Foxes in charge of the henhouse

See this article. Some excerpts:

"It is so simple that it is obvious once she [Senator Warren] has pointed it out; and yet most people rarely, if ever, consider the impact of presidential nominations - and of late they have likely done so only because Warren blocked a nominee over their strong ties to the industry they were to police. It's clear, these are the kinds of regulators who don't regulate - and don't prosecute. Warren doesn't put it in such harsh terms, but this is a scathing indictment of the Obama administration. If there were any question about why Obama has not been a Progressive, it is answered here."

Scarborough finally denounces Trump

It took Trump playing coy on the KKK endorsement to finally wake up Scarborough, who had heretofore been a Trumpeter.

Grayson endorses Sanders

Who has a dream?

Latest poll

So who has the best chance at beating the Republicans?

DNC co-chair resigns to support Sanders

See this article. It speaks volumes about the DNC that she had to resign her post in order to support Sanders.

Taibbi on Trump

A must read here. A brief excerpt:

"This boorish, monosyllabic TV tyrant with the attention span of an Xbox-playing 11-year-old really is set to lay waste to the most impenetrable oligarchy the Western world ever devised. It turns out we let our electoral process devolve into something so fake and dysfunctional that any half-bright con man with the stones to try it could walk right through the front door and tear it to shreds on the first go. Trump found the flaw in the American Death Star. It doesn't know how to turn the cameras off, even when it's filming its own demise."

If only MLK could weigh in now

Why do the southern blacks vote for Clinton?

Against their own best interests? Especially when those programs that economically and socially enslaved them did so with the full approval of the Clinton programs which Hillary vociferously endorsed? Just as the ignorant whites are for Trump, let's face it: those blacks voting for Clinton are uneducated and ignorant as well. Which of course is by design, only in this case the Democratic establishment of which Clinton is a part keeps them that way for exactly this reason. Aided and abetted, by the way, by black leadership.

MSNBC is Fox Lite

I saw this coming long ago when they dumped Olbermann, which is now a foregone conclusion. MSNBC hires progressives voices only to keep them in check and dilute their message. All of their progressive staff should quit and join Ring of Fire and Free Speech TV.

Is the San Bernardino I-phone really the issue?

Join Robert Reich in endorsing Sanders

From Reich's emailer:

I am endorsing Bernie Sanders for President of the United States. He's leading a movement to reclaim America for the many, not the few. And such a political mobilization – a "political revolution," as he puts it -- is the only means by which we can get the nation back from the moneyed interests that now control so much of our economy and democracy.

This extraordinary concentration of income, wealth, and political power at the very top imperils all else -- our economy, our democracy, the revival of the American middle class, the prospects for the poor and for people of color, the necessity of slowing and reversing climate change, and a sensible foreign policy not influenced by the “military-industrial complex,” as President Dwight Eisenhower once called it.

It is the fundamental prerequisite: We have little hope of achieving positive change on any front unless the American people are once again in control.

I have the deepest respect and admiration for Hillary Clinton, and if she wins the Democratic primary I’ll work my heart out to help her become president. But I believe Bernie Sanders is the agent of change this nation so desperately needs.

Join me and my friends at Democracy for America. Please stand with Bernie Sanders by adding your name now.

Thank you.

Robert Reich
Former Secretary of Labor

Rep. Grayson on the GOP healthcare plan

From his emailer:

A little over six years ago, on the Floor of the House, President Obama invited the House Republicans to show their health care plan to him. To make it look good for themselves on C-SPAN, they waved something at him that looked like a healthcare plan. Blank pieces of paper. The Republicans waved blank pieces of paper at the President of the United States. That was their healthcare plan. I didn’t like that. So I took to the House Floor armed with nothing but poster boards, an American flag tie, and a lot of courage. This is what I said:

“It’s my duty and pride tonight to be able to announce exactly what the Republicans plan to do for health care in America … . It’s a very simple plan. Here it is: The Republican healthcare plan for America: ‘Don’t get sick.’ If you have insurance, don’t get sick. If you don’t have insurance, don’t get sick. If you’re sick, don’t get sick. Just don’t get sick! And the GOP’s “backup plan”:
If you do get sick, America, the Republican healthcare plan is this: 'Die quickly.’”

I’m ready to keep speaking truth to power in the U.S. Senate, if you’ll help me get there. Chip in $10 or more to our campaign now >>

Evolution of the dunce cap

Meyers on Sanders student support

And how spring break might reduce the number of college kids, who support him in droves, because they might be too drunk to vote in the March primaries. Funny but also likely true, given they aren't even coming out in sufficient numbers in the primaries as it is.

Wikileaks on US trade agreements

It's a multi-national corporate takeover of the world economy, plain and simple. See the video below for some of the details.

Berkeley votes to boost co-op economy

in the face of gentrification in this article. Some excerpts:

"This month, Berkeley joined a growing number of cities across the country that are making it easier for co-ops to create jobs like Goldsmith’s. On February 9, the city council passed a resolution requiring Berkeley to create an ordinance supporting worker-owned co-ops. The ordinance will institute tax and land-use incentives for co-ops, create educational support materials for current and potential worker-owners, and make it easier for the city to spend its procurement dollars with cooperative businesses—something no other city has done (Oakland is considering a similar ordinance). To make co-ops more competitive in the bidding process and direct more money to them, the city plans to discount their bids before evaluating them, while still paying the co-ops their full asking price."

Lassie surprise

I had no idea Lassie had this talent.

Scalia's last hours makes for a new movie?

I can see this as a new movie with Thom Hanks as professor Robert Langdon in The Supreme Code.

Scalia was "among high-ranking members of an exclusive fraternity for hunters called the International Order of St. Hubertus. [...] Members of the worldwide, male-only society wear dark-green robes emblazoned with a large cross and the motto 'Deum Diligite Animalia Diligentes,' which means 'Honoring God by honoring His creatures,' according to the group’s website. Some hold titles, such as Grand Master, Prior and Knight Grand Officer. The Order’s name is in honor of Hubert, the patron saint of hunters and fishermen."

Picketty on the Sanders phenomenon

See this article. Some excerpts:

"Because he is facing the Clinton machine, as well as the conservatism of mainstream media, Sanders might not win the race. But it has now been demonstrated that another Sanders – possibly younger and less white – could one day soon win the US presidential elections and change the face of the country. In many respects, we are witnessing the end of the politico-ideological cycle opened by the victory of Ronald Reagan at the 1980 elections."

