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    marye
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    When our previous topic hit the 1,000-response mark, sleazy behavior by politicians was eliciting a certain amount of non-astonishment.

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  • starsleeper
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    pollution solution ?
    Now please don't get angry but I just wanted to point out that in the Book of Revelation, chp. 11, verse 18,it says that God will "destroy them which destroy the earth". I've wondered how Saint John could have foreseen that one day mankind would be capable of destroying the earth when they didn't even know how big the earth was back then. I guess you could say God is the biggest environmentalist of us all. Let it be known There is a fountain That was not made By the hands of man Many blessings to you all
  • JackstrawfromC…
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    Coal, oil, natural gas, nuclear energy
    They all have detrimental impacts to the environment. You could make a case for pros and cons to each of them. "The dire wolf collects his due while the boys sing round the fire"
  • tphokie1
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    Coal vs oil
    I don't know a definitive answer to this either but I did live in the coal fields of VA for almost 8 yrs. Coal is a huge environmental hazard at the point of production. The entire area becomes covered with coal dust. Stores, houses, cars etc. The streams in the area are very polluted and some stink. They smell of sulfur etc. When mountain top removal mining methods are used things are even worse. Mining is very dangerous for the health and well being of those who do it. We've all heard about the recent catastrophes in WV, but this is a drop in the bucket to the miners who die or have a miserable quality of life from black lung and rock dust disease. Rock dust is the stuff they spread in the mines to keep down the coal dust and prevent explosions but this dust can be just as bad for the lungs of the miners as the coal dust. I'm not sure how the carbon footprint numbers compare for oil and coal which would be more relevant to answering johnman,s question, but I do know that coal production has a horrible impact on the environment surrounding the mines.
  • gratefaldean
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    Doing Well by Doing Good
    Before we got spun off, we were owned by a company whose chairman had an environmental epiphany in the mid-90s. Long story, but he assembled an environmental "Dream Team" to work on making the business sustainable in the true, and not greenwashed sense. The effort was completely sincere -- I believe that unequivocally. The team included Paul Hawken, whose book, "The Ecology of Commerce" prompted the epiphany; Amory Lovins, who is just a genius, I think; David Brower; Jon Picard; and a couple of others that I can't recall. McDonough was part of that team, but got dropped over some licensing issues (the money part), I believe. Those were very fun, very inspiring times for a traditional manufacturing plunderer of the earth. We're still carrying the torch, but this economy sure ain't making it easy. Chocolate chip cookies here, if you please... Oh yeah, the point was exactly that: if the entire world behaved as Americans do in terms of consumption...well, there just ain't enough world to go around.
  • Anonymous (not verified)
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    I don't know which is worse, J'man
    Somehow I'm guessing coal because it is so dirty at the point of production. Not that oil isn't, just less so, I imagine. Maybe somebody has a definitive answer. And yer absolutely right that not all employees are justified at getting back at their boss. That is the other thing I notice living where I do. The amount of abysmally stupid people doing abysmally stupid things. If it's that bad in the rest of the country then I would say the Idiocracy is in full bloom. However, there is a law being drafted that would make a civil workplace mandatory and I say let the lawyers feast when the bill is signed. Owner/bosses would no longer have the right to bully, yell and belittle their employees in the workplace and I say it is high time for that. Past high time. There are a lot of businesses that have been passed down from parent to child where the habit of the parent becomes the habit of the child. That is, the bad habit of abusing their employees. I am extremely passionate on this subject. If the boss/owner can't control his mouth then let the wrath of shyster lawyers rain down on them like a tropical downpour. WE ALL DESERVE A CIVIL WORKPLACE and shouldn't have to put up with incivility from bosses, customers or other employees. Really. And no twinkie defense either (It was the junk food I ate, yer'honor. I really have no control when my blood sugar rises). Speaking of blood sugar J'man - I'm only giving you lo-cal cookies from now on. Here are some peanut ones.
  • johnman
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    ARRRRG!!
    that should have been "forgive".....sorry!
  • johnman
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    Oh.....and can we make that
    peanut instead of macadamia?...for give me for being picky, but i am an avowed peanut addict...heeheee!!!
