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No Fraud: I can't disagree with anything you said in #51 or #74 or #75. I agree 100%!
Yes, I've heard that too! ;-}
(Reply to #74, con't) Anyway... I'm all talked out on the subject of guns and violence. What needs to be done to remedy this ain't exactly rocket science, nor is it a mystery; like our economic crisis and healthcare crisis, and everything else we find ourselves struggling with as a society, the solutions aren't that difficult to figure out. The main obstacle seems to be legislators beholden to corporate interests, who uphold a status quo that is toxic for everyone. Gets old, doesn't it? - Aliceinwonderland
(Reply to #74, con't) The issue of gun violence has many facts because of the various factors feeding into it. In addition to video games programming kids for violence, we need to consider the negative impact of economic injustice which pits people against each other, breeding distrust and animosity and exacerbating just about every social ill you can imagine... which overlaps another facet: this war-oriented economy and culture, making war & violence part of normal everyday life. The scarcity of psychological counseling and mental health services also ties in, well worth discussing in this context.
On more than one occasion I've read of schoolteachers getting fired and/or having their careers ruined, simply for telling their students that violence is wrong, that there are more appropriate wasy of handling conflict.
No Fraud- Good morning, bro! Don't worry, I'm done arguing with Mister Testosterone. I've made my point. And I've not forgotten the true purpose of this blog.
Having just reviewed posts #35 & #51, I see nothing to disagree with in your comments. I think violent video games are definitely worth discussing as part of the problem.
Examining that particular issue in the context of brain development is especially troubling. When young kids spend so much time engaged with that macho crap, they are literally being programmed for violence. Consequently, they are more likely to grow up to be bullies and assholes... or maybe even murderers. Our society needs more of those like a dog needs more fleas.
Your bad ass POV is welcome here, Ken, just try to be civil.
Take it easy, Ken. Politics in democracy is not supposed to be war. The whole purpose of it (democracy) is so you can disagree with someone WITHOUT having to kill 'em. We're trying to do things here like we're supposed to.
Testoserone does cause aggression but I wonder if you're aware of the studies of the correlation between aggressiveness and intelligence in people. It was found that aggressiveness was inversely proportionate to intelligence in men and directly proportionate in women. That is, more aggressive men are less intelligent than less aggressive men and more aggressive women are more intelligent than less aggressive women. Less aggressive men and more aggressive women are more intelligent and more aggressive men and less aggressive women are less intelligent, if you wanna come at it from that side.
Now, the studies' findings I'm referring to are 30 years old and I don't know if they've been repeated or stayed consistent over these years but even if they haven't that doesn't mean the new findings neccessarily invalidate the old or that the origional results don't show something about people. So maybe you shouldn't feel you gotta try to be aggressive "just because" Of course, I do understand that in the "dog eat dog" everybody's gotta look out for themselves and not let themselves be taken advantage of but you don't gotta be real bad here 'cause we're trying to be civil here so if somebody goes too far you just gotta call 'em on it. You don't have to take their head off.
I'd say this about 9/11. Comitting an act of terrorism and blaming it on the other side is a very old political trick, usually done for the purpose of pretext for starting a war. The U.S. (C.I.A.) did it in the '50s in Viet Nam to get us in it. We don't have any proof about that about 9/11 so we can't make an accusation - but we can have our suspicions.
And, lastly, I don't know about mannequins but I know that PIGEONS are all surveillance robots watching us for the planet Xenu.
Take care, Ken.
Hope we keep hearin from ya.
The marginal tax rate increases and tariffs that we need to solve our debt and unemployment problems might be politically impossible until we end the buying of lawmakers ( by the richest 1%) through public financing of campaigns and retirements as I suggested in my original comment, but afterwards the solutions would be as simple as putting a pen to paper.
The results of Reaganite flat taxes and free trade that I listed are massively negative with or without inflation adjustments. And as I clearly said, I believe that our national debt should not exist, in which case the ratio to GDP would always be zero and austerity is a nonsensical concept.
Abraham Lincoln also believed that our national debt should not exist: - "Government, possessing the power to create and issue currency and credit as money, and enjoying the right to withdraw currency and credit from circulation by taxation and otherwise, need not and should not borrow capital at interest."
( Read that Lincoln quote again and you will see that it is also an argument for nationalizing our privately owned, cunningly named 'Federal' Reserve. )
I agree that changes in our tax and trade laws enacted by bought lawmakers since 1980 caused our economic problems. I also agree that five cretins on our Supreme Court who can't see that money doesn't speak, it buys, are an impediment to solving the problem of bought lawmakers, - but Obama will probably give us a rational Supreme Court within four years.
