As IF Times

link Accept reforms or “we will fall off the cliff” warns Raúl Castro — MercoPress.

Something’s wrong with this picture.  The next generation of the Castro Regime makes a candid admission on the shortcomings of socialism, at least as practised in the iconic Cuba.  Over the years and even recently, no less than learned statesmen such as Sean Penn and Michael Moore have trumpeted the achievements of the Castro led communist regime.  Odd then that now, the stark realities are being addressed by the next Castro.  Even more odd is that you don’t get much coverage of this news story in the popular media.  Logically, this implies that Cuba will move towards more of a market based economy where entitlements to the people by the state will shrink.  Steps are being taken to pare people from the government payrolls:

“…The dismissed workers are being encouraged to go into business for themselves, and Granma (the official newspaper) said the central bank may offer micro-credits to new entrepreneurs as the island faces its worst economic slump since the former Soviet Union ended support in the 1990s…”

Translation: “we’re out of pesos and you are on your own”.

On this side of the communist curtain, we are seeing ‘demonstrations’, often violent ones, by ‘students’ ostensibly complaining about rollbacks in entitlements that in some cases don’t even affect them.  The realization is leaking out; the burden of payouts and pensions promised to a large segment of society will come under scrutiny and will suffer cuts in the years to come in order to stave off insolvency.  Income just isn’t keeping up with outgo.   This is happening in Greece and in France.  The U.K.’s announcement that they will cut welfare pay to those refusing jobs as well as increase student tuitions have given excuse to break windows and vandalize businesses, the standard protest tactic.   More significantly, this unrest will likely happen very soon here in North America.  Governor Chris Christie of New Jersey is beginning the process of rolling back pension entitlements, teachers’ pay and expensive infrastructure projects. 

Just the other day, a story circulated that the number of federal workers earning more than $150,000 has doubled since January 2009. Apparently, it’s gone up tenfold in five years.  As many know, salaries for government workers increase regularly as if they were entitlements regardless of the underlying state of the economy….which they are!  They may want to spend some of that money to buy a Cuban newspaper to get a glimpse of the future.  When the cuts begin to fall upon those expecting infinite entitlements, the marching, the yelling and the window smashing will begin.  People may want to get into the glass business in anticipation.  Or start the flotilla to Cuba.

Updated link November 14:  http://www.canadianencyclopedia.ca/index.cfm?PgNm=TCE&Params=M1ARTM0013415

link YouTube – Meg McLain Singled out by the TSA, Cuffed to a Chair, Her Ticket Ripped up.

One of the more dramatic accounts of the new enhanced procedures being implemented by the TSA bullies to keep everyone “safe”.  We will see much more of these kinds of pushbacks by average people as the days and weeks unfold. 

It’s surprising that so far, no political action has been demanded to address what is obviously an untenable situation.  TSA/Border people are in dire need of Dale Carnegie courses at the best of times, but the new powers with which they have been bestowed will allow them to reach levels of obnoxiousness that would be dismissible cause only a few months ago. 

In the real world, having your personal space violated gets you a face full of mace or a knee to the jewel box.  Now, the government actually sanctions the personal assault of otherwise innocent air travellers.  Is there anyone in charge making these decisions to search people as if they’re entering a Mexican prison in a Charles Bronson movie? 

Action will happen when government officials are made to endure the strip and feel screening themselves.  In the meantime, people may have to go through checkpoints with lawyers at the ready, because all the Mr. Whipples are going to squeeze the Charmins.