Corruption, Inefficiency and More: Causes of Poverty in Ukraine

https://www.borgenmagazine.com/causes-of-poverty-in-ukraine/

KIEV — Ukraine, a former economic powerhouse for the Soviet Union, once produced four times the output of the next-ranking republic and enjoyed a wealth of fertile black soil for farming and a growing heavy industry. However, after the fall of the Soviet Union, Ukraine’s economy began to suffer. The government tried to liberalize prices, but reform was halted after resistance was met within the government.

As a result, the economy fell to the point that in 2009 Ukraine had one of the worst economic performances in the world. Today, the gross domestic product (GDP) stands at $352.6 billion — 50th in the world. Ukraine’s GDP is surprisingly low considering its possession of all the tools for a successful, production based economy with thriving agricultural and industrial industries.

Therefore, poverty is a major concern, with 24.1 percent of the country’s citizens below the poverty line.

How did a nation with such promise end up with such a disappointing economy?

Ukraine’s economic woes can be traced back to failures by the government to resolve disputes and agree on reform, as well as widespread corruption and political instability. Poverty in Ukraine was at its highest in the 1990s, when hyperinflation abounded following the fall of the Soviet Union, as huge monetary expansion was necessary to finance government spending.

However, while this expansion was able to finance government spending to a degree that they could work on reforms that would stop hyperinflation, it was too late for the people of Ukraine who lived in poverty.

What are the main causes of poverty in Ukraine?

One of the main causes of poverty in Ukraine from the early 2000s to today is the government’s complacency in providing reforms that would stabilize the economy. Aforementioned heavy industry exports were booming, and Ukraine was especially successful in providing exports to Russia.

Instead of investing in reforms that would result in long-term stability and a middle-class income for many citizens, government officials chose instead to appeal to their own interests.

Ukraine has struggled with corruption at the highest levels of its government, with the Panama papers exposing widespread corruption at every level and industry. The Mossack Fonesca files — the law firm at the heart of the Panama Papers — exposed Ukrainian corruption going back to the earliest days of independence, when money was laundered offshore.

So what’s Ukraine’s solution?

It is impossible to grow an economy when the government officials are putting money in their own pockets, and therefore, the only way to sustainably improve the economic situation of Ukraine and to draw Ukraine’s people out of poverty, is to engage in necessary reforms and take steps to halt corruption.

Although pervasive corruption continues to be problematic, Ukrainian citizens have seen some hope following the most recent International Monetary Fund (IMF) assistance package of $17.5 billion, and reforms instituted after the Revolution of Dignity in 2014. These reforms are designed for democratic transparency, which is a great first step in a history of corruption.

The assistance package and recent reforms have sent Ukraine in the right direction, as was recently reported in June 2017 that the average salary (UAH) reached an all-time high of 7360 UAH, an increase from 6840 UAH in the previous year.

So, while there is still plenty of work to be done — a better legislative framework, more solutions to combat corruption and a development of capital markets — the causes of poverty in Ukraine are gradually being solved, and the future is looking brighter than ever before.

The Gundam Franchise in Comparison to other Giant Robot Anime Series

A still from Mobile Suit Gundam 0080: War in the Pocket

Originally posted on March 16, 2019:

Since I've been sick for the last few weeks, I've had to stay at home. Lately, I've been beginning to think about finding a new place to work and about whether or not I should go back to school. Therefore, my rate of making videos for my channel has slowed in the last few months. I still make videos, however, and this doesn't mean that I have to stop making them. But I should have other things on my mind at this time. In addition, since I've become sick recently, and since I shouldn't wear my glasses for now, I really don't have the time to make videos. Making videos for my channel has never been an occupation for me. It has always been a hobby, and it was smart of me to spend as little time as possible on YouTube because I've always known that, sooner or later, YouTube would turn into a highly controlled and problematic website. YouTube is now sort of like American television. There are a few positives to this and some negatives. One positive is that people can now rent or purchase many films or shows that have been made in Hollywood on YouTube. One negative is that YouTube has become just another platform for American propaganda, kind of like television, radio, newspapers, magazines, or books. And other Western video-sharing websites aren't much better in this respect. Some of them are even worse. Dailymotion, for example, is in some ways better than YouTube and in some ways worse. The video-sharing website that has given me the least trouble over the years is Rutube. Never have I had my account deleted on Rutube. YouTube, on the other hand, is the website that has given me the most trouble over the years. I've heard that Facebook and Twitter are also controlled websites, but I've never seriously used them, and, therefore, I've never experienced how problematic they can be. Still, I'm not planning on stopping making videos for the time being because uploading videos to YouTube is still possible to do. I've uploaded a number of good lectures and lists already. There's plenty of good information in those videos. Moreover, I've discovered that my YouTube channel has some notoriety, not only because it has existed for about a decade already but also because it's one of the very few channels that offer alternative information. It's clear that the managers of YouTube will never allow my channel to become popular, but it's still popular enough to irritate the owners of the numerous anti-leftist channels that exist on YouTube and elsewhere. These propagandists and haters of my channel react to almost every video and post that I make. Wow. They sure are dedicated haters. Or is it because some of them are paid to do this?

I can point out that when I make posts on my blog about the films that I see, this doesn't mean that I recommend these films. These are simply films that I've recently seen. But, since I usually see films because I want to see them, I would recommend seeing almost all of them. I know that many Hollywood films feature American propaganda, but this doesn't stop me from seeing them and enjoying some of them. Since I've been sick for the last few weeks, and since I can't wear my glasses for now, I've been spending my time on watching films, and I've seen a number of films that I can really recommend. The one film that I've seen not long ago that I would definitely not recommend is The Predator (2018). It's just a bad and vile film. But here are examples of films that I would recommend. Most of them are old Hollywood films because there's no point in spending time and money on seeing new Hollywood films. New Hollywood films are just not good if they're compared to old Hollywood films. The Hindenburg (1975) features good special effects and is definitely worth seeing. The Raid (1954) is a neat Western set during the American Civil War. Young Winston (1972) is a classy adventure about Winston Churchill in his youth. Nightfall (1957) is a good film noir in black and white. The Miracle Worker (1962) features some of the best acting by actresses in the 1960s. Crimes of the Heart (1986) is a good southern gothic film that features good performances from the leads. The Morning After (1986) includes one of the best performances by Jane Fonda. 'night, Mother (1986) is an interesting drama with only two roles. Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore (1974) is simply essential viewing, and it features an excellent performance by Ellen Burstyn. Forever Young (1992) is one of those neat little romantic science fiction films from the 1990s. The Fly (1986) is just plain awesome. Bachelor Party (1984) is a surprisingly funny comedy from the 1980s. The White Buffalo (1977) is a Western that features Charles Bronson and... a big white buffalo. Nuff said. Assassination (1987) is another unintentionally funny and enjoyable piece of action junk from Cannon Films. Tough Guys (1986) is a pleasant and somewhat moving comedy. Coma (1978) is an excellent suspense film that was directed by Michael Crichton, of Jurassic Park fame. Demetrius and the Gladiators (1954) is an impressive epic in which Victor Mature "acts". It's set in Rome and features gladiator fights. Avenging Force (1986) is yet more action junk from Cannon Films in which Michael Dudikoff delivers yet again in the leading role. April Fool's Day (1986) is quite a good mystery slasher film that was filmed in British Columbia. Death Wish 3 (1985) features Charles Bronson talking about killing bad guys, with a wicked little smirk on his face. Death Wish 3, by the way, is one of those 1980s flicks, like RoboCop (1987), that show some of what happened during the economic depression that took place in the USA in those years. American Dreamer (1984) and Bad Medicine (1985) are two funny comedies from the 1980s that I would definitely recommend seeing. Agnes of God (1985) is worth seeing simply because of the excellent performances by Anne Bancroft and Jane Fonda. A Soldier's Story (1984) is a fantastic drama, and I can't believe that I've never heard about it before I saw it. Country (1984) is yet another fantastic drama that has been forgotten in the mainstream. Well, anyway, I can go on and on with this list, but these are some of the most memorable films that I've seen in recent months.

