Comments on: Distracted, Alarmist or Prophetic? http://www.sortroom.net/2006/06/alarmist_distracted_or_prophetic/ Filltering through the murky water to highlight what most people sent to page two. Fri, 11 Jun 2010 18:29:23 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Christopher http://www.sortroom.net/2006/06/alarmist_distracted_or_prophetic/comment-page-1/#comment-12491 Christopher Tue, 21 Nov 2006 18:20:09 +0000 http://www.sortroom.net/index.php/archives/2006/06/06/the-sit-down-all-steamed-up-seattle-weekly/#comment-12491 <strong>Smile...</strong> The computer revolution is over. The computers won. ... Smile…

The computer revolution is over. The computers won.
…

]]> By: Patrick http://www.sortroom.net/2006/06/alarmist_distracted_or_prophetic/comment-page-1/#comment-5599 Patrick Wed, 07 Jun 2006 12:47:57 +0000 http://www.sortroom.net/index.php/archives/2006/06/06/the-sit-down-all-steamed-up-seattle-weekly/#comment-5599 Lol. we all have slips of brain function occasionally! Today's your day! Lol. we all have slips of brain function occasionally! Today’s your day!

]]> By: Marshall http://www.sortroom.net/2006/06/alarmist_distracted_or_prophetic/comment-page-1/#comment-5593 Marshall Wed, 07 Jun 2006 11:51:08 +0000 http://www.sortroom.net/index.php/archives/2006/06/06/the-sit-down-all-steamed-up-seattle-weekly/#comment-5593 Eh, when did I start randomly apostrophizing plurals? I really am turning into a German! Eh, when did I start randomly apostrophizing plurals? I really am turning into a German!

]]> By: Marshall http://www.sortroom.net/2006/06/alarmist_distracted_or_prophetic/comment-page-1/#comment-5591 Marshall Wed, 07 Jun 2006 11:44:30 +0000 http://www.sortroom.net/index.php/archives/2006/06/06/the-sit-down-all-steamed-up-seattle-weekly/#comment-5591 Yes, the one's that love it don't want to take it back to the library and the one's who hate it ... <b>ditto!</b> :D Yes, the one’s that love it don’t want to take it back to the library and the one’s who hate it … ditto! :D

]]> By: Patrick http://www.sortroom.net/2006/06/alarmist_distracted_or_prophetic/comment-page-1/#comment-5579 Patrick Wed, 07 Jun 2006 10:11:40 +0000 http://www.sortroom.net/index.php/archives/2006/06/06/the-sit-down-all-steamed-up-seattle-weekly/#comment-5579 I see that book quoted all over the place but sadly have never been able to get to a copy myself. Clearly, it's one of those classics that has been so popular it's been 'lost' in some academic's office! I see that book quoted all over the place but sadly have never been able to get to a copy myself. Clearly, it’s one of those classics that has been so popular it’s been ‘lost’ in some academic’s office!

]]> By: Marshall http://www.sortroom.net/2006/06/alarmist_distracted_or_prophetic/comment-page-1/#comment-5523 Marshall Wed, 07 Jun 2006 04:24:11 +0000 http://www.sortroom.net/index.php/archives/2006/06/06/the-sit-down-all-steamed-up-seattle-weekly/#comment-5523 "The happiness of governments like ours, wherein the people are truly the mainspring, is that they are never to be despaired of. When an evil becomes so glaring as to strike them generally, they arouse themselves, and it is redressed. He only is then the popular man and can get into office who shows the best disposition to reform the evil." Thomas Jefferson to Richard Price, 1 Feb 1785, <i>The Portable Thomas Jefferson</i>, (Merrill D. Peterson, ed. New York, Viking Press, 1975), pp.372-3. “The happiness of governments like ours, wherein the people are truly the mainspring, is that they are never to be despaired of. When an evil becomes so glaring as to strike them generally, they arouse themselves, and it is redressed. He only is then the popular man and can get into office who shows the best disposition to reform the evil.”

Thomas Jefferson to Richard Price, 1 Feb 1785, The Portable Thomas Jefferson, (Merrill D. Peterson, ed. New York, Viking Press, 1975), pp.372-3.

]]> By: Patrick http://www.sortroom.net/2006/06/alarmist_distracted_or_prophetic/comment-page-1/#comment-5490 Patrick Wed, 07 Jun 2006 00:33:48 +0000 http://www.sortroom.net/index.php/archives/2006/06/06/the-sit-down-all-steamed-up-seattle-weekly/#comment-5490 You know, this is what I think is most interesting about these two interviews. They both tell the stories of people who've decided that hey, they've had enough of prevaricating by trying to gain everyone's support. They now just want to say what they believe. They've seen that the right in America may pretend to be bipartisan, but when it really comes to it, they'd rather eat their own hats than take input from the other side of the isle. When Bush has to start immigration amnesties that <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/Columnists/Column/0,,1786421,00.html" title="guardian comment">aren't actually amnesties</a>, against all thoughts of nationalism and fear of foreigners, it makes you think that there is power in the people when they show their real feelings. Of course Al Gore and a country music band aren't going to change US politics, but it comes down to educating people that there is a choice. The American media is largely to blame for covering over the opportunities for change, and the well founded disputes that the rest of the world has with the United States (like <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2006/06/04/world/middleeast/04iran.html" title="nytimes" >US policy towards Iran</a>), but with time this may change. Some people would say that there's a liberal bias in US media. I would say there's a right-wing franchise established. Though many journalists may try and stay neutral, their overlord bosses are not. Gore doesn't have free reign with his slick slide show of science, <a href="http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/editorial/outlook/3923939.html" title="houston chronicle">some people are still (remarkably) contesting the facts</a>. I just like the fact that many people clearly believe in what these scared lefties have to say, and one day they may be able to be publicly praised for their open words of wisdom. You know, this is what I think is most interesting about these two interviews. They both tell the stories of people who’ve decided that hey, they’ve had enough of prevaricating by trying to gain everyone’s support. They now just want to say what they believe. They’ve seen that the right in America may pretend to be bipartisan, but when it really comes to it, they’d rather eat their own hats than take input from the other side of the isle. When Bush has to start immigration amnesties that aren’t actually amnesties, against all thoughts of nationalism and fear of foreigners, it makes you think that there is power in the people when they show their real feelings.

