Oct 08 2007
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By Jason Miller
10/8/07
Cluster B Personality Disorders
1776.0 Americanistic Personality Disorder
The essential features of Americanistic Personality Disorder include pervasive patterns of extreme self-absorption, profound and long-term lapses in empathy, a deep disregard for the well-being of others, a powerful aversion to intellectual honesty and reality, and a grossly exaggerated sense of the importance of one’s self and one’s nation. These patterns emerge in infancy, manifest themselves in nearly all contexts, and often become pathological.
These patterns have also been characterized as sociopathic, or colloquially as the “Ugly American Syndrome.” Note that the latter terminology carries too benign a connotation to accurately describe an individual afflicted with such a dangerous perversion of character.
For this diagnosis to be given, the individual must be deeply immersed in the flag-waving, nationalistic, and militaristic fervor derived primarily from the nearly perpetual barrage of reality warping emanations of the “mainstream media,” most commonly through the medium of television. Typically indoctrinated from birth to believe that they are morally superior, exceptional human beings, these individuals suffer from severe egocentrism, a condition further engendered by the prevalence of the acutely toxic dominant paradigm known as capitalism.
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Oct 07 2007
Cyrano’s Journal Online and its semi-autonomous subsections (Thomas Paine’s Corner, The Greanville Journal, CJO Avenger, and VoxPop) would be delighted to periodically email you links to the most recent material and timeless classics available on our diverse and comprehensive site. If you would like to subscribe, type “CJO subscription” in the subject line and send your email to
“For certain members of our armed forces, there was a message delivered to them somehow, that somehow their Iraqi prisoners were subhuman.”
By Steven Jonas
10/7/07
Recently, a fascinating photo album was donated to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, DC. It was found by a U.S. counterintelligence officer in an abandoned apartment in Frankfurt, Germany after the end of World War II in 1945. (This meant that whoever assembled the book took it with them as they fled the camp before it was liberated by the Red Army in February 1945.) He kept it hidden away all of these years. It was sent to the Museum in December 2006. It is essentially a scrap book of photos of SS male and female officers and ranks at play outside Auschwitz in 1944. (Here is a short slide show with narrative.)
The photos show these people having picnic lunches, engaging in choral singing, playing with their dogs, gathering for smiling group photos, and smoking cigarettes (even though at Hitler’s behest, the Nazis had instituted the world’s first comprehensive anti-smoking campaign in Germany in the 1930s. And there you thought that all German armed forces members always followed orders.) They even decorated Christmas trees (after all, the slogan “Gott mit Uns” was on their belt buckles). And all this time, thousands of Jews and other nationalities were being gassed and burned at the camp every day. Talk about the banality of evil.
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Oct 02 2007
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“George W. Bush — the reigning mascot of this fantasyland of infantile omnipotence and instant gratification”
Addressing the origins of the “who’s is your daddy” nation
By Phil Rockstroh
“We must become the change we want to see.” – Mahatma Gandhi
“In any case, I hate all Iranians.” –Debra Cagan, Deputy Assistant Secretary to Defense Secretary, Robert Gates
How many times do we, the people of the US, have to go around on this queasy-making merry-go-round of propaganda and militarism before we shout — enough! — then shutdown the whole cut-rate carnival and run the scheming carnies who operate it out of town? It is imperative the nation’s citizens begin to apprehend the patterns present in this ceaseless cycle of official deceit and collective pathology. This republic, or any other, cannot survive, inhabited by a populace with such a slow learning curve.
Over the last three decades, the authoritarian right has risen to create the nation they have been longing for since their humbling by the Watergate scandal. After being subdued and humiliated by the mechanisms of a free republic, the right has turned the tables — and subdued and humiliated the republic. If the trend continues, all but unchallenged and unabated, we might as well replace the torch held aloft by Lady Liberty with a taser.
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Sep 28 2007
Cyrano’s Journal Online and its semi-autonomous subsections (Thomas Paine’s Corner, The Greanville Journal, CJO Avenger, and VoxPop) would be delighted to periodically email you links to the most recent material and timeless classics available on our diverse and comprehensive site. If you would like to subscribe, type “CJO subscription” in the subject line and send your email to
Leaders like Ahmedinejad and Chavez, who refuse to submit to US military and economic subjugation, are assaulted with vicious character assasination and hyperbolic vilification by the Empire’s well-funded media whores, reactionary academics, and Right Wing “think tanks,” often enabling CIA-sponsored “regime changes” or wars of aggression against their nations.
