"Into The West"

Lay down
Your sweet and weary head
Night is falling
You've come to journey's end
Sleep now
And dream of the ones who came before
They are calling
From across the distant shore.

Why do you weep?
What are these tears upon your face?
Soon you will see
All of your fears will pass away
Safe in my arms
You're only sleeping.

What can you see
On the horizon?
Why do the white gulls call?
Across the sea
A pale moon rises
The ships have come to carry you home.

Don't say: 'We have come now to the end'
White shores are calling
You and I will meet again
And you'll be here in my arms
Just sleeping.

~AL

My God, it's quiet! It's nice talking to You, though.

Edmund

Kate, damn did God tell you to do that?

Edmund,
yes
of course

...
oh my gosh

What a loveable old Devil He IS

aye,
she is

and so are you!
:)
dearest

btw, pertinent poem, though I'm very much awake, you?

Gotcha!

I just can't yet fall asleep,
and I was thinking of you when I
posted
"into the west"

something about your comment to mine,
about the banquet
and time.

you are
on my mind

~ Kate

We just can't go on meeting this way. People will talk!

talk they will
no matter what
:-)

We'd better leave room for them sweet heart. x

then I will try for rest and sweet dreams now
and
silence

Thank you john, bonnie, edmund, irvine, derek, freyja and for your responses heather and north:

Thank you deeply for taking the time to reply. I have been pondering your replies. I appreciate every comment. I understand it is different things
for different people.

For me, it is a community. There are many places, forums, networks, discussions board and blogs I
visited or belonged. For me, many members are part of a loose online family irregardless of current
conflicts or disagreements between some.

I have maintained contact with some members I have really connected with, and treasure the deeper quality. There are members I have never or rarely replied to online or offline, yet they are part of my sense of community and valued very much.

Some names have come and gone and I still remember their impact. Every single poster I have read has touched me in some way.

Namaste,
Vanessa

Vanessa, I think it is all a stage, (all senses/meanings of the word) We are the players thereon, the script already written somewhere's deep in what parades as memory.

Bless you.

The earth is what we all have in common
----------------------------------------

Earth Day is April 22 and this is an excellent time to celebrate gains we have made and create new visions to speed-up the healing process of environment. Therefore, Earth Day is a time to unite around new actions. Earth Day is every day and a time to act to protect our planet.

The earth is what we all have in common and this is why I have
some very common things to share with you to control global
warming from every local home.

1. Replace a regular incandescent light bulb with a compact
fluorescent light bulb (cfl) CFLs use 60% to 70% less energy than a regular bulb. This simple switch will save about 400Kg of carbon dioxide a year.

2. Buy organic foods as much as possible
Organic soils capture and store carbon dioxide at much higher
levels than soils from conventional farms. If we grew all of our corn and soybeans organically, we’d remove 580 billion pounds of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere! Plus, organic food is great for you!

3. Reach local farmers
They reduce the amount of energy required to grow and transport the food to you by one fifth.

4. Reuse your shopping bag
When shopping, it saves energy and waste too, use a reusable bag instead of accepting a disposable one in each shop. Waste not only discharges CO2 and methane into the atmosphere, it can also pollute the air, groundwater and soil.

5. Recycle
You can save 1000kg of carbon dioxide per year by recycling just
half of your household waste.

6. Use less hot water
It takes a lot of energy to heat water — use less hot water by
installing an energy efficient triple A rated showerhead (3 tones of carbon dioxide saved per year) and washing your clothes in cold or warm water (225kg saved per year).

7. Avoid products with a lot of packaging
You can save 545kg of carbon dioxide if you cut down your garbage by 10%.

8. Be a thoughtful buyer
One bottle of 1.5l requires less energy and produces less waste
than three bottles of 0.5l. As well, buy recycled paper products: it takes less 70 to 90% less energy to make recycled paper and it prevents the loss of forests worldwide.

Also, choose products that come with little packaging and buy refills when you can. By doing so, you will also cute down on waste production and energy use!

9. Tune your vehicle
Keeping your tires inflated properly can improve your car's fuel
efficiency. Every liter of petrol saved keeps 2.5kg of carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere!

When just 1% of car owners properly maintain their cars, nearly a billion pounds of carbon dioxide are kept out of the atmosphere.

10. Use limited amount of electricity and turn off electric n electronic devices n gadgets if you are not using them.

11. PLANT A TREE
Tell your kid about the difference between flower-plants and a
Planting a tree. reaping a rose is different than harvesting big tall trees. Do plant a tree n inspire to do so on every possible occasions.

How drastically things will change globally when every local
home acts responsibly for the earth because The earth is what we all have in common. And I call it as a local change for global effect.

Each day is Earth Day - Celebrate it everyday
-----------------------------------------------

Nilesh Gore

SO MANY CONDITIONS

Out looking for the troubles we’ve mistaken
we manufacture heartbeats any cat can hear
Physical & emotional instincts clamor for
gratification
We promote the ones who smear our faces
with kisses of approval
You spark my lightning & trigger my thunderstorms
Whatever you become is a limitation
Whatever you overcome is a liberation

Your love comes with so many conditions
it never quite seems to make an appearance
You’ve turned self-deception into an art form
No one can sabotage themselves the way you do
How can I keep track of all your crowded flights?
Name your poisons in alphabetical order
along with your latest string of crimes
Let me witness your controlled intoxications

Slaves of futility all chasing illusions
Someone’s always dying to meet you
What will you hit when you crash
& the ground’s no longer solid?
Who but a willing fool would
accept the role of ruler for a moment?
Cry out the truths you can never express
as you’re melting on my tongue

The One and only, Steve Toth.

Gobsmacked am i

Something is the matter.

I just can't follow that.

Sudden suspicions come at me.

I'm trying to shoo them away.

The "Who's Who" of authenticity

lies in cover-ups and falsies.

.

If calling you, "Grandma" is an offense, pal, I apologize.

I am sorry. Good day to you! Ol'Chum

Ah Keith, just the man, don't be suspicious, neither you nor me.
What did I do? Those blessed doves are taking all the flowers off me primroses. Do you think it's the nectar they're after or before?

Phew, I think I need another glass of Sherry.

Gob smacked!

I drink to a little bikini, don't you?

#17 Aww.... hi Nilesh, I blessed your post and now I see it didn't go through.
What I wrote was, yes it is about time to stop taking our Mother for granted. My own mother died 'before her time' and that shames me. Yet, still she forgives me.
Ed.

Dear Kate,

#1 very apt. In fact I waited for the new OT to show up and somehow something came up and I missed it as I wanted to give our Keith a wake up call. You did that anyway, you and Edmund, and its nice to have a small manageable OT to visit made all the more pleasureable by the company here.

Its a nice day here too :)
Love
Dara

"A human being is a part of the whole, called by us 'Universe,' a part limited in time and space. He experiences himself, his thoughts, and feelings as something separated from the rest, a kind of optical delusion of his consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few persons nearest to us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty. Nobody is able to achieve this completely, but the striving for such achievement is in itself a part of the liberation and a foundation for inner security." --Albert Einstein

----

Kate.. I thought you and Keith have been an item for over 2 years here; in much the same way you are now, with Edmund? I'm confused...

Cinda..I hope you recieved your book. : )
Derek..glad you got yours. : )

Confused me, is off to shovel from the blizzard we had all night.

Love,
North

Jesse "The Body" Ventura! He always was my favorite wrestler, and I like his politics too!

Peace

Thanks Bonnie and Irvine Welsh for your welcome greetings. I did miss Irvine’s posts #197,198 and 199 on the previous open thread.

The reference to that skeptisch person got me wondering and digging in the IB archives. This guy was quite a prominent poster. He seems to have been against the Iraqi war from the beginning and had clashes with other prominent IBers like Amba and Norm. He got along with most people but especially a guy named Ron Saywack.

Skeptisch did have a clash with “Neocon Norm”. Norm blew a gasket during one of the exchanges. But in a classy move he gave the world a look inside himself, and into what it may look like in many of us.
Here it is again:

“Skeptisch,

We've had our rounds in the past, you said I wasn't a decent human being because I was able to look around me and be happy with what I saw, and I grabbed hold of my ego, called you an arrogant prick, and we parted ways not so amiably.

Will you allow me to apologize for that? I should have made an attempt to learn from you instead of reacting to you. I'm sorry.

I said all that, because I needed to, and also to try to enter this conversation with a clear mind and heart.

I find myself caught between you and the believers. I'm sure it's obvious to most I'm not highly educated as far as formal education goes. That is one of my greatest sorrows in life. My kids live under the threat, "you're going to college if I have to beat you every day and drag you there!!!" I have a good life, but education gives one a lot more options and quickens the mind...not sure why I'm saying all this....maybe just a preface...

I'm not a Christian, though raised that way by wonderful parents. I suppose that's why I have a heightened sensitivity to the sneering way Christians are talked about on this blog. I drifted away from that life in my late 20's. Since then, I've been at times like a ship without a sail, tossed on the tempest of life. Though sometimes I long for the haven of that life, (believing that sincerely is comforting) I can't intellectually return there.

I find myself caught in the middle. I believe in reason as you do. I believe most things will be borne out scientifically....yet I also believe there is 'something' out there. Call it conciousness, call it energy, call it love...it's there. I don't believe we were put here to walk around 75 years like an automaton, to fill a grave and be a banquet for worms, but I believe there is more to it than that....When the heart stops beating, the blood stops flowing...in some form I think we go on....

Anyway, if this is all there is...Oh Well!! If not, maybe someday we can sit on a cloud together, and smoke a cosmic cigar!!

norm

ps...on a lighter note...if this reincarnation stuff is correct....I wanna come back as a lesbian or a black angus bull!! Lesbian...well that's self explanatory....angus bull...well, he eats, he sleeps....he 's surrounded by pretty little heifers who never have a headache!!!”

80. Posted by norm on January 5, 2007 07:55 AM

Skeptisch’s response showed some class too:

“No problem Norm, welcome back!
Mind you, you are still a Neocon or at least a Republican, aren’t you? :-)”

83. Posted by Skeptisch on January 5, 2007 08:25 AM

Hi there Walter,

Norm, like Skeptisch was an authentic person, with no pretensions, a straightforward southerner. He is certainly missed and so is his bride Divya.

goodwednesday everyone

Well, I have been a busy lately and the news, well, it is never good, these days, but low and behold I found a few lines that made me smile and brightened my day, today.

I was over at huffpo and what caught my eye was an article, by Arthur S(sorry, didn't get the rest) about how Maureen Dowd from the nyTimes is recognizing Hillary's staying power and is just a tad bit admiring of it..saying this about the race...

"It has come to this -- even the acidic Maureen Dowd is showing a sneaking admiration for Hillary Clinton. In a column in Wednesday's New York Times, Dowd recognizes for the first time the tenacity and indominability of Hillary Clinton in this year's presidential race. Calling her a "scrappy blue-collar mama" in contrast to a more "effete" Obama, Dowd writes that "one of the most valuable lessons the gritty Hillary can teach the languid Obama -- and the timid Democrats -- is that the whole point of a presidential race is to win. It's not to share power, or force the squabbling couple into an arranged marriage. The winner wins, even if it's only by a fraction of a percentage point or one Supreme Court justice." The only wonderment is that it has taken Dowd almost the entire Democratic contest of 2007-2008 to finally reach this conclusion. But better late than never."

I love that Hillary has the vote of the blue collar workers the folks that know how hard these times are and the ones who are scraping by paycheck to paycheck their "high ideals" are the ones that will, not just keep them afloat, but keep them from drowning altogether sooner rather than later." They are not at all fooled by the man with the golden tongue.

Now, don't run too fast to read my latest, you might trip over your enthusiasm and really hurt yurselves.:)

have a great day everyone, ruth

Dear Edmund,

yes... u r right n ur comment is appriciated
be in touch

Nilesh

Yeah the blue collar workers, those less educated low info people can learn, and the more they learn the more they prefer the better candidate.

SHOCK POLL: Obama takes the lead in PA...
April 2

Barack Obama 45
Hillary Clinton 43

Barack Obama has taken the lead in Pennsylvania, a remarkable turnaround after trailing Hillary Clinton by 26 points in a PPP poll in the state just two and a half weeks ago.

Full results:

http://www.publicpolicypolling.com/pdf/PPP_Penn_Release_040208.pdf

just wanted to add...

I just read the nyTimes piece and Mauree Dowd ends with this line,.....

"Hillary’s work is done only when she is done, because the best way for Obama to prove he’s ready to stare down Ahmadinejad is by putting away someone even tougher.'

God, if folks think that this campaign has been a rough ride for Barak Obama because he was running against Hillary Clinton they must have been asleep for quite a few decades of our political process, really, I can't think of a Candidate who has had it this easy, so far into a campaign.

so long, farewell...by by ruth

The people who lack any original thought are not those who copy and paste articles, but those who use the opinions and words of others to craft their own.

Ruth, as usual misinterpreted Maureen's Hillary 'tougher than Ahmadinejad' comparison. It show that Obama shall have an experience dealing with a person who cannot see anything beyond his/her narrow, illogical, egoistic perspective to do anything justifying the means to an end.

"I can't think of a Candidate who has had it this easy, so far into a campaign."

Every front runner has it easy this far into a campaign. Though, I can't think of anyone like Hillary who uses negative tactics so far into a campiagn.

Ruth is perhpas ignorant of all the antics of Hillary and her campaign to try to win at all costs. I think I will enlighten the likes of her in subsequent posts.

Clinton campaign: popular vote doesn't matter

Harold Ickes:

"In the wide-ranging interview, Ickes also [confirmed] that the Hillary campaign could still try to woo super-dels even if she lost the popular vote, with Michigan and Florida counted"

So what's the point of even counting the popular vote?

Armando:

"Hillary Clinton is out there arguing in favor of counting the votes in all 50 states and here is Ickes saying that the RESULT of those votes will not matter to the Clinton campaign."

Of course it won't matter. I'm not sure why Armando or anyone else would be surprised about that.

Clinton's campaign has one premise -- victory at all costs. If that requires sundering the Democratic Party, so be it. She doesn't care. Therefore, there is no logic that applies. The popular vote only matters if it favors her. The pledged delegate lead only matters if it favors her. Michigan and Florida only matter if it favors her. States only matters if they vote for her. Groups and communities in this country only matters if they supports her. Super delegates only matter if they cast their lot with her.

Clinton personifies the worst of the "with us, or against us"-type thinking that has gotten us in trouble with the rest of the world.

So we have a campaign that is losing by every metric imaginable. And now that campaign says that it doesn't care if she's losing by every metric imaginable. Her campaign will carry on regardless.

No one can say that Clinton doesn't play to win. In some circumstances, that is admirable.

The only problem is that she already lost. At this point, this is just pathetic. --dKos

Clinton Dealing with the Devil

I'm flabbergasted. It appears that Senator Clinton has made a deal with the devil.

Everyone knows that Clinton recently said "He would not have been my pastor" -- trying to stir up the whole Jeremiah Wright thing again, but most people don't know that those words were spoken in an interview with the Pittsburgh Tribune Review, a newspaper owned by Richard Mellon Scaife. Scaife himself was in the room during that interview.

* whim's diary :: ::
*

So who is Scaife? (Summary: He spent the '90s manufacturing vile innuendo about the Clintons. Scaife "spread the reprehensible allegation that Hillary Clinton killed Vince Foster" and said that Bill Clinton "can order people done away with at his will. He's got the entire federal government behind him. ... God, there must be 60 people who have died mysteriously.")

What does Clinton want from Scaife? Read this:

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/opinion/s_559659.html

And his paper published this hit piece about Obama and Wright yesterday:

http://blogs.tnr.com/tnr/blogs/the_plank/archive/2008/04/01/a-vote-for-obama-is-a-vote-for-murder.aspx

Can Clinton be courting Scaife for any other reason than to fan the flames of racism in Pennsylvania?

-----------

And if that weren't enough on Clinton, apparently she was fired from her job on the House Judiciary Committee during the Watergate investigation for lying and unethical behavior:

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/4/1/12146/80206/920/488267

http://newsbusters.org/blogs/john-stephenson/2008/04/01/will-media-give-story-about-hillarys-unethical-past-legs-it-deserve

Hey, Chris, you're reading through your own bias in your comment 33. That Dowd piece was superb -- thanks, ruth, for pointing it out!!

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/02/opinion/02dowd.html

My favorite quote:

"...the Hillary camp will garrote him with his mistakes until he fully appreciates what garroting feels like..."

That's a worthy bit of writing, in any context.

All the more so, in Dowd's triple-wrap-back piece of mockery.

As for your contention in 32 that "The people who lack any original thought are not those who copy and paste articles, but those who use the opinions and words of others to craft their own." -- that self-defense is too silly for words.

"Hey, Chris, you're reading through your own bias in your comment 33. "

Probably that's not what Maureen meant, she left it it open for interpretation, but what I said is a true unlike Ruth's. I don't care to base my opinion on what Maureen says.

We are back to politics? So be it.

Obama endorsed by Lee Hamilton, Chair of 911 Commission and Iraq Study Group.

Obama endorsed by Lee Hamilton, Chair of 911 Commission and Iraq Study Group.

You don't need to base your opinion on Dowd's, but you can admire her scintillating skill in producing fine satire, which is as complex and lovely as a beautifully-embroidered silk cloth, to wrap her opinions up in. That piece is pretty great thinking and writing.

Life, endorsed by H.G. Quinn, despite all its difficulties and peculiarities.

Did I say, I don't appreciate Maureen's writing style and skills? I do appreciate it. What I disagree is with Ruth's opinion based on her article.

PS: You can praise Maureen's writing too, without looking for a pretense to do so.

There was no pretense. It's like having two gifts in one box. I appreciate the writing and thought, and the positions she's expressing, separately. And then there is a third gift, in its own box: the interplay between her sparkling wit and her serious thinking. Like musical counterpoint, like mustard curry, like hot fudge on ice cream, like neat Talisker and crisps.

or better, like a plunge in the ocean on a sizzling hot day.

...like a hot dance on a dark summer night, like the fragrance of jasmine in early morning cool.

like roses.

There you go again. You appreciate Maureen's writing and her article. Well good. But you do it with a pretense. The pretense being to rebut me. I have nothing against your opinions of her article. Listen AGAIN, my ONLY disagreement was with Ruth's statement which I addressed already.

Ratter than a "pretense," you just needed an "excuse." to express your admiration. I say, just make your statements, don't scapegoat others to express your views.

stop stop stop, please lower your ego... it's true you willfully misinterpreted Dowd's spectacular writing. but it is the writing I care about. if the piece hadn't been that good, I'd have kept my peace. her opinion is secondary, and your personal positions in general are tertiary. my going on about it has nothing to do with politics, and everything to do with finding a great piece of writing on a day when I needed to find something like that. it's pretty much between me and me.

pax, baby?

Chris, I recommend purging your mind of all cliche, like scapegoat, strawmen, etc. try something new, fresh -- something from yourself! it will have much more meaning for those who read you, and it's a lot more fun.

love, h

You are blinded by projections. Oh, I guess I should not use cliche like "projection." and denial. And of course I am perhpas ignorant that you never project or don't harbor biases in cognizance. Sorry, cliches again.

I do appreciate Maureen Dowd's articles. That doesn't mean that I should agree with every crazy ass statement made by anyone based on those articles, or every interpretation of it, or with what I might see as overstatement or understatement of the literary and intellectual quality of her article.

#24 Dear North, I wouldn't want to upset Keith for the world. I hadn't perceived them to be an 'item.'

Read those first posts carefully and note the times. Kate and I are on opposite sides of the world, with, honestly no connections other than what Meike calls the 'heartphone.' We both walked away gobsmacked at that. That might be difficult to discern for a casual glancer.
This is Love not love. When it comes to 'Items' you are all included in this grandpa's book. It's just that Kate and I are easy-going and reaping the rewards of that, I venture to suggest. There IS a vibe between Kate and I, though I'd rather not speak for her. That vibe did funny things this, my morning and her night-time, and that was the 'item' if you wish to use such a word.

dear Chris, nowhere have I suggested, recommended or said you should agree with even a single letter in anyone's writing or opinions...

I believe in everyone's right to make their own decisions. If someone makes an interpretative error, whether it's accidental or otherwise, I'll point it out sometimes. That's it.

I like the pungency of your words today.

San Francisco Chronicle: Bill "Red-Faced, Finger-Pointing" At Superdelegates Meeting

Bill's Tirade In Private Meeting Stuns Superdelegates

"It was one of the worst political meetings I have ever attended," one superdelegate said.

"If someone makes an interpretative error, whether it's accidental or otherwise, I'll point it out sometimes. That's it."

Oh, really? I made an interpretative error?

My point in #33 was to point out the error made my Ruth about the nature of the race which is irrelevant to Maureen Dowd's opinion.

You said, Maureen's article was spectacular in #33 and that I am reading through my bias about 'tougher than Ahmadinejad' statement (I never hinted that I disagree with the spectacular part). Remember it is a interpretation which is supported by facts and sound arguments unlike Ruth's which are not supported by facts. So don't call it misinterpretation. I didn't interpret the whole article, for you to come out and argue with me about writing styles and content. Just the last line of Dowd's article, which was ironic, and my interpretation agrees with facts. If you see it differently based on your experince, it is okay too, but don't tell me it is a misinterpretation and that I criticized her writing skills or her artcile.

You misread and imagined what I did or did not state or imply, and you are trying to defend that position.

ai ai ai, I didn't do most of what you say I did in 57...

now that is bias!!

and you're tetchy today!

One can interpret 'tougher than Ahmadinejad' statement in as many ways one can want, but the interpretation should agree with facts. The interpretations may wary, but that's not the point. If an interpretation doesn't agree with facts then it can be labeled an misinterpretation. That's my point. Maureen's entire artcile, like poem can be interpreted in many ways, but the last line I thoigh was ironic, that's my interpretation you may disagree though. But don't be narrow minded fool to tell me it is a misinterpretation.

insults now. hmmmm.

I'm unwilling to use pejorative language (or thoughts!) against others. I think it's rude and dishonorable to do so.

One can interpret 'tougher than Ahmadinejad' statement in as many ways one can want, but the interpretation should agree with facts. The interpretations may wary, but that's not the point. If an interpretation doesn't agree with facts then it can be labeled an misinterpretation. That's my point. Maureen's entire artcile, like poem can be interpreted in many ways, but the last line I thoigh was ironic, that's my interpretation you may disagree though. But don't be narrow minded fool to tell me it is a misinterpretation.

One can interpret 'tougher than Ahmadinejad' statement in as many ways one can want, but the interpretation should agree with facts. The interpretations may wary, but that's not the point. If an interpretation doesn't agree with facts then it can be labeled an misinterpretation. That's my point. Maureen's entire artcile, like poem can be interpreted in many ways, but the last line I thoigh was ironic, that's my interpretation you may disagree though. But don't be narrow minded fool to tell me it is a misinterpretation.

Maureen Dowd is critical of Hillary and her campaign through out this season and is pro Obama. This artcile is no different. I don't really understand anyone who reads the entire artcile would assume Maureen's intentions are pro Hillary at this juncture - her satire and especially the ironic last line. Anyone who knows follow the facts and understand the references and allusions in the article can clearly see the artcile as a criticism of Hillary who is playing dirty to win at all costs.

