Vox Populi – 5-30-2014

AdLib : Even funnier like that, Funk!

funksands : Sabreen, do that, its pretty easy to use.

funksands : AD: «link»

AdLib : Night Sabreen! Have a great weekend!

Sabreen60 : I think I’ll call it a night, too. Thanks all for your company and all the info.

AdLib : Night Murph, looks like a busy week ahead!

Sabreen60 : Funk I went to the web site – memegenerator. When I get time I’ll play around.

Sabreen60 : Good night Murph. Take care.

funksands : Night Murph, sleep tight in Missouristan

MurphTheSurf3 : Ad Lib more conversation later this weekend …

pinkpantheroz : Cheerio, Murph. see you next week.

MurphTheSurf3 : Night KT…..I am going to call it a day as well….Good night one and all….

AdLib : Sleepwell KT! Saw the music thread ready to go, well done!

pinkpantheroz : ‘night, KT.

funksands : KT, take care buddy.

KillgoreTrout : Well folks, gotta hit the hay. Have a great weekend, all!

Sabreen60 : Funk, I’m so impressed!

MurphTheSurf3 : Funk…oh so very cool!

funksands : Ad, if you get to 110-120 characters, you picture will probably not fit.

funksands : Sabreen I am on it!

funksands : Murph: «link»

AdLib : Funk – Right, makes sense to use a font that’s not too big so you can have a graphic that’s also not too big.

Sabreen60 : Funk, That’s really cool. Maybe you can also start a course here at the planet. That’s your next assignment. I am twitter challenged so be patient.

MurphTheSurf3 : funk, I am agog!

funksands : Ad, the size of picture dictates how many characters it takes up. A big picture will probably take up 30-40 characters. If its too big, most people just set up a link that people have to click on.

MurphTheSurf3 : Funk…that is freakin far out…

Sabreen60 : So Funk, you have your assignment. You may present it to us next week.

AdLib : Heh! Well done Funk!!!

Sabreen60 : Murph, me too.

funksands : Sabreen: «link»

AdLib : Funk, you just taught me something I should have sussed out. Of course you can make a graphic with however much text you want to post on Twitter!

MurphTheSurf3 : Funk – you gotta teach me to do 20 percent of what you do on twitter…that will be 5 times what I now know.

funksands : Sabreen, sure. You can just go to imgur or a similar site and create it. Let me give a it a try. 1 sec

AdLib : Funk – And when you say “you”, you mean 99% of Americans. The ignorance of voters may be most to blame for where we are. The dishonesty and threat of the GOP is pretty transparent to intelligent people at this point. Smartening up these ignorant voters (and maybe slapping a few around like an old Cagney film…”Hey! Wise up, mug!”) was never more important.

Sabreen60 : Funk, So can you make a list (picture) of how USA would appear if Repubs had everything their way?

funksands : Sabreen, that just a picture. It takes up a certain amount of characters to paste a picture in your tweet, but that’s all.

AdLib : Exactly, KT!

AdLib : If you notice your children growing thicker beards than you or your wife sporting massive biceps and beating your ass frequently over trivial things, contact your doctor. TwitLonger might not be for you.

Sabreen60 : Funk, I hope I don’t mess up, but here’s an example: «link»

funksands : Ad, they don’t want America to become a dystopian nightmare, they just want it to become a dystopian nightmare for you. That’s what makes them even crazier.

MurphTheSurf3 : Ad- In the three cited dystopias the Big Money folk would lose out and that is not part of the GOP plan (or rather part of the plan they have been given).

KillgoreTrout : Ad, I think it’s for erectile dysfunction!

funksands : Ad, just make sure your kids don’t accidentally get some on them…

AdLib : Funk, yeah, I used to get lots of emails for Twitlonger. Is it a cream or a pill?

KillgoreTrout : No doubt Ad. They’re some scary nutbags.

funksands : Hmmm Sabreen not sure. Clarify?

