Wednesday Open Thread 02-18-15

Good morning 99percenters!
News and The Beach Boys.

Doc Shows Canadian Police View Environmentalists, Not Climate Change, as Real Threat
RCMP document says 'small but violent-prone faction' of groups could pose 'a credible threat' to security

Canadian environmental organizations could pose a potential threat to national security and are attempting to make the fossil fuel industry look bad.

Such was the assessment of what the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) referred to as the "anti-petroleum movement" in a document dated Jan. 24, 2014, and titled Critical Infrastructure Intelligence Assessment.

The existence of the document, obtained by Greenpeace, was revealed by the Globe and Mail on Tuesday and by French language newspaper LaPresse last week. Common Dreams saw a copy of the document Tuesday.

"There is a growing, highly organized and well-financed anti-Canada petroleum movement that consists of peaceful activists, militants and violent extremists who are opposed to society’s reliance on fossil fuels," the document states.

The documentary that could save Africa’s oldest national park

Bribery, shoot-outs, smuggling, secret cameras, endangered baby gorillas, a law-breaking multinational corporation, and heroes willing to die for their cause. All set in one of the most breathtaking natural landscapes in the world, which also happens to be Africa’s oldest national park.

The documentary “Virunga” tells the story of the park rangers who risk their lives protecting the Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo, which was established in 1925. The park is threatened by poachers, militant groups, and perhaps most disturbingly—a multinational oil company that’s been exploring for oil within the park’s borders.

The documentary debuted at the Tribeca Film Festival in April, has a distribution deal with Netflix, and is nominated for an Oscar. But more importantly, the film is poised to have a big impact on the future of one of the most biodiverse places on earth. Central to the film are Mountain Gorillas, a critically endangered species with many of its last remaining members calling the park home.

“This was always about more than a film," said director Orlando Von Einsiedel. "This was always about trying to create a tool that could be used to protect the Virunga National Park.” He spent two years working on the documentary, including a year living in the park with the rangers.

Beach Boys - Sloop John B

Beach Boys - Barbara Ann

The Beach Boys - I Get Around

Beach Boys - Do It Again

Beach Boys - 409

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Big Al's picture

(article from the AggrGator World News)

"India's government has cleared a $8 billion plan to build the country's most advanced warships, defense sources said, just months after ordering new submarines to close the gap with the Chinese navy in the Indian Ocean."

Let me see, if I was a devious, psychopathic western warmonger imperialist banker illuminati type dude or dudess, I just might
see an opportunity to take advantage of an opening to cause more havoc and destruction on my way to my New World Order.

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Big Al's picture

1978, Fairbanks, Alaska.
Went up there to play basketball in college. Played U. Alaska Fairbanks and after the game we took showers and headed
back to some dorms we were staying in. It was about -40 degrees windchill outside, so cold that if you didn't completely
dry your hair and facial hair, it would freeze right up and break off like icicles. We made our way to a Student center
of some kind where there was an early American period karaoke thing going on. So about 6 from our team and 6 from their
team got up on stage and sang, "California Girls" to the Saturday night crowd. It was a hoot, we had everybody rolling.

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the Beach Boys today because I've been dreaming of summer lately, damn it's cold outside. Sure brings back memories of growing up in the 60s doesn't it.

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Big Al's picture

Only saw them once, I think it was in Seattle. I remember it was in a large open air stadium, but not exactly sure where it was.
I think I had a good time too. Smile

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you definitely had a good time. I have problems remembering much of the late 60's, early 70's.

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Tammany Tiger's picture

The other large stadium was the Kingdome. I'm glad they had the good sense to implode that tomb.

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Tammany Tiger's picture

Main thing I remember was that it was January, bitter cold, and we were getting pummeled by lake-effect snow.

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Cant Stop the Macedonian Signal's picture

We've been mainly living in the basement. It has a good fireplace.

Man, I'm gonna miss this house.

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"More for Gore or the son of a drug lord--None of the above, fuck it, cut the cord."
--Zack de la Rocha

"I tell you I'll have nothing to do with the place...The roof of that hall is made of bones."
-- Fiver

Big Al's picture

"Tired of calling the cops for help just to have them shoot your mentally ill son?
Tired of calling the cops for help just so they can shoot your dog?
Tired of calling the cops for help just so they can throw your grandpa on the ground and paralyze him?