Hey Chris, "The interpretations may wary"
Shouldn't that be vary? I'm conjuring with that one. Wary, hmmm.... who wouldn't be?

Hi Edmund; I was confused, as we've all been witnessing those two "at it" and I summized it were LOVE as in couple-dome. as what happend with Patzi and Dave. lol Little did I realize..I was ridiculously protecting.. no thing. lol sigggh

Received Easter chocolates today!! Ferrero Rocher.. I love them!! The pkg was torn open, no letter inside... thanks YOU(you know who you are), for thinking of me at Easter... (chocolate-melt face smiley)

Cinda..did you get your book yet? Has everyone recieved theirs?

Love,
North

It's an Irish thing -- the convoluted, back-on-itself satire, and the willingness to shift a position based on a person's performance. Often when such a shift is made, it's made on a trial basis and discussed with self-deprecating humor. We all don't have a lot of ego, but we have pride -- often too much of it. We all have been known to be critical in public of those we're privately supportive of. Being part Irish, I can get away with saying such silly things.

Later, babe.

Talking of misinterpretations, check these...

Below are just a sample of some of the comments to Stephen Schlesinger post at HuffPost (Ref. Ruth's post) titled "Maureen Dowd Likes Hillary!" in which he used a couple of excerpts from Dowd's artcile at MY Times:

Stephen, I doubt that you read the entire column, MoDo lampooned Hillary's many faux talking points, ending with ... " Hillary"s work is done only when she is done, because the best way for Obama to prove he"s ready to stare down Ahmadinejad is by putting away someone even tougher."

For those of you who can, follow this link and read the entire column ...
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/02/opinion/02dowd.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin ...
MoDo compares Hillary to a character in Strauss"s opera "Der Rosenkavalier" and is anything but flattering to Hillary or her mud- slinging, disingenuous campaign ...

***

If you came away from that Dowd article thinking it was approving of Hillary, I am stunned at how you can misinterpret the facts in black and white...

oh, never mind

You're a Hillary supporter. That explains everything.

***

Reading is fundamental...so is the context. Dowd said "Obama has been less adept at absorbing the lesson of Hillary"s metamorphosis from entitled queen of the party to scrappy blue-collar mama." This is not hailing Hillary as a mere blue-collar mama. Rather, this shows us how she can be any flavor of the day. You can dress up like Jesus and yet, you won't be walking on water. NAFTA was something which is hurting both OH and PA. Yet, as Dowd knows, Hillary was busy supporting NAFTA when she did not need the votes. http://youtube.com/watch?v=wFuA0z4kKD4

Dowd is playing with this "metamorphosis" not hailing Hillary as a "real" supporter of the blue collar worker. Surely, Schlesinger gets even that much.

***

In any case, having actually read the article, my takeaway is that Dowd believes that Hillary is a low down dirty fighter. Just like the Republicans, she has gotten this far by appealing to the worst in us. And Dowd believes that all of her dirty tricks will help the nominee (Obama) know what he's in for when he goes up against McCain and the pack of wolves backing him.

But I guess Hillary supporters are now reduced to turning a lack of integrity itno a virtue. I guess they have to find virtue where they can at this point.

***

I think it would be a good idea for anyone commenting here to actually read the Dowd article.
Ms. Dowd doesn't call HLC a scrappy anything, rather she comments on HLC once again redefining herself as such when it seems to be advantageous. Nor does Ms. Dowd contrast Obama as being effete, rather she comments on him unintentionally appearing so.

Mr. Schlesinger, you seem to share Hillary's ethic's, that is to say situational at best. And I'm sure you don't need me to tell you what the actual take-way from the Dowd column was; Hillary loses but unintentionally imparts valuable lessons to Obama in the process.

As an Obama supporter, you're beginning to irritate me by continually insulting my intelligence.

I suspect your only objective with these posts is to somehow further ingratiate yourself with the Clinton cabal - surely you can't hope that they have any persuasive value.

***

Actually given the shrillness that Dowd has used towards anything Clinton for more than a decade now, Schlessinger's column works as a kind of joke about Dowd. Dowd really has been the kind of shrill presence which makes me think that a president Clinton wouldn't be so bad. Unfortunately Clinton's actions tend to push me into thinking it really would.

The problem only comes in if Schlessinger means this as more than a joke at Dowd's expense and actually means this as an argument for Clinton.

***Maureen Dowd is leading by example. For Obama to rapidly heal the divisions in the party, both Obama and the Obamites (me included) need to start saying nice things about Hillary.

I'm going to try now. It's a bit hard. Well, she's likable enough.

Wow.

Tomorrow I'll try to go a bit further.

***

Stephen Schlesinger seems to be the only pro Hillary blogger at Huffington Post. Too bad he is bending over backwards to post anything positive about her.

For good coverage and information about the race and to keep in touch with latest developments so taht you interpret political articles properly, visit the community political blog Daily Kos (and see the diaries) which receives more than 20 million hits a month same as the breaking news site Drudge Report.

In refrence to North's comment in last OT,

I agree she doesn't post anywhere near my volume of posts. But that's not my point. She was supposed to have left for "greener pastures", but she is here reading, lurking and now posting. No I don't want to hear excuses. This is not an exception either, she bid farewell several times in the past, but still here. Something is pulling her back here. It is all good though, making friends, seeking connections, expressing oneself...

Welcome back North! You can stay, my comments are in no way trying to paint you "negative."

#70--John...I didn't want to post on the old OT anymore, b/c of the onslaught of cut/paste and projections of "ownership of the blog" and the namecalling; it's all rather selfish and immature to say the least. The cut and pastes from news sites is unnecessary; and blog-pollution.

I come and go often, as my schedule of time dictates.. I say farewells when I am to be in and out..as some of my friends here...are also in and out. I get an email or myspace mssage saying "hey, did you read DK's new post at IB?" I then come read. Many here, give notices of upcoming periods of absences.

I fail to see what my presence has to do with you personally though or as a topic worthy of discussionary interest... however? (wink!)

I do wish though; that people would allow us the priveleage of knowing their name? It is difficult to build a basic foundation of trust, honesty and friendship, to lead to a truth on a united basis; when "the other" deceives by the need to "hide" who they really are using an alias.

IMHO--multi-alias's prevents trust and growth.

I am North--as an artist; but, everyone knows me by name. It is "them" I am here..in and out of IB...for.

I cannot trust, or have interest to know anyone; who will not permit me/others to know who they "really are" as then, I/we/the whole...am put in a comprising position of mal-trust on one end.

Such is the way of the internet...

Love,
North

Not a pretense or an excuse, but an "opportunity."

Ed: Hey Chris, "The interpretations may wary"
Shouldn't that be vary? I'm conjuring with that one. Wary, hmmm.... who wouldn't be?

Interpretations are ...very weary indeed!

Ridiculous PA poll
by kos

Yeah, things have gotten better for Obama of late while things have gotten worse for Clinton. But this poll is just ridiculous.

PPP (PPP). 3/31-4/1. Likely voters. MoE 2.8% (3/15-16 results)

Obama 45 (30)
Clinton 43 (56)

There's no way in hell there has been a 28-point swing in this race in two weeks. During the same rough time period, Rasmussen and SurveyUSA both reported a 7-point improvement for Obama. That much is reasonable given the news cycle. 28? Patently ridiculous.

SUSA is still the gold standard this cycle, and their latest 53-41 results feel right. But remember, Clinton started with a 19-point lead. And right now, at this moment in time, we're in a mini-Obama surge and Clinton dip. His numbers are likely artificially inflated compared to hers.

If the election were held today, I'd give Clinton a 15-point victory. An improvement no doubt over Obama's position from the worst of the Rev. Wright mess, but still nowhere near close enough to make this a real contest. Obama still has a great deal of work ahead of him in the Keystone State.

-dKos

Wyoming Gov. Dave Freudenthal announced his support fro Obama.

"That brings our superdelegate count to Clinton 255, Obama 222.

Overall, with pledged delegates added, it's now Obama 1,638, Clinton 1,507."

Since March 4 Ohio-Texas, Obama has picked up 11 superdelegates to Clinton's one.

Hi Heather,

Maureen Dowd, can whip up an interesting opinion piece, for sure. Actually, I have had a hard time reading her this campaign, and, actually, have by-passed her alot because of her pro-Obama, anti-Hillary stance...although, I loved when she handed it to Bush and Cheney time and time again, no bias here:))))))))))...actually, I have to chuckle at how biased I am in this campaign, down in the trenches biased, I am. And, as boring as I find other's biased opinions, even Deepak's, I cannot help myself! I just have to grin and bear it until the plump lady sings, I suspect:)))))))

anywho, I have no idea who Chris and John are but WOW....I mean, I get it....you folks are voting for the other guy:))))))))))) hey, it is a free Nation, last time I checked....go for it!!!

lovely day, here, sunny, cool, sunny....spring is in the air, the birdies are a singing...the day is as it should be....ruth

"down in the trenches biased, I am." Lets celebrate that with this brilliant "The War Journals of Hillary Clinton, Vol. 1" piece by tripletee

(From the diaries. kos)

Note from tripletee: I wasn't expecting this to get front-paged (thanks Kos!), or I would have made it clear that yes, I'm the original author. I originally posted it in a comments thread at Balloon Juice where I go by the handle tBone - see here. I saw it being posted at a few other places over the past couple of days, so I thought I might as well finally put this account to use and post it here too.

As bullets clawed the air around us and screams echoed down the rubble-strewn tarmac, I felt almost peaceful.

It was a simple mission, they had told me - get in, shake a few hands and mouth a few platitudes, get out. Simple. Yeah.

Things had started going wrong while we were still in the air and only gotten worse from there. So here we were, pinned down, choking on the acrid tang of cordite and the heady scent of human blood. The mission was even simpler now: survive. Whatever the cost, survive.

* tripletee's diary :: ::
*

There was a grunt and a clatter of equipment as Sinbad threw himself down at my side. Sweat glistened on his bare arms, and I could see tendons contracting and relaxing as he squeezed off bursts from his M14. The motion was hypnotic, like a snake about to strike. Perhaps, when all this was over-

No. Concentrate. Focus on the mission. Survive.

A shout from my left drew my head around. Sheryl Crow, guitar still strapped to her back, had taken cover behind a haphazard pile of decaying corpses. Her hair, once lustrous, now lank and greasy, was held back from her eyes by a dirty red headband. Her slim nostrils flared in the dirt-smeared oval of her face, seeking air free of the funeral taint shrouding the airfield. Still, I saw a fierce exultation in her expression that I knew mirrored my own.

Her lithe, nimble fingers stroked the top of an M67 frag grenade, strumming a chord of impending doom. With one quick, economical movement, she plucked the pin free and sent the deadly payload sailing toward the ridge concealing our enemies. My eyes traced the arc, willing it to fly true, to rain death on-

"There!" Sinbad shouted. "The convoy!"

I wrenched my gaze in the direction he was pointing. The boom of the grenade registered only faintly, suddenly unimportant. Thirty yards dead ahead was the real target: the armored convoy, offering safety, shelter, survival. If we could reach it.

"Follow me!" Sinbad roared, levering himself to his feet. As I prepared to follow, a high-pitched whine arrowed across my eardrums and warm, sticky rain splashed my face.

I forced myself to look, already knowing what I would see. The big man lay there, crumpled, the left side of his head a nightmare maze of blood, brains and tight curls of yellowish-orange hair.

Time to mourn later. Survive.

I juked to my left, darting and weaving, somehow making it to Sheryl's position. Her eyes were wide, shock and fear clouding their emerald depths. "Is he-"

"Gone," I snapped. "We have to move. Now."

For a moment I wondered if I would have to leave her behind, but then her jaw tightened and she nodded sharply. "Stay behind me," she said with a brief squeeze of my hand, then she was up and running, moving like a deer.

I followed, matching her as best I could with the mindless insect hum of lead bees filling my ears and the cracked tarmac clutching at my heels. We ran, time stretching, flattening, the convoy impossibly distant, a cruel mirage, too far, too far . . .

And then, somehow, we were almost there. We had made it, we were going to -

A flat crack and the mournful twang of a guitar string. Sheryl fell, scarlet-splashed splinters from the shattered guitar seeming to hang in the air.

I stopped. Men were flooding out of the brush and streaming around the cars. One approached me, smirking, rifle held casually across his body, smoke still rising from the barrel.

"Every day a winding road," he said in heavily accented English, shrugging a shoulder toward Sheryl's body. He stepped closer, almost close enough to touch. "End of road for her today. And you."

Still smirking, he began to raise the rifle. I lunged forward, freed the ka-bar concealed under my pantsuit, and buried it to the hilt in his chest. He grunted, stiffened, and then slid backwards, the knife making a greedy slurping sound as it pulled free.

The other rebels froze, momentarily stunned. There were a lot of them - too many, surely - but it didn't matter. One day, I knew, I would be telling this story to rapt audiences as I made my inevitable march to the Presidency. Would this ragged group of smelly goatfuckers be the ones to stop me? Would they?

I raised the blade to my lips, licked it clean, and began to laugh.

Survive. Whatever the cost, survive.

Sunday Bloody Sunday: The War Journals of Hillary Clinton, Vol. 2

(From the diaries. kos)

Three a.m. in the Belfast Hills.

We crept silently along the path, two shadowy figures fading in and out of the surrounding darkness as clouds scudded across the harsh sliver of moon above. Occasionally the soft wind would deliver a brief snatch of muttered conversation, too low to be intelligible, from our quarry ahead.

We had been tracking them for half an hour, hoping they would lead us to any allies they had in the area. Intel pegged them as dead-enders, wannabes looking to make a splash by disrupting the delicate peace negotiations. We were here to make sure that didn’t happen.

Another murmur of conversation from ahead, sharper this time. I snapped a closed fist up and heard a faint rustle of grass behind me as my companion froze. I reached down, began to slide my trusty ka-bar from -

Strong hands gripped my arms from behind, pinning them in place. I knew instantly that it wasn't Bono; he had slim, girlish singer's hands, and I had felt their touch often enough to recognize the difference.

Ambush.

* tripletee's diary :: ::
*

Hot, moist breath fouled the back of my neck, a miasma of beer and stale tobacco. I exhaled and relaxed my shoulders, forcing my unseen captor to lean in to maintain his balance. As he did, I locked my left leg, pivoted slightly, and slammed my right foot down like a sensible-but-stylish-shod piston onto his arch.

I was rewarded with a wounded howl and a gratifying crunch of bone. I jerked my foot, popping the heel of the shoe off and leaving the enemy’s skewered foot pinned to the ground. As his hands dropped away from my arms I was already in motion, drawing the ka-bar with my left hand, spinning, extending the arm, the deadly pirouette ending with a hot jet of carotid blood as the knife traced a wet, mirthful smile across his throat.

He hadn't been alone, of course. There were four more, one of them holding Bono, and I could hear the others, the ones we had been tracking, crashing back down the path to our position.

No time for finesse, then. Move.

I moved. A jumbled kaleidoscope of images, grunts and flashing steel, curses and screams, my blade drinking deep, one to the next, so many of them, but not enough, never enough to slake that dark thirst -

"Enough!"

Ten feet away, the sole remaining enemy held a pistol to Bono's temple, the barrel quivering almost as much as his voice. "I - I’ll blow his fucking head off! I mean it! Drop the knife, now!"

I locked eyes with Bono, saw his almost imperceptible answering nod.

I raised my free hand slowly, projecting calm. "OK," I said, using a careful, exaggerated motion to extend the knife, holding it palm down with the blade parallel to my body. "Just take it easy."

The terrorist's wide, panicky eyes tracked the blade. I was only going to get one shot at this, I knew; better make it count.

I dropped my free hand. It was carefully calibrated, not too fast, not too slow, just enough to distract the enemy's attention for the split-second I needed. As his gaze involuntarily shifted, I flicked my other wrist in a quick, contemptuous motion.

Bono stumbled forward; the terrorist, his forehead sprouting a knife handle, fell bonelessly into the heather lining the path.

I went and retrieved my weapon, wiping it off absent-mindedly on the dead man’s shirt. Bono was stooped over, hands on his knees, trying to catch his breath.

"Thanks," he panted. "Sorry. Don't know how they got the drop on me."

I grunted noncommittally.

After a few moments the Irishman straightened and began surveying the aftermath of the battle, a slightly ill expression stealing over his face. For all his considerable talents, the singer had never had the stomach for wetwork.

"Does it ever bother you?" he said softly. Catching my tight expression, he hurriedly corrected himself.

"Not this - " he said, waving a hand to indicate the bloody scene. "I just mean - you’ve saved the Northern Ireland peace process, again, and no one will ever know."

I gave him a steady stare. "Someday people will know. When the time is right. Until then, I’m content to operate in the shadows."

The singer looked at me curiously, studying my face. "You seem – different, somehow. That thing in Tuzla, now this . . . it’s done something to you. Almost like you’ve - "

"Crossed a threshold," I murmured, the phrase springing to mind unbidden. The words felt powerful somehow, totemic, pregnant with future possibilities.

But that was the future. This was now.

I tugged my shoulderpads back into place under the pantsuit jacket and sheathed the ka-bar.

"Let’s go. I’ve got a peace park to dedicate."

We walked into the cool Irish night, the darkness swallowing us up as if we had never been there at all.

hi lady north...

it's always good to hear from u...u are real, honest, kind, caring, loving, thoughful, considerate, despite all the difficulties u face...that is why u are one of my favorites...

u mention blog pollution and endless cut and pastings...i'm sure most of the great posters who no longer write here left because of this kind of pollution..

it was in the news last week that people with an obsessive compulsion to text and text and text and text others to death...might be mentally ill...

by the same token...we can argue...that those who do the same on the net...cut and pastes others to no end...with unwanted clutters of blog trash, spams, junk....might be similarly unwell...

so it's probably best to ignore them in hope they seek professional help...because to respond to them directly...would be like adding fuel to the fire ...and likely to worsen their condition...whoa!

Peace North. Without your forgiving, feminine, creative and artistic spirit, I can't imagine what this place would have become by now! You were a glue that kept this place going in the most depressing times. Whatever be your future input, the connections you allowed to prosper here, and your optimistic and pragmatic attitude, and your sharing nature about your experiences, your work, lessons learned and life, will forever cast a cool shadow in the hottest of seasons. Thanks for being yourself. I love you!

Quiet, Diab, Christopher Robin IS SAYING HIS PRAYERS!

Can't you see it's worsened my condition as well.

Chris, excellent stories! Parody with brilliant imagery. hats off!

Walter wrote #25:

"The reference to that skeptisch person got me wondering and digging in the IB archives. This guy was quite a prominent poster. He seems to have been against the Iraqi war from the beginning and had clashes with other prominent IBers like Amba and Norm. He got along with most people but especially a guy named Ron Saywack.

Skeptisch did have a clash with “Neocon Norm”. Norm blew a gasket during one of the exchanges. But in a classy move he gave the world a look inside himself, and into what it may look like in many of us. ..."

Thanks Walter for reminding us of Skeptisch, Ron Saywack, Ambasteve and Norm. A pack of true gentlemen who were integral to some of the best thing that happened in the formative days of IB.

Joseph A. Palermo: Run, Hillary, Run, Just Stop Sliming Obama

Hillary Clinton's "negatives" started going up at exactly the same time she began throwing the "kitchen sink" at her Democratic opponent, Barack Obama. The Svengalis in her campaign, Mark Penn and Howard Wolfson, thought it advantageous to treat Obama as if he were a Republican while at the same time "triangulating" against him by heaping praise on John McCain, appearing on Rupert Murdoch's Fox News, and most recently, genuflecting to the odious Richard Mellon Scaife (who Keith Olbermann accurately depicts as Mr. Burns from The Simpsons). Nothing turns off the Democratic Party's base more quickly than hearing Hillary smear Obama while she sidles up to right-wing extremists.

With its desperate tactics and negative tone the Clinton campaign only succeeded in casting doubts about Hillary's trustworthiness. Holding court with Richard Mellon Scaife, who savaged the Clintons throughout the 1990s, is like John Kerry giving a big sloppy kiss to John O'Neill and "Swift Boat Veterans for Truth." It speaks volumes about Hillary's Machiavellian side.

...Go ahead and run Hillary. Be just like "Rocky Balboa" -- a contender -- and regale us all with your tenacity and winning spirit. Just stop the underhanded attacks against your fellow Democrat.

...Ronald Reagan had what he called his 11th Commandment: "Thou shalt not speak ill of a fellow Republican." It seemed to have worked pretty well for him and his party. Can't Hillary simply adopt a Democratic version of this idea?

Ryan J. Davis: The Clintons: A Faded Franchise

Hillary Clinton said yesterday in Philadelphia, "When it comes to finishing a fight, Rocky and I have a lot in common. I never quit."

She's a lot like Rocky, all right, but less the original masterpiece and more the desperate fourth sequel, Rocky V. By the fifth film the increasingly irrelevant Rocky Balboa was resorting to having classless fights in the streets, far from his gallant championship days in the ring. Plots like that made audiences grow quickly tired of the faded franchise.

There is no doubt the Clinton franchise is fading. Much like other horror franchises (Nightmare on Elm Street, Friday the 13th and Halloween are wonderful examples), it will eventually come to an end. Probably not in Pennsylvania, but almost certainly in North Carolina. If she stays in after a loss there, we'll know she's "jumped the shark."

Chris: When in Philly you talk Rocky. But But I wonder if Hillary saw the latest movie. Rocky Balboa 'lost' (to a black man) alright!

BILL DIDN'T RECALL HIL'S NAFTA HATE
Daily News Blog
April 2, 2008

Hillary Clinton’s tune on NAFTA has been that she always disliked the trade deal. But in one of those moments that kind of got missed on the campaign trail in Iowa last December, Bill Clinton cast it a bit differently: It wasn’t necessarily the bill she objected to, but the timing.

It came up in Newton, Iowa, where the ex-President was asked the creative question of whether there was anything he did that Hillary disagreed with where he didn’t listen to her and she turned out to be right.

Clinton hemmed and hawed a bit as he gave it serious thought, and after two false starts, he offered:

“I think she thought we got the worst of both worlds with the timing of health care. We should have either brought health care up before the NAFTA vote so we could have gotten some Republicans who wanted NAFTA to vote for health care, or we should have told the American people what they now know, after watching this Congress, about the filibuster.”

His point was that health care was not going to get through the Senate without 60 votes, and perhaps the Clinton White House could have used that argument to build a more favorable environment for Hillary’s failed initiative. And perhaps they could have gotten more Republicans on their side if they had held NAFTA hostage.

After the former First Lady’s schedules were released a couple of weeks ago, it became clear that she lobbied for NAFTA, which she now says she did out of loyalty to the President. She still says she didn’t like it, though.

“I did speak out and opposed NAFTA,” she told the AFL-CIO in Philadelphia yesterday. “I raised a big yellow caution flag. I said, ‘I’m not sure this is going to work.’”

It’s interesting that Bill Clinton did not remember that disagreement when he was asked, coming up only with the rift on tactics.

Oh, and the thing that overshadowed those remarks? Bill Clinton said Hillary would have acted much faster on Rwanda, saving many thousands of lives there.

