tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8243351006478134285.post5568568317550800712..comments2024-03-28T14:52:13.218-05:00Comments on Stonekettle Station: Everything I Need To Know About Democracy, I Learned From Star TrekJim Wrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11259550121437562338noreply@blogger.comBlogger34125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8243351006478134285.post-91062243333342583832013-01-16T19:52:05.566-06:002013-01-16T19:52:05.566-06:00Jim, I recently discovered your blog and have been...Jim, I recently discovered your blog and have been perusing your post archives.Today is January 16, 2013.<br />Having just read the above post, all I can say is to quote the late, great Yogi Berra: "It's like Deja Vu, all over again!"Thomas Kenthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14356241728682815195noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8243351006478134285.post-26841723915192325842011-10-27T10:14:01.298-05:002011-10-27T10:14:01.298-05:00Heh! I blame media. Not THE Media per se, just the...Heh! I blame media. Not THE Media <i>per se</i>, just the existance of a voracious 24/7/365 news vortext that abhors a vaccuum.<br /><br /><i>ANY</i> silly statement by someone even remotely in power gets sucked in, stretched, distorted and flung back with such velocity and energy that you cannot escape it. And thus is born a new stimulus-response cycle. Politicians love headlines - they can't get elected without them. So when a simple threat generates lots of headlines, they will naturally try to re-use it as often as possible. Which then puts that phrase back into the vortex to be recycled and multiplied. Soon, that's all that you can see or hear.<br /><br />Next week, or next month, there'll be a new theme.<br />Until just recently it's been "Shut It Down!" Currently, it seems to be "Occupy it and Tear it Down!" Who knows what it will be next week? Something equally silly and one-dimensional, I'm sure.MaskedManhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01847118110075039840noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8243351006478134285.post-63459704732179769572011-10-05T11:22:56.717-05:002011-10-05T11:22:56.717-05:00Actually, it ain't that complicated. Never for...Actually, it ain't that complicated. Never forget the prime directive: There Is Nothing More Important Than My Re-Election. It's that simple.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8243351006478134285.post-51812907049476121322011-10-03T21:35:28.934-05:002011-10-03T21:35:28.934-05:00Well, hell, Jim, before 1976 the gov'mint fisc...Well, hell, Jim, before 1976 the gov'mint fiscal year started JULY 1. The reason they changed it to October was that they could never make THAT date. So they contrived to give themselves three more months. That worked nicely for lessee ... never.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8243351006478134285.post-62355247162768675302011-10-03T20:29:54.683-05:002011-10-03T20:29:54.683-05:00Okra God ,
" Still, since the repubs are on...Okra God ,<br /><br />" Still, since the repubs are only offering up versions of Harry Mudd, Quark, Kai Winn, and gracelessly aging Orion slave girls, I guess I'll stick with Obama. "<br /><br /> Quark was great in dealing with difficult situations. He got things done. Quark would've been a great Republican President . Harry Mudd is definitely a Bill Clinton type . He always had beautiful women around himwitlessnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8243351006478134285.post-6144416913947933392011-10-03T14:58:48.651-05:002011-10-03T14:58:48.651-05:00Obama's style of governance does seem to oscil...Obama's style of governance does seem to oscillate between channeling Piccard's "make it so" and Archer's "let's ask the aliens what they want." We could use a little more Kirk.<br /><br />Still, since the repubs are only offering up versions of Harry Mudd, Quark, Kai Winn, and gracelessly aging Orion slave girls, I guess I'll stick with Obama.Okra Godhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12399111072856850171noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8243351006478134285.post-80558420392322010502011-10-03T13:36:43.424-05:002011-10-03T13:36:43.424-05:00Now Hear This | My Ready RoomStonekettle Station’s...<a href="http://myreadyroom.wordpress.com/2011/10/03/now-hear-this/" rel="nofollow">Now Hear This | My Ready Room</a><br><br>Stonekettle Station’s take on the shutdown shenanigans. Will make you...Ben Ciscohttp://myreadyroom.wordpress.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8243351006478134285.post-69427777927874209822011-10-03T13:31:20.230-05:002011-10-03T13:31:20.230-05:00Jim, good article. Congress, the R version anyway...Jim, good article. Congress, the R version anyway, does like to blow off the Prime Directive. The only reason they exist, to govern, seems secondary to them. <br />@Pamela I missed that one. Very nice!<br />Does congress get paid if the Gov shuts down? Do they still get their healthcare? Franking privilege?John Healyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03618374685709266085noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8243351006478134285.post-30150455843953777832011-10-03T11:42:09.681-05:002011-10-03T11:42:09.681-05:00California has had a chronic problem in getting th...California has had a chronic problem in getting the budget passed on a timely basis- in 2010, it actually ran into October. This year, it passed almost on time- within a week or so of the start of the fiscal year. The difference- an initiative that made sure that the Assembly and Senate <b>lost</b> pay for every day past the deadline that the budget wasn't passed. (Yes, I agree that the initiative process can be used for evil, but I actually liked this one)Pamelahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14984600539171463313noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8243351006478134285.post-73777547561699764752011-10-03T09:59:26.121-05:002011-10-03T09:59:26.121-05:00Jim,
Great article, love your work.
