Forums
When our previous topic hit the 1,000-response mark, sleazy behavior by politicians was eliciting a certain amount of non-astonishment.
War medals
I think that all these leaders want their own war on their resumes. Not a scabby second hand war they inherited from their predecessors, but their very own war. No, you ain’t a real leader unless you have sent your people to die and kill other people. The trick is finding a nice neat war that can have spectacular fireworks at the beginning and a quick resolution (images of Bush celebrating ‘Victory’ on some ship). I guess a shoot - ‘em - up of the Libyans looked like just the ticket.
your otherwise
llama,
your otherwise interesting post is diminished, unfortunately, by what I consider to be a less than sensitive invective reference to a group of people:
"and take out the camel turds."
love&peace.
Earthquake in Burma Laos Thailand
The earthquake the world forgot?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-
Not surprising really. I don't recall any nations rushing with their armies to protect civilians when the army rulers were shooting monks in the streets in Burma a while back or preventing aid reaching tens of thousands dying in the floods there.
oops
full URL for that earthquake story
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-12852237
Agreed, CC
I should have shown drawn more of a line between those trapped by circumstance in Tripoli (most of them), and those ardently supporting the dictator's cult of Green and enjoying great economic advantage (whom I referred to as camel turds).
I'm sorry if that term offended you. I never forget they are all human beings and and all want the same thing. As I take a strong stance in my own life because of social ills I tend to add a moniker here and there. I leave it to others to judge if it is appropriate. Ahh, the holy, virgin ears of the deadheads... I won't even quote some of the things I heard hanging outside a Furthur concert last week
And when somebody deletes my posts and not others who call me names I have learned not to be offended. It would be a wonderful world if we were never felt the need to use epithets when referring to people with less than extremely arrogant or malicious behavior.
Badger, about those donations....
There was a tremendous push for $10 donations (at least) to the Jappanese disaster victims, especially through the Red Cross.
There was indeed a stark contrast between that onslaught of begging and the effort mounted to help the Pakistani people, where 1/3 of their country was flooded.
The technology is there to increase donations but so is the racism to decide who they are given to. Somehow I think Japan is going to be just fine in a couple of months while Pakistanis are going to have less to live for and don the suicide vests by the thousands.
For the record, I feel sorry for all people exposed to disaster, especially the ones who lose all hope of a nominal existence and feel nothing to live for among people who preach hate.
Unit #3' containment at Fukushima...
....is likely cracked. The evacuation zone has been pushed out to sixteen miles. The Japanese PM says the situation is dire with no way to fix the crack.
Time to bury the thing in concrete like Chernobyl.
Units 1, 2 & 3 at Fukushima
Plutonium is in the mixture of the leak at #3. Units 1 & 2 are still leaking. The evacuation zone is now advised up to 18 miles.
Spokespersons (Not Japanese) are saying that it is UNLIKELY that in the worst case scenario more radiation will escape than in the Chernobyl accident.
As winds push across the Pacific the radiation will saturate the West Coastof North America with a diluted mixture of radiation.
Maybe it is time for those thyroid pills, This incident is now out-of-control, officially.
Healing vibes to that place folks. Say a prayer for your mother Earth.
Yemen, Jordan, Libya, Bharain, Syria
All rioting after their "prayers" today. This is biblical. Don't count on Europeans and NATO to quell this situation. It is out of control.
Quick! Break out the SRI hydro cocktails. Looks like 2013 might be the year cuz...
~You can't close the door when the walls cave in ~
"Deadheads For Obama"
Do they regret supporting the chicken-hawk in the White House?
DNCers
I can still recall DNCers smugly going to great lengths trying to convince me that George W. Bush going after SADDAM meant that he doesn't like "brown skin people", and now no one here feels the same way about this President as he bombs his people in Africa...
Obamao's Core Values
One of which is shutting down Gitmo during his first year in office...There are naive Americans who voted for him on that basis alone...Hahaha...
