On 12/4/06, Carrol Cox <<a href="mailto:cbcox@ilstu.edu">cbcox@ilstu.edu</a>> wrote:<div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; padding-left: 1ex;"> That's not the point. The elites don't learn from the Times; they dictate to the Times what to tell the "public" (the circle of opinion makers outside the circles of the elite). Or, alternatively, the Times and the Elite are one. Perhaps the most dramatic illustration of that was the overthrow of Allende, in which the Times from the beginning did PR work for the coup-in-waiting. Chavez may survive, but quite often severe criticism of a 'third-world' leader in the Times is very close to a death-sentence. </blockquote></div> Is it just me or is the whole "South America is a dagger pointed at the heart of Antarctica" period of American realpolitik over? I mean, since when has the US gone all saber rattling over South American countries and not done anything about it? In holiday gift guide news, it's a little depressing that there's a good book about the occupation of Iraq published every year. I decided to just buy the Cockburn book so I wouldn't have to ask for it. [This is a new thread idea, but what books are some good books about the occupation? I'm really wary of the whole "it's just about the oil, stupid" since it isn't just about that - although Xtian Parenti's The Freedom made the best case I've read re the oil corollary. From Doug's description the Cockburn book sounds like it junks mainstream cant to show how myopic the Iraq misadventure really is. Is there more of that, and if so, can you recommend any of it?] In music news, Oakland hiphoppers [and lefty faves] the Coup survived a nasty bus wreck. Cheers, J T. -- J T. Ramsay 1626 S. 2nd St. #2 Philadelphia, PA 19148 <a href="http://blackmailismylife.com/blog"> blackmailismylife.com/blog</a> <a href="http://paperthinwalls.com">paperthinwalls.com</a>