text:
The American People Are Coming to Terms With The Fact That Their Government Is A Dictatorship
Eric Zuesse
Fri, 29 Dec 2017 00:00 UTC
Gallup headlined on December 18th, "Americans View Government as Nation's Top Problem in 2017". Their report made clear that though this finding was unprecedented, it's part of a longer-term trend, toward Americans naming America's own "government as the most important problem facing the nation." In a democracy, the public do not view the nation's government to be (as in America) their enemy (which is the case if they view the "government as the most important problem facing the nation"). Americans increasingly view the Government as their enemy.
In a dictatorship, only the people who control the government are satisfied with the government; but, in a democracy, the public are satisfied with the government - or else that government will be replaced in elections by people who control the government and who do provide government that the public approve of. In the United States, we're instead moving in the exact opposite direction: steadily going from one government to another, none of which wins the public's approval; and the present American government winning the public's approval even less than its predecessors did. This is not the situation that exists in authentic democracies. It's what one expects to find in a country that's ruled by a dictatorship. Dictators don't need to worry so much about polls, because they don't represent the public; they exploit the public - they use the public.
The only scientific study that has yet been done on the question of whether the U.S. is, in fact, run by a democratic government, or instead by a dictatorial one (specifically by an oligarchy, or a government that represents only the richest citizens), was published in September 2014, and it found clearly that the U.S. is definitely not a democracy, but the other type: that "the preferences of the average American appear to have only a minuscule, near-zero, statistically non-significant impact upon public policy", whereas "economic elites and organized groups representing business interests have substantial independent impacts on U.S. government policy"; and, furthermore, that, "The real-world impact of elites upon public policy may be still greater" than their statistics indicate, because the researchers weren't able to measure the impact that the super-rich have on policy, but only the impact that the rich have on policy (versus the impact that the total American public have on policy). The rich control America's Government, but whether the richest do, wasn't able to be researched, as of 2014.
This academic study's scientific methodology was so good, so that no one, as of yet, in the more than three years since its publication, has been able to find any flaw in its data or methodology. Its headline, like its writing, was as dull as possible, "Testing Theories of American Politics", and this (and especially its atrocious writing) might at least partially explain why America's mainstream press overwhelmingly has ignored that seminal and landmark study in the social sciences, and especially has ignored that study's enormous implications, regarding contemporary U.S. politics and government. (A vastly clearer presentation of that study, and of its findings, can be found here in this 6-minute video summary of it.)
Increasingly after that time, particularly after Donald Trump's becoming U.S. President on 20 January 2017, polls are confirming strongly that what this scientific analysis said, describes, even more starkly than before, the American reality - that the U.S. federal Government now blatantly ignores public opinion, and is controlled instead only by the rich.
One example of this phenomenon was recently headlined by me "Poll: By 2-to-1, Americans Oppose Moving U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem", and it reported that in the only two published national polls in the U.S. that were taken prior to Trump's announcement that the U.S. Embassy in Israel will be moved from Tel Aviv to the disputed city of Jerusalem - one having been a November 2017 poll of 2,000 Americans, published on December 11th, and the other being a September 2017 poll of 1,000 U.S. Jews - the overall U.S. public opposed any such move by 63% to 31%, and U.S. Jews opposed it by around similar percentages (though the polling-questions on the two polls differed significantly and therefore their findings are not directly comparable). Furthermore, that article also linked to another question which was included in the November poll, and which showed that only a minority of Americans - almost all of whom are Democrats - believe that Russia is a "foe" of the United States; and, of course, the U.S. federal Government (even the existing Republican one) does consider Russia, more than any other country, to be America's foe; so, that, too, presents a stark contrast between the Government and its public.
Furthermore, on December 14th, Hillary Clinton's 2008 campaign manager, the pollster Mark Penn, whom she had mis-cast into the role of her campaign's strategist in 2008, headlined at The Hill, "Mueller, FBI face crisis in public confidence", and he summarized numerous polls which were finding that whereas Americans overwhelmingly distrust President Donald Trump, Americans distrust even more the Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation that's trying to find reasons to impeach and remove him from office. Americans are getting increasingly scared of their Government, and now distrust both sides of it.
Another addition to these polls that show America's public to be ignored by America's Government (other than for the public to be manipulated by means of the major newsmedia that the billionaires who control this Government own), was also issued on December 18th, and this poll was headlined "Half The Public Say Their Taxes Will Go Up Under GOP Plan". It scientifically sampled 806 Americans, and reported that:
"Nearly half the American public (47%) disapprove of the tax reform bills passed by the Senate and House and just 26% approve. ... Strong disapproval (35%) of the proposal far outweighs strong approval (13%). ... In 'swing' counties where the margin of victory for either candidate was less than ten points, 30% approve of the plan compared with 38% who disapprove. ... Many Americans see this bill more as an attempt by Republicans to gain a political victory and would rather see Congress scrap this plan and start over. ... Half of the public (50%) predict that the federal taxes they pay will go up with the plan now under consideration by Congress. Just 14% say their taxes will go down. ... The public was much more optimistic right before Trump took the oath of office in January. Back then, two-thirds expected that the middle class would benefit from the policies of a Trump administration."
All polls show that the American public believe overwhelmingly that only the rich will benefit from the Trump/Republican tax-law changes. (If purely the long-term impacts, such as the resultant soaring public debt, are considered, then this perception, by the public, of the tax-law changes, is almost certainly accurate.) The blatancy with which U.S. federal policy violates what the polls show that the American public overwhelmingly want (such as reducing the federal debt), and imposes instead upon the public what they clearly don't want (such as increasing that debt), is now stunning.
Such findings provide yet additional evidence that the far more extensively documented findings in the massive study "Testing Theories of American Politics" apply with special force today, probably even more so than they did in the period from 1981 to 2002, which was the period that that empirical study had examined in detail. Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter expressed publicly on 28 July 2015 (even before Trump was President), that, "Now it's just an oligarchy with unlimited political bribery being the essence of getting the nominations for president or being elected president. And the same thing applies to governors, and U.S. Senators and congress members." He was stating what is, by now, an increasingly proven fact. America is a dictatorship.
However, current U.S. Government office-holders haven't publicly expressed any such view, although the Democratic U.S. Presidential candidate whom Hillary Clinton 'beat' in 2016, Bernie Sanders, has come the closest to saying it.
It's not even clear, however, whether a majority of Americans actually want a democratic government. On 9 September 2015, the YouGov poll headlined "Could a coup really happen in the United States?" (which question presumed that a U.S. coup hadn't already happened, such as on 9 December 2000, or on 22 November 1963, though there is evidence that it happened in both cases), and YouGov reported that "when people are asked whether they would hypothetically support the military stepping in to take control from a civilian government which is beginning to violate the constitution, 43% of Americans would support the military stepping in while 29% would be opposed." Perhaps many in that large 43% plurality of Americans were somehow blissfully ignorant that the American Government routinely not only was "beginning to violate" but routinely had been and were violating, the U.S. Constitution, such as by placing onto its Supreme Court, anti-Constitutional 'Justices' who arbitrarily label political money as "speech" that's unlimitedly protected by the First Amendment, so that unlimited political spending by billionaires can effectively control the U.S. Government (such oligarchy as is now scientifically established to be the case), or by violating the Constitution in so many other ways, such as by simply not enforcing certain laws in certain cases, such as by refusing to prosecute the banksters whose frauds caused (and who profited from) the 2008 financial crash - they perpetrated a massive unpunished crime against the public, and this is supposed to be 'democracy'.
But regardless: a 43%-to-29% plurality of the nation's public are so pro-military as to favor a U.S. coup under that vague condition; they would prefer the military, an intrinsically anti-democratic authoritarian institution, to take direct control over the U.S. Government - as if there could be some valid excuse for this intrinsically dictatorial institution to overthrow the established and supposedly legal government, and to replace it by one that's not just supposedly, but blatantly, illegal to be in control of the Government. This would mean that America's billionaires - people who already own and profit from the military's weapons-making firms - will take control of America, even if they don't already have control. They control the military-industrial complex, because they control the Deep State that, in any capitalist country, IS the military-industrial complex. They control the weapons-manufacturing firms such as Lockheed Martin, and also the megabanks, and the lobbying firms, and all the rest of the systematic corruption (the Deep State), which controls the U.S. government.
