Comment Archives: stories: Columns & Blogs: Open Mic
Re: “Road to Destruction”
Mr. Gabe,......No problem...Possibly, unemployable as an engineer, surveyor, archeologist, Teamster, Carpenter, PileButt, Rod-Buster, Mud pump operator, electrician, landscaper, hot plant
employee, shipper-dreyage, concrete column, "steel concrete forms" supplier, or Operating Engineer,.... Gabe?.....Writing must be nice, while depending upon shipping and infrastructure to feed, medicate, house, transport you...
Re: “Quantum Reap”
Beautifully worded Kris. If only we had of had that revolution by now! I believe it's still coming. Btw, WHERE ARE YOU???!!! Sylvana :o)
Re: “Pledge of Dignity”
Speaking out is not the same thing as leadership. We elect people to Congress to be leaders. The elderly and other average folks who fret while trying to sleep over their future deserve a leader and a champion. They need to hear that Huffman is fighting for them. To do other is to validate the current movement of austerity falsely conncoted in the name of deficit crisis and to protect the bankers and fianciers from being penalized for collapsing the economy. Our elderly and our future generations should not have to pay for these mistakes. Raise the taxes on the elite wealth holders if you are truly worried about the solvency of these programs and are buying into the GOP drown government in the bathtub scenario. Carry the banner and get out in front and hold the line. DO SOMETHING! Don't shirk into the shadows.
Re: “Pledge of Dignity”
Get a spine Mr. Huffman. We don't need more Jellyfish democrats in Congress. The Northcoast deserves better.
Re: “Pledge of Dignity”
It’s one thing to say what you hope the president will do. It’s another thing to make a public commitment to what you will do.
The letter that Rep. Huffman has signed and that is on his website says what he hopes the president will do. Rep. Huffman has so far, refused to sign the Grayson-Takano letter. In that letter, the signers make a public commitment to what they will do - and that is, vote against any cuts to Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid benefits.
Rep. Alan Grayson signed the letter that Rep. Huffman signed AND he initiated the Grayson-Takano letter, promising to vote against any cuts to Medicare, Social Security and Medicaid benefits. Rep. Grayson explains why here: http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/03/06/gray…
Re: “Pledge of Dignity”
Mr. Huffman shouldn't even be allowed in the same room with Norman Soloman. He is puff piece sold out to the democratic machinery so he can climb higher. He is a career politician. Alice Chan is being nice considering events. Because there were thirteen Democrats in the race and the elections standards had been changed Mr. Huffman never even had to make a single promise to his constituents so he is free to be a complete self-interested sell out to the party machinery.
Re: “Pledge of Dignity”
"Truth Time"? Really? You're afraid to put your real name to this? At least Alice has the guts to sign her name.
Re: “Pledge of Dignity”
How disingenuous can Alice Chan possibly be? She knows Huffman HAS taken a firm and clear stand against these cuts, because it's a matter of public record that has been available on Huffman's website for almost two months. See http://huffman.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-huffman-on-deficit-reduction-and-social-security-medicare. Huffman has spoken out against these cuts (including chained CPI) on the floor of Congress, and recently acted on his statements by voting against cuts to Medicare and chained CPI. It's shocking that Ms. Chan would choose not to mention any of this, and it speaks to her and Norman Solomon's (in)credibility and basic dishonesty. BTW, they did do some very over the top "bullying" -- Chan co-signed a mass email with Solomon that threatened serious political "consequences" if Huffman didn't sign their pledge. Maybe Ms. Chan should reveal that she ran Norman Solomon's losing campaign against Huffman, and maybe she and he should get over their 23-point loss and stop purposely deceiving people about where Huffman stands on protecting Medicare and Social Security benefits.
