Steve

http://thefreethoughtproject.com/17-year-old-girl-hospitalized-beaten-arrested-10-p-m-curfew-violation/

http://www.globetoday.com/one-of-the-most-beautiful-accurate-and-true-cartoons-ever-a-masterpiece/

Gotta give that prick Mourinho's Chelsea the nod as favorites. They have bought big. Not much difference between them and CIty aand nd he's a better tactician than Pelligrini. Arsenal have bought well so far but wait to see if Khedira can be added if not him another dcm. Still think we need a striker but we probably won't buy one. Can Man Utd get to top 4? Not sure. Depends if Arsenal continue to play decent and if Liverpool can replace Suarez's impact and push on. Can't see anyone getting between City and Chelsea but you never know.

https://www.facebook.com/#!/photo.php?v=794648467222028&fref=nf

On one of progressive websites i go to from time to time the current israeli~Gaza conflict was being discussed and this was posted. Shocked me. Maybe BB has an opinion. Maybe others. http://www.veteranstoday.com/2014/01/11/burying-sharon/

http://thefreethoughtproject.com/q-cops-illegally-disarm-man-open-carrying/

The forums and blogs say its fairly difficult for the average Chinese gil to get a husband. Which does jibe with their scarcity? Even Chinese say its a "buyers" market for guys in China. Seems strange. Anyway as long as I have an easy time

I hear of this gender imbalance but blogs and forums of westerners living in China say how easy it is to get a Chinese girlfriend. How women find it hard to get a husband and if they are not on the road to marrisge by 25 or 26 they risk never getting married at all at 30. I assume its not poor country Chinese farmers buying these brides or is it?

I went to PP in 2006 and I pisted at the time I and a friend who grew up in the Watts section of south LA also felt as if we were back in the inner city and had this sense we needed to be fully aware of our surroundings. Its the kind if thing city kids develop from childhood. We stayed in the touristy areas. Only used a few motorbike guys we trusted. Others felt it was an ok place but the "vibe" bothered me. Sad. I had a friend die there but it was his own doing. Doing drugs. Involved in the under belly of the society.

While in America Tea Partyers blaming Obama some how. Tragic. Countries have the technology to know the difference between civilian and military and can communicate with planes as well. A group with no training, expertise or technology and equipment to distinguish friend from foe was/is a disaster waiting happen. This is so sad and so avoidable. If this does not get world governments to act in unison and one voice to get to a solution and take proper actions nothing will.

I have a question, not saying it be sarcastic or whatever, but I know HIllary stirs up a lot of emotion. I remember her during the debates with Obama. They basically mirrored each other including healthcare. What specifically from a policy, ideological view that makes her not a good candidate for the Presidency? I think she would be farther left than Obama, but nto sure how far. Obama actually does some very centrist and even right of center (drone strikes, etc.) things. He is no liberal. Gay marriage can be seen as liberal but its a libertarian view to some respect and really the trend is going that way anyway. It was a matter of when not if in the future. He just cut down the time. I'm trying to think of any policies that Hillary would have that I would be vehemtally against. I don't know enough about climate control rules to be against it which may be a big bone of contention for some. I think she'd be more in the Gore camp. Save that, I'm not sure how liberal she really would be. I know one though. The Republicans in their present state will not work with her. She will be almost as hated as Obama.

I mentioned this a few times before but several years ago, they asked the security chief at Tel Aviv airport about the TSA and America's system at the airport. Israel are bar none the biggest experts on airport security for obvious reasons. The guy said all that TSA stuff is basically fluff for the public to make it seem they are actively fighting terrorism. He said, they have well trained people who basically profile people. The old white woman from Iowa visiting her grand kids on NYC is not worth it. That what the TSA are actually doing is a waste of time and takes eyes and manpower away from the real threats. Also, you stop things BEFORE they even arrive at the airport with surveilance of real threats. Basically we are going about it ass backwards.

https://www.facebook.com/#!/photo.php?v=278078495710038&set=vb.218142961703592&type=2&theater

LOL..those speaking fees to people who have nothing of any real importance to say are for one of a few reasons. That 75k speaking fee may bring in twice that in contributions, etc. for some organization. Do you know how much they charge a plate at those things? Its also a prestige thing. "See, we're so important we got Chelsea Clinton to speak here'. Again, it draws money. A charity that can get Chelsea there for 75k, will have millionaires there awho can write 10k, 20k or more checks. So you have a ballroom full of millionaires, pay Chelsea the 75k another several thousand for the ballroom, and expenses and you can make a lot more on the back end with all those people writing checks. If its a company, its a tax write off. Daddy Bill, speaks at your Fortune 500 annual meeting for 200k, you write that off. Foreign companies or goverments gets a former President to speak, its huge face. Especially in Asia. Toyota has Bill over and they can milk that. They invite their suppliers, banks, etc. to the speech and guess who gets a better deal or keeps their deal over rival Honda?