His Complexion Is His Protection
Does anyone really believe that is NOT the reason the neo-libs are silent about Obumma sending tens of thousands of troops into Afghanistan?? Where are the huge demonstrations we saw while "W" was in office??? Now let's see how fast these posts get deleted like my posts on the other MB...Very open-minded moderators...Hahaha, no censorship here...Don't bother responding, i won't be here...As some of you may know i rarely return ever since i read a DNC post that said the worst terrorists in the world are in the U.S. military...Can Obamao please make up his mind? Does Qaddafi "have to go", or not??!!! Back before the Islamofascist maniac at Fort Hood began his Jihad, one of the DNCers asked in a hopelessly naive manner; "Hey dewlover, what makes you think there is a terrorist threat?" Can you imagine? Exactly how may missles is Nobama going to drop in Libya?? My stomach turns when i am subject to too many of the blame America first crowders, so c-ya!!!
Racist O'Bomber Birthers
Yep, DL, just like Fox -- spew your venom then run away for 6 months before you come back to rant on the same (or similar subjects) some more. In fact, why don't you do a profile and put your application for employment in to FOX news? You could be the next Glen Beck!
Think of the millions to be made waggling your toungue! Or maybe being a Grand Dragon in the Klan is more to your taste. You could get the younguns' all hated up for the Hispanic-Hawaiian-Asian-Ragheads!
Sorry Mary
My last comment was not an observation on current events. Rather, a reaction to a familiar editorial that appears here.
shucks.... ( -;
shucks, I had to use the online dictionary thesaurus to come up with "invective" hey now MaryE!
alls in the category of 'ain't no time to hate' llama.
you didn't offend me personal, just like I said, the points you made in that other post were lessened by the 'name calling' apology accepted anyways.
in your word, llama,:
"It would be a wonderful world if we were never felt the need to use epithets when referring to people with less than extremely arrogant or malicious behavior."
***
"Ahh, the holy, virgin ears of the deadheads...
I for one am glad my 'ears' at least remain un-fucked by the IRS and other gov. agencies...
for the sake of decorum, I'll refrain from pointng out which orafice the IRS un-virginized.
( -;
love&peace.
Initials (from the musical Hair)
LBJ took the IRTDown to 4th Street USA
When he got there
What did he see?
The youth of America on LSD
LBJ IRT
USA LSD
LSD LBJ
FBI CIA
FBI CIA
LSD LBJ
(Gotta come up with something similar for what the Rumsfeld era represented)
The Obama Doctrine
Just finished watching Obama speak on Libya and he seemed to leave more questions unanswered than he provided clarity. The one thing that came through very clearly was that the US would no longer go it alone. We would act with a coalition that shared the expense.
The moral dilemma, as always, is where the US & allies will (or not) act. It shouldn't be overlooked that French warplanes were in the before America did anything. The French have a heavy connection with the Libyans. The US has followed up with 192 cruise missiles, the Brits, 7. The US continues to to follow-up the no-fly zone, leaving a trail of shattered Libyan military columns.
Why? Oil! Libya has the chronic
The rest of the Middle East is the question. Highly volatile. It is unlikely the US will keep a coalition together as struggles to protest it's naval post Bahrain and and it's primary allie in the area, Israel.
Oil, all about oil. It is worthy to note that the commercials following the speech all had to do with natural gas, undersea oil drilling and clean coal. Watching who advertizes is almost as important as listening to the spin.
The cost for the US in Libya so far? Half a billion, likely to go to a billion..
shitty analogy??
http://www.urlesque.com/2011/03/17/nuclear-boy-cartoon-japan/
so, "Nuclear Boy" is the atomic energy plant in Fukushima...
not sure if this is the best way to explain this 'shit' to the little 'uns or not, but there it is.
peace.
How a nuclear disaster evolves
Now that scientists are finding radioactivity in the snow of Mass. & NH and they have found at least 5 places around the units at Fukushima where plutonium elements specific to isotopes found in nuclear power production, it's pretty hard not to see that this thing is spiraling out of control.
