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    marye
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    Nuclear power! Carcinogenic cell phones! The Stanley Cup! and the usual parade of kids dancing and shaking their bones, politicians throwing stones, etc. Discuss.

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  • Anna rRxia
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    Joe Smith (Capitol Records CEO) on the Grateful Dead
    Smith was on Morning Joe this morning talking about his interactions with different musicians in the 60s and touting his new book: Off The Record. He kept bringing up the Grateful Dead and how he was petrified of being dosed by members of the entourage to the point where he was freezing in NYC one evening as he got into the backstage area of a Dead show and Garcia offered him a coffee to warm up but he said -- "No thanks, I'll get my own coffee." This anecdote has been cited several times somewhere on this site. Apparently he got quite scared as he was told that he would never understand the music of the Grateful Dead unless he tried acid, which he was certain he would never do. The Grateful Dead, an American icon of the 60s still making the morning talk shows now and again.
  • Anonymous (not verified)
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    death having been revealed
    "Who did the council fight?""It split in two and fought itself." "That's suicide!" "No, ordinary behaviour. The efficient half eats the less efficient half and grows stronger. War is just a violent way of doing what half the people do calmly in peacetime: using the other half for food, heat, machinery and sexual pleasure. Man is the pie that bakes and eats himself, and the recipe is separation." "I refuse to believe men kill each other just to make their enemies rich." "How can men recognize their real enemies when their family, schools and work teach them to struggle with each other and to believe law and decency come from the teachers?" "My son won't be taught that," said Lanark firmly. "You have a son?" "Not yet." - from Lanark by Alasdair Gray.
  • Anna rRxia
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    20th Anniversary of 1992 LA Riots
    I just watched the special on the 20th anniversary of the LA Riots, the worst single riot in American history: 58 dead and 1 billion in damage in three days of rioting. It was brutal. I don't think enough attention was paid to our system of justice in this country that allowed the 4 cops to walk after the whole thing was on video for the world to see -- Rodney King being beaten by baton wielding maniacs. Rodney King, recently found dead at the bottom of his swimming pool shortly after the 20th anniversary of the riots... The footage in this video was gripping. Reginald Denny being pulled from his truck and bludgeoned with a brick. The mania that grips a crowd and turns it into a wild animal bent on blood lust. This is something that every person would rather forget and in forgetting we are doomed to repeat it in the future. Apparently corporate America decided that no white people would be interested in watching this special. The only sponsor of commercials was Burger King. In 1993 the Dead started to play the LA Sports Arena and did 9 or so shows there through the end in 1995. This venue is in South LA and borders the trouble area. There was a couple of years following the riots where everybody just chilled out and caught their breath. Race relations between the Koreans and the black community have improved. Race relations between blacks and whites remain largely the same. As long as we just spend money to contain pockets of poverty we will never be rid of this problem. Slaves brought from Africa become free, gain rights and are integrated into a social welfare system. A very few of the best and brightest and most athletically capable break out of this cruel segregation while the rest, including a large percentage of talented, above-average people, are doomed to lives of poverty and mediocrity based simply on the color of their skin. If ever there was a recipe for anger and frustration periodically over-boiling, this is it.
  • fluffanutter
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    The handwriting on the wall for baby-boomers
    While there are a lot of baby-boomers in their fifties who are already suffering greatly after being buffeted about by strong economic winds they haven't really felt the intense shock that will be surely be coming as they reach old-age and find that the social safety net is being pulled out from under them. Medicare cuts, higher retirement age and reduced social security benefits are three things that are surely coming. We shouldn't have our heads in the sand regarding these looming issues. Why? Because the national debt is soaring. The interest on the debt is now 250 billion diollars a year and will shortly shoot up to one trillion dollars a year unless drastic steps are taken. The Bowles-Simpson approach to cutting the debt will surely be adopted in some modified version by a bi-partisan commission. There will be many other cuts to social programs as well as deep cuts in the military. It'll be worse if these cuts come with a Republican president rather than a Democratic one but the crunch IS coming, no matter which is in power. An interesting thing to know would be what percentage of baby-boomers don't have steady occupational jobs till age 65 that would allow them to retire with social secuirty, 401k, pension and investment income... I would venture to guess that the figure is somewhere around 80% who don't have that kind of security. Probably another 30% have some combination of two or more of those. That leaves a probable 50% who are counting on a meager bank account and a social security check to see them through retirement. If the social safety net is cut, the age at which social security may be collected raised and the amount of social security reduced -- as well as section 8 housing and food stamps -- the vast majority of baby-boomers will be suffering greatly. Their ability to pay for rent, groceries, utilities and health care will be slight. If their kids are not in a position to help them for whatever reason, who can they turn to? This is going to be a horror show. This is something to think seriously about and plan for in the future. I could make predictions about what this 50% would do, but it would be dark and depressing. I don't see any way out of this for the people who haven't worked hard and scrupulously saved for their retirement.
