Liberal Democrat

Liberal Democrat
Individual Freedom For Everyone

Monday, September 30, 2013

Inky: Citroen DS OldTimer in Berlin


Source: Inky- Citroen D-Model 
Source: FRS Daily Journal Plus

This car right here, this beautiful 1971 D-Model Citroen, brings back great memories for me. My father at one point owned three of them. Grew up with all three of them and when he worked for the U.S. Public Health Service, he drove one of them to work everyday, after he gave up his Subaru that rusted out. The Subaru, was a pretty good car too. But comparing a Subaru of any model, with a Citroen D-Model, is like comparing a Ford Escort with a Lincoln Continental. There really isn’t any comparison.

The Subaru wagon that Dad had, was like sporty economy car, with a bit of a hard ride. The D-Model and all of three of them that we had, were luxury cars. Big luxury cars, the size of a Jaguar, but not as heavy, with a lot more leg room in the rear, that handled like a sports car. With its four-wheel hydraulic suspension, gave you the feeling that you were riding first class in a chartered airplane. Except without the noise and perhaps with even more leg room and no bumps.

True, no gorgeous sexy stewardess comes with a Citroen DS ride. But that’s a small sacrifice from everything else that comes with either riding in, or driving a Citroen DS. We’re talking about a luxury car, that is similar to a Rolls Royce as far as comfort. But a third of the price and not has heavy or as big. And I just wish that Citroen still made the DS and that they sold their cars in America. And perhaps one day the French will decide that America is the market they need to be in, for them to sell as many cars as they can.
Inky: Citroen DS Oldtimer in Berlin


Wednesday, September 25, 2013

Retro Jeans Network: Video: 1980s Jordache Denim Jeans For Women Commercial


This post was originally posted at FRS Daily Journal on WordPress

The music might sound corny thirty-years later, but those Jordache denims on that women certainly do not look corny. If anything those designer jeans and that type of designer denim is even bigger today. I’ll never understand why women’s denim jeans went from dark wash designer denims from the late 1970s all the way to 1985 or so, to acid wash denims from the late 1980s and even into the early 1990s. And then back to the designer denims of the late 1990s that we are still going through today with the jeans in boots look coming back into style ten-years ago, that is still with us especially in cold weather. The designer denims of this era and now with the low-rise skinny denim look are perfect for sexy women. Especially the dark wash jeans, because of how they highlight women’s legs and butts. Without the women having to show skin when she sits down or stands up.

Tuesday, September 24, 2013

The Daily Show: Video: U.S. Senator Ted Cruz Filibuster: Ted Cruz Cruising to be King of Hot Air

This post was originally posted at FRS FreeStates on WordPress

Senator Ted Cruz is one of the biggest sore losers in Congress both physically and personally. Not to know that he doesn’t have the votes to get what he wants that he’ll be forced to give up the floor on Wednesday when the Senate officially comes back into session if he doesn’t do that before. Because there are probably 10-15 Senate Republicans along with all fifty-four soon to be fifty-five Senate Democrats, who’ll vote to move forward on the vote to kill the House passed government spending bill that defunds the Affordable Care Act.

Apparently Senator Cruz is either delusional, so high on pot you would need the Star Trek Enterprise to bring him back to Earth, a lonely bachelor with nothing to do, but to stay up late not watching home shopping channels, but standing on the floor of the U.S. Senate past midnight talking to one person, the presiding officer who is snoring in the chair, or is just a cruel person who enjoys wasting people’s time including his own. There’s nothing for him to gain here, other than making it on late-night TV as a national joke.



Monday, September 23, 2013

Marie Marr: Video: MSNBC's Up With Steve Kornacki: An Opening For Elizabeth Warren in 2016?


This post was originally posted at FRS FreeStates on WordPress

I buy that there is anger I guess or this feeling that we need something different on the lets call it the Far-Left in the Democratic Party or at least with the further Left Progressive-Democrats (to be nice) like Senator Elisabeth Warren whose not a Far-Leftist as much as her followers may want her to be. Senator Warren is a mainstream Progressive Democrat similar to Ted Kennedy or Sherrod Brown or Tom Harkin. She’s from the FDR/LBJ wing of the Democratic Party. Not the Michael Moore or MSNBC wing, which is very different.

