A Letter to Santa Claus

Image: Radioactive Liberty

Image: Radioactive Liberty

By Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ)

Dear Santa Claus,

I am writing out of concern, because you may have to move from the North Pole due to the dramatic melting of Arctic sea ice. The Navy’s chief oceanographer says that by the summer of 2020 the North Pole may not have summer ice and other scientists project that an ice-free Arctic is possible as soon as 2012!

Scientists overwhelmingly agree that polar ice is melting because of greenhouse gas pollution and I am working hard to reduce these emissions. But there is probably nothing we can do in time to save the North Pole. I am worried about your safety and your ability to deliver billions of Christmas gifts if the ice cap on the North Pole no longer stays frozen all year. What will happen to your house, your workshop, the elves’ houses and your reindeer barns?

Read the rest at the Huffington Post.

Image from Radioactive Liberty post, Santa is a Democrat by Les James.

77 Responses to A Letter to Santa Claus

  1. NEIL F. AGWD/BSD December 23, 2010 at 7:12 pm #

    Ho ho ho my god!!!!!! The caption on the photo above says it all. “Save a mythical person from a mythical crisis.” The only difference between Santa and AGW is that when you tell a child that Santa doesn’t really exist, they will generally accept the truth, and you don’t even need to present evidence.
    This is ridiculous on its own, but add the fact that this was written by a US senator is just unfreakingbelievable.

    • V December 23, 2010 at 9:44 pm #

      Wait, are you stating that anthropogenic global warming is unreal? That with each breath you exhale co2 is not added into the atmosphere. That fossil fuels, coals, and so forth do not produce co2 when burned? Or are you stating that co2 does not have greenhousing properties?

      While I do not condone the hysteria behind it, AGW is very much real. But there are two sides to every coin. It is not only humans that are responsible for global warming (AGW), all fauna (as carbon beings) expel carbon dioxide as a decay by-product. All animals breathe out (from both ends) carbon gases; methane, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, and so on. These gases are important to all lifeforms, earths atmosphere developed over time as a result of interaction between fauna and flora. In the beginning earth was a rocky place, chemical interactions (whether coincidental or through divine intervention) produced simple lifeforms, those lifeforms decayed and produced what we call earth (soil) and the atmosphere (air), the earths Liguria are the Eco system, the earth is a biological sphere, the gases in the atmosphere are important to life, the earth and all lifeforms have evolved together in perfect equilibrium.

      When fauna grow in number, flora flourishes as a result. We are changing the planet, terraforming, this is true, with our technological progress (coal powerplants, automobiles, etc), as a result the earth responds, given enough time flora will flourish to compensate. With excess carbon dioxide in the atmosphere trees respond by growing in number, the trees take in the carbon from the atmosphere and flowers fruits and leaf grow on the branches, the oxygen is released back into the atmosphere.

      AGW is very much real, and it is necessary, whether humans are on earth or not global warming will continue it is essential to all life, if we discontinue all technological processes and still remain on earth AGW will continue anyways (it is not just our technology which is producing carbon gases, greenhousers), the simple process of human life is anthropogenically greenhousing the planet.

      What is wrong is this hysteria that is behind AGW, we are an organism that is a part of this planet, we are changing the planet through the process of living, so the earth heats by an average of a degree or 2 or 5. The earth has been changing in average temperature since the very beginning, does it really make a difference if we are the ones changing it? Absolutely not.

      The worst case scenario is that the earth will be warmer on average than it is now. But what would happen if the sun went in a low output stage? We’d start lighting fires all over the planet to heat it up. Aha. So global warming would be beneficial if the mean temperature happened to drop. We’d start intentionally lighting fires, increasing carbon gases in the atmosphere, increasing the atmospheric temperature. If the sun’s output were to drop we’d be hoping we had done more for heat retention (greenhousing).

      Global warming is real, allow for it to happen. Is carbon tax the solution? No. We’ll be out of the carbon burning phase within the next hundred years anyways, nuclear power, solar panels, wind turbines, etc. are exponentially growing in number so power generation is getting cleaner. Electric cars are getting faster and more efficient (Tesla). Within the next hundred years climate projections (worst case scenarios) point to a few degree increase in mean temperature. By this time we might be more concerned with increasing greenhouse gases than reducing them anyways.

      This Al Gore driven madness is nothing but a terrorist act on the masses, it is a ploy to tax the s*** out of everybody. Maybe if these climatologists stopped talking so much they’d expel less carbon gases out of their carbon based mouths.

      • V December 23, 2010 at 9:47 pm #

        By definition it is only humans that are responsible for AGW, greenhouses are produced by all living beings and are the reason the earth has an atmosphere at all.

      • V December 23, 2010 at 9:58 pm #

        *Liguria is meant to read *lifeforms. I gotta start reading through my comments before I post them, the auto correct is changing small errors into new words on me.

      • NEIL F. AGWD/BSD December 30, 2010 at 11:11 am #

        Ok, I’m ready to jump back in I think.
        V, Our view of this is actually not that far off, in fact I agree 100% with your last paragraph above. I do disagree that the human contribution to greenhouse gases in the atmosphere has any effect whatsoever on the global temperature averages. If there is any effect at all, it is within the margin of error of standard deviation. Otherwise known as white noise. I know when people talk about how much CO2 is generated by mankind, it sounds like a lot. It is billions of tons a year, but the total of CO2 produced by natural sources is greater than 99.99% of the total. Which means that the contribution from human activity is less than 0.1% of the total. I am not a math whiz, but you don’t have to be one to understand those numbers.
        I also have huge problems with computer modeling of climate or any other complex chaotic system. There are way too many variables to predict the future climate to any degree of certainty in one grid square, let alone the whole planet. I think there are more unknown variables at this point, than there are known variables. So basically what I am saying is that when anyone says they are predicting the climate with computer models, they would probably have about the same degree of accuracy as throwing a dart at a spinning dart board. Climate science at this point in time is in it’s infancy. When medical science was in it’s infancy, for example, standard treatments included blood-letting, and the theory of rumours. I don’t believe climate science is developed enough to predict what the climate is going to be 10 days, weeks, moths, 10, 100, or 1,000 years from now. Which is why I am for planning contingencies for either event to occur.

