Openly Eccentric - Open Thread 4/17/2016

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Another week down and I'm amazed to find myself here again, banging out yet another random piece of randomness. Which is fun, IMHO. One of the things I learned LONG ago is I like some routine, but loathe doing the exact same thing over and over again. Makes it difficult to make a long term career, but actually works great in certain professions. Probably the reason I did well in the military... Smile

Have been spending an interesting week. What's interesting, as I've mentioned before, is that when you're stepping out of your comfort zone to try new things, your triggers hit much harder and more often if you've got em. It makes it a challenge, but I'm very happy every day I spend in Portland.

Actually was discussing this with my kids today over a burger at our local burger joint today. (Burgerville) I sat down with the kids and tried to think of ANYTHING that we did in California over the five years that we lived there that was memorable and happy. We came up with less than 2 weeks worth of memorable and happy activities in five years. Not a ringing endorsement. However, since we've moved up here... tons of firsts, tons of great thoughts. Kids saw their first concert, daughter had first sleepover, son is performing in his first play, Son has gone months without a temper tantrum (A FIRST!), got to see a fun zoo, and Dad completely gave up drinking. Crazy how positive the move to Oregon has been, and I hope to have many more years of Joy here.

With that in mind, let's move on to our International News Feed, and see what's up.
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Of course the tragic news out of Japan is the Horrible Earthquakes. 7.3 on the Richter Scale. All I can say is it's tragic, and this kind of thing just reminds me that we must be very careful about our infrastructure, period. I shudder to think what would happen if we had anything like this here, with our decayed infrastructure.

In Paupa New Guinea, things aren't going so great right now. Apparently, drug resistant Tuberculosis is killing quite a few people, and it's getting worse. They trace it to, surprise surprise, corporate/mining malfeasance. Apparently because if you didn't show up to get your compensation, you didn't get it... yup, sick folks ended up leaving the hospital, to get OTHER people sick. Corporate fear of missing out on a couple hundred bucks may have killed hundreds.

Holy Crap, and just as I started writing this, ANOTHER earthquake hit Equador. Tsunami warnings, death, and everything else involved. I almost feel like this just amplifies my point earlier. The planet is going freaking nuts and no amount of "Incremental Change" is going to help.

And the Pope has basically told the US Media that they need a psychiatrist. The spin apparently has annoyed the pontiff enough to have him make a public statement, not that the US media will bother to talk about it.

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For Music today, I figure we'll go with a couple pieces of Folk Metal, because I'm feeling a bit aggressive, and the music helps me. Hope you enjoy, and if you don't I apologize, and would love to hear what You're listening to, to make the morning fun.

[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cBYKdmgB2Ro][video:https://www.youtube.c...

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hecate's picture

is cursed unto all eternity. This is evident in the white people there electing Clint "I Talk To The Chair" Eastwood mayor.

It's good to reflect, every now and again, upon whose bones one is walking.

As was observed by the sage Augustus McCrae: "The earth is mostly just a boneyard. But pretty in the sunlight."

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detroitmechworks's picture

in order to kill a few trees that were protected by law.
He wanted a parking lot for his "Hog's Breath Inn" and the city planning department had told him to go right to hell.
He said, "Fuck you, I'll become mayor and then I'll do it."

And he did. Pure self interest, and to add insult to injury, he's a LOUSY fucking tipper.

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I do not pretend I know what I do not know.

Remember Hill's "solidarity" appearance with Flint's black people right before the Michigan primary? she was gonna do her utmost to (fill in the blanks) to help the poisoned children. Anything come of that? Last I heard, there's still been no help for them.

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detroitmechworks's picture

I think it's a standard clause in Hillary's appearance contract.

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I do not pretend I know what I do not know.

mimi's picture

if those miserable souls over there do that on purpose to get a lot of people so angry that they can't help themselves and go over there to vent and support, basically a trick to enhance the "heated debates" and get some clicks a la facon "restrict some basic freedom of speech rights to make us more appealing and get some money". What a shame.
Greenwald: “To Protect Hillary Clinton, Dems Wage War on Their Own Core Citizens United Argument”

No respect whatsoever anymore for that site's editors. Kudos to bobswern to not give a damn about it and laugh at them.

Hi, DMW, happy to hear you are more happy in Portland than everywhere else you were before. Looks you are getting to somewhere you always would have wished you would be? Onwards, then. Smile

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Cant Stop the Macedonian Signal's picture

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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

OLinda's picture

No Rate. It means you can't tip or hide rate comments any more. It is usually for a brief period, a few days, sometimes weeks, then you get it back.

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Cant Stop the Macedonian Signal's picture

That kind of thing.
Beats me why Bob sticks around there.

Thanks for the info.

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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

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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

OLinda's picture

Can still participate, comment, etc. Just can't rate comments.