By the way, I'm glad that Eileen Rockefeller has her website and blog back on. For a while, it seemed to me like she turned them off because of me. But I can't be sure about this. I posted one video on my blog that features an interview with her. Why did I do this? Only because she has a pleasant way of speaking and because there may be one or two things that I find to be interesting in that interview. Perhaps she didn't like that I did this. Well, I didn't do this because I think that she's a bad lady. I know almost nothing about her. I don't know what she likes or doesn't like. But I know a few things about the imperialist Rockefeller family. So, she might have noticed this and reacted because she thought that I consider her to be bad. Well, I've deleted that video since then, and her blog is back on now, so everything is fine because I didn't want her to discontinue her blog. I haven't read her book (Being a Rockefeller, Becoming Myself: A Memoir). I'm reading other books at the moment. But I think that I will read it soon. It probably includes almost nothing that I would find interesting. But I'd still read it as a curiosity.

Originally posted on December 26, 2017:

Sure, I will write a review, maybe a short one, about Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017), which is seemingly the worst Star Wars film ever. But, for now, I'd like to get into the Gundam franchise. I already made a list about the best Gundam releases. However, not all of them are all they're cracked up to be. Well, first of all, instead of watching the original series, I'd recommend watching Mobile Suit Gundam: The 08th MS Team, Mobile Suit Gundam: Char's Counterattack, Mobile Suit Gundam 0080: War in the Pocket, and Gundam Wing: Endless Waltz. I think that these are the best of the best of the Gundam releases. Yoshiyuki Tomino, with his 1979 original series, may have started the franchise, but it's admittedly a rather dull series now, for the most part. Tomino is fine at showing the realities of war, and he knows his science, but his direction doesn't make the original Gundam a truly compelling series. If you compare the Gundam franchise to other giant robot anime series, you'll see that not one of the Gundam releases reaches the heights of The Vision Of Escaflowne, Gurren Lagann, Neon Genesis Evangelion, Giant Robo, Martian Successor Nadesico, RahXephon, Gunbuster, or Macross Plus. Still, the four Gundam releases that I listed are very good, and I'd recommend them to anyone.

By the way, here's a good list of the best anime by Wizard Magazine:
https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2001-07-16/wizard-lists-top-50-anime

I agree with this magazine's picks. The people working there sure do know anime and they sure do have taste. As you can see, the original Gundam is number 2 on their list. Well, it's that high up probably because of its influence on the anime industry and because of its impact back then, in the early-1980s. In the 1980s, Japanese animation was lower in quality than American animation or Soviet animation. But some of what Japanese animators made in the 1980s is very good and original. Anime became even more popular in the 1990s. More quality releases appeared as well, in part because the quality of animation improved. But, in the 2000s, anime began to turn into repetitive, unoriginal... stuff. Judging by user comments, I see that some people are smart enough to realize that this is the case, that the anime industry in Japan is producing unoriginal content now, similar to how Hollywood is producing unoriginal content now. In this environment of creative stagnation, releases that are good and original are rare.

Just finished watching Jaws (1975) and Emma (2020)...

Behind Convention Info-mercials, Deep Divisions in US Society

Caleb Maupin is a widely acclaimed speaker, writer, journalist, and political analyst. He has traveled extensively in the Middle East and in Latin America. He was involved with the Occupy Wall Street movement from its early planning stages, and has been involved many struggles for social justice. He is an outspoken advocate of international friendship and cooperation, as well 21st Century Socialism.

Near Waterfront station in Downtown Vancouver. Autumn of 2019.

 Waterfront is a major intermodal public transportation facility and the main transit terminus in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. It is located on West Cordova Street in Downtown Vancouver, between Granville and Seymour Street. The station is also accessible via two other street-level entrances, one on Howe Street to the west for direct access to the Expo Line and another on Granville Street to the south for direct access to the Canada Line.

The station is within walking distance of Vancouver's historical Gastown district, Canada Place, Convention & Exhibition Centre, Harbour Centre, Sinclair Centre, and the Vancouver Harbour Flight Centre float plane terminal. A heliport operated by Helijet, along with the downtown campuses for Simon Fraser University and the British Columbia Institute of Technology, are also located within the vicinity of the station.

Waterfront station was built by the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) and opened on August 1, 1914. It was the Pacific terminus for the CPR's transcontinental passenger trains to Montreal, Quebec and Toronto, Ontario. The current station is the third CPR station. The previous CPR station was located one block west, at the foot of Granville, and unlike the current classical-styled Waterfront station was built in "railway gothic" like the CPR's many railway hotels.

In 1978, when Via Rail took over the passenger operations of the CPR and the Canadian National Railway, it continued using both railways' stations in Vancouver, but a year later, Via consolidated its Vancouver operations at Pacific Central Station, the CN station near False Creek, and ceased using the CPR station. The last scheduled Via passenger train to use Waterfront station departed on October 27, 1979.

Waterfront station's transformation into a public intermodal transit facility began in 1977. That year, the SeaBus began operating out of a purpose-built floating pier that was connected to the main terminal building via an overhead walkway above the CPR tracks. The CPR's passenger platform and some of its tracks were torn up in the early 1980s to make way for the guideway of the original SkyTrain line (Expo Line), which opened on December 11, 1985. During Expo 86, SkyTrain operated special shuttle trains between Waterfront station and Stadium–Chinatown station (then named Stadium station), connecting the Canadian Pavilion at Canada Place to the main Expo site along False Creek.

A private ferry company, Royal SeaLink Express, ran passenger ferries from a new dock on the west side of the SeaBus terminal to Victoria and Nanaimo in the early 1990s, but ultimately folded. In 2003, HarbourLynx began operating out of Royal Sealink's old facility at the SeaBus terminal. In 2006, following major engine problems with their only vessel, they folded as well.

In 1995, platforms were built adjacent to the SkyTrain station for the West Coast Express, which uses the existing CPR tracks. The platforms for the West Coast Express were built in the same location as the old CPR platforms.

In 2002, Millennium Line trains began to share tracks with the Expo Line at Waterfront station. The lines continued to share tracks until late 2016, when an Expo Line branch to Production Way–University station was created in replacement of the Millennium Line service between VCC–Clark and Waterfront stations.

In 2009, the Canada Line opened with separate platforms which are accessible via the main station building, but require leaving the fare paid zone when transferring between other modes. Waterfront station serves as a common terminus point for both the Expo Line and the Canada Line.

Waterfront station was one of the first stations to receive TransLink's "T" signage, denoting a transit station. This signage was originally installed in the downtown core of Vancouver to help visitors during the 2010 Olympics, as it made transit hubs easier to identify.

