1. Comment by Voice Of Reason - March 23, 2008 @ 11:28 PM "I agree strongly with Eddie Connor’s March 12 letter, 'Drive without distraction,' regarding Arizona’s 'Stupid Motorist Law,' and various other readers commenting on the local traffic situation. " I'm not sure what AZ's law has to do with "driving without distraction", since the law has nothing to do with driving distractions, in the first place. Just for a little back ground on the "Stupid Motorist Law", in AZ there's a yearly monsoon season usually beginning in mid-July through mid-September. During this time the rain comes fast and hard, inundating the unprepared soil and running off at surprising rates. Flash flooding occurs even in areas without large quantities of rain. (Many times the rains are up in the high country and quickly rush into the valley washes.) With many washes or drainage canals run near or over roadways there are high probabilities of street closures for flash flooding. The "Stupid Motorist Law" is applicable when a wash submerges a roadway AND the DOT or county has closed the area, marking it clearly to not enter. If someone enters the wash area and becomes stuck, they are fined (something like $2K) AND required to pay for their rescue. Again, I don't see how this has anything to do with driving distracted, though.
2. Comment by david evans - March 23, 2008 @ 11:47 PM It's a matter of perspective, Mr. Peebles. Your $1200/mo. is double what I will get after working for 50 years. The equity in your home, if you downsize, plus the 1400-2000 (roughly - judging by your 1200 pension) should put in a far better position than many of us. And even the poorest of homeowners are wealthy beyond measure relative to most people who walk this planet. Of course if our Federal government wasn't floating aircraft carrier groups all over the world (several of them securing oil with value less than the cost of securing it), perhaps they could kick in a bit more school funding. But war is so much more exciting than education. And our cultures breed warriors. Go Blazers!
3. Comment by John Edwards - March 24, 2008 @ 12:19 AM Gee, David... looks like you handle your finances about as well as you do your political positions.
4. Comment by Penny Schinke - March 24, 2008 @ 01:49 AM This is all getting so ridiculous. We have a "supposed" Repub "special person" calling people names, and accusing people of nefarious "crimes". We have a pompous, "bragging about his life and accomplishments", teacher of economics at our local jr. college. And we have the collective ass-kissers of the above mentioned "men". Then we have the "common folk" who just want to have some interesting, non-lethal, debates...without the above disturbers of the peace, both of whom are egotistical, loud-mouthed, pompous a**es. Please, please, let us poor, common rabble have the floor. We are so much more intelligent, and common sensible, than either of you have EVER been. Please, give us liberty and freedom of speech....
5. Comment by Penny Schinke - March 24, 2008 @ 02:23 AM Actually, I can't really see any differences to either of your sides. Both denigrate the average human being...yes, James, you pronounce this group as "inbred, incestuously conceived, idiots". How royally pompous of you, sir. If you don't like our freedom, sir, kindly hike yourself over to your usual Marxist websites...sir. JE, you denigrate vomitously any one who deviates from your very small world. You are a nasty, bitter person. Oh, yes, James, and JE, I am above you both, as most of the posters on this site are. We are open minded, willing to "give and take", honest and questioning. You are both POISON to any real discussion of issues and facts.
6. Comment by Penny Schinke - March 24, 2008 @ 02:32 AM Yeah...I know I'm an independent renegade...but the Bill of Rights advocates my views and my right to espouse those views and opinions. Thank you very much... Yeah, David, this republic shines on me.... Yes, dude, truth can very much be a bitch....
7. Comment by Penny Schinke - March 24, 2008 @ 02:34 AM The Chicago Bulls will always kick the Blazers' a**es. Go Bulls...
8. Comment by Penny Schinke - March 24, 2008 @ 02:54 AM And, Mr. Timujin, I've tried very hard NOT to use "vulgar language". But, you have to realize that "some people" don't listen to/understand "civil language" and we have to shock their sensibilities...just to get their attention... Enough...I'm done with this Marxist/non-Marxist blabber and flap...life, my life, is going to be way too short to put up with you all's nonsense. Please, you all, grow up and be what this nation/republic needs. Yes, we've made mistakes, cruel, stupid mistakes. Please, help us to overcome our hubris...but DON'T destroy us...
