Displaying 1,861 To 1,890 Of 19,504 Comments Merry Christmas From PlanetPOV – 2014! A Merry Christmas to you and your son, Kes! Makes it an even jollier Christmas for me to hear how much you both enjoyed our Christmas post! Nice little surprise stocking stuffer! Thanks and have a wonderful holiday weekend! » Posted By AdLib On December 25, 2014 @ 5:37 pm Thanks so much RSGmusic! Just to be clear, the SCOTUS hasn’t said that people can lie under oath but they have said that politicians have a legal right to lie about issues, their opponents, themselves or anything else whether during a campaign or not. That’s pretty bad. We absolutely need states to pass laws requiring special prosecutors to try all cop prosecution cases. Cops and Republicans can’t get much lower than this, justifying all murders of black men by cops and demonizing all those who aren’t racists when a black or brown man murders. Race relations are only getting worse because of this refusal of equality and justice. This latest backlash of racism needs to be pushed back hard. There is no moral authority that such politicians and police have, they need to be confronted and forced to back down. That can only happen by good people standing up together against them.. I hope we’ll see that. » Posted By AdLib On December 22, 2014 @ 9:16 pm Nirek, the point is that good people are upset over the killing of any innocent people, when they are citizens or cops. So we’re as outraged by Eric Garner being murdered as we are over the policemen that were assassinated. The difference is that the police unions and some cops and Republicans only think that white people and white cops being killed is an outrage, innocent black people being killed isn’t. That’s about as blatantly racist as people can get. Killers are often sociopaths who lack any empathy for those they murder. It’s really a pity that we can’t all come together as Americans and condemn all such killers, whether they’re black or white, citizens or cops. But those who are slaves to racism or protecting their “group” refuse to see the murders of innocent black people by white people and cops as “wrong”. That has to change or at least, power and influence have to be taken away from such people. » Posted By AdLib On December 22, 2014 @ 9:01 pm A Bit of History: Cuba and the USA Nirek, Thanks for the post! What seems so striking is the PTSD that many of the older Cuban refugees in FL are suffering from when they rant and break down about Cuba. They are clearly all emotion and little logic but it is understandable that people who were treated so harshly would harbor such immutable hatreds and upset. But should a country make decisions based on the irrational emotional trauma that older Cubans are suffering from? Polls show that younger Cuban Americans support Obama and the US opening up relations with Cuba. They are the undamaged ones and they seek a better future for Cuba while their parents’ generation just wants vengeance and spite as US policy. They and the pandering Repubs all blather about how Obama is so wrong and that the 50 years of failure to change Cuba’s government into a US-style democracy using an embargo should continue indefinitely. It’s the definition of crazy, trying the same thing repeatedly and expecting a different outcome. Half a century of failure and these types would rather have a century of failure than any progress at all. They don’t protest our trade and relationships with other communist countries like China and Vietnam or other nations that have repressive regimes, they don’t demand that those nations too must first become US-style democracies before we should trade with or recognize them, just Cuba. The Cuban refugees in FL have every right to their opinions but US policy shouldn’t be based on pandering to help a party’s Presidential candidate win Florida. But unfortunately, for the Repubs, it is. » Posted By AdLib On December 18, 2014 @ 12:21 pm Putin, The Police and Citigroup – The Powerful Create Their Own Powerful Adversaries ExFan, thanks so much! It’s hard to argue against oil being tied to so much of the evil and destruction in the world. Whether it’s the evil in the Middle East, in Russia, in Texas (tongue partially in cheek) wherever that black ooze is found, inhumanity seems to follow. And if that wasn’t enough, it is literally destroying the very planet itself through Climate Change. How much death and suffering could one substance cause? It’s really astounding. I’ve often imagined that if cold fusion, a breakthrough in solar energy, or some other discovery could quickly and broadly slash the world’s use of oil and fossil fuels, so many evil people would be stripped of power. Then when I saw what the drop in oil prices is doing to Putin and Russia, to Iran and other dictatorial