Most Annoying Person in the Field

[fysisist]

That's a tough lineup but I'd have to go with Sereda. That film he did, I think it was called "the case for nasa ufos" or similar, was very annoying. Particularly the part about the "galaxy clock". He didn't even achieve pseudo-science with that load. Noory is pretty f'ing irritating as well, though. I cannot, for the life of me, understand how that show can be as popular as it is. More than that, I totally can't see how that mental midget got that job. It reflects very poorly on human-kind.

 

[SheaOlmsford]

That's a tough lineup but I'd have to go with Sereda. That film he did, I think it was called "the case for nasa ufos" or similar, was very annoying. Particularly the part about the "galaxy clock". He didn't even achieve pseudo-science with that load. Noory is pretty f'ing irritating as well, though. I cannot, for the life of me, understand how that show can be as popular as it is. More than that, I totally can't see how that mental midget got that job. It reflects very poorly on human-kind.

Seriously, there was a time when people wanted their heroes and celebrities to be smarter or at least more clever and witty than they are. Now after years of FOX News and the dumbing down of America, anyone who is deemed intelligent is automatically seen as "elitist". Reading a book or having a college degree is seen as suspicious. Instead, people want someone dumb who won't in any way cause them to do any internal reflection, perhaps stretch their views, realize they aren't the bightest bulbs in the chandelier, etc. When I see the know-nothing tea party people....well, I know this is NOT a political forum, but it just represents what this country has become. People seem suspicious and even hateful of anyone who just might be smarter than they are, so mass media has to acquiesce to this. Consequently, a mental midget like George Noory is highly popular. I find that I often do my best to listen to Coast to Coast when the guest interests me, only to become disgusted at the idiotic questions and comments made by the host. This is why the PARACAST will never be an international radio show on a major radio network, while Coast to Coast is still flying high. Have you listened to open lines recently? I am surprised most of these callers can dial a phone number!

 

[Sean Elifritz]

Now after years of FOX News and the dumbing down of America

When I see the know-nothing tea party people....well, I know this is NOT a political forum

OK, I know I'm greatly outnumbered when it comes to this topic (For reasons beyond my understanding the vast majority of UFO believers appear to be on the political left.) but why do we have to be told time and time again that Fox News is the center of evil in the universe? Yes, I'll concede that it does lean to the right but on the opposite side of the spectrum we have MSNBC that clearly leans to the left. Therefor we have a yin and a yang so I don't see what the big damned problem is. The only difference is that Fox's ratings are much better than MSNBC's. I fail to see why that's a reason for contempt. Perhaps conservatives like myself are just boring people and because of that we watch more cable news than folks on the opposite side of the fence do. Hardly a legitimate reason for the never-ending assault imo.

And this isn't an attack on you personally, beyondthestargate. God knows I see a dozen references to this on the paracast and other UFO forums I visit on a daily basis. The strange thing is that you people on the left find it so necessary to attack us constantly but rarely do I see conservatives going after leftists on UFO forums. Why can't we talk about UFOs and/or paranormal topics and leave politics out of it? Political beliefs are just one aspect of life, and a divisive one at that. My perfect world would include lefties and righties discussing UFOs and related topics with no mention of political beliefs. I personally do not hate liberals for being liberal but I do get the impression that some of them on forums like this one might hate me and people like me simply for being conservative, and there's something just not right about that.

 

[fysisist]

I find that I often do my best to listen to Coast to Coast when the guest interests me, only to become disgusted at the idiotic questions and comments made by the host.

Ah so I am not the only one. The guy has destroyed so many potentially interesting interviews. With C2C, Art Bell was an interesting guy with an interesting take on things, and knew how to do an interview. He occasionally asked hardball questions, even if he was also equally annoying at other times. I am not sure I can see how that audience transitioned to Snoory. But it's a moot point. The dumbing down of humanity continues until Dec 2012, when we will all go out in a huge galactic catastrophe, as depicted in the recent documentary "2012"

 

[bobheck]

Seriously, there was a time when people wanted their heroes and celebrities to be smarter or at least more clever and witty than they are. Now after years of FOX News and the dumbing down of America, anyone who is deemed intelligent is automatically seen as "elitist". Reading a book or having a college degree is seen as suspicious. Instead, people want someone dumb who won't in any way cause them to do any internal reflection, perhaps stretch their views, realize they aren't the bightest bulbs in the chandelier, etc. When I see the know-nothing tea party people....well, I know this is NOT a political forum, but it just represents what this country has become. People seem suspicious and even hateful of anyone who just might be smarter than they are, so mass media has to acquiesce to this. Consequently, a mental midget like George Noory is highly popular. I find that I often do my best to listen to Coast to Coast when the guest interests me, only to become disgusted at the idiotic questions and comments made by the host. This is why the PARACAST will never be an international radio show on a major radio network, while Coast to Coast is still flying high. Have you listened to open lines recently? I am surprised most of these callers can dial a phone number!

Golly jeepers. Why would anyone have any reason to see you as an elitist?

