The world is fucking nuts.

[Jackpine Radical]

We're in the middle of a wildly unpopular war, and Democratic majorities in Congress can't get it together to end it. They're afraid that by doing the will of a large majority of Americans, they'll sink their political careers.

The Speaker of the House turns out to have been complicit in approving torture, and appears to have taken impeachment "off the table" to cover up her own guilty knowledge.

There is a wave of mass shootings alluva sudden, like some weird brain virus is at large, triggering homicidal impulses.

The economy is looking like the Hindenburg just before the fire. Everybody knows it's about to crash and burn, and are watching it happen in sick fascination.

Global warming is picking up speed.

And the most burning issue for some people is whether MallWart's ads say "Merry Christmas."


There are times when it all feels like too much, and I wanna go bury my head in the sand. Tonight is one of those times. I think it would be a good idea for me to get off this board for a while, off the Net entirely, and go read a stupid novel.

[JanMichael]

1. Man the barricades. Seriously there must be a better way...

...to run Humanity.

Exploitation, greed, poverty, and a bunch of rich shits enjoying the ride off the cliff...

[BuyingThyme]

2. I have a suggestion for you:

It worked for me.

Put on an old t-shirt, buy the biggest pomegranate you can find, go to your favorite outdoors hiding place, and eat that pomegranate like you did when you were a little kid.

[Jackpine Radical]

10. My favorite outdoor hiding place is -5 and covered with snow.

Other than that it sounds like a wonderful idea, if I can find a pomegranate somewhere.

[BuyingThyme]

11. If you eat that pomegranate in the snow, there will likely be an investigation.

Better head for the basement.

[halobeam]

63. I heard the latest trend in investigations was to investigate yourself... no need for the basement!

[Javaman]

64. Just the other day, I turned myself in for suspicious activity...

I can't live with myself sometimes!

[Mythsaje]

3. Read a stupid novel.

I recommend one of mine, if it's escapism you desire.

;)

[Jackpine Radical]

34. Not a bad idea.

I've been meaning to have a look at your work one of these days.

[piedmont]

4. Memorize a good book for us. We'll need them later. nt

[Jackpine Radical]

9. Ainnit the truth!

This is not a good time of year for us Pagan Pastafarian Buddhists. It's hard to keep up the Jul spirit when you're surrounded by raving lunatics.

[proud patriot]

5. "if there's a new way I'll be the first in line"

"but it had better work this time " Dave Mustane

[Mythsaje]

42. Peace Sells--but who's buying? n/t

[FloridaJudy]

6. Eat a pomegranate

While reading a stupid novel.

Works for me.

[MrMickeysMom]

44. Like OJ Simpson's "If I did it"?

Then, for sure, don't leave your novel and pomegranate in the snow.

[Kazak]

51. Easier said than done...

:shrug:

[Strelnikov_]

7. And the spiking energy costs (peak oil/natural gas) will kick the legs out

from what is left of the economy.

That is why we need a plan, a vision, to counter the 'Shock Doctrine'. We need to be able to offer a vision of another way.

[BleedingHeartPatriot]

14. Exactly.

There is much that must and can be done.

MKJ

[TahitiNut]

8. The world should be so lucky.

Using the word 'nuts' as an epithet, as though it's a Bad Thing™, is insensitive to the keen feelings and heightened sensibilities of some good folks, many of whom are DUers. I'm a loud and proud Nut!

:silly: :dunce:

* This is a public service posting on behalf of the International Association of Fruits & Nuts, Ad Hoc DU Chapter.


My apologies to possible dissent from 1plain1peanut, AcadamiaNut, aquanut, B3Nut, blackwalnut, bozosleftnut, bulugnut, butternut, Canadiangunnut, Carnut, CA_liberal_nut, conspiracy-nut, darlademnut, donut, econut, elvisthenut, fordnut, gaygunnut, GnomesLeftNut, graphixnut, hazelnut, HealthNut, Historynut, Jacknut, JaneDoughnut, konominut, leftwingnut, LeftyWingNut, Lefty_WingNut, Letters From A Nut, liberalgunnut, lilpnut, Lugnut, MilsurpNut, monolithic_juggernut, Mr Peanut, Mr. Peanut, mrpeanut, numinut, Nutboy, nutcase, nutgrass, nuthatch, Nutmeg, NutMeg021576, Nutmeg1576, Nutmeg61, Nutmegger, NutmegJenny, NutmegYankee, Nutniks, nuton2wheels, nutone, Nuts, nuts101, nutsco101, NutterFluffer, NuttinBut, NuttyFluffers, nuttywoody, oaknut, Opera Nut, ornanut, peanut, peanut57, peanutz, PoliSciNut, PolitiNut, PublicHealthNut, publichealthnut1, Racenut20, somenut, Soynut, spacenut, superbeachnut, the wingnuttiest, tofunut, videonut, weenut1, Wingnut19, Wingnutblogger, Wingnutsawry, wwwalnut, and yoganut.

