What's Going on in the Americas?

Topic: What's Going on in the Americas? (Read 261127 times)

Re: What's Going on in the Americas?

Reply #375 – 2015-08-04, 16:10:22

That's what I thought.

Re: What's Going on in the Americas?

Reply #376 – 2015-08-27, 05:31:52

From the US totalitarian past:

"Definitely slanted against the United States" Ray Bradbury's FBI file

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"The general aim of these science fiction writers is to frighten the people into a state of paralysis or psychological incompetence bordering on hysteria"

Science fiction - a commie plot to undermine American values? It's an idea that the FBI was strongly considering during the height of the Cold War, as their lengthy investigation into acclaimed author Ray Bradbury shows.

The files released to former MuckRocker Inkoo Kang document the decade the Bureau spent trying to determine if Bradbury was, if not a card-carrying Communist, as least a sympathetic "fellow traveler."

Re: What's Going on in the Americas?

Reply #377 – 2015-08-27, 06:45:03

Quote from: Frenzie on 2015-07-25, 06:54:42

There's an article here about what Trump was up to in his early 20s.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2015/07/20/what-donald-trump-was-up-to-while-john-mccain-was-suffering-as-a-prisoner-of-war/

The brouhaha over Trump's idiotic statement overshadows the idiocy of McCain's involvement in that tragic and meaningless war. And don't forget who McCain chose to be his running mate.

Re: What's Going on in the Americas?

Reply #378 – 2015-08-30, 00:35:20

Haha...brilliant touch jimbro!

Re: What's Going on in the Americas?

Reply #379 – 2015-09-13, 19:59:12

For those who might find it of interest: http://www.hottamalefest.com/

Re: What's Going on in the Americas?

Reply #380 – 2015-09-14, 01:54:40

Re: What's Going on in the Americas?

Reply #381 – 2015-09-14, 02:31:07

Quote from: rjhowie on 2015-09-14, 01:54:40

??

Surely a Glaswegian of the world like yourself has heard of Hot Tamales?
It's the annual Hot Tamale Festival in Greenville, Mississippi.

Re: What's Going on in the Americas?

Reply #382 – 2015-09-14, 19:00:46

Some local "do" in the poor hinterlands of the ex-colonies?!

Re: What's Going on in the Americas?

Reply #383 – 2015-09-14, 19:19:04

Quote from: rjhowie on 2015-09-14, 19:00:46

Some local "do" in the poor hinterlands of the ex-colonies?!

Maybe y'all oughta get on over there and partake? You just might find the local ex-colonists (which, incidentally, Mississippi never was a British colony, just so's y'know) are more highly "cultured" than you are.

Downside of going there: Those tamales will likely go through your un-prepared Scottish system like Sherman going through Atlanta. Except that Sherman did less damage. You really DO need some time to get used to that kind of food.

Re: What's Going on in the Americas?

Reply #384 – 2015-09-14, 23:30:20

Quote from: mjmsprt40 on 2015-09-14, 19:19:04

Quote from: rjhowie on 2015-09-14, 19:00:46

Some local "do" in the poor hinterlands of the ex-colonies?!

Maybe y'all oughta get on over there and partake? You just might find the local ex-colonists (which, incidentally, Mississippi never was a British colony, just so's y'know) are more highly "cultured" than you are.

Downside of going there: Those tamales will likely go through your un-prepared Scottish system like Sherman going through Atlanta. Except that Sherman did less damage. You really DO need some time to get used to that kind of food.

Damn right sir! We were a French colony, and damn proud of it!

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4K1q9Ntcr5g[/video]

Excellent description as well, mjm.

(Though the mention of that should-have-been-war-criminal was also noted, but in proper context is.....barely admissable.

)

Re: What's Going on in the Americas?

Reply #385 – 2015-09-16, 01:54:08

Imagine someone boasting about being a French colony. The way that country messed two world wars not surprised that that State is as is.

Re: What's Going on in the Americas?

Reply #386 – 2015-09-26, 08:49:59

The Pope rules the place. Total apotheosis, full subordination.

Re: What's Going on in the Americas?

Reply #387 – 2015-09-26, 19:09:07

Quote from: Belfrager on 2015-09-26, 08:49:59

The Pope rules the place. Total apotheosis, full subordination.

That's odd. It's not so that anybody would notice, is it?

Last time I checked, the official RC position on abortion and on gay marriage (just to bring up two examples) is that you can't be Roman Catholic and practice either of them. If the Pope did indeed rule the place, you'd expect these things would disappear. Nope. A woman can get an abortion even in the third trimester--- and even her husband can't stop her. And, recently they've made it "Law of the Land" that men can marry men, women can marry women, and transgenders (another probable abomination according to church teachings) can marry----geezzzz, they don't really know what they are so flip a coin and take a wild guess.

