alphanguy74

Once again, the liberal agenda is not the problem here, nor are the Delta smelt. the problem is that people are trying to farm land that is arid and was never meant to be farmed. You grow crops where the rain falls, and where it doesn't... you might grow crops that like dry conditions, such as onions, garlic, grapes, olives... but otherwise, people need to work with nature and stop trying to control it and fight against it. If you lived in West Virginia and had your front porch covered in coal dust every morning, I bet you'd feel differently. Animals aren't nearly as important to humans as plants are, that's why protecting ecosystems and endangered plants are much more important. When you burn and clear cut rainforests and other various habitats, you may be destroying a yet undiscovered plant that would have the cure for cancer. And who would oversee health care funding? Why local medical boards would, of course.... let panels of doctors, and not politicians do it. Like I said, let the government FUND it, not CONTROL it.

Max... don't ever apologize for being "wishy washy", all that means is that you are able to see and understand another viewpoint, even if you don't agree with it. It means you give THOUGHT and CONSIDERATION to things that you once felt strongly about, but might want to give a second look to when new information comes to light. Obstinance and stubborness is not a quallity that I consider good to have. So if you are undecided about something, or look at something in a new way and change your mind, don't let others make you feel guilty for it. Brian may not be wish washy with politics, but he sure is wishy washy when he runs a website... so we all have our issues, and yours are nothing to ashamed of.

Brian... my point about healthcare is that I don't feel it should be RUN by the government... just FUNDED by the Government for those who can't afford it. My idea was to keep everything as it was for the most part, except pass the pre-existing condition clause... and I felt that there should be a non-profit government option that is ONLY available to people below a certain income level. And Medicaid to everyone less than 200% of the poverty level. So it would basically be on a sliding scale, and a single person who made 40,000$ a year or more would be on their own. Free enterprise with a safety net for all, and I mean ALL... is what I want. Like I said, a hybrid of socialism and capitalism. I agree with you about brining the military home. The military spending is just far too out of control, we do NOT need to be the police force for the whole world. Alternative energy is something that can be used effectively, and work. It just needs to have the same amount of dedication put into it that the internet and computer technology has had. If solar panels can be made to be more efficient, that would truly be the best... because you ahve big, flat roofs on every big box store and strip mall in this country, alll equipped with electrical service that can interconnect those solar panels with the grid. But coal campanies once again, have bought the politicians so the technology doesn't progress like it should. and although you don't see it on your little suburban street, this is what our depndence on coal does to some in this country: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VoOIB3_7bzU&feature=related

I think that it fails because people in our government that oversee distribution of our tax dollars can bought. Socialism works great if done right. Even outside your own family.... I come from a culture of farmers, where people swap produce with each other all the time. The problem comes in when you have both ends of the spectrum, greedy assholes and lazy deadbeats both using the system for their own advantage. Would you have such a problem with welfare if people were required to perform work to recieve it? and as far as trusting the average person more than the government to handle the money... to tell the truth, you can't trust either one. I have a friend who doens't get any government assistance, but he is my age... and he doesn't actively look for work. He just lives with his parents (age 42) and what little money he does get he spends on discretionary crap and cigarettes. So in the end, you need regulations to keep the riff raff out of the system, and you need a HYBRID of capatlism and socailism. Basically what we have now, except we need about 25% more spent on health care, and 25% LESS spent on Military. for the amount that was spent on the iraq war, we COULD provide universal health care. All because we feel the need to defend all that fuc*ing oil. BTW... where did my grandmother get all that money for me to build my house with? (which incidentally, was just 60,000$ I don't require glamorous surroundings) Her and my grandfather were just angus beef farmers... she made the bulk of that from being frugal and saving and getting a great return on her CD's during all the double digit interest rates during the Jimmy Carter years. So as much grief as people gave Jimmy Carter, for us, it was a wonderful thing. It just was bad for people who carried a bunch of debt.

So, to expound on government jobs spurring economic growth... I can think of the biggest example of all... the interstate highway system. First, you have all the jobs of the people who build and maintain it, then think fo all the myriad of businessess in towns along that highway system. Right there is a government project that spurred billions of businesses, and enables the entrepenuers and private sectors to ahve great success... to ship their goods cross country efficiently, all the jobs held by truck drivers, gas station personnell, restaurants, motels, the list goes on and on and on. do you think we'd have this kind of growth if we were all driving on two lane gravel roads? (which by the way, I live on)

