Somewhat interesting how the non-Americans on Mudcat seem to be much more open to conspiracy theories in general than US posters do.

I've read quite a bit on UK plots, e.g., the Gunpowder Plot, and about US plots, e.g. Watergate.   I wonder if UK history, being much longer than US history, therefore has much more scope for conspiracies, and this makes them seem more likely to Britons than to Americans.   It is also of note that conspiracy believers, at least on Mudcat, are lopsidedly left of center. Since the US is fingered often in these conspiracies, perhaps it's partly resentment of perceived US hegemony. It's painfully obvious that Leftists do in fact resent the US as the #1 exponent of capitalism.

This is the only charitable explanation ,for instance, for Richard's general attitude. His aggressive attacks on probably the most powerful black man in the world, starting with his expressed view---, as the world's unchallenged authority on what it means to be black-- that Obama is not black enough, otherwise clearly leave him wide open to the charge of "genteel" racism. No conspiracy here.   Just reading Richard's posts on other threads.



The leftist, anti-American-- or just boozy--theories have nothing to recommend them.
Look, it is pretty clear what has happened here. No woman in her right mind would put herself through what this maid will now have to face--both legally and in her own community. Therefore it is not something she made up.

It's the old story--as noted by other posters already:    abuse of power by a powerful man who fancied himself invulnerable---or who just didn't think.    After all, for his affair with another IMF staffer he got a slap on the wrist. The US was the venue for his crime.    End of US connection.

Sounds like the logical result of the little story we've had before on Mudcat:

Mother bathing her 3 year old boy.   He fondles his balls.

Boy: Mama, are these my brains?
Mother:   Not yet.


But it's certainly true we need more pubs in the US--the theories that come out of drinking are endlessly fascinating.

Just don't expect sense or logic.