By Steven Jonas
9/28/07
Originally published at Buzz Flash
So Pres. Ahmedinejad of Iran comes to the U.S. And boy, is the U.S. Right hot and bothered about his visit and what he wants to do here (inside the 25-mile radius from the UN within which foreign dignitaries on the Administration’s s__t list must stay). First, he wants to visit the site of 9/11. Apparently forgetting that Iran delivered an outpouring of sympathy when the horror occurred, that Iran, a Shiite country, despises the Sunni bin Laden (and he doesn’t like them much either), that Iran provided material aid to the original U.S. invasion of Afghanistan and still doesn’t like the Taliban and certainly doesn’t like the fact that under yet another Georgite-mismanaged war they have made a strong comeback, the U.S. Right launched a general “how dare he?” That of course fits right in with the current campaign to drum up Islamophobia using any convenient Muslim target regardless of politics (except, of course, the Bush-partners Saudis).
So then he gets this invitation to speak at Columbia University and all hell breaks loose, on the Right. But given what actually happened there, one has to wonder why the Right is so upset. After all, this man is so much like Bush, they could almost be twins. So the Right shouldn’t be angered. They should be pleased that at least one other world leader, for the most part, is following the example of their man in particular or at least that of his core supporters in general. Hey, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, ain’t it? Let’s count the ways.
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Sep 24 2007
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“The lawsuit also cites a Time magazine interview given by Viacom chairman Redstone, in which he expressed the opinion that the reelection of Bush in 2004 would benefit his corporation.”
By Bill Van Auken
21 September 2007
Former CBS news anchor Dan Rather has launched a $70 million lawsuit against the television network and its executives charging that he was made the “scapegoat” for a September 2004 news segment on how George W. Bush managed to get into the Texas Air National Guard during the Vietnam War, thereby escaping any threat of being drafted.
The suit accuses CBS, its parent company Viacom, and three corporate executives—Leslie Moonves, the CBS CEO, Sumner Redstone, Viacom’s executive chairman, and Andrew Heyward, the former president of CBS News—of damaging Rather’s reputation and violating his contract by denying him promised airtime after he stepped down as evening news anchor, a position that he had held for nearly a quarter of a century.
“Dan Rather’s national reputation for excellent, nonpartisan independent journalism was intentionally damaged by CBS, Viacom and their senior executives, who sacrificed independent journalism for corporate financial interests,” the TV newsman’s attorney, Martin Gold, said in a statement. “A healthy democracy cannot flourish without an independent press. Dan Rather brings this lawsuit to further that principle and to restore his reputation, and if he is successful he intends to donate substantial sums to further these ideals.”
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Sep 19 2007
Cyrano’s Journal Online and its semi-autonomous subsections (Thomas Paine’s Corner, The Greanville Journal, CJO Avenger, and VoxPop) would be delighted to periodically email you links to the most recent material and timeless classics available on our diverse and comprehensive site. If you would like to subscribe, type “CJO subscription” in the subject line and send your email to
By Dale Allen Pfeiffer
9/17/07
Bush now has the ability to declare martial law at his own discretion, and in so doing dissolve the other branches of government, throw out the constitution, and suspend elections. He appropriated the right to do this largely by executive order. He can declare martial law whenever he deems there is sufficient cause; cause being an act of terrorism, an economic crisis, an act of war, civil unrest, or a natural catastrophe. For more information about the executive orders and legislation granting Bush these rights, please watch the short video at www.mountainsnetinel.com (What We Choose to Ignore), or visit the US Martial Law Timeline.
Hard as it might be to believe, there is a very real possibility that Bush will exercise these rights before his term ends. All he needs is an excuse. At present, the economy is on the verge of collapse, the Iraqi Occupation is going badly no matter what Bush and his chosen generals say, energy supplies are unable to keep pace with demand, disapproval of the Bush administration is growing, and Bush wants to attack Iran and so complete his Middle East conquest. He has all the reason in the world to declare martial law. All he lacks is a sufficient excuse.
Click HERE to read the article in its entirety….
Sep 16 2007
Cyrano’s Journal Online and its semi-autonomous subsections (Thomas Paine’s Corner, The Greanville Journal, CJO Avenger, and VoxPop) would be delighted to periodically email you links to the most recent material and timeless classics available on our diverse and comprehensive site. If you would like to subscribe, type “CJO subscription” in the subject line and send your email to
“And George, Governor Death, President selected by a narrow margin of 5 to 4, man-child who’s always been given everything always and always managed to wreck it all, your nihilistic, narcissistic, narrow mind is rivaled on this sad planet only by your fellow spoiled brat brother of Thanatos (or secret alias? or — pardon the pun – “beard?”), Bin Laden. “
by Adam Engel
9/16/07
I was almost a hero, once.
