Open Thread Saturday 06-06-15

Submitted by JtC on Sat, 06/06/2015 - 8:02am

Good morning 99percenters!
Morning news dump and music by Hot Tuna.

As Crucial Vote Nears, How Many Dems Will Stand Against Destructive TPP?
As progressive opposition to Fast Track intensifies, Leader Pelosi is conspicuously absent from the fight,' says CREDO Action

With proponents expressing increasing confidence that they have the bipartisan support to pass Fast Track in the House—and Republicans pushing to hold a vote as early as next week and certainly by the end of the month—progressive groups are dialing up the pressure on key lawmakers whose influence they see as critical in the fight over corporate-friendly trade deals.

In particular, groups including the Electronic Frontier Foundation, CREDO Action, and Democracy for America are targeting House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), who thus far has declined to say how she'll vote on Fast Track, or trade promotion authority.

Passed by the Senate last month, the Fast Track bill would grant Congress an up-or-down vote on Obama's trade deals, but prohibit amendments or a filibuster in the Senate. The authority is seen as a necessary step in the president's bid to finalize the highly secretive Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), which continues to amass foes on many fronts.

While progressives in the House, such as Keith Ellison (D-Mich.), Raúl Grijalva (D-Ariz.), and Donna Edwards (D-Md.), have been outspoken in their opposition to Fast Track and the so-called "free trade" deals it is meant to promote, the mainstream Democratic apparatus—while not supporting Fast Track outright—has been more accommodating to the White House, providing what groups call "extraordinary access to the Democratic House Caucus to make its case."

Land of the Unfree – Police and Prosecutors Fight Aggressively to Retain Barbaric Right of “Civil Asset Forfeiture”

Efforts to limit seizures of money, homes and other property from people who may never be convicted of a crime are stalling out amid a wave of pressure from prosecutors and police.

Their effort, at least at the state level, appears to be working. At least a dozen states considered bills restricting or even abolishing forfeiture that isn’t accompanied by a conviction or gives law enforcement less control over forfeited proceeds. But most measures failed to pass.

– From the Wall Street Journal article: Efforts to Curb Asset Seizures by Law Enforcement Hit Headwinds

The fact that civil asset forfeiture continues to exist across the American landscape despite outrage and considerable media attention, is as good an example as any as to how far fallen and uncivilized our so-called “society” has become. It also proves the point demonstrated in a Princeton University study that the U.S. is not a democracy, and the desires of the people have no impact on how the country is governed.

U.N. Special Rapporteur Calls Upon States to Protect Encryption and Anonymity Online

Last Thursday, David Kaye, the U.N's newest free speech watchdog, released a groundbreaking report calling upon states to promote strong encryption and anonymity. Kaye assumed the role of Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression in August 2014, and this, his first report, will be presented at the 29th regular session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva mid-June.

His analysis comes at a key moment. The ability to communicate anonymously and to use encryption is more important than ever and the Rapporteur rightly notes that privacy is a gateway for freedom of opinion and expression, saying:

“Encryption and anonymity, today’s leading vehicles for online security, provide individuals with a means to protect their privacy, empowering them to browse, read, develop and share opinions and information without interference and enabling journalists, civil society organizations, members of ethnic or religious groups, those persecuted because of their sexual orientation or gender identity, activists, scholars, artist and others to exercise the rights to freedom of expression and opinion.”

We strongly agree.

Moreover, these critical tools are increasingly under attack by states around the world, with little understanding of the human rights consequences. We’ve learned from Edward Snowden about the NSA’s long-standing systematic effort to sabotage the encryption used by individuals and businesses around the world. At the same time, several governments are seeking new powers (or threatening) to force companies to provide government access to encrypted communications in their products or services (United Kingdom, United States).

5 Medicinal Herbs You Can Grow in Your Backyard

These herbs aren't just for cooking — here's how you can use them to treat ailments from asthma to anxiety.

At its core, most of medicine is still herbology, according to Dr. Jenn Dazey, naturopathic physician at Bastyr University's Department of Botanical Medicine. And growing your own medicinal garden is easier than it might seem. In fact, you might already have one. Many common culinary herbs have a long history as traditional medicines.

List is here.

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Hot Tuna - Hesitation Blues

Hot Tuna - True Religion

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Submitted by JtC on Sat, 06/06/2015 - 8:03am

Morning folks...

Off to the DMV, be back soon I hope, wish me luck!

Submitted by Big Al on Sat, 06/06/2015 - 8:42am

Morning. Riffing off the article above,

The U.S. is not a democracy, the U.S. is not a democracy, the U.S. is not a democracy.

I wonder if that narrative can catch on. We've certainly seen it more in recent years, since Bush and especially since
that Princeton study.

Maybe that's the ticket. It kind of goes along with the idea of an election boycott, which I know is not supported on this
blog but I'm not pushing it here, just discussing. What a boycott does is highlight the problems whoever is boycotting has with who or what they're
boycotting for the purpose of causing changes. The boycott of an election would obviously be to protest the fact that we
don't live in a democracy and to seek changes to an undemocratic system.