  • fluffanutter
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    This summer's swan song
    I'll be doing two shows this summer: Furthur on July 5th and Mickey Hart's Mysterium Tremndum at Salisbury Beach on July 18th. Both are tour openers. They should be good shows. After that I've decided to call it quits on attending further Grateful Dead related acts. I've supported a lot of the post-Jerry acts in the past and for the most part haven't been disappointed but there comes a time to say "It's been a great ride! Thanks for the memories...". I think now is that time. I wish the younger fans and the older "young-at-heart" heads the best times in the future. My interests will now gravitate to folk and blues and bluegrass, looking for the best in each of those genres. Thanks for the memories!
  • Anna rRxia
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    Resupplying the troops in Afghanajam
    Since the US bombed a Pakistani troop position and killed 24 troops last October the Pakistan government closed down resupply routes through that country. (Speaking of which, Obama recently declared that any military age male in the vicinity of a Coalition air strike is an enemy combatant. Guess the Coalition is done apologizing and compensating for that class of collateral damage) Anyway, that left a huge pipeline filled with supplies backed up in Karachi. The US has been resupplying through northern routes, utilizing Turkey and Russia and other countries to the north of Afghanistan. There is one tunnel going under a mountain in Afghanistan that is now backed up for almost three days with thousands of trucks waiting to pass. The US Quartermaster Corps is crowing that they are moving even larger amounts of goods now than they were before, albeit at a much greater cost. Still, the US would be very grateful if Pakistan would reopen the routes through it's country. Not likely. The Pakistani government and people have basically told the US to stick it. The US has come, in return, to recognize that powerful elements within the elites in that country are the enemy. "A fine state of affairs, General Olllie!" "Don't start with me, General Stan. I've had quite enough of your fly-boys bombing the wrong people!"
  • Anna rRxia
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    So global warming doesn't exist in NC?
    Lets all stick our heads in the sand and pretend there is nothing wrong. That will certainly take care of the problem! Barnum-like con-men can continue to front for rich interests and swindle people who don't feel they need to pay attention to the news. I don't know how anybody can be that much in denial. I was outside for two hours yesterday at the peak of a bright, sunny day that might have been 75 degrees and I got a sunburn! I gather the newest topic at conservative think tanks is: How do we make money as the planet crashes and burns? They have to get that last load of gold bricks lowered into the survival bunker. The timing is quite tricky...
  • Anna rRxia
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    repugnant nc repubs
    Reserving the right to discriminate. Three cheers for those crazy no-ka-lah republicans.
  • gratefaldean
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    One more from NC
    What with the polar ice caps melting and sea level rising as a result, planning coastal develpment can get to be a little tricky. With predictions for as much as a meter rise in sea level by 2100, the last thing that you want to do is build homes, hotels, and roads in places that will be underwater in 20 or 30 years. Fear not, though. The NC legislature has figured out a nifty way around this pesky problem: a Bill currently making the rounds would mandate the method used to predict how quickly and how much the waters will rise, to the exclusion of all other means of projecting rising sea levels. Specifically, only historical (going back to 1900) trending data can be used for these calculations -- current data and extrapolations from those trends MAY NOT BE CONSIDERED. Not coincidentally, the "historical" method for making these projections shows only an 8" increase in water levels through 2100. Note that scientists who argue that our current climate warming trend is not the result of human activities, who argue that it is part of the natural warming/cooling of the earth and not due to manmade GHG emissions, generally do not deny that we ARE going through a warming period. Some politicians, it seems, disagree. I'm thinking that future Wishful Thinking legislation could be key in solving nearly all of our country's problems. If only we don't let the facts get in our way, the future is bright, my friends. Buy those sunglasses today! Matt Cain, what a game. I'm hoping for his sake, and the Giants, that he doesn't suffer the same fate as Phil Humber, who seems to have forgotten how to pitch since he tossed his perfect game. A lot less likely for that to happen to Cain, I think.
