Summary
Even though he quit he still keep in touch with old friends who worked in other company's such as the World Bank, USAID, IMF, Bechtel and others. It is now in the late eighties an John is focusing about How Iraq is. Companies like Bechtel and Halliburton were hoping to make deals in Iraq with Saddam Hussein. To economist Iraq was more than a place full of money. He was able to completely quit his consulting Job. Venezuala is a a country whose culture and history is big and its oil production is also big. It has been a prized nation by economists and engineers. Venezuelan oil was being pumped out of the ground for the profit of foreign companies. John visited Ecuador again 35 years after he was in the peace corps. He took in mind how the Amazone Rain forest have went from being full of trees and grass to it now being just weeds. People were asking John about the United States invasion in Iraq. John says that the U.S citizens no little about it and that more people in the Jungles of South America know more about it than them. Reasons behind the difficult situation of the invasion of U.S troops in Iraq is talk about in the last few pages of the book. John says that Saddam Housain would still be in charge if he was able to be bought out by the corporatocracy. John think that one reason for the invasion of the U.S in Iraq is that if the US controlled Iraq and its many oil then the US could have the oil.
Quote
"This time, I had come in order to try to prevent a war for three decades I had helped to provoke" (Perkins 206)
Reaction
He is talking about going back to Ecuador to try and help prevent the war between the U.S and Iraq. It is good that he saw that what he was doing for many years was wrong and that he needs to fix it. I like that he went back and try to help the cause. He felt as if he was a cause of it and i agree with that. Through his experience through life from his young age in the business to old age he learn that there are many things wrong in the world. I can say I am starting to understand more about the problems that are in the world.
Friday, April 30, 2010
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Confessions of an Economic Hitman (pg 143 - 181)
Summary
To John, Ecuador is like second home, home away from home. He visited Ecuador. In Ecuador Johnmet Jaime Roldos a university professor and attorney in his late thirties. He wanted to redistribute wealth and land to the poor people of his country and he wanted to do that with oil. He had to fight multi-national oil corporations in his bid to control Ecuador's vast oil reserves. The Summer Institute of linguistics (SIL), a missionary group from the U.S did not support Roldos. The SIL main purpose or goal was teaching English to native tribes people throughout the Central American region. By doing that they were now able to teach them Christianity and urge them to set up and attend church services. John admires Roldos and other leaders like him for having the courage to stand up to powerful organizations for the good of people who could never pay him back. Bruno, on of Main employes got fired and it shock the people at Main. The Chairman of the company had fired Bruno because he was threatened by his powerful nature and incredible profit earnings the company had produced under his command. They wanted people that were not a big threat for them. After that John became angry and h e hated the life he had created for himself. He quit when he returned to Boston on April 1, 1980. The President of Ecuador died and John express his sadness over the death of Roldos even though he expected it. Just a couple months after the strange death of Roldos, Torrijos died in plane crash. John struggled with being an expert witness because he was testifying under oath that he believed in the is economic predictions even though he knew they were leis. In early 1980's John remarried a woman name Winifred and had a daughter they name Jessica. He than made a company name Independent Power Systems (IPS). The company developed power plants that benefited the environment. After that he sold IPS and became a very well paid adviser on the board of a growing energy company, Stone and Webster Engineering and Construction.
Quote
" He also confessed to having nightmares about his own assassination;he saw himself dropping from the sky in a gigantic fireball"( Perkins 157).
Reaction
This is ironic because he foreshadows his own death. I found it weird and funny how he can have a dream of how he was going to die and and he eventually died that way. He did not know if he was going to die in a plan crash but he knew it would involve falling from the sky and fire. Like him I had dream where i say myself falling from a high play and it is not a pleasant thing to dream. For him it was probably devastating.
Quote
" He also confessed to having nightmares about his own assassination;he saw himself dropping from the sky in a gigantic fireball"( Perkins 157).
Reaction
This is ironic because he foreshadows his own death. I found it weird and funny how he can have a dream of how he was going to die and and he eventually died that way. He did not know if he was going to die in a plan crash but he knew it would involve falling from the sky and fire. Like him I had dream where i say myself falling from a high play and it is not a pleasant thing to dream. For him it was probably devastating.
