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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riverlover's picture

Its real fun to listen to the fusion and check out the instrument styles

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Bisbonian's picture

If anyone is ever in Phoenix, with a lot of time to kill, check out the Musical Instrument Museum on the north edge of town. They have all of these and Many More. It took me two days to take it all in...not just the instruments, but how they are made, and played, how they were developed, and fit into their culture. I build banjos, and other weird things, so it was extra fascinating.

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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

Bisbonian's picture

[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6EpZd9iEoWA&ebc=ANyPxKrOH2-uRuveVpuxZXfX...

I keep following them down the rabbit hole. Incredible music, thanks.

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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

detroitmechworks's picture

I'm always up for hearing new and interesting stuff... Music is always a joy.

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

Martha Pearce-Smith's picture

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First Nations News

Citizen Of Earth's picture

Morning C99ers.

Clooney is gonna be on NBC’s “Meet the Press” this morning. I don't generally watch MtP but I want to hear his excuse for being a Neo-liberal scumbag.

According to Robert Reich via facebook

Last night, George Clooney and his wife Amal hosted a fundraiser for Hillary Clinton in San Francisco -- charging couples $353,400 to sit at a table with Hillary and the Clooneys. (They’re throwing another high-dollar fundraising event tonight.)

In an interview with NBC’s “Meet the Press” taped for Sunday, Clooney was asked if he thought the price of admission to was an “obscene amount of money.” “Yes, I think it’s an obscene amount of money,” Clooney responded. “You know we had some protesters last night when we pulled up in San Francisco – and they’re right to protest, they’re absolutely right, it’s an obscene amount of money. The Sanders campaign, when they talk about it, is absolutely right, it’s ridiculous that we should have this kind of money in politics, I agree.”

I don’t mean to be harsh, but if George Clooney really thinks Bernie is right, and that charging couples $353,400 to have dinner with Hillary Clinton is “obscene,” why are George and his wife doing it?

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

riverlover's picture

That would be worth watching. Wink

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Citizen Of Earth's picture

for a Metal Of Freedom and 7 free day stay at the soon to be Clinton White House AirBnB.
Seriously, F__k Clooney and I'm boycotting his movies.
He's Neo-liberal now, twisted and evil. (just kidding, well half kidding)

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

riverlover's picture

Beyond Rosemary Clooney? If so, another KY FAIL. Thank dog for Jennifer Lawrence and Johnny Depp. Unless they went to the dark side(s).

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Citizen Of Earth's picture

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

Lady Libertine's picture

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riverlover's picture

born in Lexington, KY

Horse farms and racing, some bourbon and Smuckers. lol

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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

Citizen Of Earth's picture

was pretty lame. He said that most of the fund raiser $$$ are going to down ticket Dems, not just Hillary. And we need Dems to take back congress and get progressive SCOTUS judges appointed to overturn Citizens United.

I'm not buying it tho since IMO 95% of Dems are now Neo-liberal. And Hillary sure as hell is one.

Clooney does progressive things like working to stop the genocide in Darfur. But then why is he supporting Hillary. Strange days.

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

detroitmechworks's picture

like many in the bubble, that "This is the best we can do."

So many folks telling him why he can't do better, that he's started to believe it. Just like most Hillary voters.

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

yellopig's picture

...are the super delegates she's buying. That's how it's done: she swoops in, collects yuge $$$, they get a cut if they pledge for her.

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“We may not be able to change the system, but we can make the system irrelevant in our lives and in the lives of those around us.”—John Beckett

Citizen Of Earth's picture

Not many but Some of the neo-liberals anyway.

The event was attended by the likes of Ellen DeGeneres and wife Portia De Rossi, Jane Fonda, Anna Wintour and The Big Bang Theory star Jim Parsons.
http://www.eonline.com/uk/news/757512/george-clooney-amal-host-pricey-hi...

Even "Hanoi Jane". Say it ain't so.