Our government doesn't 'spend' money, it transfers money from some people to other people; - because the inflation adjusted rate of GDP growth was the same before Reagan as it was during and after Reagan, all that his flatter, 'fairer' tax rates did was 'redistribute' trillions in wealth from the majority of Americans to the richest 1%. Economically, in addition to eliminating the national debt, the increase in marginal rates that I propose, in combination with fair trade laws and a living minimum wage, would return most of that wealth to the majority who produced most of it.
In summary; - effective progressive taxation, a living minimun wage, and tariffs on products made in slave wage nations would end our ongoing Reaganite nightmare and give us a booming Capitalist economy within a few years.
Hello ALICEINWONDERLAND
I just wanted to bring to your attention my post #51 which is in response to your post #35 - an on going discussion between you and PALINDROMEDARY.
I was wondering if you had anything further to add...Rather than get caught up in some B.S. argument with KEN WARE (Jerk)...I personally find him to be just some old man who has nothing better to do than bait people into pointless banter by taking childish shots their charector. Maybe he needs a hug? I don't even waste my time reading more than a sentence or two of his posts because more times than not he does just what you have been shakeing your finger at him for.
So as much as I can appreciate your effort to set him straight, and I do agree with what you have said, I don't think you needed to be soooooo lonnnnnng winnnnnnnded.
I'd like to hear your's and PALINDROMEDARY (as well as others) responses to my post #51, and have an open and intellagent discussion...If you feel it worth having.
cheers!
Well, Ken, I'm certainly not alone in believing that elements within our Government was behind 911..at least a big part of it. And at the very least, they planned, suckered and facilitated the entry into this country of the so-called terrorist hijackers knowing full well what would happen...and was counting on it. But there are many well educated people, scientists and engineers and people of other professions that believe that there is more than ample hard evidence that 911 was an inside job...conceived, planned, and orchestrated by traitors inside the power structure of the United States. But, of course, with you...it doesn't matter how much evidence is presented...you have your mind made up that the official government conspiracy theory is true. What you have is a bad case of cognitive dissonance. Nasty stuff..that! I stay away from it myself.
It sounds like you have an even bigger problem than paranoia...you've obviously been brainwashed by the military and you can't shake it out of your system. You must have been a career military. And it is because of a lot of your comments which makes me think that you may actually be one of those so-called "sock puppets" hired by the military to post blogs attacking anyone who makes comments like the ones that many of us have made...especially me...because the one thing these criminal Pentagon and/or political elements want to disparage is 911 being an inside job. Sometimes you make comments that seem like you want us to believe that you are a liberal but your very right wing comments always give you away. I noticed that when I first mentioned the program that the military has of infiltrating the social media for the purpose of attacking those who are not zombie-like uber-Patriots who have questioned the military and right wing jingoist actions, that you seemed to freak out and started to sling epithets at me....calling me paranoid and using some other very frightening language...like wishing I was dead...hoping that you'd see my name in some on-line obituary column..you said. That's very hostile language! By the way, was that the post that you were frantically trying to delete?
And as for the mannequins being fitted with cameras to spy on people....what? are you deaf or just dense? I already showed you one of the many articles that shows that it is true. But, like I said before, it seems no amount of evidence is going to change your mind about anything.
Oh, and because I am wary enough of what kind of crazy idiots are out there, idiots that try to talk tough and who have nasty weapons, I try to keep my location and identity to myself. I realize that I am not the smartest person in the world for even participating in these blogs because hackers can find out, pretty easily, who I am. Ok, I give up...maybe I'm Vladimir Smirnoffski from Semipalatinsk....or maybe I'm Crissy Carrolinski from Dubuque, Iowa. I could be 80 years old or maybe 20. Here's a hint..there's lots of snow on the ground in my front yard...and it's cold as all get out. Yup, gotta go..gettin' mighty thirsty. Time for a pop, I guess.
And it is also your problem Mister Testosterone, like it or not. Disagreeing with someone is one thing; assuming on the basis of that disagreement that (s)he is a "detriment" to your beliefs or your country is something else. It reveals a lack of diplomacy. Calling other bloggers "timid" and "cowards" and in general, labeling people you disagree with, only reflects poorly on you and encourages us to label you right back. You come across as an Angry White Man with an axe to grind. Perhaps a little weight training might help you get some of that out of your system.
