'm not talking about the Nobel Prize she's nominated for and Trump isn't. I mean a huge increase in international awareness and action on saving our planet. And she will continue, as a 16-year-old kid, dressing down these adults acting like children and giving them the verbal spankings they deserve. "Shame on you! NO NO NO! That's a BAD billionaire!" And even though she has a condition that limits things like social interaction and empathy, she will school these money-addled social deviants on how to behave like the responsible leaders they're supposed to be. If a child can overcome these drawbacks, even use them for good, surely these adults using the similar antisocial symptoms they acquired through their love of money, can transform them from evil greed to the superpower of climate activism.

"And a child shall lead them." In that scripture verse the "them" includes wolves, leopards and lions! Greta Thunberg is taking on a massive challenge. And I say MORE POWER TO HER!

Tribalism

Here's a great example of tribalism. This dude was totally busted! Corey Lewandowski blasting Alisyn Camerota (who has read the Mueller Report) for believing "scores of legal experts" (who have read the Mueller Report) citing many examples of obstruction of justice, including at least two that this bum was involved in. He tells her she should read page um er uh whatever page it was that, um, I'm told states that there was no collusion or obstruction. Then he admits he hasn't read it. He then finds out that SHE HAS! And it doesn't say there was no collusion or obstruction. Quite the opposite. Does that take any wind out of his argumentative sails? NO! He doubles down!

"The members of congress were very clear about what was in that report yesterday." Well by that he means heavily biased members of the Trump tribe were very clear about what the other members of the tribe have agreed to SAY the Mueller Report is about. Seemples! "No collusion! No obstruction!" No need to read it yourself or discover the truth. Just listen to the boss.

So then Alisyn says there were 10 examples of obstruction of justice. He is ready to argue to the death that there were NOT because that's what he was told by some Trump flunkies. She offers to show them and then the most beautiful exhibit of his mindless tribal loyalty: After the pot calls the kettle black (he says SHE's being disingenuous - pretending to know something she doesn't) she shows the 10 examples. He says, "You're going to put the Mueller Report on the screen? Okay put it up there. That's NOT the Mueller Report." So he is acting as though he will accept nothing less than direct quotes from the report to believe her side while he has just admitted that he believes what HIS tribe has told him without ever having seen the Mueller Report. And let's face it, if he were shown direct quotes from the original Mueller Report with Bob Mueller's sweat and coffee stains on it, he would still not be moved. THAT'S tribalism.

I'll give you another ism. And before you dismiss it, please read it through. It might surprise you. Encyclopedia Britannica includes this in their definition of Nazism: an anti-intellectual and atheoretical movement, emphasizing the will of the charismatic dictator as the sole source of inspiration of a people and a nation, as well as a vision of annihilation of all enemies of the Aryan Volk as the one and only goal of Nazi policy. If you're wondering, as I was, "volk" just means people. Folks. Another word for tribe.

Think about Trumpism now. Definitely anti-intellectual! Read my last post and all doubts of that will wash away… unless you are of his tribe already. Atheoretical. No real theory behind it. I don't know how charismatic you find Trump, but he's a dick tater for sure. And his will is the sole source of inspiration amongst his... uh... volk. I will give other examples. The annihilation of all non-whites? Maybe not yet. But there is plenty of solid evidence that Trump is a white supremacist. His father, his hero and a guy who gave him enough money to buy himself god status in the head of a boy who likes nothing better, or possibly nothing other, was a member of the KKK and was even arrested during a protest. Right now he's close (again) to fighting a war with Iran because they may have bombed Saudi Arabia. See if anybody stops him even though it's a seriously stupid idea.

Remember about a dozen Trump Tribe scandals ago when he put his Sharpie to that map of the projected course of Hurricane Dorian? Well here's Wilbur Ross being a good tribemate. He threatened the jobs and livelihoods of members of NOAA after they corrected Trump's ignorant rantings that Alabama better prepare for the hurricane. The workers at NOAA were telling people that they didn't need to panic or store food and water or evacuate or other things people do in a false hurricane panic. They were doing their jobs. But they were contradicting the dictator of the Trump Tribe and their correctness needed to be corrected. You see how this works?