AdLib : KT – Brave New World, 1984 and Fahrenheit 451 all have dysfunctional futures that look like resorts compared to what Repubs want America to become!

funksands : Everyone has to scratch and claw for their fortune just as God intended

MurphTheSurf3 : FUNK…the tweet meister..

Sabreen60 : Funk, But sometimes it’s a picture or a list that’s attached to the tweet. Do you know how to do that?

funksands : Sabreen: «link»

funksands : TwitLonger

Sabreen60 : AdLib, I don’t know how people post long documents on Twitter. But if someone does know, it would be great.

funksands : TENTS? HA! Luxury!

AdLib : TO: Funksands c/o FEMA Camp 2137, The 12th Row of Tents, Third From the End, NV 89712

KillgoreTrout : My god, such a scenario would make Brave New World look like a fairy tale.

funksands : Ad, the GOP vision for America boils down to 1 simple sentence: Everyone is a independent contractor

KillgoreTrout : LOL funk! Soon it will be USPS camps!

Sabreen60 : Funk, It really isn’t funny, you know!

MurphTheSurf3 : Ad LIb- brilliant idea and we should repost it far and wide.

funksands : Sabreen, don’t you have a kettlebell to swing or something?

funksands : ‘I’m sorry Grandma, your hip surgery wasn’t approved for coverage. Why? Well your PPM (personal profit margin) fell below 2% this week. Get that baby back up and we’ll talk again”

Sabreen60 : Hey Funk! If you’re living in a FEMA camp getting your mail will be really convenient.

AdLib : Next, Repubs may declare that only employed people can drink from public drinking fountains?

AdLib : What we really should do is write a post describing the America that would exist if Repubs could do everything they wanted. If that doesn’t frighten people into voting Dem, I don’t know what would.

funksands : I ain’t pickin up my mail at no FEMA camp!

KillgoreTrout : Like you say Ad, this won’t pass.

MurphTheSurf3 : Ad- checks, bills, statements, are easy pickings- the police are opposed.

AdLib : KT – Imagine how much eminent domain would have to be declared to take away private and public land to set up such a fucked up system. Repubs just love taking away people’s property, just look at Cliven Bundy.

KillgoreTrout : I’ll bet the GOPer pricks in Congress won’t have to trudge along to get their mail!

MurphTheSurf3 : Sab- one of my neighbors, a 81 year old man and his 78 year old wife came to the meeting (driven by a grandchild of 21). They could not understand why the GOP was pushing this idea. The young lady told them “Hey guys the GOP just does not care about you…..period.. .never have, never will.” Grandpa’s response: “She grow up some day.”

funksands : Not bad KT, a little worn out, but a sunny weekend will cure that.

KillgoreTrout : Just fine funk, and you?

AdLib : Murph – You mean the dangers of criminals waiting at the boxes to mug a senior for their SS check?

funksands : Hey KT, you doing alright?

funksands : Hi Ad, Murph I’ll do that

KillgoreTrout : funk is in da house! What’s up funk man?

Sabreen60 : BRB

Sabreen60 : I can imagine Murph – the elderly and the disabled. But I have to keep reminding myself that the bottom line is Repubs don’t care. Just that simple – they don’t care.

MurphTheSurf3 : Hi funk- we had a long discussion about developments at HP earlier tonight…you might want to scan down and take it in…

AdLib : Hey Funk!

AdLib : And funny that we’re not hearing much Ukraine outrage from Repubs right now, with Russia pulling its troops back and the Ukraine government stepping up their military response to the Russians trying to seize towns. And all without the US attacking Russia as Repubs wanted.

KillgoreTrout : Absolutely Murph. Vultures!

MurphTheSurf3 : KT- and those mail box strips are a security nightmare!

funksands : Evening folks!

KillgoreTrout : You’re right Ad. Plus big cities don’t have room for long strips of boxes. It also won’t save the post office enough money for the hassle.

MurphTheSurf3 : Ad and Sab- went to a meeting a month or so ago re. this plan…the dangers created are immense- especially for the elderly.

Sabreen60 : Good night kes. Take care.

