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They're not aliens but they think they are.
Did I mention Occupy Wall Street came about through Internet networking?
Aliens invading the Earth?!? Where did that come from and how did it get into Thom's blog?
HHmmm...come to think of it, that might explain what's going on in Washington; we're all lunchmeat.
Thanks for sharing that, Legend. I think I'm about to lose my lunch...
Every time I turn around, it seems, we are closer to fascism; one paper cut at a time. The anger and fear it evokes renders me speechless.
When someone charges people for what could be free that isn't business that's theft and EXTORTION.
It appears we have gone beyond the old Soviet Surveillance State. They took over the KGB and released the records so the people could see what had been collected. When the people knew, they revolted and basically dismantled the KGB. We should do the same with the NSA and related agencies.
P--ary -- Thom said when he visited Heritage Foundation (another Kock Bros funded org), he was shown one area where every computer screen was logged onto Wikipedia. I think the building where Thom broadcasts from houses the Heritage Foundation.
I have no idea where we came from, although Darwin obviously made some good points...I just know I don't know all, if any...of the answers. I and 2 others with me saw a UFO once, but that's just what it was 'unidentified'. I don't presume to know where it came from or what it was. That being said, the theory of evolution is just that...a theory. My partner, an MD, geneticist and microbiologist says that it is impossible for DNA to change what it codes for spontaneously in an organized fashion, i.e. from a single-celled organism to a multi-celled one if it originates as a single celled organism. Mitosis, where the one cell from a multi-celled organism, grows into a multi-celled organism is the only observed way a single cell 'evolves' or grows into a multi-celled organism. Since Pasteur discovered the microbe, no single celled organism has ever been observed to evolve into a multi-celled organism. So, how did we get here, exactly? ...? don't know.
Sandlewould: And now, aren't they better off?
"Democratic socialism is difficult to define, and groups of political scientists have radically different definitions for the term."--wikipedia
"Seattle has elected its first Socialist to city office in generations. Kshama Sawant’s election to the Seattle City Council made her one of a few Socialists to hold elected office in the country. Sawant is an economics teacher and former Occupy Wall Street activist who ran on a campaign to raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour. "The important thing about running as a Socialist is, for one, to show that there is a definite openness for clear alternatives, not only to the big business parties, but the system that they represent, the capitalist system," Sawant says. Seattle’s new mayor, Ed Murray, has announced plans to raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour for all city employees."
http://www.democracynow.org/2014/1/6/a_socialist_elected_in_seattle_kshama
Sandlewould: True...we are all of such stuff as stars are made of. As to whether our evolution has been helped out in our ancient past by a more evolved intelligent lifeform...I don't know. The Raelians believe so. They are the cult with the swastica inside the Jewish star symbol (how odd) that believes, based upon the ravings of a French race car driver named Claude Vorilhon who figured out a way to capture the imaginations of thousands of people predisposed to believing in UFOs. They even have what looks like a bible with the swastica/Jewish Start imprinted on the cover. Although, I supposed it could be argued that it is a Hindu swastica and not a Nazi one.
http://www.rael.org/home
He claimed that he had seen UFOs near a volcano and they gave him a message to give to mankind. (same kind of schtick other charlatans throughout history have used...the Mormon church founder saw an angel Maroni..or is that Macaroni?).
Claude changed his name to Rael and his group of followers are called Raelians. Anyway he was not much different from others of his ilk in including "free love"...so I guess he wasn't all that bad...unless you don't believe in free love. Most people believe in the kind that gets them into debt for their entire lives. ;-}
Anyway, the Raelians believe that humans were created by a race of extraterrestrial aliens that are watching over us. Maybe they are farming us for dinner? Don't get on that ship...that book on "How To Serve Mankind"...it's...it's... a cook book!
Yes! they did that in Seatle and now they have a democratic socialist member of their city counsel.
Aaron Swartz is a hero! And guess what...Wikipedia does have a piece on him...surprise, surprise! But then isn't that what they do to people who are no longer around to continue making a fuss? Martin Luther King. Gandhi. The ones who were thorns in the side of the power elite, when they were alive were scorned and made villains. But now that they are dead and can no longer express their views or influence any further..they are often held up as someone we should revere. Powerful people stand up and make crocodile-tear speeches about them to make people think they are with the people.
Never mind the ones like Malcom X and all those who actively, physically, rebelled against the system who most likely scared the bejesus out of the ruling elite at the time and which was most likely the real reason for eventual change.
Yes, the ruling elite keep the lambs of peace in the public's eye so that they are influenced never to violently rebel. Be peaceful like they were! The peace lovers can be controlled...it's the violent rebels who are a big problem.
The last thing they want is to hold up the real opposition, the violent rebels, as good examples...so they'll hold up the lambs as examples instead.
I think Aaron Swartz is somewhere between..he wasn't violent...merely believed that information should be free and shared. And although sharing some of that information may have dealt a blow to the oppressive ruling elite...it may not have seen the light of day and so they remain safe. They can go right along with the crowds who see him as a good person and get away with, like they do with MLK and Gandhi, seeming to revere them when they secretly scorn them. But it is still a tool to keep people from getting really nasty with the ruling elite. We way outnumber them and they know it. But they also know how to effectively keep people scared to fight back.
Yep! I've been screaming for years about the fact that unless all activists join forces to get media back in the hands of the people, no other issue will ever be dealt with.
