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Wed, July 02, 2008 09:25:01 AMFrom:
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NEWS DISSECTOR: South Africa Begins to Feel The Economic Crunch as Prices and Crime Rise
NEWS DISSECTOR July 2, 2008
South Africa Begins to Feel The Economic Crunch as Prices and Crime Rise
BLOGLET FOR WEDNESDAY JULY 2
Sorry to report, I can't do much reporting. I have been editing on a film for Nelson Mandela all day, and seeing old friends at night. Last night I was invited to screen my latest, Boob Tube (see commentary on Mediachannel et.al) with a lively discussion afterwards about hypocrisy, sexual and otherwise here as there.
The big topics in the press have revolved around Robert Mugabe's recent fraudulent election, claiming re-election as President even as every observer in the world considered the process flawed by fraud, violence, intimidation, not to mention the withdrawal at the last minute of his opponent. His "information" minister reportedly told western critics to "go hang."
South Africa's President Thabo Mbeki supported the results ostensibly to continue his "mediation" efforts underway without much success since 2001. The African Union Summit called on Mugabe to form a coalition government of national unity. He walked out of the summit in a snit.
But just like in the United States, where the news media focuses outside, a more serious storm is moving in from the horizon. In Zimbabwe, there, in Iraq here (to some degree) and followed by unlimited reporting on every burp in the political posturing of a campaign that is barely underway. Meanwhile, the bigger threat from a collapsing economy is largely left for the back pages and poorly explained.
I have been writing about how the Subprime implosion has spread globally. Now I can see it up close. In Johannesburg yesterday, the main bus company DOUBLED the fares with no warning leading to mayhem in the morning rush. In, of all places, Gandhi Square where the biggest MetroBus Terminal is located, there was chaos as angry commuters vented ourage pulling other passengers from the buses in acts of mayhem and protest.
Meanwhile the Star, the big English language paper, began announcing price hikes everywhere including in the cost of their own newspaper. This situation is going to get much worse and we will be seeing riots here. The recent outbreak of xenophobia in South Africa with attacks on immigrants from other African countries was rooted to some degree in this deepening economic crisis. Not surprising crime is going up. Murders seem down but house robberies and hijackings are up as well as crimes against businesses. One tactic robbers use here to is to steak forklifts and make off with whole ATM machines. A recent commission found that local banks have been gouging consumers.
It seems like the security industry offers the most jobs to underskilled people.
Rising prices will lead to political uprisings. Mark my words. Meanwhile in the US, 600 Starbucks are being closed and car sales are plummeting .Retirement contributions are falling off, and all manufacturers are coping with higher prices.
Carolyn Baker is circulating these stories;
PETER SCHIFF: GLOOM AND DOOM? NAH, JUST FOR THE U.S.
U.S. AIRPORTS TO LOSE 10% OF DOMESTIC FLIGHTS
WILL THE U.S. INVADE CANADA FOR ITS OIL?
AS THE MIDDLE CLASS IS FORCED TO SAY "NO"
"Particularly in the US, the word 'no' is making itself felt amongst the formerly middle class. Through a combination of the housing bubble burst and rising oil prices these are the folks where the word 'no' was a minor inconvenience, which rarely popped up. Yes, you can have a mortgage with no money down. Yes, you can afford that new truck. Have that trip to the Bahamas because guess what…you're worth it! Yes…yes, you can. Everything is growing. Everything is good…You can't lose! Well, it would seem like we can, and as $150 a barrel oil looms in the short term, the 'no' word is on its way back. How will the public take it? What will they do?"
Thats all I have time to….No time to comment on several worrying developments-Bush allegedly "preparing the battlefield" -ie getting ready for war on Iran…Ovama's embrace of Bushevik "Faith Based" initiatives. (Remember all candidates shift and posture according to what their polls and startegists tell them….He has to move right in the election…Remember too that JFK went to the right of Dick Nixon with his cold war rhetoric….This is, the game.
You won't bet dissilusioned if you abandon your illusions.
Comments to Dissector@mediachannel.org
YES IT IS A JOKE.
I watched in disbelief. I laughed. I mused. Honest, I had nothing to do with this. Is this a message from the Mount? Is someone telling me something? Or is it just the ultimate put on? More like the latter.
Me running for President? I am running from Presidents.
I don't think so. If nominated, I will not run. If elected, I will not serve…un, but then again, maybe I couldn't do much worse. And if they raised the pay….??
Let me know what you think.
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