Remember several dozen Trump Tribe scandals previous to that when the Don made Bill Barr his new Attorney General? Barr had already written a 19-page tribal dance, which I read, and here is a fairly good summary of how moronic it was. I am not a lawyer but while reading this piece of obvious ass-suckery, I noticed one main Joseph Hellerian, Jonathan Swiftian, piece of sophistry written in fairly skilled legalese that could easily be missed. A perfect circle of logic that proceeds thusly: Donald Trump cannot be convicted of illegally obtaining his office of president, indeed any such attempt would be "disastrous" as would the characterization of any of his presidential acts as "obstruction of justice" by virtue of the fact that he IS the president making the manner in which he obtained or maintains the office irrelevant because the office transcends the law. This was just Bill Barr being a good Trump Tribesman.

Doug Stanhope says a lot of things about American people that are funnily accurate. People work 5 days to relax for two. They all hate it but anyone who hasn't, why, they haven't worked a day in their lives! They're proud of living a life they hate. Hard workers vs. people who don't work hard. Tribes. He says that Americans could vote on anything stupid like coffee or tea. Coffee would win. Probably 80 percent coffee and 19% tea. They'd fight for their choices too! But only the one percent say, "What? Who the hell cares?" And that's the right answer! They are trained to be tribal.

If you think tribalism is limited to the US, or if you think it's a new thing, I've got news for you! You may have noticed that reference I threw in last paragraph to Jonathan Swift. In the early 1700's he was writing satire about the politics and religion of England. (and France I guess) Most of you have heard of Gulliver's Travels and I bet a lot of you know of the country of Lilliput and its tiny people. But you may not have heard of Blefuscu or the Big-Endians and Little-Endians. Whigs and Tories, Catholic and Protestant, Swift equated the differences to about as important as how you break a boiled egg. Do you break it at the big end or little end. People formed tribes according to their preferences and many wars were fought.

Nowadays you walk down the street wearing a green shirt but that neighbourhood supports a red shirt football team, you'll get your ass kicked. Post game hooligan fights. Tribalism!

These days in Korea we are seeing tribalism at its finest. The party in power has recently appointed a new Minister of Justice named Cho Guk. But not without controversy. It appears that some skeletons have come out of his closet to create some phony outrage amongst the politicians and people, most or all of whom have MUCH scarier (and probably many MORE) monsters in THEIR closets you can bet. People are protesting, calling for his resignation, even shaving their heads, not because they think he's an unjust minister of justice, (hell, they've all done worse than what he's accused of) but I think it's mostly for two other reasons: one being to point fingers at another person with the hopes that you are assumed to be innocent of the crime you are condemning in that other individual (but of course you aren't), and the other being that he is a member of an opposing tribe, or political party.

Here is a very good summary of it. I have disagreed with Jason Lim in the past, but I think he's gotten it right this time. I was told by one of my students that many other people were considered for the position and all turned it down. Why? Because of the secrets that are exposed in the vetting process. I doubt they'd be able to find anyone with fewer than Cho Guk. And the people protesting would undoubtedly do the same or worse if they were in his shoes. I've worked in some of the most reputable universities in Korea and they're all corrupt. I've been asked countless times to help people cheat for educational or employment purposes. I've seen teachers helping students on standardized tests. I've been ordered to commit academic fraud. The education system is rife with cheating. I think I've mentioned before that I haven't given a test or even played a game (and we're talking well over a thousand tests and games here) without at least one person trying to cheat. Koreans are cheaters when it comes to education and from my experience the same goes for business. Like the Chinese, they blame it on the huge population and competition. Whatever the case may be, what Cho Guk did was the equivalent of nothing here really. Given his status and wealth, it's a bloody miracle he's cheated so little!

So why the outrage? Or the "fake" outrage as I've called it. The magnificent irony of it all is that the one-word answer is the very manufactured distraction that will be the highest hurdle in Cho Guk's stated mission of reforming the legal and political systems of Korea: tribalism.

