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THE END OF AMERICA

The modern idea of America - perhaps the post-modern idea is a better way of putting it - was born in 1945. Or, as historians have been reminding us, 80 years ago. This America had won the biggest war in history, and now, could set the rules of the international systems that would rebuild world order from the chaos. The Germans were crushed, the British empire was gone or going, and in debt, and only Russia could arguably pose a growing threat. So the Cold War began. During that time - 80 years - the West was basically America, plus its allies. And as such, the world system, built to suit America, allowed the USA to prosper as never before. Yesterday, Liberation Day for Donald Trump , the insane, and worst president in US history - the convicted felon no less, with mysterious ties to the Kremlin - announced the end of the global system, built by America, to benefit itself and its allies. And, lying, of course, he claimed the world had ripped off America for all this time. He failed to ...
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Recent posts

SNAFU

It's been 12 days since I posted about the growing menace of the Trump government. It is worse, sadly, since then. Threats to bomb Iran. Flights to Greenland, and ongoing threats to seize it any which way. Ludicrously lax security and lying vilification of journalists; amateur hour at the Pentagon from the telegenic crusader with the menacing messages inked to his white skin. Tariffs to crush Canada, and other nations. Threats to law firms. Threats to museums. Detentions and forced expatriation of PhD students on proper visas. Crushing of dissent, of opposing views of history, and, shockingly, the near-constant crumpling of opposition, as media, universities, law firms, and politicians bow down under threat. Measles and Avian fu spreading. Denial of the globe warming. No alliances. No secure promises. Litigation and bullying.  The general actions of authoritarian take-over - more destruction of the "Cathedral" - more work to make the CEO-king the unquestioned ruler. Dark ...
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poem for after the spring equinox 2025

 The Grand Minima (7 x 6) for William Empson   Totting it up a plethora of minuscule debris fields, eon by inch, the daily granular fractures, chipped bits and bobs, dust bunnies that don’t ever quit, the towering trivial pizza box style of personal architecture –   love lies, business crops wilt, soar, the whole a broken abacus possessed by a stammering Ouija board whose misspelt detritus inspires poetry in the super-rich or bored, the rising tide lifts all quotes, all toffs step off yachts to sleep between sheets   when the port appears like a murdered ghost – we host what we love most, we live in a blackhole inside a blackhole, like mice are denizens of a tinier Manhattan project, the nuclearism is unclear, but here it goes, small into smaller, like faller into fall or inside the deep dive is the pool looping   around its Ouroboros dream of self – we’re colliding with the sun that grows us, as dancers sw...
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INCREASING MENACE

  Much that is menacing is left hidden (a reference to this film still for film fans) but the current strategy from the Trump revolution is to do so much, so often, and have so many outrageously controversial balls in the air at the same time, it is nearly impossible to comment on, let alone oppose, them. It was bad March 1st, but two and a half weeks later, it seems worse, not least because the crisis whereby the Executive branch defies the Judiciary seems to be starting, with rulings defied and judges threatened (signalling the attempted end of American democracy as a system of checks and balances, on, in other words, a coup); war is breaking out again in the Middle East, and threats against Iran, attacks on Yemen and Gaza, are commencing; the new peace negotiations regarding Ukraine seem designed to support the aggressor; and threats to the sovereignty of Canada, and Greenland, continue. Biden 's pardons are questioned; visiting professors refused entry; students threatened; tr...
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TRUMP AND VANCE - WORSE AND WORSER

  The sickening fact is, like frat boys unafraid to phone-film some vile pile-on, the bully-gang of Vance and Trump did what they did in front of the entire world, via media they had invited in to the Oval Office. In a sort of pre-Easter enactment of ritual sacrifice, they delivered up  President Zelensky of Ukraine - a supposedly-invited guest, and then "tore him a new one" in the parlance of their type of dude. Many newspaper editorials, from the FT , to the New York Times , and media, from CNN to the BBC, have described the event that ensued as "bullying", an "ambush", and one of the worst moments in American diplomacy, ever. It has also been called, by some world leaders, and other major commentators, the end of the current world order, as the US president seemed to clearly signal his total disdain for an ally, and utterly defended, to the point of rage, a long-time enemy of the West. There were so many ironies in the fire, it is hard to know where t...
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Poem for the appeaser

  Poem for the appeaser   It’s okay to let the bad guy win if the guy has a thing you want to trade - this is how the West was won - ignorance of newly dead - sign the paper, wave it high - this is how the losers get to die - an agreement is safe and lawful if the liars never lie; for on good TV the act of being king is king, not the thing in itself, or being as being - there’s only what we see now, not even that when blinded by defiance of decency; Munich used to be the name for giving in to the enemy side – replaced in our time by televised Gethsemane showing how power picks insane channels in which to defenestrate the weak, the dutiful, fighting true, even when other states are truly sick.   London, March 1, 2025
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BOND MAY NOT BE BACK AS WE KNOW HIM, JIM

James Bond was, up until a day ago, always produced by the Broccoli family - all of the many canonical films since the early 1960s... for better and worse. Their control was legendary, and often, usually, yielded good or superior results. Their choices for Bond have been a few times inspired, and their attempts to select villains who had won Oscars was notable. They also tended to be loyal to British writers, directors, and actors, and kept the franchise stable, ongoing, and reliable. The worst James Bond is still worth a telly rewatch on a lazy Sunday afternoon; the greatest are some of the best action movies ever made. Now, it is in the hands of Amazon MGM - an American company not known for its quality control... it has hits and misses, but plenty of cash. Fans are anxious; I am, as a fan, very concerned. I am unsure the new films will remain firmly-rooted in the canon, or be as British - with all the eccentricities and potential flaws that entails. Lee Child has gone on record as...
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