Well, notwithstanding the five condescending remarks you made in your short non-elitist diatribe, of course.

 

[David Biedny]

bobheck,

Sorry to let you down, but as far as I'm concerned, there's nothing in the screed you quote, that I find out-of-line or even deeply elitist. But that's why you can be happy I'm out of the picture here.

Anyone who has ever heard Angry Human knows how I feel about those who call themselves "republicans" or "conservatives". Yeah, ask any black family if they'd like to have things back to the way they were in the fifties, the era so many conservatives seem to yearn for - or ask a typical housewife of that time if she'd like to stay in that place all her life (oops, sorry, she's too drunk to give you a coherent answer). Conservatism is a delusion - the one constant in this Universe is change, and to not acknowledge this is ignorant at best. My ex-girlfriend's mother is a devoted Fox watcher, that's the entirety of her media window into the world, and she's a close-minded, bigoted, paranoid, unhappy, bitter rind of a human, one who would give her grandchildren copies of the "Bill O'Reilly Zone for Kids" and the Lynn Cheney-authored whitewash of the American Revolution for Christmas (I'm sure that made Jesus proud, right?). Yeah, it's a great idea to give preteens a children's book that manages to mention a blue dress with semen stains. Fucking sick bullshit, thanks to the demented scumbags at Faux Fucking News.

The conservative movement - best represented by morons like Sarah Palin, evil fucks like Newt "Ideas Are Dangerous" Gingrich, scum-sucking turncoats like Joe "I Give Jews a Bad Name" Lieberman, and their saint Reagan dirtbag - is the new American Nazi party. Ignore this at your own peril.

And it's not that I've got some sort of love for Obama and the Democrats. If you think that the battle in this country is about party politics, religion or race, you're not paying attention. It's about wealth and greed, nothing, and I do mean, NOTHING else. The rest of this is all a distraction, one that works well for a populace that's dangerously ignorant. Call me an elitist - go right ahead. Sadly, my brain still works, I can see and think and understand. Woe is me.

And be happy I've left the show. Now you don't have to hear my opinions about this - and other - topics.

dB

 

[Sean Elifritz]

bobheck,

Sorry to let you down, but as far as I'm concerned, there's nothing in the screed you quote, that I find out-of-line or even deeply elitist. But that's why you can be happy I'm out of the picture here.

Anyone who has ever heard Angry Human knows how I feel about those who call themselves "republicans" or "conservatives". Yeah, ask any black family if they'd like to have things back to the way they were in the fifties, the era so many conservatives seem to yearn for - or ask a typical housewife of that time if she'd like to stay in that place all her life (oops, sorry, she's too drunk to give you a coherent answer). Conservatism is a delusion - the one constant in this Universe is change, and to not acknowledge this is ignorant at best. My ex-girlfriend's mother is a devoted Fox watcher, that's the entirety of her media window into the world, and she's a close-minded, bigoted, paranoid, unhappy, bitter rind of a human, one who would give her grandchildren copies of the "Bill O'Reilly Zone for Kids" and the Lynn Cheney-authored whitewash of the American Revolution for Christmas (I'm sure that made Jesus proud, right?). Yeah, it's a great idea to give preteens a children's book that manages to mention a blue dress with semen stains. Fucking sick bullshit, thanks to the turncoat scumbags at Faux Fucking News.

The conservative movement - best represented by morons like Sarah Palin, evil fucks like Newt "Ideas Are Dangerous" Gingrich, scum-sucking turncoats like Joe "I Give Jews a Bad Name" Lieberman, and their saint Reagan dirtbag - is the new American Nazi party. Ignore this at your own peril.

And it's not I've got some sort of love for Obama and the Democrats. If you think that the battle in this country is going to be about party politics, or race, you're not paying attention. It's about wealth and greed, nothing, and I do mean, NOTHING else. The rest of this is all a distraction, one that works well for a populace that's dangerously ignorant. Call me an elitist - go right ahead. Sadly, my brain still works, I can see and think and understand. Woe is me.

And be happy I've left the show. Now you don't have to hear my opinions about this - and other - topics.

dB

Your viewpoint of what it means to be conservative (I don't call myself a Republican, haven't since my twenties because they've pissed me off so often with the ridiculous amounts of money they spend.) is based on stereotypes and what appears to be an incorrect interpretation of what it means to be conservative in the first place. Simply put, being conservative means that one believes in more power for states and less at the federal level. That's it! Everything else is secondary and varies from one person to another. Are there racist, stupid, seemingly inbred conservatives? Absolutely! But I've met plenty of liberals that are like that as well. Not everything is black and white like you are painting it. If your comic book caricatures are accurate than obviously I'm a bible-thumping Christian, right? Well, lo and behold, I'm not religious AT ALL. Fancy that oddity.