Then call the Anti-Police when you need help. We all know what happens when you call the cops,
that's why we, the Anti-Police, are here. For real people who really help,
Call the Anti-Police"

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Salt is bad for you, no it's not. Cholesterol is bad for you, no it's not. Fat is bad for you, no it's not. Leeching is good for you, no it is not.

Miracle for Mr. Hockey? Family defends stem cell choice
http://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2015/02/18/gordie-howe-st...

Free and dying are pretty much having nothing left to lose. Of course Mr. Hockey's recovery isn't scientific evidence of anything, and the family made no such claim. Add in that I am no fan of University of Michigan (go green), and this whole article turns into doctors and money defending its turf.

Number of out-of-state students on the rise at University of Michigan

When the fall 2014 semester started at the University of Michigan, more than half of the students at the Ann Arbor campus were from outside the state. It was the first time that had happened in at least 15 years. Of the 43,625 students enrolled in undergraduate and graduate programs, 21,514, or 49.3 percent, are from Michigan.

This so called "highly acclaimed academic institution" takes our tax dollars and then denies enrollment to our qualified HS seniors in pursuit of the almighty buck. "Breaking - Jim Harbaugh peed this morning when he got up." Many in this state are sick to death of Michigan's inflated importance to itself and the media in this state.

Stem cell research - the demonized killer of snowflake babies, and pot research - the demonized agent of reefer madness have been hamstrung by politics, religious jihadists - who most likely graduated from UChicago or UMichigan, and corruption.

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"Religion is what keeps the poor from murdering the rich."--Napoleon

Big Al's picture

hurting their money train, always the bottom line.

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Big Al's picture

on Hillary Clinton and her warmonger credentials. Probably mid-day. The more I look at her and
her words, actions, etc., the more I believe that she is certainly a sociopath, maybe even into psychopath territory.
She is one dangerous lady that's for sure.

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Shahryar's picture

was Bush? is Obama? To a normal person having power would mean figuring how to allocate everything to make sure people had enough food, shelter, clothing and then, when that's taken care of, other goodies. To the people who already have power it means figuring out how to get more power, by whatever means necessary. They must think "how can I get more people to do what I want? I know. I'll take the lazy way out and kill some of them to frighten the others into doing what I tell them to."

More speculation: the "good ones" wouldn't go killing people on their own but do so because they think it'll help them with other influencers. I'm not sure which camp I'd put Hillary in.

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shaharazade's picture

the woman is just bat shit crazy looking at her eyes, she is scary. . I vote psycho. She is a big time The Family member who say Doug Coe has been one of her mentors and spiritual guru for decades. I think she believes she has been chosen by god to rule the world in the incarnation of a bad ass pol. She sure does love killing and war and is in a direct line of war criminal SoS's from Kissinger (Dr. Stangelove) to Madeline Albright and then Hillary. I also think she's the brains behind pa, as the song says. As you can tell I'm not a fan. I saw a video on a now defunct website a few years ago where she, on a 'diplomatic' trip to Pakistan, lit into a group of Pakistani women who came to her tell her that the US should stop droning and bombing villages. She went berserk and yelled at them that this was a WAR! We were at war and that that's what happens when you collaborate with our enemies. This jaw dropping video seems to have been scrubbed and I lost my bookmark link when my former computer melted down. Perhaps a megalomaniac psychopath would suit.

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gulfgal98's picture

It always seems to be at the wrong time or wrong place.

This whole "it's her turn" baloney is something I honestly think she believe whole heartedly. It is never anyone's turn. It is something that a politician must earn and I still do not believe she is up to that task.

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Do I hear the sound of guillotines being constructed?

“Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable." ~ President John F. Kennedy

Cant Stop the Macedonian Signal's picture

Compete, and let the people judge you.

Or get the hell out.

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"More for Gore or the son of a drug lord--None of the above, fuck it, cut the cord."
--Zack de la Rocha

"I tell you I'll have nothing to do with the place...The roof of that hall is made of bones."
-- Fiver

Cant Stop the Macedonian Signal's picture

They were hinted at in Gasland II. I think she's up to her eyeballs in the fossil fuel game as well as being tied to Wall St.