That same poll (question 13) also asked "Do you believe that the military has a duty to protect the Constitution against domestic enemies?" and 72% answered "Yes" and 12% answered "No." Thus, by a 6-to-1 margin, Americans don't know the difference between the function that the military and CIA are supposed to perform, versus the function that the police and the FBI and entire Justice Department are supposed to perform. As if that's not frightening enough about America, Americans now support the nation's military-industrial complex above all other institutions, public or private. The war-making institution isn't used only for defense (though its PR euphemism is 'the defense establishment' and it should instead be called "the invasion-and-coup establishment"), but it is also - and now almost exclusively - used for invasions and coups that are based on lies (from 'the defense establishment', boosting their own business), such as invasions and coups against Iraq 2003, Libya 2011, and Ukraine 2014. Instead of despising that institution of conquest, Americans now admire it, above all others - and far above all the rest of the U.S. Government.
So: "Could a coup really happen in the United States?" A coup wouldn't even be necessary in order to produce a dictatorship here, which has already long existed in this country. And, while domestic spending is being slashed by the existing U.S. regime, military spending (which already is as large as the next ten largest national military budgets in the world) is soaring. Why would America's generals want to perpetrate a coup? They're already getting almost everything they want - and without the opprobrium they'd suffer from a coup. It would be plain stupid for them to do that. The very question which was asked in that poll was a bad joke, but a full 72% of the U.S. public not only didn't ridicule the idea, but actually endorsed it. They endorsed what's commonly called a 'police state', but which actually is a "military state" - rule by the military. Maybe that's what we've already got. But, behind the military-industrial complex, stand the nation's billionaires - the people who really run U.S. foreign policies.
If that brute fact can't become understood by the American people, then not only does democracy no longer exist in the U.S., but the basis to create (or restore) democracy here is likewise absent. Americans are big supporters of the military-industrial complex. The U.S. public have been deceived about what it is, and what it isn't - so deceived, that they place it at the top, as the most respected of all institutions. How much more upside-down - black is white, white is black - like Big Brother's "Newspeak," could the U.S. public be duped to be, than that? If America's invasion-and-coup institution is at the top, then why are all the others held in lower esteem than this - the most-corrupt of all institutions in America?
HVACTech · 2017-12-30T02:42:58Z
"it's part of a longer-term trend, toward Americans naming America's own "government as the most important problem facing the nation. " In a democracy, the public do not view the nation's government to be (as in America) their enemy (which is the case if they view the "government as the most important problem facing the nation"). Americans increasingly view the Government as their enemy."
I never read past this first paragraph.
our founders Despised Democracy . and did NOT give us one.
you would do well sir, to discover the nature of your own culture.
Government is not reason, it is not eloquence, it is force. Like fire it is a dangerous servant and a fearsome master. George Washington
HVACTech "The new government was to be strong enough to defend the nation's interests internationally, promote commerce and protect property, and prevent the threat posed by "excessive democracy." The House of Representatives was designed to be directly responsible to the people to encourage popular consent for the Constitution."
Democracy is NOT a new idea. and neither is socialism . both of these ideas predate BCE. (before common era) we humans have a LOT of experience with these ideas. our founders knew this. in the late 1700's.
and they took the appropriate measures.
lsjarvi · 2017-12-30T03:58:46Z
"This would mean that America's billionaires - people who already own and profit from the military's weapons-making firms - will take control of America, even if they don't already have control. They control the military-industrial complex, because they control the Deep State that, in any capitalist country, IS the military-industrial complex ."
Ignoring the obvious assumption that military generals or commanders who would take such action would do so to wrest control from the Deep State banksters and their flunkies. Why else would they take such an action?
This article appears to have an agenda.
"Do you believe that the military has a duty to protect the Constitution against domestic enemies?" and 72% answered "Yes" and 12% answered "No." Thus, by a 6-to-1 margin, Americans don't know the difference between the function that the military and CIA are supposed to perform, versus the function that the police and the FBI and entire Justice Department are supposed to perform."
Under circumstances in which a coup is necessary to defend the constitution, these rules (which, by the way, are deteriorating anyway due to the militarization of the police), no longer obtain. Obviously.
"But, behind the military-industrial complex, stand the nation's billionaires - the people who really run U.S. foreign policies.
If that brute fact can't become understood by the American people, then not only does democracy no longer exist in the U.S., but the basis to create (or restore) democracy here is likewise absent."
The very concept of democracy in a country this large and having this much diversity of interests, is absurd. It never has existed, except as a bedtime story for credulous people. A coup would not "restore democracy." The truth is that it would result in chaos and misery. However, only when chaos isn't designed by the oligarchs, but happens in spite of them, taking the reigns of power are out of their greedy hands, can it open up new possibilities.
There's no non-pain route from here to there. That must be understood.
graeme15b · 2017-12-30T12:30:18Z
Ben Franklin was asked, by a reporter when he left the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia, "what you wrote Ben" to which he replied, "a Republic, if you can keep it" ... He also said, "those that give up liberty, for temporary security, deserve neither, and will lose both"...A few more Ben Franklin quotes.. ."Three may keep a secret, if two of them are dead." ... "In wine there is wisdom, in beer there is Freedom, in water there is bacteria."...lol. ... "We are all born ignorant, but one must work hard to remain stupid."...As i understand, the founders hated Democracy, and considered it the worst form of government. Rule by the majority, mob rule. Then you have polls, saying this , or that, the majority want this, etc... Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote.
I like Bill Coopers description, that the US was an experiment, to see if "the people" are fit to govern themselves, and that question has been well and truly answered. Its all so easy to blame the rich for all the problems of the day, but surely the 99% must take 99% of the blame, yes?
graeme15b Ben Franklin could say the most cynical things and at the same time snow people with his benevolent, wise old man act. Would we have been able to see the sociopath behind the mask if he had lived today? My guess is that he would have been just as successful, unfortunately.
You appear to understand why this system of government was never meant to be a democracy, then say that you agree with the idea that it was an experiment to see if the people are fit to govern themselves. I'm honestly confused where you stand.
lsjarvi No, i said i like the idea that Bill Cooper put forward, that it was an experiment to see if the people could govern themselves. Not necessarily agreeing with that idea, more like, open to the idea. At some level perhaps, whether by design or not, perhaps he had a point? If you read the 7 articles of the constitution, and the 10 amendments of the bill of rights, and maybe the 17 amendments afterwards, it seems that the designers gave the people all the tools to overturn a tyrannical government, Today, the leaders of the US spout democracy this, and democracy that, and the word democracy doesn't appear in the constitution. Hence Ben Franklin's retort, "if you can keep it"! I have a little booklet, that has the constitution and amendments written. Still, i need to find it, and read it, as i haven't in a while. But, as i am aware, the word democracy isn't written in it. Aaron Russo made a film called, America, freedom to fascism, which explores the 16th amendment, the federal reserve, and the IRS. Worth a watch, i reckon.
cayrick · 2017-12-30T14:49:27Z
Americans are the only people on the planet that believes their own propaganda.
- They know the term "fake news" and newspaper readership is on the decline but where do they source the news; from Fox because it is not CNN. They fail to realize that in the 80's there was over 20 corporations that controlled the media now there are 6.
- Americans believe in having a powerful military. 52 cents of every dollar the government spends goes to the military. Why? The US military budget is larger than the next 8 largest spenders combined. To protect against whom? The questions a dumbed down America forgets to ask is "who is getting rich". When you spend this much on military you need to have enemies.. If there are none you invent them. Is it coincidence that Israel's enemies are America's enemies; Iran, Syria, Lebanon, Afghanistan, N. Korea, Yemen.Is it a coincidence that the US has had about 20 yrs of peace since its inception?