  • gratefaldean
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    More news from NC
    Maybe this tells you what you need to know about the North Carolina Republican party...Article III from the party's platform: "Government should treat all citizens impartially, without regard to wealth, race, ethnicity, disability, religion, sex, political affiliation or national origin. We oppose all forms of invidious discrimination. Sexual orientation is not an appropriate category." I'm so glad that the authors oppose all forms of invidious discrimination, except the forms that they don't oppose. Come on folks, don't be shy, tell us what you REALLY think. Note that the first qualifier is "wealth?" Maybe I'm reading too much into that one. Naaahhh...
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Nuclear power! Carcinogenic cell phones! The Stanley Cup! and the usual parade of kids dancing and shaking their bones, politicians throwing stones, etc. Discuss.

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16 years 11 months
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I could do BOTH jobs....post spam and DELETE it, TOO!!...Who wants to hire me??
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I REFUSE to trade SPAM for COOKIES!!
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I am big boy in the casino. When Google give me offer to post spam I go all in! Right CoCo? Now you got to deal with me every day I not in the casino. You can call me Chen or Zue or asshole. I don't not care. Just keep hitting my links you dumb American twits!
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for piece rate spam remover. The poor guy needs a job and nobody hates it more than him. C'mon Rhino/Dead.net! Hire Johnman for .10 cents per strike and free up MaryE for other, more important issues on this site. If he goes power-mad with the spike you can always chop him off at the knees, though i don't see that as a problem.
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...while the Brits and French try to get a little government moving in Tripoli. It seems like they'd rather sit back and drink until Khadaffy is rounded up in the Southern part of Libya. I don't think the new rebel government is at all AQ. Libya has really moderate Muslims. But they sure are taking their sweet time to get to Tripoli while they might still have to dodge a few sniper rounds. What is more unbelievable about the whole Libyan fiasco? Obama and company started the rebels on the path to victory and then threw the whole flap into the hands of NATO and they proved they were stumbling all over themselves trying to fly close air support, You can say whatever you want about America's empire, but the fact is we are first rank world-class ass-kickers and everybody thinks really hard if they want to go up against us.
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Laura Carlsen, Op-Ed: “In the 1930s, a church group commissioned a film ‘to strike fear in the hearts of young people tempted to smoke marijuana.’ But it was not until the 1970s that Reefer Madness—billed as ‘the original classic that was not afraid to make up the truth’ due to its grotesque portrayal of the supposed dangers of marijuana—obtained cult status. After the scare tactics of the 1930s, U.S. marijuana policy varied depending on the political climate, even as scientific research consistently debunked extreme claims that the plant caused uncontrollable violent behavior, physical addiction, and insanity.” READ the rest at nationofchange.org.
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A little bit FURTHUR than you've gone before! I'll check in from time to time. ~ The sails are fillin', the wind is willin' & I'm good as gone again ~
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...or a threat !? LOL Gimme a buzz if yer passin' thru the heartland (I-70)
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No matter where you stand on the subject of the death penalty in the US, the following list should not exactly make you stand up and cheer for the good ol' US of A (note, I see different rankings from different sources, but the general idea doesn't vary much), given our inclusion on this list of apparently like-minded nations.... Most executions in 2010 by country: 1) China (blows away the rest of the world, no pun intended) 2) Iran 3) North Korea 4) Yemen 5) USA
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makes you think, doesn't it Dean?********************************** I am not young enough to know everything. Oscar Wilde
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Yeah, but where does Texas rank? Where does the US rank without Texas? Food for thought....
