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tttahiti

User Profile Image tttahiti
Member since : May-26-2009 (Verified)
8 Ideas, 158 Comments, 80 Votes

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Ideas Posted

Who wants to help me write a book?
Working title: “Too Stupid To Live.”
From an Aspie point of view. What would it have been like to watch it all unfold, from the point of view of a fully awake, criminally SANE and rational, alien anthropologist?

Chapter One: a brief overview of the stupidity of the species, Genesis-style.

Chapter Two: zero in on the colonies, starting just before the American Revolution. The Salem witch hunts, the institution of slavery, Manifest Destiny… Don’t forget the part where the witch doctors bled George Washington to death, just because that was the state of the art at the time.

Chapter Three: wars and other stupidities of the 20th century.

Chapter Four: September 11, 2001… more willful ignorance…

Maybe a headstone on the cover, with something about the universe being better off without these vile creatures...

Any history buffs in da house?
The position is really just a spokesman anyway. A coordinator, a facilitator.

When the government follows the Constitution, the president's most important power is in nominating a new Supreme court Justice. This is as it should be, and we need to get back to that.

Lately, since they've thrown the Constitution away, the person sitting in that chair has been nothing but a puppet for a small group of people who were not elected, have no right to dictate, and are not our friends.

We need a facilitator who understands and can explain how the natural hierarchy works, and that it doesn't have to be this way.
"Pentagon Plans New Arm to Wage Cyberspace Wars"
The New York Times, May 28
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/29/us/politics/29cyber.html

--Obama expected to sign classified order in coming weeks that will create the military cybercommand.

The Pentagon plans to create a new military command for cyberspace, administration officials said Thursday, stepping up preparations by the armed forces to conduct both offensive and defensive computer warfare. The military command would complement a civilian effort to be announced by President Obama on Friday that would overhaul the way the United States safeguards its computer networks. The main dispute has been over whether the Pentagon or the National Security Agency should take the lead in preparing for and fighting cyberbattles. Under one proposal still being debated, parts of the N.S.A. would be integrated into the military command so they could operate jointly.
No, I have no suggestion as to exactly how.

Put aside for a while the usual issues -- gun control, abortion, capitol punishment, whatever -- Those are honest disagreements that will not be resolved for a long time. What we have now is a power that no one wants.

Would anyone be willing to temporarily give up those old arguments and form a new, consolidated party, just to restore our Constitutional system and most basic laws? To cooperate with people of the wrong religion or geographic area or whatever irks you?

Short of a violent takeover (which we would lose) How can we get rid of the Bilderbergs and whoever else is ruining the country?
How was this "brainstorming session" publicized?
By word of mouth? Has anyone heard of it in the popular media?

I heard about it through a news group to which I subscribe.

My not-too-literate-friend suggested that it is "a publicity stunt and that its just a bunch of (fill in some group that you dislike) having a pow-wow rather than the President being involved."

WHERE OR HOW DID YOU HEAR OF THIS PROJECT?

(Simple answers, please.)
Wait -- gimme a minute.
I'm talking about the conspiracy AFTER the fact.

Starting with the assumption that the investigation is reopened... (I know, that's a long shot. Just work with me.)

Anyone who knew what was coming, BEFORE DAWN ON SEPTEMBER 11th, should spend the rest of eternity in jail.
But what about the rest of us? Every adult citizen of the US is guilty of conspiracy after the fact. Some of us for days, some for years. Confusion, denial, fear, stupidity... whatever the reason.

While watching the towers fall, live, I thought to myself, "Gee, that looks like a controlled demolition." Then I shrugged it off. It made no sense. It took years, and a friend from Bangladesh to wake me up. Where is the line between me and the actual perpetrators, who participated in all the preparations before the event?

For example, I would put someone like Christie Whitman on the borderline -- I don't believe she knew anything about it before dawn that day, but she knowingly lied about the air quality in NYC in the days immediately after.

We can't put everyone in jail. We can't put all government officials in jail. Washington would become a ghost town. Still, I want the truth. I would leave most government officials in office, as they are, and let their constituents do what they like at the next election.

==========================

The investigation might actually happen -- ya never know.

U.N. calls U.S. human rights record "deplorable."
A new report suggests the U.S. may have committed war crimes -- and endorses the formation of a truth commission.
http://www.salon.com/news/primary_sources/2009/05/29/un_report/

NYC referendum for the November 2009 ballot -- http://www.nyccan.org/index.php
They now have 40,154 signatures. If an excess of 45,000 signatures is collected, the referendum will automatically be placed on the ballot, overruling City Council’s vote.
By bestest buddy, Barack, sent me a personal e-mail to say, "I am proud to announce my nominee for the next Justice of the United States Supreme Court: Judge Sonia Sotomayor." ...yadda, yadda... and that she "would show fidelity to our Constitution."

It was a very nice letter and gave me the warm fuzzies.

My question is, "What Constitution? They threw that old rag away years ago. I believe I heard that Dubbya used it for toilet paper. Save a tree, and all that. Is there any chance of this Judge Sotomayor restoring it, or something vaguely reminicient?" It's a sentimental thing. I was never much for rules, but sometimes I like knowing that we have some, and what they are.

Hit the "thumbs-up" button if you would love to see a reply.
We need to create a constitutional amendment separating the major media from the corporations, like the separation of church and state. Ok, that's a bit complicated and would take decades.

In the meantime, we need some anti-monopoly rules. And I want ownership to be limited to real people with names rather than some obscure entity that's impossible to trace.

We also need a system that would allow ordinary people to find out
WHO OWNS THE MEDIA. Like the ingredients and nutritional information on the back of a cereal box, I want to know what I'm feeding my mind and my children's minds. Who owns it, and who owns the owner.
Displaying 1 - 25 of 4205 Ideas
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Comments Posted

tttahiti 9 months ago
Not at all.

I'm mocking human nature itself, and everyone who supports this mockery of "protecting our liberties." Every adult citizen of the US is guilty of conspiracy, at least after the fact. Some because they're so naive as to believe that we've moved past Manifest Destiny; Others because they really, consciously believe that Manifest Destiny is god's will, and that using the towers as a pawn in this game was a really smart idea. Let's all give it a wink and a smile and pretend that we don't know who was behind 9-11. And kill any messenger who hints that there's any question.
tttahiti 9 months ago
I take it back. You're awake, more or less.
But you still have that tone.
tttahiti 9 months ago
Meyer Moldeven - Interesting SciFi. I skimmed it, and will eventually figure out how to download it properly.

It's just not remotely related to my proposed book.

If you could get the mindless masses to care about and allow the creation of that distant future, you could use the same technique to get them to wake up and understand what's happening today. Good luck with that.

apugh96 and others - you are one of the mindless creatures I'm talking about. If you can blame Obama or any individual for the creation of those turds he's forced to polish, you are still in dream land. Get over the petty crap and look up. Would any power on earth get your attention?
tttahiti 9 months ago
luvwith --
When you go off topic like this, it's called hyjacking.

When you post the same thing all over the place, on multiple topics that have no connection to your topic, that's spam.

At least it's intelligent spam.
Unlike the local trolls going on and on about nonsense...
tttahiti 9 months ago
Sounds good to me.
But it'll never fly until the masses understand
“Who Owns the Media?” Idea #664,
http://opengov.ideascale.com/akira/dtd/3276-4049
tttahiti 9 months ago
Good idea.