- Michael McAuliff

BILL DIDN'T RECALL HIL'S NAFTA HATE
Daily News Blog
April 2, 2008

Hillary Clinton’s tune on NAFTA has been that she always disliked the trade deal. But in one of those moments that kind of got missed on the campaign trail in Iowa last December, Bill Clinton cast it a bit differently: It wasn’t necessarily the bill she objected to, but the timing.

It came up in Newton, Iowa, where the ex-President was asked the creative question of whether there was anything he did that Hillary disagreed with where he didn’t listen to her and she turned out to be right.

Clinton hemmed and hawed a bit as he gave it serious thought, and after two false starts, he offered:

“I think she thought we got the worst of both worlds with the timing of health care. We should have either brought health care up before the NAFTA vote so we could have gotten some Republicans who wanted NAFTA to vote for health care, or we should have told the American people what they now know, after watching this Congress, about the filibuster.”

His point was that health care was not going to get through the Senate without 60 votes, and perhaps the Clinton White House could have used that argument to build a more favorable environment for Hillary’s failed initiative. And perhaps they could have gotten more Republicans on their side if they had held NAFTA hostage.

After the former First Lady’s schedules were released a couple of weeks ago, it became clear that she lobbied for NAFTA, which she now says she did out of loyalty to the President. She still says she didn’t like it, though.

“I did speak out and opposed NAFTA,” she told the AFL-CIO in Philadelphia yesterday. “I raised a big yellow caution flag. I said, ‘I’m not sure this is going to work.’”

It’s interesting that Bill Clinton did not remember that disagreement when he was asked, coming up only with the rift on tactics.

Oh, and the thing that overshadowed those remarks? Bill Clinton said Hillary would have acted much faster on Rwanda, saving many thousands of lives there.

- Michael McAuliff

Ref. 86.

...what had happened to the 1992 promise, four years earlier, that genocide in Bosnia would be opposed by a Clinton administration?

In the event, President Bill Clinton had not found it convenient to keep this promise. Let me quote from Sally Bedell Smith's admirable book on the happy couple, For Love of Politics:

"Taking the advice of Al Gore and National Security Advisor Tony Lake, Bill agreed to a proposal to bomb Serbian military positions while helping the Muslims acquire weapons to defend themselves—the fulfillment of a pledge he had made during the 1992 campaign. But instead of pushing European leaders, he directed Secretary of State Warren Christopher merely to consult with them. When they balked at the plan, Bill quickly retreated, creating a "perception of drift." The key factor in Bill's policy reversal was Hillary, who was said to have "deep misgivings" and viewed the situation as "a Vietnam that would compromise health-care reform." The United States took no further action in Bosnia, and the "ethnic cleansing" by the Serbs was to continue for four more years, resulting in the deaths of more than 250,000 people."

I can personally witness to the truth of this, too. I can remember, first, one of the Clintons' closest personal advisers—Sidney Blumenthal—referring with acid contempt to Warren Christopher as "a blend of Pontius Pilate with Ichabod Crane." I can remember, second, a meeting with Clinton's then-Secretary of Defense Les Aspin at the British Embassy. When I challenged him on the sellout of the Bosnians, he drew me aside and told me that he had asked the White House for permission to land his own plane at Sarajevo airport, if only as a gesture of reassurance that the United States had not forgotten its commitments. The response from the happy couple was unambiguous: He was to do no such thing, lest it distract attention from the first lady's health care "initiative."

It's hardly necessary for me to point out that the United States did not receive national health care in return for its acquiescence in the murder of tens of thousands of European civilians. But perhaps that is the least of it. Were I to be asked if Sen. Clinton has ever lost any sleep over those heaps of casualties, I have the distinct feeling that I could guess the answer. She has no tears for anyone but herself. In the end, and over her strenuous objections, the United States and its allies did rescue our honor and did put an end to Slobodan Milosevic and his state-supported terrorism. Yet instead of preserving a polite reticence about this, or at least an appropriate reserve, Sen. Clinton now has the obscene urge to claim the raped and slaughtered people of Bosnia as if their misery and death were somehow to be credited to her account! Words begin to fail one at this point. Is there no such thing as shame? Is there no decency at last? Let the memory of the truth, and the exposure of the lie, at least make us resolve that no Clinton ever sees the inside of the White House again.

From the Slate artcile by Hitchens:
http://www.slate.com/id/2187780/

Chris, I take a more moderate view of Dowd's position on Hillary. Try reading the Dowd blog I gave a link for in last week's OT, and then reread today's. Yesterday was 1 April, too.

If it turns out the section of Dowd's column that dealt with his being flirtatious with women and resistant to chocolate is spurious, I'd agree it was a total trashing of HC. But if those sections were accurate, she's showing grudging admiration of HC. I haven't been able to find any sources that can confirm or deny BO's behavior yesterday, in those respects.

#79--Diablo--thanks for the kind comments about me. Nice accolade, and cooling comfort for the "battle wounds" to keep this a safe, respectful place for women and children also whom read...with troubles on their mind.

#80--John--I could easily say I love you too; after your lovely accolade in particularly, in noting my strengths and good intentions; but, it is difficult to say the words with meaning; when I do not know "who you are"..but, you did make me blush....both of you. (((smiles)))

"Suffering is the only true reality". So say all the brilliant minds of science, medicine and human developement.

In embracing our suffering; we lesten them; until one day, they exist no more within us... then, we will have reached our pinnacle point of Self.

To know you feel I had utilized my suffering as an educative tool; is worth the embarrasment I must surrender to willingly without doubt or question... so as to raise important human-suffering issues being ignored in this imperfect world of man, beast, and nature; all equally at risk of extinction.

But, that's another story...for another time, another place.

Love,
North

#71, and again, HEY EVERYONE ***#71***

Apply if necessary, you know ***#71***

.

Thank you, Mi'Lady North!

Even if I had had the time,

I hadn't the will to say it.

This item's been had more than once.

Getting used to it, or being philosophical about it...is of no use.

Thank God for people I know, really!

I have had this thought here.

A novelist could fine tune

characters at IB, if need be.

"If it turns out the section of Dowd's column that dealt with his being flirtatious with women and resistant to chocolate is spurious... if those sections were accurate.....I haven't been able to find any sources that can confirm or deny BO's behavior yesterday, in those respects."

Those sections on Obama were adapted by Dowd from The Washington Times National reporter Christina Bellantoni

http://thepage.time.com/obama-pool-report-from-allentown-pennsylvania/

Needless to say, the tone, nature and content of that artcile is not "accurate" or pass the minimum journalistic ethics. The Washington Times as you might(95%of Americnas don't) is owned by the cult leader Rev. Sun Myung Moon, the South Korean Billionaire who runs a conservative news paper for , with 3 billion in loses to date. It was the "most favorite news paper of Ronald Regan."

Read:

http://www.gorenfeld.net/book/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Washington_Times

Maureen Dowd knows her sources, she was hitting Obama with right wings republican smears and distortions and the spins and strategies of Clinton Campaign in the artcile.

Meet Reverend Moon, conservative news baron.
(And you thought Tom Cruise was scary.)

Just how crazy have our politics become when members of Congress bow down to a cult leader on Capitol Hill who dresses up like George III...jet-sets around the world with the Bush family...and publishes a powerful newspaper?

This is the larger-than-life story of Reverend Moon, the billionaire Korean preacher behind the Washington Times, the heart of the GOP media machine...who literally claims to be the Second Coming...to whom D.C. insiders shamelessly pay homage.

Years ago, Moon was widely considered a dangerous madman, like Jim Jones or L. Ron Hubbard. He inspired TV specials with names like "Escape From The Moonies." His group earned its notoriety by prying young people from families, persuading them to sell flowers to underwrite Moon's New York mansions and yacht, and marrying his subjects to strangers as a show of domination.

Not only is he still around, but he is richer and more influential than ever...and an all-star cast of powerful Republicans have sold their souls to him.

In 2004, journalist John Gorenfeld scooped the Washington press corps when he exposed a dinner party on Capitol Hill, in which members of Congress watched as Moon held a ritual coronation for himself as the "King of Peace." Wearing a majestic cape and coronet, the publisher declared himself the Messiah. The New York Times editors compared the event, sponsored by a U.S. senator, to an act of the Roman emperor Caligula.

That, as you might imagine, was just the tip of the iceberg.

Bad Moon Rising takes you into the underbelly of the Religious Right. Which is surprisingly, scandalously entwined with Moon and his business empire--an untold chapter in American political history.

He's the man conservatives don't want you to know about, who has been coming to their rescue for years. And from his seat of respect, he is launching odd, multi-million dollar campaigns of his own to replace Jesus (whom he considers a failure), and attack the wall between church and state...his church, that is.

There's more. The Chicago Tribune has reported that he controls the U.S. sushi industry. He manufactures heavy industry, does business with Kim Jong-Il. And he now officially considers himself Emperor of the Universe, claiming the imagined endorsements of dead U.S. presidents.

Strange sex and violence, power and blasphemy...The author invites you on an arresting journey as he explores the skullduggery with which Moon insinuated himself into Washington's most moralistic circles, with a cast including the Bush family, Jerry Falwell, Left Behind author Tim LaHaye, Richard Nixon, an overseas gangster or two, and the men who built the Religious Right...with more than a little help from Moon.

Read about the state of American democracy in Bad Moon Rising, and you won't know whether to laugh or cry.

Bad Moon Rising:
How Rev. Moon Created the Washington Times,
Seduced the Religious Right and
Built an American Kingom

Published in the U.S.A. by PoliPoint Press
Sausalito, CA.

Okay, I just saw in the news the story of the "person" who was born a woman but felt more like a man all her life so she decided to become a man. Well, she did the whole hormone thing and WOW had both breasts removed BUT she kept her ovaries and uterus....hmmmmm. That is what caught my ATTENTION...if you go through the whole hormone procedure and then remove your breasts because you want to look and become a man WHY then would you keep one of the most feminine parts of being a woman your "reproductive organs?"

Well, this "Man" with her female reproductive organs is now pregnant and will be on Oprah tomorrow.

I have nothing but empathy for people who go through difficulty with their sexual identity, it has to be a huge challenge in one's life to sort out. I don't know, I just find it strange for one to say...no, I am really a male, and I want to look and act like a male so take off my breasts but.....no....not my ovaries or uterus because some day I may want to have children. hmmmmmm, complex...to say the least.

good evening, ruth

see, I am not ALL about Hillary.:)))

A hill of beans

compared to you?

Identifiable!

I am not ALL at all.

Once again...

Thank God! OB?

Means: Out Of Bounds

Don't go there.

Shoot! And keep it in play,

whoever the hell you are today.

According to the Columbia Journalism Review, "Because of its history of a seemingly ideological approach to the news, the paper has always faced questions about its credibility." Salon.com and The Daily Howler have published analyses of what they believe are serious factual errors and examples of bias in the paper's news coverage. Conservative-turned-liberal writer David Brock, who worked for the Times' sister publication Insight, said in his book Blinded by the Right that the news writers at the Times were encouraged and rewarded for giving news stories a conservative slant. In Right-Wing Media and How It Corrupts Democracy Brock wrote "the Washington Times was governed by a calculatedly unfair political bias and that its journalistic ethics were close to nil."

Read the interview with the author of Bad Moon Rising by a Daily Kos blogger:

...."Various conservatives, including a Nixon aide, began to see a useful ally. I even found a letter from a young Karl Rove to RNC head George Bush, gleefully mentioning Moon's Freedom Leadership Foundation, in a list of right-wing youth groups who were mobilizing to win the debate on campus.

But it wasn't until 1982 that Moon hit upon his best idea yet: create The Washington Times. Overnight he became the VIP who published Reagan's favorite newspaper.

And since then, the paper has lost $3 billion, more or less loyally pushing the conservative message into the mainstream. Most recently its journalism has been credited by the ACLU with virtually inventing the Minutemen by blowing up their numbers to ridiculous proportions; it has launched fabulous tales about Saddam's WMDs being spirited to Syria by Russian agents, and Iraqis who wanted the war to start so bad that they would "commit suicide if the bombing didn't start.""

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/3/30/82321/2396

Do you have any idea whatsoever?

Keith.. (Hug)

The squeaky wheel gets blown away

DURING the lube job, and not before!

The so-called crisis...I mean, really!

Bill Clinton Says Hillary Tried to Join the Army
ABC News
April 02

A big Indiana national security endorsement today for Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill.

9/11 Commission Vice chair Lee Hamilton, a former member of Congress from the Hoosier state, announced that he's backing the lanky Illinoisan.

Possibly to avoid being one-upped on Indiana national security politics, former President Bill Clinton told a crowd in Columbus, Indiana, today that his wife had tried to join the Army.

Listen to an excerpt HERE.

http://abcnews.go.com/video/playerIndex?id=4576203

"I remember when we were young, right out of law school, she went down and tried to join the Army and they said 'Your eyes are so bad, nobody will take you,'" he said, after heralding her record on issues of concern to the military, such as body armor and access to health care.

I assume this is a version of the "Hillary Clinton tried to join the Marines" anecdote that then-First Lady Clinton told in 1994 that *we wondered*[http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2008/03/jarheads.html] about since it's a story she never seems to have told again.

The original story was that in Fayetteville, Arkansas, in 1975, Hillary walked into a local Marines recruiting office. The Marine recruiter looked at her, she recalled, and asked how old she was. Twenty-seven, she said.

"He looked at me, and in those days that was before I learned how to wear contact lenses," Sen. Clinton told a crowd of women veterans in 1994. "I had these really thick glasses on. He said, ‘How bad's your eyesight?' I said, ‘It's pretty bad.' …Finally said to me, he said, 'You're too old. You can't see. And you're a woman.…But maybe the dogs would take you.'"

("Dogs" being a reference to the Army.)

Perhaps she did so -- and hence Bill Clinton's Army story today?

Or maybe he's conflating the two stories?

(Add that Bosnian sniper fire, and you might have something there that Julia Roberts would want to option.)

-- jpt

Twice in a row, Chris? Are you joking? WTF?

If your life is at stake, be wary. Otherwise,

stop listening to me! Do you hear? Whooooooaaaaa!!! damn

The two are twice good at telling stories that suits the particular audience that Bill (misspoke/sleep-deprived/memory-loss) forgot the facts.

UT invariably to be found out.

Seek...and you shall flounder.

"Knock...knock...knock...

on the ceiling if you wah-aant me.

Twice on the pipe, if the answer is no.

Oh, my darlin'!" Uhhh...whackawhackawhacka!!!!

Drudge is Reporting the Top News:

http://drudgereport.com/

HILLARY BOMBSHELL ROCKS CAMPAIGN: 'OBAMA CAN'T WIN'

"ABC News' George Stephanopoulos Reports: Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., and former President Bill Clinton are making very direct arguments to Democratic superdelegates, starkly insisting Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., cannot win a general election against presumptive Republican nominee, Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz.

Sources with direct knowledge of the conversation between Sen. Clinton and Governer Bill Richardson, D-N.M., prior to the Governor's endorsement of Obama say she told him flatly, "He cannot win, Bill. He cannot win."

Richardson, who served in President Clinton's cabinet, disagreed.

At a rally in Oregon, standing next to Obama, Richardson insisted, "My great affection and admiration for Hillary Clinton and President Bill Clinton will never waver," but he added, "It is time, however, for Democrats to stop fighting among ourselves and to prepare for the tough fight we will face against John McCain in the fall."

As far as I am concerned,

it's only make-belief,

if you can make 'them' believe it!

DISRUPTION INVOLVING DISRUPTIONS!!!

What's a ruption?

Okay...I fell...rather, I feel better, now. Chow!

Hillary: "OBAMA CAN'T WIN"

A random sample of reactions at HuffPost:

She should be sacked from party. You cannot support a GOP candidate!!!!! How can she do that?
Dr.Dean do you have disciplinary committee in the party?

==

There is an old adage about lawyers that applies perfectly to Hillary's situation:

When you don't have the facts, pound the law;
When you don't have the law, pound the facts;
When you don't have the facts or the law....pound the table.

Table time Hillary.

==

Is she trying to ruin any chance she has?

==

He couldn't beat Hillary either. Oh, wait...

==

I believe Hillary is invoking Disney's First Law, here: Wishing wll make it so.

==

Vain ... Insane .... or owns a big chunk of Diebold Stock.

PLEASE will someone get this piano off America's Back?

==

when Obama is sworn in next year, the Clintons will be banished to the disgrace and obscurity that they deserve

who is the real Judas, Hillary, who?

==

The Clintons master plan is failing and they're in denial.

[Chris: Yeah...16 years in White House.]

==

Oh my god ! He can't win?Maybe he should give up. What? This is not part of the corporate media's 24-7 claptrap.

==

I want to hear HRC lay out her plan for victory. Her prepared statements of, lets wait and see what happens are not cutting it. If she is of so much substance, lets have some.

==

Even Karl Rove's estimate is that Obama would have more electoral votes than Hillary against McCain.

Hillary just does not realize how much she sucks. Narcissistic sociopath.

But Obama is trying to hide his politics that suck. Flaming Liberal.

==

Hillary's egotistical pathos is exceeded only by her titanic sense of entitlement. He can't win? He beat you, Hillary.

==

No, you can't win! Hillary, you can't win!

==

Well, she is certainly doing everything in her power to make sure that happens. I'm expecting her to endorse McCain officially in August.

==

Hillary he is.

==

And we trust her judgement, why??

==

It is easy to say you can do better. Anyone can do it. Proving it, that is a little tougher and Hillary's second place facing insurmountable odds doesn't lend any fact to her argument.

Simply put, as the establishment candidate with all of the support in the world in the beginning, to be in her position now, she has to be lying, when she says that she can do better. Or, she wouldn't be in this desperate position now.

Health care, she just needs another try. This primary season, she just needs another try. Pattern?

==

If this is true, Hillary is even more vain, and has a larger sense of entitlement than I thought.

==

Yes, he can. Yes, he will. Thanks for your concern though Hillary.

==

Well, if Obama "can't win", and he's beating Hillary . . . . what does that say about her chances? Hell, let's just crown McCain now and save the money for the GE in 2012.

==

This is so PATHETIC. Is HIlary seriously guarnteeing a win if she is the nominee because if she gets that nomination and she lost I hope when elections come around for her senate seat she is BOOTED out.

If you are saying someone is going to lose are you Guranteeing that you are going to win. What a desperate IDIOT this woman is becoming.

Well guess what if he has the most delegates the most states won and the most popular votes HE DESERVE TO BE THE NOMINEE.

John Kerry was suppose to be a shoe in and HE LOST. So Obama doesnt deserve the opportunity to try and win because you the God Almighty Clintons dont think he can win.

UNBELEVEABLE. I'm disgusted more each day by this woman.

==

Hillary: 'He cannot win, Bill. He cannot win.'

In what has to be the most stark and direct attack Hillary has made regarding Obama's General Election chances and attempt at persuading Superdelegates, she has finally put it on the table.

* turneresq's diary :: :: dKos
*

...I know many will be outraged, but I'm actually glad this is out there. Of course, I'd like her to put this out there herself instead of sources (and explain exactly why she doesn't think he can win), but there you go. This is of course on the heels of Bill Clinton's California tirade which was apparently brought on by a question regarding Bill Richardson. Richardson has of course now pushed back on Carville and Bill on their reaction to his endorsement. Additionally, we also have the now well-publicized attempt by Harold Ickes to use Jeremiah Wright to persuade superdelegates.

Video here.

http://abcnews.go.com/Video/playerIndex?id=4577473

Update: Mark Halperin of Time says what some of us are surmising is the reasoning for her statements to Bill Richardson.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zJ3Gyum4434

Make of that what you will.

Keith..I see you liked my #71 : )

I allow only honest people close to me; anyone with motives ulterior to that which I expect as friends in my life..will not get close.

I run in a small circle.
But, I run in a circle of "trust".

WE as whole; do not have time, as time has us.
Thus, I build my heart on trust! : )

Anything lower than trust; is reproachable, oui?

Love,
North

Me and my big mouth!

Will someone please tell me how much longer before the Democratic candidate will be decided?

As long as the managers of the blog have no objections, who am I to complain?

Dara

Someone compiled a short list of people we miss to which I want to add a few:

David, Kristin and Scott, LPB, Geeta, Kaveetaa, AK, Divya, Krish, Ravi Kulkarni, Jasjit... to name just a few. Wish them well.

Dara

North, did you get moved? Do you like it better than the last place?

Hmmm, a bit chaotic here over my night. I wondered why the birds in my roof were restless at 3am.

#83 "Thanks Walter for reminding us of Skeptisch, Ron Saywack, Ambasteve and Norm. A pack of true gentlemen who were integral to some of the best thing that happened in the formative days of IB."

Formative days, John? They are all supposed to be formative. This sounds like wind-up. Belch.

Bloomin nice to see you, yellow rose.
Guardianing against black spot, take my tip. You'll find it in ye olde thread just in case I didn't turn you on!

Number 71, people. You know,...North wrote it, and again, it's #71.

Are you famous?
Are you a CIA agent?
Too cheap to buy securities?

Okay, okay. I now remember the bulls reasoning.

It's fine and dandy if Buddha decides to get off my back and roam.

We are all of a mess, if we are all a bit of a thing at all.

Messes don't have a last name, but at the least, we get to see them for what they are.

There now! Someone or two of 'we' are obviously absent.

I can't imagine why. Well...a "Hello!" to those people!

Bye now. See you later. Gotta work. UT

Dear Keith, would you mind if we met in the mess-room for a nice cup of Char?
Promise to stand on my own two feet for a change!

What's that? A peace of pipe down? Well, er er err!

Grandpa is 120 today!

good thursday everyone,

my words of wisdom, today, are....for those who are having difficulties with "what is" or "just this"...I see a big tree over yonder in the field of many and diverse personalities just begging to be climbed....they say it is darn good exercise....happy climbing!

oh, and I almost forgot....go Hillary!!:))))))))

she says .."go Hillary..."

i cudn't agree more...go home billary...go....u are toast...the longer u stay...the more damage u'll do...enuff of I,I,I,I,I,me,me,me,me,me,....stuff...it's all about u, not the party, not the country...! but like a spurned lover, u'll hang around till the cows cum home! because u feel a sense of ownership to the big one!

Hey Keith,Speaking of carrying someone else's baggage, do you think a master of yoga decides to take on his disciples bad karma all by himself, or do you think God tells him to do it, and thereby does it Himself? Like, did Jesus actually know how to ressurect his body or did he say to God (about his death) What's up with this? And then God says Whoops. No problem. Let's see what I can do.
Frankly, It could be all in the close relationship with God. Which is essentially the goal of yoga. Mais oui?

At my age, Shhhhine on, I may well wet myself!
oncredeeb as Jean would say.

Nah, yoga won't resurrect one. li'l Dak. You need a snake charmer or perhaps the Indian rope trick.

Hey Diab, it is rumoured that Heath is going to stand for President! She has my full support even if I don't qualify for a vote!

Now come on. Who's in favo(u)r of H. Stand up and be counted. I'd dearly love to count, but no sex please North, I'm British.

Ruthy darling, your vote has already been counted. Can we trust you not to change your mind? I guess so, sigh!

