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#1129804 08/12/17 07:03 PM
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Do any of you honestly believe the young male employee (I think his job description is some type of Engineer) deserved to be terminated for having the guts to "call out" Management for creating a Politically Correct Environment where employees are encouraged to be mediocre? Many of you may not realize just how invasive Google (Gargoyle) actually happens to be by tracking your every inquiry. I believe this is an invasion of privacy of the first magnitude. I also hope the young man finds meaningful employment and uses his skills to help pull the plug on this bunch of slugs..

I share an equal disdain for Microsoft and Apple. These overstuffed corporations need to be split into several smaller entities in order to encourage a level playing field.

It is sad when "Diversity" is pawned off on our society in order to promote mediocrity. Thank God this type of thinking was not around when we had to fight WWII. If that had been the modus operandi back then, we would all be speaking German or Japanese instead of English (and Spanish by legislation) which also galls me to the core. Folks who live here need to speak the language of the land... or learn it before being awarded citizenship.

Sad, ----Dave

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Free Speech is over for the left. It's a sad change of philosophy and a lot of brainwashed kids who happily give up their most important right to avoid negative peer pressure. I think we're past the tipping point. The mainstream media is hopeless corrupt and there isn't a single place you can go in print or TV for honest information on any news story. There's some decent independent first hand reporting going on via YouTube, but now they are banning opinions they don't like as well. Google as a company has become an evil cesspool and being as they are so powerful, far more than our government, we're all pretty much screwed. Why the classical liberals out there are allowing this to happen is beyond me. The extremists have won the day.


Brian Austin Whitney
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It seems ridiculous to me too that this guy was fired. I'm not sure that I agree with what he said, but that doesn't mean he shouldn't be able to say it. If the CEO disagreed, he should just have exercised the free speech he seems to want to deny his employee and said so.

The flip side of this is that you can't say the mainstream media is "hopelessly corrupt" because you disagree with much of what it says any more than Google should be firing someone because they don't like what he says. For all their faults, there are plenty of folks in the "mainstream media" who are making great efforts to report honestly. Discrediting serious and honorable reporting is a central plank in the current administration's strategy to gull us into giving equal weight to their fantasies, distortions and "alternative facts," so that we think Breitbart is as concerned with the truth as NPR or that Infowars and Sean Hannity are as reliable as Reuters.

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Hi Brian and Gavin:

Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this troubling subject. Gavin, I've long believed the "media" in this part of the world is corrupt to the core, awash in political correctness and mindless liberalism. Like you, I don't swallow all the swill our friends at Fox News are sending our way. But...they do tend to present both sides more fairly than the rest. I would like to see less reporting from conversations with "leakers" because we have no way to confirm or deny their authenticity. Reminds me a bit of Maxine Waters and her mindless babble spewn in the direction of our current President. I did vote for him but would have preferred any (well, at least most) of the other candidates on the GOP Ticket. Any of them would have been a better choice than either of the Democratic offerings. Despite his tendencies to blow his own horn, over-tweeting and his propensity stray from the script, Trump has made several accomplishments in his brief tenure... in his attempt to "right the ship." (Without much help from the Donkeys.)

As we now face the possibility of Nuclear Chess with the NOKOs... I would much prefer him at the helm than that "Server Smashing Little Dumpling" or poor old Bernie who still believes in the tooth fairy. Mr. Trump seems to have selected a capable cabinet and his VP would probably make a better President and leader than he is at present.

I hope I misread or mis-understood your comment about NPR. They are always liberal and biased in their handwringing news reports which they receive as "a feed" from Reuters. On the flip side, their Masterpiece Offerings are much better entertainment than the rest of the drivel we get from our other, private networks... including FOX who tries to dumb us down with the Simpsons.

Realizing I am probably in the minority here, like Brian... it does not matter... and I respect your right to disagree. That is what makes our country great... and Google very small in my little telescope.

Regards, ----Dave

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Dave, I get the impression you may be in the majority here.