        • NEIL F. AGWD/BSD December 30, 2010 at 11:13 am #

          Months, not moths. Unless we start counting moths for some strange reason…………….

    • Rob N. Hood January 4, 2011 at 3:38 pm #

      Neil – it’s called satire… or a metaphor, either one. Umm, you know what that is right??….

    • Rob N. Hood January 4, 2011 at 3:41 pm #

      Neil – it’s called satire… or metaphor, either one. Umm, you know what that is right??….

  2. paul wenum December 23, 2010 at 9:50 pm #

    For once you make some sense, but don’t agree with all said.

    “Merry Christmas” and enjoy your family during this cherished time.

    • V December 23, 2010 at 9:59 pm #

      You too Paul, Merry Christmas

  3. Rob N. Hood December 24, 2010 at 11:07 am #

    Gee Paul doesn’t agree with ALL of it. Shocker. What part Paul?

  4. paul wenum December 25, 2010 at 12:52 am #

    I take it you are not a christian. Sad. I’m celebrating a birth of Jesus and you are asking an inane question?

    • Rob N. Hood December 25, 2010 at 11:18 am #

      Inane? Really? Asking you to simply clarify and back-up your own statement is inane?? Do you know the meaning of the word? Your comment is inane.

  5. NEIL F. AGWD/BSD December 25, 2010 at 8:06 am #

    I am dealing with the immenent loss of my Mom right now. She’s not gone yet but she is very close. I will be taking a break for a little while, so I hope all of you have a Merry Christmas, if you celebrate it or not. I’ll be back sooner or later. V, I would love nothing more than to get into it over AGW, but as you can imagine I really can’t focus right now. But I will remind you that the “D” in AGWD stands for denier. AGW is a lie and a fraud.

    • V December 25, 2010 at 9:58 am #

      I wish you and your family all the best Neil, Merry Christmas.

  6. Rob N. Hood December 25, 2010 at 8:19 am #

    Merry Christmas Paul. Now answer the question please.

  7. Rob N. Hood December 25, 2010 at 11:19 am #

    No one could have had such a consistent presence on the historical scene for two millennia without having an extraordinarily compelling message. But what was this message? There may be as many Jesuses as there are people who encounter him, but for the sake of brevity the many can be reduced to two: the Savior and the Teacher.

    Humans often feel helpless about their own nature, especially its compulsive self-interest. A Savior can “magically” absolve them of sin by dying for them in a way that, while it is indeed magical, is very real to millions of people. It’s a kind of Alcoholics Anonymous model. I am powerless, even if I do not suffer from one of the common addictions. I am addicted to my self and its needs and impulses in a way that feels sinful and beyond my own powers to change. Only the Son of God giving his life for me can atone for my helpless but destructive assumption that I am the center of the universe.

    The other Jesus, the Teacher, is also very much alive in this world, offering a helpful, if challenging, model for endless forgiveness, turning the other cheek, and other creative alternatives to “an eye for an eye.” This model of Jesus also requires surrender to the fact that I am not the center of the universe, but with an assumption that is more optimistic about human nature than the Savior model: it posits a training that can be put into effect in one’s own life, gradually melting away egoism and replacing it with a new presence, authenticity, inclusiveness and responsibility. No room for passivity; what happens to me after my encounter with Jesus the Teacher is up to my active and autonomous engagement. “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”

  8. Brezentski December 25, 2010 at 12:05 pm #

    I also agree with most of what V is saying. Especially the concerns related to decreased solar activity. Cycle 24 is well below predictions and today is another zero sunspot day.
    Merry Christmas!!

  9. NEIL F. AGWD/BSD December 25, 2010 at 10:22 pm #

    My Mom passed away at 6:33pm Christmas day. I’ll be back later in the week.

    • Dan McGrath December 26, 2010 at 1:51 am #

      Sorry to hear about your mom, Neil. My condolences. My Grandma died at Christmas time many years ago. That’s really rough. So sorry to hear it.

      • NEIL F. AGWD/BSD December 30, 2010 at 8:05 pm #

        Thanks Dan. And thanks all of you for the kind words. This was actually a lot rougher for me than when my Dad passed away in 02′ because I was in school when he died. For my Mom I was alone with her holding her hand when she passed, and the effect of that I think will be with me for the rest of my life. But, the living must continue on. And seeing as I am still above ground I need to get back into my life ASAP. But enough about me and my personal stuff. Back to the debate!!!!

  10. paul wenum December 25, 2010 at 10:25 pm #

    Neil, you take care my friend. “Merry Christmas” to your entire family and may God be with you and your Mother. My families prayers go out to you and your beloved Mother. Take care.

  11. Jerk A. Knot December 25, 2010 at 11:13 pm #

    Well I did not intend to even look a a computer today. But I sat doen to do some online checcks of the weather because we want to travel a little tomarrow after chrch. But Guess what? We are Snowed in!!! lol

    V, You are on target. The earth Warms and Cools. Humans have very little effect on the cycles of warm – cold – warm – ect. After all there were no SUV’s or Coal burning plants back then. We are so arrogant to assume that much responsibility. That being said. Have a Merry Christmas.

