Mocumentary: Expelled (Exposed?)

Featured DO NOT SEE!
Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed. *

Idol Chatter: Pre-Screaming.
Reuters: No "Intelligence" evident in Stein documentary Post comment.
Angry Astronomer reports.

An unwilling participant!
And a Willing participant?

* OK, see the trailer, which is admittedly more a mocumentary.

[Now I will add my only little discourse:

Fear Based Blame Game

Speaking of Labeling, I did not know I would go here. It is not a matter of Faith. It is a matter of evidence. Not that faith is wrong to have. But it must be based on evidence. Of course there is evidence for faith. But can you question faith? You can question evidence. But would you have faith in unquestioned evidence? Evidence can give you an answer, if you have a question. If you have faith in unquestioned evidence, can you question faith? If it is a matter of freedom, would anyone choose freedom from evidence? Would anyone choose freedom from faith?

Of course this is just a ramble. Unless one chooses to answer, whether you have faith in evidence or no evidence. Would anyone base their answers on a writer, actor, economist, lawyer? Just because a dog does not all of a sudden become a cat, does not mean that things don’t change, and not always for the better. But apparently with intelligent design, anyone can be anything, no matter their department or intelligence. There is now evidence for that.]

[[If the above ramble is hard to follow, maybe reading the following will help.
The Information Challenge by Richard Dawkins -- Maybe not, but it may make it seem easier. (It may also be helpful to point out that this is only an example used by unwilling participant above.) ]]

[04-22-08: more links on Expelled - -
PZ Meyers Expelled, Gains Sainthood -
Lying for Jesus - (nfry)

It is one of the classic philosophical fallacies to derive an 'ought' from an 'is'. Stein (or whoever wrote his script for him) is implying that Hitler committed that fallacy with respect to Darwinism. If we look at more recent history, the closest representatives you'll find to Darwinian politics are uncompassionate conservatives like Margaret Thatcher, George W Bush, or Ben Stein's own hero, Richard Nixon. Maybe all these people, along with the Social Darwinists from Herbert Spencer to John D Rockefeller, committed the is/ought fallacy and justified their unpleasant social views by invoking garbled Darwinism. Anyone who thinks that has any bearing whatsoever on the truth or falsity of Darwin's theory of evolution is either an unreasoning fool or a cynical manipulator of unreasoning fools. I will not speculate as to which category includes Ben Stein and Mark Mathis.

Faith in doubt and inquiry -
Related video link:
'New' American Theology of Civil Submission - ]

Red Labeling!

Maybe I need to point out the irony in A Wonderful Conversation.
Baiting Obama [*]demonstrates the tactic of fear mongering.
The Republicans who label themselves the Grand Old Party really are the Red Labelers by relying on Good Old Phobias of labels.

They utilize guilt by association, but run guilty of no association. It is really fear of any meaning. FDR in his first inaugural said:

...first of all, let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself--nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance.

I will point out that this was in the depth of the depression, and he points out:

In such a spirit on my part and on yours we face our common difficulties. They concern, thank God, only material things.

Now it is said about FDR, that little was know of his plans. So do not take that as any swap at or comparison to the current candidates, Democratic at least. And of course Republican plans have been shown to mean little anyway. Bush in this blog, and McCain in his Flip-Flopper-Krafting, it is plain as the red on their faces. And the only thing green is the buck which is past and the envy behind their angry red labels.

[There is nothing humorous about the situation, except that humor does present an approach which should be investigated as a cover for anger. I presented a perspective that Swift Boaters have sunk the good name of a branch of the military-- Swift Boat Veterans-- (not so directly), in The New Wave, but Andy Borowitz (thanks to Thom Hartmann) takes it to the delta.]
[*] Henceforth the bold links will be the featured article I will be sure to read fully.