9. Comment by david evans - March 24, 2008 @ 07:35 AM The letters of Helmi Kortez- Erkkila, George Thomas and Jim Peebles have a common thread. Old White Guys. We keep ceding power to these people and they keep abusing other people with that power at enormous cost(exploitation, dominance and expenditure of treasure through war). For interesting insight as to why we do this, from an Old White Warrior Guy: http://www.insurgentamerican.net/download/StanGoff/Sex-n-War.pdf
10. Comment by Steve Hargen - March 24, 2008 @ 08:07 AM Use your brain Helmi, Maybe Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad can visit Iraq without fear as it is his fighters that are doing the killing. DUH? Why do you think he made such a big public relations move staging the event? I guess it fooled people like you. You asked the question as to what we have for our military expenditures, a unarmed Japan and a free Europe. Was that wasteful? We have spent trillions on the war on poverty. What do we have for our money? More homeless people? A broken medical system? Poor schools? We can all play these little games Helmi.
11. Comment by Steve Hargen - March 24, 2008 @ 08:10 AM I don't know why liberals think military spending is the root of all problems. David thinks that without military spending we would have better retirement and schools. We spend about 500 billion on defense. We have 350 million Americans. That means we spend about $1,500 per person on the military PER YEAR. That would increase your retirement by $125 a month and do nothing for the schools. Of course, without anyone to protect our country and assets you might not have any other assets left after invaders take the US possessions back to their home country.
12. Comment by Steve Hargen - March 24, 2008 @ 08:15 AM David Evans, I'm tired of our racist speech Mr. Evans. You can't blame an entire group based on race. If you have specific people then spell it out. I don't think the Columbian should put up with racist talk. If you don't think Mr. Evans speech is racist, just switch the ethnic group name and see how it sounds.
13. Comment by david evans - March 24, 2008 @ 08:32 AM You may read the link for better understanding of why we do what we do, Mr. Harden. The fact is that our patriarchal cultures are harmful and European imperialism is harmful. European leaders are patriarchs or behave like patriarchs. (Old White Guys). I'm not a racist. I'm an old white guy that is willing to learn.
14. Comment by david evans - March 24, 2008 @ 08:39 AM "We have spent trillions on the war on poverty. What do we have for our money? More homeless people? A broken medical system? Poor schools?" We have much poverty and need for expensive social programs because capitalism impoverishes many workers and guarantees that those that have will have more and those that need will need more. Applying a band-aid to a broken leg won't fix it.
15. Comment by david evans - March 24, 2008 @ 09:01 AM Steve says, "Of course, without anyone to protect our country and assets you might not have any other assets left after invaders take the US possessions back to their home country." A protective military is far less expensive than an expansionist military. We have an expansionist military. "Out of competitive Capitalism develops monopolistic Capitalism; and out of monopolistic Capitalism develops Imperialism. The policy, the tendency, the ideologic-political forms of the imperialistic epoch differ in fundamentals from the epoch of competitive Capitalism. This alone characterizes Imperialism as a definite stage of Capitalism." From: http://www.marxists.org/archive/corey/1918/revsoc/index.html
16. Comment by George Thomas - March 24, 2008 @ 09:12 AM "We spend about 500 billion on defense. We have 350 million Americans. That means we spend about $1,500 per person on the military PER YEAR." But, I think, that figure is only the tip of the iceberg. What about all the off the book, hidden for security purposes, expenditures? Also the atomic bomb and its weapons which are under the Dept of Energy's budget? We spend twice more (I think?) on defense than the next nearest spender on defense. What about the CIA's expenditures? I'm sure the figure is much larger than the figures above.
