chuck kottke

Poirot:toff:

Kingdom of Back this;)

Welcome Daniel, & Yes, Occupy Wall Street! ;) Sounds sweet!

Happy Birthday Sara !!! :sunny::)

5 ahh smelly black walnut fruits.. plucked before the squirrels could get them!

Basically, the Tea Party (the original subject I think..?) is a product of FOX so-called news or infotainment and backed primarily by the Koch brothers, purveyors of fine oil products. It's in essence a way to whip up a fury and distract the very people most adversely affected by policies run through congress by the moneyed elites. It's effective because it uses the most hype to attract the masses, and pastes labels of being all-American good-for-you proud and the natural choice for all true-red-blooded Americans. Macho and patriotic on one side of the coin, fear on the other, all spun so fast you can get easily lost inside the lies.. Marketing to befuddle and control the minds of the masses, which works on some, especially those who want to believe.. But it attracts many who are generally cynical of government for a variety of reasons, and are believing that there is a conspiracy out to get them, so they must rebel. They like the Gadsden flag, what can I say!gadsden-flag-dont-tread-on.gif (GIF Image, 500x333 pixels) So they fall easily into the cajoling voices saying we need to get rid of government programs, give everyone the choice to do what they want. But what's missing is the reality that those programs are safety-nets for all citizens (especially for the working poor who often go for the Tea Party), without which we'd be in pretty rough shape during hard times. I have neighbors who are Tea Party Types, proudly flying their Gadsden, American, and military flags, and you really can't talk sense to them about it, for they are the true believers. It's also kind of an avant garde thing too - sort of a "I don't care what you say, I'm sticking to this nutty thing" attitude, and so there! I think they secretly harbor some ill will to the public sector - maybe it was the teachers in school who tried to set them right, maybe it was that cop working for the government who stopped them more than once, maybe they think the teacher's unions get special treatment, so often they're looking for someone to tell them, "hey, it's ok to fight these government types!". So they feel slighted and are therefore easily ushered into the Tea Party. They could have some legitimate beefs with the public sector, but the answer they're provided with is a side-track distraction, and that's hard to change. What does make the difference is instead of worrying about the loonies, focus more on promoting the progressive agenda and getting organized to topple the moneyed influencers in our elections process - that's where the real answer is.;)

Well if we go back to the early diet, thinking about prosimians, we find that this early diet consisted mainly of... insects. And insects may be one way of enjoying meat without the guilt surrounding the consumption of a fellow sentient being, since it's difficult to relate to the feelings of let's say a grasshopper or a two lined chestnut borer. Now naturally many of you may be thinking that this is all a very well and good, but where does one obtain insects in a modern super-market? This is where combining our hunting and gathering instincts comes into play. Why not take a lesson from Felis catus, the domestic house cat? Cats are finicky eaters, preferring tuna, chicken, fish, and grasshoppers! Now applying the same hunting techniques of the cat to grasshoppers can provide hours of enjoyable exercise, and nourishing meat in our diets, all obtainable almost anywhere a patch of green grass may be found. Preferable harvesting techniques, for those with less time and a gym to exercise in, will include the use of grasshopper netting and the aid of several assistants to round up the hoppers. Once obtained, hopper is best served baked with melted butter like it's kissing cousin lobster; or deep fried. bon appetite! :P But on second though, just eat chicken and fish - both have been bred into unintelligible stupidity and emotional blandness, making them both easy to harvest and rather tasty! ;) Plus, they take less food per ounce of meat than beef by far, and both eat grasshoppers (if you would rather obtain your insects in a more circuitous route.)

Happy Birthday Rudy!! I hope you are thoroughly enjoying yourself on State Street tonight in Madtown! :hat::hat::hat:

Because Mylo Xyloto is an ancient Mayan ocean-going vessel, it was well caulked with chicle, and thus will not leak. :P

the number zero today, brought to you by Elmo! :laugh3:

Welcome Laura! :) Your English is quite nice, hope you can get into investigative journalism!;) Glad you like Coldplay, they really are exceptional playing in their field. The concert in Madrid sounds like it will be a blast - have fun!!:cool:

aclfestival's Channel - YouTube Paradise?

I never thought modern architecture could be boring! The time is now 03:20:06 Universal Standard Coordinated Time ..and I am baking my first loaf of 100% buckwheat bread. It looks like a brick!:laugh3:

> Last time I went to them, they were free! Plan on allotting enough time to actually enjoy the museums. ;)

What was I thinking?...:laugh3: Oh, Paradise, yes. Anywhere can be paradise, I believe we can make it so if we put our hearts and minds into it. ..That, and I was thinking about the time when the Brits gave that presentation in St. Paul / Minneapolis on trying to grow wheat that makes better proteins so the bread rises better. Here I look at an example of the gist (or grist) of it - one pan has beautifully risen whole wheat dough in it, the other buckwheat dough, which is about half the level risen.. maybe if I give the buckwheat a little more time? hm..