- Why does the US have sanctions against Russia, who in a referendum had the support of 95% of the population and N. Korea who has attacked nobody and has nukes; but on the other hand Israel refuses to sign the nuclear non proliferation treaty and refuses to allow IAEA inspectors into Israel. Israel by the way has publicly stated the Samson option (look it up). Israel illegally seizes land in Palestine and is engaged in ethnic cleansing. Why are there no sanctions against Israel?? Saudi Arabia has a horrible record of human rights abuses as does Bahrain where the 7th fleet parks. Why no sanctions against these guys?
Why, when there is a financial crisis as in 2008 do banks who distribute money but create nothing get enormous bailouts and loans at zero percent rates ( look at the results of the Ron Paul partial FED audit). Corporations that produce real value added products and high paying jobs get crumbs.
Why is money creation and short term interest rate policy placed in the hands of a private institution that is neither Federal nor has any Reserves. They have no reporting requirements and charge interest rates on money they create from nothing. If you did this you would be charged with counterfeiting; a felony. The FED gets a free pass.
The FED's mandate is to maintain the spending power of the currency and keep unemployment low. Real unemployment as measured by John Williams of Shadow Stats is between 25-30%. The governments stat which is under constant revision is about 5%. We are also told inflation is 2%; does anyone in gov't pay rent, buy groceries or gas. The FED has somewhere between 300-1,000 PHD Economists on staff. The dollar has lost 95% of its value since the creation of the most recent incarnation of a private central bank and I have already indicated the most recent real unemployment numbers. Matter of fact if real unemployment was 5% as the government claims; why are 48-50 million people on food stamps.
With all that intellectual horsepower in the FED, how can they screw up their official mandate so badly. Why does the FED pay no taxes, have 40 private jets and show no financial stats to the government or the public? Why doesn't the Treasury Department do what the FED is doing. If the government created its own money there would be no need to pay interest on debt to an entity that prints it out of nothing. That would mean little or no Federal income tax. If you paid no federal tax would your standard of living rise or fall? Could the FED's real agenda be to load up government and the public with debt to maximize shareholder profits? Remember the FED is a privately held corporation whose stock is held by big banks who are controlled by wealthy banking families like the Rockefellers and Rothchilds.
Does the FED serve the elite and political classes or the American public. Zero percent loans goes to those elite entities that can buy assets on the cheap and play the carry trade game. Not to you. Because there is so much debt in the system the financial and economic system is anything but stable. The FED, through debt and credit has brought the economy to the brink along with the derivatives market. Banks are in the business of lending money not playing the derivatives market and making risky bets. When and not if these banks get into trouble again, they will be using your money (bail-ins) to keep them from failing. Ask yourself who is the government working for: the banking class or you, the public? The same banksters have huge lobby groups, fund election campaigns and change legislation to allow banks to make riskier bets; all at your expense. Remember when Bill Clinton of Lolita Express fame passed the Financial re-engineering .legislation that killed the Glass Steagle Act designed to prevent a 1929 style bank debacle. Now we are in a situation worse than 1929.
Why would a gov't that serves the people, not get rid of the FED and Make America Great Again.
There used to be an economic principle called "comparative Advantage". That means countries and regions in nations specialized in economic production of products where they had a natural advantage. That is to say if you had a geography that lent itself to cattle grazing you specialized in leather production; if you had huge deposits of easy to access iron ore you specialized in steel production or if you had an abundance of hydro power you specialized in production of material that were energy intensive like aluminum. However with rising populations in regions of the planet where there is cheap and abundant manpower who are industrious it becomes advantageous to produce labor intensive production in these areas if consuming nations have no duties or tariffs. Today trade agreements such as NAFTA, GATT and WTO and special Trading Status for China have created such an environment. Furthermore many of these nations have very weak environmental protection laws, no employee benefits and health plans or protective legislation for employees. Litigation laws are everywhere less onerous than in the US. This is a compelling story to offshore as much production as possible. The result has been a windfall for manufacturers and some retailers but devastating to the US domestic american workforce. Trump has made symbolic moves to dismantle trade agreements but because China holds so much US debt and sells Cheap products to the US it is untouchable, yet it is the biggest threat to US labor.
The salvation and pacifier for the American public is the petro dollar which requires all petroleum producing and consuming nations to hold dollar denominated reserves. Non compliant nations in the past were rewarded with bombs and or invasions. Today producers are moving away from deals in dollars. In 2018 it is likely that the era of the petro dollar will end. This undoubtedly will force a Trump led reset of the dollar where the American standard of living will begin a steep decline. This is when Bubba will come to the realization that he is living in a dictatorship but it will be too late to react.
Solare · 2017-12-30T16:08:47Z
The Universe is organic...as above, so below. An immune response to the Satanic virus infecting humanity is forthcoming by means of The Ancient of Days (C/2017 K2) which kills all organisms, both good and bad, in order to re-establish natural equilibrium. ("Three Days of Darkness")
This event is coming in two parts: first, by means of a Grand Solar Minimum, now in progress, which will precipitate a mini-ice age and catastrophic seismic and volcanic activity; and secondly, the grand finale when a powerfully electrically charged comet reboots planet earth and restores it to pristine condition, thus ending one hopelessly corrupted age and beginning another renewed in Universal Justice. The Great (Cometary) Motor Renews the Centuries (Nostradamus [Link] )
Rejoice! The end of the Age of (Full Spectrum) Deception is finally at hand and you will be born again in a Golden Age where truth and natural harmony rein supreme. Unfortunately, it will be born in much pain as society will collapse in war and great privation.
Ned Ludd · 2017-12-30T16:50:18Z
Americans are going to have to experience a lot more pain before the lazy buggers find the motivation to throw off their corrupt rulers.
Comet C/2017 K2 was manifesting activity far beyond that of any other comet. Comets are not "dirty snowballs" as theorized by senile Charmin Toilet Paper salesman George (alias Fred) Whipple. [Link]
In reality, they are highly electrically charged solid bodies in various stages of becoming a full blown planet as was Hale-Bopp. Hale-Bopp was the size of the moon and manifested volcanic activity, all of which was hush-hushed by the deceivers at NASA (Never A Straight Answer) because it didn't fit their screwball snow cone-head model. In the Age of Deception, telling truth is a revolutionary act and the Cult of Satan will have none of that. Knowledge is power. In order to victimize humanity we must remain ignorant and weak.
The Universe is Organic and self-correcting, just as living organisms possesses immune systems to combat dis-ease. A dis-eased planet, like earth, afflicted as it is by a very deceptive Satanic retro-virus, causes an immune response from the cosmos which summonses an antibody we call a comet. The comet, unfortunately, kills both the good and bad viruses on the planet, however, since the soul is eternal, it will be born again on the planet after pristine conditions have been restored and the Satanic virus has been eradicated.
This is what is meant in scripture referring to a new heaven and new earth. Today we call it a "reboot".
In the final analysis, everything is electrical in the Universe...right down to the mitochondria within cells. The powerful electrical charge of the comet will suspend time and space, thus opening a portal to other dimensions during the chaotic transformation of the earth from a discombobulated broken down ball of dirt to remanufactured shiny like-new planet. For some idea of the particulars of this very dramatic age ending event, see "The Three Days of Darkness" coming to the planet under you.
LindaMay ·
Bless You Solar! And me
· 2017-12-30T18:00:02Z
Ragnar · 2017-12-30T22:33:51Z
Referring to the US being a democracy has always irritated me. It has always been a republic. The rule of law rather then the will of the people is supreme in America.
baron · 2017-12-30T23:07:09Z
Ragnar It's been an evolution Ragnar. We began as so-called colonies of the crown under the rulership of military dictators appointed to the task as so-called Governors. A title we have unfortunately carried with us to this day.
It's not true that the US was more of pure elite rule in the late 18th century because the people at the time of the formation of the United States were armed with the military weapons of the their day; These same people themselves insisted on the Bills of Rights as the Supreme Laws of this nation by repeatedly refusing to ratify the new Federal Constitution without the safe guards to personal liberty contained in the Bills of Rights; the vote to adopt the New Federal Constitution was by plebiscite, or strictly a vote by every legal man and not all black men were slaves either, but women and slaves obviously were not counted as worthy of being anything other than property.
