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phorbin.bsky.social
phorbin
@phorbin.bsky.social
95 followers 130 following 430 posts
I think therefore I think therefore I think some more. This is subject to change without notice. (Right now I think we're all in trouble.)
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phorbin.bsky.social
By J B Priestley from 'Postscripts' 1940 Nazi-ism is not really a political philosophy, but an attitude of mind — the expression in political life of a certain very unpleasant temperament — of the man who hates Democracy, reasonable argument, tolerance, patience and humorous equality— the man who loves bluster and swagger uniforms and bodyguards and fast cars, plotting in back rooms, shouting and bullying, taking it out of all the people who have made him feel inferior. It’s not really a balanced, grown-up attitude of mind at all it belongs to people who can’t find their way out of their adolescence, who remain overgrown, tormenting, cruel schoolboys — middle-aged “dead end kids”. That’s why the gang spirit is so marked among these Nazis, and it explains, too, why there has always seemed something unhealthy, abnormal, perverted, crawlmgly corrupt, about them and all their activities. And any country that allows itself to be dominated by the Nazis will not only have the German Gestapo crawling everywhere, but will also find itself in the power of all its own most unpleasant types—the very people who, for years have been rotten with unsatisfied vanity, gnawing envy, and haunted by dreams of cruel power. Let the Nazis in and you will find that the laziest loud-mouth in the workshop has suddenly been given power to kick you up and down the street, and that if you try to make any appeal you have to do it to the one man in the district whose every word and look you'd always distrusted.
November 8, 2025 at 8:45 PM
phorbin.bsky.social
By J B Priestley from 'Postscripts' 1940 Nazi-ism is not really a political philosophy, but an attitude of mind — the expression in political life of a certain very unpleasant temperament — of the man who hates Democracy, reasonable argument, tolerance, patience and humorous equality— the man who loves bluster and swagger uniforms and bodyguards and fast cars, plotting in back rooms, shouting and bullying, taking it out of all the people who have made him feel inferior. It’s not really a balanced, grown-up attitude of mind at all it belongs to people who can’t find their way out of their adolescence, who remain overgrown, tormenting, cruel schoolboys — middle-aged “dead end kids”. That’s why the gang spirit is so marked among these Nazis, and it explains, too, why there has always seemed something unhealthy, abnormal, perverted, crawlmgly corrupt, about them and all their activities. And any country that allows itself to be dominated by the Nazis will not only have the German Gestapo crawling everywhere, but will also find itself in the power of all its own most unpleasant types—the very people who, for years have been rotten with unsatisfied vanity, gnawing envy, and haunted by dreams of cruel power. Let the Nazis in and you will find that the laziest loud-mouth in the workshop has suddenly been given power to kick you up and down the street, and that if you try to make any appeal you have to do it to the one man in the district whose every word and look you'd always distrusted.
October 11, 2025 at 1:24 PM
phorbin.bsky.social
By J B Priestley from 'Postscripts' Nazi-ism is not really a political philosophy, but an attitude of mind — the expression in political life of a certain very unpleasant temperament — of the man who hates Democracy, reasonable argument, tolerance, patience and humorous equality— the man who loves bluster and swagger uniforms and bodyguards and fast cars, plotting in back rooms, shouting and bullying, taking it out of all the people who have made him feel inferior. It’s not really a balanced, grown-up attitude of mind at all it belongs to people who can’t find their way out of their adolescence, who remain overgrown, tormenting, cruel schoolboys — middle-aged “dead end kids”. That’s why the gang spirit is so marked among these Nazis, and it explains, too, why there has always seemed something unhealthy, abnormal, perverted, crawlmgly corrupt, about them and all their activities. And any country that allows itself to be dominated by the Nazis will not only have the German Gestapo crawling everywhere, but will also find itself in the power of all its own most unpleasant types—the very people who, for years have been rotten with unsatisfied vanity, gnawing envy, and haunted by dreams of cruel power. Let the Nazis in and you will find that the laziest loud-mouth in the workshop has suddenly been given power to kick you up and down the street, and that if you try to make any appeal you have to do it to the one man in the district whose every word and look you'd always distrusted.
October 6, 2025 at 1:01 PM
phorbin.bsky.social
Agreed but consider Poilievre's 'complaining' as part of an efficient influence strategy campaign w media compliance if not always collusion.