Except that we have so many other problems right now, it's hard to get excited about another one.
Ya gotta pick your battles.

Then again, when it all hits the fan... If the whole thing really does collapse and we need to restructure, maybe we can forget to recreate the DOE. And the FDA. And the IRS. And the imperial presidency. And a million other programs.
tttahiti 9 months ago
Yep. That and get rid of the 30-year mortgage.
I'm gonna just sit here and hold my breath until it happens.
tttahiti 9 months ago
The phrase "charter school monopoly" is self-contradictory. A charter school is different, by definition. It's like saying "anarchists, unite!" When the regular schools smarten up and offer diversity, the reason for the charter schools will cease to exist.

A union that defends a system that is harmful to kids deserves to be "busted up." Or better yet, smartened up. The public schools have been screwing up for over a century and they're not going to clean up their act without outside help.

But calling in a bigger bully (federal) to do the job will only create bigger problems.
tttahiti 9 months ago
"Even if Charter schools were the best it's still not fair..." That's the point: there is no "best" practice. It's like saying that a size ten shoe is the best, therefore everyone must wear a size-ten shoe. Traditional, factory-model schools can't give most kids what they need because they're not even trying.

The charter movement is not trying to bust teacher's unions. They're trying to bust a monopoly that is not working. The "one size fits all" approach is harmful to most kids and to society in general. The best interests of the child should be the priority.

We agree that "No Child Left Behind" is a scam. It's an example of how the federal government can do nothing but mess things up. Like I said, they should mind their own business and let the states handle education.
tttahiti 9 months ago
"stevensje" said, "In Chicago Charter schools are public\privately run by a group or corporation."

No. You're making it sound as though it's a private school and someone is hoping to make a profit from it. There's no chance of that. It's a non-profit.

They're certainly not hurting the budget of the regular school. In NJ, we get 90% or less of the per-child funding, NOT COUNTING money for the BUILDING.
While the regular school is paying for teachers and books, we pay for teachers, books AND RENT, and we have to do it with less than 90% of what they get.

"The students are picked by a lottery..." Same here. It's not a social club. It's a public school.

"It is an attempt to break the teachers union and ruin public education."
There's no chance of such a small group having any effect on the union.
It's an attempt to improve public education, to give people a choice and to demonstrate that different approaches work.

Different students have different needs, and they simply can not all be addressed in the same setting. One kid needs a rigid structure, another needs more flexibility. Some kids thrive in a big school, some get lost and need a small school. It gets complicated, but the point is that one size certainly does not fit all. Unfortunately that's all that the regular public schools are willing to offer. If the local school can't meet my child's needs, I should have the option of going somewhere else. If anything, we're saving taxpayer money.
tttahiti 9 months ago
A charter school, by definition, IS a public school and CAN NOT be a religious school. It is funded by the state and is tuition-free to its students.

http://www.state.nj.us/education/chartsch/

The state makes it hard enough. Giving the job of oversight to the federal government would create so many problems that you might as well throw in the towel now. Let them mind their own business. They're screwing up enough already. No need to give them more.
tttahiti 9 months ago
I have no opinion either way yet on Sotomayor.

However, I would like to mention one detail.

This ranting about the phrase "wise Latina woman" is petty and pointless. I would like to know about her other qualifications.

For one thing, the comments are a decade or more old. If she parked her car in front of a fire hydrant or my driveway, I would expect her to get a ticket. The law is the law. Coming back a decade later and harassing her about it is petty.

For another, it's not the same thing at all. If a three-year-old guy hits a twenty-year-old guy, that's not a big deal. It may be rude, but he's not going to do any real damage. If a twenty-year-old guy hits a three-year-old guy, he could really do some damage. It's not the same thing at all. Both actions are socially unacceptable, and the little guy should be told that such behavior is no good. Still, it's hard to get excited about it. While the kid's mother should be concerned, the big guy should be embarrassed to complain.
tttahiti 9 months ago
I still don't get it. Where are the issues? Any of the issues posted here?
tttahiti 9 months ago
I don't get it. Are we packing up and moving to a new format, or are we stuck here on Troll island forever? Where is phase II and how does it work?
tttahiti 9 months ago
You'll find nonsense like that in the bible, too. Sane people don't take it literally.
tttahiti 9 months ago
This works for me.

Can we also legalize counterfeit prescription pads? I need my fix, but it's such a pain inventing a new lie for the doctors every month. Also, with all the running around from one doctor to another and from one pharmacy to another, it's hard to keep them all straight.
tttahiti 9 months ago
Nope. Sorry, but it will never fly.
As a Board member at a tiny charter school, I see how it works, and human nature will not allow this.
The point of a meeting is to discuss ideas and issues, not to put on a polished, scripted, polished show.
If everything we say and do had to be with a camera in our faces, all the real discussion would have to
take place outside of the meeting.

There are plenty of times when I'm not sure of an issue or a detail and want to ask a question or point
something out that, if I had to do it for the www, would seem aggressive or rhetorical or whatever.
Often, it's just a simple, innocent question. The presence of a camera would make me want to take it outside.
Heck, even without the camera, it sometimes degenerates into several side conversations, which inspires
the president to pound on the table... It would not be pretty, and we are absolutely NOT ready for prime time.

Ok, professional politicians are a little more polished than we are, but still, the same type of thing
would work at any level. You'll get less transparency, not more. You'll get prepared lectures rather than
discussion. And worst of all, it will be nothing but a beauty contest on election day. (More than it already is.)
Much as I like Angelina Joline, I don't think I want her in an elected position.
tttahiti 9 months ago
Neither the majority of Muslims nor the majority of Christians preach hate. Only the misguided minority who miss the point of their own religion do that.

While this is not, and has never been, a Christian country, the majority of its citizens do happen to be Christian.

Another newsflash: Even to the majority of Christians, you are unwelcome. You are not really a Christian. You are nothing but hate, and an embarrassment to Christianity.
tttahiti 9 months ago
That's the trouble with religious extremists, no matter what the religion. Every group has them. People who don't believe that cooperation can work, that everyone is as sick as you are, that we need to kill or at least oppress the competition. The pre-emptive strike mentality makes sense to that kind of person. That and "stick together, right or wrong."

You are the puppet of the enemy. You are the American version of the Taliban.

Anyone in any country of any religion who preaches hate and war is the enemy.


Can you imagine the reaction if someone came to the US and said something like this? Obama said to Cairo:
"So America will defend itself respectful of the sovereignty of nations and the rule of law. And we will do so in partnership with Muslim communities which are also threatened. The sooner the extremists are isolated and unwelcome in Muslim communities, the sooner we will all be safer."

How could we go about making people like you feel "isolated and unwelcome" in our communities? What would it take?
Newsflash: you already are isolated and unwelcome in this country. You have been unwelcome for over 200 years. Take a hint.
tttahiti 9 months ago
Everyone is self-medicating. Some just manage to find a legal way.

The crap the medical community is pushing (most recent example: Celexa) is more harmful than any of the traditional street drugs, including heroin. The only real problems with the illegal stuff have to do with quality control and funding, and even that's only because it's illegal.

The only difference between the FDA and a cartel is that the FDA is bigger, stronger, smarter, better organized and more brutal. The punk on the corner can't compete.

What's your treatment of choice? Trash TV? That'll anesthetize your brain and your conscience more effectively than any drug.

I'll give up my tobacco when they offer something healthier, more effective and less dangerous.