countries that have built their strength on oil, it just felt so satisfying. If Iran and Russia lose power (kind of ironic losing power from the dropping price of a substance that provides power) then they will have to work with the rest of the world, they may be forced to negotiate and collaborate in good faith with the family of nations instead of being self-sufficient to continue operating as an isolated or rogue state. The disappointing thing is that I heard SUV sales have skyrocketed, up over 80%. Dumb Americans, instead of banking the oversupply of oil, they rush out greedily to slurp it all up without thinking that once again, in the near future, they will have helped caused increased Climate Change, the disasters they exacerbate and high gas prices. Well, if we can at least pull the rug out from under Putin and Khamenei, this period of low oil prices could still reap big rewards for the world. » Posted By AdLib On December 18, 2014 @ 12:55 pm Kes, thanks for the very kind words. Exactly, my intention was not to offer false hope or happy thoughts, when I saw how Putin and Russia were being slammed by the sanctions and oil prices, I couldn’t help but recall how powerful and unstoppable Putin seemed just months earlier (and how Republicans were attacking Obama and praising Putin for being a real leader they wish would run the US). It just got the ball rolling in my mind that the most powerful nations, leaders and forces throughout history have always been cut down in time. And that got me thinking about the more philosophical concept about the nature of things as a whole, when it comes to power, how imbalances create opposite forces and can’t persist endlessly. Things don’t always change for the better but they do change. The Arab Spring changed things for a short while then things changed again. America under Bush made it imperative for there to be an America under Obama. Action and reaction, forces creating their opposite and equal reactions. Seeing how Americans are though, it could be a short or very long time until the oppressive drift of this nation is halted and the country is steered back to where it should be. Americans generally don’t like working towards long term goals, they’ll take a step forward electing Obama President then two years later, allow those who destroyed their economy to take back power in The House. People are so easily manipulated by fear (guess I shouldn’t have bought my advance tickets to see The Interview) and so easily subdued by apathy. Until a majority of Americans are suffering so much from oppression by the 1%, to the point where they can’t stand it any more, I have a feeling that things will continue going in the wrong direction. But just looking at the basic logic of cause and effect, that day will eventually come. Thanks for the Rev. Billy clip, he’s quite a character and right on the money (double meaning intended!). » Posted By AdLib On December 18, 2014 @ 12:41 pm glenn, this is what happens when a society has been propagandized and manipulated by their government through fear. They believe just about everything the Bush/Cheney machine fed them. Think about the Russians who hugely supported Putin’s invasion of Ukraine and every other population successfully propagandized by their government, they think exactly as they’re programmed to. It’s a bit different that the issue of citizens suffering though, propaganda can’t convince you your stomach’s full when it isn’t or that you’re better off without a roof over your head when it’s freezing cold. But propaganda can dehumanize “the enemy” and be used to justify all nature of war crimes. One thing many polls show is that most Americans are poorly informed and educated about their own government and history and the elite take advantage of this (for example, only 36% of Americans could name all three branches of the federal government, while 35% “could not name a single one”. And…only 27% know that Congress can override a presidential veto with a two-thirds vote. 21% of Americans think that a 5-4 Supreme Court decision can be reconsidered by Congress.” http://www.mediaite.com/online/survey-most-americans-cant-name-all-three-branches-of-government/ ) So, Americans may be ignorant but they know when they’re broke and when they’re being tortured (of course, then, torture is wrong). It’s a base level that the majority has to connect on but thanks to the greed and inhumanity of the wealthy, it happens eventually. We do have a huge task ahead, un-propagandizing the majority on torture and many other things (remember when 82% of Americans said Saddam Hussein was responsible for 9/11?). I do think that is a related issue to people pushing back together against oppression but I don’t think it would stand in the way of people rallying together for