Displaying 541 To 570 Of 3,698 Comments Masters of Illusion and Intolerance Some people definitely have too much time on their hands. That’s what meddling usually indicates … » Posted By nellie On May 17, 2010 @ 4:59 pm For me, it all boils down to a simple idea… Why target people who are essentially minding their own business? When someone starts to hurt someone else — that’s one thing. Then have at it. But to get so worked up over what other people do — when they’re just living their lives and bothering no one — that I will never understand. » Posted By nellie On May 17, 2010 @ 3:45 pm Planet Music Night: Summertime (well close enough) My favorite summer song of all time: Summer War » Posted By nellie On May 14, 2010 @ 3:37 pm A Summer Place Percy Faith » Posted By nellie On May 14, 2010 @ 3:36 pm Hot Fun in the Summertime Sly & the Family Stone » Posted By nellie On May 14, 2010 @ 3:34 pm 🙂 » Posted By nellie On April 29, 2010 @ 12:44 pm Libertarians make no sense to me whatever. They refuse to acknowledge that any agreement to any public rule for any reason — such as a traffic light at a busy intersection — is a social contract and therefore a form of government. They are actually conservatives, but don’t want to be called by that name. For whatever reason. » Posted By nellie On April 29, 2010 @ 12:38 pm I liked the left-right construct in the article, although I think it was worded very badly. The way I read it was the Left tends to sympathize with those who are falling behind, while the right tends to blame those people for their own situations — which is why they focus on the successful. The right believes success is a sign of being deserving, whether through hard work or moral strength. I’m not sure this is really what the Left-Right dichotomy is all about, though. To me, Left-Right seems to be more accurately described by what the author sees as Liberal vs Conservative. Historically, the Liberal/Conservative view has more to do with the role of government. Liberals believe government is good and should be used to solve our social ills. Conservatives believe government is restricting and should be limited as much as possible. » Posted By nellie On April 29, 2010 @ 12:31 pm Thanks, Cher. I’ve been checking in, but life has been very busy. Miss you, too. » Posted By nellie On April 29, 2010 @ 11:51 am This kind of analysis is right up my alley. I find that I’m a Centrist Left Progressive. I believe most people are good hearted, but there’s definitely a group of stinkers out there that need some oversight. I agree with your assessment of the president. He seems to have an equal affinity for those who are in dire straights and those who are on the path to success. I also like your Apathy scale. There’s probably room for another scale relating to community vs the individual as a social priority. I checked out the Political Compass, which scales Authoritarian vs Libertarian. I like that construct as well. Thanks, K. Really fascinating. » Posted By nellie On April 29, 2010 @ 11:32 am It’s My Party and I’ll Cry if I Want To I know what you mean. I hate to punish Harman when she was such a fighter for health care. I know she helped with the Blue Dog contingent in the House. It’s a tough call for me. » Posted By nellie On April 19, 2010 @ 11:52 am It looks ok. AdLib must have fixed it. » Posted By nellie On April 19, 2010 @ 11:51 am For now, the best strategy for progressives is to work within the Democratic Party, concentrating on primaries, getting challengers name recognition and money. We’re having a nail biter of a primary here in the 36th district in Los Angeles between Jane Harman and Marci Winograd. Winograd is a popular progressive political insider who managed to get 36% of the vote in the 2006 primary, a result that immediately impacted Harman’s voting patterns for the better. Now, with Harman having come out so strongly and affirmatively for Health Care Reform, including the Public Option — we’re in a real dilemma here. » Posted By nellie On April 19, 2010 @ 9:39 am Very nice article, Cher. I’m all for third parties as long as we have Instant Runoff Voting to ensure a reasonable election outcome. I wish SEIU would work on that aspect as well. The candidate is only part of the story. The election process plays a big part in the outcome. » Posted By nellie On April 19, 2010 @ 9:26 am Friday Music Thread – Tax Free Tax Free – Jimi Hendrix
» Posted By nellie On April 16, 2010 @ 3:31 pm Tax Man — The Beatles
» Posted By nellie On April 16, 2010 @ 3:28 pm Really sad to see Wexler leave the House. He’s one of the good ones. » Posted By nellie On April 14, 2010 @ 3:09 pm At Huffington Post, Nobody Knows You’re a Dog Because anger and emotion are easy. Just as opinion is easy. Information is difficult. Digesting information is difficult. And discussing information is difficult. But ultimately, this is healthy and mature, good for us and good for the country. » Posted By nellie On April 12, 2010 @ 2:19 pm I like the idea of “Party Crashers.” And I like the idea that they are so open about their disgust for the Tea Party. That’s a positive thing. When it comes to the posts, though, it’s more of the same. I begin to wonder if people know how to do anything but throw mud at each other. » Posted By nellie On April 12, 2010 @ 1:44 pm I’m still involved w the Coffee Party. It is definitely more than all name and no substance. It’s a good group, and they seem to be trying to pick up where OFA left off. » Posted By nellie On April 12, 2010 @ 1:36 pm Very interesting developments, Cher. I think the effort to