If you want to support our troops, stop supporting the people who sent them there and are continuing to cause trouble. Better yet, throw them all in jail:

New Yorkers are collecting signatures for a referendum on the November 2009 ballot to reopen the 911 investigation. As of June 4, they have 44,246 signatures. If an excess of 45,000 signatures is collected, the referendum will automatically be placed on the ballot, overruling City Council’s vote. The deadline is July 3rd. http://www.nyccan.org/index.php
tttahiti 9 months ago
Robert Sapolsky for president
http://opengov.ideascale.com/akira/dtd/6198-4049

We need a common understanding of how these tyrants are pushing everyone's buttons and causing
us to bicker over petty nonsense rather than unite against our common enemy: the tyrants themselves.
tttahiti 9 months ago
We also need a way to let the people know “Who Owns the Media?” Idea #664, http://opengov.ideascale.com/akira/dtd/3276-4049

"End Imperial Presidency," Idea # 571, http://opengov.ideascale.com/akira/dtd/3161-4049

"Beyond Vietnam: A Time to Break Silence," By Rev. Martin Luther King, 4 April 1967, http://www.hartford-hwp.com/archives/45a/058.html

We need a massive shake-up on a scale that has probably never happened without a violent revolution. Uncovering the truth about 911 would do just that. As Sapolsky could tell you, if you get rid of the worst of the predators, all at once, decent people will emerge in positions of authority. They would restore our political system to the way it should be.

New Yorkers are petitioning to place a referendum on the ballot in the November 2009 General Election: http://www.nyccan.org/index.php
As of June 1, they have 44,246 signatures. If an excess of 45,000 signatures is collected, the referendum will automatically be placed on the ballot, overruling City Council’s vote. The deadline for submitting your petition is July 3, 2009.
tttahiti 9 months ago
Where's the link to someone credible?
Hell, I'll settle for someone literate.
Where did this hallucination start?
tttahiti 9 months ago
That was over 60 years ago. The world has changed. Try again if it's so important.

"Soda" is right. It's a state issue. The federal government screws up everything it touches.
tttahiti 9 months ago
I'm seriously disgusted with Obama because of what he's doing. Unfortunately, he's not even in charge. Last time it was the village idiot, next time it will be someone else (if the country lasts that long, which is extremely unlikely). It doesn't matter. He's just a warm body. Republican/Democrat/Liberal/Conservative -- none of the old labels matter any more. None of us is happy. Why not help us with real problems instead of wasting all that energy on something stupid? It's time to grow up and check out the real world. They're trying to kill us. Which part don't you get?
tttahiti 9 months ago
So you close the smaller one to new votes & comments and put a note at the
bottom, "The votes from this Idea #1234 have been merged with Idea # 5678,
at the author's request. Please see --link--."

At the same time, put a similar message in the bigger thread, with a link back.
Other than that one-issue group of trolls, I can't see how anyone would mind.
tttahiti 9 months ago
61 votes (either way) and no comments? What is everyone voting for? No investigation at all, or to put every adult citizen in jail?
tttahiti 9 months ago
No. I fully expected to see trolls, but I expected more diversity in their mindless rants.
The only way to shut them out would also shut out people who belong here. Get used to it -- this is the best you're gonna get from your species. Now, on my planet, when someone who has nothing to say can't think of what to do with his mouth, we strongly encourage the consumption of veggies (translation, "carrots").
tttahiti 9 months ago
Yes, "Please recategorize all references" to stupid crap and simply call it, "Stupid Crap." And don't list it on the first page. We may have a few inarticulate people around here, but come on.
tttahiti 9 months ago
You trolls are more of an embarrassment than any current politician. I don't even want this site kept open any more. We have real problems. Wake up and look around.
tttahiti 9 months ago
Conspicuously absent is a link or clue or any reason to believe that you didn't just make that up on the spot. That is called "lying."
tttahiti 9 months ago
Has anyone ever been asked to publish all that?
I wouldn't release the crap I wrote in college.

Baptism certificate? Now you're beyond crazy. Not only is it a ridiculous request in that it's not relevant to eligibility -- I don't have one either. Not all religious groups keep such records. I can name three people who were there because I had a photograph, but I wouldn't know how to find them. And they wouldn't remember.
tttahiti 9 months ago
Or maybe put the porker on line, and let us comment on each line-item. Not like this format, but with a few simple symbols (thumbs up or down and a few in-between symbols), a single line of comment, and a box you can open if you want to see the rest of the person's rant. (Up to 100 words. If you want more, use your own blog space.)

DarthNole said, "a person that believes in the rule of law and person freedoms..." (Chuckle.) Good one.
PS: Cool name, too. I need a "darth" name.
tttahiti 9 months ago
What was that about "the civil liberties we CHERISH as Americans?"
What about the rest of our civil liberties?
Was he referring to the ones we DON'T HAVE ANY MORE,
or the ones people care about, like the right to watch American Idol,
the right to remain willfully ignorant, or
the right of government officials to ignore the Constitution and the Law?
tttahiti 9 months ago
The worst part of Clinton's zipper problem was that he was accused of something that was simply not a crime. Your tax dollars were spent on an investigation that was, itself, illegal. I still can't figure out why Kenneth Star isn't in jail.

The worst part of all this ranting about Obama's birth certificate is that I can't find a credible source that says any of the speculation is based on anything in this dimension of reality. Most of the "lunatic fringe" (I'm usually a proud member) will give you some obscure little hint from an inside page the New York Times, or SOMETHING. ANYTHING. Wherever I look, I keep coming up with nothing.
tttahiti 9 months ago
I tried freeobama.org. It's empty. What is one supposed to do there?
tttahiti 9 months ago
The one before me was not spam.
It was a short opinion that I disagreed with.
It should not have been deleted.
tttahiti 9 months ago
Good luck with all that. I'm not arguing. I just don't see a way to organize and address any of that without freedom of the press.
“Who Owns the Media?” Idea #664, http://opengov.ideascale.com/akira/dtd/3276-4049

And even with a free media, it's gonna be rough.

dbaker said, "The Democratic Party promised responsible government, undefined change, health care for all, and prosecution of those who broke the laws under the Bush administration."
When did they PROMISE to prosecute? I don't remember that one. I heard a lot of things that made sense to me, and maybe I filled in what I wanted to hear?

That speech in Berlin, "A World That Stands as One" (July 2008) sounded pretty good back then. It got me on the band wagon.
http://my.barackobama.com/page/content/berlinvideo/
tttahiti 9 months ago
No way. I'm as annoyed by the trolls as anyone, but the only way to shut them up would shut us all out. Let 'em rant. No one is listening anyway.

Also, once in a while an inarticulate person really does have something important to say. A troll in pain is not pretty, but that is no reason to assume that his complaint is invalid.

PS: Next time around, the format should limit the size of the rants and allow the authors to voluntarily merge similar items.
And it should allow me to unsubscribe from the annoying ones.
tttahiti 9 months ago
Rob Wheeler asked, "Why does this proposal focus only on spending bills?"
Hey - wait a minute - what kind of crap is that? How can I change my vote?

patti asked, "Why is this idea no longer available on the public voting section?"
Good question. What else has changed?
tttahiti 9 months ago
Thanks.
tttahiti 9 months ago
What in the format has changed?
tttahiti 9 months ago
I think I phrased this wrong. It kind-of reads like a double-negative.

If you feel that OUR REPRESENTATIVES SHOULD HAVE SOME SAY in the creation of this new branch, your answer should be "thumbs-up."

