Creepy National Review Cover

There is considerable buzz about a National Review cover that has an eerie similarity to old communist posters. No, it was not done on purpose. They did not deliberately copy the Soviet poster, they copied the style from the whole period. It is just that good propaganda techniques are good propaganda techniques, and they can be used by anyone. (Pam Dewey, the beloved editor here at the prophecy podcast, thinks the Soviet poster was used as a template by the artist.) 

In fact, a movie I just saw about advertising, Branded, shows a display in Moscow where various luminaries wrote to Lenin about his marketing skills, and, according to the movie, Lenin’s marketing guys were in great demand in the West. There is something evocative about these old Soviet posters, and they were a reoccuring prop in the movie. While the founder of modern marketing is more correctly viewed as Sigmund Freud’s nephew Edward Bernays, it seems likely that Lenin was also present at modern marketing’s birth. I talk about Edward Bernays in a previous post. 

In the movie, the power of advertising causes us as consumers to psychically empower the brands as monsters that feed off our energies, like the old Star Trek episode, "Day of the Dove."  In this episode of Star Trek the alien feeds off negative emotions. 

One interesting aspect is the obvious fact that fast food providers want us to be fat, as that means more sales. So the fast food industry gets together in the movie and tries to change the culture so that fat is cool. 

Only Our Hero Can See The Brand Monsters From The IdWhile I cannot recommend that you pay $10 to go see it in the theaters…it is not doing well—at the 7 PM show there were just 4 of us in the audience…I can recommend that you wait and rent it on Netflix. Just close your eyes when the sex scene in the car occurs. I suppose such scenes are now mandatory in modern cinema. 

(In an odd coincidence the climactic scene in the movie, a reenactment of the ancient Hebrew ceremony of the Red Heifer, takes place just outside of Tver, Russia, the city where I met my wife. I am very familiar with the area.) 

To my eyes the National Review cover seems almost comical. Regardless of whom you vote for, or don’t vote for, do not be deceived by the propaganda of this election cycle. Whatever you do, do not feed the monsters of the Id that the movie Branded portrayed. If you believe the propaganda, you become a slave to it—which was of course, the whole point of the movie. 

American Fascist

I remember watching Hedges making the rounds to promote this book, American Fascist, a few years ago.  If the previous Hedges video I shared annoyed you two weeks ago, this one will infuriate you. It greatly annoyed me. I still think that watching things with which you disagree is an important step to understand what is going on. 

But he does make an interesting point. Looking at a lot of Republicans, with their combination of bellicose war views and overt pseudo-piety, I have to agree with Sinclair Lewis: 

 ”When fascism comes to America, it will be wrapped in the flag and carrying a cross.” 

From my perspective we are already there, look at the Patriot Act, but the fascism may become overt rather than hidden. 

Attack on Iran Part 2

Tehran's ParkI mentioned  Saturday that I thought it likely that Israel will attack Iran in October. We cannot be certain, as we cannot know what Obama’s poll numbers will be in October. Obama is not receiving the traditional post-convention bounce in the polls, and this makes an attack more likely. Another piece may be falling into place.

VLADIVOSTOK, Russia — Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird has severed Canadian ties with Iran over its sponsorship of terrorism and amid fears about the safety of diplomats in the country.

Baird says the Canadian embassy in Tehran will close immediately and Iranian diplomats in Canada have been given five days to leave.

The skeleton staff that was operating Canada’s Tehran mission has already fled the country.

Baird says he’s worried about the safety of diplomats in Tehran following recent attacks on the British embassy. 

Giving such an announcement while holding talks with Russia does seem odd. Russia, not Iran, may be the intended recipient of this news. Something seems to be building. I suggest that you keep your gas tank filled. 

I have an acquaintance who has worked in Iran in the past as an oil consultant. He is not there now—smart man. 

Duck Soup

My favorite scene from one of my favorite movies. 

Third Aircraft Carrier to Arrive in Middle East

What are Benjamin and Hilary Doing Behind Closed Doors? There are currently two US aircraft carriers near the Straits of Hormuz, through which much of the world’s oil must pass. They are the Enterprise and the Eisenhower. For some reason the normal shore-side rotation of the carrier Stennis was shortened—cutting back on time with the sailors’ families. The Navy department is always reluctant to do this. Logically they have a reason to do it at this time. 

While the explanation is that the Stennis will replace the Enterprise, there will be a period when all three carriers are in the gulf and are ready for anything untoward. In addition a French carrier is in the Persian Gulf as well, to participate in war games. The proposed scenario for the games is that “some power” has blocked the Straits of Hormuz. 

The Stennis will arrive in time for these games, which take place from Sept 16 to the 27. The new moon for September is, coincidentally, the 16th. I think it more likely that the attack by Israel on Iran will be in October, on the next new moon, on the 15th. A new moon attack provides the maximum darkness. It will not matter to the attackers, as modern technology will be doing the guidance for the attack. A later attack would also reduce the chance of an oil price spike before the election. In addition the war games will provide training for a confrontation with Iran. 

The same tired scenario that Iran has weapons of mass destruction, or soon will have, will be the excuse. The fact that Iran has no nuclear weapons program and Secretary of Defense Panetta has admitted this will not deter the attack.

How stupid do they think the American People are? (This is a rhetorical question…)

Am I predicting an attack on Iran by Israel before the election? No I am not. It will depend on Obama’s poll numbers, so who can predict it? 

I do not know if there is much media talk about the deployment of a third carrier. I could not find out very much about this. This may change by the time you read this as I am writing this on Wednesday the fifth of September. Debka, not a very reliable source in my opinion, is talking about it, but they have predicted the last few attacks on Iran already. They were wrong. But the timing seems right this time. 

In any event the US, French, British, Saudi, and Abu Dubai navies are ready and in position. 

Are you ready and in position?