I disagree with just about every word you wrote, but it's good to have a broad spectrum of views here, reflecting the society we live in. At the end of the day, we're here for the music, so I'm going to get off my soapbox and stop bashing everyone's ears with my political views. Those ears are already in enough danger of bashing from my music.

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Well said, Gavin:

We agree to disagree... with appropriate respect. Music is the purpose of Brian's website... and I will do my best to keep that in mind. (Some would say, "They really wish I had a mind!"... LOL!)

Regards, ----Dave

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The media has always had liberal ownership and been liberal and heavily biased. Bias doesn't just come with what they say and print. It also comes with the editorial choices of what they have always chosen to say and print versus what they fail to mention. Back in the print age, they owned the news. Now, thankfully, in the internet age...the news comes from a lot of places and gives us a chance to see the level of bias and question it.

The problem is that I cannot think of one media outlet, conservative or political, that is not badly biased. Tabloid news stirs more emotions and makes more money.

Google...the centralization of information about us should be horrifying. And the thing that I hate this most is that they are all in for tearing down stereotypes, yet building massive algorithmic profiles about what our browsing histories say about our personality traits. It's not about right or wrong. Never is. It's about money, power and influence. If you have it you get to do what you want because no one can stop you.

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Originally Posted by Gavin Sinclair
It seems ridiculous to me too that this guy was fired. I'm not sure that I agree with what he said, but that doesn't mean he shouldn't be able to say it. If the CEO disagreed, he should just have exercised the free speech he seems to want to deny his employee and said so.

The flip side of this is that you can't say the mainstream media is "hopelessly corrupt" because you disagree with much of what it says any more than Google should be firing someone because they don't like what he says. For all their faults, there are plenty of folks in the "mainstream media" who are making great efforts to report honestly. Discrediting serious and honorable reporting is a central plank in the current administration's strategy to gull us into giving equal weight to their fantasies, distortions and "alternative facts," so that we think Breitbart is as concerned with the truth as NPR or that Infowars and Sean Hannity are as reliable as Reuters.


I don't call it hopelessly corrupt because I disagree with it, I call it hopelessly corrupt because it is hopelessly corrupt. You can't say it is not corrupted just because you agree with it.


Brian Austin Whitney
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I only agree with sources that try to tell the truth. They may get it wrong sometimes, in which case they should issue apologies/retractions. Reputable sources do. Being human, they may even show a bias in what they choose to cover, although deciding whether that's biased tends to become just as subjective as the coverage itself. That is a long, long, long way from being hopelessly corrupt.

What do you actually mean by "hopelessly corrupt"?

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There is definitely going to be a bias whether it is Rush Limbaugh or CNN. The bigger issue looks to be leaving out both sides and not being informative. Bias from another slant becomes bigotry. Most of the 4th estate more recently has turned to one side. Especially noticeable since practically the beginning of the Trump campaigne.

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Hi Matt:

Thanks for your opinion. It's great to live in a country where we are free to express ourselves. Can you be a little more definitive about what you call, "The Fourth Estate?" Forgive me, I don't get out that often but I do watch the news... if real news is even available. Even Fox has begun to hire folks that seem to lean to the left. Eventually, I guess I'll have to get all my news from the Commies. (Russian and Chinese Propaganda TV) I wish our networks would just go back to having someone read the news without a panel of "experts" to try and influence our thinking. I'd rather decide for myself than hear some airhead spout-off about their twenty year old experiences. LOL!

I spend most of my time writing songs and recording them. When possible, I play chess but I've had to give up my favorite activity outside of songwriting... golf! Eventually, as we age, our ailments begin to multiply and a bad back is not conducive to playing "pasture pool." All that aside, it is a wonderful thing to be "above ground" and able to think and act for myself.

I hope all is well with you.

Regards, ----Dave

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"I wish our networks would just go back to having someone read the news without a panel of "experts" to try and influence our thinking."