I certainly can't leave my home and native land out of this post. It's election time in Canada. Tribalism's birthday. As usual I haven't taken much time to go through the candidates in enough detail to tell you which are the giant douches and which are the turd sandwiches. But I do know enough about them to not waste a vote on them. I'll tell you what though, if Cho Guk and Moon Jae In (the president of Korea) really DO take a bite out of corruption in Korea and it's not just a Xi Jin Pingian attempt to get rid of their political opponents under the GUISE of fighting corruption, I'll take a lot more interest in THEIR careers! We've had one politician in Canada that I know of since I was born who was actually like that. If another one comes around who genuinely wants to fight the deeply entrenched corruption and collusion between our politicians and our large industry and financial institutions, I'll support him/her. The sad thing is, that ship has probably sailed. Even the least corruptible Canadian who throws his/her hat in the ring will have a(n) Herculean task just to make it 4 years without losing self-respect.

I believe it's because, as in the US, people don't fully understand politics until they are deep in it. At that time they recognize that they don't have as much power to change things as they'd believed. In Canada we have two main parties, like most places. Ever wonder why that is? Because they do the same things. There's no creativity at all. The conservative parties make laws. Laws that benefit the rich. They sign contracts, treaties and business deals (with our tax money) that benefit the rich. Much of which the public doesn't know about or doesn't want.

But then it's the liberal party to the rescue, right? That's what we think. But they can't change much or any of the crap the conservative party did while they were in power. So they try to do things that LOOK liberal like increase immigration and create jobs. Unfortunately this also helps the rich. You might think the rich only vote for the conservatives and hate the liberal parties, but in reality, they are in such total control that they don't much care. Let me splain.

Remember when there were lots of good jobs? Like 40,000 bucks a year for example. Something a Canadian could survive on. Those jobs are disappearing because big businesses don't want to pay that much. Or pay benefits. Or pay anyone overtime or full time for that matter. So they don't. They divide a 40,000 a year job into two 20,000 a year or even better three 13,333 a year jobs. HEY you know what that is? It's "job creation!" At least that's what the politician take credit for. Canadians don't want to just eke by on 20,000 a year and CAN'T on 13,333. But people from other countries like China or India can!

How can a politician change this? They really can't. I think Justin Trudeau seems to be a good fella. He doesn't want to do a lot of things he's doing or break promises he's breaking, he has to. He promised not to build a pipeline to the west coast but he didn't know about Harper's 39 year deal with the Chinese. He can't get out of that so he has a choice: Build the pipeline and break the promise or lose a lawsuit to China and give them taxpayer's money instead of their contractually promised oil. People like him who had big dreams broken by the reality of Canadian politics eventually learn to drink or do drugs and just ease into the corruption. Do you suppose this is why he finally legalized marijuana?

And as if to support my blog post, the most followed meme of the day is a picture of Trudeau from his youth when he performed in an Arabian Knights play in "brown face" (which I didn't even know was a thing). Mysteriously popping up at election time and even though he has immigrant and refugee intake records of 1% a year during his term as PM (which is huge) one picture from his past makes him the devil. Recovering alcoholic: "I'm four years sober." Canada: "Hey good for you!" Trudeau: "I performed in brown face but have four years of stellar treatment of foreigners since." Canada: "Get thee behind me Satan!" Tribalism! I am sure he'll lose votes for this though. Do you see how it works? I mean after four years of reverse Robin Hood tax cuts and law changes taking from the poor and benefitting the rich this is like a Trump supporter voting for Liz Warren or Bernie Sanders because at some point in the year 2005, Trump didn't have Grey Poupon mustard in his fridge. Incidentally folks, he did this in Canada, not Greenbow A LA BAM A! Lighten up ffs! I am now scared to go as The Hulk on Halloween lest my "greenface" offend green people. And I can't run for office because when I was 7 I went as Aunt Jemima for Halloween. And, yes, my Mom darkened my face. That picture pops up on the internet and my political career is over before it begins!

