ralis

I have read the so called rules and the way the rules are applied can be seen by many here as biased and unclear. I have yet to receive an explanation about my complaint of a post from several weeks ago that is clearly misogynist. I complained twice and was ignored. I believe misogyny is against the rules of behavior, is it not?

The OP states "what are the criteria for threads winding up in the pit"? In other words from the general or off topic to the pit. You are not answering my question.

The thread in question in regards to Trayvon Martin was moved from off topic to the pit.

A thread started in the pit gets thrown into the pit. HaHa.

Here is one example of a new transportation technology being open source as opposed to patent. http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/07/15/billionaire-entrepreneur-elon-musk-to-unveil-secretive-hyperloop-design-in-august/

Rene, You inquired in regards to solutions. 1. The government must start enforcing the Sherman Antitrust Act. 2. Senator Warren is introducing a bill to restore Glass-Steagall thereby splitting up commercial banking and investment firms. 3. So called intellectual property rights/patents should be reduced to a maximum of four years. Mega corporations such as Microsoft need to lose their monopolistic advantage! 4. Penalize corporations that ship jobs overseas. http://www.factcheck.org/2012/10/talking-tax-breaks-for-offshoring/ 5. Student loans should have the same rate as the too big to fail banks are given. 3/4 of 1%. 6. Government investment in new energy technologies such as the scale but much larger than the 'Manhattan Project'. 7. Rebuilding the nation's infrastructure as opposed to war and military expansion.

What is the obsession with where I am from? I already told you where I am from. Besides, what difference does it make? Which Americans are you referring to? North, Central or South?

Gasoline just went up here .29/gal overnight. Just another way for corporations, in this case Wall Street speculators to gouge the consumer. Increased fuel and food costs give middle and lower income families less disposable income. Just one more aspect of the gutting of the U.S.

I believe his mental problems were from being exposed to the heavy metals in the paint. Artists then ground their own pigments and I believe Vincent wasn't very careful.

This is what I am talking about. Where is this quote from? Completely out of context which proves what?

Don't refer to me as "pal". I am not interested in condescending remarks. I am acutely aware of the global economic climate and the so called 'global village'. I saw it coming in the 80's while taking some marketing classes for my degree. That does not preclude or excuse the corporate climate of turning the U.S. into a second rate country for the purposes of profit and greed!

Who are you referring to as illiterate here? Most folks? Illiterate in what way?

Your delusional idea of states rights was thrown out before the Constitutional Convention. Read the Articles of Confederation for a brief reminder and the history of the problems the articles caused. The Civil War and 'states rights' is another place to refresh your memory. It amazes me how little history people know! In your view each state will become a kingdom with a unitary rule such as kings? http://americanhistory.about.com/od/civilwarmenu/a/cause_civil_war.htm

Do you have an MBA? You seem to be here to instruct, while assuming incorrectly that persons participating in this discussion haven't a clue. Please stop the condescending attitude and discuss the OP.

Yes. One may ask as to what the U.S. economy is based on? Financial sector is 8.4% of gdp, 30% of all profits are made by the financial sector. http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2011/12/14/389487/financial-sector-gdp-recession/ Who benefits by this large chunk of profits? The elitist 1% for producing nothing! The banks whine and cry that if they are not allowed to grow, such banks will not be competitive. Competitive for what purpose? The U.S. economy is largely based on service, fast food and other disposables, which is contrary to real wealth. The manufacturing sector in 2011 was 12.2 % gdp and I believe is still declining. http://www.manufacturing.gov/mfg_in_context.html

It is obvious that you are beating the drum for the U.S. but it is time to take off the 'rose colored glasses' and face reality.

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/07/13/greenwald-u-s-should-be-on-its-knees-begging-that-nothing-happens-to-snowden/

All empires must have resources and the U.S. is no different. Whether it was Rome or the British, resources were sought after as the empires expanded. The U.S. must maintain a bloated empire with a military watchdog. To claim that the U.S. is only a cultural empire is a simplistic point of view. The U.S. sets up and takes down regimes on a continuing basis. Whether the coups in S. America, Vietnam or supporting strongmen (Saddam Hussein) in the middle east, the U.S. has been involved in social and political affairs. Whether you believe it or not, the facts are written in the historical archives. The U.S. is becoming less of an economic force given the destruction of the middle class which in the past represented the largest per capita purchasing power in the world.

Would like to add the approximate 90 trillion in outstanding derivatives held by Wall Street banks. Derivatives that have no underlying assets. Also the extremely low capitalization requirements to debt. That is the reason Bear Sterns and Lehman Bros. went bankrupt.

The link works for me. Maybe because I am a member. Type in Arnold J. Toynbee. Will write more tomorrow when I have time.

For anyone interested in history, Toynbee's work is recommended. What is happening in the U.S. is what happens to all civilizations and empires without exception! Toynbee's work is in 6 volumes http://www.scribd.com/search-documents?query=toynbee+a+study+of+history http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=ntt_athr_dp_sr_1?_encoding=UTF8&field-author=Arnold%20J.%20Toynbee&search-alias=books&sort=relevancerank

I don't know if any of you remember the 'Red Green Show' that played on PBS for years. I was watching this Youtube clip this a.m. Very funny!

I was just looking at the painting in the OP and what comes to mind is the nature of the feminine. Water, feeling, emotion,creativity and all other qualities associated with the feminine. The female figure in the front is a mermaid. William Mistele has extensively written on the mermaid myth. His books are free on his site. http://williamrmistele.com/

Are you referring to protector's video?

I posted that right here. The NY Times link is still valid. http://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/04/us/monitoring-of-snail-mail.html?_r=1& http://thetaobums.com/topic/28815-the-decline-and-eventual-fall-of-the-usa-as-world-superpower/page-7#entry448861