Every drop of water sprayed into Units 1-6 at Fukushima is radioactive. Everything that is escaping into the sea from underground tunnels from those plants is harmful if enough is concentrated in the food chain. Right now it is so hot that workers can't start containing the waste.
Although the company's owners are admitting the situation is grave they don't say for whom and how long.... Always the bits of information are said to be not harmful but the whole picture is never projected. And it still may be too early to have a meaningful answer to that question.
However, it is not to early to shut down San Onofre and Diablo Canyon, two plants that are susceptible to very likely scenarios - earthquakes of giant magnitude along with tsunami waves of cataclysmic proportion.
The worst news hasn't begun to be released. While the rest of the world rethinks it's nuclear power options, Obama, because of large energy company donations that got him elected, still thinks we can learn valuable lessons from this crisis.
Here is the lesson. Shut them down and bring alternative sourcesof power online asap.
With a humble prayer for those suffering in the snow in Japan.
Syrian demonstrators gassed.
With thousands of people demonstrating in different parts of Syria currently, it is clear from BBC reports that Bashar El-Assad is using mild nerve agents to immobilize demonstrators.
There are some pretty ruthless dictators out there but the succession from Hafez to Bashar
Al-Assad (father to son), only shows how ruthless and cruel one family could be.
Besieged people all over the world clamor for freedom but, alas, there seems to be no chance in Syria, a country that is definitely a "player" in the Middle East..
Muslim, Jew, Christian.Buddhist -- religion doesn't matter, money and power blow the doors off. New things are invented every day and the first thing thought: "Is there a military application", not "Can we make poor people's lives better?"
It looks like a hundred year struggle for freedom in the Middle East has been ignited and one can only hope things get better and not worse.
~ The boys sing round the fire... ~
Radioactive water in Japan
Unit #3 has sustained the worst damage with a 70% meltdown of the core to date. Radioactivity is now many times higher from the steam and water escaping from efforts to cool down the overheated rods. Gone are the mention of plutonium and played up is the half-life radioactive iodine isotopes with an 8 day half life.
One wonders if climate change will force all nukes to shut within Tsunami range (whatever that would be). The 38 foot wave that swamped this nuclear complex may be nothing compared to, say, a 120 foot tsunami crashing into the California coast from baja to SF.
2 nukes totally underwater while a swamped population struggles for survival. ...
As an alternative, clean-burning coal will fill those gaps as well as underwater oil exploration. Obama, who took huge campaign contribution from Chicago area energy companies says for the US to be oil independent we must use all sources of energy, even the ones that destroy the environment.
Well, the church in Florida burned the Korans on 3/20
And 16 people in Afghanistan have died to date due to Karzai trying to make political hay out of the incident.
What a friend we have in Hamet and his heroin-addicted brother.
I know! Lets all burn the Koran and incarcerate every Muslim who breaks the law. This is a sure psychological test of who is a fundamentalist and prone to violence. Besides, the private prison industry is hurting in our country and we need to fill those beds!
Will the governmet shut down alreaday!
Could we just have a little more unrest and anarchy around here?
Plague of rats
Torrential rains in Australia have have bred a huge population of 30" rats that are about to over-run Alice Springs. Crocodile Dundee had no comment.
Uncle Sam is a large employer
No relation to Psychedlic Sam... KC has 38,000 feds and Denver 54,000 workers. A furlough and delayed, or no, paychecks will be tough on many, compounding the frustration of other folks who need federal assistance, like the poor and elderly. Hopefully, the cat and mouse House of Reps game will end without shutting the government down.
Senate has the ball on shutdown, GTed
The House passed a 61 million dollar cut that then went to the Senate who have so far acted like children who can't share or make compromises. One of the problems of living in a republic instead of a democracy.
There is no doubt that the fledgling economic recovery launched by Obama will be hurt by ashutdown, not only that it will cost millions to shut down and power up again.
The Teapanistas are holding Bohner's feet to the fire (Repub. head ramrod). They won't be satisfied until Washington DC is sacked. The Democrats and Obama have everything to gain by making the Repub. look like the inhuman monsters they are. Mod.. Dems & Teapanistas and Independents will vote against them for forcing the shut down in '12, thus assuring a Democratic majority in both houses and Obama's reelection.