What then is the purpose of this mindless tribalism? Why are we encouraged to pick a side and support them without knowing who or what we're voting for? Bear with me a bit longer. You might have noticed my reference above to the great Joseph Heller. You may know him as the author of "Catch 22," a classic and one of my faves. But he also wrote something called "Picture This," which is about the beginnings of democracy in ancient Greece. Like me, Heller considers politics nothing more than a spectator sport in that we are not participating, only watching our so-called democracies. The deterioration and corruption started as soon as the phenomenon was invented. "The motion in the Athenian assembly to invade Syracuse was deceitful, corrupt, chauvinistic, stupid, irrational and suicidal. It passed by a huge majority." This is one of the best lines from the book. Heller says that it is easier for government to create wars (us vs them, the ultimate tribalism) than to administer the domestic problems of society. The foremost task of the leader is to manipulate the emotions of the people and their only purpose is to keep their jobs.

Where did things go wrong? Well, Heller believes that human weakness is the answer to that. It was always expected that the captains of industry would control their democratic countries. What was also expected was that they would be men of integrity and once they had accumulated enough wealth, they'd concentrate their efforts on the public good. We're still patiently waiting for that to happen. I guess they haven't yet accumulated enough wealth. In 380 BC Plato said "All societies we know of are governed by the selfish interests of the ruling class." The illusion of participation in governance is all the rest are allowed. And a clever strategic part of that illusion is tribalism. We are encouraged to vote and choose sides and debate and even argue over politics if only for its legitimization. The legitimization of politics and our false participation in it distracts from the reality that we are all just victims of varying degrees of its corruption.

As for the idea that one person or even a group could come along and clean things up, well Heller and I agree on that too. He says, "There’s no system I can envision that would elevate to office the kind of people that we would like to see elevated."

More Idiot Than Asset

I heard from my 7:30 student this past Monday morning that Donald Trump MUST be smart if he's the CEO of this and the owner of that! It was a gut shot! Have I taught these men NOTHING?

Let's start off like this again: Please read this. It won't be difficult. If you're like me, once you start, you won't be able to stop. It's just too bad it is so short! I'm sure there is much more to be added, but not for free. The stories of Nikola Trumpsla's intellectual inadequacies will fill volumes even if (please GOD) he is only a one term president. If anybody around the Whitehouse found him useful, not excluding his family members who work there, he probably wouldn't be relegated to the golf course so often. 60% of his time at the Whitehouse (so that's not including golf time) is what has been euphemistically labeled "executive time."

Here's the Daily Show take on it. Watch the whole thing. It's worth it.

Trevor Noah has the president figured out. Until he loses (again please GOD) in 2020, just keep him far away from major issues lest he fuck up something that can't be unfucked. "I'm cool with OTHER presidents working hard, but I don't want MY little guy hurting his brain. Safety first."

If you run down what we know about his daily life, it's chilling. He says himself that he checks in with Fox News a LOT! With Sean Hannity nearly every weeknight. He does an inordinate amount of tweeting. On average 11 to 12 a day. Usually calling people names if they disagree with him. He watches a LOT of TV, including both Fox News and the "fake news." As mentioned, he golfs a ton. And, unsurprisingly, the "Commander in Cheat" cheats. 

Subtract toilet time, meals and sleep and he really can't have a whole lot of presidential stuff to prepare for. Yet he STILL manages to mess THAT up too. Use some of that time to learn how to pronounce hard words, get the names of people, countries and trails right, (there is no Tallahassee Trail) study hurricane strengths and trajectories, discover that you are not smarter than science, read, try it, it can only help. What in the wide, wide world of sports is stopping this lunatic from at least boning up on Russia and U.S./Russia relations? Doesn't this compulsive liar know that he is on trial for colluding with the Russians, he borrowed money from the Russians because banks don't lend him money any more so he NEEDS to lie and details make the lie? He constantly lies and still isn't good at it! People are already pretty sure of collusion. He's either a Russian asset or a useful idiot. There's that word again. If he were to take the stand in his trial on Russian collusion, he would lie, but not believably. Study, Donald, study!You don't have to read boring stuff like politics, that job you pretend to do, maybe you could read a story of a war hero or two. That way you could use some of the plot points to cover up your family history of military cowardice. You ARE supposed to be leading a country that doesn't much like that.