Well said, Dave. You can still find news sources like that, but they are often drowned out. Many of the "news channels" are really just discussion forums, and the people doing the discussing are often just loud mouthed simpletons - even those commies you say they're hiring over at Fox News. smile

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Originally Posted by R&M
There is definitely going to be a bias whether it is Rush Limbaugh or CNN. The bigger issue looks to be leaving out both sides and not being informative. Bias from another slant becomes bigotry. Most of the 4th estate more recently has turned to one side. Especially noticeable since practically the beginning of the Trump campaigne.


Rush Limbaugh is a commentator who shares his opinions on news and it's no secret where he is coming from, he is NOT news, just opinion. CNN is supposed to report the news without bias or opinions from reporters. Big difference.


Brian Austin Whitney
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My Gosh!
I just realized I wrot a song for youse guys! You can listen to it at http://www.geocities.ws/fiverosesmusicgroup/ under Rays Music, Entitled AROUND THE HORN! I am not ever going be politically correct!


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No you're not, Ray! I don't think you have to worry about anyone calling you that.

I really enjoyed the song and the singing, although I did kind of feel that I was being lectured to about how I'd be a much better sort of fella if I was just more like you. Of course, it's quite possible that I would. smile

Great job.

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Well,
There is one thing I have noticed. If I Google something and find the Web Page the Link to the Page will show up on other sites later.
So Google is tracking my searches. No matter.

Uh, Gavin, I don't Preach to people, I let the Cold hard facts of life do that.


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I don't remember saying you preached to people.

Yes Google will follow you all over the place, especially if you are signed in. It's increasingly hard not to be. I don't have an account, but I would need one if I ever wanted to post a video to YouTube. Their tentacles are everywhere.

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Originally Posted by Brian Austin Whitney
Originally Posted by R&M
There is definitely going to be a bias whether it is Rush Limbaugh or CNN. The bigger issue looks to be leaving out both sides and not being informative. Bias from another slant becomes bigotry. Most of the 4th estate more recently has turned to one side. Especially noticeable since practically the beginning of the Trump campaigne.


Rush Limbaugh is a commentator who shares his opinions on news and it's no secret where he is coming from, he is NOT news, just opinion. CNN is supposed to report the news without bias or opinions from reporters. Big difference.


The problem is that it is becoming increasingly hard to separate reporting from commentating. I know you won't agree, but CNN does mostly report the news factually, but then, to fill up the next hour, they turn to commentators. Where they differ from Fox News is that they start with the truth and then spin it and put their slant on it. It's hardly surprising that that slant is gunning for Trump after Trump's response when they reported stories that were inconvenient to him, but turned out to be true. Trump has made CNN relevant all of a sudden. That's one in the eye for those who say he hasn't achieved anything as President.

Fox News is demonstrably different. They do occasionally start with the truth, but only if it suits them. They follow today's right wing media playbook - spread a story that has no factual basis and then crow about the bias of other news outlets who don't report it. "You won't find the mainstream media talking about how that murdered intern provided the emails to Wikileaks. See how biased they are." It's a good business model, as they have a large audience who laps it up. If news is just a commodity to be sold, then they are better at this than anyone else.

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Hi Gavin:

I didn't mean to ignore your post. Life and all it's complications has intervened lately and I've had a bit too much on my plate. As I think I mentioned earlier, we disagree on lots of things... but I'm glad we don't live in NOKOland ,Venezuela or Iran. At least we can say what we think without fear of reprisal... unless of course, you happen to be fond of Confederate Statues, like me. I resent uneducated imbeciles running around throwing out the race card on men who sacrificed everything for their way of life and values. History has proven them to be wrong... but after the war was over, so many of the Confederate Leaders contributed to our society and country in significant ways.

Robert E. Lee lost his home and historic family farm... now Arlington Cemetery, and still found a way to positively reinforce the education of thousands of Americans as a College President. Before we, as a civilized country... begin tearing down monuments to our history, we need to step back and remember all of the destruction of historical monuments our cowardly enemies, the Taliban, Al Queda and ISIS destroyed because they decided to erase history when it appeared to represent inconvenient truth. I wish our news media would provide proper reporting on the actions of that organization of mindless fools, Antifa... lawbreakers, cowards and anarchists instead of falling prey to slogans that sound like they really stand for something.