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Cant Stop the Macedonian Signal's picture

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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

Alison Wunderland's picture

You know, for all of thems of us what can't go there without puking all over ourselves?

And would it be too much trouble, for thems what insist on bringing the orange puke over here, to add TOS or TOP or GOS to the essay titles so they can be skipped by thems of us what are already covered in puke?

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detroitmechworks's picture

The Caucus99Percent Acronym and Euphemism guide.

C99: You're reading it right now.
TOP: The place a lot of us came from. Also Known as GOS, TOS, GOP, and those fucking morons.
NR: You annoyed a Hillary supporter at TOP.
TO: You annoyed a Hillary supporting Staff Member at TOP.
BOJO: You annoyed His High Lordship, the Herald Of Hillary, Lord Of The Orange, KOS, The Great and Powerful.

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I do not pretend I know what I do not know.

riverlover's picture

That pretty much covers it. we could come up with a Good Guys cast of characters, and a major jerk list. Or not.

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Hey! my dear friends or soon-to-be's, JtC could use the donations to keep this site functioning for those of us who can still see the life preserver or flotsam in the water.

detroitmechworks's picture

Are originally from the PNW, so it's really almost like family coming home. Grandmother was from Washington, Moved to Walla Walla, and married my Grandfather, who moved to California for WW2, and never left.

Only member of the family who stayed in CA was my mom, and only because she owns a house that's worth over a half million now due to the real estate market in Monterey/Carmel being INSANE.

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I do not pretend I know what I do not know.

gulfgal98's picture

which happens to be sitting at the top of the rec list! Biggrin It is not flattering to either Hillary or her supporters.

http://www.dailykos.com/stories/2016/4/17/1516435/-Greenwald-To-Protect-...

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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

orlbucfan's picture

I had his diary already called up and T and R it. There are definitely more than Markos doing the banning/harrassing. They're pros, and it wouldn't surprise me that they are DLC. I wonder how much longer MB will put up with it, paid or unpaid? If the Bernster pulls off New York (I hope), it's going to be hard to go over there. I stick it out for LD and the BNR.

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Inner and Outer Space: the Final Frontiers.

lotlizard's picture

It goes against everything he stands for, too.

On the other hand, since the decline of paying independent press comic strip gigs (outside the mainstream press syndicates — Garfield — blecch), financially I suppose he’s kind of trapped.

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Folks need to put a warning on links to GOS. I've inadvertantly clicked on a few of these and have no desire to ever set a virtual foot in that dog-forsaken place again. Maybe a warning icon like a big orange frowny face, etc.?

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That's what NR should stand for.

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detroitmechworks's picture

First they demand that I write material for them which gets eyeballs, then when I do, they ban me.

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I do not pretend I know what I do not know.

lotlizard's picture

N.W.A versus TPTB at GOS — how long would that last?

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enhydra lutris's picture

out that I've had a bazillion wonderful, memorable experiences in CA, including several within the past 3 weeks, but à chacun son goût as some say. Glad you're happy up north.

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That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --

detroitmechworks's picture

May be just Monterey County... (Poor in a rich area is never much fun... Smile )

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I do not pretend I know what I do not know.

lotlizard's picture

Poor in a rich area is never much fun…

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Cant Stop the Macedonian Signal's picture

Now the polls won't open at 6 a.m., but 12 noon.
Who votes before 8 a.m.? Working people.
[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sa2il_zHFm8]

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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

detroitmechworks's picture

to go out and vote for the person who represents their best interest...

Of course you'd be completely right. Only if you read that as the "Senator's" best interest...

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I do not pretend I know what I do not know.

Citizen Of Earth's picture

Looks like the Bernster is gonna have another blow out crowd today in Prospect Park.

Starts at 3PM Eastern
LIVE Stream: Bernie Sanders Rally in Brooklyn’s Prospect Park, New York (4-17-16)
https://youtu.be/dAnMywF_EMo

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Donnie The #ShitHole Douchebag. Fake Friend to the Working Class. Real Asshole.

Citizen Of Earth's picture

Beats the stream. Bernie not on yet, but warmup speakers live now.

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Donnie The #ShitHole Douchebag. Fake Friend to the Working Class. Real Asshole.

OLinda's picture

so much. I used to watch all the rallies, but hadn't seen one in awhile. I liked how he is saying "This campaign is listening to Native Americans and.."
"This campaign is listening to women and..." etc. And, he called the people "brothers and sisters" twice. I always love that.

Wasn't sure for a minute if the crowd was going to let his car out of the rally area. Smile As I watched, I tried to imagine Hillary's vehicle being swarmed like that, and that kind of a crowd. Couldn't even imagine it.

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Citizen Of Earth's picture

And acknowledges everyone. So rare for a politician.

Hillary held a rally uptown somewhere with Charles Rangel. They said she was dancing. This I gotta see. Smile

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Donnie The #ShitHole Douchebag. Fake Friend to the Working Class. Real Asshole.