Wow, now I'm talking at Trump. He has that ability to bring out the frustration in you! Just ask Tony Schwartz. You may not know who that is, but you should. He's the guy who wrote "The Art of the Deal," NOT Donald Trump although Schwartz says over the years, he believes Donald Trump has convinced himself that he DID write the book. And if you ask Tony Schwartz, he's very worried that Trump will get his hands on the nuclear codes and that it will lead to the end of civilization. He feels a bit like Dr. Frankenstein being at least a little responsible for creating this monster. He believes Donald Trump will, and does, lie about anything. He equates his ghostwriting of the book as "putting lipstick on a pig." If he could change the title of the book, he says he'd call it, "The Sociopath."

He credits Trump with an unbelievably short attention span and doesn't believe he's read an entire book in his life although Ivana Trump claimed he kept a copy of "My New Order," Adolph Hitler's collected speeches in a cabinet beside his bed. Schwartz couldn't get information through interviews because Trump quickly got bored, so he was allowed to monitor Trump's calls and shadow him. He found that not intelligence, skill, or business savvy, but Trump's complete lack of conscience about lying, among other things, (plus a whole lot of his father's money and influence) gave him a strange advantage in business. And when challenged about his lies, he would double down and become angry and belligerent. Sound familiar?

In "The Art of the Deal," Trump described his father and massive benefactor, Fred Trump, as being born in New Jersey of Swedish parents. Recently, to Angela Merkel, he said his father was born in Germany. In fact, his father was born in the Bronx of Scottish and Bavarian parents. Whatever sounds better!

At the time, Schwartz noticed that Trump was cheating on Ivana with Marla Maples. He also noticed he spent very little time with his family and had no friends. "He's a transactional man - it was all about what you could do for him." He concluded the above article in the New York Times by saying, "If Trump is elected President, the millions of people who voted for him and believe that he represents their interests will learn what anyone who deals closely with him already knows—that he couldn’t care less about them.”

More recently, the New York Times has looked into Donald Trump's past taxes ('85-'94) and found a lot of interesting things! During the writing of the above book, Trump was DEEP in the red. This is why its own author refers to the book as a work of fiction. In the above ten years, according to IRS figures, Trump LOST 1.17 Billion dollars, which was more than almost any other single businessman. This means he was statistically, (almost) the worst businessman in America!

Trump is famous for claiming that he turned a small 1 million dollar loan from his father into an empire worth billions. The NY Times also found that he had inherited at LEAST 413 million dollars from his father. But the Washington Post has reported him going on a cash spending spree of 400 million in 2018. Where did he get that cash infusion? In a word: Russia.

Okay, I've given you a lot of reading to do. But to sum up, THIS is what all the glacially slow investigations into Trump will discover if they too aren't corrupt: He isn't, nor has he ever been a good businessman. He has remained rich due only to borrowed money from his old man, banks and Russia. Nobody knows how much he borrowed but he has lost almost as much. Why? Because he's a colossal IDIOT! Don't fall for his self-promotion. One of the only mysteries about him remaining is will he burn through the Russian cash before he eventually lands in prison?

Time will tell.

Unfortunately for the world, that other mystery, the one Trevor Noah and I am most concerned about, the un-unfuckable legacy worry remains. He's trying to make his mark. Everything he tries to do that, in his own little egotistical world, he thinks only HE is capable of doing, like making America great again, bringing peace and "total de-nuclearization" to the Koreas, changing global climate, rerouting hurricanes, and ending the war in Afghanistan, he fails at. With the next US election less than 14 months away, the world should be collectively shaking in terror wondering how this twit will "make his mark" on mankind before his tenure as president ends. Will he drop a nuclear bomb on a hurricane? Discover that pot is legal in Canada, conclude that there are "lots of bad people" to the north, declare war on Canada and build a Canadian border wall? Bomb Iran in some area where there is no oil? Pass legislation that allows fracking on the San Andreas Fault? Forget to remove his KKK hood before making an internationally televised speech on global co-operation? Give Putin the nuclear codes for his birthday? Purchase the stock market, then immediately declare bankruptcy? Appoint Ivanka Queen of the World?  Maybe because he's paranoid that Melania will run away with Justin Trudeau, he'll initiate a secret NASA program to bring the moon closer to the earth a la Jimmy Stewart. He'll fuck it up, of course, and the moon will crash into the earth causing complete devastation and ushering in the Apocalypse. Who knows what this imbecile is capable of?