Elizabeth Warren is not a McGovernite government needs to be big enough to manage people’s lives for them, because people are too stupid to that for themselves. She’s not Dennis Kucinich or Ralph Nader but a center-left Progressive to the Left of me and I’m a Liberal, who want government to do basic things. Like regulating big business especially Wall Street, but not ending business and turning them into government agencies. And when Occupy Wall Street and others on the Far-Left figure this out, by sobering up, she’ll get less of their support.

Senator Warren is not an extremist and if that is what Social Democrats in the Democratic Party want a FDR or Ted Kennedy Progressive, someone whose also pretty mainstream, than great someone like an Elisabeth Warren would go far. And give someone like a Hillary Clinton who at best is a Moderate Liberal and that may only be when she feel she needs to be. Hillary is like a political calculator. She calculates where she believes she needs to be at the time to be politically successful. Which is her main weakness and I believe something she’s going to have to get past, if she really wants to be President of the Untied States.

If Elizabeth Warren were to run as that Progressive that I’m talking about and Hillary runs as the human political calculator, my support would go to the current Senator. Because at least I would know where she is on the issues and be with her on enough things to say voting for her was a good thing. But if she were to run as a McGovernite “big central government always knows best for the people. And people are too stupid to manage their own affairs”, she’ll make Dennis Kucinich look like Ronald Reagan when it comes to presidential politics as far as political support. And bomb as badly as Rihanna at a Southern Baptist Convention.

Sunday, September 22, 2013

Michael Rother: Point Blank (1967) Walker Comes Back



Source:The Daily Journal -

Source:The Daily Journal

For the life of me I still don’t know what the women in this scene was trying to say and what point she was making. Not sure Walker did either, but this is an important part of this movie, because Walker is back in town which is San Francisco. And he is back in town for a real reason, he wants the money that he stole that his partners took for him. It is obviously not his money because he stole it, but in a criminal’s mind money you take is yours. Except when another criminal takes your money. And Walker first stops by his wife’s apartment and to see if one of the men he’s after one of his former partners is there. Because one of them was sleeping with his wife. And that is really what this scene is about trying to get one of the men that can get him the money that he stole.

Wednesday, September 18, 2013

RT: The Big Picture With Thom Hartmann: Ben Beachy- The New Left and The TPP

This piece was originally posted at FRS FreeStates on WordPress: RT: The Big Picture With Thom Hartmann: Ben Beachy- The New Left and The TPP

Pretty good example of how American organize labor which is part of the New-Left in America, perhaps are Democrats in name only. Ideologically only perhaps small-d democrats. People who want a political voice in a major Left political party. But ideologically a lot more comfortable in the Green Party. Free trade, is a perfect example of this, where you might have better luck finding a super obese supermodel, than a Socialist who supports an international free trade agreement.

The New-Left as much as they may claim to love Franklin Roosevelt, aren’t FDR or Jack Kennedy Democrats. These aren’t Progressives or Liberals, but Social Democrats which is a little different. But free trade is the perfect example of how organize labor is only officially Democrats meaning members of the Democratic Party for political calculations. Not ideological reasons, which is different because they back the Democratic Party. Without the Democratic Party, organize labor wouldn’t have a major voice in American politics. You could argue that the Democratic Party pre-Bill Clinton, needed labor. But labor has always needed the Democrats.

The Democratic Party is now so big and inclusive, that we now have Democratic Socialists in big northern and western cities and Blue Dog fiscal conservative, socially moderate Democrats in the South. As well as Center-Left Liberal and Progressive Democrats, all over the country. That they no longer need organize labor to raise money. Because of their interests in Hollywood and liberal business groups.

The Democrats also have progressive business groups and the reason why organize labor are still with the Democrats, is again for political calculations. Because the Democratic Party is the official leftist party in America. And the Republican Party wants nothing to do with them. But free trade is a perfect example of how organize labor no longer fits in the Democratic Party ideologically. And would be better off in the Green Party ideologically. A much more socialist/social democratic party, than the Democratic Party.