So despite how it is often painted in the history cook books...smile..that's for you ya know....well the people were armed, and they were tough as well, and the wealthy also respected them, unlike today, so there was actually much greater freedom and liberty than there is now.
It's important to understand that the United States Federal Constitution only exists because of the Bills of Rights; not the other way round. All states rejected the Constitution until they were incorporated in to the Federal Constitution, otherwise we would still be living under the Articles of Confederation, and
baron "We are all born ignorant, but one must work hard to remain stupid.". . Ben Franklin. (odes to graeme15b )
the US Constitution was ratified WITHOUT the bill of rights. it was ratified on June 21 1788.
the bill of rights was added almost as an afterthought. on December 15 1791.
the bill of rights was added nearly 4 years AFTER... the Constitution was ratified.
you sir. are either a troll or willfully ignorant.
Ragnar When attempting to define a word it is often best to begin with its etymology, its linguistic origin. The word Democracy is derived from two Greek words: Demos meaning "People", and Kratos meaning "Power". Autos means "Self" in Greek.
Democracy = demos kratos (it is Greek because it was invented in ancient Greece)
Republic is Res publica.
Res publica is a Latin phrase, loosely meaning 'public affair'. It is the root of the word 'republic', and the word 'commonwealth' has traditionally been used as a synonym for it; however translations vary widely according to the context.
the Romans invented the Republic. and it served them VERY well...until they fucked it up...
you are correct sir. it is important to understand the meaning of the words one uses.
sbc · 2017-12-31T00:55:23Z
HVACTech I am fairly certain that baron was referring to.....
the ideals of personal freedoms that were represented by the Bill of Rights.
These freedoms, or rights, the public at large felt should be inalienable and protected by limitations to government.
Tthe Federal Constitution came from a public that had this mindset, and this is why the bill of rights was ultimately forced to be included into the Constitution.
So baron is claiming that this mindset of personal freedoms and liberties is what created The Constitution, not that the government was so kind and benevolent that they decided to bestow these freedoms upon the unsuspecting yet grateful american public.
That is a really easy one to understand actually. I do agree that the idea baron is trying to convey could have been communicated better. That does not in any way make him either a troll OR willfully ignorant.
It does mean that you should be more open to using more critical thinking skills before accusing people of being a troll. Now you look willfully ignorant and or a troll.
I thought HVAC Techs were supposed to be GOOD at observing and deciphering.
sbc Tthe Federal Constitution came from a public that had this mindset, and this is why the bill of rights was ultimately forced to be included into the Constitution.
heh. neither the bill of rights. nor the 1787 constitution was forced on anyone.
the Democratic PROCESS was used in each case.
perchance.. thou art does not know the difference between Liberty and freedom?
interesting grasshopper..
"I thought HVAC Techs were supposed to be GOOD at observing and deciphering. "
the correct acronym is HVAC/R. Love.
her is correct.. that is what we do.
and if we are not good at it.. we don't last long.
HVACTech the Declaration of independence is the true gem of our Republic.
but it was not about England. it was about human independence. ergo..
individual Liberty.
our founders cherished the individual over the state.
HVACTech The Bill of Rights was added to the Constitution after being written as changes to the Constitution itself by James Madison. This was intended to keep the nascent federal government in check as the anti-federalists did not want the feds to have too much power. Personal protections and limitations on govt. were always a debating point in the creation of the U.S. Constitution. It is debatable that the Union of States would have even have stayed federalized had it not been for the changes to the Constitution that James Madison wrote be included as the Bill of Rights. Arguments of this nature (the federal govt. overstepping it's authorities) is directly what led to the American Civil War, as proof of statement.
Furthermore I was making a joke about your name, I care not if I use the correct acronym. That you did not even catch that lame joke makes me worry about your HVAC/R skills.
Maybe you aren't as witty as you think? Though I am positive your answer will be "Even more so."
Have a fun night in narcissism land, love.
sbc The Bill of Rights was pushed by Thomas Jefferson in letters to Madison from France. Madison actually didn't think a Bill of Rights was necessary. He thought that competing priorities and the balance of powers would take care of any danger of tyranny over individual rights. He went ahead with championing the idea, though, because he thought it might make reluctant states more likely to ratify. The Bill of Rights idea was entirely Jefferson's baby.
lsjarvi thank you sir. it is my true wish and desire, that more Americans would delve into their own true history. it is necessary to read the letters that they wrote to each other.. and then the theater of the federalist papers .. to properly understand these men.
Liberty.. is NOT an easy word to understand.
that these men were champions of personal, individual Liberty.. cannot be denied.
Anonymous IX · 2017-12-31T20:01:59Z
I am rather puzzled by the segregation of military-industrial complex and "The Billionaires" in the above discussion. They are one and the same. The reason Americans are so enamored of the military-industrial complex involves being indoctrinated since a babe that everything the U.S. military does is good. I would also point out that the military-industrial complex is not monolithic. Factions and groups exist with and without knowledge of one another within a web of uncontested military spending and power acquisition. Power acquisition translates to plundering anywhere on Earth where those with the capability and equipment wish to do so.
Joker-none · 2018-01-01T14:25:08Z
People forget the USA is a republic, not a democracy (thanks to our corrupt educational system). Dictators love democracies because democracies are a stepping stone toward a dictatorship. Democracies are two wolves & a lamb deciding what to have for dinner. In a republic, that's not possible.
Joker-none is there a difference between..
pure Anarchy .. and pure Democracy ? and if so, what might that be?
whitecoast · 2018-01-02T05:57:08Z
"The only scientific study that has yet been done on the question of whether the U.S. is, in fact, run by a democratic government, or instead by a dictatorial one (specifically by an oligarchy, or a government that represents only the richest citizens), was published in September 2014, and it found clearly that the U.S. is definitely not a democracy , but the other type: that "the preferences of the average American appear to have only a minuscule, near-zero, statistically non-significant impact upon public policy", whereas "economic elites and organized groups representing business interests have substantial independent impacts on U.S. government policy"; and, furthermore, that, "The real-world impact of elites upon public policy may be still greater" than their statistics indicate, because the researchers weren't able to measure the impact that the super-rich have on policy, but only the impact that the rich have on policy (versus the impact that the total American public have on policy). The rich control America's Government, but whether the richest do, wasn't able to be researched, as of 2014. "
The US is an oligarchy, not a dictatorship. You know what an oligarchy is, right? And that it's not the same as a dictatorship? America doesn't have a dictator.


Prior to studying at Oxford, can you give us some background about yourself?
I grew up in Oakville, which is a suburb of Toronto, Canada. I then moved to Ottawa to study political science- the capital seemed like good place to study politics. I then worked for the Canadian government for a number of years before moving to Britain to do my Master's.
Which Rotary club were you sponsored by, and how did that come about?
It was the Rotary Club of Oakville Trafalgar that sponsored me. I've always been involved in one way or another with Rotary, thanks to my father, who was a Rotarian. For as long as I can remember I'd come along to events, helping out however I could. I think there's even a picture of me when I'm about four or five years old sitting on my father's lap as he worked the phones during a fundraising telethon. I really loved it and got to meet so many incredible people who played important parts in my life. I was especially honoured in 2003 when the made me Paul Harris Fellow in recognition of the work I did with Rotary and with other initiatives. When the time came to go for my Master's degree, applying for the Ambassadorial Scholarship seemed like an natural fit.
Tell us about your time spent studying in Oxford. What was it like, what did you make of the city, how was university life and how were you treated?
There are many Oxfords. The university is a surreal place- the people, this history, the traditions, the buildings… it's unlike anywhere else (except Cambridge, obviously). It goes without saying that I loved my time there, but as a student and then as a lecturer. And the city itself is a likewise beautiful, particularly as so quickly and easily you can escape from a manic day by wandering through Port Meadow or the University Parks. I had thought that I'd only get to enjoy being there for a year; unexpectedly I still found myself there ten years later. I'm really lucky to have been able to call such a place home for so long.
