Oh bother!
Well, it is my own damn fault. Yeah, I went and looked in on one of the "left wing" web sites this morning. Why oh why do I keep doing this? Good grief. There are a whole gang of these "lefties" who are still blaming Nader for the election loss by Gore/Lieberman in 2000! No kidding folks. Amazing, simply goddamn amazing. How can anybody even claim to be remotely "progressive" or even "liberal" and still blame Ralph for the moronic campaign that Al (never my pal) Gore ran back in 2000? They may "think"(??) they are "progressive" but to be totally honest, I seriously doubt that these folks actually think.
How can one claim to have a functioning brain and still(!!) say that they hate Nader since he caused Shrubbie to win. Oh, yeah, they sure as hell have totally forgotten that Al (never my pal) Gore picked the worst possible excuse of a "liberal" to be his running mate. Yep, I am talking about Joe "Israel uber ales" LIEberman. That "choice" alone lost any "electability" that Gore had in my opinion. OK, so I didn't want Gore any way, but his "choice" of running mate sure ended any possible hope/prayer/etc that he might have dreamed of to get my vote.
All this has come about since it now looks like Gobomber "may" get another member of the donkey gang to take a run at him in the primary in 2012.
OK, OK, I know, that election is almost two years away. Still, the way Gobomber has been "working out" (or not working out) since he took office has a bunch of folks thinking that he may have a serious challenger in the next presidential primary season. The last time a sitting president from the donkey gang had such competition was old Jimmy Carter. Remember, back then Ted Kennedy gave Carter a run for the money during the primaries. Carter got the nomination, but he also got a bit of a fright from the Kennedy clan.
I do think that Gobomber needs to be challenged. Not just in the primaries either. Yes, I would like to see a full blown "third party" challenge. That would be much better for us all, as a primary challenger from his own party would not do much good. Anybody who makes it to the primaries in either wing of the war party will already have been bought and paid for. This is why Gobomber has turned out to be what he is. He was "vetted" before the first primary vote was cast. It will be the same if some other member of the donkey gang rises(?) to challenge him in 2012.
A possible candidate for this could be the former senator from Wisconsin, Russ Feingold. Or, it could be Mr. Nader, again, although he is getting a bit old and may not be physically able to run again. Maybe Ms. McKinney might make another run. Hey, I voted for her last election. I was going to vote for Nader, but she "won me over" and I would be happy to vote for her again. Man, talk about change, imagine the US of A electing a black woman as our president.
True, she would have a very rough time getting elected, but it is still legal to dream in the states. Or, has Gobomber made that a crime? He is on record as claiming the "right" to kill anybody, even American citizens, if he deems that person a threat to our "security".
Of course the dedicated followers of the donkey gang are nearly wetting themselves at the prospect of failin' Palin actually winning that office. Man, they are nearly as delusional as the "tea party" clowns who worship at the altar of the moose burger bimbo. Yes, these "Palin lovers" (freaks) are the same folks who only get their "news" from Faux Noise, but come on people! President Palin? Not even in your worst nightmare. It will not happen. No way. I don't care how much Faux Noise, Glenda Beckie, Rush Limpburger, or any of the other run off at the mouth about their new "goddess". That moron will never be president. I seriously doubt that she would even run for that office. Why should she? Look at all the money she would miss out on. She would not get upwards of $100,000 for giving campaign speeches. No, the moose burger bimbo is making too much money with her book signings and her speeches to the choir who worship her.
It used to be that while both wings of the war party would screw the public, at least the donkey wing made you feel half way OK about it. Now, with Gobomber, and even Billy Bob Bubba to a great extent, that has gone out the old window. Since Billy Bob Bubba, even us poor folks who might be tempted to vote for the donkey gang have been screwed as bad and as fast as the elephant gang has done and wants to do again. No, there really is no choice at all between the two "animal" wings of the war party. A pox on both their houses, which in reality is the same damn house. The house of the "too big to fail" folks. Yes, we used to say that there was barely a "dimes worth of difference" between the "two" parties. As recently as 2000, I was saying that they were just the opposite sides of the same damn coin. Well, even that is no longer true. They are just the two wings of the war party. Neither is any much "better" than the other, if you are working class or poor that is. And if you are among the top 2% in wealth in the US of A, well, what "differences" that may exist don't matter much. Just look at the tax cuts that Gobomber gave to the top wealthiest. What "fight" did he put up over this? Oh, did I mention "fight" in reference to Gobomber? Silly old me. Anybody with brains, eyes, and ears KNOWS that there is NO fight in Gobomber. Well, there IS, IF you are an Afghan, Pakistani, or Iraqi. Hell, he just might be "willing" to show the world that he has some "fight" for the iranians if old Nutty-yahoo can sway him a bit.
Sorry there Gobomber, but you are a one term president. I do not see any way for this bought and paid for clown to win a second term. IF he comes back towards the center, they are all yakking on some "lefty" web sites. LOLMAO!!!!!! No way Jose! The guy is NOT going to even think about dreaming of moving anywhere near "left".
I also get a kick from some of the posters on those sites who feel "cheated" by Gobomber. They say he "mislead" them during the campaign. What??? Mislead? How? Did they even listen to any of his campaign speeches? I mean REALLY listen? They could not have done so and now feel that he has "failed" them. Gobomber was NEVER anti-war. He never said he was going to actually DO anything for the working class and the poor folks. He voted FOR the huge bank "bailout" (aka legal robbery) when Shrubbies' Secretary of the Treasury, the vile Paulson, "demanded" the Congress give away the entire store to the "too big to fail" gang. Gobomber has NOT cut the "defense" budget. Before his first week in office he authorized drone strikes on Pakistan! In his, just less than two years in office, he has authorized MORE drone strikes against Pakistan than Shrubbie did in EIGHT years as president. True, Shrubbie didn't have any wars until late in 2001 and that was "just" his initial invasion of Afghanistan. The "real" war for Shrubbie didn't start until March 2003 with the invasion of Iraq.
Notice, also, how Gobomber put up no, or next to no, "fight" for any sort of public option for health care. He sold out to the big insurance companies as easily as Shrubbie would have. And this was back when he has majorities in BOTH houses of Congress! Hell, if he could not or would not fight for what the country needs when he had that going for him, just what do any
of these "left wing" folks think he can do now with the elephants controlling the House?
Seriously, just what the hell good would I be as a leader, if I had a majority in BOTH houses of Congress. Suppose MY party controlled BOTH houses and I had the presidency and yet(!!) I got zero, nada,nothing at all for the people who were my base and got me elected? I would think that even my own family would have to admit that I was a very piss poor leader in that circumstance. Well, that is what Gobomber has done. He had majorities in BOTH houses and got absolutely ZERO for the working class and the poor folks. Oh, they "gave"him an extension of unemployment benefits. Aha, but at what cost? The "cost" was to let the tax cuts for the top 2% of the wealthiest remain in place for the next two years. Like it will be so "easy" to let them expire or end them at that time. Yeah, and I hear there is still a bridge for sale in New York city.
While I despise Faux Noise, Limpburger, failin' Palin, Glenda Beckie, and that whole crew, including most of the "tea party", I have no love for the donkey gang either. All these supposed "left wingers" and so-called "progressives" had best wake up and damn soon. The next election cycle is getting close. What America needs is a real third party. Not as an alternative, but as a permanent fixture in our political system. This "two party" farce needs to end.
It will not be easy. It will take hard work,but my Dad taught me that anything worth having was worth working for. Time for us to get busy.
semper fi
12 December 2010
10 December 2010
More reactions to Wikileaks
Yeah, here I am again. Yes, the topic is still Wikileaks.
Well, I just read a great article on this over at Counterpunch. Here is the link to the article. I think it is very worth your time to read this one. Mr. Johnson gives a good view of the latest leaks and illiteracy. A very good article and a fresh point of view.www.counterpunch.org/johnson12092010.html
OK, another article that I recommend to you folks. I agree that the leaks and literacy go together. If you cannot read, the leaks don't mean anything much to you. If you are unable to read, you would never be here in fact. While you might play video games, you surely would not ever check many web sites. Without being literate, you would be severely handicapped. In fact, you would be on par with the likes of Beck and failin' Palin in my opinion. Those tow may be able to read, well, not much serious reading, but I would bet they are both able to get through things like the readers I had back in my grade school days. You older folks know what I mean. They went like this "See Dick. See Dick run. Run Dick, run". Yep, sort of a Forrest Gump type of deal. Hey, it worked, well, it got me reading any way.
By keeping so many documents classified, we are kept from having that information. In effect, the classifying of so much information, makes us some what illiterate. That is a very good reason to support Wikileaks, as if we needed another. Yes, governments DO have a very legitimate need to keep some things secret. However, the US government has gone way over board, my opinion. We classify far more than you might think. Read the article I linked to above. The number of classified documents on a yearly basis will surprise you. And that is just what the US government has done in a given year. Here is a clue. The number of classified documents exceed the total number of published documents by the US, UK, China, Russia, and Germany! No kidding, read the article. Told you it was a surprise. A huge amount gets classified, and most for no "real" reason other than because they CAN do so.
George Carlin is supposed top have said that if you have an illiterate and greedy population, you will have illiterate and greedy politicians/leaders. No kidding.
Outfits like Wikileaks do us all a great service. As far as I have seen, there are no persons named who are in any danger from the leaks. They did not expose the true names of any spies, to the best of my knowledge so far. From what I have seen of the newest leaked documents, all that they released are basically gossip and other basically trivial things. That "we" disrespect our counter parts in other countries should be no new news to them nor us. Americans ARE, as a group, very arrogant. The book The Ugly American is more or less true. It was when it was published, and I would bet that it is even more true today. "We" have become ever more arrogant than ever. "We" claim to be the ONLY" indispensable country". And that was back in the days when Billy Bob Bubba was president and his Secretary of State, yep, old Mad-ass Al (not so)bright was saying things like the 500,000 dead Iraqi children due to US imposed sanctions was "worth it"! Imagine, had that been a foreign person saying such, how America would have reacted to such a statement. No doubt "we" would have put on our very best "excuse me" face and demanded that person apologize and then be fired and/or jailed for such an indecent comment on a national news program. Oh, but it was an American Secretary of State and "we" are oh so nice and all that bullshit. Yeah, sure "we" are.
Don't get me wrong, as individuals, Americans can be and are some of the nicest, most caring, and giving people you could ever meet. As a country, or government, well, that is a very different story. Just look at New Orleans after hurricane Katrina came through the Gulf area. Yeah, and that was a city and area in our own country! And now, how can anybody seriously believe that "we" don't bad mouth the diplomats of other countries? Please, give me a break. Or, maybe I could interest you in a bridge in New York perhaps?
Wikileaks is a needed group. No, maybe not the very people who are running it, but an organization and people like them ARE needed. We need those who are able to pull back the curtain and let us all see that the "wizard" is just some small man behind the big curtain. Yes, there will always be some things that governments DO need to keep secret. What we do need is better access to information. Not every communication/document from the government needs to be classified as "top secret" or even secret. Of course the government will continue to withhold as mush as they can. Knowledge IS power and they want it all for themselves. What Wikileaks did, and this really pisses off the powerful, is to have given knowledge to us common folks. And that gives us power. Those who have it never, ever want to share any of their power. We need Wikileaks and more folks like them, now and into the future.
semper fi
Well, I just read a great article on this over at Counterpunch. Here is the link to the article. I think it is very worth your time to read this one. Mr. Johnson gives a good view of the latest leaks and illiteracy. A very good article and a fresh point of view.www.counterpunch.org/johnson12092010.html
OK, another article that I recommend to you folks. I agree that the leaks and literacy go together. If you cannot read, the leaks don't mean anything much to you. If you are unable to read, you would never be here in fact. While you might play video games, you surely would not ever check many web sites. Without being literate, you would be severely handicapped. In fact, you would be on par with the likes of Beck and failin' Palin in my opinion. Those tow may be able to read, well, not much serious reading, but I would bet they are both able to get through things like the readers I had back in my grade school days. You older folks know what I mean. They went like this "See Dick. See Dick run. Run Dick, run". Yep, sort of a Forrest Gump type of deal. Hey, it worked, well, it got me reading any way.
By keeping so many documents classified, we are kept from having that information. In effect, the classifying of so much information, makes us some what illiterate. That is a very good reason to support Wikileaks, as if we needed another. Yes, governments DO have a very legitimate need to keep some things secret. However, the US government has gone way over board, my opinion. We classify far more than you might think. Read the article I linked to above. The number of classified documents on a yearly basis will surprise you. And that is just what the US government has done in a given year. Here is a clue. The number of classified documents exceed the total number of published documents by the US, UK, China, Russia, and Germany! No kidding, read the article. Told you it was a surprise. A huge amount gets classified, and most for no "real" reason other than because they CAN do so.
George Carlin is supposed top have said that if you have an illiterate and greedy population, you will have illiterate and greedy politicians/leaders. No kidding.
Outfits like Wikileaks do us all a great service. As far as I have seen, there are no persons named who are in any danger from the leaks. They did not expose the true names of any spies, to the best of my knowledge so far. From what I have seen of the newest leaked documents, all that they released are basically gossip and other basically trivial things. That "we" disrespect our counter parts in other countries should be no new news to them nor us. Americans ARE, as a group, very arrogant. The book The Ugly American is more or less true. It was when it was published, and I would bet that it is even more true today. "We" have become ever more arrogant than ever. "We" claim to be the ONLY" indispensable country". And that was back in the days when Billy Bob Bubba was president and his Secretary of State, yep, old Mad-ass Al (not so)bright was saying things like the 500,000 dead Iraqi children due to US imposed sanctions was "worth it"! Imagine, had that been a foreign person saying such, how America would have reacted to such a statement. No doubt "we" would have put on our very best "excuse me" face and demanded that person apologize and then be fired and/or jailed for such an indecent comment on a national news program. Oh, but it was an American Secretary of State and "we" are oh so nice and all that bullshit. Yeah, sure "we" are.
Don't get me wrong, as individuals, Americans can be and are some of the nicest, most caring, and giving people you could ever meet. As a country, or government, well, that is a very different story. Just look at New Orleans after hurricane Katrina came through the Gulf area. Yeah, and that was a city and area in our own country! And now, how can anybody seriously believe that "we" don't bad mouth the diplomats of other countries? Please, give me a break. Or, maybe I could interest you in a bridge in New York perhaps?
Wikileaks is a needed group. No, maybe not the very people who are running it, but an organization and people like them ARE needed. We need those who are able to pull back the curtain and let us all see that the "wizard" is just some small man behind the big curtain. Yes, there will always be some things that governments DO need to keep secret. What we do need is better access to information. Not every communication/document from the government needs to be classified as "top secret" or even secret. Of course the government will continue to withhold as mush as they can. Knowledge IS power and they want it all for themselves. What Wikileaks did, and this really pisses off the powerful, is to have given knowledge to us common folks. And that gives us power. Those who have it never, ever want to share any of their power. We need Wikileaks and more folks like them, now and into the future.
semper fi
02 December 2010
Wikileaks and other topics
By now most everybody knows that Wikileaks has dumped a whole truck load of emails, cables, and other information on the internet. Good for them, good for us also.
First, let me share a couple of "reactions" to this latest data dump by that organization.
The first one is from our least favorite former half-term governor. Yep, the failin' Palin wants Mr. Assange to be "hunted down" as if he were some member of al-Qaeda or some other "terrorist" outfit. The other "reaction" I want to share with you is from a "man of god". Yep, it is from another former governor, this time Arkansas though. I refer you to one Mike Huckster-bee. This supposed "man of god" said that Mr. Assange should be exterminated. Wow, some "god" old Huckster-bee believes in. I was told, back in my youth, that Christians said that god was a god of love. Well, maybe Huckster-bee is thinking more along the lines of "tough love".
Other reactions to this latest data dump have called Mr. Assange a "traitor". Now this is very odd. How so you ask? Well, Mr. Julian Assange is NOT a citizen of America. Nope, I believe he is Australian. Now he could not be guilty of being a traitor to the United States as he is NOT an US citizen. Only a citizen of this country could ever be guilty of being a traitor to it. A foreign citizen cannot ever be a traitor to America. He CAN be classified as an enemy of America, no doubt that has already been done by some clown in "our" government. There is a Interpol arrest warrant out for him on some charge or other. No doubt related, again, to a rather discredited charge in Sweden. Well, no doubt there will be more on this in the next few days. Stay tuned to the net for further updates.
Mean while, back in the US of A, we have the "wonderful" elephant gang signing a letter to Gobomber that they will refuse to vote for ANY legislation of ANY sort until they get the tax cuts for the very rich passed. Yes, the "patriotic" elephant gang are holding the country hostage until the tax cuts for the wealthiest people in the country are passed and signed off on by Gobomber. And this is the very same gang who are allowing the unemployment benefits for 2 million(!) families expire. What a "nice" Christmas gift to those folks. Makes one wonder just how can we ever "thank" these elephant gang folks. I have an idea, how about we, the people vote their nasty asses OUT of office next election, IF there is one that is. The way this "security state" is progressing, I am beginning to wonder if we will have many more elections here in the US of A.
Face it folks, America IS becoming a police state and it gets worse by the day.