Another poll shows Obama closing in on Hillary in Pennsylvania
(Just a reminder this is a closed primary, Independents cannot vote, taking off an Obama advantage.)

The latest InsiderAdvantage Poll

Clinton 45, Obama 43

The poll shows, among voters of age below 30,

Obama leads Clinton 76-24

Eddie daaaahling, yes, it is sad, though, I only get one:((( just need to keep the momentum going, and, really, it is such a small price to pay for our Democracy! I bet there are pleny of countries where they would love to have the freedom to publicly -itch and moan or cheer and smear in a political process, I bet the Chinese would love a free and open Internet or I bet the folks in Zimbabwe would love to curse Mugabe the same way our press and media curse Hillary Clinton(sorry couldn't resist...it's a joke...) besides I am not the one spamming this place it is those mean and nasty Obama supporters!:))))))))))))

I am sure each and all will survive until the nomination....really feel free to scroll right on by...I'll never know:))))))))

enjoy you evening....

granpa ed!

what sayet u? are u talking about Heath?...her comments are a mirror image of granny R's...i can barely tell the dif... sometimes... seems like two peas in a pod? damn!

btw..

happay birthday, granpa ed!

It's so easy to get the testes juices flowing here. Just say the wrong fact to the wrong factoid (human-fact organism), and the "bad thoughts" kick in the "bad juices" and the tirades start flowing, leading to mental erections and all sorts of other temporary stand-in pseudo-orgasms, which, of course "peter out" as soon as the irritant/stimulant goes away.

Thanks Diablo for showing us how this process works.

The world is, INDEED - let me shout that again, this time from the rooftops with exclamation points to make the point - the world is, INDEED coming to an end!!!!

Cum on boys, pile on.

(Hey, Ed, if you want to jump in, the water's fine, though just a bit, uh,
cloudy at present.)

IW...

so u wanna pick a fight with me again, unprovoked? it's kinda gross to see u talking to urself and praising urself using ur million aliases...btw...what are u trying to prove anyway? most people know u are the one posing here under most of the cut and pastes, u are suffocating the space with unwanted trash...what... do u get a mental high outta such ill compulsion? damn!

maybe someday u will find it necessary to seek a new home and leave us all alone...it's real difficult to imagine people being so grossly obsessed with one site with such weird self luv...it is a mental illness to say the least...dude...no one reads ur trash...they get scrolled past...when will u get it?

now watch him squirm in his rickety swivel chair!

Dear Ed, If you meditated more you would realize that words and phrases get reduced to symbols, for expedience sake, I guess. It's hard to catch up with the speed of light otherwise.

Are you an alias? Only a vulgar so and so would therefore you such phraseology on a lady.

"Nah, yoga won't resurrect one. li'l Dak. You need a snake charmer or perhaps the Indian rope trick."

Resurrect or erect?

Whoahahahahahahahahahahahah!

I see that it is Ed's birthday, that is...according to Ed.

Does that mean it is also Edmund's birthday?

I see how you are, dude. I ask for two names, and you shorten the first.

Geewhitakers, folks! HAPPY BIRTHDAY to the Big E!

120? Sure, grandpa, sure. Hope you have a swell time, anyway.

Cheers to the Brit with two letters!

Or does he deserve three?

.

Hello there, Sherry! Of course, you come first.

Did you catch up? #123, I will ponder for a second flat.

Those of you who pat Diablo on the back and offer kudos for his behavior might want to ask yourselves just what it is you are congratulating. Lying and cruelty are not valued in any "spiritual" tradition that I'm aware of. The praise and adoration that Diablo receives from some members on this blog is a huge motivator for him, and has been the driving force behind his hurtful actions. Those here who care about Diablo would do more good for him by encouraging him to get the treatment he so desperately needs for his out-of-control mental illness, instead of supporting him in his incredibly heartless and dishonest behavior.

I sincerely hope Diablo gets the help he needs to get his life on track so he doesn't keep hurting himself and others.

Thanks, everybody, for listening.

Vanessa

look at him promptly attacking me using one of his "female" proxies...137...not very clever....anyone in kintergarten can figure this '^%&**)' ... clown out!

"look at him promptly attacking me using one of his "female" proxies...137...not very clever....anyone in kintergarten can figure this '^%&**)' ... clown out!"

Yes, indeed, Vanessa!

But we don't --or shouldn't-- blame people who suffer from mental illnesses. I think we are all educated enough to know a slight imbalance in brain chemistry can cause all sorts of bizarre behavior that is not obvious to the one who has the problem. Diablo's posts are funny and jovial and naive and endlessly entertaining, but what was fun has now evolved into something else entirely. Given the *big* picture, I hope he gets competent medical advice for what appears to be a progressively increasing manic phase. Just concern here for Diablo's wellbeing, no condemnation intended.

Allrighty then! My second is up--+
(And I don't mean double, Li'l D ;)

What immediately came to mind was a book.
A very mind-boggling book, as a matter of my fact!

A book that one of the old-timer's here turned me onto.
David Hall, the infamous psychic of IB yore is the original man of whom I speak.

"Nine Faces Of Christ", Quest Of the True Initiate
by Eugene Whitworth(1980)

If you could possibly find, get and read this one,
you would never see the Big JC the same again.

I cannot. So, now I have the story I grew up with,
and this fantastic, make-believe, far-out tale.

This is a Jesus figure that I want and would love to meet.
I am just stupid enough to think that someday I really will.

If He is me and I am the I am then I, too, have overcome death.

I'm here, aren't I? That's good enough for me.

"Give me that old time religion!" Do you sing Hymns?

here is little Effie's head

here is little Effie's head
whose brains are made of gingerbread
when the judgement day comes
God will find six crumbs

stopping by the coffinlid
waiting for something to rise
as the other somethings did---
you imagine His surprise

bellowing through the general noise
Where is Effie who was dead?
---to God in a tiny voice,
I am may the first crumb said

whereupon its fellow five
crumbs chuckled as if they were alive
and number two took up the song,
might I'm called and did no wrong

cried the third crumb, I am should
and this is my little sister could
with our big brother who is would
don't punish us for we were good;

and the last crumb with some shame
whispered unto God, my name
is must and with others I've
been Effie who isn't alive

just imagine it I say
God amid a monstrous din
watch your step and follow me
stooping by Effie's little,in

(want a match or can you see?)
which the six subjunctive crumbs
twitch like mutilated thumbs:
picture His peering biggest whey

coloured face on which a frown
puzzles, but I know the way---
(nervously Whose eyes approve
the blessed while His ears are crammed

with the strenous music of
the innumerable capering damned)
----staring wildly up and down
the here we are now judgement day

cross the threshold have no dread
lift the sheet back in this way.
here is little Effie's head
whose brains are made of gingerbread

E.E. Cummings

skeptisch...i'd suggest u apologise to the blog owner for making a mockery of their very friendly site...u are the only one who seems incapable of owning up to ur unsual obsession and mental disorder! quite frankly...i used to like it when u talked endlessly about 'reason' and science with ur other skeptic ungodlies but it's kinda oxymoronic when reason seems to be foreign to u! i hope u can find a doctor who is kind enuff to help u out up there! dang!

just wondering, what happened to Deepak's movie promo post, The love Guru?...hmmmmmm, it disappeared..puff the magic dragon, lives by the sea, and frolicks in the ocean, in a land called....Intentblog?

Edmund: I don't understand what you're saying UNLESS you are an alias for North. But yes I would vote for Heath. Does anyone really remember the platforms the present candidates had? I've quit reading or listening to any political talk. My life has become much more tranquil. It doesn't matter who wins the presidential race--they still have to have Congress' approval. Nuf said.

Diablo aka Bhagawan, I liked you when wrote your poems and attacked members here, too bad now your mental illness seems to have overtaken you completely, I am not your friend skeptisch or marek, btw.

"Edmund: I don't understand what you're saying UNLESS you are an alias for North. "

Dear yellowrose, you can be rest assured Edmund is authentic and doesn't use multiple aliases, unlike some and perhpas you. He will have to explain the partcular comment when he wakes up in the morning in the UK.

A throwback: Sing along, choir!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UrJVF_cROSc

.

Bonnie: #141 was absolutely crazy and wild, omg!

dude...do u want me to set up an apppointment for ya to see a specialist up there? i'd even pay for ur treatment! i think i'd be money well spent...any time u can help someone in need...it's a good thing...no?

Li'l Sap:

#71, by North

Why not read it and,

come clean? What does it

say on your birth certificate?

Hmmm? C'mon...tell Uncle TREE just

who the hell you are...besides my nephew.

"i'd even pay for u... i think i'd be money well spent...any time u can help someone in need...it's a good thing...no?"

First earn some quality money for your own needs and plan your future before you claim to make charity. Get a life and a good job. You can still enroll in school, or get drafted if McCain wins.

hey skep...how are things up there? is ur igloo melting yet? whoahahahahahahahaahahaaa.....whoa!

Good morning happy prospectors and Keith my friend.
Respects, man, and hats off to Obama and Irvine!

Y'know I've been thinking (fatal) about this fine mesh we are making. Do you think it might be a bit too fine, especially if the CIA find out. But I digress (as usual).
Y'know with all this grief we've been havin' the dross should have gone on thru by now. Ya know we've been diggin' deep and I long, (it seems long) to get my greasy hands on some of those nuggets I've seen going down the conveyor belt. Just think my friend, (no don't...pleeeez!) they, (the nuggets) must still be in or out there somewhere in this pile of crap. True, we will probably get our hands dirty. At the same time we mustn't get too coarse with this mesh or we may lose the lot in a storm,(Norm?) Get it just right, and *bingo*!! Neither of us would have to work any more.
Now there's a nugget.
Hallelujah television channel and all!

Luvzy'all. (okay. Irv?)

#134 Dear li'l, I don't need to meditate. That is one of the things I adore and enjoy about you...puts me in the pink. What a gay day! I think I WILL go and meditate on that, you?

And 'you' of course, my mistake, would you please believe? One started with one, 'one' should have continued with 'one' my bad. (Old Freud would turn in his grave if he were aslive today, ( that typo, too, honest!)
I'm only a retired gardener who has written a few plant labels, give or take. It's that resurrection thing, you were eruditing. (So it's you Irvine, sending me all that viagra spam? Diab could be on to you)

Still hate me, dearest?
xx

#141 Bonnie poem, Bonnie, ooooo, I do like ginger nuts.

Dara sends his apologies, all you fans of this encroyable visage. He's still feeling a bit flat from the steam-rollering he suffered. Send him some more spam, Irvine. We don't want to lose our li'i grandson.

I'm sure he, (Dara) he will be back as soon as he's pumped iron.....or is it gold?

The Day I realised I Wasn't A Guru. (True story)

I was busy minding my own hedge-trimming, way back, must have been late 80s. Let me explain. I used to work for a Roman Catholic publishing order.

I was just about to nod off or was it knock off. I don't remember. All I know is, I was rudely awakened. There before me was a somewhat distraught writer priest. "Please Edmund," he said, "while you are up that ladder, I'm terribly stuck with the epistles. Do you think 'good' or 'evil' is going to win?"
"Good God!" I said, "Pull yourself together, man," and promptly fell off the ladder.

It's basically true, may be an allegory if not paradoxical, or sumthin'.

Yo! Yo! Friend, nephew and item master:

#136 and #149

If no response is forthcoming, I will take it to be an act of deliberation,

not to be confused with a liberals liberation.

More like a conservative dismissal, not to be confused with a morning missile.

Short stuff works with short-time all of the day long.

Speaking of length...it's relative to my far-reaching toes.

Happy Friday, you no-namers, you! Me2

Yellowrose...I don't use alias's here at IB.. only North.

As per your other Q--I am moving in about 8-12 more weeks time. No apartment reserved yet... mean streets, here I come!

Love,
North

she is really a very very ugly woman ...it's so hard to look at her...her wrinkles and all...oh...and that grating, schreecy voice can turn the stomach...upside down...and her chinless, big-nosed daughter is not doing her much good either...and BJ Billy shud keep his big pie hole shut....

her surrugates are using desperation spin to make her look like a winner...they talk about the "big states"...hello...anyone who thinks the brother will not win NY and California is full of it...

it's time to close the book on these unwelcomed guests and buy them a one-way ticket to &*%$*4 rock...yikes

Qunnnipiac Univ. Survey Poll(s) for Pennsylvania until the latest past week, gives the split for Education, shows an almost consistent numbers for White-College-Educated and White-No-College-degree voters where Obama leads in the former 50-45, while Clinton holds a firm 65-30 advantage in the later.

Obama in seems to be closing in on Clinton in Indiana: April 3 Research 2000 Poll shows Clinton 49, Obama 46.

#132 No thanks, Irv. I don't quite have the stamina, these days. Have you tried CoEnzyme Q10. I'm going on a course this weekend. Silly really, because golf isn't my game.

3Bs

Keith and Ed

Here's another poem that might be appropro...
for your reading pleasure (or no)

The Octopus

There are many monsters that a glassen surface
Restrains. And none more sinister
Than vision asleep in the eve's tight translucence.
Rarely it seeks now to unloose
Its diamonds. Having divined how drab a prison
The purest mortal tissue is.
Rarely it wakes. Unless coaxed out by lusters
Extraordinary, like the octopus
From the gloom of its tank half-swimming, half-drifting
Toward anything fair, a handerchief
Or child's face dreaming near the glass, the writher
Advances in a godlike wreath
Of its own wrath. Chilled by such fragile reeling
A hundred blows of a boot-heel
Shall not quell, the dreamer wakes and hungers.
Percussive pulses, drum or gong.
Build in his skull their loud entrancement,
Volutions of a Hindu dance.
His hands move clumsily in the first conventional
Gestures of assent.
He is willing to undergo the volition and fervor
Of many fleshlike arms, observe
These in their holiness of indirection
Destroy, adore, evolve, reject----
Till of glass rigid with his own seizure
At length the sucking jewels freeze.

James Merrill
*****

James Merrill's father established the brokerage firm of Merril Lynch

goodfriday everyone,

just browsing thru some of the comments and came across this piece of true ugliness.

"she is really a very very ugly woman ...it's so hard to look at her...her wrinkles and all...oh...and that grating, schreecy voice can turn the stomach...upside down...and her chinless, big-nosed daughter is not doing her much good either..."

you know, I am not a fan of Barak Obama(shock to all of you, I am sure) but I would never write this about anyone, even as a joke.

D, maybe your fan club thinks it's funny and cute and will beg you for more of the same, but really, the constant cut and paste spamming isn't even as repulsive as some of your comments can be.

ugh

Ruth

Don't think it is a secret, that I too support Hillary for many reasons.

The behind the scenes Obama apologists learned their smear tactics quite well from Karl Rove. Some are paid, some just pick it up. While Obama can appear to be above the fray so to speak. Not at all unlike another campaign some eight years ago. We've lived through 8 long years with someone at the helm who speaks with forked tongue. I don't relish another 4 years with another who speakes out of both sides of his mouth simply because he is on the other end of the spectrum. I'm not buying.

bonnie

Hi Bonnie,

my feelings exactly when it comes to a possible 4 years with Barak at the helm....:(

my only response will be...Oh, Well, here we go again....

have a great day Bonnie..ruth

And a nice day to you also Ruth! I'm off. Have a great week end

b

Ruth, sexist and ugly abusive remarks like tat of Diablo have to be condemned. But criticism of Hillary is fair game and she deserves it.

"D, maybe your fan club thinks it's funny and cute and will beg you for more of the same.."

No one does. And there is no fan club, for such remarks here at ib or at any democratic base. Only republicans enjoy such trash talk.

Bonnie writes:

"The behind the scenes Obama apologists learned their smear tactics quite well from Karl Rove."

Bonnie, you are making generalizations based on Diablo's remarks, which are clearly foolish by their own nature.

What amazes me though is Hilary supporters condoning of Karl Rove type tactics while accusing his surrogate nobody like diablo of doing it. Don't use people like Diablo as surrogates for Obama. In fact, diablo doesn't desrve to be an Obama supporter, he simply hates old woman Hillary.

If Diablo's latest outburst has come a surprise to you both, I am amazed. really. He has been doing this from the start of this campaign and just shows his sick mind than anything else.

***

"I don't relish another 4 years with another who speakes out of both sides of his mouth simply because he is on the other end of the spectrum. I'm not buying."

Support you claims. I would like to know specifics. Your criticism is basically making making an ad hominem about his candidacy. It is similar to ..if I make a statement that Bush was a liar and I can't stand another 4 years of another liar even if she is a democrat."

Ruth and Bonnie are clearly narrow minded Hillary shills who cannot see any image of Obama except that he just "talks..." they show little progress in learning anything new apart from reinforcing their assumptions tat Obamma is an undeserving candidate unlike Hillary would be the best one to actually delver...

I would like to listen their reasons why they think Obama is bad and Hillary is good to lead the country in their opinion...

Hillary is "experienced", Obama just talks good...

Is that it?

If Diablo is a disgraceful Obama supporter at IB

So are Ruth and Bonnie disgraceful supporters for Hillary at ib.

Clearly none of them are politically informed and choose their sides based on their character perceptions of the candidates.

These stupid people who show little intellect have no shame.

Diablo, Ruth, Bonnie you three are equally matched politically. Argue with each other and enjoy. Morons.

"D, maybe your fan club thinks it's funny and cute and will beg you for more of the same, ..."

Did ANY "ONE" do that here at ib, yet? I and some in the past have objected to such comment attacking Hillary. I will give you references if you need to be reminded. And many think that such abusive comments by diablo are best ignored. But, shamelessly you and bonnie, use it as an excuse to spout out more bias and venom against Obama and his supporters.

If the IB moderators are reading those comments, they have an obligation to remove such Hillary hate and sexist comments. I suggest you and Bonnie turn your anger towards the IB hosts for allowing it instead of making generalized attacks on Obama and his supporters.

"...the constant cut and paste spamming isn't even as repulsive as some of your comments can be."

You compare those cut paste comments, several of them apt criticism of Hillary and many showing why Obama is a better leader, with diablo's abusive comments and call them both "repulsive" ? Just shows sickness perpetuate more sick comments.

"Please read the letter that I wrote"
I think about the flowers that you stand by, and smile.. in different currants we do float..

Irivne

My only question to you is why do you spend so much time, energy, research etc, as with your cut and pastes of endless info, when, clearly, you are so "above" in intelligence, logic, critical thinking skills, I could go on and on naming your advantages, bu,t since, I have to get a going and really should already be gone...why, oh, why do you hang with the gang at IB? Really, obviously, it can't be all that fulfilling an exerience for you, can it?

just a wondering....I am outta here now....ruth

There you are Irv. Why do you want to save Ruth?
You know that's my job! You stick to the ones who can see reason. They're far too way out, for me.

IW et al

First, fyi, in the US, anyone can support whomever they wish without being considered a disgrace or a shill when they express their political opinions regarding candidates.

I cannot speak for Ruth, but I suspect it might be the same, that our opinions are based on many years of actually observing how politicians politics and political campaigns are run in this country. We actually have a vested interest in the US of A.

1.)As far as Obama is concerned, he has said himself that he grew up with Chicago politics and knows how to play the game, and you can bet on it that he is playing behind the scene[I am not here defending Hillary playing the same game but she makes no bones about it] whereas Obama likes to project the image that he is above such tactics. That to me is patently disingenous.

2.) Obama tells people what they want to hear. Again someone who has observed first hand US politics would know that he, being the astute politician that he is, studied not Reagans philosophy but his style.

3.)Whoever wakes up as president on Nov 5, will preside over a completely different US than the schematic one that he has been debating during the primaries. And people are sucking up his promises like a hoover deluxe. And if he wins, and cannot deliver, and imo he can't, he will be facing a huge ramp up in anger and resentment of a grieving constituency over lost entitlements. As a citizen of this country, I am concerned about that.

Diablo, grandson, now you must stop these unwarranted vicious attacks on Hillary and Irvine. It's too contradictory to give you street cred in the corridors of power. If you can't listen to uncle Tree at least keep me supplied with Guinness.

Now, come on Bonnie, you are not being objective. Have I not convinced you that the Universe is made up of God Objects. Course, if you are a loyal subject there is nothing anyone wishes to do about it. I'd much rather have a change of subject, full stop!

Sorry Ed, twas the old devil made me do it. I need you to help me keep him down in the hole.
Stop, yes indeed I will.

b

OO er Bonnie, that poem is not one to read just before going to sleep! I'm orfe..........

if that guy is so smart and we are so stupid, why is he still hanging around here? what, is canadian politics that boring?

he thinks we have low intellects, yet he keeps sticking around like flies to u know what? it is said u are known by the co. u keep! so IW, why aren't u blogging where people are as smart as u?

No Ed suppose not......just in a strange mood today... am leavig too...have a nice weekender.

b

I've been looking for videos that show Obama not behind a podium or on a stage. I found this, which was obviously put on YouTube by someone p.o.'d with Obama -- but in any case, I think it shows his tendency to put himself above others -- that is one reason that he adopts a preacher's style when he speaks. He is a politician, he's not Mr. New-and-Innocent, and BO supporters need to remember that. In my personal opinion, he is more mouth than action. He may pleasantly surprise me if he wins the nomination and is elected. But I don't know. I'm going by my gut reaction to him, which admires him and wants to be convinced that he's the man, but isn't convinced -- every time I hear him speak, there's always something he says or does that blocks my accepting him -- the little personality things I saw in this video support my gut feeling. It's not about HC for me as much as it is about doubting BO. He is too arrogant. Arrogance always leads to errors in judgment and action. Always always always. I've been there myself and have allowed my own arrogance to blind me, lead me astray, warp my view or willingness to act or prevent me from being as open-hearted as I can be. BO is vulnerable to having any and all of these things happen because he's arrogant and pretending not to be (to himself as well as to us). You can see the ego shining out of him all the time. His saving grace is he's a brilliant, fearless person. But you need good judgment and a very very strong heart to be a very good US prez. And we want a very good US prez. We deserve that and so does the rest of the world.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VKRey0yX3sQ

On the other side, here's a hilarious video about HC and her Bosnia sniper fire contention:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ToI7iS-RERc&feature=RecentlyWatched&page=1&t=t&f=b

Bonnie and ruth, your courageous support of HC while under continuous sniper fire from Irish in the land of Irving is more than admirable.

I'll be changing my name soon. As soon as I can figure out how. Hey! Deepak said it was ok, and it's a girl thing. Like me and Liz doing the color of our hair once a month. You know, some things you just have to do.
Keith, you are a hard man to keep up with. But you can call me anything you want. Just don't call me late for dinner. OK?
Ed, sorry I lashed out last night at you. I realized later I do have an admiration for snake charmers!

Bonnie, good for your opinions based on long observation and concern for US of A. But that doesn't in effect make them sound and wise. I am not talking about your decision to back the candidate of your choice, but in reasons to do so, by opposing a candiate in Obama. ANd for your info, many people who support Obamma are equally if not more passioante and more informed, and base their opnion in their deep knwoldege and concern for US of A.

I would like to elaborate on campaign tactics, both open and covert of candidates and his record...your opinion about his opinion about "Reagan", the nature of his speeches, "Chicago politics", and the potential of Obama administration, but forget it. Your opinions are set in stone and nothing can change it, enjoy your blissful self righteous wisdom.