Soooooooo......the Pope rules. When do we start seeing the results? (Never, as it happens. Separation of church and state you know. If the Pope starts trying to mess with everybody else's applecarts, it'll go to court sure as the sun comes up in the East---and we'll find in no uncertain terms that the church doesn't rule the state.)

Re: What's Going on in the Americas?

Reply #388 – 2015-09-26, 20:55:31

Another term being used in the US for describing Pope Francis visit, epic.
Get used, mjm.

By the way, did you like the Fiat 500 Francis used at the land of V8?

Re: What's Going on in the Americas?

Reply #389 – 2015-09-26, 21:10:03

Popes come and they also go. Pope John Paul II visited here several years back--- visited Chicago as it happens, a short section of 42nd Street on the South Side is named in his honor. Changes he made in the way we live our daily lives----- Hmmmm........ Not much. After the Pope leaves and the press settles down from their fawning, life will get back to what it has been.

I don't expect the visit of Pope Francis to be significantly different. Atheists won't suddenly find God in massive numbers, Protestants won't swear off protestantism big-time to become Roman Catholic, there won't be priests and nuns on every street corner administering the affairs of state and so on.... Pope Francis will make a few speeches, eat with homeless people, smile for the cameras--- and then board a plane for home. The US will continue "business as usual" government, and a week after the Pope's visit it will be hard to tell that he was ever here.

Re: What's Going on in the Americas?

Reply #390 – 2015-09-26, 22:16:29

Quote from: mjmsprt40 on 2015-09-26, 21:10:03

Pope Francis will make a few speeches, eat with homeless people, smile for the cameras--- and then board a plane for home. The US will continue "business as usual" government, and a week after the Pope's visit it will be hard to tell that he was ever here.

It seems that your "business as usual" government received him as they receive no any other world leader...

Many things happens beyond what you can observe in your daily life. Don't mistake a Pope with some president or prime minister, he's much more closer to a government of influence than being someone having to pass local laws or being hostage of political parties.

That's the nature of real power.

(By the way, I hope that, as an Argentinean, he doesn't forget to visit las Malvinas. That would be magnificent.

)

Re: What's Going on in the Americas?

Reply #391 – 2015-09-27, 01:30:45

Much in what mjsmsprt40 says there about the status quo.

Many years ago a Boys' Brigade camp we decided to have a brains trust session on a wet Saturday night in the main marquee. Four boys between 12 and 17 volunteered to form the panel which all the other lads could thrwo questions at. Surprisingly there came a question about religion and then Popes (virtually all were Prots as we were attached to a church like most unitsare). Suddenly a wee lad of 13 stood up in the audience and told veryone else in a vey broad Glasgow accent to shut up. Everyone turned round and he waved a hand in the air "There have been hunners o' Popes but we only need wan King Billy"(the nickname of William of Orange) who created the Glorious Revolution into place and saved the country from Roman attacks ensuring rights and Protestantism. Everyone laughed like mad.

Was amusing but when one looks at history those countries that had large Protestant or majority such grouping were the most progressive. When one also looks at what was known as the Papal States before Italy was united it was a totalitarian place with little freedoms and a repressive police State mentality. Being so autocratic as a denomination it has always been easy for the Church of Rome to be shown as a great pal of dictatorships. I do not deny them their rights in that tradition whilst at the same time look at all that Princes of the Church stuff, wanting to be a Church and a Sovereign State, heavy symbolism, routines, power system that is as far from the Man from Galilee as one can get!

Re: What's Going on in the Americas?

Reply #392 – 2015-09-27, 04:06:57

@RJ: It's amazing, how long Europeans can prolong their tiffs…

Re: What's Going on in the Americas?

Reply #393 – 2015-09-27, 10:40:05

Quote from: rjhowie on 2015-09-27, 01:30:45

countries that had large Protestant or majority such grouping were the most progressive.

Progressive in materialism, progressive in annihilation of human dignity, progressive in robot-like behaviour, progressive in financial serfdom, progressive in art destruction and vandalism, progressive in homosexual sodomy, progressive in killing babies, progressive in general barbarism, progressive in industrial pollution, progressive in egotism...

Uau!!, let me have a breath of fresh air, can't stand so much progressivism.

Re: What's Going on in the Americas?

Reply #394 – 2015-09-28, 03:48:20

I'd argue with "progressive in industrial pollution"… No other regime or economy (of capitalism — or any other "system") has done so much to correct their errors. But the rest is "spot-on" as the Brits say!
I still wonder, Belfrager, what you think the Pope's authority extends to… And how you'd justify the extensions you seem to want, on the basis of Scripture.
(Or don't you pay attention to them anymore?