WE have an ever increasing "security" regime being pushed onto us, been to an airport recently? I have not, and I refuse to fly any where. The airlines want to play along with this bullshit, well, screw them. If I cannot drive to where I want to go, I just will not go there. There are even internet sites that are organizing "no fly" actions. About time in my opinion. I quit flying years ago. It was after a major back surgery. I had to wear a back brace for six months after that surgery. Well, we decided to fly to lost wages (Las Vegas) for a short vacation. We usually drove as it was a nice drive from southern California and I like to drive. We were going with another couple, the wife worked with the wife of the other couple. Any way, we all decided to fly this time. Going through the airport in Ontario was no problem. Coming home was though. As I was approaching the gate in the Vegas airport, a "security" clown decided that I looked suspicious. Well, my sweater may have been a bit bulky, but I was wearing a back brace. He decided that he needed to "inspect" the brace. Now this was done right there, at the gate, in full view of the world. I told him what it was and could we go to anther room. Nope, right here, right now. It really was no big deal, I had a t-shirt on under the brace so nobody "saw" anything. The whole incident however ended with me and my wife deciding that we would never fly anywhere again. That took place in 1984 and I have not been on any aircraft since. What passes for "security" today is even more intrusive and it is not needed. That fact has been proven by others who have "beat" security checks even since the latest "improvements" to airport "security".
In short, a determined terrorist will find a way to beat,cheat, or by pass any security measures.
Fact, every new security measure that is introduced today, for example, is already in the process of being defeated. I know this as a fact. I worked for a few years for a company that made "Stinger" missiles. Before the first production run was even started, we were working on an updated version so that when the first edition was able to be "cheated" we would have a newer one that could defeat the counter-measure. This is just the way the world works folks. As soon as the newest lock comes on the market, somebody is working to break it. In short, we can never have anything even close to "perfect" security.
Life has risks associated with it. That is just the way life is. We should minimize the risks, like wearing seat belts when we drive our cars and trucks. Wearing a helmet when you ride a motorcycle or ATV is a good idea. Same when you ride a bicycle. There is no such thing as perfect security. Even if you stayed in bed you are not "totally safe". Nope, there could be a nasty thunderstorm in your area and the roof may fall in on your bed.
In short, we can minimize some of the risks in this life, but we can never be totally secure, such a thing does not, cannot exist.
The larger problem, my view, is that by giving in to this over-hyped "security" we lose our liberties. Each new security measure is an affront to our personal liberty. As old Ben Franklin is supposed to have said; "those who give up their liberty for temporary security, deserve neither liberty nor security".
We must not allow ourselves to become a nation of cowards, hiding behind the false "security" of the TSA, NSA, CIA, or any of the countless "security" agencies that are supposedly working for us. They do not work for us, they work for the elites, the banksters and the politicians and their paymasters.
By giving in to this "security" crap we are basically letting the government treat us all as criminals. How so? Well, the intrusive "security" checks at the airports do violate our Fourth Amendment rights. The Fourth Amendment says; "The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against which unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized." There you have it, a word-for-word quote of the Fourth Amendment of the Constitution. Now, just what "probable cause" do any of you folks present to the TSA when you want to fly some where? Is the very act of buying an airline ticket now "probable cause" to search you and your person and effects? If so, then by all means, go and fly and "enjoy" the back scatter X-rays and/or the intrusive "pat downs" by the TSA. If not, then quit flying. Oh, and write letters, make phone calls to the airlines and let them know why you refuse to fly.
When we give in to this "security" at the airport, we are basically letting the TSA and, by extension, the government, to treat us as criminals. I don't know about anybody else, but for myself, I did NOT serve honorably in the Marine Corps for four years with a tour in Vietnam just to "allow" some agency or other to treat me as a criminal just because I may want to fly to some other city. Screw that shit, I'll take my chances on the road thanks all the same.
semper fi
First, let me share a couple of "reactions" to this latest data dump by that organization.
The first one is from our least favorite former half-term governor. Yep, the failin' Palin wants Mr. Assange to be "hunted down" as if he were some member of al-Qaeda or some other "terrorist" outfit. The other "reaction" I want to share with you is from a "man of god". Yep, it is from another former governor, this time Arkansas though. I refer you to one Mike Huckster-bee. This supposed "man of god" said that Mr. Assange should be exterminated. Wow, some "god" old Huckster-bee believes in. I was told, back in my youth, that Christians said that god was a god of love. Well, maybe Huckster-bee is thinking more along the lines of "tough love".
Other reactions to this latest data dump have called Mr. Assange a "traitor". Now this is very odd. How so you ask? Well, Mr. Julian Assange is NOT a citizen of America. Nope, I believe he is Australian. Now he could not be guilty of being a traitor to the United States as he is NOT an US citizen. Only a citizen of this country could ever be guilty of being a traitor to it. A foreign citizen cannot ever be a traitor to America. He CAN be classified as an enemy of America, no doubt that has already been done by some clown in "our" government. There is a Interpol arrest warrant out for him on some charge or other. No doubt related, again, to a rather discredited charge in Sweden. Well, no doubt there will be more on this in the next few days. Stay tuned to the net for further updates.
Mean while, back in the US of A, we have the "wonderful" elephant gang signing a letter to Gobomber that they will refuse to vote for ANY legislation of ANY sort until they get the tax cuts for the very rich passed. Yes, the "patriotic" elephant gang are holding the country hostage until the tax cuts for the wealthiest people in the country are passed and signed off on by Gobomber. And this is the very same gang who are allowing the unemployment benefits for 2 million(!) families expire. What a "nice" Christmas gift to those folks. Makes one wonder just how can we ever "thank" these elephant gang folks. I have an idea, how about we, the people vote their nasty asses OUT of office next election, IF there is one that is. The way this "security state" is progressing, I am beginning to wonder if we will have many more elections here in the US of A.
Face it folks, America IS becoming a police state and it gets worse by the day.
WE have an ever increasing "security" regime being pushed onto us, been to an airport recently? I have not, and I refuse to fly any where. The airlines want to play along with this bullshit, well, screw them. If I cannot drive to where I want to go, I just will not go there. There are even internet sites that are organizing "no fly" actions. About time in my opinion. I quit flying years ago. It was after a major back surgery. I had to wear a back brace for six months after that surgery. Well, we decided to fly to lost wages (Las Vegas) for a short vacation. We usually drove as it was a nice drive from southern California and I like to drive. We were going with another couple, the wife worked with the wife of the other couple. Any way, we all decided to fly this time. Going through the airport in Ontario was no problem. Coming home was though. As I was approaching the gate in the Vegas airport, a "security" clown decided that I looked suspicious. Well, my sweater may have been a bit bulky, but I was wearing a back brace. He decided that he needed to "inspect" the brace. Now this was done right there, at the gate, in full view of the world. I told him what it was and could we go to anther room. Nope, right here, right now. It really was no big deal, I had a t-shirt on under the brace so nobody "saw" anything. The whole incident however ended with me and my wife deciding that we would never fly anywhere again. That took place in 1984 and I have not been on any aircraft since. What passes for "security" today is even more intrusive and it is not needed. That fact has been proven by others who have "beat" security checks even since the latest "improvements" to airport "security".
In short, a determined terrorist will find a way to beat,cheat, or by pass any security measures.
Fact, every new security measure that is introduced today, for example, is already in the process of being defeated. I know this as a fact. I worked for a few years for a company that made "Stinger" missiles. Before the first production run was even started, we were working on an updated version so that when the first edition was able to be "cheated" we would have a newer one that could defeat the counter-measure. This is just the way the world works folks. As soon as the newest lock comes on the market, somebody is working to break it. In short, we can never have anything even close to "perfect" security.
Life has risks associated with it. That is just the way life is. We should minimize the risks, like wearing seat belts when we drive our cars and trucks. Wearing a helmet when you ride a motorcycle or ATV is a good idea. Same when you ride a bicycle. There is no such thing as perfect security. Even if you stayed in bed you are not "totally safe". Nope, there could be a nasty thunderstorm in your area and the roof may fall in on your bed.
In short, we can minimize some of the risks in this life, but we can never be totally secure, such a thing does not, cannot exist.
The larger problem, my view, is that by giving in to this over-hyped "security" we lose our liberties. Each new security measure is an affront to our personal liberty. As old Ben Franklin is supposed to have said; "those who give up their liberty for temporary security, deserve neither liberty nor security".
We must not allow ourselves to become a nation of cowards, hiding behind the false "security" of the TSA, NSA, CIA, or any of the countless "security" agencies that are supposedly working for us. They do not work for us, they work for the elites, the banksters and the politicians and their paymasters.
By giving in to this "security" crap we are basically letting the government treat us all as criminals. How so? Well, the intrusive "security" checks at the airports do violate our Fourth Amendment rights. The Fourth Amendment says; "The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against which unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized." There you have it, a word-for-word quote of the Fourth Amendment of the Constitution. Now, just what "probable cause" do any of you folks present to the TSA when you want to fly some where? Is the very act of buying an airline ticket now "probable cause" to search you and your person and effects? If so, then by all means, go and fly and "enjoy" the back scatter X-rays and/or the intrusive "pat downs" by the TSA. If not, then quit flying. Oh, and write letters, make phone calls to the airlines and let them know why you refuse to fly.
When we give in to this "security" at the airport, we are basically letting the TSA and, by extension, the government, to treat us as criminals. I don't know about anybody else, but for myself, I did NOT serve honorably in the Marine Corps for four years with a tour in Vietnam just to "allow" some agency or other to treat me as a criminal just because I may want to fly to some other city. Screw that shit, I'll take my chances on the road thanks all the same.
semper fi
27 November 2010
Turkey day thoughts
Well, I hope that all you folks had a nice, safe Thanksgiving.
We all know that may not have been easy this year, what with the economy, or what passes as such these days, is in very poor shape. Jobs are still being lost here in America. Home foreclosures are still going up, the dollar is still barely holding on and gold prices are still rising. In short, things here look very grim.
Our wars are not going all that well either. We recently have heard that the "Taliban leader" who was in negotiations with General "king" David Patraeus has turned out to be an impostor. Yep, the supposed "Taliban leader" is a fake. On the one hand it strikes me as hilarious. Here we have an ordinary person who was able to fool our intelligence and military people AND he got paid a good bit of money as well. Now, most people would think that our military and intelligence types would have checked into the guy before they paid him much money and/or swallowed his story. It just further proves the old bit about an oxymoron such as "military intelligence" doesn't it?
Of course one could look at this from another view point. It sort of strikes me as being in that old American spirit of pulling off a neat little stunt. Hey, give the guy some credit. He decides one day to fake being a senior member of the Taliban and sits for "peace talks" with US military and diplomatic types and gets them to pay him for coming to these talks. Personally, I think it took guts to do this. No doubt there will be all sorts of "reasons" why he was able to fool our people. Can you say cover up? Of course you can. No way will our people ever admit that they got totally taken in by this guy. There will be plenty of excuses for this, and none of them true. No doubt also, that the elephant gang will be demanding that he be punished to"the fullest extent of the law". Yeah, politicians and law don't exactly go hand-in-hand in my opinion.
Continuing with our wars, I highly recommend that you all take the time to read the article at Counterpunch by Mr. Brian Cloughley this weekend. Here is the link;www.counterpunch.org/cloughley11262010.html Mr. Cloughley is a veteran and a writer and has earned my highest respect. He points out better than I ever could how "we" have dropped so very low with our "remote control" warfare". The use of drones to bomb people in Afghanistan and Pakistan, to say nothing of the other countries where "we" are using these drones to kill our fellow human beings. This killing by remote control is obscene. As if "normal" warfare isn't obscene enough, "we" now use remotely controlled aircraft to do our killing. And remember that even in face-toface meetings, our intelligence types did not know that they were being fooled when they had the above mentioned meetings with a "senior Taliban" guy. How likely is it, do you think, that "we" can be certain that "we" are bombing the "right" folks by remote control? I would have to say, not very likely at all. No doubt this all falls well inside the "margins for error" that "our" military and intelligence types make plenty of allowances for. Obscene is how I see it. Immoral and unethical come to mind as well.
Another excellent article that caught my attention this weekend is also at Counterpunch. Please take the time to read the latest by Missy Beattie. Here is the link;www.counterpunch.org/beattie11262010.html As we all celebrate Thanksgiving and prepare for the next holiday, please take the time to remember that ALL of us human beings are on this planet together. We are all in this folks. None of us are really alone here. We all need to try and get along with each other. Take the time to help those who really need it. It is easy, just treat others the way you want to be treated. Trust me, it will make your days much nicer. You'll be surprised just how much a simple act can make a big change in others.
And as we are now well and truly into the "holiday shopping season", check the article, also at Counterpunch by Mr. Saul Landau. The link is;www.counterpunch.org/landau11262010.html Yes, the very same companies that have laid off their workers and off-shored those jobs are trying like mad to get those same folks to buy the newest products. Now just how the people who lost their jobs and are close to having exhausted their unemployment benefits can even hope to buy the newest "goodies" is beyond me, but they sure as hell are trying to get them to buy, buy, buy. And just what are those folks supposed to use for money? Beats me.
What passes for an economy in America is ever more a joke. More people are out of work than a year ago. Home foreclosures are still going up. Credit is still tight and most people in the country are barely able to meet the monthly bills and have food to eat. And yet, the advertisers are bombarding us with ads that tell us the we "need" this or that newest gadget. Don't believe me? Just watch the TV for an hour or so. The ads come fast and furious. This is THE prime shopping season folks.
More reading that I recommend. I have just finished two books that I am glad to have read. The first I highly recommend to all. It is "Idiot America" by C.P. Pierce. It is a relatively new book as he covers the election of Gobomber, not in detail, but enough to let you know that the book was recently written. He does a good job of providing some background in to the "tea party" and that line of "thinking" or as it seems most days, not thinking. I found it to be very worth reading and it gave me some more insight into the mentality of the "tea party" types. The other book I just finished is "Voices of protest" by Alan Brinkley. This book is a very interesting look into the lives of two very extraordinary men. Huey P. Long of Louisiana and Father Coughlin. They both came into fame as it were during the "great depression" of the 1930's. Now, in my opinion, the very best book about Huey Long is the one by T. Harry Williams titled "Huey Long". I say this because in my opinion, he covers the entire life of Huey and he does it with little or no bias at all. Mr. Williams does not come out either "for" nor "against" Huey. That alone makes his book on Huey worth reading. Most every other book on the man is either "for" or "against" the man. Mr. Williams stays neutral.
Back to the other book though. Mr. Brinkley covers both Huey and Father Coughlin during the 1930's. well until 1935 for Huey as he was killed that year. Considering that economically, we are now very close to how it was during the 1930's. it makes me wonder if we will see the rise of another national figure like either of them. No, I do not think that either Rush Limburger nor Beck are any way close, yet. They may both, individually, have larger audiences than either Father Coughlin or Huey had, but as yet, neither seems to have the influence that either of those men had.
Also, one must remember that there was no Social Security in the 1930's and that the people had a much different view of what the job of government was then as opposed to now. Also, it was much closer, in time, to the end of a major world war as well. The attitude of the people towards government was very different from what it is now.
One more comment on the economy and the "tea party". Some of the newly elected Congress critters who ran as "tea party" types have said publicly that they ran on a promise to not vote to raise the national debt ceiling. Recently, some senior members of the elephant gang who will hold leadership positions in Congress have told these new members that they need to start "acting like adults", particularly with regards to raising the debt ceiling. Now that strikes me as absolutely hilarious. How so you say? Well, consider it just on its face. Here we have members of the "party of NO" telling its newly elected members to"act like adults". Well, call me a cynical, sarcastic old guy, but I find it much like the pot calling the kettle black. Or, if you'd rather, do as I say, not as I do (have done since January 2009). Yep, hypocrites. But, why not? It IS politics after all, and hypocrites are what they all are. Yes, even Gobomber himself. Anybody remember that campaign promise of his to close GITMO by the end of his first year in office? Yeah, THAT campaign promise. Well, he has been in office almost two years and GITMO is STILL open for business, as it were. Yes, calling a politician a hypocrite IS much like saying that fire is hot, I know, I know. Some times I just feel like stating the obvious.
It should be quite fun to see how the vote, which no doubt will happen early next year, to raise the debt ceiling will play out. Supposedly, the "tea party" members who were just elected have made a promise to vote NO. The elephant gang leaders are telling them they have to vote yes. IF they do break down and vote yes, will the folks back home rebel? Will they demand a recall? Will there really be repercussions for the "tea party" Congress critters is they DO vote to raise the debt ceiling? So many unanswered questions. So many possibilities. IF they vote to raise the debt ceiling and the constituents get angry, that could be a good thing for the donkey gang members, not the politicians, but the regular donkey gang voters. How so? Well, if the "tea party" get upset for their candidates breaking campaign promises, it just could, maybe, get the donkey gang voters to put real pressure on not only Gobomber, but the Congress critters who belong to the donkey gang to honor(!!) their campaign promises. Wow, can you even imagine that? I am trying to, but I admit that it isn't easy. Not just emails, phone calls and such, but REAL protest. Yeah, marching to the White House and/or Congressional offices, in D.C and back home. Man, now that brings back some memories of the 1960's doesn't it? Well, John Lennon DID write and sing the song.......Imagine..........And I certainly DO imagine. We all should, and then we should work towards a common goal of making this world a better place for ALL people and other living critters. Oh, don't forget the plants either.
I honestly think we can do it. Seriously. Just start out by treating everybody else the way you like to be treated. Nothing complicated. If we all do this, I really do think the world can change. We don't need any leaders. We can each of us just try every day, in small ways, be nice to each other. It just might catch on, and then, maybe, some day, hopefully not too far off, we just might end the damn stupid useless wars of choice. We could demand of our leaders that even they remember that there are only two reasons for war. To defend OUR homes and to defend the Bill of Rights. And that EVERY other "reason" for war is a damn racket. Hey, I can still dream, it is still legal, as far as I know. Any way, give it a try. You just might be that spark that sets things in motion and the world just might be a better place for all.
semper fi
We all know that may not have been easy this year, what with the economy, or what passes as such these days, is in very poor shape. Jobs are still being lost here in America. Home foreclosures are still going up, the dollar is still barely holding on and gold prices are still rising. In short, things here look very grim.
