Eric Margolis on the U.S. State

Margolis makes the following points:

1. A 23-year-old Nigerian's attempt to bring down a Northwest-Delta flight to Detroit will not be the last such terrorist act. "US military forces are currently engaged in combat operations in Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Somalia, West Africa, the Philippines and, likely, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan. Blowback is inevitable." As airline travel becomes more onerous, more people will decide to drive or avoid travel altogether. "Bad news for the suffering airline industry." Does this mean upcoming airline bailouts or airline nationalization?

2. With more debt seen as the solution to the massive debt (funded by cheap credit) that got us into the financial meltdown of 2008, a healthy economy is out of reach. "Taxpayer money went to rescue Wall Street nabobs ordering $350 bottles of wine while people on main street America could not pay their medical bills."

3. "Those who hoped the US would change course under Obama to play a positive, cooperative, non-imperial role in world affairs were profoundly dismayed.

"We see continued occupation of Iraq, the expanded, trillion-dollar war in Afghanistan, military operations in Africa and now Yemen. The White House stonewalling on releasing torture documents, failure to prosecute the Bush era’s torturers and kidnappers, refusal to end domestic surveillance and continued violations of the Geneva Convention."

4. The government continues to blockade communist Cuba, yet it allows trade with communist Vietnam.

5. "Military spending has risen from US $667 billion under Bush to $734 billion under Nobel Peace Prize laureate Obama. Add an astounding $49.8 billion more for intelligence."

6. "The US is bankrupt and living on credit from China. But Washington’s national security juggernaut keeps rolling on, finding new enemies around every sand dune."

7. "Afghanistan, graveyard of empires, may also become the graveyard of Obama’s presidency."

Laugh at the state

According to Richard Stengel of Time Magazine the White House gatecrashers are evil because they get people laughing at the king. Sorry, but that's why they're good.

Yogurt pancake recipe

(Freedom fighters need to eat, too.)

Yogurt Pancakes or Waffles
Serves 4-6 people

3 eggs beaten
3/4 cup yogurt (plain or flavored – I use vanilla)
1 cup milk
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp sugar
4 tbsp melted butter (half a stick)

Mix all together with a whisk or beater. Lumps are OK. Let batter sit for 5-10 minutes before cooking. Use 1/4 cup batter for each pancake. Pancakes will be about 4 inches in diameter. You can add nuts or fruit once they are on the grill, but I’ve found they fly off when you flip the pancakes. Make sure your griddle is hot enough. When you flip the pancakes they should be an even, dark brown.

For waffles, pour the batter in an X pattern across the griddle. Use two 1/4 scoops of batter for each leg of the X. This will make 4 waffles.

Serve pancakes or waffles with melted butter and warm syrup. You might also try topping them with vanilla yogurt (or whatever flavor you prefer) and fresh blueberries.