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kend -- It is a democracy. We the People are supposed to get it done. However, the 1% has bought our representatives. The only thing the prez can do is fight them off.
If those investors are from carbon corps, I hope they stay far away from my country.
AIW -- Just to support what you are saying. Recently, Northrup Grumman dropped our medigap coverage. We are signing up with exchange. They have a comparison printout between the plans they are offering: Anthem, Blue Shield, Humana and United Healthcare. They list about 3 pages of features provided by each plan. Each plan offers exactly the same features. Even the words are the same.
SHFabian -- It would be interesting to discuss particular instances of ignoring the poor in that media marketed to liberals. Also, it would be interesting if you would provide instances of progressives embracing any RW ideology on poverty related issues.
Right. Like choosing salad over soup or fries. Or 31 flavors of ice cream... Choices, choices, choices! Yum, yum. Which death panel should I apply for? Let me see... ODS? Blue-Cross-Double-Cross? United Health? Aetna or Cigna (or whatever the hell they're called)... what a nice big smorgasboard of extortionists to choose from! All more than happy to take our hard-earned cash! Wow what a deal! Whoopie. Where do I sign up?
I'm well aware that many (if not most) small business owners are against single payer. I think they are stupid; most likely under Rupert Murdoch's little spell. Even if people aren't born stupid, TV will make them stupid. Especially since this corporate fascist take-over of our media. As for unions... well, I'm not so sure about that. I remain unconvinced, where unions are concerned. - AIW
SHFabian says "even 'progressives' have embraced the right-wing ideology on poverty-related issues." Just for the record, not THIS progressive; no siree! No everybody is mean and selfish, Fabian, especially among progressives. Or else they're just hyenas in lambs' clothing. - AIW
Aliceinwonderland: You're welcome.
DAnneMarc: I only load Java on my computer when I really need it because some other program needs it. Then, when I no longer need it, I uninstall it. As long as you keep it updated all the time you may never have a problem. But it has been a constant problem because they are all the time finding bugs that have lived in the code for years before they discover it.
After reading the book "Behold a Pale Farce" by Bill Blunden and Violet Cheung it makes me think that we are all being made fools of, and played for suckers: by the whole profit driven computer industry...the Malware Industrial Complex....by our government.
About the only thing you can do to fight back is to use only Open Source software where the code is open for scrutiny by many thousands of people who can understand it and discover "hidden" code if there is any. In Closed Source (MicroSoft, Apple, etc) you have to take their word for it. And we already know that these companies have sold us out not only for the dollars but have given in to the NSA snoops.
If there were never any bugs in software, there wouldn't be any need for constant updating and reliance upon security companies who "protect" us from the bad guys. And then there would be no more profit to be made if code was written securely in the first place. And, again, all these companies may be selling us out to the likes of the NSA.
By the way, I am using Tails with TOR right now. I just booted up my computer with the USB stick that now has the tails.iso on it and it acts as my Operating System instead of the normal Windows Operating System. Only RAM memory is used and it is erased when the USB drive is removed or the computer is shut down. Nothing gets written to my normal Windows hard drive so I don't have to worry much about someone snooping or planting a trojan. It uses Iceweasel browser and it uses TOR to randomly select various TOR routes in order to hide my identity (hides my IP). I could also use encryption, in addition to TOR's encrypted routes, but for that last leg of the journey, which is TOR's weakest link because TOR has to be unencrypted before it goes to the intended recipient but your additional encryption would not be unencrypted until it reached the intended recipient. If that last node (link), just prior to the intended recipient, is owned by the NSA (and I'm sure they have quite a few) then they can see everything..which is why you should also use encryption in addition to TOR. You can print, once you set up the configuration for it. And you can save data to another USB stick. You can also get into your normal hard drive to save stuff after you enter a password....but that's not recommended. Tails is a tool that is much better than not using one but there are still a few things that it can't do. Man-in-the-Middle attacks can still happen if they are targeting you. You probably wouldn't want to use TOR for any heavy internet usage like downloading/uploading videos because TOR is slower than without it because it has to travel through all of those random routes...some are even on the other side of the Earth. But messages are usually no problem.
Correct Alice, workers have a right to choose the health care they want...that wouldn't be the case with single payer, you only get what's offered. You assume you'll get everything you want with single payer....not true. Most unions are against single payer for that very reason....No Choice
Gee Marc, isn't it ironic how conservatives like spouting off all this tripe about "individualism"... until it comes to matters like healthcare coverage; specifically a worker's right to choose what benefits to pay for, rather than her employer's right to decide what she can and cannot have with her hard-earned coverage! Hah-hah! Guess that concept isn't always so convenient for conservatives, in their adamant but lame attempts to defend the indefensible. - AIW
Well, think about it. We looked at the policies and programs that were in place from FDR to Reagan, which took the US to its height of wealth and productivity, and decided to reverse course, doing the opposite. What results did we expect?