Our wars are not going all that well either. We recently have heard that the "Taliban leader" who was in negotiations with General "king" David Patraeus has turned out to be an impostor. Yep, the supposed "Taliban leader" is a fake. On the one hand it strikes me as hilarious. Here we have an ordinary person who was able to fool our intelligence and military people AND he got paid a good bit of money as well. Now, most people would think that our military and intelligence types would have checked into the guy before they paid him much money and/or swallowed his story. It just further proves the old bit about an oxymoron such as "military intelligence" doesn't it?
Of course one could look at this from another view point. It sort of strikes me as being in that old American spirit of pulling off a neat little stunt. Hey, give the guy some credit. He decides one day to fake being a senior member of the Taliban and sits for "peace talks" with US military and diplomatic types and gets them to pay him for coming to these talks. Personally, I think it took guts to do this. No doubt there will be all sorts of "reasons" why he was able to fool our people. Can you say cover up? Of course you can. No way will our people ever admit that they got totally taken in by this guy. There will be plenty of excuses for this, and none of them true. No doubt also, that the elephant gang will be demanding that he be punished to"the fullest extent of the law". Yeah, politicians and law don't exactly go hand-in-hand in my opinion.
Continuing with our wars, I highly recommend that you all take the time to read the article at Counterpunch by Mr. Brian Cloughley this weekend. Here is the link;www.counterpunch.org/cloughley11262010.html Mr. Cloughley is a veteran and a writer and has earned my highest respect. He points out better than I ever could how "we" have dropped so very low with our "remote control" warfare". The use of drones to bomb people in Afghanistan and Pakistan, to say nothing of the other countries where "we" are using these drones to kill our fellow human beings. This killing by remote control is obscene. As if "normal" warfare isn't obscene enough, "we" now use remotely controlled aircraft to do our killing. And remember that even in face-toface meetings, our intelligence types did not know that they were being fooled when they had the above mentioned meetings with a "senior Taliban" guy. How likely is it, do you think, that "we" can be certain that "we" are bombing the "right" folks by remote control? I would have to say, not very likely at all. No doubt this all falls well inside the "margins for error" that "our" military and intelligence types make plenty of allowances for. Obscene is how I see it. Immoral and unethical come to mind as well.
Another excellent article that caught my attention this weekend is also at Counterpunch. Please take the time to read the latest by Missy Beattie. Here is the link;www.counterpunch.org/beattie11262010.html As we all celebrate Thanksgiving and prepare for the next holiday, please take the time to remember that ALL of us human beings are on this planet together. We are all in this folks. None of us are really alone here. We all need to try and get along with each other. Take the time to help those who really need it. It is easy, just treat others the way you want to be treated. Trust me, it will make your days much nicer. You'll be surprised just how much a simple act can make a big change in others.
And as we are now well and truly into the "holiday shopping season", check the article, also at Counterpunch by Mr. Saul Landau. The link is;www.counterpunch.org/landau11262010.html Yes, the very same companies that have laid off their workers and off-shored those jobs are trying like mad to get those same folks to buy the newest products. Now just how the people who lost their jobs and are close to having exhausted their unemployment benefits can even hope to buy the newest "goodies" is beyond me, but they sure as hell are trying to get them to buy, buy, buy. And just what are those folks supposed to use for money? Beats me.
What passes for an economy in America is ever more a joke. More people are out of work than a year ago. Home foreclosures are still going up. Credit is still tight and most people in the country are barely able to meet the monthly bills and have food to eat. And yet, the advertisers are bombarding us with ads that tell us the we "need" this or that newest gadget. Don't believe me? Just watch the TV for an hour or so. The ads come fast and furious. This is THE prime shopping season folks.
More reading that I recommend. I have just finished two books that I am glad to have read. The first I highly recommend to all. It is "Idiot America" by C.P. Pierce. It is a relatively new book as he covers the election of Gobomber, not in detail, but enough to let you know that the book was recently written. He does a good job of providing some background in to the "tea party" and that line of "thinking" or as it seems most days, not thinking. I found it to be very worth reading and it gave me some more insight into the mentality of the "tea party" types. The other book I just finished is "Voices of protest" by Alan Brinkley. This book is a very interesting look into the lives of two very extraordinary men. Huey P. Long of Louisiana and Father Coughlin. They both came into fame as it were during the "great depression" of the 1930's. Now, in my opinion, the very best book about Huey Long is the one by T. Harry Williams titled "Huey Long". I say this because in my opinion, he covers the entire life of Huey and he does it with little or no bias at all. Mr. Williams does not come out either "for" nor "against" Huey. That alone makes his book on Huey worth reading. Most every other book on the man is either "for" or "against" the man. Mr. Williams stays neutral.
Back to the other book though. Mr. Brinkley covers both Huey and Father Coughlin during the 1930's. well until 1935 for Huey as he was killed that year. Considering that economically, we are now very close to how it was during the 1930's. it makes me wonder if we will see the rise of another national figure like either of them. No, I do not think that either Rush Limburger nor Beck are any way close, yet. They may both, individually, have larger audiences than either Father Coughlin or Huey had, but as yet, neither seems to have the influence that either of those men had.
Also, one must remember that there was no Social Security in the 1930's and that the people had a much different view of what the job of government was then as opposed to now. Also, it was much closer, in time, to the end of a major world war as well. The attitude of the people towards government was very different from what it is now.
One more comment on the economy and the "tea party". Some of the newly elected Congress critters who ran as "tea party" types have said publicly that they ran on a promise to not vote to raise the national debt ceiling. Recently, some senior members of the elephant gang who will hold leadership positions in Congress have told these new members that they need to start "acting like adults", particularly with regards to raising the debt ceiling. Now that strikes me as absolutely hilarious. How so you say? Well, consider it just on its face. Here we have members of the "party of NO" telling its newly elected members to"act like adults". Well, call me a cynical, sarcastic old guy, but I find it much like the pot calling the kettle black. Or, if you'd rather, do as I say, not as I do (have done since January 2009). Yep, hypocrites. But, why not? It IS politics after all, and hypocrites are what they all are. Yes, even Gobomber himself. Anybody remember that campaign promise of his to close GITMO by the end of his first year in office? Yeah, THAT campaign promise. Well, he has been in office almost two years and GITMO is STILL open for business, as it were. Yes, calling a politician a hypocrite IS much like saying that fire is hot, I know, I know. Some times I just feel like stating the obvious.
It should be quite fun to see how the vote, which no doubt will happen early next year, to raise the debt ceiling will play out. Supposedly, the "tea party" members who were just elected have made a promise to vote NO. The elephant gang leaders are telling them they have to vote yes. IF they do break down and vote yes, will the folks back home rebel? Will they demand a recall? Will there really be repercussions for the "tea party" Congress critters is they DO vote to raise the debt ceiling? So many unanswered questions. So many possibilities. IF they vote to raise the debt ceiling and the constituents get angry, that could be a good thing for the donkey gang members, not the politicians, but the regular donkey gang voters. How so? Well, if the "tea party" get upset for their candidates breaking campaign promises, it just could, maybe, get the donkey gang voters to put real pressure on not only Gobomber, but the Congress critters who belong to the donkey gang to honor(!!) their campaign promises. Wow, can you even imagine that? I am trying to, but I admit that it isn't easy. Not just emails, phone calls and such, but REAL protest. Yeah, marching to the White House and/or Congressional offices, in D.C and back home. Man, now that brings back some memories of the 1960's doesn't it? Well, John Lennon DID write and sing the song.......Imagine..........And I certainly DO imagine. We all should, and then we should work towards a common goal of making this world a better place for ALL people and other living critters. Oh, don't forget the plants either.
I honestly think we can do it. Seriously. Just start out by treating everybody else the way you like to be treated. Nothing complicated. If we all do this, I really do think the world can change. We don't need any leaders. We can each of us just try every day, in small ways, be nice to each other. It just might catch on, and then, maybe, some day, hopefully not too far off, we just might end the damn stupid useless wars of choice. We could demand of our leaders that even they remember that there are only two reasons for war. To defend OUR homes and to defend the Bill of Rights. And that EVERY other "reason" for war is a damn racket. Hey, I can still dream, it is still legal, as far as I know. Any way, give it a try. You just might be that spark that sets things in motion and the world just might be a better place for all.
semper fi
05 November 2010
Post election blues
Yeah, I am a bit depressed. Why? Well, as expected old Rodney Alexander is still secure in his House seat. This time around his "challenger" didn't even put out any campaign signs! No kidding, I never saw a single one. Even worse, yes, it does get worse. Vitter has been re-elected. No kidding folks, the clown who was involved with the "DC Madam" and has been linked to hookers in New Orleans has been re-elected. What will it take for the people of this state to wake up and see that this clown is a disgusting example of the worst type of politician? Well, his wife has stuck with him all through his "troubles" so I suppose he will stay in office as long as he wants to. Unless his wife dumps him, then, maybe, just maybe we will get somebody else as our Senator. Maybe.
From what I have read, the folks who were endorsed by the moose burger bimbo didn't all win their elections. Some folks in this area I talked to before the election told me they didn't care at all for her. A small bit of good news or at least a mark of some sanity. Too bad so many still voted for Vitter. Well, one cannot have everything. A new Senator sure would have been nice though.
That Gobomber supposedly "lost" this time is no surprise. The guy brought it on himself. Just what has he done for us common folks? The poor and working class people have not seen anything for their benefit from the man who sold us "hope" and "change" in 2008. If you were one of the "too big to fail" crew, you made out quite well since Gobomber took office. The rest of us, not so much. The way this country looks from where I stand, the working class and the poor folks are worse off than we were two years ago. Unemployment is still way up. IF we were honest in counting the unemployed, the rate is over 15%. Of course we stopped giving a true count of the unemployed back in the days when "saint" Ronnie was our "acting" president. Yes, we no longer count as unemployed the folks who have run out of unemployment benefits. Funny, most of them are still unemployed, but as they no longer get their unemployment checks, we no longer count them as unemployed. Neat way to "cook" the books. Only the government can get away with that sort of thing.
The foreclosure rate is still high and most likely going to get much worse in the near term. The banks are still holding homes off the market in hopes they will be able to get better prices for those they have already foreclosed on.
While the banks are not making very many new loans with all that money they got from us, the tax payers, they are still giving huge bonuses to the top management and others who work for them. Neat trick there, claim you are going broke and need a government bailout, then use that money to pay huge bonuses. And they are not facing criminal prosecution nor jail time. Only in America.
Our two (yes, Iraq is still a war zone) wars are not going well. Oh we have pulled our "combat" troops from Iraq, but the killing continues in that poor country. "We" have not restored utilities for the citizens of Iraq yet either. Yes, seven years after we invaded, the Iraqis still have unreliable electric service, if they get any at all. The water and sewer systems are still as broken as the day we ended the initial invasion, or as Rummy called it "shock and awe". Iraqis are still being killed on a daily basis. We have about 50,000 troops still in Iraq along with something over 100,000 mercenaries. I refuse to call them "contractors". They are mercenaries, plain and simple, so we should call them what they are.
The war in Afghanistan is not going well, as usual. In fact, that war still threatens to spill over into Pakistan big time. While we are still bombing across the border into Pakistan, we have yet to stage a full scale invasion. Note I said yet. Also, still "on the table" is a possible war with Iran. Of course Yemen is also very close to being "on the table" even though we have done some bombing there just as we occasionally drop bombs on Somalia.
Well, I suppose the current Pentagon "thinking" is, if you have two wars that are going poorly (to put it very, very mildly) well, just start another war to take the public mind off the wars that are not going so well. Now, you might think that when your war is not going well that you might end it. Oh my friends, that is not how the Pentagon works(??) today. No sir/ma'am as ever the case may be. No, not by a long shot. You see the end of war, commonly called peace, is NOT good for business. Particularly when war is your biggest business. In the Amerikkka of 2010 warIS very big business indeed. Why, if peace were to "break out" how would corporations like Lockheed-Martin, Boeing, General Dynamics, Colt Arms, or even companies like Blackwater (aka Xe) make a profit? Why it would be damn hard to break even if we were to have peace in this world. Lord knows we cannot have that. No way, no how. Why the god(s) demand war. er, um, that is um, profits. Yes, you see, profits must be had, and not just plain ordinary profits, but nice big, huge profits. So, the wars go on and on, and the money just keeps rolling in and the profits rise ever higher and the bonus checks get bigger and bigger. Oh, well, the dead keep dying and the maimed keep getting maimed, but well, that is just part of war, collateral damage you know.
Well, I say enough. Enough war. Enough killing, maiming, and dying. Stop the goddamn wars. We are not fighting wars that need to be fought. Our wars, all of them since World War Two, have been wars of choice. We have not been attacked by another military since 7 December 1941. Our homes have not been threatened by any other military force since then. We have not had a single declared war since 1945 when World War Two ended. Yes, every war we have fought since 1945 have been undeclared wars. Ask you "tea party" friends who supposedly "love" the US Constitution about that. The Constitution says that only Congress can declare war. The last time that Congress did that was 1941 when we declared war against Japan and Germany.
Think back, Korea has been called a "police action", Vietnam was called the "Vietnam conflict". Our "small" wars like when we invaded Panama had code names and even poppy Bush's war with Iraq was only called "Desert Storm" and was not a declared war either. Of course we would never be allowed to ask the moose burger bimbo about how she would square that with the Constitution, it would be considered a "gotcha" question. No doubt even Gobomber would agree. Oh you say, Congress voted to "give" W. Shrub the "authority" to use military force. Sure, which also means that Congress ducked their Constitutional responsibility! Cowards!!!!! Damn cowards!!!!!
If that pisses you off, tough shit. It is true and at some point, this country is going to have to deal with that truth.
Of the "tea party" people who won their election this week, how many of them care enough about the Constitution to bring this fact up in either house? How many of them will not vote for more money for the current wars? How many will vote to support the troops once they come back home with VA benefits and housing? How many will vote funds to find shelter for the homeless veterans? According to one report I have seen recently, one in four homeless people is a veteran of the US military. Just how in hell is that "supporting" the troops?
Yes, I am a bit depressed. It isn;t just the election this week. It isn;t just the damn fool wars. It isn't just the rotten excuse of an economy we have today. It isn't just the fact that there will be no raise in Social Security for the second year in a row, or that Medicare premiums are going up and the Part D premiums are going up. It is all that and more. Our country has been waging war in Afghanistan for going on ten years now, with no end in sight. We are making war like noises at Pakistan, Iran, Yemen, Somalia, and who knows how many other countries. The United States is broke and yet old "helicopter" Ben is going to print more funny money. The future looks very dark from where I sit.
semper fi
From what I have read, the folks who were endorsed by the moose burger bimbo didn't all win their elections. Some folks in this area I talked to before the election told me they didn't care at all for her. A small bit of good news or at least a mark of some sanity. Too bad so many still voted for Vitter. Well, one cannot have everything. A new Senator sure would have been nice though.
That Gobomber supposedly "lost" this time is no surprise. The guy brought it on himself. Just what has he done for us common folks? The poor and working class people have not seen anything for their benefit from the man who sold us "hope" and "change" in 2008. If you were one of the "too big to fail" crew, you made out quite well since Gobomber took office. The rest of us, not so much. The way this country looks from where I stand, the working class and the poor folks are worse off than we were two years ago. Unemployment is still way up. IF we were honest in counting the unemployed, the rate is over 15%. Of course we stopped giving a true count of the unemployed back in the days when "saint" Ronnie was our "acting" president. Yes, we no longer count as unemployed the folks who have run out of unemployment benefits. Funny, most of them are still unemployed, but as they no longer get their unemployment checks, we no longer count them as unemployed. Neat way to "cook" the books. Only the government can get away with that sort of thing.
The foreclosure rate is still high and most likely going to get much worse in the near term. The banks are still holding homes off the market in hopes they will be able to get better prices for those they have already foreclosed on.
While the banks are not making very many new loans with all that money they got from us, the tax payers, they are still giving huge bonuses to the top management and others who work for them. Neat trick there, claim you are going broke and need a government bailout, then use that money to pay huge bonuses. And they are not facing criminal prosecution nor jail time. Only in America.
Our two (yes, Iraq is still a war zone) wars are not going well. Oh we have pulled our "combat" troops from Iraq, but the killing continues in that poor country. "We" have not restored utilities for the citizens of Iraq yet either. Yes, seven years after we invaded, the Iraqis still have unreliable electric service, if they get any at all. The water and sewer systems are still as broken as the day we ended the initial invasion, or as Rummy called it "shock and awe". Iraqis are still being killed on a daily basis. We have about 50,000 troops still in Iraq along with something over 100,000 mercenaries. I refuse to call them "contractors". They are mercenaries, plain and simple, so we should call them what they are.
The war in Afghanistan is not going well, as usual. In fact, that war still threatens to spill over into Pakistan big time. While we are still bombing across the border into Pakistan, we have yet to stage a full scale invasion. Note I said yet. Also, still "on the table" is a possible war with Iran. Of course Yemen is also very close to being "on the table" even though we have done some bombing there just as we occasionally drop bombs on Somalia.