If you think they (and we) should mind our own business and let the Pentagon do whatever it likes, with no oversight, your answer should be "thumbs-down."
tttahiti 9 months ago
First reaction: That can't be true, it's too blatant.

2nd reaction: They must have done something unrelated to get the locals mad, and the local authorities are too lazy or stupid to handle it properly, so they're looking for a short-cut. Not that it's an excuse, but what did the family do?

3rd reaction: It's still in progress. Someone will handle it. There's too many bible people around to let it stand.

4th reaction: It's an SEP (someone else's problem). I don't want to have a bible study anyway.

But now that you've punched through all that and gotten my attention, yes, that was a bad thing to do.

So, how has the case progressed?
tttahiti 9 months ago
It'll never fly. Not because your assessment of the situation is incorrect, but because no one can hear such a concentrated version of the truth, mixed with rants that are not necessary and are counter-productive. I'm with you, but you'll attract more bees with a little diplomacy.
tttahiti 9 months ago
yigaldankahana said, "The way I see it, the US is uniquely positioned by experience and constitution to positively inform the development of that process - or to screw it up." That pretty much says it all. I would rather see someone else -- just about anyone else -- monitor such a dialogue. The "values America was founded on" are pretty much gone with the wind.

I think that "the distinction between government and governance is too subtle" and would prefer to throw them away entirely. I would rather use a word like "dialogue" while setting up and phrases like "objective standard" as we go along. Not to impose a value that makes no sense in a given region, but to acknowledge values we already share and insisting that they apply to everyone, not just to people who look like you.

Is a hungry child in a foreign, war-torn country more or less important than a hungry kitten in my back yard?

(By the way, Afganistan had some freedoms for a while. They had educated women working as doctors and lawyers, who were suddenly forced to go home and wear their veils. It's not the majority who want to be oppressed.)
tttahiti 9 months ago
And speaking of Sapolsky's baboons, they have the answer to everything. (Just get rid of the jerks at the top so the nice guys can take over.)

http://books.google.com/books?id=oy52m6kgQQMC&pg=PA177&lpg=PA177&dq=Sapolsky+nice+guy&source=bl&ots=2Rzrx9foCZ&sig=oIFznBpZsgnHFnVh_pegus70c8w&hl=en&ei=Ib4kStu-KYGktge73LTkBg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1
tttahiti 9 months ago
Good luck with the Logan Act and everything else. A lot of people have been demanding a lot of things for a long time. Nobody in Washington is listening. We only have one party and it controls everything.

“Who Owns the Media,” Idea #664, http://opengov.ideascale.com/akira/dtd/3276-4049
tttahiti 9 months ago
Maybe the point of this item was to put someone important in here to make it seem more legit. Maybe Ol' Johnny got the short straw.
tttahiti 9 months ago
I don't know anyone who has that kind of cash.
tttahiti 9 months ago
(Oops. Wrong link up there.) “911 Amnesty,” Idea #1330 http://opengov.ideascale.com/akira/dtd/4115-4049
tttahiti 9 months ago
If there's anything at all to this gossip about the birth certificate, that implies a huge conspiracy. How many politicians can we throw in jail, and how many does it take to hold the country together?

If this one issue is worth turning the world upside down, why doesn't anyone care about real crimes?

“911 Amnesty,” Idea #1330 http://opengov.ideascale.com/akira/dtd/3276-4049
tttahiti 9 months ago
When a corrupt system is the only game in town, you are forced to play. All the islands and caves are taken.
tttahiti 9 months ago
yigaldankahana said, "Your real problem is with human nature, not any specific system of governance." Now we're getting somewhere.

Yep, humans are born savages and some of them grow up and become civilized. That's the point of government. We're trying to rise above the level of Sapolsky's baboons. At least, the authors of the Constitution were aiming for it. What the current powers are aiming for is worse than no government at all.
tttahiti 9 months ago
What constitution? Dubbya used it for toilet paper years ago. If you are living within 100 miles of the border, you have no constitution. Where is the outrage about that?

Where is the outrage about 911?
Where is the outrage about Iraq and all the rest?

Oh, right, those issues are too big and might give us nightmares. So lets focus on poor abandoned kittens as though it's the most important issue in history.
tttahiti 9 months ago
Does anyone know who owns Snopes?

(No ranting on particular issues please. Just a simple "who owns it?")
tttahiti 9 months ago
I keep hearing this in gossip and unsigned e-mails. I haven't met anyone who can back it up. Does anyone have a link or anything useful?
tttahiti 9 months ago
I didn't mean to do that. My computer is slow and uncooperative today and I was trying to click on something totally unrelated. I would have ignored this idiocy completely but, if forced, I would have given it a thumbs-down.
tttahiti 9 months ago
If this is the "model," I'd hate to see the real thing.
tttahiti 9 months ago
It will be difficult to get the word out until the majority understand
“Who Owns the Media,” Idea #664, http://opengov.ideascale.com/akira/dtd/3276-4049

And even then there will be resistance. Every adult citizen of the US is guilty of conspiracy after the fact. Where is the line between me and Cheney?
“911 Amnesty,” Idea #1330, http://opengov.ideascale.com/akira/dtd/3276-4049
tttahiti 9 months ago
This is phase-one. It's called "brainstorming."
I'm hoping that phase-two will follow your description.
tttahiti 9 months ago
cherold - True, it's overreaching. This is just the brainstorming phase.
I gave it a thumbs-up, not because I agree with every detail, but because the general topic deserves serious discussion. We can trim the fat later.

[Simplicity doesn't seem to attract much attention either. (Sigh.) See “Who Owns the Media,” Idea #664, http://opengov.ideascale.com/akira/dtd/3276-4049]
tttahiti 9 months ago
What, exactly, is a "wingnut?" I just started hearing that one a few days ago, and suddenly it's everywhere.
tttahiti 9 months ago
News flash: this was never christian country. Check the First Amendment.

If San Diego trying to "shut down home bible studies," that is a serious accusation. Do you have a link or anything useful or credible?
tttahiti 9 months ago
"Most important when you see a crime report it."
Report all you like. Nothing will come of it. The laws only apply to little people. Lots of people have been reporting and protesting lots of things for years. Nothing happens and the media doesn't report it.

U.S. "Constitution Free Zone" - http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=10665
35 articles of impeachment - http://blogs.usatoday.com/ondeadline/2008/06/democrat-files.html
I could go on and on.

"This is not Communist Russia," but the difference is no longer significant.

(Don't kill the messenger.)
tttahiti 9 months ago
Where have you been? We are not "at risk" of losing our freedoms.
They threw away the constitution years ago. I heard that Dubbya used it for toilet paper. Starting with that "Patriot" Act, that got a bit of air time, followed by another, secret round that nullified everything that matters. If you are within 100 miles of an ocean, you are living in a "Constitution Free" zone. You have been living under martial law for years.

And it was all made possible by controlling the media.
This is what happens when you don't have basic Freedom of the Press.

“Who Owns the Media,” Idea #664, http://opengov.ideascale.com/akira/dtd/3276-4049
tttahiti 9 months ago
Stremington - good post, with food for thought.

Don't mind the troll. It's a public place and we wouldn't want to shut anyone out. [I also support The Icarus Project -- I really, REALLY don't want anyone to be excluded. http://theicarusproject.net/]
tttahiti 9 months ago
A 72-hour review period would be a good thing. WOULD THAT HAVE PREVENTED the current wars or the bailouts? And how about all the secret deals that never get to the house? Or the covert operations that are denied, even after the fact? Or the trashing of the Constitution itself?

