We are all aware of the infamy of ‘Citizen’s United’, declaring corporations as persons and money as speech. While we knew it would render our political system a gluttonous, whoring debauchery, I, for one, could never have foreseen what is taking shape before me now. As such it would seem these ‘persons’ are more like evil villains with super powers. Their voices are heard everywhere. They have the ability to apply force many thousands of times greater than a mere locomotive or speeding bullet. They are almost omnipresent. As such, their rights trump those of natural persons every time. So, what happens now that we know any person in a “stand your ground” state can kill anyone they deem a threat without consequence? What happens when one of these villains with superpowers feels “threatened” by a peaceful protestor? That is what we stray dangerously close to if the Zimmerman precedent stands. These “shoot first” laws originated with ALEC, a bunch of the biggest, meanest, most powerful super-villains.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/08/09/1004961/-ALEC-s-International-Funding#

Are they chomping at the bit to mow us down with impunity? With trade agreements shaping and even trumping national law it’s horrifying to imagine what their motives are. Let’s take the the ‘person’ Gogebic Taconite (sounds like kryptonite). They had hired another super-villain, Bulletproof Securities to ‘stand their ground’ for them, to help them cope with peaceful protestors, now referred to as “eco-terrorists”. Bulletproof Securities is not licensed in WI, so Gogebic Taconite has temporarily suspended their contract with them while they apply for licensure and replaced them with militia men who are members of a group called the Watchmen of America.

http://www.channel3000.com/news/gogebic-taconite-suspends-use-of-armed-guards-at-mining-site/-/1648/20923560/-/facqjvz/-/index.html and http://crooksandliars.com/david-neiwert/ominous-alliance-militiamen-showing-

If a single person can get away with stalking and killing an unarmed child, as if hunting for sport, how then are we to defend ourselves from the villains with super powers? Referring to us as eco-terrorists turns logic on it’s head. Those with super human powers destroying the land, air and water in ways more unspeakable than anything read in a Stephen King novel are claiming to be the victims of terrorism while unarmed pacifists trying to stop the destruction are labeled terrorists? If the Anti-Christ is what I think it is, everything that is the opposite of what Christ stood for, everything that is evil made “good” and all that is good, “evil”…then this is the Ant-Christ fundamentalists should be focused on. If the space ships are coming, I hope they land soon.

Tis a shame you forgot to report the stats on those shooting which were people defending their lives and/or property. Those have substantially risen as our society has turn from a chicken little cowardly crowd, to an attitude more in line with the American Spirit of property ownership. There is also a lack of statistics on gang violence, which,if not a gun then a knife, if not a knife a club, etc. another missing statistic is police shootings which occur more frequently than any other shooting.

i am certain you have those statistics. But I question why you say nothing about them. The motive must certainly be commanded by your superiors to toe the narrative line. You are an intelligent man, and know 2-2=0 . Why then would you attempt to provide a statistic based post that only uses a small portion of the stats available?

Quote Mark Saulys:Lee Atwater, late chairman of the Republican Party and Roger Ailes, founder of Fox News and Joseph Goebbels (Propoganda Minister) of the Republican Party said, "We know the media isn't liberal we just say it is to pressure it even more to the right."

Mark Saulys ~ That is a very powerful statement. If true it says and explains a lot about what we see and hear on the main stream media. Thank you for sharing that little tidbit.

(PS By the way, I'm almost sure you can bet that Kend is just bullshitting with us. He has no real reason to say some of the things he says. I doubt even he believes half of what he says. I'd bet he laughs his butt off when we respond in kind. He seems to get a big kick out of intentionally ticking people off and stirring up the pot. I wouldn't analyse him too deep. His only perspective is opposite what he believes to be the norm here. Nevertheless, I value his input. His commentary is singularly responsible for bringing out some of the best posts on this blog. In that respect it wouldn't surprise me to learn that Kend may actually be Thom playing the Devil's advocate. Whoever Kend actually is, he is doing much more good than harm, whether he realizes it or not.)