That would mean programs for the POOR will continue while the MILITARY will be cut and I'm all for that. For that and other reasons to numerous to mention I want the government to shutdown.
To be fair, what Repubs. and Teapanista's are screaming about is all true (except Social Security which we all paid for). A 1.4 trillion deficit is not sustainable and will lead, ultimately, like Portugal and Spain to higher interest rates for government bonds. Higher than the .41 on $1 we already pay when we hold a T-Bill auction and the Chinese buy it up.
Cut the throats of the mega-corps. and their stinking metrics, ratchet taxes on the rich and police them so they have no where to hide and no way to let their kids inherit more than a million without 80% tax rates and cut the military to the bone.
Or let the rich rule and get ready for your standard of living to be slashed.
Despite extreme economic problems elsewhere
The German economy is up 22% or so. More jobs and higher wages to follow. But now it is official that Portugal is in trouble, as you said Gonzo.
I like and agree with your last post, btw. Am just in a very fine mood, so wanna report good news today!
**********************************
I am not young enough to know everything.
Oscar Wilde
Hard to believe that I'm saying this
But I read a column by Cal Thomas yesterday that I actually agreed with...something I'd have considered impossible before I started reading. On the subject of wealth distribution, a seemingly uncharacteristic opinion from this arch-, though traditional, conservative:
http://jewishworldreview.com/cols/thomas040511.php3
More Economics
The Lefetz Letter (http://lefsetz.com/wordpress/index.php/archives/2011/04/07/income-inequ…) linked to a Vanity Fair article about wealth inequality (http://www.vanityfair.com/society/features/2011/05/top-one-percent-2011…). Vanity Fair?. Maybe the revolution IS on the way? I need to get that "Building Barricades for Dummies" downloaded onto my Nook.
Cal Thomas
Read it, agree with most of it. It is surprising for Cal. My view is so far to the left of that I can't even spit it out here. In a land where Donald Trump can be seriously taken for a presidential candidate, can anything be taken seriously anymore?
I guess I'll just say "...the pursuit of money is a noble thing" is a horrible curse, a hammer, the root of evil and the death of our planet. Though there are a few corporate CEOs who have taken cuts for their workers (and just regular owners of companies for that matter), they are so few as to be unmentionable.
GDean, one thing I've always wanted to ask you.... do you wear sports-coats with elbow patches and smoke a pipe? You always sound so moderately reasonable!
Red River is rising
After a marathon winter in North Dakota and Minnesota, the north-flowing Red River is cresting 38' or 39' above flood stage, inundating communities north of Fargo. Sandbags and levees may not be plentiful or strong enough to hold back the water.
Feds are off to work this morning after a shutdown was averted with an 11th hour agreement Friday night. Let's see what tomorrow brings, eh?
Did another tremblor hit Japan this morning???
The Red River always gets my attention...
....every year Ted. I knew this was going to be a big year but are you sure that it's cresting 38-39 feet ABOVE flood stage above Fargo? (Checking)
"FARGO – The Red River crested in Fargo-Moorhead at 38.75 feet at about 6:15 p.m. Saturday, according to the National Weather Service.
Meanwhile, widespread breakout flooding Sunday was causing the highest flood levels ever seen in northeastern Cass County and northwestern Clay County, the Weather Service said.
Saturday’s crest in the metro area ranks the 2011 flood as the fourth highest on record behind 1897 (39.10); 1997 (39.72) and 2009 (40.84).
Since cresting Saturday, the river has been slowly falling in the Fargo area and Sunday’s rainfall, just under three-quarters of an inch by 10:30 p.m., was not expected to push the river back to crest level.
However, the river will remain high for many days and it is not expected to fall below 36 feet before Sunday"
It is great news that Fargo made it over the hump this year. The city had made a comeback and that ain't no small thing for a Dakota plains town. I really wish those people the very best as well as those downstream. It never ends in Fargo, just makes the biggest headlines there.