If you think it appropriate to define others in such negative terms for daring to disagree with you, while viewing politics & war as a "game", this makes you a part of the problem. We need viable solutions to these problems plaguing our culture: dynamics of one-upmanship, competition over cooperation and animosity. That won't get us all very far into the next century. - Aliceinwonderland
Aliceinwonderland - Lightenup? Heavy handed? Take for granted my POV warrants respect? Boy are you reading me wrong. I could not care less whether you or anyone respects my comments! I do not expect you or anyone else to do anything but make your comments and reply if you wish. I guess you missed my comment when I stated politics to me is a war game. If you think my comments are hostile you obviously have never heard real hostile comments. Bullying tactics, I do not make comments for someone to agree with me, I could not careless. I detest politicians who stand there and say my friend on the right or left, when all these guys want is their bill passed and obviously from the remarks we have heard “off camera or from a dead microphone" is that they dislike each other immensely and hold the American public with contempt. That is the real nature of politics. And when I express myself I too take it as politics between civilians. I am gender biased when it comes to individual people and comments. Women and men have a completely different bio-chemical makeup. Testosterone, which I have high levels of, is why men are generally more aggressive than women. Well at least some men. Ready for a fight, yes I am always ready for a political fight with people who I deem to be detrimental to my beliefs or my country. I detest Republican politicians and the people who support them. As far as palindromedary goes I have no problem with him showing my past comments to him. I stand firmly behind what I have said. If I did not I would not be showing my picture and on numerous times state that I am from Southern California. I see timid people and people like Palindromedary as cowards. One good example of my attitude is if some unknown person walked into my home and I considered him a threat to me or my family, he would not walk out. I do believe that individuals, who know how to safely use a firearm, should have the right to own them and use them if threatened in their home or property. I am not interested in anyone’s point of view on firearms and believe people have the right to have several weapons if they choose. The police dept. is a reactionary organization. They only show up after something happens and they react to the situation. I carry the same POV towards politics. As far as Palindromedary goes I think he is a very timid individual and like many people hide behind cute pseudonyms for their names. I do not ask for your respect concerning my comments nor do I care. I hope that helps you to understand where I am coming from. Politics is not a civil game or ideology. We go to war over political differences and I have had to survive warfare, unlike many other men of today. Hartmann is always ready for a fight, otherwise why would he have individuals with completely different ideology than his on his show? Didn't you notice one of the main parts of his program is called," The Lone Liberal Rumble" or words close to that. You call my masculine approach as a bullying tactic. A bully tries to get the other person to do or agree with his point of view. I could not care less if you agreed with me!
And as far as Palindromedary posting my comments I have no problem with that, I do not back down from what I have said and will probably repeat my comments in the future unless my comments are restricted from Hartmann's blog. I think the man is timid and a person with a paranoid problem. He quotes the remarks of other people with very little originality in his comments. Anyone who believes the Government was behind the 911 attacks and he actually thinks manikins are equipped with cameras for eyes is somewhat delusional and paranoid. That is just my take on it and if you think that these comments are hostile, that is your problem.
Bionic Mannequins Spy on Shoppers to Boost Luxury Sales
By Andrew Roberts - 2012-11-21T18:16:07Z
Store mannequins are meant to catch your eye. Soon you may catch theirs.
Fashion brands are deploying mannequins equipped with technology used to identify criminals at airports to watch over shoppers in their stores.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-11-19/bionic-mannequins-spy-on-shoppe...
And if you don't think bloomberg is a credible source, why don't you do a google search on Mannequins Spy Camera ? There are lots of sources... you just have to look.
CIA Chief: We’ll Spy on You Through Your Dishwasher--
http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2012/03/petraeus-tv-remote/
I guess you must prefer the "Ignorance is bliss" denial philosophy...where this is surely the best of all possible worlds. The authorities always have our best interests at heart. Just ask Torquemada in whatever incarnation he exists past or present.
(Reply to #63, con't) You really do need to lighten up and learn to engage in these discussions in a more civilized manner, without being so heavy-handed all the time. You take for granted that your point of view warrants respect, yet you seem incapable of showing the same kind of respect to everyone else. While it is inevitable some of us will get on each other's nerves from time to time, you seem to go beyond that, always coming on like you're ready for a fight. You might think that's "masculine"; from my perspective it's no more than a common bully tactic, one we an always expect from those wishing to dominate the discussion.
As for your reference to "political correctness"... haven't I heard that sound bite before? Platitudes and insults will only get you so far. - Aliceinwonderland
http://www.thomhartmann.com/blog/2012/11/despite-receiving-little-attent...
http://www.thomhartmann.com/blog/2012/11/american-people-gave-president-...
http://www.thomhartmann.com/blog/2012/12/massive-labor-protests-are-expe...
http://www.thomhartmann.com/blog/2012/12/republican-party-self-destructe...