But I think it's important not to over-romanticise Oxford, something that I think we've done far too much of in the popular imagination. While we tend to picture only Oxford's dreaming spires, Oxford also is a place facing a serious homelessness problem, has a worrying lack of affordable housing, and is the second most unequal city in Britain (trailing behind Cambridge). We absolutely should celebrate all that's wonderful about Oxford, but we must not do so blind to the grave social problems too often hidden by the splendour of the university.
How did you get to know the members of your host club and do you still keep in touch with any of them?
I visited my host club, Oxford Isis, a number of times while I was an Ambassadorial Scholar and they were so welcoming to me. Philip and Linda Bobby hosted me throughout the year and I'll forever be grateful to them for they did for me throughout the year (and, indeed, I still keep in touch with them).
Looking back on your studies in Oxford, what influence did your time there have on your future life and career?
An awful lot. In short, I wouldn't be doing what I am today if it weren't for my time at Oxford. I'm grateful for the career in academia that I have and whatever comes next for me, Oxford and Rotary will have unquestionably played some role in setting its foundations.
What made you decide to stay in Oxford teaching? Was that always the plan when you arrived to study?
It wasn't. I had originally planned to only be at Oxford for a year. I ended up only moving away from Oxford ten years after I first showed up. Whether to stay or not after my doctorate was an easy decision to make: I was offered a great job doing what I love at one of the best universities in the world- there are very few reasons why anyone might say 'no' to such a thing. Also, I was really lucky- academia is brutal competition in which there are very few jobs. So it really was pretty amazing to be able to get that gig – indeed, any gig – right after finishing my dissertation.
How relevant is Rotary to modern life?
I've seen throughout my life the incredible work that Rotary and Rotarians do. Rotary, though, isn't very good at telling its story to the wider world. It's widely seen as just a club made up of old people doing just little bits of fundraising. And while in many cases there is some truth to that, such a characterisation misses the dynamism that Rotary can have and the world-spanning, life-changing work that it carries out. Rotary's mission remains relevant, but if it's going to be relevant it needs to be seen as such. In this respect, I think that Rotary can learn an awful lot from non-governmental organisations like The Gates and Clinton Foundations. Rotary has been doing the work that they do for a lot longer, but without almost no credit or visibility.
What message would you give to current Rotary Scholars at Oxford?
I'd encourage them to make the most of every minute of their time while they're there. All of us lucky enough to go to Oxford only get to borrow a little bit of that place for a little bit of time, and then we move on (though, some of us cling on a wee bit longer than expected). Never lose sight of the fact that while Oxford might seem like a place that's been there forever and always will be, any of our time actually spent there is fleeting. So cherish it as such. Part and parcel of this is to remember that it's the people you meet and experiences you have there that will most affect your life. If the choice needs to be made between another night cloistered away in the library or a night out in the pub, chose the latter- its the memories you make there that you'll take with you long after you leave Oxford. And, finally, I'd encourage them not to lose sight of reality. It's easy to get caught up in Oxford's glory, but beyond the university is a town and a world in which all is not well and gilded. Enjoy Oxford for all it's worth, but remember your duty to then go out and make the world that's given you the privilege to study there a better place.


text:
Papers of Abraham Lincoln Digital Library
U.S. National Bank
City: Washington
State: District of Columbia
Provision for a national bank modeled on the Bank of England was one of Alexander Hamilton's prescriptions for stabilizing the federal government's fiscal and monetary health. In 1791, Congress chartered the First Bank of the United States, which operated as a private bank and the government's depository. The Bank performed well, but opponents in Congress, upset with the Bank's restrictions on state banks, fearful of concentrations of federal power, and dubious of the Bank's constitutionality, defeated a re-charter bill in 1811. Difficulties associated with financing the War of 1812 demonstrated the need for a national bank, and in 1816 Congress chartered the Second Bank of the United States. Modeled after the First Bank, the Second Bank of the United States exercised commercial and central bank responsibilities. Under the leadership of Nicholas Biddle, the Second Bank became a powerful force in the national economy. Based in Philadelphia with branch offices in twenty-five cities including St. Louis by 1832, the Second Bank defined fiscal policy and regulated note issues and lending of state banks. Biddle's monetary policies roused opposition among Jacksonian Democrats and advocates of state banks, and in 1832 the Second Bank's re-charter became the chief issue in the presidential election. Andrew Jackson vetoed the Bank re-charter bill in July 1832, and he interpreted his victory in November as a mandate for his opposition to the Second Bank. In 1833, Jackson began withdrawing federal deposits from the Second Bank, and in 1836 the Second Bank's charter expired. Abraham Lincoln had supported the Second Bank in its conflict with President Jackson, and in 1835 Lincoln voted against several resolutions introduced in the Illinois General Assembly opposing the charter of a national bank and endorsing Jackson's conduct in the Bank War. After the demise of the Second Bank, state banks filled the void in the financial markets. Lincoln remained a strong proponent of a national bank and became a staunch critic of Martin Van Buren's Independent Treasury (Sub-Treasury) System. Lincoln's speech against the Independent Treasury (Sub-Treasury) System, delivered a day after Christmas in 1839, became important in the Whig campaign to unseat Van Buren in 1840. The so-called "free banking era" ending in 1863 when Congress passed the National Banking Act.
Howard Bodenhorn, "Banking and Finance," The Oxford Companion to United States History (New York: Oxford University Press, 2001), 61; Robert V. Remini, Andrew Jackson and the Bank War: A Study in the Growth of Presidential Power (New York: W. W. Norton, 1967); Michael Burlingame, Abraham Lincoln: A Life (Baltimore, MD: Johns Hopkins University Press, 2008), 1:96, 150-51; Speech of Mr. Lincoln, at a Political Discussion, in the Hall of the House of Representatives, December 1839, at Springfield, Illinois.
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Antibiotics are one of the most significant achievements of all mankind in treatment of many complex ailments and today they are widely used in various fields of medicine: surgery and urology, dentistry and gynecology to combat venereal, viral, bacterial and other diseases. Throughout the world, more than a hundred varieties of antibiotics are known that have a wide or narrow spectrum of action and are proven that their use has already helped to save more than a thousand human lives.
And today, most likely, you will not find a single person who has never been treated with any antibiotic, but do not forget that every drug should be taken only as prescribed by doctors. Very often people do not go to doctor, and prefer self-medication, take serious medications, which at mild form of the disease should not be used, and as a result, then we come across not very pleasant consequences for us. Antibiotics should be appointed only in situation when they can not be avoided and we must always weigh pros and cons before they are admitted.
Carrying out research on how reception of these drugs affects human body, scientists found that they all have many side effects that manifest themselves in the form of reduced immunity, allergic reactions, impaired functioning of genitourinary system, disorders of gastrointestinal tract, etc. Struggling with harmful bacteria and viruses, antibiotics can destroy all microorganisms necessary for the body, primarily liver and stomach suffer from this.
There are also rare cases when a man after a course of serious drugs has decreased sexual desire, his erection is weakened and potency is deteriorating, but gradually everything is restored and sexual life returns to previous rhythm. But not everyone knows that antibiotics change composition of seminal fluid, and therefore family doctors recommend that men postpone conception of children, if at that moment they take any serious medications. We should not ignore the fact that such drugs reduce immunity, and because of this, a man may also suffer from erection deterioration, but everything gets better as soon as the course of treatment is over.
In conclusion, it should be said that fear of losing potency after a course of certain medications is greatly exaggerated and since doctor appointed them to you, it would be foolish and incorrect to interrupt treatment due to unreasonable fear. After all, infections are much more likely to affect erectile function of a person than the course of properly selected drugs.
Now to the question «Do antibiotics affect potency?» you can accurately say that these two concepts do not have clear connection, and therefore you do not need to be afraid that after treatment you will become impotent. The main thing is not to engage in self-medication, but to trust experienced and competent specialist who will be able to prescribe certain medications if necessary, and also tell you what measures to take to restore the body as soon as possible after a course of antibiotics.


It is impossible to anticipate every issue or question that may arise during the course of a translation project, but one thing you can do to be prepared before you get started is ask a lot of questions. Below are a number of questions you should keep in mind each time you receive a new project request (especially from a new client), so that you can be sure to avoid any surprises or problems down the road.
