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DAnneMarc, did you write post #77? This is my reply to whoever wrote it:
I saw combat. In my own home, from birth through age five. Trust me, you don't want to know the details. Suffice it to say that when some gung ho kill-them-all military type starts ranting about how brave he is, I think to myself, "This big bad tough guy wouldn't have lasted ten minutes in the house I grew up in. And those ten minutes would have taught him the meaning of PTSD."
I am not over-estimating my astrological ability at all. Been doing it for over thirty years. I didn't say that I would use astrology for fighting the "enemy" during wartime. I said I have used it with predictable success in relationships with women. String theory, thousands of years of shamanic practitioners from all over the world and throughout history, Buddhism, and Taoism all say that everything is energetically connected. Astrology is simply a way of understanding and predicting one aspect of those connections. Not that big a deal, really. And it's fine with me if you don't believe in it.
Interestingly, military types ALWAYS RETREAT into one statement: "Boy, I'd like to see you say that in the middle of a firefight against charlie. All of your liberal hooey would go out the window real fast. It's real convenient for you to have the freedom to have all that liberal hooey because I went over there and fought for your freedom."
Ok, I get it, lots of American soldiers fought. But how many military types have the courage to stand back from their front line experiences and look at the issue of whether what they were fighting for was honorable? I mean, they always go on and on about honor, but their ONLY definition of honor involves killing and being killed. They never talk about being honorable enough to ask whether any particular war is honorable, either because that kind of honor has never occured to them, or because- let's face it, they just kind of enjoy killing people and/or they are addicted to the adrenalin rush of combat. They're just not honorable enough to admit it. So, we have a government that lies to its soldiers about virtually every war, and we have soldiers who lie to themselves about their reasons for wanting to go to war. Sounds like a marriage made in.... hell, to be frank.
For military types, everything in this life boils down to shooting and getting shot at. And anyone who doesn't enjoy shooting at people and getting shot at, just doesn't get what life is all about. It's the whole Norse heaven thing, where they wake up in the morning, go to the battlefield and kill each other, and then the next day they do the same thing all over again. And this is their idea of heaven. I'm sure that God is sitting up there going, "Oh booyah! Did you see that guy, he just cut off that guys head with one swipe!"
And in closing, I don't understand what you mean when you say, "... desperately stuff Jennie back into the bottle when it inconvenienced me."
DAnneMarc: Not me! I don't hack. It looks like someone did, however. I thought that preceding message was very strange..and not like you. I hope someone does investigate because if they hacked into Thom's data base then they have all of our names and other data. Very unsettling!
Actually, publicly financed campaigns, like in Maine and Arizona which were struck down by Citizens United, would be better. The current system is one of legalized bribery and corruption - legal only because the corrupt politicians make the laws.
Actually, the Black Panthers armed themselves, citing their second amendment rights, for the more classic NRA reason for allowing free gun ownership - to be able to resist tyranny of government. They bore arms to defend themselves against the police. .
#64 AliceInWonderland WROTE: "Dave Abbot, DAnneMarc & PD- Why waste time arguing with kend? I have yet to read an entry of his that contributes anything of value to this discussion. "
Very reasonable question! I might offer this:
1. Everyone is entitled to an opinion. If I expect for my own opinions and ideas to carry weight and be considered then it seems reasonable for me to respect and consider the opinions of others.
2. By providing readers with all points of view they are better able to objectively decide which side is right. Righteousness in my primary concern.
3. Kend's opinions are rather easy to address and require very little effort to respond to. I suppose I also have extra time on my hands. Also, I too love words! I'll leave that at that.
This puke is one of those who thinks that as long as he just keeps his mouth moving he won't have to face reality.
In addition to freedom there may also be obligations in a society to your fellows and that is not to mention that collectivizing such obligations as healthcare makes us all more free.
There is nothing given from Mt. Sinai that says that you are "entitled to" or "deserving of" all or any part of the money you receive from any business transaction. That is something we all decide collectively and democraticly according to what we think would be fair and good for society. It can, in fact, be sometimes quite arbitrary but so is leaving everything to the vagaries of the market. The "Free Market" can, in fact, be, at times, quite tyrannical.
AliceInWonderland accept my sincere apologize. I am quite removed from violence against women. I have nothing but respect for women and don't share company with anyone that doesn't. I suppose that makes me quite ignorant of the issue at hand. Perhaps I'm also somewhat in denial that those acts occur. Pardon my naivete. To some extent I exploit the "problems" I am aware of beyond reasonable limits to arouse humor or make a point. Thanks for telling me I went too far.