Well, I suppose the current Pentagon "thinking" is, if you have two wars that are going poorly (to put it very, very mildly) well, just start another war to take the public mind off the wars that are not going so well. Now, you might think that when your war is not going well that you might end it. Oh my friends, that is not how the Pentagon works(??) today. No sir/ma'am as ever the case may be. No, not by a long shot. You see the end of war, commonly called peace, is NOT good for business. Particularly when war is your biggest business. In the Amerikkka of 2010 warIS very big business indeed. Why, if peace were to "break out" how would corporations like Lockheed-Martin, Boeing, General Dynamics, Colt Arms, or even companies like Blackwater (aka Xe) make a profit? Why it would be damn hard to break even if we were to have peace in this world. Lord knows we cannot have that. No way, no how. Why the god(s) demand war. er, um, that is um, profits. Yes, you see, profits must be had, and not just plain ordinary profits, but nice big, huge profits. So, the wars go on and on, and the money just keeps rolling in and the profits rise ever higher and the bonus checks get bigger and bigger. Oh, well, the dead keep dying and the maimed keep getting maimed, but well, that is just part of war, collateral damage you know.
Well, I say enough. Enough war. Enough killing, maiming, and dying. Stop the goddamn wars. We are not fighting wars that need to be fought. Our wars, all of them since World War Two, have been wars of choice. We have not been attacked by another military since 7 December 1941. Our homes have not been threatened by any other military force since then. We have not had a single declared war since 1945 when World War Two ended. Yes, every war we have fought since 1945 have been undeclared wars. Ask you "tea party" friends who supposedly "love" the US Constitution about that. The Constitution says that only Congress can declare war. The last time that Congress did that was 1941 when we declared war against Japan and Germany.
Think back, Korea has been called a "police action", Vietnam was called the "Vietnam conflict". Our "small" wars like when we invaded Panama had code names and even poppy Bush's war with Iraq was only called "Desert Storm" and was not a declared war either. Of course we would never be allowed to ask the moose burger bimbo about how she would square that with the Constitution, it would be considered a "gotcha" question. No doubt even Gobomber would agree. Oh you say, Congress voted to "give" W. Shrub the "authority" to use military force. Sure, which also means that Congress ducked their Constitutional responsibility! Cowards!!!!! Damn cowards!!!!!
If that pisses you off, tough shit. It is true and at some point, this country is going to have to deal with that truth.
Of the "tea party" people who won their election this week, how many of them care enough about the Constitution to bring this fact up in either house? How many of them will not vote for more money for the current wars? How many will vote to support the troops once they come back home with VA benefits and housing? How many will vote funds to find shelter for the homeless veterans? According to one report I have seen recently, one in four homeless people is a veteran of the US military. Just how in hell is that "supporting" the troops?
Yes, I am a bit depressed. It isn;t just the election this week. It isn;t just the damn fool wars. It isn't just the rotten excuse of an economy we have today. It isn't just the fact that there will be no raise in Social Security for the second year in a row, or that Medicare premiums are going up and the Part D premiums are going up. It is all that and more. Our country has been waging war in Afghanistan for going on ten years now, with no end in sight. We are making war like noises at Pakistan, Iran, Yemen, Somalia, and who knows how many other countries. The United States is broke and yet old "helicopter" Ben is going to print more funny money. The future looks very dark from where I sit.
semper fi
11 October 2010
Another day, another rant
Yes, I am ranting on, again. Or should that be still ranting? Either way I am disgusted, still, yet, again, take your pick.
Numerous articles recently tell me that Gobomber is "upset" with his "base" there is an "enthusiasm gap". Say what? Shades of the old cold war crap about the supposed "missile gap" or any other fake "gaps" that were created out of thin air back in the cold war days.
Well, I have a question for Gobomber and his crew. Just what the bloody damn hell are "we" supposed to be so enthusiastic about? The economy? Sure thing pal, as soon as the people get decent paying jobs. The wars we are still bogged down in? Don't think so, they are not going so very well. When even "king" David tells the media that the Afghan war is one that our children will be fighting, well, that makes it damn hard to be "enthusiastic" about that war. Iraq? Well, no, sorry, the fake pulling out of "combat" troops was just a ploy. Any human with a functioning brain was able to see that the relabeling of the troops in Iraq as "advisors" or "trainers" from being "combat" troops is a scam. Hey, they got away with that sort of thing during the Vietnam war, so they tried it again. Well, it failed this time. Too many people DO have a sense of history after all.
So, again, I ask Gobomber and his crew, just what are we Americans supposed to be so enthusiastic about? Maybe he thinks we should all be so very happy that his administration is NOT going to slow down the home foreclosures. Maybe he thinks we should be "thankful" for the horse manure called "health care reform"? Yeah, sure thing.
When the only folks who are making out like bandits ARE bandits, the "too big to fail" types, well, there sure doesn't seem like much to get all "enthused" about.
Maybe if I were to sit back and knock down a few beers, I might see something to be "enthused" about. Probably not. Mixing alcohol with my pain meds would just get me an over priced trip to the emergency room. I'll pass on that one.
Another "pet peeve" has surfaced. Well, not so much surfaced, more like it is grating on me. Just as the term "homeland" when used to describe America is bothersome, the term Af-Pak is beginning to really grate on me. Af-Pak? OK, it is shorthand for Afghanistan-Pakistan. The thing is, when shortened to "Af-Pak" it seems to me to be a degrading term. Shorten the names of the countries involved and you sort of cheapen them both. Maybe it is just me, but I am starting to detest the term "Af-Pak" no matter who uses it. It all fits right in there with calling the Afghans names like "sand nigger" or "rag heads". It belittles the country and the people. Yep, just like Vietnam where the "bad guys" were "gooks". "dinks", "rice burners" or other derogatory names.
Well, no wonder we are losing the wars. When you fail to show any respect to the "enemy" you have lost. Not that "we" could ever "win" this war in Afghanistan any way. We are the invaders, and history has shown that invaders go home at some point. The Afghans have a very long history of waiting out the invaders, they will be there long after we leave also.
Yeah, I know, there I go again, telling folks that history does matter. Explaining that by reading and learning from history we could avoid a great many mistakes that we are still making today. Yes, reading and learning. Oh joy, didn't you just "know" that old charlie would be hauling out that crap again. Well, I did, so either read and learn or continue to fail when you go off on the next fools errand.
No doubt some will take my criticism of the term "Af-Pak" as a minor revolt against the "new" information age, things like "Twitter" or "Facebook" where everything is abbreviated. Well, maybe that is the case. Maybe I am a reactionary in some respects. I still think that by shortening the country names, calling the other people by derogatory names is not the way to succeed. Maybe just call me old fashioned. I still think that people have the right to be respected and treated as fellow human beings.
Well, enough of me for now. I need to find something to get "enthused" about.
semper fi
Numerous articles recently tell me that Gobomber is "upset" with his "base" there is an "enthusiasm gap". Say what? Shades of the old cold war crap about the supposed "missile gap" or any other fake "gaps" that were created out of thin air back in the cold war days.
Well, I have a question for Gobomber and his crew. Just what the bloody damn hell are "we" supposed to be so enthusiastic about? The economy? Sure thing pal, as soon as the people get decent paying jobs. The wars we are still bogged down in? Don't think so, they are not going so very well. When even "king" David tells the media that the Afghan war is one that our children will be fighting, well, that makes it damn hard to be "enthusiastic" about that war. Iraq? Well, no, sorry, the fake pulling out of "combat" troops was just a ploy. Any human with a functioning brain was able to see that the relabeling of the troops in Iraq as "advisors" or "trainers" from being "combat" troops is a scam. Hey, they got away with that sort of thing during the Vietnam war, so they tried it again. Well, it failed this time. Too many people DO have a sense of history after all.
So, again, I ask Gobomber and his crew, just what are we Americans supposed to be so enthusiastic about? Maybe he thinks we should all be so very happy that his administration is NOT going to slow down the home foreclosures. Maybe he thinks we should be "thankful" for the horse manure called "health care reform"? Yeah, sure thing.
When the only folks who are making out like bandits ARE bandits, the "too big to fail" types, well, there sure doesn't seem like much to get all "enthused" about.
Maybe if I were to sit back and knock down a few beers, I might see something to be "enthused" about. Probably not. Mixing alcohol with my pain meds would just get me an over priced trip to the emergency room. I'll pass on that one.
Another "pet peeve" has surfaced. Well, not so much surfaced, more like it is grating on me. Just as the term "homeland" when used to describe America is bothersome, the term Af-Pak is beginning to really grate on me. Af-Pak? OK, it is shorthand for Afghanistan-Pakistan. The thing is, when shortened to "Af-Pak" it seems to me to be a degrading term. Shorten the names of the countries involved and you sort of cheapen them both. Maybe it is just me, but I am starting to detest the term "Af-Pak" no matter who uses it. It all fits right in there with calling the Afghans names like "sand nigger" or "rag heads". It belittles the country and the people. Yep, just like Vietnam where the "bad guys" were "gooks". "dinks", "rice burners" or other derogatory names.
Well, no wonder we are losing the wars. When you fail to show any respect to the "enemy" you have lost. Not that "we" could ever "win" this war in Afghanistan any way. We are the invaders, and history has shown that invaders go home at some point. The Afghans have a very long history of waiting out the invaders, they will be there long after we leave also.
Yeah, I know, there I go again, telling folks that history does matter. Explaining that by reading and learning from history we could avoid a great many mistakes that we are still making today. Yes, reading and learning. Oh joy, didn't you just "know" that old charlie would be hauling out that crap again. Well, I did, so either read and learn or continue to fail when you go off on the next fools errand.
No doubt some will take my criticism of the term "Af-Pak" as a minor revolt against the "new" information age, things like "Twitter" or "Facebook" where everything is abbreviated. Well, maybe that is the case. Maybe I am a reactionary in some respects. I still think that by shortening the country names, calling the other people by derogatory names is not the way to succeed. Maybe just call me old fashioned. I still think that people have the right to be respected and treated as fellow human beings.
Well, enough of me for now. I need to find something to get "enthused" about.
semper fi
07 October 2010
State spying operations
You may have seen recent news reports that the famed photographer of the Civil Rights movement has been "outed" as an FBI informer. Yes, Ernest Withers was a paid FBI informer who not only documented the Civil Rights movement of the 60's. He was a close friend (?) to the likes of Dr. King and the other main players of the struggle for equal rights in America. He was there the day that Dr. King was killed.
That such an intimate of the struggle for civil rights was at the same time an FBI informant should not be a great surprise to us now. We have become much more cynical since that time. At least I certainly have. The 60's was a time of great change in America. It was the height of the Vietnam war and the protests over that imperial war. It was a time of great struggle for equal rights also.
That the FBI had informants in just about every group is now common knowledge. That the same outfits, and now the newer ones, use informants should not be a surprise to any who actually read the news. No, not the idiot box we call the TV set, but real news. By real news, I mean the news one has to search out on the internet since even the "real" newspapers today in America no longer report the "news".
What should bother us all is that the Feds are using informants in any group that even mildly protests anything now days. That they have infiltrated such :organizations" as Quaker anti-war groups should be highly disturbing to any true American. Dissent IS patriotic. Yes, that is a bumper sticker, but it IS the truth also. Even such a "great" leader as Teddy Roosevelt made the statement that it was OK to not support the president in everything. I don't have the exact quote handy.
The First Amendment of the US Constitution guarantees us all the RIGHT to freedom of speech. It is not un-patriotic to oppose any war.
Another misuse of informants by the Feds and various state governments is the use of such people to infiltrate groups who oppose the drilling of the Marcellus Shale for the natural gas that may be in that strata of our soil in New York and Pennsylvania. Why spy on these folks? Well, it now seems that the State, at ALL levels, is going to spy on any group who may interfere in the profit of big corporations. Yes, the government is going to try an shut down any and all protest against big business and the profits that big business might make. Protest a corporation and you are now subject to government spying. Welcome to the "new" America.
Not only does the government spy on us and our groups, they have these informants push these groups into actions that might be unlawful. Yes, the government informers are, at times, instigators of violence.
I would suggest that this method could have serious long term effects on free speech and any sort of protest, no matter how non-violent the group is. When have the Quakers ever been violent in recent memory?
As a former US Marine and a veteran of the imperial war in Vietnam, I refuse to allow any government to limit my freedom of speech. I will, however, be wary of those who want to take any protest I am involved with to a level of any physical violence. I refuse to throw rotten eggs at a sign or any other such actions. Throw an egg, go to jail. Even talk of throwing that egg could get one extra surveillance by some agency of the government today.
If a member of your group starts to advocate any physical actions, tell that member they are no longer welcome in your group. Keep the protests peaceful. No doubt that may not be enough to keep from being reported to the Feds, but it still seems to be the best way to go.
Carry signs, talk to everybody, write letters and emails to your representatives, but keep it non-violent. Of course one could end up under investigation any way. Since we now live in the "post 9/11" world, we are all at risk of government interference at any time. The reasons for this? Well, just because "they" can. Since "9/11 changed everything", any reason, even one that is made up, will do. I honestly think the government IS paranoid. Don't think so? OK, then explain to me why we have TWO defense departments then.
YES, I said TWO defense departments. WHat else is the Department of Homeland Security if NOT a defense outfit? Until 9/11, one would have thought that the "defense" of the United States of AMerica was THE main job of the Defense Department. Well, what the hell did I ever know about such things? Not much it would seem. No sir, we now have a second department of defense. All thanks to 9/11, al-Qaeda, bin Laden, and W. Shrub and his crew of Constitution shredders. All the better to increase the obscene profits of the "defense" contractors, of course. Oh, and never, ever, forget the "too big to fail" crew. THEY must have their piece of the pie, naturally you know.
Any way I look at recent events, all I see is increasing surveillance of the "average" person in our country. We ARE well on the way to becoming a police state.
The other day, I was at the doctor to check on my sinus trouble. In the waiting room, they had the TV set on, it was actually NOT tuned to Faux Noise. Wow, imagine that, a station other than Faux. Well, that was a nice change, they had CNN on the tube. Nearly as bad, but still better than Faux.
The "story" they were reporting on was some school district that was thinking of using finger prints of the school kids in order for them to get their school lunches! What!??!! The kids were going to be fingerprinted so they could have school lunches??!!?? Since when was that a part of the American way of life? I was totally surprised by that story. Unfortunately, I was called back to the exam room before the report was finished, so I missed the school district that was "thinking(??)" about this vile action. Need to do a search of that no doubt. Call me lazy, as I have not done so yet.
Being cynical old me, I had a "second" thought about that story on the tube. That thought was, why not do this? Sure, the kids would suffer the indignity of being fingerprinted, but hell, it is for their own good. Yep, it would keep the "bad guys" from sneaking into the lunch line to get free lunches. Can't have them getting away with "free lunch" ya know. Got to teach them early that there is no "free lunch". The earlier the better.
Also, by having to be fingerprinted before you get your school lunch, you get an early indoctrination into Police State America. It sure as hell looks to be on the way folks. Informants all around us, fingerprinting school kids, being arrested for taking holiday snap shots, all manner of police checkpoints for various reasons. Welcome to the "new" post 9/11 America.
For the record, I am not paranoid about any of this. I will continue to exercise my freedom of speech. If that gets me a visit from the "authorities", well, they will be in for a long session. Ask anybody who has known me for a long time, I can talk for days on end about most any subject. As for giving up names, well, let me see, there is always the likes of "dead eye" Dick, W. Shrub, etc to give to the feds. Let them slog through interrogating me. They will get very frustrated, long before I get tired of talking. That what I would say would be of little or no "real" use is their problem.
In short, resist the coming police state. Do not allow yourself to be silenced because the Feds use informants. If you suspect you have one in your group, feed that person some false information and wait to see what happens. If you have proof that you have an informer in your group, well, out the bastard. Just please, do not stop protesting, do not let anybody silence you. Don't get so paranoid that you quit, if you do, they win, and that would be a huge loss for us all.
A good article on this subject can be found at;
www.tomdispatch.com/post/175303/tomgram%3A_stephan_salisbury%2C_keeping_an_eye_on_everyone/#more
Mr. Salisbury shows just how far we have come towards being a police state. I highly recommend this article to all. Pass it around to your family and friends, it is that good, my opinion.
semper fi
That such an intimate of the struggle for civil rights was at the same time an FBI informant should not be a great surprise to us now. We have become much more cynical since that time. At least I certainly have. The 60's was a time of great change in America. It was the height of the Vietnam war and the protests over that imperial war. It was a time of great struggle for equal rights also.
That the FBI had informants in just about every group is now common knowledge. That the same outfits, and now the newer ones, use informants should not be a surprise to any who actually read the news. No, not the idiot box we call the TV set, but real news. By real news, I mean the news one has to search out on the internet since even the "real" newspapers today in America no longer report the "news".
What should bother us all is that the Feds are using informants in any group that even mildly protests anything now days. That they have infiltrated such :organizations" as Quaker anti-war groups should be highly disturbing to any true American. Dissent IS patriotic. Yes, that is a bumper sticker, but it IS the truth also. Even such a "great" leader as Teddy Roosevelt made the statement that it was OK to not support the president in everything. I don't have the exact quote handy.
The First Amendment of the US Constitution guarantees us all the RIGHT to freedom of speech. It is not un-patriotic to oppose any war.
Another misuse of informants by the Feds and various state governments is the use of such people to infiltrate groups who oppose the drilling of the Marcellus Shale for the natural gas that may be in that strata of our soil in New York and Pennsylvania. Why spy on these folks? Well, it now seems that the State, at ALL levels, is going to spy on any group who may interfere in the profit of big corporations. Yes, the government is going to try an shut down any and all protest against big business and the profits that big business might make. Protest a corporation and you are now subject to government spying. Welcome to the "new" America.