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It's been in the news a lot lately. Obama said recently: "It's math, not class war." when he was referring to his jobs proposal. I tend to throw the term around a lot. I'm an old lefty. Class war was first talked about in this country around the end of the 19th century with the advent of Karl Marx. The rise of union organizers used the term a lot. It grew out of favor with the rise of McCarthyism in the 50s. Nobody wanted to be associated with it. Also, most people in the USA believe there is mobility between the classes and therefore the concept is really not appropriate. It has also been a non-starter for those organizing social justice movements. However, NPR also had another story about how many millionaires are members of Congress. About 250 out of 535. It makes you think if any of this class of people will ever vote to dismantle the Bush tax cuts.... In my opinion there is a "class war" going on out there. The rich are struggling as hard as they can to hold on and pass down their wealth as America's piece of the pie shrinks. Some people have an understanding that these people must be made to share with their less fortunate. Thus we have Boehner and Cantor (Repub. leadership) screaming Obama is waging class war. That is not the way to create jobs! We need to get the lazy off welfare and on the tax rolls. I definitely say we need welfare reform, change the incentives to get people to work. But we also need the other side -- corporations used as shields for rich people to hide behind, pay little or no taxes and influence Congress in a way the middle class can not. THIS method of organizing our society needs to be changed first You can not believe class war is real and/or choose not to use the term. You can ignore the analysis between capital and labor but the reality is these are life and death issues in a democracy. Just yelling "Vote or don't complain!" or "Vote the bums out!" IS NOT the extent of our civic duty. OK, rant over (for now)
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thanks for the invite Ted. I'm due Northeast of you a couple hundred miles tonight. I'll take a raincheck. Or if I see you on this tour the beer is on me! Gonz
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I'll be at the 3rd Red rock show....staying in Lakewood, west Denver, 10/2
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I gave some thought to breaking out Texas as a separate "country," but was too lazy to pull up the stats. But yeah, good point. Hope your trip is going well!
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Do anything at all? I thought it would attach a message to the original. Guess not...
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CO2 levels have rose from 280 parts per million to 369 ppm in just the time since the advent of the Industrial Revolution. Global temperatures rose 1.1 degrees in the years 1900-1999. The Arctic summer ice cap has shrunk to half it's usual size and is expected to vanish by the year 2035, give or take, I like to watch Globe Trekker on Public Television and you rest assured that the Antarctic is melting also, though the rate of acceleration is less than in the Arctic, it doesn't seem to matter much. The import of the article was that Americans that consider themselves conservative-minded are falling into a dangerous morass of DENIAL on this issue. While liberal-leaning people remain 70% convinced global warming is real. To talk about this debate is surrealistic in that the handwriting was on the wall in about 1980. That was the deciding point. If the world had stood together and said "We're shit**** in our own nest. It's time we all stopped and agree to a human rate of self-destruction. But, nations didn't do it even at Kyoto climate talks in 1997. Nor are they doing it now. India, China, Brazil and many other countries where many reserve the right to catch up to the most advanced nation. You can read the rest of the article by Charles Hanley of the Associated Press. I read this in the Sunday Eugene Register-Guard newspaper
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With co2 emissions rising unabated and the two global poles melting at an alarming rater it seems that we have started the experiment to see how we will adapt. As there will be no arctic summer ice in 2035 we will see if the Polar bears and other species who rely on summer ice flows will change their habits. The chances aren't good. Anybody have any happy news on the environment. I could use some.
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Denial works. As "intellectual" as human beings are, we're still slaves to our senses. CO2 is colorless, odorless, tasteless, so is it real? And greenhouse impacts occur so slowly that without some kind of inborne equivalent of stop-action photography, it's tough for people to get a visceral sense of the changes that are happening. Thus easy to disbelieve, especially as humans are also notorious for not accepting things that they just plain would rather not be true. Add those facts to the raft of knucklehead "leaders" whose vision extends only about as far as the end of their outstretched hand ("alms for the deniers! We'll make the enviro boogeymen go away!")...not good at all. Time for a slew of big-ass volcanic eruptions to cool things down for a while...