Sonika

She had the unenviable task of following La'Porsha last night but nailed it too for the 2nd best performance.

La'Porsha

By far the best performance on American Idol last night.

The decline and fall of Hillary Clinton

See Michael Greer's article here. A few edited excerpts follow so see it for much more:

"To a very real extent, Hillary Clinton’s faltering presidential campaign is a perfect microcosm of what Spengler was talking about in his cold analysis of democracy in extremis. Her entire platform presupposes that the only policies the United States can follow are those that have been welded in place since the turn of the millennium: more government largesse for corporations and the rich, more austerity for everyone else, more malign neglect for the national infrastructure and the environment, more wars in the Middle East, and more of the fantastically stupid policy of confrontation."

Black Lives Matter confronts Clinton

And it's about time. Clinton had no response and her lackeys told this black woman, who paid the $500 for this speech, she was trespassing. And that it was 'inappropriate' to have Clinton answer for what she actually said.

Republican idiocracy

This hilarious video has women posing as Fox News reporters saying the most outrageous things to Republican supporters, with the latter just accepting the nonsense as fact and responding to it. While some of it is really funny, it's also frightening that these people vote based on such ignorance and stupidity.

Trump ad by the poorly educated

After Trump's statement about loving the poorly educated Kimmel shows this ad made by Trump's favorite constituency.

And still more on Hartmann and Uber

In this clip Hartmann discusses Uber and how the so-called sharing economy limits people to part-time work with no benefits, no unions and no recourse to bad treatment. It's a corporate model that is changing the very nature of work for the worse. And yet he also admits to being a satisfied Uber customer and supporting a system that he finds not in the least amenable to a just and fair work envirnoment.

Still more on Hartmann and Uber

From this FB post on the topic addressed to Hartmann:

"If I hear the word "Uber" one more time on your show, off goes the switch. You, more than anyone, should understand the MO behind this parasite of a company. They off-shore their earnings and drive functional cab companies to near bankruptcy. In Portland, three of the five city commissioners have as their political adviser one of Uber's lobbyist. One being the mayor.

"Our company (who is driver owned) has ~ 300 cabs. 170 of those carry city issued permits to work LEGALLY within the city limits of Portland. This cap was set by the city, not us. Uber has been allowed to work deregulated. According Uber and Lyft, there are close to 8000 (yes 8 THOUSAND) Uber/Lyft drivers working in the city. How are we, with our cap limit of 170 cars, supposed to compete with this corporately (by Goldman and Google) funded giant?

"I've had to start collecting my social security early (I'm 62) because Uber has sucked so much of our income away I can no longer make ends met. Even the Uber drivers are complaining of too many drivers. Many are lucky to make 40 to 60 bucks after working 10 to 12 hours. And since they're not regulated, some are driving more hours than legally allowed by the State of Oregon.

More on Hartmann and Uber

Following up on this post, see this Hartmann report, which includes the CA court case against Uber:

"A recent court decision could threaten the future of Uber. A judge in California has granted class action status to drivers for the ride-share service who claim that the company treats them like regular employees, without providing the corresponding benefits. And, this case could have broader implications for the so-called 'sharing economy' as a whole. As more Americans start providing services on-demand through apps and websites, labor law experts worry what it means for the future of workers' rights. Without the benefits that come along with full-time employment, including sick time and social security contributions, more workers are missing out on protections that they would receive as regular employees. The 'sharing economy' may force our nation to redefine what it means to be an employee, and find a way to protect workers who don't fall into traditional categories. We can't stop technology, or erase the need for individuals to supplement their stagnant wages, but we can make sure that workers are protected in this new age."

And here's a 2012 Hartmann article on the real sharing economy when owned by the workers, not a corporation. Therein he even mentions Union Cab. An edited excerpt:

MSNBC cuts Sanders speech

As soon as he mentions the TPP. How convenient, given not even the so-called liberal talking heads on that channel dare mention these 3 letters.

New Reuters poll has Sanders up by 6 points nationally

See this article. It looks like he'll surely lose SC but pick up some surprises Super Tuesday, then several thereafter.

It's about time Sanders

He's finally going after the Clinton welfare fiasco, noting it was just President Bill but also Hillary that actively supported the disastrous '96 reform bill.

The Democratic establishment electability gamble

Greenwald is right in this article. The Dem establishment keep saying Clinton is the electable one in a general election but all the evidence points to the contrary. In several polls Sanders does way better than Clinton against all GOP candidates, and in some Clinton is losing to Cruz. Her lead on Trump is negligible while Sanders is not. In terms of popularity, "the more the public gets to see of both candidates, the more popular Sanders becomes, and the more unpopular Clinton becomes." 

Why are Hartmann and Miller Uber shills?

I've been hearing a lot of Uber commercials on both of their shows. Given the Uber business model I've also been wondering how either could promote such a despicable company given their progressive bona fides. So I went to the Hartmann message boards and found this thread on the topic. I will copy of few of posts by porches-and-titchforks, who started it:

by porches-n-titchforks

Feb. 11, 2016 10:37 am

Full disclosure: I am a member of Union Cab, a worker owned and operated cooperative in Madison Wisconsin. I listen to Thom's radio show on 92.1 while I am driving my cab and the cognitive dissonance of listening to Thom, a man I admire and mostly agree with on just about everything, doing the narration for an Uber ad is driving me nuts. I understand the importance of ad revenue, but I have to believe Thom just is not aware of how shady and nefarious Uber and the "sharing economy" in general is, or he wouldn't be advertising for them.

Here are a few articles to get the conversation started:

The following is a link to an article by Robert Reich, titled The share-the-scraps economy:
http://robertreich.org/post/109894095095

This article is a good overview of the flaws and exploitation in the Uber business model:
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/7-reasons-im-board-uber-george-hobica

Yet another reason to eschew Uber:
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/jan/31/cheap-cab-ride-uber...

This is a link to a website which contains information about an ongoing class action lawsuit filed on behalf of Uber drivers in california:
http://uberlawsuit.com/

Why is Uber fighting so hard to keep their drivers classed as "independent contractors"? Answer: So they can do an end run around federal labor law.