In 2018, TransLink announced that Waterfront's Canada Line platforms, as well as two other stations on the line located within downtown Vancouver, would receive an accessibility upgrade which includes additional escalators, as most Canada Line stations were built with only up escalators initially. Construction is expected to begin in early 2019.

Waterfront's main station building was designed in a neoclassical style, with a symmetrical red-brick facade dominated by a row of smooth, white Ionic order columns. The Ionic columns are repeated in the grand interior hall, flanking the perimeter of the space. The main hall features two large clocks facing each other high on the east and west walls. Paintings depicting various scenic Canadian landscapes, completed in 1916 by Adelaide Langford, line the walls above the columns. The Montreal architecture firm Barott, Blackader and Webster was responsible for designing the main station building.

Domino's Pizza: Serious Business

 

 Ever wanted to know more about the people behind your last choice fast food option? Footage from Domino's Pizza: A Slice of Life, broadcast Thursday 11 Jun, 2015 on Channel 4.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mark Ames: Libertarian Liars: Top Reagan Adviser, Cato Institute Chairman William Niskanen: “Deficits Don’t Matter”

https://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2011/11/mark-ames-libertarian-liars-top-reagan-adviser-cato-institute-chairman-william-niskanen-%E2%80%9Cdeficits-don%E2%80%99t-matter%E2%80%9D.html

Another Monday, another “deficit crisis” panic. If you haven’t got the feeling yet that you’re being played like a sucker over this alleged “deficit crisis,” then let me help you cross that cognitive bridge to dissonance. It comes in the figure of the recently-deceased William Niskanen, the embodiment of how Reaganomics and the Koch brothers’ libertarian movement were joined at the hip. Niskanen was an advisor to Ronald Reagan throughout the 1970s; a board director for the Koch-founded Reason Foundation; a member and chairman of Reagan’s Council on Economic Advisers from 1981-85; and he moved directly from Reagan’s side back to the Koch brothers’ side, as chairman of the libertarian Cato Institute from 1985 until 2008.

This is a brief story about how the 1% transformed this country into a failing oligarchy, and their useful tools, starting with A-list libertarian economist William Niskanen, Chicago School disciple of Milton Friedman, advocate of the rancid “public choice theory.”

First, let’s go back to December, 1981, and news is leaking out that Reagan’s supply-side tax cuts for the rich, combined with huge increases in defense spending, caused an explosion in the deficit to unimaginable levels, from Carter’s projected deficit of $27 billion to a real deficit of $109 billion and climbing fast–this, despite the fact that Reagan ran as a “responsible” deficit hawk. Someone needed to rationalize that deficit away, and the job fell to none other than CEA director and future Cato Institute chairman Niskanen, as reported in the AP on December 9, 1981:

Faced with record-smashing deficits that could top $100 billion a year, the Reagan administration now says it can live with a torrent of red ink without reversing its strategy against inflation and high interest rates.

In a turnaround from President Reagan’s longstanding assertion that deficits are a cause of inflation, senior White House economic advisers yesterday sought to downplay that relationship. One member of the Council of Economic Advisers, William A. Niskanen, suggested the connection is virtually nonexistent.

…Rudolph G. Penner, a budget official during Gerald Ford’s administration, said there is a “certain irony” that the record deficit of $66.4 billion, which occurred in 1976, “was set by a conservative president (Ford), and the record will be broken by another conservative president.”

Actually, what Niskanen said was this: “The simple relationship between deficits and inflation is as close to being empty as can be perceived.”

And this: “There are no necessary relationships between the deficit and money growth.”

And this: “Evidence doesn’t support” the assertion that deficits crowd out private borrowers.

And finally, William Niskanen, one of the leading libertarian figures of the past four decades, said this about deficits: “The economic community has reinforced an unfortunate perspective on the deficit which is not consistent with the historical evidence…It is preferable to tolerate deficits of these magnitudes either to reinflating [the money supply] or to raise taxes. Other things being equal, I would like to see lower deficits too, but other things are not equal.”*

That glib, “hah-hah we fooled you!” attitude towards federal deficits–the same deficits Reagan’s people used to scare the shit out of Americans in the 1980 elections–was captured best by Ronald Reagan himself, who in 1984 quipped, ”I am not worried about the deficit. It is big enough to take care of itself.”

Hardy-har-har. Such a charming guy.

Even Der Austerity-führer himself, Friedrich von Hayek, bragged in 1985 that the deficit scare was purely political–you can almost see the little troll rubbing his troll hands together gleefully as he brags about his master plan’s success:

After remarking that his work had influenced by Reagan and Prime Minister Thatcher of Great Britain, that many of the president’s advisers had come from “circles I am acquainted with,” and that he was wearing a set of cuff links given to him by Reagan, the economist [von Hayek] commented:

“I really believe Reagan is fundamentally a decent and honest man. His politics? When the government of the United States borrows a large part of the savings in the world, the consequence is that capital must become scarce and expensive in the world world. That’s a problem.”

But, von Hayek continued, “You see, one of Reagan’s advisers told me why the president has permitted that to happen, which makes the matter partly excusable: Reagan thinks it is impossible to persuade Congress that expenditures must be reduced unless one creates deficits so large that absolutely everyone becomes convinced that no more money can be spent.”

Thus, the economist said, Reagan “hopes to persuade Congress of the necessity of spending reductions by means of an immense deficit. Unfortunately, he has not succeeded.”

The way von Hayek brags that he and his little circle of free-market Nazis swindled the world is just stunning–really stunning, as in it’s almost impossible to respond to it’s so vile. But as Yasha Levine and I reported in The Nation in September, swindling the public and shameless hypocrisy–that’s how Friedrich von Hayek, and his sponsor Charles Koch, roll:

Publicly, in academia and in politics, in the media and in propaganda, these two major figures—one the sponsor [Koch], the other the mandarin [Hayek]—have been pushing Americans to do away with Social Security and Medicare for our own good: we will become freer, richer, healthier and better people.

But the exchange between Koch and Hayek exposes the bad-faith nature of their public arguments. In private, Koch expresses confidence in Social Security’s ability to care for a clearly worried Hayek. He and his fellow IHS libertarians repeatedly assure Hayek that his government-funded coverage in the United States would be adequate for his medical needs.None of them—not Koch, Hayek or the other libertarians at the IHS—express anything remotely resembling shame or unease at such a betrayal of their public ideals and writings. Nowhere do they worry that by opting into and taking advantage of Social Security programs they might be hastening a socialist takeover of America. It’s simply a given that Social Security and Medicare work, and therefore should be used.

Like typical Randroid libertarians, they find the public’s gullibility and good faith contemptible. This is something that Americans still can’t get their heads around about the free-market libertarians who’ve ruled us and ruined us over the past three decades. Here, for example, is how a middle-of-the-road guy, New York Times columnist Tom Wicker, described von Hayek’s cynical boasting about the big deficit swindle back in 1985:

While some Americans may agree that a shrunken government makes a deliberately created deficit “partly excusable,” such a deficit still reflects a reckless deception with worldwide consequences yet to be calculated. And congressional Democrats should realize the source of the pressure they’re under to sell their political birthright.