  • johnman
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    i have a question
    not that either one is a sound choice, but what is worse for the environment, oil or coal? and aren't they basically the same, from a fossil fuel perspective? I also wish to point out, not every employee who burns their former employer is a hero, some are just disgruntled individuals who cannot accept that they may have been let go for cause, and would rather place the blame somewhere else then accept that they may be at fault. Obviously this is not the case with Mr. Slater, but some people thrive on the attention.
  • Anonymous (not verified)
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    McDonough & Braungart's point was?
    That the rapid modernization of the world cannot be sustained? That all industrializing cultures will want the same things? Agree; Agree. Everybody can't have everything and we are in no position to say who can have what. The free market rules. If there is demand, there will be supply. Look at the mess Mexico is in. I think you must work for a somewhat enlightened company to have them hire consultants to become more green. What is the owner's motivation (your company) to become more green? Doing The Right Thing (a warm, fuzzy feeling) or Saving Money (being seen as savvy). Probably a mixture of both. I would have thought all these conservation programs that businesses engage in and such government incentives as the Energy Star program and tax breaks for energy efficient windows, insulation and high-mileage cars would have cut CO2 emissions but the statistics don't bear it out. Frightening. The only thing that will help is a good old-fashioned depression coupled with an epidemic equal to the Bubonic plague. Looks like we're in a vice one way or the other.. Anybody out there want to create a Deadhead Biosphere? Our own self-contained and self-supporting community in a bubble?
  • gratefaldean
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    Soot
    Yeah, I don't know if the story is true or not, but it was effective. There was another, called the "cotton underwear bill of rights." If every person on earth had a right to cotton underwear, all of the arable land in the world would be taken over by cotton production, or at least the part that can produce cotton. As cotton isn't exactly the most environmentally friendly crop out there, and as you also can't eat it, that's a problem. Also probably not true, but again, there was a point to be made. Source was Bill McDonough and his partner Michael Braungart. Lots of companies trying to "green" themselves with their assistance have had a falling out with these guys (mine included)...but they are very interesting and entertaining speakers, to say the least.
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When our previous topic hit the 1,000-response mark, sleazy behavior by politicians was eliciting a certain amount of non-astonishment.
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SAN FRANCISCO - SOPHOS computer security firm on Friday warned that hackers are spreading a nasty computer virus with a file promising a PowerPoint presentation of sexual positions from the Kama Sutra. 'Be careful what you do with that mouse,' Mr Graham Cluley of Sophos said in an online post. 'When you click on the file you do get to see a real PowerPoint presentation, but in the background a backdoor Trojan called Troj/Bckdr-RFM is installed which allows hackers to gain remote access to your computer.' Once a computer is infected with the malicious software, the hacker can steal personal information and spy on users' activities or use the machine for nefarious deeds such as sending spam or attacking websites. In scant consolation, the booby-trapped file did present slides of more than a half dozen lovemaking techniques illustrated from the ancient Indian text, according to Mr Cluley. -- AFP
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It has indeed been an illuminating and civilized discussion about the gun thing. It occurs to me that we are seeing two mirrored solutions to the same problem. If you were shut in a big barn with a random bunch of strangers you could argue that there were two ideal options for everyone getting along without too much trouble...either (1) everyone has a gun or (2) no-one has a gun. I can see that option 1 might make some sense if that is how your culture has developed, but personally I would always choose and work towards option 2 (much less stressful). But I can see that the more guns that are in that barn, the harder it is for folk to choose option 1. I suppose many of us are lucky enough to live in societies where we are able to have a say in the matter, and to live (or die) with the consequences of our choices. But I will always remain an option 2 guy.
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Brother Badger....
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cosmic-designer-> I'm in one of my heavy Dead listening phases right now so every thing I read or hear about elicits some Dead lyric in my head, and the Arizona situation, Palin's response, and the whole discussion of gun control, for me boils down to the lyric "No time to hate" and the general ambience of UJB. Some of us want to live in an option #2 world because hate is not something we consider or ever want to deal with. This not only affects our view on gun control, but generally it influences our ideas on immigration, health care, defense spending, etc. Unfortunately, there are a lot of people who have no problem and may actually look forward to MAKING time to hate, and as long as those people are out there, guns and other things will always be an issue. The goal of such folks is option #1, always. In a spiritual, metaphorical, almost allegorical way, the Dead addressed this in Uncle John's Band. Nice.
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Wanting to be able to defend yourself against hateful people does not make you a hateful person... and hateful people are out there, I cannot hide from that fact. I can only hope they will leave me alone in my desire to NOT hate..