You can use this as a sort of checklist each time you receive a new request; be sure to glance through each topic and consider the answers to all the questions we've listed before you even quote the job. You don't necessarily need to ask the client all of these questions for each project you quote—just remember that addressing these topics as early as possible will help clear up any misunderstandings, make you appear professional, and ensure that your client will be as satisfied as possible in the end.
Before you accept—or even quote—a project, think generally about what you are being asked to do.
Does the client need translation only or translation and editing?
If a second editor is needed, make sure you have someone lined up and that their services will fit into your budget.
Can you open all the files you received?
Make sure you can open and view all files received from the client, especially if sent through a secure link online or if there are audio/video files involved. Some clients may remove files after you confirm receipt, or there could be a zip file that you are unable to open. It is crucial to identify these problems as early as possible before you get started, so you don't misquote or misjudge the amount of work you have to do.
Is the document fully legible?
If not, how will you handle illegible text?
Do you need a better copy if the source file is scanned?
The client may have access to the hard copy of the document in order to provide a better scanned electronic copy.
Do you need to work in a specific software tool?
Do you own that software tool, or will the client provide you the means to use it?
Is there any handwritten text?
If so, how will you handle handwritten text?
Is the project confirmed or potential?
Does the client expect to receive a confirmation soon, or is this a project that multiple vendors may be bidding on?
In addition to the questions above, before quoting or accepting a project it is a good idea to think about the bigger picture. The document(s) you are being asked to translate may be part of a bigger project scope that you are not seeing, and the decisions you make on this project could have ramifications later on.
What is the purpose of the translation?
This will help to inform your translation decisions.
This will help determine the register you use in your translation.
Have you done projects of this nature for this client before?
You may not realize that this project is similar to one you did previously, from which you can extract terminology or background information for the current project.
Who will own the translation rights after the project is completed?
For example, you may want to know if you can use this translation as a sample of your work to include in your professional portfolio. You may also want to know if you can be credited for the translation.
Is this part of a recurring assignment or ongoing project?
You may wish to develop a thorough glossary and TM early on, and take careful notes on your translation decisions, if this project is expected to continue for a long period of time.
Now you have gotten to the point where you are ready to negotiate a price and a deadline. Here are a few more considerations to keep in mind. You should also check out the items under "Resources" and "Delivery" for a few more questions that may impact the price you quote.
How much actual work time will this take you?
Estimate how many words you can translate per hour and divide the number of words in the text by this number.
What lead time do you need to finish the project?
Even if you only need 8-10 hours to complete the project, you may want to build in extra time in case you experience any technology issues, to accommodate other projects that may come up, or to fit in other commitments you may have going on. It may be better to tell the client a time range in days (e.g. "3-4 business days upon approval") rather than a specific date so that you have some leeway in case the project is not accepted right away.
Will you offer a discount based on repetitions and/or TM matches?
For example, if you already translated 50% of this document for the same client and you only need to translate the remaining half, you may want to give them a discount of some kind on the first 50% of the text.
If the translation is urgent, will you charge extra?
Some translators charge an extra percentage of the invoice for projects due within a tight time frame (e.g. 24 hours or x number of words per business day), or projects that require weekend/holiday work.
Many translation projects are paid 15, 30, 60, or 90 days upon receipt of invoice, but for a larger project you may want to ask for a deposit up front.
Do you trust this client to pay on time?
You can check on the client's reliability by looking them up on Payment Practices or ProZ Blue Board, or by checking with trusted colleagues as to their authenticity and payment habits.
What method of payment will be used?
The client may have a preferred method of payment and you will need to make sure you can receive funds that way—for example, PayPal, check, and wire transfer are three common methods of payment in the U.S.
Who will pay any payment fees?
Wire transfers and PayPal often have associated fees, and you will want to agree with the client in advance on who will absorb these fees. Alternatively, you can build these fees into your rate.
Take a closer look at the source text to learn more about what you will be translating.
Many translators specialize in specific subject areas based on their experience and background, but most importantly you must be familiar enough with the source text domain to produce a quality translation.
Is the entire document in the correct source language?
You may receive a long text that appears to be entirely in your source language, but partway through, you find a portion of text in another language. How will you handle this in the target text?
What country/variant/locale is the source file from?
Make sure you are familiar with the country and language variant your source text originated from.
Should you correct errors in the source text, if applicable?
Sometimes you may find errors (spelling, grammar, etc.) in the source text; it is a good idea to ask the client how to handle these when you find an error.
Before you start the project, keep in mind the following questions about research and resources, and be sure to ask the client if you have any doubts or concerns.
Is there a glossary or TM you should work from?
Make sure you are not doing more work than you have to, especially if the client has an established glossary they want you to work from.
Do you understand the text and terminology, and will you be able to research it sufficiently to produce a quality translation?
Have you reviewed the document thoroughly enough to determine that you are able to translate it?
You may wish to share small portions of the text with colleagues as you research, in order to ask for their input; but first, you need to make sure it is okay to share.
Before you've even accepted the project, think about the end deliverable. You will need to be sure that you have checked with the client to align your expectations on the following topics.
What variant of your language should the target text be in?
Before you get started, be sure to check with the client as to what target language variation should be used, and that you are well-versed in this variant's conventions so you can produce a top-notch target file.
What degree of formatting will be expected of you?
You may come upon images, charts, and graphs in the source file. Check with the client to find out if they want you to translate these, and determine whether you will charge extra for additional formatting.
What is the file format of the deliverable(s)?
Be sure to know what type of file you are expected to submit. Generally, clients will want a *.doc file if the source was a *.doc file; however, sometimes you will be expected to convert the source file into another format or provide a TMX or XLIFF file in addition to a translation exported from a CAT tool.
Will a translator's statement be needed?
Especially for official documents (birth certificates and so on), clients may ask you to provide a signed "certificate" stating that the translation is accurate to the best of your knowledge. Consider whether this is needed, whether it will have to be notarized, and whether you will charge extra for these services.
What other questions do you ask yourself (and your client!) before starting a translation project? Have you found that keeping a list like this on hand helps you identify any potential issues early on and enable a smoother process going forward?
Stay tuned for another post on this topic: Questions to Ask Before You Accept an Interpreting Assignment.


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text:
First Read
An Adventure Worthy of an Author
By Li Juan
Translated By Jack Hargreaves Yan Yan
In her travel memoir Winter Pasture, out next week with Astra House, writer Li Juan chronicles the winter she spent with a family of Kazakh herders in a remote region of northern China. In the excerpt below, translated by Jack Hargreaves and Yan Yan, Li describes the preparations required for the journey.
From the moment I released my second book, my mother started bragging to the whole village that I was an "author." But our neighbors only ever saw me, day after day, muck-faced and mussy-haired, chasing after ducks from one end of the village to the other. They all expressed their incredulity. Even as my mother kept going on and on about it, when they turned to look, they'd catch sight of me scurrying along a ditch as fast as my slippers could carry me, hollering and brandishing a stick. Not at all as advertised, quite undignified really.
Eventually, some of them came around to believing her. Eighteen miles from the lower reaches of the Ulungur River, the government was establishing a new herder village named "Humuzhila." One of the villagers approached my mother to ask me to become the "assistant village head," with a salary of two hundred yuan per month. To emphasize that it was a good deal, they said the village head himself only earned four hundred yuan.
Deeply offended, my mother proudly declared, "My daughter would never agree to that!"
The visitor looked perplexed and asked, "Didn't you say she's a writer?"
In short, I am something of an enigma in Akehara village, where I live with my mother. I am suspicious for four main reasons: one, I'm unmarried; two, I don't have a job; three, I don't visit our neighbors much; and four, I'm not what they would consider "proper."
But this winter, I decided to embark on an adventure truly worthy of an author—I would follow the migrating herds deep into the desert south of the Ulungur while observing and noting every last detail of nomadic life in the dark and silent winter. My mother didn't waste a minute before spreading this news to anyone who would listen—to further emphasize how extraordinary I was. But how were we even to begin to explain my work to the herders? This was the best she could come up with: "She will write. Take all your comings and goings, your work 'n' stuff, and write it all down!"