[See “End Imperial Presidency,” Idea # 571, http://opengov.ideascale.com/akira/dtd/3161-4049]

Sure, I'd like to see some real transparency. It ain't gonna happen until we restore FREEDOM OF THE PRESS.

“Who Owns the Media,” Idea #664, http://opengov.ideascale.com/akira/dtd/3276-4049

PS: John, would you please let your buddies know that words like "bipartisan" are getting a little warn out? We know that you guys are sleeping together, that the republican and democratic parties merged years ago, and that we no longer have a representative government. You don't have to keep rubbing it in.
tttahiti 9 months ago
Umm... guys? The republican and democratic parties merged years ago. We haven't had a representative government in a long time. The only people who would consider representing us are those independent parties, and good luck getting anywhere with them. We have no way of reclaiming our country because we no longer have freedom of the press. It is completely controlled by the wrong people.

“Who Owns the Media,” Idea #664, http://opengov.ideascale.com/akira/dtd/3276-4049
tttahiti 9 months ago
Absolute power corrupts absolutely.
What do you think is causing all of our problems today? A bunch of goat herders?
tttahiti 9 months ago
The word is "empire."

“End Imperial Presidency,” Idea # 571,
http://opengov.ideascale.com/akira/dtd/3161-4049
tttahiti 9 months ago
Either limit the verbiage, or let it spill over into a comment box on the side. Then the reader would only have to look at a paragraph or so per comment, and could choose to open the box.

Also, it might help to give the author a few simple moderator tools.

And private messaging. If you have a personal issue, take it outside.
tttahiti 9 months ago
Still, no good.
We have too many problems that nobody wants to know about that are already underfunded. Child protection agencies, institutions, invisible homeless. The abuses are horrific, and not suitable for dinner-table conversation. Shall we let them eat cake?
And then there's public services that are just not exciting. What percentage would you allocate to the department of motor vehicles?
tttahiti 9 months ago
The "report abuse button" seems to be there for everyone. Just wave your cursor over a post and it pops up.

I see a little "report abuse" on some posts that doesn't make sense. I don't see anything in this thread, for example, that deserves reporting and I don't know what it means.

I'm wondering whether I annoyed the local troll by hitting it accidentally.
tttahiti 9 months ago
Thumbs-up.

See also

“Take away (or reduce) ‘personhood’ from corporations,” Idea #1284, by xrxs1020, http://opengov.ideascale.com/akira/dtd/4064-4049
tttahiti 9 months ago
See related proposal --
“End Corporate Influence/Control of Our Government,” Idea #526 by toddputnam, http://opengov.ideascale.com/akira/dtd/3078-4049
tttahiti 9 months ago
Reparations? How? With over a million murdered and --

"In Pakistan, an exodus that is beyond biblical"

Around the world, only a handful of war-spoiled countries – Sudan, Iraq, Colombia – have larger numbers of internal refugees. The speed of the displacement at its height – up to 85,000 people a day – was matched only during the 1994 genocide in Rwanda. This is now one of the biggest sudden refugee crises the world has ever seen.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/in-pakistan-an-exodus-that-is-beyond-biblical-1693513.html
tttahiti 9 months ago
felkakarp - Remember to brush your toes and to keep that third eye covered. Yes, it's beautiful, but no one around here wants to see it.
tttahiti 9 months ago
You lost me. Who is a mole, and what was the "falsehood?"

Oh, are you the lunatic from “End Imperial Presidency?” Are you stalking me? Please, please take your medicine.
tttahiti 9 months ago
I think 500 is good for the original idea, then 250 or less per comment. It's not like anyone really reads the longer rants.
tttahiti 9 months ago
dbaker -- What the hell are you talking about and what is your problem? Never mind. Just get a grip. Take your pills. Whatever you imagine I've done is only in your head. We are on the same side.
tttahiti 9 months ago
U.N. calls U.S. human rights record "deplorable."
A new report suggests the U.S. may have committed war crimes -- and endorses the formation of a truth commission.
http://www.salon.com/news/primary_sources/2009/05/29/un_report/

(Every adult citizen of the US is guilty of conspiracy after the fact. Some of us for days, some for years... Willful ignorance doesn't cut it.)
tttahiti 9 months ago
And it all hinges on getting the message to the people that the mass media is being controlled. The first step needs to be simple and basic and accessible to everyone. Once we restore freedom of the Press, we can work on just about anything.
tttahiti 9 months ago
I want to rant more, but you guys have said all that really needs to be said. WE NEED THIS!!!
tttahiti 9 months ago
I am an alien. I wish to remain anonymous.
Minorities and differences are not treated well on your planet, even for those who have a legal status.
tttahiti 9 months ago
U.N. calls U.S. human rights record "deplorable."
A new report suggests the U.S. may have committed war crimes -- and endorses the formation of a truth commission.
http://www.salon.com/news/primary_sources/2009/05/29/un_report/

(Every adult citizen of the US is guilty of conspiracy after the fact. Some of us for days, some for years... Willful ignorance doesn't cut it.)
tttahiti 9 months ago
So you say that they are gouging because they have a monopoly. Could we not, in theory at least, address that with existing laws?

Ok, I hit the thumbs-up because the issue deserves attention. But I doubt that making it a free service is realistic.
tttahiti 9 months ago
What's a wingnut?
tttahiti 9 months ago
And what about the programs no one wants to know about? People are still being neglected, abused and flat-out murdered in institutions. The details are not suitable for polite company.
tttahiti 9 months ago
I have no idea. I'd need to do some serious homework to have an opinion on this one.
But now that you mention it, that 30-year mortgage is an abomination. It doesn't help anyone, it just drives up the price, rakes it in for the banks, and makes us slaves forever. REAL ownership (with no mortgage) should eventually be within the reach of most people. If anyone cared, they could cut the 30-year limit back gradually so as not to traumatize the market. Maybe by a few months less every year.
tttahiti 9 months ago
Most people like it, although it's not a big deal.
I haven't heard of this being a problem on farms. (I didn't vote yet.)
tttahiti 9 months ago
My kids went to a great charter school. If it were up to me, I'd shut down all the big traditional schools (kinder thru eight) and replace them with a gazillion little alternatives. I just don't want it in the hands of the Federal government. They ruin everything they touch. (Can you say NCLB?)
tttahiti 9 months ago
This one really works for me. I wish I could vote more than once.

For a similar kind of thinking, but from another angle, see
“Who Owns the Media,” Idea #664,
http://opengov.ideascale.com/akira/dtd/3276-4049
tttahiti 9 months ago
Take back ALL (how many $trillions?) the bail-out rip-offs and put Westlaw on the govt payroll instead? If they would agree, I would agree.

(By the way, was not exactly "our money." All that bail-out money was fake. Our species would not live long enough to pay it off. The economy will collapse, 3/4-or-so of us will die in the resulting famines, plagues, wars, etc., and then the survivors will start over with some new system.)
tttahiti 9 months ago
Nope. Sorry. It wouldn't change anything. The politicians would need to jump through more hoops, but they'll still get what they want. It'll just make all the funding formulas more convoluted and harder to talk about. In other words, less transparency.

