ijgibson

Over hundreds of years the churches have built up great edifices and great wealth with lots of expensively robed ceremonials and huge treasure hoards - despite being surrounded by the poor and destitute.

We're now supposed to believe that the churches will change the habits of many lifetimes and distribute wealth to alleviate poverty - rather than accumulating wealth, while giving a pittance with a noisy flourish.

Give us a break - my credulity won't stretch that far ! posted 07/02/2008 at 18:27:07

"simple being a survivor of a POW camp does not a hero make."

How very true - as a POW you have few choices - and you're not there because you chose to be.
Does someone who has served a term of inprisonment for a crime he was later proved not to have committed, become either a hero or qualified to run anything (other than a bath)?

Has he given any indication that he can unite the country and heal the obvious wounds - clearly visible even from across the pond ?

And 'Cariintexus' also has a very good point - "The difference, they do not expect that to carry them through life, or be a reason for them to be president of this great country."

Any acheivement deserves recognition - but an achievement needs to be built on - not dwelt on !
If there's little evidence that you've built on it or learned from it - your qualifications are dubious. posted 07/01/2008 at 12:03:26

Well said !! Its in everyone.s interests worldwide, that America re establishes its fundamental decency and acts as an example to other less fortunate countries ! posted 06/26/2008 at 14:40:55

You could always impeach immediately after the November election - that way the successor would be the next elected President.

To try to impeach a reasonably good President for sexual pecadilloes and fail to impeach the current gang (all of them) for destruction of the Constitution, makes a laughing stock of your sense of right and wrong. Is that what America wants ?

To reclaim your world status you have to demonstrate that you do know the difference !! posted 06/26/2008 at 14:26:57

"You don't have to be real smart. I stood fifth from the bottom of my class at the naval academy, which shows in America anything is possible."

Well you've had nearly 8 years of one b----y idiot - do you really want another ?

Who knows - a little glimmer of intelligence might even help someone in the position of the most powerful man/woman on earth !! posted 06/16/2008 at 13:53:00

Great to see you cheering up the entire world. The argument is pretty convincing, but we'll still all pray you are right. More of the same doesn't bear thinking about ! posted 06/13/2008 at 18:08:33

Remember that you once applauded when we elected Thatcher. Immediately after her 2nd and 3rd election - few people here would admit to having voted for her - she got in on a relatively low vote (~33%) because the opposition was split.

At the moment - in the UK I think we probably would elect Obama - on the grounds that he's talking a lot more sense than any of our politicians, and appears to mean it ! posted 06/12/2008 at 15:36:34

Don't forget he was willingly supported by Blair, who denied lying to Parliament in the UK, re the intelligence.

I distinctly remember his speech in the House of Commons persuading the MP's to go along with his support of the Bush/Cheney gang. He said "-- -- there is no doubt -- --" re the intelligence - despite that fact that the intelligence said there was very considerable doubt over whether Saddam really had WMD's.
As Arianna said re Bush - there is only one word for that - it was a lie.

At the time Saddam (who was another real baddy) was vehemently against Al Quieda - its influence in Iraq is down to our actions. posted 06/10/2008 at 16:14:21

Well said !! posted 06/10/2008 at 16:03:13

In the face of a real opportunity to do something serious for the country - you're advocating an excersise in total futility ? posted 06/09/2008 at 18:05:57

Don't forget how much the corporations and wealthy have benefited from the "seven year crime spree" !

For the rest of the population - you are absolutely right - its amazing !! posted 06/09/2008 at 18:02:58

Re the women we have seen on TV saying that if they can't have their woman candidate - they'll vote for McCain ( the man who publicly abused his wife in such a way, that most men saying the same thing in private would be expecting a rapid divorce !)
Imagine the scenario where you are a strongly feminist woman with a serious illness/disability being treated routinely by an experienced doctor, which maintains you. The doctor dies or leaves the district. A new hospital opens nearby that has a female doctor who will maintain the treatment that you've been having and also a young male doctor with a radical new treatment, that offers the chance of a cure.
Are the people rejecting Obama because they didn't get Hillary as their desired candidate really sayiong they'd stick with the female doctor to maintain them, rather that the male doctor who might just effect a cure ?
If that's true, then the first job Obama will have when he becomes President will be to open several new mental hospitals - as there are clearly a number of women out there who clearly need one !! posted 06/09/2008 at 17:45:35

"The average American has maxed out his credit cards."

Did the average american not realise that when you borrow you have to repay ? Or that credit cards are probably the most expensive form of borrowing ?

" In short the average American is screwed."

From your comments it seems he certainly made some serious efforts to screw himself !! posted 06/06/2008 at 14:35:27

" ---"starry-eyed idealism" that gave us George W. Bush"
You must be joking !! Neocons rejoiced at the 'back to the future' agenda of a self righteous and bombastic millionaire who's interest in and knowledge of - (never mind fellow feeling with) the hoy poloy was always zero.