Regards, ----Dave

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Robert E Lee was a hero in every job he ever had. He was asked by Lincoln to lead the Union side in the war, but because he was a citizen of Virginia and their government decided to band together to succeed from the union, and back then State's rights actually meant something, so he could not turn his back on his family, his friends, his neighbors or his state. He was in a no win situation. But before and after the war he acted with dignity and helped many, led many and stayed true to his people. There so much misinformation about him and he, like all humans, are not one thing alone. Yes, he fought a battle he knew going in he could not win with far fewer troops, resources, territory, manufacturing etc. The North rose to power off the very backs of the slaves they would later free, long after their work made them a wealthy society. Most southerners did not have money, did not have slaves and had little choice in any of those matters. Most were as dirt poor as the slaves and many worked side by side with them. Among the actual slave owners was a large contingent of black americans. This entire truth is conveniently left out of most history lessons. Especially in South Carolina where large numbers of the slave owners were black. Additionally, it was black warring tribes in Africa which sold the slaves, created the business model along with the Europeans who came back from trading with Asia (India in most cases) and created the transportation for slave trading. White and Black and Arabic and Spanish all traded in slavery and many still do today in Africa and the Middle East. All of that is forgiven and ignored or worse, denied, while well over a century has passed since anyone involved was alive and we're still blaming random southerners and blanketly calling them rednecks and implying they are all racists. It's sick. Most of the people in the USA are descendents from people who came to the USA AFTER slavery ended. Plus most in the North did not participate in it at all. My state, Indiana, was a large part of the Underground Railroad which helped rescue and free countless slaves at the risk of their own lives and family well being. It is all complicated and I can assure you if you go back far enough you will find direct ancestors of every US President who were related to slave owners, including Obama whose white half of his family are as guilty as anyone else (which in my view is not at all). Should we remove all their statues and libraries as well?

If you go far enough back everyone's ancestors were slaves to someone. The actual American slaves were usually prisoners from African wars who were to be put to death if not for being sold as slaves. It doesn't make slavery right, but if slavery never existed in the world, much of our ancestors would have been put to death instead by their oppressors and none of us would be here.

I think it is time to give it all a rest. I think when its many generations removed it is beyond the statute of limitations.


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Originally Posted by Gavin Sinclair
"I wish our networks would just go back to having someone read the news without a panel of "experts" to try and influence our thinking."

Well said, Dave. You can still find news sources like that, but they are often drowned out. Many of the "news channels" are really just discussion forums, and the people doing the discussing are often just loud mouthed simpletons - even those commies you say they're hiring over at Fox News. smile


You have liberal leanings Gavin. I respect your right to have them. But I suspect that your belief that there was a time when the Press was not biased towards liberal policies ...is because their reporting and in particular they're editorializing was in line with what you thought to be true. If you were me, a conservative, that was not the case.

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LOL, True is true, whatever your politics.

Having said that, I take your point. "The media" is just people trying to do their jobs. A part of what the much maligned mainstream media considers to be its job is to report the truth impartially. They don't always succeed. At least they try, and the best of them do still distinguish between reporting and editorializing. It is the blurring of this line by constantly turning to panels of experts that is so irritating. Contrast CNN with PBS News Hour. When PBS has finished reporting on a topic, they move onto another. CNN (and other "news" channels) stick with the one big story for hours and most of that time is consumed by opinion. On top of everything else, other important stories don't get covered.

These days, it's a difficult balancing act, even for the best reporters. There seems to be a belief that to be impartial, you simply have to put two people on screen representing different views, even when one is demonstrably more credible than the other. A climate scientist sitting opposite some unqualified politician climate change denier is just the most obvious example.

Another new challenge for an honest but flawed reporter in today's crazy political climate is the constant flow of lies from the White House. Is stating that an obvious and demonstrable lie is in fact a lie equivalent to taking a "liberal" position, since the source of the lie is on the conservative side of the political spectrum? Is truth now a liberal value? Surely not.