change in this country. » Posted By AdLib On December 16, 2014 @ 5:20 pm Very good points, Skepticat! Nature abhors a vacuum and as the wealthy try to suck up the wealth of the majority, internal pressure builds. There is no historic justification for their thinking that they can keep stealing from and oppressing the majority, eventually, the majority becomes angry and pushes back. It’s true, along the way, when you’ve taken away from the people their sense of security, in their jobs, their government, their system of justice, their future and their kids’ future, then they do feel like there’s nothing left to lose. And people who feel that way demand change. This isn’t sustainable for the 1% but they will have to learn that the hard way, as they always have. » Posted By AdLib On December 16, 2014 @ 5:01 pm Nirek, I agree, it’s been bubbling up since before the lies and profiteering of the Iraq War, the financial crash, Citizens United, Occupy Wall Street, minimum wage protests, Black Lives Matter…the public is slow to revolt but it sure seems to be building. I do think that the pendulum is swinging farther left, more Progressive and that Dems like Warren, Sanders, Sherrod Brown and others will be among the leaders of this movement. A rubber band can only be stretched so far…until it snaps. And the Plutocrats are always the last to know when they’ve reached “too much”. » Posted By AdLib On December 16, 2014 @ 4:55 pm Kalima, these are some eternal truths. Not many people quoting Aristotle nowadays, you’ve shown why they should. This is a never-ending struggle for the majority of humanity, a minority will always horde power and wealth and the majority will constantly have to stand up to them or be forced into greater hardship. May be a cliche but seriously, why does anyone need to own more than $100 million? $50 million? $20 million? How much better can you live? What meals or cars or homes can you buy that you couldn’t have bought before? Yes, you can buy more of everything than you can use but what’s the point? Clearly not happiness. » Posted By AdLib On December 16, 2014 @ 4:49 pm Thanks so much, ST! » Posted By AdLib On December 16, 2014 @ 4:44 pm Noel Purcell – Father Christmas (VIDEO) PPO – Seemed like a natural to bring in the holiday season! Cheers! » Posted By AdLib On December 22, 2014 @ 11:27 am PPO, what a fun Christmas gift, thank you for this! How wonderful to grow up with your father so widely beloved and respected for his marvelous talent! And how nice to meet your mom as well! It’s a great lead up to Christmas to have Father Christmas here, thanks so much for sharing this video with your fellow Planeteers! » Posted By AdLib On December 21, 2014 @ 11:24 am Weekend Music Thread: Music From Around The World Et voila!
» Posted By AdLib On December 20, 2014 @ 1:25 pm Sung by an international singer about an international destination…
» Posted By AdLib On December 20, 2014 @ 1:22 pm What planet is this Kalima-fave from again?
» Posted By AdLib On December 20, 2014 @ 1:20 pm Weekend Music Thread – TV Show Theme Songs Sanford and Son » Posted By AdLib On December 13, 2014 @ 1:42 pm Batman
» Posted By AdLib On December 13, 2014 @ 1:38 pm Ironside
» Posted By AdLib On December 13, 2014 @ 1:37 pm Nirek, amazing how popular they were back then! » Posted By AdLib On December 13, 2014 @ 1:34 pm slm, wow! You nailed so many classic shows, well done! » Posted By AdLib On December 13, 2014 @ 1:32 pm True Detective » Posted By AdLib On December 13, 2014 @ 10:02 am Fargo
» Posted By AdLib On December 13, 2014 @ 10:00 am Now a few more current… Orange is the New Black
» Posted By AdLib On December 13, 2014 @ 9:57 am The Courtship of Eddie’s Father » Posted By AdLib On December 13, 2014 @ 9:55 am Star Trek
» Posted By AdLib On December 13, 2014 @ 9:52 am Okay, going back in time for a few… The Wild, Wild, West » Posted By AdLib On December 13, 2014 @ 9:50 am The Torture Report – An Organization Held to Account…But Not One Single Person Kes, so true. Our CIA murders a prisoner by stripping him and letting him freeze to death. ISIS beheads journalists. Can there really be comparative morality over who kills helpless people less violently? » Posted By AdLib On December 11, 2014 @ 2:26 pm Kalima, it would be astounding if any international party including the UN and ICC took steps to prosecute Bush and company. Highly unlikely but I sure do appreciate hearing people discussing it. » Posted By AdLib On December 11, 2014 @ 2:22 pm Nirek, you’re right, it probably doesn’t have a chance in the word of happening…but if the ICC or another nation prosecuted them in absentia, at least there would be some kind of justice. » Posted By AdLib On December 11, 2014 @ 2:20 pmComments Posted By AdLib
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