Displaying 0 To 0 Of 0 Comments The Power of Intermittent Fanning Y’know, if you could also display your badges on your TPS report, that would be great! » Posted By AdLib On May 25, 2010 @ 10:11 pm First of all, I don’t need HP’s stinkin’ badges, I use my own: Second of all, I hear that HP’s Fanning system is actually tinged with crack cocaine…hoping that the addictive qualities of fanning will rub off on crack and bring its popularity back up. I think one could draw a comparison between fanning and porn. Each can provide one with instantaneous gratification via one’s computer, each is addictive and makes one want more and more, each has no intrinsic value in one’s life, each makes one feel more desirable by others than one likely is and each requires keeping one hand free. The only difference between the two that I can think of is that one leads to excessive masturbation while the other…hmm… » Posted By AdLib On May 25, 2010 @ 3:56 pm Rude, Crude, and Dangerous To Know The slash was missing in the blockquote at the end. All is right now in the Blockquote realm! » Posted By AdLib On May 16, 2010 @ 2:22 pm Thanks WTS. Actually, I was surprised to find such a recent publicity still. » Posted By AdLib On May 16, 2010 @ 1:14 am CL, you have done a lot for the sake of many others and though it will apparently always be a battle against ignorance, it is not in vain. That’s the thing that’s hard to accept, that making the future better for the majority is constantly an uphill battle, with many or even a majority pushing against their own interests. Far too many people are ignorant but not stupid when it comes to what’s really going on around them. They are too lazy or unmotivated to educate themselves on what’s best for them so they rely on whatever media preaches to them. Right now, the majority is favoring a police state in AZ and Republican gridlock in Congress…at a time when they most want and the current situation demands action. The ignorance is breathtaking. The sad truth is, as I mentioned above, that doing what’s right means fighting against people to accomplish what’s in their own best interest and sometimes they will win in defeating that. It is sometimes a bewildering world we live in. » Posted By AdLib On May 16, 2010 @ 1:13 am Cheers, KQ. There is an old saying, “Never underestimate the gullibility of American voters.” Howard Dean lost the nomination for a celebratory scream. John Kerry and Max Cleland were defeated after being described as cowards or traitors after serving their country…by people who never served. Bush was also elected because people felt he was the kind of guy you could have a beer with. There are many thoughtful American voters but there are far too many voters who have the memories of house flies and the foresight of lemmings. How could anyone already forget what Repub leadership did to destroy this nation and the world? It’s only been one and a half years! Yet, to the many Americans with Attention Deficit Disorder and retarded childhood, there is no such thing as history or recent events, only their “feelings” as of right now and their bratty self-indulgence in acting on that alone. They almost deserve the future they’re causing for themselves…but the rest of us don’t. » Posted By AdLib On May 16, 2010 @ 1:06 am Thanks Khirad. I would add one more analogy that came to mind. These voters are like hikers who are unhappy about the steep, unpleasant path their guide is taking them on so they spitefully veer off and fall off a cliff. People of reason think, “What will make my life better?” and use critical thinking to make what appears to be the best choice. Children think, “I don’t like this so I’ll throw this away and maybe I’ll like what takes its place!” Though I am not really a fan of corporal punishment, I think this set of infantile voters could only benefit from a serious spanking. » Posted By AdLib On May 16, 2010 @ 12:55 am Patsy, thanks for this, it’s affirming to see Obama being as open and frank about this petulant and self-destructive mentality. Will these childish voters snap out of their tantrums in time to avoid pulling the rug out from under themselves? I don’t know but if the economy keeps recovering, maybe there’s a better chance. » Posted By AdLib On May 16, 2010 @ 12:34 am Capitalism: A Good Kid Gone Bad Thanks BT! With so many facets of corporate domination I didn’t even include the MIC but that is now a massive impediment to our ever being able to have peace or get out of the financial hole we’re in. It is so true that we have such a fractured citizenry, with so many people focused on small, single issues, many of which don’t even affect their personal lives (gay marriage, abortion, etc.). The public is diluting its own influence in this way and we are being played, fighting amongst ourselves while the corps sneak away with our money and futures. I don’t see how a 3rd party would make a difference, they would be just as vulnerable to being bought by corps as the Dems and Repubs. What we need is election reform. Public funding of elections, corps not being treated as “people” and entitled to interfere with elections, shorter primaries and free time donated by tv and news stations for political ads. As for this planet turning more into survival of the fittest, maybe more of a survival of the fewest and wealthiest. » Posted By AdLib On May 12, 2010 @ 2:49 pm Right with you, the erosion of topsoil is a huge issue facing us and future generations. But corporate farming