I'd like to help you, but for me to have any effect, I would have to remove my tinfoil hat, and we all know what can happen if you do that!

by michael smith (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 1 comments) on Sunday, Feb 4, 2007 at 6:02:14 AM

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Does your automatic "WMD are falling" and "Nukes are exploding" and yellow cake, yellow cake" tapes start playing over and over again? Wait. Bush says he's not planning on attacking Iran, so you Believe him. Right. Keep the tin foil hat on. And keep believing in George.

by Rob Kall (952 articles, 4177 quicklinks, 374 diaries, 2087 comments [45 recommended, 3 rejected]) on Sunday, Feb 4, 2007 at 8:19:37 AM

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----- Original Message ----- From: Fred Fair To: payne payne Sent: Saturday, January 06, 2007 5:18 PM Subject: Fwd: Roleplay (for adults) Begin forwarded message: From: Panama Billy Date: January 4, 2007 4:52:33 PM MST To: fredfair@TaosNet.com click here Subject: Fwd: Fw: Roleplay (for adults) Fred, this one you'll like when you get back! http://www.glumbert.com/media/roleplay

by billp37 (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 38 comments) on Sunday, Feb 4, 2007 at 8:52:21 AM

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and each of us should do whatever possible. One of the possibilities is that those folks on the site who have a connection to any progressive politician should supply him/her with the set of ideas expressed on the site as a tool. Many politicians have good intentions but they have no language, no support and no ideas to work with. Those are here, on the site and some aare very creative ones.

by Mark Sashine (72 articles, 19 quicklinks, 269 diaries, 4101 comments [131 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Sunday, Feb 4, 2007 at 8:42:53 AM

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Do you honestly believe that many politicans have good intentions? I do not, or at least after plunging into the Washington culture they lose whatever such they brought with them as the power and remoteness of their office makes them think themselves invulnerable and omnipotent. Do you further think that any Congressperson or Senator has access to less tools than we bloggers have? These folks are responsible for this nations actions, and, despite the whitewashing of the loyalists everywhere, all have blood on their hands. Do not the various actions of the Democratic majority, a scant few weeks in power and already kissing the pasty white rear ends of the oil companies and the military industrial complex, show plainly their intent. Meet the new boss same as the old boss. Here is only one such example of their phoniness and complicities, one among all too many: http://www.commondreams.org/headlines07/0202-04.htm Published on Friday, February 2, 2007 by the Inter Press Service Iraq War Opponents Follow the Money by Aaron Glantz Senior Congressional Democrats are brushing off questions about cutting off funding for the Iraq war, and indicate they will do little to forcefully stop President George W. Bush from sending 21,500 additional U.S. troops to Iraq. On Wednesday, after returning from a trip to Iraq, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi sidestepped questions over whether she would try to scuttle Bush's plan to increase the number of U.S. troops in Iraq, calling it "the one last chance" that the U.S. war in Iraq will "succeed". Likewise, Democratic Senate leader Harry Reid of Nevada said he would focus his energies on passing a bipartisan, symbolic resolution opposing the so-called "surge" -- a move President Bush has already said he would ignore. One non-binding measure that appears to be gaining traction is sponsored by a Republican, John Warner of Virginia, and asserts that while Congress "disagrees with the 'plan' to augment" U.S. troops, legislators should not cut off or reduce funding for the military presence in Iraq. "Two years ago, it seemed pretty lonely. Now every politician wants to be seen on television saying something bad about President Bush's handling of the war," Dr. Rusti Eisenstadt, an activist and professor of U.S. history at Hofstra University, told IPS. "The key now is to get [Congress] to do something instead of hiding behind non-binding resolutions." ...edited for copyright, click on the link and read on........

by ardee D. (6 articles, 4 quicklinks, 1 diaries, 2377 comments) on Sunday, Feb 4, 2007 at 9:22:47 AM

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that our politicos are good people. I do believe, though that they want to surive. if they understand that they will not survive... there is a chance. The alternative is just to run away but we all must be reasonable that running away is not for the people like us. Say, take a person like me: the only place is Israel and I surely would not like to go there... Mark Sashine http://www.opednews.com/maxwrite/diarypage.php?did=2867

by Mark Sashine (72 articles, 19 quicklinks, 269 diaries, 4101 comments [131 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Sunday, Feb 4, 2007 at 9:39:54 AM