Illuminari at the Threshold

See the 12-track digital album here, listen to and support it. Their blurb:

ABOUT THE COLLECTIVE: ILLUMINARI

Progression in art is something that requires a complete abandon of sorts. It is that courageous step forward, right out of the box, in brazenly sure footing. ILLUMINARI represents the feminine principle in a world of duality. Our message is the light of existentialistic exploration and the clarity of inner truth. Our tool is the path of musical expression and artistic movement. We recognise that in this material reality, the masculine principle, the route of reaching outward for truth, is the more active, dominant one, and so our purpose is to illuminate our listeners to release themselves from the hold of the overtly physical and discover the deeper, realer life within. If but only one person awakens this light within them, ILLUMINARI would have served its ultimate vision, to ignite the guidance of the heart and soul. This is the picture we are painting in all its audacity and what we believe our contribution is to the collective.

The space between

The last post reminded me of Mark Edwards' work on the "space between." A brief excerpt from part 5 of his Integral Leadership Review interview:

 

"In the following figure I draw two holons encountering each other in a moment of relationship. The space between is filled with the interobjective artifacts of that encounter – words, gestures, signs, touch, meanings, displays, roles, communications. Using the developmental ideas of Vygotsky the space between is filled with the mediating processes and artifacts that flow between the two holons. We can draw an holonic boundary around some logical grouping of these artefacts to identify the 'mediating holon'. 

thresholds

I saw this in Levi Bryant's FB feed and he commented: "Folds." I see it as the emerging Neo-Commons meme and the waning of the Enlightened Self Interest meme in all domains.

thresholds: a digital journal for criticism in the spaces between

"To read and to write is to become entangled; to allow oneself to be snagged upon or enmeshed amidst a profusion of other texts and ideas. Born of these twin entanglements, criticism is necessarily an act of collaboration between an author and a churning mass of other things."

The Clintons and Wall Street

See this article, written by a Wall Street insider that details the relationships both Clintons have had with Wall Street since the beginning of their careers. They transformed the Democratic Party from one for workers to one bought and paid for by the big banks. That Clinton 2's bank 'reforms' still leave the big banks at the center of the economy is telling in itself, but there's quite a history to the story.

Dildo Sport

Play hard and win big with this sport prosthetic.

Worldwide cites w/the best quality of life

No surprise that the good ole USA did not have one city in the top 23 at the Mercer 2016 index. Now why is that? It couldn't have anything to do with the fact that our oligarchy doesn't give a shit about the quality of life of anyone but itself by extracting wealth from society? Oh, I know, Mercer is a commie propaganda machine with a vendetta against America. Sure, ok...

The criterion for the index was the following:

A good & detailed analysis of Clinton v. Sanders

A must read on several issues and where the candidates have stood over time, including DOMA, marriage equality, NAFTA and TPP, welfare reform, minimum wage and several other issues. It's just the facts. And if facts matter to you instead of just hyped rhetoric, then the choice seems clear for Sanders. But if you are a lackey for the hype, or one of the corporate hypers that hide behind the insincere progressive spin to manipulate you, then you get what you deserve for your laziness and ineptitude.

The materiality of the immaterial

From this article abstract:

"Today, two great signs of change are occurring. On the one hand, the capitalist world economy is putting tremendous pressure on the earth’s biosphere and bringing an onslaught of destruction to immediate environments and vulnerable people worldwide. On the other hand, the rise of new and progressive social-economic foundations is the result of an unprecedented increase of information and communication technologies (ICTs). Therefore it is arguably more crucial than ever to understand how social, economic and ecological foundations of the internet and ICT infrastructures are interwoven. What are we – as scholars, activists and citizens - to make of ICTs that seem to emerge from an economic and social system based upon ecological destruction and social oppression, while at the same time engaging millions of people in the proliferation of information, knowledge and active democratic collaboration? This special issue investigates how we can begin to understand this problem, and how we can hope to balance the perils and promises of ICTs in order to make way for a just and sustainable paradigm."

Cruz more dangerous than Trump

Clinton now hot on the public option

See this article. So now it's ok when she talks about this transition step to universal coverage but it can never happen when Sanders suggests it? This is exactly the route Sanders would take to achieve his goal, working within Obamacare to offer the public option first. Clinton is a despicable panderer and pilferer.

Free stuff for whom?

Conservatives are always harping on the so-called free stuff we give to the poor. But what about the free stuff in terms of tax breaks and subsidies we give to the wealthy and corporations which dwarfs the former? You might counter "but they create jobs and grow the economy." Fact is, not they don't. The rich hoard their wealth and corporations ship jobs overseas, both of which remove money from the economy and decimate it.

Lying & cheating are the new norm in the Democratic Party

We've seen the DNC try to fix the debate schedule for Clinton. Then they withdrew Sanders access to their own campaign information. Then there were questions about counts in the IA caucus. And now the following from the NV caucus. The Democratic Party is now as corrupt as the Republican Party, both bought off by moneyed interests. And democracy goes down the drain.

What is capitalism anyway?

This article explains it succinctly. See it for more detail than this brief excerpt:

"You can use 'capitalism' as the name either for an idealized free market system that has never existed in practice, or for the actually existing historical system that you’re an apologist for. You can’t do both. If you start with the corporate capitalism that Apple is part of, and then take away the historical legacy (and ongoing process!) of peasant land enclosure, colonialism and neo-colonialism, slavery, land and resource grabs, 'intellectual property' and other monopolies, and restrictions on the free movement and association of labor… well, you don’t have much left. If you want to argue that 'real capitalism has never existed,' and repeat 'That’s not capitalism, that’s corporatism!' like a broken record, fine. But you can’t turn around then and use the products of a transnational corporation like Apple as an example of capitalism. If you do, you’re either stupid or a liar. It’s that simple."

Petulant children

Oh wait, these the the GOP Presidential candidates. Same difference.

Nestles sued for criminal activity

During the California drought Nestles has been allowed by the government to continue to siphon off water illegally. So yes, sue Nestles but then also sue the government for its crimes too.

William Thompson on the Clintons

From this FB post:

"The Clintons destroyed the liberal-progressive wing of the Democratic party, introduced bank deregulation and the gang of Robert Rubin, Larry Summers, Timothy Geithner et alia. The Clintons are not Democrats but what used to be called Rockefeller Republicans--as opposed to the Sun Belt Right wing nuts first spearheaded by Goldwater as a challenge to Nelson Rockefeller and the East Coast elite. Bernie is just restoring the normal balance and constituency of the Left as a counter weight to the ruling One Percent that the Clintons serve. The Clintons are millionaires and part of the Davos Conference global economic elite, so Hillary's lies about taking on Wall Street ring hollow. She is just too slick, but Bernie is more of a passionate and compassionate Old Leftie."