Either way, boycott or not, expanding the narrative that we don't live in a democracy might be useful. I'll go out on a limb
and state that it's probably more useful than electing more politicians from the democratic and republican political parties.

"The Trilateral Commission stated that "The effective operation of a democratic political system usually requires some measure of apathy and noninvolvement on the part of some individuals and groups." "...secrecy and deception...are...inescapable attributes of...government." as it tried to "solve" the "crisis" caused by an "excess of democracy" in the 1960s."

Submitted by Big Al on Sat, 06/06/2015 - 8:46am

Check it out.

"The Crisis of Democracy: On the Governability of Democracies was a 1975 report written by Michel Crozier, Samuel P. Huntington, and Joji Watanuki for the Trilateral Commission. In the same year, it was republished as a book by the New York University Press (ISBN 978-0814713655).

The report observed the political state of the United States, Europe and Japan and says that in the United States the problems of governance "stem from an excess of democracy" and thus advocates "to restore the prestige and authority of central government institutions.".[1] The report serves as an important point of reference for studies focusing on the contemporary crisis of democracies.

"The report says the problems of the United States in the 1960s was the "impulse of democracy is to make government less powerful and more active, to increase its functions, and to decrease its authority" and concludes these demands are contradictory. The impulse for the undermining of legitimacy was said to be done by new activism, an adversarial news media while the increase in government was said to be due to the Cold War defense budget and Great Society programs. Thus what is said to be needed is a "balance is to be restored between governmental activity and governmental authority". The effects of this "excess of democracy" if not fixed are said to be an inability to maintain international trade, balanced budgets and "hegemonic power" in the world."

Submitted by Big Al on Sat, 06/06/2015 - 8:52am

Forty years man.

"The TLC was just one of a growing number of institutions — forums, think-tanks, academic clusters, major media outlets — focussed on the same theme: that expectations of what government could provide had risen to a level that was now threatening the proper functioning of capitalist democracies. In Canada the most prominent and aggressive of these would be the Fraser Institute (FI), headed up Michael Walker (retired).

Walker told a group of worried corporate CEOs from B.C. that “if you want to change society you have to change the ideological fabric of society.” In short, you had to launch a culture war against the activist state. It would be a war against democratic “excess.”

http://www.counterpunch.org/2015/02/02/downsize-democracy-for-40-years-a...

Submitted by joe shikspack on Sat, 06/06/2015 - 11:01am

democracy has been despised by elites since the us' founding...

that's why the us is a republic - not a democracy. the elites that wrote the constitution feared the people and wrote democracy which they described as evil out of the constitution.

"The evils we experience flow from the excess of democracy. The people do not want virtue, but are the dupes of pretended patriots. In Massts. it had been fully confirmed by experience that they are daily misled into the most baneful measures and opinions by the false reports circulated by designing men, and which no one on the spot can refute. One principal evil arises from the want of due provision for those employed in the administration of Governmt. It would seem to be a maxim of democracy to starve the public servants. He mentioned the popular clamour in Massts. for the reduction of salaries and the attack made on that of the Govr. though secured by the spirit of the Constitution itself. He had he said been too republican heretofore: he was still however republican, but had been taught by experience the danger of the levilling spirit."

-- Elbridge Gerry

"The general object was to produce a cure for the evils under which the United States labored; that in tracing these evils to their origins, every man had found it in the turbulence and follies of democracy."

-- Edmund Randolph

“I do not say that democracy has been more pernicious on the whole, and in the long run, than monarchy or aristocracy. Democracy has never been and never can be so durable as aristocracy or monarchy; but while it lasts, it is more bloody than either. … Remember, democracy never lasts long. It soon wastes, exhausts, and murders itself. There never was a democracy yet that did not commit suicide.”

-- John Adams

Submitted by Big Al on Sat, 06/06/2015 - 11:16am

I've had discussions with my brother who is kind of a

libertarian, former NRA type but quit because of their bullshit, believes in small government, and is a Constitution guy.
"They're not following the Constitution, if they'd just follow the Constitution". I talk about democracy and he says that,
but it's not a democracy it's a republic. Well, whatever it is, it sucks.

The way I look at it is somebody has to make decisions. We can have one supreme dude or dudess do it like a King or
Queen. We can have a group of people do it like an oligarchy. Or we can share in the deal. Like I told my brother, I'm tired
of other people making all these fucking decisions for me, rigging all the systems, taking all the money, and using Mafia tactics
to run the country. Democracy may not be perfect, but it's better than having a bunch
of rich bastards or one really rich bastard tell us what we can and can't do.

What we need is the conversation. However it turns out.

Submitted by mimi on Sat, 06/06/2015 - 11:52am

I just read the intro to Chris Hedges book

"Wages of Rebellion - The Moral Imperative of Revolt" and in there he quotes what Sheldon Wolin quotes from "Democracy Inc." as being the meaning of "inverted totalitarianism".

