Post #318: Random Thoughts
I'm a bit burned-out this evening. I have been up for almost twenty-four hours, and I'm not even close to a decent night's sleep. There is so much to say - and not nearly enough time to say it. I'm not in any condition to put it all down here. To quote Mr. Lennon, "Strange days indeed". I am of the opinion that what is about to happen to this once-great nation is too fucking horrible to articulate. I may need a few days, at the very least, to come to grips with it all. Goodnight, America. In the mean time, here are a few assorted observations that I had scribbled in my notebook, or posted on other naughty, LEFT WING websites. This is nothing more than a cut and paste job. I'm not trying to portray myself as an astute observer of the human tragedy. This is merely what I feel at this particular moment in our weird and twisted history. Happy reading, folks!
THE KEITH RICHARDS MEMOIRS
`
Not Fad
e Away….I always loved the Stones – and Richards was always my favorite. I met Mick Jagger in 1985. I would gladly trade that opportunity to have met “Keef”.
But it has to be stated – with all due respect to the man – that the Stones pretty much died decades ago. For the last twenty years they have merely been a nostalgia band - nothing more. The last recording of theirs that made any impact on me was Harlem Shuffle, and that was back in the eighties! Their last LP of any merit (and mind you, this is only my humble opinion) was “Emotional Rescue” nearly three decades ago.
In 1970, the Beatles broke up leaving the world wanting more. Begging for more in fact. The Rolling Stones just faded away. Sad.
THE "CONTROVERSY" REGARDING THAT OTHER KEITH
So, Keith Olb
ermann donated some cash to a couple of Democratic candidates? I am shocked. SHOCKED!
Conflict of interest? Please. He should have donated to the candidacies of Michelle Bachmann or Rand Paul. Now THAT would have constituted a conflict of interest!
Could it be that the suits at MSNBC thought they had finally found the excuse they needed in order to silence the most lethal progressive voice broadcasting in the main stream media today? Remember, that network didn’t “go left” a few years ago out of any ideological conviction. It was purely a business decision on their part. After all, they had at one time given a forum to Michael Wiener Savage among other people…
“Alan Keyes Is Making Sense”. Remember that little early evening atrocity from about a decade ago?
“Watch It with Laura Ingram”. Who among us can forget that monumental, televised train wreck?
MSNBC eventually realized that they couldn’t outfox FOX Noise so they went to the left out of sheer desperation. It turned out to be a damned good move on their part. Maybe they thought they could finally afford to dump the most visible thorn in the side of the right wing plutocracy. The joke is on them They couldn't! Nyah!
MORE MEMOIRS: GEORGE W. BUSH
So, Ge
orge W. Bush has written his memoirs, huh? One could only expect a pop-up book from this knucklehead.
Recently I received an e-mail from the Bush/Cheney Alumni Association. Yeah, I admit it - I subscribe. It is an amusing thing indeed to watch these nitwits try to rewrite history. I suggest you all subscribe. There is so much entertainment value to be gotten from this site - and SCADS of unintentional humor!
The e-mail contained a link to a video of Dubyah promoting his new book. When I attempted to click it on, instead of the Bush's image, the following words appeared on the screen:
"An Unexpected Error Has Occurred"
Those are the only true words I have ever received from the Bush/Cheney Alumni Association.
Having said that, let me say this:
Nearly three-quarters-of-a-century after it was made illegal; half-a-century after it was proven to be practically harmless - why is it still a crime to possess and smoke marijuana?
Here is a list of ten famous people - heavy smokers all - who died of lung cancer:
Edward R. Murrow
Nat King Cole
George Harrison
John Huston
Noel Coward
Betty Grable
Walt Disney
Gary Cooper
Peter Jennings
Here is another list. Ten famous alcoholics who drank themselves to death:
W.C. Fields
Jack Kerouac
Truman Capote
Robert Benchley
Keith Moon
Bix Beiderbecke
Montgomery Clift
Dylan Thomas
John Barrymore
Errol Flynn
Now I'm going to ask you to name for me one celebrity who has died from too much grass.
Go on, I'm waiting.....
You couldn't do it, could you? Don't feel bad. Neither could I. Not only have I never heard of anyone dying in that matter, I am not aware of it happening in all recorded human history! How could it possibly be that in 2010, are we still having this stupid conversation?
Is it a "gateway drug" as they never tire of reminding us? Yeah, it probably is. But so is Miller High Life - the Champagne of Bottled Beer . Let's get a grip here, okay?
THE PARTY'S OVER
The twentieth century was the American Century. The twenty-first will be the Chinese Century. Our representatives (from both sides of the aisle) will see to that. Get used to the idea.
AND FINALLY, MY FAVORITE SUBJECT
Regar
ding Sarah Plain: To paraphrase the late, great Molly Ivins in a slightly different context:If that woman's IQ slips any lower we're gonna have to start watering her twice a day.
Cheerio! Pip! Pip!
Tom Degan
Goshen NY
tomdegan@frontiernet.net
AFTERTHOUGHT:
The photograph at the top of this piece is of little ol' me. It was taken on May 18 of this year inside Studio Number Three at the Abbey Road recording facilities in London, England. At the moment the photo was taken, I was listening to the master tape of John Lennon's "Imagine" in surround sound. What can I tell you? It was one of those mountaintop moments.
Imagine no
possessionsI wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger
A brotherhood [and sisterhood] of man
Imagine all the people sharing all the world
Goddammit, I miss John Lennon.
posted by Tom Degan @ 7:32 PM
62 comments
62 Comments:
Bob Marley from inhaling the happy baccy!
Den From Oz
Don't be so down Tom. Things will get better they always do!