Not only does the government spy on us and our groups, they have these informants push these groups into actions that might be unlawful. Yes, the government informers are, at times, instigators of violence.
I would suggest that this method could have serious long term effects on free speech and any sort of protest, no matter how non-violent the group is. When have the Quakers ever been violent in recent memory?
As a former US Marine and a veteran of the imperial war in Vietnam, I refuse to allow any government to limit my freedom of speech. I will, however, be wary of those who want to take any protest I am involved with to a level of any physical violence. I refuse to throw rotten eggs at a sign or any other such actions. Throw an egg, go to jail. Even talk of throwing that egg could get one extra surveillance by some agency of the government today.
If a member of your group starts to advocate any physical actions, tell that member they are no longer welcome in your group. Keep the protests peaceful. No doubt that may not be enough to keep from being reported to the Feds, but it still seems to be the best way to go.
Carry signs, talk to everybody, write letters and emails to your representatives, but keep it non-violent. Of course one could end up under investigation any way. Since we now live in the "post 9/11" world, we are all at risk of government interference at any time. The reasons for this? Well, just because "they" can. Since "9/11 changed everything", any reason, even one that is made up, will do. I honestly think the government IS paranoid. Don't think so? OK, then explain to me why we have TWO defense departments then.
YES, I said TWO defense departments. WHat else is the Department of Homeland Security if NOT a defense outfit? Until 9/11, one would have thought that the "defense" of the United States of AMerica was THE main job of the Defense Department. Well, what the hell did I ever know about such things? Not much it would seem. No sir, we now have a second department of defense. All thanks to 9/11, al-Qaeda, bin Laden, and W. Shrub and his crew of Constitution shredders. All the better to increase the obscene profits of the "defense" contractors, of course. Oh, and never, ever, forget the "too big to fail" crew. THEY must have their piece of the pie, naturally you know.
Any way I look at recent events, all I see is increasing surveillance of the "average" person in our country. We ARE well on the way to becoming a police state.
The other day, I was at the doctor to check on my sinus trouble. In the waiting room, they had the TV set on, it was actually NOT tuned to Faux Noise. Wow, imagine that, a station other than Faux. Well, that was a nice change, they had CNN on the tube. Nearly as bad, but still better than Faux.
The "story" they were reporting on was some school district that was thinking of using finger prints of the school kids in order for them to get their school lunches! What!??!! The kids were going to be fingerprinted so they could have school lunches??!!?? Since when was that a part of the American way of life? I was totally surprised by that story. Unfortunately, I was called back to the exam room before the report was finished, so I missed the school district that was "thinking(??)" about this vile action. Need to do a search of that no doubt. Call me lazy, as I have not done so yet.
Being cynical old me, I had a "second" thought about that story on the tube. That thought was, why not do this? Sure, the kids would suffer the indignity of being fingerprinted, but hell, it is for their own good. Yep, it would keep the "bad guys" from sneaking into the lunch line to get free lunches. Can't have them getting away with "free lunch" ya know. Got to teach them early that there is no "free lunch". The earlier the better.
Also, by having to be fingerprinted before you get your school lunch, you get an early indoctrination into Police State America. It sure as hell looks to be on the way folks. Informants all around us, fingerprinting school kids, being arrested for taking holiday snap shots, all manner of police checkpoints for various reasons. Welcome to the "new" post 9/11 America.
For the record, I am not paranoid about any of this. I will continue to exercise my freedom of speech. If that gets me a visit from the "authorities", well, they will be in for a long session. Ask anybody who has known me for a long time, I can talk for days on end about most any subject. As for giving up names, well, let me see, there is always the likes of "dead eye" Dick, W. Shrub, etc to give to the feds. Let them slog through interrogating me. They will get very frustrated, long before I get tired of talking. That what I would say would be of little or no "real" use is their problem.
In short, resist the coming police state. Do not allow yourself to be silenced because the Feds use informants. If you suspect you have one in your group, feed that person some false information and wait to see what happens. If you have proof that you have an informer in your group, well, out the bastard. Just please, do not stop protesting, do not let anybody silence you. Don't get so paranoid that you quit, if you do, they win, and that would be a huge loss for us all.
A good article on this subject can be found at;
www.tomdispatch.com/post/175303/tomgram%3A_stephan_salisbury%2C_keeping_an_eye_on_everyone/#more
Mr. Salisbury shows just how far we have come towards being a police state. I highly recommend this article to all. Pass it around to your family and friends, it is that good, my opinion.
semper fi
24 September 2010
forgot to add
Sorry for this addition. I forgot to add the link to another good article that helps to explain the "tea party".
The next-to-last paragraph really hits the target in my opinion.
Well worth your time. The comments are quite good as well.www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2010_09/025733.php
semper fi
The next-to-last paragraph really hits the target in my opinion.
Well worth your time. The comments are quite good as well.www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2010_09/025733.php
semper fi
More random thoughts
Just some more of my "just thinking" after reading the "usual" web sites plus a few links to other information.
What has got the "left" all excited is the win by Ms. O'Donnell in Delaware recently. Yes, she is even nuttier than falin' Palin. Still we need to take a serious look at what drives the "tea parties" today.
They say they are angry, but it seems to me, their anger is either mis-directed or it is not directed at all. I don't see much of this anger being directed in any useful way.
Why are they so angry? Well, for one thing they see the world and particularly, America is changing. Change is frightening to them. Hell, change is sometimes scary to all of us at times. Change isn't always easy either.
A very good article on the change facing America is the article by Mr. Dilip Hiro over at the always outstanding TomDispatch web site. You can find the article here; www.tomdispatch.com/post/175299/tomgram%3A_dilip_hiro%2C_the_waning_of_america_#more
The "tea party" folks see this sort of thing, the loss of American influence in the world and it frightens them. It shakes their core belief of America as the "indispensable" nation, as a certain "Madass" Albright has said of our country. OK, I admit, I mis-spelled her name, on purpose. Her comment that the deaths of the Iraqi children from the god-awful sanctions imposed by her, at the time boss, Billy Bob Bubba still make me sick. Anybody who could say, on a national TV program that those deaths were "worth it" has to be a total "madass" in my book.
Back to the decline of America as the "sole superpower", the "tea party" people see this and they don't like it one bit. They bought into the lies about our great "strength" as a nation. They bought into the "idea" that America had some sort of "god given" right to rule the world. That "we" could make the world in our image as it were.
Well, that is not working out so well for us now. True, they refuse to see that it was their "hero" W. Shrub who made the current mess. They DO, for the majority, see somebody "other" occupying "their" White House now. That "other" doesn't look quite like them either. Change. Big time change. Frightening change even.
They don't even need to read sites like TomDispatch to see the changes. Even their "precious" Faux Noise has let them see that the US economy, or what passes for an economy today, is in bad shape. Again, they don't see, don't even want to see, that it all really got the start downhill fast for them began with "saint" Ron of Raygun. They refuse to admit that W. Shrub increased the national debt even more and spent the country into the poor house.
They are willfully blind to the truth. This is due mostly to Faux Noise, where the elephant gang will never be held to account. The TV channel where the donkey gang can do no good. Well, that isn't too far from true as I see it. But the "idea"(??) that the elephant gang is blameless is beyond belief. Or it should be if you have a functioning brain.
The "tea party" folks see how things are not going well for themselves or their family members. They see few decent paying, high skill jobs available here at home. They know that much of the good paying manufacturing jobs have been sent off chore. No, they don't get the truth that the big corporations did this to them, and those same corporations fund their "beloved" elephant gang more than they fund the donkey gang. That is something Faux Noise holds back.
Faux Noise being to real news what the WWF is to real sport, well, that is just those of us who are the "professional" left see things. Yeah, a friend told me that I am a part of that "professional" left. And here I had thought I was more middle of the road. Can I still be any sort of "professional" since I am permanently disabled?
The folks like Limburger, Beck, Hannity, falin' Palin, etc all prey on this fear. They feed the fear of these folks. Yes, the Koch brothers are behind the "tea party" or so I have read more than once. With the win by Ms. O'Donnell, they just may be wondering if they can maintain control over the creature they created though. So far, her strategy(?) seems to be to follow the "advice" of falin' Palin and only speak on/to Faux Noise. Well, Ms. Angel out in Nevada has used that channel as a fund raiser. Now, I am not a lawyer, don't even play one on TV, but I don't think that is legal. It sure does not seem ethical. But, then, ethics is a foreign language to the likes of Beck, et al. Just ask all the folks who fell for the "Gold Line" commercials that run on his TV show.
The "tea party" people are very frightened. Hell, they have a right to be so. The country is still in a very deep recession, with no real relief in sight. The influence of America in the world is in decline. Iran still is defying our demands regards their nuclear reactors. China and Russia have deals with Iran. Even India has defied our demands for stronger sanctions against Iran. Hell, India is supposed to be on "our side". Remember, W. Shrub made that sweetheart nuclear deal with them and got our bought and paid for Congress to approve. Pushed it through the international nuclear regulatory agencies even. Now India is making energy deals with Iran! Holy crap Batman.
Look at Pakistan. We provide them with all sorts of aid. True, the aid is mostly military, but even so, they don't exactly shoot every Taliban they come across. In fact, Pakistan has long term agreements with the Afghan Taliban.
Home foreclosures are still setting records in America. Jobs are leaving still. People are having to depend on food stamps in ever larger numbers. Homelessness is increasing. Sure, people are very frightened today. With good reason.
If only the progressives could channel this fear and anger into something for good. Oh, wait, yes, I know, stop dreaming. Well, sorry, I will continue to dream. We need to talk with the "tea party" folks and tell them the truth. It may not be easy, they have been indoctrinated by Faux Noise. Not all these folks are out in the far fringes though. Don't get discouraged if you don't succeed the first time either.
On a more positive note. I found out that some places in America DO have an "instant runoff election" this year even. The story on that is at the following web site.www.inthesetimes.com/article/6434/instant_election_reform
See, there IS some good news out there people. You just need to look for it.
semper fi
What has got the "left" all excited is the win by Ms. O'Donnell in Delaware recently. Yes, she is even nuttier than falin' Palin. Still we need to take a serious look at what drives the "tea parties" today.
They say they are angry, but it seems to me, their anger is either mis-directed or it is not directed at all. I don't see much of this anger being directed in any useful way.
Why are they so angry? Well, for one thing they see the world and particularly, America is changing. Change is frightening to them. Hell, change is sometimes scary to all of us at times. Change isn't always easy either.
A very good article on the change facing America is the article by Mr. Dilip Hiro over at the always outstanding TomDispatch web site. You can find the article here; www.tomdispatch.com/post/175299/tomgram%3A_dilip_hiro%2C_the_waning_of_america_#more
The "tea party" folks see this sort of thing, the loss of American influence in the world and it frightens them. It shakes their core belief of America as the "indispensable" nation, as a certain "Madass" Albright has said of our country. OK, I admit, I mis-spelled her name, on purpose. Her comment that the deaths of the Iraqi children from the god-awful sanctions imposed by her, at the time boss, Billy Bob Bubba still make me sick. Anybody who could say, on a national TV program that those deaths were "worth it" has to be a total "madass" in my book.
Back to the decline of America as the "sole superpower", the "tea party" people see this and they don't like it one bit. They bought into the lies about our great "strength" as a nation. They bought into the "idea" that America had some sort of "god given" right to rule the world. That "we" could make the world in our image as it were.
Well, that is not working out so well for us now. True, they refuse to see that it was their "hero" W. Shrub who made the current mess. They DO, for the majority, see somebody "other" occupying "their" White House now. That "other" doesn't look quite like them either. Change. Big time change. Frightening change even.
They don't even need to read sites like TomDispatch to see the changes. Even their "precious" Faux Noise has let them see that the US economy, or what passes for an economy today, is in bad shape. Again, they don't see, don't even want to see, that it all really got the start downhill fast for them began with "saint" Ron of Raygun. They refuse to admit that W. Shrub increased the national debt even more and spent the country into the poor house.
They are willfully blind to the truth. This is due mostly to Faux Noise, where the elephant gang will never be held to account. The TV channel where the donkey gang can do no good. Well, that isn't too far from true as I see it. But the "idea"(??) that the elephant gang is blameless is beyond belief. Or it should be if you have a functioning brain.
The "tea party" folks see how things are not going well for themselves or their family members. They see few decent paying, high skill jobs available here at home. They know that much of the good paying manufacturing jobs have been sent off chore. No, they don't get the truth that the big corporations did this to them, and those same corporations fund their "beloved" elephant gang more than they fund the donkey gang. That is something Faux Noise holds back.
Faux Noise being to real news what the WWF is to real sport, well, that is just those of us who are the "professional" left see things. Yeah, a friend told me that I am a part of that "professional" left. And here I had thought I was more middle of the road. Can I still be any sort of "professional" since I am permanently disabled?
The folks like Limburger, Beck, Hannity, falin' Palin, etc all prey on this fear. They feed the fear of these folks. Yes, the Koch brothers are behind the "tea party" or so I have read more than once. With the win by Ms. O'Donnell, they just may be wondering if they can maintain control over the creature they created though. So far, her strategy(?) seems to be to follow the "advice" of falin' Palin and only speak on/to Faux Noise. Well, Ms. Angel out in Nevada has used that channel as a fund raiser. Now, I am not a lawyer, don't even play one on TV, but I don't think that is legal. It sure does not seem ethical. But, then, ethics is a foreign language to the likes of Beck, et al. Just ask all the folks who fell for the "Gold Line" commercials that run on his TV show.
The "tea party" people are very frightened. Hell, they have a right to be so. The country is still in a very deep recession, with no real relief in sight. The influence of America in the world is in decline. Iran still is defying our demands regards their nuclear reactors. China and Russia have deals with Iran. Even India has defied our demands for stronger sanctions against Iran. Hell, India is supposed to be on "our side". Remember, W. Shrub made that sweetheart nuclear deal with them and got our bought and paid for Congress to approve. Pushed it through the international nuclear regulatory agencies even. Now India is making energy deals with Iran! Holy crap Batman.
Look at Pakistan. We provide them with all sorts of aid. True, the aid is mostly military, but even so, they don't exactly shoot every Taliban they come across. In fact, Pakistan has long term agreements with the Afghan Taliban.
Home foreclosures are still setting records in America. Jobs are leaving still. People are having to depend on food stamps in ever larger numbers. Homelessness is increasing. Sure, people are very frightened today. With good reason.
If only the progressives could channel this fear and anger into something for good. Oh, wait, yes, I know, stop dreaming. Well, sorry, I will continue to dream. We need to talk with the "tea party" folks and tell them the truth. It may not be easy, they have been indoctrinated by Faux Noise. Not all these folks are out in the far fringes though. Don't get discouraged if you don't succeed the first time either.
On a more positive note. I found out that some places in America DO have an "instant runoff election" this year even. The story on that is at the following web site.www.inthesetimes.com/article/6434/instant_election_reform
See, there IS some good news out there people. You just need to look for it.
semper fi
18 September 2010
Just wondering
Just thinking to myself after reading a good bit of late.
I get a kick from old Newt. You may have seen the Newtster call Gobomber an "anti-colonialist". Well, IF our current president actually IS an American, he had damn well best be an anti-colonialist.
Now, unlike old Newt, I have no doubt that the good people who stop by the old corner to check on my rants ARE aware of American history. Yes, I am certain that you good folks know that this country once was a group of colonies. You all know, unlike Newt, that we were colonies of Great Britain. So, for an American president to be anti-colonial is just being a real American. Our ancestors DID kick off the colonial yoke of the king of England and became the United States of America. Oh, count me as an anti-colonial also.
I have seen much rumbling on "left" blogs/web sites where they are in a near panic over some "tea party" candidates winning some recent primaries for the elephant gang. It is so "bad" that even old KKKarl Rove, aka "Bush'e brain" "trashed"a certain Ms. O'Donnell. From what I have read, even Faux Noise is now critical of poor old KKKarl (aka turd blossom) for not being supportive of this person. Looks like the crew that KKKarl helped to create is turning against him. One one hand I could laugh and say good deal, the monster he created has come back to bite him. Of course this very same monster just could become very dangerous for us all.
Of course many of the web sites and blogs all say the same old tired donkey gang crapola. We "must" vote for every "democrat" or else the "tea party" nut balls might win the election. Yes, we have heard this all before, like in every election in recent memory. Every election it is the same old story, vote for the donkey or the mean old elephant will win. NO! Damn it all. Stop for just one small moment and think. We DO have other options. If it is legal for you, write in the candidate of your choice. Here in Louisiana, we cannot do that. We do have other options though. There are usually alternate parties who have candidates to vote for in most offices up for election. Try voting for a "third party" candidate, or, as I sometimes call them, minor party people. My choice in most elections when I lived in southern California was to vote for the candidate from the "Peace and Freedom" party. Look for an independent person to vote for. We are not restricted to the two "major" parties folks. We have options.
Back to old KKKarl and the "tea parties". I find it very interesting and maybe even amusing how he is now in trouble with Faux Noise over the mess he is in with the O'Donnell deal. It IS fun to see the right wing nut balls eat their own. Great fun for all. Pull up a comfy chair and grab the popcorn. It could be a good show.
Of course we do face the very real prospect of this blowing over way too soon. Yes, KKKarl will wake from his nightmare and remember very soon where his checks come from and the "feud" will be over almost as soon as it began. Nuts. But, maybe not. Maybe, just maybe it will go on for some time and we might get a few laughs from them tearing each other down. Maybe even "saint" Glenda of Beckdom will join in. This could be loads of fun.
