politics...do we dare???
 

i'm big on politics its in all of our lives elected or not tell me what you think about it...... examples social security , iran & north korea, your boss making you act or do some thing, lets see how it goes i'm looking forward to it :rant:

I lived in Iran for three years. It was towards the end of the Shah's reign, and we were one of the last out before the fall of his rule. Incredible cultural experience, but terrifying at the end.

The best advice I can give:
 

Find out who supports large corporations over individual liberties,declares war to occupy another country,wants to narrow the wall that divides church and state and regulate what goes on in our bedrooms. Steer clear from these bastards.

Those with strong enough convictions vote every day...with their wallets. You don't like a radio show, turn it off...boycott it's sponsors. If you don't like the political views a candidate supports, find the businesses that support them and boycott their products and services. When the companies get hit in the pocketbook, they react.

I'll be 61yrs old,in a couple of weeks!I'm finally realizing that it's not good for
me to enter any discussions,about politics or anything that has differing
opinions.I've realized that you're not going to change anyones opinion &
they are not going to change yours.Unfortunately,I'm not mature enough,that
these things don't bother me.My emotions don't turn off with my computer,so
I've decided to stay out of them.I can't understand why people don't see things my way & I'm sure that they can't understand why I don't see things as they do.As they say in AA-Live & let live. Irish
P.S.Back to lurking! :rant:

Irish....ditto!

Why start this thread? Politics runs through every post of every thread, whether or not people want them to anyway. What's the need?

Great! Let's hit all the hot spots on one thread! :D :p :D

I'll bite... I choose social security....

I'm not a fan of the present system, I acknowledge that it was a great system for a long time, but with the way our retirement systems have evolved over the years (I'm fully 401K with company contribution, and not a lick of a pension), I think I should be given the equal liberty to do with my retirement funds that the government holds as I have with those that my employer and I are setting aside. I'm all for the concept of "individual" accounts with "individual" control. I believe there needs to be some continuing support for my parents who were not of the 401K mindset and are planning to retire on a pension (which isn't much in their case), a small amount they finally did put away, and SS. But, I would like to have more control over my fate, if I'm mandated to pay in a certain amount each year, I'd like to control how its invested, and it's my loss if I pick a poorly performing mutual fund... or my gain if I pick a good one.

My state permits this system as part of their retirement planning options. The jury is still out on whether it was the best option for Mr. Lil and I. I'm not sure I like the idea of gambling with both his retirement and SSI.

I have to agree with WI on this one... money does talk, and where you don't spend it talks even louder. Though to touch on another point he made - which may be off topic here - but I don't understand why people who don't like to watch a certain show on TV or listen to a radio show don't just turn it off or change the station. It's as simple as that. I don't like Fox News, nor do I like the Jerry Springer show. So I don't watch them. But I know that other people like to watch them, so I'm not gonna go bitch about how they ought to be taken off the air.
:rant:

Post about actual topic to come. :)

Well politics here in australia are very much like school yard tactics. Everyone is trying to oust everyone else. They seem to pat each other on the back but the other hand holds a knife. I really don't understand why this thread has been started. I know that we all have our own views on this. And as such should be left alone.

The mindset on this topic, from the powers that be (former head of the FCC-Michael Powell), is that unchaperoned children should not be infiltrated with indecency in prime time media of any kind. He's gone so far as to say (example) that if a conversion van is riding down a road and has a pornographic video playing on it's onboard VCR or DVD player...the owner can be sited for indecency. That is one extreme case in point. Other concerns are for "latch-key" kids and their time spent at home, alone during prime time hours, and the things they can hear and see on the TV and radio. We can't police the parenting of everyone in the country...so we'll censor the media and stomp on the "Freedom of Speech" amendment, till it's mangled to smitherines! We don't trust that parents can decide what their own children can and can't see and hear. And, how can we weasle into the internet and pay radio (sattelite)?

What the FCC fails to demonstrate is the long term negative resulting effect of said children after viewing what it (the FCC) deems as indecent...even though it cannot name what it deems as indecent. They literally say..."We'll know it when we hear it or see it". and have NEVER listed indecent words or actions, but arbitrarily fined a few media personalities and/or their companies for what they claim was an abundance of claims against them. In reality, when the source of these claims was challenged, a list of a handful of people (nationwide) had sent dozens, if not hundreds, of complaints. That one person makes hundreds of complaints is seen by the FCC as hundreds of complaints...period! The guidelines are not spelled out, and on any given day one person's "indecent" remark may not be indecent if spoken by another person...an icon of society (if you will). For example: the words vagina or masturbation can be used by Oprah Winfrey...but not by Howard Stern (a syndicated talk show host).

Of course George Carlin has spelled out "the seven dirty words" one cannot say in mainstream media...and these words have always been used as a guideline for self imposed censorship. But, in live broadcasts, sometimes these words slip by. NOT anymore, says the FCC! Live media is now expected to have a delay (usually 5-7 seconds...and then it wouldn't be live, would it?) and if a word or action slips by...MAJOR FINE! This can happen on a news report...where a passer by can flash her breasts or a guy can shout "Fuck" or something like that...and WHAMMO...you're busted! But again, if you are Oprah Winfrey...it's ok, and she doesn't even broadcast live!

And the absolute worst part? No one is challenging the FCC's arbitrary rulings. They could take them to court and make them spell out the guidelines...but for some strange reason, that is totally beyond me, no one has yet to do so!!!???

My guess is that no-one wants to take on the role of Great Media Satan and be deemed responsible for all of society's ills.

"Those are the words that'll curve your spine....and stop the country from winning the war..."


(I think I might not have got the whole quote but you get the point) :D

Perhaps we should ask the Mods for a Political Forum, though you'd have to promise

that the blood, guts, anger, mayhem and violence would not spill across into the other

Fora.