The Republican good ole days

And now we're right back where it used to be.

The facts on Republican obstructionism

See this article. The GOP's obstructionism is unprecedented so no, according to the media it's not both sides. That lamestream media programs the public to accept this as the way it's always been we just throw our hands up and accept it. But we the people have a responsibility to get the facts and vote for people that represent we the people based on those facts. Get busy people and read articles like this. Hopefully you'll get mad enough to get your fat ass off the couch and do something about it.

Ole Ike was right

Back then, but times have certainly changed in the Republican Party.

Democratic turnout down in the first caucuses and primaries

Even Sanders admitted that's why he lost in Nevada. This article shows the numbers. While the youth seem excited about Sanders' campaign they just aren't showing up to support him in the primary. And if they don't he won't get it. And polls right now are showing that Clinton loses not just to Trump but Rubio as well. If you youngster don't get involved in the primaries we are likely to get one of those regressive clowns.

Word of the day

At dictionary.com is apatetic.\ap-uh-TET-ik\ adjective, assuming colors and forms that effect deceptive camouflage. My first thought was Hillary Clinton.

Stanford tuition free for some

See this article. It's nice to see some universities joining the 21st century. An excerpt:

"Last week, Stanford University announced that more accepted students won’t have to pay anything for tuition, which normally runs nearly $46,000 a year. Students whose families make less than $125,000 a year and have assets worth $300,000 or less, including home equity but excluding anything that they have saved in retirement accounts, won’t have to pay tuition. Students whose families make less than $65,000 also won’t have to pay for room and board, which can run about another $14,100. Scholarships or grants will cover the costs instead, and the school has a $21 billion endowment. The thresholds were previously $100,000 for free tuition and $60,000 for free room and board. Students will still have to contribute at least $5,000 a year from part-time work during the school year, working during the summer, and/or savings.

It's just business, right?

Here' another Whole Foods scam, conscious capitalism at work. And Dawlabani sees this as integral economics?

Cornell West is for Sanders

See West's recent article here. He's right, of course. But apparently African Americans don't much listen to West.

Clintrump

Some choice, eh? Lesser of two evils yet again.

Galbraith responds to Clinton economic cronies

See this article. Four economists that sing for Clinton have criticized a paper by economist Friedman analyzing Sanders' proposals and finding them economically sound. However the four critics did not provide any data supporting their refutation, instead relying on an argument by authority. "Galbraith suggests that the real sham in the wonk scuffle is not Friedman's work, but the willingness of prestigious economists to rely on their mere authority to demean the work of others without actually analyzing it." Friedman, however, used "standard impact assumptions and forecasting methods" to back his claims.

The dead GOP conspiracy theory

Another good one from Borowitz, copied below.

WASHINGTON (The Borowitz Report)—Conspiracy theorists believe that the Republican Party did not die from natural causes but was instead the target of an elaborately planned killing, a leading conspiracy theorist has confirmed.

Harland Dorrinson, whose basement walls are covered with photos of suspects in the killing of the G.O.P., has spent countless hours connecting those photos with different colors of yarn in the hopes that a larger pattern would emerge.

“Because the Republican Party is one hundred and sixty-one years old, it’s assumed that it was time for it to die,” he said. “The truth is, that’s exactly what the people who killed it want us to think.”

While some conspiracy theorists have focussed on the billionaire Donald J. Trump as the most likely suspect in the death of the Republican Party, Dorrinson favors a “two-killer” theory that involves Arizona Senator John McCain and former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin.

A message to Democratic 'peacekeepers'

Great clip about those Democrats that cry foul any time a progressive criticizes Clinton, saying we're handing the election to a Republican. No, this is how a primary debate is actually supposed to work. And when the best man or woman wins then we rally around them against the "pondscum" Republican.

Sarah Hartshorne

The following photo is a painting by a local friend of mine. It exemplifies the folded nature of nature. She calls it "wholeness is holiness." Her website is here.

The Onion bought by pro-Clinton corporatist

See this piece, which notes that the recent Clinton piece only minimally appeared to satire her and instead was a fluff piece on her accomplishments given the recent purchase of the magazine.

Hartmann exposes lobbyist superdelegates

In this clip he quotes a recent investigative report on exactly who are the superdelegates backing Clinton. Many are corporate lobbyists antithetical to Clinton's supposed progressive policy proposals. Watch not what Clinton or the DNC say but what they do, and we can clearly see the superdelegate issue is fixed in favor of big business and against we the people.

Vermont's superdelegate will vote for Clinton regardless of the vote

That's right, VT's senior Senator Leahy and Democratic superdelegate said he'd vote for Clinton even if Sanders wins more votes in the primary. Talk about a rigged system.

Rewiring the Republican brain

Continuing a recent theme in the blog, see this article and the interview below on how the regressives have learned how to frame issues with fear, hate and bigotry to their advantage. Problem is, Trump in the one that gets most of these voters against the wishes of the Party. But they created this monster with their despicable framing so they're getting what they deserve. I just hope that most of the country accepts the framing of their better angels represented by Sanders and vote for love and compassion instead.

The Pope on Christian candidates

Recently the Pope criticized those candidates that would put up a wall to keep people out of their country. While he didn't name Trump we know who he meant. Pretty much the same can be said of the rest of the Republican candidates, who claim to be Christian yet their words and deeds don't match that belief system. This cartoon highlights that the socialist Jew is more in line with the Pope's actual teachings.

Have enough yet?

The following is a blog post from Frater Richard Rohr, a Franciscan priest. Quote:

Most of us have grown up with a capitalist worldview, which makes a virtue and goal out of accumulation, consumption, and collecting. Normally we cannot see this as an unsustainable and unhappy trap because all of our rooms are decorated with this same color. It is the only obvious story line that our children see. “I produce therefore I am” and “I consume therefore I am” might be our answer to Descartes’ “I think therefore I am.” They are all terribly mistaken.

This foundational way of seeing has blinded us, so that we now tend to falsely assume more is better. The course we are on assures us of a predictable future of strained individualism, severe competition as the resources dwindle for a growing population, and surely perpetual war. Our culture ingrains in us the belief that there isn’t enough to go around. This determines much if not most of our politics. In the USA there is never enough for health care, for education, for the arts, for basic infrastructure. The only budget that is never questioned is for war and armaments and military gadgets.