    Rob,

    To get your opinion about Jesus you should read the Bible rather than Buzzflash.org or Leftword.blogdig.org where you just coppied and pasted your post from.

    I beg you to read the Bible. For your self. Read the Teachings of Jesus. You see the Bible tells us from Gen 1:1 to Rev 22:21 is that everything is about God, Jesus, and the Holy Ghost. There is nothing Magical about Jesus. You see we are all sinners. I will prove with out using the Bible. Look into yourself. Can you live up to the standards you set for yourself? The answer is NO. None of us can. With that proof in place it is basic logic that we surly can not live up to Gods Standards. So where does that leave us. Now this is where it bets hard because it takes faith at this point. We must have faith that God is Fair and Just and does not lie to us.Faith then leads us to the logical conclusion that God who is fair and Just must then unleash his wrath upon us because we are sinners… In the old testament God demanded Blood sacrifices. God sent his son to make pay our debt via the ultimate BLOOD sacrifice. It was not magical it was sacrificial. His teachings were not to make us feel good about ourselves, they were to challenge us to better ourselves and to draw closer to Him and his Father, GOD.

    Merry Christmas to all.

  12. paul wenum December 26, 2010 at 12:25 am #

    Neil, My prayers are with you and your family. Always remember that. Take care.

  13. Rob N. Hood December 26, 2010 at 9:05 am #

    My condolences, Neil.

    Jerk- your need to correct a simple and seemingly valid statement about Jesus is odd to me. And where it originates from is meaningless. It sounded very good to me, that’s all, and also the appropriate time of year for it. Especially odd is your emphasis on sacrifical blood. Sounds a bit pagan to me. Just sayin’. Rising from the dead is indeed magical, in the sense that magical is just a word, not used in this sense used to connote anything more or less. The words miracle and magic were more or less one and the same back in Jesus’ time. But I’m sure you will take issue with that further. Which is a silly waste of time, in my humble opinion. But perhaps you fancy yourself an expert, of sorts, on these matters. Which many people seem to do. That is also something I think Jesus would find silly. Again in my humble opinion.

    • Jerk A. Knot December 26, 2010 at 2:00 pm #

      Rob,

      To a Christian the Birth of Jesus is not the most important event in his life. His death is. Why would I need to “correct a simple and seemingly valid statement about Jesus?” Because it is not valid and according to the Bible I am called to contend for Christ. As stated in 2 Corinthians 4:1-8. You see by diminishing the resurrection by calling it magical as if it was a trick lets doubt seep into the world. Thank you for persecuting me as a pagan. To truly understand what I said about Blood you must read the Bible. Kane and able made sacrifices to God upon an alter and he found more favor for one of them. Read and see what the difference were. Abram (later calld Abraham) was called to make a blood sacrifice. That is a great story of obedience to God. Moses, (story of the passover) David, Salomon, ….. and finally Jesus. All made Blood sacrifices. What you thought was a simple post was actually not. Your post of written words that humanized Jesus a a Good Teacher that has a magical drath that comforts people is short of the praise he deserves for conquering the grave. Jesus was not a good teacher. He is God the I am. Because if he is not the only other ting he coud be is an evil man misleading Billions of people or a straight up lunatic. He could be nothing else.

  14. Rob N. Hood December 26, 2010 at 9:10 am #

    And the word magical in the first post was in quotations, for a reason. Meaning it isn’t the one and only word for what occurred, perhaps not even the best word for it. You do understand that, right? Literary license, etc.

    • Jerk A. Knot December 26, 2010 at 1:24 pm #

      How would you know? You did not write the post it was all copy and post.

      • Rob N. Hood December 27, 2010 at 8:04 am #

        Very lame response. Quotations are used in that way, for that purpose. It’s called grammer. Is it (his resurrection and other “magical” doings not considered to be a “miracles” also??? Yes, they are. Hhence my previous statement. Tis foolish for me indeed to attempt an intelligent debate here.

        Sadly typical for a so-called Christian to focus on a single word instead of His word.

        And funny also that you come to the defense of what was/is originally considered “pagan” as if it something separate from Judism or even Christianity, which it is/was not. My point was that later teachings of Christ and the Christian church denounced such things, for laymen especially, for various reasons. Only the body and blood of Christ is now symbolically shed for you/me. But you apparently know much more than I do about this.

        • Jerk A. Knot December 27, 2010 at 12:11 pm #

          What are you arguing Rob. You are all over the place. The only common thread you have here is to attack my intelligence. I am sorry you have been offended so much that you can not even look past our disagreements to Christ for what he is. I am sorry that when I explain a position I am taking, back it up with references, that I have offended you so much that you are unable to see the facts. It is obvious to me that if I was to say. The grass is green. you would call me lame and accuse me of spewing rhetoric.
          I am going to try one more time to reason with you.
          Pagan:
          –noun
          1. one of a people or community observing a polytheistic religion, as the ancient Romans and Greeks.
          2. a person who is not a Christian, Jew, or Muslim.
          3. an irreligious or hedonistic person.
          –adjective
          4. pertaining to the worship or worshipers of any religion that is neither Christian, Jewish, nor Muslim.
          5. of, pertaining to, or characteristic of pagans.
          6. irreligious or hedonistic.