One is free to be rude to those of any other race without violating the law, unless it crosses the line to the point of harrassment. People are free to be idiots. We can't legislate attitudes. A part of maturing is learning how to deal with those who are offensive. What matters is when that ugliness crosses the line into actually violating legal rights and protections.
It was discriminatory, but not an actual violation of your civil rights. You did get your lunch order filled. It's not a violation of the law to tell a prerson that he isn't welcomed at that business, regardless of the reason. Howevewr, if you walk in again, and your lunch order is refused because of race, that IS a violation of your civil rights.
While we think of "civil rights" as strictly race-related, it is actually about the legal rights and protections of citizens, regardless of race. This generation has done much to strip away both the civil rights and human rights of an entire chunk of our population -- the poor. As a culture, we have learned not to regard the poor as equal human beings and fellow citizens. We have embraced policies that "amend" a long list of the fundamental civil rights and protections of the jobless poor. I personally don't see any indication that this will change in the near future; even "progressives" have embraced the right wing ideology on poverty-related issues, and the media marketed to liberals is focused on the interests of middle class consumers and campaign donors. But we should have the integrity to consider how far backwards this generation has gone on the issue of overall civil rights.
Kend ~ Isn't it past your bedtime?
Socialism is a political system not a belief in a deity. Socialism would work perfectly in a democracy and is only the philosophical enemy of Capitalism. Whatever the majority of people decide to vote on in a democracy is not forcing anything on anyone. Therefore, in order for a democracy to function properly it has to be independent of religion because there is no vote in religion. That is why our Constitution strictly prohibits Congress from making any law respecting an establishment of religion. The Green family is trying to get around that by creating a public high school curriculum that focuses in depth on the Bible to the full exclusion of all other faiths. That creates a situation where one religion is pushed at the youth level on all students at exclusion of all others. If the Green family wanted to make a curriculum of all world religions, spending equal time exploring all that would be fine with me. If the Green family wanted to make a curriculum for private or Sunday schools that focused on the Bible at exclusion of all other religions that would be fine to. If they directed their course to the college level that would be fine too. However, that is not their intent is it? They want to indoctrinate our youth into a one world religious view only--just like Hitler did. I have a BIG problem with that.
Kend ~ Quite on the contrary they do. When you hire young unskilled workers and pay them a living wage you are essentially holding a gun to their heads and forcing them to accept any policy you hand out. Especially, if finding another good paying job or moving back home with mom and dad are not an option. This is where a labor union would come in really handy to stand up to these religious fascists for these otherwise helpless and defenseless workers.
Kend ~ The difference is that at the end of the day with a union you will receive all the benefits you've earned and it will be YOUR CHOICE as to which ones you chose to use and chose not to use. I think the big difference here is you think the choice should be the employer and we think it should be the individual. After all, it is the individual worker whose labor pays for those benefits and it is the individual's body and life that those benefits will affect. Don't you think those benefits should be the choice of the individual?
Aliceinwonderland ~ Yeah, I'm stoked too. Finally able to share things we couldn't before. We gotta invite Sandlewould and--if he's interested--Palindromedary too. This is fun.
Palin, thanks for the heads-up on all that regarding Java. Much appreciated. - AIW
Palindromedary ~ We had to install the java to use the chat room to privately instant message our email addresses to each other; and, it wasn't as simple as it sounds. There are probably better ways. My system rejected java. Trying to overcome it I notice it mentioned that java is installed in everything including cell phones. I used my phone for the chat and AIW used here computer. She didn't have any issues with the java. If its really that big of a vulnerability maybe she should uninstall it after she gathers all the emails she wants. I don't have that problem.
I'm not sure what you mean by USG. Is that US Government? If so I am interested in any tools that I can use to insure privacy. I just assumed that anything I wrote or sent was automatically Hoovered up and stored somewhere. We only shared email addresses. If the government can't figure out my email address from my DMV records, or all the letter and petitions I've signed to Congress and the POTUS they are pretty stupid. It bothers me more that some hacker could get ahold of my email address; however, there are already a multitude of shady people who have it that also disturb me quite a bit. What REALLY disturbs me even more is how many emails I get that just assume I need penis enhancement. How do they know I even have one? I would love nothing more than to banish all these strangers and weirdos from my email.