It would seem that the figures sighted are official crest of the river, not the number of feet above flood stage. 38 feet above flood stage would be biblical.
~ Wake of the flood, laughing water, forty nine
Get out the pans, don't just stand there dreaming, get out the way
Get out the way ~
I'm confused........
Actually I've been confused since 1974......isnt Richard Nixon still president of the united states?[I wanted to ask him if he would trade me a tape]
Presidential Library for Wolfbat's tapes?
Slated for the bottom of the largest copper pit in Butte, Montana
~ Please don't dominate the rap jack
If you got nothin' new to say ~
Polling Question:
What does everyone think of the Dapper Don's Presidential motivations? My take is; same old song and dance... just a different hairdoo.
Of all the political items I've seen lately on TV; the Jesse Ventura interview on CNN a few weeks back takes the cake for balls. Way to go Jesse! I'll vote for you if you run!
"What's gonna happen to the arms industry when we realize that we're all one?" ~ Bill Hicks
Pacific Northwet
As much as I love dissen the RepubliCONs:We enter a kitchen in middle America. The family is gathered around the kitchen table. An old woman is crying over a pile of medical bills. Her Son and his wife try to comfort her. On the TV Sen. Bohner rails against Medicare and Social Security. Her 5yo grandson speaks, " Daddy why is the Mean Orange man trying to Kill Gramdma? "
Any real news about some Northwest dates before the rain comes back in Sept?
Like in August?? We are beginning to feel left out .
I can't do the June 3.4 Shoreline shows as my Wife will be in the Hospital
Actually it's still raining here and has made it to a blistering 44 deg today
423shows and counting.
The Bus came by and I got on a Long strange time ago
Hey GRTD
Your link doesn't work. I saw part of the Ventura interview. He does have balls but he is hard to take seriously.
There is nobody out there willing to take on the lobbyists. Arguing about which Dem. Repub. for presient makes me want to vomit
Fuck official Washington - they are Romans waiting for Rome to burn. Which it obviously will. S&P is thinking of lowering the US Government's bond rating from AAA+. Talk about all down hill from here!!
A little non Dead advice from the musical world
It's amazing to me that no one is up in arms protesting the choices of governments recently politicians are suposed to be civil servents, not CEOs, but today I see little difference. Both award themseleves bonuses and raises while the average citizen watches their standard of living go backwards. I know things are bad all over and much worse in the non developed world. I just hear so much frustration, I am so frustrated, yet not enough of us are willing to rise up and shout and hold our elected civil servents accountable. Okay enough of my ranting, there are those out there that can do it much better...and here I give you lyrics by Crass. Some of the references are dated, but the message still applies: (Note: I do not endorse all sentiments expressed in this song, but the overall message of personal responsibility always makes me think...and most often feel guilty I'm not doing more)
Big A, little A, bouncing B
The system might have got you but it won't get me
1 - 2 - 3 - 4
External control are you gonna let them get you?
Do you wanna be a prisoner in the boundaries they set you?
You say you want to be yourself, by christ do you think they'll let you?
They're out to get you get you get you get you get you get you get you
Hello, hello, hello, this is the Lord God, can you hear?
Hellfire and damnation's what I've got for you down there
On earth I have ambassadors, archbishop, vicar, pope
We'll blind you with morality, you'd best abandon any hope,
We're telling you you'd better pray cos you were born in sin
Right from the start we'll build a cell and then we'll lock you in
We sit in holy judgement condemning those that stray
We offer our forgiveness, but first we'll make you pay
External control are you gonna let them get you?
Do you wanna be a prisoner in the boundaries they set you?
You say you want to be yourself, by christ do you think they'll let you?
They're out to get you get you get you get you get you get you get you
Hello, hello, hello, now here's a massage from your queen
As figurehead of the status quo I set the social scene
I'm most concerned about my people, I want to give them peace
So I'm making sure they stay in line with my army and police
My prisons and my mental homes have ever open doors
For those amongst my subjects who dare to ask for more
Unruliness and disrespect are things I can't allow
So I'll see the peasants grovel if they refuse to bow
External control are you gonna let them get you?