Two bastard plutocrats, one of whom is OK with abortion and marriage equality. So I should choose that one, and be grateful it's not worse?

I think not.

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"More for Gore or the son of a drug lord--None of the above, fuck it, cut the cord."
--Zack de la Rocha

"I tell you I'll have nothing to do with the place...The roof of that hall is made of bones."
-- Fiver

on the phone sometime today with the web host troubleshooting a problem with the switching of websites we recently did. If there are any glitches in the performance of the site today, that's why. If you haven't noticed both causcus99percent.com and caucus99percent.com/blog/drupal have the website on them now.

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snoopydawg's picture

FloridaSNMOM has a diary up for me on Kos today. I am in dire straights and something is going on with both of my dawgs. One can hardly walk, and the Beagle seen here is hardly eating for over a week. Plus she has been shaking for that long. It could be anything with Charlie from diabetes to Addison's disease. I once had a Beagle that had that and it isn't cheap.
If anyone is in a position to help us out, I would appreciate.
Not sure if this site has rules against this type of diary. If so, my apologies.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2015/02/18/1365035/-Kossak-in-need-of-help

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Which AIPAC/MIC/pharma/bank bought politician are you going to vote for? Don’t be surprised when nothing changes.

NCTim's picture

Switch dog food immediately.

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The individual has always had to struggle to keep from being overwhelmed by the tribe. If you try it, you will be lonely often, and sometimes frightened. But no price is too high to pay for the privilege of owning yourself. - Friedrich Nietzsche -

snoopydawg's picture

I switched it by adding in the new food over 2 weeks. Then they both ate the new food for 3 weeks.
But Charlie is having other problems.

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Which AIPAC/MIC/pharma/bank bought politician are you going to vote for? Don’t be surprised when nothing changes.

Cant Stop the Macedonian Signal's picture

with me? I don't use Paypal or anything like that. You can send the address it to southernliberalinmd@gmail.com.

I'm sorry for your troubles.

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"More for Gore or the son of a drug lord--None of the above, fuck it, cut the cord."
--Zack de la Rocha

"I tell you I'll have nothing to do with the place...The roof of that hall is made of bones."
-- Fiver

Roger Fox's picture

.........like 20 million.

I'd settle for 17 million jobs.

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FDR 9-23-33, "If we cannot do this one way, we will do it another way. But do it we will.

MarilynW's picture

Off topic: I remember about 2 years ago, I had never heard of Kinder Morgan the pipeline giant and you directed my attention to it. We were discussing Enbridge's Northern Gateway and Keystone XL but Kinder Morgan is right here where most people in BC live. In fact it runs about 2 blocks from my son's home in Walnut Grove, BC.

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To thine own self be true.

Cant Stop the Macedonian Signal's picture

Because my thinking is a bit foggy tonight. Too much time staying inside hiding from the cold.

Here's the question:

We gave 16 trillion to bail out Wall St and various wealthy individuals after the crash. If we had given 14 trillion to Wall St and "various wealthy individuals" (didn't that ever ring a little weird to you? Who are these individuals?) rather than 16 trillion, and spent the other 2 trillion creating jobs here, perhaps on large public sector projects rebuilding our infrastructure which is falling apart, or buttressing our education system, *would that have killed the global economy*? Would it have NOT saved the global economy if we only handed 14 trillion to the wealthy, rather than 16?

Because the bottom 99% could have made more and better use out of 2 trillion than the wealthy currently are out of 16 trillion.

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"More for Gore or the son of a drug lord--None of the above, fuck it, cut the cord."
--Zack de la Rocha

"I tell you I'll have nothing to do with the place...The roof of that hall is made of bones."
-- Fiver

snoopydawg's picture

Us instead. Imagine if they gave us the money, we could have paid off our houses, credit cards, bought houses cars, ect. The banks would have gotten their money and the ones that purposely sold toxic funds and committed other fraud should have been prosecuted. And congress would have set rules so it won't happen again.
They ruined the global economy on purpose. There were many whistle blowers that went to the fed and sec, but they were ignored.
It was a transfer of wealth and many think that it's going to happen again within a year
Look at the bill congress just passed. They will be able to come after our deposits.

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Which AIPAC/MIC/pharma/bank bought politician are you going to vote for? Don’t be surprised when nothing changes.