Saturday, September 14, 2013

Bad Mood Guy: Video: Point Blank 1967 Night Club Scene, Walker Kicks Ass


This post was originally posted at FRS Daily Journal on WordPress

Except for the guy screaming in the background, even though I actually liked the sound of the music, this was a great scene in a great movie that had a lot of great scenes in, that being Point Blank. Walker played by Lee Marvin shows up to this nightclub because he wants to know where his sister-in-law is. Not because he loves her or even likes her, but because she goes with a guy who owes Walker money. And Walker wants his money back. Walker’s former crew knows that Walker is back in town and wants his money back and that he might show up at this club. And they send two of their henchman to the club waiting for Walker to at the very least beat the hell out of Walker. But come up way short as Walker takes on both them and kicks their ass instead.

Friday, September 13, 2013

Trio: Video: The Late Show With David Letterman, Lee Marvin in 1985


This post was originally posted at FRS Daily Journal on WordPress

Lee Marvin playing funny man to David’s trying to be straight man and conduct an actual interview. I wonder what it is like to interview someone who doesn’t want to talk about them self? Dave mentions to Lee that Lee is now in Arizona, but where in Arizona and Lee essentially says big state and parts unknown. Perhaps Lee is an undercover CIA agent in Mesa or some place. Wait, are there any other type of CIA agents? Interviewing someone who doesn’t want to talk about them self, must be like trying to interview a wall and wondering why the wall is not responding to your questions. Perhaps a drunk person doing because they think the wall is an elephant or something. But Lee Marvin was a hell of a smart ass, as well as an actor as he showed in this interview.

Thursday, September 12, 2013

Movie Clips Trailer Vault: Point Blank (1967) Lee Marvin & Angie Dickinson Star

Source:Movie Clips Classic Trailer Vault- Point Blank (1967) with Angie Dickinson and Lee Marvin.

Source:The Daily Journal 

“After being double-crossed and left for dead, a mysterious man named Walker single-mindedly tries to retrieve the rather inconsequential sum of money that was stolen from him.

Welcome to the Fandango MOVIECLIPS Trailer Vault Channel. Where trailers from the past, from recent to long ago, from a time before YouTube, can be enjoyed by all. We search near and far for original movie trailer from all decades. Feel free to send us your trailer requests and we will do our best to hunt it down.” 


Source:Warner Brothers- Angie Dickinson and John Vernon.
A great movie about a guy who was simply after what was owed to him and didn’t want anything else. Lee Marvin plays a burglar who was jacked out of his share of the loot that he and his crew ripped off. And was left for dead, yet his former crew didn’t manage to kill him. And Walker played by Lee Marvin goes after the guys who ripped him off to get what was owed him.

Lee Marvin doesn’t play a good man in this movie. He plays the opposite, a career criminal, a thief who will kill people if he feels threatened. Yet he’s managed to stay out of jail or prison for the most part and if anything is more valuable to law enforcement outside, than inside jail or prison. That is where Keenan Wynn comes in, his character, who I believe is a San Francisco cop, but they don’t make that very clear in the movie. And his character Yost uses Walker played by Lee Marvin to put his former gang down.

Angie Dickinson has a big role in this movie as Walker’s sister-in-law, but his husband, her sister dies in this movie from apparent suicide. And Chris played by Angie is very useful to Walker. And becomes a good tool os his to get his money back. Because she has connections inside of the San Francisco mob that his former crew now works for, including one of her lovers. And Walker uses her to get to the people he needs to pay him what is his. One of the best action thriller crime dramas of all-time.

Wednesday, September 11, 2013

Ryan Swift: 'Paul Krugman Discusses The Middle Class'


Source:Ryan Swift- left-wing economist and New York Times columnist Paul Krugman, talking about the American economy and middle class.

Source:The FreeState MD 

"Krugman states his beliefs on income inequality and the state of the middle class. He highlights different policy actions over time that have led to a robust middle class." 

From Ryan Swift 

Paul Krugman making a classic socialist argument for how America got a middle class and saying that government did it all and created it. Not mentioning that individuals themselves had anything to do with it. According to Professor Krugman, government passed laws and boom, the middle class was created. When you give people the tools and resources to manage their own affairs and live in freedom, they tend to do those things and as a result you don't need Big Government trying to manage their lives for them.