interests, as with Wall Street, only focus on the profits they can squeeze out today, not caring that they endanger sustainability. And lets not forget about Genetically Engineered crops that are self destructing so farmers MUST by seed each year from corporations (the seeds from crops won’t grow!). How can we continue to allow corporations to increase their stranglehold on society, over our food, our water, our energy and our economy? » Posted By AdLib On May 12, 2010 @ 2:41 pm I think it’s a matter of semantics and theory over reality but I appreciate and agree with your and KQ’s qualifiers. My proposition is that capitalism in practice is not the same as capitalism in theory. We would be hard pressed to find one example of pure capitalism ever existing as an enduring economic system. Communism suffers from the same flaw. That is, economic theories in practice are corrupted in practice by the power of greed. That’s why government needs to intercede, to protect the well being and viability of a society. As you mentioned, capitalism needs to be a partnership of business owners, labor and government. However, the problem with capitalism is that it is a voluntary suggestion, one which the wealthy and powerful always find foolish to abide by. So, we need a hybrid capitalism, with socialism in some areas and government regulation in others. We could call it Capitalism 2.0. And Capitalism 2.0 could require, as in Japan, that CEO salaries are limited to a reasonable percentage of workers. It could heavily tax massive profits profits of a corp to provide for and enhance society…which will then in turn be in a better position to purchase more from such corps. It could strip corporations of personhood, instead giving them certain rights accorded people (like the ability to sue) without allowing them to use their money to affect or influence the people’s democracy (the heavy taxes above could be used to publicly finance elections). Like any theory, an economic system based on capitalism can be corrected and improved through trial and error. We’ve had plenty of the errors, not enough trials but it sure seems that the time has come to rework it. » Posted By AdLib On May 12, 2010 @ 12:56 pm Actually, I’d like to raise corporate taxes so that any corp making over $100 million in profit pays 90% in taxes and then lower income taxes for 99% of Americans. Imagine how that would not only reduce the deficit but return the people’s money, stolen by the banks and corps, back to them and society as a whole. How wealthy do corporations or people need to be? Why does any individual or corporation need to be a billionaire? What can you buy with a billion that you can’t buy with $100 million? I ask you because you’re the only billionaire I know. » Posted By AdLib On May 12, 2010 @ 11:41 am Thanks for the story, liked it! And the other good thing about HC in France is that they serve croissants in the waiting room. Or so I’m told. My point is that if our democracy wasn’t in a stranglehold by the oil companies (remember Dick Cheney allow them in secret meetings to decide energy policy for our country for 8 years?) we could have had plug-in electric cars and lots of other green solutions years ago. I’ll bet you’ve seen the documentary, “Who Killed The Electric Car”, so you’ll know that this country has had the technology for many years to hugely reduce oil dependency. As for energy to replace oil but not go nuclear, you know what an advocate I am of the Bloom Box. Decentralized mostly-green energy (right now the BB does use natural gas) has so many more benefits over centralized nuclear energy. President Adlib’s solution would be, once the Bloom Box has proven its reliability, to have the government subsidize homes, apartments and businesses in installing this or similar green and on-site energy generators which would swiftly slash oil, coal and even nuclear dependency. Pres. Adlib’s government would recoup its expenses for such subsidies through sales of excess energy from each box to those still on the grid. There! Problem solved! » Posted By AdLib On May 12, 2010 @ 11:32 am Well said, Hopeington, With corporations dominating what we see and hear in most directions, it is naturally their underlying message that being a good person means being a good consumer. A “bad” consumer would thus be a bad person. There are no competing voices that can have as omnipresent a presence in our society, with all the commercials and advertising that besieges us from every direction. But what needs to be said loudly and repeatedly in our society is that there is much greater value and a much greater reflection of who a person is than what they possess. Are we no more than our purchases and possessions? How does one shop for principle, justice, compassion, a sense of humor or thoughtfulness? How is trading money (or credit card debt) for something a meaningful accomplishment? Or the end result of possessing something make us a better person than others who don’t possess it. I would suggest that the public has been lured into celebrating greed as well. That serves two functions, inspiring greater consumption by connecting material possessions with how people are positively perceived AND co-opting them into looking benignly on the greed of others, especially the top .5%. As for what you and I and others can do, stay tuned at The Planet… » Posted By AdLib On May 12, 2010 @ 11:10 am There are definitely issues with population but that only makes the issue of their