          Understanding the definition of “pagan” should lead you to logical conclusion that my discussion of Blood sacrifices to God in the Bible is not “pagan” but a history pointing to necessity of the Blood sacrifice of Christ upon the cross. It is only his Blood that washes away our sins. It is what Baptism represents. As John the Baptist taught us prior to the death of Christ was that we had to be submerged and risen out of the water that symbolized his Blood. Baptism also points to the death of Chris and his restriction.
          I also defend against the use of the word “magical” because that was the same word that the Pharisees used against Christ in there percussion and trial of him. Christ performed miracles that came from the Power of his father. Daemons’ and there minions use magic and trickery. Words are very powerful things ad to let our guard down allow important distinctions to be lost in translation allowing wrong thinking and the erosion of the true meaning.
          I am sorry if I offend you with the truth. It is important for you to understand that Christ Came here for you and Died for you because God so loved you even before you were born. God has made his Grace and Gift available to us all. You only have to accept it and it will be yours. If you would like to know more I am willing to set up a e-mail so that we can talk about Christ in a more private setting. I offer this not for me but for him.

          • Rob N. Hood December 28, 2010 at 8:35 am #

            I said your emphasis on blood sacrifice was pagan-ish. And I actually admitted you “probably know more about this than I do.” What more do you want?? Complete and udder devotion to YOUR individual ideals? Your posting of the entire definition of “paganism” is over-kill and unnecessary, but very Neil-like in its defensiveness. People on the Right seem incapable of dealing with shades of grey and nuanced arguments or points of view. And anything that challenges their POV immeidiately seems more often than not a cause for defense/offense, rather than objective consideration.

            The main reason (I guess I have to spell it out) is that Jesus was more a teacher than anything else (besides being the Son of God) which makes sense to me. And to be a successful teacher you need people willing to learn, people who can discuss shades of grey and nuance. Of course a few miracles thrown in here and there doesn’t hurt either…

            “I’m all over the place” ? Not so much really. I guess I enjoy challenging people and to see their response. It irks me and saddens me that we Americans cannot seem to manage civilized debate. I am guilty of this too, when I become angry. But it is usually in response to an insult, or a hypocritical retort.

  15. paul wenum December 27, 2010 at 12:24 am #

    Sir Knot, I sense we are dealing with a person with no true sense of being or feeling. Only my opinion for what its worth.

  16. Rob N. Hood December 27, 2010 at 8:05 am #

    Not worth much, so thanks anyway.

  17. Jerk A. Knot December 28, 2010 at 9:15 pm #

    Rob,

    It is funny how when you are taken to task you try to change what you are saying to defend your self. For instance, “Especially odd is your emphasis on sacrifical blood. Sounds a bit pagan to me.” (you spelled sacrificial wrong since you have recently started to point point minor errors again) When I spanked you on you for calling my opinion “pagan” your retort was. “I said your emphasis on blood sacrifice was pagan-ish.” Sorry what you said is what you said. I will commend you for realizing that you to have issues with having civilized discussions. I do however believe that passionate disagreement is not uncivilized. It is when the personal attack takes over and opinions are dismissed as Juvenile and hypocritical at every turn when the discourse becomes uncivilized.

    • Rob N. Hood December 29, 2010 at 8:45 am #

      I didn’t correct any spelling of yours, you actually used a WRONG WORD. Didn’t ridicule you for it either. Just being helpful. And your splitting hairs, again abouot everything else. A “BIT” and “ISH” are not basically the SAME??? Really??? Wow.

      Spelling errors are minor things in life are they not? I know how to spell. Alsways got top scores for that in school. I make TYPOS which most people ignore, except for the anally correct of course. And those with nothing better to comment on.

      You all seem to also ignore my contention that mine (not paul’s) is the first in the history of this country to do worse than his father’s. My Dad didn’t even need a college degree to work in insurance and ultimately own his own agency. I possess two college degrees and barely make it by working two jobs (four if you count my wife’s jobs). THAT IS SIGNIFICANT, and totally ignored and/or blown of by the likes of Sir Paul the Superior. I realize we disagree on the causes of such a sad state of affaris, but to continually ignore reality is insane. Thus another one of Sir Paul’s diatribes below that is highly irrelevant. He loves comparing apples and oranges, which is pretty typical of a Righty.

      • Jerk A. Knot December 29, 2010 at 1:16 pm #

        Thank you so much for clearing the air and helping me to realize what the problem really is. At times in my life I have been in the position that my life hung in the balance of what and how other people spoke. I have also sent men on missions in which there lives hun on specifically I wrote the order. Words are important and I do not see it as splitting hairs. I am not going to chastize you on this. Your use of words is lazy and verry open. In my world words are absolute. You spoke of gray areas before. I don’t see gray areas as free zones that alow people to deviate from comon sense. Gray areas are oppertunities to excell. To show how “good” you are by applying the Known to overcome the unknown. You can call that ridged, dogmatic, conservitive, or what ever you want. You can put it down as being closed minded. But I will tell you this. I have been under real fire with men just out of high school looking for a way to survive because we were living in an unknown with people all around us wanting to kill us. We kept our faith in what we knew. I spoke very specific words that day so that we were all on the same page. I did not use endings on my words like “ish” to soften the meaning so that when if I was held accountable for what I said i could say “I did not mean that.”

        Rob, No one on this site is in imediate danger but let what you say mean what you say.

