chuck kottke

The movement for basic human rights and economic fairness today is with Occupy, in the 60's it was with the civil right's movement and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.; we are paralleling history, as we pay homage to this great man: #J15 Worldwide Candlelight Vigil for Unity MLK, Jr.'s Birthday 7pm

Are you suggesting that the media in Italy, controlled as it is by Berlusconi's machine or whoever runs it now, has shifted it's focus away from tragic news and is focusing on the austerity measures instead? I'm a bit confused.. :confused:

:laugh3: Life in a northern rainforest can be... damp! :P Hey, at least you have had some snow! And I'm sure, there's enough winter left for a few snowstorms yet, even in tropical Vancouver. ;) Sounds like the United Kingdoms are getting a milder winter also, perhaps a global warming of the north..

I believe we are tasked with completing that dream, the dream that we will one day live in peace and brotherhood together, that the great disparities in wealth and rights will be a thing of the past.

? Winds whipping furiously there Ian? Time to hook up a wind jenny to the pole!:P > sounds Balmy. Tropical. Enchanting. :cool: Here in sub-Canada, it's ... sub-Arctic! :laugh3:

:laugh3: Well, there you have it! Raspberry ripple does sound great actually!:) Sure beats the pumpkin flavor they tried once, and the peanut-butter flavored ice-cream was good, but it needed something to go with it, like chocolate.. Anyhow, ironic to be talking about ice-cream when it's -8C outside. :P >> Lake Mendota is still ice-free? Hm, amazing. I suppose, all those ducks filled with student union pop-corn are churning the water so much, it can't freeze!;) Oh well, enjoy the sledding then - we used to slide down the hill inside big cardboard boxes..

:hug: Aww, release your inner child, loosen up, and just relax. :):flutterby::joker:

You're right David, is is awfully one-sided, I agree. And if what Richard O'dwyer states is true, that they merely directed users to other sites, then one wonders why the US Customs and Border Agency is pressing this case, except to make an example of one person, in order to scare others away from using or even referring someone to copyrighted material. 5 years in jail max, if he's convicted? If he is guilty of anything, why on earth meter out such harsh punishment?? It does sound like someone just wants a big case win to put a feather in their cap, and do the bidding of a lucrative industry to scare everyone. I'm all for copyright protection, but it's granted on the assumption that it is to foster innovation and creativity, not to provide income for copyright holders for untold decades. And when someone does violate a copyright law, since it's regarding lost revenue, it seems proper to return to the holder of the copyright (which should be in the hands of the originator) some of the estimated lost revenues, not to send someone to jail or prison over it! Amendment VIII. Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishment inflicted.

It's a good release from feeling tense in life, it's invigorating! But if the music isn't to your liking, I can relate to that - but you could go and just enjoy the liveliness of it, enjoy the company! To paraphrase, YES!!

YES!! Just go have fun, you'll get better at dancing, so enjoy it! If you go with fun people, you'll have fun. :)

