And this is why

I argue that today Christians can't be Capitalists - because the very Capitalism espoused below has become mainstream.

Profit with No (Real) Gain: “Why I’m Leaving Goldman Sachs”

"Many proponents of capitalism, particularly the libertarian/Ayn Rand (Ayn Rand, so far away)-kind, argue that self-interest is good morally and beneficial economically."

Ah, Ayn Rand, the pin-up girl (would she ever hate THAT description) of the newly liberated first and second-year university students! In our culture today, the earliest 'me' generation has become the purveyor of all that is evil about Capitalism...

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Disparity? What disparity?

No austerity for well-heeled

A very good editorial, though I suspect that the well-heeled think we should just shut up and do what we're told.

You can tell we're in a free country. In a non-free (in this case, I guess fascist would be the closest) country, the writer would be jailed for writing this, if not executed. Here, well, the worst that might happen is that someone may try to get them fired or something.

Ah, freedom. Ask the poor about it...

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They have no shame

when it comes to serving the god they serve.

Wall St's Latest Shameless Ploy to Fleece You

"The industry's effort to overturn new regulations could push public anger past the point of no return."

I hope it does. It's what we need...

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There is so much truth to this

Sen. Bernie Sanders: Corporations Are Not People and They Shouldn't Be Allowed to Buy Our Elections

"Bottom line: Corporations should not be able to go into their treasuries and spend millions and millions of dollars on a campaign in order to buy elections."

Though they benefit from elections (and how!) they aren't individuals and they shouldn't be allowed to spend millions to get someone elected.

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And this

is at the civic level, where the possibilities aren't as great.

D.C. funds for needy used more for perks: Council member calls for closing accounts

Isn't it incredible that politicians will do something so blatant? They know these funds are scrutinized. Why do they think it is their right to use this money for themselves?

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While I agree, to an extent,

that the 'Occupy' protests point toward a utopian goal and consequently are striving for an impossible objective, does that mean that the goal shouldn't be strived for? If, for most of us, sainthood is impossible, should we stop striving toward it?

Christians Divided on Support for Occupy Movement

Why am I not surprised that people start throwing out the 'leftist' epithet every time someone protests about greed and unfairness? Anytime you attack the American Dream and free enterprise and strive for justice and equality you're a leftist or socialist...

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Alas,

here local credit unions are as bad as, or worse, than the larger banks...

Bank fees end, but unhappiness remains

"Big American banks will no longer charge big fees to account holders. But this isn't the end of big fees - or dissatisfied customers."

Given the low rate of interest on savings and the high rate of service charges, you're actually better off hiding your money at home and converting it to precious metals. If we take our money out of the banks they might get the idea...

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It's not new, alas...

Commodification of human beings

Human beings have always been commodities in some cultures, and perhaps at various times in all cultures. We used to call them slaves, serfs, or many other euphemisms that really mean 'someone's property'. The human race, as a group, has never advanced past that. It always seems that the 'moneyed', the 'propertyed', the 'haves', have always felt that they can buy whatever they want, and have done so successfully through the ages. The only good thing we can say now is that we're aware of the mistreatment of people in this way to a greater extent than we have been. We recognize the issue and some people even try to deal with it.

The commodification of human beings exists for the same reason there will never be world peace, world justice, or anything like that - human greed. As long as humans are involved those with less personal greed can only work in the small area surrounding them and be effectual. My $.02...

(I sound a bit negative for a Franciscan, don't I? I have no answer to that.)

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This is why they're scary

An Atheist Icon? Social Conservatives Worried About GOP Ayn Rand Resurgence

The philosophy of selfishness is the philosophy of capitalism and individualism to many American politicos, even 'Christian' ones...

"- Paul Ryan says Ayn Rand is the reason he entered politics and he requires all staff and interns to read her books. Says Ryan: "Ayn Rand more than anyone else did a fantastic job of explaining the morality of capitalism, the morality of individualism."
- Clarence Thomas requires his law clerks to watch The Fountainhead, and has said "I tend really to be partial to Ayn Rand."
- Sen. Ron Johnson, Ryan's GOP colleague from Wisconsin, calls Atlas Shrugged his "foundational book."
- Rush Limbaugh calls Ayn Rand "the brilliant writer and novelist."
- Fox News repeatedly promoted the recently released movie version of Atlas Shrugged, airing the trailer on several shows and interviewing cast members."