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Reply to Ardee, What you say is true enough for many, although not all politicians, so with the former, brainstorm some other approach. But it seems a key goal is to get the truth out as widely and loudly and repeatedly as possible.

by Mac McKinney (53 articles, 113 quicklinks, 240 diaries, 1413 comments [31 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Sunday, Feb 4, 2007 at 9:47:06 AM

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Instant messaging huh? Survival of our politicians, at least their political survival is not based upon our opinion of them but upon the manufactured opinions that money buys. Our electorate is far too easily duped by a few tens of thousands of dollars worth of advertising regardless of the voting record of the campaigner. See the recent Lieberman victory for corroboration. Also, I would never suggest running away, not my style at all. I simply wish we would begin to think outside the box. Mac is asolutely correct about a ceaseless effort to get the truth out, but whose truth? The simplest truth is sometimes the most unbelievable. Such as the truth that every vote for a Democrat is a vote for Republican policies and politics. Our system is corrupted, perhaps beyond saving, and we have a duopoly, a single political party masquerading as two. Yet so many here still believe that voting for democrats is some sort of solution to the real problems besetting our nation. Doesnt the actions of our new congress show us better than all their words that this is false?

by ardee D. (6 articles, 4 quicklinks, 1 diaries, 2377 comments) on Sunday, Feb 4, 2007 at 10:04:02 AM

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Ardee, I hope you will set your intention and see what your consicousness produces as a strategy. Your mind is linked to the whole universe. What is your greater self telling you to do here, you know, the one lurking beyond the ego?

by Mac McKinney (53 articles, 113 quicklinks, 240 diaries, 1413 comments [31 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Sunday, Feb 4, 2007 at 10:30:43 AM

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and my actions match my speech. I believe strongly in working to change this corrupted system, to minimise the impact of corporate money on election results and to elect politicians that pledge to forego that money. Thus far the only candidates for office who conform to those wishes are Greenand Populist Party candidates, and I vote for them. For many years I have participated in voter registration drives and in assisting in getting out the vote. Currently I speak to potential voters about the relevance and importance of Green Party presence in elections. I still vote for those Democrats with a proven track record of service to the electorate and less so to the corporations. I also email and otherwise correspond with them my wishes to endorse real campaign finance reform, my chagrin that they refuse to excercise their constitutional power to defund Bush's war for profit and oil and do not fund education sans religion to any important degree. These politicians are getting harder to find every election cycle. I hope that Greens will continue to make inroads into the one party duopoly that is American politics and support them financially as I am able. I believe that, without the presence of third party politics , and I support the growth of all such parties, Populist, Libertarian et al the electorate is at the mercy of those with the money and the power to influence and divert legislation and public monies. I further believe that any careful, thoughtful and honest assessment of the actions of the Democratic Party, and the lack of action as well, points clearly to their culpability in the mess we are in and the despair that they could ever be a part of the solution. Just look at the failures we already see in this young Congress. Oil subsidies of hundreds of millions exist and are continued under Pelosi's reign, despite her promise to slash them, when oil companies are making record profits, in the many billions, yet oil prices rise and fail to react to what one would hope were normal market forces. Congress refuses to consider impeachment, stutter and mumble platitudes and mealy excuses when confronted with the publics desire to investigate, try and ,hopefully, convict the guilty. Despite th elast election, one in which it was made perfectly clear that we are all sick of this war and the incompetance displayed by those who prosecute it, Democrats waffle and waver and speak in whispers, claiming on the one hand a great victory, yet refusing to act upon the clear wishes of the people. Why I wonder ( its the money stupid)...... So, the Universe and I see the facts, what is it you see....? I do not find, by the way, cryptic and cursory commentary a good thing. I do applaud bluntness and plain spoken responses, got any?

by ardee D. (6 articles, 4 quicklinks, 1 diaries, 2377 comments) on Sunday, Feb 4, 2007 at 2:30:49 PM

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I pretty much agree with you. I would like to see twiddle-dee and twiddle-dum broken up too, because they have both become largely mouthpieces for plutocracy. The grassroots have to erupt and sweep away their bitter weeds. But they continue to rule only by pitting one section of the country or humanity against the other. Divide and conquer. We have to wake up to the fact that we are not separate, isolated egos in endless conflict with each other, but are really all brothers and sisters on one planet, the Earth.