Actually it could be a lot of fun, IF the idiot donkey gang doesn't make a mess of it. Another reason not to ever trust that gang. After the last election, it really did look like the elephant gang was done for. I remember reading more than a few articles around the web that the elephant gang was on its last legs and would soon be gone. Aha, but then, the donkey gang came to the rescue. Yes, the donkey gang actually did rescue the elephants from certain doom. No doubt they just might still be dumb enough to do so again this time.
American politics for our time, just when you think we will seem some real progress, it gets pulled away from us. As soon as we begin to have some real fun, they tell us the day is done and we have to go back to the "old ways" again. So, you see, I DO have some faith in the donkey gang. No doubt they will do all they can to save the elephants from destroying themselves, again. Nuts.
You see, I would enjoy watching Rove and Faux Noise fight each other. I know that I would read the web sites that report this sort of thing. Hell, I might even actually get tempted to watch Faux Noise. Well, I did say tempted, not actually watch it for real.
Seriously, the "tea party" clowns like this Ms. O'Donnell and failin' Palin are very dangerous. They have limited, if any, real brain. They have a very distorted "belief" in god and Jesus. They are, at heart, actually very anti-American when you look at what they say and try to slog through their "political platforms".
Yes, we do have a serious immigration problem in this country, but America IS a nation OF immigrants. These anti-immigration folks are the end result OF immigration themselves. Are they prepared to "go back where they came from"? Of course not. They got here, legally or other wise and damn it all, they WILL stay here. Ah, but to even think of allowing anybody else to come here, well, that IS a very "different" story. Two faced, is what my parents generation called that, double standards is what I call it. Bigots and liars is what they are.
This applies to the attitudes of the anti-gay stance also. Many times we have seen that the most vocal anti-gay people are themselves gay. Self hatred drives many people unfortunately.
Not all the "tea party" folks are bigots and/or racists, but the vast majority seem to be older and "white". As more than one article has said recently, they are "mad" at something. Well, from nearly 63 years of personal experience, it is easy to get "mad", but it takes some real work to make things better.
I want to ask the "tea party" folks what are they going to DO to make the country a better place for us all. What is their plan for a better country? Do they even have a plan? Oh, and telling me to vote for their candidate is NOT a plan. We all need to think on that. Just what are WE prepared to do to make the country a better place for all? WE need to start with ourselves on this one folks. It all begins with us. We all need to try and be polite to others. We need to act like sane, decent human beings toward each other. We need to set, decent, common goals and then actually work towards those goals. Come on, you are not hearing this for the first time. This is just common knowledge people! We all know this. Or at least we should.
I get a lot from music. Always have and still do. Maybe because musicians are artists and I like good art. Maybe it is just the way music makes me feel and some times, it makes me stop and think. Either way, I want to leave a bit from a song I have liked since I first heard it. It is by John Kay, Jerry Edmonton, Nick St. Nicholas, and Larry Brown. It was recorded by Steppenwolf and the song is titled "Monster". The last verse is what I am setting down here now as it really does say what we need today, maybe more than ever.
America where are you now?
Don't you care about your sons and daughters?
Don't you know we need you now
We can't fight alone against the monster
We need America. We need it more than we did when this song was new. Back then we were stuck in the imperial war in Vietnam. I was there, as part of the 5th Marine Regiment. Now, we are stuck in Afghanistan AND Iraq. YEs, the "combat" troops have left Iraq, but our troops are still there and being killed there. We are stuck in and idiotic, endless war on terror. This is a war that can never be won, no matter how many wedding parties, funerals, or villages we bomb. Terror is not something that can be fought with bombs. Terror is a weapon that is used by the powerless against the very powerful. The "war on terror" is as foolish and as stupid as the damn fool war on drugs or the war against poverty.
We need America to wake up and see this truth. We need America to join the fight against the monster that is trying to enslave the world with its greed and money and wars. We need America to start acting like decent, honorable human beings. We need to stop creating ever more enemies and to live in peace with each other.
I have been to their damn wars. There is no "glory" there, only death and suffering and destruction. Nobody ever "wins" any war. We are going broke if we aren't there already. Just how do "we" expect to pay for these damn fool wars?
We need an America that doesn't "need" to have some sort of "war" on something all the time. As a country we seem to always be at "war" with something or somebody. War on poverty, war on drugs, war on terror, war on cancer, etc. Endless damn wars. ENOUGH! End all the wars and get to work making the country a decent place for all of us. We don't need to have any more wars.
Yes, I still believe in some of those old ideas from the 60's. Things like peace and an end to wars. Hell, maybe I am a dreamer.
semper fi
I get a kick from old Newt. You may have seen the Newtster call Gobomber an "anti-colonialist". Well, IF our current president actually IS an American, he had damn well best be an anti-colonialist.
Now, unlike old Newt, I have no doubt that the good people who stop by the old corner to check on my rants ARE aware of American history. Yes, I am certain that you good folks know that this country once was a group of colonies. You all know, unlike Newt, that we were colonies of Great Britain. So, for an American president to be anti-colonial is just being a real American. Our ancestors DID kick off the colonial yoke of the king of England and became the United States of America. Oh, count me as an anti-colonial also.
I have seen much rumbling on "left" blogs/web sites where they are in a near panic over some "tea party" candidates winning some recent primaries for the elephant gang. It is so "bad" that even old KKKarl Rove, aka "Bush'e brain" "trashed"a certain Ms. O'Donnell. From what I have read, even Faux Noise is now critical of poor old KKKarl (aka turd blossom) for not being supportive of this person. Looks like the crew that KKKarl helped to create is turning against him. One one hand I could laugh and say good deal, the monster he created has come back to bite him. Of course this very same monster just could become very dangerous for us all.
Of course many of the web sites and blogs all say the same old tired donkey gang crapola. We "must" vote for every "democrat" or else the "tea party" nut balls might win the election. Yes, we have heard this all before, like in every election in recent memory. Every election it is the same old story, vote for the donkey or the mean old elephant will win. NO! Damn it all. Stop for just one small moment and think. We DO have other options. If it is legal for you, write in the candidate of your choice. Here in Louisiana, we cannot do that. We do have other options though. There are usually alternate parties who have candidates to vote for in most offices up for election. Try voting for a "third party" candidate, or, as I sometimes call them, minor party people. My choice in most elections when I lived in southern California was to vote for the candidate from the "Peace and Freedom" party. Look for an independent person to vote for. We are not restricted to the two "major" parties folks. We have options.
Back to old KKKarl and the "tea parties". I find it very interesting and maybe even amusing how he is now in trouble with Faux Noise over the mess he is in with the O'Donnell deal. It IS fun to see the right wing nut balls eat their own. Great fun for all. Pull up a comfy chair and grab the popcorn. It could be a good show.
Of course we do face the very real prospect of this blowing over way too soon. Yes, KKKarl will wake from his nightmare and remember very soon where his checks come from and the "feud" will be over almost as soon as it began. Nuts. But, maybe not. Maybe, just maybe it will go on for some time and we might get a few laughs from them tearing each other down. Maybe even "saint" Glenda of Beckdom will join in. This could be loads of fun.
Actually it could be a lot of fun, IF the idiot donkey gang doesn't make a mess of it. Another reason not to ever trust that gang. After the last election, it really did look like the elephant gang was done for. I remember reading more than a few articles around the web that the elephant gang was on its last legs and would soon be gone. Aha, but then, the donkey gang came to the rescue. Yes, the donkey gang actually did rescue the elephants from certain doom. No doubt they just might still be dumb enough to do so again this time.
American politics for our time, just when you think we will seem some real progress, it gets pulled away from us. As soon as we begin to have some real fun, they tell us the day is done and we have to go back to the "old ways" again. So, you see, I DO have some faith in the donkey gang. No doubt they will do all they can to save the elephants from destroying themselves, again. Nuts.
You see, I would enjoy watching Rove and Faux Noise fight each other. I know that I would read the web sites that report this sort of thing. Hell, I might even actually get tempted to watch Faux Noise. Well, I did say tempted, not actually watch it for real.
Seriously, the "tea party" clowns like this Ms. O'Donnell and failin' Palin are very dangerous. They have limited, if any, real brain. They have a very distorted "belief" in god and Jesus. They are, at heart, actually very anti-American when you look at what they say and try to slog through their "political platforms".
Yes, we do have a serious immigration problem in this country, but America IS a nation OF immigrants. These anti-immigration folks are the end result OF immigration themselves. Are they prepared to "go back where they came from"? Of course not. They got here, legally or other wise and damn it all, they WILL stay here. Ah, but to even think of allowing anybody else to come here, well, that IS a very "different" story. Two faced, is what my parents generation called that, double standards is what I call it. Bigots and liars is what they are.
This applies to the attitudes of the anti-gay stance also. Many times we have seen that the most vocal anti-gay people are themselves gay. Self hatred drives many people unfortunately.
Not all the "tea party" folks are bigots and/or racists, but the vast majority seem to be older and "white". As more than one article has said recently, they are "mad" at something. Well, from nearly 63 years of personal experience, it is easy to get "mad", but it takes some real work to make things better.
I want to ask the "tea party" folks what are they going to DO to make the country a better place for us all. What is their plan for a better country? Do they even have a plan? Oh, and telling me to vote for their candidate is NOT a plan. We all need to think on that. Just what are WE prepared to do to make the country a better place for all? WE need to start with ourselves on this one folks. It all begins with us. We all need to try and be polite to others. We need to act like sane, decent human beings toward each other. We need to set, decent, common goals and then actually work towards those goals. Come on, you are not hearing this for the first time. This is just common knowledge people! We all know this. Or at least we should.
I get a lot from music. Always have and still do. Maybe because musicians are artists and I like good art. Maybe it is just the way music makes me feel and some times, it makes me stop and think. Either way, I want to leave a bit from a song I have liked since I first heard it. It is by John Kay, Jerry Edmonton, Nick St. Nicholas, and Larry Brown. It was recorded by Steppenwolf and the song is titled "Monster". The last verse is what I am setting down here now as it really does say what we need today, maybe more than ever.
America where are you now?
Don't you care about your sons and daughters?
Don't you know we need you now
We can't fight alone against the monster
We need America. We need it more than we did when this song was new. Back then we were stuck in the imperial war in Vietnam. I was there, as part of the 5th Marine Regiment. Now, we are stuck in Afghanistan AND Iraq. YEs, the "combat" troops have left Iraq, but our troops are still there and being killed there. We are stuck in and idiotic, endless war on terror. This is a war that can never be won, no matter how many wedding parties, funerals, or villages we bomb. Terror is not something that can be fought with bombs. Terror is a weapon that is used by the powerless against the very powerful. The "war on terror" is as foolish and as stupid as the damn fool war on drugs or the war against poverty.
We need America to wake up and see this truth. We need America to join the fight against the monster that is trying to enslave the world with its greed and money and wars. We need America to start acting like decent, honorable human beings. We need to stop creating ever more enemies and to live in peace with each other.
I have been to their damn wars. There is no "glory" there, only death and suffering and destruction. Nobody ever "wins" any war. We are going broke if we aren't there already. Just how do "we" expect to pay for these damn fool wars?
We need an America that doesn't "need" to have some sort of "war" on something all the time. As a country we seem to always be at "war" with something or somebody. War on poverty, war on drugs, war on terror, war on cancer, etc. Endless damn wars. ENOUGH! End all the wars and get to work making the country a decent place for all of us. We don't need to have any more wars.
Yes, I still believe in some of those old ideas from the 60's. Things like peace and an end to wars. Hell, maybe I am a dreamer.
semper fi
08 September 2010
Just thinking
Well, I have been reading and thinking on things of late.
I am getting very tired of the fuss over the non mosque that is not even viewable from "ground zero" in New York City. The big fuss is just showing the rest of the world how down right cowardly some Americans are today.
What is so frightening about a community center? Is the clown Beck afraid of a swimming pool? Is falin' Palin afraid of a basketball court? I had thought she was a basketball player at some point in her "illustrious" career. What is Newt so bloody upset about this building for? Why are these "tea party" folks so afraid of?
We are continuously told that America is the land of the free, home of the brave. If we are so brave, why are "we" so afraid of this community center being built?
OK, maybe I am way out of touch with this world, but to my way of thinking, a community center where I could go and meet with and learn from people who have a different culture and/or religion would be a good thing for us all.
But then, I enjoy meeting people and I very much enjoy learning things. I am interested in meeting people and discussing things like culture and even religion. True, I do not believe in any religion, but I do like to learn about the beliefs of others. I would enjoy having a nice, polite, and civil discussion about religion with most anybody. I'd like to discuss politics with a Muslim person, or anybody else as long as we could keep the discussion civil and polite. When things get to the level of name calling, well, that ends the discussion as far as I am concerned. Keep it civil and no problem.
Maybe that is why these folks are so afraid of this community center. They are not as sure of their own belief system as they claim to be. They must be afraid that by talking to some Muslim person, they may have to take a real close look at their own belief system. They may be afraid that their belief system isn't all it is cracked up to be. They may be afraid that, just maybe, the Muslim beliefs are not as "far out" as they have been told. They may be very afraid that the Muslim faith is not as different as they have been told. They may be extremely afraid that by talking to a Muslim, they just might find out what I have known for years, that is, people are people, no matter what religion they have.
That must be the reason these folks are so very afraid. They are afraid that the Muslims are just the same as the Christians, Jews, Hindus, Buddhists, or any other religion. They must be afraid that they might realize that Muslims are just ordinary human beings, with the same needs and basic wants that they have.
They would find out that Muslims do not want their children to fight and die for lies, as our troops have been doing for years now, in Iraq and Afghanistan and probably very soon, Pakistan or Somalia (again).
They would find out that Muslims, for the most part, just want to be able to live a decent life and provide for their families, just as people of other religions do. Just as most every other human being of any, or even no, religion want.
They may be afraid that if they were to have a civil conversation at a Muslim community center that is open to all faiths, that these Muslim people are just like they are. They would find Muslims want to live in peace with the rest of the world. That Muslims are just as concerned about being a victim of terrorists as they are.
Yes, they would come to realize that Muslims are just ordinary human beings who do not want their children to die in a useless war of choice.
If these folks were to have a civil conversation with the Muslims at the proposed community center, they would find that they have a great deal in common with those Muslim people. Then, they would realize that there is no reason for the continuing idiot wars of choice. That the current wars of choice are only wars for profit for the "too big to fail" gangsters.
Now THAT must scare the living crap out of the "leaders" like the clown Beck, falin' Palin, Newt, O'Really, etc and outfits like Faux Noise and the war mongers.
Yes, you see, if all of us ordinary people were to ever sit down and have a serious, civil conversation with "the others", we would soon realize there is no reason for these damn fool wars of choice. The endless, useless wars for endless profits would come to a very fast stop. That would surely upset the old apple cart of the rich bastards who call the shots and keep us all fighting each other over false "differences". Why, it could even lead to more peace and much, much less war. Imagine that.
semper fi
I am getting very tired of the fuss over the non mosque that is not even viewable from "ground zero" in New York City. The big fuss is just showing the rest of the world how down right cowardly some Americans are today.
What is so frightening about a community center? Is the clown Beck afraid of a swimming pool? Is falin' Palin afraid of a basketball court? I had thought she was a basketball player at some point in her "illustrious" career. What is Newt so bloody upset about this building for? Why are these "tea party" folks so afraid of?
We are continuously told that America is the land of the free, home of the brave. If we are so brave, why are "we" so afraid of this community center being built?
OK, maybe I am way out of touch with this world, but to my way of thinking, a community center where I could go and meet with and learn from people who have a different culture and/or religion would be a good thing for us all.
But then, I enjoy meeting people and I very much enjoy learning things. I am interested in meeting people and discussing things like culture and even religion. True, I do not believe in any religion, but I do like to learn about the beliefs of others. I would enjoy having a nice, polite, and civil discussion about religion with most anybody. I'd like to discuss politics with a Muslim person, or anybody else as long as we could keep the discussion civil and polite. When things get to the level of name calling, well, that ends the discussion as far as I am concerned. Keep it civil and no problem.
Maybe that is why these folks are so afraid of this community center. They are not as sure of their own belief system as they claim to be. They must be afraid that by talking to some Muslim person, they may have to take a real close look at their own belief system. They may be afraid that their belief system isn't all it is cracked up to be. They may be afraid that, just maybe, the Muslim beliefs are not as "far out" as they have been told. They may be very afraid that the Muslim faith is not as different as they have been told. They may be extremely afraid that by talking to a Muslim, they just might find out what I have known for years, that is, people are people, no matter what religion they have.
That must be the reason these folks are so very afraid. They are afraid that the Muslims are just the same as the Christians, Jews, Hindus, Buddhists, or any other religion. They must be afraid that they might realize that Muslims are just ordinary human beings, with the same needs and basic wants that they have.
They would find out that Muslims do not want their children to fight and die for lies, as our troops have been doing for years now, in Iraq and Afghanistan and probably very soon, Pakistan or Somalia (again).
They would find out that Muslims, for the most part, just want to be able to live a decent life and provide for their families, just as people of other religions do. Just as most every other human being of any, or even no, religion want.
They may be afraid that if they were to have a civil conversation at a Muslim community center that is open to all faiths, that these Muslim people are just like they are. They would find Muslims want to live in peace with the rest of the world. That Muslims are just as concerned about being a victim of terrorists as they are.
Yes, they would come to realize that Muslims are just ordinary human beings who do not want their children to die in a useless war of choice.
If these folks were to have a civil conversation with the Muslims at the proposed community center, they would find that they have a great deal in common with those Muslim people. Then, they would realize that there is no reason for the continuing idiot wars of choice. That the current wars of choice are only wars for profit for the "too big to fail" gangsters.