Grayson on the corrupt superdelegate system

He's right, the Democratic Party is betraying democracy for its corrupt system that will leave the nominee up to the Party elite and not the people. If you agree that superdelegates should vote with the actual winner of the people's choice then go to this page to let him, and the Democratic Party, know your thoughts.

Charles Koch agrees with Sanders

See Koch's article here, where he agrees with Sanders on the issue of a rigged system. Very weird. Must be one of those spin strategies to humanize him and his company, since they are all in for oligarchy and buying legislation for Koch profit. Ill-informed people (all Fox viewers) will believe these lies. It does though show that even the Kochs realize that the Sanders message is resonating to the point that he needs to manipulate and appease that audience  with this farce.

Electibility polls

See this recent poll showing Sanders beats all Republicans, while Clinton loses to Cruz, Rubio and now even Kasich. So much for the non-electability of Sanders myth.

Sanders now polls better than Clinton nationally

I have to question this poll, coming from Fox, that now has Sanders leading Clinton 47 to 44. I'm hopeful though.

The interior of things: the origami of being

By Levi Bryant. A brief excerpt:

"Everything transpires as if the being of beings were a sort of origami. There are only folds: plaits, pleats, creases, waves, crevices, knots, and caves. And within each of those folds? Other fold! There are only folds coiled within folds radiating to infinity in both time and space. And if this is not enough, these folds are not fixed-crease folds, but rather are mobile folds. The wave is a better image of the fold than the envelope. A wave is a fold that perpetually folds itself, that traverses a field and that maintains its identity through the repetition of a process that is the unity of both difference and sameness.

Scharmer on the shift to a regenerative ecosystem economy

Following up on this post, see this from the Scharmer thread on shifting capitalism to a regenerative ecosystem economy:

"Create economic human rights (such as basic income, access to health, education, entrepreneurial opportunity) in order to enable all people to actualize their full creativity for shared wealth generation and social well-being."

UK Labour on basic income

Following up on this post on a guaranteed basic income moving folks up the Maslow ladder or Wilber conveyor belt. Now see this article where the UK Labour Party is considering the idea with the same notion in different words:

"The major concern is ultimately people: the lives we are able to lead, our ability to have a sense of security so we can pursue our ambition, and our ability to contribute to supporting one another, innovating, and developing the creative potential of society.”

Is such an idea even possible in conscious capitalism?

Obama on Senate obstructionism

Particularly judicial nominees, including now the Supreme Court (SC) in light of Scalia's death. The Senate Judiciary Committee has approved 14 of Obama's nominees and the Senate leader refuses to even have a vote on them. The same unnamed 'leader' has already vowed to not even consider Obama's SC nominee. Some regressives are even saying the President doesn't have the right to nominate anyone this late in his administration. Obama sets them straight on the Constitution, which they claim to value. This is just yet one more example in a very long line of Republicans obstructing the work of government and then claiming government doesn't work.

The big banks are at it again

See Taibbi's as usual fine reporting here. Some excerpts:

"But it would take half a generation – till now, basically – to understand the most explosive part of the bill [Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act], which additionally legalized new forms of monopoly, allowing banks to merge with heavy industry.[...] Today, banks like Morgan Stanley, JPMorgan Chase and Goldman Sachs own oil tankers, run airports and control huge quantities of coal, natural gas, heating oil, electric power and precious metals. They likewise can now be found exerting direct control over the supply of a whole galaxy of raw materials crucial to world industry and to society in general, including everything from food products to metals like zinc, copper, tin, nickel and, most infamously thanks to a recent high-profile scandal, aluminum."


"Then, just for kicks, they're also betting on the timing and efficiency of these same industrial processes in the financial markets – buying and selling oil stocks on the stock exchange, oil futures on the futures market, swaps on the swaps market, etc. Allowing one company to control the supply of crucial physical commodities, and also trade in the financial products that might be related to those markets, is an open invitation to commit mass manipulation. It's something akin to letting casino owners who take book on NFL games during the week also coach all the teams on Sundays. [...] In these new, even scarier kinds of manipulations, banks that own whole chains of physical business interests have been caught rigging prices in those industries."

300 years of fossil fuels in 5 minutes

In this video by the Post Carbon Institute:

Lerner's more recent statement on the issue

Also note here's Lerner's more recent statement on this issue. Some excerpts:

"The assaults on Bernie Sanders’ presidential candidacy reached new lows in the past week. Unable to effectively challenge the value of his policies, the denizens of the status quo have now focused on his alleged utopianism and his supposedly flawed vision of how change happens. [...] Yet such leaders are only possible if they emerge from and are supported by larger visionary movements to whom they are accountable. Krugman wildly underestimates the importance of maximalist demands for peace, social justice, and environmental sanity, and thereby fails to see the importance of leaders who urge us to seek a fundamental transformation of our deeply broken society"

Lerner on realism

See the video below, which is prophetic on the current argument between the Clinton and Sanders camps, inspirational vision versus pragmatic realism. Lerner's spiritual vision seems to support Sanders over Clinton in this regard. Of note is that Clinton used to be a Lerner acolyte. How times have changed.

Network of Spiritual Progressives

Cornell West is one of the founders of NSP and he supports Sanders.

"The Network of Spiritual Progressives — the interfaith advocacy arm of Tikkun magazine — seeks to transform our materialist and corporate-dominated society into a caring society through consciousness raising, advocacy, and public awareness campaigns that promote a 'New Bottom Line' based on generosity, peace, and social transformation. The NSP shifts mass consciousness by challenging status-quo ideas about what is possible."

Picketty on Sanders and the rest

See this article, which references Piketty's piece in The Guardian. Picketty sees Sanders are representing the end of the Reagan era and a return to the era of  "extremely progressive taxation and social spending." From 1930 to 1970 the marginal tax rates on the wealthy was on average 82%, which revenue went to building the New Deal and Great Society. Sanders and the people's movement behind him wants this return to equality and justice, but Clinton is "another heiress of the Reagan-Clinton-Obama political regime" that maintains Reaganomics.

Hartmann on Maddow cherrypicking Sanders

In this clip Hartmann criticizes Rachel Maddow for giving statistics on the IA and NH primaries that suggest that there is no real Sanders revolution. Hartmann sets her straight with several stats she neglected to mention that belie the narrative she is being paid to sell by her corporate masters. It's just another example of why I gave up on Maddow years ago.

How the Kochs are ghostwriting America's story

In this clip Michael Winship discusses how the Kochs and other conservative groups have had a long-term goal of spinning their Ayn Randian metanarrative of enlightened self interest benefiting the supposed cream of our society while denigrating collective action for the benefit of all.