I miss the extremely awesome, talented John Lennon too!
@ Den from Oz... I believe Bob Marley died of cancer. not a cancer related to smoking pot - apparently he had some sort of cancer in a big toe and refused to allow it to be amputated. some metastasizing later, the Reaper told him "It's time, Bob". I'm sure Tom will correct me if I'm wrong (info gleaned from Biography channel)
Another plea for help from a conservative and some thoughts on pot.
Pot First
First, I don't touch the stuff and generally don't approve of unhealthy behavior, BUT I wonder if the facts support the ban on its use. Couple things I wonder about:
First, do you know that the value (amount produced x price) of the US pot crop is worth more than the entire US corn crop each year. If you have ever driven west and see how much corn is grown, that's amazing. Obviously its a product that many citizens want away from our governments interference.
If that many people use it, our laws and enforcement have no real effect.
I wonder if more people, on a percentage basis, die from pot related injures that from alcohol related injuries? illnesses? Or over and prescribed meds for that matter.
Gateway drug? If you ask a crack head if he started on marijuana, you would probably get a lot of yes answers. If you ask everyone who ever smoked marajuana if they had smoked crack, you would probably get a very small number. The second sentence of this paragraph is the context that needs to be understood to claim pot is a gateway.
As a conservative libertarian, I don't touch the stuff but am not fully convinced by the arguments against its illegality.
Anyway, would a liberal help a conservative question of the day is:
Explain whether this speakers assertion is consistent with the 1st amendment. You can figure out what I think. Tell me where I am wrong.
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2010/11/17/sen_rockefeller_fcc_should_take_fox_news_msnbc_off_airwaves.html
To the best of my recollection, Bob Marley died of a brain tumor, which was the same illness my father died from. Dad was not a pot smoker. Just a thought.
boltok "First, do you know that the value (amount produced x price) of the US pot crop is worth more than the entire US corn crop each year."
To be fair, part of that is because it's illegal.
"I wonder if more people, on a percentage basis, die from pot related injures that from alcohol related injuries?"
What's a "pot related injury"? Cheetos fingers? Talking about your hand, man?
"illnesses?"
Reefer Madness is not a documentary. It's not like crystal meth, where you burn off your life, or alcohol, where you burn off your liver. It's main downside is an urge to play the acoustic guitar.
Pot is theoretically worse than tobacco. It's higher in every bad (made worse by the filterless nature of joints), although that's from smoking versus pot brownies or vaporizing, and some recent research has unearthed a link between a certain recessive gene, pot, and a higher than normal risk of activating latent schizophrenia. That said:
1. It's your body.
2. See #1.
"Gateway drug? If you ask a crack head if he started on marijuana, you would probably get a lot of yes answers. If you ask everyone who ever smoked marajuana if they had smoked crack, you would probably get a very small number. The second sentence of this paragraph is the context that needs to be understood to claim pot is a gateway."
Now ask a drunk what his gateway drug was. That, even if true, is not a good reason to ban it. Plenty of pot smokers are like casual drinkers.
Punishing the whole because some go too far is foolish. Worse, it doesn't work. Prohibition just drives it underground. Prohibition just makes bad people rich. Prohibition just contributes to the Police State.
"As a conservative libertarian..."
The libertarian part of that implies that it's nobody's damn business but you what you put in your own body.
"...I don't touch the stuff but am not fully convinced by the arguments against its illegality."
1. The arguments for its prohibition weren't any good (time has whitewashed history somewhat, but a bunch of the arguments revolved around baiting Unpopular Minorities).
2. The arguments for its prohibition aren't getting any better (and any argument for it applies in spades for alcohol.
3. Virtually all research in to the subject indicates that it has medicinal qualities (appetite enhancer, nausea minimizer, at the least) with minimal side effects and low cost. Synthetic THC (Dronabinol/Marinol) is less effective. Anecdotally, the worst pot does is make the dull and lazy a little bit duller and a little bit more lazy.
"Explain whether this speakers assertion is consistent with the 1st amendment. You can figure out what I think. Tell me where I am wrong."
First, equating MSNBC with Fox News is wildly, madly wrong (I can't watch the video where I am, so I'm going by the text). While I have issues with MSNBC's Ed Shultz's buffoonery (I'm the pointy-headed kind of liberal, not the blue-collar'd kind), Olbermann is not O'Reilly, Maddow is not Beck. One calls out both sides (the other gets it more primarily because, and I can't stress this enough, it is out of it's fucking mind), the other acts as the propaganda wing of the GOP (to the point that some of its last batch of its presidental candidates get shows). Fox is poison to public dialogue.
That said, it's not consistent with the 1st Amendment. The best way to fight bad speech is with better speech (which would be much easier if the MSM ever did research anymore). Suppression doesn't work (indeed, in the case of the FoxNews crowd, attempts at suppression would make it worse. It's hard being the Popular Majority, apparently).
MO
I think virtually everyone on msnbc is a fool as well as the majority of the msm. I think the nytimes is good for house training dogs, but i would never question their right to do what they do.
Watch the video and report back, is this what the democratic party really stands for?