Sunday, April 25, 2010
Confessions of an Economic Hit man (pg 92 - 142)
Summary
John had the job/mission of persuading Prince W. of Saudi Arabia that the Saudi Arabia Money-laundering Affair would benefit his country as well as him personally. On Prince w. stay in Boston he asked for entertainment from a blond female which became sally. This mission gave John difficulties. He had to figure out how to pay for her services. The Prince agreed to pay for the services and he ask john if sally or a female similar to sally can be found to go back to Saudi Arabia with him, and that is what John did. John Knew if he failed with the prince MAIN will blame him and the cost failing is high. In the end it all worked out. Saudi Arabia's kingdom went from being a desert to a modern city. The U.S and Saudi Arabia alliance was there and the countries help protect each other. As time went on it seems as if the alliance was weakening which cause terrorist groups and attacks. Because of John's Success with Prince W. which help with the contract between the two countries, John career advanced. he was able to hire people to work for him. Torrijos relationship with John grew closer. John Published an article in the Boston Globe which was about three specific reasons for transferring the canal to Panama.Tarrijos was happy and MAIN was getting Huge contract deals. John met Yamin a tall man with long hair who gad an accent that made it easy to figure out he was Iranian. The two talked and John found that Yamin knew a lot about him. Yamin told John his appreciation for there time spent talking and he mention his young age and how open minded he was. John toured all over Iran in his visits and met new people. Yamin took John to see an old man in a wheel chair in a hut who told John he was like him and he told him That Main will lose millions because the new ruling party would simply refuse to pay and that the U.S will be hated. With each new project he have completed would update it on his resume. Even though his resume shows him as an intelligent man sometimes he had to down help self so he can do dirty work.
Quote
" Yet. it took the experience of working in countries like Indonesia, Panama, Iran, and Colombia in order for me to understand the deeper implications" (Pg 128).
Reaction
John Perkins was told about his Job once he got into MAIN but he did not see how big his job is until he actually done them. He thought the Job at MAIN would be that hard and that there would not be much problems but he found that was not necessarily true once he actually start going to places such as those ones .
John had the job/mission of persuading Prince W. of Saudi Arabia that the Saudi Arabia Money-laundering Affair would benefit his country as well as him personally. On Prince w. stay in Boston he asked for entertainment from a blond female which became sally. This mission gave John difficulties. He had to figure out how to pay for her services. The Prince agreed to pay for the services and he ask john if sally or a female similar to sally can be found to go back to Saudi Arabia with him, and that is what John did. John Knew if he failed with the prince MAIN will blame him and the cost failing is high. In the end it all worked out. Saudi Arabia's kingdom went from being a desert to a modern city. The U.S and Saudi Arabia alliance was there and the countries help protect each other. As time went on it seems as if the alliance was weakening which cause terrorist groups and attacks. Because of John's Success with Prince W. which help with the contract between the two countries, John career advanced. he was able to hire people to work for him. Torrijos relationship with John grew closer. John Published an article in the Boston Globe which was about three specific reasons for transferring the canal to Panama.Tarrijos was happy and MAIN was getting Huge contract deals. John met Yamin a tall man with long hair who gad an accent that made it easy to figure out he was Iranian. The two talked and John found that Yamin knew a lot about him. Yamin told John his appreciation for there time spent talking and he mention his young age and how open minded he was. John toured all over Iran in his visits and met new people. Yamin took John to see an old man in a wheel chair in a hut who told John he was like him and he told him That Main will lose millions because the new ruling party would simply refuse to pay and that the U.S will be hated. With each new project he have completed would update it on his resume. Even though his resume shows him as an intelligent man sometimes he had to down help self so he can do dirty work.
Quote
" Yet. it took the experience of working in countries like Indonesia, Panama, Iran, and Colombia in order for me to understand the deeper implications" (Pg 128).
Reaction
John Perkins was told about his Job once he got into MAIN but he did not see how big his job is until he actually done them. He thought the Job at MAIN would be that hard and that there would not be much problems but he found that was not necessarily true once he actually start going to places such as those ones .
Saturday, April 24, 2010
Confessions of an Economic Hitman (PG 44-92)
Summary
There is many background information not only about the author's life in this book but also some past historical events of the United states. The Nixon- world puppeteer show where an Indonesian was stab by the Bucket mans flag and died a dramatic death. The Indonesian woman believe that the American government see Indonesia and other countries as "grapes" to them or inferior countries to them. Indonesians are very conscious of politics. Arnold Toynbee was a historian and in the fifties he predicted that the war in the next century would not be between communist and capitalist, but between Christians and Muslims, and he was right. I agree with what the English major said when she said the U.S Nation are more concern with big houses, fancy stores and oil for there cars instead of concerning about dieing babies, poverty and cries of help in other countries. After the Major have said that, John thought about it for a while and then went on the streets and handed money to beggars, attempted to engaged lepers, prostitutes, and street urchins in conversation. John consider himself as a person who wasn't innocent anymore, he has seen the big picture. He thought about what could of been if the U.S and its allies were to do the common good. Later on in the book, when he tried to get back in contact with Claudine the MAIN offices said they have no record of that person. He starts to wonder about many different things such as benefits from war and he starts to look at people differently. Panama was ruled by an oligarchy of wealthy families with strong connections to Washington. Torrijos, the head of states was committed to turning his nation into a haven for fugitives from persecution a place that could offer asylum to refugees.
Quote
"Our own statistic about violence, depression, drug abuse, and crime indicated that although ours was one of the wealthiest societies in history, it may also be one of the least happy societies" ( pg 57)
Reaction
I agree with this quotation 100%. I think that our societies has a lot of problems and it is covered up by the money. In most places in our society some can say that people keep quit about certain things and do not interact with each other that very well. There is hatred among ourselves, even though its not noticeable. Our statistics on those matters and high.