>> lol. Sure they did, you bet. They hired some of the workers back, but at lower pay rates, lost seniority, fewer benefits, and many of the older employees lost a great deal of their retirement savings tied up in the former company. Ah, but pensions too get raided, that's right! Oh you're right Jay, it was unprofitable to let it sit empty in that instance, but another mill further north was closed, since the big megacorp. simply wanted to get rid of a competitor and consolidate their operations into a few huge global plants, throwing another mill town into a tail-spin. Pure capitalism, it's quite the beast. :nod: >> In a market economy where the players have to abide by rules of fair play, and cannot rig the system as they have done, that is.. we must rise above oversimplifications. >> :laugh3: Wages for working class citizens have been sliding sideways, while productivity, hours worked, and profits have been soaring. And if weren't for unions (aside from companies that have a family atmosphere at management, and/or are worker-owned), the employees wouldn't be getting their fair share in terms of wages and benefits. Of course, when one has to compete globally with places that house workers in cement cubicles off to one side of the factory floor, it's little wonder competitiveness is harder when workers get their fair share in developed nation's mills. What aught to happen is to set forth trade rules that adjust for this, and penalize producers of goods if they don't abide by certain basic labor standards with better pay for their employees, as well as adjust the dollar's value to create a more level playing field for all producers. And the moving of factories to different locations is pure capitalism - it works fabulously well for the wealthy investors, but suppresses wages for everyone else. > Or, more often the case, the old plant sits idle for years, becomes a matter of blight, and the building winds up unusable because the roof starts to leak, pipes burst, and through neglect it is abandoned and then becomes a community burden. I know this happens, I can visibly see the results in a number of communities - whether in Detroit or smaller burgs, that's the reality. And with the loss of good-paying manufacturing jobs, we see the hollowing out of our economy. Sometimes it is true, a building is re-opened by a different company, sometime it's demolished in a timely manner, but that appears to be more the exception than the rule. > Market demand hasn't softened for paper, sadly for the Canadian forests and the forests of Borneo and elsewhere, but the corporate world now has perfected it's ability to maximize profits, control governments, and exploit workers. In some case, yes, demand naturally can taper off, but in the case of buggies, a lot of those same manufacturers and ancillary producers of parts switched over to automobile production, and often in the same vicinity. With an unemployment rate hovering around 13 million in the US, one has to think a bit harder about the mantra of laissez faire capitalism. >> If everyone were so aware of the investments they were making, then you tell me how those big banks on Wall Street managed to take the risky loans they enticed citizens into, bundled them into mortgage-backed securities, and then managed to package & rate them as AAA rated investments, to be sold on the international markets. Yes, the investors may be suspicious, but without clear, honest, and well-funded government oversight, all sorts of con games are run, and the results have been very harmful to the global economy, directly impacting all of our lives. I would much rather see the promotion of worker-owned companies, or companies held by a very diverse ownership so amassing of control and power isn't an issue, or companies owned by their founders who actually care about all who work at their businesses. And for the rest, then the oversight by agencies working on our behalf is essential, as are unions, to check and balance the excesses of the power held in the hands of a wealthy minority. Better government needs to be there as the arbiter of fair play, which is why I am so adamant about adding amendments to include protections against the abuses of power we are having to deal with and to restore our democratic governance, so we can have an honest insightful set of rules and referee.

I didn't know that he was so well known in Denmark, thanks for relating how you learned about him Nancy! My earliest recollection was simply to have heard his speech replayed on TV numerous times, he was so far-minded and true to basic human values that I couldn't forget what he had said, it remains a powerful memory in my mind to this day. His vision of economic justice and global equality we are all still striving for, and we are at another turning point in history - there is no going back, only forward. [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=56mjwycKuXA]Pride - U2 - Martin Luther King - YouTube[/ame]

9.99999

the library will be closing now. you have 15 minutes to check out reading material before the close of the day.

Cool!:cool: They did have either blackberry or boysenberry swirl in the little sampler cups at the commons, I wonder if they already have a raspberry flavor in production?? Eventually, we will get some wetter snows, winter's another 2 months long, so enjoy what's to come!! ;) And test out the lake's ice-cover, I would imagine it's perfect for the ice-boats right now y/n?

:laugh3: Actually, come to think of it, he was searching for a good dentist. His temperament though at times was quite, um, loud? Is that the word for it.:lol: He didn't bounce, well maybe at a night club or two come to think of it.. but he did roar like bumbles! :laugh3: Winter weather brings out the memories, that's for sure! January is upon us, the wild Yetis roam the northwoods..

I had to work with the abominable snowman once, he's alright once you get to know him, and he has an IQ around 200. Just a little testy at times:laugh3:. Too much time in the German Alps or Himalayas I think, that's probably what was the matter.

and the reply Awww, :hug: You'll get snow soon, I'm sure. And besides, our snow is dry, not easy to work with stuff, and it's c-c-c-c-c-o-l-d !!

That's great! Two birthday celebrations then in one!! :):)

YAY!!! WOOHOO!! Congratulations RUDY!! Your first snowman!! :cool: On Bascom Hill!! Looks like a fine art sculpture to me. :artist: What are the eyes made of? They will have to name a flavor of ice cream in your honor now, in the dairy science building. How about Rudy's Raspberry Ice Cream?;)

And they were making an X-files snowman? Like the abominable snowman? Bumble?

*looks outside* YAY!! Snow!! Brr!! Too Cold!!:P

Aww, comeon Rudy, you can do it! Madison must have a glee club somewhere, and even on break, I'm sure there are townies that are around, just check out the scene and grab some people, go out and make snowmen!! (granted the snow is a bit too cold to pack well, but maybe in a day or two it will warm enough to be able to roll?);)

:laugh3: Might as well!;)

Westanbul :) Webbe, Ethiopia