Poor earnest Tom Wicker’s problem here, we all know now, is his lack of rank cynicism; he still believes that these people care about “consequences” for anyone but themselves; he still believes in fantasy-Democrats who will “wake up” or get wise to the swindle. Keep waiting, Mr. Wicker. Yep, they’ll get wise all right.

A couple more things I want to say about Niskanen, who just died a few weeks ago of a stroke (he was still chairman emeritus of the Cato Institute up to his last breath). He not only was a cynical bastard who helped screw this country over, but he also had that other nauseating libertard trait: The faux-maverick contrarian dickhead trait.

In October 1984, just weeks before the election between Reagan-Bush and Mondale-Ferraro, libertarian economics adviser William Niskanen spoke before a meeting of women’s groups to tell them that the wage gap was all their own fault, if it even existed at all:

Wage Plan Is Labeled As “Crazy”

(AP) — White House economist William Niskanen, tackling a sensitive political issue, yesterday criticized Walter Mondale’s support for the concept of comparable pay for men and women and said it was “a truly crazy proposal.”

Niskanen, a member of the president’s Council of Economic Advisers, also told a meeting of Women in Government Relations that the wage gap between the sexes was largely due to women interrupting their careers for marriage and children.

…Niskanen was asked for elaboration by one woman in the audience who said his remark had caused “bristling in the back of the room.”

“Comparable worth is an idea whose time, I think, has long passed,” he responded, adding it was based on the “rather medieval concept of a just pay and a just wage.”

Mondale’s response when he heard what Niskanen said is poignant, because it’s pretty much every sane American’s response to every batshit crazy, pernicious idea and “maverick” poison that Republicans and libertarians have been puking on this country–like that spitting dinosaur in Jurassic Park–for lo these past few decades. Here’s Mondale’s reaction:

“He said that?” Mondale asked incredulously.

Yep, he sure did.

In 1985, Niskanen left Reagan’s side for the comfort of a lifelong sinecure in the Koch welfare program, safely protected from the ravages of the free-market, just like Hayek, just like all the pus-humpers in the libertarian nomenklatura.

And within a year, chief pus-humper himself, William Niskanen, chairman of the libertarian Cato Institute, was attacking Catholic bishops for daring to allege that Christianity is not all about free-markets and enriching the 1-percent:

A former economic adviser to President Reagan says the nation’s Roman Catholic bishops are ignoring the Bible as well as sound economics in their call for more government help for the poor.

…In a lengthy teaching letter approved last month, the bishops declared that significant poverty in such a rich nation is “a moral and social scandal that must not be ignored.” They said government as well as individuals and businesses should do much more to help the poor and powerless take part in economic life.

Niskanen, identifying himself as “an economist and a Protestant,” said, “one has reason to question the moral authority of a letter that has little apparent basis in the Scriptures of our shared religious heritage. The letter seeks to provide an agenda for the state. The New Testament is a message of individual salvation through Christ,” he said. “The bishops encourage us to seek justice through political action. Jesus counsels us that the Kingdom of God is not of this world.’ The central theme of the letter is economic justice. The New Testament provides no concept of secular justice, economic or otherwise,” he said.

Now William Niskanen is dead. For all I know, Niskanen may be in Heaven, bouncing on Calvin’s lap. Or maybe–one hopes–he’s dealing with a very Guantanamo-like wrathful god. The only thing we can say for sure is that William Niskanen did everything possible to create a kind of Hell on earth for the 99% of Americans who weren’t as blessed with Koch-funded sinecures as he.

May the bastard writhe in pain.

Halo: Combat Evolved review | Backlog Reviews

http://www.backlogreviews.com/halo-combat-evolved-review/

Of all the games I’ve ever played, none of them stand out quite like Halo: Combat Evolved. I remember being invited by my dad to one of his friend’s houses, where a dozen guys got together for occasional Halo-fests. (Those would happen two or three times a year for more than half a decade.) I fell in love with the SciFi FPS experience, and my parents got me the PC version of Halo …which I played through three times in a row.

Since then, I’ve always come back to Halo every few years. I own the PC version, the original Xbox version, Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary (the beautiful 2011 remaster), and the version included in Halo: The Master Chief Collection. I’ve beaten the campaign close to a dozen times, and I poured hundreds of hours into system link/LAN parties in high school.

After Halo: Reach, launching Halo: Combat Evolved immediately filled me with giddy excitement and nostalgia. Sure enough, the opening shots of The Pillar of Autumn and the descent to the mysterious ring-world swept me back to my childhood and my first “grown-up” gaming experience.

IF I HAD A SUPER WEAPON…

Mystery defines Halo: Combat Evolved. From Master Chief’s first steps on the ring to the hunt for Captain Keyes to the discovery of the Flood, danger surrounds every aspect of the game. The setting of Halo is strange and otherworldly, ancient and futuristic. Master Chief is a near-silent protagonist, and the team at Bungie made little effort to fleshing out his character (or anyone else’s, for that matter). But it is all of this uncertainty that provides a compelling experience, the quiet mystery of a bygone era of video games that, somehow, remains just as relevant and impactful in 2018 as it did in 2001.

From the very first scenes, Master Chief’s duty is clear. The Pillar of Autumn left hyperspace into a Covenant trap, and after failing to overcome the alien armada, the captain decides to land the ship on a strange ring-like object in front of them. As an elite Spartan supersoldier, Master Chief needs to protect the artificial intelligence Cortana at all costs or else risk all of her knowledge (particularly the location of Earth) falling into enemy hands. From that moment on, Chief’s primary goal is to stay alive, safeguard Cortana, and find a way to get himself—and the other survivors from The Pillar of Autumn—safely away from Halo.

Visually, one of the best elements in the 10-year anniversary edition is the ability to switch from the remastered visuals to the original game…and it only takes a single button press. While the 2011 version has aged very well, I was surprised that the 2001 graphics still hold up. Playing through a level in the “old school” style certainly provides a different experience, creating a darker and more horror-esque title (particularly in the latter levels). The game is the same, but the emotions I felt varied considerably, and I think that speaks to both the changes in FPS gaming over the years as well as Bungie’s grasp of environmental storytelling.

So much of Halo’s experience is wrapped up in the moment-to-moment gameplay. The Covenant have become just as iconic as Master Chief (or, arguably, most of the other members of the pantheon of gaming heroes), and the Flood aren’t far behind—the looks, weapons, vehicles, and behaviors of these aliens inspired a generation of game developers, and Master Chief steamrolls through hundreds or thousands of this alien enemies over the course of the game.

Combat is where the Halo series truly shines, and nowhere is the more clear than in the first installment of this blockbuster gaming franchise. Bungie has always combined guns, grenades, and vehicles into the perfect combat loop, a masterful grasp of the “30 seconds of fun” idea that spearheaded the actual gameplay design. And with the focus on a superhuman soldier (who often borders on “superhero”), Halo: Combat Evolved provides a compelling and nostalgic power-fantasy that modern FPS titles are still trying to replicate.

IN A NUTSHELL

Even after more than 16 years, there’s something inherently magical about Halo: Combat Evolved. The anniversary edition certainly modernized the visuals (although the option to switch to the original graphics is incredibly seamless) without taking away any of what set the game apart as a trailblazer for the genre and the industry. I’ve played a lot of games over the years, a lot of FPS campaigns, and a lot of intense set pieces, but there is still no comparable experience to Bungie’s mastery of the genre. The combination of smooth gameplay, sound design, and enemy AI intensity creates an adrenaline high like no other, rolling through rooms and corridors of Covenant, feeling invincible as the legendary Master Chief, and mowing down aliens to a swelling electric guitar riff.