Also, if it did work, it would a very bad thing. The people who pay the most taxes would dictate all government programs, and the poor would be more neglected than they already are.
tttahiti 9 months ago
I didn't vote.
Yes, I would like access to that information.
On the other hand, collecting and indexing all that is a huge, expensive job. No one is going to do it for free. I have no idea what it would cost if the government did it.
tttahiti 9 months ago
That's why you would get approval from all three.
If they agree that it's reasonably similar, it is.
The little guy isn't getting anywhere anyway,
and should be happy to join with the big guy.

It's not as though the original proposal will become law, as-is.
It's just a way to get a discussion going about the general topic.
People who want to legalize pot or reopen 911 or whatever tend to have the same arguments.
If there's a subtle but significant difference, they won't want to merge.
tttahiti 9 months ago
dbaker -- I don't know what you're saying.
I was saying that Hitler was not the only bully in the playground in his day. There was someone big enough to challenge him.
Today, there's no one who can put the US in its place.
No one has ever had this kind of power before, and it's all in the hands of a very small number of the wrong kind of people.
If we can't take our country back...
tttahiti 9 months ago
I've been thinking exactly this for years.

It's elitist and does not reflect the whole point of this country.

Most people don't know the words and don't even understand them.
The lyrics glorify war.

The tune has too big a range and is out of reach. A few professional singers can manage it, but it makes the average person sound like a stuck pig.

"This Land is Your Land" is within the range of most people, has a positive message, and can grow with us. New verses can be added at any time.
tttahiti 9 months ago
Ok, all ranting aside,
Are there any arguments at all for NOT reopening the investigation? Where are all these negative votes coming from?
(Truthers need not apply. You're preaching to the choir here. I want to hear the other side, if there is one.)
tttahiti 9 months ago
Just thought I'd add --

After Waterboarding: How to Make Terrorists Talk?
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1901491,00.html
(Answer: a handful of sugar-free cookies.)
http://www.legitgov.org/
tttahiti 9 months ago
Thumbs-down.
It would serve no purpose, other than to further humiliate the victims.
We get the gist of those photos. We don't need to see something worse than porn.
Unless you're on the jury, only sick people need to see it first-hand.

PS: "After Waterboarding: How to Make Terrorists Talk?" http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1901491,00.html
(Answer: a handful of sugar-free cookies.) http://www.legitgov.org/
tttahiti 9 months ago
Oh. I thought you were asking to keep it open to the real traitors, like Bush, Chaney, Rice...

Never mind. As you were.
tttahiti 9 months ago
"Our troops in Afghanistan are attacked, daily, with bullets, bombs..." It's called "war." It wasn't the people of Afganistan's idea. If you don't like it, get the hell out of there.

PS: Osama ben Laden has probably been dead for five years.
tttahiti 9 months ago
We already have undue influence. This one was off the top of my head. There were others. Should I dig deeper?

Rep. Brad Sherman Martial Law
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HaG9d_4zij8
http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/node/37101
tttahiti 9 months ago
"Mass murder and war crimes must be addressed or this nation will go the way of the Third Reich..." That's the frightening part. Back then, there was someone big enough to challenge them. Today, there's nobody. Either we handle it from this end, or it doesn't happen. Global slavery, forever. Have we already passed the point of no return?
tttahiti 9 months ago
Thumbs-down. I'm totally in favor of school choice, and could rant for hours on who, what, how, when and why. But that's a job for the State. The Federal government is the cause, not the cure, for most of the problems in education. All they can do is make things worse. Let Washington mind it's own business for a change, which is providing for the common defense and regulating interstate commerce.
tttahiti 9 months ago
I gave this a thumbs-down, but I would like to take it back. While the solution above is too simplistic, this is an issue that should be addressed.

Being physically in the building doesn't guarantee that they've "heard both sides." No one ever hears both sides.

Personally, I would like the whole system re-worked.
I want someone in Congress who represents ME for a change. That would require redefining the whole concept of "districts" and allowing more representatives per capita. Unfortunately, there's a limit to the number of bodies that can be physically present and still have a meaningful dialogue.

I can imagine a system using modern technology that would allow more individual representatives to participate without creating pure chaos.
tttahiti 9 months ago
Maybe they could be allowed to voluntarily combine their groups.
If the author of the less popular item is willing to give, and the author of the more
popular item is willing to receive, they can transfer and consolidate those votes.

I would imagine that there's some kind of moderator around here somewhere who could
approve the consolidation, as long as the items are reasonably similar.
tttahiti 9 months ago
Another thread that I've been following is: "Where Is The Outrage?" http://opengov.ideascale.com/akira/dtd/3799-4049

Actually, there's plenty of outrage, everywhere. Just no way to harness it while the mass media is being controlled by a tiny group of people who are not our friends. They're not just controlling the news. They're controlling and distorting everything, at every level, and pretending that no one knows or cares.

Another question that I should have asked here is: Where are the modern versions of Lennon, Dylan, or Country Joe, and CAN AN ENTIRE GENERATION OF ARTISTS BE BRAIN DEAD? I don't think so. Can the music industry be controlled like everything else and, if so, what can be done?
tttahiti 9 months ago
vpocv -- are you saying that we're down to simple book burning? What do you mean by "removed?"
tttahiti 9 months ago
"Do you have a proposal in this pile of verbiage somewhere...?"

It's called "brainstorming."
"Where is the Outrage" is a good question.

Actually, there's plenty of outrage, everywhere. We just have no way to harness it while the mass media is being controlled by a tiny group of people who are not our friends. They're not just controlling the news. They're controlling and distorting everything, at every level.

I asked before, where are the modern versions of Lennon, Dylan, or Country Joe, and can an entire generation of artists be brain dead? I don't think so.

The next question is, “Who Owns the Media,” Idea #664,
http://opengov.ideascale.com/akira/dtd/3276-4049

And the answer is to create a simple, accessible system that will allow ordinary people to find out who owns it.
tttahiti 9 months ago
The point of this item is to "End Imperial Presidency."
Can we skip the religious ranting? That's not why I'm here.
Mindless obedience and blind faith is what got us unto this mess in the first place.

We all know what the problem is. What is the answer? Seriously. In the real world.
tttahiti 9 months ago
Sorry about the hijacking. Private messaging would have made more sense, but in this format it's not available. Still, we could have ranted elsewhere.

The main point is that no one can be trusted with that kind of power. Ghandi himself couldn't handle it. I had an irrational hope that Obama would voluntarily give it up, which is kind of like asking Frodo to risk everything just to throw the thing into Mount Doom. Not a realistic request. The fact that I can't think of a way to make it happen is not a reason to give up and not try. That's what brainstorming is about.

"Not everything is a conspiracy..." Actually, it is. We are living in the Age of Bull***. That is the economic basis of life. No one can survive today without being connected to some kind of scam. But that's a complaint about our times and human nature in general and not a reasonable part of this topic.

"Can you write one thing on this site that isn't drowned with conspiracy theories and just maybe you will be taken seriously by the majority..." True, cosmetics must be considered before you can take it on the road. I would imagine that as part of "phase two." Rants that are not directly helpful to the topic should be avoided. Whether they are true or not isn't really the point. People will insist on focusing on distracting details as an excuse the reject and pretend they don't get the main point.