Your description of your ex-girlfriend's mother amused me because in many ways it reminded me of my own mother. She is also GLUED to Fox News and is what I'd call close-minded and paranoid. But she isn't bigoted or unhappy. It's reached the point where I can't stand to visit her because all she ever wants to talk about is how Obama and the rest of the Democrats are destroying the country. Mom, I don't care!!! Political extremism that is so severe that a person can't go ten minutes without mentioning it is fucking wacko no matter what side of the fence it's coming from. If a person can't talk about something as unrelated as flying saucers and bug-eyed aliens without somehow injecting health-care bills and gun-toting rednecks into the equation than that person has emotional issues, period! I wonder how many conservatives you actually know as opposed to seeing on television. We're not all as evil as you're making out.

And the Nazis were socialists and if there's anything most conservatives are scared shitless of it's socialists. So I don't get that comparison at all. I guess the idea was just to compare us to killers somehow. Whatever.

 

[David Biedny]

And the Nazis were socialists and if there's anything most conservatives are scared shitless of it's socialists. So I don't get that comparison at all. I guess the idea was just to compare us to killers somehow. Whatever.

When the Republicans block any attempt to give lowlife "liberals" like me health insurance, they're showing that they want us to be...

D E A D

That's one step shy of killing, AFAIAC.

But hey, I'm a stupid, Godless fucking liberal. So what the fuck do I know, right?

Aren't you glad I'm gone? And don't worry, I'll be dead soon enough. You can have this shit-filled nightmare of a society.

dB

 

[bobheck]

bobheck,

Sorry to let you down, but as far as I'm concerned, there's nothing in the screed you quote, that I find out-of-line or even deeply elitist. But that's why you can be happy I'm out of the picture here.

Anyone who has ever heard Angry Human knows how I feel about those who call themselves "republicans" or "conservatives". Yeah, ask any black family if they'd like to have things back to the way they were in the fifties, the era so many conservatives seem to yearn for - or ask a typical housewife of that time if she'd like to stay in that place all her life (oops, sorry, she's too drunk to give you a coherent answer). Conservatism is a delusion - the one constant in this Universe is change, and to not acknowledge this is ignorant at best. My ex-girlfriend's mother is a devoted Fox watcher, that's the entirety of her media window into the world, and she's a close-minded, bigoted, paranoid, unhappy, bitter rind of a human, one who would give her grandchildren copies of the "Bill O'Reilly Zone for Kids" and the Lynn Cheney-authored whitewash of the American Revolution for Christmas (I'm sure that made Jesus proud, right?). Yeah, it's a great idea to give preteens a children's book that manages to mention a blue dress with semen stains. Fucking sick bullshit, thanks to the demented scumbags at Faux Fucking News.

The conservative movement - best represented by morons like Sarah Palin, evil fucks like Newt "Ideas Are Dangerous" Gingrich, scum-sucking turncoats like Joe "I Give Jews a Bad Name" Lieberman, and their saint Reagan dirtbag - is the new American Nazi party. Ignore this at your own peril.

And it's not that I've got some sort of love for Obama and the Democrats. If you think that the battle in this country is about party politics, religion or race, you're not paying attention. It's about wealth and greed, nothing, and I do mean, NOTHING else. The rest of this is all a distraction, one that works well for a populace that's dangerously ignorant. Call me an elitist - go right ahead. Sadly, my brain still works, I can see and think and understand. Woe is me.

And be happy I've left the show. Now you don't have to hear my opinions about this - and other - topics.

dB

David, you have me all wrong. Really, man. Please listen.

I was simply replying that his tone was as an elitist. Looking down his nose. But, with that said...

Believe me David, seriously, I see the accumulation of wealth and the growing power of the corporations and how they are sucking the life out of the common man. I stand unemployed at the moment because a wonderful corporation found out that someone in India could do my job for pennies on the dollar. It has been years since I have watched Fox News, honestly. I grew tired of it.

I have written letters to my congressmen and women (Kay Bailey Hutchinson) several times and asked them to do something about the draining of jobs from this country because corporations don't give a damn about the American worker, they just want the job done cheaply. All I got back from them (all Republicans) was the tired old "free trade, can't be protectionist" bullshit line. Really didn't seem to give a damn at all that jobs are leaving this country in droves.

Without trying to sound totally on the fence here, I see the good points of both sides of the issue. Capitalism undoubtedly creates more wealth than other types of systems (which is why China has chosen that way for business at least), but when it gets entrenched and corporations gain in power, they start buying politicians and making the rules by proxy with $$$$. But, the socialist type of governments (gasp, I said the S word) at least try to emphasize education, medical treatment and the overall welfare of their citizens a little more instead of the "fly, be free, go get'em tiger, you're on your own" American way.

I have often wondered in my life, football, baseball players and actors get million dollar contracts, while teachers, police, firemen and soldiers barely scrape together a living. How the hell is that fair or right? Well it isn't. And I don't have an answer other than people are generally so screwed up they put more of a premium on entertainment than on the very people that make a "free" life possible. I think if this country were to ever face a real and present threat from abroad, the value placed on sports and entertainment would decrease enormously.