Marley died from a malignant melanoma that began in his toe and spread to his lungs and brain. It was not at all related to his marijuana use. Pot is illegal for several reasons, some political, some economic and some just ridiculous. When prohibition ended Harry Anslinger needed something for his alcohol enforcement agents to do. Marijuana was an easy target as back then it was used mostly by minorities and musicians. So came the propaganda of Reefer Madness and since reefer users back in the 1930s had no political power whatsoever ( apparently Hollywood types just laid low and figured they wouldn't be hassled anyhow ) it was easy to outlaw pot. Then of course in the 1960s most pot smokers were those rotten no good hippies who were against the Viet Nam war and were in general anti-establishment. The surviving people from the Nixon administration still hate hippies to this day. Edwin Meese said that we "disrespected " the establishment !! As you can see from how Amerika turned out today the establishment deserved NO respect. So to get back at the hippies LSD was made illegal and pot was kept illegal. Jacob Javits told my HS class on the steps of the Capitol in 1973 that pot would be legal within 5 yrs. in response to a question from our hippie class president. The hatred of the counter-culture by the establishment is still strong today. If hippies were capable of hate the feeling would be mutual. But I say forgive them Lord they no not what they've done. Today economic factors keep pot illegal. Corruption in government and a privatized prison system fed by harmless pot smokers contribute greatly to this counterproductive prohibition of a BENEFICIAL plant. Well that's the short of it. Anyone who wants to know more should read the late Jack Herer's book The Emperor Wears No Clothes.
The unfortunate thing about pot prohibition is that many people do claim it has medicinal value. Yet the government refuses to allow serious study of a natural plant that seems to be far less harmful than many FDA approved drugs. The FDA will approve almost anything for big pharma regardless of its value or harm.
I have no clue why pot is still illegal but I do love your comment about Sarah. While watching that clip of her reality show, she says, "No boys upstairs..." Uh, I think that is closing the barn door after the horses have escaped. She's already a grandmother so keeping the boys away from the girls is kind of moot.
boltok "I think virtually everyone on msnbc is a fool as well as the majority of the msm."
And of the non-msnbc, non-msm media, what is your opinion? Any grains of gold in that festering pile of white resentment?
"Watch the video and report back, is this what the democratic party really stands for?"
I should hope not. The fallacy of the golden mean is a poor Party platform.
That said, it's just one guy. Is Michele Bachmann's Argument from Ignorance her party's platform? Okay, bad example.
charles moore "Yet the government refuses to allow serious study of a natural plant that seems to be far less harmful than many FDA approved drugs."
Not true. They do [occasionally] allow "serious studies" (which pretty consistently find what the rest of us already know), and every twenty years or so they have a "So, what's this all about, then?" commission research and submit a report. Then it's all ignored, so that politicians, judges (where elected) and sheriffs (where elected) can say that they're tough on crime.
Stoners don't vote. Pearl Clutchers do.
So much here to applaud and/or grieve with you for. The stand-out segment for me today is on tobacco: I'm about to go ballistic over our institutionalized ambivalence about tobacco. We finally catch up with Canada on the scary packaging, but we cannot make tobacco an illegal substance in America because it is too integral to our economy. We market it aggressively to developing countries while scolding them on human rights issues. The medical costs make a whopping contribution to our national debt. We are no more sane about the much more highly addictive substance, nicotine, than we are about cannabis in this country.
First time reading your Rant, Tom, and I find it straight up and fuckin hilarious! BTW, marijuanna was made illegal way back because Mexicans were bringing it over here and the self righteous religious sect deemed it unseemly. I've never smoked anything, but thank god my mom does! She'd be a lunatic without it!
Tommy D,
Once the lads from liverpool started earning some money, I think they realized what parasitic pick-pockets the British Socialists were. George wrote the song with some help from John. I'm glad at least one beatle wasn't a socialist/commie.
Harrison said, "'Taxman' was when I first realised that even though we had started earning money, we were actually giving most of it away in taxes. It was and still is typical."
Let me tell you how it will be
There's one for you, nineteen for me
Cause I'm the tax man
Yea I'm the tax man
Should five percent appear too small
Be thankful I don't take it all
Cause I'm the tax man
Yea I'm the tax man
If you drive a car - I'll tax the street
If you try to sit - I'll tax your seat
If you get too cold I'll tax the heat
If you take a walk I'll tax your feet
Tax man
Well I'm the tax man
Yea I'm the tax man
Don't ask me what I want it for
If you don't want to pay some more
Cause I'm the tax man
Yea I'm the tax man
Now my advice for those who die (tax man)
Declare the pennies on your eyes (tax man)
Cause I'm the tax man
Yea I'm the tax man
And you're working for no one but me
(Tax man)
Mo
The point is not what I think of one group or another. It is not that point at all. If your the type that thinks that Olbermann, Madcow, and Schultz propagate information you deem relevant, then the first amendment does protect the delivery and the receipt of communication. Likewise with source you don't. If you don't like the message, dont listen. I think many liberals selectively interpret the constitution to accomplish their ends.
Before you go on a fox rant, think about nbc/msnbc for a moment. Did nbc/msnbc/cnbc receive a bailout from the government. Are they in line to receive mountainous government contracts. I know that nbc is being sold, but yes, through the parent General Electric. If you think government funded or government influenced companies are not a more serious issue than fox, I think you should revisit the history books.
boltok "If your the type that thinks that Olbermann, Madcow, and Schultz propagate information you deem relevant…"
Don't like Schultz, Matthews is too "beltway liberal", can barely tolerate Olbermann (since his hatchet job on Scott Brown), don't mind Maddow.
Also, "Madcow"? Way to keep it classy.
The best news program is Frontline (which, sadly, is only one story at a time. Frontline/World never really caught me). If everybody else tried to keep up with that show, we wouldn't be in such a conversational pickle. One Frontline isn't nearly enough to counter the miles-deep pile of Tribal FUD (and Americans don't watch, or don't receive, generally competent news coverage from foreign orgs, like the BBC and CBC).
Ha! PBS, BBC and CBC. I just noticed that they've got something in common. Two things, if you include the fact that the Right hates them.
"…then the first amendment does protect the delivery and the receipt of communication."