I think it was Samantha Bee (who is definitely not impartial and doesn't pretend to be news) who came up with the wonderful phrase when describing the present administration's attempts to mess with reporters' heads. "Don't report the truth - it's biased."

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Former Stalwarts of journalism...who underneath it all were very biased.

Peter Jennings is a commentator now in his older years. His pieces are very liberal and almost always beat downs of Trump, finding no merit in any of Trump's policies...that I have seen.

Barbara Walters...watch "The View."

"Dan Rather"...George Bush?

Heraldo Rivera...Need I say more than his name?

Chuck Todd, Chris Mathews...addicted to bashing all things Trump.

George Stephanopolis...Bill Clinton's campaign director. I mean "c'mon."

I know a woman personally from music who is a Bloomberg reporter. She will make speeches about journalistic integrity etc, but when Trump got elected she and her cohorts on her FB page pulled their masks all the way off. The Trump bashing was so unmitigated that it reached vicious. Marty decided to politely drop in some food for thought that Trump policies might be good for Americans and Marty was attacked by what seemed like manic zombies. No consideration was given to any other aspect of my being, other than not hating Trump. And all they did was just bitch and rattle socialist talking points. You know...never seen someone else's money that they didn't think should be theirs smile I gave it back for a while, but was nothing to be learned or enjoyed from it.

Moral of the story...I don't see how someone like her could ever write a political article where the article was not derived from a pre-established bias..

I de-friended her FB page. Yeah me. I actually de-friended someone rather than vice versa. It was my one chance. wink


Once again...musings and pontification worth what you paid for it. smile

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Originally Posted by Brian Austin Whitney

The actual American slaves were usually prisoners from African wars who were to be put to death if not for being sold as slaves.


Source?

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Martin, I don't think failing to find merit in Trump's policies is necessarily liberal. Stupid is stupid. Policies based on falsehoods are just that. Not to report this would be irresponsible.

But that's just my view and I suspect you and I will just have to agree to differ. At the end of the day, we'll never convince each other. It's a great cause of frustration to me that not everyone can always see how right I am about everything smile

Sorry to hear about that experience with the Bloomberg reporter. I have no problem with people bashing Trump. After the things he has done to other folks, he deserves it, but there's no excuse for that kind of behavior to others. I was on the wrong end of it on another songwriters' board and it was no fun.

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Originally Posted by Gavin Sinclair
I have no problem with people bashing Trump.


Oops...there it is Gavin. That sheds some light on why you see liberal viewpoints as news and conservative viewpoints as lies and distortions.

First off...they often take particular aim at his immigration enforcement policies which have overlap with a lot of conservative viewpoints,

How 'bout this? The antifas versus the nazis. All of em are just restless scum and rabble looking for a reason to fight someone in the street. Nice people don't do what they do. Imagine a scene where an antifa hits a nazi over the head with a beer bottle. In retaliation, the nazi smashes the antifa in the ribs with a softball bat. Not all that hard to imagine,,,right?

Then the headline "Nazi smashes anti-nazi protester with bat in ribs." A photo which shows it happening is placed under the headline.

That headline would be factually true.

Question for you...Do you regard that as good journalism?

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Democrazy

Written by Perry Neal Crawford

Revolution culminates in freedom from a king,
Now we want a president to dictate everything.
Power to the people is the phrase we love to quote,
However on Election Day we don't go out and vote.

That's Democrazy.

Extremist views on issues make a chasm deep and wide,
Dug with endless argument and compromise denied.
Turning power over to the groups that love to hate,
And losing sons and daughters in the riots they create.

That's Democrazy...

Shunning self-reliance as a life of doubt and fear,
The promises of government are what we want to hear.
Democracy and laziness can never be combined
Without the loss of freedom and the independent mind.

That's Democrazy!

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Democrazy

Written by Perry Neal Crawford

Revolution culminates in freedom from a king,
Now we want a president to dictate everything.
Power to the people is the phrase we love to quote,
However on Election Day we don't go out and vote.

That's Democrazy.

Extremist views on issues make a chasm deep and wide,
Dug with endless argument and compromise denied.
Turning power over to the groups that love to hate,
And losing sons and daughters in the riots they create.