On the other hand, I don't want government in every little nook and cranny of my life either. I guess I am more of a libertarian. Which is why I voted for Ron Paul in the last election. I could not stand the thought of John McCain being my leader, and was a little scared that Obama was too far to the left for me with trying to take over everything. Although I must say on the employment/jobs forefront, Obama was much closer to the way I think on that issue.

And before I get a bunch of replies from conservatives about how Obama wants to take over health care and all and that is bad, let me tell you all something -- I am actively looking for work right now and I have a wife, a child, and a mortgage. I am looking very hard, and it is tough. I have to say, a government option on health care would look pretty damned good to me right now for me and my family. And unless you are out there looking for work and facing the same thing I am, I don't want you hear any of your conservative "land of opportunity" bullshit.

I don't think Democrats or liberals are stupid, neither do I think Republicans or conservatives are stupid. I am actually confused and feel like a man without a country here, cause neither side seems to see the big problem with jobs going overseas. They just keep letting it happen while both of their pockets get lined.

So I am sorry if I rubbed you the wrong way David. Now after I spilled my guts, not that anybody cares or that I expect them to, maybe you can understand me just a little more.

 

[David Biedny]

Understood, Bob, and I apologize for being so harsh. As of today, I just dodged a bullet that would have forced me to leave the country within 60 days. Yes, the health insurance situation - I was facing the prospect of having to leave the U.S. permanently (and yeah, I know that there are more than a few people that would really relish this reality). For now, I can stay. Who knows how long this will hold - and it's not like Obama and his gang of idiots are going to get any meaningful "change" happening anytime soon.

The battle is essentially over. The corporations have won. Within 10 years, the U.S. will look more and more like a third-world country. There's no stopping it - witness the recent Supreme Court sellout to the the "corporate citizen".

I'm really just fed up. with. absolutely. everything.

Sorry to vent. My heart goes out to you & your family.

dB

 

[Sean Elifritz]

@Bob

Things are tough for lots of people right now. I'm out a job at the moment as well. A friend of mine is trying to get me into where he works so hopefully that pans out. If it doesn't I might be screwed.

As far as this health-care thing goes I'd be fine with it so long as it was operated on a state level and not federally. That way states that want it could have it and those that don't wouldn't have it forced down their throats.

And David, I certainly don't want you to die, ha ha. In fact, I'd like to see you come back to the show.

 

[SheaOlmsford]

bobheck,

Sorry to let you down, but as far as I'm concerned, there's nothing in the screed you quote, that I find out-of-line or even deeply elitist. But that's why you can be happy I'm out of the picture here.

Anyone who has ever heard Angry Human knows how I feel about those who call themselves "republicans" or "conservatives". Yeah, ask any black family if they'd like to have things back to the way they were in the fifties, the era so many conservatives seem to yearn for - or ask a typical housewife of that time if she'd like to stay in that place all her life (oops, sorry, she's too drunk to give you a coherent answer). Conservatism is a delusion - the one constant in this Universe is change, and to not acknowledge this is ignorant at best. My ex-girlfriend's mother is a devoted Fox watcher, that's the entirety of her media window into the world, and she's a close-minded, bigoted, paranoid, unhappy, bitter rind of a human, one who would give her grandchildren copies of the "Bill O'Reilly Zone for Kids" and the Lynn Cheney-authored whitewash of the American Revolution for Christmas (I'm sure that made Jesus proud, right?). Yeah, it's a great idea to give preteens a children's book that manages to mention a blue dress with semen stains. Fucking sick bullshit, thanks to the demented scumbags at Faux Fucking News.

The conservative movement - best represented by morons like Sarah Palin, evil fucks like Newt "Ideas Are Dangerous" Gingrich, scum-sucking turncoats like Joe "I Give Jews a Bad Name" Lieberman, and their saint Reagan dirtbag - is the new American Nazi party. Ignore this at your own peril.

And it's not that I've got some sort of love for Obama and the Democrats. If you think that the battle in this country is about party politics, religion or race, you're not paying attention. It's about wealth and greed, nothing, and I do mean, NOTHING else. The rest of this is all a distraction, one that works well for a populace that's dangerously ignorant. Call me an elitist - go right ahead. Sadly, my brain still works, I can see and think and understand. Woe is me.

And be happy I've left the show. Now you don't have to hear my opinions about this - and other - topics.

dB

This is the David Biedny I miss and love! Thank you for this no-bullshit-allowed post. On Friday my older sister called me in tears. She had a severe back injury but has been recovering for 2 months. This entailed tons of tests. Well, her doctor called late Friday to tell her that all her insurance claims were DENIED! It appears that after having this private health care coverage for over 20 years with no health issues, THEY DROPPED HER after the first test, but didn't inform her. She she now owes over $10,000 for medical treatment.

Yet we live in a country filled with morons (yes, I guess I am an elitist) who believe every idiotic pro-corporatist lie put out by the speaking monkeys that represent the Republican party on Fox. And their only goal is POWER. They want the power back and will lie and destroy whatever it takes to get it back.