[Jackpine Radical]

13. Aw Jeez I gone and got Politically Incorrect again.

My apologies to the nut faction.

Can I maybe say "dangerously psychotic" without digging myself in deeper? Or will I then end up apologizing to all the dangerous psychotics?

[Rex]

23. No, never apologize to a dangerous psychotic.

Take it from me, another nut.

[TahitiNut]

24. Well, I'm sure the jack pine nuts will get even later this month.

:silly:

(I myself use the term "psychopath" to refer to those with DSM-IV Axis-II - not effectively treatable - disorders that pose a danger to others.)

[Jackpine Radical]

29. I follow Hare on that one, and consider psychopaths to be a hard-core subset

of Antisocial Personality Disorders. Beyond that, my opinions are too complicated and long-winded for a post here, since I'm pretty much a full-time forensic psychologist.

[TahitiNut]

45. Check. I tend to be Hare-brained, too.

That's probably because I've met and worked around so many TRUE corporate (CEO) psychopaths that top out the PCL-R.

[Jackpine Radical]

49. I've often mused on the fact that we don't have a really good instrument

for measuring executive psychopathy. IIRC the PCL-R & its variants are pretty much aimed at street criminals. Number & type of arrests, conduct in prison, supervision failures, etc. I think Ken Lay would skate on it. (I'm too lazy to go dig it out of my file to see about that & I haven't used it in several years; it's really cumbersome & time-consuming.) We need something that picks up the moral pathology of white-collar criminals.

[TahitiNut]

53. Yep. Factor 2 is, imho, not evident in the same ways.

I saw long ago that Dale Carnegie was, in effect, a course in STEALTH psychopathy. Indeed, the nomination of Harvard's MBA summer program as "charm school" is eerily suggestive that we're actually training pathological narcissists to evade empirical identification. It is consistent with the authoritarian organization that formest criterion for promotion is "is he like me?" - and psychopaths therefore act to nurture and concentrate such people at the senior levels.

After over thirty years working in frequent contact with such senior and exective management in several Fortune 100 corporations, I can't overstate how severe this condition has become. Too many seem to think such warnings are more Chicken Little than Paul Revere ... to our increasing danger.

[Swamp Rat]

56. Frogs in a pot

we are.

[Sugar Smack]

60. That has GOT to be your BEST WORK EVER!

WOW! It's exactly right. I'm stunned!:wow: :applause: :yourock: :applause: :loveya:

[Jackpine Radical]

62. I'm honored that you should grace my humble thread with this masterpiece.

Brilliant, Rat.

[proud patriot]

15. I had forgotten about the IAFN DU chapter

:hug:

[terisan]

12. I don't think Pelosi waterboarded people or participated in torture plans with Bush administration.

But you are right about everything else. So go read a stupid novel, keep faith in us, and remember that the worst thing that can happen is that we all die sooner than we would otherwise.

[Jackpine Radical]

16. Oh, well, to get serious for a second,

That's not what I accused Nancy of. More like being told about plans for a crime and doing nothing about it. She can't even argue being sworn to secrecy as an excuse, because security clearances don't extend to covering up knowledge of a crime.

[terisan]

27. I think it is good for Sheehan to run against her, There are also other Dems (who I think

have been keeping secrets) that I would like to see challenged directly.

[Jackpine Radical]

30. Sheehan should be running as a Dem in the primary, though.

[Subdivisions]

17. You forgot about declining oil production and

the overall energy situation that is already causing horrible consequences in the poorest countries and inflation at home.

[Jackpine Radical]

19. No I didn't.

I just got tired of typing.
Do you realize how long that list would have gotten if I had tried to be exhaustive?

[EFerrari]

18. I've been recording reruns of MASH to remind myself that we've

been here before.

:hi:

[Jackpine Radical]

21. I've been rerunning my flashbacks from Vietnam for the same reason.

I already have them recorded. Cerebrally.

[depakid]

20. That should read "America is fucking nuts."

Having been out of the country for 8 days running, I can thankfully assure you all that Australia at least is still quite sane... and relieved at changing course.

[Jackpine Radical]

28. 8 days is a long time to run.

You're no doubt right, but I was doing a subjective report & Mrka is what I'm mostly hearing from. Anyway, it doesn't matter much if the rest of the world is sane. Our craziness is enough to sink the species.