AdLib : Sabreen – I thought there was a lifesaver thrown to the USPS when UPS contracted with them to provide deliveries.

MurphTheSurf3 : Kes- safe travels

Sabreen60 : It’s the fault of Congress that USPS is running out of money. Actually, they aren’t. But was forced to fund health care and/or pensions for 75 years in the future.

AdLib : KT – It’s still insane because the logistics of setting up neighborhood mailboxes are expensive and complex. Of course Obama and the Senate would never let it go anywhere but the Repubs really thing a continued destruction of our standard of living leads to somewhere good?

MurphTheSurf3 : KT- and CJ had it easy when compared to what the job now means given the current press corps.

KillgoreTrout : Sleep well Homie and have a great trip.

MurphTheSurf3 : Sab- yes, I knew you got it, I was just defining what they want to offer as an alternative In my area it would mean leaving mail a mile or more from many homes.

pinkpantheroz : KT, Jay hasn’t said why, but I thinnk we can all figure burnout as the cause.

kesmarn : My pleasure, AdLib! It was great fun! G’night!

KillgoreTrout : Murph, kinda like CJ on the old show West Wing! High stress indeed.

Sabreen60 : AdLib, exactly. Repubs were on the floor talking about how we’re trillions in debt and can’t afford to fund veteran programs. Just disgusting.

KillgoreTrout : Murph, that only applies to doors with mail slots. Boxes will still be delivered to. It’s still a bad idea for the immobile and people who have to walk with canes and walkers.

AdLib : Sleep well, Kes, have a great drive out there and a wonderful time with your son. Also, thanks loads for your fantastic job of hosting Vox last week!

MurphTheSurf3 : KT- the average number for a 8 year term is 4- the new guy will be Obama’s third. It is a really high stress, high burnout job.

kesmarn : Well, kids, I really should try to get some sleep — although I’m not at all tired. Of course. Have a wonderful weekend!

Sabreen60 : Murph, That’s what I said – perhaps not clearly.

AdLib : Sabreen – The Repub vision for society is a cave painting.

pinkpantheroz : I can understand Jay burning out. Imagine having everything you say either derided or ignored by the RW media vultures?

KillgoreTrout : PPO, why is Carney stepping down?

MurphTheSurf3 : Sab…the USPS bill in the House eliminates home delivery unless you pay for it…it moves everyone into “end of the block” common mailboxes.

Sabreen60 : Murph, Jay was the only reason I could tolerate the WHPC jackals.

AdLib : Kes – You know the drill now, Repubs howl about how bad something is but when there’s a vote to fix it, they howl about the deficit and how we can’t afford to fix anything. Wish I had Plastic Man’s powers and could line up all the Repubs in Congress and slap them all at the same time.

KillgoreTrout : Thanks Murph.

MurphTheSurf3 : PPO- Jay is fried. That job does that. The average number of press secretaries for 8 years is 4.

Sabreen60 : PPO, I really like Jay “Clark Kent” Carney

kesmarn : Exactly, Murph!

Sabreen60 : AdLib, It doesn’t stop. Repubs want to privatize everything. I understand there’s a bill in the House that wants halt mail delivery to individuals unless you pay for it. Otherwise, you must go to a communal distribution site to get your mail.

pinkpantheroz : Yes, KT, a pity indeed. the same for Jay Carney. He’s been pretty good.

MurphTheSurf3 : Kes- already answered in February 41 filibustered a comprehensive reform measure that was endorsed by every vet organization and the House’s Vet Affairs committee refused to bring it to the floor there.

AdLib : Kes – I hear the Afghan Poppy Seed Bread is a trip.

kesmarn : AdLib, I haven’t had either kind of food either, so I’ll have to give you a report when I get back!

AdLib : Murph – Great, looking forward to it and always feel free to cross-post here.

kesmarn : The question I have is: when the bill for a program of reform of the VA comes before Congress, how are the GOP “austerity boys” going to vote on it?