At least until Obama comes and takes all our guns and puts us in to those FEMA camps!
"I think many liberals selectively interpret the constitution to accomplish their ends."
At worst that's a tu quoque.
"Before you go on a fox rant, think about nbc/msnbc for a moment."
MSNBC went Left(ish). They didn't go Tribal.
"If you think government funded or government influenced companies are not a more serious issue than fox, I think you should revisit the history books."
They're both bad. Both had a vested interest, for example, in beating the war drums in the run up to Iraq (GE for its part in the military/industrial complex and it's news arm for access and ratings. Fox for ratings. Fox's masters for getting support for the war). Both fell down on the "investigation" part of journalism, with the same effect but for different reasons.
That said, while GE is a part of the Establishment, FoxNews is [part of] the propaganda arm of the GOP:
1. Right-wing bloggers, talk radio hosts, and other conservative media outlets start promoting and distorting the story.
2. Fox News picks up the story and gives it heavy, one-sided coverage.
3. Fox News and conservative media attack the "liberal media" for ignoring the distorted story.
4. Mainstream media outlets eventually cover the story, echoing the right-wing distortions.
5. Fox News receives credit for promoting the story.
6. The story is later proven to be false or wildly misleading, long after damage is done. (fm mediamatters)
ACORN, New Black Panthers, Shirley Sherrod, "Ground Zero Mosque", etc, all follow this pattern. That's not the action of a news organization. That's the operation of a smear organization. That's the the operation of a group that doesn't care about being right, it only cares about winning, no matter how many people get hurt in the process (as long as it's not them). That's the model of an ideology that does not care what the truth is. Lying is a part of FoxNews' businesses model. And it's legal.
MO
ACORN, New Black Panthers, Shirley Sherrod, "Ground Zero Mosque"
Find some better examples.
Acorn corrupt
NBPanterhs, major infighting in justice dept over this
Sherrod and look up her husband- racists and filling their pockets with govt cash
Ground Zero Mosque - read about religous imperialism, Spaniards in Inca empire, etc. I'm tired of the Mooselem worship by the left. This religion of peace houses more murderers than any other group on the planet.
Peace loving mooselems:
http://www.cnn.com/video/?/video/world/2010/11/18/sayah.pakistan.blasphemy.claim.cnn
Boltok, in your response to Modusoperandi, you said: "Find some better examples."
How's this? Are they better?
The list goes on-and-on. Want more?
Boltok, you made the comment, "Peace loving mooselems", along with a non-hyperlink. Honestly, I fail to see how this even remotely pertains to the "Ground Zero Mosque" (which it isn't) and the right's manic position to stop the permitting and construction of this building (that's blocks away, and isn't, really, a mosque).
Anyway, I can be as fallacious and illogical in promoting ideas that don't exactly prove a point, also. For example, watch this very graphic and violent video of how The Empire perpetuates cruelty towards Muslims.
By the way, I'm neither condoning nor pardoning the violent nature of some who practice the Islam religion, just as I don't condone or pardon the insanity that seems to run wild by a minority within the other two major monotheistic religions. Personally, I think all their followers are misguided and brainwashed, but that's my own opinion.
JG
Media matters is a crock and that list is a whole lot of nothing. Who pays for MMatters, Soros perhaps? You could put a list together like that for any mainstream media outlet, not to mention their errors of ommision on a daily basis. Again if you dont like it dont watch it. I dont watch the MSNBC crap, because I deem it to be so. Let me get your argument, Fox is a corporation, corporation bad, Fox bad. How about GE then.
The religous imperialist handbook for thousands of years is to destroy places of worship and authority in targeted lands and build your house of worship/authority in the exact footprint of those places. The ground zero mosque is a close as they can get. These people would build on 1/2 World Trade Center if they could buy the property. If that's ok with you, good for you.
And as far a muslims go, millions of americans need to get raped at airports becuase of the threat that a significant portion of their population present. A significant proportion of them are dedicated murderers. Explain the religous tolerance in that cnn video. The rest of us now have stick are heads up our own asses and pretend that they are not.
Bob Marley seems to have died from "acral lentiginous melanoma, a form of malignant melanoma"
I have stumbled into a group of people who, like myself, have chronic pain problems. Arthritis, cancers, bone injuries etc and they all hurt 24/7 even with the best meds they can afford from the establishment. But pot helps them get on with their days, mow lawns, pay bills, donate to charities and so on. I confessed to one awhile back that pot can't get me "high" anymore thanks to the terrible daily pain I deal with. It mitigates pain at best, and that is better than the addictive pills that my doctors prescribe. Pot lasts much longer than Tramadol, Lyrica or Cymbalta, all of which I take several times a day, not so much because they seem to work but withdrawal can be worse than the original disease. So I try to reason with prohibitionists but they keep parroting slogans like "killer weed" and "gateway drug" even when they themselves have tried it in the past and didn't go on to heroin. I just want a small greenhouse where I can grow enough to keep me gardening or driving down to see my comatose son. That would be great.
Tom, yer absolutely right about Amerika. Our best bet is hoping it breaks up into a federation of regional governments.
Here is a conspiracy theory:
Is this a TSA plant to scare us into submission, just before the holidays?
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/20/world/europe/20germany.html
WS
You mentioned your son a couple posts ago. Sorry to hear that. I wish you both well.