by Mac McKinney (53 articles, 113 quicklinks, 240 diaries, 1413 comments [31 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Monday, Feb 5, 2007 at 2:04:38 PM

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on the two party system? Federalist Papers, number 14 I think, maybe 17...old age sucks. Madison agonised over two years on this single issue (he states)and, as this was before the advent of the Parliamentary style elections wherein the party with 30% of the vote gets 30 seats, etc. he knew no other way to safeguard us in a winner takes all style of government than with two parties. Later in life he regretted his choice. I strongly believe that we must end the duopoly and the myth of two parties that isnt really true, and that third party emergences may very well be that savior. Thanks, by the by, for the response.

by ardee D. (6 articles, 4 quicklinks, 1 diaries, 2377 comments) on Monday, Feb 5, 2007 at 5:06:36 PM

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You might want to review my piece of a few days ago. I wonder if people have any idea of what the consequences might be if we were to attack Iran. click here

by Mark A. Goldman (81 articles, 2 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 243 comments) on Sunday, Feb 4, 2007 at 9:24:16 AM

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my intentions are to stop a war on iran. the key.... i express my intentions to the Congress and Senate by constantly contacting them daily and demanding that they stop Bush at all costs and to do what it takes to restore the Constitution even if that means having to impeach The President and Vice President allegedly the President had good intentions for Iraq also, who knows ? maybe he did thankfully i cant read his mind, but i do see how he followed up on his intentions through his actions click here

by Matt Kovach (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 13 comments) on Sunday, Feb 4, 2007 at 10:25:45 AM

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Under the "leadership" of Bush and his Zionist handlers, the U.S. has obviously become a highly dangerous international menace. Given the potential consequences of further U.S. aggression in the Mid-East (and elsewhere for that matter), practically the whole world has an interest in stopping the U.S. war machine and/or the madman that wields it. It's plain to see that despite the last election, Bush has no serious domestic opposition. So why aren't some major foreign powers taking a more active role in trying to put a stop to Bush's militaristic madness? In fact, China could probably stop Bush now without firing a shot. Seeing that other types of reasoning have failed, perhaps an open threat to rid itself of its substantial dollar holdings would get Congress' attention? A massive sell-off by China would almost certainly cause other Asian countries to follow suit, hopefully resulting in such a severe blow to the U.S. economy, that the war machine would grind to a halt. And what about Russia? Russia could send some ships to the Mid-East and tell the U.S. Congress that if any Russian Nationals working in Iran are hurt or killed as a result of U.S. aggression, that Russia will consider it an act of war against Russia. Moreover why should anyone think that U.S. aggression will stop with the Mid-East? The U.S. is being ruled by a delusional madman with an agenda of world domination and control, and the madman apparently has full Congressional support. This situation should scare the sh*t out of any sentient human being on this planet. If the madman cannot be stopped by internal means, then external means should be brought to bear on the problem.

by jpsmith123 (3 articles, 1 quicklinks, 1 diaries, 286 comments [27 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Sunday, Feb 4, 2007 at 12:18:20 PM

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Russia and China are not realy ruled by the people who are interested in Humanity. They are interested in weakening the US as a military power and that surely can be achieved by luring us into the swamp of wars. They, of course, are not very strategic and they do not understand that they will be swamped too. But this is a logic of madness- the only people who can stop Bush are here. Politics is always local. Always.

by Mark Sashine (72 articles, 19 quicklinks, 269 diaries, 4101 comments [131 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Sunday, Feb 4, 2007 at 1:11:13 PM

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First, Russia and China have many billions of dollars worth of strategic business interests in Iran. Second, Russia and China must realize that at some point, the U.S. drive for complete global "domination" requires that the U.S. confront them. If it is to adhere to its publicly stated agenda, the U.S. must keep Russia and China down. Don't forget, this all takes place in the context of expanding NATO right to Russia's borders, trying to build a missile defense system, trying to install pro-Western, anti-Russian governments in former Soviet states, relentless anti-Putin propaganda, etc. The U.S. has never stopped its provocations against Russia.

by jpsmith123 (3 articles, 1 quicklinks, 1 diaries, 286 comments [27 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Sunday, Feb 4, 2007 at 1:28:44 PM