On the other hand, it is ironic that the simple biological reality of PMS has disqualified women from combat since war was invented, and only now under President Obama's Administration have we realized that we made a mistake. I think Palindromedary was right when he wrote that this decision is more likely the result of a lack of infantry rather than a generous hand-out of equal rights. I also believe that he was spot on when he said they will come for the children next. You can believe that.
As far as my account being hacked is concerned, you bet it was creepy. Closest feeling I've ever had to being raped. Very scary. Of course I immediately changed my password. It's probably my fault for not using a stronger password in the fist place. I wonder if there are any other security issues I should be concerned with. Any advice is appreciated. ~DAnneMarc
Friend bobcat speaks my mind in this matter.
DAnneMarc, PLEASE don't blame PMS for violence perpetrated against my gender. With all due respect dear brother, this is horse shit. I'm not about to deny that domestic violence perpetrated against men by women ever occurs; but incidences like that are only a tiny minority of such cases, even if most male victims are too embarrassed to report those crimes. I am confident any existing statistics on domestic violence would support my assertion here. I know for a fact that domestic violence is a leading cause of death for women in this country, and in many other countries besides. The vast majority of female murder victims are killed by husbands, boyfriends ad nauseam.
It is simply a fact of life that men are larger, heavier and in most cases, physically stronger than women; also that men tend to be more physically aggressive, occasional exceptions withstanding. Patriarchal belief systems that should have become obsolete eons ago prevail to this day, giving certain members of YOUR gender a sense of entitlement that has no basis in reality. Generally speaking, women are more inclined to fight back verbally, or to be verbally aggressive. Again there are always exceptions, BUT... blaming this kind of violence against women on premenstral syndrome - even with the insufferably bitchy, obnoxious behavior associated with PMS - is not only absurd but potentially dangerous. It's just another example of "blaming the victim", my friend. It is also out-of-character for one of your spirit, intellect and character, all of which I've gained much respect for since joining this blog. - Aliceinwonderland
DAnneMarc said "Someone has hacked into my account. Please investigate! They used by real name; which, I have deleted. I feel violated!" And I would too. How creepy! I sure hope this gets resolved in a hurry. Sorry, my friend... - Alice I.W.
I get e-mail messages all the time from a cacophany of leftie organizations with petitions to sign, and I signed 'em all... up until yesterday, when I received one supporting military women joining their male counterparts in combat missions.
I may be a diehard feminist but I am just as strongly for world peace, and in this instance it was the latter that won. After giving it careful thought, I declined, deleting the petition unsigned... because every war this country has fought in my lifetime is bullshit, and NOBODY of either gender fights in them with my blessings. (Sorry ladies...) - Aliceinwonderland
David Abbot, your experience with "Aunt Matilda" is without a doubt commendable. Being that it may that we both lack combat experience per se, could it be that perhaps you overestimate your ability. I generously bow to your vast experience in the matter; but, do you really think that such techniques as analyzing astronomical charts, exploring emotional issues, and realizing your own personal unfinished emotional business is really going to be successful when an enemy is firing bombs and shooting at you. Don't you think you might be a little distracted to deal with trying to "look at my behavior during the preceding month"...
Not that in anyway I'm I saying your technique is invalid; however, I for one don't buy it's practicality in combat. Sorry to disagree. But I too have desperately tried to stuff Jennie back into the bottle when it inconvenienced me. I certainly don't want to be so distracted in combat that I get my head blown off offering a shoulder to cry on. Of course, that's besides the point for you and I. Whether women are entitled to participate in combat is irrelevant. The question at hand is whether or not combat has a place in a civilized society. I say, NO!
Is it possible that there is some way to do a better job of publicizing how many times the republicants use the filibuster to drag down democracy?
Palindromedary, Are you trying to teach me a lesson on internet security? Is this your doing?
Of course, I'm so great, it is extremely difficult to isolate bad words from our branches.That of course is my most sincere opinion. WTF Just sign me up for low taxes and big refunds. If not possible please go fuck yourself. Thank You! Sincerely,
Thom, I did not write this! Someone has hacked into my account. Please investigate! They used by real name; which, I have deleted. I feel violated!
WOW Ken! That was such a sincere, honest, straight up response it brought tears to my eyes. I can't agree more. I feel the same way. As far as people dishonoring vets when they returned, I remember watching such stories on the news with my mother in horror. If No Fault claims that these stories are myths or lies it seems logical to me they are. I must ask you, have you personally experienced this behavior? Do you personally know of someone who has? Its very hard for me to believe this is actually true!