Today, lets tackle healthcare. Since we all have spent some time in different countries we know firsthand just mindbogglingly expensive health care is in America. We were/are the ONLY major industrialized nation that doesn't have natiional healthcare. Now, that in of itself is not a bad thing. We are the only major industrialized nation that some enviable things as well. We have (or used) to have more freedom than anyone in the G8 for example. Anyway, okay, Obamacare may not be your thing. I get that. My issue with those against it is what is the alternative? There were no alternative. With 2/3 of all personal bankruptcies attributed to the inability to pay medical bills, we have label the issue a dire national concern. Why is it expensive? Lack of competition, pure and simple. In fact, if we did what other countries like Germany does and buy on scale we'd have ended up with much lower costs than any other nation because we could would have a greater buying power to get meds and medical care cheaper than anyo other nation. The opposition to Obamacare to the politicians is really about doing what the health care industry (big pharma, HMOs, AMA, nurses unions, etc.) wants because they gave so much money to their campaign coffers. If it was truly on ideological grounds. I'd respect it. I may not agree with all of it but I'd respect it. However, its really about two things. First, the health care lobby money and a secondary one is not giving Obama any big wins or a win that would give him a legacy i.e. Johnson and Civil Rights, Truman and integrating the military, etc. http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/to-your-health/wp/2014/06/16/once-again-u-s-has-most-expensive-least-effective-health-care-system-in-survey/

This guy was arrested for falling asleep on the NYC subway. He's tired from work fell asleep and arrested for taking up two spaces. Cops are so out of control these days. http://www.christianpost.com/news/nypd-brutally-arrests-man-for-sleeping-on-way-from-work-on-nearly-empty-train-says-he-was-occupying-more-than-one-seat-122745/

Detroit water bill crisis..a bit of disinformation going on it seems https://www.facebook.com/#!/photo.php?v=911853302164256&set=o.195015737219607&type=2&theater

Heard about this a while back. There's been a slew of small town politicians, etc. making all kinds of statements. In this electronic age it gets out. 20 years ago, we'd never hear of it. The every day Joe has and its accepted that they will use any kind of rhetoric with regards to the President. The 'throw the bum out of office' mantra is time eternal. What seems to have been unprecedented are elected officials, etc. making disparaging remarks up to racial attacks. Its always been a tradition that there is a line with regards to President and respecting the office if not the man and there has been a number of incidents that have been unprecedented. I wrote a post about it a while back from a commentator I heard once. Basically one of the 'perks' of being President is that you pretty much get to yell at folks and they take it. Its said Johnson would use every 4 letter word imaginabble. The president yells, you take it. You don't yell back. You go home kick the dog, beat the wife, but you take it. The Arizona governor who stuck her finger in Obama's face is totally unprecedented. Obama wasn't even yelling at her, just voiced his annoyance over something she said. Her actions were way over the line in terms of respecting the office. Also, if the President's office calls you drop whatever it is, meeting, phone call, everything and take the call. Who ever you are meeting certainly understands you never keep the president waiting. Its been rumored that there are Republican congressmen who have told his office they'll get back to him as they are busy. Its simply not done. Its totally against protocol. Same with the congressman that yelled liar at the state of the union address. Its unthinkable. There were supposed to be a group of them doing it. No other president has had his office disrespected so blatantly. Not even Nixon during impeachment hearings. His office would call and survey members about impeachment and his calls were accepted promptly and he was addressed as mr. president. They respected the office if not the person. THe military teaches yout that. You salute the rank if not the person. I am no big fan of Bush but during the election, I thought it was very unfair that he was labled dumb for not knowing the head of some small former soviet block nation. I guarantee you, Clinton or Gore didn't know either. He and Gore got into Yale as the sons of former senators. However, no matter how you got in, staying in is something the vast majority of Americans couldn't do. My guess is Obama used his other passport, the one from is stepfather, the indonesian. In those days he associated with the international students. Not a crime in context as people use any and all manner of advantages to get into Harvard. Many claiming native american blood, or latino, or whatever. He does have book smarts though. One can't be Harvard Law Review unless you truly are the top student. No affirmative action, no points for being a woman, handicap, etc. Its a complete blind review and its all academic. He earned that and its regarded as the top law student in the country and the editor of the review names his job. Clinton was a very smart one as well. Rhodes scholar. For me, a good president doesn't have to be the smartest one in the room. You do need to be smart but integrity, instinct, ethic/moral fiber, strength, incredible mental/emotional strength from the myriad of things that are thrown at you simultaneously is what is needed. As far as cops. Its gotten way, way out of hand as I said in an earlier post. They are now going after anyone literally. Soccer moms, coeds, anyone.