You’ll love Halo: Combat Evolved if you enjoyed Halo 5, Destiny 2, or… You know what? Just go play it.

Now listening to The Invisible Man by Benjamin Wallfisch and Heaven Tonight by Cheap Trick...

 

Mongol Hordes: Last Khan Of Khans

 

https://rutube.ru/video/36e1a8ca1833822809855cf240deeba3/

 Storm From The East

1. Birth Of An Empire
2. World Conquerors
3. Tartar Crusaders
4. Last Khan Of Khans

This series covers the life and accomplishments of Genghis Khan and examines the art, culture, science, and technology of Mongol civilization. Genghis Khan left not only a highly trained army, but the beginning of an imperial administrative framework, a system of taxation, a communications network—all of which were built upon and expanded by his successors. The series was filmed on location in Mongolia and also features battle re-enactments shot at historical locations throughout Europe and Asia. 4-part series, 50 minutes each.

This program traces the life of the fifth Great Khan, Kublai Khan, who preferred to make his home in China, where he ruled as the first emperor of the Yuan dynasty. Upon his succession to power, he set out to unite the entire nation. It took 14 years of war and a lifetime devoted to winning the hearts and minds of the Chinese, which he largely accomplished by being a great patron of the arts and sciences. Kublai lacked, however, his grandfathers military acumen and sent ill-fated military expeditions to Java, Southeast Asia, and Japan that produced disastrous results. Though his achievements had world significance, he died a disappointed man with the empire showing signs of decay.

Just finished watching Annihilation (2018) and Hellboy (2019)...

 

Top 10 Nintendo Wii U Games

http://www.blockfort.com/game-lists/wiiu/

Nintendo reached historic levels of success with the Wii, but they stumbled out of the gates with the Wii U. The console was notable for being Nintendo’s first HD console, but the biggest selling point was the inclusion of a GamePad that housed its own touch screen. Unfortunately, few games truly took advantage of the unique controller. Some titles offered creative asymmetric gameplay experiences, but third-parties were not interested in experimentation and Nintendo themselves failed to justify the value of the GamePad. This issue was further compounded by poor marketing decisions. Naming the console the Wii U created confusion with consumers and glib gaming journalists alike, and backward compatibility with Wii games and accessories only made things more confusing. The Wii U was the least successful Nintendo console since the Virtual Boy and it’s generally considered a disappointment – if not, an outright failure. Even though its features were half baked and its promise was never realized, the Wii U was still home to many of the generation’s best games. The Wii U feels like Nintendo’s version of the Dreamcast in many ways, and I had fun with the system even if most gamers and publishers took a pass on it. Production of the Wii U has ended and Nintendo’s last Wii U game has been released, so now’s as good a time as any to look back at the best games released for Nintendo’s one-of-a-kind console.

10. ZombiU (2012)

ZombiU was met with mixed reviews, but it was everything that core gamers were asking for in a launch title. It was a new IP, it was intended for mature audiences, and it offered gameplay experiences that couldn’t be found elsewhere. The game is set in London after a zombie outbreak has ravaged the city, and players assume the role of a survivor who is trying to escape. If players are attacked by a zombie, their character will become a zombie themselves and players will then assume the role of another random survivor. If players track down their previous character, they can potentially reclaim all of the items that they had previously collected. Some criticized the game for being too difficult, but ZombiU captures the essence of a zombie apocalypse and the fear it would instill. The primary weapon in the game is a simple cricket bat which is slow and under-powered. At the same time, the player can be defeated with a single zombie bite and the game’s auto-save features cannot be turned off. As a result, every zombie encounter feels like a significant event, and players have to be on alert at all times since they always have something to lose. ZombiU deserves credit for its creative use of the Wii U GamePad. Players primarily use the GamePad to scan for items and to manage their inventory, but looking down at the second screen diverts their attention from the action. Much in the same way that rummaging through a backpack would make you vulnerable in a real-life scenario, looking at the Wii U’s second screen leaves you open to attack in ZombiU. The game never gives players a break, and that’s what makes it so intense. ZombiU wasn’t the fast-paced first-person shooter that some people were looking for, but it’s one of the purest examples of a survival/horror game that I’ve ever played.

9. Xenoblade Chronicles X (2015)

A spiritual successor to Xenoblade Chronicles that borrows heavily from its predecessor, Xenoblade Chronicles X is an open-world RPG with an emphasis on exploration. The game follows a group of humans who are forced to take refuge on a distant planet after the Earth is destroyed by hostile aliens. The planet in question is filled with majestic sites and magnificent creatures, and it’s a lot of fun to discover new areas. The first Xenoblade Chronicles is one of the greatest RPGs of all-time, and the follow-up is cut from the same cloth in many regards. The battle system, mission structure, and expansive environments were directly inspired by the original, but Chronicles X adds transforming mecha (called Skells) to the mix that can traverse land, sea, and air. The world in Chronicles X is significantly larger than its predecessor’s was, so the importance of the Skells cannot be overstated. There are some areas where Chronicles X falls short of the original, however. The decision to focus on a player-created character hurt the narrative structure of the game to an extent, and it’s not always clear what you’re supposed to do in order to drive the story forward. Nevertheless, the premise is compelling and the environments are filled with atmosphere and wonder. You won’t always know where you’re going, but the journey is exciting even when the objectives are vague. No game on the Wii U can match the size and scope of Xenoblade Chronicles X.

8. Tokyo Mirage Sessions ♯FE (2015)

Tokyo Mirage Sessions ♯FE was first announced as a crossover of the Fire Emblem and Shin Megami Tensai franchises, but the eventual game is more akin to Persona with Fire Emblem cameos. The game takes place in modern-day Tokyo and is centered around Japan’s idol culture. Every facet of the game is flowing with personality, and the environments, music, and characters all compliment each other perfectly. Rest assured, the vibrant colors are a perfect reflection of the game’s energy. The story follows a group of teenagers at a talent agency that secretly recruits individuals to fight hostile beings from another world. It’s a strange premise, but the personalities of the characters are surprisingly nuanced and it’s interesting to see them move beyond the manufactured nature of the idol industry in order to find their true selves. I fell in love with the game’s aesthetics, but the gameplay is where the game really shines. The turn-based battles are fast, flashy, and fun – it’s arguably the best battle system ever seen in an Atlus game. Combat is intuitive and easy to understand, but you’ll want to explore every move, ability, and character at your disposal. The game makes it easy to avoid enemies altogether, but I was actively looking for a fight more often than not because the battles were so enjoyable. I’m probably opening up a can of worms by ranking Tokyo Mirage Sessions ♯FE above Xenoblade Chronicles X. The game takes a much more linear approach than Monolith Soft’s epic RPG, but it still provides dozens of hours of content and I enjoyed every upbeat moment of it.