Money, power and religious mania were the only motives he ever had ! posted 06/06/2008 at 14:15:58

Apparently a mind filled to capacity with trivia !! posted 06/06/2008 at 14:09:33

That's right ! If she'd been elected, someone would have written an identical article saying those who voted for her were racist - either way the electorate are slagged off for being prejudiced. OK so some are, but many are not, and they simply made a choice between a candidate who had made many mistakes and one who made very few.

I didn't here Erica Jong complaining about the racism involved in slagging off Obama because of something said, not by him, but by an associate. I also didn't here her complain when Hillary herself was caught out repeating several times, a barefaced lie.

So the best candidate won, which is how it should be. Provided you pick the right woman, I see no reason why a woman should not be President of the USA. Bandaranyaka and Golda Meier both did as good a job as any man.

Just don't follow the UK's mistake and elect the most divisive woman you can find. posted 06/04/2008 at 14:08:45

" The truth will come out. It always does. "

What touching faith. I was brought up on that idea and only wish I could believe it !
It didn't come out (until far to late) for Kerry. It certainly didn't come out in the Florida election result that gave the presidency to the arrogant and incompetent loon that's been there for the last 7+ years. I don't see it ever coming out with respect to the thousands of crooked mortgages that have given rise to the now near Global financial crisis.

Hopefully, you have a candidate who has a bit more respect for the truth - and even more hopefully, you'll elect him. posted 04/01/2008 at 14:10:07

Just another thought - the present financial crisis, which was not predicted 10 or even 5 years ago was caused by the sale of so called cheap mortgages to people who manifestly couldn't afford them. This was often done by quite crookedly filling in the application forms with a much larger income than the mortgagee actually had and persuading them that the interest rate was very low. 3 months later the interest rate would rise considerably leaving the poor sucker high and dry, ie it was caused by simple avariciousness and greed, accompanied by innocence or a simple lack of financial awareness by the borrower.

To suggest that predicting this crisis (which surely was inevitable given the unsustainability of the above process) is more complex than climate is, even to the moderately intelligent, clearly total and absolute rubbish ! posted 04/03/2008 at 03:42:19

Last comment is just a stupid slur. I have never been employed in any power related industry and spent my working life as a science lecturer - paid only as a public servant.

I repeat my comment above "your idea that climate is a simpler phenomenon to predict than finances - this just has to be a April Fool joke !!"

Or I could quote from Emeritus Professor from London University School of Tropical Hygene
(ie unrelated to power industry)
"Climate is the most complex system we know, governed by thousands of factors, But the point is, it"s like Glasgow on a Saturday night, chaos. And what we"re trying to do is manage it by dealing with one pub. One. And it just won"t work, that"s the danger. In such a system, doing something at the margins and not doing something in the margins are equally unpredictable. And the question we should be asking our politicians are, what climate are you actually aiming to produce and when we get there won"t it change anyway? The crisis is therefore in ourselves posted 04/02/2008 at 14:03:29

What about the water vapor - its hundreds of times bigger greenhouse gas than CO2 and is always forgotten about !! posted 04/02/2008 at 13:57:11

You are obviously unaware of Chamberlains paper of 1905 ! If your description of the scientific method is used (and it often is) then error is very likely to result.

"Using the scientific method, you propose a theory, do experiments, then look at the data to see if it conforms with your theory. If it does, great. "

Chamberlain's paper suggested that the correct method is to examine a phenomenon -and suggest several theories to explain it. Then conduct experiments to see which one is correct. As he put it "we father our ideas as we do our children - only one child and we defend it - right or wrong. Only with several ideas are we likely to judge dispassionately between them"

I worked with a psychologist who described being shown a phenomenon as a student - and asked - along with all the class to come up with a theory to explain it. 35 students and 35 ideas resulted. They were then asked to devise and conduct an experiment to see if their own theory was correct, All 35 decided that their (different) theories were in fact correct !!

As for your idea that climate is a simpler phenomenon to predict than finances - this just has to be a April Fool joke !! posted 04/02/2008 at 13:53:58

I find it hilarious that man - who constructed and manages the financial world, is unable to predict the results of plans and actions in this area - even 5 years ahead.

Yet somehow we've managed to convince politicians and most of the public, worldwide, that we can predict climate change (over which we have no control and not much influence) 50 and 100 years ahead. What's more, they're all sufficiently convinced by the supposed accuracy of these predictions that actions - including financial ones - are being taken to alleviate problems that it will cause.

Would anyone care to suggest why one set of predictions is likely to be correct when, even in the areas we control, prediction has such a dreadful record of inaccuracy ? posted 04/01/2008 at 14:33:52

"So far Bosnia is a cream-puff compared to Obama's Rev. Wright"

What total nonsense. Hilary herself engaged in make belief bravado - and lied - repeating the lie several times.