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

snoopydawg's picture

How the hell she can support Hillary is mind boggling. Hillary is responsible for not only close to a million deaths or more. And if she had stood up and spoke out against the Iraq AUMF, maybe more democrats would have felt compelled to vote against it.
Another diary at TOP defending everything she has done, when they hated it when Bush was doing them.
Mind boggling.

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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

Haikukitty's picture

What a disappointment.

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Citizen Of Earth's picture

I always thought he was just playing a socially disabled character.

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

PastorAgnostic's picture

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PastorAgnostic's picture

TOS? AEIOU and sometimes Y said his Peace, and since evaporated. There have been a few others.

I am surprised that they haven't been more disruptive. . . As of yet. That is likely to change, though.

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riverlover's picture

and I think unwarranted. I am on his/her side, we chased whoever away. I have always gotten along fine with that handle. just sayin'.

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detroitmechworks's picture

and those that know me know that I tend to get snarky as my defense mechanism...

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

PastorAgnostic's picture

Of late, haven't seen hide nor hare, nor bunny wabbit of AEIOUY

I wonder if some of the criticisms made him/her think about their rather nasty actions and word at GOS. And that Berning one's bridges has a rather permanent impact on one's rep.

If they simply signed up here with a different name, I am sure we would be all be polite.

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Gerrit's picture

and your kids since moving to Oregon, mate.

It's going to be fun watching the Clinton fundraisers descend into chaos the rest of the way :=)

Have a great day,

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Resilience: practical action to improve things we can control.
3D+: developing language for postmodern spirituality.

Gerrit's picture

I just love this - w00t! Hey, if it was Canada, they could chuck $1 coins :=) I would love to see our youth do this to the Clintons everywhere. This is street art of the highest order.

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3D+: developing language for postmodern spirituality.

riverlover's picture

but I would not chuck em. Or throw. Wink

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Bisbonian's picture

Yes! Beautiful.

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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

Alison Wunderland's picture

the dollar bills on long rubber bands just to see them thrown out and snap back again.

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detroitmechworks's picture

to get her to scramble for it, ala Abbie Hoffman with the stockbrokers...

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

Gerrit's picture

the chant "Change your Vote" :=) Too funny. This is how we win.

BTW, I predict that all delegate conventions will produce more Bernie delegates than the percentage he got in the state election. American democracy is a funky thing.

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Resilience: practical action to improve things we can control.
3D+: developing language for postmodern spirituality.

Cant Stop the Macedonian Signal's picture

That's pretty intense.

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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

Hillbilly Dem's picture

Ignore them at your peril, oh great and powerful insiders. The French aristocracy never saw it coming either.

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"Just call me Hillbilly Dem(exit)."
-H/T to Wavey Davey

detroitmechworks's picture

I am sometimes very sad when I think of how the US will be presented in the future plays. (I am of the opinion we will have plays in the future. TV... not so sure there...)

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

OLinda's picture

and 99ers. So glad you and the kids are enjoying Oregon, detroitmechworks.

It's been snowing for a couple of days here west of Denver. It melted off nearly as fast as it fell yesterday. But, overnight and this morning more than a foot accumulated. It is still lightly coming down. I am lucky that I have someone dependable who comes over and shovels for me.

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OLinda's picture

I think it's more like a foot and a half. Glad I don't need to go anywhere.

Hope everyone is well and warm this morning.

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riverlover's picture

Now I feel a teeny guilt that it's warm and sunny here. But I know Denver area warms up and down fast. Spring is really here, you are getting more wet. Think water.

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detroitmechworks's picture

where I'm starting to get State pride. Smile

Even when John Oliver mocked Oregon, the best he could come up with was "We get it Oregon, you live in a fucking cartoon... You have beautiful Vistas, everybody walks everywhere, and everywhere you go you hear the sound of ukelalies."

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Shahryar's picture

except I'm tired of ukes and salt in the ice cream.

But New York...that's the place where they prefer their snow black rather than yellow.

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Lookout's picture

Anybody know what's up with LD? First time I've not seen the BNR already published at this time of morning. I hope all is well with him.