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...is currently trending. How can we most easily adapt to the REAL global changes that are upon us?
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12.8% of the terrestrial part of the planet (outside Antarctica) now falls within some official type of proteted area (nature reserve, national park etc) compared with 8.8% in 1990. That's more than 100,000 sites in almost every country in the world. And although there is still much to do to achieve really good protection of many of these sittes. their overall management effectiveness is increasing too. The picture is not so good with marine protected zones, but 7.2% of territorial waters are now protected. Still much more to do on the open ocean and on planning the future network to adapt to climate change.
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Oh yeah baby, the American drone death of Anwar al-Awlaki eliminates a leading figure in Yemen's branch of al Qaeda...Obumma has taken out yet another "brown-skinned" Islamofascist !!! I guess the "Deadheads For Obama" t-shirt wearing cats I was so disgusted with at some shows back in '08 may have been onto something afterall...If he keeps up the "W"-like pressure on those warriors of peace i just may join them and vote for this empty suit next time around...
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nice banner, south korea at the football game: "Let's celebrate Japan's big earthquake".apparently it was by "an indiscreet spectator, not by our supporters". you mean like the monkey faces and gestures by a large section of the crowd and by that idiotic player in your national team, looking straight into the camera? your planting of a slogan on a japanese tv drama, in code which everyone knows means "fuck Japan"? "whaaaaaaaaaa, we suffered such harsh colonial rule from 1910-1945, whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa..........." get over yourselves and get out of the Japanese government.
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Happy German Holiday Today "Tag der Deutsche Einheit" or Reunification Day. The jury seems to be still out whether this day is for celebrating or mourning.
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Which will be in Panama City. These preparations set the stage for the Durban talks later this year where, supposedly, treaties can be signed by delegation leaders from 196 countries. These are the nation signatories (as well as those who didn't sign) to the Kyoto Protocols which are set to expire in 2012. Of course, we know which large and developing nations did not sign on to that treaty -- The US, China, India, Brazil. I again reiterate the surreal nature of these talks. It is like going through the looking glass and coming into Alice's wonderland, which I have been doing a lot lately. Meanwhile certain Pacific island nations are desperately fighting off fresh water well contamination from rising ocean levels.
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Without Dewlover's gleeful mirth, I also am somewhat heartened by the passing of this American born person from New Mexico. To the extent that he had the power through the web to recruit and mobilize, he was a traitor and enemy who wished to kill thousands of Americans in terror attacks. Will that stop AQ on the net. No, but one major component is gone. DL? Glad you're voting for Obama 2012!
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it's all in your mind, guys. the real terror begins at home. major component.... ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha........ oh COME ON!!!! get a grip. some people will swallow more than Debbie, a resident of Dallas.
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Christy doesn't want to runMichael Jackson's Doctor hid his his illegal use of propythal Ahhhhh!!!!! I know there are other things going on in the world. WTF? Has CNN been outclassed by the BBC and Al-Jazeera? Why don't the American people get news? You want NEWS? I want the NEWS! You can't handle THE NEWS!!!!
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touching, really. thank God (the white, long-haired male kind, naturally.....) i was born in England. pulse? check. critical faculties? check. discernible gagging reflex? check. almost adorable in it's sweetness; wide-eyed innocence wrapped in cotton wool swaddling; a Linus blanket to ward off reality's nasty cough mixture. naivety, almost a blessing. i'll take your news and double it. or add some hard-fought, limp-wristed protective sugar and gulp it all down. go back to sleep, little baby. all is well. seriously. honestly. you believe me, right?
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‘The Taliban are running out of bullets. Operation ‘Get our troops to absorb them with their bodies’ is finally paying off. The Taliban are finding it impossible to get hold of essential supplies – at last we’re fighting on equal terms. But let’s not get complacent. Just because they’re running out of bullets we mustn’t assume our boys won’t get shot. Remember, the US troops have still got plenty.’ MC FB to the AD/BC.
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So much for the extra security measures ehhh??