Obama attended a church where the Pastor 'went over the top' - he didn't do it - the Pastor, over whom he has no control, did it. What's more - even the most anti Obama folks have suggested that the pastor was anti American - no one seems to have said he lied !

This is just the expected stuff from someone either committed to Hilary ( and he's perfectly entitled to that) or a member of the GOP who would prefer Hilary as an opponent he thinks they can beat in November ! posted 03/31/2008 at 14:44:26

Like a hole in the head ! You have enough disruption and destruction. Now you (and we) need unity of purpose and a desire to change for the better - not more people to mess things up and ensure 'more of the same' posted 04/01/2008 at 14:15:23

"have so successfully engaged the support of religious fundamentalists"

That's easily interpreted ! What do the fundamentalists have in common - the accumulation of great wealth. Hence Corporatists can just buy their support ! - they have the big money ! posted 03/29/2008 at 05:18:40

Part of the problem is the media and the public acceptance of euphemism rather that plain speaking.

"Do not break out a borrower's compensation by income, commissions, bonus and tips, as is typically done in a loan application. Instead, lump all compensation as the applicant's base income.

If your borrower is getting some or all of a down payment from someone else, don't disclose anything about it. "Remove any mention of gift funds," the document states, even though most mortgage applications specifically require borrowers to disclose such gifts.

If all else fails, the document states, simply inflate the applicant's income. "Inch it up $500 to see if you can get the findings you want," the document says. "Do the same for assets."

This doesn't represent a 'sub- prime' mortgage application - this is simply a crooked - or criminal application. Even worse its people not sufficiently well heeled to defend themselves legally that are being conned.

The solution is not to "press for a voluntary code of conduct". As a retired Managing Director of a Pharmaceutical company said many years ago "Voluntary codes of conduct are not worth the paper they are written on. They are less than the responsible will do of their own volition and more that the irresponsible will do without coercion"

The solution is regulation - but not wishy washy uninforced legislation. To have any effect at all - it needs to be rigorously enforced ! posted 03/28/2008 at 14:02:20

Cynara
"Somehow, in the successful smear campaign, which exists completely in an alternate reality, he can be both a Muslim and devote follower of a "crazy" pastor.

That would, at least, limit the prejudice. Its probably the same people putting out both of these lies - aiming to hit two separate sets of folks who'll believe anything - so long as it fits their own prejudices !

choicelady
"- - - all real faith people - love, hope, commitment to one another, a strong moral center, and a belief that our basic decency can be made manifest."

Those views are not held by only (or, sadly, all) faith people. They're also held by a great many people of no faith. Its called 'common decency' posted 03/28/2008 at 14:21:22

Can someone explain what 'victory' or 'success' mean in terms of the Iraq war ?

Re the very obvious 'glass eye' - there's also a very old saying - 'there's none so blind as won't see' . Both the comments describe the present administration - including McCain - perfectly.
Does anyone in the USA still believe that what you and the world needs is more of the same ? posted 03/28/2008 at 13:39:01

cckrueger
"It has to be about people who treat the American people as intelligent," followed by "Right now, my money is on McCain. I think he is worlds ahead of everyone else, not perfect, just ahead."

The man who after 5 years still can't distinguish between Shia's and Sunni's and thinks Al Queda are a major player in Iraq despite your own military leaders there insisting that's not true ? The man who wants to convince America that a 100 years of war (with losses of 4000 dead in 5 years that would be equivalent to 80,000 dead and multiples of that number seriously physically and/or mentally injured) is a worthwhile agenda ?

Suggests to me that he's hoping the American people are as unintelligent as he and his current boss appear to be. Has he even considered how America will be regarded world wide if this lunacy continues for another 10 years - never mind a 100 years ?

If the American public really do consider electing their second idiot as president then there's little hope for you - and probably not a lot for anyone else !! posted 03/27/2008 at 15:40:13

Hilary says:
"After all we have heard and seen he would not be my pastor"

Why, given her recent track record, would anyone choose to believe that ?

When caught out, she says she "misspoke" ( a nice Bushism !) or "mistated". One of Thatchers sidekicks in the UK (Brenard Ingham) talked of "being economical with the truth"
What all these comments have in common is the attempt of someone in a prominent position to try and reduce the effect of being caught out in barefaced lies. Lets call it what it really is - euphemisms don't cut much ice !! posted 03/26/2008 at 15:28:07

"---I don't care what anyone says." Democracy at work ? McCain just demonstrated why this administration is regarded, worldwide, as so appalling !

So McCain"s gaffe was "a senior moment" ? As a senior, the idea that the most powerful man in the world has 'senior moments' fills me with terror ! I can't think of a better reason to elect someone much younger not prone to these ! posted 03/25/2008 at 14:10:04

Unfortunately walking off (picking up your ball and deciding not to play anymore) is a good gesture - but its only a gesture. Far better to stay, and forcefully put the correct issues in front of the public. Insisting on real news and opinion is out there - rather than meaningless froth. posted 03/24/2008 at 14:26:10