Inverted totalitarianism, which does not find its expression through a demagogue or charismatic leader, represents "the political coming of age of corporate power and the political demobilization of the citizenry" he (Wolin) writes. It's a dispersed, faceless power - "the rule of Nobody" as Hannah Arendt wrote - that is expressed in the blank, terrifying anonymity of the corporate state.
Unlike classical totalitarian movements, the corporate forces behind inverted totalitarianism do not boast of replacing decaying structures with a new, revolutionary structure. They purport to honor electoral politics, freedom of speech, the right to assembly, and the Constitution. But they so corrupt and manipulate the levers of power internally that democracy is extinguished. The Constitution remains in place but has been so radically reinterpreted by the courts and by the executive and legislative branches of government, all serving corporate power, as to be essentially nullified. Inverted totalitarianism, Wolin writes, is not "expressly conceptualized as an ideology or objectified in public policy. Typically it is furthered by power holders and citizens, who often seem unaware of the deeper consequences of their actions or inactions."
But inverted totalitarianism is as dangerous as classical forms of totalitarianism. Corporate totalitarianism, for me, is interchangeable with inverted totalitarianism, as Wolin uses that term throughout his book.

That helped me a bit to get a grasp of what is going on in our society. It's hard to conceptualize, as Hedge says, I think that's why you and your brother have such a hard time to put the finger on the head of the nail, like all of us. I found it funny to read the expression "Rule of Nobody". It reminded me of Joe Shikspacks diary to "vote for Nobody".

Submitted by LapsedLawyer on Sun, 06/07/2015 - 4:15am

Or, as Bertram Gross named it....

Friendly Fascism.

Though, of late, with the brutal suppression of Occupy and the open season on unarmed black men by the cops, it doesn't look too friendly much.

—

"Our society is run by insane people for insane objectives. I think we're being run by maniacs for maniacal ends and I think I'm liable to be put away as insane for expressing that. That's what's insane about it."
-- John Lennon

Submitted by mimi on Sun, 06/07/2015 - 9:57am

thanks for the link

so much to read and learn ...

Submitted by gulfgal98 on Sat, 06/06/2015 - 9:32am

Al, you are starting to scare me

Because I am beginning to think you are right about a boycott. I still have a problem with not voting, just to be not voting. But I do not have a problem with an organized and publicized boycott. If I do not show up to vote, I do not want it to be thought as apathy. I want it to be known that it is a statement. Am I making sense?

As for Pelosi, I had read somewhere that she is really whipping the caucus to vote in favor of the fast track. The fact that she hasnot publicly committed means nothing. She is for it.

—

Do I hear the sound of guillotines being constructed?

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

Submitted by Big Al on Sat, 06/06/2015 - 10:23am

Sorry bout that gulfgal.

But you're right, if it was to be done it would have to be organized and made known why it was being done and what
was wanted from it. Just not showing up to vote isn't good enough as we've seen. We'll see how it shakes out.
I think we need to show the world that there are a lot of Americans who know their country is a fake. Tear down the wall
so to speak and force a discussion.

As for Pelosi, ya no surprise. Most at the top are either supportive or keeping their mouths shut which shows that
it's a done deal. They started this process over ten years ago under Bush so it's not just an Obama thing and it's
completely bipartisan. It's another thing that comes from the shadow government to be implemented by their lackeys.

Submitted by gulfgal98 on Sat, 06/06/2015 - 10:42am

Well then,

we are on the same page. The next question, has anyone begun to organize a boycott?

—

Do I hear the sound of guillotines being constructed?

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

Submitted by Big Al on Sat, 06/06/2015 - 10:52am

There seems to be only a few small efforts on

Facebook that I can find. Same thing back before the 2014 and 2012 elections. I'm tempting to start it myself.

Don't know if you've seen what's happening in Mexico with their elections. Certain segments are boycotting the
elections in Mexico now. Search for "mexico election boycotts" and there's plenty of info.
The people are ripe. They can't stop us.

https://www.stratfor.com/analysis/teachers-threaten-elections-mexico

Submitted by OLinda on Sat, 06/06/2015 - 1:50pm

election boycott

gulfgal, this came up previously, and I had the same thought about needing to make it known. I suggested picketing polling places, but added that we would probably be arrested for subverting democracy, or being terrorist sympathizers or something. Bashed about the head and sent to Gitmo.

I'm not even sure I was joking. You can see that watching what has been done to other peaceful protesters does have a chilling effect. I am sure that is part of the reason the state actors react so violently. As examples to others.

If there were a small amount of people participating, it could be ignored. But, if it became an actual movement and had hundreds participating in many cities (each) at polling places across the country, there would be a forceful crack down, injuries, and arrests. Then again, changing this system is not going to be for the weak at heart.

Submitted by LapsedLawyer on Sun, 06/07/2015 - 5:03am

As for Pelosi....

Here's where you can read about her hypocrisy on this. On the other hand there's this story from Politico.

