Open Thread
January 2010 archive
Jan 03 2010
Late Night Karaoke
Jan 03 2010
Must See Movie: “The Secret Of Oz”
Perhaps you’ve heard of the movie “The Money Masters” before by Bill Still. But regardless, it is well known that our U.S. Economy is not really getting better — nor will it ever get better.
How could it? That is, until and unless we solve our astronomical debt problem, and stop borrowing money at interest, just to pay off the never ending massive pile of interest from our old debts — all of which can never go away under our existing system because the very creation of money itself is also debt generating ( as the crooked Federal Reserve System was designed [Rothschilds, Rockefellers, Morgans]).
Some people, namely Ron Paul, have talked about a return to a Gold & Silver based monetary system. But this solution, while constructive for discussion, would appear to be incomplete. For we see even today that the price of Gold and Silver are greatly manipulated in a corrupt manner by the various Central Banks, the IMF, and various Governments. Therefore, how could either Gold or Silver possibly offer any stability when it is itself under the domination and control of “The Money Masters“? For example, given that size of the U.S. Money Supply has quadrupled in just the last few years alone, it would then logically follow that the correct price of Gold relative to the watered-down U.S. Dollar should already be in the vicinity of $5000/OZ.
Jan 03 2010
The Doctor is no More 2010102
Wow, what a sendoff for Tennent! He saved the universe from The Master, and also booted the Time Lords from existence, since they would have done anything to continue to exist. This new series, like the new Star Trek, is a reboot.
I prefer the original timelines, but I also understand that to keep viewers, the story much change to be current. But it does not mean that the original timeline has to chance. Please keep with me to agree that I, Translator, should be the next Doctor in the series.
Jan 03 2010
My Purple Shoes
Jan 02 2010
What happened to education politics?
Now here’s a subject I don’t see hardly anywhere in the blogosphere: education politics. Given that education politics is a matter of students, teachers, and parents in communities of lower-class children versus the political class, the educational corporations, and its Veal Pen, though, it’s no wonder. But if “progressives” really wish to have some degree of autonomy from the business interests, and to be “with the people” on this one, they’d better pay attention to educational politics. The most important struggle, as I will discuss below, will be that of empowering lower-class parents by improving their socioeconomic status, rather than by testing their kids and blaming their teachers.
(Crossposted at Orange)
Jan 02 2010
This Week In Health and Fitness
Welcome to this week’s Health and Fitness.
‘Tis the season for colds and the flu. Everyone needs to take caution in how they treat themselves with over the counter medications (OTC). Some of them are expensive and it is not well studied whether any of them really work all that well. Remember there is no cure for the common cold or even the flu, just medications to reduce the symptoms of fever, cough and congestion. If you have any existing medical problems, such as Asthma, High Blood Pressure, Diabetes, any kind of Heart problems or are taking prescription medication, consult your doctor or ask the Pharmacist before taking any OTC medication.
Catching a cold or the flu may be unavoidable. You can reduce your chances by washing your hands more frequently and using a hand sanitizer with an alcohol content of great than 60%. If you do get sick, stay home if you have a fever (hopefully, you can) and cover you coughs and sneezes.
This weeks NYT has a good article on Money Tips for When the Sniffles Start that also has tips about staying well during the flu season.
As is now custom, I’ll try to include the more interesting and pertinent articles that will help the community awareness of their health and bodies. This essay will not be posted anywhere else due to constraints on my time. Please feel free to make suggestions for improvement and ask questions, I’ll answer as best I can.
Jan 02 2010
Suasion
Subtitle: Never underestimate the power of rationalization and denial.
Perhaps the biggest casualty of the last 12 years or so of aggressive partisan politics started and perfected by the Republicans (for lack of actual ideas or the ability to govern) has been what was once referred to as an open mind. The ability to look at the facts or hear a persuasive argument and have the strength of character and intellectual honesty to change ones mind.
Well the biggest casualty besides the dead of Katrina, Iraq, Afghanistan, the secret torture prisons, the middle class, and the Constitution, anyway.
And of course the sub-casualty, the idea that there are actual facts at all. Facts that can’t be spun or facts that can’t be discounted because of who is presenting those facts, facts that can’t be smeared out of existence in the course of killing the messenger bearing them.
The effect of partisan warfare (and the assault and discrediting of science and the scientific method) has been the snapping shut of minds all across the political spectrum.
Now, what you believe in your gut is more important than facts or reasoned argument.
For example, that it was wrong for Bush to kill Afghan children, but it is ok for Obama to kill Afghan children.
Jan 02 2010
Shooting Handcuffed Children
by David Swanson this morning…
The occupied government of Afghanistan and the United Nations have both concluded that U.S.-led troops recently dragged eight sleeping children out of their beds, handcuffed some of them, and shot them all dead. While this apparently constitutes an everyday act of kindness, far less intriguing than the vicious singeing of his pubic hairs by Captain Underpants, it is at least a variation on the ordinary American technique of murdering men, women, and children by the dozens with unmanned drones.
Also this week in Afghanistan, eight CIA assassins (see if you can find a more appropriate name for them) were murdered by a suicide bombing that one of them apparently executed against the other seven. The Taliban in Pakistan claims credit and describes the mass-murder as revenge for the CIA’s drone killings. And we thought unmanned drones were War Perfected because none of the right people would have to risk their lives. Oops. Perhaps Detroit-bound passengers risked theirs unwittingly.
The CIA has declared its intention to seek revenge for the suicide strike. Who knows what the assassination of sleeping students was revenge for. Perhaps the next lunatic to try blowing up something in the United States will be seeking revenge for whatever Obama does to avenge the victims (television viewers?) of the Crotch Crusader. Certainly there will be numerous more acts of violence driven by longings for revenge against the drone pilots and the shooters of students.
In a civilized world, the alternative to vengeance is justice. Often we can even set aside feelings of revenge as long as we are able to act so as to deter more crime. But at the same time that the puppet president of Afghanistan is demanding the arrest of the troops who shot the handcuffed children, the puppet government of Iraq is facing up to the refusal of the United States to seriously prosecute the Blackwater assassins of innocent Iraqis. Justice will not be permitted as an alternative to vengeance — the mere idea is anti-American.