17. Comment by david evans - March 24, 2008 @ 09:30 AM "Of course, without anyone to protect our country and assets you might not have any other assets left after invaders take the US possessions back to their home country." Mr. Hargen, due to trade imbalances (including declining U.S. manufacturing - result of evolving capitalism and need for cheap labor) U.S. commons possessions are already being sold to foreign enterprises. Our business people have already been selling-off American's public possessions. Essentially, we no longer make much to sell in the world marketplace, so we are forced to sell infrastructure. "Indiana had received $3.8 billion from a foreign consortium made up of the Spanish construction firm Cintra and the Macquarie Infrastructure Group (mig) of Australia, and in exchange the state would hand over operation of the 157-mile Indiana Toll Road for the next 75 years." http://www.motherjones.com/news/feature/2007/01/highwaymen.html
18. Comment by david evans - March 24, 2008 @ 09:32 AM Truth's a bitch.
19. Comment by Steve Hargen - March 24, 2008 @ 10:04 AM Okay Mr. Thomas, let's double the military budget to 1 trillion to cover all the "secret" programs. So now Mr. Evans has an extra $250 a month for his retirement and the kids have nothing for their schools. The reason our defense budget is high compared to other countries is that unlike others we actually PAY our soldiers a living wage. China has the largest army in the world yet doesn't spend even close to the US. Maybe that $1 a day and a bowl of rice budget skews the statistics. Use your head guys.
20. Comment by John Edwards - March 24, 2008 @ 10:06 AM Penny, thanks you so very much for caring. I'd respond to your vitriol in kind, but I see no need to lower myself to your level of "common rabble," particularly given the rank hypocrisy of your efforts in this thread, wherein you achieve absolute guilt for that which you spew at others. I do enjoy your monumental ego and cranial flatulation. Carry on.
21. Comment by Bender Bending R. - March 24, 2008 @ 11:20 AM Looks like Penny is using the wrong drug cocktail this morning.
22. Comment by Steve Hargen - March 24, 2008 @ 11:25 AM What a load of garbage Mr. Evans. You said, "Our business people have already been selling-off American's public possessions." Which public possessions has been sold off? You said, "Essentially, we no longer make much to sell in the world marketplace" We produce more now than ever before. We just do it with less jobs. This is efficiency. If capitalism brings efficiency then bring it on. In 1900 1/2 of Americans were farmers. Now less than 2% are farmers. Does that mean we don't grow any food anymore? Your arguments stink but they always have the same hate america, we can do nothing right mentality.
23. Comment by Rufus O'Banyon - March 24, 2008 @ 11:25 AM John Edweirds - Nicely written; I laughed, then remembered how twisted you are - now if only James Craven could make a point in less than, oh I don't know, 10,000 words!
24. Comment by Steve Hargen - March 24, 2008 @ 11:31 AM Mr. Evans, if you are worried about US manufacturing jobs being eliminated due to China then China is really going down the tube. Between 1995 and 2005 America lost 2 million manufacturing jobs. China, during the same time, lost 15 million jobs. http://www.conference-board.org/utilities/pressDetail.cfm?press_ID=2432 But both countries produced more product than ever before. How can this be? Efficiency, something that all thinking people work to achieve. The press doesn't report this as it doesn't fit the Mr. Evans of the world view of life.
25. Comment by R K - March 24, 2008 @ 12:02 PM I've enjoyed the posts by James Craven. Over time, they have helped me overcome my hesitation to take one of his classes. In the past, I was uncertain as to what the class would be like, whether it would be dry and boring, etc. Now, I am rather convinced that classes are most likely not boring at all, and I'm intrigued. I look forward to taking a class, and wondering which students he considers to be inbreds. LOL I think it'll be a lot of fun, actually. I feel like I've gotten a bit of a preview to a movie I'd like to see.
26. Comment by david evans - March 24, 2008 @ 12:46 PM "But both countries produced more product than ever before. How can this be? Efficiency, something that all thinking people work to achieve." "The manufacturing sector of the U.S. economy has experienced substantial job losses over the past several years. In January 2004, the number of such jobs stood at 14.3 million, down by 3.0 million jobs, or 17.5 percent, since July 2000 and about 5.2 million since the historical peak in 1979. Employment in manufacturing was its lowest since July 1950 (see Figure 1)." http://www.cbo.gov/ftpdoc.cfm?index=5078&type=0 Mr. Hargen...Efficiency is a good thing depending upon perspective. Who profits from all of the efficiency? Not the workers who have lost their jobs, nor those who have been forced into working harder for less. Let's completely automate and computer-manage everything. Where would that leave workers? We wouldn't need them. Owners of capital wouldn't have to share wealth with anyone but themselves then. Wars over resources (which are being fought now) would be the employment of former workers. The conclusion of your line of reasoning is frightening. ...And I don't begrudge the Chinese people or any other peoples their share of prosperity. They are as entitled to it as is everyone else. We all have families that we want no hardship to come to, but there is much unnecessary suffering under the old ways.