No, Boltok, Media Matters for America isn't funded by George Soros, but it does play an important public service by exposing untruths and lies in various media when it knowingly distorts or misrepresents events, information, or facts. Media Matters is non-partisan in its efforts, only seemingly exposing Fox News more, along with individuals of the conservative persuasion, simply because they're caught in these transgressions more often than their liberal brethren. I assume this is due to one or two reasons: conservative mouthpieces (in the conservative media) are not intelligent or savvy enough to realize that free-thinking individuals are wise to their shenanigans, or, secondly, they, themselves, believe their own nonsense and lies and so, therefore, fall into the same category as their target audience. Either way, if you're a follower and believer of everything Fox News reports, you're among a very select group.
As former Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan once said, "You are entitled to your opinion. But you are not entitled to your own facts." This applies to individuals and the media.
As far as your own dislike of Islam, that's your prerogative and right, but your intolerance to the point of advocating legal remedies as to where they cannot worship their perceived maker, smacks of totalitarianism -- certainly not the libertarianism that you avow to follow. If you recall, our Constitution's 1st Amendment of the Bill of Rights was originally written to allow the free practice of religion -- no matter one's beliefs or consciousness -- as long as it didn't infringe upon others' natural or legal rights. Look it up! You may be surprised!
JG
“No, Boltok, Media Matters for America isn't funded by George Soros:”
http://mediamatters.org/press/releases/201010200018
This is a progressive funded operation funded by Democracy Alliance. Hardly bipartisan funding.
DA also funds, per wiki:
ACORN
Air America Radio network
America Votes
AmericanForeignPolicy
Catalist
Center for American Progress
Center for Community Change
Center for Progressive Leadership
Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, CREW
Center on Budget and Policy Priorities
Democracy: A Journal of Ideas
EMILY's List
Kirwan Institute
Media Matters for America
New Democratic Network
People for the American Way
Progress Now
Progressive Majority
Secretary of State Project
Sierra Club
USAction
VoteVets
Young People For
Women's Voices. Women Vote
As former Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan once said, "You are entitled to your opinion. But you are not entitled to your own facts."
Sorry but dead, drunk, liver lipped democrats do not have jurisdiction over the 1st Amendment of the constitution despite such consensus on this blog.
I never said they can’t build it there, they can. I am not afraid to call it what it is. Maybe they will bring over seventy-two virgins from the local strip joint. I’d have no problem with Islam if they did not institutionalize murderous behavior. Murdering people, in my opinion, infringes on other’s natural rights. Call me crazy.
boltok "Acorn corrupt"
No. ACORN has issues. The same kind of issues any organization has that accepts, say, ex-cons to give them a leg up. The same kind of issues with training any ground level organization has.
The only reason ACORN was targeted in that edited, dubbed smear piece was because it helps brown people. The Southern Strategy is not dead (look how many of their stories are of the "scary black man" variety).
"NBPanterhs, major infighting in justice dept over this"
Two guys; one militant. Asked to leave. No complaints. Tossed around by Bush era Justice Department, tossed out. Only ginned up once the Right got a hold of it as yet another "scary brown people!" story.
"Sherrod and look up her husband- racists…"
Video clip edited. Out of context. With context it says the exact opposite. That's not journalism, that's quotemining.
"...and filling their pockets with govt cash"
{citation needed}. Also, if illegally doing so, why are you here and not talking to the police?
"Ground Zero Mosque - read about religous imperialism, Spaniards in Inca empire, etc. I'm tired of the Mooselem worship by the left. This religion of peace houses more murderers than any other group on the planet."
Read about property rights. Read about the Constitution. Start at the First Amendment. I thought you said you were a "conservative libertarian"? Does the "conservative" undo the "libertarian"?
American citizens have rights, even when they're citizens you don't like.
"Media matters is a crock and that list is a whole lot of nothing."
Balderdash! The facts are what they are, no matter their source. They're fairly easy to confirm using that Google thing the kids are all talking about.
"Who pays for MMatters, Soros perhaps?"
The Genetic Fallacy? Really? Creepy billionaire funds "grassroots" teabagger and he's a great patriot, but if creepy billionaire funds watchdog, he's the devil?
As much as I don't trust FoxNews, I'll still accept their version if it stands scrutiny. On culture/political issues, it rarely does.
From the dedication page of "How To Talk Dirty and Influence People". the autobiography of Lenny Bruce:
"I dedicate this book to all of the followers of Christ and His teachings, and in particular to a true Christian - Jimmy Hoffa - because he hired ex-cons as, I assume, Christ would have."
Lenny was an agnostic and a Jew by birth - but he had a better understanding of what real Christianity is than most "Christians".
As much as I like to argue, I need to do some work this mornging so one last
MO
Balderdash!!!
Sherrod – White man and his uncle toms
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QrcJ3cBDS7Y
Sherrod - $$$
http://sweetness-light.com/archive/sherrod-highlights-black-farmer-racket
Panthers
http://www.theroot.com/buzz/new-black-panthers-case-divides-justice-department
Acorn – one of many
http://www.kmbc.com/politics/10214492/detail.html
FOX
People on this site think I really care about fox. I care more about the J Rockefellers and this:
http://thehill.com/blogs/hillicon-valley/technology/130197-fcc-may-regulate-internet-lines-days-before-christmas
Makes sense, union thugs a part of this blogs religion.
boltok "Sherrod – White man and his uncle toms http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QrcJ3cBDS7Y"
I can't watch videos where I am.
"Sherrod - $$$ ttp://sweetness-light.com/archive/sherrod-highlights-black-farmer-racket"
They linked to wikipedia's page on Pigford v. Glickman. Start there, then go back.