        As to your contention that yours in the history of this country that the kids are going to do worse. I really can not agree with that. In 1929 the bottom fell out of the Stock market. There was poverty in this country that we have never seen the likes of. This current recession is bad, But it is not a depression like that one was. One of the biggest problems wwe are facing is our dependance on forien energy. We send tens of billions of $$ out of this country every month. Emagine what that would do to help our economy. Drill Baby drill is just one aspect. It would take about a 1.5 Billion $$ to convert all 8 million over the road commericial trucks to Natural Gas. If we did that we could cut our oil imports by 32%. The 1.5 Billion would be paid off in less than a month. If you care about the environment and carbon emmisions from coal. Read this artical it lays out som real achievements. http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=tidal-wave-renewable-energy
        Also it is popycock to say that you have to have a coledge education to make it in this country. As you know where I work now I am a part owner. The controlling partner does not have have the first hour of Coledge under his belt. I know many people who are verry sucessful that don’t have a “degree”. I am sorry that you have to work 2 Jobs and your along with your wife. I both my wife and I work. I use to work 2 jobs untill I learned that I don’t have to have the new car, the bigger house, the latest cell phone, every channel on the TV, all 3 game systems, The fastest computer, the best brand name clothes……… Live within my means. Thoes are all worldly goods that I wont be able to take with me. We are still tight but it would not matter. Double my $$ next year. I wont be tight but I won’t change our life style other than eating out with the family a bit more often. I am passing it all on to my Boys. If I live long enoulgh maybe to the Grand Kids. BTW get rid of the credit cards they will kill you.

        • Rob N. Hood December 30, 2010 at 8:09 am #

          I never said you or anyone else had to have a college degree. If you are so worried about absolute intent, why do you twist things around? I too live within my means. Didn’t I say I pay all my bills, and on time too? My taxes too. All I was sayin that other than the Great Depression of course, there has been a steady increase in the standard of living in this country, and that it IS a motto and more that we can have a better life than our parents, if we work hard and play by the rules. Well that is not only now false, but I am working harder than my Dad and getting much less oout of it, i.e. no family vacations even cheap ones, etc. The lack of family time I think is an even worse result of 30 years of stagnation and the wealthy eilite sucking the middle class dry. That’s all… no biggy. You argue all you want but the facts are on my side.

          BTW- we own two older cars, no boats, no cabin, no big toys, no jewelry, no time-share, a very modest and small home in a lower middle class part of town. Most of this I don’t even mind. It’s the FACT that we work MUCH harder than the previous generation and have MUCH less of everything including time for our kids and other family members. So stop with the cliched right-wing lectures. It is so arrogant and even elitist of you to braing up such drivel. Sure some people don’t live within their means, but most do, otherwise they’d be living in the streets, etc.

          I agree with you about foreign energy. But look at who always stops us obtaining more independence on it. The wealthy elite, backed by their MSM and the people they brainwash to vote against these things that would actually improve the lives of all Americans.

          • Jerk A. Knot January 3, 2011 at 1:17 pm #

            You said you pay your Bills on time and get further and further behind on a prior post. You say you are living on the Cheap… Where are all the bills coming from? … Cell phones? Internet? ….. How Many Jobs? I am sure one of them is posting to this site for a left wing orginization…. I seem to remember my Dad (God rest his Soul) working long Hours to give his 4 boys a good life. I don’t think we are working any harder. I think you just want your hand out. I worked on a Farm to get threw school. I was up at the crack of dawn and worked all morning. I would go to school and take my classes in the afternoon then back to work till it got too dark to work. Now I work 24/7 because I own my desteny. I dont want anything from Uncle Sam other than he get out of my way.

            You stop the Left wing mantra of Class warfare and Poor pittyfull me. Stop looking for a hand out. Stop using “CLIMATE CHANGE” as a tool for waging war on your enemy. (that you call righty, eletist….ect…)

  18. paul wenum December 28, 2010 at 11:54 pm #

    Sir Knot, It is a wonderful country that we live in. I know Sir Knot that you agree. At least we can agree to disagree in this beautiful republic. My first time in a foreign country was 1974. Check points/guns/better have your passport etc. I was an unsavory looking character and still am and got checked constantly. When talking to locals with an interpreter had a hard time getting any exact answers and rarely looked me in the eye when a question raised or answer given. Found out later that they were all afraid. Being from the USA I had no knowledge that they could not speak their peace without being chastised or going to prison. It is apparent, that numerous persons that post on this site have never traveled “overseas” we used to call it. Now it is a 7-8 hour flight and a limo awaiting? That said, in some countries you still must hold your tongue as well as your fingers. Trust me on the one about the finger! Keep your hands in your pocket and wallet in your front pocket with your hand on it.

    • Rob N. Hood January 7, 2011 at 3:09 pm #

      Hey Jerk- if all you Rightys got it so good and your’re so satisfied with your pay and your bills, etc. then why oh why do you complain so much about it ALL THE TIME?????????? According to your intrusive question above this must be the case, since you seem so amazed that while we work 4 jobs the wife and I don’t have as good a life as I did growing up. We even had an EXTRA kid (sibling) besides, and of course my Mom didn’t need to work. Look- I’m not the only one who says this- JUST ABOUT EVERY HONEST middle/lower class AMERICAN IS LIVING LIKE THIS. Who are you trying to fool anyway?! If you think our current Capitalist system is SO WONDERFUL then why all the right-wing gnashing of teeth and all that BS??!! Please… I’m all ears (eyes).

  19. Rob N. Hood December 30, 2010 at 8:17 am #

    Gee thanks Paul for the insight from three decades ago. I’m sure there were Romans, Mayans, Aztecs, etc. who also hypnotized themselves that all was well with their societies until it literally came crashing down around them. I an others wish to avoid that if at all possible, and the only way is to recognize current realities, use reason and logic to discern the cause of our slow-motion implosion (there aren’t really any other kind) and what to do about it. Our own worst enemies right now our ourselves and our own ignorance. Just like frogs in a warming pot… people like you are. Just cuz it feels comfortable for you and yours now, doesn’t mean all is well. But then again your beliefs and ideas about it are unfortunately wrong and will do nothing to help us make the correct fixes.

  20. paul wenum December 30, 2010 at 7:47 pm #

    Your welcome. Ever been to the Mayan ruins? I have. They had a hell of a society and were excellent architects. I would hate to be the winner as a Mayan. You were beheaded. No wonder they no longer exit other than famine etc. Can tell you have never experienced other countries or cultures. It definitely shows.