KillgoreTrout : It’s too bad about Shinseki, he’s a good man.

MurphTheSurf3 : ad Lib-+- gotta publish my piece on the deeper VA scandal. Will do in the AM.

AdLib : Kes – I’ve never had either, are they akin to Middle Eastern food?

AdLib : While the GOP thinks that this VA scandal is an opportunity to fight for privatizing vet health care, most vets want the VA to stay because they get treated holistically, for all of the issues they suffer as a whole instead of private doctors for different issues.

MurphTheSurf3 : KT- Kool…just wanted to be sure that you were clued in.

kesmarn : PPO! My son is promising delicious food at the end of the journey — he’s suggesting Afghan or Nepali food.

KillgoreTrout : Hey Murph, I’ll check that out tomorrow.

KillgoreTrout : Yes, you are Ad!

pinkpantheroz : 400 miles, Kes? Huh, Here in ‘stralia, the bushies drive that far for a Barbie! ( At least they’d like you to think they would!)

Sabreen60 : Bless your heart, kes

kesmarn : Thanks so much, Sabreen! And I’ll say a little (or big, if you prefer) prayer for that back of yours.

AdLib : KT – Now I’m in on the Wuzzup!

Sabreen60 : kes, By all means have a safe and fun trip.

kesmarn : It is, Homie! About 400 miles each way!

KillgoreTrout : That’s quite a road trip Homie!

MurphTheSurf3 : Hello KT- you might, if you are interested, scan down the page and scan the discussion re.what seems to be a major change coming to HP….just to keep you up to date.

kesmarn : Right, KT! Wisconsin. Picking my son up from grad school for some down time at home. (His car is acting up and I was up for a little road trip!)

Sabreen60 : The fact that PBO opened up the VA to Vietnam vets and also brought focus to PTSD goes unreported by the media in the mist of this “scandal”.

pinkpantheroz : Riiiight, Murph. do we see the media on their case for doing that? Not a sausage.

MurphTheSurf3 : Bye Kes.

KillgoreTrout : kes, Madison? Wisconsin?

MurphTheSurf3 : PPO- a major bill doing as you describe was filibustered by 41 GOP

kesmarn : Thanks, PPO! At least the weather is expected to be sunny and dry.

KillgoreTrout : Hey Sabreen! I hope all is well?

kesmarn : Sabreen, the vets I’ve talked to have said the same thing. They’re OK with the care they get although the system can be a bit slow around here.

KillgoreTrout : Wazzup Ad? That’s funny, Wazzup is a little joke my sister and I play whenever one of us calls the other, we say WAZZUP!

Sabreen60 : PPO, That has me pissed, too. And the media never mentions that Repubs have refused to fund several Veterans bills.

pinkpantheroz : Kes, have a safe trip to Cheeseland.

MurphTheSurf3 : Sabreen- many vets are satisfied with one rather large exception…thos e who have the greatest need for mental health support….servi ces there are full of holes.

kesmarn : That’s the million dollar question, PPO!

AdLib : Murph – Exactly! Trumped up outrage works, it whips up greater viewership and taints public opinion. Except among the better informed.

pinkpantheroz : Why isn’t the Senate and the dems in Congress flaying the GOP for cutting back on VA funding? That’s the biggest cause of delays in treatment.

kesmarn : KT, doing well. I’m going to have to take my leave fairly soon though. Leaving for Madison in the morning.

Sabreen60 : Hiya KT!

Sabreen60 : It seems as though most Vets are very satisfied with the care they receive once they get in the system and/or actually see doctors.

AdLib : Hey KT! Wuzzup?

KillgoreTrout : Hey Homie, doing OK, and you?

MurphTheSurf3 : folks, the point making that the political types turn every mishap into will only work in a population that is unengaged, ill informed, and easily mislead….oh, wait. That’s a lot of us.