Sabbatical or not...

it is a Sunday and one month has past. On a previous Sunday, 10 days had past and I had made some progress in format. Well...change, if not progress. My spring cleaning has had its ups and downs. Since spring sprung, one week ago yesterday was a record high of 79 degrees, which followed by just two weeks a blizzard. Now amidst another blizzard, I will refocus my sabbatical a bit with a bit more on A Wonderful Conversation! and this bit on Progressive Values. *

* this link is embedded in previous post

A Wonderful Conversation!

You take the high road,
and I'll take the low road.
We take the pre-road,
and now for the post-road.

And we'll all be in blank
before we can say...

Who, What, When, Where and Why,
by How. (3-20)

OK... enough Rant or Ramble.

The real story is that considering the past debates, ABC's was nothing new, except that it was broadcast on the airwaves, not just on cable.

So... I will conclude that it was a success,
given d'meaning of the medium.

Obama took the high road, and shone as best he could on the road, while Hillary took the old road, and may be shone the road.

Now for footnotes, on what got me on this road, of which I have only read from the search engines not the pieces.
Clinton-Obama Debate: ABC Hit on Focus on Minor Issues -
The ABC Debate: A Shameful Night for the U.S. Media -
Debate: ABC Decides Top Issues Facing Americans Are Flag Pins and '60s Radicals

HERE IS A BIG HINT: You don't have to read all three. In fact if you just read the headings you have a bigger hint.
Thanks to Thom Hartmann, and Editor and Publisher, and again for me these are (nfry): not fully read yet

[speaking of pre-posts and the media shone up: or is it pre-post-er-o-us? or is it just...]

Bringing it up?

Consider the Source.
Mine not me.
Usually such headings and opening lines would be a self deprecating if not journalistic attention getting misdirection. But in this case, they are a direct reference to the links which I have only briefly scanned and I simply post them for later digestion, if not comment. Their sources, and the fact that I have heard their memes through my filters, is the reason I have selected them.

By Eric Alterman * [3-15 reply]
By Isaiah J. Poole [3-16 reply]
By Rick Perlstein [3-17 QCON]
By Bob Herbert

"Freedom is not a force, but thoughts are not just memes."
(The above is brought up from Consider the Source and I have been replying separately and only update the third for purposes of more digging.)
Meanwhile, I will say that beyond monopsony and my so-called memory, the little knowledge is what passed my filter as a meme. A "quaint" saying I had ran with earlier if not in these posts. "If a little knowledge is dangerous, just what is more?" Of course I hope this is the demonstration of my D-eliteness, but is not then a little knowledge the point and their4 a great weapon? That may be how some think.

Confusionism

The final paradigm.
Confucianism with the WholeEness of Nature.
Whether she is a mother or not.

A little knowledge is dangerous

The following is all I had read as ofMonday posting:

Progressive blogger and professional economics student Kathy G is involved in a tussle with libertarian blogger and professional economics know-nothing Megan McArdle over the economic concept of "monopsony"-actually not much of a tussle, because Megan, as yet, won't cowboy up and join the battle, nor even link to Kathy G. The term sounds technical, but Kathy pulls you through the concept with admirable clarity and bite.

Consider the source meant OurFuture.org[**]
(now fully read)- I must note that I did not know * what monopsony was nor take Econ 101. I did take Econ 250 and 251, though that is really no matter given the elitist issues we have just been through... the last more than 7 years going on 30. Anyway the whole piece is a lot of knowledge in a little piece and again a challenge that too few will face. I hope to follow up or cowboy up more later.

*but I may have misremembered what I knew or it was necessary for this plot, but it is the point of the tetrahedron when worked wrong

[**] except for this link "consider the source" links were posted without reading except for their summary/intro from the homepage of OurFuture.org

Penn. Debate.

D’meaning
Demeaning
De-meaning
D-meaning
Debate.

Rebate?
The buck stops where?
Recycle.

D'oh!
Nuts!
Con-

Fusionism.