  21. NEIL F. AGWD/BSD December 30, 2010 at 8:13 pm #

    Gentlemen! I see this debate has devolved into a petty squable of unrelated issues. I think this senator who wrote this letter to Santa is a blithering idiot, and I have a feeling that no one here is going to vehemently disagree with that. So I am going to move on to the next post that no one has commented on yet. See you all there!

  22. paul wenum December 30, 2010 at 10:36 pm #

    Rob, Your post to Sir Knot hit home. You are working hard such as your Father and not making headway? Your father had a better life? It that what I read in your post? I’m older than you my friend and I have it better than my father, or do I?. He fed 10 I fed 4. Why did your father have it better than you? You don’t state why. Less taxes, local/state/federal? Higher food prices due to ethanol increasing food/water costs, Lower fuel cost due to drilling when needed being drilled on American soil?, less costs in electricity? Less Union intervention, i.e. New Yorks’s sanitary workers and snow plow operators not doing their job because they didn’t get their way. Times are different. He had no entiltlement, nor do I believe your father would have taken it. He probably saved his money no matter how small and probably didn’t indulge in unneeded stuff like big screens, cell phone, cable etc? You will be like your father when you realize reality in life in good times and bad. You should have talked to your father more often.

  23. paul wenum December 31, 2010 at 12:18 am #

    Thanks Neil for bring us back to reality.

  24. Rob N. Hood December 31, 2010 at 3:43 pm #

    You only scratch the surface as usual. You and your ilk use barely any logical or rational thought. The problems of today are complicated but not out of the range of most adults to figure out. That’s what is perhaps the most frustrating part about it. And that is what occurred I beleive to all those other once great societies. There enough comfortable brainwashed people to be left holding the bag as it were, the majority. The elite either get killed by the finally awakended majority or they jet off to their private island and live it up. And the money they have taken with them and wasted on meaningless wars represents literally a stolen society. The people doing the stealing now, as usullaly occurs, are out own. The ones you least suspect apparently. You blindly vote for their henchmen and women, time after time. They tell you over and over again who is the theives, they are the Socialists, the Liberal elite, the communists… when all along it was them. But by the time you realize it, it is already way too late. Heed this warning. This once great society is imploding. The theives are getting all they can get away with, right under our noses, or at least your noses. I and many other know who theyare (some but ot all and what they are doing the middle and lower class of this country. But do you? No, not yet you don’t. Perhaps you will follow them even after another great depression, or bad terrorist attack. They use these things to enrich themselves even more. War has become (and has been for a long time now) the most reliable source of wealth for the evil thieves. They know it, outright, what they are doing and why. For more $. Some remain brainswashed and think they are actually being patriotic. It’s terrible to see tis country almost reach another level of greatness only to also witness its downfall. All out of the blindness of many and the greed of the evil few. Happy new year….?

  25. Rob N. Hood January 1, 2011 at 8:45 am #

    Sorry for the typos. I need to slow down.

    The corporate/military/media industrial complex basically completed a coup detat, when Kennedy was killed. Or if not, then it was a wonderful coincidence and opportunity for them to take this country in a different direction from what the people and the rest of the world wanted. I’m not saying JFK was a saint or soemthing like that, although we’ll never know what he would have done, he never got the chance. Nor did his brother. Teddy knew how to try and be a Liberal and stay alive at the same time. Which means he wasn’t very radical, and nor were anyone else of prominence. MLK too was a threat to the Complex, he was stirring up anti-war sentiment. If you push for peace long enough you will be eliminated. That was the message then, and the Anthrax attacks were another message at the Liberals who wanted peace, not expensive, meaningless, and deadly war. Let alone two of them. It’s all about money/profits for the merchants of war. That is what we do now that is what we are (supposedly) good at (and making movies too). And yet with all that money sucked out of all of us they can’t beat some camel jockeys with AK47s.

  26. paul wenum January 2, 2011 at 12:00 am #

    I will not insult your intelligence. You do that yourself simply based upon your comments.

  27. Rob N. Hood January 2, 2011 at 8:01 am #

    ha ha good one. What am I wrong about….??

  28. Rob N. Hood January 3, 2011 at 8:37 am #

    To a large extent, American history IS the history of the ebb and flow of political power between “We, the People” and “them, the Corporations.”

    “We, the People” overthrew the Monarchy, and the biggest multinational corporation of its day – the British East India Company, in 1776.

    “The Corporatists” rose to power, with the growth of the Rail Roads in the middle to late 1800s, and stayed in power until they crashed the economy with the Great Depression in 1929.

    “We the People” fought back, and restored the founders vision of self-determination with FDR’s New Deal. That “golden age” for the American middle class – when, on a single middle class income, a man could raise a large family, take them on a vacation every year, put his kids through college, pay off a 30 year mortgage, and save enough money so that he and his wife could comfortably retire – lasted approximately from the end of WWII through the election of Ronald Reagan in 1980.

    “The Corporatists” have been in control since the Reagan “revolution,”and they have recently consolidated their power with the Supreme Court’s decision in CITIZENS UNITED.

    The ONLY way to undue the damage done by that “anti-(small ‘d’)-democratic” decision is to Amend the Constitution so that it states, clearly, that the Rights recognized, and potected, by the Constitution belong to HUMAN persons, only, and NOT to artificial persons such as Corporations and Labor Unions.

    Hopefully, 2011 will be the year that America wakes up to the very real threat posed by this “Second Rise of the Corporations.” It is time for us to begin the hard, but patriotic, work of pushing back against the Corporatocracy, before the idea of “We, the People” is lost to history.