(PPS I apologize to Thom and The Devil for that comparison.)

Palindromedary, you've piqued my interest in Dr. Zhivago. It's a very familiar-sounding title, but I don't recall ever having watched it. I had no idea it was such a political flick. These days, my favorite entertainment is documentaries. By now I've amassed quite a collection. - AIW

Marc- Thank you for the lovely accolades! And don't worry, I ain't goin' anywhere! Especially with you on board. - AIW

P.S. What happened to NACHOS? I miss that guy. Every time I catch a glimpse of solar panels or see one of those wind power windmills, I think of him.

DAnneMarc: Arduino once again can save the day. :-}
"Enough Already: Silencing Celebs with Arduino" a YouTube video from Make. This device can monitor the caption portion of the TV signal and you can program the Arduino to detect the names of the people you don't want to listen to and it will cut off the audio for whatever period of time you want. Of course, a simpler method is just to turn the channel to begin with. ;-} I suppose that someone will eventually use voice analysis detection to blank out every word they speak. But then we would never be able to make fun of, and laugh at, what they say. I'm sure that some people might wonder if it would work for censoring blogs..now if we could just squelch that quidnuncian Palindromedary troll! ;-0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-SzB5OQUcOU

Aliceinwonderland: I feel exactly the same way! I am growing so ticked off at these corporate marketers and their politician lapdogs who use trickery and psychological ploys to steal people's money. Then, those hell-hounds turn right around and blame their victims for being careless, lazy, and for wanting to survive.

I think maybe those capitalist pigs need to watch Dr. Zhivago once again and see how the rich manage to live after a real revolution. For example, he had to share his big, many room, house with what previously were homeless vagrants and even he had to scrounge around the neighborhood for wood to burn to keep warm. I think the wealthy in the US desperately needs to be threatened by such a possibility.

I agree that gun regulation is an important topic. But these discussions tend to go nowhere. I keep seeing and hearing the same old arguments over and over and over. The solution to this carnage seems pretty simple, but too few of us (even among the ranks of progressives) are willing to accept the obvious remedy: gun registration & licensing. Back in the '90s, Australians got tired enough of these massacres on their own turf to pass the necessary laws and regulate guns, and viola! No more shoot-'em-up massacres on Australian soil! But as always, our country ignores the obvious solutions while this debate rambles on, in all its macho bluster and redundancy. And frankly, it bores me. So I hope y'all don't mind if I take a little snooze before the next topic is introduced to this forum! - Aliceinwonderland

Quote bobbler:Dannemarc, I think the main point is major media; CBS, NBC, abc; all the ones that reported in lock step with Fox News during occupy. Which of course revealed them to be fascist style propaganda and not news at all.

bobbler ~ You make a good point. I've seen enough Fox News to know what you are talking about. I don't really consider Fox News to be news per se--that is, any more than any typical infomercial. As far as CBS, NBC, and ABC are concerned I don't watch them as well. They tend to make my blood pressure go up for no reason and after don't feel like I learned anything. I prefer CNN, PBS, Jon Stewart, and Stephen Colbert to anything on "Commercial" media, when I watch TV. Usually I prefer to read my news. TV news is fine for emergencies or the weather. However, nowadays I can get most of that on my phone. For anything else it goes too fast, doesn't have enough detail, and, as I have learned from personal experience, is usually full of inaccuracies that go unchecked. The errors tend to come with the territory rather than being intentional. I value facts and accuracy. The printed media is far superior in that respect; though, nothing is really perfect.

As far as the media outlets you've mentioned are concerned I will have to take your word for it. It seems to me that you are probably right on.