7. Splatoon (2015)

A third-person shooter with heavy emphasis on online play, Splatoon was a breath of fresh air for an oversaturated genre. Rather than destroying things with bullets, the objective in Splatoon is to cover everything with colorful ink. The main characters are bizarre creatures known as Inklings that can freely switch between human and squid forms. The squids can hide from enemies, pass through grates, and swim through ink at a much faster rate than humans can move. (They can even swim up walls!) At its core, Splatoon is primarily a team-based shooter in which teams engage each other in elaborate turf wars with the goal of covering as much area as they can with their ink. Various ink guns and special items (like paint rollers) allow for different strategies to be used, but even those who are not especially good at the game can contribute. The multiplayer component is the main draw of the game, but Splatoon has a surprisingly robust single-player campaign too. The fantastic stage layouts and creative boss battles do a great job of highlighting the finer points of the game’s mechanics. The game’s presentation is also worth noting, and the level of polish is apparent from the very beginning. The world of Inkopolis is filled with colorful characters and interesting attractions, and the game itself is overflowing with creativity. Splatoon is the most successful franchise born on the Wii U and arguably the best new Nintendo IP since Pikmin.

6. Bayonetta 2 (2014)

With the exception of Tokyo Mirage Sessions ♯FE, no game on the Wii U was more shocking than Bayonetta 2. It wasn’t the quality of the game – but its very existence – that was surprising. Bayonetta was the best action game of its generation, and Bayonetta herself was destined to go down as one of gaming’s greatest heroines. The first Bayonetta had everything I was looking for in a game. The action was over-the-top, the characters didn’t take themselves too seriously, and the combo-centric gameplay was exciting. Bayonetta received critical acclaim and developed a cult following, but PlatinumGames had trouble financing the sequel and Sega themselves passed on the project despite owning the property. Bayonetta 2 would have never seen the light of day had Nintendo not swooped in to fund the development. The game was rife with violence, hyper-sexuality, and religious iconography, but it filled a void in the Wii U’s library with its M-rated sensibilities. Against all odds, Bayonetta 2 was even more ridiculous (and sexier) than the original. The first stage of the game places Bayonetta on the wings of an F-18 that’s flying above a city, and the scenarios just get more absurd from there. Whether she’s surfing through a tidal wave or humiliating her opponents with a good spanking, Bayonetta never stops enjoying herself. There’s no reason for players to stop enjoying themselves either. PlatinumGames was justified in describing Bayonetta 2 as a “non-stop climax action game.”

5. Pikmin 3 (2013)

Pikmin 3 follows the same formula that its predecessors did. For the uninitiated, the series follows the adventures of tiny space explorers who recruit plant-like creatures called Pikmin to help with various tasks. The Pikmin are primarily used for the purpose of gathering resources, but they can also build bridges, destroy barriers, and defeat enemies. Players can command up to 100 Pikmin at any given time, and the game is essentially an exercise in resource management. Multitasking is strongly encouraged, and players will usually find themselves managing multiple groups of Pikmin at the same time. Some Pikmin might be tasked with gathering items while others are busy with a construction project. At the same time, players will probably want to keep Pikmin by their side to be used as ammunition against potential threats. Various control schemes are available to the player, but the Wii remote makes it especially easy to target Pikmin and give them instructions. It’s the best-playing game in the series by far, and it’s also the most balanced. The new rationing system is a perfect compromise between the first game’s fixed time limit and the sequel’s more relaxed pacing. Players can build up their rations in the game by gathering more fruit, and this essentially allows them to create their own safety net rather than having one supplied to them by default. The first two Pikmin games were released on the GameCube, so the visuals in Pikmin 3 were a huge step forward for the series. The game is almost photo realistic at times, and the depth of field effects are especially impressive. Nine years separated Pikmin 3 from its immediate predecessor, but it was a game worth waiting for.

4. Super Smash Bros. (2014)

Like previous entries in the series, Super Smash Bros. for Wii U is a crossover fighting game that features characters and stages from popular (and not-so-popular) Nintendo franchises. Due to the variety of characters, gameplay styles, and special items, the battles are a lot more hectic than what typical fighting games offer. Super Smash Bros. for Wii U is the fourth entry in the series, and it’s arguably the best. It’s the best-looking game in the series (the 1080p/60fps graphics were a huge step up from Brawl), it has more than twice as many music tracks as any Smash Bros. game, and it boasts the largest roster in the series by far. New fighters like Little Mac and Wii Fit Trainer added even more variety to the roster, and the inclusion of new third-party characters like Mega Man and Pac-Man made the game feel like a celebration of the entire medium. (The downloadable content was also incredible, and I was especially surprised to see Cloud Strife and Bayonetta added to the mix.) No game in the series has more content, and the depth of the roster is beyond compare. Some will point to Melee as the most competitive game in the series, but Super Smash Bros. for Wii U went to great lengths to appeal to both hardcore and casual fans. The random prat falls that were introduced in Brawl were nowhere to be seen, an adapter allowed GameCube controllers to be used, and characters were re-balanced after the game’s launch to keep things more competitive. All things considered, Super Smash Bros. for Wii U is brimming with content and stands as the most well-rounded game in the series.

3. Mario Kart 8 (2014)

Mario Kart 64 introduced four-player mayhem, Double Dash!! allowed for two characters to ride on a single cart, and Mario Kart DS gave players a chance to hone their skills online. Nintendo takes great care to ensure that every Mario Kart game will be meaningful in its own way, but it was clear from the very beginning that there was something extra special about Mario Kart 8. It was the best-looking Mario Kart, the live orchestrated soundtrack was amazing, and the production values were unrivaled in the genre. On a less superficial level, the game’s new gravity-shifting gimmick allowed for the most creative track designs ever seen in the series. Whether you were racing up waterfalls or driving through space stations, the ability to drive on walls and ceilings gave the game a distinct F-Zero flavor. Nintendo also deserves a lot of credit for using DLC as a way to add value to an already excellent game rather than using it as an excuse to release an unfinished product. Mario Kart 8 was already the best game in the series, but the downloadable characters, vehicles, and tracks put the exclamation mark on things. Perhaps the most unexpected and meaningful update was the inclusion of a new engine class which increased the speed of the game significantly. This free update almost made Mario Kart 8 feel like a completely new game. The increased speed allowed for more shortcut opportunities, new ways to use items, and a much more competitive online scene. A Deluxe Nintendo Switch version of the game adds even more content to the game, but that doesn’t make Mario Kart 8 any less impressive on the Wii U.

2. Super Mario 3D World (2013)

The Wii U gave Mario fans a lot of options. Super Mario Maker has near-endless replay value and makes perfect use of the touchscreen, but it wouldn’t feel right listing a game that relies so heavily on user-created content. With Super Mario Maker out of the running, the debate came down to New Super Mario Bros. U or Super Mario 3D World. New Super Mario Bros. U represents a high point for the series in terms of pure platforming, but Super Mario 3D World is more imaginative and fun. Every stage feels radically different from the one before it, and new ideas are constantly being introduced throughout the adventure. The game combines the free-roaming gameplay of 3D Mario titles with the straight-forward level structure employed by classic 2D Mario games, but it feels like its own thing even though it borrows heavily from past games. The Super Mario Bros. 2 influence is especially apparent, and the playable characters each have their own unique abilities for the first time in ages. (I was especially pleased to see the return of Peach’s hovering ability.) Super Mario 3D World looks amazing, its upbeat soundtrack features some of the catchiest tunes in the entire series, and its multiplayer component makes it the most accessible 3D Mario game ever released. I’ve come to expect creative level designs and responsive controls from the series, but Super Mario 3D World still managed to surprise me. The game features an unadvertised bonus character, and there were several occasions in which new stages were opened up after I thought I had reached the end of the game. All told, there are over 100 stages to play through! Whether you’re pouncing on enemies with the new cat suit or throwing your friends off a cliff for laughs, Super Mario 3D World never stops being fun.

1. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (2017)

Taking cues from Twilight Princess, Breath of the Wild was both a killer app for the newly-minted Switch and a swan song for the Wii U. The game had an usually long development cycle (even for a Zelda title) so expectations could not have been higher. Remarkably, it set a new bar for the series and open-world games in general. Breath of the Wild pushed new boundaries, but it also took the franchise back to its roots by giving players complete freedom to explore the world as they saw fit. The game is ten times larger than any previous Zelda title, and its environments are a lot more interactive too. Link can climb almost any surface he comes across and nearly everything in the game can be manipulated in one way or another. Link can create weapons and food from items that he finds in the wild, and nearly everything can be used in a variety of ways. For instance, tree branches can be used as weapons, but they can also be used to light fires. Likewise, Link’s shield can fend off attacks, but it can also be used as a makeshift snowboard. Non-linear progression and multi-purpose weapons give players more ways to approach battles than ever before, and the game actively encourages creativity. Instead of mowing down moblins with your sword, you might choose to roll a boulder off a mountain in order to squash them. In lieu of fighting at all, you might drop your metal swords near your enemies during a thunder storm in the hopes that they’ll be struck by lightning. The physics engine has incredible depth and consistency, and this allows for the best puzzles in the entire series. (Like every other aspect in the game, the puzzles often have more than one solution.) Unlike most Zelda games, Breath of the Wild doesn’t have a mentor character who holds your hand through the entire adventure. The world itself is your teacher, and it’s a brilliant one at that. Breath of the Wild is everything I’ve ever wanted from a Zelda game, and it just might be the best game I’ve ever played.

Bernie Sanders Panders to Truth in Venezuela but also Opposes it

https://maoistrebelnews.com/2019/02/22/bernie-sanders-panders-to-truth-in-venezuela-but-also-opposes-it/

Bernie Sanders has thrown his hat into the ring seeking the presidency of the United States in 2020. Already he has shown electoral promise by managing to raise six million dollars in a single day from across the country. Most interesting is the fact that the average campaign donation is only $27 dollars. This certainly shows that, thus far, his campaign is not being funded by the elite of the capitalist class. While this may seem positive, we must keep in mind that he still seeks to serve the capitalist Democratic Party. This, in the end, tells you all that you need to know.

A new bright side to the 77-year-old Vermont senator is his recent seeming opposition to the US intervention in Venezuela. Specifically, he has refused to recognize Juan Guaido, the alleged president of Venezuela hand picked by the US government. His choice to do so has the Democratic establishment rattled, as well as the mainstream US political scene.

While appearing for an interview on Univision, he flatly refused to recognize Guaido as president when asked if he did. (source)

“No. I think what has to happen right now – I think there are serious questions about the recent election. There are many people who feel it was a fraudulent election, and I think the United States has got to work with the international community to make sure that there is a free and fair election in Venezuela.”

We should applaud Sanders for refusing to recognize the US puppet Guaido. We should simultaneously denounce him for overtly lying about the legitimacy of the Venezuelan election. There is zero evidence of any election fraud. Every single neutral organization which oversaw the elections certifies that they were free and fair. Only the political establishments of the imperialist countries have insisted otherwise. Sanders is lying, he has no evidence of any wrongdoing.

While Sanders has been celebrated in the US left for refusing to recognize Guaido, they have not criticized him for casting disparages upon the Venezuelan election without evidence.

It’s clear what Sanders is trying to do here: he’s refusing US intervention on populist grounds, but he’s also justifying the intervention by supporting the malicious lies which justify it. Sanders is playing a political game. He says what he needs to in order to appeal to his base of support. At the same time, he espouses the mainstream political lies in order to try and stay in favour with the Democratic Party elite. In Marxist terms, this would be called careerism. However, it is not applicable here because Sanders job is to serve the capitalist class by parroting their false claims.

This view is also very common among other so-called “democratic socialists”. Why shouldn’t it? This “democratic socialism” is wholly reflective of this position. It feigns a socialist veneer by offering social democratic reforms, but in substance is fully capitalism and all its mechanisms. He can pretend to be progressive on Venezuela, but it is all a show. At heart, he is US imperialism, just as social democracy and “democratic socialism” is.

We find the exact same thing with Tulsi Gabbard. She once refused the lie of the Syrian government using chemical weapons on its own citizens. Now she has changed her mind in a recent appearance on The View. (source) She now opposes the strategy of intervention in Syria but defends the lie that is used to justify it. This is the face of progressivism, the false promise of change.

Sanders is just the progressive gloss over the capitalist institution.

Aquaman - The Worst Superhero Movie Ever Made?

HOME ALONE 25th ANNIVERSARY: LIMITED EDITION (2-CD SET)

https://lalalandrecords.com/home-alone-25th-anniversary-limited-edition-2-cd-set/

La-La Land Records, 20th Century Fox, Fox Music and Sony Music present HOME ALONE 25th ANNIVERSARY: LIMITED EDITION, a very special restored, remastered and expanded 2-CD re-issue of renowned composer John Williams’ (JAWS, STAR WARS, EMPIRE OF THE SUN, A.I. ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE) original motion picture score to the timeless 1990 holiday classic feature film HOME ALONE, starring Macaulay Culkin, Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern, and directed by Chris Columbus. For this deluxe release, produced by Mike Matessino and Nick Redman, and executive produced for Sony Music by Jeff James and Didier C. Deutsch, producer Matessino worked with newly discovered elements (2’’ scoring masters containing 3-track mixes), which he transferred, mixed and mastered at high resolution (96k/24bit). The result is a strikingly sonically improved presentation of the score above and beyond any other HOME ALONE soundtrack release. Disc One contains the film score, with additional music, and Disc Two presents the re-mastered original 1990 album presentation with bonus tracks, including the addition of two tracks recorded for the film by Southside Johnny Lyon and the songs “Run Rudolph Run” and “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree.” With revised in-depth liner notes by Matessino and joyous all-new art direction by Jim Titus, this is the definitive release of a holiday classic from one of filmdom’s greatest and most beloved composers.

 

The Nintendo WiiU is awesome in 2018 - Homebrew, Hacks and More | MVG

In 2018, I take another look at the Nintendo Wii U, mod the console with an exploit known as Haxchi and see what its capable of. Is truly awesome in 2018 after the Switch ate its lunch? Lets find out!

Now reading Man And The Sun by Jacquetta Hawkes...

 

BUSH: The 10 most stupid moments of his life

On St. Georges Avenue in North Vancouver. Autumn of 2019.

View From The Top: Tom Kalinske And His Midas Touch On Barbie, SEGA, And LeapFrog - Vulcan Post

https://vulcanpost.com/16883/view-from-the-top-tom-kalinske/

What do Barbie, SEGA’s Sonic the Hedgehog, and Leapfrog’s educational toys have in common? Their success is the brainchild of one man, Tom Kalinske. He has been CEO of various multinational companies such as Mattel, SEGA America, and Leapfrog. In each of the companies, he has consistently brought products to its heights and revolutionized industries.