I am emailin...Jim,<br /><br />Great article, love your work.<br /><br />I am emailing it to my CongressMonster - Marsha the Moron Blackburn (Ridiculous-TN) who is so mindlessly hatefilled and now SKEERED, she won't even come up to Ft. Campbell (101st Aor Assault - same town as Clarksville, TN)for a photo-op when the soldiers come home...she's SKEERED they are going to.........they have been deployed for TEN DAYUM YEARS and she hides in Williamson County (wealthiest county in TN) telling everyone that Obama has taken away their lightbulbs when it was done in 2007 under Dubya. Help us here in Tennessee.....Eykishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11619198509580157955noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8243351006478134285.post-8830070619072720122011-10-03T07:44:25.219-05:002011-10-03T07:44:25.219-05:00I read this after watching 'Prohibition' o...I read this after watching 'Prohibition' on PBS...<br /><br />... and anyone who says that all this government foom-ra (I have small kids in the house and am trying to clean up my sailor-talk) is new is wrong. It's just been sped up a bit by near instantaneous news.<br /><br />Politics has NEVER been polite. Politics has NEVER been clean.<br />Politics has ALWAYS been about keeping your own power while doing away with that of your enemies... and by enemies, I mean your own countrymen because the foreigners are so far away.Wine Guynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8243351006478134285.post-54754946652935763012011-10-03T06:46:43.392-05:002011-10-03T06:46:43.392-05:00Great article! May I send this in an email to my p...Great article! May I send this in an email to my politicians as well? <br /><br />Thanks,<br />John GilmoreJohn Gilmore, Jr.https://www.blogger.com/profile/13012032048798616926noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8243351006478134285.post-53181845579710080882011-10-02T21:10:38.808-05:002011-10-02T21:10:38.808-05:00It's a good thing this really isn't Star T...It's a good thing this really isn't Star Trek (well, DS9, at least), or We Would Not Speak Of Such Things [/Worf]<br /><br />As usual, lots of fun, some snorts and LOLs, and some hopes that, just like <i>Galaxy Quest</i>, we can have a successful revival of working government sometime soon.Rishathranoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8243351006478134285.post-69846355214292732232011-10-02T15:29:45.937-05:002011-10-02T15:29:45.937-05:00Get in line.
;)Get in line.<br /><br />;)Jim Wrighthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11259550121437562338noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8243351006478134285.post-6616087628637000242011-10-02T15:21:55.317-05:002011-10-02T15:21:55.317-05:00Jim, I'm starting to love you.Jim, I'm starting to love you.Beadknitterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13380412691775978255noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8243351006478134285.post-44999811164916006962011-10-02T14:56:32.121-05:002011-10-02T14:56:32.121-05:00721_ You wake up to find a sheep and a goat chompi...721_ You wake up to find a sheep and a goat chomping away on your garden. Only a damn fool chases the sheep first. If you're stupid enough to sit back and watch both do their thing don't be surprised if you're going hungry later. <br /><br /><i>That</i> is why I hold my nose a pick a candidate for every office in every election. Hell, I write in candidates for any election that's uncontested.<br /><br />I don't care if we're voting for dishwasher I'm voting. I've suffered "revenge of the burrito" too many times to think little things don't matter.Pangolinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18369503994505817789noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8243351006478134285.post-85932985837810964022011-10-02T14:49:12.948-05:002011-10-02T14:49:12.948-05:00Speaking of suspension of disbelief, this whole el...Speaking of suspension of disbelief, this whole election cycle has already given me a bad taste in my mouth. Between the Dark Knight morphing into the Emperor Without any Clothes and Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, I'm thinking of just trying to hold down the fort and keeping the kids fed, clothed and sheltered and letting the rest of the SNAFU carry on without me this time. I've always prided myself on "doing my civic duty" since I was old enough to do so -- using the rubric of "Who can do the least amount of damage/who wierds me out the least?" to pick a candidate. This time I may just sit it out. Depressing. Keep the faith, Gunney.Dad0Sevenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09310996086003196066noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8243351006478134285.post-89387913812955019302011-10-02T11:03:34.001-05:002011-10-02T11:03:34.001-05:00Jim, seriously, send it in to the NY Times and/or ...Jim, seriously, send it in to the NY Times and/or other papers, this is fantastic and needs to be seen!moxie (Patricia Crawford)noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8243351006478134285.post-49812409774327370342011-10-02T11:00:36.738-05:002011-10-02T11:00:36.738-05:00who says Voyager fans are sad, sad?
