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Given the men folk suffer from testosterone poisoning should they be allowed to vote?
Why allow human-formed bipeds be allowed to vote, I mean corporations do everything more effectively . . . Hell, why governments at all?
Jack_holes.
If the Revisionist Rapturarians were living during the “Old Testament” times, they would be idolatrous heretics . . . There would be no Old or New Testament; there would only be Torah and a god made manifest in flesh would be frowned upon like idols of gold AND sacrificing ones kid would still be un-Holy and verboten.
Re: Posting of religious writings in public places.
This a bad idea. Dueling over which religious writing better pleases each interest group will only serve to escalate and proliferate divisions between people. Proper application of the letter and intent of the establishment clause in the Constitution
should have prevented the ten commandments from being displayed on public property. The principals embodied in this Constitutional teaching were intended to protect the free exercise of religions not to hinder anyone from practicing them. We have made a fair bargain; I won't tell you what specific religion to practice or whether you must practice any religion at all, and in return you won't force me to subsidize or worship your chosen personal doctrines. The arrogant disregard and disrespect for their neighbors personal choices makes those who would enthusiastically force their religion on everyone worthy of no respect by anyone. Two wrongs seldom make right.
Hi everyone,
I have been enjoying your posts so very much, but I have been busy writing emails to a very sweet guy, so I haven't been able to post very much. Sending lots of warm wishes, though, and I love reading and listening.
I love what Thom is talking about right now. And I have written several letters to President Obama asking him to bring hammers not bombs to Afghanistan. There are about one million creative ways that we could empower women and their families in Afghanistan if we only worked together on this.
We need to start directing some of the energy we are putting into health care reform into stopping the war in Afghanistan by figuring out ways to get education and business loans into the hands of women who are so very motivated to care for their families and make sure their kids have secure lives.
President Obama could employ thousands and thousands of Americans and send them to Afghanistan to build schools, hospitals, roads, telecommunications. He could re-educate Americans in green-energy technology in Afghanistan, who could then in-turn teach Afghan citizens to create their own sustainable energy and green-energy businesses.
We could be training US citizens in sustainable, organic agriculture while at the same time helping Afghan farmers. President Obama could hire folks who are unemployed in the US to work on Afghan farms and help them get their country stabilized. The military could be used simply to protect us while we are working.
I so agree with what you are saying, Thom. If we simply used all of this money we are using for war to better their country, our problems would be over. What is so difficult about that!
Newsweek article Thom saw on his trip:
"The Taliban in Their Own Words"
http://www.newsweek.com/id/216235/page/1
THOM!!!!
Your KTLK 1150AM internet feed went down when you asked "What if you were going to a Catholic School in Boston?
Switched to AM620 KPOJ and still zero sound.
re evangelical Christians in the military
Jeff Sharlet (author of The Family) was recently on GRITtv with Laura Flanders. One of the things he said was that mega-churches are being built on military bases and are the biggest construction projects on the bases.
One of the shocking charges he made was that bailout money (TARP?) is being used to build some of the mega-churches.
Sharlet had attended the recent Value Voters Summit and had some interesting observations. I recommend watching it at
http://lauraflanders.firedoglake.com/2009/09/30/jeff-sharlet-inside-the-...
Of course, I strongly recommend GRITtv anyway.
There’s a documentary titled “Military Evangelizing” that airs from time to time on Free Speech TV that covers much of the same ground. It’s not comforting.
Geph - what if we DEMAND that the BEATITUDES be posted in our public places, anywhere that the 10 commandments are?
Seriously, this might be a nice push-back strategy.
Constantine's Sword
(2007) NR
Director Oren Jacoby's intriguing documentary examines the history of anti-Semitism in the Catholic Church (as exposed in James Carroll's controversial book Constantine's Sword) and the link between the U.S. military and the Christian right. From Constantine's reign in the fourth century to today's evangelical base at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo., Jacoby's film offers a provocative look at the roots of holy war.
netflix.com
Re: Religion & the military
Constantine knew the benefits in making Christianity the official religion. What better motivation for his military personnel; than to fight & die for "country & God"
Talibangelists or Talibangelicals is useful and concise title.
Kurt Vonnegut stated the situation well in "Cold Turkey":
"For some reason, the most vocal Christians among us never mention the Beatitudes.
But, often with tears in their eyes, they demand that the Ten Commandments be posted in public buildings. And of course, that's Moses, not Jesus.
I haven't heard one of them demand that the Sermon on the Mount, the Beatitudes, be posted anywhere.
"Blessed are the merciful" in a courtroom?
"Blessed are the peacemakers" in the Pentagon? Give me a break!"
Thom,
You should have Mike Malloy on to talk about the Christian Dominionists. They keep cropping up in his life (not in a good way.)
D Richards,
OMG
Bill Moyers said that the main ways to improve one's lot in life in the South was through politics or religion.
Re: one bargain-hunter rethinks his habits.
Just this past Sunday I was talking with a fellow small businessman who told me he & his wife forgot to bring lunch, so she went to the dollar store to pick up a couple of tv dinners. He said it tasted "funny", so he looked at the packaging, it was made in China! He took the dinners back and asked for and received a refund.
Frank Schaeffer ("Crazy for God") needs to be taken seriously:
http://www.frankschaeffer.com/
Again, we're dealing with cults regarding these religious crazies. (Has no one pointed out to them that if they are "living in" the Old Testament, they aren't Christians? Christianity, purely defined, reflects CHRIST and his teachings! These people don't.)
Until these cult members can be deprogrammed, this country needs to curtail and control them (or at least protect us from them.)
Liberals pushing back against the ConservativeBible on Twitter:
http://twitter.com/search?q=%23ConservativeBible
This is a fun example of brainstorming AND having fun
Wow, I didn't know you could go to Hell for not flying a plane. I guess the Wright Bros. are bigger than Jesus.
Thom,
More re: "Buy American" from today's Minneapolis Star Tribune:
"A tightwad's dilemma: Rethinking buying habits"
Is it more principled to buy American furnishings, even at a premium? How much is food purity worth? In the depths of the recession, one bargain-hunter rethinks his habits.
http://www.startribune.com/lifestyle/yourmoney/63556107.html?elr=KArks7P...
Tom I want to know how you feel about Dylan Ratigan? I really like his show and I know he is a through and through out Capitalists but he doesn't seem like the gangster to me. He is on MSNBC. He had an interview with Anthony Weiner and Betsy McCoy that was exceptional.
Here is the link:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/31510813/#33192386
I just want to know what you think of him or is he just another Corporate Thug. I don't feel like he is but who knows these days since Money seems to trump everything else.
Breast cancer gene discovery 'most important for 20 years'
Scientists have found a faulty gene linked to half of all breast cancers which experts have hailed as the most important discovery in the disease since the 1970s.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/6261309/Breast-cancer-gene-...
Arab states have launched secret moves with China, Russia and France to stop using the US currency for oil trading.
In the most profound financial change in recent Middle East history, Gulf Arabs are planning – along with China, Russia, Japan and France – to end dollar dealings for oil, moving instead to a basket of currencies including the Japanese yen and Chinese yuan, the euro, gold and a new, unified currency planned for nations in the Gulf Co-operation Council, including Saudi Arabia, Abu Dhabi, Kuwait and Qatar.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/the-demise-of-the-dollar...
Remember what happened to the last Middle East oil producer to sell its oil in euros rather than dollars. A few months after Saddam Hussein trumpeted his decision, the Americans and British invaded Iraq!
Secret meetings have already been held by finance ministers and central bank governors in Russia, China, Japan and Brazil to work on the scheme, which will mean that oil will no longer be priced in dollars.
I worked at Mattel just as the current CEO arrived. Nothing that I see know indicates that anything has changed. Bob is a nice guy and has done some things but he fits the mold of previous CEOs at Mattel (and Kraft, his former employer).
Mattel began receiving request to review their offshore manufacturing conditions long before I joined the staff in 1998. But to Mattel and most other corporations, it's all about the short term benefit. It's like ignoring the warnings about having unprotected sex with the next pretty girl who walks in the room. Anyone realizes there may be unintended consequences but the allure is too much.
I was in consumer relations when Mattel contracted with a Canadian licensee to make a Hot Wheels and Barbie computer. I know the situation first hand and when licensee had financial problems, it seemed to me that Mattel provided a meager solution to consumers. About 1,000 people placed orders with this company and didn't receive it or a refund. Some of these people scrapped the bottom of barrel to get a computer for their kids' Christmas. Mr. Eckert's response was to provide $100 to them and some coupons for Mattel products. Sounds nice but Mattel knew in the summer that this company was going broke. In my opinion, the lawyers looked at things and said Mattel's liability was limited because it was a license arrangement. So they got another six months of royalties and thought they looked good by giving a small refund.
It's always about the money in the fortune 500.