Even though he doesn't do much, every day there is news about him that makes us wonder how he remains in his unearned position of so much power. He's like a monkey flying a plane. He might be okay while he's in the air, but eventually he'll need to land that aircraft. Will he accept help from a pilot or will he say, "Hey man, get away from me, I can land this thing. I am a fine pilot. Tremendous! The best!"

Time will tell.

Now go to sleep little ones. Sweet dreams!

Korea/Japan Trade War

Well evidently Korea didn't get the message when I suggested they shake hands and get back to business. Now, my last post may have been a bit harshly written, here's a very tactful and tastefully written account of the current trade war between Korea and Japan. Gregg A. Brazinsky is a teacher at George Washington U., he's written his thesis and a book on Korean history, so he's one of those non Koreans who knows more about Korea than Koreans. Though he speaks Chinese and Korean and looks like he may have Asian blood (with a name like Brazinsky it's gotta be only on the Mother's side) so he may NOT be, but his ability to face the truths that are hidden by both sides of the issues suggests to me that he has no skin (or blood) in the game. Hence, a more objective point of view.

I have shared this article in its entirety with a few of my students and they have all reacted very positively. They are astounded at the knowledge Gregg (and I) have about Korea. They genuinely don't think foreigners care enough to learn that much about a foreign country let alone Korea. One of my students ordered his book. It is really encouraging to see Koreans who can force themselves to look beyond the propaganda and politics and face reality. The general public in Korea is far too willing to get sucked in by anti-Japanese rhetoric spouted by politicians desperate to raise their approval ratings among others. "Japan sucks" is Korea's equivalent of "Support the troops" in the U.S. Or "Who wants Tim Hortons?" in Canada. Pretty much unquestioned support. But if Korea's not careful, this is going to bite them in the arse.

Recent events have illustrated that despite their position as the 11th largest economy in the world, Korea's dependence on Japan remains absolute. Japan withholds, in fact, they only have to THREATEN to withhold three chemicals necessary to the semi-conductor, tech, phone, tablet, high tech gizmo industry and within days the tech market destabilizes, the Korean currency loses 5% of its value, chip prices spike, and people panic about their phones being more expensive or harder to get. On one hand Korea should feel proud that the world is so dependent on THEM for their gadgets, but on the other hand, the clear message was that messing with Japan could jeopardize your economy. While you are still dependent upon them, you don't have that luxury.

So what was the Korea reaction? Did they start pursuing diversification even though Japan is close, convenient and comfortable? I haven't seen that yet. Did they say, "Sorry Japan, sorry. We didn't mean to embarrass you by forcing you to pay a pittance to some guys you subjected to slavery during WWII." Nope. Did they say, "Okay, we need to learn from the forefathers we imagine we are honouring by pissing Japan off and separate our history from our economy and work with the Japanese to make Korea economically prosperous?" Don't think so. The collective reaction of Koreans inexplicably seems to have been, "Poke the bear and it hurts our country? Well then let's poke the bear even MORE!"

The key line in the above article states, "For a more peaceful and prosperous future, countries must contend with history - no matter how ugly." See what I mean he's tactful? He doesn't even say KOREA needs to deal with their history, he says "countries." But it comes to bear. There are many countries that have had severe atrocities committed against them and are now doing business with the country that wronged them. Vietnam is doing business with the U.S. and Korea. 50% of Samsung phones are made there. Yet if you read about the atrocities committed during the Vietnam War by Koreans against Vietnamese, it is chillingly similar to what Koreans suffered from Japan. And much more recently!

So what needs to happen? How can Korea "deal with their history?" Just forgive and forget? That's not likely or even possible. Why not? What are the Koreans' feelings about what needs to happen? If you follow the story it's usually the same thing. In 1965 with Park Chung Hee and later with his daughter Park Geun Hye, the problem was that Korean individuals didn't get a voice. They didn't get any of the money either. Or for that matter a believable apology. But let's concentrate on the voice part because I think that is the key to solving this historical mess and getting these countries back to making money together instead of a trade war of attrition.

