So in case you're interested, I think I now have 11 podcasts. I looked for
three that I can't find, or the stream can't find them. Then I went back to the
category list because I noticed that there is a category, Society and Culture,
which I hadn't investigated. I found a podcast on feminist theory and one from
The Ethical Culture Society in St. Louis. I haven't been to the one on Long
Island for years, but I thought I'd like to see what the Ethical Culture
movement is saying these days. Oh, and I found another one on Ssecular
Skepticism, I think that's what it's called. Also, I searched on my own and
foun the podcast from The Young Turks. They are young , I guess you'd describe
them as progressive Democrats, who have a TV show which I've heard pieces of,
on line. And one of them is now running for office, I think in California, and
I heard an interview with him on Truthdig. Anyway, they did an hour long
program on Thursday about Trump, which I heard today. They're very young and
irreverant and entertaining to listen to. And for anyone else on this list who
is listening to podcasts, the Intercept has a fantastic hour long podcast which
is about a month old. It's called Intercepted. The Real News network has two
podcasts on the list. I've had one which provides a very good 15 minute news
item and analysis almost every day. I'm not sure what the other one does. But I
know about The Real News Network because I've heard it on line. It was started
by two guys in Baltimore, and its purpose was to provide an accurate
alternative news outlet to young people who don't watch TV, but get their news
online. Of course, I wouldn't have known what to look for if I hadn't been
reading stuff for years.
Miriam
Miriam
-----Original Message-----
From: blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Carl Jarvis
Sent: Sunday, February 19, 2017 7:14 PM
To: blind-democracy@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [blind-democracy] Re: On the Fight Against Trump
Long, long ago it was believed by most people that the world was flat. All
evidence pointed to the fact that if you looked out to Sea, you could actually
see the edge of the Earth. Once upon a Time People believed that the Earth was
the Center of the Universe, and the Sun and Moon and Stars rotated around it.
And once upon a not so long ago, as a young boy, I was taught that I was so
very lucky to have been born into the greatest nation ever in history.
I believed this to be true because all information available to me, and all
teaching given to me confirmed what everyone said or wrote on the subject.
But of course school was not the entire Universe, even though as a child it was
most of mine. As I grew, and ventured further from my school and home, I began
experiencing other evidence that appeared to contradict what my school taught
me.
Some of my school mates were as confused as I was, seeing the contradictions to
what we had been taught. But others saw the world around them to be proof that
they were indeed, born into a great nation. Starting from the same school,
with the same teachers, some of us turned Left and others turned Right. Which
of our Realities is the real one? Which one is a Fairy Tale?
Time will sort it out, if we should live so long. But it did take a long time
to figure out that the Earth is round and not the center of the Universe.
While I believe it is possible for Humans to alter the course of our history
and protect ourselves and the Life on our Planet from extinction, I do not
believe we can accomplish this over a short period of time, making it uncertain
as to whether or not we do have the Time needed.
Since Reality is unique to each one of us. believing that I can alter your
Reality is pure foolishness. But with enough solid evidence I just might make
small inroads into what you hold near and dear. And after me, perhaps someone
else will provide you with some evidence that opens up questions that challenge
the beliefs you now hold. Or maybe you will be the one to provide the
information that brings questions to the mind of others.
Carl Jarvis
On 2/18/17, Miriam Vieni <miriamvieni@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
I remember having this discussion with Ted when he was still on the list.
He, and I think, Frank, are talking about the alternative realities of
other people, the realities that you are defining as fairy tales.
Ted's contention was that these, "alternative facts", should have
equal weight. In other words, truth is relative. I was insisting that
people may have different beliefs, but there's only one set of facts.
We get tangled up in the difference between fact and opinion.