[3:02 EST: The Philly-Beef-Stakes]
(nraay): not read at all yet

Bitter? Of Course. Here's Why

By Isaiah J. Poole
(now fully read)

It is not so much condescending to explain why, as it is reaching to explain the corporate and media explainers(the "trickle downers" and "culture warriors" ), as the people already know what it means to be bitter and to cling to...

hope.

Speaking of "people who"...

...if you think that this is just tortured rhetoric, then please at least take it as an opportunity to investigate the tortured rhetoric of the administration, not to mention the GOP. Otherwise the constitution is just a don't ask, don't tell policy and congress can just go back to a closet.

[The text of my reply in the previous post preempted this action item from my inbox, to which I attached the above, and I withheld the following, but have now brushed up a bit.]

Not that there is anything wrong with closets. But just because congress has such a high "wrong direction" rating, does not mean that rating does not tell them which way to go. Of course some of the 80% may want more of the same *. But many of them will be there when you go the right direction which in this case is left or we will be left behind.

CONGRESS:
Please follow the tortured rhetoric and act.
See BUSH CONFESSION
[see comment section]
* elitist irony

Who Are They Calling Elitist?

By Eric Altermann
[now fully read]
My reply:
Who are the "cultural elite"? I think it is pretty "fair and balanced" to say that it is "people who only think they know better than you". It is also a label brought to you by people who don’t think they need to, and don‘t know they are, but don‘t either. The same people who brought you the "culture warrior". The same people who brought you "trickle down" * . The same people who brought you "lift yourself up by your own bootstraps". The same people who now probably don’t have boot straps, no matter how much they rely on the bottom line. The same people who think the bottom line is all that matters. The same people who don’t see people as the bottom line. The same people who see corporations as people. The same people who put people under the trickle down, rather than in the first line of the constitution. The same people who can’t read the second line of the constitution but can read the second amendment, and don’t worry again about the 1st amendment. Of course unless you are far enough above the line to own a corporation. And then of course it is best to forget about what people are, or what one owns, until of course, it comes to democracy. Then it is stay the course of course, don’t ask the people. But more important is, don’t ask, don't tell...US.

* (nfr) - This is an actual footnote from Wikipedia **:
"A major feature of these policies was the reduction of tax rates on capital gains, corporate income, and higher individual incomes, along with the reduction or elimination of various excise taxes. David Stockman, who as Reagan's budget director championed these cuts but then became skeptical of them, told journalist William Greider that the term "supply-side economics" was used to promote a trickle-down idea.[4]

It's kind of hard to sell 'trickle down,' so the supply-side formula was the only way to get a tax policy that was really 'trickle down.' Supply-side is 'trickle-down' theory. [5] - David Stockman, Ronald Reagan's budget director "

And from the other "fair and balanced" perspective called denial, Thomas Sowell wrote of The "Trickle Down". Economics Straw Man (nfry), and claimed: "No such theory can be found in even the most voluminous and learned books on the history of economics. It is a straw man." Who apparently is not elite enough to be an economist ***, but was allowed into the ranks of politicians, businessmen and budget directors.
** Now, Wikipedia should not be considered the most authoritative source, but it is usually sourced, so don't be elitist. And reading footnotes might put you in that crowd or is it not needing them.
***(The strawman and Stockman (nfry), not Sowell (nfry) .)

Welcome Home Randi!

Randi Rhodes returns to her Florida home, (and mine) after a contract dispute that got nastier than the Democratic nominating race. I will not get into the details, but provide this outlet for update.

* this live link may change (AAR statement) and I only have this (CC),-(consolidated comment)-:
AAR and Randi Rhodes will survive and I reserve the right to question their motives without defending their methods. If that is hypocrisy, we should dig both deeper and across the aisle and in the mirror. But as far as word -(,)- what is the difference between warmonger and fearmonger or whoremonger? see JAG or V4?

*This block is from Hard Work! The - comma - is the only change in this cut and paste, except for the bold line I will hold to...
for now.

Consider the Source.

Mine not me.