There is many background information not only about the author's life in this book but also some past historical events of the United states. The Nixon- world puppeteer show where an Indonesian was stab by the Bucket mans flag and died a dramatic death. The Indonesian woman believe that the American government see Indonesia and other countries as "grapes" to them or inferior countries to them. Indonesians are very conscious of politics. Arnold Toynbee was a historian and in the fifties he predicted that the war in the next century would not be between communist and capitalist, but between Christians and Muslims, and he was right. I agree with what the English major said when she said the U.S Nation are more concern with big houses, fancy stores and oil for there cars instead of concerning about dieing babies, poverty and cries of help in other countries. After the Major have said that, John thought about it for a while and then went on the streets and handed money to beggars, attempted to engaged lepers, prostitutes, and street urchins in conversation. John consider himself as a person who wasn't innocent anymore, he has seen the big picture. He thought about what could of been if the U.S and its allies were to do the common good. Later on in the book, when he tried to get back in contact with Claudine the MAIN offices said they have no record of that person. He starts to wonder about many different things such as benefits from war and he starts to look at people differently. Panama was ruled by an oligarchy of wealthy families with strong connections to Washington. Torrijos, the head of states was committed to turning his nation into a haven for fugitives from persecution a place that could offer asylum to refugees.
Quote
"Our own statistic about violence, depression, drug abuse, and crime indicated that although ours was one of the wealthiest societies in history, it may also be one of the least happy societies" ( pg 57)
Reaction
I agree with this quotation 100%. I think that our societies has a lot of problems and it is covered up by the money. In most places in our society some can say that people keep quit about certain things and do not interact with each other that very well. There is hatred among ourselves, even though its not noticeable. Our statistics on those matters and high.
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Confessions of an Economic Hit man (pg 3 - 43)
Summary
This book starts with the author giving a background on his years as a child and he talks about his parents and who they were. He is in good family, but not a wealthy one. He said his family was cash starved. His father is a soccer coach. His parents did not want them to play with the poor children in his elementary and middle school. The way the author uses quotes of his parents make this book more interesting and enjoyable. He had the ideal parents who wants him to marry upper-classes like them. The author is telling his life story at a fast pace. He went to Middlebury college and from there the college life took over him and made his grades "plummeted". He moved to Boston after he drop out of college and got in trouble. He than entered Boston University's college of Business. He got married to Ann a girl he met while he was in Middlebury college. He than wanted to joined the military to fight in the Vietnam war. He is a puritan. After completing a peace corps training with Ann in southern California they went to Latin America and interacted with the indigenous people there. He was than accepted into a private corporation known as MAIN. He said his job is in fact close to James Bond's job.MAIN was a macho corporation that had a league of its own. For his new job he would have to learn many new things so he spent many hours in BPL. He met Claudine Martin a woman in his field of work informing him about Main and what they do is confidential. He job was to make him into an economic hit man.
Quote
"I'll be frank with you, teach you all I can during the next weeks. then you'll have to choose. your decision is final. Once you're in, you're in for life" (Perkins 14).
Reaction
I really like this quote, once i finished readying it i laughed. I laughed because that is not the first time i have heard or read that saying before "Once you're in, you're in for life". When this is said you automatically know this is serious business. The thing he involve himself in is a big deal. Also when that saying is usually said, there are circumstances that goes wit it. Those circumstances will be hard. I have heard that saying in movies before and i always enjoyed it.
This book starts with the author giving a background on his years as a child and he talks about his parents and who they were. He is in good family, but not a wealthy one. He said his family was cash starved. His father is a soccer coach. His parents did not want them to play with the poor children in his elementary and middle school. The way the author uses quotes of his parents make this book more interesting and enjoyable. He had the ideal parents who wants him to marry upper-classes like them. The author is telling his life story at a fast pace. He went to Middlebury college and from there the college life took over him and made his grades "plummeted". He moved to Boston after he drop out of college and got in trouble. He than entered Boston University's college of Business. He got married to Ann a girl he met while he was in Middlebury college. He than wanted to joined the military to fight in the Vietnam war. He is a puritan. After completing a peace corps training with Ann in southern California they went to Latin America and interacted with the indigenous people there. He was than accepted into a private corporation known as MAIN. He said his job is in fact close to James Bond's job.MAIN was a macho corporation that had a league of its own. For his new job he would have to learn many new things so he spent many hours in BPL. He met Claudine Martin a woman in his field of work informing him about Main and what they do is confidential. He job was to make him into an economic hit man.
Quote
"I'll be frank with you, teach you all I can during the next weeks. then you'll have to choose. your decision is final. Once you're in, you're in for life" (Perkins 14).
Reaction
I really like this quote, once i finished readying it i laughed. I laughed because that is not the first time i have heard or read that saying before "Once you're in, you're in for life". When this is said you automatically know this is serious business. The thing he involve himself in is a big deal. Also when that saying is usually said, there are circumstances that goes wit it. Those circumstances will be hard. I have heard that saying in movies before and i always enjoyed it.
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