Re: “Raising My Hand”
I just saw your comment months post facto and have a response. First, there are a handful of mentally ill people in this country who are dangerous. There are millions of criminals with guns who shoot people for profit and for sport. You're focusing on the wrong group of shooters. Yes, identify the dangerous mentally ill and treat them. But don't scapegoat them or other mentally ill people as you are doing. Second, I haven't shot anyone and I am not going to—especially when my Second Amendment rights have been de facto violated by the state of California and the federal government—I'm not allowed to own a gun, even though since I wrote this, my bipolar has gone into remission. Once the government starts taking inviolable rights away from a vulnerable subclass of people, you have to wonder who's going to be targeted next. Bloggers? Hackers? Lawyers? Oh, wait. That's already happening. Third, I highly suggest you (and others who think like you) get educated about what mental illness is—I can tell you that your mental picture of a mentally ill person as hapless and drooling and/or maniacal and paranoid is skewed. I perform extremely complex tasks every day, navigate hundreds of personalities and agendas at work and in my personal life, and give service to thousands of other bipolar wackos online as one of five admins on one of the most amazing Facebook groups for people with bipolar disorder. By far, I am not the only high-functioning mentally ill person. I've met people who have schizophrenia with computer science and math degrees. I deal with them every day. So lay off the mentally ill people, get clued into the realities of mental illness, and read the theory behind the Bill of Rights. Then we can talk. —Kris
Re: “Otherwise Occupied”
Mister Myers needs to get his head out of his 1,000 acre ranch in LA-LA land and actually GO to Israel and learn the facts of the West Bank "occupation". Why does Israel occupy the West Bank? Because in 1967 five (or six) Arab nations, including Jordan attacked and the Israeli army ended the conflict in six days, gaining in ground not only the West Bank but the Gaza Strip AND the Sinai Desert. Lets talk about who is terrorizing who here...lets talk about why my friends who live in the West Bank, one Moshav over from a Palestinian neighborhood get along with their neighbors yet need to ride in bullet proof buses to get to Jerusalem. Lets talk about the countless attacks, bombs, car bombs etc., carried out over the past 30+ years against Israeli citizens - no military strikes, strikes on weddings, movie theaters and city buses, killing and injuring thousands of Israeli men, women and children as well as tourists and yes, their Arab bredren to boot. Yes - the conflict is ancient. Yes - the Israeli government has been less than fair to their Arab residents. But let's not forget that this country lives in a world of "Code Red", something Mr. Myers and the rest of the cushy USA have no idea about, no clue of the duck and cover existence over there. Soda Stream, as well as other organization in Israel are making in-roads in the social situation between "normal" Arabs/Palestinians and "normal" Israelis. I bought a soda stream recently because I love fizzy water and I too am tired of throwing away plastic bottles. I love my Soda Stream because it represents more than just fizzy water now - it represents even the smallest effort to combine and understand cultures. Mister Myers can't see the forest for the trees here simply because he has been overcome with the PC hippy-dippy "don't murder me" attitude so prevalent in Sonoma County, and garnered and encouraged in an effort to be "right and hip". Mr. Myers needs to study the history and situation of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict more thoroughly before denouncing not Israeli even, but JEWISH efforts to start building a bridge. I don't imagine he knows in his soul how important it is for the state of Israel to continue to exist and thrive. One viewing of the film Exodus should be a start. You can rent that on Netflix.
Re: “Our Voice”
Well said Desiree! I'd like to add that being housed on the Santa Rosa High School campus allows CMCNB to serve not only the ArtQuest program but other school departments and campuses as well. For example, the Life Skills classes that bring the students in to learn how to create Public Service Announcements on health issues, or the behind-the-scenes technical help given by CMCNB staff to video teachers at Elsie Allen High School. Let's not forget that Piner High School staff was able to solicit major capital donations to construct a new building for their science program with the help of a CMCNB Snapshots video. Snapshots is CMCNB's magazine show that highlights dozens of school programs and the good work of local non-profits in the area. http://youtu.be/7NN6udj5q6A
Re: “Spying on Occupy”
Few of us recognize the true security threat to the USA; consider:
trust in gov:
http://www.newciv.org/nl/newslog.php/_v194…
The 'boast of heraldry, the pomp of power' don't address/solve the deadly problems created globally by this God forsaken war waging nation.