And their loyal minions march on Washington with mispelled signs claiming that Obama is a facist socialist commie nazi. They claim he has raised their taxes when intruth he has lowered taxes on the middle class. This rabble of idiots protests against "government takeover of health care" which translates to simply having a public option as a competitive choice. Fox and the Republicans have worked up their brain-deficient base into a fear based frenzy about death panels, government mad scientists stopping you from getting a pap smear, and other horrors. Yet the reality is what my sister faced on Friday.

I just get sick and tired of the sheep in this country who are led around by a shepherd whose goal is to just use the poor suckers, gain power and wealth, and then let them fight amongst themselves about such issues as whether it is proper to murder an abortion doctor, whether the guy who crashed into the IRS building in Austin is a hero or a misguided fool.

As for states rights? Wickerman1972, I really like you. I do. Nonetheless, again my thought was "how old is this guy?" but you already told me you were 37. Let me tell you my perspective. If we still had states rights above and beyond federal rights, there would still be segregation through out most of the Deep South and Texas. Go on YOU TUBE, watch the videos of the vicious hate filled crowds that would not allow black students to go to public highschools, and how the state troops were used to UPHOLD SEGREGATION until Federal Troops were ordered into the states to enforce integration. I think all but the most hardened "white power" fanatics look back on the actions of their parents and grandparents with great shame. What were they thinking?

We need a national focus beyond the immediate cultural memes and prejudices of each region. Hell, we wouldn't even have a national freeway system (which was created during Eisenhower's term) if Federal power had not trumped states rights to deny the right of a new federal defense oriented freeway system to have eminent domain. You want to still travel across the USA going through every little speed trap and little town? It would take you weeks to get from one coast to the other. But that's states rights for ya!

I could probably go on and on with experiences from REAL LIFE, but why bother? This isn't a political forum. Like David, I am just disgusted at the age of 57 to see how the corporations and top elite (those of tremendous wealth - no not jocks or movie stars, but ancestral secret families that control so much in this country, "robber barrons" to so speak) have taken over, and they use the people (who are too stupid to see what is going on) to support them.

Someone offers the concept of health care for all, and the little people (who would benefit the most from it) march on Washington filled with rage and mispelled signs. Total idiots.

Now, in closing I must say I loath Obama and the Democrats also. Obama campaigned on change and a lot of promises that would have helped the common person. He has reneged on every single one. He is actually a DINO (Democrat in name only). He is really a closet-Republican, against anything that might upset the power elite, the corporations, the military industrial complex. In that sense, we actually have no hope.

So, I just watch the Tea Party-bots marching around, not even able to hold a coherent conversation about their issues with a newsperson who is NOT from Fox News. We see the lowest base xenophobic instincts of each person appealed to by the likes of Glenn Beck and Rush Limbaugh.

By the way, MSNBC is NOT the left equivalent of Fox. MSNBC does not spend every day LIEING to its viewership. ALso MSNBC includes Scarborough and the likes of Chris Matthews, who are both very conservative pro-Bush guys (Matthews also had an orgasm praising Bush for his flight uniform!). MSNBC presents all viewpoints, although its main draws are Rachel Maddow and Keith Olbermann. Frankly, I seldom watch them anymore, since Rachel seems to have drunk the kool-aid on the healthcare bill and supports Obama whereas I think the bill the Senate created (and Obama just re-issued) was written by insurance company lobbyists. Yeah, force Americans to buy insurance from private companies but do NOT control costs or coverage. Yeah, that will fix it!

Meanwhile, my sister and her husband (who live in northern Wisconsin which has close ties to Canada) are looking into moving there and (at this late time in their lives) renouncing US citizenship and becoming Canadian. At least that country has some modicum of community left and has a health care system (even with its many faults) that does not leave an older woman with back problems in a wheelchair uncovered with a $10,000 bill. Thanks predatory American capitalism! I am sure Rush Limbaugh is happy - didn't he the other day say that if you can't afford new teeth, you should just eat applesauce? These right wing people (when you come down to it on a spiritual level) are just low life scum who don't give a damn about anyone but themselves.

Addendum: My sister's option is to spend her life savings down to a poverty level, then apply for Medicaid. That is America's answer! Go bankrupt, then apply for Medicaid, if you can get it. No other western country on the planet has this insanity!

I am sure there are plenty of kneejerk "patriots" on this site who would exhort me to just leave since the USA is so dang perfect. But if I was a young man again, I truly think I would seriously consider immigrating. I visited Australia a couple years ago, and it truly is "god's country". Of course, I am sure global predatory capitalism is on the move there also, with FOX News (acting as the old time missionaries) marching with it.

 

[SheaOlmsford]

@Bob

Things are tough for lots of people right now. I'm out a job at the moment as well. A friend of mine is trying to get me into where he works so hopefully that pans out. If it doesn't I might be screwed.

As far as this health-care thing goes I'd be fine with it so long as it was operated on a state level and not federally. That way states that want it could have it and those that don't wouldn't have it forced down their throats.