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to what we were seeing last week, this is a vast improvement. It's slowed down by at least an order of magnitude. Whether it will ever be perfect is questionable, as the bad guys have a strong incentive to devise workarounds. That said, we'll stay on it. Also, it is not necessary to exclaim over spam all the time. For one thing, I will have it cleared out within hours of its appearance. For another, your remark will look strange forever after sitting there out of context.
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Not that I love spam, or even talking about it, but I noticed that Steve Earle's website shut down its forums because of spam attacks, directed everyone to Facebook. I'm hoping that doesn't happen here...
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that was my first ever comment regarding spam... people comment on it all the time .. i could care less if there is spam on here or not other than the fact that typing in the security words prior to posting is a pain especially if it doesn't work. again I apologize for saying anything..
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it's not that big a deal, but the best thing to do with the jerks is ignore them as their departure is most efficient that way and leaves no traces, so to speak. Are you getting the captcha every time you post?
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believe me, that is not the intention here. And it's not like the spammers haven't discovered Facebook, too... I have to chase them off of people's pages there also!
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Captcha with every post. Even when you're editing an existing post. Apparently the mod has super-security clearance, gets to bypass the long line at the screening checkpoint?
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hm. I encountered it on a non-mod account, but I rarely use it. Interesting, thanks.
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how much longer do you search and destroy terrorists?tick tick tick....... mmm, probably time to go now. Wall Street is all very well, but is anyone occupying Obama's head?
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sure, we're all idiots here.every one of us. whatever you've got, we'll swallow it. idiots. every last one of you. so consumed with retardation that a decent humbug fails you. an Iranian plot? oh, now, really? an insult that we've brought upon ourselves. throat muscles super-taut and a stomach to infinity. the FBI, pathetic fucks who fabricate for the hungry masses. luring into existence the disenfranchised then claim a foil of terrorist proportions. wouldn't exist without the sting. Iran as much of a threat as my soiled trousers. still, keep swallowing. Congress owned by Israel. let's see Iran GONE! go for it, America. Start on Iran and watch the Islamic world own you. again. paranoia breeding paranoia. you haven't got time to lie about averting mass casualties in Washington; enough on your plate killing your own in Afghanistan. never mind. passes the time doesn't it? children banging toys on a picture of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. makes us all feel better doesn't it? having a villain; keeps minds off poverty and social disintegration. well, most of them are black anyway, so what the heck. right? and the rest of the world laughs.
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a simple reminder of what escapes us on a daily basis.UnkleSleazy from the future.
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that's irony for you.or should that be irany?
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or should that be farce, from the articles I've read. I'm more worried about the negative influence fatcats like the Koch brothers have on American media and politics. President Obama will have a tough time weathering the next year or so.
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Hmmm, more strange site weirdness...but anyway: With the flap over this "Mormonism as a cult" nonsense, it makes for an interesting reading to find these tidbits on Romney's election website: Mitt has developed a lot of his values as a person and leader from his Mormon faith, but he decided before ever running for political office that he would never impose those values on his constituents. Mitt is one of the greatest champions of religious freedom the United States has seen in modern history. Mitt and Ann Romney were awarded the Becket Fund’s highest honor, the Canterbury Medal, for their contribution in expanding religious expression in the public square in 2008. So, maybe the "greatest" statement is a bit of campaign hyperbole, just a bit, but it is interesting to see on the same FAQ page this statement: Governor Romney opposes the construction of the mosque at Ground Zero. The wishes of the families of the deceased and the potential for extremists to use the mosque for global recruiting and propaganda compel rejection of this site. So by "religious freedom" do we mean leave MY (cult or not) religion alone, but those Muslims are fair game because they are all, apparently, potential extremists? Extremists, as we all know, are evil and as such have seemed to have forfeited their right to freedom of religion. Both these quotes are on the same FAQ page from 2010 (the ground zero quote is easy to find at the bottom of the FAQs, the religious freedom statement is in the LDS section, last question concerning the affect of Mormonism on Romney's decisions as POTUS): http://mittromneycentral.com/?s=mosque+ground+zero
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Romney and Huntsman shouldn't have to be worried about their religious faith in a run for president of the US. What could be relevant is what the LDS Church is about in Disney/Technicolor terms, or perhaps 3D? If you can believe in that stuff you could be convinced of anything -- any little reason the sky is about to fall. Having said that, Romney & Huntsman are fine candidates, just nobody I'd vote for.
