CraigRead.com - Recent Articles

Israel at 60 years: a miracle in the desert.

Tue, 13 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT

One of the great miracles of the modern world is the state of Israel founded in May 1948. This small country exports technologies; has turned the desert into a thriving economy and succeeded where Arabs continue to fail. It is a democratic state where civilian law controls the military. It has a per capita GDP of $30.000 and it provides Arabs with a higher standard of living than in any Arab country. Yet for many Israel is a 'problem' and if it went away the Arabs would become wonderful, happy, productive people. Yeah sure.

Book Review: Will Israel survive? By Dr. Mitchell Bard, expert on Israel's political-economy.

Mon, 12 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT

This is an excellent and, exceedingly optimistic book. Perhaps far too optimistic. Supportive of 'realistic-optimism', the book induces sympathetic from us neo-con Bushitler types. Dr. Bard is right on many issues, but isn't his ultimate thesis, that Israel has, can and will survive a little too cheeful? Given the myriad numbers of those who hate the Jews, the Jewish state, and the thought of burly Israeli soldiers pushing around poor, peaceful and kind Arabs, one should have many doubts about Dr. Bard's main thesis.

We have seen this China before.

Sun, 11 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Before 1842 the Chinese were not interested in Western products. They viewed the West as a collection of inferior barbarians unable to produce quality products, with the small exception of mechanical toys like clocks and water pieces. China was a manufacturing super-power pre 1842. When the West did open up China to European imports after the 'Opium' war of 1839-42, the ancient Chinese state collapsed into a 100 years of revolution and civil war. Could the same happen again? Might China revisit its past ?

Irrational expectations.

Fri, 09 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT

As the power of the state continues to grow, basic laws are being ignored. These laws in economics, security, geo-politics and science can be ignored but not avoided. Populists and their media friends can demand everyone else to 'act now' to solve some problem – real or imagined – that part is easy. What is not calculated and what is far more complicated is to account for the costs of all these 'act now' programs designed to immediately solve some pressing issue or another. These irrational expectations can literally destroy the modern world.

Christian left rising in America

Wed, 07 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The media and educational elite portrays the rather absurd image that all Christians are fundamentalist conservatives or in their lexicon – knuckle dragging neo-cons. In reality the 'socialist' tendencies of both church and church-goer are well known. Far from being a bastion of conservative-republican goose-stepping war mongers, a clear majority of Christians are actually quite 'left wing'; socialist or avowedly anti-conservative. The church is not an ally of the 'right'.

The 'Poor' – using statistical lies to push the socialist agenda.

Mon, 05 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Governments and their friends love to publish lies about the 'poor'. Generated from census analysis, the poor are always shown to be growing, in danger of becoming 'poorer'; and that the 'rich' are becoming so much richer in comparison. Given the fact that society is wealthier, incomes across all levels are higher; and that being 'poor' today is a lot different from being 'poor' 50, 100, or 200 years ago, such 'statistics' should be treated with contempt.

Thomas Sowell and Race. A Black voice not often heard.

Sat, 03 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Race trumps all – at least for those willing to use it to divide and conquer, or inflame and impale. As Sowell says, 'Few subjects produce more fallacies than race.' The history of race relations is of course littered with lies, distortions, self-serving fantasies and political manipulation. [One can witness the emptiness and outright nonsense of the Hussein Obama race-baiting campaign for contemporary evidence]. As Sowell relates today we have more inter-marriage between races than ever, yet the cries and screams of race identity are at their fiercest in history. Only a Marxist and a race baiting populist can figure out this contradiction.

Recession evidence is now finally here - but it is mild.

Fri, 02 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The data and reality arrived a while ago proving that we are in a mild, tepid and soon to be over recession. Markets are already correcting upwards in the expectation that flat or most likely negative economic growth will be stabilised and going positive by the mid summer. The crying cassandra's were proven right - but nearly to the fear-mongering extent that they want.

The crucible of modern terrorism – the Arab defeat in 1967.

Thu, 01 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Martin Gilbert, Barbara Tuchman and others have commented and written extensively about the massive importance of the Israeli victory in the 6 day war of 1967 and how it helped shape the last 40 years of history. Israel's lightning victory shattered the Arab hope that they could eradicate or even dominate the Jewish state. As Barbara Tuchman stated, 'A people considered for centuries as non-fighters carried out in June, 1967 against long odds the most nearly perfect military operation in modern history.' Defeated yet again by the small Jewish state, the Arabs and Muslims were forced into uncoventional war and tactics of terror, the 1967 war was really the West's war.

Globalisation – not as 'globalised' as it would appear

Wed, 30 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Globalised trade and international economic integration were supposed to crush the nation state. Regional trade agreements; bi-lateral economic associations; and the IMF-World Bank 'consensus' were to eradicate state power. For the past 50 years cries and alarms have been raised about such mental distortions as 'a race to the bottom'; 'the death of the welfare state'; or 'the loss of sovereignty'. In the past 50 years the nation state has of course gotten stronger, not weaker, from globalisation. This is the saddest consquence of increased wealth creation worldwide.