maybe reflect on the need to get ppl up to speed about the what, where, when, why, how of it coupled w organising to mobilise effective persistent counters.
Nazi-ism is not really a political philosophy, but an attitude of mind — the expression in political life of a certain very unpleasant temperament — of the man who hates Democracy, reasonable argument, tolerance, patience and humorous equality— the man who loves bluster and swagger uniforms and bodyguards and fast cars, plotting in back rooms, shouting and bullying, taking it out of all the people who have made him feel inferior. It’s not really a balanced, grown-up attitude of mind at all it belongs to people who can’t find their way out of their adolescence, who remain overgrown, tormenting, cruel schoolboys — middle-aged “dead end kids”. That’s why the gang spirit is so marked among these Nazis, and it explains, too, why there has always seemed something unhealthy, abnormal, perverted, crawlmgly corrupt, about them and all their activities.
September 29, 2025 at 12:55 PM
phorbin.bsky.social
I prefer faith to hope.
September 18, 2025 at 1:11 PM
phorbin.bsky.social
She does.

I think this observation with very little translation for the times does as well.
Nazi-ism is not really a political philosophy, but an attitude of mind — the expression in political life of a certain very unpleasant temperament — of the man who hates Democracy, reasonable argument, tolerance, patience and humorous equality— the man who loves bluster and swagger uniforms and bodyguards and fast cars, plotting in back rooms, shouting and bullying, taking it out of all the people who have made him feel inferior. It’s not really a balanced, grown-up attitude of mind at all it belongs to people who can’t find their way out of their adolescence, who remain overgrown, tormenting, cruel schoolboys — middle-aged “dead end kids”. That’s why the gang spirit is so marked among these Nazis, and it explains, too, why there has always seemed something unhealthy, abnormal, perverted, crawlmgly corrupt, about them and all their activities. And'any country that allows itself to be dominated by the Nazis will not only have the German Gestapo crawling everywhere, but will also find itself in the power of all its own most unpleasant types — the very people who, for years, have been rotten with unsatisfied vanity, gnawing envy, and haunted by dreams of cruel power. Let the Nazis in, and you will find that the laziest loud-mouth in the workshop has suddenly been given power to kick you up and down the street, and that if you try to make any appeal, you have to do it to the one man in the district whose every word and look you’d always distrusted.
September 18, 2025 at 12:07 AM
phorbin.bsky.social
They are. …They've chosen a position giving impunity, power and licence to inflict unwarranted, warrantless suffering on and clearly instant summary execution on innocents.

I think the quote tracks the reality.
September 13, 2025 at 5:44 PM
phorbin.bsky.social
Doesn't take much to adjust this to current circumstances and personages.
Nazi-ism is not really a political philosophy, but an attitude of mind — the expression in political life of a certain very unpleasant temperament — of the man who hates Democracy, reasonable argument, tolerance, patience and humorous equality— the man who loves bluster and swagger uniforms and bodyguards and fast cars, plotting in back rooms, shouting and bullying, taking it out of all the people who have made him feel inferior. It’s not really a balanced, grown-up attitude of mind at all it belongs to people who can’t find their way out of their adolescence, who remain overgrown, tormenting, cruel schoolboys — middle-aged “dead end kids”. That’s why the gang spirit is so marked among these Nazis, and it explains, too, why there has always seemed something unhealthy, abnormal, perverted, crawlmgly corrupt, about them and all their activities. And'any country that allows itself to be dominated by the Nazis will not only have the German Gestapo crawling everywhere, but will also find itself in the power of all its own most unpleasant types — the very people who, for years, have been rotten with unsatisfied vanity, gnawing envy, and haunted by dreams of cruel power. Let the Nazis in, and you will find that the laziest loud-mouth in the workshop has suddenly been given power to kick you up and down the street, and that if you try to make any appeal, you have to do it to the one man in the district whose every word and look you’d always distrusted.
September 9, 2025 at 2:43 PM
phorbin.bsky.social
Back in the day there was an I Ching hexagram I liked a lot. 'Change rising up from below'.