And David, I certainly don't want you to die, ha ha. In fact, I'd like to see you come back to the show.

So I assume you also would like Social Security and Medicare and Medicaid to also be on an opt-in or opt-out basis by state? So if you lived in Texas (which seems more right wing than the Taliban at times), you'd get no benefits because "God helps those who help themselves" and "God help the rich, the poor can beg!" But if you lived in California you'd get these benefits.

So, what if your company transferred you from California to Texas? What if you had to move to another state, or are you proposing that we must all be "slaves" to the state we live in, or move to a more sane compassionate state? So there would be mass migrations of people going from the conservative/red states to the blue states to get benefits. Gee, that sounds like a workable system.

What is so fucking great about state's rights? You expect each state to determine whether it gives a damn about its unique environment and ecology? So one state would have strict rules while the state next door is a toxic strip mine? Don't dare tell me that each state would do what is best for its people. Show me where that has been the case? Each state would do what is best for the elite in that state, or a global elite who control the assets of that state.

"States rights" have traditionally been a euphemism for racism, anti-environmentalism, anti-labor laws (in California if you are fired, you have regress. I live in Arizona where you can be fired just for being gay, or having blue eyes, and there is no regress).

Are we a country or just 50 fiefdoms? If you don't want to live under a Federalist System anymore, then leave. I think South America is a good example of the kind of "states rights" you would like - the south american continent is divided into arbitrary "states" with different laws - no overall planning or coordination. Meanwhile, each day the rain forests burn, and military juntas and puppet governments set up by the USA rule. Go down there - see what its like. Honest! Go see! I am not being sarcastic. Since you don't have a job (I also lost my job in 2004 to outsourcing to India and have not found a job since due to my age), go down there. Check out this paradise of state's rights!

 

[SheaOlmsford]

Golly jeepers. Why would anyone have any reason to see you as an elitist?

Well, notwithstanding the five condescending remarks you made in your short non-elitist diatribe, of course.

Bob, I "thanked" you for your subsequent post directed to David, when he called you on the one above.

However, I also wanted to respond directly.

To me, it is the height of political correctness to define any criticism of another person or group of people to be "elitist".

Is it elitist then to criticize Exopolitics? How about Dr. Steven Greer? Anyone else in ufology who may be either a total idiot or a scam artist? Is it condescending to consider their fans (like those who think Dr. Steven Greer walks on water) stupid or at best ill-informed?

Same goes for the political realm. I do think tea party people are stupid and/or at best very ill informed. In interviews they uniformly say they get their news from FOX News. Other media like MEDIA MATTERS tell how often they intentionally lie to people, just to get the people to support corporate goals, e.g., keeping the status quo on a health insurance system that is literally killing people. But these proud red blooded americans are out there protesting any change to that system based on false information. Now, I'm just an average guy, but I have to think these folks have to be pretty stupid to be taken in by this propaganda.

Anyway, my point is not to get into politics again, but to say that your remarks seemed disingenuous to me. Since when is it elitist to call a stupid person stupid? Is this Animal Farm where all animals are equal (yet everyone knew that some animals are more equal than others?).

Is it elitist for Gene to have a Hall of Shame or a Hall of Fame, or even this thread about who is most annoying in ufology? Hell, if everything we do here is now considered elitist, Gene might as well close down the show and the website, or just do ass kissing interviews like George Snoory does every night.

Yes, I probably went over the top by saying his call-ins seem too stupid to dial a phone number. But have you listened to them? Have you? I started listening to Art Bell in 1994. He built up a huge fan base that included a hell of a lot of smart people who were interested in the paranormal. This even evolved into Art Bell Chat clubs that met in cities across the country, even sponsoring talks by people who Art had interviewed. I truly think most of those people are long gone from Coast to Coast. It has been so dumbed down. Perhaps unless you've listened to it since 1994 you just don't realize that. The caliber of the person calling in now is so low in comparison to how it was in the "golden age". Face it! The people who think George Snoory is the wisest most brilliant talk show host they've ever heard are either stupid or ill-informed. Take your choice.

Today I had to call CAREMARK to renew a blood pressure medication. This is supposed to be a very simple process, but they screwed it up so much that it took me 10 minutes. I did my best to remain calm, but I have to admit my mind was thinking "What a bunch of morons! This is what I pay hundreds of dollars for each month in premiums?" Sorry, I realize that is an elitist thought, but until the thought police come in a big van to cart me away, I will feel free to think such thoughts.

Dave Biedny has been a refreshing voice for me on many topics. He is my hero and heartthrob (well, not really my heartthrob.....). I don't think it is healthy to be an angry human, so I encourage Dave to stop, or it could kill him literally. The human body was not made to be in a state of anger all the time. It kills you, while what you were angry about just continues onward blithly and blinding, with adoring applause of all its minions. Final amusing picture: at a tea party protest there was a woman holding a sign encouraging everyone to take their kids out of public schools and private school them. The sign read "Private Skol Your Kids". I kid you not! You can't make this stuff up! I realize I am an elitist to point out how stupid she is (can't even spell basic words right but presumes to think she is giving her kids a better education than public education).

