Welcome to Empire 2.0

The European debt crisis is all but over!

Here's how... The G20 is being asked to finance the International Monetary Fund (IMF), which will finance the European Financial Stability Facility (EFSF), which in turn will finance the governments that will take over the debts of the too-big-to-fail European banks that have lent to Portugal, Ireland, Italy and Greece (PIIGs) by buying their bonds. And if all else fails, the US Federal Reserve's private bankers are already sitting with their collective fingers on the 'Print' button.

And when the chaos peaks, they'll declare a 'World Government' and 'World Central Bank' with the power to 'Reset' the entire system. Ordo ab Chao (or, Order from Chaos) indeed!

This is no idle hypothesis...

We know for a fact that the Vatican has been advocating the idea for years. The IMF already has a little-known 'World Currency' called Special Drawing Rights (SDRs). The EU leadership is actively discussing 'Global Governanace' within the G20.

In fact, in the Joint letter of the European Commission President and European Council President to the G20 they say that they are aiming for 'ambitious outcomes' in 'eight priorities' they've set for the G20 Summit at Cannes (France) on 3-4 Nov 2011. Priority No. 8 states simply: "Improving global governance. Finally, we look forward to discussing the report on global governance by Prime Minister David Cameron."

And what might be the shape of this global hegemony?

Well, the financial aspects have been worked out, where else, but in Europe - for a 'permanent rescue funding programme' called the European Stability Mechanism (ESM).

Watch...

A love story gone horribly wrong... Episode 2

In the first episode of "A love story gone horribly wrong", the torid East-meets-West-meets-East love triangle between the little-blue-pill popping Western oil speculator; the unpredictably fiesty Himalayan lass; and her dangerously capricious toy boy end in an unsavoury break-up.

The spotlight almost immediately falls on the homely doe-eyed girl-next-door, and the neighbourhood's sweatshop-running badboy.

But like any good Mills & Boon-inspired soap opera, there's an utterly gratuitous, inexplicable, and rather violent (thankfully, metaphorical) twist in the plot!

In Episode 2... The former toy boy confesses that he still has "feelings" for the mountain lassie - and that he'd defend his ex-amour if the old Yank ever laid a hand on her!

The old man is shattered! The timid one retreats, speachless at the betrayal. (Toy boy had been courting her just days ago!) ...And what will the surly badboy do when he gets back from an extended shopping trip at a 'clearance sale' in Southern Europe, laden with counterfeit designer stuff for his lady love - only to find his new gf snuggling up to her ex-bf?

Nail-biting stuff, this...

Stay tuned for Episode 3! Coming to a geopolitical theatre near you. (Well, provided you're somewhere near South Asia.)

Digital Moses & His Ten Commandments

Douglas Rushkoff is one of the very, very few people who can see the big picture - not the complete picture - but close... Don't believe me; watch his documentaries.

I highly recommend The Persuaders (2001) and Merchants of Cool (2004). Both are goose-bumps inducingly accurate insider-view of the evolution of Advertising and brand-building - and its possible future.

The latter documentary introduced a then-obscure Advertising Agency called Acxiom. Six years later, Ad Age Agency Report 2010 declared that "For the first time in the history of the Agency Report, the ranking's biggest agency is far removed from the clique and clack of Madison Avenue. The largest U.S. agency is Arkansas-based Acxiom, a major player in data-centric marketing and customer-relationship management."

(I'd posted first about Acxiom on 27 April 2010, and Rushkoff's 2004 "prophecy" about Acxiom on 30 April 2010.)

This is the Ten Commandments for the Digital Age by Douglas Rushkoff.

Watch live streaming video from etsy at livestream.com

Why Advertising isn't totally f-ed, yet

There's an interesting article on FastCompany.com that talks about the woefully inadequate time, effort and resources spent on training people in Advertising Agencies.

Unsurprisingly...

Agencies are losing status as go-to thought leaders because frankly, leadership is in short supply. Clients are parceling out their projects to consultants and 'specialists.' The best and brightest grads aren’t choosing advertising the way they used to, nor taking it as seriously as other talent-based businesses.

So Advertising isn't attracting the quantity or quality of talent we used to!

Ad Agencies also have, for years now, expected new hires to jump right in and hit the ground running - very fast. Nothing wrong with it - except that they never get to slow down long enough to understand, let alone imbibe, create or nurture, a unique 'work culture'.

The FastCompany article also sites another article titled "Why the Average Barista Gets More Training Than Most Agency Staffers" by Andrew McMains of Adweek, which was based on a study of Talent Management.

The study described the Advertising industry’s "talent retention and development problem in hourglass terms: some training at the bottom levels, very little in the middle and more at the top." Naturally, the study found that one-in-three Advertising people they talked to were looking to move within 12 months!

So Advertising isn't able to retain talent either!

The FastCompany article says,

The next generation of leaders appears to be missing, according to creative directors we spoke to around the globe... The next level down looks like a giant case of arrested development: hard-working, heads down. But the mature, big-picture perspective once typical of people ready to step up has given way to hands thrown up when the going gets tough, tantrums, and myopia.

So the 'depth' of talent in Advertising is already wafer-thin!

Frankly, I don't think that 'training' per se is a solution for Advertising. After all, how do you train people to think creatively?

No, actually we just need to make our people feel - nay, convince them that - what they are doing (which is Advertising) is going to change the freaking world... That has, and always will, attract intelligent, imaginative and passionate people like moths to a burning flame. Trust me - I've met a few of them.