The herders let out a collective "ooooh" of understanding before lowering their heads to mutter, "What's there to write about?"
In any case, word of a Han girl bound for the winter pasture quickly reached the herding teams across Kiwutu township. My mother began to select a family that would agree to take me along.
At first, my ambitions were grand. I wanted to spend the winter in a destination that was at least two hundred and fifty miles away, which would mean over a dozen days by horseback, so that I could get a taste of the hardest, most unforgiving aspects of nomadic life. But all the families who were planning to journey more than ten days refused to take me along for fear that I'd be nothing but trouble. More importantly, as the day of the great migration approached, my ambition dwindled. Think about it: to sleep on the frozen ground only to wake a mere four hours later for two whole weeks. Before daybreak, every day, I would have to grope my way through the darkness to start the journey ahead. Herding sheep, keeping up with the horses, keeping the camels in check and grooming calves . . . for my petite eighty-eight-pound frame, two weeks would have been pushing it. So the trip was truncated to a week's journey . . . and finally, a week before we were supposed to leave, I cut the trip down to three days.
Among the herder families that passed through Akehara village, those who intended to travel only for three or four days belonged to Kiwutu's herder team number three. Mama Jakybay and her family were no exception. I had spent a summer with them, and ideally I would join them again for the winter. But after a few months, a rumor circulated among the herders that I was Jakybay's son Symagul's "Han girlfriend," which made me angry, and Symagul's wife, Shalat, even angrier. For a while, whenever she saw me, her face stretched so long it nearly hit the ground.
Another important reason why I couldn't stay with Mama Jakybay was because no one in her family spoke Mandarin. Communication between us was difficult and led to misunderstandings.
Herding families that did speak a little Mandarin were mainly young married couples, to whom my presence would have been a nuisance. Newlyweds are invariably deeply in love. If at night they were to express that love, then . . . well, how would I get any sleep?
The winter pasture isn't a particular place. It's the name of all the land used by the nomads during the winter, stretching south uninterrupted from the vast rocky desert south of the Ulungur River all the way to the northern desert boundary of the Heavenly Mountains. It is a place of open terrain and strong winds. Compared to the region to its north, the climate is warmer and more constant. The snow mantle is light enough that the sheep can use their hooves to reach the withered grass beneath. At the same time, there is enough snowfall to provide the herders with all the water they and the livestock need to survive.
The winter pasture is considerably drier and less fertile than the lands the livestock graze in summer. Each family herd grazes an enormous area. The sheer distance this puts between the families means that contact with one another is a rare occurrence. You could almost call it "solitary confinement."
Herders entering the winter pasture search for a depression sheltered from the wind among the undulating dunes. There they dig out a pit up to six feet deep, lay several logs across the opening, and cover it with dry grass as a roof. A passage is then dug sloping down into the hole and a crude wooden door is fitted to complete this winter home: they call it a burrow. Here, a family can return for protection from the cold and wind during the endless winter months. A burrow is never very big, at most a hundred or so square feet comprising one big sleeping platform and a stove, as well a tiny kitchen corner, a tight squeeze. Life inside is spent shoulder to shoulder without any privacy to speak of.
In brief, living in a winter burrow is no vacation, but what other choice did I have?
And so, I eventually settled on Cuma's family.
Cuma could get along in Mandarin and three days was all it took to get to their land. The Cumas were pushing fifty, and their nineteen-year-old daughter, Kama, would accompany me and the migrating herd while her parents would drive to the burrow in a truck—it wasn't going to get any better than that!
Frankly, the real reason they took me on was that Cuma had owed my family a good deal of money for several years. His family was poor and it didn't look like they would ever pay us back, so we gave up expecting it. Why not stay with them for a few months and cancel the debt? That was my mother's idea.
Later, when I found myself hoisting thirty pounds of snow, tottering across the desert huffing and puffing like an ox, I couldn't help but sigh: bad idea.
Excerpted from Winter Pasture by Li Juan. Copyright © 2021 by Astra House. Translation copyright © 2021 by Jack Hargreaves and Yan Yan. Used with permission of the publisher, Astra House. All rights reserved.
Writing by Kazakh Women
Sanmao's Footprints: Remembering the Writer on Her 77th Birthday
Sexism and Science Fiction: An Interview with Tang Fei
Published Feb 16, 2021 Copyright 2021 Li Juan
Li Juan
Li Juan was born in Xinjiang in 1979 and grew up in Sichuan Province. Her writing career began in 1999 as a newspaper columnist for newspapers like Southern Weekly and Hong Kong's Wen Wei Po, and she is now widely regarded as one of the best narrative nonfiction writers of her generation. She has won several awards for Winter Pasture, including the People's Literature Award. She lives in Xinjiang, China. This is her first book to be translated in the United States.
More about Li Juan
Jack Hargreaves
Jack Hargreaves is a Chinese–English translator from East Yorkshire, now based in London. Specializing in literary and academic translation, his work has appeared in Asymptote Journal, Paper Republic, and Los Angeles Review of Books China Channel and includes writing by Zhu Yiye, Isaac Hsu, Yuan Ling, and Ye Duoduo. He translated Shen Dacheng's short story "The Novelist in the Attic" for Comma Press's The Book of Shanghai. Forthcoming translations include Yang Dian's flash fiction collection A Contrarian's Tales, A History of Chinese Philosophical Thought by Zhang Xianghao, and Buddhism and Buddhology by Hong Xiuping. Jack recently joined the Paper Republic team.
More about Jack Hargreaves
Yan Yan graduated from Columbia University in 2008 with degrees in English and religious studies. After working at the Alibaba Group in Hangzhou, China, his hometown, he backpacked around the world and eventually settled down in Brooklyn, then the Hudson Valley. As a freelance translator, he translated works by Hans Christian Andersen Award–winner Cao Wenxuan, including the Dingding and Dangdang series, XiMi, and Mountain Goats Don't Eat Heaven's Grass, as well as updated editions of Grass House and Bronze Sunflower, for China Children's Press & Publication Group. More recently, he has been translating works by the Chinese literary icon Wang Xiaobo, which include a novella collection titled Golden Age and an essay collection titled The Pleasure of Thinking.
More about Yan Yan


Thanks for your suggestion, i tried it but didn't work in my situation. It happen only on Mac on Windows everything is working fine.
I'm having problem apparently with the video on a Dell XPS L702X with 10.0.3 when I go to Youtube in some of the video when i go to full screen then the system freeze then i have to press power key to shut down, sometime when it goes to sleep mode and wake up then artifacts appear. I reinstalled a new installation of Yosemite but same problem. If i reinstall DELL SCT OSX Support Package 1.1.3 the sound and wifi does not work. I have to reinstall SCT like 3 to 5 in order to recognize sound and wifi again. when it happen i tried boot with no cache or touch system but nothing work. This is weird cause it was working fine in the past.
I think that you mixed the installation that TW provide with other plugin, most of the time when you mix another fix with this installation, a lot of issues comes, maybe I'm wrong but we don't use Voodoo.
I must wait until TW release a version for El Capitan.
ty for reply! Me quedara con Yosemite hasta nuevo aviso.
TW, any update for "El Capitan"?
I would like to test v1.1.3 when you update it in the OP.
TW, I did a clean installation 10.10.3 on a L702x I think that HWMonitor doesn't work on 10.10.3 so I installed the last version 6.16.1372 it is working but sometime when goes to standby it loss fan sensors info. In order to restore it I had to run KextUtility. Also I think that you already know but mute key only work visually but don't mute the sound. Except of the minor issues that we already know everything is working.
make sure you have a compatible wireless card, the card that comes with n4110 isn't supported.
the card and label look same, the only different that i see is the sticker is on the other side of the card. mine has printed NB290 on the board that your pic is facing.
I did your advice but didn't fix the problem. for some reason when i installed SCT, nvram get corrupt so i reflash it with cvan flag and the problem solved.