27. Comment by david evans - March 24, 2008 @ 12:59 PM http://www.warresisters.org/pages/piechart.htm Above is a link to one estimate of military spending. This is why schools, health care and infrastructure are underfunded. Another article on infrastructure sales: http://www.thomhartmann.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=523&Itemid=118 Tracts of forest and mining operations are also sold to foreign companies. Remember the Dubai port deal?
28. Comment by david evans - March 24, 2008 @ 01:12 PM RK, For an example of what to expect in one of James' Classes: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-345721242223597335 I hope that he is still teaching.
29. Comment by david evans - March 24, 2008 @ 01:29 PM Foreign Companies Buy Mining Rights on Public Land in U.S. http://archive.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2004/5/10/135900.shtml
30. Comment by david evans - March 24, 2008 @ 01:34 PM Foreign Companies Buy Mining Rights on Public Land in U.S. http://archive.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2004/5/10/135900.shtml
31. Comment by James Craven - March 24, 2008 @ 02:22 PM Hi David and RK, thanks for the plug. Yes, I am still teaching. I was offered a Weilun Visiting Professorship of Econonmics at Tsinghua University which is the second oldest and largest University of China in Beijing (I taught there before) and is the MIT of China, but could not get off from Clark for the full six months initially. I have taught at several universities but am proudest of my work at a "Junior College" because here I do real teaching and often with the outcasts who are coming up as I did (I was thrown out of high school and the whole Seattle school system for taking on a vice principal who truly deserved it) and got my GED at 17 years old in the U.s. Army. Of my 13 years of university, I went to school full-time and worked 40 hours a week full time for 10 of those 13 years: as a taxi driver, construction worker, 5 years as a Nursing Assistant with terminally ill patients, as a commercial pilot and a dishwasher. For three years I was a TA and/or had a scholarship which I had to compete for. So for me, Community College is a promotion not a demotion because I regard the university system as largely a pretentious fraud with overpaid and underworked professors, hype and not much real education going on because of the class sizes and the cramming of courseloads. Where I am now, I work one-on-one with all sorts of folks often looking for a second chance in life and lacking the finances or grades of previous academic preparation for the universities. Come one over. Who are the inbreds? Look around you. We are all ignorant which just means we do not know something. But some are willfully ignorant, proud of their stupidity, they wear it like a badge of honor (no one can tell me anything; I'll just shoot from the hip n lip cause MY opinion is all the "facts" you need to consider) and since they seek and kiss the asses of their own kind, they are thus inbreds.
32. Comment by david evans - March 24, 2008 @ 03:05 PM Thanks for the invite, James. I took a diesel technologies course at Clark years ago. I know the campus. I'll look you up sometime.
33. Comment by Micheal Scott - March 24, 2008 @ 03:07 PM I just wanted to comment on the Washington State Dance and drill competition this past week in Yakima. I have been attending these competitions for several years now as my daughters participate but not at high school level yet. They will next year in Maple Valley for Tahoma High. At this last weekends comp. The 2 Vancouver schools that were there (Heritage and Mt. View) were just flat excellent and the schools and coaches need to be commended for the job they are doing and have been doing the last few years. The Heritage team is one of the most innovative in the state. I look forward to next years competitions.
34. Comment by Steve Hargen - March 24, 2008 @ 03:50 PM You didn't support your claim Mr. Evans. You said, "Our business people have already been selling-off American's public possessions". Your link shows that the US government sold the rights to public lands. These are hardly businessmen selling the public's assets.Our business people have already been selling-off American's public possessions. Now this is usually where you change the topic to something else rather than admit you make sweeping statements with no proof.
35. Comment by Steve Hargen - March 24, 2008 @ 03:57 PM When Mr. Evans goes to find data about the US budget he doesn't go to the US budget office. No, he goes to a reputable website like......warresisters.org and mother jones. Warresisters says the US budget office lies about the military budget but then they don't include medicare and social security costs in their analysis as costs because these are funded by the "Trust Fund". News to the warresisters, there is no money in the trust fund and government spending is government spending. The taxpayer pays for it all either way.