Let's light the fire, the moths will come.

And let's perhaps even 'bill by ideas' instead of merely by hours.

The Vatican has a stupid idea: One World Government

Sorry - but a 'One World Government' is a really, really stupid idea, regardless of where it came from, or its intentions...

The Holy See has today released a new document titled “Towards a reform of international financial and monetary system in the prospect of a public authority with universal competence”. The ambitious proposals to tackle the global economic crisis includes a "World Political Authority" and a "Central World Bank"!

Not only is this particular idea from the Vatican not the light at the end of the dark tunnel that humanity needs - it is an oncoming train!

Pope Benedict XVI actually began working on an earlier document called Caritas in Veritate (Charity in Truth), for the establishment of a “true world political authority” to oversee the economy and work for the “common good”, more than two years before it was finally released in July 2009, according to The New York Times.

The new document builds upon the principles outlined in the earlier one.

The new document says,

The establishment of a world political Authority should be preceded by a preliminary phase of consultation from which a legitimated institution will emerge that is in a position to be an effective guide and, at the same time, can allow each country to express and pursue its own particular good. The exercise of this Authority at the service of the good of each and every one will necessarily be super partes (impartial): that is, above any partial vision or particular good, in view of achieving the common good. Its decisions should not be the result of the more developed countries' excessive power over the weaker countries. Instead, they should be made in the interest of all, not only to the advantage of some groups, whether they are formed by private lobbies or national governments.

Is it just me, or has it just described the principles behind of the (currently) mortally wounded European Union? Or is it the lofty ideals touted for the creation of the elaborate Marionette Show that is the United Nations?

Or is the Vatican, one of the apex organisations in the world, actually - well, pontificating a dangerous ideology: Collectivism?

It says,

Thanks to the principle of solidarity, a lasting and fruitful relation is built up between global civil society and a world public Authority as States, intermediate bodies, various institutions – including economic and financial ones – and citizens make their decisions with a view to the global common good, which transcends national goods.

But History has taught that the idea that "the group is greater than the individual" is the 'common thread', if you will, of societies that eventually become highly repressive, and iniquitous, because some individuals in positions of (relatively) greater power inevitable 'game' the system to their advantage.

Collectivism has repeatedly and visibly failed in all its various forms... Examples in history, include the Soviet Union, and the crumbling super-welfare states of the US and EU today. In fiction, it is more ominous... Examples, include the social orders depicted in Brave New World (Aldous Huxley, 1931) and 1984 (George Orwell, 1948).

My fundamental issue is this: Giving more power to those who already have power is NEVER going to be a solution - under ANY circumstances.

If humanity does bow its head collectively, let it be in prayer - not servitude.

Lord Acton - a very influential man himself, rightly said: "I cannot accept [...] that we are to judge Pope and King unlike other men [...] All power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely."

Neither unbridled capitalism nor oppressive socialism works - at least not to the benefit of 99.99%. Another of Lord Acton's profound quotations is this: "The danger is not that a particular class is unfit to govern. Every class is unfit to govern."

Amen.

The revolution will be livestreamed

There's Livestream coverage of the action in Greece.

Watch live streaming video from syntagmasquare at livestream.com

It's also covered by Zougla Live Radio. The commentary is in Greek - but you really don't need a language to understand angry crowds and flying tear gas canisters.

Why 'employment opportunity' is an oxymoron

One thing I need to clear at the outset is that 'being employed' is different from pursuing a gratifying and/or rewarding activity.

'Employment' is quite possibly the worst use of a human life.

So why do we think of 'employment' or 'good job' as an end in itself? Why do we believe 'employment' is actually a human right?

If you answered: "For the money", then it is time you realise that there really is no such thing. 'Money' is simply a notion that converts someone's "promise to pay" into a piece of printed paper or pixels on an ATM screen.

It is belief - and that alone - that gives 'money' value. For instance, have you tried buying a bus ticket in India with the equivalent in another currency?

'Employment', 'money' and 'lifestyle' are all mere concepts that exsit only in your mind.

Now watch... A sad, beautiful, and somewhat universal, story about 'employment opportunities'.

Film: Last Train Home (China, 2009)
Type: Documentary (Chinese, with English subtitles)
Director: Lixin Fan
Duration: 85 mins (6 parts)

Part 1


Part 2


Part 3


Part 4


Part 5


Part 6


Synopsis:
Changhua Zhang and Suqin Chen are a couple from a rural village in China's Sichuan province. Frustrated with their lack of employment opportunities, they traveled to the industrial city of Guangdong and took jobs with a large textile firm, making clothing for export. However, Changhua and Suqin were not able to bring their two children with them, and since then the kids have been raised by their grandparents, with their mother and father staying in touch though occasional telephone calls.

The only time they have a chance to see their now-teenage children is during China's annual New Year's celebration; they are among the 130 million Chinese whose work keeps them away from their families and make the trip home during the holiday, resulting in an overcrowded rail system as the trains struggle to keep up with the rush.

Filmmaker Lixin Fan follows Changhua and Suqin over the course of several years in the documentary Last Train Home, as the couple makes the long journey home (over a thousand miles) only to find that their family is slowly falling apart - 16-year-old Qin and her younger brother, Yang, are all but strangers now to their parents, and the youngsters have come to resent their parents, while Qin considers leaving school to move to the city on her own and get a job.