Abby did a story a while back about military psyops being used to spam the internet w/ RWNJ propaganda...including wiki-centipedia.
I figure most of us are aliens...at least in part...
An effective fascist state must centralize power particularly in the realm of first, mass communication as a precursor to second, control of individual communication. Little else is required to maintain permanent power. It's no coincidence that the reich-wing has controlled talk radio for decades now.
As much as I quote Wikipedia, my ears perked up when I heard Abby Martin of Breaking the Set on RT (Russia Today) say that she's effectively been banned (censored?) on Wikipedia. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c_50wRWuoT8
It is my understanding that Wikipedia, although in their early history was thought to be more liberal biased, has been strongly infiltrated by right wingers who can bully others around in the editing process. Anyone can, ostensibly, edit Wikipedia, if they register. But, some people gain predominance and can override or even ban lesser people from the web site.
Wikipedia has been used by these infiltrating powers to do things like engineer positive spins on countries like Israel...hiding their oppressive regime and it's crimes against humanity.
I remember, a number of years ago, I tried to edit Wikipedia and my edit didn't last more than a few minutes before it was re-edited.
I also seem to remember doing a search on Abby Martin on Wikipedia a couple of years ago and was able to get a fairly full biography of her...where she hailed from, her early career in art, etc...but am unable to see any of that now on Wikipedia. But, of course, you can get this info at her web site: www.abbymartin.org
She's been very outspoken on some very controversial issues and has made a lot of enemies...one of which was Rand Paul who tried to get her fired from Russia Today because she dared try to interview him.
While Wikipedia claims they are trying to cut down on paid or otherwise sockpuppeting*, I am wondering who it is that has so much money that they can pay lots of people with special programs that create multiple identities to spread disinformation and propaganda disguised as truth. I don't think it comes from the liberal crowd. They may all have their opinions but the uber wealthy have a vested interest in keeping people dumb, misinformed, and distracted. And it is well known that there are military/government connected entities that do just this sort of thing in order to propagandize the masses to be pro-jingoists in service to the ruling elite. They have established programs not only to spy on us but to manipulate what we believe.
* http://www.theverge.com/2013/10/22/4865322/wikimedia-foundation-cracks-d...
I understand that if you hold a bowl of strawberry ice-cream under their noses they will salivate...indicating, of course, that they are aliens! Everyone knows that aliens have a strong desire for strawberry ice-cream...oh, and live mice too...I've watched a few episodes of the old TV series "V". So now I'm an expert on aliens! ;-}
When they make people pay for what should be free that's not business that's EXTORTION.
This one's had over 6 millions views:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PUKMUZ4tlJg 1:49 minutes
I watched it again about 5 minutes later and the count went up another 250,000 views. This video was posted only yesterday.
The solution hinted at by SCOTUS would be simple, if Congress would 'simply' do their jobs...but in today's political climate, the solution, no matter how simple, is made complicated by feigned opposition between Republican and Democratic elites. SCOTUS is hiding behind this suggested solution and the FCC's '05 changes to bring about the end of a free internet for the sake of their corporate masters. Who are we kidding, congressional elites went out on the town last night to celebrate this ruling. Change the FCC rules? Are you serious? They are laughing all the way to the bank...and beyond.
...I had forgotten about Lori's (if indeed it was her?) leaking of that text. Maybe it's coincidence (I have AT&T) but I could swear my logging onto sites like Thom's is already slower. Interesting, the timing of this ruling with the TPP fast track debate (if there is any). As horrific as yesterday’s ruling was, the TPP will destroy what’s left of democracy in the US. One of Amy’s headlines on Dem. Now this a.m. ;
“The Obama administration is reportedly preparing to undermine strong environmental safeguards in trade talks with 11 other Pacific Rim countries. New documents released by WikiLeaks show the White House is ready to backtrack on a series of critical regulations in order to secure a deal on the Trans-Pacific Partnership. These include legally binding requirements for pollution limits, logging standards....”
I didn't think it was possible, without congress, for the president to strike down existing law. ..and we wonder why 12 year olds are bringing guns to school. todays kids are hard pressed to find a reason to hope and dream. I'm starting to think the 'powers that be' really are aliens. Where the hell do they think they will go when the air, food, and water are all toxic waste? Will they retreat to their biospheres with their own private armies and the means to filter out the poisons?
There is, as I understand, fierce opposition in Congress to a change in the classification of Internet providers that would reclass them as common carriers.
When FTAA (Free Trade Agreement of the Americas) was first being negotiated in secret and threatening to be fast tracked in Congress in the early 2000's, somebody, I think it was Lori Wallach, somehow got a text of the agreement and put it on the Internet. That caused them to back off on it and scuttle the deal for the time.
The Internet brought down the Tunisian government and Mubarak in Egypt in 2011.
The Chinese know what they're doing, they dont want any democracy movements coming around. They keep Internet on a SHORT leash.
Not only do our elites want increased dominance of our economic life but they don't want Internet giving power to the people that it does politically.
I find it interesting that this decision would come down at a time when subscribers are fleeing cable TV in droves. Many are simply not watching, yet so many have found access to TV programming via the internet.
Is this court decision just another invasion into our checkbooks to promote profits at the big business, eg Comcast? Lost revenue at the ISP's can now be regained through internet charges. The game is rigged in favor of business, not we the people. (I do not mean the corporation type people)