i liked Voyage...who says Voyager fans are sad, sad?<br />i liked Voyager.<br />in fact, i have a voyager flying in my club-room. it's a toilet ball-flapper doo-hickey, and with the price tag still on it, i tell folks it's got a Klingon on board.<br />as to our govt. being shut down, i am befuddled by the whole thing.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8243351006478134285.post-51929712613056190562011-10-02T10:08:51.902-05:002011-10-02T10:08:51.902-05:00sorry I could not get past "Russell, the one ...sorry I could not get past "Russell, the one eyed wonder muscle" still on the floor LMAOnerthuschildhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14784658893883538305noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8243351006478134285.post-37373577281923406792011-10-02T09:31:17.036-05:002011-10-02T09:31:17.036-05:00I vote Tribbles for Congress! To replace them, I m...I vote Tribbles for Congress! To replace them, I mean, not to inhabit them. At least for the obstructionist Tea-anderthals and Blue Dogs.marykmusichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15058777777594331933noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8243351006478134285.post-81595168285488545032011-10-02T05:05:42.063-05:002011-10-02T05:05:42.063-05:00The captain of a starship in Star Trek was easy to...The captain of a starship in Star Trek was easy to replace for a very good reason; he was a totally expendable figurehead. All the real work was done by Scottie's engineering crew, Mr Spock and the red shirts. It's the same reason they put the captain in the nice pretty target, er, bridge on warships. All the fighting that matters happens in the turrets and engine rooms. <br /><br />Congress and the Presidency, totally expendable. The real decision making happens in corporate board rooms and golf courses. Yeah we elect 'em but the election process is corrupted so thoroughly by corporate media that we get to choose between two flavors of ice cream; both pumpkin. <br /><br />As to the peccadilloes of starship captains and presidents........do you want to put nuclear launch codes in the hands of somebody who isnt' getting any? This country ran much better when Monika was helping ol Bill Clinton with the stress I'll tell you that.Pangolinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18369503994505817789noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8243351006478134285.post-32776543833426269662011-10-02T01:26:22.625-05:002011-10-02T01:26:22.625-05:00You're succumbing to false-equivalency syndrom...You're succumbing to false-equivalency syndrome. It is not Congress.<br /><br />It's the Republicans-slash-Tea Partiers, and the Speaker of the House who is an utter failure at his job.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15058219643912780497noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8243351006478134285.post-67246665200596266222011-10-02T00:41:58.641-05:002011-10-02T00:41:58.641-05:00Vacation homes. That's what you meant by that ...Vacation homes. That's what you meant by that beam tribbles thing, right? You'd beam the tribbles right into their first, second, third, fourth, and fifth vacation homes, the one in the Hamptons, the one in the Catskills, the one in Aspen, the one in the Bahamas... <br /><br />Of course, these being vile lizard people from Planet Sociopath, they'd probably just eat the g*dd*mn tribbles. And if ya beamed the tribbles that *other* place you sorta inferred, the poor tribbles would probably turn into an instant puff of smoke due to the sheer bile that fills these pathetic excuses for sentient beings. <br /><br />Regarding marching on Washington and sending these folks to the gallows for the crime of being sociopathic jerkwads, there's one problem with that: Every single one of these assholes in Washington got electorated fair and square by the majority of voters in his or her district. As long as 50% of people are below average, and average ain't too smart, vile lizard people from Planet Sociopath are gonna have not a bit of trouble rounding up 50%+1 votes to get put back in office again. If we sent'em home, one of their cousins from Planet Sociopath would just take their place during the next election cycle.<br /><br />Problem is, only solution I have to that problem looks a helluva lot like the Iranian solution (where they don't let ya run for office until they make sure that you're, like, not some un-Islamic heathen or somethin'). Ends up turning the little body of folks that decide who can run for office or not into basically dictators. Who shall guard the guardians (or Guardian Council, heh) indeed...<br /><br />- Badtux the Lizard-observin' PenguinBadTuxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01345749557330760251noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8243351006478134285.post-29767795298351203312011-10-01T23:19:58.738-05:002011-10-01T23:19:58.738-05:00You don't actually think they'd read it, d...You don't actually think they'd read it, do you?<br /><br />Feel free to email it to your congresscritter.Jim Wrighthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11259550121437562338noreply@blogger.com