That's Democrazy...

Shunning self-reliance as a life of doubt and fear,
The promises of government are what we want to hear.
Democracy and laziness can never be combined
Without the loss of freedom and the independent mind.

That's Democrazy!

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Originally Posted by Perry Neal Crawford
Democrazy

Written by Perry Neal Crawford

Revolution culminates in freedom from a king,
Now we want a president to dictate everything.
Power to the people is the phrase we love to quote,
However on Election Day we don't go out and vote.

That's Democrazy.

Extremist views on issues make a chasm deep and wide,
Dug with endless argument and compromise denied.
Turning power over to the groups that love to hate,
And losing sons and daughters in the riots they create.

That's Democrazy...

Shunning self-reliance as a life of doubt and fear,
The promises of government are what we want to hear.
Democracy and laziness can never be combined
Without the loss of freedom and the independent mind.

That's Democrazy!



Most excellent.

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Here is another:

Slavery.gov

Music by Brent Lewis, Lyrics by Perry Crawford (youtube)

Born in freedom's bondage, shackled from the start,
Branded with 9 digits, never more to part.

Shaped to fit the moldings public schools provide,
Homogenizing masses of our children nation wide.

Service in the workplace, in homage to the clock,
Subsistence level paychecks to subjugate the flock.

Raised to love dependence, surrendering free will,
Deferent and passive to the traits the laws instill.

Recreations sirens call at end of day,
To siphon off ambition and to squander drive away.

Born from Revolution our nation once stood tall,
Now our growing government makes cowards of us all.

Born in freedom's bondage, shackled from the start,
Branded with 9 digits, never more to part.

This is what Thomas Jefferson
Warned us about!

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Hi Perry:

I take it you have served your nation through Military Service? You write well and yet your prose does not (at least for me) offer much hope for the return to greatness our Nation is capable of doing now that the "Traitor in Chief" is out of power. I tend to be optimistic when it comes to the destiny of America in the form of the United States. One thing I would remind you... Democracy! It is nothing more simple than "majority rule." We pay a great deal of lip service to that expression and yet even before we were Royal Colonies... we have never been a Democracy. We are a republic that tends to put the will of minority groups above the will of the majority. In recent years, our borders, made porous by the lack of action by those in charge, have allowed significant illegal invasion in order to swell the ranks of the Democratic Party... at the chagrin and expense of the Taxpayers. Our Supreme Court has been a "legislative body" for nearly fifteen years and, with a little luck, will eventually swing back to doing the job it supposed to do. Hopefully, after we place more limitations on their terms of service and subject them to confirmation by re-election after the first term of their appointment. We cannot allow this oligarchy of liberals to destroy all we earned through our previous victories up to and including WWII.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts with us. Let us know how and if the second Republic of California works out.

Regards,

-----Dave

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I come from a hard scrabble family, scratching, and punching when necessary, to make a living through hard work at long hours. They took pride in having a reputation for keeping their word, being self-reliant, and helping the next generation to do the same. They instilled motivation, drive, and ambition as core values and expected efforts to be the best one could do and nothing less. I have worked myself side by side with men and women missing limbs by accident or birth picking fruit, painting houses, and working livestock. They rejected the terms "disabled" and "crippled". If they became unable to do one thing, they learned another, physical or mental. When someone was out of work due to circumstances, he was given something to do in exchange for hes family's needs to preserve his self-respect.

We who have, will always have a responsibility to those who have not, but the way it is being done robs something vital in the persons we are trying to help.. When it does not include skill training for contributions in kind with work, it robs self-esteem and self respect. It creates a system ripe for abuses and fraud, serving as a medium for developing the wrong kind of skills (that milk and extend the unearned benefits). We now see the truly disabled fighting hard for independence and opportunities to work in the ways they can, while able bodied persons use the system to avoid working for a living. A common story told at the VA hospital I go to is that if Christ appeared, and began healing veterans there, many would reject him to preserve their 100% disability pensions. The loss of motivation, drive, and ambition toward self-reliance is poisonous to the human soul.

