Comments for Occasional Planet

Comment on Confusion: The wording of the Second Amendment by Al Eng

Al Eng — Thu, 20 Jun 2013 03:58:00 +0000

“lame and unconstitutional elements of the Second Amendment.” How unAmerican is this statement? You can be opposed to guns but your ideology is opposite American belief and Constitutional rights. If you don’t like the 2nd amendment Overturn it. If that’s not good enough move somewhere and create your own world and Constitution.

Comment on Your laptop [and mine] are fueling DR Congo’s civil war by 3 Circles Method – Part 3 of 4 by John A. Sweeney | KYA Sustainability Studio

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 00:03:24 +0000

[...] your hand. Anyone? Didn’t think so…and yet, if you’ve purchased a smartphone, laptop, and/or hybrid or electric vehicle in the last 10+ years, guess what? All of the aforementioned [...]

Comment on How liberals and conservatives deal differently with new information by biggs

biggs — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 20:46:00 +0000

really……:-( what a waste… it’s pieces like this that perpetuate the notion that blanket statements are truth…. and are useful in constructing a solid and logical argument. how sad that you are part of any educational system. the validity of an argument, whether you have liberal or conservative leanings should be based in fact….and not demonizing the opposing view. while i’ll give you that the religious right’s emotion based judgments are annoying….it’s their right to believe what they want. and they are not representative of all conservatives…..they just get the most press. just like al sharpton, who is a ridiculous, caricature of a human being, and is hopefully not representative of all liberals. although, based on the tone of this piece, i’m wondering if that isn’t so. man, when will people like you wake up and realize that we are all in this together….that we can’t legislate morality, and that teaching anyone…especially young people….means not just giving them one side of anything…but letting them decide what they think about the world around them by presenting both sides…free from opinion and bias. evolution is a fact….but can you explain the miraculous complexity of life? that’s a little harder isn’t it? the day that we can concede that we each have a place in this world is the day that we find peace. until that day…..maybe we should just agree to disagree instead of having to be snarky about it.

Comment on Van Jones: “If Obama believes Keystone is a good thing, he should call it the Obama Tar Sands Pipeline.” by Stacy Mergenthal

Stacy Mergenthal — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 23:45:00 +0000

Thank you for laying it all out so articulately; this article speaks to me. I too have noticed the disconnect and I feel betrayed by this president more so than any other. He made us believe him–against all odds due to the nature of politics–and has consistently let us down on the issues we care about, from climate change and social justice, to equality and the growing police state. The failed (and expensive) war on drugs, an end to war, and all those unconstitutional abilities granted to our security agencies under former president Bush (and continued/escalated under Obama). In my opinion, Obama has failed us. At the very least, he cannot be trusted. In my mind, and contrary to his infamous campaign slogan, he will always be remembered as the president who destroyed any hope of change.

Comment on Pro Publica: 5 basic things we still don’t know about NSA data-mining by ladyofspain

ladyofspain — Wed, 12 Jun 2013 21:16:00 +0000

No one should be surprised that the U.S. govt is using all the new technology available to it. When Alexander G. Bell first tried out his long distance talking thingy, he supposedly said “What hath god wrought?” Some folks thought his invention was the work of the devil. I’m sure someone in the upper circles of govt right away figured out how to listen to those messages zinging across those lines. Spying on its citizens is not the worst thing the American govt has done. The stories they make up to try to justify their actions, both here and abroad, have been so absurd at times that some of it should have been nominated for top fiction and drama prizes. Moving all the Native Americans to Oklahoma was for their own good. That’s my favorite. Shall we continue?

Comment on “The Most Dangerous Man in America,” available, at last, on DVD by How to be a whistleblower | Occasional Planet

How to be a whistleblower | Occasional Planet — Wed, 12 Jun 2013 15:52:34 +0000

[...] line-up of seminars, speeches and panel discussions, led by famous whistleblowers, including Daniel Ellsberg, who leaked the Pentagon Papers in 1974. In an atmosphere that encourages “honesty without [...]

Comment on Memoirs may be the best thing that Barack Obama can give us now by Your wish for Barack Obama may become his thought | Occasional Planet

Your wish for Barack Obama may become his thought | Occasional Planet — Tue, 11 Jun 2013 12:01:14 +0000

[...] I have already taken the liberty to express my advance wishes for what President Obama writes in his memoirs to truly clarify his progressive ideas. You can read them here. [...]

Comment on Lincoln and the socialist roots of the Republican Party by David

David — Fri, 07 Jun 2013 20:52:00 +0000

P.S. to the author: Stick to articles on “mind, body, spirit” and leave the historical analysis to historians.

Comment on Lincoln and the socialist roots of the Republican Party by David

David — Fri, 07 Jun 2013 20:51:00 +0000

I stumbled onto this website/article and thought I’d give it a read (I like points of view from all perspectives). What a load of tripe! But then, the conclusions of this author, in this forum, is hardly surprising, is it? By the way, I could pick and choose selective Lincoln quotations that would prove almost any point I want to make–that wouldn’t make what I say true. Nice try, lib.

Comment on Memoirs may be the best thing that Barack Obama can give us now by James Archer Abbott

James Archer Abbott — Fri, 07 Jun 2013 18:42:00 +0000

I think President Obama’s value as a former president – and his ability to serve as a true voice beyond the WH years – will be in the hands of the next leader of the Democratic Party. His voice – and its value – will be as much defined by that next national candidate as it will by his own convictions…beware of Mid-Atlantic pretty boys bearing little more than a Pepsodent smile…