Monday, December 26, 2016

Boxing Day

17 comments:

  1. “To be hopeful in bad times is not just foolishly romantic. It is based on the fact that human history is a history not only of cruelty, but also of compassion, sacrifice, courage, kindness.

    What we choose to emphasize in this complex history will determine our lives. If we see only the worst, it destroys our capacity to do something. If we remember those times and places—and there are so many—where people have behaved magnificently, this gives us the energy to act, and at least the possibility of sending this spinning top of a world in a different direction.

    And if we do act, in however small a way, we don’t have to wait for some grand utopian future. The future is an infinite succession of presents, and to live now as we think human beings should live, in defiance of all that is bad around us, is itself a marvelous victory.”

    ― Howard Zinn

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  2. I am now a card carrying member of the ACLU.

    Alan, I read the Wikipedia article you linked to on Social Credit, which led me to the article on the Pilgrims of St. Michael, which led me to their (not yet complete) web site, which led me to their FB page, where I spent a couple hours watching a couple of videos. On the whole, Douglas' ideas as explained in the Wikipedia article make a great deal of sense to me and on the whole the videos make sense to me. There is just a hint of crazy wing nuttery, as the throw-away assertion in one of the videos that climate change is a vast conspiracy on the order of international Islamic terrorism, etc. The kooks Dad listens to claim climate change is a vast conspiracy; so I kind of wonder about these guys. Still, what I watched confirmed stuff Mum has been telling me for weeks if not months, including how a cabal of U.S. bankers planned a coup to overthrow FDR, for which they recruited Maj. Gen. Smedley Buttler. The video also suggested very strongly that the same interests were behind the assassination of JFK. All very interesting but, as I say, a trifle wing nutty. On the other hand, anything you don't already know tends to sound peculiar if not batty at first. If you want the video links, tell me.

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    1. Here are those YouTube links, Alan. The second video runs at least an hour; the first is shorter and IMO less hard to swallow.

      World War 3 is Coming - Shocking Predictions Coming True
      - Click

      All Wars Are Bankers' Wars - Click

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    2. No time for YouTube videos this morning--I have some work to do--but I quickly looked at their web site, and it is interesting. Thanks.

      Alan

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  3. Cat--I don't know if even the basic premise of Social Credit is true--it might be interesting if a modern economist were to reinvestigate it--but it is at the very least interesting. It also seems to partly echo Marx.

    Alan

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  4. Renee writes:

    "Thank you to everyone for the kind words in advance of my elbow surgery. It went fine and the doctor said the damage wasn't as bad as it seemed on the x-ray. A lot of recovery ahead of me (where IS that Star Trek zap-it-with-a-laser technology already?) but I felt good enough to go to the St. Stephen's Christmas afternoon service and potluck with Demetrius and Son."

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    1. So glad Renee's injury wasn't as bad as it could have been!♥

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    2. Yes, good news at least in the sense of minimizing the bad.

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  5. Whoa, that China article is interesting. Yikes.

    And Cat's article below about a part-time President is also interesting.

    Seems like my mind has been going BOOM since the election.

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  6. I have nothing to box up and return this Christmas. Everything I received was just right. Mah*Sweetie gave me a little kaleidoscope, season tickets to the Playhouse, pewter Snowflake ornaments and gorgeous new LLBean boots! Score!

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    1. I never thought of Boxing Day in that way.

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  7. Gorbachev, reasonable as always. [Click]

    And I'm really glad to hear Renee is doing reasonably well, considering. Lots of exercising to come, I am sure.

    Alan

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  8. Re drivers licenses: It's a very good bet that those states will get the same waiver Illinois did a few months ago.

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