36. Comment by Steve Hargen - March 24, 2008 @ 04:01 PM So David is worried about my line of thinking on efficiency. He thinks it is frightening. He asks, who benefits from all this efficiency? Well Mr. Evans, did you get up at 4am to milk the cows today? Did you cut any logs with just an ax? David would be the one picketing when the new steam shovel came out. He would say things like, "what are you going to do with all those people who dig ditches?" , "Yeah, the steam shovel is efficient but the ditch diggers have families to support". Well David, they got jobs building steam shovels, and automatic milking machines, and chain saws. When we make automated factories they will get jobs building robots or programming the robots.
37. Comment by david evans - March 24, 2008 @ 04:51 PM "Well David, they got jobs building steam shovels, and automatic milking machines, and chain saws." Yes they did Steve under the old system. Today, the steam shovels, milking machines and chain saws would be made in Maylasia, Singapore and China, and we'd be wearing clothes made in American bussinesses in Samoa. This isn't 1955. Capital has moved to cheap labor markets. The equipment builders (workers) are now working for less at Walmart and Burger King.
38. Comment by James Craven - March 24, 2008 @ 07:07 PM Thanks David and I'd be honored to buy you a cup of coffee or tea or juice. Even in conservative neoclassical economic theory there are six forms of efficiency: Technical; Economic; Productive; Consumer; Exchange; and Allocative. But in any case, it is not just the quantity or quality of output produced, it is also the quantity and quality of input used to produce that output that is at issue. With enough force a brick can be launched through the air but it will never "fly" in the sense of aerodynamic "efficiency". That is why systems like that of the U.S. are said to be so "efficient"-- because the focus is on the shere magnitudes of output and standards of living produced for some (who have money) but not all while the true costs (private and social) are typically understated by markets while true benefits are typically overstated by markets and marketers. Technical efficiency (max output per unit of input) and Economic Efficiency ($ value of output at lowest possible total costs) typically contradict and undermine Exchange Efficiency (market price includes ALL social and private costs and benefits) and Consumer Effciency (Consumers fully informed and cannot reallocate incomes and improve net Total Utility) as well as Allocative Eficiency (no person better off without someone worse off). When true costs and benefits--private and social short-run and long-run--costs are properly assessed and balanced against each other, allowing for non-renewability of many inputs, actually so-called "free markets" (extremely rare) are highly inefficient not efficient even in terms of conservative neoclassical theory, categories and metrics themselves. Oligopolized and monopolized markets are even more inefficient even in neoclassical terms. Neoclassical theory is to serious economics and reality itself what painting-by-numbers is to art.
39. Comment by david evans - March 24, 2008 @ 08:04 PM ...and Steve, as to the issue of businessmen selling off infrastructure. Who do you think brokers the deals for these transactions? Many publicly held positions are so held by former or present members in good standing with business communities. As an extreme example, Dicker Cheney and no-bid king Haliburton KBR, and other subsidiaries. Even our local port apparently is subject to business corruption: http://www.greg-ferguson.com/site/inthenews.htm
40. Comment by david evans - March 24, 2008 @ 08:09 PM Thanks James, for a concise explanation from volumes. No wonder SNAFU!
41. Comment by Steve Hargen - March 24, 2008 @ 08:26 PM Mr. Craven, maybe you can lend your knowledge on this issue. Has capital switched from the US to other countries or has capital continued to flow into the US? Mr. Evans seems to think our capital has flowed away and we make nothing in this country. While I agree that all costs need to be considered to determine efficiency, do you know of another system that considers all those costs? It seems that these types of "all in" discussions are reserved for the capitalists.
42. Comment by Steve Hargen - March 24, 2008 @ 08:28 PM David, who do I think brokers the BLS contracts you used in defense of your example of businessmen selling off public assets? I think the BLS put these contracts out for bid, so NO businessmen were used. You could have bid and been the proud owner of mining rights. Since you mention Cheney and Halliburton as a new example, which public asset did they sell off? I knew you would have no proof and would change the subject.