As in so much of what's happening today, the main point is too hard to see because it is too big and too horrific to believe. Have we already passed the point of no return? Is there anything to be gained by fretting about something that can't be solved? It's easier to kill the messenger. How do you combat willful ignorance?
tttahiti 9 months ago
Oops. I thought I voted on this one the last time I came through.
tttahiti 9 months ago
No other nation has ever been big enough or strong enough to be this evil...
Sorry, all. This is hijacking. I'll do my off-topic ranting at WrongPlanet.org and other places.
tttahiti 9 months ago
For transparency sake? Ok.
Deeply ashamed to be a US citizen. I'm nobody, got no book to sell. I thought of it once, but my audience wouldn't pay for it. Got no website or blog. 53-year old mom. Former Special Ed teacher. Member of the Board of Trustees at my kid's school. Recently self-diagnosed Aspie = severe allergy to fascism (we are not a disease, we are the cure). The stuff I usually want to rant about is related to the monstrocities known as the education and psychology industries. Not much overlap between those topics and this one, except that the whole culture is sick and twisted, from top to bottom.
tttahiti 9 months ago
Sorry, went a little overboard there. I had just come from... well, never mind my mood at the time. The point is that my comment was unnecessary.

Anyway, about that cotton ball story, no, I don't call that denial. I call that "hope" and "giving the guy a chance." I got a couple months of hope out of the deal. I don't think it's unreasonable that you or I waited for concrete proof that Obama wasn't going to save us. It was nice while it lasted, but now we know.

As for that "skin" thing, everybody on the planet has something valuable at stake right now. Only it's not a game anymore.

I just don't see a way to take back control of our Federal Government when the majority don't know how out-of-control it is. Without a free media, there's just no way to reach them.
tttahiti 9 months ago
Can I take my vote back? I want to free Obama, but this stuff is creeping me out.

Also in that link: "But passengers on the fourth plane... fought back, and the plane went down in rural Pennsylvania... In other words, the only hijacked airplane that failed to hit its target on Sept. 11 was the one where informed citizens were able to take direct action. It gave proof that our national security establishment is broken."

That was such an inspiring story. The only problem is that it never happened. Those phone calls were frauds, technologically impossible at the time. We have no way of knowing what really happened. (One popular rumor is that it was shot down by someone who was disobeying a direct order from Chaney.)

I'm afraid of terrorists, but the Arab variety only wish they were so important. The most dangerous terrorists are in Washington. Who can I call for that?
tttahiti 9 months ago
Dream on, cowboy.
(I was hesitant to use that word, so I looked for a clue as to your gender. Alas, a lot of people don't like to use their names.)
A lot of people have been doing a lot of screaming and organizing for a very long time. Grass roots movements do NOT make the front page unless someone upstairs allows it.

The only kind of message that can get through must be simple and, on the surface, inoffensive. (Like Troy's dream of "one moon circling.")
tttahiti 9 months ago
Another point that I haven't heard anyone mention:
Where are the modern versions of Lennon, Dylan, or Country Joe?
Can an entire generation of artists be brain dead?
tttahiti 9 months ago
The President's child is not an appendage.
tttahiti 9 months ago
Radical left? Nobody wants any of this crap. How can you possibly blame the liberals for the past eight years or for continuing manifest destiny? None of the old labels make sense any more. The leaders of the two parties merged long ago and don't represent any of us any more. It doesn't matter who or where you are, we're all equally screwed. Bickering over old divisions and blaming is just the distraction that is allowing them to do whatever they want.
tttahiti 9 months ago
Enough preaching to the choir. Anyone who has gotten this far already knows the Fruit Loop story. The question is how to get it out of these obscure little forums and onto the front page. If you don't like the idea of finding Dubbya's boyfriend, maybe we can find some other angle that is less socially acceptable than mass murder and genocide. Maybe if someone threatened a pretty child during the process. Or neglected to say his prayers on Sept 10th.
tttahiti 9 months ago
Good luck on that "objective education & psychological stability." The fields of education and psychology are just a screwed up as every other system. The lunatics are running the asylum. I've been working on that at the local school level. I won't live to see the benefits. We need something more simple, objective and immediate.
tttahiti 9 months ago
Sex scandals get attention, but mass murder is acceptable. Ok, how about if we find one of the technicians who helped to set up that controlled demolition and get him to admit that he was Dubbys's boyfriend?
tttahiti 9 months ago
Really. Too much span and ranting. If you have something more to say, give a link to your blog.
tttahiti 9 months ago
Thumbs-up. I'm with anyone who wants to prosecute Bush. But good luck with that.

It has about as much chance as “End Imperial Presidency,” Idea # 571,
http://opengov.ideascale.com/akira/dtd/3161-4049 [by David Swanson of http://www.afterdowningstreet.org]

To do that, or to do anything else that makes sense, we need a simple, accessible way to let ordinary people know that we do not have Freedom of the Press. Everything hinges on the First Amendment, which has been gutted for all practical purposes. That's why we need: “Who Owns the Media,” Idea #664, http://opengov.ideascale.com/akira/dtd/3276-4049. Everything hinges on the fact that the First Amendment is not working any more.
tttahiti 9 months ago
I did that. “Who Owns the Media,” Idea #664, http://opengov.ideascale.com/akira/dtd/3276-4049
A simple, accessible way to let the people know that the major media is not free at all; that it is completely controlled by people who are not our friends. They ask us to focus on circuses and want us to bicker over petty nonsense while they destroy everything that matters.

Nothing is likely to come out of this forum. What do you want to bet they completely ignore “End Imperial Presidency,” Idea #571, http://opengov.ideascale.com/akira/dtd/3161-4049. As far as votes go, it's near the top of the list. It will never make it to phase two.
tttahiti 9 months ago
Rioting in the streets might be a good idea. That worked in the distant past. Except that today they'll just quietly cart us off to one of those shiny new Haliburton concentration camps, and the mass media will act as though nothing happened.
tttahiti 9 months ago
Thumbs up. But that's too big for this format.
Maybe the UN could do something along those lines.
tttahiti 9 months ago
Um, ok, the world is corrupt.
What are we voting on here? What's the solution? To restore outrage? I'll vote when I figure it out.

Please see: “Who Owns the Media,” Idea #664,
http://opengov.ideascale.com/akira/dtd/3276-4049
tttahiti 9 months ago
Sure. Them, too.
I'm on the Board of Trustees at my kids' school. I work for nothing because I want the job done. They don't even pay me for gas mileage.
tttahiti 9 months ago
Where are the links?
tttahiti 9 months ago
That works for me.
tttahiti 9 months ago
Yep. All that and more. Preaching to the choir about A tale told by an idiot.
It ain't goin no where if you can't put it in a sound-bite, and then it only gets shoved aside by ridicule and other nonsense. The people don't know, can't know, without freedom of the press, and we won't get that until they know that they don't already have it. This whole forum is just reinforcing the illusion that we have the First Amendment, when we do not.
tttahiti 9 months ago
Don't be coy, guys. Tell me how you really feel.

How can Sotomayor show fidelity to a Constitution that no longer exists? To a never-ending game of CalvinBall?
tttahiti 9 months ago
Seriously. I can't find anything at all.
tttahiti 9 months ago
Carrick -- I'm not finding anything. Do you have a link about "The Columbia Schools of Journalism already keeps a listing of print and broadcast media, and its ownership status." ???
All I'm finding just comes back to this place or the Sunlight Foundation.
tttahiti 9 months ago
Ending the Imperial Presidency would be nice. I gave it a thumbs-up. But It'll never happen without freedom of the press. Everything hinges on the First Amendment, which has been gutted for all practical purposes. That's why we need a simple, accessible system that will let ordinary people know WHO OWNS THE MEDIA, Idea #664, http://opengov.ideascale.com/akira/dtd/3276-4049

(If they can put a spell-checker into this system to help me spell "accessible," they can put in a system that shows who controls the major media.)