The reasons why the American middle class has been falling are the same reasons how to bring it back up and it gets to education. Not enough Americans have access to a good education, or have a good enough education to do well in life. So they end up in dead-end jobs, or collecting a lot of public assistance, or a combination of both. 

As well labor unions falling and almost disappearing with more Neoconservatives and economic Libertarians, empowering management at the expense of everyone else and making it very difficult if not impossible for people to organize.

So as a result benefits for workers have fallen because they do not have unions to back them up. But that also gets to education, because if you have a real good education, chances are you are going to have a real good job, or working for yourself with a successful business, or organization. Or be able to negotiate good pay and benefits from your employer on your own with real power to negotiate. Because your employer doesn’t want to lose you.

To grow the middle class we need better education, a better educated workforce as well as economic growth. Good jobs being created with more people with good money to spend creating more good jobs. And that means more people with access to good schools as well as adults who need it can get job training. With workers who need and want it able to get strong union representation so management doesn’t have all of the power. And treats workers like a cost of doing business, but instead as good investments in their organizations.

Janet Jackson Vevo: Janet Jackson's Black Cat- An R&B Singer Becomes a Classic Rocker


Source: This piece was originally posted at FRS Daily Journal Plus

This is one of my favorite classic rock songs and I’m a big classic rock fan, not just physically. And one reason why it is one of my favorite classic rocks, is because of the singer and Janet Jackson simply nailed this song and I don’t know anyone that could’ve done a better job of singing this song other than maybe Tina Turner. And another reason why this is one of my favorite classic rock songs, is because it’s sung by someone who is not a classic rock singer, at least full-time. Janet is primarily a rhythm and blues singer and does a great job. But here she shows her great versatility.

I think the really great talented singers can sing more than just one style of music. Tina Turner would be a great example of that who is both a rhythm and blues and classic rock singer and also combines those two great sounds into blues rock. Eric Clapton and Dave Matthews does the same thing and I’m big fans of both. Janet with Black Cat becomes a rock star in the real sense. Not in the pop culture sense of someone considered awesome or cool. But someone who is a great singer rock singer. Who has great material and delivers it beautifully.




Monday, September 9, 2013

Sixty-Nine Harley: Nashville Titans at Pittsburgh Steelers Recap

This piece was originally posted at FRS Daily Journal on WordPress: Sixty-Nine Harley: Nashville Titans at Pittsburgh Steelers Recap

Maybe the fact that the entire AFC North went winless this week will shut up some of the Ravens haters. Especially from Cincinnati since the Bengals are supposed to replace the Ravens as AFC North Champions. Good luck with that and we can only wait and see. The Ravens are still the team to beat in the AFC North, until someone not just beats them, but wins the division, or at least knocks them out of divisional title contention. And if your teams hasn’t won yet or in the case of the Cincinnati Bengals, haven’t even won a playoff game in 22 years,you really should just worry about your own team. Instead of the team that not just own the AFC North, but the AFC and the Super Bowl last season.

The Young Turks: 'Martin Luther King Was a Republican?'

Source:The Young Turks- Also in the news: Reverend's Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson, have come out in favor of same-sex marriage. And have admitted to being in love with each other years. LOL
Source:The FreeState MD

"Many people talk about the "fact" that King was a Republican. It is asserted incessantly by conservatives on Twitter andelsewhere on the internet, especially in the lead up to today's 50th anniversary of the March on Washington. The claim is most prominently advanced by King's niece, Republican activist Alveda King. Over the years, conservative groups havepurchased billboards making the claim. Second, Martin Luther King Jr. was not a Republican. Or a Democrat. King was not a partisan and never endorsed any political candidate...".* Cenk Uygur, Ana Kasparian, John Iadarola (host of TYT University and Common Room), and Dave Rubin (host of The Rubin Report) break it down on The Young Turks."

Source:The FreeState MD- Pre-1980s or so, this was correct.
From The Young Turks

Pre-1964 or so I could see why Martin King was a Republican. Lets face it, the GOP was home to an overwhelming amount of African-Americans. Because of the Civil War, the freeing of the African slaves, Abraham Lincoln, etc. And then go up to the 1950s and 60s, which party is the civil rights party? The Republican Party and their Northern Progressives, especially in Congress. Who without the 1964 Civil Rights Act, the 1965 Voting Rights Act and the 1968 Fair Housing Law doesn’t pass. Those laws would’ve not of passed in the House and Senate without Northern and Midwestern Progressive and Conservative Republicans. Like Senate Minority Leader Everett Dirksen.