And given Politico's a source for both stories, my money's on DWT's accuracy.

As for her being "for" TPA (Trade Promotion Authority, aka Fast Track) and TPP, I personally don't think she's for it, but she is for not "embarrassing" Obama, which is an even sadder commentary on the "principles" of the Democratic leadership.

It's what I mean by "winning on your knees."

—

Submitted by joe shikspack on Sat, 06/06/2015 - 10:33am

i'm working on spreading the term, "demockery,"

in reference to the united states. it states concisely everything i want to say about our political system.

Submitted by gulfgal98 on Sat, 06/06/2015 - 10:38am

I love it!

—

Do I hear the sound of guillotines being constructed?

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

Submitted by Big Al on Sat, 06/06/2015 - 10:55am

Here's the motto for a boycott

fuck this shit.gif

Submitted by JtC on Sat, 06/06/2015 - 10:50am

I'm back...

from the DMV, I was only there about an hour, miracles do happen.

Submitted by Big Al on Sat, 06/06/2015 - 10:53am

That is a miracle.

Ride it.

Submitted by JtC on Sat, 06/06/2015 - 11:03am

It's in a...

small town, that's why it only took an hour. Took an hour to drive there and back though.

Submitted by Big Al on Sat, 06/06/2015 - 11:17am

Ya, if you tried that on a mid Saturday morning

here you wouldn't have had such luck.
But then again, only takes five minutes to drive there for me.

Submitted by hecate on Sat, 06/06/2015 - 9:59pm

my

DMV is small-town too. Not only can I ease in and out of the place—always well under an hour—but the people working there are both competent and friendly, feeling themselves part of the community, and will actually help people.

Submitted by JtC on Sat, 06/06/2015 - 10:18pm

Ayup...

When I go to town with even only a few thousand people living there, the traffic drives me crazy. I'm country spoiled.

Submitted by hecate on Sat, 06/06/2015 - 11:08pm

cities

are done. It's just a matter of waiting for time to catch up. Cities are a momentary aberration, like "money," and "jobs." Humans have been around for some 200,000 years, and this ludicrous city/money/jobs nonsense showed up only about 9,000 years or so ago. It is so over.

Before white people arrived, the various islands of "New York" supported but 15,000 Lanape people: that's the natural balance: the excess eight million or so humans currently mindlessly milling about the place, they are unnatural. Around the globe there, in Beijing, even the mayor has pronounced his septic burg "not livable." And so it is. Everywhere. Where there is a city.

Cities are wrong, and they are all going to go. Their needed and inevitable demise can be seen even in this little country ditty you and I are composing here on the DMV. ; ) Because, for people in cities, dealing with the DMV is like contending with an unsympathetic and even brutal occupying force. Which it is. But, for such as you and I, it's pretty much just another stroll through the community.

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

Submitted by JtC on Sat, 06/06/2015 - 11:31pm

Thanks...

loved that video, perfect audio/visual, to a viewer from far above it would appear as ants in an ant farm, of course it is.

Submitted by hecate on Sun, 06/07/2015 - 12:42am

as

a further musical appendix to this, it could also be noted that—and as a-Documented-by-Neil-Young-natural-Fact—country girls, they are pretty. ; )

[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yM_VjauhBm4]

Submitted by mimi on Sat, 06/06/2015 - 11:17am

Good Morning, I just need to share something with you

Germans find funny. When I read about if, I had to smile too, because it's just soooo German-ish to say something like ithat, pretty much unintentionally and spontaneous. As you may know or not, I really am not a fan of facebook and I have my difficulties to really like Mr. Zuckerberg. I don't know why Zuckerberg, Rand Paul and Lindsey Graham look to me as if they have something in common, but ... ok, I am a weirdo sometimes. I had my inner struggles. Facebook is a thing that has its practical usage, for many it's the only way to connect with extended family and such, but then sometimes you don't want to be too connectable...

Anyhow, our German Chancellor Angela Merkel had apparently something like a townhall meeting at a "German Church Day" (I think that is the Day of the Protestant Church - basically the Church is losing lots of members, but that just at a side note). Somehow someone asked her something about Facebook.
Her answer was unintentionally funny and very typical of her German style of being down to earth, imo.
She said:

And that there is facebook, well, I have a facebook page as leader of the party, but, phew and that it is facebook that might be cool for many, but that facebook will not make the whole life happy, it's nice to have facebook like to have a car or a real good washing machine, but you should not believe out of the pure existence of facebook one has automatically a lot of friends....

Facebook like a real good washing machine, (yeah) it doesn't get more German than that. I love my German washing machine (it's a Miele and I wouldn't exchange it for any other .... well Germanisher I can't say it) . So, Angela, though in the wrong party, has nailed it here for me. I often asked myself what I would least give up, if I had not enough electrical energy to run my whole household with solar, and definitely, I would never, ever give up a washing machine, especially not "a real good washing machine". It's good to have to get your stuff "really clean" and it's convenient, but then it's not like my washing machine offers me a lot of friends...