http://barcelona.indymedia.org/newswire/di…
CJIS USED BY fbi AS A TOOL TO INSTILL F E A R:
http://www.newciv.org/nl/newslog.php/_v194…
Now meet the fbi in the person of homicidal sociopath David Jenkins, aka, J. Robert Upton:
http://la.indymedia.org/news/2013/01/25794…
Re: “Raising My Hand”
The mentally ill are the cause of all this carnage in this country. Do you know how long it would take to kill 20 school children and 6 adults with a semi-auto gun or a semi-auto pistol? This killer had to have help,Vice President Joe Biden said,one little girl was shot 11 ,eleven times. How could this be and what was he using besides the guns he had? Look at the time line and when the police were called and who was there besides this killer? Where were the children,in a classroom,hallway,where,we haven't been told by anyone. Where were the adults when he was killing them,all standing in line for him,remember,one shot,one trigger pull,how many magazines did he have and how could he have had the cold bloodiness to reload and still kill these people. Were these children just sitting there or were they running or in a locked room? Do you know what it takes for even the most hardened criminal to kill this many people at one time. The killers mother made a grave mistake in training this young man with mental problems about how to shoot these weapons and then not keeping them in a Gun-Safe and not giving him access to it.You blame the NRA for this carnage and you should be looking at the real problem,not treating the mentally ill and not putting them where they can't harm anyone. This killer tried to buy a weapon from a dealer and couldn't pass a background check,don't you think the police or the FBI should have followed up on this? The NRA and the law abiding are not to blame for this heinous crime no more than you are.
Re: “Hail Traffic Control”
Roundabouts are more complicated to use. Having grown up in England and learned to drive there, I can tell you that RoundAbouts are far more effective than traffic signals for most situations but the general population HAS to know how to drive through them.
This is not something we should do on a city by city basis.
Re: “Hail Traffic Control”
I really do not understand this nostalgia (pre-nostalgia, actually) for standard intersections controlled by traffic signals. They are far more dangerous than roundabouts. Studies show that roundabouts reduce injury accidents by 75%. Vehicle through-put is improved, too.
http://www.economist.com/node/21538779?frs…
Re: “Quad City DJs”
Of course a male would have something to say. And of course it's someone who doesn't go to SSU. did you know there have been multiple sexual assualts and rapes on campus? Did you know that a male referring to a woman as a bitch, then that person being praised and paid mulitiple millions of dollars is setting the example that if you treat women like property, they will believe they are property? Your argument would be valid if the media didn't constantly degrade women. But the proof that something needs to change lies in the sheer number of girls and women with eating disorders, or women who think they need to get surgery to live up to someone else's standards. If we're playing this garbage on college campuses, a supposed safe place for students, then where do we females have to go so we're not surrounded by loud speakers, images, and even the opposite sex either blanantly or figuratively disrespecting us because of our gender?I did contact the group that played the music, and of course, I never got a response. I, for one Alex hope that you never have kids. Especially a girl because you have very little respect for women.
Re: “I Lost My Son That Night”
May the Federal Grand Jury indicted the shooters with live rounds for murder one.
They destroyed my life with falsehoods from a sick relative, and paralyzed me.
I knew too much because my father trained me. He was A. T. and F. and Explosives, and I.R.S..40 years plus...
Re: “Say It Ain't So, Joe”
I'm sorry to break it to you, but TJ's hasn't been as honest about their "story" as you think they have. In fact It's quite the opposite.
Fortune Magazine reports "'Fortune obtained a copy of a standard vendor agreement, which states, "Vendor shall not publicize its business relationship with TJ's in any manner.'
Why the lockdown? Former executives say that Trader Joe's wants neither its shoppers nor its competitors to know who's making its products."
Here's the link: http://money.cnn.com/2010/08/20/news/companies/inside_trader_joes_full_version.fortune/index.htm?source=yahoo_quote
Not supporting the GMO Initative isn't surprising considering that one of their chip vendors is Lays (owned by PepsiCO).
Re: “Say It Ain't So, Joe”
I love TJ so it's painful to read this- but thanks for forcing us to look clearly at our stores and force them to be accountable.
This Week's Issue
Re: “Rights Left Behind”
This Open Mike piece is shoddy, fact-challenged bloviating.
1. DHS did not "... search people's homes". The search was conducted by Watertown Police, Boston Police, and the FBI.
2. Nowhere does any reporting state that "some guy went out for a smoke". The accounts state a couple went outside for fresh air, when the husband discovered tarp lines had been cut.
3. Colleen McMahon did NOT rule that American citizens can be executed. She ruled narrowly in the Al-Awlaki case that the government could not be compelled to publish its justification for killing Al-Awlaki in Yemen.
4. Likewise, the Supreme Court has not ruled on domestic drone.
5. That "one terrorist for every 50 civilians" trope was from a single Pakistani 2009 report that had internal political motivation. Nowhere else has this claim been made, except in reports citing the original.
Myers is entitled to his OPINIONS, however baseless, but no amount of conspiracy paranoia entitles him to his own "facts".
Feh.