Ideologically except for civil rights, its hard to imagine how MLK would’ve fit into the Republican Party. They did have a progressive faction, but that was about civil rights, infrastructure, environmental protection and to a certain extent the safety net for people who truly needed it. But MLK was much more social democratic in nature, especially economically and when it came to civil rights and racial equality in general. And he was a dove and non-interventionist when it came to foreign policy and national security. And consistently spoke out against the size of the American defense budget and our involvement oversees. But without putting down American serviceman and women. Unlike the New Left of the late 1960s.

I can’t imagine Dr. King as a Republican or Democrat back then and perhaps not today. Today I could see him putting down Democrats as giving up on the poor and less-fortunate over things like Welfare to Work. And not doing enough to address the income gap and eliminate what he and others see as the Military Industrial Complex and Prison Industrial Complex. If Dr. King were a Democrat today, he would’ve been a member of the Progressive Caucus and perhaps one of the leaders of Occupy Wall Street, or creating his own social democratic movement. Or perhaps not a Democrat at all and a member of the Green Party or Democratic Socialists USA. He was very Left on economic policy and when it came to national security as well, for a lot of center-left Democrats.

Sunday, September 8, 2013

Leather Pants Rock: Leather Jeans For Men

Source:Leather Pants Rock- Leather jeans for men, that Jim Morrison would be proud to wear 
Source:The Daily Journal Plus

Every time you see a good-looking sexy man in leather jeans especially skin-tight or skinny leather jeans and you’re a straight woman or a gay man, you should thank Jim Morrison from The Doors. Had he been more disciplined and not an alcoholic, plus an illegal drugs addict, he would have lived through the 1970s most likely. With his patent black leather suit. With the leather jacket, skin-tight leather jeans and cowboy boots. As that look was just becoming mainstream in rock in roll culture. To the point by the late 1970s and through the 1980s, it was pretty common in rock culture. especially in heavy metal. The Lizard King, dressed up his leather jeans. And instead of wearing a tank top or t-shit, he generally wore his leathers with a buttondown-shirt and western belt. With stylish boots.

Again by the late 1970s and through the 1980s, leather jeans had become fairly common in pop culture. Especially rock and roll culture, but they were no longer just pants for bikers. You saw rockers in them like Jon Bon Jovi and headbangers like Alice Cooper. Actors and actress’s, were wearing them in movies. Like Joan Jett, whose sort of the female version of Jim Morrison. Whose made black leather jeans her staple pants, but who tends to wear them like a biker chick o rocker chick and wears them a lot less casually. Than The Lizard King who would dress his leathers formally like a guy would wear a cotton business suit. Instead of a cowboy lets say who would wear a denim suit. Or a biker who would wear a biker jacket with their leather jeans. But it was Morrison who made leather jeans fashionable and sexy in America.

Leather jeans, are probably more common with gay men, than straight men and you’ll probably more likely to see women wear them than straight men. Outside of rocker and biker culture. Because they’re pretty risky and make skinny jeans almost look safe, because of how revealing in them. Fat people look obese in leather jeans and skinny people look like they’re starving in them. You have to have the perfect body for them. Strong legs, tight round butt, the confidence to not mind people noticing your crotch and butt in them. Because those things along with your legs, because these pants hug them very tightly, become very noticeable in any skinny pant. Especially in leather jeans. And what Jim Morrison and plenty of people after him all had in common, is the right bodies for those pants.
Leather Pants Rock: Leather Jeans For Men


