The Republicans Have The Power to Ruin the Country

We are going 90 miles an hour down a dead end street and the brakes need to be applied immediately to avoid a fatal conclusion. Obama and the Democrats are being reasonable. But the Republicans will not stop. And thus they have the power to create total destruction.  Big players in NYC where I live think I am being an alarmist. When push comes to shove the Republicans will not consign the country and possibly the world to a full scale panic and depression. I hope they are right. But what I want to point out is the absolutely reprehensible stance of the GOP since Barack Obama took office. It is no stretch to suggest that Barack Obama could have been the best Republican President we ever had. We made the mistake of underestimating the degree of hatred and sheer bile out there. It has its base within the GOP.  It  shames the nation. It shames us all. Any decent Republican would apply the brakes now. The image I have presented is accurate and should scare all who consider it..   .
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Syria Does Not Deserve To Be Seen as a State Its Actions are Beyond Reprehensible

Syria Slammed for Crimes Against Humanity - The Daily Beast: "Human rights groups are hoping Syria's leaders will be tried for their brutal crackdown on protesters. Amnesty International said the government’s deadly siege in Talkalakh in May, when at least 27 civilians were reportedly killed by security forces, may have amounted to crimes against humanity." Syria needs to be placed on a global quarantine with all eyes focused on its daily criminality. This is where media should redeem itself - shunning the Nancy Grave- Casey Anthony axis for something that is truly terrible and must be stopped. Otherwise we condemn ourselves for our own apathy amd acedia.

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The reputation of Charles Sanders Peirce still falls short of what it should be

'It is a measure of the size of Peirce as an influence that both James and Dewey considered themselves his students. Certainly his shadow lay across the American intellectual scene, and he still stands there, a large and powerful but lonely thinker, awaiting full recognition.' F xviii. To these can surely be added the name of Royce. 
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John Boehner passes the honesty test with flying colors

The Speaker

Honest? If you read between the lines, he is the soul of truth. He promises to throw the country under the bus. He is a man of his word. Don't read his lips. Watch his deeds.

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Haboob is the Arabic name for a dust storm. And is used to describe this universal phenomenon in Phoenix.

Flights delayed as dust storm hits Phoenix area - CNN.com: "CNN) -- A massive dust storm enveloped areas of Arizona on Tuesday night, causing low visibility and delaying flights in and out of the state's largest airport." Happy All Star Game and Home Run Derby. I hope Mariano stays home. I never liked Arizona all that much. Something about the vibe.

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There is nothing humane about a world that does not facilitate free movement as a matter of course

Throngs of Somali refugee kids dying in exodus - CBS News: "GENEVA - Throngs of Somali children are dying because of the harrowing journey with their families to reach refugee camps in neighboring Kenya and Ethiopia, the U.N. refugee agency said Tuesday." The humanitarian apparatus of the world is a poor excuse for the inhumanity of governments and the people who put them in power. The right of free movement should be hallowed. The recent passage of ultra-repressive immigration laws by states in the US is one of the most inhumane acts in a history of inhumanity that goes back forever. We can and should do much better. Free movement for all!

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We're not throwing in the towel. We are automating war for a dismal future.

As Afghanistan Unwinds (#1): So Long, Goliath! — BagNews: " America [is] throwing in the towel. Sensing the turn, visual media is already busy fleshing out the picture." I am an optimist. I think militarism sucks. I think conflict is the root of all evil and that it is engendered by minds that think binary. I think all these things and hope for an oil free, people-centric future. But, for the life of me, I cannot see why we think it is smart to build drones that any idiot can put together and lob them all over and think we are protecting our national security. It is like poison gas in World War One. We have breached the rules of war in more than one way. And we will pay.

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