AdLib : Sabreen – Shinseki was being very honest, the GOP would pull out all the Benghazi-style “outrage” to make him a symbol of evil the longer he stayed there. It’s not fair but it is true, as long as he stayed, the Repubs would use him to batter Obama (and pump up their 2014 hopes). It would only get worse if he stayed.

kesmarn : Yes, PPO. Shinseki resigned today.

kesmarn : Hey, Homie! How are you?

pinkpantheroz : Sorry, I’ve missed the news. Has Shinseki really resigned?

KillgoreTrout : Howdy Planet peeps!

Sabreen60 : PPO, Glad you Mom is ok. I have friends with older parents and I know it can be hard and sometimes frightening.

kesmarn : And of course, Boehner had to leap in there and say in effect: “Screw Shinseki, I’m gonna lay this right at the president’s doorstep.” What else would we expect, though.

MurphTheSurf3 : The VA’s first crisis was in 1923 when it was shut down entirely and reorganized- two years after it was created. It has been reorganized six times and is a political football in every administration.

AdLib : PPO – I helped care for a relative who had Alzheimer’s, it’s a tough road.

pinkpantheroz : thanks, Murph. she’s been like it for years, sadly.

Sabreen60 : PBO said Shinseki said he didn’t want to be a distraction.

AdLib : But like the Benghazi BS, the harshist critics are most interested in pointing a finger at their political enemies instead of doing anything to stop such an outrage from happening again.

kesmarn : Oh, I hear you on that one, PPO. My 91 year old dad was doing pretty well until about 2 years ago. Now — it’s a struggle.

MurphTheSurf3 : There you are PPO…sorry about the mom scare.

pinkpantheroz : yes, Kes, but dementia is a lousy thing.

AdLib : PPO – Hope your Mom is ok!

AdLib : It’s unfair that Shinseki became the scapegoat for a practice that went back to the Bush Admin (and plenty of VA bad behavior before that) but it’s the way wrongdoing is acknowledged in politics. Like playing hot potato, if you’re holding it when it goes off, you lose even though you didn’t do anything.

kesmarn : So sorry to hear that, PPO. She’s OK at present, though?

MurphTheSurf3 : Sab- if resigning is in the cards you do not wait until your fan base calls for it too. I think he and Obama had it worked out BUT I feel badly for him. He got skunked when he was honest as the army chief and now he has been gunned down by his subordinates for reasons that I understand but still find reprehensible.

Sabreen60 : kes, It is depressing. And frankly I don’t trust her. If she wins will she be another Baucus? How often can she be counted on?

pinkpantheroz : Sorry, folks. Got called away for a family emergency call about my 96 year old Mom. back now. All is OK, though, for now.

kesmarn : I think it made the Prez sick to accept the resignation, but I guess he really didn’t have a choice.

MurphTheSurf3 : Ad- by the time I joined HP most of that seems to have been behind us….but I have heard so many stories that I know what you say is so.

AdLib : Yes, it’s not encouraging to see Grimes pandering like this.

kesmarn : Murph, I don’t know if the VA has ever really functioned the way it should have.

Sabreen60 : From what I’ve read there is only one vet group who wanted him to resign. The media, Repubs and some Dems were pushing for his resignation. If fact, the media, including MSNBC was foaming at the mouth about “another scandal”.

MurphTheSurf3 : Sab- Grimes is making hay where she can.

AdLib : Murph – I had many comments go into moderation hell and never come out, others came out many pages back (before they had that notification function for fans) so it was a bad system that made me leave and so many others. And still, many trolls could post the most hateful things and their comments remained.

kesmarn : It’s amazing what people in KY seem to feel they have to do to defeat McTurtle. Depressing.

MurphTheSurf3 : Kes- that system went back much further than that. I have a piece on this that I posted elsewhere. I will post it at the Planet tomorrow.

Sabreen60 : Yeah Murph, I understand. But she could have kept her mouth shut. No one asked her to seek out the mic.