After the papal visit, and it being Sunday, I thought you might enjoy this painting casting out the money lenders. I got nothing against god(dess), but it's religion and the followers that get to me. Let's hope our socialist jew can cast out the money lenders too.

Jesus cleans the temple.jpg

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“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”

stevej's picture

LD has just posted BNR review

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“To learn who rules over you, simply find out who you are not allowed to criticize.” -Voltaire

Lookout's picture

I was worried he might be having health issues. I've come to depend on my morning read with LD. The only time and reason I visit TOP. Appreciate the heads up Steve!

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“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”

detroitmechworks's picture

Just still can't bring myself to go to TOP. Every day I think about it less and less, and it feels great.

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

Gerrit's picture

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Resilience: practical action to improve things we can control.
3D+: developing language for postmodern spirituality.

Pluto's Republic's picture

Ecuador.

But since the earth started to wobble in its orbit due to the melting glaciers (according to NASA this week), earthquakes are logical. Alaska could be next.

An observed directional change in the planet’s wobble can be attributed to mass redistributions that result from melting ice in Greenland and Antarctica.

It’s worth noting that it’s nothing new for the Earth’s poles to shift around a little bit. Humans have been keeping records of polar shifts since 1899 and, in that time, the North Pole has consistently moved in the direction of Canada. But over the last two decades the vector has changed. Now the pole is slowly creeping towards England.

“The recent shift from the 20th-century direction is very dramatic,” lead author Surendra Adhikari with NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab told Phys.org.

In order to account for this observed change, the study authors calculated climate-driven mass redistribution on the planet from 2003-2015, and how they would theoretically impact the polar wobble. And indeed, their reconstruction very closely predicted the change in direction of the polar wander.

I guess that's what they mean by the "tipping point." Wink

Portland is a great place to be, DMW. Good for you.

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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
Cant Stop the Macedonian Signal's picture

Part of me can't even believe that this shit is happening because some pathetic little asswipes felt that several billion dollars in personal wealth wasn't enough for them.

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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

Only it's not a Heroic Flaw. There needs to be a literary term for "A flaw that has always been acknowledged as evil, but is seen as an asset to the moron with it..." (Probably is I just can't think of it, but hypocrite doesn't quite fit...)

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

Cant Stop the Macedonian Signal's picture

If you find yourself constantly accosted by Cassandras https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cassandra
You might be in possession of an unacknowledged Pyrrhic Virtue.

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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

Don't know how he fit this in his schedule, but AP says Bernie will be on ABC's This Week, and CNN's State of the Union this morning.

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OLinda's picture

that Bernie won the Colorado Caucus and got 41 delegates to Hillary's 25. Also showed protesters at the delegate convention yelling "change your vote!" to Colorado's US Sen. Bennet who is a superdelegate for Hillary. They explained that Bennet would vote for Hillary "even though Sanders won the caucus." They interviewed Bennet and he said with a big smile "That's the rules. They would need to change the rules."

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against every single corporate D

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Super delegates are to bound to the primary/caucus results. That's the point if them, and the problem.

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Kali Durga's picture

He's a liar get looks like primary time. I don't get how Hillarians are defending this chit, but there it is they defend lying liars.

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How Bill Clinton allowed AIDS to devastate AA Communities http://prorev.com/blood.htm While Hillary Clinton stood by her man.

Cant Stop the Macedonian Signal's picture

We can change the rules too, you see. It's not just Party bigwigs who can change rules.

How about we change the rules of how campaigns work in this country.
How about we change the rules of how political parties control our politics.

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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

our political class completely.

We start with a Jubilee, and go from there.

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

Alison Wunderland's picture

from my ancient .sig mine.

If the government shuts down, can all the Sinators[sic] and Congresspeople go home? We could start over with a new batch. Just pull them off the street. Sentence them to 2 and 6 years.

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Gerrit's picture

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Resilience: practical action to improve things we can control.
3D+: developing language for postmodern spirituality.