"I've been looking for videos that show Obama not behind a podium or on a stage. I found this,..."

The problem with that is that I don't trust your judgment on judging Obama's character(ego, arrogance, lacking judgment..etc) based on your perceptions of the video.

That's purely your confirmation bias. You can find anything to reinforce your opinions and beliefs.

"you need good judgment and a very very strong heart to be a very good US prez. And we want a very good US prez. We deserve that and so does the rest of the world."

And that person is Hillary Clinton? As her husband would say, give me a break!

Ref. 183

The video is titled, "Obama Disses Pennsylvania Voter"

Heather do you even know the whole story? Obviously you don't. The video report was pre mature. That guy trying to take a photo is a guy who wanted to sell photos on "eBay". And Obama knew it, there was evidence which shows him saying, "I know you are an eBay guy" and he was.

"- the little personality things I saw in this video support my gut feeling."

Really, amazing. You haven't seen the whole video, and don't know the whole story. That's how many people are vulnerable to MSM spins.

Irv, if the guy was an eBay guy, isn't he also a person, and isn't BO an politician? The photos being auctioned would actually add to BO's cachet, in the eyes of some. BO was being standoffish and pissy (aka arrogant). That he acceded to the guy's request later is probably due to the intervention of his team, who would have advised him that it was politic to give in.

I do think HC has good judgment and a very very strong heart.

Your confirmation bias doesn't let you see that in her.

This is the same problem you had with Dowd using the Washington Times story about Obama's "flirting" with chocolate factory workers.

Same to you, dear.

"Irv, if the guy was an eBay guy, isn't he also a person, and isn't BO an politician?

The photos being auctioned would actually add to BO's cachet, in the eyes of some.

BO was being standoffish and pissy (aka arrogant). "

Th whole story is that he was interrupting Obama when he was talking to kids and women, And teh video you saw was the third shop where he tried to persist. The first two shops he was really politely refused for interrupting him.

"That he acceded to the guy's request later is probably due to the intervention of his team, who would have advised him that it was politic to give in."

No no one intervened during the third shop...

"I do think HC has good judgment and a very very strong heart."

"Your confirmation bias doesn't let you see that in her."

I see it in her and I see it Obama too. But I don't agree with a lot of her policies and politics.

I see it in her and I see it Obama too. But I don't agree with a lot of his policies and politics.

Oh, lord, I'm still a little ill... Bonnie and ruth, I meant nothing less than admirable!! Please forgive, my dyslexia blooms under ill conditions.

Just yesterday, a Hillary supporter was hand cuffed and taken off by the security in a private fund raiser attended by Hillary Clinton. No video but there is a audio available if you want to listen. The lady was seen protesting, I am the only black woman here and I contribute the maximum amount. Perhaps the security was over reacting....but if you want to spin it, you can do anything with that. This whole judging charterers traits as arrogant, having ego etc...is really low... There are many videos which show Hillary ion bad taste...some original, some edited and distorted, but do we really want to get into this? ceaily not, lets try to be objective here.

"I see it in her and I see it Obama too. But I don't agree with a lot of his policies and politics."

Thats good. Lets concentrate on polices and politics rather than argue about charterer flaws.

Here's an interesting perspective by Mark Morford, SF Gate Columnist in the today's edition:

The very best thing about Barack Obama
No, not that. Or that or that or that. It's that other thing, deeper, crazier, intuitive

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/g/a/2008/04/04/notes040408.DTL&nl=fix

Irv, that is all about character and intuition, not policies and politics. You hold me to one rule, and yourself to another.

"Obama speaks to the intuition."

He speaks to mine like this: he's too arrogant and that's a weakness. I have seen so many terrible things spin out of arrogance, I'd rather avoid having a prez with arrogance. W is a prime example of a man who is completely suffused with arrogance, even though he's oh-so-charmante. My intuition was contra W. My intuition is also contra BO.

And guess what: that's OK. That's part of my right in this country.

And it's part of your right as a world citizen to fight me on that.

And part of mine to disagree with you.

And on it goes, until the convention, and then the election, and then the reality of the ground as it lays itself out then.

pax, babe.

hasta luego.

My only suggestion to Bonnie and Heather and others is try to be less judgmental and be more open minded about the candidates and the race. Or at least don't write and post such thoughts, because the act of saying solidifies an opinion in mind.

Obama is "arrogant", Obama is "hypocrite" and playing dirty in the back doors..perhpas paying or encouraging directly or indirectly people like Diablo, as if such people bring a positive image to him!

We are trying to elect the best person to be the executive in chief who can take the counry in new direction, we are not looking for a saint, lets stop attacking the characters of each others' candidates.

Lets make peace and leave the open thread free of political animosity.

"Irv, that is all about character and intuition, not policies and politics. You hold me to one rule, and yourself to another."

True but I didn't. I just posted that artcile with out any comment. I said the artcile was "interesting" I didn't take any sides there. The artcile just goes to show that people having similar standards (character, intuition, concern) disagree in their opinions. It life and one must be tolerant to subjectivity by acknowledging this fact without being opinionated and self righteous.

"And it's part of your right as a world citizen to fight me on that." Noted without further comment.

My only suggestion to Irvine and others is to try to be less judgemental and be more open minded about the candidates and the race. Or at least don't write and post such thoughts............
..............................................
..............................................

IW aka Skeptisch...

dude...why don't u ever talk about politics in your own Canada? since when have u have become an expert in American politics? and how's ur other self vanessa? if u are pretending to be a woman, u are doing a lousy job at it! 'cause vanessa cums across as fat, ugly, aged drag queen which is probably what u do as ur nite job! dang!

wah, Irish, such constructive comments... I'm impressed!

"wah, Irish, such constructive comments... I'm impressed!"

Me too. I hope ruth and Bonnie will be equally impressed. But Oh, I see that's Vanessa, not Hillary.

#Ref. 201. 203

Just a clarification. "..try to be less judgmental and be more open minded about the candidates and the race. Or at least don't write and post such thoughts, because the act of saying solidifies an opinion in mind.

There is room for ambiguity in those two sentences above. By "such" I mean those that are judgmental, opinionated, close minded, negative, and edited, spins and distorted news, and less informed opinions, etc...not the contrary.

"He speaks to mine like this: he's too arrogant..."hgq

Fine, but you mayn't want to justify or reinforce your intuitionist opinions by basing on or posting distorted videos and accounts, spins or right wing character smears like Obama "flirting" in the chocolate factory and "dissing" Penn voter etc...Thanks

Ref 203 and 207

Just a clarification....

By "such" I too mean those that are judgemental, opinionated, close minded, negative and edited, spins and distorted news, and less informed opinions, etc.

#Ref. 209.

pleased to know.

#Ref. 201

"...the act of saying solidifies an opinion in mind."

Not meaning to sound extreme, let me re-frame it as:

...the act of saying tends to solidify an opinion in mind. (Where before you may be more open to several other possibilities and perspectives.)

An exceptional write up:

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/4/3/164016/9050

...This is just going to be a pointless, meaningless rant. Too long for a comment, and too trivial for a frontpage post: gawd, I freakin' hate primary seasons.

...

The artcile above has references to cats(or rather lolcats.)

Many of you may be familair with Lolcats, if not check it out:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lolcats

A Lolcat, or LOLCAT, is an image combining a photograph of an animal, most frequently a cat, with a humorous and idiosyncratic caption in (often) broken English—a dialect which is known as "Kitty Pidgin", "lolspeak", or Lolcat. The name "lolcat" is a compound word of "LOL" and "cat". Another name is cat macro, being a type of image macro. Lolcats are created for photo sharing imageboards and other internet forums.

...The term lolcat gained national media attention in the United States when it was covered by Time, which wrote that non-commercialized phenomena of the sort are increasingly rare, stating that lolcats have "a distinctly old-school, early 1990s, Usenet feel to [them]." The superimposed text is assumed to be uttered by the cat in the photograph. There are parallels between the language used in lolcats and baby talk, which owners of cats often use when talking to them.

The New Assassins Don't Use Guns

Today marks the fortieth anniversary of Martin Luther King's death. 1968, like 2008, was an election year in a time of war. Then, as now, a bitter political battle was raging. But the '60s were a time when gunfire changed the political landscape. Today's assassins use different weapons.

We have neither the time nor the ability to address the issue of assassination conspiracies here. The '60s saw the deaths of JFK, King, Bobby Kennedy, and Malcolm X. I can't rule out the possibility of conspiracy in these murders -- after all, Lincoln's death was a conspiracy -- but can't resolve the question either way.

What can be said is that assassination was part of the spirit of those times. Whether by design, or as the result of unseen social forces, murder became a force for political change over and over again during the course of that decade. But something changed -- the zeitgeist? a secret cabal's strategy? -- and the killings stopped. Left-leaning leaders stopped dying, and while there were several unsuccessful attempts against conservatives (Wallace, Ford, Reagan) the chain of assassination seemed to have ended.

But then, they're not needed anymore. A new form of political murder has taken its place -- character assassination. Over the last two decades, the Right has learned how to destroy its enemies without leaving a body. Hit teams roam the country, willing and eager to destroy reputations and careers, with the U.S. press corps as accomplices.

If Martin Luther King were alive today there would be no need for gunfire. He died just as he began speaking out forcefully against the Vietnam War. Were he alive to speak out against the occupation of Iraq -- as he undoubtedly would -- it's easy to imagine how the the character assassins would conduct their hit.

First, an "unnamed source" in the Justice Department would start talking to friendly reporters -- off the record, of course -- about "evidence" that Dr. King was receiving money from suspect Middle Eastern sources. Then the FBI's recordings of Dr. King's private life would be leaked to a friendly media outlet -- probably Matt Drudge. After that, Fox News would scour all the available video of Dr. King's speeches, carefully editing them so that they sound more inflammatory and less peace-loving. They would then broadcast them in an endless loop, as the YouTube hits of these misleading clips reached into the millions.

That's a much more effective way to destroy someone than a gun. Bullets only kill the physical body, but character assassination destroys the person's reputation -- and their political effectiveness. Martyrs are a powerful force, but disgraced leaders can't threaten the status quo.

Take the Clintons. They were the first to be subjected to the full force of the New Assassins. The Right saw a real threat in Bill Clinton. So they went to work -- with rumors about Vince Foster, expensive investigations into his private life, slurs about him and his family, and Ken Starr's investigation. Hardly a day went by without a new attack. President Clinton and his inner circle were subjected to an assault of such intensity that I'm sure it's unimaginable to those who haven't experienced it.

That's why it's especially tragic to watch Hillary Clinton's campaign adopt so many of the tactics of its 1990s opposition. If stories are true, they leaked the picture of Obama in tribal dress to ... the Drudge Report. They've gone to at least one of the ringleaders of that "vast right-wing conspiracy" Hillary spoke about (yes, there was one) in search for support. They've circulated flyers about Obama's reproductive rights record that they knew to be false, and continue to spread false stories that Obama's "not a professor."

Perhaps it's some form of Stockholm Syndrome, or what leftist educator Paulo Friere used to call "internalizing the oppressor consciousness." It may explain their vitriolic reaction to expressions of idealism from Obama and his supporters. I'm sympathetic, on one level: It's hard to hang on to your idealism after you've been a target of the New Assassins. That's a form of sniper fire Hillary Clinton has faced, and it can't be easy.

As for the press, so willing and eager to play their part, they're not evil or even venal. They're just people who get up every morning and do their jobs. In their hearts, they're good people and good citizens. They just don't see the larger picture, or the way their actions are being used to destroy innocent people for political purposes.

Sure, some will say, but it's always been this way. As Jeff Cohen points out, the press was busy attacking Dr. King right up to the moment of his death. And the presidential election of 1800 was filled with vicious rumors in the press. But what's different today is the systematic nature of the assault, the willing complicity of supposedly 'neutral' reporters...and the unprecedented effectiveness of new media as weapons of personal destruction.

Where's Rod Serling when we need him? The political apparatus, the press corps, the ordinary Americans looking for a juicy news story to liven up their lives - they're like characters in one of those moralistic Twilight Zone episodes. Remember The Monsters Are Coming to Maple Street? It's like that -- a story of invasion and horror, where it turns out the enemy to be feared is ... us.

We may not be the New Assassins. But as long as we stand by and let them do their work, we're guilty too. Let's stop them once and for all. What better way to remember Martin Luther King?

http://nightlight.typepad.com/

the sick man does not get it!

goodevening all,

just took a stroll through some of the comments above and I think it is interesting how IW tries to "control" the goings on at OT. Nice try IW but I am not buying...

first off, the only comment that I really found offensive was D's #159 and not because he was saying something bad about my Candidate of choice in the campaign but because it was so personal attack against someone and their child...really childish and mean in content....I do not care who he was referring to, it was awful to read, imo.

second, IW and his/her aliases can continue to do what they do or say since this is an open thread and it is up to the Administrators to make a call on who and what they will allow, personally, I skip over 99% of IW and aliases, my preference, since I would rather read comments by the folks I feel are using their ONE and ONLY ID.

Third, I have learned that although I do not like a particular comment or subject I simply choose to ignore it rather than complain. We all have different tastes different interpretations and we all have a choice as to get involved or not. On any given day I read or skip plenty of stuff at IB.

I will continue to write about the stuff that interests me and right now that is politics. Skip it if it bores you, bothers you and if you find it to be offensive. Really, there is plenty of stuff in any open thread some interesting, some not, to keep everyone happy.

I do not know why the folks choose to spam the place, what their reasoning is, if they are professional internet whatevers, or even Barak Obama campaign workers since most of the time they are countering any mention of Hillary Clinton- they are a true mystery to me but I have learned to live with them and ignore their stuff. I do doubt they are here just because of the political stuff since the spamming going on was just as heavy on the religion and science issue too...so I guess it is the same lovely chaps just sticking it to whoever and whatever they disagree with....interesting group..or individual..but I have no idea and it doesn't keep me awake nights guessing..:)

IW, I suggest you start your own blog where you can really control the content and do your research-cut and pastes to you hearts content, really you have more than enough information and energy to accomplish that...otherwise you are going to have to just go with the flow and the freedom here at IB.

have a wonderfull evening everyone...ruth

I thought I'd leave some graffiti here today...

WHat I find especially irksome is this notion Republicans have that we're engaging in a global economy based on FREE MARKET PRINCIPLES.

This is just an untruth.

If workers were allowed the same borderless freedom of movement that a mango or an exhaust manifold or an entire manufacturing plant enjoy, then I would buy into the whole thing.

But we are prisoners of the notion of nation...ignorantly clamoring for walls and fences even as we pay the bill for them.

Ruth writes:
".. you are going to have to just go with the flow and the freedom here at IB."

Who said not? Did I tie you up to a chair and duck taped your loud mouth to damp down your rants?

The last I heard freedom of speech doesn't entail selective freedom

You are not the only one who posts here, and we are not the only two who read comments on OT or IB.

PS. Of all the comments I posted today, I only reproduced one article which I found would be useful especially considering toady is King's memorial day and given the political climate in our country and in the OT.

the troll is not even American, doesn't have a vote...i guess he's bored by his petty canadian politics...

#213 was most appropriate, IW. It rings true and was well said. Kudos!

For the most part though, I scroll you over.
I read the local newspaper and watch T.V. news.

I am here for the far-reaching conversations.
I am still amazed that I can "make friends" with people from all over the world!

.

I know that meeting any one of you in person would require much faith and a few bucks.
Therefore, my intentions for playing on Open Thread are multiple, not logical.

I am sure, totally sure...of no less than 10 people here.
I'm not talking about the official contributors.

My God! I'm making a big deal out of didddley, maybe, but
sometimes reality trumps fiction, no matter how artistic.

I shall vote for president with just That in mind!
I hate scolding and reprimanding strangers. Let me in. C'mon! Pleeeeeease?

Nobody likes a bully or a whiner.
That reinforces the Golden Rule.

Now carry on my wayweird sun!
"Thy only will will be done..."

IW,

IW, I understand you need and crave attention and I love how you get angry when someone calls you on it...so clear by your respone to my remarks.

you write.
"Who said not? Did I tie you up to a chair and duck taped your loud mouth to damp down your rants?....:))))))))))))

IW you are fooling no one, continue to you hearts content...ruth

Interesting comment Dana, but in general Republicans are pro "freetrade" (that's one thing good about their economic policies), and that's why Bill Clinton was able to pass the NAFTA with a minority Dems in the House with the help of republicans, where at the same time he failed to pass Hillary's Health reform where all republicans opposed it and several democrats too. (appently Hillary now says that she was against passing NAFTA)

***

She is opposed to bilateral freetrade agreement with Columbia. But just yesterday, her chief campaign strategists, a lobbyist, was found lobbying with Columbian officials for his firm for the free trade agreement. He received about 10 million for consulting charges for Hillary campaign up until now. But this doesn't mean that Hillary is privately supporting freetrade agreement with Columbia though.

IW

I would really like to hear what the political climate is in your country, or better yet just some interesting things that are happening that might foster a better understanding on a global perspective. We don't get a lot of international news on MSM here unfortunately. One of the things I enjoy about IB is that it is international in scope and is a good way to interract with people all over the world.

Well, just thinking you might could do that but if you don't want to, then I understand.

Bonnie

My goodness. I think Elizabeth Barret Browning was a mystic; and nobody knows it but me.

Sleep tight,
Don't let the bedbugs bite.

Read this self-righteous nugget from Hilary Clinton during the Obama-Canada flap last month:

'Peering at the 50 or so reporters packed into a small hotel conference room here, [Clinton] added: "I would ask you to look at this story and substitute my name for Sen. Obama's name and see what you would do with this story... Just ask yourself [what you would do] if some of my advisers had been having private meetings with foreign governments."'

Lets see how the media reacts...but don't hold your breath.

Now, it's worth stressing again that there's no allegation that Mark Penn suggested Clinton wasn't sincere in her position about bilateral freetrade with Columbia. He was just working against it.

Read this self-righteous nugget from Hilary Clinton during the Obama-Canada flap last month:

'Peering at the 50 or so reporters packed into a small hotel conference room here, [Clinton] added: "I would ask you to look at this story and substitute my name for Sen. Obama's name and see what you would do with this story... Just ask yourself [what you would do] if some of my advisers had been having private meetings with foreign governments."'

Lets see how the media reacts...but don't hold your breath.

Now, it's worth stressing again that there's no allegation that Mark Penn suggested Clinton wasn't sincere in her position about bilateral freetrade with Columbia. He was just working against it.

Change to Win, the labor federation sent out a statement demanding Penn's head:

The statement:

It's time for Sen. Hillary Clinton to send her vaunted 'chief strategist' Mark Penn packing — back to his job consulting for union busting corporations and anti-labor governments for good.

Continued after the jump.

"We have questioned Penn's role in the Clinton campaign in the past for his representation of union busting employers like Cintas. At that time, Penn said there was a wall between him and his firm's representation of union busters. The latest revelation that Penn -- whose firm represents the Colombian government in its effort to secure passage of a so-called free trade agreement -- is actively involved in securing its passage in the middle of Senator Clinton's presidential campaign is outrageous. It also suggests that he has been playing a double role - advising the Senator on what to say to curry Democratic voters and advising the Colombian government on what to say to curry a majority of votes in Congress.

"The vast majority of Americans do not believe that we should be granting preferential trade status to a government that coddles death squads that target union organizers. Colombia remains the most dangerous country in the world for union members, where more than 2,200 workers have been murdered since the 1980s by Colombian death squads for trying to form unions while the government has done nothing to effectively stop the murders. It is time for Penn to go."

Keith, thanks for the reply.

Did you notice how the New Assassins are working implicitly or complicity at IB? First, diablo spread the rumor that I am skeptisch. And Ruth painted me as some covert agent working for some political agenda. And Heather mentioned that I am a world citizen and she is a politically conscious American. People like Bonnie have picked on that too. With all this somehow I am a person having vested interests, who is not even an American and I am clearly biased and am here to create nuisance, and anything I say about what they disagree with has little value. They are doing well to swift boat and assassinate my character and any alleged aliases associated with me.

prove me wrong!

Ref. 221(Danasheilds), 216

President Bush has signaled that he could send the free trade deal with Columbia to Congress next week despite opposition from congressional Democrats and labor unions.

It seems that an army of former Clinton administration officials had been put on the Colombian government payroll to push a NAFTA-style free trade deal. These people -- many waiting to get back into government should Hillary Clinton win -- are making up to $100,000 a month from a murderous right-wing regime that is one of the worst human rights violators in the Western Hemisphere. Now, today, with Mark Penn's exposure we see how high up the Clinton machine this corruption really goes.

Mark Penn -- the person running a major American presidential campaign is simultaneously on the payroll of a foreign government pushing a bill that the next president would have to confront. And what's truly telling about this is the part about the Colombian government not knowing whether Penn was representing the Clinton campaign or his business clients. Put another way, the two interests are apparently so similar, there's almost no discernible difference -- even to the foreign government lining Penn's pocket. Clinton for President is the same thing as Burson-Marsteller[Penn's firm] for President, with Mark Penn as the Secretary of State-in-waiting.

Ruth:"first off, the ONLY comment that I really found offensive was D's #159 and NOT because he was saying something bad about my Candidate of choice in the campaign but because it was so personal attack against someone and their child...really childish and mean in content....I do not care who he was referring to, it was awful to read, imo."(my bold)

How disingenuous. Sure it is offensive for all decent folks including Obama supporters, But Ruth mentioned in the same comment that D's fan club(suggesting Hillary hater's club?) cheering him... She appreciated Bonnie's repsonse to her comment, where she(bonnie) clearly took it as a offense to Hillary and as a pattern in a larger conspiracy against Hillary by Obama and his supporters. And she(ruth) doesn't find a similar disgusting attacks on another womens Vanessa's physical features to be offensive...

Does this person has any credibility? Has she got no shame?

except those who are asleep, it shud be quite obvious that vanessa and irvine welsh are one and the same! dude, u can run and play hide and seek but u can't hide, u stick out like a sore thumb...and btw...do u use ur computer as pillow?

Dana,
Re. 216

The thing I find really irksome about Republicans is... We bring you the blessings of civilization!

What do Republicans mean when they say the mission of US government is to bring the American way of life to the oppressed people of the world?

Do they mean teach them to conduct democratic elections like the one Gore won, and Bush stole?

Well, yes, but there is something more lofty than that.

Do they mean teach them how corporations can earn billions by wrecking our economy, and still get tax cuts?

Well, yes, but there is something more lofty than that.

Do they mean teach them how best to electronically spy on their own citizens without a court order?

Well, yes, but most of all they mean bringing American values like those that Russians have so happily adopted.

If you had any doubt we won the cold war, watch:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0lNFRLrP014

Diablo wrote "vanessa and Irvine welsh are one and the same! " Add to that skeptisch and a zillion other ids he keep accusing of. But not to get diverted here, my reference in #230 to Vanessa regarding Ruth highlights the commonality in diablo's many abuses where he shows his inherent hatred of women old and with ugly features... which certainly ought to be offensive(or amusing) to anyone for whosoever real or imaginary character towards whom such words are directed.