)

The Pope's authority in the United States is negligible. Parts -small, and mostly inconsequential, parts of the rest of the world may seem more pliable, more amenable to such venerable authority: But -still- I think you're mistaken. (With the slight exception of what we've come to call "Radical Muslims"…) Catholics have divorced, fornicated and aborted their young apace with the Prots and the non-believers…
Was there a Pope who said that was OK?

So: Why didn't the Papal Authority have a noticeable effect?

Re: What's Going on in the Americas?

Reply #395 – 2015-09-28, 17:23:17

Quote from: Belfrager on 2015-09-26, 08:49:59

The Pope rules the place. Total apotheosis, full subordination.

By "the place" I assume you mean the USA, and you may have a point. The heads of the two greatest countries in the world, President Xi of China and Prime Minister Modi of India, visited the country with nary a notice. Francis showed up and mayhem. That he riled the lunatic fringe of the Republican party into a fit made Catholicism edible for the Democrat-affiliated, with what they call liberals and progressives spreading the message.

Fortunately we have Progressive Secular Humanist man to rally the progressive secular humanist troops.

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Pope Crush Blues: Liberals swoon, pundits pontificate, and the media marvels as Pope Francis puts a happy face on the morally bankrupt institution that is the Catholic Church.
The current celebration of Pope Francis in America has been a depressing exercise in media spin. Focusing on the persona of the pope, the ugly truth that is the Catholic Church is whitewashed and sanitized so as to not interrupt the “feel good” moment.
Pope Francis is a marvelous showman – a genius at public relations and media manipulation who has successfully hustled the media, and the public at large. He says nice things like all animals go to heaven; he chastises creationists and other science deniers by noting that God is not a magician; and in a good natured gesture he asks atheists for good vibrations.
Recently Francis has seduced many progressives and liberals with calls to action on climate change, immigration, and poverty. In so doing he has alienated many conservatives, who find themselves in the odd position of rejecting the pope’s progressive politics.

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Pope Francis is a man who holds views that should be repugnant to all reasonable people. Yet many reasonable people, including progressives, refuse to acknowledge these hard truths about Francis. The denial, and the excuse making, is depressing.
Bottom line: Pope Francis may be likable, even lovable, but that is no excuse to celebrate the leader of a repulsive and morally bankrupt institution like the Catholic Church.

I guess I am at least secular and humanist, and definitely not very Catholic, but I enjoy a good conundrum as much as the next trouble-maker. It was a mission well accomplished, and a good move for turning Roman Catholicism into the reasonable face of Christianity, and making the atheist left and bible-thumping right look slightly silly.

Re: What's Going on in the Americas?

Reply #396 – 2015-09-28, 21:19:08

Would say that Oakdale does have a point about the Pope and the aithority issue. By that I mean that the things that RC's get involved with along with others in numbers and which contradict what the Pope stands for is in the face. Along with that you see the faces of those who came along to support him acting like infantiles or children whilst ignoring the contradictions. There was a time over there when that Church did have an awful influence and unfortunately not always proper or principled but with greater freedom these days and the long corruption (centuries actually) has wreaked havoc including being forced to pay damages all had their effect. A while ago I referred to a cardinal in America who was suspended but when John Paul that wee neb came into office uplifted it!

It will not do the country any hard if that Church and the way run there has been lessened a bit and will be for the general good.

Re: What's Going on in the Americas?

Reply #397 – 2015-09-28, 22:30:02

@jax
I respect your ideas and the right you have to express it, I find the quotes you chose to attack the Pope vile, sordid and low.
If that is "progressive secular humanism" I consider it moral excrement.
But of course, for any action there's always a reaction. The dogs bark and the caravan passes...

Nice try for creating content, but useless.

Re: What's Going on in the Americas?

Reply #398 – 2015-09-29, 02:29:31

Although Belfrager and I are from opposite corners of the proverbial religious room (!) I do respect his right to what he is. In addition I think he is right on the humanist side so-called "progressives." We get that lot of know-it-alls here too and they are act as if a mass movement sniping at Christianity. Indeed they are oft far more arrogant than the religious corner they sneer at.

Re: What's Going on in the Americas?

Reply #399 – 2015-09-30, 18:51:51

Quote from: Belfrager on 2015-09-28, 22:30:02

@jax
I respect your ideas and the right you have to express it, I find the quotes you chose to attack the Pope vile, sordid and low.
If that is "progressive secular humanism" I consider it moral excrement.
But of course, for any action there's always a reaction. The dogs bark and the caravan passes...

Nice try for creating content, but useless.

I got the feeling you really don't get American politics, from fringe to shining fringe.