Look, whether you're for or against the USDA giving out loans, if you are anything close to rational you realize that it can't discriminate based on race. It did. It got sued. It lost. (All this after spending a decade and a half virtually ignoring discrimination complaints)
"Panthers http://www.theroot.com/buzz/new-black-panthers-case-divides-justice-department"
"Among those who saw the footage was J. Christian Adams, who was in his office in the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division in Washington, D.C. Two months after Election Day, Adams and his supervisors in the George W. Bush administration filed a voter-intimidation lawsuit against Heath and his colleagues, even though no voters had complained." (fm that link, emphasis mine)
Second, first. No complaints, no harassment.
Next, J. Christian Adams.
Note that I'm not defending the NBPP. They're assholes, too.
"This dismissal has enraged some in the Justice Department who believe that Heath and the New Black Panther Party should have been charged with civil rights violations. Eric Holder Jr., the nation's first black attorney general, has been catching heat because of it. Perhaps Holder didn't pursue charges because we might have asked why charges weren't pursued against those brandishing guns at the debates over health care reform?" (also fm your link, emphasis mine)
The charges against the guy who was just standing there were dismissed. The charges against the guy with the baton were not dismissed, they were narrowed, for which he received an injunction.
"Acorn – one of many http://www.kmbc.com/politics/10214492/detail.html"
As I said before, ACORN has issues. Any voter registration group is going to have problems with registration fraud. That said, registering as Mickey Mouse, at worst, wastes someone's time. Voting as Mickey Mouse is an actual offence. Actual voter fraud is both hard to pull off, for very little gain. That's why, despite screams of "voter fraud!" every time elections roll around, it's so rare.
"FOX People on this site think I really care about fox. I care more about the J Rockefellers and this: http://thehill.com/blogs/hillicon-valley/technology/130197-fcc-may-regulate-internet-lines-days-before-christmas"
Really? Net neutrality? That's what your worried about? Are you really fighting so that your ISP can throttle back sites that don't pay them extra? Are you really fighting so that they can do so on lines that you, via public infrastructure, subsidies, etc, helped to pay for?
Oh, and it was ACORN that turned in those ACORN workers, after ACORN checked their cards before ACORN passed them up.
Man, you make it hard to argue in good faith. So very hard!
Boltok, you wrote: "Murdering people, in my opinion, infringes on other’s natural rights. Call me crazy."
I wholeheartedly agree with your first sentence. I don't think I ever implied otherwise. If I did, please cite. As far as your second proclamation...okay...you're crazy. (Well, certainly if you equate building a Islamic community center, a few blocks from Ground Zero, with the statutory crime of homicide. If they're equally intolerable in your eyes, yes, you're certainly crazy in my opinion.)
As I alluded, and what was also questioned by Modusoperandi, I'm having a difficult time correlating your self-described notion of being a libertarian with my perceived lack of your tolerance for the right to, among other things, the freedom of people (no matter their race, gender, nationality, or place of origin) to engage in, or abstain from, any religious activities that do not violate the rights of others. I'm not thrilled with any religious zealotry, either, whether grounded in Islam, Christianity, or Judaism, but I tolerate their (non-violent) nonsense because it's not only the right thing to do, but it's also what, legally, our Constitution decrees. Maybe you're really not a libertarian, but only think you are because the word sounds appealing and cool to you. Feel free to correct me if I'm misunderstanding your understanding of libertarianism.
No complaint, no harassment? Let a democratic KKK member stand outside a polling place and tell me that would not be harassment.
Im done for today. I dont have the time do address selective dismissiveness contained in that tome.
I will however give you a gold start for effort.
Out of curiousity, are you a new black panther?
My libertarian view. People should be able to do what they want, when and where they want to the extent it does not negatively affect others. This ranges from behavior to wealth transfer.
The behavior of the mooselems is becoming a royal pain the arse in addition to a health risk to many americans, here and abroad. If the mooselems dont like the label of fanatic terrorists they should police their own ranks. When a TSA worker sticks his hand up your arse, as an example, that is a case where someone's behavior affects another individual. Specifically mooselem terror risk resulting in a hand up your ass.
Unless your like Aldred and appreciate the molestation.
To go on. If someone wants to smoke dope, go ahead not my problem. Someone wants to jump off a building and land on their head, not my problem, just dont expect me to pay your health care.
Live your life, take responsibility for the risks you assume, and dont infringe on others. That's my philosopy in a nutshell.
boltok "No complaint…"
Yes, "no complaint". With no plaintiff there's no defendant, get it?
"...no harassment?"
He was charged. He was punished.
"Let a democratic KKK member stand outside a polling place and tell me that would not be harassment."
First, the KKK don't vote Democrat.
Second, why are you outraged about two brown people (one of whom was punished) hanging around (and being told to leave) a polling station, while you're silent on far greater scale voter repression, like this? Why no proportionate sense of outrage to the spiritual successors to Op Eagle Eye?
"Im done for today."
You were done long before that. Coughing up rightwing talkingpoints isn't living up to your responsibilities in a dialogue.
"I dont have the time do address selective dismissiveness contained in that tome."
Translation: "It's too much work to refute the facts."
Also, it’s not “selective dismissiveness”. At every step, we’ve countered you statements with the half of the story that your sources leave out. That you choose to ignore that reflects poorly on you, not us.
"I will however give you a gold start for effort."
You, sir, don't even get a star.
"Out of curiousity, are you a new black panther?"
No. I'm a honky.
"My libertarian view. People should be able to do what they want, when and where they want to the extent it does not negatively affect others. This ranges from behavior..."
Okay. You have a right to be outraged at Manhattan Muslims building a building on their own property. That right doesn't supercede their right to do so.
"...to wealth transfer."
All government is taxation. We all benefit when some goes from the top to the bottom. For one thing, the bottom gets little of the benefits of a boom and all of the loss of a bust. For another, things like public schools help to ensure that all citizens start (at least theoretically) on a level playing field. Third, a State that supports all of its people is a State that avoids bloody revolution.
