Showing posts with label teaparty. Show all posts
Showing posts with label teaparty. Show all posts

Sunday, August 14, 2011

3332 Exercise

Sunday, August 14, 2011

News for a long time hasn't been about information dissemination,
it's all been about telling us how to think and act.

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[http://triggur.org/lj/teaparty.jpg"]

Monday, March 21, 2011

3198 Tea Parties Are for Toddlers

Monday, March 21, 2011

It's not what happens that's important. It's what you do about it.

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Wondering what the country might be like if the Tea Party had total control?

Read this: http://www.philly.com/philly/opinion/20110320_Tea_party_insanity_perks_in_capitols.html (then watch the movie Idiocracy).

2505 is HERE! We have already reached the age of idiocracy.

(Hey, really, read it. You'll laugh between the tears.)
(Um, and you don't perk tea. That's coffee.)
(And if you haven't seen Idiocracy, you should.)

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While driving north and south over the weekend, I listened to some right-wing talk radio. The hosts were all freaking out about perceived indecisiveness on the part of the administration regarding Libya.

Duh?

I don't claim to be on top of the news and the world situation, but even I was aware of the danger of too quick a military response. All over the Muslim world, people antagonistic to the West are putting forth the theory that all these revolts were not simply popular internal uprisings, but were carefully orchestrated by US and European agents. Even groups friendly to us are wondering if there might not be some truth to the stories. (Wikileaks didn't help us there.)

So to jump in too quickly against Moammar Gadhafi could be very dangerous to our position in the Middle East. We don't want to confirm the rumor monger's "Aha! See? We TOLD you so!" among those who would otherwise be willing to give us the benefit of the doubt and work with us.

Secondly, we are already running an unbearable financial deficit due to two wars started by the previous administration, neither of which were necessary for our safety. (Want a terrorist? Offer a few million for his head on a platter, then sit back. The glory of war that dubya wanted wasn't worth it.) So we simply cannot afford to get involved in a third war that, frankly, when you come right down to it, is none of our business.

That's why we were slow to react - not from indecisiveness, but because of diplomacy. It was necessary that the UN take the lead, and necessary that the Arab League condemn Gadhafi first. And we are offering tactical support only because - hey, in case you hadn't noticed, we're BROKE! And our military is already stretched too thin.

But hey again, truth and diplomacy and the economy be damned - any excuse to trash the president will do, and the American public (for whom, by the way, those talk show hosts have nothing but scorn, the masses whom they whip up and entertain and thereby get rich) will believe them.

Because it's more interesting to listen and bluster and and parrot than to think. Especially to think ahead and consider the real world facts. That's really hard.

(I never understood why anyone would call themselves a "dittohead" with pride. Have they no more pride than that?)

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Oh, yeah, and now that Obama has acted, they're pissed because he didn't get the approval of Congress. Well, a) technically, he didn't declare war, and b) didn't dubya already decide that presidents don't have to involve Congress in declarations of war anyway?

Or was that only for him....
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Thursday, April 16, 2009

2364 Pap, tea bags, and a mob.

Thursday, April 16, 2009

Doctor's appointment today. General checkup, PAP test, got a slip for a bone density scan at the hospital, and an appointment for fasting blood workup. Now I just need to find a dentist and a dermatologist.

Dr. D. says what's on my elbows is not psoriasis. She says it just looks like I lean on my elbows a lot, which cuts the blood supply (I know that's bad, and I DO try to distribute the pressure around) and makes the skin super dry and horny. I told her that I've tried literally everything, from lanolin and olive oil to expensive moisturizers, and the only thing that works is 1% cortisol cream, which I use only when it gets really bad because I'm reluctant to use it constantly. She says it's ok to use it constantly. So. Maybe my elbows will be pink this summer instead of their usual gray.

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I was aware of the tea-bag protests yesterday, but only peripherally aware. I haven't the faintest idea what they were protesting, or why. Somehow they connected it to the Boston Tea Party, but the situation is vastly different, so I don't see how.

I suspect the Boston connection was just to appeal to the fools who thought it conveyed a veneer of patriotism. I suspect some part of the impetus was a lesson learned during the past election - that you can appeal to the stupidity and ignorance of hordes of people and bend them to your own purpose. I suspect a lot of it was not about taxes. It was personal pettiness, if you know where I'm going. After all, taxes are lower this year than last year, and yeah, we're all angry about bailouts, but what other options were offered, and besides, the enormous deficit was built, and the financial collapse was apparent but not headed off, over the past 8 years, and where were you all then?

It looks awfully personal.

Anyway, here's a few (safe) links that say it better than I ever could:

http://overflowingbrain.blogspot.com/2009/04/tax-day-stupidity-thoughts.html

http://airamerica.com/maddow/blog/2009/apr/13/rachel-maddow-explains-tea-bagging-movement

http://wwwjackbenimble.blogspot.com/2009/04/taxday-tea-party-protest.html

And this one tries to convince us that it's not related to a particular political party. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123975867505519363.html

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A video for your enjoyment. I really love these things! I wish I could participate, or be there when one happens.


[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0UE3CNu_rtY]
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