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Been meaning to throw this out there. Why the hell is he targeting MMJ dispensaries?? There was less scrutiny with Bush in office. One less vote for you Obama, you haven't done anything anyway and now this??? Impose your federal tax, take your money and then back off and let the states handle it.
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I wouldn't worry about Obama, Gr8fulTed. remember, he isn't in charge anyway. two good things news-wise this morning; one was seeing footage of the occupy wall street congregation cleaning up after themselves after being told by the mayor they would have to leave the area temporarily for tidying purposes. just can't beat a toothbrush between cracks in the pavement. secondly, the story of Jon Fishman & his wife Briar planning to help their community in Lincolnville, Maine - http://bangordailynews.com/2011/10/12/news/midcoast/as-general-store-pr… one (just one? surely you jest, pancake...) piece of bad news; the U.S.'s plans for their naval base in south korea. you know, i'm real glad about this occupation thing and the nation wide marches; you know, you folks in america (and not just you, intelligent human beings everywhere - the UK could sure do with a heck of a lot less complacency and apathy) really do need to get out there and make a change, because, not for the first time, there is a creeping tide of anti-american sentiment coming up the beach. if you really want to make yourselves loathed worldwide, then you're going the right way about it. people must realise that they are in charge, not the monkeys in government or the corporate clowns. the people of america are getting tainted again, with the colour of brown. and it's beginning to get a lil' ripe in here. other countries are getting sick of occupancy by your military. sick of the bullying and sick of the sight of you. which we all know is a travesty. on many levels. others countries can do their bit, certainly, but we need you to do yours (which in many under-advertised ways, you are). let's hope these marches are the start of a continuation; don't let the momentum drop, because once you do, you, and by association, us, will be back up that creek with a turd for a paddle. a lot people just sigh and build that wall of resentment when they hear the words "america" or "the U.S.". which is doing a massive, monumental disservice to the millions of damn fine folk who live, breathe and create in there. don't mistake this for being patronising; this is coated with optimism and a tingling in the heart, a stirring in the Soul for more enlightened times. one way to make change is to peacefully demonstrate; one way to make change is bypass their "products" (material and moral); one way is to do what the Fishman's are doing and invest, inspire and nurture that community in your own towns and cities. spreading gradually for the future. anyone know the closest venue the Dead played to Lincolnville? i feel a theme for my listening habits today.
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not really current affairs, although i could (tenuously? no, i don't see why?!!) link it through the vibration that is community. i know i'm a little late in mentioning this documentary (oh, come on, only 8 years off...); but i saw it this morning and what with the blue sky shining again in London, it made me feel aglow with positivity. it is a programme about Trey Anastasio and Dave Matthews visiting Africa to play with Orchestra Baobab - how wonderful to see two people so humble, borderline terrified! poor ol' Dave looked like he was going to be sick, bless him! and all the more wonderful for it. how exciting to continue and encourage such connections on a regular basis. imagine other performers in the family scene; Bob Weir, Phil Lesh, Bill Kreutzmann, Mike Gordon, Les Claypool, Warren Haynes, Railroad Earth, String Cheese, Galactic, (Chali 2na & Senegalese rappers? you betcha!! hey, it worked for Positive Black Soul and the mighty KRS-One) and many many more. some production company start a documentary strand and series here right now! the artists go to Africa, the African artists come to the U.S. each sitting in and improvising, visiting the local towns and exchanging culture that only the joys of music can provide. there has been cross-pollination before, of course there has; i remember some guy called...oh, what's his name?......Dickey Bart or something............ Bela Fleck too amongst many others; but this documentary is very heartening in it's rawness. no big budget, slick production values or cloying "world music" (whatever that is) blandness. just local performance and immersion in the creative language. the weekend is looking good for the human race!!