You see, I believe the people who suffered the atrocities DID have a voice. A fucking strong one! I think they sent an incredibly clear message. It just hasn't really been recognized by Koreans because they are so bent on punishing Japan by working against them. They are not honouring their forefathers in this way no matter how genuinely they believe they are. And this is not ME, a white guy, trying to tell Koreans what their forefathers wanted, this is me telling Koreans that it wasn't just the Japanese who weren't listening.

Read the article. If you don't get the message from the Korean victims of Japanese atrocities, read it again. It'll come to you. It should be pretty loud and clear. What did they do immediately after the war? Did they pursue vengeance on the hated Japanese? No. They actually worked with them. For 20 years! Because they didn't want to leave a poor country to their children. Then in 1965 when the Japanese agreed to normalization payments in exchange for Koreans foregoing any further claims for wartime or colonial atrocities, what did they do? They worked with the Japanese for ANOTHER 20 years. People who were raped, tortured, forced to adopt a foreign culture and forget their own, worked for nothing, put that all aside. They were silent for 40 years! But in that 40 years the Korean economic miracle occurred and by cooperating with the Japanese, Koreans had made a prosperous country and a bright future for their families. I can't imagine being tortured or raped or living in a forced labour camp, but I don't imagine it would be much less suffering (if any) going to work every day and smiling at the war criminals who have brought such suffering onto you and your peers... for 40 years!

There is no debating it, the economy of Korea was a LOT more important to the generation that suffered under the yoke of Japanese mistreatment than was the mistreatment. What they clearly wanted was to make a country that is peaceful and prosperous so such things wouldn't happen ever again. I don't think you need to be a(n) historian, or a Korean to pick that up. I read them.

The question is, do Koreans read them? It appears they don't. Let me just run down the list of actions that have been taken or promised recently by Koreans that could jeopardize and/or diminish the business relationship their forefathers have built for them. The government of Korea has removed Japan from the Korean equivalent of the Japanese white list, their "fast track list of trading partners." They have threatened to pull out of GSOMIA, a military intelligence sharing agreement with Japan. The agreement ends in November and Korea says they won't renew. 2 self-immolations. Seoul demanded a Japanese war ship take down the rising sun flag or be barred from port. Also they are demanding that flag not be displayed at the upcoming Tokyo Olympics. There is even talk of Korea boycotting those Olympics. Seoul is planning to tighten travel and food restrictions for the Fukushima area for fear of radiation poisoning. Including Olympic events held there and Olympic foods from there. And boycotts of clothes, beer, cars, travel, even fuel. And it seems like almost daily there are new battles in the war.

I'll tell you what else happens daily, I wake up dreading to see what I saw in 1997 when I was here, the Korean won value cut in half. All THAT required was an IMF credit rating downgrade. If Japan cuts economic ties with Korea, I think it might have the same effect.

The people in Korea and Japan who need to kiss and make up have never committed atrocities against one another. Practically all the victims are dead. There are like 3 comfort women and 10 guys who did forced labour for Nippon Steel and Mistubishi I think. And they're not working any more. So it should be a lot easier for Koreans and Japanese to get along. Maybe in a decade or two Korea will be so rich they can eliminate their dependence on Japan. THEN they'll have fun lobbing "face" grenades like the above court hearing at the Japanese. I would enjoy seeing it then. I still think Japan has the chosen-by-God chip on their shoulder and they could stand to lose a little face from time to time to keep them honest. By the way, the court ruling for those 10 workers was about 100,000 dollars each for their slave labour. Mitsubishi and Nippon Steel were fine with it. A million bucks is absolutely nothing to them. But it was the government and Shinzo Abe who refused to pay. To save "face."

But Korea just can't afford to be doing stuff like this if it will sink their economy. So the best course of action right now is to stop with the historical bickering. Put it aside like their forefathers taught them to do. Work their asses off until they earn independence. THEN they won't be so vulnerable when they take nationalistic actions.

It's easy to say. Hard to do. But not nearly so hard as what Korean old-timers put themselves through to establish this, the 11th largest economy in the world. Koreans would do well to keep that in mind.