Haikukitty's picture

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https://www.quantcast.com/dailykos.com#/trafficCard

Oh, and they've gone from #150 in the US, site-wise, to #236 since kos' edict.

Most important primary of the race, and they are hitting rock bottom. Hard to believe people aren't flocking there to see Hillary astro-turfers write "why I switched to Hillary" diaries, Laurence Lewis' brilliant political mind, and the merry band of meta-losers (Trix, chicago minx, et al).

Here's hoping the bottom keeps getting lower! Hope all here are well! Go Bernie!

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OLinda's picture

I've been enjoying reading your Twitter page. Smile

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Ha!

Hope you're keeping warm out there. I'm just the next state east, and it's supposed to be 76 today. Crazy weather.

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I checked it yesterday to respond to a comment & saw that the scale had changed.
Remember how Kos justified dk5 with "we need it for all the election traffic". Turns out he could have saved the money.

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Made the mistake of going there this morning. My visits have dropped by 90% It's ok reading some of the diaries (I don't delve into anything obviously Hill rox/Bernie sux but I will read diaries that seem honest and factual regardless of who they favor). Reading the comments is like stepping in dog shit, slipping and falling, and ending up with dog shit on your hands, your clothes, everywhere.

I couldn't believe the response to the transcript of Bernie's speech to the Vatican. Apparently, the fact that Bernie received the invitation while the primary is going on means accepting the invite was purely a form of campaigning. Apparently the fact that Bernie's issues tie in so nicely with Pope Francis' is purely a form of campaigning. Jesus Wept!

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Citizen Of Earth's picture

I worked at large US Tech in their Web development org. Companies are obsessed with their site traffic stats. And in Kos's case it directly relates to eyeballs on Ads. Less eyeballs, less Ad $$$.
Too bad, so sad for Markos the Tyrant. Biggrin

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

detroitmechworks's picture

[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bikl9-OPPmA]

Apologies for the Disney Parody, but I care so little for his fee-fees right now...

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

Lookout's picture

Oh and Tom P, are the only reason I go to TOP. LD was recommending the BNR website bernienewsroundup.com featuring a new writer from Iowa, Linda Thieman. She is co-founder and original editor of the progressive blog, Blog for Iowa. (http://www.blogforiowa.com) born out of the Dean for America presidential campaign in 2004.

LD ask us to visit the website and show her and DemeterRising support for all they do.

Also.. you too can sign up and post/comment/contribute at the BNR website. If/When you have issues registerting (its wordpress.. it happens).. send me a message or an email and I’ll get you setup!

Maybe we can avoid TOP altogether. I sure don't want to click and add revenue to the DailyLost.

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“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”

We should all give it a look. I've been trying to avoid it as much as possible. If updated, that would be great news!

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Hillbilly Dem's picture

I go over to TOP to lead and rec'd LD, OPOL, Tom P, bobswern, Bob Johnson, Sublr. And some others. The cognitive dissonance of the Hillary supporters over there drives me batty. It's so frustrating. All with the support, encouragement and imprimatur of the multi-millionaire site owner.

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"Just call me Hillbilly Dem(exit)."
-H/T to Wavey Davey

Lookout's picture

I can't take the comments at TOP. When you read a rational piece by someone, the pie fights in the comments sounds like middle school....and I taught 8th grade for decades...I know. When you censor open conversation, by definition it isn't open any more. They are the DailyLost in my book.

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“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”

detroitmechworks's picture

You get. It's the worst kind of popularity contest that doesn't rely on anything more than "I support this guy because he's on MY side..."

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

PastorAgnostic's picture

Ok, not really.

You reap what you sow. Hopefully. He seeded a small, small minded, pro-hillarian group of mental midgets to clear the place of static and dissonance ( in his mind) and he suckceded.

Not at all, actually. In fact, my town sent its engineer over to see about installing one of my statues in one of the town's entry areas. Heh. Aha. HO Ho ho! It is a good day.

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Aardvark's picture

My apologies for replying to the whole diary.