Usually such headings and opening lines would be a self deprecating if not journalistic attention getting misdirection. But in this case, they are a direct reference to the links which I have only briefly scanned and I simply post them for later digestion, if not comment. Their sources, and the fact that I have heard their memes through my filters, is the reason I have selected them.

By Eric Alterman * [3-15 reply]
By Isaiah J. Poole [3-16 reply]
By Rick Perlstein [3-16 reply, 3-18 Bringing it up?]
By Bob Herbert

"Freedom is not a force, but thoughts are not just memes."

[And while I pursue some off line work,
this is enough online work to pass the time:
EDUCATION
A Textbook Case of Misinformation and Bias ]

[[Not to mention this new mine field:
(email QCON 4-12-8) -

Speaking of intelligence...
leaks are hard to trickle up.

Speaking of curve balls...
remember the laffer?

Hence the hard work
and the screw ups.

Thought(?) sometimes I need footnotes for some.
intelligence -
curveball - Laffer curve -
screw ups -

Google is my post-elixir, but I often preempt the research and post the BS. (Meaning I just dug these up, but the lines were previous tangents from the whole.)
BTW: I disassociate myself from anything I have not read in these links, which is most of them. ]]

*scroll over source for titles

Hard Work!

I will try to let you do it.

HELP! Score one for diplomacy! [**]

And re: cleaning it up... in my case it is not choice of words but other editing, so on that matter I am disappointed with the events * (the departure of Randi Rhodes on her terms?) that have transpired at AAR. [04-14-08 Welcome Home Randi!]
* this live link may change (AAR statement) and I only have this (CC),-(considated comment)-:
AAR and Randi Rhodes will survive and I reserve the right to question their motives without defending their methods. If that is hypocrisy, we should dig both deeper and across the aisle and in the mirror. But as far as word what is the difference between warmonger and fearmonger or whoremonger? see JAG or V4?

[**] FEATURED ARTICLE:
and please get to it and work it above all other links here.
HERE is what I attempted to add to the dialogue:
TO CONGRESS:
I was going to send this just based on my previous trust of this group...
But I did review it briefly and want to highlight the following:
See 4Ai & 4Aii
I would also like to add: China and the Sudan and the economy play into this big time, as far as what needs to be on the table. If corporations are people they must be held accountable as people or people must have freedoms from them or somehow have nations put in their place for how they treat them.

If this does not register with you, then it is probably just about the bucks. Passing them and you will see where they go and where the people end up.

In Background to Posts

Testimony on "the surge":
QCON - Pause.

Meanwhile the McCain LEGACY [*] : OFF COURSE -(update) (nfry). [**]

[BTW: I did pick up, in today's testimony, something from Petraeus on "military geometry" and "political calculus"; should we call in the mathematicians?]

[*] [4-9-08: Ed Schultz, not part of Obama campaign, calls McCain, "warmonger" - I suggest "fear monger" or "FlipFlopperKrafting".
Plus: "warmonger" defined,
not to mention: "Defeat" [***]defined...By George

[**] (not fully read yet)-:[4-9-08: Now fully read! (McCain record against veterans and the troops.)

[***]pardon the loopiness but "Defeat" must be noted as almost a Featured Article in this update.
[lastly: bonus link and labels added - QCON,JAG, Navigation,ROR: rant or ramble...GAME - (Watching the Watchers)... GoLeft.TV (hint)]

Follow-up and Flip-Flop

(THIS MATERIAL has been lifted (cut and pasted)from my previous post, to clean it up a bit.)

QCON: Apparently there is no big thing about holding to one's words. But I will try to work harder and consider this a memo to self or is it another tangent?

Speaking of tangents: what about the tetrahedron? [**] -
PBMP

[**] ALSO UPDATED: "to be added phoney or funny to political points" as in
[1. Physical
2. Psychological
3. Philosophical
4. Political
(power loop of phony and funny or what will happen) ]

[And a final update to date: embedded loopiness and links]
Hence the battle over not just temper but meant and there4 humor's another battle field, not counting Dangerfield.]