People talk about hope.

I choose faith that the US ppl will break the egoligarchs.

IMO to be useful in this pass, help, aaand save our own sorry asses we must lose wishful hope, organise & mobilise.
August 30, 2025 at 1:33 PM
phorbin.bsky.social
but faith works better.
August 26, 2025 at 6:58 PM
phorbin.bsky.social
August 1, 2025 at 1:15 PM
phorbin.bsky.social
I think this describes the type.
A quote from Postscripts by J. B. Priestly. Nazi-ism is not really a political philosophy, but an attitude of mind — the expression in political life of a certain very unpleasant temperament — of the man who hates Democracy, reasonable argument, tolerance, patience and humorous equality— the man who loves bluster and swagger uniforms and bodyguards and fast cars, plotting in back rooms, shouting and bullying, taking it out of all the people who have made him feel inferior It’s not really a balanced, grown-up attitude of mind at all it belongs to people who can’t find their way out of their adolescence, who remain overgrown, tormenting, cruel schoolboys — middle-aged “dead end kids”. That’s why the gang spirit is so marked among these Nazis, and it explains, too, why there has always seemed something unhealthy, abnormal, perverted, crawlmgly corrupt, about them and all their activities.
July 29, 2025 at 6:58 PM
phorbin.bsky.social
May well be that him operating the thing on the road is illegal. Note the 'unless permission is expressly granted' bit.

The cite's straight from Transportation Alberta and highway means any road in the province.
July 28, 2025 at 7:40 PM
phorbin.bsky.social
All of which leads me to the suggestion, 'Never underestimate the enemy.' and the Sun Tzu cite.
July 28, 2025 at 1:38 AM
phorbin.bsky.social
& goes back to Manifest Destiny and the Monroe Doctrine.

‪@drmarkbourrie.bsky.social‬ posted the image noting 1940.

I grew up with this stuff at home and in school.

IMO 'War Plan Red' (see Wikipedia) casts it all in sharp relief.