Irvine,

The manic energy you put forth defending all things
Obama-related is clearly the result of someone who is trying to repress their own republican conservative values. You don't strike me as someone who would even support Obama--you strike me as being far more conservative, judgemental, controlling--it is as if you are struggling with yourself or something with all of this Obama stuff. Your personality, as reflected here, is so much more Bill O'Reilly as opposed to
Oprah Winfrey--rigid versus free spirit, dictatorial versus let's all hug and sing silly songs about how "yes we can". Just my thoughts (inferior and loathingly inadequate as they may be).

Olivia

"I don't know if you're aware of this, but our economy is struggling right now. The chairman of the Federal Reserve testified in front of the Senate Banking Committee today. He says we may be headed towards a recession this year, and the only way we can avoid it is to put a trillion dollars on North Carolina to win the NCAA tournament."

--Jimmy Kimmel

***
"The White House is now outsourcing the manufacturing of our passports overseas. Our passports will now be made in foreign countries. See, this is how a global economy works. When an illegal immigrant from Mexico living in L.A. and working in a Japanese-owned company wants to go home to visit his relatives, he uses a passport made in Thailand that he gets by calling a customer service number in India. This could be the thing that makes Lou Dobbs' head explode."

--Jay Leno

***

"Kathy Lee Gifford is returning to television. She will be hosting the Today Show. Here’s the scary thing: President Bush knew but failed to act."

--David Letterman

***

"It's not a recession, it's a correction!
Correction: it's a recession."

--Stephen Colbert

***

"A big insurance company just announced they will give $10 million to anyone who can invent a car that gets 100 miles per gallon. Meanwhile, Exxon says they’ll give $11 million to anyone who kills that guy."

--Conan O'Brien

Enjoy the Friday night fun, folks!

#231 Diablo darling, the boil needs lancing. Because people wear clothes of various cover-up and don't like to admit they have a patch-up job in their pants it's not clear to grandad just who and how many are suffering in that way.
I am a compassionate man or woman as the case may be.
I digress, (as usual.)
I am busy developing x-ray eyes, with a little help from Deepak and some of his way out notions.
Now that's no easy task when you yourself have to put several cushions in yer ol'rocking chair. Who would be willing to (g)lance my way. This is what I ask myself. Anyhoo, I can stand the pain for my brother's and sister's sake and I'm certainly not worried about getting pus on my hands but, of course I do have to protect my eyes, vital.
btw Are you due for an eye-test, Diab? While you are at it,get the nice man, (well we hope he's nice,) to check the other end.
Now all this explanation could go on and on but suffice to say, I really have to get my potatoes in this weekend and that's when I get back from an overnight rave.
Love you, babe.
Now don't you go thinking this is my friend, Irv.

Boils Inc.co.uk (for a spot of advertising)

Edmund, #159

Remembered I read something from you yesterday(?), came back to find it and read some pretty interesting stuff, Ruth, Bonnie, Keith and you again!

Well actually you almost got it right. Have been spending the last day or so trying out something for myself. Just got to wondering whether people use multiple IDs? Of course they do - not one, not two, but heaps. Gave up trying to reason out why, but also then got into creating some for myself in the form of a little mental exercise and a whole new fantasy world opened up.

To begin with I thought of starting with a name, not used here but then suddenly I took off starting with Edmundo if you please. Well from there it was Ross and Ross begat Charlie - don't ask me why. Well then I thought maybe why not try out some from the other gender and then away I flew started with Anne to Annie Oakley and Annie Get Your Gun and Queen Anne so couldn't leave out your lovely Princess Anne and immediately my thoughts turned to horses. From horses followed Ivanhoe, Robin Hood and William Tell and an apple came to mind which immediately brought their competitor Gates to mind. Forgot to mention Ivanhoe also brought to mind granny Liz Taylor and so Ed, to cut to the chase, it went on and on, wonderful flight of fancy.

Then started trouble.

With such a multiple personality, not dual or triple but actually fragmented beyond count other thoughts came to mind how do all myselves get along with each other? If I would write on this blog how would I decide what each should write about, should it be individual subjects or start a discussion and then what would happen in case of disagreement between myselves? Would we stop trusting each other, would we glare and growl over the dining table each of us sitting there so full of mistrust towards each other that we would even keep our little brief cases right under our seats and park our fannies on them out of fear of each other. Then we came to the sleeping arrangements and again the knives were sharpened, who slept where and with whom? Of course I dont have that much room so there was a lot of sharing to be done, but by then Annie was not talking to Natalie who was soft on William and William would have nothing to do with it, he was British you see, and so my problems just multiplied. I think you get the drift.

Then out of the blue my head cleared again and a little voice whispered "Sicko!" It was right. So it all came to naught but boy did Ilearn how to spam with out resorting to cut pastes and riding on someone else's ideas and words!

Have a great week end,
Dara

What exactly is 'American Dream'?

I hear the term 'American Dream' quite often, but, I don't really know what it means.

Do you know what the 'American Dream' mean?

Are you living it?

Have you achieved it?

What does Barack Obama think about evolutionary biology vs creationism? Read it yourself and enjoy Obama's intellectual honesty.

The York Daily Record (known for its coverage of the Dover ID trial) interviews Barack Obama:

[excerpt]
Q: York County was recently in the news for a lawsuit involving the teaching of intelligent design. What's your attitude regarding the teaching of evolution in public schools?

A: "I'm a Christian, and I believe in parents being able to provide children with religious instruction without interference from the state. But I also believe our schools are there to teach worldly knowledge and science. I believe in evolution, and I believe there's a difference between science and faith. That doesn't make faith any less important than science. It just means they're two different things. And I think it's a mistake to try to cloud the teaching of science with theories that frankly don't hold up to scientific inquiry."
[link]
http://ydr.inyork.com/ci_8744384

This fills a hole for many in our knowledge of Sen. Obama's views. In January, Ron Bailey summarized the positions of the Presidential candidates for Reason(magazine), and found:

[excerpt]
"An extensive search could find no explicit statement on evolution from Democratic frontrunner Sen. Barack Obama (Ill.). In June 2006, Obama gave a keynote talk at a Sojourners conference in which he noted, "Substantially more people in America believe in angels than they do in evolution." Obama declared in that speech that the single biggest political gap in America was "between those who attend church regularly and those who don't." He then excoriated "conservative leaders" for exploiting this gap by suggesting that "religious Americans care only about issues like abortion and gay marriage; school prayer and intelligent design." At the very least, this implies that Obama believes intelligent design is unnecessarily divisive."
[link]
http://www.reason.com/news/show/124271.html

That Obama opposes teaching ID and other nonscience in science classes is hardly surprising, but it is nice to have him clearly on record backing real science.

In his 2nd book he said something like 'the Bush administration is the most anti-science one we've ever had'. That's not an exact quote though, I don't have the book in front of me. He More than once mentioned that there were people who had no belief in god, and he didn't say it in a mean sort of way. So I don't think we would have to worry about him elevating religion over science. It's great to see Obama taking a firm stance against creationism--maybe the sight of a prominent Christian taking a pro-science stance will help convince some wavering Christians that they should not reject science. But at the same time I'm sick and tired of the constant battle between all the candidates to out-Jesus each other. It's depressing that so many people based their vote on whether a political candidates beliefs in the invisible googly moogly in the sky.

Thanks for the links, Freyja. Its nice to know all democratic candidates are on the same page when it comes to allowing teaching intellgent design in science classes in public schools.

From the Reason Magazine link -- Sen. Mike Gravel (Alaska) gave the best answer of all the dem presidential candidates,

"Oh God, no. Oh, Jesus. We thought we had made a big advance with the Scopes monkey trial....My God, evolution is a fact, and if these people are disturbed by being the descendants of monkeys and fishes, they've got a mental problem. We can't afford the psychiatric bill for them. That ends the story as far as I'm concerned."

So -- it's just fine for the locker-room, male-armchair philosophers
to be sarcastic, use puns, and otherwise be pseudo-witty.
If a female does it -- it's not just cruelly misunderstood --
it's literally *blasphemy* in the boy's locker room section.
Well -- screw that SCHLOCK!

someone/you have no sense of humor?
please -- keep it to yourself.
that sense of *wonder* might just be
some form of medicine.

open up your mind -
not to even wonder
about opening any heart.

over and out -
v

WOW,

No comments since 9am yesterday. The playground is empty. The children gathered up all their marbles and scampered home. Well, what can one do when they find themselves all by their lonesome in an empty playground, hmmm?

I think I'll swing...start out slow and easy and then go faster and faster while looking to the bright blue sky!

This woman has no shade of shame when it comes to personal hypocrisy:

Michael Seitzman: How is a lie like a fart? The only person laughing about it is the one who did it. (You can find that in the encyclopedia under, "whoever smelt it dealt it.")

If Hillary is like Rocky, as she keeps saying, then it must be because they both suffered brain damage after going too many rounds. That could be the only explanation as to why she could joke on Jay Leno about her Bosnia lie. Not incidentally, she added that in lying about taking sniper fire she merely "had a lapse." I can only assume she means a lapse in mental activity. Otherwise it would have to be one of the other big lapses: judgment, truth, and/or integrity?

"I had a lapse" is almost as laughable as last week's "I misspoke." I'm sorry, but misspeaking is what happens when you mean to say one thing but you say another by accident -- like when Bill said he "didn't have sexual relations with that woman" but really meant that he put a cigar in her vagina. Lying is when you say something you know to be false. Shameful is when you tell that lie repeatedly over many years. Shameless is when you joke about it as if it's something that just kinda happens. Like farting.

For you Clintonistas who still can't understand because you're too busy longing for the old days, as I once did, I'll use a helpful analogy from that era. Claiming you dodged sniper fire in order to give yourself street cred is kinda like when MC Hammer released a gangsta-rap album. Nobody bought it.

As for the Rocky analogy? Well, he did lose after 15 rounds to a charismatic black man. So there's that.

Sigh. Hillary's Health Care story questioned. Another Hillary Clinton stump speech story comes under scrutiny for truthiness:

--------------------------------->
Ohio Hospital Contests a Story Clinton Tells

By DEBORAH SONTAG

"Over the last five weeks, Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York has featured in her campaign stump speeches the story of a health care horror: an uninsured pregnant woman who lost her baby and died herself after being denied care by an Ohio hospital because she could not come up with a $100 fee.

The woman, Trina Bachtel, did die last August, two weeks after her baby boy was stillborn at O’Bleness Memorial Hospital in Athens, Ohio. But hospital administrators said Friday that Ms. Bachtel was under the care of an obstetrics practice affiliated with the hospital, that she was never refused treatment and that she was, in fact, insured."

"We implore the Clinton campaign to immediately desist from repeating this story," said Rick Castrop, chief executive officer of the O’Bleness Health System.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/05/us/politics/05woman.html?_r=1&oref=slogin
---------------------------->

Are there really not enough honest to God nightmare health care stories out there that you have to make 'em up? And what does this say about the Clinton operation's ability to verify information--a minimal requirement, one would think, for the position of commander-in-chief?

Care to teeter-totter, Ruthie dear?

In your state(?)and with your last name,

how in the world can you expect to survive

the perfect weather? Clue us in, if you will.

Or ignore the question like most everybody else.

.

Bagged with colored glass balls...

Copper pennies line my pockets...

Following chalk lines, kicking cans...

Threads of gold unravel frivolously...

Weaving me far behind...

Time after time starting soon...

Becoming front and center...

Who is cutout and who was drawn in?

.

Fandango! The Flop Over

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rgmJ1miBzek

"Honesty, is hardly ever heard; Mostly what I need from you." Billy Joel

C'mon now, folks. The truth doesn't have to hurt.

Great song, Ruth and Vanessa. Listen closely...

hey Keith,

actually, I love the teeter-totter!

now, what is the question, exactly? spell it out if you could...thanks...gotta run, now, but will try to get back to answer later....ruth

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UdaHCLlBkWU&feature=related

This video comes with some great old film footage.

Care to scream? "Under Pressure" David Bowie & Queen

Never on a Sunday?

"now, what is the question, exactly? spell it out if you could...thanks...gotta run, now, but will try to get back to answer later....ruth"

Yo nitwit, Keith is asking you to share your (real)full name, the place of your residence, city and state in USA, your profession, and perhpas your marriage status, about your children and grandchildren if you may -- you know like how Kieth or north were forthcoming in sharing, and no one picks on them for that at ib.

Now, now, now, Irvine. It is a day that the Lord hath made.

Rejoice and be glad! Good tidings and abundant living is what counts!

Let's not stoop to harsh judgments this morning.

No nits in my wit to pick for that matter.

Toes naturally get stepped on, as a matter of course.

Stick one out! Be brave! I'll not clip your nails, though.

Charleston Heston died last night at the ripe old age of 84.

God bless and rest his rugged soul! Amen.

.

Moses was a rootin' tootin' cowboy who wielded staff and bit the bullet.

.

Handsome as he was, I still think that's a funny term.

Handsome--how did it come to mean good looks?

Dear Deepak Chopra,

Would you please tell me the source (bibliography) for the Franz Kafka quote you enjoy using? The quote is : "Do not even listen, simply wait. Do not even wait, be quite still and solitary. The World will freely offer itself to you to be unmasked: it has no choice. It will roll in ecstacy at your feet."

Thank you,

Bob

Dear Keith,
Thanks for your offer of the book on the 6 Jesus. But I don't read much, I guess. Fell in love with the books I have.
In my novel The Dark Woods, Srimat poses a guestion to Banuse and Banuse gives several answers, each looking to Srimat for verification. Srimat finally replies - "I know of no other correct answer, Banuse, and if I did our list of answers would only be longer."

It's a statement on the clinging to elaboration, modification, erudition and all those things the intellect likes to entertain itself with. In this sense, the ability to empty the mind of this is a good thing, but not emptying it of the Goal or why the Goal became necessary in the first place.
By the way, my novel's completion is just waiting on the availability of my computer guy. Who knows?

I had a bout of clinging myself yesterday. I was debating something in my mind and there wasn't any answer coming. Put me in a bad mood. A vision of a blue bird perched atop someone's outstretched arm preceded this. It wouldn't fly off. Just stared at the guy. Darn!

Is patience is a virtue? I only know that patients are a sad state of affairs.

BTW:

If life is an illusion
Are you real?
Only to yourself I guess
So what does that say
About the quality of your education?

On the other hand
you are real to me
But only so far
As I let you be

Can we meet up in heaven?
I might want to give you a kiss
or stick a stake in your heart
or four in the head
As the case may be

Little Dakini wrote that. She's nasty!

Now THAT's what I'm talkin' about, Sherry Goldberry!

.

The chickadee short-chained is me.

.

True blues! For when in doubt, punt or kick arse?

.

"The Dark Woods" may arrive, signed and sealed with kisses.(?)

Coming to my door, hot off the press. You know where to find me, right?

I'll be level with you, not all virtues are desirable.

.

Your book's title reminds me of the second poem from my Easter trilogy.

It is one of my best and most favorite.
A rhythm and a rhyme, with me making time.

If you'd like...

Edmund told me what lol means, but I like lal (laughs a lot).

Oye, Anklesvar, know what's in my hand? The key that winds you up. Tell me you missed me, unless you'd rather lie.

Ref. 239

"What exactly is 'American Dream'?"

Nobody lives it, but many dream it.

That is why it is called... a dream.

Lately, it has threatened to become a nightmare.

For a few, it is a financial wet dream.

For most, it is a dream with a shifting landscape; one moment you have a nice home, a car, food... and the next, you are standing naked in a vacant lot, shivering and hungry. You are surrounded by slavering pit-bulls and their meth-head owners, who are in turn surrounded by criminal street gangs, who are in turn surrounded by a vast, corrupt gov't, who are surrounded by a shadowy network of international 'bankers', who are in turn surrounded by rampaging and/or slithering reptilians, chupacabras, and assorted hostile and/or benign space-aliens.

What a dream!

Freyja

Beware the Sub-Prime Evil

For some escaping communism it was crystal clear 30 years ago.. today the same people wouldn't even know...

--in Albee's play The American Dream he explores not only the falsity of the American Dream but also the American family's status quo. As he states in the preface to the play, "[It is] an examination of the American Scene, an attack on the substitution of artificial for real values in our society, a condemnation of complacency, cruelty, emasculation, and vacuity; it is a stand against the fiction that everything in this slipping land of ours is peachy-keen."

BUT on the other hand! : The Statue of Liberty was for many immigrants their first glimpse of the United States. It signifies freedom and personal liberty and is iconic of the American Dream.

from wiki

American Dream can be explained as a belief and the freedom that allows all citizens and residents to achieve their goals in life through hard work in the United States of America. Today, in America it generally refers to the idea that one's prosperity depends upon one's own abilities and hard work, not on a rigid class structure, though the meaning of the phrase has changed over America's history. For some, it is the opportunity to achieve more prosperity than they could in their countries of origin; for others, it is the opportunity for their children to grow up with an education and career opportunities; for others, it is the opportunity to be an individual without the constraints imposed by class, caste, race, or ethnicity.

The definition of the American Dream is now under constant discussion and debate. Also "The package of beliefs, assumptions, and action patterns that social scientists have labeled the American Dream has always been a fragile agglomeration of individual freedom of choice in life styles, equal access to economic abundance, and the pursuit of shared objectives mutually advantageous to the individual and society."

While the term "American Dream" today is often associated with immigrants, native-born Americans can also be described as "pursuing the American Dream," "living the American Dream" or "living the Dream."

Vanessa

and the fourth environment...?

mani: "I hear the term 'American Dream' quite often, but, I don't really know what it means."

...OK, so you don't know what it means.
What do you THINK it means?

She never stops making up stories and misleading the gullible!

Clinton Makes False Claim About Her Iraq Record Vs. Obama's

http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2008/04/in-oregon-clint.html

Clinton's Chief Strategist Resigns From Campaign
(but keeps his adviser and pollster role)

Good riddance?

Let the healing begin!

This month, the editors of The American Prospect published a pithy little piece about Mark Penn:

"At this moment of tension and division within the Democratic Party, it's worth remembering that there are things that even the most sharp-elbowed insiders within the Clinton and Obama campaigns still agree on. Chiefly, they all loathe Mark Penn.

Hillary Clinton's chief strategist and pollster is hated and derided in the Obama camp and across a much broader swath of party leaders for his insistence on micro-triangulating policies and politics, his high-dollar arrogance, his (odd in a pollster) tone-deafness to public opinion. According to a story in The Washington Post, however, it turns out he's hated throughout Clinton's circle of friends and advisers for the very same things...Hillaryistas have repeatedly tried to persuade Hillary to fire Penn for, among other things, his unwillingness to embrace the idea that this is a change election...

So if, at this summer's Democratic convention, tensions between the Clinton and Obama camps reach fever pitch, convention chair Nancy Pelosi might want to entertain a motion that says, simply, "We hate Mark Penn." Nothing, apparently, could so quickly unify the party."

...As some will remember, the Clinton health care plan was headed up by business consulting guru Ira Magaziner. Brad DeLong had this to say about Magaziner's contribution to the Clinton health care debacle:

"His second flaw was that he thought like a management consultant. A management consultant's principal goal is to win a debate in front of his employer, the senior decision maker, the "Principal." You win a debate by making intellectual arguments, controlling the flow of information to the senior decision maker, walling-off potential adversaries from the process, and winning the confidence of the Principal by telling him things that he likes to hear: that he is smart, that his goals can be achieved, that the nay-sayers just don't grasp the issues. But that's not how you develop a policy."

It's also not how you win an election. As a candidate or an office holder, you need people around you who can and will *tell you what you don't want to hear, and to whom you'll listen when you don't like what you're hearing.* She has tremendous talents, but based on her two biggest leadership challenges, it looks like **Hillary Clinton is too susceptible to the charms of people who tell her what she wants to hear rather than what she needs to hear.**

Above I referred to a humorous "historical reenactment" of the communication between Penn and Berlusconi, which ran in the Washington Monthly two years ago. Here's the final bullet point of that satire:

"Final suggestion. I don't always recommend this, but denial can be a genuine ace-in-the-hole. If the numbers go against you, and if the courts rule against you, do not -- repeat, do not -- concede. Drag it out for several embarrassing weeks. Or just stay in office. That was my advice to Bob Mugabe."

That was a satire, but it's likely Penn has been making a similar argument to Clinton for months. Let's hope she stops listening to him. Let's hope that if she won't heed the words of Meteor Blades, that someone she will listen to, like Vernon Jordan, will tell her it's time to step aside and acknowledge that Barack Obama is our nominee. Then, Obama supporters, Clinton supporters, supporters of other candidates who've already stepped aside, indeed, all Democrats everywhere across our great land, then, let us come together around our shared loathing of Mark Penn, and let the healing begin.

Read full
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/4/6/20525/15947/864/491358

Hello all regs...

let's all stay away and let the multiple-id troll have the site all to himself...as if he isn't already there...this way he can talk to himself all he wants and heap praises unto his sorry self till the cows cum home...damn!

"What do you THINK it means?"--Irvine

imo mani lives "it".. in Silicon Valley..

#256 Whoopee Goldberry, I've been ill, but now I'm laughing...no longer patient. Oh boy, or, rather, darling, that must be some experience to see eye to eye with you, or Keith, for that matter.

Jeez, you guys are from a different Plan-it, but no so bad.

Kisses on.

Freyja,
(258)

A recipient of great depth is required to undergo such refinement of malevolence; picture a lower nefarious life-form lurking in Deepak's lobby several weeks for the best moment to steal his soul.

WTF# 263 Diablo, you don't read Grandpa's posts. Perhaps they get censored and you don't get them?
Now granpa is getting boiled up by you. Get that thinking cap on that I lent you and don't forget to send it back. This is not a charity, damn!

#238 Yo Dara, is that you back or your front?

Hmm, Fancy yourself as an alchemist eh? Keep me informed. I could do with some easier Gold.

mani: "I hear the term 'American Dream' quite often, but, I don't really know what it means."

Irvine Welsh: ...OK, so you don't know what it means.
What do you THINK it means?"

#260

I don't really know what it means but, I can "visualize" it as follows:

Having a girlfriend when you are sixteen.

Doing drugs, alcohols, orgies and parties when you are eighteen.

Having a job, a car, a fancy accommodation and a live-in girlfriend when you are 25.

Getting promoted, getting married, buying your first condo and planning for kids when you are thirty.

Having children, a dog, a 4 bedroom house with large yard and working as a director when you are thirty five.

A six bedroom mansion, a yacht, a Ferrari, two million worth of investment, half a million in cash when you are fifty year old.

Divorcing your fifty one year old wife when you are fifty five year old.

Retiring at sixty with five million dollar in stock investments, two million dollars in cash and other hard investment, a six bedroom, one acre mansion in USA, two condos in Bahamas or Hawaii or Florida. And, you live with a twenty five year old, blue-eyed, beautiful blond who dropped out of high school because either she wanted to be a singer or her mother was pressuring too much, or, she had no "freedom" or the high school especially science was too 'tough' :-)

You spend much of your time surfing bare-chested and looking young, active, adventurous and energetic.

And, then, you are eighty year old, possibly have had one double-pass heart surgery, the blond has left you for someone her age and you are in a nursing home... in reality, waiting for your death... but, on the surface, not admitting so :-)

mani,
(269)

Is there an Indian dream?