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I have been with the Army for 43 years (twelve years active and as a counseling psychologist in civilian service since then). I was born with birth defect the Army new nothing about when I joined. As time went on my condition grew worse. I studied for college level exams while on active duty, getting a degree in psychology that enabled me to continue service as a counselor in substance abuse clinics while continuing on active duty. While serving in counseling I was able to continue my education to a masters degree, then a doctorate in counseling.I left active duty having gone from a high school diploma to PhD while on active duty. I am now a wheelchair warrior, but I still work as a full time therapist. I have no pension from VA. I am not "disabled" and love the work I do (Steven Hawking is one of my personal heroes. He would never refer to himself as "disabled").

I am not bragging. I simply live my life the way I was raised and have helped many active duty soldiers to find their pathways in similar ways. When I go to the VA hospital it is to work with the VA Behavioral Health staff providing treatment for veteran's addicted to drugs and alcohol. I am 32 years clean and sober by the grace of God.

The Raven © Perry Crawford 2002

Blackness frightening, blinding lightening,
Thunder pounding in the air,
Wind is blowing, danger showing,
Brazen raven doesn’t care.

Passions yearning like fires burning
Brings the Raven to the peak,
Benediction to addiction,
Satisfaction he must seek.

Rain is pouring, flashflood roaring,
Pushing down the mountainside,
Torrent crashes, beats and smashes,
Sturdy rocks begin to slide.

Seeking shelter, helter skelter,
Frightened raven swoops and dives,
Rocks are falling, death is calling,
To the bird enslaved by drives.

Numbness grasping, falling, gasping
Landing in a yucca tree,
Darkness closing, death imposing,
Raven fearing it must be.

Stunned and humbled, call is mumbled,
To a higher power’s ears,
Heartfelt sadness turns to gladness,
Gratitude through flowing tears.

Clouds are clearing, daylight peering,
Through the storm comes heaven’s gaze,
Answered yearning, strength returning,
Raven flies through morning haze.

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Dave, your comment about Hope can best be addressed in a new thread, See Messages of Hope. I invite all to contribute there.

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Originally Posted by Martin Lide
Originally Posted by Gavin Sinclair
I have no problem with people bashing Trump.


Oops...there it is Gavin. That sheds some light on why you see liberal viewpoints as news and conservative viewpoints as lies and distortions.

No, it doesn't do that at all. He should be able to take it. As I said, the man deserves it for his treatment of others all through his life. He could be liberal, conservative or Martian. I said that in the next sentence. You took me out of context, which I didn't expect from you. I forgive you, because that's what us wishy-washy "liberals" do. smile

And I don't see viewpoints, conservative or liberal, as news. Those are viewpoints. There are reputable news sources which take conservative stances in their editorials, such as the Wall Street Journal, and there are other reputable sources whose editorials take more liberal stances, like the New York Times. There are other sources where it is harder to discern the viewpoint, like Reuters or the BBC. And there are disreputable "news" sources, such as Breitbart, Info Wars, etc. which peddle conspiracy theories as news.


First off...they often take particular aim at his immigration enforcement policies which have overlap with a lot of conservative viewpoints,

How 'bout this? The antifas versus the nazis. All of em are just restless scum and rabble looking for a reason to fight someone in the street. Nice people don't do what they do. Imagine a scene where an antifa hits a nazi over the head with a beer bottle. In retaliation, the nazi smashes the antifa in the ribs with a softball bat. Not all that hard to imagine,,,right?

Then the headline "Nazi smashes anti-nazi protester with bat in ribs." A photo which shows it happening is placed under the headline.

That headline would be factually true.

Question for you...Do you regard that as good journalism?

No, of course I wouldn't describe that as good journalism. It's bit of a silly question.

I would disagree slightly with your equating Antfas amd nazis. There is nothing wrong with the antifa cause.per se. A violent antifa is scum, damages the cause he/she claims to support, and might as well be working for Fox News. A nazi, on the other hand, is just scum.