The Imperial Presidency wouldn't last a day if the masses knew about it.
tttahiti 9 months ago
A real investigation into 911 would be nice. I gave it a thumbs-up. But It'll never happen without freedom of the press. Everything hinges on the First Amendment, which has been gutted for all practical purposes. That's why we need a simple, accessible system that will let ordinary people know WHO OWNS THE MEDIA, Idea #664, http://opengov.ideascale.com/akira/dtd/3276-4049

(If they can put a spell-checker into this system to help me spell "accessible," they can put in a system that shows who controls the major media.)
tttahiti 9 months ago
Thumbs-up. "I appreciate our armed forces for protecting me for so many years..." Same here. But that was a long time ago. They've since turned on us. I'm more afraid of our own military than I am of anyone else in the world. They are not "protecting our interests" at all, just plundering and pillaging for the benefit of a tiny group of people who are already too fat, and who have every intention of using the pillage against us, while pushing an agenda that no one would want if they new the truth. That's why we need a system that will let ordinary people know. We need a simple, accessible system that shows WHO OWNS THE MEDIA, Idea #664, http://opengov.ideascale.com/akira/dtd/3276-4049

The people need to know that WE DO NOT HAVE FREEDOM OF THE PRESS. Everything comes from it.
tttahiti 9 months ago
Governments around the world have disclosed their ufo/et files? I don't suppose you have a link for that. In English, if possible.
tttahiti 9 months ago
Whatever. I voted. It's the only game in town.
tttahiti 9 months ago
Josh -- what the hell are you talking about? My job stinks, too. I said nothing about the way I live, let alone imply that it is being better. I'm not pointing a finger at anyone but those who wrongly control the media. That's it. I said that the masses don't know the truth because the mass media refuses to tell the truth. The point of this Idea #664 is to free the media and tell the truth, not to dictate any issue in particular.

The government is out of control and there's no way to organize and take it back without freedom of the press. It's simple and basic. It was the intention of the First Amendment.
tttahiti 9 months ago
Um... Most of David's explanation worked for me, except for the the labels. And the misplaced blame. I tend to be mostly "liberal" on the usual, knee-jerk social issues (I don't think I know anyone who will admit to voting for McCain) but lately I've been having trouble getting excited about any of that...

It ain't the liberals or the conservatives. Or the Republicans or Democrats. The whole thing is a fraud. There's only one party now, and it doesn't represent anyone out here.

Reading David's post is like an agnostic listening to someone rant about the devil. I agree that the things you describe are evil, but I have to substitute words that make sense in every sentence and eventually it gets so tangled that it just doesn't work.

How can you possibly blame the liberals for the past eight years?

We elected Obama out of desperation, because no one is happy with the way things are going.

None of the old labels make sense any more. The two-party system died years ago.
tttahiti 9 months ago
I TAKE IT BACK. Sam's ok. Except the part where I'm referred to as "He." (Neo: "I thought you were a guy." Trinity: "Most guys do.")

But moving right along -- cool site (couchideas). Unfortunately, my laptop is alergic to YouTube. It shuts down after a minute. I really need to get that fixed. I risked it for a few seconds of "The George Bush We Forgot." I'd have to kick my kid off his computer to really check it out. Maybe while he's in school...
tttahiti 9 months ago
All we're doing here is preaching to the choir. My point is to get that message to the masses. They don't read stuff like this. They're too busy working at their crummy jobs, fighting traffic and watching American Idol. Ranting in a place like this will never get there. We need an easy-access way to reach Joe-Beergut.
tttahiti 9 months ago
What's the deadline on this whole "phase one" thing? Do I have to vote within three hours?
I hate the way this item is phrased, but I haven't seen another that touches this issue.
It's something that really should be discussed. The subsidized rugged individual has always annoyed me. Your tax dollars support vast highways, some of them as smooth as glass...
tttahiti 9 months ago
I'm with Sam Mehrani, misguided as he is, in that we need a realistic approach. No one wants to hear the conspiracy rants. It doesn't matter that they are true. The sleeping masses need to be spoon-feed. The solution to all of our issues on this website is to restore freedom of the press. Let the masses know WHO OWNS THE MEDIA, Idea #664, http://opengov.ideascale.com/akira/dtd/3276-4049
It's the only way to free Obama.
tttahiti 9 months ago
I didn't vote either way.
You didn't add in tolls, parking, aggravation, wear and tear on the car, insurance/risk of accident, rush hour adjustment (more gas, time, etc.)... I think it's more than $10.
tttahiti 9 months ago
Free Obama? That works for me. I gave it a thumbs-up. Prosecute Bush, restore the constitution, end the wars... I'm in favor of the the whole shopping list.

Unfortunately, no one will ever hear your message until everyone understands
"Who Owns the Media?" Idea #664. http://opengov.ideascale.com/akira/dtd/3276-4049
Freedom of the press is the one key to everything.
tttahiti 9 months ago
I'm not sure what you're saying.
The current system is all about "forcing your opinion on another" and is why I want to know who owns and controls the media.

We once had a separation of church and state for a similar reason.

Nothing is going to change until the masses realize how bad things have gotten, and there's no way to get the slightest clue from the major media.

None of the brilliant ideas on this site are ever going to amount to anything.
tttahiti 9 months ago
Josh (Idea #681) ~ Another good one. I already saw it and gave it a thumbs-up.

What I really want to propose is a French-style revolution, but with all the poison in the water and on the airwaves, there's no way to get people off their butts. We need a simple way to get their attention between their dashes to the fridge. Something as accessible as the remote control or the flush button.
tttahiti 9 months ago
I'm a dreamer, too. David (author of this Item #571) is my current hero and I've been subscribing to his stuff for a while. (His notice about this topic is what brought me here.) I want to End the Imperial Presidency, Restore the Constitution, Prosecute Bush and a bunch of other things.

These things can only happen with freedom of the press. We need a simple way to let the masses know: "Who Owns the Media?" Idea #664, http://opengov.ideascale.com/akira/dtd/3276-4049
tttahiti 9 months ago
luvwith ~ I forgot to mention that part in my Idea #664. (“Where do they spend…campaign contributions? The Media!!!)

In my analogy, A simple list of ingredients = “Who Owns the Media.”
Nutritional information = “Who buys advertising time or otherwise influences…”
It’s more complicated, but could be summarized with a system of definitions.

Get a system up and running with carrick’s Idea #401 (http://opengov.ideascale.com/akira/dtd/2920-4049) then simplify it and make it accessible to the masses.

If anyone has a movement or website that already exists, I’d love to see a link.
tttahiti 9 months ago
Actually, it's idea #401.
Good one! I gave it a thumbs-up.
It's not the same, but closely related.
tttahiti 9 months ago
[Thanks for the heads-up. "carrick" (author) spotted my Idea #664, "Who Owns the Media," and referred me to this spot.]

Good one. It's a start. I gave it a thumbs-up. But it'll never reach the masses. Didja ever try keeping a food journal? That's a job, and no one will do it unless they have and recognize that they have a serious illness.

If the ingredients and nutritional information are right there on the box, it's easy enough that you'll end up looking at it while you're chewing. Or better yet, before you buy.