Cordelia Lear's picture

Wall Street took the 99%s money. Wall Street consciously took those investments and gambled with them - and the odds were not in favor of the investor. The gamble blew up and lost an almost uncalculable amount.

The result was 99%ers lost huge sums and Wall Street cried poor and essentially said "OHH! I had NOOO idea what my investors were doing."

Fast forward. The federal government bailed Wall Street out and covered many of thier losses.

Fast forward again. Wall Street kept the money and left the 99percent screwed.

Congress on the matter: Capitalism is important. We can't interfere with free markets.

Moral of the story: Free to Wall Street. Pricey and devistating to the 99percent.

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"Never separate the life you live from the words you speak." --Paul Wellstone

Cordelia Lear's picture

CNN has released a poll indicating that a majority of Americans oppose Boehner‘s invitation to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to address Congress. They projct 63% side with the White House.

The response from the Israeli government:

Israeli officials have said they assumed Boehner would have told Obama, accusing Boehner of misleading Netanyahu about the whole thing.

Poor. Poor. Bibi. Of course he could cancel his speech but we know he won't. Just as we know John Boehner has no idea how badly ol' Bibi is playing him.

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"Never separate the life you live from the words you speak." --Paul Wellstone

Big Al's picture

I read something last week arguing that it's a good thing, let Yahooo come and give his speech. He'll show the
world what a crazy fuck he is and what a waste of space our Congress is. It's like a Bush vs. Clinton presidential
race, let's get all the dirt out in the open so everybody can clearly see how it's FUBAR.

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Cant Stop the Macedonian Signal's picture

He's one of the ones I hate.

A class-A bastard.

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"More for Gore or the son of a drug lord--None of the above, fuck it, cut the cord."
--Zack de la Rocha

"I tell you I'll have nothing to do with the place...The roof of that hall is made of bones."
-- Fiver

gulfgal98's picture

what Boehner expected to get out of this. It had only one way to go for him, and that was not good.

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Do I hear the sound of guillotines being constructed?

“Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable." ~ President John F. Kennedy

Cordelia Lear's picture

than Boehner can imagine. He's getting sucker punched. I'd guess that JB thought 1) he'd score points with the Israeli lobby and thier big $$$ donors and 2) he could appease his Tea Partiers by taking a jab at Obama that would lead to FAUX news claiming Obama's foreign policy stinks. And 3) he lives in a bubble - as most politicians do - so he has no idea what Main Street thinks, or wants.

Netanyahu knew all he had to do was get publicity about a potential speech to ruffle feathers in US negoiations with Iran. If he gets to make it, all the better for his deranged objectives.

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"Never separate the life you live from the words you speak." --Paul Wellstone

Shahryar's picture

when I come to the site I get a thing saying I'm not authorized...access denied. If I ignore it, which I do, and click "home" there's no problem.

Meanwhile, in other more interesting news, shaharazade will be around shortly (if she hasn't been already).

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has now moved to caucus99percent.com. Bookmark it while you're here and you wont have any problems next time, sorry about the inconvenience. The old address was caucus99percent.com/blog/drupal.

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shaharazade's picture

I am just getting to know my way around the site. Looks great Johnny what a site.. How does one add a new comment? this is a reply but I don't see a add a comment sign or button. maybe I should go read new user information duh. Be back soon to read and comment. Good to be here.

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glad you made it! Make yourself at home.

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gulfgal98's picture

I am so looking forward to reading your always great comments. Welcome! Smile

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Do I hear the sound of guillotines being constructed?

“Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable." ~ President John F. Kennedy

Cant Stop the Macedonian Signal's picture

Welcome back, Shaz.

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"More for Gore or the son of a drug lord--None of the above, fuck it, cut the cord."
--Zack de la Rocha

"I tell you I'll have nothing to do with the place...The roof of that hall is made of bones."
-- Fiver

MarilynW's picture

"There is a growing, highly organized and well-financed anti-Canada petroleum movement that consists of peaceful activists, militants and violent extremists who are opposed to society’s reliance on fossil fuels," the document states.

It cites fracking protests that took place in New Brunswick in 2013 as "the most violent anti-petroleum actions" the country has seen and "indicative of the growing international opposition to" fossil fuel projects underway or planned, and therefore a sign of what law enforcement "must be prepared to confront."

