Author Archives: oddmanout215

Oops, I didn’t really mean to unleash the goons


It’s a sad commentary on her leadership skills, but I believe Oakland Mayor Jean Quan meant well. She doesn’t seem like someone who would tell weasel-y lies (hello, Mitt Romney) about her words and actions. Well, maybe one or two … Continue reading

Posted in economic collapse, Great Recession, mainstream media, Occupy Wall Street, Politics, The New Depression, unemployment | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Mr. Mitt goes to Washington? Let’s hope not.


David Brooks and Mitt Romney should get married. Brooks is the foremost weasel among pundits. Romney is No. 1 among politicians, and that’s saying something. Latest example: The pious Mr. Mitt has been telling a new lie each day concerning … Continue reading

Posted in David Brooks, economic collapse, Great Recession, mainstream media, Politics, The New Depression, unemployment | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

The class war started 30-some years ago, Frank


Frank Rich’s recent article in New York magazine included an excellent capsule history of the Depression-era Bonus Army and a good summary of how corporate welfare boosted G.E. and other corporate monsters, but the headline on the story — “The … Continue reading

Posted in Congress, Great Recession, mainstream media, Occupy Wall Street, Politics, The New Depression, unemployment, Wall Street | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Manhattan D.A. chips away at protesters’ rights


Last night Keith Olbermann asked something I’ve wondered about since the police crackdown on Occupy Wall Street protesters began several weeks ago with beatings and arrests in Manhattan, and mass arrest-by-trickery at the Brooklyn Bridge: “At what point did we … Continue reading

Posted in economic collapse, Great Recession, mainstream media, Occupy Wall Street, The New Depression, unemployment | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Occupy newsrooms. Use all those empty desks.


For as long as I can remember Gannett was known as an outfit that skimped on news coverage by using skeleton crews of reporters and editors, for no other reason than to further enrich the owners of the Gannett company. … Continue reading

Posted in economic collapse, Great Recession, humor, mainstream media, New York Times, Occupy Wall Street, Philadelphia, The New Depression, unemployment, Wall Street | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

Will the circle jerk of one-percenters be broken?


Members of outlaw motorcycle gangs used to call themselves “one-percenters,” meaning they were in the tiny minority of Americans who are unabashed sociopaths. However, when we hear “one-percenters” these days, the reference usually is to establishment types who are obscenely … Continue reading

Posted in Congress, economic collapse, Goldman Sachs, Great Recession, Occupy Wall Street, Politics, The New Depression, unemployment, Wall Street | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Don’t go near the wood-er, quack quack


One of those bizarre amphibious “duck boats,” jammed with tourists, cruised past me on South Street today. The tour guide, using a mic and amp system, was shouting, “Pay attention, I’ll tell you how to speak Philadelphian. One, two, three… … Continue reading

Posted in Philadelphia | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Ain’t nothin’ I wouldn’t do, sugar…


The perfect Saturday night song if you’re looking to sit at a bar and drown your lust for someone, or to start a fight if you can’t drink enough to drown it. I don’t sit at bars anymore, but I … Continue reading

Posted in arts, fiction, humor, pop music | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Has America begun to ‘get’ Bernie Sanders?


To understand how right-wing the major political parties in America are, it helps to read the foreign press. This from The Guardian: … [Bernie Sanders’] beliefs… would fit comfortably in the middle left of Britain’s Labour party or Germany’s SPD. … Continue reading

Posted in Congress, economic collapse, Great Recession, mainstream media, New York Times, Occupy Wall Street, Politics, The New Depression, unemployment, Wall Street | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

A word about our former torturer-in-chief


After posting about bringing Dick Cheney’s former ally and fellow war criminal to justice, I saw this item: A raucous group of protesters gathered outside a Surrey, [British Columbia], hotel Thursday, hoisting colourful cardboard placards, shouting into megaphones and looking … Continue reading

Posted in Iraq war, mainstream media, Obama, Politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments