chuck kottke

Hi Pai, and hello Zeya! :) The perils of concentrated power in any form are serious things, that's for sure! I think about the colonists here in America during colonial rule - there lives were in danger & their houses sometimes searched and ransacked to find any evidence of opposition to colonial governors and the King of England (and any untaxed tea or whiskey). We have problems here as well - not as severe by any means, but our media does what it's ownership wants, so they can't always just give the news. Concentrated media ownership is to blame to a large extent. Rupert Murdock owns roughly 40% of all the media outlets in the U.S. last estimate I heard, and changed the rules (via cronies) at or Federal Communications Commission to allow himself to own more than a third. With that much power in the hands of so few ( & with a political agenda), it's little wonder the U.S. is in war after war after war! Thank God the internet is still an open forum!! Our saving grace from complete totalitarian rule. (that and Public Broadcasting, and some cable/satellite broadcasts - Democracy Now, Free Speech TV, etc. - can you receive then in Malaysia?) Speaking out in public has always been perilous - here too. I wish you all the best in finding and opening up people's eyes in Malaysia! What happened when Condoleezza Rice visited? In terms of dangers of being a protester, here in the U.S. there is a lot of information gathering on opposition - probably many phone conversations, internet, etc. - but it's hard to datamine it, and it's illegal, but it goes on anyway.. So much for our right of privacy and protections against Orwellian forces! But it's hands-off generally unless there's a warrant or order to the NSA. I want the media to be independent too! :) Yours & ours.

I like coloring books! I used to have this super-cool one with Aztec and Mayan symbols - it was wayy cool!!:cool: What is your favorite nut? (peanut, cashew, filbert, almond, brasil nut, macadamia, pecan, butternut, walnut, etc..)

I ran away - I had too! Otherwise, they wouldn't have made it a song!!:laugh3: Hello Lore!!

Hmm! Perhaps a thing of the past - or maybe they just bake them for us Westerners? Yes, that is disappointing! But Hey, there's an export we can send them! - "authentic Chinese fortune cookies" - contents may be from one or more of the following countries: Brasil, Japan, Sweden, England, U.S.A., or the Marianas Islands. :P What do they serve for desert?

Welcome Andy! Keep warm in Pittsburgh - did you get some snow out your way?

The real problem is that while the oil begins to slowly taper off, demand is on the rise. Not really a problem, since improved efficiency will be able to stave off any real problems we might face from a real shortage for a long time - enough time to bring the changes we need. But can the global environment handle it? Anyhow, beside the oil crunch, I also enjoy peanut-butter crunch and chocolate crunch. Which do you prefer?

Well, from what I know of it, it had a bizarre outcome - The court's decision was that the Scotts (Harriet and Dred) were considered slaves, the Missouri compromise was declared unconstitutional, yet all but three of the justices upheld that free black men and women were citizens (but to what degree I am not sure - 3/5ths?) - all that, even though the Scotts were residing in free territory - Illinois. The Southerners to a large extent welcomed the decision, but the young Republican party rejected the decision, as it would have effectively extended slavery into the free states of the North. It also reduced the power of the states in determining a persons' status. It took the Civil War and the 13th and 14th amendments to finally put an end to slavery in the U.S., and even that did not stop segregation and the denying of voting rights to black citizens. The voting rights act & subsequent legislation, the result of the freedom riders' activism and marches drove the issue to the forefront in our nation. Yes, it takes a movement to get real change - I agree! But perhaps having some ideas of what one wants to change helps crystallize one's thoughts. In the revolution, the slogan of "no taxation without representation," and the rallying of the people to stop the shipments of tea from docking and unloading at colonial ports was effective for starting the revolution. And during the Civil War, Lincoln's speech at Gettysburg provided a sense of purpose to a higher calling - to end slavery. So yes, I am familiar with the Dred Scott decision, but it's probably way more nuanced than I'm fully aware of - clue me in!!

The right of equality of time and access to the broadcast medias, and to limits on campaign expenditures protecting the right to fair candidate races, shall not be infringed. Congress has the authority and duty to write appropriate legislation for this article of amendment. >> we can only hope to correct the imbalances after we begin to replace those elected officials beholden to moneyed interests with representatives of the people - individuals responsive to the will of broad coalitions within their respective jurisdictions. It has been accomplished, and will need to be expanded to gain a new progressive government capable of protecting our rights.

A condensation of possible Amendments: 1. The right to vote for all adult citizens shall not be infringed upon. 2. All citizens have the right to an impartial, reliable, and transparent voting process. 3. We have the right to fair candidate races. Essential to protecting the freedoms of speech and of the press is obtaining honest representation in government - for protection of our basic rights can only occur when the body entrusted with representing our will (and selecting court members to protect our rights in cases involving law or legislation) is elected in a fair process by the will of we, the people. 4. We have the right to limit the undue influence of money in the elections process, especially in candidate races and on broadcast expenditures. We have the right of equality of candidate access to the broadcast medias.

*Bump*

Welcome to Coldplaying Alegria!:sunny:

I feel that, out of fear, despite remote possibilities, we tend to ban things and reduce our freedoms. Reducing the crime rate is more a matter of better economics & opportunities, greater equity and respect in society, and offering more outlets for youth activity. As the income gap widens, and the poorer members of society begin to fall short on their ability to meet their obligations and have time for their families, doesn't this have an effect on overall tendencies towards crime as well? What about the outlook of younger people, and how they feel about themselves? I think to address the immediate concerns can be helpful if done with respect for a person's rights, but the underlying causes are at the heart of many social problems..

Hmm.. maybe if we moved Wall-Street to Las Vegas, the impression of risk-taking and rigged gaming might wake people up? Nah, what am I thinking - this is the U.S.!:laugh3: Maybe if we had a trading-places day here.. For one day a year, the brokers and investment experts would swap places with the farmers and factory workers. Instead of milking the system, they could milk cows, and let the farmers make some money for a change!!:P Oh, how sweet it would be!!

Swedish Fortune Cookies Will they move the Swedish workers along with it too?:inquisitive: Will it help if they bolt themselves to the machines? Sounds like Volvo is going the route of everyone else, which is maybe not a good thing - just a brand, albeit still a great philosophy behind it. One good thing - Chinese people will be getting a really safe car then!:laugh3: But what will the Swedish people drive now? Maybe borrow some reindeer from up north? What will there be for employment in Sweden?? Will Volvo keep it's heavy machinery division in Sweden? (one too many questions maybe...) I think if you could just get them to mix the fortune cookie dough with some Swedish pancake mix - maybe that would be a better combination? (and less likely to separate once baked in an oven..)

Europe's financial problems, and Greek financial woes are rocking the markets now! Apparently the need for impartial financial oversight is as great now as ever, and in almost every nation. Eliot Spitzer has said that our market problems haven't been fixed either.. How did it get to this point? Hmm..:thinking:

dbl.post

In considering the problem we're dealing with, I mused over it for a while.. A better examination involving the problem of how elections are financed is to look back into history at what had transpired to drive our land into separating from English rule in 1776. The ability of one corporation - the East India Company - to find preferential favor with Parliament & to receive kickbacks on the tea tax, along with Parliament's demand for colonial tax money and unwillingness to allow the American colonists representation in government, led the impetus for revolt against the system. That, and the legitimate concern that one corporation could wield such enormous power and control, fueled the cause of liberty. Today, we haven't any true monopolies, but what we do have are large controlling interests in the form of commercial banks, corporate PAC and lobbying firms, and other associations of power that effectively have limited citizen control over our elected government, and used their influence for economic & political gain, at our expense. What has resulted is a system of governance unable to check the power of these groups. In order to secure economic fair play and stability in the markets, as well as to properly regulate certain industries for the health and safety of workers and consumers, we must regain citizen control of our democracy. Gradually loosing control of the commons - the air, water, public land, and broadcast spectrum - to these powerful entities is still another major infraction against our liberties and collective rights as citizens. Perhaps it is time to right the ship of liberty, and restore our rightful place on it. A government of, by, and for the people, with liberty and equal justice for all. A motto we need to live up to! U.S. Minister to France Thomas Jefferson wrote to James Madison about his concern regarding the omission of certain rights in the new constitution, including protections against standing armies, and restrictions against monopolies. Given the current conditions, I would say Jefferson's concerns ring as true today as they did in 1789!;)

Malaysia - Well, I'm not aware of what's amiss where you live - I only know what troubles the U.S. has - perhaps the same problem all over? You would make a good leader in Malaysia, but thanks just the same!:)

:laugh3: She's perfect for a calendar, Nick. Dan Quayle, Sarah Palin, and who's next in their lineup? Friends of mine have suggested that the Reps will be looking for a young charismatic Baptist minister to be their next Presidential pick. Long ways off from here, but the end in nearer than we think! I keep thinking - "Why not just pick a corporate logo to be President?" - since they're going to be in charge financially, and have gained the right to speak, spend, and vote dollar-wise.. Never mind me - just frustrated at the Supremes..

Mooshoo pork with white rice and lemon sauce Yes it is. Met a man from Taiwan, and he feel so limited when he comes to mainland China, but his chinese friends still think they are very free ^^ everything comes down to what you're accustomed to How true - all things are in relation to what we are familiar with.. I see... well, we from the countries of the west only have ourselves to blame since we so bad want to invest in the expanding chinese market. That's right - I want the Chinese cabbage and chicken from the market too!:P Well, any thing that looks like it's growing fast attracts investors like flies.. markets solve everything - they tell me here on this site!:laugh3: If not every company would move their business here we wouldn't have this problem ^^ btw, I heard that Volvo has sold out to chinese owners =O that's the most swedish of the swedish thing there is haha Volvo?:stunned: I'm really surprised! To Chinese owners??:stunned: What happens in Sweden to the plants there? Will the lunch counters start serving stir-fry chicken with peanuts and rice? Fortune cookies instead of retirement benefits?:laugh3: Where does this all end? Please don't tell me they're buying out Whole Foods Market! tricia takanawa is cartoon charachter in Family Guy ^^ Ah, I see! I never watch that show - I'll need to take a look then..

How many roads must a man walk down Before they call him a man And how many seas must the white dove sail Before she sleeps in the sand How many times must the cannonballs fly Before they are forever banned. The answer my friend is blowing in the wind The answer is blowing in the wind.

YAY!! Snow!! Zoe's getting Snow!! Put those plow trucks to work out there!

Well, I suppose all things are relative! But I'm sure as people get more accustomed to the freedoms they have, they will want more. Or at least one can hope so!! That's it - thanks! Baidu. Adieu Baidu. Our status-quo is jeopardized, so we get huffy, eh!:laugh3: Well, let's just have an economic spitting match, and see who wins! Daffy or Marvin - I'm sure there will be an outcome!:P But it's also major companies here who feel suddenly "threatened"- Boeing is worried about the new Chinese jets, and software companies, etc. Google is feeling like their software have been pirated by China's government, and given the censorship, it's something the company isn't happy about. And it gives an ominous feel to anyone else doing business with software in China as well.. Tricia Takanawa - isn't that the reporter on the China news I see on satellite TV?:thinking: Anyhow, nice to chat!

Trent Reznor

Fluffy Liver! Pate'!:laugh3: OOPS! TV - very little TV viewing. Given the horse's leg as the standard measure of horsepower, how many mice do you think it would take to equal one horsepower?:P