Now THAT must scare the living crap out of the "leaders" like the clown Beck, falin' Palin, Newt, O'Really, etc and outfits like Faux Noise and the war mongers.
Yes, you see, if all of us ordinary people were to ever sit down and have a serious, civil conversation with "the others", we would soon realize there is no reason for these damn fool wars of choice. The endless, useless wars for endless profits would come to a very fast stop. That would surely upset the old apple cart of the rich bastards who call the shots and keep us all fighting each other over false "differences". Why, it could even lead to more peace and much, much less war. Imagine that.
semper fi
01 September 2010
The "combat" troops leave Iraq
Well, I suppose I should be jumping for joy or at least doing cartwheels in the yard.
Why, you may ask. Well, our "combat" troops have now left Iraq. Yep, it is the old "mission accomplished" deal all over again. Except this time we have pulled our "combat"troops out of Iraq.
No doubt Go-bomber is happy and all smiles. I believe he gave a speech the other day. Or was that last night? Hell, I don't keep up with him any more. Not that I ever really did. So, I missed the speech. Big deal, once you have heard him yak you have basically heard all he has to say.
No, that is not "sour grapes" of having voted for him. I didn't vote for him, nor will I ever vote for him. It is just my disgust at the guy. He lied during the campaign and many folks got suckered in by him. He gave a lot of folks false hope. He talked about change, but delivered......what? Basically the third term of old Shrubbie is what.
Be careful about getting overly excited about the "troop reduction" folks. They pulled some neat tricks in Vietnam also.
When I was in Vietnam with the 5th Marine Regiment, we had a radio link to an Army unit. Once a month or sometimes more often, we would drive over to that base and check our radio site ob their base and shoot the breeze for a while. One day as we pulled into their base, one of my buddies said it looked like they had repainted the sign at the main gate. When we stopped at the radio bunker we asked the Army guys about it. Oh they said, didn't we catch the news on AFVN (Armed Forces Radio Vietnam)? Their "old"unit had gone back to the states just as old tricky Dick had said during the campaign for president. He was "bringing the troops home". Ah, we asked the Army guys, if your unit went home, why are you all still here? Well, they replied, it is like this. They took the unit flag, some paperwork and a junior officer and two or three enlisted troops, put them all on a plane and sent them to the states. Now that unit was "back home". Yep, nice little "slight of hand" there. Neat trick, and they got away with it. The media reported the old unit was now back home. They did NOT announce the replacement of that unit however. Very neat trick. And yes, they did get away with it. Even back then, the media only asked certain questions and no further. Today, they ask even less.
The above remembrance brings me back to the idea that our "combat" troops have left Iraq.
Be very careful how that reads folks. The troops who are still in Iraq, if you accept the "news", are not combat troops. No, they are training and security troops.
Well, security can involve combat. If they are attacked, they will fight back. Combat.
The training troops, well, if they do "hands on training", they or the Iraqi troops they are training might get attacked. They will fight back. Combat. The point I am trying to make is that the remaining troops MAY be tasked with training and security, it does not mean that US troops will no longer be involved in combat. The examples I used above are just "worst case" scenarios. No doubt the "training and security" troops could go out on patrols, just as the combat troops have done. There is nothing to stop these remaining troops from going out and looking for combat with the "enemy" forces.
Another question. Once the combat troops from Iraq have been back in the US, how long before they are deployed to Afghanistan? Any ideas? I bet not more than 12 months before they get sent to Afghanistan. Maybe even as little as six months. They should get at least one year, but ideally, they should not be sent to any war zone, period.
Just a comment or three on a different topic.
Glenn Beck. Yep, old Becky. You all know he had his big rally this past weekend. I have not seen the final numbers as to the attendance, but no doubt he got in the tens of thousands of "tea party" folks to come out for his get together. I have heard estimates of as high as 500,000, but I doubt that number. I'd bet the number was closer to maybe 75,000. Anybody have other numbers? You can pass them along if you wish.
The thing about the Beckster is that some folks and web sites are making a big joke of him. Now I don't care for his crapola at all, nor do I watch his show. I tried to watch him way back when he first was on CNN Headline News with the half hour show. Even then, it was all I could do to stay with the show for more than five minutes. How he got more air time even on Faux Noise is beyond me. I suppose stupid does sell on TV now days.
OK, so, you now know that I dislike the Beckster and don't watch his TV show, nor do I listen to his radio show. Same goes for Limburger and O'Really, etc and all of Faux Noise. I check in at Faux Noise every so often, just to keep myself from becoming too happy with life. Every so often it seems I need a "downer" just so I don't get to thinking that the media might be getting honest or worth my time.
OK, now the problem, as I see it with Beck, is some sites and their readers are basically calling Beck a joke. Well, yes, he IS a joke. A very sick joke, BUT, do not take him lightly. Same goes for the failin' Palin. While they are jokes, be very wary of them and their followers. If all we do is call them jokes and brush them off, one day we might find that they have taken power and we are really screwed. Big time!
I think that in the 1920's and maybe even the very early 1930's Hitler was seen as a joke by many Germans. And we all know how that played out. So, yes, laugh at the absurdities of Beck and Palin, Bachmann, etc. But do not take them lightly. These fools are very dangerous. When you laugh at them, remember to tell others why they are such jokes. If you just make light of them, it is too easy for their supporters to brush you off. Let the people know how wrong these clowns are with their twisted versions of history and the distorted "facts" that Beck/Palin spout. That way, we can do even more to knock a few dents into the idiot reich wing of the elephant party. Hey, take down a few of the donkey gang as well. That "tribe" is just as bad as the elephants.
Oh, but while being critical of our dear politicians and the government, be very careful. Now that Go-bomber has declared that "we" can go after anybody at any time in any place, even US citizens, and "silence" them, we have to wonder just when they will start to crack down on things like this little corner of the internet.
Yes, Go-bomber has said that he will go after anybody who is deemed to be a "threat" to the US. The prime example is the American born guy who is supposedly with the al-Qaeda in Yemen. Go-bomber says he has the right to kill anybody like that person at any time in any place. By extension, that means that he thinks he could do whatever to silence or imprison folks like me. Yep, being critical of the "powers that be" just could become a crime here at home now.
Gee, aren't you all just so very happy we all got that neat "change" back in November of 2008? I sure as hell am.................NOT.
Well, no matter what Go-bomber thinks, this corner will continue to have my rants posted on it as long as I have something to say or until the old iMac quits. I don't plan on going away quietly. Nor do I plan on quitting, hell I never held any elected office, let alone a governorship. Yes, that was a "dig" at falin' Palin.
semper fi
Why, you may ask. Well, our "combat" troops have now left Iraq. Yep, it is the old "mission accomplished" deal all over again. Except this time we have pulled our "combat"troops out of Iraq.
No doubt Go-bomber is happy and all smiles. I believe he gave a speech the other day. Or was that last night? Hell, I don't keep up with him any more. Not that I ever really did. So, I missed the speech. Big deal, once you have heard him yak you have basically heard all he has to say.
No, that is not "sour grapes" of having voted for him. I didn't vote for him, nor will I ever vote for him. It is just my disgust at the guy. He lied during the campaign and many folks got suckered in by him. He gave a lot of folks false hope. He talked about change, but delivered......what? Basically the third term of old Shrubbie is what.
Be careful about getting overly excited about the "troop reduction" folks. They pulled some neat tricks in Vietnam also.
When I was in Vietnam with the 5th Marine Regiment, we had a radio link to an Army unit. Once a month or sometimes more often, we would drive over to that base and check our radio site ob their base and shoot the breeze for a while. One day as we pulled into their base, one of my buddies said it looked like they had repainted the sign at the main gate. When we stopped at the radio bunker we asked the Army guys about it. Oh they said, didn't we catch the news on AFVN (Armed Forces Radio Vietnam)? Their "old"unit had gone back to the states just as old tricky Dick had said during the campaign for president. He was "bringing the troops home". Ah, we asked the Army guys, if your unit went home, why are you all still here? Well, they replied, it is like this. They took the unit flag, some paperwork and a junior officer and two or three enlisted troops, put them all on a plane and sent them to the states. Now that unit was "back home". Yep, nice little "slight of hand" there. Neat trick, and they got away with it. The media reported the old unit was now back home. They did NOT announce the replacement of that unit however. Very neat trick. And yes, they did get away with it. Even back then, the media only asked certain questions and no further. Today, they ask even less.
The above remembrance brings me back to the idea that our "combat" troops have left Iraq.
Be very careful how that reads folks. The troops who are still in Iraq, if you accept the "news", are not combat troops. No, they are training and security troops.
Well, security can involve combat. If they are attacked, they will fight back. Combat.
The training troops, well, if they do "hands on training", they or the Iraqi troops they are training might get attacked. They will fight back. Combat. The point I am trying to make is that the remaining troops MAY be tasked with training and security, it does not mean that US troops will no longer be involved in combat. The examples I used above are just "worst case" scenarios. No doubt the "training and security" troops could go out on patrols, just as the combat troops have done. There is nothing to stop these remaining troops from going out and looking for combat with the "enemy" forces.
Another question. Once the combat troops from Iraq have been back in the US, how long before they are deployed to Afghanistan? Any ideas? I bet not more than 12 months before they get sent to Afghanistan. Maybe even as little as six months. They should get at least one year, but ideally, they should not be sent to any war zone, period.
Just a comment or three on a different topic.
Glenn Beck. Yep, old Becky. You all know he had his big rally this past weekend. I have not seen the final numbers as to the attendance, but no doubt he got in the tens of thousands of "tea party" folks to come out for his get together. I have heard estimates of as high as 500,000, but I doubt that number. I'd bet the number was closer to maybe 75,000. Anybody have other numbers? You can pass them along if you wish.
The thing about the Beckster is that some folks and web sites are making a big joke of him. Now I don't care for his crapola at all, nor do I watch his show. I tried to watch him way back when he first was on CNN Headline News with the half hour show. Even then, it was all I could do to stay with the show for more than five minutes. How he got more air time even on Faux Noise is beyond me. I suppose stupid does sell on TV now days.
OK, so, you now know that I dislike the Beckster and don't watch his TV show, nor do I listen to his radio show. Same goes for Limburger and O'Really, etc and all of Faux Noise. I check in at Faux Noise every so often, just to keep myself from becoming too happy with life. Every so often it seems I need a "downer" just so I don't get to thinking that the media might be getting honest or worth my time.
OK, now the problem, as I see it with Beck, is some sites and their readers are basically calling Beck a joke. Well, yes, he IS a joke. A very sick joke, BUT, do not take him lightly. Same goes for the failin' Palin. While they are jokes, be very wary of them and their followers. If all we do is call them jokes and brush them off, one day we might find that they have taken power and we are really screwed. Big time!
I think that in the 1920's and maybe even the very early 1930's Hitler was seen as a joke by many Germans. And we all know how that played out. So, yes, laugh at the absurdities of Beck and Palin, Bachmann, etc. But do not take them lightly. These fools are very dangerous. When you laugh at them, remember to tell others why they are such jokes. If you just make light of them, it is too easy for their supporters to brush you off. Let the people know how wrong these clowns are with their twisted versions of history and the distorted "facts" that Beck/Palin spout. That way, we can do even more to knock a few dents into the idiot reich wing of the elephant party. Hey, take down a few of the donkey gang as well. That "tribe" is just as bad as the elephants.
Oh, but while being critical of our dear politicians and the government, be very careful. Now that Go-bomber has declared that "we" can go after anybody at any time in any place, even US citizens, and "silence" them, we have to wonder just when they will start to crack down on things like this little corner of the internet.
Yes, Go-bomber has said that he will go after anybody who is deemed to be a "threat" to the US. The prime example is the American born guy who is supposedly with the al-Qaeda in Yemen. Go-bomber says he has the right to kill anybody like that person at any time in any place. By extension, that means that he thinks he could do whatever to silence or imprison folks like me. Yep, being critical of the "powers that be" just could become a crime here at home now.
Gee, aren't you all just so very happy we all got that neat "change" back in November of 2008? I sure as hell am.................NOT.
Well, no matter what Go-bomber thinks, this corner will continue to have my rants posted on it as long as I have something to say or until the old iMac quits. I don't plan on going away quietly. Nor do I plan on quitting, hell I never held any elected office, let alone a governorship. Yes, that was a "dig" at falin' Palin.
semper fi
29 August 2010
The non mosque and Beck, more random rants
Well it seems that I am going to have to comment on the non mosque planned for New York City.
You all know what I am talking about here. Yes, the "ground zero mosque". Yep, THAT mosque.
Well, for starters, it is NOT a mosque. It is a community center. The community center will include a basketball court and I even read that it is to have a swimming pool. It will have an area set aside for prayer.
Now while I do not live in New York city or state, I don't see why a community center could be a bad thing. As I understand it, it is planned as a place for ALL people to meet and possibly come to understand each other better. To my way of thinking this can only be a good idea.
Oh, some may say, the imam who is behind this community center is a "terrorist". Well, if that is so, why was he on a program on Faux Noise where he was proclaimed as a "good" Muslim?
The "idea"(??) that some how the "ground zero" in New York, New York is some sort of "sacred" ground is, to me, obscene. The whole bit of calling the site of the now destroyed World Trade Center as "ground zero" is incorrect. Until 9/11, or very shortly there after, the term "ground zero" had only been used to describe the place where a nuclear bomb had been detonated. Now this term is being used to describe an attack by nineteen radicals, the majority of whom were from Saudi Arabia, NOT Afghanistan or Iraq.
Well, I suppose that calling this site "ground zero" is just another example of how "9/11 changed everything". Yes, words mean what the writer or speaker wants them to mean, forget anything like dictionary definitions or past usage, that is now all different. Yep, thanks to 9/11, ALL is changed.
The "controversy over this community center, which is located far enough from the "sacred ground" that neither can be seen from the other. There is NO direct line of sight between the two. Also, there are many other businesses much closer to this new "sacred ground" that many people would not even care to visit. This IS New York city, where strip clubs can be across the street from a church. Why so upset over this community center?
Well, this weekend Washington D.C. had the "honor" of hosting the Glenn BEck "restoring our honor" rally. From what I have read on it, the turn out was fair, about 200,000 or so people. The National Park Service does not give counts for these sort of events according to most reports I have seen. No doubt Mr. Beck and Ms. Palin will try to claim numbers closer to one million. No doubt some "tea party" folks will echo that claim. Personally, I doubt they had more than 200,000 IF they had that many.
Now there were restrictions placed on the speakers. No kidding, honest, they were told that it could not be a political rally. That requirement was put on the rally by the main beneficiary of the rally. The group, Special Operations Warrior Foundation (SOWF) placed the "no politics" deal on the rally. This organization is not a political outfit and they do not want to be associated with a political event.
Money raised from the rally will be donated to SOWF, but, only after all expenses are paid. You know how that goes, they first have to pay form items like the port-a-potties and other items used by and for the rally. I wonder if "expenses" also includes the "speakers fees" that falin' Palin will collect for her yak to the folks who attended the rally.
Now maybe I am just some far out radical "professional" leftist, but I would think that the former half-term quitter of a governor would have given the speech for free. Oh, I'd have no trouble having her air fare paid by the organizers of the rally. Of course that would mean she would have to fly coach. Well, it was always the only way I ever flew, so if it was good enough for me, it sure would be good enough for her. Of course, I was never, nor will I ever be, a "celebrity". Then again, to my old fashioned thinking, neither is a half-term quitter any sort of "celebrity".
Yes, you can now see what I have finally come to see, old charlie (me) actually IS a member of the "professional" left. Yes, I see no problem with the proposed community center a few blocks away from and unseen from the "sacred" site of the 9/11 "ground zero". I also fail to see how a half-term quitter of a governor is a "celebrity" of any sort.
All this of course puts me deeply into the "professional" left in things here in old 'Merikkka, 2010. Yes, I believe that meeting and learning about people from different cultures and religions is a good thing. I believe that allowing people of different religions and cultures to open a community center, all people welcome, is a good thing for all of us.
I still find it odd though, that just having an open mind, a curious mind, makes me part of some "professional" left. All my nearly 63 years on this planet, I had thought that having an open mind, a curious mind, was just a sign of being curious and eager to learn. I never had any idea that I was in any way, being "professional" in that.
semper fi
You all know what I am talking about here. Yes, the "ground zero mosque". Yep, THAT mosque.
Well, for starters, it is NOT a mosque. It is a community center. The community center will include a basketball court and I even read that it is to have a swimming pool. It will have an area set aside for prayer.
Now while I do not live in New York city or state, I don't see why a community center could be a bad thing. As I understand it, it is planned as a place for ALL people to meet and possibly come to understand each other better. To my way of thinking this can only be a good idea.
Oh, some may say, the imam who is behind this community center is a "terrorist". Well, if that is so, why was he on a program on Faux Noise where he was proclaimed as a "good" Muslim?
The "idea"(??) that some how the "ground zero" in New York, New York is some sort of "sacred" ground is, to me, obscene. The whole bit of calling the site of the now destroyed World Trade Center as "ground zero" is incorrect. Until 9/11, or very shortly there after, the term "ground zero" had only been used to describe the place where a nuclear bomb had been detonated. Now this term is being used to describe an attack by nineteen radicals, the majority of whom were from Saudi Arabia, NOT Afghanistan or Iraq.
Well, I suppose that calling this site "ground zero" is just another example of how "9/11 changed everything". Yes, words mean what the writer or speaker wants them to mean, forget anything like dictionary definitions or past usage, that is now all different. Yep, thanks to 9/11, ALL is changed.