I have scrolled back through the chart for several months. It seems that the last time so few unique visitors were at the site was right after Dec 25th, 2015, which is not surprising, as the traffic was picking up after Christmas. From my interpretation of the data since Dec 25th, 2015, the last time there was a similar decline in a similar range at the site was late January, 2016. The traffic recovered as the primary season started.

I have only very cursorily skimmed the data for visitors and views, but the graphs track with unique visitors, for the most part.

This is not to say that many have stopped permanently visiting the site, but I am not certain that traffic will continue to decline, or even not bounce back. Irregardless of my ignorance, the owner knew this was going to happen. I am certain that Secretary Clinton and/or her campaign has remunerated him well for any loss of activity he may have incurred.

Of course, things could get difficult if one were to organize a boycott of everyone who advertises on the site. It has been awhile, I cannot recall whether there is such commercial advertising there or not.

Peace and love be with you, reader.

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Picking sides is a risky move, and a dumb one when one doesn't have to!

As far as I know, they just do Google ads, but I am not an expert on such things, either.

I have been mostly staying away, but I did give it a sample look yesterday. Found a typical pro-Bernie diary and viewed the recommenders. I believe I saw a total of three names I recognized. I think there has been some significant loss on the Bernie side.

The other issue is that "Berniecrats" going forward may be a force, and kos has written them off, forever, essentially. For his sake, I hope Hillary's compensation was significant.

Take care!

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Aardvark's picture

your reply and the information which you provided.

Thank you.

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michelewln's picture

I have an MP3 player with an eclectic choice in music. When I'm upset and can't sleep I'll put the music on and soon will fall asleep. The most soothing music comes from Josh Groban, John Barrowman, and the 10th Anniversary version of Les Miserables.

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A dreamer is one who can only find his way by moonlight, and his punishment is that he sees the dawn before the rest of the world. Oscar Wilde

Deja's picture

I stay awake to see what song is next. However, I wake up with a tune in my head, every single day - and my alarm is a buzzer, not music.

Reading fiction is my sleeping pill. This place (like TOP used to be) has the same effect as music - staying awake to see what's next.

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gulfgal98's picture

It is really great to hear that you and your children are doing so well in Portland, DMW!

Yesterday was my first Peace vigil of the year here. It ended up being only two of us but we had a really good vigil and talked to a number of people. Our most interesting conversation was with two sixteen year old skate boarder boys. I was really impressed with them. A lot of kids these days really get it, even sixteen year old skateboarding boys! Biggrin

Beautiful day here. I hope everyone else will have a beautiful day too.

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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

detroitmechworks's picture

since it's really what makes the most difference for me in whether I do well in a place. (Plus I've got an AWESOME social worker, but that's only once a month...)

Glad to hear that kids get that war is insane despite relentless propaganda. I bet they had good parents. Smile

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

riverlover's picture

it is best to talk to neighbors when you have kids. Open communication may avoid kerfuffles, and there may be neighbors who are willing to be symbolic guardians. Win-win. Plus, neighbors are neighbors, good and bad, helps to know the bads, again to protect your children. And some will be interesting.

I drove home after canvassing for you-know-who today and the goddamn fire department was up the hill one driveway. My friends. Apparently he was doing spring burning, unaware (like me) that there is a statewide burning ban until May. Grass fire and a shed casualty, from a friendly Dryden FD man.

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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.

Gerrit's picture

vigil? Where could I get some info and advice?

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Resilience: practical action to improve things we can control.
3D+: developing language for postmodern spirituality.

gulfgal98's picture

because it was going for nine years when I discovered it. The main man, Don, is 86 and he got some friends together to start it back when we invaded Iraq. There were 35 people in the beginning and now there are just three of us left. Most left when Obama was elected because they believed he would end the wars. As long as Don remains in good health, we will probably continue. Two years ago, our oldest member who was 92 had to retire due to his health. Bill, the other guy still with us is 81, but his health has not been good lately. But I have told Don that I intend to participate as long as he can do so.