Do you wanna be a prisoner in the boundaries they set you?
You say you want to be yourself, by christ do you think they'll let you?
They're out to get you get you get you get you get you get you get you
Introducing the Prime Sinister, she's a mother to us all
Like the dutch boy's finger in the dyke her arse is in the wall
Holding back the future waiting for the seas to part
If Moses did it with is faith, she'll do it with an army
Who at times of threatened crisis are certain to be there
Guarding national heritage no matter what or where
Palaces for kings and queens, mansions for the rich
Protection for the wealthy, defence of privilege
They've learnt the ropes In Ireland, engaged in civil war
Fighting for the ruling classes in their battle against the poor
So Ireland's just an island? It's an island of the mind
Great Britain? Future? Bollocks, you'd better look behind
Round every other corner stands P.C. 1984
Guardian of the future, he'll implement the law
He's there as a grim reminder that no matter what you do
Big brothers system's always there with his beady eyes on you
From God to local bobby, in home and street and school
They've got your name and number while you've just got their rule
We've got to look for methods to undermine those powers
It's time to change the tables. The future must be ours
Big A, little A, bouncing B
The system might have got you but it won't get me
Be exactly who you want to be, do what you want to do
I am he and she is she but you're the only you
No one else has got your eyes, can see the things you see
It's up to you to change your life and my life's up to me
The problems that you suffer from are problems that you make
The shit we have to climb through is the shit we choose to take
If you don't like the life you live, change it now it's yours
Nothing has effects if you don't recognise the cause
If the programme's not the one you want, get up, turn off the set
It's only you that can decide what life you're gonna get
If you don't like religion you can be the antichrist
If your tired of politics you can be an anarchist
But no one ever changed the church by pulling down a steeple
And you'll never change the system by bombing number ten
Systems just aren't made of bricks they're mostly made of people
You may send them into hiding, but they'll be back again
If you don't like the rules they make, refuse to play their game
If you don't want to be a number, don't give them your name
If you don't want to be caught out, refuse to hear their question
Silence is a virtue, use it for your own protection
They'll try to make you play their game, refuse to show your face
If you don't want to be beaten down, refuse to join their race
Be exactly who you want to be, do what you want to do
I am he and she is she but you're they only you
Guess we're agreed except the musical screed!
It's not up to to you or me or anybody anymore. The planet's screwed because of global warming.
No one here gets out alive unless you're plugged into reality.
Good luck o that one, brother.
And it's 1, 2, 3, 4 -- What're we fightin' for?
Experts back startling heroin claims
Alan Travis, home affairs editor
The prime minister's startling claim yesterday that 90% of the heroin sold on British streets comes from Afghanistan was backed up last night by experts in the drug trade and radical law reformers. link to 2001 Guardian UK article ********************************************************************************************* Thousands more Americans plow through a ruinous country trying to build something from nothing. An American general said he wouldn't be blame a soldier for sending a few kilos home. How much longer do we have to watch and pay in blood & treasure for this obscenity? Meanwhile Dr.s provide opioid pain-killers to anybody and then they're surprised when pretty Betty-Jo, the former prom queen and now married pharmacy technician, gets blown away by a 16 year-old with a shot-gun at the local Rite Aid??.
previous comment edited
to replace pasted-in unsourced copyrighted Guardian article with link thereto. Thanks. Article, while ten years old, is worth reading nonetheless, as would be a current update.
Credit should go...
...to where credit is due. You and I figured it out. And really, whay has changed in 9 years? The Guardian article is as cogent to day is it was then -- but really should have been dated and sourced in all fairness.
re-sharing
whole articles can cost a person being minister of defense! :)**********************************
I am not young enough to know everything.
Oscar Wilde
The Guardian
A very fine newspaper rather left of centre
In the UK 'Guardian reader' is short hand for middle class liberal type
Still widely known as 'the Grauniad' owing to its (former) notoriety for typographical errors