    • Jerk A. Knot January 3, 2011 at 1:51 pm #

      Wow You know the first couple of words. Dig deeper young man. Learn it love it live it….. Let the Corporate bullys have both barrels. They have ruiened the labor movement.

      Jeeze get a life Rob. You have drank the cool aid. Everything you say is right out of the “Anarchist Handbook”

  29. paul wenum January 3, 2011 at 9:06 pm #

    Boy do I agree.

  30. Rob N. Hood January 4, 2011 at 3:59 pm #

    So you disagree with Reality. That is very disturbing to me and others not so radical as you. Perhaps it is you who has difficulty with seeing the world in only one biased way. I understand the anti-Left philosophies and where it came from, and currently comes from. What is more difficult for me and others like me is understanding the depth to which your biases run, and the inability of some people on the Right to ever question the dogma and propaganda that they have been fed. To be able to discern reality is crucial to humanity just to begin to start dealing with the problems of the day. And so people on the extreme Right, which you are, are a severe impediment to be over-come, somehow. Luckily, for you, the Left (not the Anarchists) is 95% non-violent, in behavior and beliefs. It’s always been that way and probably always will. That is our nature. That is why over and over again in history it’s the war-makers who become famous, or more so, than the peace-makers, and it’s blood-shed that is glorified in history books. The peace makers (other than Jesus, Ghandi and perhaps MLK) are forgotten or not well known outside of their own societies. I believe it is you people who Hate. I try hard not to hate, but somtimes I do. But it isn’t at the core of my beliefs. Peace, justice, and democracy are the core of my beliefs. These are the truly difficult things to achieve in this world. Hate, war, and greed are the oldest and easiest things to achieve. Many of the prophets in the Bible warn of the false prophet. Was Jesus false? Ghandi? MLK?

  31. Rob N. Hood January 4, 2011 at 4:04 pm #

    So you disagree with Reality. That is very disturbing to me and others not so radical as you. Perhaps it is you who has difficulty with seeing the world in only one biased way. I understand the anti-Left philosophies and where they came from, and where they currently come from. What is more difficult for me and others like me is understanding the depth to which your biases run, and the inability of some people on the Right to ever question the dogma and propaganda that they have been fed. To be able to discern reality is crucial to humanity just to begin to start dealing with the problems of the day. And so people on the extreme Right, which you are, are a severe impediment to be over-come, somehow. Luckily, for you, the Left (not the Anarchists) is 95% non-violent, in behavior and beliefs. It’s always been that way and probably always will. That is our nature. That is why over and over again in history it’s the war-makers who become famous, or more so, than the peace-makers, and it’s blood-shed that is glorified in history books. The peace makers (other than Jesus, Ghandi and perhaps MLK) are forgotten or not well known outside of their own societies. I believe it is you people who Hate. I try hard not to hate, but somtimes I do. But it isn’t at the core of my beliefs. Peace, justice, and democracy are the core of my beliefs. These are the truly difficult things to achieve in this world. Hate, war, and greed are the oldest and easiest things to achieve. Many of the prophets in the Bible warn of the false prophet. Was Jesus false? Ghandi? MLK? Do you know the real reason JFK was murdered?

  32. paul wenum January 4, 2011 at 10:08 pm #

    “Reality is” you repeat yourself time and time again. Look at your posts. Enough said.

  33. Rob N. Hood January 5, 2011 at 8:10 am #

    Yep, I do. What’s your point? You didn’t answer my question so why bother with the blather?

  34. paul wenum January 5, 2011 at 8:55 pm #

    What question? Nothing but garble which makes no rational sense whatsoever.

  35. Rob N. Hood January 6, 2011 at 9:23 am #

    Gee, um…Paul, the question is my last sentence above, and is ended with a question mark (?). Does that help?? And I spelled Gandhi wrong above, much to my shame. He was a great man.

    I will give you a hint re: the question above. It is basically, maybe entirely, the same for all the men I mention above. In my opinion, based upon research . And yes… EVEN THE READING OF BOOKS!!!! (first hand experience is a wonderful teacher, of course, but how does a mere human open one’s mind to the world without considering reading as equally important??)

  36. paul wenum January 6, 2011 at 7:45 pm #

    Reading is a wonderful thing and I read daily. Over five newspapers, as well as books when time permits. That said, what you read versus what you experience in life is sometimes the direct opposite of that which is written. In my travels over the years I have always made a point to read every newspaper when I arrive at my destination, hopefully in english, and I have noted a difference in what I read in a different country than what is stated in ours. Like night v: day. Also, easy to read about a culture, society, governments etc. until you actually are in their country and experience how it actually is versus what is read. It is, and trust me, usually a mind opening experience to say it nicely and your opinions and attitudes change. By the way, Ganhi was, in my opinion a good man as well as Martin Luther King for whom I respect. As to Jesus? I’m religious and my belief is that he is my Savior. Won’t expand anymore other than that but I assume that you will, as always.

    • Jerk A. Knot January 6, 2011 at 10:46 pm #

      Paul, All Glory to God.

      Bob… He is right, There is a big diference between Book smarts and Street smarts…… Just saying……. the combination of the two is what makes true wisdom.

  37. Rob N. Hood January 7, 2011 at 7:49 am #

    I agree with that, Jerk. I was not (of course, it would be absurd) saying reading is everything. You and Paul like to resort to fairly juvenile retorts rather than answer relatively simple questions and/or participate in real dialogue.

    And sorry Paul, but I cannot resist… all we know about Him is via book/s. Just stating a plain fact.

  38. paul wenum January 7, 2011 at 10:56 pm #

    Don’t have to read about Jesus when you feel/experience what I have experienced in my lifetime. Some nice, some not so pretty. Something that you, young man, may never understand. I assume Sir Knot as well as others on this site will understand what I just said. If you don’t my prayers are with you.