[quote][/quote]

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Definitely there needs to be more fact checking with what is news. The media companies that have been taken as more reputable companies are getting pulled whatever which way. Both major parties are backed with big money. The left looked at that as having a moral high ground with Republicans and big oil. Now internet moguls are in the pockets of the left.
I guess the safest way to know if news is credible is to get that from more than one source. I look at inconsistencies between outlets like Drudge Report and CNN.
But people to either extreme seems to gobble up whatever tidbit they have as fact, like even a far worse reality show.
I feel optimism that with the more loose information via the web, that there is more for the citizens to decipher that news and make their own conclusions for their voice.

Thank God a pro first and second amendment judge was nominated for the Supreme Court.
If there is a single reason to vote for the President it is our constitution with the Supreme Court picks.

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Hi Perry:

Thanks for your remarks, clarifications and most of all, for your service. Your continued service to Veterans is admirable and sorely needed. As I said earlier, you write well. Best of luck with your writing whether it leads to lyrics, poetry or elsewhere.

Because our society appears to be caught up in the weakness attributed to alcohol and drug abuse, I would be interested to hear your story... about how you overcame alcohol. I have so many friends, now a rapidly dwindling group, who had children that became addicted one way or another... and among many, eventually succumbed to suicide.

Fortunately, although I drank socially from time to time, I never acquired the habit or constant desire it seems to light in others. We have chosen to refrain from keeping beer, wine or stronger spirits in our home. Perhaps your story will enlighten us and inspire those who suffer this malady... to find a way to quit.

Before I forget, as a newcomer here I suspect you are still grasping how the site works and may not understand that we have forums aplenty, each of them dedicated to a topic... and this one began as a "rant" against GOOGLE. Because of the current political division our country is experiencing, liberals versus conservatives, this thread became side-tracked to the same name-calling, snide and usually unfounded blather about good versus evil... (Republicans versus Democrats) and so... with no insult intended, you are invited to continue your story on this thread... or to create a new, more meaningful thread on a forum of your choice. If you elect to do so... (abandon this one for something more specific) please leave us a note regarding where we might "pick up the conversation" again... without all the baggage this thread now contains.

Also, before I forget... if any of my initial reply to your first post on this thread offended or insulted you, please accept my sincere apology.

Regards, thanks and welcome to JPF... a music oriented site... and more... thanks to the generosity of Brian Austin Whitney.

----Dave


Last edited by Dave Rice; 09/13/17 08:45 PM. Reason: punctuation
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I started a new thread titled Messages of Hope. I will post my story there as well as poem parables of hope. I hope others share there too.

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The new thread is in the creative writing forum.

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Hi Perry:

Thanks for taking action. I'll "peek in" over at the creative writing forum later.

Thanks, R&M:

Well said!

Later, guys.... ----Dave

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Aw, Humm,
Whazzat? Talk show hosts examining the News? Well they have to keep the ball rolling or they will be back where they belong, sweeping floors or flipping 'burgers. Marty Robbins wrote and recorded a song Entitled Gossip many years ago. Now "Gossip" has gone main stream. Eureka!

Martin, Peter Jennings is dead, for some time now, smoking and lung cancer I believe. Well, I either have to give up cigarettes or listening to all the talking points, spewed out every day! Well I gave up cigarettes 40 years ago but giving up Talk Hosts is a hard habit to break.

However I did play a Memories DVD Vol. 1 of all the old Country Stars when they were new. I bought the set, 12 DVD's a few years ago, recorded on 35 MM Film and finally released on DVD. Man Marty Robbins still sounds good! Eh, so what.

Last edited by Ray E. Strode; 09/14/17 11:14 AM.

Ray E. Strode
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Originally Posted by Ray E. Strode


Martin, Peter Jennings is dead, for some time now, smoking and lung cancer I believe. Well, I either have to give up cigarettes or listening to all the talking points, spewed out every day! Well I gave up cigarettes 40 years ago but giving up Talk Hosts is a hard habit to break.

.


You're right. I meant Tom Brokaw. Got their names confused.


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