Is it at 15, having your parents find you a spouse you can screw with the lights on?

At 20, finding an outsourced job from America?

At 30, finding a spiritual guru who let you keep enough money to eat?

At forty, to be discovered by a Westerner who will pay for your trip to America and introduce you to the guy you described above?

#269 'American Dream' : expanded.

"Having children, a dog, a 4 bedroom house with large yard and working as a director when you are forty"...

A six bedroom mansion, a boat, a Porsche, two million worth of investment, half a million in cash when you are fifty year old. You call your subordinates from the golf course and tell them what they should be doing, while you entertain yourself and your counterpart with Cigar and a round at a luxurious golf course.

Many of your friends are investments bankers and financial advisers... many of whom come with beautiful, attractive, well dressed and slightly flirtatious female 'assistants' in their early thirties of late twenties. Your wife is convinced that it is a "part" of your job.

Some of your other friends are directors and vice presidents in other companies and many of them, you have known since college.

You spend lot of your time with friends explaining to them why you didn't buy Ferrari and decided to go with Porsche, because of how much better it drove.

You don't have many friends who are below manager level and who earn less than 150K per year. You think they are 'responsible' for what they have got their career and you have reached where you are, because of working 'hard' and because of being 'smarter'.

You talk about your father often in a critical tone and goto length explaining what a lousy man he was, and, how he is fully responsible for being where he is today... in a 'low cost' 'senior' community.

[In reality, you feel "guilty" when you see people working quite hard and still making quite low and uncertain wages. You feel "guilty" seeing your father in a low cost senior community, when you have got yourself a 'mansion'. Yet, you never admit to... because, you are afraid doing so will 'undermine' your achievements. Plus, you think everyone in America is "supposed" to talk in terms of 'hard work' and 'personal responsibility' because... pretty much, every one in the Media does so.

It never occurs to you that you have made pretty much all your money just 'selling' stuff and earning 'commission' and not really 'producing' or 'creating' something. Again, you take that as the way it is... and, that is the way it is "supposed" to be. ]

This is how things went in Europe just after worldwar II:

Being born just after it, being poor and even without food, the American “dream” dropped of some food parcels, perhaps because they remembered they once were Europeans too :). That is perhaps also the reason why they got involved in rescuing us in the first place.

But after that they slowly but surely brought the American dream to Europe too.
But this is still in process and we here are still standing a bit more with two feet on the ground than on the other side. Perhaps just because of that war and the war before that.

The generation of the sixties, being the ones born just after WWII, were the love generation, especially in Europe because we were sick of war, had still a lot of people suffering from the after effects and didn’t want it to happen again.

Same for instance in India just liberated around 1947. So the Guru’s came our way (Europe) and even emphasized our way of living more and more.

Some of them went to the U.S.A., some succeeded there some did not.

But to tell you the truth, do you know what I suspect? That the American dream may in the end be a dream that was dreamt by the Sages of the East and that the American people, consisting of such a diversity of races, were able to make it come true.

And do not underestimate them in this time of crisis because they can bounce back much better than anyone. And when really in time of need, they do work together, forming a national government of all parties concerned and they survive!!

China may have a hold on America because of America’s financial debts to them, but if America does not buy stuff from China anymore, they are as lame as a duck themselves.

And we here in Europe still try to walk the middle path, whatever that involves. We have to walk the labyrinth to the right and to the left and have our hands full to try to keep it stable.

And whatever we do, it is never good because of on the one hand there is the U.S.A. trying to claim us and on the other hand the Middle East and the East. And we are dependent of both of them.

So we are in it all together and it has become a roller coaster going down with the speed of light. So, happy landing to all of us.

We started with nothing, we end with nothing.

And then it starts all over again.

Perhaps on a higher spiral?

Who knows……

Mieke

#269 'American Dream' : expanded.

"Divorcing your fifty one year old wife when you are fifty five year old.

Retiring at sixty with five million dollar in stock investments, two million dollars in cash and other hard investment, a six bedroom, one acre mansion in USA, two condos in Bahamas or Hawaii or Florida. And, you live with a twenty five year old, blue-eyed, beautiful blond who dropped out of high school because either she wanted to be a singer or her mother was pressuring too much, or, she had no "freedom" or the high school especially science was too 'tough' :-)

You spend much of your time surfing bare-chested and looking young, active, adventurous and energetic.

And, then, you are eighty year old, possibly have had one double-pass heart surgery, the blond has left you for someone her age and you are in a nursing home... in reality, waiting for your death... but, on the surface, not admitting so :-)"

Your daughter has become a social activist, an environmentalist partly as a "reaction" to seeing yourself as 'extremely selfish', 'narrow minded', 'greedy', 'manipulating' person , who really cared only for himself.

You don't understand this, because, you think, you gave your children a "good" life... better than your parents gave you.

Your daughter has also decided not to marry, mainly because of seeing how you treated her mom. She rarely sees you and tries to avoid thinking of you. She listens to Tolle, Deepak, Oprah and she attend their seminars. She thinks of traveling to Africa...

Your son is a successful manager, is married and has two kids. You like to spend time with your grandchildren but, your son considers you a bad influence and thus, tries to keep it to the minimum. He himself visits you sometime...

Your ex-wife is still bitter and in slight disbelief that you had left her after so many years of marriage and then, started living with 'bimbo'!

The blond whom you had met when she was 25 and "needy" and who had left you when she had become 31 and "cunning" is now a semi drug-addict and partly alcoholic, she has separated from the man she had married after leaving you. You secretly think that she "robbed" you but, you never 'admit' it thinking that it will make you look 'stupid' and others [who you thought, were secretly jealous when they saw you with that 25 year old blond] will laugh on you.

You sometime, wonder: what did I do wrong? Because, according to you, you did everything right and you achieved so much for your kids and family. If they don't show gratitude, what can you do? Kids these days...

I am

I am the mud, the blood and the spirit

The in and the out of All that Is

Nothing will ever change this merit

Because everything as it is, is bliss

I just accept myself being here

In this body, mind and spirit

There are no questions anymore there

But I haven’t changed into a hermit :)

In the labyrinth of peace

One can find release

It is a uni-cursal maze

For you to embrace

Yourself in the middle

This will end the riddle

Of life once and for all

Wisdom then will call

On you and you receive

Everything if you belief

That from your heart

It all came forth

Given by only One

The omnipotent All in All, called the Lord

The Kingdom of God is a quality of life

A way to be that goes beyond any strife

It is a paradox because it is here now

But also coming in future somehow

It is a truth that sits inside

The feeling of always being the bride

Of a love so vast and so true

That tells me that there is nothing to do

Than surrendering to That What Is

In doing so I am surrounded by Bliss

My brain is the extension to it all

When I listen it will give me a call

Through the heartphone no doubt

And once again I will be allowed

To co-create the omnipotent Universe

Into that what always matters:

I am allowed to be here and rehearse

And no-one can take away that acceptance

So that means that it does not matter what I do,

It always will be a duplicate of YOU.

Being born again
How amazing this is
I see a night sky so bright with stars
Reflecting upon me as if they are saying:

A new way is coming
A new way is at hand
A new way is dawning
We will be there, at your command

The instinct of mankind is to live
Instead of fighting for this, one learns to give
To each other what is needed for this
And when one does, one encounters bliss

Just do it in your normal daily life
Give each other the “High five”
Which simply means: give each other a hand
To walk together into the promised land

Simply look at the other as being your own self
That is all that is needed to become “One” Self
But this has been said so many times before
Keep repeating it until everyone sees it for sure

We will have to choose, being greedy or content
The latter being handed to you on a golden platter
making heaven your only worthy intent
And then nothing else will ever matter

The universe is guiding us wherever we go
Whatever we do, this unconditional love is moving us to
Act in this unconditional way of love from the heart
Filling it with gratitude and a feeling of never be apart

And being one wholesome whole forever more
Heaven on earth, to me for sure.

From the heartphone,

Mieke

The American dream for me has been surviving and even thriving from my art in all it's various expressions.
America is diverse and everyone you ask will give a slightly different answer. I believe diversity is it's strength.

Hey Mieke
I can relate. I am a middle child.
The balancing act exercises both sides. Whether it's the two sides of the brain or two continents.
If you think about it we are all in the middle. Europe is on one side of us and Asia on the other.
But even the oceans that once divided us are getting smaller and smaller. When I was a teenager I could not have imagined being able to talk to someone in Europe so easily.
It is quickly becoming the Human Dream as our borders are failing everywhere.

peace comes from peace

derek

John: Is there an Indian dream?

India has changed immensely during last fifteen-twenty years and as meike and doodleman have suggested, now more or less the entire globe is becoming 'Westernized' [or,'Americanized']. Hollywood, American Media and American Corporations are "changing" pretty much everything.

When I was growing up, a 'common' India Dream was extremely simple.

At 16, pass high school with good marks,

At 18-19, pass admission test to get admitted into an engineering/medical college.

At 25, get a "good" job in government or in a large corporation.

At 25, get married to a beautiful girl that your parents pick for you.

At 30, have your first child.

Have a good job with good salary that grants you good food, a good flat and two servants to take care of household work and to help with kids. You goto office and come back home after ten hours and your job is over. Rest of the time, you simply relax, watch TV, talk to friends, play cards, do meditation, read spiritual books, discuss politics or do social work. Wife and servants take care of everything in the house. You get your tea and biscuit on time, you get your proper five course dinner on time, you get you dress ironed and ready without having to ask for it. Private tutor helps your kids with homework and you rarely have to interfere.

At forty, you help your parents buy a new house or to renovate the one they already have.

You teach your children to respect your parents. Your kids like spending time with their grandparents and you let them. You call your parents regularly and you make sure that they maintain good health and get whatever medical treatment that they need.

Your son plays cricket and your daughter learns music. Both of them are obedient, polite, well-mannered and disciplined and you want both of them to study science... and, do 'similar' to what you did... only 'better'.

You are proud of India's heritage. You are proud of Vedic Culture. You think Vedantas are the pinnacle of Human wisdom and you consider Gita among the best text ever written.

You recite Gita everyday in the morning. You dream of having more time to read Vedanta when you get 'older'.

On weekend mornings, you take a walk in park with your childhood friend(s). On pretty much each weekend, either a friend's family come to visit your house or you go to visit theirs.

You praise Americans for their 'brains' and for their 'advanced' science and technology. You think one day 'computers' can do everything that a human does.

At forty five, you went to visit Europe with your family. You think at fifty, you will visit America and see New York, Washington, California, Niagara Falls, Grand Canyon and Las Vegas.

One of your childhood friend in in USA and you rave about him and you think he is a 'top scientist' there. You are proud of him and you always tell about him to your kids. Sometimes he calls you and whenever he does, you are absolutely delighted.

You have read a lot about Abraham Lincoln, Ford, Bill Gates, Warren Buffet and Edison and you always talk about them to your kids. You think Bill Clinton is a brilliant man and you are sad that Bush is destroying America.

Changing my name again. The other was my password, my nickname, my email. So in an effort to maintain some sense of anna...anna...animosity..ananmity...ananonimously. well whatever. Here it is folks.
By the way, I decided I want to study the vayus, so I am going to start up Tai Chi again.
We had a wonderful Tai Chi instructor at the community college years ago. A tall Chinese fella, assistant coach. Taught bowling as well! Any way, when he performed the Tai Chi with a sword for us, it was like an angel had descended on the gym floor. My goodness, I'll never forget that.

Hey Mani, Derek, Rachel sugarbabe :)

L A L

and above all Peace :)

Mieke

Hey Mani
You have the 'dream' down and multi cultural too.

I think of it as globalized more than Americanized. I feel like everyone contributing to this phenomenon. The internet is steadily braking down borders of all kinds. We are truly becoming a blend of all cultures. I see the eastern culture on a more consistent basis now than ever before and the European culture as well.

derek

Thank you for the portrait series Mani, a pleasant reading.

Hello Rachel, is that your real name? Nice.

All right. That does it. I'm through patronising you patrons. Go find your own patron saint. I'm off to find Mr. Li and get a dvd of his Tai Chi. I do have to work off some of these spagetti dinners, don't cha know.

Oh, hi Irv,
Slipped in ahead of me there ;) Be confusing superimposed, though, wouldna?

Aww, Rachel awe!

LOL!

BREAKING NEWS!

The extent to which Hillary can play populist tricks knows no bounds! She needs the attention, oh so much after a week of misery and her poll numbers going down...

Drudge is reporting the headline: HILLARY CALLS ON BUSH TO BOYCOTT OLYMPICS OPENING... DEVELOPING...

If Obama had done that, like the French President did, he would be outright naive, but Hillary, ummmm she is courageous, bold, experienced, yeah.

Question: why did you go to China to give a speech as a First Lady and had all the lime light when concerned folks(of China's human rights violation) like Nancy Pelosi asked you not to do so(and not give China the most favored nation status, which the Clinton administration did,) as it would bring false credibility to China's polices?

You don't mind doing anything to catch attention, even compromising principles if it seems politically advantageous to you.

The first high-profile move of the post-Penn campaign:

Clinton is calling on Bush to boycott the Olympics opening ceremony.

An aide confirms the news, reported first -- EXCLUSIVE -- by Drudge.

-Ben Smith, Politco

*Nice to see that Clinton is using Drudge as her press secretary

*Yes, Boycott the Opening Ceremony, then Boycott Hilary.

*Desperatly trying to get attention away from Penn, InfoUSA, her lies over the weekend...

*Distraction?? The Clinton Camp distract attention from their campaign's misstatements?? I believe you are on to something....

*This attempted distaction will work about as well as the POVERTY TZAR.

*Pelosi called for this last week. Now Clinton is on that band wagon. Last boycott was during Carter's administration. That worked great, hunh.

*Maybe Clinton can give her speech on human rights to Chinese again... after all, it seemed to have so much effect when she gave it in 1995....

Oh, wait... speeches... just words...

*It's really not Post-Penn if he's still on her staff dispensing advice along with polling. Be honest with yourself and with us, Ben.

*Next she'll want to liberate Tibet, Donald Rumsfiled-style. Hillary the war monger.

*Why does Clinton keep leaking to Drudge? He must have some real dirt...

For the record, Drudge reported 700 million web page hits in the month of March. It has a conservative leaning in breaking news and sets agenda for MSM. Matt Drudge made his mark during the Clinton scandals when he broke breaking news on a consistent basis. It seems that Clinton is using Drudge during this campaign season, by also leaking Muslim smears on Obama and not to mention her intimacy with Rupert Murdoch and the ring leaders of the "vast right wing conspiracy," and Fox News -- she and her surrogates praised for objective reporting.

What seems pretty consistent in the comments made by those who cast themselves as pro-BO is they are insistently high-volume, they often paste others' words, and they sometimes attack other commenters -- personally.

What seems pretty consistent in the comments made by those who cast themselves as pro-HC is they are sporadic, they rarely paste other's words, and they virtually never attack other commenters personally. (I'd say never, but then I'd be challenged to prove it, and that would require searching five months of archives.)

Irish, for all your feuding with Irv and pals, you use their personal attack tactics.

A question to the pro-BO crowd: If the pro-HC-ers are so deluded, and BO is the man, why not let the pro-HC-ers live in their ignorant bliss? Why the personal attacks?

I will attempt to answer my own question with this speculative proposition: It is because the pro-HC-ers have valid points. The pro-BO-ers are afraid someone will notice. They use the time-honoured techniques of trying to smear their opponents' reputations, and intimidating all onlookers who might possibly be swayed by the cogent arguments of their opponents.

If that's not the answer, maybe it has something to do with bad manners, unloving hearts, low morality, irritable dispositions, love of power, enjoyment of bullying, or any of a whole list of other things, solo or in combination.

p.s. -- How's Gujarat these days?

The writing is on the wall...can HC and her three $%^&*% fans see it? or betta still read it?

Hey, Irish, should I return the favor and insult you?

What, seriously, gives you the right to use characters that are associated with verbal cursing, with me or anyone else?

Hmmm??

Are u losing it, NY? Maybe u associate certain characters with curse words...and btw how can u devine exactly what i meant? suspicious mind? maybe u see urself as a goddess!

If just repeating opinions make a person's point stronger, there is no point in supporting our arguments with evidence and facts. A Obama backer doesn't represent Obama and a Hillary backer is not Hillary.

hgquinn: "I will attempt to answer my own question with this speculative proposition: It is because the pro-HC-ers have valid points. The pro-BO-ers are afraid someone will notice. They use the time-honoured techniques of trying to smear their opponents' reputations, and intimidating all onlookers who might possibly be swayed by the cogent arguments of their opponents.

If that's not the answer, maybe it has something to do with bad manners, unloving hearts, low morality, irritable dispositions, love of power, enjoyment of bullying, or any of a whole list of other things, solo or in combination."

You are absolutely right, that's not the answer because this is less than applicable at intentBlog: "the cogent arguments of their opponents." The second part is right. And please don't imagine that Obama supporters and Hillary supporters elsewhere outside ib, show the same dynamics as show here. Let me also mention, a vast majority of the liberal blogosphere is pro-Obama at this juncture in the race. IB is not a stereotypical place to make such generalized assumptions about blog behaviour, most of the new members or the gentle types don't even comment about he race due to the acridity of this place. It is just that Hillary supporters are reacting more to the Obama supporters' tactics and vice versa than to have a mutual understanding which is worth a spiritual blog. And again, what you call the more vociferous Obama supporter's' at ib, i suppose at least hgq if not others realize that it is just a single minded perosn's work; Let me confess this person is not "insecure" in his backing of Obama or the arguments behind it. Its just his nature. Other here can ignore any valid criticism as copy paste or ravings of insecure fans or label the apologists and smear masters-- with wishful thinking and denial. It doesn't matter. No one can forcefully change any persons views. I offered an olive branch before, maybe I will offer the tree itself at the behest of wise Ed. No personal insults to begin with. Of course you people should learn to ignore diablo's abusive remarks; he is irreproachable and now way reflects a responsible citizen not less an Obama supporter with values; don't get diverted by his antics and consistent abuses which si more a reflection him than his political views. If you had noticed, the number of copy paste articles have come down, summarizing a post and providing link is a good practice which many are following and I completely endorse from here on.

Irreproachable means beyond reproach, i.e., faultless, Irv.

Irish, is that all you can come up with?

Irv, nice that quoting & linking is the new style. It leads the curious to discover new material on their own, via the linked-to site.

truly,

the mean-spiritedness from certain BO posters here is mindboggling. No matter how you point it out to them that they do not have to stoop to personal attacks they continue. I have come to the conclusion they are probably teenagers just having a grand ole time. I can see the group of them in a room with their soda can and baseball caps....high-five-ing everytime they write a good hitter...whoaaaaaaaa, yeaaaaaaahhhhh got em good with this one!!!

oh, well....

Diab, don't you love Grandpa any more? Perhaps that's what Heath and you and me need to get a share of. Would you snatch candy from children and then tell them they are losing it? That's too freakin obvious to child that you got a twist on.
I love you boy, believe me and work it out for yerself. I can turn off the tap but then I thirst, too.

Treemendus, Irvine!

My probation has been violated, my picket fence breached. Diablo, I'm comin' to git you. I need a brother-in-arms, so to speak.

"Irreproachable means beyond reproach, i.e., faultless, Irv."

I guess it also means "not subject to blame", then perhaps my misspeaking as sarcasm would convey the intention; there is no point in reproaching him and trying to set him straight.

#295 Ruth, agreed it gets heated at times, but again you seem to generalize by cherry picking a few comments or a few commenters, while ignoring other worthy criticism.

And ruth repeats another of the common insults on Obama supporters; labeling the outpouring of never before seem youth energy as party kids having a great time.

Can a leopard change its spots? I dunno. I do know some animals can, Arctic Fox? Turn off the heat and they become white as snow. I wonder.

Dare I say, you ain't so hot, Rachie? Relying on you holding me up!

granpa ed...

u are like a shooting star!

OK.

Thanks, Deepak, Betsy S, and others who help to bring calm and peace to each of us when we need it. This is a very great place to find one's self at this time. Thanks so much for LOVE!

#303 To name but a few, arizonahorizon! Can't just have sun setting on us. Rise and shine, the things Deepak does, you can do also and even greater things. I'm looking for a fifth Jesus.
Don't thank us, thank your lucky stars! ;)

You thought diablo's verbal cursings and sexism is over the top? Well, think again. For all you female fans of McCian: he called his wife a ...

"John McCain's temper is well documented. He's called opponents and colleagues "shitheads," "assholes" and in at least one case "a fucking jerk."

But a new book on the presumptive Republican nominee will air perhaps the most shocking angry exchange to date..."

http://rawstory.com/news/2008/McCain_temper_boiled_over_in_92_0407.html

OK, here's a really important story in the lives of some people:

http://www.madison.com/wsj/home/local/280517

(or click on my name)

But the story is too good for link-hunting, so here it is, pasted in its entirety:

First it was dogs; now . . . turkeys?

(By RON SEELY -- from the Wisconsin State Journal)

While rain and snow may not deter the postal service, wild turkeys are a bird of a different feather.

Mara Wilhite, manager of the Hilldale Station Post Office, said wild turkeys have been pestering postal delivery workers in Parkwood Hills, a neighborhood on Madison 's West Side near Owen Conservation Park and home to a number of the large birds.

Between five and 10 large male turkeys, or toms -- apparently a little giddy with the onset of turkey breeding season -- have been bullying postal workers as they make their rounds, pecking at them and even trying to rough them up with the sharp spurs on their legs. One of the birds launched itself through the open door of a mail truck and scratched the driver.

Eric Lobner, regional wildlife program supervisor for the state Department of Natural Resources, is on the case, investigating the turkey gang.

"They are being threatened by the turkeys, " said Lobner, who received a call from Wilhite about the situation.

Lobner said other residents should not be too worried about marauding bands of wild turkeys in the streets. He said this particular group of toms has a reputation and has actually been a problem in the past at John Muir Elementary School, chasing school children around the playground and even pecking at the doors after the students were rushed inside the school.

But why the turkeys have targeted postal workers this spring remains a mystery. Lobner said the behavior is clearly tied to the breeding season, which just started and runs through about mid-May. He said color plays an important role in turkey breeding and added that the male 's head during mating season changes from gaudy blue to white to red.

Perhaps, Lobner speculated, turkeys are attracted to the red, white and blue postal trucks.

Russ Hefty, conservation director for the Madison Parks Department, is familiar with the Owen Conservation Park turkeys, who roost in the park 's restored oak savannas. He agreed it could be color, even the color of the postal uniforms, that makes the workers attractive to the turkeys.

Nervous postal workers have been armed with water pistols. But while the squirts of water worked for a while, Lobner said the turkeys now seem accustomed to the spritzing.

In the wake of that failed effort, some workers have been using long sticks to fend off the amorous birds, he said, adding that he will meet with Wilhite next week to discuss other solutions.

Part of the problem, Lobner said, is that residents around Owen Conservation Park may be feeding the turkeys, which makes the birds less afraid of humans. He said pamphlets have been circulated in the neighborhood to discourage people from feeding the birds.