Brian, you mentioned that Entrepeneurism is what drives our economy and not governemt jobs... but I think BOTH do. Government includes local government as well... Police, Fire, Teachers, Department of Transportation workers, all paid for by taxpayers. Government contracts that are awarded to PRIVATE companies to perform work for the government as well. the fact remains that most people cannot just be an entrepenuer out of the blue without help. some people have nobody and nothing to draw from, so the government has helped them... this is not a bad thing. Could I own my own company if my parents and myself didn't have our homes and land GIVEN to us by my grandmother? Probably not, I'd be some working stiff kissing some boss' ass and hating my job every day and living in a trailer or some dingy apartment (Because my chosen career doesn't pay alot of money). Everyone gets help along the way. I see some people who have the attitude of "I won't give my children anything, they have to make their own way"... thank God our family believes that family is there to take care of each other. So yes, my grandmother gave me my inheritance 5 years before she died, and although it wasn't enough to build a house and pay cash for it, I built it anyway, and did all the finish work myself so I could still pay cash for my house, and my mother helped me do it... yes, me and my 60 year old mother shingled the roof of my house, picked up the rocks along the road and built the stone wall in my living room, and sanded and varnished the hardwood floors, as well as installing them. Our family believed that if you didn't have enough money for want you wanted, you MADE it for yourself. So I did just that, and it even included making my own dining room table out of the trunk of a fallen oak tree. But my grandmother also had our help and love whenver she needed it, and she needed alot of it when she had alzheimer's for the last 2 years of her life. But we did it, because that's what family is for. We didn't do it glady, because it was heartbreaking to see her not know who we were, then she would gain enough awareness to know what was happening to her, and she would start crying. So we took care of her until the very end, just like we took care of her 10, 20, 30 years ago whenever she needed our help with anything. So you see, my entire family is a very socialist family, I just don't believe my responsiblity, or anyone's responsibility stops at my doorstep. So, I guess I'm a stupid idealist, but I want the world to work like my family does.... but all we get is a bunch of morons who seem to be fighting over the same cookie. I heard Glenn Beck the other night outright say that no matter what you do, who you are, there is no such thing as having too much money. Isn't that the best definition of greed that one can think of?

Definately.... they should hve reviewed the Knots scene where Joshua falls off the roof to see that you don't need to see the person actually falling to have dramatic impact. Just save your budget and let that cheap looking CGI stay where it belongs, on some cheap scifi channel production.

Nolan is getting more and more interesting. Did I see Tyler all over Daniel in the previews, and Daniel yelling at him to get off of him? I know these previews like to mislead, but it looks like Tyler might try to sex up Daniel while drunk, and Daniel might just beat him up. Lydia crashing on the roof of the Taxi was something else. I do have to say, the quick shot of her falling was unfortunate, and cheap looking. They should have showed her going over the railing, and the next scene of her dead body on top of the cab. This show is the perfect balance of complicated enough to make you REALLY pay attention, but not SO complicated that it makes your head spin. This is easily the best show on television right now. A level of quality that I thought was gone forever.

No problem with that... raise retirement age to 66, and then 67 in 5 years, and then 68 in another 5 years. I also think that if you have investment or working income above 100,000$ a year, then you should get back ONLY what you paid in to SS, and no more. Then if your income falls below that level.... then you would start recieving again.

the thing that irked me, Max.... is that many in the conservative movement were screaming like it was the end of the world when it was suggested that the top tax rate go from 38 percent to 46 percent.... really? Personally, I wouldn't go over 50 percent income tax... but we had rates up in the 60's and 70's in the 50's when the economy was booming. How do conservatives reconcile that fact? I actually am very fiscally conservative...I think the cuts should not go to programs that help people, but waste and the military.

I think Herman Cain's ascension is pure and simple. The Tea Party has had a reputation for racism (considering there are next to zero black faces at Tea Party rallies) and since the Tea Party has nearly organized a coup in the Republican party, the Republican Party is latching onto Herman Cain like a drowning man to a life preserver. They think this is their "big chance" to prove they aren't racist. when in reality, the party is filled with all types, racist, and non-racist. Are all repubs racist? NO. Are they all concerned only about policy? NO. For some, it's a smokescreen. I think the class warfare aspect is what's most fascinating to me. FINALLY people who are the grist for the mill of the rich are speaking out and the rich are in the bomb sights, and it's about damn time. I hope this movement gains huge momentum. Greed is the basis of all of our problems, people's desire to be rich so far outweighs any desire to have a society where everyone from top to bottom, have a safety net and peace of mind. I can honestly say I have never had a desire to be rich. Being able to get by with a modest lifestyle is fine with me. If I made a salary of 500,000$ a year, would I mind paying 60% in taxes? Hell no. I would gladly do it. And this idea that higer taxes for the rich is going to keep people from trying to advance their careers is utter BS. Let's take a hypothetical... you are working as department supervisor in a company, making 100,000$ per year, and paying 20% income tax. That means your take home pay is 80,000$. ok, let's say you are offered a vice president position at 500,000$ a year, and then your tax rate jumps to 50%. That means your take home would be 250,000$. So, does ANYONE here think that people will not try for the promotion and go from 80,000$ a year to 250,000$ a year, all becaue they'd have to pay more taxes? Hell no.