text:
Wim-Jan Renkema (Drachten, 4 maart 1968) is een Nederlands politicus namens GroenLinks. Van 13 juni 2018 tot 31 maart 2021 was hij lid van de Tweede Kamer der Staten-Generaal.

Biografie
Renkema groeide op in het Friese Opsterland, als zoon van een 'hoofdmeester'. Hij studeerde onderwijskunde aan de Rijksuniversiteit Groningen, liep stage in Mozambique en werkte bij UNESCO in Parijs. Ook ondersteunde hij de universitaire samenwerking met ontwikkelingslanden. Hij was al lang actief in het Nederlandse onderwijs: als inspecteur, PABO-directeur, rector, bestuurder en toezichthouder.

In 1990 werd hij lid van GroenLinks en binnen de partij was hij lokaal, regionaal en landelijk actief. Op 13 juni 2018 werd hij geïnstalleerd als lid van de Tweede Kamer der Staten-Generaal in de vacature die ontstaan was na het vertrek van Liesbeth van Tongeren.

In de Tweede Kamer was Renkema woordvoerder voor Sociale Zaken en Werkgelegenheid. Hij hield zich bezig met verschillende onderwerpen in het sociaal domein, zoals: armoede, schuldhulpverlening, arbeidsomstandigheden, de participatiewet, de WMO, geestelijke gezondheidszorg, gehandicaptenbeleid, het persoonsgebonden budget preventie en publieke gezondheidszorg. Hij schreef een initiatiefwet die werknemers toegang geeft tot een vertrouwenspersoon.

Sinds 2020 was Renkema tevens voorzitter van de vaste commissie voor Economische Zaken en Klimaat. Na de verkiezingen van maart 2021 keerde hij niet meer terug.

GroenLinks-politicus
Tweede Kamerlid

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
2020, 2021, COVID crisis, COVID-19, COVID19, PANDEMIC
Short comic history of a pandemic (2020-2021)
Original column BY: Sergio Flore Translation BY: Costantino Ceoldo PEJOURNAL - In a way yes, they are right: it is like a war. But no, no bayonet charges against the enemy. No act of courage or self-denial and certainly a few pats on the back between fellow soldiers. However, there is Manichean thought, the implicit rhetoric of the "with us or against us". There is the impossibility of stopping, doubting, asking questions, on pain of social exclusion. Here, in this sense, yes, it is like a war. Brief review, in outline, of the stages of the military campaign. I go…
COVID crisis, Mattias Desmet, PANDEMIC, psychologist
Mattias Desmet; a great psychologist explains why we are so passive in front of COVID19
Translated to English BY: Costantino Ceoldo PEJOURNAL - Inside the Great Imposture, the thing that is really scary (it has already been said) is the passivity in the face of the general decline of freedom and civilization of the Western masses. With their masks and their obedience to lockdowns increasingly similar to a state of imprisonment, the majority give the impression of fearing a substantially imaginary danger (death from COVID19 but in 99.8 percent of cases they do not risk) more than the real damage that has already fallen on them. From the tragic depressions that affect their young children…
Capitalism, Corona virus, COVID19, Global Economy, PANDEMIC, post-corona
Capitalism After the Pandemic
BY: Mariana Mazzucato PEJOURNAL - After the 2008 financial crisis which was a challenge to Capitalism, governments across the world injected over $3 trillion into the financial system. The goal was to unfreeze credit markets and get the global economy working again. But instead of supporting the real economy—the part that involves the production of actual goods and services—the bulk of the aid ended up in the financial sector. Governments bailed out the big investment banks that had directly contributed to the crisis, and when the economy got going again, it was those companies that reaped the rewards of the…
2020-election, Corona virus, PANDEMIC, TRUMP
Trump's Chance in 2020; amid corona virus pandemic
BY: Mohammad Ghaderi PEJOURNAL - Regarding the reduction in the spread of the coronavirus, the first question in the United States has been the impact of the virus on the 2020 presidential election, and to what extent the remnants of Covid19 will be the cause of Trump's defeat or victory. It is clear that the coronavirus has already strongly influenced the 2020 election and even resulted in a sort of 'genetic mutation' in Trump, who described the drowsy and dumb Joe Biden as a calm and good man after a phone conversation between the two. Although he seemed to believe…
Corona virus, COVID19, Crisis, foreign policy, Geoeconomics, Liberal economies, Liberalism, PANDEMIC
Foreign Policy: The Pandemic Could Be the Crisis Liberalism Needed
BY: Matt Warner* , Tom G. Palmer* PEJOURNAL - The world may be reaching a dangerous inflection point for liberalism. According to the latest reports from Freedom House, over the last 15 years the share of unfree countries in the world has risen while the share of free countries has dropped. Today, government deficits are spiking in response to the public's demand for intervention to mitigate the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic, and some warn that authoritarian leaders are seizing the opportunity to expand their control. Still, this may be a time when liberalism starts to gain ground, not…
COVID19, Europe, financial crisis, PANDEMIC
Is Europe ready to face this new financial crisis?
BY: Elena Lazzaro* , Luca Carelli* PEJOURNAL - The Covid-19 crisis has shaken the global economy putting many countries on their knees. Although this isnot the first pandemic in human history, Covid-19 presents a number of characteristics that make it a uniqueevent. First of all, much like with natural disasters, this virus comes from exogenous factors uncorrelated to countries'economies; however unlike these, it does not remain circumscribed to a specific area.Additionally, when comparing the current economic recession to that of 2007, it appears clear that the formerdoes not present a sheer financial nature; however, as in the case of the…
COVID19, Iran, lock down, PANDEMIC
Asia Times: Why Iran won't be broken
BY: PEPE ESCOBAR PEJOURNAL - So what's going on in Iran? How did the Islamic Republic really respond to Covid-19? How is it coping with Washington's relentless "maximum pressure"? These questions were the subject of a long phone call I placed to Prof. Mohammad Marandi of the University of Tehran – one of Iran's premier, globally recognized analysts. As Marandi explains, "Iran after the revolution was all about social justice. It set up a very elaborate health care network, similar to Cuba's, but with more funding. A large hospital network. When the coronavirus hit, the US was even preventing Iran…
COVID19, DER SPIEGEL, GERMANY, Italy, PANDEMIC, Rimini, tourism
DER SPIEGEL: The Italian Resort of Rimini Opens Carefully to Summer Tourists
PEJOURNAL - Germans are finally able to travel to their favorite holiday destination again: Italy. In the tourist city of Rimini, hosts are setting up lounge chairs and putting out the umbrellas, but even so, this summer won't be the same. Italy's borders have been open again since June 3 and the German government's blanket travel warning has been lifted as well, including for Italy, a country that was especially hard-hit by the coronavirus. Germans will once again be permitted to travel south - if they dare. But will they? That's the question people along the Adriatic coast want to…
Africa, Corona virus, COVID19, PANDEMIC, The Economist
The pandemic in Africa is not just a crisis of public health or the economy, It's a political one, too.
Writing in The Economist, former senior UN official Alan Doss and founder of Celtel Mo Ibrahim argue that the pandemic threatens the democratic progress made in Africa in recent years."Hard times often make people especially vulnerable to the siren song of populists and extremists trading on communal enmities," they write.At least 18 African countries are expected to hold national elections this year. But unless proper laws are in place, suspending elections amid the pandemic could erode democracy.To prevent this from happening, Mr Doss and Mr Ibrahim explain, there are several steps African governments and the public can take
COVID19, Democracy, Election, Foreign Affairs, PANDEMIC
Foreign Affairs: Democracy Versus the Pandemic
The Coronavirus Is Emboldening Autocrats the World Over By Larry Diamond PEJOURNAL - In late March, Philippine strongman Rodrigo Duterte rammed a bill through his country's parliament that granted him vastly expanded emergency powers, ostensibly to fight the novel coronavirus. The bill authorized Duterte to reallocate the national budget as he saw fit and to personally direct hospitals. "Do not challenge the government," he bellowed in a menacing televised address. "You will lose." Six days later, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban pushed even more expansive emergency legislation through his rubber-stamp parliament, enabling him to suspend existing laws, decree new ones,…