There was indeed a lot of hatred directed toward the government; but to blame the victims...
Ken and No Fault, please provide some empirical support for both of your arguments! I want to know the truth! This is too big of an issue for hear say!
AliceInwonderland, there are three reasons:
1. Of course you're right that he's not even listening. On a conscious level.
2. Other people can read both sides of the discussion and make up their own minds.
3. It amuses me, I enjoy words.
Loser Democrats were afraid to give up the right to filibuster a future Republican majority.
Two problems with this:
1) By letting the Republicans filibuster any progressive legislation, they wind up with a losing record. That's what contributed to the Republican takeover of the House in 2010. Without the Senate filibuster, we would have had a larger, more effective stimulus, a health care plan with a public option, and possibly some action on climate change. Harry Reid cost Nancy Pelosi her speakership. With continued Republican filibusters, the Senate will be powerless to put pressure on the Tea Party House.
2) The Democrats lack the spine to actually use the filibuster, as proven during the Bush era, that got us Roberts and Alito.
When will filibuster reform happen. If there is a Republican majority in the Senate and the Democrats start to use the filibuster, the Republicans will have no hesitation in using the "nuclear option." In fact, they stopped Democratic filibusters by threatening to do just that during the Bush era, and getting an agreement with Democrats hat the filibuster would only be used in extraordinary cases. The Democrats complied, and the Republicans ignored that agreement.
The Harkin proposal for reform was even better than the Merkley one - as it eventual got to a majority vote of 51, after allowing plenty of time for the Senate's tradition of debate. No wonder Tom Harkin is leaving. He's not just getting old. The do-nothing Senate is getting old.
BTW Not to change the subject. But has anyone noticed that we just had a march on Washington today in favor of gun control. That's right! Not to protect our civil rights, overturn "Citizens United", repeal the "Patriot Act", end any of our ridiculous foreign military conflicts, re institute publicly funded mental institutions, or preserve social programs; but rather, TO BAN ASSAULT WEAPONS.
I couldn't help but take a good long look at the crowd. Several seemed to be carrying high quality, professionally printed signs. Also, the news agency reports a turnout of "thousands" yet I saw no long range or aerial photographs to support that notion. In fact the "crowd" looked somewhat widely spaced, comprised of no more than a few hundred at most.
http://news.yahoo.com/thousands-march-gun-control-washington-164306917.html
I don't know about you guys, but when I was a kid watching real protests on TV people used to have to make their own signs. When a multitude gathers in a small space they are also usually shoulder to shoulder.The tyrannical government met the demonstrators on the street with riot gear, billy clubs, and tear gas. Without any of that spectacle I can only conclude that this "tyrannical government" fully endorses what the protesters want. If anything, I submit that this "protest" is nothing more than a public commercial for government policy. If you ask me this whole story smells like Corporate sponsored propaganda. Please correct me if I'm mistaken.
Don't get me wrong, by and large I agree with these people's arguments. I don't really care for guns myself. I have always believed they cause more problems than they solve. But why do people insist that this course of action will resolve the problem? Only by reinstating publicly funded mental institution will the root cause of this problem be addressed. Also, why march for this issue? No, I don't think the recent shooting sprees constitutes a National Crisis as much as the other issues I've mentioned. Important, yes! Crisis, no!
If this issue can cause a demonstration in the Capital where were these people when our bill of rights went through the shredder, our Democracy was attacked by the Supreme Court, and our social services starved to death? It doesn't make any sense to me at all. Are we a Nation devoid of Critical Thinking altogether? Is the only way to stir up people to demonstrate in the Capital through Corporate sponsored puppetry? Is there no one amongst us who can suggest to the Government that we demand that they immediately reinstate publicly funded Mental Institutions? I guess I just don't get people sometimes! If an insane person whats to kill innocent people, and they're not locked up safe somewhere but are running around loose, there will always be someway for them to succeed.
Probably the best, fastest way they could succeed without assault weapons is with a car. Anywhere there is a crowd a car is a perfect weapon of mass destruction; and, doesn't even need to be reloaded. Are we going to ban cars next so crazy people can still be free to find other ways? What about knives, screw drivers, crow bars, hammers, and matches? A small group of crazy Arabs recently knocked-off 3,000 innocent people with box cutters. Come on people--use your heads for crying out loud! Are we going to pursue a path where we will eventually have to cripple our society so that Mentally Ill people can run free? Is that what you're suggesting? Don't forget they can kill you with rocks too. Are we going to ban rocks?