    • Jerk A. Knot January 11, 2011 at 10:42 pm #

      Paul

      Please take the time to read His word. I am reminded every day that It speaks when you read it. I am not discounting your experence my friend I am encouraging you to strengthen your relationship with Him.

  39. Rob N. Hood January 10, 2011 at 8:48 am #

    I do understand that Paul… my point was that we wouldn’t know much about anything if it hadn’t been written down. And while this is obviously true, you have to deny it, and then add a snide remark hinting that I do not have any connection to Him or to God. That is not only arrogant it is downright disgusting. And I am not young- I only wish I was. While you may think my outlook on things is immature and extreme compared to yours, the exact opposite is true.

  40. paul wenum January 13, 2011 at 4:57 am #

    When you know before your grandfather, father, aunt, cousins etc. are passing before they know and years later, twice, see yourself looking down on your family as they sleep and a beautiful serene light above beckons you just before you are taken to the hospital you may someday understand. Until you experience what I have in my lifetime you will never understand. I believe I do. God be with you because he is with me and have no doubt whatsoever.

  41. Rob N. Hood January 14, 2011 at 12:09 pm #

    Alrighty then…!

  42. paul wenum January 16, 2011 at 1:33 am #

    Until you experience being close to death as you know it you will never understand what I said. Faith comes closer when you are about to meet your Creator. Enough said.

  43. Rob N. Hood January 16, 2011 at 12:13 pm #

    Ok then, oh wise and superior Paul. I only wish I could be as amazing as you.

  44. paul wenum January 17, 2011 at 1:02 am #

    I’m not superior. I’m alive. Thank God!

  45. Rob N. Hood January 18, 2011 at 11:13 am #

    When Eisenhower warned in this farewell address of the “potential” for the “disastrous rise of misplaced power”, he was referring to the danger that militarist interests would gain control over the country’s national security policy. The only reason it didn’t happen on Ike’s watch is that he stood up to the military and its allies.

    The Air Force and the Army were so unhappy with his “New Look” military policy that they each waged political campaigns against it. The Army demanded that Ike reverse his budget cuts and beef up conventional forces. The Air Force twice fabricated intelligence to support its claim that the Soviet Union was rapidly overtaking the United States in strategic striking power — first in bombers, later in ballistic missiles.

    But Ike defied both services, reducing Army manpower by 44 percent from its 1953 level and refusing to order a crash program for bombers or for missiles. He also rejected military recommendations for war in Indochina, bombing attacks on China and an ultimatum to the Soviet Union.

    After Eisenhower, it became clear that the alliance of militarist interests included not only the military services and their industrial clients but civilian officials in the Pentagon, the CIA’s Directorate of Operations, top officials at the State Department and the White House national security adviser. During the Kennedy and Johnson administrations, that militarist alliance succeeded in pushing the White House into a war in Vietnam, despite the reluctance of both presidents, as documented in my book Perils of Dominance.

    But just when the power of the militarist alliance seemed unstoppable in the late 1960s, the public turned decisively against the Vietnam War, and a long period of public pressure to reduce military spending began. As a result, military manpower was reduced to below even the Eisenhower era levels.

    For more than a decade the alliance of militarist interests was effectively constrained from advocating a more aggressive military posture.

    Even during the Reagan era, after a temporary surge in military spending, popular fear of Soviet Union melted away in response to the rise of Gorbachev, just as the burgeoning federal budget deficit was becoming yet another threat to militarist bloc. As it became clear that the Cold War was drawing to a close, the militarist interests faced the likely loss of much of their power and resources.

    But in mid-1990 they got an unexpected break when Saddam Hussein occupied Kuwait (that was convenient!). George H. W. Bush – a key figure in the militarist complex as former CIA Director — seized the opportunity to launch a war that would end the “Vietnam syndrome”. The Bush administration turned a popular clear-cut military victory in the 1991 Gulf War into a rationale for further use of military force in the Middle East. Secretary of Defense Dick Cheney’s 1992 military strategy for the next decade said, “We must be prepared to act decisively in the Middle East/Persian Gulf region as we did in Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm if our vital interests are threatened anew.”

    Even that started to lose the interest of the American people. The oil was flowing, etc. BUT the profits of war were not occurring, and along with that would come a de-funding of parts of the military and more importantly military Spending! But finally another even bigger gift was provided to the military-industrial complex… 9-11.

    It was all downhill from there. We are thowing away our Nation’s wealth and resources on un-ending senseless wars. All by design, all for profit and enrichment of the already ultra wealthy elite. And most of the population are suckers when it comes to things like “communism” and “terrorists” and foreign religions, and dark-skinned people. We are trained like animals to be afraid of what we are told to be afraid of. We then give up our wealth and our rights, and then wonder why we are not the country we thought we were.

  46. paul wenum January 19, 2011 at 4:27 am #

    And your point is?

  47. Rob N. Hood January 19, 2011 at 8:46 am #

    I believe, Paul, I made my point by summarizing it in the last paragraph. Did you not read that far?

  48. paul wenum January 20, 2011 at 3:58 am #

    Yes, and again, your point is?

  49. Rob N. Hood January 20, 2011 at 8:05 am #

    Good job Paul. A debating master-stroke. I have no response to it. You could of asked for further clarification on a particular aspect of my post, but instead you resort to juvenile discussion-ending antics. Oh, I guess I did have a response after all.

  50. paul wenum January 21, 2011 at 4:02 am #

    You had no substance in your post. Totally incoherent to the average viewer. It made absolutely no sense. I’m taking a break from work.

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