5 Dirty Secrets About The U.S. Economy http://blogs.hbr.org/2014/05/5-dirty-secrets-about-the-u-s-economy/

Cheney is scary. Really. What I find most objectionable are ANY news medium that asks for and tells his opinion. My question is why is Cheney's view on ANYTHING worth listening to? Really. The guy is so toxic not even his own party will touch him with a 10 foot pole. The guy is completely unapologetic about anything. His opinions I have no care for but again, why would anyone ask for his? That's who I question when I hear/read 'Cheny says.....'

I remember sometimes if women were stopped they'd chew out a cop for writing them a ticket. This happene in the burbs where I went to HS. Girls get away with a lot just by being women. Especially cute ones. Cute girls would be pissed off if a cop dared right them a ticket. 'I'm cute, i don't get tickets'...haha..that was the attitude. Nowadays that same cute girl stands a good chance of being manhandles and charged with resisting arrest. Google or youtube 'police abuse woman' or 'police abuse the elderly' or even kids. its across the country. I don't know what happened. Its been across the board increasingly since 911. Also I think the quality of cops have gone down. It used to be tough as hell. You took a barrage of mental and psychological tests. They weeded out the guys who wanted to become cops for the power kick. They hired a lot of vets because they were disciplned. Now, standards are lowered, cops who wouldn't have gotten into the academy because they ticked off too many of the boxes on the psychological exams that suggested they loved using power are now on the force.

There are a ton of videos on youtube of cops harrassing/abusing all manner of people. Soccer moms, college coeds, old people, etc. police from all over the country abusing all manner of people from every walk of life. The police are now seen by mainstream America as the enemy to some extent. I've posted a few on here. What happened from the police you grew up hearing was here to serve and protect? Well, I think it got worse after 911. Law enforcement got a green light. The blue shield is in effect and police departments are closing ranks unless its just too egregiuos. I also think the quality of officers has gone down a lot. It used to be the only time we heard of police abuse was in the inner city to minorities. We didn't think much of it because of the high crime rate. Suburban cops or cops in predominantly white areas never abused the community. Nowadays its everywhere. No one is immune and I mean NO ONE. Do a search in youtube or on the net, its large urban police departments as well as Poduunk, Iowa. Its bad. It was always bad when I grew up. The cops treated everyone bad. I had an old school baptist deacon dad who he if ever heard I spoke to any adult in any disrespectful tone it was my ass on a sling. I was told to look you in the eye when I spoke to you if you were an adult and use a tone that resonted respect for your person. I said Mr. Officer to cops. I can tell you my brothers, friends and I have been >>this close << on a few occasions to either being arrested or physically abused. Once when lost I went to a cop and said 'excuse me officer, I'm trying to find the blue line'. I was in a rich part of Philly. He asked what I was doing there. I said I was lost. He pulls out his cuffs and I said 'Officer I was asking YOU for help' it dawned on him and it made him angrier and told me to put my hans on the wall. Luckily this woman (white) overheard the whole thing and got into his ass. In LA, I was threatened more than a few times by either LAPD or LA sherriffs and this was when I was wearing a shirt and tie to work and sometimes stopped in said shirt and tie. The reason why Rodney King riots happened was because for years we were saying it happened and when it was caught on camera it was ignored. Rodney King wasn't the best example...lol..but the riots were basically Blacks in south Central saying 'no one cares'. Not true but it was the prevailing sentiment. Now its happening to everyone. Its happening at the airports with TSA people who are harrassing everyone, from all walks of life. America has truly become a police state and the court system seems to be in on the bad joke because if you notice there aren't many successsful lawsuits of these even if you have the video. Recently police have been confiscating recordings at the scene. Not their property from a bystander and the courts are now backing them up. just a smidgen...these are all kinds of folks all over the country, large and small towns. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zEH4ZVMSLOk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0XNpEFLrjp0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8fh4VmeuTw