Article from Counterpunch.org
March 15, 2024
By Eve Ottenberg
Photograph by Nathaniel St. Clair
There is no daylight between presidential candidates Joe Biden and Donald Trump on the permanent war economy. Both tout the weapons industry as a source of jobs, jobs, jobs for Americans, never mentioning that the billions of government dollars flushed through the military-industrial complex could go for other things. Think universal health care, free higher education or maybe just the green economy – if money spent on what Politico called Bombenomics went to producing solar panels and wind turbines, we’d have jobs AND a planet not heating up at warp speed. Sadly, our two presidential contenders never met a weapon system they didn’t like. And as recent history repeats – if you spend all your cash building tanks, guns and bombs, they’re gonna get used.
Even worse, the U.S. MIC compels other countries to beef up their militaries. Take Russia. Before invading Ukraine, Moscow’s weapons industry puttered along, as did military conscription, but as soon as the Kremlin realized that it had no peace partners in the west or in Ukraine – a revelation that dawned on Moscow when then British prime minister Boris Johnson sabotaged peace talks between the two opponents in spring 2022 – things changed. Russia put itself on a war footing, so that now its industrial military base hums along, churning out tanks, hypersonic missiles (which the West lacks), rockets, guns and don’t forget nuclear bombs. Russia also placed tactical nukes in Belarus.
China, too, threatened by the U.S. over Beijing’s long-standing and very public intention peacefully to absorb Taiwan, has beefed up every aspect of its war machine. As military expert Will Schryver recently tweeted: “The U.S. is currently incapable of putting to sea more than four carriers at any given time – and no more than ~60 warships of all types. China currently has 3 carriers, almost 800 vessels and mountains of missiles.”
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Lloyd, you had taken an interest, and shared, an old cabin build video of ours.
A friend of mine just cut together an updated video that actually shows the cabin interior being finished. The old one stopped when the exterior was done. This video also focuses more on the cabin build proper than the summer camp vibes.
Just wanted to share. Hope things are well and VERY much enjoyed all of your shares from the recent Baja trip.
–Jeff Waldman
This was released two days ago, March 2, Lou Reed’s birthday.
Coincidence or cosmic, this guy, who turned out to be Gary Moffat, came up to me in the lobby of the little hotel where I was staying in San Jose del Cabo, and said “Lloyd!”
Turns out he had sent me pics of his decked-out Chrysler hybrid minivan a week earlier.
We were on the same wave length.
Here are a few rushed shots of his rig, I asked him to send me details for my blog. It’s a great build; he gets 33 mpg, at times 40 mpg.
Conversion kit by Vanpackers
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A few words about my extraordinary friend (of 36 years), Chilón, who has been my guide, fellow explorer, delightful companion. Among other things, he’s provided me with a window into the world as Mexicans see it.
We’ve been to cave painting sites, remote ranchos, multiple taco stands attended solely by Mexicans. His two boys are like my nephews, about the same age as my two sons.
He’s full of good humor, and generates delight wherever we go. We went to Costa Rica together, and when we took cabs in the capital, San Jose, he’d sit in front, start telling jokes and the cabbies would be laughing so hard they could hardly drive.
He had a radio program for 15 years, where his name was Periquín, or “parrot,” that was immensely popular with local kids. He’d say, (in Spanish), Now, Luis and Maria, you mind your parents, and do your homework, and now here is the latest song from The Rolling Stones.”
The last photo is of a woman who recognized him as Periquín on the beach at Los Cerritos last week.
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This trip has been cosmic. First, it’s been healing. Out of the heavy rains and winds into the bright blue sunshine of this most southern part of California was just what I needed. Plus meeting a ton of great people, Mexicans and gringos.
It’s been like coming home. I spent 12 years coming down here 2–3 times a year, so I know my way around. In spite of the enormous growth, I still love it. Like San Francisco, years ago I decided to stop bitching about the glass half full, and enjoy the still wonderful parts of the city.
Another extraordinary thing: people recognize me. Has happened half a dozen times down here. Happened on the street in Berlin, city of 2 million people, a guy walking by says “Lloyd!”
I think it has a lot to do with sticking around long enough…
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Examples of monster clueless houses on Cabo de Esto.
No understanding or respect for the locale.
I kinda like the last one, an outbuilding.
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Some buildings just have it.
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Practical Baja shelter, palapa roof over trailer.
What you really need in the desert is shade; most of your living can be outside, you just need protection from the sun.
This is on land of Kathleen Martin and Gary Brown on the Cabo de Este, near Shipwrecks.
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