OLinda's picture

Found this on geebeebee's Twitter:

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Deja's picture

I saw a user name here that reminded me of a place I used to go years ago, and decided to see if it's still around. Unfortunately, it is, and there I found this: BernieComrade.jpg

Link to bullshit blip about trademark bullying:
http://boingboing.net/2016/04/17/sanders-campaign-accused-of.html

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detroitmechworks's picture

because the anointed One might be impacted. (Cuba's COOL now, IGNORE the propaganda of over fifty years! You wouldn't want to interfere with potential corporate profits...)

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I do not pretend I know what I do not know.

lotlizard's picture

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riverlover's picture

hasn't made a play for a casino or resort. Maybe Cuba told him to FO, non-payer of bills.

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Hey! my dear friends or soon-to-be's, JtC could use the donations to keep this site functioning for those of us who can still see the life preserver or flotsam in the water.

Deja's picture

Tip jar OT has been hidden (I know, shocker), and there was no commentary by the diarist, just this video. Comments, though. I'm doubting it's really Anonymous, unless they really support the hard to see written message that says "Zionist Banker Puppet Bitch". That doesn't sound like something they would say, but I could be totally wrong.

[video:https://youtu.be/OTMaIX_JPE4]

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Pluto's Republic's picture

…and drawing conclusions. They probably reviewed Clinton's ever increasng windfall in speaking fees as she moved toward the Presidency, and analyzed who paid what and who paid the biggest bucks of all. Anonymous did connect some dots in the video, like the State Department gun-running operation in Benghazi and the US arming of Sunni contractors/ISIS — which sheds geopolitical light on the Neocon motives behind the ongoing US assault on the Middle East. From there, Anonymous would have easily identified Hillary as a Neocon in the PNAC mold, which is pretty obvious when analyzing the data-patterns of her push for global empire through trade-agreement sabotage on behalf of multinational corporations tethered to the US.

From this perspective, Anonymous take on a bitter tone concerning the coordinated media spew of misinformation, and the suppression of contradictory news in order to manipulate the minds of, mostly older Americans. The vast majority of Americans willingly accept the burden of the nation's war debt and decaying infrastructure. They passively accept the punishing austerity that enslaves them as the representives they vote for lavishly fund the Neocon's mad quest for global supremacy — at the people's expense.

Anonymous, thus, begs the question: Who has paid Hillary the highest fees of all to come speak with them — an amount that exceeds what Goldman Sachs or anyone else on Wall Street can pay, and outstrips what any multinational corporation would have to pay?

The answer yields yet another dot for Anonymous to connect. As it turns out, three large Jewish "charities" pooled the money donated by people for Jewish needs and causes and placed it directly into the pockets of the Clintons. It came to $850,000 in all, presenting Hillary the most massive fee she has ever received for a little "talk." Yet no other religion or non-profit group has paid Hillary a dime for her time. Charity money generally flows in the opposite direction.

What are they buying? What is Hillary selling? No doubt Anonymous is perceiving the big picture by asking, "Cui bono?" The answer demoralizes Anonymous. Tellingly, they level a threat, rather than a demand. There is a sense of helplessness that comes with the abrupt ending of the video.

I believe Anonymous saw much more than they wanted to. They also saw their own limitations. Nothing can help a poorly informed people who will give up all they have for the promise of protection, from an ever-changing boogyman.

_____________
* Source.

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Populations don’t like wars. They have to be lied into it.
That means we can be “truthed” into peace. — Julian Assange
Deja's picture

Like I said, I could be totally wrong.

Thanks for the info/link.

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Martha Pearce-Smith's picture

The Leap Manifesto opens horizon for bold new politics in Canada

The media attacks are a sign: a New Democratic Party that takes on inequality and climate change can crack open the country’s political debate.

*snip*

From the headlines screaming outrage on the front pages of Canada’s newspapers, you’d think the New Democratic Party had shuttered their convention doors, armed themselves and made for Edmonton’s solitary hills.

“A hard left turn to nowhere,” blasted the National Post, after NDP members voted to debate the Leap Manifesto in local ridings. “How to Kill the NDP,” Maclean’s exclaimed. Captured by the “loony left,” added the Toronto Star.

Was it passionate concern speaking for the future of Canada’s social democratic party? Hardly. If the NDP’s membership had supported Thomas Mulcair instead of unseating him, if convention debates had proceeded spiritlessly instead of firing up over a bold roadmap, the media and political establishment would have quietly celebrated. Their hysteria is calculated to snuff out what they saw on display: sparks of rebirth in Canada’s political left.

_____

I am reminded of what Ghandi said.... "First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win."

______

edited to add:

Join the conversation

Join the public debate about the Leap Manifesto and Canada's energy future by forwarding this email to your friends,

  • writing a letter to your local paper,
  • sharing some of the articles linked below on social media,
  • or hosting an event in your community.