 

[bobheck]

bob, i "thanked" you for your subsequent post directed to david, when he called you on the one above.

However, i also wanted to respond directly.

To me, it is the height of political correctness to define any criticism of another person or group of people to be "elitist".

Is it elitist then to criticize exopolitics? How about dr. Steven greer? Anyone else in ufology who may be either a total idiot or a scam artist? Is it condescending to consider their fans (like those who think dr. Steven greer walks on water) stupid or at best ill-informed?

Same goes for the political realm. I do think tea party people are stupid and/or at best very ill informed. In interviews they uniformly say they get their news from fox news. Other media like media matters tell how often they intentionally lie to people, just to get the people to support corporate goals, e.g., keeping the status quo on a health insurance system that is literally killing people. But these proud red blooded americans are out there protesting any change to that system based on false information. Now, i'm just an average guy, but i have to think these folks have to be pretty stupid to be taken in by this propaganda.

Anyway, my point is not to get into politics again, but to say that your remarks seemed disingenuous to me. Since when is it elitist to call a stupid person stupid? Is this animal farm where all animals are equal (yet everyone knew that some animals are more equal than others?).

Is it elitist for gene to have a hall of shame or a hall of fame, or even this thread about who is most annoying in ufology? Hell, if everything we do here is now considered elitist, gene might as well close down the show and the website, or just do ass kissing interviews like george snoory does every night.

Yes, i probably went over the top by saying his call-ins seem too stupid to dial a phone number. But have you listened to them? Have you? I started listening to art bell in 1994. He built up a huge fan base that included a hell of a lot of smart people who were interested in the paranormal. This even evolved into art bell chat clubs that met in cities across the country, even sponsoring talks by people who art had interviewed. I truly think most of those people are long gone from coast to coast. It has been so dumbed down. Perhaps unless you've listened to it since 1994 you just don't realize that. The caliber of the person calling in now is so low in comparison to how it was in the "golden age". Face it! The people who think george snoory is the wisest most brilliant talk show host they've ever heard are either stupid or ill-informed. Take your choice.

Today i had to call caremark to renew a blood pressure medication. This is supposed to be a very simple process, but they screwed it up so much that it took me 10 minutes. I did my best to remain calm, but i have to admit my mind was thinking "what a bunch of morons! This is what i pay hundreds of dollars for each month in premiums?" sorry, i realize that is an elitist thought, but until the thought police come in a big van to cart me away, i will feel free to think such thoughts.

Dave biedny has been a refreshing voice for me on many topics. He is my hero and heartthrob (well, not really my heartthrob.....). I don't think it is healthy to be an angry human, so i encourage dave to stop, or it could kill him literally. The human body was not made to be in a state of anger all the time. It kills you, while what you were angry about just continues onward blithly and blinding, with adoring applause of all its minions. Final amusing picture: At a tea party protest there was a woman holding a sign encouraging everyone to take their kids out of public schools and private school them. The sign read "private skol your kids". I kid you not! You can't make this stuff up! I realize i am an elitist to point out how stupid she is (can't even spell basic words right but presumes to think she is giving her kids a better education than public education).

------------------------------------
ok

 

[ALPHA ROMEO UNIFORM]

Ufology its self , as it like a prostitute stockings up and down all the time

 

[Tom From Hong Kong]

Three quick observations:

1. Snoory: there is a website called CoastGab on which the participants do practically nothing but bemoan this guy's lack of talent and how he has destroyed the show. This view seems to be almost universal in the paranormal community, as far as I can tell. If the listeners want change, they will need to start a campaign en masse directed towards C2C's corporate parent. I have looked for a contact to send an e-mail but have't been able to find any (anyone have any ideas?). ArtBell wasn't perfect, but he certainly was entertaining and talented, and built that program to what is was. I am like others: I can't stomach the show any longer save for George Knapp.

2. Big corporations, politicians & the American people: I actually don't think the American people are as downright stupid as people often claim ( . . . with some notable exceptions), although we would all benefit by exercising our power of critical thought more often (and we need to have the courage to educate our young people to think critically). What is very scary is the ability of an individual or organization with sufficient money and an army of marketing professionals to create the reality they want to see in the minds of common citizens using the mass media (witness the election and re-election of George Bush, as well as Iraq). However, it does takes an exceptional individual to be a non-conformist, despite what they see on T.V. and what all their friends & family believe (cf. intelligence v willingness to subject oneself to social stigma). Competing (but baseline credible) political candidates in the U.S. need to be given sufficient access to the media early in the process to get their message out to the voters and develop momentum in their campaigns. The solution is not less speech, but more speech, in the political arena. Regarding consumerism and big business, people need to start making choices to walk away from corporations and their products they do not agree with -- and this may mean less choice for them in the near term or paying for more expensive alternatives (e.g., Walmart).