Actually, there are facts, and one's interpretation of the facts is
influenced by one's value system. But people are being fed these fairy
tales. All the blind people with the second gen streams who are
enamoured with the podcasts. Well, there are all these podcasts, in
categories, that you can find on the stream. It's really easy to
subscribe to all of the ones that are listed. There are a bunch about
blindness. Within the politics category, you can find right wing, sort
of center, and left of center. For example, I suppose NPR is
considered left of center and Fox is right of center and CBS is
center. When I bought my stream, the guy from whom I bought it, put a
variety of podcasts on it for me, all kinds of stuff, which I duly
deleted. Now the ones I wanted, weren't on the list. I think I found 2
on the list in which I was interested. All the others, I knew about
from articles that I'd been reading, and I had to enter each one in,
by texting them in, and it's really hard work when you're old and
blind and your memory is impaired. I now have 7, one from the
manufacturer of the stream, just in case there's something new about
the stream that they put in a podcast, 2 that I picked from the list,
but neither of them are mainstream, and 5 that I've chosen, one at a
time, every few days. Democracy Now is one of them. But all the people who
have this stream are listening to pretty much the same stuff, just like
sighted people watch the same stuff on TV. They believe that they're being
informed.
There's this one big media factory with Democratic and Republican
branches and everyone chooses the branches they want.
Miriam
-----Original Message-----
From: blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Carl Jarvis
Sent: Saturday, February 18, 2017 3:21 PM
To: blind-democracy@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [blind-democracy] Re: On the Fight Against Trump
Frank and All,
Suppose all we listened to was a steady diet of nursery rhymes and
Fairy Tales, repeated over and over, with new variations on the old
Tales, punctuated with assurances that what we were listening to was
how the world actually was.
Then we found Chris Hedges, Richard Wolff, Naomi Klein and books like
Howard Zinns A Peoples History of the United States.
Over time we begin to understand that our Fairy Tales did not reflect
the real world. And with a growing understanding of how the real
world works, we find it harder and harder to tolerate the Myths being
spun by our former Leaders. As they deny what we now have come to
understand to be reality, and as they smirk and ridicule without
factual proof to contradict what these new people are saying, it becomes
painful to listen to them.
In fact, it becomes confusing in trying to balance what we now know to
be fact, and the gibberish being spread.
Of course our friends who still believe in Fairy Tales will insist
that the Fairy Tales are the Truth, and we are being led astray.
They will no more listen to what they believe to be garbage, than we
would continue listening to their silly babble.
From my long, but not always so wise, perspective, we are wasting
energy and time attempting to convince one another of our "truth". On
this list, and on the ACB Chat list, I simply say what I think at the
moment I write it. I neither ask to, nor expect to have my views
accepted as wise truth...even when they are. I think that our
Salvation, if any Salvation is waiting for us, will be found in the
many shared experiences we have in common. When enough working class
people find that they have been cheated, deceived, bullied and trashed
by their Leaders, the Tellers of Fairy Tales, then the working class
will turn on those Leaders and smite them a mighty blow. And they can do it
because the working class far out numbers the Ruling Class.
In the mean time, and in between time, we're in for some very hard times.
Carl Jarvis
On 2/18/17, Frank Ventura <frank.ventura@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Bob, the problem here is the we (regulars to this list) wrap
ourselves in what we want to hear, For example left leaning articles and TV
(i.e.
Meadow). Although I hope I am wrong, I sometimes wonder if we are the
ones living in the cocoon of our own dreams. I am on a few mainstream
message boards and I hear nothing but right wing ideal ology. So who
is the vocal minority us or them?
Frank
From: blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Bob Hachey
Sent: Friday, February 17, 2017 11:02 AM
To: blind-democracy@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [blind-democracy] On the Fight Against Trump
Hi Frank,
I have encountered numerous sources including the article pasted
below my name that leads me to believe that protests and calls to
members of Congress are not trailing off as you indicated the other
day. And, its not just in blue states. Many red state Republicans are
feeling the same kind of heat that democrats felt from the tea party
back at the beginning of the Obama Administration. This is so even in
deep red states like Utah.
Rachel Madow indicated similar evidence in her Thursday night show.
