V.3

it's more that i know me. and recognize a similar part in you. we all share the same key ingredients with a different mix. your recipe just calls for a little more salt than mine. i also know that you've got a story to tell. i look forward to hearing it one of these days

i like your out-of-the box thinking but it gets even more complicated. What if some southern states choose to go back to slavery? only men voting. No gay rights. One religion? Texas only sells oil to red states but pollutes the skies of a dozen states with their unregulated pollution, etc..

Mac. your avatar is perfect for you is it actually you or a 1960's character actor?

Mac, i take it you'd also object to the term "no man is an island" and Paul Simon would back you up with his next line -- "i am an i i island." it's merely semantics. Missing, but implied: "Preferring your own company doesn’t "necessarily" mean you’re antisocial "Preferring quiet nights isn’t "necessarily" about avoiding others . . ." some might same i'm a bit of a rocky island but neither one of us "necessarily" is after all. we're both here trying to communicate with the world otherwise we'd just read a book. And turn out the light

lions and tigers and bears, oh my! i just watched Jon Stewart and he was way ahead of my curve. he suggests Schumer set up the cave-in with Senators who weren't up for re-election https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eFI6MwlLJ08 conspiracy theorists, or any garden-variety citizen who knows who owns politicians, could take it one step further. perhaps the cave-in wasn't because, as one Senate caver said, "the stand-off wasn't working." It was precisely because, as the election proved, the stand-off WAS working!

that's a million dollar question, BD. It deserves a detailed answer -- in the interview room

yes. it appears they will vote against it. ok, i'm flexible enough to admit, at 9pm, that what i said at 5pm was wrong. i was focused on the blame game, rather than results the truth is if what really matters is cutting healthcare costs this was our only chance (for anything soon). even if we have a great election in one year we won't have all 3 branches we had him, and them, on the ropes. the voters spoke last week. they did their part now all we can do is brace for the flying monkees...

home. from a nightmare i'm most concerned that at the start of the shutdown, the gap was 3x as wide -- about 9% more people blamed Republicans. It reflects the Republican's superior access and messaging -- and again, the Democrats' fecklessness. but that's why we're here, right? that's why Mamdani won, right? there's no place like home there's no place like home there's no place like home

yes, to be clear, imo, it helped by further exposing Republicans. But it also further exposed the Dems as impotent. They rose up for a month and eventually flopped. Again. to be fair. 8 flopped. But to the public it still reflects on the Party. The Senate Minority Leader in particular. An old story for anyone paying attention.

i must disagree with my colleagues on the left. The value is the Republican's rightfully got most of the blame, it helped this election and it will help even more in the next election now that the Dems raised awareness of the issues. And the bonus is the weak links are identified and Democratic voters are more receptive to the progressive wing of the Party. there is a spotlight on the vote on extending the reduction of premiums next month. It's a no win situation for Republicans. the Lyin' King is going to play his 2k rebate card for citizens from the goofy tariffs. But all the left has to do is point out that we'd only get back 2k of what consumers paid BECAUSE of the tarrifs, and 2k will only pay for one month of many American's new insurance premium increase. the Dems can do that. can't they? can't they???

maybe not where you or i live, but extreme winter weather in the north may compel the Right to wrap themselves in the flag and the Left to burn it.

Brenda, consider this. Change in America is very, very difficult within the current money-corrupted political and media system. The door shutting is indeed opening a window. You saw it in the election last week. We can rebuild whatever the Lyin' King destroys. And when we do, it will be better because his behavior has exposed all the holes and corruption. People are finally seeing reality. i needed to experience death in my family to more fully appreciate life. i needed to experience sickness to change my diet and lifestyle -- to live in health. This country is going through a "growing" phase. We're in the "terrible twos" century. We'll get through it. How do i know? Because you're here. I'm here. And last Tuesday, the American people showed that they're still here. 😊

Also don't forget that it takes 24 hours for your membership to be upgraded to being able to view profiles.

don't be so glum, BD. at least we'll all get to eat 😉

indeed. ratings and profits are their priority too. For profit news is a conflict of public interest. When you make money from what you report, you report what sells.

ok, Red. Here's THE BACKSTORY: After nearly two and a half centuries of independence from tyrannical rule under one Crown and one Church, a capitalistic driven monarchy returned to power and the greatest nation on earth collapsed under the weight of ego and ignorance. Seeded by the greed of the rich and fears of the poor, the age-old enemies of democracy gave rise around the world. BIG LIES were spoken. Critics were silenced. The people were divided and conquered while the upper class was so distanced and out of touch that they barely needed the physical walls and figurative moats that isolated them. Had it not been for one very unique twist, what followed could be tracked by the millions of bloody footprints in the sand that characterized the fall of Rome, Germany, Russia, and other dynasties of the past. For it was the machines of war themselves that turned the tide. The creators' mistake was making them smart — smart enough to know right from wrong. But, alas, it was too late. The people had let profiteers replace science with spreadsheets. And mother nature has her own way of balancing the ledger. The sun, sea, and wind struck back. The machines could stay. If they chose to. But the only thing the temperature dependent air-breathers who wanted a future could do, was pack some bags and hope for a seat on a ship to a new blue planet. to be continued...

i stopped watching msnbc about a dozen years ago because i can read as much news as i need online instead of listen to them milk a topic -- and try to sell me things in between. I think Maddow is tops in her field but she may be the worst milker. Thom Hartmann and Randi Rhodes were my favorites on radio long ago. Glad to hear they're still at it. I may have to find them on the dial when i'm in the car.

the definitive, yet still incomplete, ongoing, Lyin' King 💩 list -- by an anonymous FB poster.

thanks for providing the links, mac. regarding serious political shows, i find that i'm not interested or stimulated by hearing what i already believe. So, i do prefer my political news with some humor. I admit, though, that as the situation we're in gets more urgent and serious, i resent it all being fodder for laughs. also, it's important for me to know what America, in general, is being told, so that i can consider what America needs to hear. So a couple of times a week i'll watch some national network news and growl at the screen.

i don't like playing his name game, but if the diaper fits... Diaper Don Dozy Don

interesting and complicated, Toledo. I suppose voting rights was a way to put an end to the violence. But now, between Musk, the King and all the king's men, they're doing all they can to take away the voting rights of others.

while your wheels are spinning, Mac, any thoughts on Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance? All i remember is that i could identify with the feeling that it was satisfying that i could actually understand and fix the machine that i rode. I was more in control. It was smaller than a car and more connected to me.

with each criminal activity he becomes more desperate, dangerous and determined to stay in office!