Of course Al Gore and a country music band aren’t going to change US politics, but it comes down to educating people that there is a choice. The American media is largely to blame for covering over the opportunities for change, and the well founded disputes that the rest of the world has with the United States (like US policy towards Iran), but with time this may change. Some people would say that there’s a liberal bias in US media. I would say there’s a right-wing franchise established. Though many journalists may try and stay neutral, their overlord bosses are not. Gore doesn’t have free reign with his slick slide show of science, some people are still (remarkably) contesting the facts. I just like the fact that many people clearly believe in what these scared lefties have to say, and one day they may be able to be publicly praised for their open words of wisdom.

]]> By: Marshall http://www.sortroom.net/2006/06/alarmist_distracted_or_prophetic/comment-page-1/#comment-5488 Marshall Wed, 07 Jun 2006 00:01:16 +0000 http://www.sortroom.net/index.php/archives/2006/06/06/the-sit-down-all-steamed-up-seattle-weekly/#comment-5488 Caroline, I think Europe and the rest of the world <b>are</b> doing plenty to try and get our attention. And in fact there are tens of millions of us here who <b>do</b> get it ... and are doing what we can to bring the rest of the country around. I may have a slightly sardonic sense of humor, but in my more rational moments I like to remind myself that Mr Gore actually <b>did</b> win the election in 2000; that millions and millions apparently are actually starting to see through the pathetic and mean-spirited lies that pass for Republican policy (both foreign and domestic) and will soon be showing their displeasure at the polls. Now, if only the left end of the political spectrum would stop pussy-footing around trying to capture the so-called swing voters among the active electorate and start espousing policies that would energize the nearly half of all eligible electors in this country who no longer participate from sheer disgust with both major parties, we might start to really get somewhere! But of course I am an unrepentent socialist-internationalist from way back, so I have no business even pretending to talk about American politics. We have been "put in our place" here since at least the Joe McCarthy days and most people seem to assume we are all simply lunatics of some kind. :D Caroline, I think Europe and the rest of the world are doing plenty to try and get our attention. And in fact there are tens of millions of us here who do get it … and are doing what we can to bring the rest of the country around. I may have a slightly sardonic sense of humor, but in my more rational moments I like to remind myself that Mr Gore actually did win the election in 2000; that millions and millions apparently are actually starting to see through the pathetic and mean-spirited lies that pass for Republican policy (both foreign and domestic) and will soon be showing their displeasure at the polls. Now, if only the left end of the political spectrum would stop pussy-footing around trying to capture the so-called swing voters among the active electorate and start espousing policies that would energize the nearly half of all eligible electors in this country who no longer participate from sheer disgust with both major parties, we might start to really get somewhere!

But of course I am an unrepentent socialist-internationalist from way back, so I have no business even pretending to talk about American politics. We have been “put in our place” here since at least the Joe McCarthy days and most people seem to assume we are all simply lunatics of some kind. :D

]]> By: caroline http://www.sortroom.net/2006/06/alarmist_distracted_or_prophetic/comment-page-1/#comment-5485 caroline Tue, 06 Jun 2006 20:35:07 +0000 http://www.sortroom.net/index.php/archives/2006/06/06/the-sit-down-all-steamed-up-seattle-weekly/#comment-5485 But Marshall, how the hell does the rest of the world GET the attention of the Americans? They need to wake up and realise that their selfish attitude to the environment is killing us all. Driving smaller cars would be a start, paying the same price for petrol as the rest of the world, and getting rid of that dangerous, bigot in the White House would be a start. But Marshall, how the hell does the rest of the world GET the attention of the Americans? They need to wake up and realise that their selfish attitude to the environment is killing us all. Driving smaller cars would be a start, paying the same price for petrol as the rest of the world, and getting rid of that dangerous, bigot in the White House would be a start.

]]> By: Marshall http://www.sortroom.net/2006/06/alarmist_distracted_or_prophetic/comment-page-1/#comment-5479 Marshall Tue, 06 Jun 2006 17:49:26 +0000 http://www.sortroom.net/index.php/archives/2006/06/06/the-sit-down-all-steamed-up-seattle-weekly/#comment-5479 God, I love this country ... just like the mother of a brain-damaged child loves her stumbling spawn. God, I love this country … just like the mother of a brain-damaged child loves her stumbling spawn.

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