43. Comment by James Craven - March 24, 2008 @ 08:51 PM Extending the metaphor from medicine, if, as is quite common, and sadly is increasingly common, a person goes through an operation that is botched, requiring a second or third operation to fix what went wrong in the first operation (like leaving surgical instruments in the patient, unqualified staff, operation rushed to get more patients through a given operating room per day--capitalist "efficiency"), then the real costs of a given procedure (for purposes of assessing level of "efficiency") should include the costs of the second and third procedures necessitated by the first botched one and corrections from the negative effects of the first botched operation should not be counted as "benefits" against total costs. In the U.S., touted as having the most “advanced” and “efficient” medicine in the world, 100,000 patients die each year from hospital-based infections and errors. Under capitalism, each procedure would be assessed independently in terms of assessing the "costs" relative to the "benefits" in any comparisons of capitalist versus socialist efficiency. But, if, in accordance with the old adage, "a stitch in time saves nine", and we are able to conceptualize and assess all true costs and true benefits (short-run versus long-run, private plus social), the case can be made that socialism, with socially-minded (non-greedy and non-ultra-individualistic) values and practices and practioners, will beat capitalism, even in terms of capitalist constructs and calculations of "efficiency." Certainly Bai Qiu En (Dr. Norman Bethune), under the most unfavorable conditions possible, driven by his spirit and consciousness, was able to do medically, what capitalist minded-driven physicians under the most favorable conditions would have never been able to do.
44. Comment by James Craven - March 24, 2008 @ 09:12 PM As a Washington State employee over twenty years, I have had to endure a lot of meetings and observe a lot of administrators. That is why I am not an alcoholic--I hate meetings. But what I have observed and indeed documented, is not only a lot of talentless posturing individuals utilizing and taking credit for the real talents and contributions of subordinates (while dumping the blame for any screw-ups), but when it comes to "efficiency" it is often like two elephants copulating and giving birth to a mouse--a lot of noise with little output. You will see endless catered meetings, often in retreats in venues away from "the animals" (the ones who actually do the work) and when you look realistically and conservatively at their dollar and time costs relative to what they actually produced (lots of goals, "strategic plans", constructs for assessing outcomes that never come out--and all invoked in such serious and somber and knowing tones as if certainty in posturing thus makes it certain something will be actually be produced) and by whom anything of substance is actually produced, well even in the very narrow cost-benefit calculus of neoclassical theory, this system and those running it have nothing to teach or brag about in the area of "efficiency". War itself teaches that consciousness is the most decisive force in productivity. Greedy, selfish and ultra-individualistic types rarely themselves produce anything of real value while they (e.g. politicians, administrators) use a lot of input to posture and make it look like they are actually doing and producing something beyond hot air and in order to take the credit from those who do the real labor and produce the real output.
45. Comment by Steve Hargen - March 24, 2008 @ 09:44 PM Craven says, "the case can be made that socialism, with socially-minded (non-greedy and non-ultra-individualistic) values and practices and practioners, will beat capitalism, even in terms of capitalist constructs and calculations of "efficiency." You really do live in a fantasy land Mr. Craven. I'm sure if you could find a socialist system void of any individualism and greed you might be right. Of course if you could find a capitalistic system devoid of greed and individualism I'm sure you one could make the same case. That is the problem with you academics, you can argue about how many angels fit on a pin head all day. You theories are pure fantasy. I live in the real world.
46. Comment by david evans - March 24, 2008 @ 11:44 PM "Previous administrations proved that there can be a balance between wilderness protection and oil and gas development," said former BLM Director Jim Baca. "Unfortunately, the Bush administration is instead striving to appease the oil and gas industry no matter the cost to our national heritage of wild and untamed places." From:http://www.ens-newswire.com/ens/oct2003/2003-10-31-10.asp Steve....Now who in "the Bush administration" may have wanted to appease the oil and gas industry? Present and former oil and gas businessmen??? Naaaaa. Probably just some janitor.