Sigh, Germans have a weird way of finding something funny ...but that made me smile, that sentence of her. So, Mr. Zuckerberg should just know, even though it's convenient to have facebook, in the end it's just like a real good washing machine and nothing more. I try to be less silly in my next comment, promised.

Ok, have a good weekend all.

Submitted by gjohnsit on Sat, 06/06/2015 - 12:02pm

Jaw-dropping shameless self-delusion

An Architect of the Iraq War

The announcement that Tony Blair is to join the European council on tolerance and reconciliation as chairman seems like an open invitation for satire and ridicule – “After having reconciled Iraqis, Israelis and Palestinians, Blair will now bring peace to Europe” and so on.
There is, indeed, much about Blair’s post-prime ministerial career that is jaw-dropping in its shameless self-delusion: he believes he can bring people together in peace even though a vast swath of the world despises him; just as he believes he can work to facilitate the spread of democracy even as he works as a shill to dictators.

Submitted by Big Al on Sat, 06/06/2015 - 12:23pm

At least. Wow. It's hard to even understand

these people anymore. Maybe they really are lizard people.
What's happens when you get past jaw dropping? Is it like pass out dead or something like that?

Submitted by gulfgal98 on Sat, 06/06/2015 - 1:13pm

Peace vigil today

I just got back from the Peace vigil about a half hour ago. I really need to remember to put some sun screen on next time. Right now, yours truly is a little pink around the edges.

We are entering the height of our first tourist season, so we had a lot of traffic in the downtown. A lot of people come to this small town as a day trip because we still have a real downtown with thriving local businesses. The longer I do these weekly vigils, the more I realize that the majority of people are simply sick of all these wars, but feel helpless about trying to change the course of our government's war mongering.

We did get a chance to talk to a young man of about 30 who was a passenger in a car stopped at the traffic light. He said that he was a high school history teacher but he did not teach the propaganda in the text books. He taught his students the real history like the history behind all these wars we are in. He said many of his student had no idea of how many people we have killed overseas in these wars. I said, like the minimum of 1/2 million civilians in Iraq. He said he believed the toll was much higher than that. It was a great few minutes talking to someone like him who really gets it and is not afraid to tell the truth to his students.

The one group of people who seem conspicuously absent about expressing any opinions are the young people of high school and college age. They often walk by but seem almost afraid to interact with us at all. And we are a very friendly bunch even towards people who act hostile towards us. We want that interaction, even if it is superficial. I am not sure if it is because the young people simply do not feel they know enough to express their opinions or if they are afraid to do so, given our surveillance society.

That is why I was so shocked that a very young man of no more than 20 came running across the street as we were taking down our banner and preparing to leave. He said he enthusiastically supported what we were doing and expressed some opinions on the state of our government that led me to think he had read quite a bit about the war industry. I said to him that I was so glad to see a young person like him come over to talk to us because it seems that a lot of young people are intimidated about speaking out. He agreed with me and then he said something which I thought was just wonderful. He said he had decided some time ago that he would speak his mind regardless of what anyone else thought. He said after he started doing that, he felt very liberated.

I really wish more people would start thinking that way. We wonder why people are not marching in the streets against these wars. Where are the youth nowadays like they were in the 60's and 70's with the Viet Nam war? I think our entire educational system has been set up to intimidate and suppress our youth from speaking out. Because if they do, they might be black listed by our security state and might not get a job in the future.

That is why this one very young man made my day today. Plus he gave me a high five too!

—

Do I hear the sound of guillotines being constructed?

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

Submitted by Unabashed Liberal on Sat, 06/06/2015 - 4:51pm

Some of it could be 'state and/or career intimidation,' but

some of it may be a tad of guilt, especially among Southern youth, and/or simply lack of knowledge about our military engagements, since many of them are not personally affected. (Not to imply that youth should feel that way, if they do.)

BTW, I heard on XM Radio the other day that 70-something percent of Americans support military action against ISIL/ISIS. Can you imagine that? I was floored. So, it appears that regardless of what many of us here feel, a fair portion of the American populace still backs militarism.

It's interesting, several weeks ago, I heard a foreign/war correspondent (I didn't catch his name, missed the beginning of the interview) being interviewed by Brian Lamb on C-Span Radio.

He was on to talk about Viet Nam, which he covered. I've also recently heard veteran journalist and CBS correspondent Bill Plante on interviews [on XM] about Viet Nam recently, but I don't believe it was him, 'cause I would have recognized his voice.

It came out in the interview that the foreign correspondent wore an uniform for some period of time (I'm guessing Korea, maybe). Going by his voice, he was a mature gentleman. So, that is my best guess.

Anyhoo, he mentioned the fact that today, folks often say, "Thank you for your service," to service members.

And, how much it still sounds so strange to him when he hears this.

Because, as he put it, when he served,"No one ever said that, because everyone served."

