I've been feeling a lot like CE Petro lately. You can only sustain the illusion that speaking out will make a difference for so long, and watching the Democrats fail exercise Congressional power is too much to bear. Listening to the cheap-shit apologists declare that impeachment is off the table or that we must go slow and be civil or that we must be realistic is too much to bear. There is no oxymoron more moronic than "Democratic strategist."

Watching Republicans continue to frame every debate is sad, but watching perfectly capable people like metulj and Andy Axel step right into their opponent's frame to smugly wield the sword of logic is sadder still. We've been divided and conquered.

...watching perfectly capable people like metulj and Andy Axel step right into their opponent's frame...

I think you have exactly every idea how much I and my family continue to sacrifice in order to try to effect some change in this pathetic state of the union.

This is not a one-day battle.

You may not agree with my point of view, or how I've chosen to engage the battle, but you should know we're on the same side.

Sorry if that offends your "principles."

(For what it's worth, I've not ever said that impeachment should be off the table. I've pointed out that it's never going to happen. You think I like it? I don't. That hardly amounts to being "conquered.")

Fuck it -- on second thought, I'm not sorry.

____________________________

Deliver this message to the one I love the most:
"I've lost all my money to a 300 pound ghost."
Squeaky was a sad child; the product of neglect.
Got stoned by a jellyfish demanding her respect...

It's you guys who are too good to converse with the rabble, other than to bat them back across the fence.

When the "rabble" (your term) joins the fray with, "You pussy liberal fags are just a buncha pussy liberal fags," there's nothing to discuss.

____________________________

Deliver this message to the one I love the most:
"I've lost all my money to a 300 pound ghost."
Squeaky was a sad child; the product of neglect.
Got stoned by a jellyfish demanding her respect...

What's the goal? Where is the prize? Why did both of you respond only to the personal call-out and not the larger context? Soldiers on "your side" are losing hope and retiring from battle.

a) Why do you make the personal call-out, when you don't actually know who's retiring from the battle?

b) "Withdrawal in disgust is not the same as apathy."

I joined the battle by helping Ford's campaign, for one example. I do a lot of personal work behind the scenes which doesn't show up here. I have a number of irons in the fire, but full disclosure wouldn't exactly be prudent in a forum such as this one.

I don't feel the need to share every bit of that with you, or with anyone else, because it's none-ya-bidness. At least out here on the Internets.

We are divided, and we are conquered.

And you blame the victims.

...you love the "Nader is an egomaniac" drivel too.

Foolmuh once.

What's the goal? Where is the prize?

Whatever it is for me, I get clobbered with slander and innuendo every time I try to vocalize it in a forum such as this one. Why bother, indeed.

____________________________

Deliver this message to the one I love the most:
"I've lost all my money to a 300 pound ghost."
Squeaky was a sad child; the product of neglect.
Got stoned by a jellyfish demanding her respect...

It appears that I have generated quite an uproar. Perhaps that is a good thing. Rikki nailed it -- it is everyone, in the larger sense (not necessarily particular individuals).

CE Petro is giving in to despair, but it's not Bill O'Reilly who pushed her over the edge. It's all of us, especially those of us who should know better than to get trapped in the divisive goo.

the status quo sucks, and what sucks even more are those that make excuses to return to the status quo, while giving up on the individuals that need the most help.

There are other personal mitigating factors that I did not allude to, nor will I discuss here, that helped me make my decision to take a break. Basically, I need some time to reassess and reorganize my thoughts and my life.

Basically, I need some time to reassess and reorganize my thoughts and my life.

That's an inventory that many of us would like to have more time to take. Best of luck in that endeavor.

And as regards the uproar, let me just say it's hard not to respond to someone making pointed claims and naming names. You caused none of that.

the status quo sucks, and what sucks even more are those that make excuses to return to the status quo, while giving up on the individuals that need the most help.

Can I quote you on that the next time some faithful Dem is taking a fresh dump on Rosalind Kurita?

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"Some days I'm afraid I'll go berserk, rip the Elvis Costello mobile down from the ceiling, throw the "Country Artists (Male) A-K" rack out into the street, go off to work at a Virgin Megastore, and never look back."

Oy. Kierkegaard was right.

Maybe some vodka will help me understand this thread...

KA Hole

_________________________________
Mental
Evaluation
Needed
Semi-
Annually

Maybe some vodka will help me understand this thread...

What a waste of perfectly good vodka.

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"Some days I'm afraid I'll go berserk, rip the Elvis Costello mobile down from the ceiling, throw the "Country Artists (Male) A-K" rack out into the street, go off to work at a Virgin Megastore, and never look back."

And while Rikki deplores the level of discourse at KnoxViews, Instapundit is misinforming thousands more people than I ever could:

FORBES' RICH KARLGAARD ASKS how many people died because of Rachel Carson?

Buried in paragraph 27, and paraphrasing the Congressman, The Washington Post concedes that "numerous" deaths might have been prevented by DDT.

Let's stop here. Any curious reader would ask, Just how "numerous" is numerous? Wouldn't you ask that question? The Post never asks that question. Why?

Because the answer devastates Rachel Carson and her followers. According to these CDC figures, malaria kills more than 800,000 children under age five every year.

Every year, 800,000 small children die from malaria, a disease once nearly eradicated. Ponder that.

And all The Washington Post can say is "numerous?"

That's scandalous.

More on that subject here. It's certainly an argument against overreacting.

"Heh. Indeed."

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"Some days I'm afraid I'll go berserk, rip the Elvis Costello mobile down from the ceiling, throw the "Country Artists (Male) A-K" rack out into the street, go off to work at a Virgin Megastore, and never look back."

I'm trying to compliment you guys by saying you can do better than just sucker punching trolls, but you can't still your trembling synapses long enough to see I'm asking you to TRY HARDER.

To what end, exactly? Later down the way you suggest that my mission here should be winning converts?

See, that would require the sort of faith that I just. Don't. Have. Maybe that's where the fundamental disconnect is.

When his little turdlets wander over here, convert them. It can't be that hard.

One would like to think so. Yet, therein lies a path to madness.

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"Some days I'm afraid I'll go berserk, rip the Elvis Costello mobile down from the ceiling, throw the "Country Artists (Male) A-K" rack out into the street, go off to work at a Virgin Megastore, and never look back."

"Are we supposed to have a video of Chomsky flickering, dimly, on all corners in order to drive some point home?"

Cool, Can we do that? We'll call it ChomskyTube.

Rikki, Axel, Metulj-
I am not real clear what you all are disagreeing about. Is it that Mejjj and Axel are mean to the occasional troll or that they just have a bleaker view of things? What are you all fighting over?

1995 reunion: "Sven, I'm so sorry."

um, look, um I type then click that Post Comment button with the same anxiety as when I have to enter freeway traffic at rush hour. I just try to get up to speed, pick a spot to merge and hope like hell I don't get smashed up in the process.

That said- there is a very timely interview with Al Gore over on Taylor Marsh's blog.

(link...)

Notes can be found at (link...)

On the Internet. When information is more than a one-way flow, when individuals can join the conversation and challenge conventional wisdoms and present facts as they see them from their unique situation in life, and share their point of view, this changes the conversation. If what they are saying resonates with others who have reached the same conclusions but have not been able to articulate or frame their insight, this is what inspires changes.