Also, thanks to Madow, democratic leadership has finally decided to
actually help Georgia Democrats in their efforts to take Tom price's
seat. Good for Rachel for doing her job as a member of the press. But
she said that the wimpy leadership of the party was very upset at her
report on how they didn't seem to care about that race. IMHO, only
after her report did Democratic leaders decide to take this race
seriously. That tells me that Democratic leaders have not learned the
lessons of the 2016 election. IT's time for the old guard of the
Democratic Party to step aside and let younger folks and others newer
to the party such as Bernie sanders take over the reigns of control.
If I were Sanders, I'd give Democrats the following ultimatum. Either
you idiots grow a pair or I'm leaving to form a more energetic third
party.
Bob Hachey
For love of country, not money Renée Graham Renée Graham . By Renée
Graham Globe Columnist . How would one go about hiring protesters
that Republicans insist are getting paid to do what, in fact, they
are eagerly doing for free? Perhaps there's an app where you can
order them up like a combination
platter: a few dozen middle-aged guys to say, "I'm a Republican, but . .
.
"; a bunch of millennials who now realize there is a difference
between the two major political parties; a dollop of citizens who
finally understand that Obamacare and the Affordable Care Act are the
same thing; a sprinkling of the intense silent types who can glare
for hours; and a heaping side order of those who relentlessly spew
like volcanoes at the political object of their disaffection. Do you
find them on Craigslist? (Nah, I already
checked.) At your local big-box hardware store? Could they be actors
waiting tables while dreaming of their big chance to emote "Dump
Trump"? Certain that their management of the country is going well,
President Trump and some GOP members are trying to convince anyone
who'll listen that all those people with their signs, chants, and
bottomless indignation are being paid to stir up dissension and
opposition. This is an "alternative fact" or, as those of us grounded
in reality would call it: a lie. Not surprisingly, Trump, who loves
taking credit for things that have absolutely nothing to do with him,
doesn't want anything to do with this one. Yet it's his historically
dysfunctional, ruinous presidency that's compelling people in the
streets and online. Last week, when voters lambasted Representative
Jason Chaffetz during a town hall in his Utah district, he told
reporters that the boisterous crowd was "more of a paid attempt to
bully and intimidate" him and was not indicative of his constituents'
true feelings.
Chaffetz refuses to believe voters could be upset that he, chairman
of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, spent
months hounding Hillary Clinton about her private e-mail server but
can't muster the same fervor in going after Trump's conflicts of interest.
So far, Chaffetz seems more willing to go after underlings than the
president himself. He claims he sought "guidance" from the Office of
Government Ethics on what to do about senior counselor Kellyanne
Conway hawking Ivanka Trump products on TV. The OGE is now
recommending that Conway be disciplined by the White House. Yet hours
after Michael Flynn resigned as the president's National Security
Adviser, Chaffetz was asked whether there should be further
investigation into Flynn's knotty Russian connections. His reply:
"It's taking care of itself. In other words, "Nothing to see here,
folks, let's all just move along, OK? (Several GOP senators aren't as
convinced, and are pushing for a probe into connections between Trump
and Russia.) This is why Trump and his minions work so hard to
undermine agitators, even within his own party. Like the "fake news"
charge leveled against any journalist or news organization that
exposes Trump's lies, "paid protesters" is just another pejorative
term meant to delegitimize opposition. When Stephen Miller, Trump's
White House policy advisor, eerily warned Sunday that the "powers of the
president . .
.
are very substantial and will not be questioned," it was like chum
for the protesters circling this unsettling administration.
Protesters will not be deterred by presidential insults or attempts
to sow mistrust and confusion among them. They will continue to
contest every challenge to their civil rights and liberties, and to
the Constitution. Unlike Trump, the millions protesting against him
aren't motivated by money. They're driven by an often difficult, but
fierce love for this country, and will guard it against all enemies,
even the one inhabiting the White House. And that devotion to
protecting the well-being of this nation, a cause bigger than any
individual, is something this president will never experience or understand.
Renée Graham can be reached at
renee.graham@xxxxxxxxx<mailto:renee.graham@xxxxxxxxx>. Follow her on
Twitter @reneeygraham