By mentioning this, I'm certainly not intending to endorse any wars, or suggest that anyone should feel this way. Just thought that it was a very interesting and telling observation.

[And, from the conversation, it appears that his comments were coming from someone who is likely a bit older than most of us Boomers, but not as old as most Boomers' parents--of course, mine were the age of Grandparents, when I was born--so I may not be the best judge of that.]

As an aside, neither my Father, nor my Father-In-Law served in the military. My Father was, age-wise, between WW I and WW II, and my FIL had a medical or physical disqualifier. They were probably both 'outliers' in their generation, I'm pretty sure.

But, in the end, I suspect that the absence of a draft today, is one of the main reasons that many young people are not involved in the anti-war movement.

So, 'kudos to the young fellow' who engaged with you guys.

BTW, please keep us updated on your Group's new 'Peace Dog.'

Mollie

"Every time I lose a dog, he takes a piece of my heart. Every new dog gifts me with a piece of his. Someday, my heart will be total dog, and maybe then I will be just as generous, loving, and forgiving."--Author Unknown

—

Everyone thinks they have the best dog, and none of them are wrong.

Submitted by gulfgal98 on Sat, 06/06/2015 - 5:42pm

I have seen those polls too

Based upon our own anecdotal experience, I find it hard to believe the support for these wars is that high. I would love to see a geographic breakout. While many of the people we do interact with are visitors, the locals are also very supportive. In our experience now, I would say 70% of the people passing by are in favor of Peace. We have a few that ignore us, but most of the people in cars honk and give us a thumbs up or a Peace sign. The response of those walking by is fairly similar, though not as enthusiastic. Nearly every week we have someone who wants to take our picture which we always say yes. My only qualifier is for them to let me take my glasses off before they take the picture. LOL We had our picture taken this week.

I think a lot of the young people are just too far removed from these wars to understand how this is affecting them even if they do not have to serve. We are very much in favor of instituting the draft with no exceptions. One of our group, Don was drafted when he was in medical school when we still had a draft in the 50's. I also believe that many young people are terrified of not being able to get a job if they take a stand. The kid that blew me away really knew his stuff which shocked me because I am positive he was probably in his teens. One kid like that gives me hope just like the kids I met in Occupy.

One interesting thing happened last year when two college age guys who were riding mountain bikes stopped to talk to us and express their support. They were not Americans. They were British and they were very knowledgeable. They had no problems expressing their distaste for all of these wars. Like everything else, it is all anecdotal, but the contrast with most of the college age people we encounter was enormous.

Bailey, the new Peace dog, is a handful. He is very friendly, but he is filled with that puppy exuberance and has trouble sitting still. He gets along with people and other dogs so that is always good. At only eight months, he has a way to go before he settles down.

—

Do I hear the sound of guillotines being constructed?

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

Submitted by JayRaye on Sat, 06/06/2015 - 1:54pm

Hey Johnny & all of y'all 99%ers

great news round up, great music, and great conversation!

y'all are the greatest!

—

Never be deceived that the rich will allow you to vote away their wealth.-Lucy Parsons

Submitted by Unabashed Liberal on Sat, 06/06/2015 - 4:02pm

Hey, JR! Gotta question for ya--relatives were traveling

through Austin and San Antonio late yesterday, and earlier today.

Anything going on there that we should know about?

Seriously, they've never seen so much traffic at this time of the year, and were curious if there's a special event happening this weekend. (They RV quite a bit.)

Give Max and Rusty a big hug for me!

Mollie

—

Everyone thinks they have the best dog, and none of them are wrong.

Submitted by Big Al on Sat, 06/06/2015 - 2:42pm

I wonder

(I should change my name to Stevie), if we used the 50 state strategy under the Nobody party. Get someone in
every district to register as candidates in the next election all at the same time under the Nobody party. Maybe don't do
any pre advert before that then hit them with it. Try to get it to go viral.
I've actually considered running for Congress because here in my district we have a tea party lady who is very limited
and ripe for the picking. I wouldn't do it to be serious, I'd do it to make waves.
It's only a couple hundred bucks I think to register as a candidate and last election there were only two in my district,
one Dem and one Republican. The Nobody party could possibly stand out if done right.

BOYCOTT the Duopoly, vote for Nobody!!

Submitted by mimi on Sat, 06/06/2015 - 3:30pm

you got my vote :-) /nt

Submitted by shaharazade on Sat, 06/06/2015 - 2:57pm

Hot Tuna!

That's a blast from the past. I had a roommate that played nothing but Hot Tuna and Jefferson Airplane. My mentor/design teacher at art school did Jefferson Airplanes album covers and toured with them doing their light shows back in his youth.

"Leader Pelosi is conspicuously absent from the fight" This is her MO. The only thing Nancy ever does is clear the table so that there is nothing to stop the destruction of democratic governance under the rule of law. Quaint pieces of antique paper that are unenforceable just clutter the table.

Submitted by JtC on Sat, 06/06/2015 - 3:13pm

I'm a...

huge Jorma fan.