47. Comment by david evans - March 24, 2008 @ 11:44 PM "Previous administrations proved that there can be a balance between wilderness protection and oil and gas development," said former BLM Director Jim Baca. "Unfortunately, the Bush administration is instead striving to appease the oil and gas industry no matter the cost to our national heritage of wild and untamed places." From:http://www.ens-newswire.com/ens/oct2003/2003-10-31-10.asp Steve....Now who in "the Bush administration" may have wanted to appease the oil and gas industry? Present and former oil and gas businessmen??? Naaaaa. Probably just some janitor.
48. Comment by david evans - March 25, 2008 @ 12:04 AM Did anyone see Frontline's series, BUSH'S WAR on PBS? You can catch it here: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/bushswar/?campaign=pbshomefeatures_1_frontlinebrbushswar_2008-03-24 Excellent play by play of all of the characters and lies that took us to needless war that so far has killed 4,000 and wounded 28,000 of our people and killed and maimed countless innocent Iraqi citizens and dismantled a nation whose people were generally friendly toward us. Five years into this mess, and we get the truths from mainstream media. Five years ago, many of us already got these truths from other sources (BBC, Huffington Post, Daily Koz, Air America Radio, etc. Yet every time someone in this venue cites these sources, scorn and ridicule follow, without any counter-source data to refute. Did Fox news present any of these truths? Did these facts come from the White House Press Corp inner circle (the softball team)? I'd change my viewing and listening habits if I were a right-wing listener and wanted truth.
49. Comment by Penny Schinke - March 25, 2008 @ 02:21 AM David and James, get over yourselves, your hubris can cause gagging/up chucking. EVERY LEGAL CITIZEN OF THIS COUNTRY HAS THE RIGHT TO FORM, AND EXPRESS, HIS OR HER OPINION ABOUT WHATEVER TURNS THEIR CRANK. WHEN YOU SMASH THAT OPINION THROUGH SMUG DENIGRATION, OR LIBELOUS CONJECTURE...YOU BECOME UN-AMERICAN. SO HAVE WE ALL DONE.
50. Comment by Penny Schinke - March 25, 2008 @ 02:23 AM David...have you dared to watch "John Adams" on HBO....very humanizing of various Founding Fathers. Like you care....
51. Comment by Penny Schinke - March 25, 2008 @ 02:27 AM I didn't even get the usual "your whatever has been deposited" message. Is this a public newspaper comment post place, or not?
52. Comment by Penny Schinke - March 25, 2008 @ 02:39 AM And yet, we are just playthings with this provincial rag. The webmaster/mistress can willy-nilly NOT allow any response that might "harm" this publication. Or are the harbingers of this web site so inept that they must "cancel" various posts???? There are so very many websites available. Yes, you will have to register, but they are much more "open". Plus, once your registered, you don't have to put up with these sophomoric "image codes". Please, join me in the world.
53. Comment by Penny Schinke - March 25, 2008 @ 03:14 AM There you go, James Craven, talking and braqgging about yourself again, #44....but you aren't pompous and over-blown....nah.
54. Comment by Penny Schinke - March 25, 2008 @ 03:14 AM There you go, James Craven, talking and braqgging about yourself again, #44....but you aren't pompous and over-blown....nah.
55. Comment by Penny Schinke - March 25, 2008 @ 03:21 AM Geez...can't critize an "honored member of the 'couver holler". And yet, again, in #31...such hubris...wow. I just call things as I see them...
56. Comment by Penny Schinke - March 25, 2008 @ 03:27 AM Bye...I'll try very hard NOT to read this venue in the future... There are so very many other sites to enjoy...
57. Comment by Penny Schinke - March 25, 2008 @ 03:31 AM #48, what TRUTHS, David, from our mangled, unmanaged media? You are either very funny, or very naive..
58. Comment by Penny Schinke - March 25, 2008 @ 03:36 AM David...BOTH sides of the media lie like the scoundrels that they are. They make up stories...don't be so naive as to believe anything that you haven't seen yourself. As the saying goes, "Don't believe anything you hear, and only half of what you see".
59. Comment by Bender Bending R. - March 25, 2008 @ 10:07 AM 'Bye...I'll try very hard NOT to read this venue in the future...' That's your problem Penny, you don't read you just post your ignorant drug influenced rants. Wow, Penny is saying she is leaving... for the forth time this month.
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