Here's a link to a blog about it. I was participating at that time, but apparently was not there on the weekend the writer came. Don is the guy in the vest. The small man with the sign that reads Peace is Life was 90 years old at the time in this picture. The man with the checked shirt and the dog is Bill, our other Peace vigil regular still left. His dog was Buddy, who disappeared one morning from Bill's yard. We think a coyote got Buddy, but Buddy was awesome.

We still have the banner that reads No Blood For Oil.

We try to meet every Sat. from noon to one pm in front of the local county courthouse. Brevard has a lively downtown and many people come on the weekends to shop the small stores there so we have a lot of foot traffic. Nearly every week, someone will stop and talk to us. We try to be very friendly and engage them with small talk. It is amazing to me how many people of all political stripes actually agree with us. For me personally, it is all about the conversations.

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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

Gerrit's picture

to picture what it looks like for me to work with.

  • Banners - check, a house full of artistic people.
  • Dog - check: one golden retriever ready to go.
  • Venue - hhmm: maybe our neighbour town where the Legion hall is located. Or the Saturday farmers market in our village.
  • Participants - hhmm: moi, Lovie, said dog, some Legion members perhaps? local schoolkids perhaps, who need 40 hours volunteer time to graduate high school...
  • The ability to stand for hours - yikes: my back is, um, in technical terms, f*cked. A deck chair to rest it...
  • Some music perhaps - hhmm, aforementioned artistic people...

Thanks, gg, for giving me something to work with. I donate to some peace groups. I'll also knock there for more inspiration. TY also for bringing us the news of your peace vigils. You've given me a way to work on something dear to my rusted heart.

"Peace Is the way," A.J. Muste

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Resilience: practical action to improve things we can control.
3D+: developing language for postmodern spirituality.

gulfgal98's picture

A friendly dog is always good. Also as an ice breaker, we just say hello to people passing by. If there is something unusual about them, like a baby, a dog, or even a nice jacket or sweater, we compliment them. The idea is to BE non-threatenning and friendly. Then people warm up. We let them begin the conversation about Peace. The entire idea is to HAVE a conversation. We have had some really great ones in my four plus years of doing this. But we do not want to intimidate them or shame them.

I have found that making moral judgements is not the best way. I use the cost of these wars and how much we could be doing here at home is a good way to reach even the most conservative people. You will have to tailor that to your audience. But people do not want to be preached to, so try to have a conversation instead.

Good luck, my friend. Smile To me, it is all about one on one and if I reach only one person, then I am good with it. 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

might have ties to the Flint water poisoning: http://theantimedia.org/hillary-clinton-flint-water-crisis/

Apparently a spokesperson for the company being sued for poisoning Flint's water is also executive director of a consulting/media company which has given 50K to the Clinton Global Foundation, and gives free PR to the Clinton campaign.

So he's a spokesperson for those who poisoned the water, and a consultant/PR guy to Hillary 2016.

Hmmmph.

Is there enough evidence to assert that Hillary IS definitively linked to Flint's water problems? Not enough to be conclusive yet, I'd say, but definitely worthy of further investigation.

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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

If you can link it to Hillary in 2 jumps or less, she's got SOMETHING to do with it.

(Six degrees of Kevin Bacon is Fun, but it really just shows that Hollywood isn't that different from the general population. Politics, however...)

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

Cant Stop the Macedonian Signal's picture

LOL!

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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

(ANTIMEDIA) Adding to a mounting list of scandals under the family’s belt, the Clintons have now been tied to the Flint water crisis. As the Daily Caller reports, a top executive of the same agency facing multiple lawsuits for its role in poisoning the children of Flint also has ties to Hillary Clinton’s campaign and provides free PR for the Clinton Global Initiative.

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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

hecate's picture

the invasion of the white people, Portland was home to the Multnomah people. They no longer exist.

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detroitmechworks's picture

The Ohlone were practically wiped out by the missions there.

I can't change what happened, but I can acknowledge it and try to personally do a hell of a lot better.

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

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