AdLib : Shinseki kind of had to take the fall because it happened under him, on his watch. I don’t believe he knew anything about it and no question that the VA is just plain fucked up and so bureaucratically complicated that such things are noot transparent. The real question is, how will this culture at the VA be changed?

kesmarn : The whole thing reminds me of the situation in the DC school system with Michelle Rhee. She set up a system in which “good numbers” on standardized test got bonuses for admins and “bad numbers” got them fired. Needless to say, they cooked the numbers. Only Shinseki wasn’t the one who had set up that system. That went back to Dubya’s time.

MurphTheSurf3 : Sab- those in purple states cannot take a position that could easily undermine their limited appeal among the uncommitted.

Sabreen60 : Murph, I guess. I just hate that Dems didn’t have his back. The hold point of a coverup is to make sure folks don’t find out. I don’t know. I hate that some Dems were calling for his head before the investigation got started. And Grimes in KY couldn’t keep her face from in front of the camera. Actually gloating that she was among the first to call for his resignation.

MurphTheSurf3 : Kes- the doc blew the whistle and has been joined by others.

AdLib : Sabreen – I was attending a workout class for a while and swinging and lifting those kettlebells for a while was a great workout but a killer after a while. I need to get back to it too but I will learn from you about rushing myself!

MurphTheSurf3 : Ad Lib- generally agree but add that a lot of moderation was about limiting the negativity and personalisms of some of the worst on line folks. I saw very little evidence of content based moderation.

kesmarn : Sabreen, I gather that it was a doctor who had just retired (hence had nothing to lose) who was the whistle blower. Otherwise — as you say — with widespread corruption and lies, how was he to know?

AdLib : Murph – Seeing it more from the outside, it seemed like those at HP who wanted a real expressive community at HP have been pushing against the inevitable corporate glacier that was headed here. It all began with the institution of “moderation” (censorship) and the blacklist. It seemed then that the people who made up the community that put HP on the map, were seen as adversaries who were needed for a while but had to be kept down. I know there were many good folks in the ranks of moderators and editors but the corporate types at the top of the pyramid would bring things right to where they wanted.

MurphTheSurf3 : Kes- he was right on as the Army’s Chief, but I think he was easily misled by his subordinates in the VA- a well polished culture of deceit.

Sabreen60 : kes, Great minds… I feel really bad for Shineski. How was he suppose to know the books were cooked, if it was a coverup? Who spilled the beans and why was it done like it was done? I smell a rat.

kesmarn : Isn’t it a shame? First he got slammed back when he spoke the truth about the real cost of the Iraq war, and now this.

MurphTheSurf3 : Sabreen- Shineski was in office from January 2009- hard for him not to take the fall on this one.

Sabreen60 : AdLib, I was taking a class and bought my own. I hadn’t been to class in months. What made me believe I could just jump right in on my own is beyond me. Anyway enough about me. I’ve been sad all day because of Shinseki.

kesmarn : Oh, Sabreen — it’s too bad that the exercise today got your back “riled up” again. On another issue: Does anyone else feel kinda sorry for poor Eric Shinseki?

MurphTheSurf3 : Kes and Sabreen…HP as a place for thinkers who want to engage and build a community is certainly on the way out.

AdLib : Sabreen – An Kettlebells make great walnut crackers.

Sabreen60 : kes, I have constant back problems. But my back hasn’t been really bad for months.

kesmarn : That may be just as well, Sabreen. Huffington Post may be in its waning days.

MurphTheSurf3 : Sab- if you care about HP I can summarize for you. If not, nod off.

MurphTheSurf3 : Did we lose PPO?

Sabreen60 : Murph, Just ouchie land with a heat wrap. I’m reading the comments, but I don’t know anything about HP.

MurphTheSurf3 : Ad Lib- another fine connection. That thinking also killed real public service ads and the idea of providing a platform for equal time.

MurphTheSurf3 : Sabreen..are you in traction, a body cast, or just in ouchie land?

kesmarn : Ouch, Sabreen! Didn’t you once before have some back problems? They are SO painful!

AdLib : Murph – It’s very similar to how networks used to accept that losing money on their news departments covering news for the people was a social responsibility and an accepted expense. Once the news divisions had to turn profits, real news faded away.