Since you're moving to the USA, you might enjoy the Smithsonian National Museum of American History. NMAH | Kermit the Frog Comes Home to Washington I am assuming you know that the Muppets are from DC?:wacko:

Kathmandu, Nepal:cool:

Wall Street is in part at fault - the big firms are the big donors in political campaigns, result: the powerful deregulated the street into allowing dangerous variable rate sub-prime loan offers to be created and advertised and sold to unsuspecting home buyers, packaged those loans as bundled assets on the market pasted with the label "AAA rated bonds" and sold them to investors all over the globe. When the bubble burst, hedge funds tanked, the global economy came to the verge of collapse, and that led to a huge increase in unemployment from financial uncertainty and jittery consumers, as well as million loosing their homes. Even Jeffrey Sachs 'sings the praises of Occupy Wall Street'! Jeffrey Sachs Sings the Praises of Occupy Wall Street | AlterNet United States housing bubble - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia And the wealth inequality has grown to epic proportions, to the point where the top 1% have profited enormously while workers in the U.S. work 20% more than they did in the 70's, while worker's wages adjusted for inflation have remained flat. Wall Street is just the most visible face of this wealth inequality, hence the location for protests fits the times. 5 Facts You Should Know About the Wealthiest One Percent of Americans | Economy | AlterNet

Look inside your freezer, and in there is the weather in December and January. Actually worse!:laugh3: Nah, it's not that bad on the coastal side, least not so cold. Bring really warm mittens or gloves, really warm socks, and a nice warm hat. A warm coat too. If you're climate is kinda mild, it might be a bit of a surprise at first.. wear thermal underwear.;)

I can see some of the costs, but Woodstock's 3 days of peace and love only cost $18.00 in advance, $24 at the gate. Adjusted for inflation, that's around $75.00. Of course, no laser show though!:laugh3:

Gleetings!!! :)~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Can social media really provide the pathway to better campaigns and an end to the buying of air time with resulting election wins by the candidates with the best social media skills? Jeffrey Sachs thinks so, that the era of campaigns on TV is over, it's a bust. I'm not so sure though - if it didn't work, then why does anyone buy the ad time? Hm, for the average swing voter who decides just before an election, I'm pretty skeptical.. Here's what Sachs had to say: Jeffrey Sachs Sings the Praises of Occupy Wall Street | AlterNet ..it is possible for a candidate to get elected without taking all those corporate bucks, but one or two isn't going to change congress much. I still think the ease with which TV ads seep into the mind makes them effective and watchers are where most citizens are at, trying to judge candidates by how they feel about them, not based on records and funding sources, or how well they work with others.. I still think we must create the space for all qualifying candidates to have equal access to the most common broadcast mediums of the day - the modern public square, because we see and feel the results of what happens when the money behind the candidates gets its way, and that cash is flowing like water into the media machine right now. Move to Amend!

Oh I dunno - it's a beautiful day, but living in a fishbowl definitely makes one feel a bit over-observed.. what's left - Alaska? Yukon? Kamchatka? where do you find 'away'?

Occupy Wall Street ties directly into this - it is the buying of elections which allowed Wall Street's worst behaviors to be permitted and sanctioned, and allowed plundering plutocrats to amass greater wealth by breaking the lives of many normal Americans, disrupting the stability of the global economy, disregarding ecological and social concerns cause by policies enacted by the influence peddling and revolving doors between Wall Street, K Street, and the US Government's heads. Our main stream press has become little more than lap dogs to the elites, servants of those whom they should be investigating and exposing for the crimes of the century they have committed - through the corporate complicit behaviors and overlapping ownership issues, because their ownership demands absolute loyalty, wields gargantuan power, and the marketing department has taken over what used to be thriving departments of journalistic research and integrity, which did reporting of truth not spin - digging deep into the matters of concern, and pursuing doggedly those who seek to hide the truth. Orwell saw it coming, now we must follow Winston Smith's undying belief in Human Nature and the Human Spirit, to right the ship and restore fairness to our institutions. This government is a government of, by, and for We the People, it is time to take back what it rightly ours. More than two centuries ago, James Madison feared that listing rights in the Bill of Rights would diminish all the other rights retained by the people. Others argued that without listing our basic rights, we would loose them all - so powerful was the demand for the inclusion of a Bill of Rights, that it was an absolute prerequisite to passing the U.S. Constitution. But it didn't go far enough, and throughout time it has become essential that we make clear our natural rights, for what is written clearly is undeniable to we citizens, and provides a light which cannot be dimmed or ignored. Underpinning it all is the essential right to fair elections, for without fair elections, all rights listed have no protection and the protections for which democratic government is designed to provide cease to exist. If the growth of the middle class is essential for a healthy democracy, how can the middle class grow when a few wealthy elites control the elections and rig the economy? If a free and independent media is essential as the fourth estate, as a protection against tyranny by exposing the truth and offering a diversity of opinions, how can this independent media flourish if the government is in the hands of an ever-consolidating corporate media machine? What is the point of free speech protections, when only the voices of a wealthy few are ever allowed to be heard, save for the lone orator in a cafe or on a street corner or on a social web forum? Now is the time when real reform is essential, when penning our basic right to honest government through honest and fair elections must become the center hub around which we turn our democracy around.

I just have to say it's difficult to sing about the truth in these times, perhaps the only way to be heard is to code the truth within, to speak with emotion and suggestion rather than directly, and to get on to get out the message is a tenuous dance. When you dance with the crocodiles, you've got to choose your moves wisely.