The Madison Police Department said there are other turkeys in the city with records. Police Tasered a turkey in April 2006 when it crashed through the glass window of a home and then refused to leave. The stunned turkey, which had a wing span of nearly 5 feet, then made a clean escape.

Wilhite expected to deal with all manner of issues when she went to work for the U.S. Post Office. But wild turkeys driven to distraction during the turkey mating season was not one of them.

"Just when you thought you 'd heard it all, " Wilhite said.

Maybe I should have posted this here?
http://dingo.care2.com/cards/flash/5409/galaxy.swf

There was a young lady from York,
who fell deep in love with a stork.
Though she kissed his red toes
and stroked his long nose,
alas, he had fallen for Bjork.

“If liberty means anything at all, it means the right to tell people what they do not want to hear.”
George Orwell

Not according to this goofball:

Rep. Monique Davis (D-Chicago) interrupted atheist activist Rob Sherman during his testimony Wednesday afternoon before the House State Government Administration Committee in Springfield and told him, "What you have to spew and spread is extremely dangerous . . . it's dangerous for our children to even know that your philosophy exists!

"This is the Land of Lincoln where people believe in God," Davis said. "Get out of that seat . . . You have no right to be here! We believe in something. You believe in destroying! You believe in destroying what this state was built upon."

#274 'American Dream' : expanded further.

[...]

"Your daughter has become a social activist, an environmentalist partly as a "reaction" to seeing yourself as 'extremely selfish', 'narrow minded', 'greedy', 'manipulating' person, who really cared only for himself."

She thinks absolutely selfish and self-driven people like you and 'blind consumerism' are responsible for many of the world's problems.

You think your daughter is too idealist and too much 'out of touch' with the reality. You hope that one day she comes out of this Utopian dream that you think only exists in books. You have scant respect for all the "gurus" she follows; you suspect all of them to be fake... and, only good in 'talks'. You think Dalai Lama is basically a Charlatan. You think Gandhi was really weired man.

You consider your ex-wife is responsible for your daughter's bitterness towards you.

[...]

"Your son is a successful manager, is married and has two kids. You like to spend time with your grandchildren but, your son considers you a bad influence and thus, tries to keep it to the minimum. He himself visits you sometime..."

Whenever you meet your son, you usually make it a point to tell him, how hard you worked to achieve what you did and to give your family a "good" life. What you don't explain is... which part was 'hard[er]'!

Granted that many times, you worked 60-80 hours a week, but, what was much 'harder' was... 'convincing' your customers to buy products which yourself knew to be not in the customer's best interest!

Initially it was quite hard and you had to go through lot of inner struggle. Granted that the company gave you ample 'training' to 'overcome' it but... it was ultimately, you who 'convinced' yourself. You made your 'priorities' clear... you were going to do what was in in your, your family's and your company's best interest. That was "your job" ... customers were responsible for their own education and choice, you couldn't be responsible for them. You convinced yourself so well [just like Genghis Khan and his soldiers before you :-) ] and that you no longer had any doubts. This is what transformed into a 'winning' salesman and distinguished you from others whose priorities were still not straight. And, you had product after product and company after company to prove it.

If product's superiority and usefulness was the only thing that mattered, there was no need to pay such a high commission, was there? You pitied the 'losers' who couldn't get this simple point into their head! You reasoned that anyone you didn't have this idea absolutely drilled into his/her head... didn't belong in sales. It is not a 'charity' organization... you reasoned.

"Your ex-wife is still bitter and in slight disbelief that you had left her after so many years of marriage and then, started living with 'bimbo'!

The blond whom you had met when she was 25 and "needy" and who had left you when she had become 31 and "cunning" is now a semi drug-addict and partly alcoholic, she has separated from the man she had married after leaving you."

You heard that she is also seeking psychiatric treatment and that she had a crush on the psychiatrist she has been seeing. However, knowing her history and preserving the client-relationship, psychiatrist has kept away from her, which has made her more frustrated.

"You secretly think that she "robbed" you but, you never 'admit' it thinking that it will make you look 'stupid' and others [who you thought, were secretly jealous when they saw you with that 25 year old blond] will laugh on you."

And, one thing you are certain is that you are not stupid and you aren't a 'loser'... both of which you are still convinced that your father was!

Your father died awaiting your approval and you think you yourself might die without gaining your daughter's approval... but, at least, in your case, you are absolutely convinced that it is not your fault! Sooner or later, your daughter will realize what you 'did' for her and her brother!

###301 Dear, dear, dear, Diablo, (thrice came me) me must apologise that me did not respond to your most illustrious and magnanimous description more suddenly. (better than sullenly?)
I was a-bed and, too did fall asleep but not before!
There you did post a flash of genius as is your want. Go now and do likewise and leave God's Glinton chillun be. The quality of Mercy is not strained but my potatoes are!

So, if you will excuse me, at this most hysteric moment, I go now, to earth those taters up, but will drop in, brightly to check your wild abandonment, before too long.

Good.

(yep Irv, words is like that...you taught me that with recent aplomb!)

Now we all feel better, I hope. When everyone feels better it is realiseable that yet another superlative may be dispensed with? Ah, now I glimpse it in the amaze of words.

Get me out of this freaking labyrinth! (Irv, looks like you are my only hope!)

Hi Edmund aka Ed,

I see the week end peace has brought you back in good cheer, as always. Don't lose it ever my friend.

BTW whom should I be to-day?

Just dara? :)

Well hello, Daradara, I don't recall being cheered on quite this much in my previous lives. I can't even recall their names or find them in the history books. There is a remote chance that I shone briefly and then got crucified by the Spanish Inquisition. Is it any wonder I was born this time with cross eyes?
If you really want to confuse me then try the name Edmund or even Edmund C. (but ask me first for clarity's sake.....you may change that to or with an aitch. lal) Thar's Gold in them thar el's dorado! yETI another name Daradara!
Let me explain ;);)

#302 Dear Rachel, it warms the cockles of my heart to know that you are OK. Please don't shout it from the mountain-tops.(You know, people are funny about upper case.)

xx

"Unlawful Killing" is the verdict in Lady Diana's murder...the judge/verdict blamed the paparazzi and the driver, Henri Paul;

even though his blood tests revealed extreme carbon monoxide poisoning exposure, and elevated alchohol levels. Many medical conditions can elevate alchohol. Wasn't his stomach tested for alchohol content? Where did all the carbon monoxide come from, and why weren't Diana, Dodi and the bodyguard affected?

All in all...it is a good day for justice, and I hope that Mr. Fahyed can at last, be at peace over the loss of his only son. And to Diana's family as well, her sons'; may they all be granted media peace.. it cost Diana her life!

Paparazzi laws MUST BE made policy, for the "safety and security" of the "person!"

I just thought I'd mention this verdict here; as many of us believe there is more to newsworthy discussion other than politics, and repetitive, childish psycho-babble between adults. Don't forget, that children are watching, and learning from you.

Love,
North

'American Dream' : expanded.

#309 "Whenever you meet your son, you usually make it a point to tell him,[...]It is not a 'charity' organization... you reasoned."

What is 'harder' is not spending 'more works' at work, it is doing your work with absolute focus and conviction, when inside you, you aren't sure that this is the *right* [or *best*] thing for the customers! And, that is what separated 'top performers' from others!

It was about selling products to customers with absolute conviction, when you knew fully well that a better alternative for the customer was available. It was about putting your heart and soul into doing and saying something, which in your hearts of hearts you knew to be based on a lie or based on a partial and manipulated truth [i.e. lie] only.

Initially, it was quite hard and that's why many times failed. But, once you got your priorities [money for you and your family by doing the job for the company] and got your unnecessary distractions [real genuine concern for the *best* of others/society/customers]out ... you became a winner and a 'rock solid performer'.

What helped even more is seeing that this is how other 'winners' worked too! You started having your wine, your cigar, your round of golf... and, pretty soon that inner struggle, that inner questioning completely stopped... or you didn't notice it anymore. You thought, now, you had become a real complete 'professional'!

But, yes, it was quite HARD in the beginning. Telling your customers that it was absolutely best thing for them and it is in their absolute best interest and now is the absolutely best time and then explaining them 'why'... when, you yourself knew that to not really be the case! How can that be easy??? And, top of that, you also had to follow the *law* i.e. you can't appear downright *cheating*, defrauding or lying... yes, what information you do pass and how you pass it [in very fine print in a 40 page document and written in an un-alarming language] was up to you]. And, you did that without breaking the law. Your company lawyers usually told you what you can and can't say.

You made lot of money for the company. Many times, you had your inner differences with your boss, still you gave 100% to your job, the job which your boss chose and which you weren't sure was the best/right thing to do. Doing so... was not easy.

That is why liked saying... selling is more 'mental' and less physical. Once you are mentally fully prepared... rest is very easy.

You should have your priorities absolutely clear [more money for you and the company], distractions [like genuine and real care for the customers, society, humanity, planet this and that... that was 'their' job, not yours]... and, do so without "really" breaking the law! You thought that every successful salesman did it and you were convinced that this was the only [winning] way to go. You had fully transformed into a professional!

I have a dream
A most impossible dream

An almost impossible color scheme
Dribbles down to my front court for a jest

.

Congratulations!!! Kansas Jayhawks

The Champions have landed 'you-know-where', Dorothy!

Congratulations Keith for the untrammelled way you bring the Good News this given day.

the november vote will be between McBush (who'll need a cane by then) and the brother from another mother...Billary ...eek...is like a pesky fly at the picnic! (swat, swat, swat)!

yes, the brother who wants his Vice President to know "A BUNCH of STUFF, that HE is NOT AS EXPERT ON"...lucky us:)))))))))))))I'm sorry, but I find that remark so amazing in it's unconscious nakedness....and yet, he considers himself to know all there is to know on Foreign Policy...so his Vice President doesn't need to know any "stuff" like that...yes, Washington, the genius is a comin....to town....:))))))))

dear ruth, I'm interested in the microexpressions and timing fluctuations in the BO videos I've seen. You?

It seems it is okay for Clinton to have Obama as veep, because she is an EXPERT in foreign policy, or because he is? All three, McCain, Clinton and Obama have little foreign policy and executive experience. Doesn't mean that they don't have foreign policy knowledge and wisdom. Obama is certainly more expert on foreign policy than McCain for instance who doesn't know the difference between shia, sunni, irani and al queda in Iraq, who keeps on repeating blunders about iraq as he did again today.

His statement on not needing a veep who is an expert in foregn plociy has an implication that he open to consider Hillary Clinton or a Governor with executive experince, or a person very strong in economics, or someone with military background for that position. There are many amazing people who fit that category. Happy?

You don't need analyzing microexpressions to be repelled by Hillary Clinton. LOL! Seriouly though, we can see her as a wonderful drama queen, who is good at exaggeration, and an adept actor who conveys genuine emotion. It seems she paid over 300,000 dollars from camping funds to train her voice and acting skills to a Hollywood expert just days before her NH "tearing out" moment. What we can do though is have expert face readers analyze Obama and Hillary videos, what they tell is generally not as biased as our subjective perceptions(of microexpressions an such) tell us.

Howdy, Irv, how are you today?

I think it's hard for many intense women in the public spotlight to to show their emotions. Personally, I'm pretty intense, and unless I'm with someone I trust bahut bahut, I hold myself in to the point that most people can't read me. And that's privately. Imagine if I were in a public position... you'd probably think I was made of ice, but in fact, I'm made of fire and don't like to show it. It was a smart move of HC's to realize she was damping her fire too much, and get help to allow the blaze to be a bit more visible.

McCian called her wife a C*nt in public in front of the press in 1992 when he was campaigning for his senate election, about which I posted above,

but Ruth who expresses outrageousness at such insults , doesn't even bother this time. Well, I see it is McCain, not Obama, and its McCain's wife, not Hillary Clinton. (The same McCain who cracked his joke about Chelsea being ugly and being born to Reno in 1996., ...and Clinton thinks they both(McCain and Hillary) have a lot in common ...sure they do)

The blatant hypocrisy of people with anti-Obama bias (or pro-Hillary bias or both) people like ruth, is something I can tolerate, but my start getting a creeping feeling when they say they are driven by "principles", "respect for women" , "values" etc...

Where is the same outrageousness when diablo uses the same language leslewhere...

Where is the outrageousness when a would be President, makes a deliberate vulgar joke about the presidents family to appease his coleagues.

Where is the outrageousness when the same person calls his wife a C*unt in the public for no apparent reason, not that such words are justified in any way.

Apart from his documented recklessnesses and wild tempers and anger in form of verbal abuses, it seems McCain also physically attacked one of his fellow congressman.

Guys, no this is not a Karl Rove like swift boating , these are facts and genuine concerns. Is he temperamentally suited to be president? I am telling you, we are looking at a Dr. Strange Love scenario. Btw, wonderful classic that is by Kubrick. I am sure this movie will be replayed in the cable television many times before November.

Read all bout "Real McCain" a new book:

rawstory.com

http://rawstory.com/news/2008/McCain_temper_boiled_over_in_92_0407.html

We need to concentrate soon on donations to anti-McCain propaganda by private parties and also to fund DCCC.

They say he was called McNasty when he was in school. He's a known quantity in that respect. He's being bypassed in discussion here because his nomination isn't in question. Wait till it's him and someone else before those particular feathers start to fly. As far as Irish's language in other comments is concerned, not everything said about it appears here.

I don't need to search facts to know McCain is not right for president. For that matter, I don't even think President is right for America. I'm an anarchist in its most positive sense. People get on with their lives anarchicly anyway. Prisons hold the scapegoats if one did but thoroughly analyse. I wish I had your diligence Irv. I'd prove it, but no matter. People only believe what they think covers their own arse, that neither good nor bad, IMO. But we do have infinite choice and life is just an artform. Blah blah, no replies needed!!

I am doing great, thanks, hgq.

I think Hillary Clinton is a moderate to good actor but rarely uses her acting skills. (her tearing out in NH, I think is "natural," not acting) I think Obama is a bad actor, and would serve him well if he try to use such skills very sparingly.

***

As I suggested earlier, ex-Clinton amistarion folks are deep into NAFTA like agreements including Columbia.

This is something I really don't like, Hilary is part of this base they have built in the 90s. I think she should have showed leadership by cutting associating with her husband's and her First Lady loyalists, and creating her own niche. That would have been tough but one needs to bring the best people into the team, not just your loyalists along with it all the favors you need to do. There is a reason why a president's term is reduced to two.

Bill Clinton's Ties To Colombia Trade Deal Stronger Than Even Penn's

...Former President Bill Clinton has earned hundreds of thousands of dollars speaking on behalf of a Colombia-based group pushing the trade pact,

...In June 2005, Clinton was paid $800,000 by the Colombia-based Gold Service International to give four speeches throughout Latin America.

...In June 2007, Clinton received an award from President Uribe for his efforts to reverse the country's image in the United States. But there may have been more of a public relations purpose to the event. At the time, ABC News reported that "the Colombia government [was] trying to counter its negative image among Washington Democrats and secure congressional passage of a free trade agreement."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/04/08/bill-clintons-ties-to-col_n_95651.html

"I'm an anarchist in its most positive sense. People get on with their lives anarchicly anyway. But we do have infinite choice and life is just an artform."

Reminds me of Edward Norton's film "Fight Club"

"You're young. You have an easy, well-paid deskjob. You have a condo, Swedish furniture, artistic coffee tables and a fridge full of condiments. Yet you feel emotionally and spiritually empty. You eventually find comfort in going to support groups for lukemia and cancer victims when there's nothing wrong with you until they're hijacked from you by another faker. Then you meet Tyler Durden, a man that shows you that not only can you live without material needs but that self-destruction, the collapse of society and making dynamite from soap might not be such a bad idea either."

" Blah blah, no replies needed!!"

You cannot run away!

That's no use to me, Irv. You could do better. I'm asking you to use that brain of yours to delve holistically.
"no replies needed" means, if you think I'm talking crap, that's alright by me. Use your time as you see fit.

I mock myself with the blah blah, not you sir.

Irv, you write

"I think she should have showed leadership by cutting associating with her husband's and her First Lady loyalists, and creating her own niche. That would have been tough but one needs to bring the best people into the team, not just your loyalists along with it all the favors you need to do. There is a reason why a president's term is reduced to two."

All I can say is wah, wah, wah, you are so right right right.

"You cannot run away!"

By this I mean you will get a nominal "reply" (from which you cannot run away) even if you think I understand your talk as crap if not "holistic" and wise(which is what I interpreted.)

"I mock myself with the blah blah, not you sir."

Of course, Ed. I never had a thought that you did, and even if you did(subconsciously?) it doesn't .... did you... did you? now there you put some seeds of doubt, ummmm LOL!

But I don't need to run away, do I? I'm grateful for your time. I only wish for us to truly meet and feel good about it. I try to understand with all that I have and maybe add to it in the process even if I have to stand on my head.

Ed, I cannot really psycho analyze myself in public why I wrote "you cannot run away" but it is in now way meant to demean you or your comment, or to brag about a favor I am doing by spending my valuable thought and time by writing a "nominal" reply to you. That much I can say.

Hi Heather,

I had to look up microexpressions...have never heard the term...."The term microexpression denotes a brief facial expression that lasts less than a quarter of a second. They often occur involuntarily, and can reveal emotions not deliberately expressed."

Really, I do not pay that much attention to any particular facial expression or flucuations in speech, I tend to take in the whole person at once, what they are saying, the tone of voice, expression, how they stand or move. I tend to rely on how I feel, my intuitive feeling about the whole package. With someone like Barak Obama or any other political candidate who is wanting to "sell" me something I am of course very aware that they are putting on their best "sell" persona at all times...Barak is as good as anyone, even better than most in that regard..that is why one has to catch him "unconsciously naked" to get the "real deal," he is peddling.(god, Deepak would have a fit if he read that peddling stuff...only Hillary and McCain do that kind of thing:)

That is why his "bunches of stuff" interview is so important to catch. I just can't imagine JFK, RFK, MLK,(who Barak is constantly compared to) saying in an interview... what would you like in a Vice President? and for them to say "they would like them to know "bunches of stuff that he is not as expert in" because he(Barak) already KNOWS all there is to know on Foreign policy. That sentence was so telling as to how he perceives his level of intelligence as compared to others, and, personally, I think it shows his immense "emotonal and intellectual" immaturity. Truly, I think Barak Obama is more a percocious college student, emotionally and intellectually, than a mature adult male....my take, he has been sitting in front of that bigger than life Minister for far too long and it has hampered his growth somewhat...this is not to say that in time with continued work and learning he would not make a very fine candidate for the Presidency, some day. But, for folks to even think this man is ready, is actually, to me, just plain crazy, and I have to say somewhat amusing considering the state we are in as a Nation and what we have been through these last eight years. Nothing like handing the keys to the house, with all your children inside, the keys to the car so he can take them for a ride, to someone you barely checked out much less scrutinized his resume and references....who woulda thought the Democrats are, in fact as mentally challenged(I think the S word might be too harsh) as the Republicans have been telling us all along. But, you know, it will bring us together...the Democrats are proving they are as gullible and needy and desparate for a hero as President Bush and his evangelicals were and are for Jesus.....so, here we go again, that is, if he wins.

have a great evening everyone, ruth

Do you have a link to it, ruth? You can paste it in the "URL" box above a comment, so people can click to go there.

Okay Irv, that's fine. You've added to me and not for the first time. Thanks.

Ed, I have a consistent problem trying to make witty remarks(I am better at abusing others though.) I thought of a couple of sentences(the first thing that came to my mind was "you got it!") before I hastily settled on "you cannot run away!" So I guess I have to work on that part, at least not be pseudo-witty in trying to imitate the person with whom you are trying to connect with...just stick to your strength(not that I intend to abuse you.)

"That is why his "bunches of stuff" interview is so important to catch. I just can't imagine JFK, RFK, MLK,(who Barak is constantly compared to) saying in an interview... what would you like in a Vice President? and for them to say "they would like them to know "bunches of stuff that he is not as expert in" because he(Barak) already KNOWS all there is to know on Foreign policy. That sentence was so telling as to how he perceives his level of intelligence as compared to others, and, personally, I think it shows his immense "emotonal and intellectual" immaturity."

Get you information right. Are you sure that was an "interview"?he was answering a question from someone at a private fund raiser about his choice of veep, whether he is looking for someone with foreign policy experience. For you information, he(Barack) did not say or imply that he "already KNOWS all there is to know on Foreign policy." A president has a team of advisers who are "experts" on foreign policy. He doesn't have to depend solely on the advise of vice president to make decisions. Hillary Clinton herself is not an "expert" in foreign policy like Bill Richardson. Neither are many potential Obama veep candidates.

I suggest ruth to tone down her wishful interpretations and misinterpretations of Obama's statements out of context as something to do with his immaturity, inexperience and generalized character flaws.

I would ask dimwits to consider this:

Hilary prefers Obama as her veep.

Lets say Obama is not an expert in "foreign policy", "economy", "national security", so does that mean that Hillary is an EXPERT and KNOWS everything in those areas?

What Obama's position is that he doesn't have to be to be constrained by the foreign policy expertise for his veep choice as is the case with Hillary.

I would ask dimwits to consider this:

Hilary prefers Obama as her veep.

Lets say Obama is not an expert in "foreign policy", "economy", "national security", so does that mean that Hillary is an EXPERT and KNOWS everything in those areas?

What Obama's position is that he doesn't have to be to be constrained by the foreign policy expertise for his veep choice as is the case with Hillary.

God, this place is crap sometimes when you just want to post a few words!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Interesting Irv, even if words are abusively intended it does take the recipient to make them so.
Pointing the bones at someone can take their life.

My quest, when thinking deeply, is to find where(if) that life might be taken to. It might even justify the 'bones.' It might even justify you abusing, there being such resistance to deeper thought. It is either no thought at all or plunging deep into it that can set one free where one can laugh at 'bones' or 'hunger' as said Buddha. I guess such suggestions would not be widely welcome!!

Irv, tho not a dimwit, I'll respond to your veep q... it's obvious to dimwits, so it's also obvious to HC, that BO is an immensely talented man, who will be very important to the US in terms of world image and policies in the future. Why wouldn't she want him on her team?

I thought your remark about abuse was extraordinary. It's too bad we can't taste what people say. I'd guess your words would taste more like a good tequila than rat poison. In other words, harsh at first swallow, but in the long run, palatable and often stimulating.

Obama has already formed a huge team of able foreign policy experts who are advising him. Go figure.

Some preliminary speculations:

The Democratic veep prospects: A guide - Ben Smith - Politico.com

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0408/9394.html

the troll from Canada thinks he's an expert on American politics...he also thinks he's so smart and everyone here is a dimwit, yet he can't get enuff of dimwits...dude...u have no idea what ails u! u are way too ill to realize it...which is the reason u live in continual denial...a big fat rat like u must be immune to rat poison...eek!

BJ Billy and former luva HC fight personal halitosis! whoahahahahahahahahahahahahaahahahaaa!

Listen, Diab, man to man, save your keyboard.
You are not going to upset my friend Irvine by calling him John or even Canadian, for that matter. Wake up to your Genius, boy!

Listen, Diab, man to man, save yer keyboard.
You are not going to upset my friend Irv by calling him John or even Canadian, for that matter.
Wake up to your Genius, boy!!