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of starlings that fell to the ground and died in europe, were drunk on mash left over from wine making...
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seems as if the spammers are getting smarter, while pretending to be conversing, when in reality they are STILL slimy spammers! We are not so unintelligent as to fall for their wily ways!!********************************** I am not young enough to know everything. Oscar Wilde
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I couldn't resist... I went to my local gun shop and bought 4 glocks with 30 bullet clips, filled out a bit of paperwork, threw them in a sack and walked out the door wih the owner who was anxious to show me how to use them. He even threw in an extra, full clip for free to do the deed. The glock has quite a kick and together, the shopkeeper and I, we obliterated a human silhouette. I feel so much better now knowing that meat will be no problem this winter. I can put 131 slugs in a moose. Road rage? - no problemo. Somebody disrespects me lke a shopkeeper who won't take an item bAck? It's legal to carry concealed, though the clip is a bit bulky. All of these situations go through my mind -- as well as my neighbor who shoots off a clip now and then. Next time he does it I'll make believe I''m assaulting the mountain in back of his house , believing it''s a Taliban ridge in Helmund Province. The one thing I won't think of doing is fending off assailants or intruders because I live in a pretty good, safe neighborhood. I feel the power surging through me and my fellow 79 of 100 compatriots veins surrounding me in the US. Can't wait till my boss fires me or I see a bumper sticker I disagree with or drive by a tea-party gathering. I'll keep all my guns loaded in case I wake up due to a damn chattering squirrel I know I feel so much safer now that I'm with the majority. (The above has been satire to demonstrate a point , though in the state I Ilve in there is no waiting period and carrying concealed is not a crime.
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but there is a background check requirement, in order to buy from a federally licensed dealer, and if it comes back "do not proceed" then there IS a waiting period. Your post maybe satirical, but most firearms owners are responsible people and wouldn't do the things spelled out in your post. Haven't I said before that your neighbor is an idiot with no respect for the safety of others?....would you like to share a cookie with me?
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"It's got no signs or dividing line and very few rules to guide"
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takem mr gonzo i feel your pain brother!
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I really and truly think this whole issue is beyond the contents of our founding father's documents, lives and ideologies. Although I do like your cookie sharing idea johnman... only with a bit of a twist. I think we should give all citizens of the U.S.A. guns when they are newborns. After all; there's no age requirement for gun ownership (that I know of - I could be wrong of course) according to The U.S. Constitution's Second Amendment. And in all those pictures of places the U.S.A. is trying to deliver from tyranny, I see children holding weapons of all kinds - so they must be good just not used correctly? In addition, we should give each of the new gun owners two bullets... Or we could do this: Chris Rock ROCKS!!!
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This number 2 likes that one Grtud! Nice to see you again btw-AS EVER!! Johnman-here's a cookie! ********************************** I am not young enough to know everything. Oscar Wilde
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and at least here in America, as a rule, at least in MY home, children are not taught to hate others for there differences, political, ideological, religious, skin-color, clothing, or otherwise....so sorry if my support of the Constitution offends anyone. I remain, Respectfully, and affectionately yours johnman
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also Johnman-don't see anybody offended.********************************** I am not young enough to know everything. Oscar Wilde
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Firearms ownership is a subject I have always been extremely hesitant to broach here as it is as divisive as politics (which I dislike with a passion). I was taught at an early age a healthy respect for them, and how dangerous they are. Ownership is a grave responsibility, one that should NEVER be taken lightly, and I apologize if my defense of them has stepped on any toes. In my home as a child I was taught that it was a right to defend one's self, a right that should never be given up, and defending others is a privilege not granted to many. My post earlier on hate is, of course, incorrect. There are folks in this country that live and breath hate, on all sides of the political and ideological spectrum, and they infect others around them, but as a general rule, we don't teach that, the Constitution is there for all citizens, and of course, having a difference of opinion is healthy, and discussing those opinions keeps your mind alert.....I think, however that this dead horse can be beaten from now 'til doomsday (December, next year?..heehee!) and it STILL ain't gonna get up..