Submitted by mimi on Sat, 06/06/2015 - 3:43pm

herbalist - nice subject to learn about

I have three of those in the list in my backyard and might have catnip without knowing it. When I was young, in preparation for pharmacy school, I had to make a collection of dried herbs and plant leaves, and loved it. May be if I get my dream lot I will specialize in herbs and lavender and all those great plants to grow. Would also be nice to work in a nursery. In Hawaii they had a huge lavendar farm and I thought it would be great to do the same in my garden. Ok, dreaming my herbal dreams ...

Good news round up as always. Most of it is not easily edible or digestible. But like most medicine, it's good to swallow, even if it's bitter.

Submitted by gulfgal98 on Sat, 06/06/2015 - 5:56pm

I refuse to have mint

in my garden. It is a weed that takes over everything. Years ago before I knew that, I planted it and it took forever to get rid of it. In a pot, okay, but never in the ground. Oregano is in the mint family and it spreads like crazy too, but it is easier to contain than mint. Rosemary is one of my favorite herbs. I love the smell of rosemary and every time I serve any kind of beef, I use some rosemary with it. We have two lavender plants that we put in last year. They are blooming now and I love them. We have thyme, which I really like, but it is not doing well this year. Because I have been away so much lately, I have not had the chance to rebuild my herb garden.

I really enjoyed the herb article too. I need to get more of those herbs in my garden after I get back from my vacation.

—

Do I hear the sound of guillotines being constructed?

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

Submitted by shaharazade on Sat, 06/06/2015 - 7:47pm

I have mint and oregeno

planted all over my yard in the nooks and crannies. It may be invasive but it sure beats having Couch Grass, Bind Weed or other super invasive weeds that rush in and fill the gaps of my landscaping, such as it is. I loved the herb article. Catnip however never lasts more then a few days as my cats savage it, roots and all. Cat mint is another beast altogether. It's a compact bush like perennial that is nicely shaped and fills a sunny spot, for some reason my cats don't destroy it so maybe it's not cat related at all. Sage I use for sunny spots amongst the 1914 crumbling unusable shared driveway and the hot corners of our recent dry wall rock work. I planted a medicinal white sage a Native American plant in a small corner bed that gets sun all day next to our back door. I love it it has a strong scent and it's silver white color is amazing. Thyme we use as a ground cover between the large slabs of stone we have as a patio. Various creeping thyme's vie with blue star creeper,Corsican mint and violets in between our paver's. Fun to use herbs as a solution for the areas that are problematic and not quite under control. They thrive on soil that has not been augmented and give so much beauty and 'pragmatic' usage for such little work.

Submitted by shaharazade on Sat, 06/06/2015 - 7:55pm

Forgot to add

herbs are so easy to grow. They are not picky, they prefer soil that is not rich and will thrive if you provide drainage and a sunny or shading spot depending on their preference. They draw beneficial insects like bee's and are not Diva's like many vegetables and decorative plants, shrubs and hybridized, popular plants. My little herb rant.

Submitted by gulfgal98 on Sat, 06/06/2015 - 7:59pm

Exactly

Most herbs can grow in all kinds of soil and light. The only thing for some is temperature.

I remember traveling through Europe and seeing rosemary grown as a landscape bush. Lavender makes another wonderful landscape plant.

—

Do I hear the sound of guillotines being constructed?

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

Submitted by mimi on Sat, 06/06/2015 - 9:47pm

yeah, they are easy going plants, I discovered that

to my surprise. Ah, it would be nice to learn from you all. I don't know the names of the plants and also not the names of the birds in my garden or the butterflies, of hich I saw the first one today. I am reading outside, books and on my computer, and the fresh air (if it's not that horrible humid 90 degree plus we had already a couple of days ago), bird's chirping ... what a nice thing to have. Each time I drive my former commute to downtown DC I count my blessings that I don't have to do that anymore. DC rush hour traffic jams are a nightmare and the parking tickets are so horrendous, I don't pay them anymore.... my first signs of resistance to government exploitation... Hallelujah for retirement of my commutes and other such stuff that makes your life sicko.

Submitted by mimi on Sat, 06/06/2015 - 7:59pm

wow you are all herb gardeners much more than I am

I just plant the herbs I am likely cooking with, among others I like German Majoram (Oregano) and Thyme, Rosmarin, Parsley, Dill, Chive. I can't even look out for all the weird kind of crap grass and other invasive weeds I have each year creeping out of every little squarefoot of open soil. Planted for the first time Kale and Brussel Sprouts and something that was supposedly Mustard greens, but it doesn't look at all like the Mustard greens I have once seen in the stores. Sigh. And I think I got quite a bit potatoes out of my little veggie bed of 3'x6'. Well, I am all for surprises...:-)

Submitted by gulfgal98 on Sat, 06/06/2015 - 8:07pm

Mimi, you have more than me

Like you, my herbs are all about what I like to cook with. Sadly, I am not going to be around to maintain my herb garden for the next couple of weeks which means I will probably not have fresh basil or Italian parsley, both of which I love.