Today, Kalinske is executive chairman and one of the founders of a new company called Global Education Learning, which is focused on the early childhood education market in China. Their goal is to bring quality US curriculum and educational materials to China. They recently acquired another company and launched their first product this past year, and are already profitable in the millions.

We recently spoke with Kalinske on his work and experiences.

Reviving Barbie at Mattel

Kalinske started working at Mattel in 1972. During his time as President and CEO, he helped build the Barbie, Hotwheels, and Masters of the Universe brands. This made Mattel the largest toy company in the world.

In recognition of his achievements, Kalinske was inducted into the Toy Industry Hall of Fame, which includes names such as Walt Disney, George Lucas, Mattel founders Ruth & Elliot Handler, and Hasbro’s Stephen Hassenfeld.

What made you take up the challenge of saving the Barbie brand? How did you do it?

At the time, Barbie just had its first decline from about US$100million to US$42million. The market was saturated and there was a lot of competition. I was working on the pre-school line for Mattel. Ruth [Handler] walked into my cubicle one day and told me, “Both the sales team and retailers say Barbie is over, and we should focus on something else.” The Wall Street analysts thought that it was over as well. I told Ruth, “That it is the dumbest thing that I have ever heard. I think Barbie will be around long after you and I are gone.” And so, she made me in charge of the Barbie business.

In determining the strategy for Barbie, I asked Ruth, “Why is Barbie special?” She told me, “Barbie can be whatever every girl wants it to be.” That became the strategy for how we positioned Barbie; the strategy was to segment the market. Up until then, the company would introduce one lead doll per year, with one set of accessories and a costume. I thought that was too little, so I did market segmentation and introduced a variety of Barbie dolls. There was a “My first Barbie” for the young girls. Then, there was fashion, Hollywood, and super-star Barbie for the older girls.

We also did price segmentation. At that time, people did not believe that a doll could be sold for more than $6. We introduced a series of collectors’ Barbie dolls, which sold for more than $100. We did the same thing with the accessories and costume for Barbie. There were occupational Barbie dolls such as astronaut Barbie and even the President Barbie. The theme was that every girl could be whatever she wanted to be.

Business grew very rapidly in the US and around the world. And, revenue grew from $42million to over $550million in only a few years. Barbie uses the same strategy today.

Battling Nintendo at SEGA America

Success at Mattel was only the beginning for Kalinske. In 1990, Kalinske joined SEGA America as its CEO. His appointment transformed SEGA into a $5 billion company, and their market share grew from 10% to a peak of over 50%. In the fiercely competitive gaming market, Kalinske employed an aggressive and remarkable strategy against the market leader then, Nintendo. The success of Sega has inspired and transformed an entire generation on video gaming.

Unfortunately SEGA’s fortune took a dive with the introduction of SEGA Saturn. SEGA never recovered from Saturn and was eventually pushed out of the gaming industry. It is well documented that Kalinske was forced to introduce SEGA Saturn to the market although the hardware was not fully developed and there was simply not enough game titles to support the launch.

In May 2014, Blake J. Harris authored a new book titled Consoles War on the corporate battle between SEGA and Nintendo, featuring Bill White, Perrin Kaplan, Al Nilsen and Tom Kalinske. A documentary movie is currently in the works and scheduled for release at the Sundance Film Festival in late 2014. This story has also triggered interest in Hollywood, and we expect a movie to be released in 2016.

What was the secret behind the marketing strategy against Nintendo?

We tried to change the market. At that time, Nintendo was going after the teen market, in the range of 9 to 15-year-old boys. So, we went after a different market — the older teens and college students. We introduced more sports-theme games, like Joe Montana football, NBA, and FIFA Soccer. We also introduced strategy and war games to appeal to the older age group. And, we also had a great lead character like the Sonic Hedgehog, which was very different from Mario Bros.

We also made fun of Nintendo. We positioned ourselves as the big boys, and emphasized that their games was for the kids. We appealed to the older audience and had to develop the SRB rating systems too, because we didn’t want young kids to be playing older-kid games, such as blood and shooting games.

What would you have done differently with SEGA Saturn, if you had a second chance?

I was not impressed with how the hardware of SEGA Saturn was developed. The head of R&D, Joe Miller, and I wanted it to be better and more differentiated. We lost that fight with SEGA Japan. The engineering model was that SEGA America focused on the software and games, while SEGA Japan worked on the hardware.

We had an opportunity to collaborate with Sony to produce a Sony-SEGA hardware system. We were great at software, where the money was. And, Sony was working on an more advanced hardware system. But, SEGA Japan rejected that idea. That was the first mistake, and I was forced to introduce Saturn. I would not have introduced it until the hardware was better, and when we had enough software to support the launch. We only have 3 titles at the launch, so that was not enough to get it going.

Was that the most difficult decision you have to make while at SEGA?

It was definitely one of the toughest decision I was forced to do it. And, it led to the most difficult decision: to leave SEGA. We had great people at SEGA, and it was tough to leave. I received an offer to start and run a company called Education Technology, which was later renamed to Knowledge Universe. The goal was to look into using video game technology to improve education. I thought it was a very exciting opportunity.

Tripling Down as CEO and Transforming Education at Knowledge Universe

In 1996, Kalinske left SEGA to become President of a newly formed company, Knowledge Universe. Under his leadership, Knowledge Universe grew from a $500million into a $3.6billion dollar group by 2005. The company also invested in over 35 education companies, including a company called K12, which is valued at $1.2billon today. One of their well-known successes is the acquisition of LeapFrog. At LeapFrog, Kalinske made video games highly educational and was a first in the industry to do so. In doing so, he transformed the company into the largest educational toy company in the world. Revenue quickly grew from $72 million to $680 million within a short span of 4 years, from 1999 to 2003.

What was a key lesson you learned from mixing entertainment with education?

At Knowledge Universe, I had $500 million to form or buy education companies. The second company that we bought was LeapFrog. It was only doing $9million in revenue at that time, and they were losing money. The Wall Street analysts said it was crazy to buy LeapFrog, because they didn’t believe that parents would pay extra for educational toys. We ended up proving them wrong. We used video game technology to make education more fun and adaptive for children.

We discovered that parents really are willing to pay more, and children will really use and learn from educational toys. For me, that is the future of education.

How did you make LeapFrog profitable?

We worked very closely with Dr. Robert Calfee, who was the Associate Dean at School of Education at Stanford University, to help with the design of our products. Later, he formed an education review board with other professors from UC Berkeley, Michigan, Harvard, and Yale to review and ensure that our products were educationally correct. We first ensured that they were educationally correct, and then we made them fun and interesting. Our competitors were copying everything that we did. But, they did not have the same resources in Stanford as we did. This made a big difference.

Secrets for Success

Does success beget success? It certainly seems like Kalinske has a recipe for success.

What is your secret for success?

Always be critical and skeptical about what the common experts say. In my career, I have almost always gone up against the experts’ beliefs and proved them wrong. I have also learned to not be arrogant or complacent when you have success, otherwise it will be short-termed. And, always do something that your competition will not and cannot do. Be different.

What advice do you have for aspiring leaders?

Be a real student of the market. You have to know your market better than anyone else does. Always do more than what is asked of you. Think about how you can help others in your company. Be different and again, never be arrogant or complacent.