Early Summer of 2001 I was hustling for the last shards of the dot.com boom and secured an interview with a banking corporation that bears the name of a famous American Robber Baron who sowed the seeds of his first fortune on the bloodlefilth of the Civil War. He sold defective arms to Union Soldiers, (or was it Confederate soldiers? Possibly both). Some called this Johnny-Bad-Apple-Seed a war profiteer; others said he was merely planting heroes.
It was supposed to be a three-to-six month gig writing ad-copy, business documents, executive speeches and other corporate propaganda. Thing was, they wanted me to wear a suit and tie. I told the woman at Human Resources that I didn’t sport such garb, particularly not in hot weather. Sorry, no suit, no gig, she said politely.
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Sep 15 2007
Cyrano’s Journal Online and its semi-autonomous subsections (Thomas Paine’s Corner, The Greanville Journal, CJO Avenger, and VoxPop) would be delighted to periodically email you links to the most recent material and timeless classics available on our diverse and comprehensive site. If you would like to subscribe, type “CJO subscription” in the subject line and send your email to
“Six years after September 11, 2001 what we do have is what might be expected when revenge is pursued rather than justice. Pain, death, grief and anger. Fear, reactionary decisions, and rhetoric aimed at factionalizing a nation.”
By Rowan Wolf
9/15/07
On September 11, 2001 a series of horrendous events happened. Planes brought down two buildings of the World trade Center complex in New York City; the Pentagon was hit; and another crashed in a Pennsylvania field. It was a shock to the systems and psyches of the people of the United States and the world. It has been repeated more times than I can count the “world changed forever.” Personally, I think that is a grandiose claim, but it set in motion a series of decisions and events that continue to the present.
Bush reportedly “joked” after 9/11 that he had “hit the trifecta.” His choices after that event have ruined the lives of millions, and drug the United States into the dubious honor of being a rogue nation.
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Sep 10 2007
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“Mr. Cheney, on the other hand, was livid all day long.”
By Gary Corseri
9/10/07
Breaking News:
In an extraordinary turn of events, hard on the heels of his first video tape in three years, Osama bin Laden today released a new video in which he flatly denies the claim of Homeland Security Advisor Frances Fragos Townsend that he is “virtually impotent.”
Appearing in a gold tunic, and, for the first time, a non-traditional fedora, tilted cockily over his neatly trimmed eyebrows, bin Laden exuded confidence, but seemed a little tired.
“Last night,” he boasted, “I entered into blissful relations with seven beautiful virgins.” With a sly smile he added, “Allah be praised!”
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Sep 10 2007
Cyrano’s Journal Online and its semi-autonomous subsections (Thomas Paine’s Corner, The Greanville Journal, CJO Avenger, and VoxPop) would be delighted to periodically email you links to the most recent material and timeless classics available on our diverse and comprehensive site. If you would like to subscribe, type “CJO subscription” in the subject line and send your email to
“And now Bush is reminding us that we must work together to battle extremists who try to imitate our murder of the innocent in order to achieve political objectives. Perhaps the most dangerous problem of all is that the American herd continues to swallow outrageous and incredible bullshit as though it were truth.”
By Rand Clifford
9/10/07
The new “Osama bin Laden tape” is an astonishing example of what the corporate media feeds gullible Americans, as well as what gullible Americans are still swallowing after so many lies. Bin Laden has been front-page news for a week, spurring serious buzz over how much the man has changed. Beard trimmed and neatly dyed, he’s looking older in this videotape, but does not appear to be obviously ill. Dark circles beneath his eyes are more pronounced. Experts agree that his face is “visibly wizened.” The tape has been rushed into technical evaluation by U.S. intelligence analysts. Initial reviews lean toward verifying its authenticity. Bush took time out between gaffes in Australia to mutter “The tape is a reminder about the dangerous world in which we live. And it is a reminder that we must work together to protect…against these extremists who murder the innocent in order to achieve their political objectives.” Sunday, 9/9/07, front pages across the country declared: AL-QAIDA ALIVE, WELL…Osama bin Laden’s video demonstrates the resilience of his organization.
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