The Teabaggers have a point, they're just pointing it at the wrong people. It's not the poor that are screwing them, it's the Party (both of them, as the Dems only marginally fight for the poor, and abandoned the middle class in exchange for corporate support a while ago). It's not the working poor that are decimating the middle class, it's the corporatocracy. It's not a poorocracy, it's a plutocracy.
"The behavior of the mooselems is becoming a royal pain the arse…"
I know, right?! They're all "Hey, the Constitution protects us, too!" and "It's our property!"
"...in addition to a health risk to many americans, here and abroad."
Huh?
"If the mooselems dont like the label of fanatic terrorists they should police their own ranks."
They do. It just doesn't get any press. The "West v Muslims" line fits better on a bumpersticker. That you're bashing a relatively moderate muslim shows just how well it's working.
Crap! The second half of my post has disappeared. That's the second time this has happened.
Closed minds, like closed doors, are impossible to get through. Boltok, please open your mind. People are pointing out to you that your rants are not based on fact.
Your intolerance is becoming tiresome.
Boltok, why don't you start your own blog and write for people who might actually agree with you rather than boring the rest of us to death? Do you realize how tedious and childish most of your comments are?
I've a said it once and I will say it again - Boltok is as bright as a pissed on candle. Every post he makes just reinforces this.
Sorry bout the Marley I was operating from deep dark memories and stand corrected.
Den from Oz
Sorry but I like inviting myself to drum circles.
MO, the KKK is a democratic organization. You like research, look it up. Senator Byrd from WV was a KKK recruiter. Clinton said his behavior was understandable.
Let me know your thoughts all.
After much thought, I have decided to create my own religion. It will be Called the Order of the Boltok. I will, as some suggest, create a website for my religion to recruit followers. It will go something like this.
I, Boltok, will be the most holy.
I will have schools which educate my followers of my religion (details to come). Of primary importance though is that it is blasphemous for anyone to take my picture or draw a picture of me. They should be threatened with death so they spend their remaining years in a protection program If any one says anything negative about me, it will be blasphemy. I prefer to keep the blasphemous on the run, because at the day I am all about peace. Blood scares me and the Daniel Pearl video was yucky.
I will promise my followers 80 virgins, a smart phone, a 100+Gig ipod, and a ride with spinners if they die chanting my name.
Certain other accomplishents will allow my martyrs 100 instead of 80 virgins (or not, if he/she so choses, my martyr may wish from some with experience). One such accomplishent would be if he/she can get a nation of 300 million to allow government workers to stick their hands up their asses in my name.
Given that this proposal is less violent than a certain other faction of a major religion, I am sure you all will agree with my right to pursue such noble aims. If any of you want to be my first followers, let me know.
boltok "MO, the KKK is a democratic organization. You like research, look it up. Senator Byrd from WV was a KKK recruiter. Clinton said his behavior was understandable."
You do know that the Parties now are not what they were then, right?
MO
No kidding, the dems are sliding to new lows.
boltok "No kidding, the dems are sliding to new lows."
At worst that's a tu quoque.
MO
TQ? But I am not a democrat.
BTW, FWIW, I am beginning to like you. You have an innocent sincerity not often found in the bowels of the leftish blogosphere.
boltok "TQ? But I am not a democrat."
But the GOP is "sliding to new lows".
"BTW, FWIW, I am beginning to like you."
Good for you. In this particular case, you have excellent taste. I, sadly, am not enwarming to you. In fact, the more we talk to each other (or, rather, I "talk to" and you "talk at") the less I like you, and I didn't like you to start with.
"You have an innocent sincerity not often found in the bowels of the leftish blogosphere."
It's called "trying desperately to argue in good faith". You might want to try it.
I love people who sign off with Peace and Love after writing such hatefilled rants about someone who has a different point of view. It's sad that you are teaching children. Are you stoned when you teach?
MO
That's ok, I still like you, you crack me up. I dont dislike you because I disagree with you.
And, in addition, you make thing about things in a different way.
Tu quoque? Is this how the logic works?
Mooselum extemist: You stupid American with a TSA hand up your ass, you should be more accepting and observe your constitution.
Stupid American: No I dont becuase you endorse murdering people.
Clearly, in this case the american is wrong because the barbarism of the mooselum extremist does not justify blaming a mooselum for the hand stuck up his ass.
Tom Degan,
With Thanksgiving approaching lets be grateful that after two-and-a-half years the leaders of the Plymouth Colony recognized that the economy of Plymouth Plantation which took the form of a communal system was a failure.
By 1623, facing starvation Plymouth Plantation's leaders took another course. Upon allotting private land plots it is evident that productivity increased.
According to William Bradford of Plymouth Plantation:
"The experience that was had in this common course and condition, tried sundry years and that amongst godly and sober men, may well evince the vanity of that conceit of Plato's and other ancients applauded by some of later times; that the taking away of property and bringing in community into a commonwealth would make them happy and flourishing; as if they were wiser than God. For this community (so far as it was) was found to breed much confusion and discontent and retard much employment that would have been to their benefit and comfort."
Incredible!..A few "random thoughts" and the comments explode. A very interesting read.
As for you, Tom, I've been in the same spot. Then my old buddy PBS reminded me that Miracles really do come true.
PBS:"How the Beatles Rocked the Kremlin"
Watch weep and Be Renewed!
Cheers and
"Imagine there's no Country"
Unrelated but:
Time for president jug ears to do a couple things:
1. Explain to Kim Jong Ill that he is the great communicator, appeaser and deity, and it is now time for him to denuclearize.