No Mr. Ware, you don't understand at all. You characterize my defense of Palindromedary as some warm & fuzzy, chick-flick sort of thing, like PD and I are these two kindred spirits blindly loyal to one another, stickin' together through thick an' thin. Presumptuous, dismissive and condescending, just as I would expect from you.
I've had my own disaggreements with PD. But unlike you Mr. Ware, he knows how to hold his own in a debate without losing his cool and resorting to personal attacks. We manage to get along unhindered by differences of opinion. I can say the same about my exchanges with No Fraud. But now with you. If you're gonna imply or insist my more civil dialogues with PD profile us as the Hand-Holding Buddies in Blogland, then hey, dream on pal. Create your own reality!
I'm not begrudging you the right to express your opinions. It is your hostile attitude and disrespect for the opinions of others that bothers me.
What you've just described illustrates perfectly the reason I gave up TV years ago. Why should I pay a bill each month for the privilege of accessing something that used to be free, and the privilege of being annoyed & offended on a daily basis in my own house?!
The way Thom describes human history is like a cycle that keeps going 'round and 'round. Now we're stuck in the Guilded Age part of the cycle. Whoopie, here we go again...
Thom has reminded us how many ancient indigenous cultures (native Americans in particular) viewed greed as a mental illness. By contrast, our culture nurtures qualities such as narcissism and greed. It is these sides of human nature that are the root of all evil.
- Aliceinwonderland
The dude says, "Whenever government pays for something over time it comes to define it." that's GOOD if it's a democratic government. Then we can ALL define it democratically. The underlying fallacy and foundational disingenuousness of their anti government argument is their equating of government with tyranny. As is usual with such disingenuousness, the opposite is true. The privatization of government that they seek would, in fact, be tyranny and they don't want democratic government, protecting the people and their rights, getting in the way of that.
The Renassaince, the guilds, the middle class all ended feudalism that these guys are trying to bring back.
"I'm against regulating behavior" that's what John Wayne Gacy said when he was told murder was illegal.
People are only in favor of cutting other people's social programs, never those that benefit them.
"There was a time when Americans could compete [with wages paid in other countries]. When they wanted to stand on their own two feet." Standing on their own two feet with such starvation wages? How does someone stand on their own two feet as slaves? These guys are a perfect example of wanting their "freedom" at the expense of other people's. The narcissism of these people is unbelievable.
It is a clear illustration of Marxist theory that humans lived in egalitarian society until the domestication of plants and animals after which the same principle of domestication was applied to people beginning different kinds of slavery and the subjugation of women. These guys are so concerned about their own"liberty" but don't care how many working people they crush in order to get it. Their freedom at the expense of others'. Clearly, the liberty of the working people is not important, only their own is. The working people are not people to them. They are oxen to be driven and exploited for all that can be gotten from them.
I was a member of a union while working for comission.
Nurses are traditionally grossly underpaid because theirs was considered women's work.
These guys are clearly only trying to protect their privilege and nothing more.
I just watched the End of Year Big Picture Rumble. The panel was talking about moving jobs to low wage countries and these ASSININE pundits, trying to say that that's good said, "There was a time when Americans could compete [with wages paid in other countries]. When they wanted to stand on their own two feet." Standing on their own two feet with such starvation wages? How does someone stand on their own two feet as slaves? These guys are a perfect example of wanting their "freedom" at the expense of other people's. The narcissism of these people is unbelievable.
It is a clear illustration of Marxist theory that humans lived in egalitarian society until the domestication of plants and animals after which the same principle of domestication was applied to people beginning different kinds of slavery and the subjugation of women. These guys are so concerned about their own"liberty" but don't care how many working people they crush in order to get it. Their freedom at the expense of others'. Clearly, the liberty of the working people is not important, only their own is. The working people are not people to them. They are oxen to be driven and exploited for all that can be gotten from them.
Kend - I am surprised as well! As usual Palindromedary uses a reply of dismissiveness to respond to something he cannot use an intellectual response too.
Aliceinwonderland - My statement concerning depression as simple depression was made in a sarcastic response to Palindromedary's comments about people not being allowed to own weapons. I guess I need to brush up on how to be sarcastic. And as I stated I find those who consume alcohol and own weapons to be more of a threat. If you would have read my whole statement you would have seen how I was in fact knowledgeable about Depression because I have several friends that suffer from this disease and one in particular is a teacher and a pillar of his community. But I guess the temptation to set me straight was just too great to resist. Have a nice New Year.
