"News that's not known, or not known enough."
Helen & Harry Highwater's cranky weblog of news and opinion.
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"News that's not known, or not known enough." Helen & Harry Highwater's cranky weblog of news and opinion. |
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Obama hands McCain the election by Angry Annie Wednesday, July 2, 2008 PERMANENT LINK It's remarkable to me how quickly Barack Obama is backing away from the quarter-inch-to-the- left positions he espoused during the primaries. Mr Constitutional Law is AOK with trashing the Fourth Amendment, wants to expand the death penalty, and he just can't stop talking about the dangers presented by Iran and the heroism of John McCain (both of which are nil). And when General Wes Clark points out quite correctly that getting shot down and held prisoner is not a qualification for the Presidency, Obama immediately rejects Clark's common sense comments and heaps more praise on McCain. Democrats have lost the last two elections by similar stupid tactics, and Obama's probably going to lose, too. The enthusiastic crowds that supported him with huge rallies and massive campaign contributions will begin to fade away when they realize that he stands for nothing, that "Yes we can" means about as much as "Coke is it", and by November Obama will have only the bored what-the-hell support of an Al Gore or John Kerry. His increasing blandness will make it easier for more and more people to believe the inevitable non-stop lies about him that Republicans will fabricate, and in the end, instead of the landslide Obama would have probably had if he'd shown a half-ounce of backbone, we'll have yet another very, very close election... And somehow, Republicans always seem to win the very, very close elections, don't they? Angry Annie From the bottom up by MonkeyMan Wednesday, July 2, 2008 PERMANENT LINK Re Woke up in opposite world again But like spam, I don't see where the strategy works. How often do people answer and buy the product? And at the same moment in our history when we have unbelievable communication technology available, we aren't saying anything. The airwaves, billboards, inboxes, mailboxes, T shirts etc. are so choked with advertisements that I tune everything out and listen to none of it. I keep CDs in my truck because the blabbering on the radio makes want to stick pencil in my eye. I usually keep a book nearby if I watch a program on regular TV so I can mute the commercials and get in some reading. If companies would redirect all the money they put into loud, obnoxious advertising into developing good products that are made in the U.S., we could rebuild this country from the bottom up. It is a rare moment indeed when I find a product manufactured in the U.S. Profit Margins are the new God, and the disciples are protected by Bush & Co. All of what Adam Smith cautioned against has come to pass. MonkeyMan  Blackened thotz by Ricardo H. Wednesday, July 2, 2008 PERMANENT LINK Dear H, H, and Readers: What is happening to me?! What I once thought unconceivable is appearing more and more probable. Witness the unwilling reorientation of a mind and soul forced to contemplate the Dark Side. Dr. Ruhs wrote a sobering piece . Nuclear is the toy the Big Boys in congress, party irrelevant, are itchin' to play with now. I've long believed that both Iraq "wars" were testing grounds for various and sundry new toys the military-industrial complex is ever peddling as the cutting edge. Dr. Ruhs' commentary brings into sharp focus the logical conclusion: that nuclear weapons are so bloody fascinating that hysteria is now being used to desensitize us to the likely and probably reality that nukes will be deployed, used, and excused as "weapons." (They're not weapons, they're evil incarnate.) Brian Williams just only this evening lofted not only the palatability but the excuse that Iran is belligerent! Using now-prototypical mealy-mouthed soft lobs to his "correspondent" Richard Engels with whom he stood on stage pointing to a greenscreen map of the Middle East, the only thing said about Iran was that Iran was poised to block shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, and that it's sphere of influence extends to (quote) Jerusalem (end quote). No analysis, nothing. Nothing said of the scores of US Navy vessels poised on Iran's coasts, nothing said of the US' already-in-motion excursions inside Iranian territory. I was painfully reminded how much these six-o'clock "snooz" broadcasts resemble Inside Edition and Entertainment Tonight! I can only hope that these snooz-casters are deliberately framing their broadcasts as deeply ironic imitations of tabloid journalism. They're that smart, after all. I hope. And I pray. For the prospect that ANY nation will use a nuclear device as a policy decision is shatteringly and shudderingly terrifying. Terrifying. The US is on offense; the terrorist is, here, clearly the aggressor, and the terrorist. I hope, and I pray, that Dr. Ruhs is wrong, wrong, wrong. Williams and ilk are between rock and hard place by their own making. They can feebly attempt at presenting the "news," new or otherwise. I don't envy their task in self-presentation. We have no choice but to see them in the rear-view mirror, so reactions (such as this one, which it admittedly is) are fraught. But puh-leez! — -Williams' broadcast today, July 1, was SO weebly, and SO wobbly. Ricardo H. Visualize high-altitude nuclear explosions by Herb Ruhs, MD Wednesday, July 2, 2008 PERMANENT LINK Many horrendous effects would ensue, for sure. But compared to the relentlessly approaching doom from the effects of a runaway industrial culture, climate catastrophe, general famine, resource wars, and what have you, the consequences would be relatively mild, and populations of humans would be allowed to survive on sustainable terms. ... Click for more ... Herb Ruhs, MD China's chips by Sherri B. Wednesday, July 2, 2008 PERMANENT LINK Isn't it five o'clock somewhere? I need a beer. As famine looms in Ethiopia, only the neediest get food aid But we've got billions for war. I wonder when China calls in its chips will the world come to our aid?
Those drugs in the water must really be kicking in. Sherri B. Bush-lite by Wig Wednesday, July 2, 2008 PERMANENT LINK Obama won't attend DLC meeting And this is the guy who says he's going to work with everyone???? If he's not willing to even relate to the multi-Democrats what are we to expect his relations with the multi-Republican obstruction blocks will be???? But lol, we know how Republicans are such great bi-partisans. Obama is Bush-lite? So we can expect more religious patty-caking? Wig World War III is a great idea, but I'm not sure it's worth paying more for gas... Helen & Harry
Complaint by Felix G. Wednesday, July 2, 2008 PERMANENT LINK Why can't your graphics be centered on a page? If they can't be, I'm not interested in using them no matter how nice they look. Felix G. I'll pass your message along to the graphics department. Oh, wait, we don't have a graphics department... Helen & Harry
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