You might laugh! Rocks! Really? Ha! Ha! But if you were so insane to really want to kill a lot of people, and you couldn't get a gun or a car, you could just as easily fill a couple of sacks with rocks and go up to the roof of any very tall building in town and lob them off. When they reach the street they will be traveling at the velocity of a missile. They will go right through the roof of any car like an armor piecing bullet; as well as right through your skull and embed themselves in your stomach. If they missed you they would hit the street and explode like a hand grenade sending shrapnel everywhere. Even if you had a gun, you wouldn't be safe. They would be far out of the range of any gun. Your only hope would be to get out of the street. So as you can see, banning guns does little if anything to solve the real problem. Unless the government is behind these shootings and they won't stop staging them till we let them take our guns away. If you believe far out conspiracy theories. Like the NRA says, there's far too many illegal guns available anyway. The solution therefore is to ban the Lunatic.
That's what it sounds like to me. When is this insanity going to stop! This country does indeed suffer from a Mental Health Crisis. Clearly it affects us all. That is what we need to address as a Nation!
Please pardon my off topic rant! I'm sick of Harry Reid already!
OK Enough Harry Reid jokes and insults. It was fun! Yes! Lots of fun! I for one feel much better after lobbing wise crack after wise crack at that poor little old man. I'm now starting to feel bad. It's like shooting a fish in a barrel. He's had enough. Besides the best, most accurate post in this blog is the very second one. Let me spare your mouse wheel and reprint it here:
tim-mccoy wrote: "What does it matter.......... whether or not the senate can pass legislation if the house is constipated with democracy-hating banana-republicans?"
You can thank tim-mccoy for that little gem of wisdom. In defense of Harry Reid, if tim-mccoy is aware of that little reality, maybe Harry Reid is as well.
Not to let Harry completely off the hook--when you pop out at bat your still supposed to run as fast as you can to first base. He deserves everything he's getting and more. He let the team down!
By the way Thom, I think I just figured out what is wrong with this blogs numbering system. It appears that anytime someone edits their post the post gets kicked to the bottom of the blog--that means to the end of the list. That has the effect of moving back one number all the posts placed ahead of that number because now that space is vacant.
The reference number referred to on the "reply to # xxx on the heading of each post remains unchanged. As a result, the references point to incorrect posts. After several edits the entire blog reference system is useless.
To remedy this situation I would recommend that blog posts be permanently assigned a number regardless of whether or not they are ever edited or deleted. That way the references will not get confused or the sequence mixed up. I've also seen posted answers appearing before the posted questions they addressed, as well as posted replys occuring before the post they are replying to. Very confusing.
History will judge Harry Reid as the weakest, least capable Senate Majority Leader of all time. If he accomplished even ONE thing -- filling every empty federal court appointment -- he would have transformed America. This is exactly the kind of thing that drains every registered Democrat of their last ounce of enthusiasm. Because Mr. Reid wants to protect corrupt Democrats who stand in front of TV cameras claiming to support legislation while secretly filibustering it, he destroys his own Party. Mr. Reid's spinelessness will result in the complete destruction of the Democratic Party. Mr. McConnell is already celebrating.
I need to add one more thing: With this action, Harry Reid has totally forfeited his ability to blame the Republicans for ANYTHING. If he complains, even once, about "Republican Obstructionism" he will be laughed out of the room in humiliation. His supporters, if he has any left, will view anything less than total success on his part as COMPLETELY AND TOTALLY HIS OWN FAULT!!!! Moreover, the people who collect voter registrations and pound the pavement will view the failure of every Democratic Senator AS THEIR OWN FAULT FOR VOTING FOR HARRY REID AS MAJORITY LEADER!!!! For the past four years, the paralysis of the Senate could not be pinned on the Democrats or Republicans because nobody knew who was filibustering which bill. All that has changed now. Every single filibuster is now Harry Reid's fault. Every single filbuster is the Democrat's fault, because they had the power to end this game and they chose NOT TO. The paralysis of the Senate, and the corruption of our political process, now lays directly in the lap of Harry Reid. He had the power to change things, and he did not. Goodbye Democratic Party. I've worked my butt off for you for the last time.
It seems that getting rid of idiots in politics is like trying to scratch off that little mark on your word processor only to find out you need to delete the page and start a new one. Please share my mild amusement, but beware. Leadership in America is in a power dive. Exactly for the reasons described by Mike-C, though my views about the success of the middle class don’t agree with his proletariat approach.
