Saturday, February 28, 2009

WHY IS A RAVEN LIKE A WRITING DESK?

That is a line from Louis Carroll's, "Alice In Wonderland," my personal favorite tale of all time (because it is not really a fairy tale, but political satire). It is asked of Alice by the Mad Hatter.

Originally the riddle had no answer, but Carroll made one up later. Many readers have invented their own answers ever since, including the most famous: "because Poe wrote on both", and "because there's a B in both and an N in neither" (you may have to think on this one for a bit).

All of the surreal nonsense in "Alice In Wonderland" has its counterpart in British politics of the day.

I particularly loved the Walrus and the Carpenter, as told by Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum.

The walrus is an amalgamation of politicians. However, let me suggest that you view it as follows: The walrus = Barack Obama; the mother oyster = conservative voices (bloggers, etc.); the little oysters = you and me...Mr. & Mrs. citizen; and the carpenter = the mainstream media.

You can view it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TvOThKOJdas .

The Mad Hatter ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=InSn2BLDwfQ ) might well represent Ben Bernanke in today's political climate.

Federal Reserve Chairman Ben S. Bernanke said while the U.S. government may take “substantial” stakes in Citigroup Inc. and other banks, it doesn’t plan a full- scale nationalization that wipes out stockholders.

Nationalization is when the government “seizes” a company, “zeroes out the shareholders and begins to manage and run the bank, and we don’t plan anything like that,” Bernanke told lawmakers in Washington today.

So, if I understand it correctly, the fact that the federal government assumes control of 30% - 40% of a bank's stock, therefore has control of the bank by virtue of being it's largest stockholder, is not the same as taking over or nationalizing the bank.

Which begs the question: Why is a raven like a writing desk?

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

For some reason Obamba reminds me of tweedle dum! Okay, lame joke......

Seriously though government control of anything scares me considering their track record. Banks....have no place in government, but then again, neither does healthcare, and that is changing too. Nationalization has happened regardless of what they want to call it.

Joe said...

Jennifer: As you already know, I agree 100%.

Tapline said...

Nationalization by any other name, is still Nationalization...Next stop....Obama Youth Corp......any bets...Next parents being arrested for saying bad things about????by their kiddies,,,Oh that started years ago by DHHS mustn't correct children accept for no! No! not too loud psychological abuse you know.. I can remember years ago my nephew saying to his parents..you hit me and I'm turning you in...my teacher said you can't do that..but, thats another story all coming together..."The chickens are coming home to roost".....I ramble

Anonymous said...

I've never read much Carroll butI'm beginning to think I should. Is there an edition that explains his contemporary political references?

shoprat said...

I was fascinated when I learned the real, and rather mundane, meaning of the poem Jabberwocky.