—

Do I hear the sound of guillotines being constructed?

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

Submitted by Big Al on Sat, 06/06/2015 - 8:23pm

Ya, you should see some of my "herbs"

Nod, nod, wink, wink.

Submitted by mimi on Sat, 06/06/2015 - 10:01pm

those look very professionally grown ... :-)

a bit upside down though... no kidding I would love to learn some gardening from you. Looks on your profile pic as if you have something substantive going on in your garden enterprise.

What kind of plant is that? I have a stiff neck and some nervous disorder in my eyelids, nod, nod and wink, wink doesn't work that well anymore with me... Don't tell me that is hasch, hemp, marijuana, that would activate my nod, nod and wink, wink immediately.

I am an old fashioned girl and never smoked, inhaled or ingested or injected or anything else. So forgive my innocent ignorance.

Submitted by Big Al on Sat, 06/06/2015 - 11:45pm

Oh ya, it's the weed.

The herb, the ganja, the wonder buds. Marijuana. It's legal in this state to grow medical marijuana as a private
citizen so I've taken them up on it. I've grown weed total for about 15 years now so I'm pretty good at it. I do my own
cloning so I can continue the crop and strains I like.
It's just a plant. Those that don't like us to grow it want us to think differently.

Submitted by gjohnsit on Sat, 06/06/2015 - 8:52pm

What do Saudi arms sales and the World Cup have in common?

A lot

The shockwaves from the corruption scandal that brought down Sepp Blatter continue to reverberate, with claims in Germany that the 2006 World Cup vote was influenced by a shipment of rocket-propelled grenades and allegations in Egypt that a Fifa executive solicited bribes during the 2010 bidding race...
Elsewhere, the downfall of Blatter has sparked an avalanche of claims about major decisions taken by Fifa in recent years. The German newspaper Die Zeit reported on Friday that the then chancellor Gerhard Shröder supplied arms to Saudi Arabia in return for support in Germany’s World Cup bid, in which it defeated South Africa 12-11 in the final round in controversial circumstances. The claims alleged that the government lifted arms restrictions days before the vote in order to make the shipment and help swing Saudi Arabia’s vote to Germany.

Submitted by gjohnsit on Sat, 06/06/2015 - 8:59pm

Chafee calls for letting Snowden return

link

Former Republican Lincoln Chafee announced his campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination on Wednesday, and immediately set a new marker in the race by calling for National Security Agency whistleblower Edward Snowden to be allowed to come home...
“I want America to be a leader and an inspiration for civilized behavior in this new century,” he said. “We will abide by the Geneva conventions, which means we will not torture prisoners.
“Our sacred Constitution requires a warrant before unreasonable searches, which includes our phone records. Let’s enforce that and while we’re at it, allow Edward Snowden to come home.”
He continued: “Extrajudicial assassinations by drone strikes are not working. Many blame them for the upheaval in Yemen. And Pakistan is far too important a place to antagonize with these nefarious activities. They are not worth the collateral damage and toxic hatred they spread. Let’s stop them. ”

Why, oh why, are Republicans making more sense than Democrats these days?
Speaking of Snowden. Or should I say, NOT speaking of Snowden.

NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden has become such a powerful symbol of government overreach that federal prosecutors in a terror case in Chicago are asking the judge to forbid defense attorneys from even mentioning his name during trial, for fear that it would lead the jury to disregard their evidence....
Prosecutors from the U.S. Attorney’s office in Chicago asked Judge Sharon Johnson Coleman on Wednesday to prohibit the defense from mentioning Snowden’s name — along with a number of other things, such as the existence of the National Security Agency, or a speech by Senator Dianne Feinstein in which she cited “a plot to bomb a downtown Chicago bar” as an example of one that was thwarted thanks to FISA authorities.
Their concern: Those topics “are irrelevant and would tend to elicit jury nullification, so the defendant should be barred from inquiring of witnesses, presenting evidence, or arguing to the jury about them.”

Submitted by gjohnsit on Sat, 06/06/2015 - 9:01pm

Very scary Iranians

Submitted by hecate on Sat, 06/06/2015 - 10:14pm

something

hopeful, in this era when people all over the planet are rhythmically besieged by wild white-people madness boiling up out of the "state" of "Texas": a summoning ode, of the inevitable end of the place.

[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9PLVdwYZmus]

I am the wind without a name
I have been blowing long before you came
I am the wind no one calls
I see your towers rise and fall
Cities of Texas, my lovely ones
Cities of Texas, shining in the sun

I am the wind no one knows
Out from your deserts, down from your melting snows
Over the ocean right across your land
I turn your high glass back to shifting sand
Cities of Texas, my lovely ones
Cities of Texas, shining in the sun

I am the wind no one sees
I’m gonna cover you by degrees
Cities of Texas, my lovely ones
Cities of Texas, shining in the sun.

And then he names them. The once and future ghost towns.