Sabreen60 : Hiya kes et al. Afraid I did something dumb. I used my kettlebell and pulled something in my back. I hadn’t done kettlebells for months. I started to heavy. Now I suffer. I don’t seem to be getting smarter as I’m getting older

MurphTheSurf3 : Ad Lib…Beautiful summary.

AdLib : Hi Sabreen!

MurphTheSurf3 : Hello Sabreen…you might want to scan down the page and pick up on our current topic…developm ents at HP

AdLib : PPO – Right you are, The Planet will always be an oasis for those seeking a community where smarts and free speech are the main courses.

kesmarn : Hey, Sabreen! How are you?

MurphTheSurf3 : Ad- right on the market (I mean mark)!

Sabreen60 : Hello Planeteers!

kesmarn : The concept of ordinary folks being able to express themselves was a good idea. As you say, the execution of it is a bit trickier.

MurphTheSurf3 : Ad I have argued that the CL Division was their Mission-Based service to the blogging community…..I tried.

AdLib : Murph – It is the way of things, so many great products, restaurants and businesses have been trashed by the killing-the-gold en-goose mentality that corporations and the greedy have.

MurphTheSurf3 : Kes- could well be. Some very good people there and I respect them for what they tried to do…tried.

kesmarn : You’re right, PPO! Never this Planet!

AdLib : Murph – The cost of their community life division…was the cost of having a living community. What is HP without it? A news aggregating site with Facebook comments? Yuk.

kesmarn : They might each now have the feeling that they’ve shaken hands with the devil, Murph!

MurphTheSurf3 : PPO- I certainly believe as you do.

MurphTheSurf3 : Kes…the AOL partnership means that she has to hold up her end, from the bottom line up.

pinkpantheroz : right, Murph, but never this Planet!

MurphTheSurf3 : Ad…I have seen the crass commercializatio n of some very noble efforts as they corporatize for efficiency and expanded effectiveness and then follow the path you lay out.

kesmarn : I can imagine, Murph. And with her and AOL — profitability comes first.

pinkpantheroz : Spot on Ad, and you can add the customers they piss off as well.

AdLib : Kes – Wow, that’s great! William Shatner may be out of a job!

MurphTheSurf3 : Kes- AH sits at the top of a very expensive operation and the community life division was expensive and in a purely mercenary way not productive.

kesmarn : Murph, it did seem that the Facebook link was the beginning of the end. I think a lot of people felt that was giving out too much info.

AdLib : Murph – Makes you wonder of the nature of corporations mean that eventually, unless those running it are exceptionally committed to principle, everything they own will be carved down into a form that maximizes income with no real regard for the product they market.

kesmarn : There are places in northern Indiana where we can stop, AdLib. And I Pricelined a nice hotel in Madison (indoor pool) for only $45! I couldn’t believe that Scroogey offer was accepted!

MurphTheSurf3 : PPO-HP has linked to Facebook for account verification purposes in December and many saw this as the beginning of the drift toward a FB based platform. In the last month HP has actually made Facebook Comments the norm on a number of pages. Every vibe points to the end of the current system.

pinkpantheroz : Murph, I get it. Seves HP right for mucking around with it’s previously loyal bloggers.

AdLib : Kes – Wow, that’s a long drive! Hope you can stop along the way at some comfortable laces to recharge.

kesmarn : Well, I suppose Ariana could only ride that wave so far. And she is — if nothing else – a trend surfer.

MurphTheSurf3 : Kes- yes. HP had a vision but it has been under assault for quite a while and market forces, changes in the nature of the blogging populace, and tech shifts have made their brand less viable.

kesmarn : PPO, that sounds wonderful.

pinkpantheroz : Sorry, Murph, don’t understand. Is HP giving up Facebook?