[depakid]

37. Almost as long as the Qantas flight!

and as it usually is, looking back at 'murika through other lenses makes it seem ever more insane than it is when you're immersed in it.

You can actually turn on the radio or TV here and get news (and analysis) as opposed to "news" and "commentary."

Gotta tell you, it's extremely cool- and it shows us what things could be like.

[Ripley]

22. A gift for Jackpine:

(Santa? I want one too.)

[Jackpine Radical]

31. Much appreciated.

[Ripley]

36. The world

is less fucking nuts when we have gifts to give..and share..

[mmonk]

25. I don't know if it's fear of losing their careers.

Whatever the reason, since we're the victims, I think we're entitled to an answer.

[Synnical]

26. I recommend any novel by Asimov

Gives one hope for the future.

I really do feel your pain.

-Cindy in Fort Lauderdale

[Jackpine Radical]

32. I've read most of his stuff.

I was an SF addict for many years.

[Rex]

33. Try Ben Bova.

[Jackpine Radical]

35. I haven't read any of his more recent stuff.

Subscribed to Analog for years, BTW.

[Rex]

38. I haven't read anything recent of his either.

Loved the Orion series. Hmm, how about fantasy? Ever read Piers Anthony?

[Jackpine Radical]

39. Yes, I used to like his work.

Avram Davidson springs to mind too. I loved the literacy and the wit.

[Rex]

40. How about David Eddings?

The Steven King of fantasy novels IMO.

[Jackpine Radical]

43. Somehow, Eddings required more patience than I was willing to expend.

[Rex]

46. Sometimes I like getting engrossed in a book in order to

escape the reality we see everyday. J hear ya, I see my patience eroding every day. :(

[Cronopio]

41. Your mileage may vary, but I've found Vonnegut the perfect tonic in those moods.

He could stare evil in the face, call it by name, and still laugh at it. A wonderful, humane man and a masterful writer.

Joseph Heller is another good one. speaking of sci-fi, Arthur C. Clarke (Childhood's End) for perspective, or Olaf Stapledon if you want PERSPECTIVE (philsophical writings and Last and First Men).

For movies - 2001: A Space Odyssey, especially the last fifteen minutes.

[Jackpine Radical]

47. The only thing of Heller's I was able to read was Catch-22.

I read it years before going to Vietnam & thought it was brilliant satire. I read it the summer after I got back & realized it wasn't satire at all.

Vonnegut was brilliant. Clarke I read most of at one time or another, and Stapledon read in high school (in about 1960; migod I'm OLD!) Interesting suggestions all.

But what I think I need just now is a REALLY stupid novel. Maybe a Western or something.

Actually, I'm reading a James Doss mystery. He has such wonderful, eccentric characters.

[Cronopio]

58. Stupid novels? Jeez, take your pick.

I don't read many of them, so I'm not exactly a reliable reference, but I'm sure a little L. Ron Hubbard will shut off the dendrites nicely.

[Ishoutandscream2]

48. I picked up and read some of McCullough's biography on Truman

Hadn't looked at it since the 2004 election when I felt like going to a tall building and jumping off...

I know it's political, but reading again about the events of the 1948 election gave me renewed hope. I looked through it again tonight, and I felt a bit better.

[Jackpine Radical]

50. Interesting idea. I don't know the book.

[Ferretherder]

52. Ok. I'm with ya' on the whole....

....'is it just me, or is just about, oh I don't know, half of all living human beings that are bat-shit crazy?' thing, but....am I supposed to eat a stupid novel AND attempt to read a pomegranate....all in the snow at -5 degrees?....

...or just try to find some old reruns of 'Captain Kangaroo' to cry over?

I'm so confused.

[scarletwoman]

54. Not sure how that is anatomically possible... (nt)

[Jackpine Radical]

65. Well...Ahem. Technically and literally speaking, I suppose you're right.

[lutefisk]

55. Maybe the G. W. Bush "Reverse-Midas-Touch" reverses itself...

..once the little monster has moved on to a new project? I'd say his work on America is just about complete.

[OneBlueSky]

57. three simple facts to remember . . .

1) Congress has the sole authority to declare war -- and they haven't.

2) Congress controls the purse strings, and can de-fund this illegal and immoral war at any time -- and they haven't.

3) Congress is bound by their oaths of office to uphold the Constitution, including impeaching for "high crimes and misdemeanors" -- and they haven't.

worried about their elections? . . . they should be a hell of a lot more worried for NOT acting, i.e. not fulfilling their Constitutional obligations . . .

[Jackpine Radical]

59. There you go

talking sanity again.

[PassingFair]

61. Try this: The World Today's Gone Absolutely Crackers!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=04QoA44c23A