The "controversy over this community center, which is located far enough from the "sacred ground" that neither can be seen from the other. There is NO direct line of sight between the two. Also, there are many other businesses much closer to this new "sacred ground" that many people would not even care to visit. This IS New York city, where strip clubs can be across the street from a church. Why so upset over this community center?
Well, this weekend Washington D.C. had the "honor" of hosting the Glenn BEck "restoring our honor" rally. From what I have read on it, the turn out was fair, about 200,000 or so people. The National Park Service does not give counts for these sort of events according to most reports I have seen. No doubt Mr. Beck and Ms. Palin will try to claim numbers closer to one million. No doubt some "tea party" folks will echo that claim. Personally, I doubt they had more than 200,000 IF they had that many.
Now there were restrictions placed on the speakers. No kidding, honest, they were told that it could not be a political rally. That requirement was put on the rally by the main beneficiary of the rally. The group, Special Operations Warrior Foundation (SOWF) placed the "no politics" deal on the rally. This organization is not a political outfit and they do not want to be associated with a political event.
Money raised from the rally will be donated to SOWF, but, only after all expenses are paid. You know how that goes, they first have to pay form items like the port-a-potties and other items used by and for the rally. I wonder if "expenses" also includes the "speakers fees" that falin' Palin will collect for her yak to the folks who attended the rally.
Now maybe I am just some far out radical "professional" leftist, but I would think that the former half-term quitter of a governor would have given the speech for free. Oh, I'd have no trouble having her air fare paid by the organizers of the rally. Of course that would mean she would have to fly coach. Well, it was always the only way I ever flew, so if it was good enough for me, it sure would be good enough for her. Of course, I was never, nor will I ever be, a "celebrity". Then again, to my old fashioned thinking, neither is a half-term quitter any sort of "celebrity".
Yes, you can now see what I have finally come to see, old charlie (me) actually IS a member of the "professional" left. Yes, I see no problem with the proposed community center a few blocks away from and unseen from the "sacred" site of the 9/11 "ground zero". I also fail to see how a half-term quitter of a governor is a "celebrity" of any sort.
All this of course puts me deeply into the "professional" left in things here in old 'Merikkka, 2010. Yes, I believe that meeting and learning about people from different cultures and religions is a good thing. I believe that allowing people of different religions and cultures to open a community center, all people welcome, is a good thing for all of us.
I still find it odd though, that just having an open mind, a curious mind, makes me part of some "professional" left. All my nearly 63 years on this planet, I had thought that having an open mind, a curious mind, was just a sign of being curious and eager to learn. I never had any idea that I was in any way, being "professional" in that.
semper fi
16 August 2010
Covert war in Yemen
According to a news report in the Seattle Times on August 14 of this year, we are bombing people in Yemen. I tried to post the link to this story but could not get it to work.
To access this news report, please check the Counterpunch web site. Under their links for today, the link works, it is "The US war in Yemen" link. It is well worth your time to check this report.
Of course we "need" this deal in Yemen. After all, the two current wars, Iraq and Afghanistan are not going very good for us. Combat troops are supposed to be leaving Iraq soon and the "deadline" is for troops to start leaving Afghanistan next year.
Now we all know that these two "dead lines" are "conditions based", which means that they may not go as we are being told. The troops just might not leave as planned, since at any time, the "bad guys" might make our staying necessary.
The war in Yemen, and Somalia are just what the war lovers need and want. The goal, the real goal, is for America to be stuck in endless wars. Endless wars for endless profits. Obscene profits true, but endless profits for the "too big to fail" crew. Endless profits for the war industries. Endless profits for the mercenary companies. And endless pain and suffering for the troops and their families.
All the secret wars are needed by the war profiteers. They will remain secret until one or both of our currently "public" wars in Iraq and Afghanistan actually end.
No doubt outfits like "talk" radio and Faux Noise will be cheering these secret wars and demand that they stay secret. The folks who buy into such "news" will cheer the attacks when they are reported and demand that "we" bomb more "terrerists". The far right will also demand ever more killings of the "bad guys". And all the time "we" are off in more secret wars, the infrastructure here at home crumbles. Unemployment rises, health care at home declines, and people in America go hungry.
Now, I would like the "loyal" Democrats who tell me that I "must" vote for that party to explain just how Go-bomber is NOT as bad or worse than Shrubbie was.
We have a Democrat as president, the Democrats have majorities in BOTH houses of Congress and we are in more wars, secret and open, than when Shrubbie was president. How are we, the American people, any better off? Why should we ever vote for another Democrat?
A pox on both of the "animal" parties.
semper fi
14 August 2010
Just my opinion
I have a bit more to add to the story, or non-story, as it may be, regards the pouting of little Robbie Gibbs the other day.
As you recall, little Mr. Gibbs called out the "professional" left over them not being fully supportive of our "dear leader" Go-bomber.
I was told the other day, by a friend of mine via an email on this topic that I am a part of that very same "professional" left! Imagine that! Yep, old, disabled, former US Marine/Vietnam vet as a "professional" lefty! It struck me as odd and I had to email her back for why I might be considered such. Her reply was, basically that as I am not, nor have I ever been, a member of the elephant gang. Also, not being a member of the donkey gang plus the fact that I have been critical of Go-bomber, that I am a part of what Mr. Gibbs terms the "professional" left.
Well, OK, if that is what a "professional" lefty is, then I am such a critter. I still cannot quite accept myself as being a professional anything now days. I was a professional machinist, well I was a real journeyman machinist, having gone through a valid apprenticeship. This blog is in no way "professional" in my own opinion. I have not taken any classes on how to write except for what we may have had back in high school. Yes, they did have high school when I was a kid, and yes, I was young once.
This blog is just an outlet for my opinions and rants, it was not, nor is it intended to be "professional".
I fail to see how Go-bomber and Gibbs can be so upset with any of us who look at this administration with a critical eye and then not be in full support of it. Just what has Go-bomber done for us, the working class people?
The "stimulus" bill that passed? Just what did that stimulate? If the stimulus had been effective, I would think the economy would be better off than it is. I would think that an effective stimulus would have cut unemployment rather than seeing unemployment rise, as it has done.
Can the administration think the health care "reform" is something the working class should applaud? Why? Who benefits the most from that "reform"? Answer, the health care insurance companies is who benefits the most. What is really needed is a true national health care system. Either a Medicare for all or something like they have in Canada. What we get is more profit for the insurance industry, with little to no real benefit for the people.
Can the administration expect the working class to cheer the Wall Street "reform"? What reform? As far as I can tell is still business as usual. We still do not have anything like the old Glass-Steagal Act. The "too big to fail" banksters are still in charge of things. Just where is that "reform"?
If any of you good people who read this blog have any ideas, please feel free to comment and set me straight on these matters.
As to Mr. Gibbs saying he thinks that the "professional"left should be drug tested, well, how about the same for the entire administration? What is good for us ought to be good for them also.
Does Mr. Gibbs realize that the polls show that support for Go-bomber has dropped around 20 points since he took office? Can he really think that is because of the "professional" left and people like me? Does this administration honestly think that my little corner of the internet is why the popularity of "dear leader" has fallen?
Just why should we support this administration? Please do not come back with the very tired and very old bit as how the elephant gang would be worse. We know that already, after all, we suffered through eight years of Cheney/Shrub. We catch the crap being spewed by the right wing, by Faux Noise, and talk(?) radio. Just saying this gang is better than the last is not exactly something to be so proud about.
Mr. Gibbs objects to some of us saying that in some ways, Go-bomber is no better, and in some ways, even worse than Shrubbie was. Well, Mr. Gibbs, then why does your boss, Go-bomber, continue with the very same damn fool wars of choice? Why has he not closed Gitmo, as he promised to do within one year of his being in office? Why has Go-bomber not repealed the worst parts of the vicious "Patriot Act"? Why has he not only continued, but increased the "national security(?)" system?
How is it, that with clear majorities in BOTH houses of Congress, has Go-bomber not really pushed needed legislation? Why does he continue to cave in to the far right wing of the elephant gang? Why has he not made use of the bully pulpit of the presidency? Why does this administration allow the elephant gang to set the agenda?
What we have is not a pro-active administration, but a reactive one. Our president has done next to nothing of real benefit for the working class. And yet, his chief spokesperson demands(!!) that we all get drug tested!
No matter what Mr. Gibbs or his boss think I should do, I will continue to read and then think for myself. I will read and try to learn all I can on a wide variety of topics and then give my opinion on them. It is still a free country and the Bill of Rights still guarantees free speech. I will continue to exercise that right, among others.
If this president does something worth cheering about, then I will cheer them. Whether they do or not, I will continue to voice my opinions, at this corner and in person.
I do not accept comments I have run across from some die hard Democrats who say that Go-bomber has been high-jacked, or that he has no other options. Bull crap! In my opinion, he sold out long before he even ran for his current job. I do not think he ever really cared about being a pro-active president in any way. In my view, he just wanted to be president to be able to say that he held that job, period. Much like what I thought and still think about old Billy Bob Bubba Clinton. For the rest of their lives, they both can say, "I was the president of the United States of America".
This president has had a clear majority in BOTH houses of Congress, and yet, he continues to cave in to the right wing elephant gang. He allows the far right to set the agenda.
In my opinion, this president has no vision at all of what he thinks the country could be or should be. Other than that we, the working class, should bow down before the "too big to fail" banksters and the war industries/oil conglomerates. We should all cheer this guy for everything he does, even though it has little or no benefit to us. He serves the ruling class of the country, just like the other "professional" politicians who populate the Congress and most every state house in the country.
While I know there are many who feel cheated by this president, those who swallowed his campaign crap and thought they were voting for real change, I don't feel that way. Early in 2008, one of my cousins emailed me that he liked what Go-bomber was saying. I asked just what it was that he said that was so "great". The reply was that Go-bomber spoke in sentences that my cousin could understand. In short, he basically said nothing, but he said it very nicely. I voted for Ms. McKinney, THAT would have been real change.
While the left rattles on and on about how the far right has "drunk the kool-aid", they also seem to have done the same. When I hear/read them telling all that "we" MUST vote for the donkey gang, I am unsure if I should laugh or throw up. The donkey and elephant gangs are just two sides of the very same war party gang. Actually, they are the two wings of that war party. The donkey gang is just a little bit sneakier about their true motives than the elephants are.
I hope that the people wake up to this soon. This coming election, I will not vote for either a donkey, nor an elephant. As I have said before at this old corner, neither are house broken. They both tramp through the flower beds and shit in the yard. A pox on both of them. We have the option, in many states, to vote for third party candidates. If you trust a candidate from either wing of the war party, well, then do so. Just don't cry to me when that person throws you under the bus.
This country needs to end the idiot wars of choice. These wars do not make us any safer. In fact we just create more enemies for every person we kill. The country needs real, well paying jobs. We need a true national health care system that covers ALL Americans. We need to end the domestic spying and either cut back or better yet, eliminate that vile "Patriot Act". We need to seriously reform Wall Street and then put in place rules and monitors to enforce the rules to prevent more abuses by the "too big to fail" banksters.
Those are just the immediate needs of the country. To me they are the top priorities. Any other suggestions are always welcome here. But, rather than tell me, tell your representatives.
semper fi
As you recall, little Mr. Gibbs called out the "professional" left over them not being fully supportive of our "dear leader" Go-bomber.
I was told the other day, by a friend of mine via an email on this topic that I am a part of that very same "professional" left! Imagine that! Yep, old, disabled, former US Marine/Vietnam vet as a "professional" lefty! It struck me as odd and I had to email her back for why I might be considered such. Her reply was, basically that as I am not, nor have I ever been, a member of the elephant gang. Also, not being a member of the donkey gang plus the fact that I have been critical of Go-bomber, that I am a part of what Mr. Gibbs terms the "professional" left.
Well, OK, if that is what a "professional" lefty is, then I am such a critter. I still cannot quite accept myself as being a professional anything now days. I was a professional machinist, well I was a real journeyman machinist, having gone through a valid apprenticeship. This blog is in no way "professional" in my own opinion. I have not taken any classes on how to write except for what we may have had back in high school. Yes, they did have high school when I was a kid, and yes, I was young once.
This blog is just an outlet for my opinions and rants, it was not, nor is it intended to be "professional".
I fail to see how Go-bomber and Gibbs can be so upset with any of us who look at this administration with a critical eye and then not be in full support of it. Just what has Go-bomber done for us, the working class people?
The "stimulus" bill that passed? Just what did that stimulate? If the stimulus had been effective, I would think the economy would be better off than it is. I would think that an effective stimulus would have cut unemployment rather than seeing unemployment rise, as it has done.
Can the administration think the health care "reform" is something the working class should applaud? Why? Who benefits the most from that "reform"? Answer, the health care insurance companies is who benefits the most. What is really needed is a true national health care system. Either a Medicare for all or something like they have in Canada. What we get is more profit for the insurance industry, with little to no real benefit for the people.
Can the administration expect the working class to cheer the Wall Street "reform"? What reform? As far as I can tell is still business as usual. We still do not have anything like the old Glass-Steagal Act. The "too big to fail" banksters are still in charge of things. Just where is that "reform"?
If any of you good people who read this blog have any ideas, please feel free to comment and set me straight on these matters.
As to Mr. Gibbs saying he thinks that the "professional"left should be drug tested, well, how about the same for the entire administration? What is good for us ought to be good for them also.
Does Mr. Gibbs realize that the polls show that support for Go-bomber has dropped around 20 points since he took office? Can he really think that is because of the "professional" left and people like me? Does this administration honestly think that my little corner of the internet is why the popularity of "dear leader" has fallen?
Just why should we support this administration? Please do not come back with the very tired and very old bit as how the elephant gang would be worse. We know that already, after all, we suffered through eight years of Cheney/Shrub. We catch the crap being spewed by the right wing, by Faux Noise, and talk(?) radio. Just saying this gang is better than the last is not exactly something to be so proud about.
Mr. Gibbs objects to some of us saying that in some ways, Go-bomber is no better, and in some ways, even worse than Shrubbie was. Well, Mr. Gibbs, then why does your boss, Go-bomber, continue with the very same damn fool wars of choice? Why has he not closed Gitmo, as he promised to do within one year of his being in office? Why has Go-bomber not repealed the worst parts of the vicious "Patriot Act"? Why has he not only continued, but increased the "national security(?)" system?
How is it, that with clear majorities in BOTH houses of Congress, has Go-bomber not really pushed needed legislation? Why does he continue to cave in to the far right wing of the elephant gang? Why has he not made use of the bully pulpit of the presidency? Why does this administration allow the elephant gang to set the agenda?
What we have is not a pro-active administration, but a reactive one. Our president has done next to nothing of real benefit for the working class. And yet, his chief spokesperson demands(!!) that we all get drug tested!
No matter what Mr. Gibbs or his boss think I should do, I will continue to read and then think for myself. I will read and try to learn all I can on a wide variety of topics and then give my opinion on them. It is still a free country and the Bill of Rights still guarantees free speech. I will continue to exercise that right, among others.
If this president does something worth cheering about, then I will cheer them. Whether they do or not, I will continue to voice my opinions, at this corner and in person.
I do not accept comments I have run across from some die hard Democrats who say that Go-bomber has been high-jacked, or that he has no other options. Bull crap! In my opinion, he sold out long before he even ran for his current job. I do not think he ever really cared about being a pro-active president in any way. In my view, he just wanted to be president to be able to say that he held that job, period. Much like what I thought and still think about old Billy Bob Bubba Clinton. For the rest of their lives, they both can say, "I was the president of the United States of America".
This president has had a clear majority in BOTH houses of Congress, and yet, he continues to cave in to the right wing elephant gang. He allows the far right to set the agenda.
In my opinion, this president has no vision at all of what he thinks the country could be or should be. Other than that we, the working class, should bow down before the "too big to fail" banksters and the war industries/oil conglomerates. We should all cheer this guy for everything he does, even though it has little or no benefit to us. He serves the ruling class of the country, just like the other "professional" politicians who populate the Congress and most every state house in the country.
While I know there are many who feel cheated by this president, those who swallowed his campaign crap and thought they were voting for real change, I don't feel that way. Early in 2008, one of my cousins emailed me that he liked what Go-bomber was saying. I asked just what it was that he said that was so "great". The reply was that Go-bomber spoke in sentences that my cousin could understand. In short, he basically said nothing, but he said it very nicely. I voted for Ms. McKinney, THAT would have been real change.
While the left rattles on and on about how the far right has "drunk the kool-aid", they also seem to have done the same. When I hear/read them telling all that "we" MUST vote for the donkey gang, I am unsure if I should laugh or throw up. The donkey and elephant gangs are just two sides of the very same war party gang. Actually, they are the two wings of that war party. The donkey gang is just a little bit sneakier about their true motives than the elephants are.
I hope that the people wake up to this soon. This coming election, I will not vote for either a donkey, nor an elephant. As I have said before at this old corner, neither are house broken. They both tramp through the flower beds and shit in the yard. A pox on both of them. We have the option, in many states, to vote for third party candidates. If you trust a candidate from either wing of the war party, well, then do so. Just don't cry to me when that person throws you under the bus.
This country needs to end the idiot wars of choice. These wars do not make us any safer. In fact we just create more enemies for every person we kill. The country needs real, well paying jobs. We need a true national health care system that covers ALL Americans. We need to end the domestic spying and either cut back or better yet, eliminate that vile "Patriot Act". We need to seriously reform Wall Street and then put in place rules and monitors to enforce the rules to prevent more abuses by the "too big to fail" banksters.
Those are just the immediate needs of the country. To me they are the top priorities. Any other suggestions are always welcome here. But, rather than tell me, tell your representatives.
semper fi