Samantha Bee freaks out

Because Trump started to make at least some sense in the last Republican debate.

If only MLK could weigh in

This is what he might say.

Ted Cruz's dad thinks his son is annointed by God to be President

Cruz's dad is not only a religious fanatic but one of his son's most trusted advisers. See this clip to see how the apple didn't fall far from the tree. So we've already moved from a democracy to an oligarchy, and now they want to shift to a theocracy? Are we still in America?

Bruce Bartlett: Fox News is destroying the Republican Party

Following up on the last post, Bruce Bartlett has been a staunch Republican, serving in Reagan's and Bush Senior's administrations. He wrote an extensive and detailed paper on how Fox News is destroying the Republican Party with its propaganda. Therein he notes several studies showing how badly Fox viewers are misinformed, how they peddle propaganda, and how it has strongly and adversely affected his Party. He concludes:

A Republican on what's destroying the Republican Party

See the video below for the details. The answer is the rabid right-wing media outlets like Fox News, which is nothing but propaganda built on lies. The Republican quoted is certain that such media has now made it impossible for a sane Republican to run for and win office. To wit: Donald Trump is Fox New's monster, as they dumbed down their audience to the point that they cannot tell fact from fiction.

Grassley is an idiot

And assumes there is no media to show his blatant lies. Ooops, I forgot. Republicans lie outright as if it doesn't matter, because it doesn't to their idiot base.

Howard Dean has sold out

He used to be for single-payer, but now that he's a lobbiest for healthcare companies he's against it. Coincidence? And now he's comparing unions PACs to SuperPACs. Dean has completely become a tool of the money that he gets from his masters, just like Clinton. Which is exactly why we need a people's revolution to get this kind of 'Democrat' out of influence.

Warren again

Following up on the last post:

Warren on replacing Scalia in the Supreme Court

The following is from Warren's FB post. She's right, especially since Scalia was a strict Constitutional literalist, and the Constitution is quite clear on this. Here's Warren:

"The sudden death of Justice Scalia creates an immediate vacancy on the most important court in the United States. Senator McConnell is right that the American people should have a voice in the selection of the next Supreme Court justice. In fact, they did — when President Obama won the 2012 election by five million votes.

The working class revolts

Sanders on We the People

Here he answers how we get past an obstructionist Congress, by engaging we the people to get politically active not just during elections but all the time. When this country was founded it was predicated on an educated and engaged citizenry, so it's our duty to get involved if we want to maintain democracy or cede it to the oligarchs.

Hillary can't make us love her

Good cold opening from SNL.

Borowitz on conservative madness

Same issue is now happening with the regressive call to not allow the President his Constitutional duty to nominate a Supreme Court Justice. These people are fucking nuts and there's no diplomatic way to put it. Here's Borowitz:

GOP: "By nominating a Supreme Court justice, Obama is once again cynically using his position as President to lead the country."

WASHINGTON (The Borowitz Report)—Responding to reports that President Obama is considering signing as many as nineteen executive orders on gun control, Republicans in Congress unleashed a blistering attack on him today, accusing Mr. Obama of “cynically and systematically using his position as President to lead the country.”

Spearheading the offensive was Rep. Steve Stockman (R-Texas), who charged the President with the “wanton exploitation of powers that are legally granted to him under the U.S. Constitution.”

Calling him the “Law Professor-in-Chief,” Rep. Stockman accused Mr. Obama of “manipulating a little-known section of the Constitution,” Article II, which outlines the power of the President.

“

President Obama looks down the list of all of the powers that are legally his and he’s like a kid in a candy store,” Rep. Stockman said. “It’s nauseating.”

The Texas congressman said that if Mr. Obama persists in executing the office of the Presidency as defined by the Constitution, he could face “impeachment and/or deportation.”

St. Valentine's Valentine day statement

Just another holiday that has lost its origins to a romanticized consumer society.

Basic income guarantee

See this article. If you're fan of Wilber's conveyor belt notion, as am I, then the basic income guarantee creates the economic conditions to move people up Maslow's scale.

Data's Valentine card

I can relate.

Medicare for all does indeed add up

In the last debate Clinton said of the Sanders single-payer plan that the numbers don't add up. Not so says this article. They say the 'expert' Clinton uses is basically full of shit and that Sanders' plan does in fact work out as he proposes. See the article for the details.

Cornel West supports Sanders

See this article.

"The conventional wisdom holds that, in the Democratic primary, Hillary Clinton is the candidate who will win over African-American voters.[...] But in fact, when it comes to advancing Dr. King’s legacy, a vote for Clinton not only falls far short of the mark; it prevents us from giving new life to King’s legacy. Instead, it is Sanders who has championed that legacy in word and in deed for 50 years."

Talk Bernie To Me

Amen sisters.

Sanders v. Clinton on Kissinger

It was a highlight of their last debate. This article provides why whether you bask in Kissinger's glow or despise him is a key indicator of the divide in the Democratic Party as played out in the Presidential contest. An excerpt:

"Hillary Clinton exists in a world where 'Henry Kissinger is a war criminal' is a silly opinion held by unserious people. Her problem? Lots of those silly and unserious people want to wrest control of the Democratic Party away from its current leadership, which is exemplified by people like Hillary Clinton. Bernie Sanders’ critique of Clinton is not that she’s cartoonishly corrupt in the Tammany Hall style, capable of being fully bought with a couple well-compensated speeches, but that she’s a creature of a fundamentally corrupt system, who comfortably operates within that system and accepts it as legitimate. Clinton has had trouble countering that critique because, well, it’s true. It’s not that she’s been bought, it’s that she bought in."

I'll take the socialized medicine please

Inside Job

The biggest bank heist ever.

That damned auto correct

The Clinton legacy has enslaved blacks

So why do blacks support them?  The article lays out Clinton I's policies and how they actually made the situation much worse for blacks. See it for the damning details.

Also black leadership is also raking in the money by shilling for the very corporations that maintain this system. See the story on the CBC PAC endorsing Clinton. Unfortunately, due to defunding black schools to the point of decrepitude has led to many of them not getting the education needed to see they are being duped by their own leaders.

But how does Sanders pay for it?

It's always this same tired question, even from Clinton. Sanders has always and specifically accounted for how he will pay for every one of his proposals. This page has the details. Now shut up you Bernie haters.