We've prepared a Q&A below to help you talk to your friends or local media about some of the big questions about The Leap Manifesto this week.

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First Nations News

snoopydawg's picture

And only have two weeks of good memories of your time there? I loved going there as often as I could afford it.
I lived in Modesto in the Central Valley and while I liked the area by where I lived, I didn't like the city.
Just down from my apartment was a golf course and below that was a huge area that I would walk at every day. Lots of hiking paths through oak, almond and other trees. Plus a river for my dogs to swim in.
I have a lot of pictures of that area on my website below.
But I would either go to the ocean, Bay Area or the Sierra every chance I got pulling my 15 foot trailer. I would find a fire road and pull off in a clearing and camp. Spent two weeks in Patrick's point state park in erureka. Photos from there on my site too.
I moved back to Utah because of my mom's health, but I'd kill to be able to move back to California.
Here's a clearing that the dogs and I camped at.
image_20.jpeg

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“When out of fear you twist the lesser evil into the lie that it is something good, you eventually rob people of the capacity to distinguish between good and evil.”
~ Hannah Arendt

Deja's picture

I mean, that's sorta what it sounded like. Jeeze, we went camping at a lake near Austin once and they wouldn't even let us burn wood that had fallen off the trees. Whole list of rules. Some made sense, others like the fallen wood did not. I just can't imagine pulling off the road and just setting up camp. Tents allowed certain places. Trailers allowed others. Every park I've ever been to in Texas has been that way. Never been camping out of state except church camp in mountains of northeastern NM. But, if it's possible, how very cool!

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A lot of places the national forests will allow you to camp along back roads. Varies by the amount of use, etc. That's the beauty of the west. Look at a forest service web site for "dispersed camping" (could be different names in different places). I imagine they've got some forest service (or BLM) land in Texas.

The new Organ Mountain NM in NM is really nice an peaceful. In White Sands you can carry your stuff in a 1/2 mile from the road and camp. That would be quiet and the stars would be fantastic.

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Deja's picture

After I posted I wondered if it had to do with being a national park.

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Bisbonian's picture

on National Forest land. Texas, on the other hand, is private property paradise...there is very little public land, and none of it free, as far as I know.

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"I’m a human being, first and foremost, and as such I’m for whoever and whatever benefits humanity as a whole.” —Malcolm X

Deja's picture

Lots and lots of rules. Ironic, huh? Maybe Ladybird made them set all the rules and the idiots in charge today are too busy regulating lady bits and suing the federal government to be bothered by easing some of them. But then, they like taking money from the little guys, and like you mentioned, it's not free.

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Martha Pearce-Smith's picture

Thom Hartmann says we are in the midst of a major political upheaval in the United States.

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First Nations News

sensetolisten's picture

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“I never did give them hell. I just told the truth, and they thought it was hell.”
― Harry Truman
Deja's picture

That could take years, and she gets no opportunity to sue for pain & suffering. Sucks.

Side note, that site made me repeatedly hit the back arrow to get here.

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Martha Pearce-Smith's picture

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Deja's picture

On my desktop I rt click the back arrow and choose the site I came from when sites pull that. But, I'm on my phone.

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mimi's picture

I thought Germany had recently a surge in islamophobie well inlfamed by right-wing AfD partyy, now it's anti-semitism again? ... heh, what do I know? ... I guess we have both, if Clinton says so.

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lotlizard's picture

The unarmed struggling to survive under occupation are the oppressor. See, that kid the settler just shot, that kid is Hitler.

As for the AfD, here’s my impression:

The party leadership are a motley crew that includes authoritarian twits, cryptofascists, and fools.

Still, there’s a strong pop culture trope that “German” somehow means inherently tainted and villainous.

If you’re German, you must let others vet your opinions and tell you what you’re allowed to think. Because history.

On the ground, I see a lot of ordinary families with kids who are finally reacting against the constant inculcation of guilt feelings — and manipulation by an elite that they see as answering to foreign allies and not to them — going on three or four generations now — persisting even 25 years after the fall of the Wall and the end of the Cold War.

Update: Maybe I’m an old lady who just doesn’t get the joke? Here’s popular and provocative columnist Deniz Yücel celebrating anti-German vitriol in “my” newspaper taz:
http://www.taz.de/Debatte-Israelkritik/%215036516/

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Check out this Addicting Info's reporting of a story from the New York Daily News, if you dare.
If this is true then I believe we have officially entered, the Twilight Zone.
Donald Trump's nude painting controversy.

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With their hearts they turned to each others heart for refuge
In troubled years that came before the deluge
*Jackson Browne, 1974, Before the Deluge https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7SX-HFcSIoU

NCTim's picture

What's shakin'?

0:50

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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 -

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