Richard,

Thanks for that. I'll listen for those callers. I love games!

Everytime Thom debates someone and it finally comes around to the industrial trade policy, they try to just laugh it away like its a little issue, like its just this pesky loveable little irritant that we all have to live with. I don't remember Thom talking the trade policy with Michael Medved. Thom is our Luftwaffe, he practically mows down betrayers. He seems to have something timeless and spirit-like working through him, whatever it is it works. It seems rare to see a person who is as developed emotionally as he is intellectually, Thom has not subjugated his emotional life in the service of his worldly pursuits. He is a proven Hero, ("a hero is so hard to find") he's a smasher of illusions and a nurturer of creativity. He is a builder of bridges between people over the torpid chasms of moral and intellectual complacency. He is easily recognized as the mana spirit, the atman, the world soul, the first Adam. In him the 'smallest of the small" reflects the world in the "biggest of the big." In him we sense the actual experience of a spirit not subjected to time and space, we don't need to insist uselessly on faith in mana, we have the experience and we know. He is an immediate psychic reality, a spontaneous manifestation of the spiritual and intellectual instincts in man, outside of which our search for God need not venture. He is another achievement of the Paraclete, the holy spirit, which Jesus said would teach us humans every secret. As the controversial C. Jung puts it, "At first, God incarnated his good side (Jesus) in order, as we may suppose, to create the most durable basis for a later assimilation of the other side. From the promise of the Paraclete we may conclude that God wants to become wholly man; in other words, to reproduce himself in his own dark creature." (book: Answer to Job) This it seems is what Thom more or less is, and then some.

Hi Mark,

Your posts are so full of well-written stories. Do you have your own blog yet ? It seems that you should start a blog and repost all of your wonderful posts there, too, so that we could read them one by one again. You are such a good writer. I would very much like you to have your own blog, too, that I could read every day.

Do you know how to make one? They are very easy. You can create one through blogspot. com. Please don't stop posting here though, if you create one.

Unfortunately, this is but one example of why Thom's idea of getting together with the Tea Party folks isn't going to work. If you don't understand who the Tea Party people really are then you might believe that you can work with them or get them to go along with all our common economic interests. The majority are not people you can talk with or reason with about economic issues, they are completely believe all the problems are liberals fault which is what their leaders feed them. They don't believe Obama is legitimately President, they think global warming is a liberal hoax and is propaganda. They are fed this stuff constantly.

"The initiative would require schools to provide children the opportunity to listen to or perform Christmas carols, and would subject the schools to litigation if the rule isn't followed.

Schools currently are allowed to offer Christmas music as long as it is used for academic purposes rather than devotional purposes and isn't used to promote a particular religious belief, according to an analysis by the California Legislative Analyst's Office.

"Bottom line is Christmas is about Christmas," said Erin Ryan, president of the Redding Tea Party Patriots. "That's why we have it. It's not about winter solstice or Kwanzaa. It's like, 'wow you guys, it's called Christmas for a reason.' "

Ryan said Hyatt's initiative falls under the umbrella of causes the group supports, which concern limited government, following the constitution and fiscal responsibility.

But some groups say the initiative represents quite the opposite.

"I have two words to say about Ms. Hyatt's proposal: blatantly unconstitutional," said Rob Boston, senior policy analyst for Americans United for Separation of Church and State, which is based in Washington, D.C., and has a local chapter in Sacramento."

http://www.redding.com/news/2009/dec/08/redding-womans-christmas-carol-i...

Re: Medicare. After getting Medicare for those 55+, wouldn't the next logical step be to allow parents to buy Medicare for their children, if they can not otherwise purchase insurance?

In Yaron Brook's world, people have to die in order for dangerous products to be removed from the market. He also says it's "personal responsibility" for each of us to research everything we purchase. So does that mean I have to have my computer with me every time I go shopping so that I don't buy anything that might do harm to me or others? Shouldn't the responsibility lie with the producer to produce safe and effective products? And what constitutes proof that something is dangerous in his world? Does he not consider the cumulative effect that toxins can have on the population? Does he not consider that a product might not appear dangerous at first - such as a crib -- but no one knows it's dangerous until more than one baby dies? Self interest is destroying this country, healthcare as a prime example. Insurance companies are out to make more money for themselves, and making more money happens when they decrease services and reduce risks. We are not going to move forward until we start thinking about others instead of idolizing the super-rich and super-greedy.

Zero G.,

Your description of your work in the film industry matches everything I've heard about it. 'Must talk with you sometime about the true cost to the film industry of boot-legged CDs.

Quark,

Happy trails to you - let me assure you that film work is not at all glamorous for those not ensconced in trailers waiting for their moments.

And I'm not working now anyway. And I'm snaking my landladies plumbing - hardly cause for envy at the moment.

Here is an interesting article. Kathy Kelly wrote the article, "Open Letter to the Norwegian Nobel Committee," December 10, 2009.

Zero G.,

BTW, I know a little of what you mean: "I guess it is harder to suspend disbelief when you are analyzing lighting and camera moves."

I am always analyzing technical aspects of films (aspects that I understand, anyway.) It makes them more interesting, I think.

Zero G.,

I envy you. I have wanted to live in California ever since I use to watch Roy and Dale on their ranch-based TV show. I think I would have gravitated to work in the film industry (possibly as a costume designer or writer --- I had the equivalent of a double major in 1) Apparel, Textiles and Design and 2) Journalism. Instead, I went to NYC and ended up working on a trade magazine.

http://www.planetary.org/home/