2. While he is at it, he should fly back to Seoul with his trade agreement. They may be more amenable to fair trade with the US at the moment.
Attention all you Kindle owners, lend me your ears: My liberal/progressive rock-n-roll novel, American Zen, just went up for sale on Amazon Kindle yesterday. So if you own any of the 10 varieties of Kindle, please give my novel some consideration. If you like what you read on my blog, you'll love American Zen and its take on love, life, politics, etc. TIA.
That is a fair analogy that the Stones faded away but I think they just could not recapture their verve. I go with the Rolling Stones all the way, Nostalgia act? Maybe but that's better than nothing, I listen to a lot of the Sirius '50s music, that is some of the best around ever, something was really in the air in the '50s, '60s and '70s when I hear so many good songs from back then and I wonder why that is? I mean I'm not a raving 5th Dimension fan, but even pop like that, I'll listen to and think, that is pretty good. Tom Degan might like Peppermint Rainbow, it's good we can see all of this on youtube at least. The Rolling Stones largely burned out in '75 on that Tour I believe, really left their roots. The best Stones I've got to say are immediately before 'Satisfaction' was released and the Aftermath of that, Flowers the compilation disc is great. Then you have their classic albums but I still prefer the other. I humbly opine that for Rocking Music, Mott the Hoople really made what was a better brand of rock come the mid-'70s though of course, they are more obscure.
Rather than saying the Stones faded away, I would liken them as they have said themselves, the Blues artists they cherished so much recorded into old age, so why not some rockers? I even got the Bigger Bang by the Stones, it is suppose to be good but us listeners ourselves I think get set in our ways and it's better to listen to the songs one really likes. Good to go with listening to Buddy Holly, Gene Vincent, Fats Domino and others, yes, Chuck, I know his music like the back of my hand, so much, Doors, so much good music from back then if one gets in the mood.
Ed Schultz's liberalism really comes from the purer compassionate ideological kind like what was from his immediate area when he grew up, the kind that Mondale, Humphrey, McCarthy and McGovern espoused and personally I think that is good. (Repost, don't know what happened to the other) Bob Dylan grew up in a similar environment if one ever contemplates some of his song work.
I think the reasoning is flawed but don't they say Bruce Lee, the Martial Arts guy died from a pot overdose.
Also, man, I hope Keef keeps on going on and on but it seems when he gives an interview, he smokes, smokes in some videos...so really do some of those other guys too, Wyman.
I never knew G. Harrison died from lung cancer, saddens me, last Rolling Stone mag I bought was their commemoration issue on him.
I haven't smoked weed in about that much time too. They say nowadays, the stuff is more potent, I don't know. No idea, I don't think it's bad but I don't need it.
Tom!
It's Wendy B. I'm so glad to see you're still ranting. Do you remember me? I wish I could type more easily but I'm using a wii and it is a very frustrating means of communication. I lost everything when the economy crashed. My business. my home, and my car. I still have my darling daughter though and we are surviving on love.
You know, you are correct in mourning the fall of a once great nation. I often wonder why it is that the world fails to see what is truly happening.
I highly recommend reading Naomi Klein's book, Shock Doctrine. Countries are now falling into this monatary repression of IMF control like dominoes... Spain, Greece, and now Ireland. The only good news is that America is last in line for this to take place.
The thing that saddens me is the suffering that is increasing for the poor which I am now experiencing first hand.
I wish I could describe it's grusomness but that will have to wait until a miracle happens...obtaining a computer. With no computer and no telly, I feel so isolated and voiceless.
Well, Mr. Degan, I've got you bookmarked and I will be enjoying your rant regularly once again.
Take care dear Tom.
Wendy
RedStateFred "With Thanksgiving approaching lets be grateful that after two-and-a-half years the leaders of the Plymouth Colony recognized that the economy of Plymouth Plantation which took the form of a communal system was a failure."
How small is the echo chamber, anyway? Is it, like, one guy, with everybody else lined up in an ideological game of telephone? And when the previous guy in line passes you the talkingpoint, do you bother to check it out? You should.
That's exactly why they had to get rid of John Lennon. Imagine ALL the people. NNNooo they couldn't take that chance. John was more powerful than richard nixon. i thought Bob Marley died of cancer that he recieved from stepping on a rusty nail, and never having had a tetanus shot and not having it looked at properly he developed caner a few years down the road.
Have a nice day
Sort of related news, Jim Morrison could possibly be posthumously pardoned for his offense and a story running today also has the Doors drummer saying Jim did not expose himself.
As for Bob Marley, as far as the toe goes, I believe if he had had that amputated and that was where the cancer was, it may have saved him but the Rastafarians seem to be like some other religions and did not want science involved, I forget what kind of Christian religion forbids doctors to be involved but what a shame.
Lennon more popular than Nixon? That could be so but isn't your timeline about 5 years off Dabut? Lennon was gunned down during the Carter years.
Bob Marley like the Stones and Beatles and the Kings, both of 'em MJ and Elvis, are popular but you miss a shed load of good reggae and rock and roll just listening to these guys, they might not even be the best of their genres....on the other hand, there are gazzillions of bands out there, it's hard to check up on all of 'em.
They've had a few specials on John Lennon, watched CNN, watched some of Fox's the next hour and said, damn, the store's about to close but I better get a Lennon album. I never had much by him, some greatest hits stuff but I use to have the "Mind Games" album, my friend had quite a bit of his music so anyway, I went to the music store, browsed through his albums looking for the "Mind games" CD, I looked, greatest hits collections, no and some of the others but the last CD was you guessed it, I was able to get it.
Yes, it really makes you wonder what would have been.
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