chuck kottke

I wish there was some intelligent conspiracy like that going on - because otherwise, what does that say about the minds of many Americans, and the power of marketing? It looks like they'll be vying for the VP's spot, more Dan Quayle clones - they just have to look good, they don't have to be smart!

Tell me something - how can a weatherman from San Diego know so much about U2?:rolleyes::inquisitive:

Welcome Bubbleymonki:sunny: to Coldplaying

Welcome mystery Minnesotan! Glad you finally got an account!:)

Welcome Robin! As per the shirt search, I'll leave that up to you - somehow I think you're future is in helping the banks in the Netherlands create really good money machines. ;)

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jJ-pvc-fGpI&feature=related]YouTube - chicago does anybody really know...[/ame]

Welcome Aboard the Board Stephen !! Congratulations on your engagement to get married in the 11th in August, and on the great choice in moving songs for the special occasion!:sunny: Enjoy the community here, and keep cool in the shade! :cool:

The Plutocracy of plutocrats, wish we could send them all to Pluto! Living in the 21st century, dealing with late 19th century oligarchs. Strange days indeed.

Truly amazing, who can vie for the presidency, and be considered "serious" contenders. But the fundamental issue really centers around the urgent need for reform in how we finance elections. Part of the reason we wind up with notable candidates like Bachman is because we let those who sell well on TV and can say one thing reassuringly, then do another for the money, ride to the front of the pack and blitz the TV with ads (naturally paid for by all the forces corrupting our system). They can say amazingly unintelligent things, or highly uninformed things, but if they look good and sell their message, they garner the votes. Too many votes for safety's sake! Hence, I feel it is time to move towards an amendment to correct the root problem - no more shall money be the predominant influence in our political process - we must correct this matter, or face the consequences. Beware of charlatans selling political remedies; what's behind the curtain is where the real danger lies.

What sorts of similar events exist in all the four corners on earth?

Come visit, and learn how to run your car on used french fry oil. The emissions smell like fried donuts! :p:wacko: three days of fun in the sun!! :sunny: The Midwest Renewable Energy Association ...and you get to play with mud!

understood.:nod:

Care to explain? The explanation I got was something like, " it should all be just individuals trading and bartering, without governments or other unwieldy organized entities." Great, except that's probably not going to happen. And how does starting a riot after a hockey game win people over to your cause (other than the rioters?)..

To me. the trials and strains of life make the releases and successes feel like heaven! One must work and struggle to feel a sense of triumph over adversity, and the joy of overcoming obstacles. There is no sense of warmth without feeling cold, nor sense of light without knowing darkness. Work like hell, feel like heaven - if you've got a good pair of shoes on. ;)

misdirected excitement, I understand and sympathize. It's a thing though, when people are on a power trip, it can be channeled in positive or negative directions. The anarchists I have spoken with are of the belief that organized anything needs to be broken up, especially modern society. They cite inevitable concentration of power, war, totalitarianism, etc. But what's their solution? Total madness? Chaos? I dunno - either isn't much of an answer..

It's all relative, based on the planet you live on and the method of marking time. And I am listening to The Call [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MXT7VnEY-c8]YouTube - Here's To You My Little Loves![/ame] Here's to all good citizens everywhere, may we triumph over the evils of oppression and tyranny in our lands.

Welcome Mark!! Great story, I hope you can get to a Coldplay gig ;).

Welcome Atsoi Cool Jacket!!:cool: A submariner then - glad you could finally work up the courage to participate!

At present, that process has become corrupted by those with the money and insider influence to in essence purchase that which should never be for sale. It is that preferential treatment, resulting in appointments, lobbying positions, and the revolving door that exists in the seats of power, which has dimmed the lamp of liberty and tarnished our system of checks and balances to the point of becoming a mockery of the very essence for which it must stand. When inequalities and corruption reach a level that is intolerable, it is our duty as citizens to right the wrong, and to chart a strait course to the ship of liberty & justice to which our nation belongs. The means through which this corruption has weaken our resolve in now quite clear for all to see - it is the unchecked, unequal, and mass quantities of money flowing into the political process which has hollowed out the tree of democracy, it's decay leaving only the outer veneer of leaves and bark, neglecting the roots from which it sprang, and has so weakened the supporting structures as to make vulnerable the center of the nation, that which once stood as the solid beam of strength around which so massive a tree could grow and flourish. So, I humbly submit to you an amendment for your consideration, and I am seeking any and all sincere input regarding remedies to the problems we now face.

In the process of selecting representatives to our government, that process must yield individuals who, when elected, will represent all of their constituents on an equal basis, proceed with legislation that represents the will of the majority without trampling on the rights of the minority, uphold fairness, and promote justice in our nation, as well as the world.

Hope

:laugh3: That's the horse race we're watching right now, all bets are on all horses to run away with the game, as we tumble off the cliff with them. Ah, so that's it - wait for the next big crash (sometime soon), and then when everyone's broke, start a massive lobbying effort funded by everyone's pooled pennies?

What I am wondering is how to get the process rolling, since amendments require approval by Congress and then state legislatures, which like asking the gamblers to give up gambling. And what would seem a reasonable level for signatures required to get on the ballot? Is the current level alright, too few, too many? How big a mass movement would it take to get the process changed, and equity in elections addressed in America?

The funding of elections & the funding of candidate races for public office shall be done on an equitable basis, so that any candidate able to garner a determined number of signatures on a petition of intent to seek public office (no less than 1/10th of 1% of the eligible voters in a given house district, no less than 1/20th of 1% of a state's population for a senate seat, and no less than 1/500th of 1% of the nation's population for the presidency) shall have available sufficient funds equal to that of any other qualifying candidate seeking the same office in that term. Limits on donations in any sense (soft money, hard money, ad money) shall be limited to citizens, and the maximum donation amount per citizen per candidate shall be no more than 1/100th of the average income per real live citizen, as per the latest official census figures. The Funding of elections shall be done on an Equitable basis. Explanation: What I am intending is to end the uneven funds available for voting precincts, which discourages voter turnout in poorer regions of the country. If one thing should be equal, it is our right to vote and our access to voting. Candidate Equality, a level playing field. To some this sounds wrong in that it may appear that candidates who don't work as hard in getting funds & work to get support from donors then get the same in the end anyhow. Hence, one might assume lazy candidates can waltz in even though they don't deserve the opportunity to run. However, absent this, the candidate who gets the most funds from the biggest donors then buys the most ad time and often wins the election, and then does favors for those big donors. Setting the threshold for signatures high enough ensures that only serious candidates are able to get into the field & on the ballot. Those who garner backers more than the other candidates have the interest of real supporters who will then actually speak to other citizens feeling a part of that candidate's campaign, the more the merrier. So someone just taking the make-up money wouldn't necessarily then have an equal chance, since they haven't made as many connections with real people. But if it boils down to choice between a more honest candidate who better represents the will of the people and one who is not, then even if that better candidate is relatively less known to start off, the opportunity exists for equal evaluation by the voters, and in the end, the best fit can be chosen.

Dried Cranberries!:P