I challenge the RCMP to name one "violent extremist" environmental activist. Name one action these "violent extremists" have done.

Or maybe they were thinking of ISIS, ISIL?

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To thine own self be true.

gulfgal98's picture

The US military or police in almost any US city? Wink

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Do I hear the sound of guillotines being constructed?

“Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable." ~ President John F. Kennedy

Tammany Tiger's picture

They got so disgusted at the Maple Leafs' poor play that they flung their jerseys on the ice.

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MarilynW's picture

in the lower picture.
Screen Shot 2015-02-18 at 4.47.33 PM.png

The armed zombies or the passive resister?

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To thine own self be true.

Cant Stop the Macedonian Signal's picture

And so are the oil barons they're protecting.

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"More for Gore or the son of a drug lord--None of the above, fuck it, cut the cord."
--Zack de la Rocha

"I tell you I'll have nothing to do with the place...The roof of that hall is made of bones."
-- Fiver

Cant Stop the Macedonian Signal's picture

I really do.

The violence went too far for me a few years ago, and so I stopped watching. But I love the intensity of the game, the emotional and rowdy quality of the fans, the kookiness and goofiness that sometimes attends the game as well as its extreme beauty. Nothing ever was so slick and so fast as hockey, and if you like watching feats of athleticism, you couldn't ask for anything more. Hockey is like a perfect merging of the sublime and the ridiculous.

True story: I once got stopped at the Canadian border by a guard who asked me "Are you bringing any weapons into the country other than your hockey stick?"

I made the mistake of laughing. Never laugh at a border guard.

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"More for Gore or the son of a drug lord--None of the above, fuck it, cut the cord."
--Zack de la Rocha

"I tell you I'll have nothing to do with the place...The roof of that hall is made of bones."
-- Fiver

Cant Stop the Macedonian Signal's picture

Sorry to say that, Marilyn, as I really don't see you all as our northernmost state. Sad But it seems like Ottawa doesn't feel it has a lot of ability to tell Washington to go take a flying one. The Five Eyes, in general, seem to be marching in lockstep to perdition.

If Ottawa is in line with Washington on this matter, well, here's what DC thinks of American anti-fracking activists:

http://www.theguardian.com/environment/earth-insight/2013/jun/14/climate...

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"More for Gore or the son of a drug lord--None of the above, fuck it, cut the cord."
--Zack de la Rocha

"I tell you I'll have nothing to do with the place...The roof of that hall is made of bones."
-- Fiver

Cant Stop the Macedonian Signal's picture

seriously weird me out:

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2015/02/18/1365175/-Republicans-worry-that...

They're complaining because the Department of Homeland Security might get defunded, and then we would all be so much less safe, because obviously DHS' budget is keeping us safe from terrorist attacks...wait a minute.

Wasn't it less than ten years ago that Daily Kos was *against* the very creation of DHS?

Do we have any evidence that DHS is keeping us safe from anything?

After this incident

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/26/us/russia-told-us-bomb-suspect-was-rad...

I've been taking it as a given that the missions of DHS, the FBI, the CIA, and the rest of them, have little or perhaps nothing to do with keeping us safe from terrorist attacks. Or safe from much of anything, really. I supposed the FBI side still does some of the old-fashioned police work (solving crimes, etc.) as long as the crimes weren't committed by billionaires.

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"More for Gore or the son of a drug lord--None of the above, fuck it, cut the cord."
--Zack de la Rocha

"I tell you I'll have nothing to do with the place...The roof of that hall is made of bones."
-- Fiver

gulfgal98's picture

for this comment about the Dept. of Homeland Security.
http://www.dailykos.com/comments/1364935/55683753

Daily kos is all about the establishment and maintaining the status quo. It gives them (kos himself) a platform for their only real meme and that is that the Republicans are worse than the Democrats. Kos is an insider of the worst kind, one who is barely inside and wanting to climb up the social ladder. That is pretty pathetic. Sad

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Do I hear the sound of guillotines being constructed?

“Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable." ~ President John F. Kennedy

Cordelia Lear's picture

when you consider his original claim to fame was a book called "Crashing the Gates."

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"Never separate the life you live from the words you speak." --Paul Wellstone

chuckvw's picture

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You should only listen to both sides when one side isn't totally full of shit. -Jim Jefferies