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John Smith

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Posts posted by John Smith

    Politics 2015

    in Tongue-Tied Lightning

    Posted

    I get the Bush bashing. His administrations, advisors, etc. screwed it up. On the other hand, who knows what the middle east would be like now. No way to predict.

    I beg to differ, many experts predicted just this sort of chaos in the Mid East before the invasion. They may not have predicted ISIS specifically but they did predict sectarian chaos once the powers that be were removed. You can read things like this going back into the 90's. The problem with the bush admin is that they ignored people like this completely.

    Politics 2015

    in Tongue-Tied Lightning

    Posted

    I really wish people would stop with the "we've been in Getmany and Japan for CX years after WEII" as a way of arguing that we should have stayed longer in Iraq.the length of time spent in those two countries is completely different than Iraq. And the two situations are not comparable.

    Zappa

    in Someone Else's Song

    Posted

    Thanks.  I'll take this into consideration and refer back to this as I look to buy more.  I did a little research and found that Steve Vai was in the band when I saw Zappa in the fall of 1980.  My memories of that show were the guitar playing and Zappa Chewing our security when a guy ran on stage and handed hm a joint, which he tore up on stage.

    Zappa

    in Someone Else's Song

    Posted

    it is about time, but I've had  afew artists that I was not quite ready for when I was younger, but am feeling like giving them a chance now.  I had never heard the first six sabbath albums until a couple months ago, the hits, yes, whole albums no.  But I wasnt ready for them back then.  Never listened to the Dead till two years ago.  Maybe after i get enough Zappa I'll try someone else I overlooked in my youth, like Todd Rundgren or something.

    Zappa

    in Someone Else's Song

    Posted

    ok, 55 years into my life im going to take a deep dive into Zappa and see how it works out for me,  Ive always been intrigued, but never felt ready, now I'm ready.  I've got Overnight Sensation, Shut up and play your guitar box set and You cant do that on stage volumne two.  Where shoudl I go from there and why? the 60's stuff? 70's?  the original mothers?  Any advice would be appreciated.  

    Politics 2015

    in Tongue-Tied Lightning

    Posted

    I hate publicly funded stadiums.  Its never  good deal to the taxpayer.  I am a White Sox fan and would have been fine with them leaving back when St Pete was bidding for them.  But no instead we get a stadium that is not making any money for the taxpayers.  And...the bonds issued to fund it have tax free income.  They are muni Bonds, which are exempt from fed tax and Illinois does not tax the income either. so double screwing the tax payer.  

    Politics 2015

    in Tongue-Tied Lightning

    Posted

    My question was to ask if there had been successful ones.

     

    The common thought is that they managed a business so they should be able to manage a governmental body. That's not the case business methods do not always apply and business leaders are usually subject to the direction of a board of directors. People who have served in government are more familiar with the mechanisms of government which exist by law.

     

    And none of this means they can't be successful, but just assuming they would be because they have business experience is dangerous.

    Politics 2015

    in Tongue-Tied Lightning

    Posted

    What Trump, Cruz, Paul, and others who have little chance of wining do is pull the party further to the right, further into the realm of parody. the ones who actually do have a chance in the general election have to respond. And if they respond with a moderate position they have a harder chance of winning the primaries. If they try to out conservative each other then they have those statements and ideas hanging over their heads in the General. It's a tough he to dig out of.

     

    On a side note...there is always talk of getting a business person in to run the government. Has there ever been a purely business person who has become a successful president? Governor? I ask because I am totally against this sort of thing. You can not run a government like a business. If you did many rural areas would be cut off from services for not being cost effective. Mississippi would get sold off (divested for not being a profitable branch). Division heads ( say the governor of Kansas) would be let go or reassigned to special projects ( like the sale of Mississippi) due to their ineffectual performance. Etc... Business people can't govern like they run a business. The budgeting process is entirely different too.

    Politics 2015

    in Tongue-Tied Lightning

    Posted

    John Smith and tinnitus photography, calling someone out is verboten.

    Your right, not naming someone while questioning the outlandish nature of their post is bad form. Though it does appear that someone is being called out in the above referenced post.

     

    Anubow...so Manson and the Unibomber are polling well in this very realistic scenario, wait they can't be because they are convicted felons. Trump on the other really is polling well because he is saying what the R base wants to hear, or at least the republicans I know in the very republican world I live in. Of course some of these people also still see the former gov of Alaska as a viable option. Again that's not every one just the ones I sit by at work and that are in my social circle, including county board members. But that is not a reflection on republicans, and what they are looking for. Nope.

    Politics 2015

    in Tongue-Tied Lightning

    Posted

    That's the game they have been playing for years...out conservatising each other. One guy starts out with a position and the next guy has to go further, all the while convincing themselves and supporters that their positions are mainstream. The Overton Window theory in action.

    Politics 2015

    in Tongue-Tied Lightning

    Posted

    I am well aware that it is now Congress's problem that Guantanamo is still open. But he had 2 years at the start of his presidency to close it and did not. 

     

     

    I hope thi sis not a reference to the supposed two years of super majority that Obama supposedly had.  April 2009 was when Spector Switched sides, however that still was not enough to give the D's a veto proof majoprity. Franken had been elected, but recounts and delaying tactics preventted him from being seated till July 2009. however due to Kennedy's illness he was rarely in thesenate, so the D's frequently could only muster 59 votes.  Kennedy passed away in August and his succssor was appointed in September.  But Byrd was sick and not 100% reliable.  Regardless though the earliest that the D's could have had 60 votes was July 7, 2009.  Scott Brown was sworn in Feb 4, 2010.  So at the most the D's had a shaky (Byrd's Illness, Blue DOgs etc...) super majority from July 7 2009 to February 4, 2010.  Not two years.  If you are referring to something else please ignore the above. Not quite the sold voting block to get everything accomplished.

    The Metal Thread

    in Someone Else's Song

    Posted

    I had never listend to any Sabbath album other than We Sold Our Souls until this year.  Now 40+ years after the fact i've heard the first six albums. All are pretty decent but the first second and fourth stand out for me.  

     

    I saw Sabbath at the Rockford Speedway sometime in 80 or 81 wth BOC and Molly Hatchet.  Both Sabbath (With Dio) and Molly Hatchet (With some guy who wasnt Danny Brown) both played with subsitute singers.  The show was good, but seeing Sabbath in broad daylight was probably not the best way to see them, but at the time I took what I could get.

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