Various formats at: archive.org/details/cana...
Image of a book dust jacket. Canada America's Problem For 150 years the U.S.A has taken Canada for granted. Suddenly Americans are asking vital questions about their neighbor's status. Rival? menace to peace? or partner? This book tells… A revealing history and survey by the New York Times Canadian correspondant 1934 to 39. John MacCormac
July 11, 2025 at 12:26 PM
phorbin.bsky.social
"...And that's what your holy men discuss, is it?" [asked Granny Weatherwax.] "Not usually. There is a very interesting debate raging at the moment on the nature of sin. for example." [answered Mightily Oats.] "And what do they think? Against it, are they?" "It's not as simple as that. It's not a black and white issue. There are so many shades of gray." "Nope." "Pardon?" "There's no grays, only white that's got grubby. I'm surprised you don't know that. And sin, young man, is when you treat people like things. Including yourself. That's what sin is." "It's a lot more complicated than that--" "No. It ain't. When people say things are a lot more complicated than that, they means they're getting worried that they won't like the truth. People as things, that's where it starts.” "Oh, I'm sure there are worse crimes--" "But they starts with thinking about people as things..." --from Carpe Jugulum, by Terry Pratchett.
July 9, 2025 at 11:57 AM
phorbin.bsky.social
Nazi-ism is not really a political philosophy, but an attitude of mind — the expression in political life of a certain very unpleasant temperament — of the man who hates Democracy, reasonable argument, tolerance, patience and humorous equality— the man who loves bluster and swagger uniforms and bodyguards and fast cars, plotting in back rooms, shouting and bullying, taking it out of all the people who have made him feel inferior It’s not really a balanced, grown-up attitude of mind at all it belongs to people who can’t find their way out of their adolescence, who remain overgrown, tormenting, cruel schoolboys — middle-aged “dead end kids”. That’s why the gang spirit is so marked among these Nazis, and it explains, too, why there has always seemed something unhealthy, abnormal, perverted, crawlmgly corrupt, about them and all their activities. And any country that allows itself to be dominated by the Nazis will not only have the German Gestapo crawling everywhere, but will also find itself in the power of all its own most unpleasant types — the very people who, for years, have been rotten with unsatisfied vanity, gnawing envy, and haunted by dreams of cruel power. Let the Nazis in, and you will find that the laziest loud-mouth in the workshop has suddenly been given power to kick you up and down the street, and that if you try to make any appeal, you have to do it to the one man in the district whose every word and look you’d always distrusted. Postscripts by J.B. Priestly
July 2, 2025 at 11:18 AM
phorbin.bsky.social
Y'know, I think 'no longer my game' sums a kind of discussion that needs to escape into the wild, build and grow deep roots.
"There are times when the world is rearranging itself and at times like that, the right words can change the world" Orson Scott Card, Ender's Game
July 1, 2025 at 8:01 PM
phorbin.bsky.social
Politics is not the art of the possible. It consists in choosing betwen the disastrous and the unpalatable. John Kenneth Galbraith.
June 13, 2025 at 11:18 AM
phorbin.bsky.social
Nazi-ism is not really a political philosophy, but an attitude of mind — the expression in political life of a certain very unpleasant temperament — of the man who hates Democracy, reasonable argument, tolerance, patience and humorous equality— the man who loves bluster and swagger uniforms and bodyguards and fast cars, plotting in back rooms, shouting and bullying, taking it out of all the people who have made him feel inferior It’s not really a balanced, grown-up attitude of mind at all it belongs to people who can’t find their way out of their adolescence, who remain overgrown, tormenting, cruel schoolboys — middle-aged “dead end kids”. That’s why the gang spirit is so marked among these Nazis, and it explains, too, why there has always seemed something unhealthy, abnormal, perverted, crawlmgly corrupt, about them and all their activities. And any country that allows itself to be dominated by the Nazis will not only have the German Gestapo crawling everywhere, but will also find itself in the power of all its own most unpleasant types — the very people who, for years, have been rotten with unsatisfied vanity, gnawing envy, and haunted by dreams of cruel power. Let the Nazis in, and you will find that the laziest loud-mouth in the workshop has suddenly been given power to kick you up and down the street, and that if you try to make any appeal, you have to do it to the one man in the district whose every word and look you’d always distrusted.
June 12, 2025 at 1:04 PM
phorbin.bsky.social
enemy and overestimating ourselves.
June 10, 2025 at 3:57 AM
phorbin.bsky.social
Most minoritiy governments last about 469 days.

It seems likely that India, China's chief rival, can be a hedge against China.

& maybe consider which markets will buy from and supply us bypassing USA, and where we'll get reliable of military supplies in volume—etc.

My bet's on Doug replacing pp.
June 7, 2025 at 10:48 PM
phorbin.bsky.social
If I were them, I'd be playing it pretty close to the vest—but then, I grew up in the fading shadow of WWII

I'd think that defence discussions with Europe and Australia are an indicator of work in process.

FWIW I think Sun Tzu has a lot to teach us.
June 3, 2025 at 1:33 PM
phorbin.bsky.social
I think planned & timed. Mix in the flash election call to leverage our natural response to an attack on Canada and you get a brilliant, & what will probably be the least understood manœuvre in Canadian politics.

It blindsided Trump, the NDP and the CPC.

Pity the gambit didn't grant a majority.
May 31, 2025 at 4:55 PM
phorbin.bsky.social
May 27, 2025 at 1:05 PM