bring comment sections into some kind of sphere of civility is admirable, but useless. I’d dispose of them altogether. The news should be the news. Report it and that’s the end of it. If people want to discuss it, then let there be websites for that purpose. I’ve gotten to the point where I don’t want opinion with my news. Whether it’s from a pundit or a blogger. I also think Americans have become addicted to rage, outrage, and anger. It’s very unhealthy. The entire country seems to be in the second stage of grief — and perhaps we are. We’re so depressed and angry at everything — to the point where we have lost the ability to reason. So many people don’t seem to want to think — I don’t know whether it’s because they’re so angry they can’t think, or they’re so poorly informed they don’t have enough information to think, or whether it’s just too hard to think — to do that work. Al Gore’s Assault on Reason is so timely. It explains the current discourse environment very well. The health care process was a real eye-opener for me. So little information about the bill and its provisions — so little discussion about THAT. Instead, just mud slinging and hyperbole from both sides of the political spectrum. Left me very disinterested in policy discussions unless they were with people involved in the actual work. But I’m glad to see this is a topic of discussion at the websites. It’s long overdue. Maybe at some point the telecoms will start thinking about the lies and vitriol pouring out of talk radio. Now THAT would be progress. » Posted By nellie On April 12, 2010 @ 1:33 pm More personal tit for tat. I don’t know. We have a long way to go with the discourse in this country. » Posted By nellie On April 12, 2010 @ 1:27 pm Friday Music Thread – Music That Travels 😆 javaz. Awww re the computer and the internet. 😡 Is it worth investing in an iPad? I hear you can get internet wireless for $20 a month from AT&T. If you get a chance to listen to this song, please do. It’s unbelievably beautiful and haunting. » Posted By nellie On April 9, 2010 @ 7:23 pm Marisa Monte – Pernambucobucolismo
» Posted By nellie On April 9, 2010 @ 6:50 pm You Might be a Conservative if You… Fundamentalism definitely uses paranoia to keep the ranks in line. In psychological terms, paranoia is the sibling of schizophrenia. It’s like mania/depression and obsessive/compulsive pairings in bipolar disorders. What’s interesting is that schizophrenia is basically living in one’s own reality. And that is exactly what we’re seeing in the right wing grass roots. They are being encouraged to think and behave pathologically by the GOP leadership. Which is why so many sane Republicans can no longer deal with the party. » Posted By nellie On April 8, 2010 @ 12:52 pm I particularly like the use of the term “paranoia” because it conveys the idea that anything a person doesn’t intuitively believe becomes dangerous and suspect — and there is no way to be persuasive with such a person. Persuasion, discussion, LEARNING — all are impossible when paranoia is involved. The more you try to engage a paranoid person with an idea they don’t agree with, the more they will see you as the enemy. You actually create a stronger divide by trying to reconcile differences with this type of person. I think we’re seeing this right now with the right wing. » Posted By nellie On April 8, 2010 @ 12:30 pm This is always a fascinating topic, Cher, whether we’re talking about Authoritarian Personalities or “Values” and “Morality,” as you discuss here. The most interesting article I’ve seen on this same topic, Cher, dates back to 1964: The Paranoid Style in American Politics And this handy table: The rational thinker versus the paranoid » Posted By nellie On April 8, 2010 @ 12:01 pm Will Google have to Leave the US Internet Now? I hope this is true. I may not understand the issue entirely, but I’ve never known phone companies to seek control over internet content. I suppose we’ll find out where this is going soon enough. » Posted By nellie On April 6, 2010 @ 1:41 pm I’ve been dreading this bad decision. And now, here it is. As someone who is about to purchase an iPad, I can only hope the days of cable are numbered. » Posted By nellie On April 6, 2010 @ 12:14 pm Excellent, Cher. First off, I would recommend to everyone Howard Zinn’s A people’s history of the United States. Second, if you really want to get ruffled over Thanksgiving (which I, and many other people of native descent, don’t celebrate), here is the historical account from the native perspective (true account, from all that I’ve been able to read): The teaching of history at the High School level is a corrupt mix of politics and the publishing market. Texas, for example, has undue influence over the national publishing market because it buys so many books. And, of course, the publishers want to produce what Texas will purchase. So books full of half-truths, non-truths, and jingoistic nonsense are written up for profits’ sake, and because they’re already in print, they spread around the country like a bad virus. Once someone gets to college, things change. Professors’ reputations are on the line, and truth becomes more important than fiction. Which is why it’s a good idea to make college free for everyone. » Posted By nellie On April 5, 2010 @ 3:44 pmComments Posted By nellie
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tXOKNTv8YBY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mERbQIvgJXs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9BL3JxMC40g
«« Back To Stats Page
The Real Story of Thanksgiving
Home Stats