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what I CAN agree on you with-8 gazillion percent even-is it is our solemn duty as parents to teach our children not to hate. Whoa, let me put it differently: It is our solemn duty as parents NOT to teach our children to hate. There, that is more correct, because children are not born haters!!********************************** I am not young enough to know everything. Oscar Wilde
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I agree with you on that too :)********************************** I am not young enough to know everything. Oscar Wilde
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Unless you are one of 3 or 4 people. My parting comment is I agree with johnman's stance on guns and the constitution. I also respect other's who absolutely hate guns and want them all eliminated from the planet. And yes I am absolutely on board with the notion that it is our duty as parents to teach our children tolerance. I like what Tiger Lilly said how children are not born haters, but it is our job to keep re-enforcing that with them. It can be ugly out there and it doesn't take long for our innocent babies to fall victim of the ugliness.. Ok so long, I'm heading back to the less-controversial world of the vineyard where occasionly we debate but everyone's points are considered and much less harshly ... I thought we are all on the same team here .. "It's got no signs or dividing line and very few rules to guide"
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about where you felt hostility?? Either I am completely idiotic-but all I saw was people stating their opinions.********************************* I am not young enough to know everything. Oscar Wilde
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I agree, Jackstraw--I have seen some pileons in my time, and this ain't one of 'em... And hell, I'm fairly conflicted on the issue myself.
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And hoping that my "cookie gun" link (meant to be a joke) wasn't taken the wrong way.
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how about a cookie shooting cannon??....kinda like the "punkin' chunkin'" thing??
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A "paintball" gun that shoots cookie dough? Mmmmm, cookie dough...
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there is a discussion going on here some people agree with you some people disagree jackstraw is all,you are intitled to your opinion and i for one will respect that,maybe you should be more specific and maybe we should drop the gun thing it saddens me anyway.
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want to talk about this grateful dead video game to be released by rhino next year i think ?
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I saw a few things bur have not looked into it...I'm too fat to be Pig and too stupid to be Jerry, I'm wondering if you play a bandmember or what?
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is that pudding, or what?
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And I don't want to make it bigger than it really is. There is no hostility or anything like that (maybe mild piling-on lol). But there is a strong click in this thread (and some of the others - like the Road Trips threads for example) and if you are not apart of it then your opinions are scoffed at in a subtle way and in some cases not so subtle no matter what your stance and especially if it is against the majority's opinion. It's just the vibe I get here. That's totally fine if you don't agree with me but it's there. I am not going to tattle on any one that's ridiculous but I will just avoid this thread on dead.net. Most of the issues discussed here don't have a right or wrong answer and because of that, it usually leads to someone being pissed off or feelings hurt. I am sure I am making way too big a deal out of it but still, it's not worth it. Again, no biggie, no worries, go on with you discussions. I apologize for any drama. Take care. "It's got no signs or dividing line and very few rules to guide"
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what that stuff is...frosting? pudding? cream cheese?....
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will be on fb from aug 1st!!!!!!!
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Wait, did we GET a Patient's Bill of Rights? I'm talkin' the Time is Money Amendment Goes something like this: say, for example, that you have to drive your wife to an appointment (a "consultation") with an oral surgeon. You leave work at 1:45 pm (3 hr 15 minutes early), drive 40 minutes home, then 20 minutes to the place. Arrive about 15 minutes early because you KNOW there's going to be a bunch of paperwork to fill out. 3 pm comes and goes, then 3:15, 3:30, 3:45, 4:00, 4:15...then at 4:20 she gets called from the waiting room to the inner sanctum (session lasts over an hour, costs over $300, and we'll be looking at a second mortgage to cover the cost of the work that needs to be done -- no Europe 72 box for me!). I spent the entire time, until the paying part, cooling my heels in the waiting room, watching it slowly empty out until I was the only one left. The receptionist must have been wondering who I was and why I was loitering in her space. This is the medical industry's equivalent of an airline overbooking a flight: selling you a time slot that they don't actually have available. So here's the Amendment: based on the wait, it's obvious that my time, my wife's time, is worth nothing to the dentist. Soooo...I'll give you a 15 -minute grace period against the appointment time. But given that doctors and dentists will charge you if you don't show up for an appointment, I want a 5% rebate against the retail cost of the visit for every 15 minutes spent waiting after the grace period. This is a direct payment to the patient, NOT a discount for the insurance company. My time, after all, is NOT worth nothing. This plan should have a positive effect by making the system more efficient, or by putting money back in my pocket, or by reducing the practice's patient load thus creating a demand for additional healthcare workers...all of which should be job- creating and not, as the GOP so foxily put it, "job killing." (Talk about trying to enact half-truths and deception into legislation..."job killing" is part of the name of a Bill? Sheeesh...). Time is Money...