Update: Rice and Turn Over...

[[ UPDATED * 04-04-08 WOW! & this item on Rice
& UPDATED non-denial she does not "do politics"
MY TAKE? What was she doing with The Americans for Tax Reform, as Secretary of State? ]]

Turn Over? Just bringing it up here:
Speaking of bringing it to the table or Seeds of Compassion I think I need to turn over a new leaf at the Green Festival.

* no need to visit previous post, as I bring up relevant portions (Featured Articles) here.

[ POW?!!!WOW!!!? ]

[Originally: McCain Legacy: now with Rice Lacuna. * ]
Son of an admiral.
Grandson of an admiral.
Shot down, POW.(served with honor)

"I am the son and grandson of admirals," McCain said. "They were my first heroes, and their respect for me has been one of the most lasting ambitions of my life... They showed me how to love my country, and that has made all the difference for me."

Speaking of respect and being a POW-WOW! **

Speaking of bringing it to the table or Seeds of Compassion I think I need to turn over a new leaf at the Green Festival.

[Over the weekend for some reason; possibly while McCain was not answering questions about his potential running mate, the name, Condi Rice came to my mind briefly yet clearly. I do not recall this item being the trigger, but in my mind it would make it interesting, and it happened to be in my inbox this morning. A McCain/Obama and Rice/Clinton debate series would be interesting as much as any other mix of these: Tempered dialogue and senses of humor aside. ZING!

* "grain of truth" ?

** FEATURED ARTICLE: WOW!
[[ UPDATED 04-04-08 WOW! & this item on Rice
& UPDATED non-denial she does not "do politics"
MY TAKE? What was she doing with The Americans for Tax Reform, as Secretary of State? ]]

NOT UNDERSTATED: [Not to mention - - The McCain Record on Veterans
and WeGotEd.com (nfry).]

Infotainment Update... NOT [*]

NECESSARILY. [**]

Digging into the article in Commondreams.org,
U.S. Videos, for TV News, Come Under Scrutiny,
by Robert Pear New York Times, I found this:

[FEATURED ARTICLE ***]
Speaking of: The Role of the Citizen
by Tom Avila of (CCJ),

which sums up the media part of this blog and the Wave.

In that regard, maybe some citizens can read this,
and PLEASE report back
the latest on fake news and where we are in correcting it and the FCC's course.

[*] NO APRIL FOOLS?
at least on my previous post, but here? Bam! Zap! Pow! Really? (nyfr)
Committee of Concerned Journalists(CCJ)

[**] [from previous post- Infotainment- - / [slash] source of tangent: Commondreams.org ]

*** this post was anachronistically edited and refootnoted to highlite Featured Article

The Left and Wright, & McCain Radio

Campbell Brown (CNN) w/Mike Papantonio & Michael Reagan (7:03)
Media Missing the Right on McCain & Rev. Hagee.
"Watching the Watchers" w/Jon Sinton [**] of GoLeft.TVThe Right missing the viewers with conflict entertainment and hate. (4:41)
(My apologies for the brief comment,
and that these are videos which you need to access.)

[ Infotainment embedded links updated -(nnr) --
Anyway... -
FRANKNESS: SERVING US ALL? Right. -
During this updating, I accidentally clicked on a link in the right column,
Commondreams.org may be a QCON on Religions, Violence and the Media and How Bush really won, may need a revisit]

[Previous posts updated: with a link which I now find upon Ctrl f (find) was a mishear [*] of humanity not vanity but not necessarily a pointless JAG -- (nyfr) : JAG irony? ]

[*] source of tangent "humanity on a cross of iron"

[FINALLY! In the definitely-(nyfr) category is this buzzflash: a look back at Top 10 'Conspiracy Theories' about George W. Bush, Part 2 shows that I may be able to take a longer spring break, and suggest to myself to read it.]

[**] [4-9-08] Watching the Watchers "BS Filters" or "warmongers"