Harry Reid is peculiar. Yes, let’s say in a background sense, us low level electorates that are supposed the have such enormous power. Swinging the hammer of Thor, We the People, that forty seven percent of untapped energy, that half of America that are in poverty, fighting for food stamps, those that are under employed, or those lucky to be employed, and don’t forget the needy, those physic deranged scampering for a survival surrounded by libertarians.
My view is to smile in the face of change, for the Jingle originator Bobby Jindal says the GOP did say stupid stuff. Stupid hell, the GOP breached the Constitutional values of a steady state government. Ladies and Gentlemen of America if there is anything of value left in America, please tell me there are people who will not boost to shut down the American government.
That is basic treason. We have surpassed a dysfunction according to our fore founders. The underwater culture, wading in a sea of political defecation, exampled by daily mainstream media pipelines, people losing jobs, homes, and now the frequency of death in mass suicides is on the increase, of course why is this, claim the media what we all think, the sewer and waste in political rhetoric, America the media brought us to where we are. It is the Corporate Congress, corporate senate, the sold out Supreme Court, and the corporate media. We the people are all that’s left. Hang on the ride is going to be a rough one.
In 2014 all American cars will have a black box to monitor drivers, and you think gun control will be a debate. Huh!
A friend of mine in a discussion of black boxes in our transportation system of the railroads makes the claim that the black box system in that transportation technology is used against the workers.
It seems that getting rid of idiots in politics is like trying to scratch off that little mark on your word processor only to find out you need to delete the page and start a new one. Please share my mild amusement, but beware. Leadership in America is in a power dive. Exactly for the reasons described by Mike-C, though my views about the success of the middle class don’t agree with his proletariat approach.
Harry Reid is peculiar. Yes, let’s say in a background sense, us low level electorates that are supposed the have such enormous power. Swinging the hammer of Thor, We the People, that forty seven percent of untapped energy, that half of America that are in poverty, fighting for food stamps, those that are under employed, or those lucky to be employed, and don’t forget the needy, those physic deranged scampering for a survival surrounded by libertarians.
My view is to smile in the face of change, for the Jingle originator Bobby Jindal says the GOP did say stupid stuff. Stupid hell, the GOP breached the Constitutional values of a steady state government. Ladies and Gentlemen of America if there is anything of value left in America, please tell me there are people who will not boost to shut down the American government.
That is basic treason. We have surpassed a dysfunction according to our fore founders. The underwater culture, wading in a sea of political defecation, exampled by daily mainstream media pipelines, people losing jobs, homes, and now the frequency of death in mass suicides is on the increase, of course why is this, claim the media what we all think, the sewer and waste in political rhetoric, America the media brought us to where we are. It is the Corporate Congress, corporate senate, the sold out Supreme Court, and the corporate media. We the people are all that’s left. Hang on the ride is going to be a rough one.
In 2014 all American cars will have a black box to monitor drivers, and you think gun control will be a debate. Huh!
A friend of mine in a discussion of black boxes in our transportation system of the railroads makes the claim that the black box system in that transportation technology is used against the workers.
I don't think most people see the "big picture" of the USA form of democracy. While it looks good on paper, i.e., the Constitution, amendments, etc., are flawed by an inherent defect in that the government is still run by an affluent group of people who must not only protect their assets, but also the assets of those who sponsor them. If you can stand back, unemotionally, and view the process of our lawmaking and see the frivolous games that are played, such as filibustering, gerrymandering and the other ploys used to thwart the democratic process, you will then see that the American citizenry is duped into believing that they living in a true democracy.
The factors that keep this pseudo-democracy alive are that the vast majority still enjoy the basic needs of life. We eat well, have comfortable shelters and adequate clothing along with the luxury items of the day that include radio, TV, cell phones and all the other conveniences that keep us pacified. So while we gripe and complain when many of us see and criticize the built-in system flaws, the rulers will continue to chuckle at our meager protests while dining on caviar, expensive wines and foods while on vacation somewhere in the Med on their million dollar yachts. The same thing kings, queens, princes, shahs and so forth have done for generations.
What to do my proleteriat associates? Enjoy what we have. Laugh back at them and their attempts at the frivolous deceptions. Treat each other as the brothers and sisters that we are. Brothers and sisters, bound by the bond of our middle and lower class endeavors to build and enjoy the modern amenities that we have all worked so hard to build for ourselves and for those that come here after us, in the same way that our forefathers did for us.
Maybe one day, all of us, rich, middle class and less fortunate alike, will contrive a true democracy that is built strong enough to survive the faults of the weak, selfish few who will try to posion it.