#19 Aliceinwonderland

I couldn't agree with you more. As someone who's been on the planet awhile watching the changes here in the U.S. it's people, land, and how it relates to Government, Big Business, and reporting of it by Major Media... it is in my opinion absolutely correct in what you describe. Divide & Conquer are nothing more then effective smokescreens to cover up and draw people away from the undisclosed truth. Billionaire and Millionaire forces behind the scenes outside the public eye are what's running the whole of what drives this country. It just amazes me the number who still don't appear to be able to think or see for themselves, the direction we are headed in and take the bait. And the worst or the worst of what is behind all this not only tearing down of America but threatening other governments and countries including allies, now. How much does it take to realize the dangers that are taking shape and the insanity that is running the show. This isn't a PS2 or WiFi game of take over with a pop up questionaire of gay/womens/low income peoples question to rights, etc.... determining for you who on your screen is the bad guys in the game. Conditioning Americans through self survival and gains along with idealologies that it's all in the game play, rather then REAL life in a REAL world. Bottom line we and this earth are one and connected, divide and conquer thinking will destroy everything and everyone in it's path and that includes all those for whatever reason, live this illusion they are going to win the game or be part of the winning circle. Some people laughed at Jesse Ventura's One World order Government forming and a Secret Society....I have to question given the direction we are going if that is as far fetched anymore or closer to the truth, then we are being lead to believe. What's at stake? How would you consider a person willing to gamble his life and the lives of his family along with their future, and all he owns, by offering it all up in a pot for what cards he thinks he's holding? Insane, crazy? Because anyone who thinks this is a game and playing it as such is doing exactly that.

It really doesn't take rocket science to realize the basics of what can move our economy and heal our nations economic system and get our people back into a direction of health both physically and mentally. But then, we might be able to tackle the rest to move it into a postive direction. Asking the rich to pay their fair share of Tax, is a no brainer compared to Ryans fix it agenda. The idea that supplying the rich with more money is going to help ease "Our" burden is completely true only if you define "Our" to what really defines the word "Our"...Our campaigns, Our lobbyist, Our special interests that continue to feed off "Them" the lower class.

Voting only in the Primary is not going to fix it. Regulations thanks to the Supreme Court have proven how any President Not just Obama can't turn it around by himself. It's going to take people to realize the importance of being informed/educated and showing up for ALL elections to move this country in the direction We The People need it to go. And "CORPORATIONS ARE NOT PEOPLE!!!

I also like your idea of walking into public places where TV sets are showing Major Media and telling them as a customer I'm offended by it....Turn it off or change the channel. I think I'm going to be visiting more department and electronic stores. And invoking my consumer rights.

http://search.wikileaks.org/gifiles/?viewemailid=1116652

http://search.wikileaks.org/gifiles/

Try searching for "ufo" or "porn" or "assassination AND JFK" to see what these Stratfor people were emailing each other about. Most of this stuff is written from a right-wing slant and they sometimes use xenophobic terms...but hey, they are an outfit that does business with the CIA and the Pentagon as well as many corporations. You'll see how the US and China partnered together to censor information on the internet. The US is really not much different than any other country that the US likes to hold up as violating rights or censoring information. And they are not any different than any other country in spying on it's citizens...except that they excel at it.

Interesting read about 9/11 here: (note: I don't believe William Depperman is part of Stratfor but has submitted this rather lengthy email to Stratfor. In any case, I doubt anyone at Stratfor holds these same views as Mr. Depperman..but I believe Mr. Depperman is very close to the truth of what happened.)
[Analytical & Intelligence Comments] Assassination of Osama Vin Laden and the U.S. Assisted 911 Trade Center Provocation
http://search.wikileaks.org/gifiles/?viewemailid=207145

Here is a 1990 letter written by Depperman to NIMH concerning biological weapons and AIDS.
http://profiles.nlm.nih.gov/ps/access/BBGLPY.pdf

Sandlewould: Thanks for that link! Interesting. Maybe we will have to start using Wireshark to help combat CarShark. Or maybe install an IPS/IDS as well. I doubt the very limited memory has room for a firewall of any kind. Maybe we will all have to start wearing the kind of fireproof suits that racers wear...along with helmets....especially if you think that some powerful organization is out to whack you.