Aliceinwonderland - My first response to you is that I can understand your feminine response and your attempt to protect your friend or online friend. I personally do not agree with you concerning the testing methods used by the Big Pharma Corporations. They go through multiple years of testing and a staggering amount of money is spent to finally be able to market their product. My suggestion to you is do not use any of these highly suspicious drugs that the F.D.A. blindly gives an ok to. The number of drugs that benefit mankind compared to those who have shown to cause health problems is astronomical in comparison to those who do create health problems. Like you kindred spirit on line you fail to understand the enormous benefit these Pharma companies and the medications they produce have had on mankind as a whole. From eradicating Polio to life saving blood pressure medications, these drugs are lifesaving. It is always easier to find fault with one or two drugs that may make the headlines than it is to appreciate the benefit as a whole that these drugs do for us. As far as the articles you have mentioned, I have read the same articles when they are noted and I do not see how they could be interpreted in the manner Palindromedary expresses in his comments. Like I have stated it is easy to quote on an article and find an extensive amounts of negativity without researching further and mentioning the positive points of medications or governmental conspiracies to destroy our freedom. I personally find the gentleman a paranoid with a desire to be the one who spreads the gospel about everything he says. As far as my attitude towards his ranting’s, I have observed you taking the same stance on subjects you comment on that is not in agreement with yours. I apologize if it hurts your sensitivity the way I reply with a no holds barred in my comments. Once a warrior always a warrior regardless of age or subject, a masculine response. If you find my comments offensive you have the right to notify the webmaster and state your views on my responses online and ask me to be removed from commenting. But I refuse to change the way I respond to comments made by anybody, especially those made by your kindred online Palindromedary. He has a different style when responding to something I have commented on and that is to express an attitude of dismissiveness or objective piety while speaking down to someone. Political correctness is not something I agree with or utilize when responding to anyone. Ask kend, he will attest to this fact. Also I do not find it necessary to hide my identity or taper down my responses. I am very passionate in my responses when I believe someone is slandering others for their own personal glorification. That includes anyone who feels compelled to state their opinion on this blog or any other. l do not take my orders from you or any other entity and if that is a problem so be it. As I have stated I do take the time to read any article that is sited as a truth for the basis of any comments. And I agree with you Palindromedary, for the lack of his real name, is well read. But that in no way makes his comments or his reference to specific articles a basis for the truth. They are simply his interpretation and I find many of his interpretations to be false and somewhat paranoid. Just like I find Kend's comments to be somewhat irrelevant since he is not an American. And I find your point of view to be to the left and feminine. I agree my response on specific comments to be harsh at times, but at times harshness is warranted to express the true nature of my retorts. I do not at any time expect the response to my comments to being any less to the point or harsh than mine. I give it out, but unlike others I can take it as well. I hope my response answers any of your comments or questions. If you want political correctness in comments watch CSPAN or CNN. Like I have stated if you find my comments to be too "much" for your liking you have the option of making a complaint to the webmaster that handles Hartmann's Blog. Thank you for your sensitive reply on my comments. Also, you have the right to state that some of my comments do not seem rational, that is what free speech is all about. I do not get offended easily by remarks made about my comments and I do not worry about in what light others see or interpret my comments. If I did I certainly would not state my real name and physical location. I do not live in a world where fear determines my points of view.
(Reply to #14, con't) I also must clarify that, contrary to how you've described it, there is nothing "simple" about depression. Since finally recognized as an illness, depression has been found to consist of seven distinctly different types, identified by the Amen Clinics who specialize in treating this illness. These various types of depression involve different areas of the brain.
Like any debater worth his salt, PD cites facts to support his premise. And facts are facts; they are what they are regardless of whatever emotional impact they could have on anyone. No reason to shoot the messenger. - Aliceinwonderland
Is it not a fact that the CIA and U.S. government smuggled heroin & cocaine into this country? And if it is indeed a fact, then wouldn't it be reasonable to doubt our government's credibility in matters pertaining to drugs in general? That's the point PD seems to have made. When you accuse him of "comparing" psychotropic drugs to heroin, you not only miss the point; you're putting words in his mouth. And nowhere in PD's entry have I seen it suggested that every person on antidepressants is automatically a menace to society.
Any government brazenly hypocritical enough to smuggle heroin & coke into its own country, while draconian enough to arrest & jail people on a daily basis for using those very things, is NOT credible. What could better highlight the politics of drugs in "My Country 'Tis Of Thee"? With all your distrust-in-government sentiment, Mr. Ware, I would think this a no-brainer for you.