If you can shed any light on that please do. However, please keep it in simple English and go easy on the acronyms. It might just take more time than it is worth. Most of that last post of yours went straight over my head. Thanks for trying though.
All I really wanted to do is ensure that I can keep in touch with AIW without this blog. It would be nice to do the same thing with you. If you're game meet me or AIW in the chat room and we'll shoot you our emails. Just say what time so we'll be there together. You can find the chat room by hitting the "community" button. Then look for the "chat room " link. You'll need java though to use it. Then look for a button with the outline of people on it. That will take you to the list of everyone in the chat room at that time. Look for our names and click on them. That gives you the private chat box.
Of course, we'd all be interested in alternative suggestions of staying in touch too if you have any. Thanks for any help! Much appreciated!
Hey Marc, my pleasure. Been wanting to do that for the longest time. Lots more where that came from.
Believe it or not, I can't read music worth a damn. That goes for chord charts as well as detailed script. Nope; I'm strictly an ear person. I actually write music a lot better than I can read it. Guess I'm kind of an oddball that way.
Anyway I'm really stoked about having found another way for us to connect. You're a cool dude, Marc; you're fun to hobnob with and I like how you think. While I'll never be a Christian, I really appreciate your perspective on all that. You think for yourself. I don't have to agree with you 100% of the time to appreciate that.
I also love how passionate you are about the separation of church & state, and the eloquence with which you defend it. Considering the fragile status with so many of the basic principles our founding fathers laid out, it seems the wall between church & state gets fuzzier year by year. And I agree with everything you've said about those celebrity evangelicals… just fascists by a different name!
Thanks again for guiding me through the chat thing. I'm stoked. - Aliceinwonderland
P.S. Sandlewould, where art thou?
Inflict their beliefs on others. Marc. Isn't that what the left is trying to do by pushing Socialist beliefs on others. Nobody has to work for or follow any of the Green family beliefs. hobby lobby doesn't hold a gun to anyone's head. America is a free country. It is a pretty fine line of what the Greens do and what unions do. When you join a union part of your dues may go to a political party you don't like That has beliefs you don't agree with. What is the difference?
DAnneMarc: Just sayin'...but AIW did mention having to install Java and what a lot of people do is to install it and forget about it and never use it and it just sits their waiting to be exploited. She also mentioned her concern that the USG may one day take down web blogs and that she may need an alternative way of communicating messages that won't be censored. Or, maybe I read more into that than was meant.
Anyway, if you want to prepare for the future, it would be a good idea to become aware of the tools that you can use to help stay connected to those you want to stay connected to without being spied on by anyone. Of course, if you don't care that the USG or other hackers can read your private messages then...never mind.
Kend ~ I'm not mad at anyone exercising freedom of religion or speech. You can say and worship anything you want. I draw the line when people inflict their beliefs on others. Freedom ends when it affects the freedoms of others. What the Green family intends to do is to use their pulpit of money to inflict their own belief system on other people for control and profit. That is not what our country is about. That is not what independance day is about. It is a disgrace, a crime, and unconstitutional. It is nothing less than when the English Crown declared war on the American colonists in 1776 for refusing to submit to their control. Like those brave colonists I consider anyone trying to inflict their belief system on me an act of war. Don't let my outrage surprise you.
PS Your grammar... is getting worse!
Aliceinwonderland ~ I got it! Thanks! That was really good too. Awesome! I took piano lessons once at SFSU just so I could learn how to read and write music and accompany myself rhythmically on a synthesizer. It was a lot tougher than I expected. A real brain workout if you will. I can really appreciate good ivory tickling. You've reached a level I never dreamed of hitting. My instrument of choice back then was the guitar. Shame too, now after Carpal Tunnel surgery and trigger finger in my left hand I'm far more suited for the piano. I guess its never too late to start though. Pick up where I left off. You might have just inspired me! Thanks!
Marc I am surprised that on this the forth of July weekend you are mad at someone for using their rights of freedom of religon and speech. Just because you don't believe in what they say doesn't mean it's wrong.
When everyone in our countries where scared they could to hell if they where bad there was a lot less crime and greed.
Palindromedary ~ Thanks for the advice. However Aliceinwonderland and I just wanted to exchange emails not sell nuclear secrets to the Kremlin. Nevertheless, your concern is touching!
Hey Marc, check your e-mail again in a little while. I'll have a surprise for ya, via attachment. - AIW