Flint is about much more than water

See this article from Chris Hedges. There is much more than these introductory paragraphs:

"What is in the mind of someone who knowingly poisons children and impairs their lives? Why did the politicians, regulators and bureaucrats who knew the water in Flint, Mich., was toxic lie about the danger for months? What does it say about a society that is ruled by, and refuses to punish, those who willfully destroy the lives of children?

"The crisis in Flint is far more ominous than lead-contaminated water. It is symptomatic of the collapse of our democracy. Corporate power is not held accountable for its crimes. Everything is up for sale, including children. Our regulatory agencies—including the federal Environmental Protection Agency, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Michigan’s Department of Environmental Quality—have been defunded, emasculated and handed over to corporate-friendly stooges. Our corrupt courts are part of a mirage of justice. The role of these government agencies and courts, and of the legislatures, is to sanction abuse rather than halt it.

Time to trim the pubes

From The Onion. See the article for the rest:

WASHINGTON—Flushed with anticipation and ready to emerge from another long, cold winter, millions of Americans participated this week in the annual tradition of trimming their pubic regions in time for Valentine's Day. A ritual as old as time itself, this year's pubis-shearing is expected to be among the largest in decades, with more than 20,000 tons of curly clippings predicted to fall by Feb. 14.

Maher's new rule on marijuana

Petition to undo DNC corruption

Following up on this post, here's another article about the DNC's recent decision to allow Wall Street PACs and other such lobbyists to donate to the organization and fix the election for Clinton. They also have a petition to undo it here.

Randi Rhodes coming back

But she needs your help to kickstart the new show. Please help out, thanks.

Sanders just doesn't understand certain issues

Clinton and DNC graft

Just last night Clinton once again asked how she has changed one thing in response to all that big money she received from Wall Street. Here is just the latest example. Reich notes that the DNC "quietly reversed restrictions banning donations from federal lobbyists and political action committees" put in place by Obama in 2008. "Hillary Clinton has set up a joint fundraising committee with the DNC and the new rules are likely to provide her with an advantage." Reich goes on that it is yet another example of insider crony capitalism, the kind of power money buys, inside the DNC and Clinton's association therewith. And to hear Clinton continue to assert the contrary is not only insulting but insidious.

Senator Warren on the Morgan Stanley settlement

From this FB post, quoting:

If a young guy is caught red-handed stealing a car, he’s likely facing arrest, prosecution and jail time. But that’s not how it works for big bank executives. The Justice Department found an email from a Morgan Stanley executive specifically instructing a colleague to hide critical facts about the problems with the mortgages in the mortgage-backed securities the bank was selling to investors. When those mortgages later blew up, they helped spark the 2008 financial crisis and a massive taxpayer bailout. In spite of that smoking gun – and many others – the Justice Department announced a settlement with Morgan Stanley yesterday that doesn’t hold a single live human being accountable for the type of fraud that ultimately cheated investors out of tens of millions of dollars and cost millions more people their homes, their jobs, and their savings.

Sanders on foreign policy last night

See this article on the debate last night, which contends that Sanders was better on foreign policy. He noted that yes, Clinton does have more experience in the matter, but her judgment is faulty. Clinton has repeatedly favored an interventionist regime change policy that sure, gets rid of brutal dictators. But it does not then explore the unintended consequences of that action. Hence we get the Iranian revolution and ISIS. This point was further hit home when Sanders criticized Clinton for glomming on to the support of Kissinger, who Sanders rightly noted was a butcher.

Petition to Democratic superdelegates

Here's Robert Reich on the issue and the petition:

The massive victory by Bernie Sanders in New Hampshire was a pivotal moment in the race for the Democratic nomination. Taken with the close results in Iowa, one thing is increasingly clear: This is going to be a long primary season, and every single delegate is going to be important.

Which is why many Sanders supporters were shocked to see what the news media had to say about the delegate count on Wednesday morning. Even though Bernie won New Hampshire by an absolute landslide, the press claimed that he and Hillary Clinton were leaving the state with an equal number of delegates -- because most of the state's superdelegates are promising to vote for Hillary at the convention.

Here's how it works. In addition to the thousands of pledged delegates, who are allotted to each campaign based on primary and caucus results, there are 712 superdelegates -- made up of Democratic elected officials and party insiders -- who get to vote on who the party's nominee should be at the convention.

If the race is close, superdelegates could determine who the nominee will be regardless of who the majority of voters supported. Pretty undemocratic, isn't it?

I think the race for who the Democratic nominee will be should be decided by the voters, not by a handful of party elites. If you agree, please sign my petition with Democracy for America calling on all Democratic superdelegates to pledge right now that they will support the candidate who wins the popular vote.

Orange capitalism: and then what?

The new Integral Review is out and this article is of particular interest to this thread: "Orange capitalism--and then what?" It starts with a review of 2 books, Memenomics by Dawlabani and From Ego-System to Eco-System Economies by Scharmer. It then offers the author's own speculations on a turquoise economy. 

“So what is Dawlabani proposing as a solution and way forward for the American economy after this Orange collapse? Perhaps an economic system based on the Green 6th level value system?! Well, not really. […] There is no consistent and functioning Green vMeme economic system described or discussed here. Shouldn’t the Green economic system, whatever that is, have its cycle with all its phases? Shouldn’t stages not be skipped?! Instead of elaborating on a green system as a solution to the orange problems, Dawlabani moves on and proposes a Yellow system, which he refers to as Functional Capitalism. […] The Green value system, however, is in my view oversimplified. In order to integrate values at a higher level, the lower ones need to be accurately understood and described. And the key to do that, I believe, is to acquire a deeper understanding of the life conditions and problems that are associated with the Green value system and created by the Orange systems. Here I find the second book more elaborate” (131-32).

Clinton will support the TPP if elected

At least that's what the President of the Chamber of Commerce is telling his people. So why would he be so confident in that assertion?

Who is a democratic socialist?

Graven images

Clinton's irresponsible email server

And not only irresponsible but likely criminal by national security standards. See this article for details. This following quote sums up Clinton's attitude of royalty and privilege. And we in the US criticize the backward royalty in the UK. Ha.

"Someone who does this is completely irresponsible, but totally unaccountable and shows a streak of arrogance to the American public that is unworthy of anyone thinking they can run for President of the United States.”

Sarah Silverman on Clinton v. Sanders

She always did have a way with words. (And penises, for that matter.)