powerlessness even more critical. As resources diminish, who will be the first to suffer and who will suffer the worst? T. Boone Pickens and other horrible human beings and corporations have been and are privately monopolizing water supplies around the world. As TBP said, it’s the next “oil”. Where will we be if corporations not only succeed in impoverishing most of the world but own much of the available water supply and set rates that are beyond many to afford? Since corps are razing rainforests and polluting water supplies, I see corps as much more the priority to address first to deal with the issue of resources and population. At the same time, it would be smart to have nations cooperate on how to best preserve and grow water supplies and fertile lands. » Posted By AdLib On May 12, 2010 @ 10:45 am I would say that one aspect of how technology is involved is how the corps use technology to pacify, distract and manipulate the public. I’m afraid that we appear to be on a continuing decline as the wealthy continue to consolidate wealth and power under them at the expense of the people. The future will grow very dire if this is the case and it’s not arrested. Heh! You’re right but I’ve got a blogging monkey on my back, had to post something to get it off. Now it’s calmly Twittering. » Posted By AdLib On May 12, 2010 @ 10:34 am A more gracious Choicelady there could never be. Thanks, looking forward to it. » Posted By AdLib On May 12, 2010 @ 8:56 am Well, as long as you wear a tutu and dance and play music, okay. Otherwise…”I hates meeses to pieces!” » Posted By AdLib On May 6, 2010 @ 8:18 pm Are you kidding? You’re gonna need a Shop Vac when this crowd is through partying! Walmart doesn’t sell clowns, it just recruits them for their executive training program. » Posted By AdLib On May 6, 2010 @ 8:15 pm Keep that tail down unless absolutely necessary…then SPRAY! » Posted By AdLib On May 6, 2010 @ 8:13 pm Whoops! Here ya go! » Posted By AdLib On May 6, 2010 @ 8:12 pm Mightywoof, sorry about the error, I’ve got the links visible now (they were there in the post but invisible!). » Posted By AdLib On May 6, 2010 @ 11:17 am The Birthplace of Democracy in Ruins Welcome to The Planet, Pursuit! I don’t know that I’d go quite that far but there are way too many ex-GS people in this admin for one to feel as comfortable. Just as Obama deferred to BP’s “expertise” to deal with the mess they made, I don’t find it unlikely that he did the same on the economic crash. I don’t agree with that approach, which a DLCer like Rahm is no doubt pushing, but I don’t think that necessarily means that there will be a payback for either BP or GS for what they may be hit with by the government (GS has been indicted for fraud). » Posted By AdLib On June 14, 2010 @ 9:52 am Marion, I think we agree that the primary cause of this crisis was the corrupt Greek government. However, that doesn’t negate Goldman Sachs and other banks roles in magnifying and hastening the collapse. From the NYT: Banks Bet Greece Defaults on Debt They Helped Hide By NELSON D. SCHWARTZ and ERIC DASH Bets by some of the same banks that helped Greece shroud its mounting debts may actually now be pushing the nation closer to the brink of financial ruin. Echoing the kind of trades that nearly toppled the American International Group, the increasingly popular insurance against the risk of a Greek default is making it harder for Athens to raise the money it needs to pay its bills, according to traders and money managers. These contracts, known as credit-default swaps, effectively let banks and hedge funds wager on the financial equivalent of a four-alarm fire: a default by a company or, in the case of Greece, an entire country. If Greece reneges on its debts, traders who own these swaps stand to profit. » Posted By AdLib On May 5, 2010 @ 4:40 pm The words brilliant, talented and WTS always seem to go together. I love this piece, WTS. So true, so potent, so evocative. Fantastic! » Posted By AdLib On May 4, 2010 @ 6:53 pm Heh! Wonder if it would be going too far to have Joe mention that Mika is the only one at the table with men’s underwear on? » Posted By AdLib On May 3, 2010 @ 12:33 pm Gracias escribacat!!! » Posted By AdLib On May 3, 2010 @ 11:26 am Flattery will get you everywhere including on Morning Joe. Thanks so much, Lise! » Posted By AdLib On May 3, 2010 @ 11:25 am Thanks Kes! » Posted By AdLib On May 3, 2010 @ 11:24 am I missed this epic of journalistic achievement but based on the description I have a few suggestions for improving the show for next year. 1. Bring Robin Leach out of retirement and have him moderate the discussion. 2. Have the show catered by the Marie Antoinette Cake Co. 3. Have all hide their hangover faces by wearing masks of Disney cartoon princesses. 4. Tit tape for everyone! 5. Have everyone else play a prank on Mika repeatedly that she has a bit of pate on her cheek and keep her self-consciously wiping her face throughout the show. 6. Use unemployed people as their chairs. 7. At a commercial break, replace Arianna Huffington with a Glad garbage bag filled with horse manure and see if anyone notices. 8. Get Joe so drunk he starts french kissing himself. 9. Have them do the show naked but constantly complimenting each other on the new clothes they’re wearing. 10. Do the show on location in a dumpster. » Posted By AdLib On May 3, 2010 @ 10:49 amComments Posted By AdLib
Published: February 24, 2010
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