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Are you rich?

No? They why is it that so many of the leaders of Christian groups seem to be?

How Pastors Get Rich

And this doesn't even get into the whole 'Prosperity Gospel' issue.

This is a good article, and a good one to share with friends who are in groups where the pastors preach this sort of thing...

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Important for anyone who can read this post

Well Reddit, my weekend just turned to shit. I'm also it just turned shit for a lot of Canadians living in Ontario as well...

A new way of charging for intertube access. Coming to all the major carriers near you, now that the wall has been breached... (Though, to be honest, those of us who are early adopters of the 'tubes - I've been using what has become the internet since the early 1980s) will remember caps on usage from long ago.)

Why is it always, always, always about record profits?

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And Capitalism gives us...

...the travesty that is Goldman Sachs.

Goldman Sachs bankers to receive $15.3bn in pay and bonuses

These people keep getting bonuses for destroying the economy. It's impossible to fathom! I guess we should be rejoicing that the system is working or something...

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Systemic?

US oil spill: 'Bad management' led to BP disaster

"...the presidential commission said the failures were "systemic" and likely to recur."

And just what is the real system responsible?

Guess.

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Individuals less ethical than politicians?

It's hard to believe that it is possible, but it seems so...

Big boss, big pay

"That means by 2:30 p.m. Monday (January 3, 2011 - ed.), the first working day of the year, those CEOs will have earned the full year's wage of the average Canadian..."

And that's when the economy isn't so great. They get paid enormous sums for weathering the bad years, or for taking part in creating the bad years (see the Wall Street and sub-prime mortgage banking scandals as examples) and then they get even larger bonuses when the economy is good. And, as the article explains, a lot of it is underwritten by the taxpayer.

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Whither embarrassment?

The Death of Embarrassment

In a society, in cultures, that have moved into the 'it's all about me' generation, embarrassment, by necessity, goes the way of courtesy and concern for others. If courtesy doesn't exist, and one cares for no one but ones' self, then there's nothing to be embarrassed about. Making your bra straps part of your ensemble, wearing your pants in such a way that underwear manufacturers put their labels on the outside of the waistband rather than the inside, wearing your shirt untucked under your suitcoat, making your bra, and particularly your cleavage, part of your 'look', it's all fashion, but it all comes about because the rules are changed. It's now 'all about me' and there can be no wrong...

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A sad act of cruelty

Death of a Snow Leopard

""An Afghan elder who had seen the leopard in the cage wept when he saw its dead body carried out. "A lot of these mountain people have respect for wildlife," says Lawson, who was told by an elder that "God put these animals here for us to look after." The death of a snow leopard may not be of great consequence in Afghanistan's larger turmoil. But for many Afghans, the snow leopard is a symbol of the country's spirit of untamed wildness. For a few brief moments, everyone from the President to the top U.S. diplomat in the country turned their gaze away from politics and terrorism to a shivering, sick cat in a cage. And when it died, everyone from the highest echelons of power to humble villagers suffered a profound loss.""

source: Time.com

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Anyone who believes

that Mal-Wart does anything but take money out of the pockets of the people and drive small businesses our of business (while putting lower wages back into the economy) hasn't paid any attention to the history of this rapacious business machine...

The Great Grocery Smackdown

"Will Walmart, not Whole Foods, save the small farm and make America healthy?"

Only if the small farmer can afford to take the price Mal-Wart demands that they take.

Either way, like small businesses before them, they'll ultimately close their doors and the consumer's produce and vegetables will come from China (it'll be The People's Produce then, I guess)...

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Sorry,

I'm not back yet, but I had to 'share' this one...

"Those who have much are often greedy, those who have little always share." - Oscar Wilde (1854 – 1900)

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Newsweek shows

those who they feel are


The Greediest People of all Time

(They don't list the AIG execs at all, let alone individually... )

I'm glad he said something

but unless actions follow the words, they're simply empty...


Obama berates AIG and vows to try to block bonuses

It's easy to see why AIG is becoming the poster child of corporate greed and dishonesty. They're giving Enron a real run for the money (that's an appropriate phrase, given the circumstances...)

Put them all in jail, but only after they pay back the billions they've stolen...