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Mark my word, The Russians will retailiate. They aren't going to sit by and let us get away with exploding nuclear bombs on their border. They have thousands of nuclear missiles aimed at choice targets throughout the U.S. The moment that lunatic nukes Iran, they'll wipe us off the face of the earth. While Bush's has all his nuclear arsenal in the Persian Gulf aimed at Iran, Russian subs will be poised in the Pacific. The instant our nuclear missiles are fired, their subs will speed up along our coast and pulversive us before we know what's happened. Start digging suckers.

by eagleeye (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 32 comments) on Sunday, Feb 4, 2007 at 1:56:19 PM

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You're right on target, or should I say the Russians are. Most Americans don't realize that Russia still has a nuclear arsenal. Putin isn't the sort of guy to put up with any of our nonsense especially when it's atomic radiation right across the borader. What would we do if he exploded nukes in Mexico right up next to San Diego and Phoenix? You know damn well what we'd do.

by eagleeye (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 32 comments) on Sunday, Feb 4, 2007 at 2:08:02 PM

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I personally doubt this scenario, one in which our own missles will fire as well, even if every major US city is ashes. Ever here of satellite surveillance up there on Trafalmagor? Do you not understand that, even if Putin was so inclined, and he aint, we know the whereabouts of every single Russian sub as they know the location of ours. So who exactly benefits from the resulting nuclear winter anyway? The glove manufacturers?. This is not Hollywood and Dr. Stranglove was a fine movie but no blueprint for reality. The simple facts are that noone wins such an exchange, that China is financially tied to the American economy and will not benefit from any such scenario, nobody benefits. I urge you to curb your imagination, or rather put it to much better use.

by ardee D. (6 articles, 4 quicklinks, 1 diaries, 2377 comments) on Sunday, Feb 4, 2007 at 2:42:25 PM

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A U.S. attack on Iran, even if nuclear weapons are not used, under the circumstances, would be seen as an indisputable act of madness. If any more evidence of Bush's criminal insanity is required, this should fill the bill. Dealing with a lunatic is not the same as dealing with a corrupt but basically rational person. It may be instructive to do a little thought experiment: Ask yourself, what would have been the outcome of the Cuban Missile Crisis, if it had been the reality averse, childishly hot-headed, sadistic, paranoid, megalomaniacal Bush-the-Decider in the White House, instead of JFK? Or, ask yourself, what would you do if a criminally insane mass murderer lived down the street from you, and the cops were simply ignoring him as he serially slaughtered your friends and neighbors? Wouldn't you want to see him stopped before he got to you and your family? It may be that China and Russia think Bush is bluffing, wrt attacking Iran, but if Bush actually does do it, then the world knows it is dealing with a madman that needs to be stopped. Lastly, China must realize that U.S. government deficit spending, and the trade deficit, are now completely out of control. There's no longer even any pretense of fiscal responsibility. Thus China must realize that the day is coming when the dollar will lose a significant amount of value. So all China would be doing is speeding up the inevitable process of dollar devaluation. (BTW, that the U.S. government could so cavalierly destroy its own economy with needless, runaway spending, is probably seen as another symptom of madness. Who knows, maybe the U.S. elite realize WW3 is coming, and, like a person who anticipates bankruptcy, they've decided to run the charge card up to the limit). In any case, even if China doesn't actually do it, just publicly and convincingly threatening to do it might be all it takes to push some Congressional slime to reconsider.

by jpsmith123 (3 articles, 1 quicklinks, 1 diaries, 286 comments [27 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Sunday, Feb 4, 2007 at 3:47:38 PM

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Regardless of your psychological evaluation of George Walker Bush, credentialed or not, the issue under discussion is what to do about altering the course of events. An attack on Iran would seem to you to be an admission of madness but your view is just that, yours not mine. I saw the invasion of Iraq as an opportunity to reap huge profits, not as a sign of schizophrenia or other such malady. I see today the refusal of the Democratic Party to address the many transgressions of this administration, not only needless war but numerous constitutional violations, as a sign that these Democrats know full well where their bread is buttered, not that they need care from a mental health professional. You may scream madness from the rooftops for all the good it will do you, I cannot join you, Im far too busy looking for solutions.

by ardee D. (6 articles, 4 quicklinks, 1 diaries, 2377 comments) on Monday, Feb 5, 2007 at 11:21:22 AM

