thanks for the vid, gotta love the beautiful german expressionism on such glorious display from Lang’s Metropolis, even if one doesn’t particularly care to ponder Lang’s vision (accurate largely I believe) of workers and owners, capitalism and technology, and dystopia. Its unusual to find such a depree of political/philosophical content bathed in such stunning beauty.

Every seen the Giorgio Moroder version of the film(cut to rock music)? I have a good friend who always wanted to turn that into a staged musical; would be a lovely project.

The destabilization of the USSR has loosed countless nuclear materials to a world now dominated by non-state players and our funding and support for OBL and his ilk during the RayGun years has most certainly lead to the worst case of blowback we have ever experienced, yes I mean 911 and the destruction of the underlying principals that our country was founded on. Arguably that is the real legacy of the RayGun years. Would we have been better off to covertly support the USSR? What would the world be like today if the USSR was still intact and they, not we, were trapped in the Middle East? its worth serious pondering. The military-industrial complex most always have an enemy; it appears to me that the one they manufactured in the Soviet Union was much more healthy for us than the currently manufactured enemy.

At any rate the blowback factor should (but won’t) lead people to stop laughing at the idea of a Department of Peace. The SecDef and his military has, for the lst 60 years at least) been at best a complete waste of life and purse (southeast Asia) and more often an actual negative for our prosperity and security; certainly it has never been a success. When, if ever, will we face this fact, war does not work!

On another topic you raise; Obama at best is a mirror but people seem to think he is a magic mirror in which they can gaze upon their better self. John Lennon knew what that trap was all about.

Additionally you say that Democrats said “he was being idealistic and romantic, and there was no chance in hell of that wall coming down…. Can you substantiate that recollection?

As far as bringing different sides to the table; that could be good if you know how to manipulate those sides to get what you want, Obama and politicians in general these days take the opposite tack, they simply “want” what they think they can use to get both sides to the table. It has been and will remain a recipe for the status quo, one that you know (PEAK PEAK PEAK) must be shattered……..FOGETTABOUTIT!

Peace out.