I agree, the conservative being involved in the scandal just makes the hypocrisy angle juicier. Swingtown.... wow. Being a lover of all things 70's, I wanted to like that show SO BAD, but I just didn't. It was a great idea that got away. I'm glad he hit paydirt with Revenge, this is a MUCH better show.

Considering they are pitting this show against CSI, it's doing admirably well. I still don't understand what people see in those procedurals with all the gratuitous gore. I would not be surprised if ABC changes Revenge's timeslot. I wonder if they might put it in Grey's Anatomy's timeslot, it seems a perfect fit for the space Brothers and Sisters used to occupy. Grey's anatomy needs to be the one they put against CSI.

I also am REALLY intrigued by the Daniel/Tyler relationship. Either they screwed each other at college, or (which I think is more likely), Tyler is secretly pining away after Daniel. Perhaps in a drunken stupor, Daniel fooled around with him, and he took it more seriously? who knows... but I'd love to see that angle develop. Tonight, when Tyler turned Daniel over in bed, there was an unmistakeable look of longing on his face. Emily is a cold, cold bitch. Damn, what a perfectly cast role. And notice how they found a litle girl who had the exact same mouth as Emily. The resemblance was scary. It's so refreshing to see a drama that is a DRAMA, serious as a heart attack with no stupid crap to wade through, no lame attmempts at light comedy, that kind of crap breaks the mood and the stride of good drama, but writers and producers today seem too stupid to realize it. and let me just mention how fabulous the hair and wardrobe are. Everyone looks well put together, people's hair is actually COMBED (Gosh, I've been watching Y&R too long) this is the standard which network TV drama should always aspire to. It's what it USED to be on a nightly basis.

I agree. this show DOES own it's soapiness, and I'm lovin it to DEATH. A show with the title of REVENGE? I mean, how could I resists something like that. The only other titles would attract me as much would be "Backstabbers", or "Blackmail".

The main thing is the cheers from the audience when Santorum was answering the question... that said much more than the few who booed the soldier when he was on camera. I want to know if he thinks that the straight soldiers shouldn't talk about their wives and children to other soldiers? You mean to tell me Brian... that you have never made small talk at a party and people have talked about their husbands, their children, what they do for a living? Do you discuss the weather and nothing else? Those people who booed should go to Iraq and fight for their own damn freedom, instead of letting a gay guy do it for them.

The thing I always wonder about is this... conservatives complain over and over that they don't want to pay high taxes and have of their money redistributed to the poor, but I very rarely hear complaints from conservatives about military spending.

I just wish someone would put Eve Howard's deathbed scene up on youtube. J. Eddie Peck gave one of the best performances in the history of the show in that scene.

I don't think she was out of place, really.... she made that transition to "crossover" country that so many female singer did in the mid 70's. She got a more glamorous look later on, as opposed to the traditional country look and sound she had in your clip. But Lynn Anderson, Dolly, Crystal Gayle had all done the same. Some speculated that like Stella Parton, her success was stalled by the fact that she sounded too much like her sister. In my opinion, she sounded BETTER than Tanya, her phrasing style was less agressive and more mellow. But appearance wise, there were a lot of country artists who ditched the typical country singer garb for a more modern look, such as this clip (Isn't Sue Powell's hair the most beautiful golden mane youv'e ever seen?) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kqMjPnbvkV4

Carl!! I'm loving you right now!

You know, Max... I agree with you that Rick Perry is just DISMAL. He's totally cut his own throat with that Social Security thing. We have this contingent of people that seem to think ANY government program is SOCIALISM. Social Security has worked just fine for people for 75 years, yes... it may have trouble in the future, but you just MAKE ADJUSTMENTS, how hard is that? Also, part of the problem that nobody against SS EVER works into their stats is the fact that the baby boomers are causing a temporary bottleneck in the system. And, due to advancement in medical technology, we are living longer today, so you just raise the reterement age one year at a time, once overy 2 or 3 years until the finances are put back in line again, how hard is that? It's like sending your car to the junkyard because it needs new tires. Same with the postal service. The internet has done damage to something that has workd well for well over 100 years, it doesn't mean it's BAD. If thye need more money, congress needs to get off their butts and raise postage to 50 cents, and it wouldn't hurt my feelings if they got rid of Saturday delivery.