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Actually, by the end of it, I was desperate for another kind of break...it was a long afternoon without a restroom in sight.
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a doctor's office with no restroom? how barbaric! :-)********************************** I am not young enough to know everything. Oscar Wilde
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But it was a pretty small waiting room...and I didn't get quite desperate enough to ask.
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As a non-violent activist I am watching in awe as first a self-immolation in Tunisia by a college student deposed a dictator and now a dozen more self-immolation's are encouraging mass uprisings in several countries. Fascists are slaughtering their own people in the street during demonstrations as we speak. I hope this starts a movement of freedom heard round the world . Muslims have always ruled with iron fists. Iran is the big one, but unlikely to go down. I think the sewers would coagulate with the blood of innocents there before the fucking imams give up. The power of non-violent civil disobedience is immense. Of course, what comes next is an open question. Better, worse? Who knows but I applaud their sacrifice and bravery. It is a lesson for us all. As the bankers and the medical companies and other assorted industries with vested interests continue to drain the wealth from our country, leading us to being the biggest debtor nation on the earth, with us waiting for the ax to fall, maybe their will be some amongts us brave enough to pull us back from tragedy with brave actions. What is freedom, what is a life well-lived and who will look honestly in the mirror and say thatt he USA is the pinnacle of civilization? These heroes fighting dictators in the Middle East are my alpha dogs for the year 2011. If this be sedition so be it. We're not even free enough to commit self-immolation in this country. Cameras everywhere, e-mails read, phones tapped, psychic profiles - plenty of numbness and narcissistic escape for those with money. Who among us would start such a movement in this country? Even if it would be mercilessly put down as in Iran (as it surely would). I am humbled today by news of braver people.
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Only Islamic countries that are friedly with the West are being brought dowh --Tunsia, Eqyi[y, Algeria, Jordan, Bahrain and others. A more unified radical Islam is is constituting itself.
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Gonzo-Egypt won't necessarily become more radically Islamic-85% of the population are against having a fundamentalist govt. BUT I guess it depends on what happens internally, and how much the West meddles, etc.********************************** I am not young enough to know everything. Oscar Wilde
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But this is a as historical as bringing the Berlin Walla tumbling Down, so far. tt is the pent up frustration of a diverse crowd and you have to wonder why Iraq, Iran & Afghanistan didn't go this way. And Billary issuing orders to other people's armies to stand down in the face of popular protest. Now what exactly is the difference between a terrorist and a freedom fighter?? Oh, a freedom fighter uses a kindler, gentler shrapnel bomb -- Yeah, that must be it!
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The most amazing thing about what is going on in Egypt- especially in light of the US's recent spat of "second amendment remedies" and gun violence (Tuscon, Detroit, college campuses across the country)- is the remarkable absence of guns and weapons on the streets. Yes, there is looting and people are having to defend their property with weapons- but the protestors, on the streets, are NOT waving guns or firing shots in the air. Violence and destruction are occurring, but considering the widespread protesting, AND considering the fact that the US media loves to hype up all violence to the point of distortion, I think that what we are seeing in Egypt is pretty remarkable.Compare this with Glenn Beck's rhetoric and Palin's crosshairs and the gun hysteria we have here. When (not IF) the day comes when people get fed up and take the streets here in the US, I doubt we are going to witness widespread protests as peaceful as Egypt's.
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In the 1960s the US and its allies supported nasty strong man leaders all across SE Asia and S America to protect their access to primary resources and to prevent the spread of communism. Millions suffered from the resulting abuses…people enslaved to protect the interests of Western democracies. In the last 20 years the policy has been the same for the Arab states. Sell us oil, leave Israel alone and we will pay you and you can do what you like to your own people. The uprisings in Tunisia and Egypt appear to be borne out of frustration with oppression and are definitely not Islamic revolutions. Of course the extreme Islamists will try to take advantage, but in both those countries by far the majority of ordinary people are not extremists. They are just like folks everywhere else. The most effective way to open the doors to radical Islam is to send in our boys to teach them democracy at gunpoint. Let these people determine their own futures even if you don’t like what they choose. Is that not the liberty that is so dear to Americans and the West, or is that liberty only issued in a limited edition?