3. Pay for teachers v. athletes: we get what we ask for and how we vote with our dollars, bottom line. This is truly unfortunate. I think it would be good for every American to live overseas, particularly emerging markets, for a good period of time to see how others live -- this may help to change some of this behavior and to put priorities in context ( I recognize this isn't going to happen, but you know what I mean . . . ).

Sorry for my opinions, but I wanted to weigh in.

 

[bobheck]

"States rights" have traditionally been a euphemism for racism, anti-environmentalism, anti-labor laws

If we truly have "states rights" then let each state vote on whether to be subject to federal income tax. See how long that lasts.

We are a federal republic to be sure. And I used to be a huge states rights fanatic. But, the larger a country grows, and the more advanced travel is and the fact that with the internet business transactions cross all kinds of states lines every second, federal control of a lot of things just makes sense.

Case in point, many states have a state income tax in addition to the federal income tax. For the average Joe that is no big deal. But take a professional football player that makes $20,000,000 in a year. Say he lives in TX, which has no state income tax. beautiful, right? But wait. He plays 16 games. Eight of them are in TX. He plays two away games in CA, and say CA state income tax is based on where you earned the money, rather than where you live. So now that guy has to figure out what portion of 20 million did he make in those games in CA. Was it based on hours played? per game? What about the games he plays in NY? How do that state's tax rules apply? What a fricking mess. Under a federal system, the rules are the same for all states. That is one example of how a federal system makes things easier.

Now, the states rights supporters will come back and say that the U.S. was based on a union of strong states under a weak federal government, and states rule. Well, bullshit. That doesn't work anymore. Like I said, try to have a state opt out of the federal income tax, or Medicare. And, one of the very reasons you can't get good competing rates on a large scale on health insurance is because each insurance company has to set up different offices in every state they want to sell insurance in and have a whole HQ that deals with that particlular state's rules and regulations. How much more efficient it would be if the insurance company had to deal with only one set of rules and regulations instead of 50 and could quote prices across state lines.

 

[SheaOlmsford]

If we truly have "states rights" then let each state vote on whether to be subject to federal income tax. See how long that lasts.

We are a federal republic to be sure. And I used to be a huge states rights fanatic. But, the larger a country grows, and the more advanced travel is and the fact that with the internet business transactions cross all kinds of states lines every second, federal control of a lot of things just makes sense.

Case in point, many states have a state income tax in addition to the federal income tax. For the average Joe that is no big deal. But take a professional football player that makes $20,000,000 in a year. Say he lives in TX, which has no state income tax. beautiful, right? But wait. He plays 16 games. Eight of them are in TX. He plays two away games in CA, and say CA state income tax is based on where you earned the money, rather than where you live. So now that guy has to figure out what portion of 20 million did he make in those games in CA. Was it based on hours played? per game? What about the games he plays in NY? How do that state's tax rules apply? What a fricking mess. Under a federal system, the rules are the same for all states. That is one example of how a federal system makes things easier.

Now, the states rights supporters will come back and say that the U.S. was based on a union of strong states under a weak federal government, and states rule. Well, bullshit. That doesn't work anymore. Like I said, try to have a state opt out of the federal income tax, or Medicare. And, one of the very reasons you can't get good competing rates on a large scale on health insurance is because each insurance company has to set up different offices in every state they want to sell insurance in and have a whole HQ that deals with that particlular state's rules and regulations. How much more efficient it would be if the insurance company had to deal with only one set of rules and regulations instead of 50 and could quote prices across state lines.

Thanks for your post. Fascinating ramifications I had never thought about, although I experienced a bit of this when I became a refugee from California (my home for 35 years). When my job was outsourced, I could no longer afford to pay my mortgage in California, and even get groceries or gas because prices there are so high. So I was compelled to leave and move to Arizona (ugh! But that's another story. My heart will always be "home" in California no matter where by body is - all my dreams still take place back in California). But my point is that the year I came to Arizona I had to do 2 state tax returns, and the differences in the rules were so arbitrary and complex that I had to give up and get an expert in California AND an expert in Arizona to ensure I did both returns properly. Drove me nuts.

STATES RIGHTS enthusiasts will go back to sleep once Obama is out of the White House and the threat of progressive social or financial change is gone.

 

[marmer]

I think one of the biggest reasons you see a state income tax in some states is the statutory limitation of property taxes. Here in Houston, there is no state income tax and no property tax limitation. There is a comparatively low sales tax and generally affordable real estate. What that means in real terms is that many neighborhoods see dramatic increases in land value and fixed-income people can't pay their property taxes. It's called by the tongue-in-cheek term "gentrification by taxation." In some extreme cases people have been forced out of houses for which they paid off the mortgage twenty years ago or more. I am aware of several such instances in several areas of the city. Free-market-at-all-costs devotees like to point out that the dirt value way exceeds the value of the house, and those people will make a ton of money when they sell. Of course, what it really means is that elderly retired people have to go through the difficult process of selling and moving and trying to find somewhere else to live at today's prices and for most of them the "profit" on paper is nowhere near worth the dislocation. It's almost enough to make you want a state income tax or something.