AdLib : PPO – Mmm…loves me some great French Onion soup with the cheesy crouton so melty!

kesmarn : AdLib, it’s about 400 miles — but a lot of it is relatively easy highway driving. It’s just getting around Chicago that’s the tricky part. You have to veer a bit far to the west to avoid the high-traffic areas.

kesmarn : Seriously,Murph? It’s been so long since I even visited HP that I knew nothing of “community building.”

pinkpantheroz : Ah, memories of Perry’s Bar in San francisco, with its famous french Onion Soup with Monterray Jack cheese! YUM!

AdLib : Kes – How long of a trip is it each way? I’m sure he’s very grateful you’re picking him up.

MurphTheSurf3 : Kes- the farm is in high gear, the medicaid expansion campaign is being challenged at every turn, and HP looks like it is bringing its experiment in community building to an end….going facebook I think.If so, I am out of there.

kesmarn : A Mozzarella fontanella? The son’s car has been misbehaving, so I though it might be better to go fetch’ im. It’ll be a fun little road trip.

AdLib : Or a Baby Brie…their soft spot never goes away.

kesmarn : Ouch! That might hurt.

AdLib : Kes! Just don’t have a Baby Bell!

MurphTheSurf3 : You know your Bard!

kesmarn : “Wild” in a way that you can share, Murph?

AdLib : Murph, you mean, this blessed plot, this earth, this realm, this Planet?

kesmarn : My little Colby! No, we leave it to the Walker fans to be the real cheeseheads up there, AdLib!

MurphTheSurf3 : Kes- it has been wild…

AdLib : Well said, Murph! Howdy!

kesmarn : Hey, Murph! How has your week gone?

AdLib : Hi Kes! Er…I hope your son isn’t made out of cheese, summers can be a challenge.

MurphTheSurf3 : We few, we happy few, we band of Planeteers….ho wdy.

kesmarn : Good Friday evening, friends! Just a quick visit since I’ll be leaving early in the morning for Madison, WI, to enjoy that famous cheese and to bring the son back for a visit.

AdLib : And on the subject of the military and Obama, he’s going to help Dreamers enlist and get a path to citizenship.

AdLib : PPO – Of course it’s a ruse by Putin to grab land and sabotage Ukraine’s move to the West. It makes no sense that a majority of a region are Pro-Russian and somehow they are threatened as if they are a minority. Lies that don’t work in the light of common sense, as you say.

pinkpantheroz : back in a couple – grabbing a coffee!

pinkpantheroz : I agree 150% Ad. I think that those days are numbered, except, maybe for Putin’s dangerous stupidity about ‘protecting’ Ukranians from Ukranians. Do you see England invading Scotland to ‘protect’ English speaking Scots from some imagined discrimination?

AdLib : PPO – Yep, the MIC is still pocketing obscene amounts of money but no doubt moaning abut how much more they would be raking in with a Repub in the WH.

AdLib : PPO – It’s unthinkable that a Repub could be in the WH and we would once again be at war in multiple countries…and that’s an important campaign issue in 2016. Will we go back to crushing war debt and the killing of troops and innocents? Vote GOP and we will.

pinkpantheroz : Ad, I reckon the MIC is gnashing its profiteering teeth over the windback. notice I said windback, not isolationist winddown.

pinkpantheroz : I like the ‘speak softly, but carry a big stick’ approach myself. The US is the sheriff, but shouldn’t be bombastic about it. Works for me.

AdLib : PPO – That’s a great starting topic. What do you think? We’re not going to be completely out of Afghanistan but 9,000 troops is an improvement.

pinkpantheroz : Topics, anyone? How does everyone feel about POTUS Foreign policy announcements?

AdLib : I see you in the hallway, glenn!

AdLib : Hey PPO! A good afternoon and early evening back at ya!

AdLib : Don’t forget to say “Hi!” or “You can’t spell ‘deVAstating’ without VA.”

pinkpantheroz : Good afternoon from Down Under to Up Over!

AdLib : And a Planet-sized thank you to Choicelady and Kesmarn for hosting Vox superbly over the last two weeks! Cheers!

AdLib : Vox Populi, our live chat about the week’s events begins tonight at 7 pm PST. Hope to see you then!