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"Regardless of your psychological evaluation of George Walker Bush, credentialed or not, the issue under discussion is what to do about altering the course of events." LOL! Before you can meaningfully discuss what to do about "altering the course of events", you have to have some idea of what your dealing with, no? Or are our law enforcement agencies wasting their time, for example, when they try to construct a psychological profile of a criminal as an aid to identifying and stopping him? "An attack on Iran would seem to you to be an admission of madness" It would be a *demonstration* of madness, yes of course. "but your view is just that, yours not mine." Of course it would be my opinion, and it would also be that of millions of people all over the world as well. "I saw the invasion of Iraq as an opportunity to reap huge profits, not as a sign of schizophrenia or other such malady." Maybe you should enlighten yourself as to the types of personality disorders we are apparently dealing with here. You can start with this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malignant_narcissism As for your idea that it's all about making "money", or "oil", what you fail to understand or acknowledge is that our rulers can simply take money from the treasury if they want to. They can rig futures markets if they want to. They can simply hand money out to anyone they want to; let's face it, nowadays, they can do and get away with almost anything they want. No, they didn't attack Iraq to make "money". "I see today the refusal of the Democratic Party to address the many transgressions of this administration, not only needless war but numerous constitutional violations, as a sign that these Democrats know full well where their bread is buttered, not that they need care from a mental health professional." I don't recall stating that the Congress was "insane". In any case, in your view, then, Hitler was a rational person who just wanted to make some extra money, right? And maybe Pol Pot too? And I guess we can add Caligula to that group? In your view, there's no such thing as a ruler with a mental problem, right? "You may scream madness from the rooftops for all the good it will do you, I cannot join you, Im far too busy looking for solutions." Before you can find "solutions", you have to identify the problem. Being that you apparently refuse to see the situation as it really is, you have no hope of finding a solution.

by jpsmith123 (3 articles, 1 quicklinks, 1 diaries, 286 comments [27 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Monday, Feb 5, 2007 at 8:25:31 PM

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We all need to speak out to prevent an attack - please join our campaign at: www.EnoughFear.org where Iranians and Americans are finding ways to work together against war. Right now we're collecting photos of Iranians and Americans, and we're looking to go further and create actions in both countries so we can show that we stand together for peace.

by Nick @ Enough Fear (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 1 comments) on Sunday, Feb 4, 2007 at 3:45:45 PM

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I could not tell from your writing if you are a sports fan or not. Personally, I am not unless I am the participant. LOL I couldn't help but notice that the propaganda message of the day is SUPER BOWL SUNDAY, and of course the dire warning of it being a LEVEL 1 Terrorist threat target. That is disconcerting to say the least. I pity those who work hard and think they are living the American dream by attending this mass display of pseudo-competition amongst millionaires playing grab ass with each other. Today it was announced there was an incredible bomb attack in Iraq and the death toll has risen again. At least 1000 Iraqis are dead and I think Orwell Media said 4 U.S. choppers went down. That is serious stuff, but all will be down the memory hole as rednecks consume mass amounts of Budweiser and cheer on those who fight for nothing but a ring and the all mighty dollar. I have a bad feeling about today's events. At the very least I would not want to be there and especially not allow my family to be there because with that sort of threat level one can imagine being x-rayed, and anally probed. Just to watch a football game? Even if I gave a darn I would think a big screen TV with surround sound would be a much more comfortable environment and certainly give you a better view. I pray for those in attendance, but God's will is God's will. As characters in the human race we are given the amazing and powerful gift of free will. It can be used for great good, or evil. Sadly it can even be wasted when it is replaced with robotics. Some people are shepherds and others have to be the sheep. This country has it's shepherds, it's sheep, and unfortunately wolves lurk among them all. God bless our country and our world and those who cannot see the light. The darkness never goes from some men's eyes, but their hollow dark sockets will be blinded when truth is shined upon them. Then it is up to the human race to use God's great gift of free will to rise from enslavement and punish those who would be their slave masters. We must rise up when the plantation masters tell us IRAN is to blame. Regardless of who wins the Super Bowel and who gets probed only to suffer more butt damage sitting in the cheap seats for a cheap thrill. DO we all not recall the propaganda that pushed us into IRAQ? Everything was blamed on them, (and the French of course who simply knew better than to get involved with our imperialistic masters). I think the cat is out of the bag on Bush, Cheney, and their gang of merry theives so let's sick the big dog of American truth and justice on them before it is too late.

by JohnNmissouri (5 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 40 comments) on Sunday, Feb 4, 2007 at 4:13:05 PM

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