Who Are the Bad Guys?

The most illustrious, most powerful men and women of the American political classes have always been fond of telling us who the Bad Guys were. According to them we’re surrounded by them, have been for a long time. In the 50’s and 60’s it was the Russians. Remember them? They had recently contributed 20 million dead to help us win the Second World War, but we immediately felt we had to be their enemies. Churchill, who was miffed for being sidelined by Roosevelt and Stalin at Yalta, actually advocated “neutralizing” them as soon as the war was over.

House Speaker John Boehner’s Exceptional World

John Boehner, the new speaker of the House of Representatives, second in the line of succession to the presidency of the United States (after the vice president), recently attacked President Barak Obama’s State of the Union address because the president “refused to talk about American exceptionalism. We are different than (sic) the rest of the world,” said Boehner.

Is This the Outbreak of The American Civil War II?

People on this side of the Atlantic and further afield have been wondering for a long time what’s going on in the U.S.A., and what is it all building up to? Please permit me to suggest that the American Civil War II, which has been brewing for past four decades (roughly since I departed for good; I never should have left them alone…) has suddenly, in Tucson, Arizona on January 8, 2011, turned into a shooting war.

Just Say Goodbye, a Self-Exile Primer III/III

Making a Living Abroad

Let’s consider your possibilities for making a living. Obviously, if you’re a writer or a visual artist, you’re in business.  You can do your work (almost) anywhere.  Or, if you have money to invest you might get into rental property or a business. This is trickier and, having failed in a couple of businesses myself, I wouldn’t recommend it. The European bureaucratic obstacles can be formidable, and doing business here requires a lengthy, expensive learning process. Can your work be done over Internet?  A lot of jobs can these days.  If that’s your case, then you’re home free.

Just Say Goodby, A Self-Exile Primer II/III

How to Get Started

You need to start out with a mission statement. That’s your North Star; it has to do with the essence of your project and your objectives. That is to say, what are your priorities and where do you want to go, not only geographically, but philosophically? Think hard about it and get it right. Again, you’re not in a hurry. This is the genetic code of your expatriation project, and if you get it wrong at the outset, when the cells of the embryo are just beginning to divide, you may run into trouble down the line.

Just Say Goodbye, A Self-Exile Primer I/III

Fed Up?

So, you’re finally fed up with the seemingly endless string of cynical,  self-serving, and ruthless  magnates, politicians, and generals, and the infirm society they have created for you and your fellow Americans.  You’re frustrated, ashamed and depressed. You really want out.  You’re convinced, ready to make your move.

Would you like to hear a few suggestions from someone who’s been through it, and who has met a lot of people over the years who have achieved the goal that you aspire to? Maybe I can help you out. Expatriating one’s self is like any other worthwhile project; it requires some planning. You don’t just pack your bags. First you think the whole thing through, consider your alternatives, make preparations, and cultivate contacts, both in your home and destination countries—you’re going to need all the friends and business contacts you can get.

Arundhati Roy–The Article the NY Times Refused to Publish after 911

I just ran across this eerily prescient article by Indian novelist, journalist and activist, Arundhati Roy, published by The Guardian on September 29, 2001, less than three weeks after 911. The New York Times refused to publish the article. They probably thought she was a dangerous Commie. And she is.  Just look at her face.

Here’s the link: http://www.guardian.co.uk/Archive/Article/0,4273,4266289,00.html

Read’em and weep.

A Poll on the Gringos’ Valiant Drone Bombing Which Killed 100 Innocent People in Pakistan

It’s Been a Very Good Year

We All Want the Same Thing

When I was a child at school we were taught the importance of individuality, how different we all were from one another. Now that I’m an old codger I feel more and more like everybody else. All of us old codgers want the same thing: for our kids and grandkids to be healthy and happy. So please bear with me while I give you a quick rundown on ours.

I’m at a Loss for Words

In a week in which it comes to light that President George W. Bush revealed that God told him to invade Iraq–with all that implies–and former Repulican presidential candidate–and pretender to the vice-presidential slot along with John McCain–Mike Huckabee made a supposedly jocular comment in the middle of a speech to the American Rifle Association to the effect that his Democratic opponent, Barak Obama, was taking cover as someone had him in their sights, I am at a loss for words.