Congressional Black Caucus did NOT endorse Clinton

But that's how it's being reported. See this article showing that it was the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) political action committee (PAC) that endorsed Clinton, not members of the CBC. The CBC PAC board is composed of mostly lobbyists for big business. But even the CBC itself has members that have sold out to Wall Street and big business. So neither really represents the black people per se. But they do influence them with spinned rhetoric about black rights etc. while they rake in the corporate funds. Granted, several members of the CBC are indeed genuine on these issues. But the CBC PAC endorsement of Clinton is just further proof of establishment Dems, no matter their race, selling their soul to the devil for a price.

Senator Warren exposed big bank lies, again

See this article. The Department of Labor has proposed a rule that would require investment advisers to advise clients in the latter's best interest. That we even need such a rule, and that right now said advisers don't have to do this, is astounding in itself. This lack of a basic ethical rule is part of why so many investors lost so much in the financial crisis, given that advisers knew damned well they were selling junk mortgage bonds, reaping a giant profit for themselves, and screwing clients when those bonds failed.

Republican Mark Cuban on Republicans

One economist on Bernienomics

In the video below this economist, using standard Congressional Budget Office methodology, asserts Sanders proposals would raise median income by $22,000/year, drop unemployment to 3.8%, create 26 million new jobs and grow the economy by 5.3%/year. Of course this requires temporary government investment in things like education and infrastructure, but said investment will return the surplus needed to get the economy back on track. And this strategy has already been proven in the 50s and 60s when it worked quite well for society as a whole.

The Onion on Rubio's robotic programming

This is a really funny, and accurate, lampoon on candidate Rubio.

Gravitational waves detected for the first time

This article fits with this discussion thread, especially the discussion on the literal gravity and space-time of objects and hyperobjects. A brief excerpt:

"The Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) in the United States has detected gravitational waves for the first time. [...] Gravitational waves are a prediction of Einstein’s Theory of General Relativity. According to Einstein, gravity bends space-time, and the more massive an object is, the larger the effect."

Keller's "What is integral?"

See his article here. I'm in partial agreement with Marty. As I argued in the IPS fold thread, second tier is incipient when we've more thoroughly integrated the so-called lateral states in the WC lattice via some form of meditation or contemplation. But instead of them being atop the so-called 2nd tier levels as 3rd tier a la the lattice, they are (en)folded under and within the 1st tier stages. 

When philosophy lost its way

See this article. Some excerpts:

"[I]nstitutionalization of philosophy made it into a discipline that could be seriously pursued only in an academic setting. This fact represents one of the enduring failures of contemporary philosophy. [...] Against the inclinations of Socrates, philosophers became experts like other disciplinary specialists. This occurred even as they taught their students the virtues of Socratic wisdom, which highlights the role of the philosopher as the non-expert, the questioner, the gadfly. Philosophy, then, as the French thinker Bruno Latour would have it, was 'purified' — separated from society in the process of modernization."

Superdelegates explained

See this article. It claims that if Sanders, for example, wins the total regular delegate count in the nomination then the superdelegates will not tip the scales in favor of Clinton. The argument goes that to do that would divide the Democratic Party to the point of losing to the Republicans. Clinton has pledges for the vast majority of superdelegates. But it could happen that way, even though to date it has not come to that. Given the DNC's utter bias on display in this race so far, and the assured support of Wall Street for establishment candidates, I wouldn't be surprised of this scenario.

The DNC is cheating, again

After Sanders 20+ point win in NH the DNC awards Clinton the same number of delegates! This is not only absurd but corrupt. See this article and petition to give the DNC a piece of your mind. It's not just the Republican Party establishment but also the Democratic Party establishment that just does not want democracy. And both are bought off by the oligarchy that most certainly detests us unwashed masses.

The Deep State:

The Fall of the Constitution and the Rise of a Shadow Government is a book by Mike Lofgren. Hear an interview with him here.

Break up the big banks petition

From Senator Sanders:

Greed, fraud, dishonesty, and arrogance: these are the words that best describe the reality of Wall Street today.

We can no longer tolerate an economy and a political system that have been rigged by Wall Street to benefit the wealthiest Americans in this country at the expense of everyone else. While President Obama deserves credit for getting this economy back on track after the Wall Street crash, the reality is there is a lot of unfinished business.

That's why I announced my plan for taking on Wall Street. We must break up the banks, end their casino-style gambling, and fundamentally change the approach of the financial industry to focus on helping the American people.

When I am president, we will reform Wall Street and our financial system to make it work for all Americans. I want to tell you about what I will do, then ask you to add your name to endorse our plan.

To those on Wall Street, let me be very clear. Greed is not good. In fact, the greed of Wall Street and corporate America is destroying the fabric of our nation. And here is a promise I will make as president: If Wall Street does not end its greed, we will end it for them.

As most people know, in the 1990s and later, financial interests spent billions of dollars in lobbying and campaign contributions to force through Congress the deregulation of Wall Street, the repeal of the Glass-Steagall Act, and the weakening of consumer protection laws.

They paid this money to show the American people all that they could do with that freedom. Well, they sure showed the American people. In 2008, the greed, recklessness, and illegal behavior on Wall Street nearly destroyed the U.S. and global economy. Millions of Americans lost their jobs, their homes, and their life savings.

Meanwhile, the American middle class continues to disappear, poverty is increasing, and the gap between the very rich and everyone else is growing wider and wider by the day. But the American people are catching on. They also know that a handful of people on Wall Street have extraordinary power over the economic and political life of our country.

We must act now to change that. Our goal must be to create a financial system and an economy that works for all Americans, not just a handful of billionaires.

There are eight points to my plan, and I want to go through each of them here because I think it's important for our campaign to discuss specific policies with our supporters. Some of this may seem a little in the weeds, but I trust our supporters to be able to handle this kind of policy discussion.

Here's my plan for what I will do with Wall Street when I am president:

More on dynamic systems

Following up on this post.

In several posts above I noted how image schema were in the middle of classical taxonomic hierarchies. That in itself changes said assumptions inherent to hierarchical complexity. So see this article by Kurt Fischer (also cited in several posts above) on dynamic skill theory wherein he uses dynamic systems theory. In particular, see the section on this starting at page 20. E.g., as related to the middle of things:

"People act in medias res – in the middle of things in the real world, not merely as logical agents acting on objects rationally and without emotion."

This statement is in the context of discussing developmental skill capacity, how it varies over a wide range depending on environmental support. I have though associated it with image schema, and how the latter change the very nature of hierarchical complexity.