Logan Leather: Video: Opinion on Men in Leather Jeans


This post was originally posted at FRS Daily Journal on WordPress

First of all, I think The Lizard King Jim Morrison would’ve been proud of this guy’s leather wardrobe, especially the leather jeans. After all The Lizard King put leather jeans on the map in America. They are still not as popular as denim jeans for either men or women, at least outside of rocker or biker culture and yes gay culture. And skinny leather jeans are not as popular as skinny denim jeans even with American women. But without Jim Morrison, leather jeans might me as popular as fur coats in July in Arizona, or full-length head to toe dresses that were common in the 19th Century.
This guy also make a good practical point about wearing what makes you happy. Logan is a biker so leather jeans aren’t exactly a stretch for him. Bikers men and women wear leather jeans on a regular basis. For practical and for style reasons. They protect the biker’s legs and keeps them worn in cold weather. They have a great feel on the bike especially on long rides. And they look great on bikes similar to denim jeans for men and women. And this guy is obviously very comfortable in them, like the look and can afford them, so why not.

Saturday, September 7, 2013

RT America: Video: The Resident: American Monarchy, It's Time


This post was originally posted at FRS FreeStates on WordPress

First of all I’m not sure this commentator was being completely serious or not. And just giving a satiric editorial about the American political system and perhaps I just didn’t find it very funny. So what I’m going to do is write what I think about what she said as if she was completely serious and not out to lunch and never came back, perhaps kidnapped or whatever and having a good excuse for not reporting back to work.  Which is how off the wall of a proposal this sounds like to me. For the sake of this post, the problem with America is not the political system and certainly not the United States Constitution.

But the people who are in it and operate it including the voters. When you combine bad dumb voters, especially when they vote often and if you are familiar with America, you know that dumb voters tend to vote the most, but with voters like this, you tend to get bad politicians in the crooked sense. But great politicians in the sense they know how to get reelected and who they need to vote for them to get reelected. So I can’t feel sorry for people who vote for bad people and then complain about the public officials they voted for. 

Call me crazy and I'm sure you will any way, but I don't feel sorry for voters like that.  Because as George Carlin said over and over we get what we vote for. So we have bad people who are bought off in charge of our political system. But who wouldn’t be there had it not of been for the dumb people who voted for them in the first place. So the first problem with American politics is the people in power. But again those people who are in power were voted into office. So the solution is to stop voting for the same people. And vote for people who care about the country and their constituents at least a lot more than the special interests who bankrolled their campaigns. So what we need in America is an educated voting public. Not a dictatorship.

Friday, September 6, 2013

American Ideology: Video: MSNBC's The Last Word: Bill Maher, "We Are All Socialists"


This post was originally posted at FRS FreeStates on WordPress

I hate the debate socialism vs. capitalism, because that is like debating between the wishbone offense and the cover two defense, which is better. Well that is not a real debate, because the wishbone is an offense and the cover two is a defense. They are different things, socialism is a political philosophy with yes an economic component to it. But with also positions on social issues, foreign policy and national security. And there are a wide-variety of Socialists like there are different Libertarians.

There are yes Socialists who believes in state-owned enterprise, where the state owns the economy without a private sector. But there are also Socialists who are capitalist, but in a socialist sense. With a large and productive private sector mixed in with a generous welfare state, financed by high taxes. And regulations of the private sector which is common in Europe. But we also have Socialists like that in America in and outside of the Democratic Party what would be called the Far-Left in American politics.

And those Socialists hangout in coffee houses and wear Berets and read and listen to French poetry and perhaps have posters of Carl Marx in their communitarian bedrooms that they share with other people. Just like the Marxist Socialists and Communists. Because they share similar values, even when they differ on economic policy. Those Socialists I call Social Democrats, people who want private enterprise to finance a gigantic King Kong size welfare state to treat people like children and manage their economic affairs for them.

The fact is all successful developed countries in the world that are all Democratic by the way, are all capitalist with private enterprise economies, as well as socialist. They all have productive private sectors and they all have welfare states or safety nets, including America. That provides social services for people who need them. It’s just that in America is a bit different and we do not rely on the state to take care of as much when it comes to the economy.

Americans tend to not want a big government to babysit us and manage our economic affairs and treat us like little children. As Uncle Sam manages our lives for us. We tend to believe that Americans once they have the necessary life skills, they can manage their own affairs for themselves. The closeted Socialists in America who like to call themselves Progressives, or even worst Liberals, which would like be calling Rick Santorum or Jerry Falwell a Libertarian, who tend to believe Americans are stupid. And need Uncle Sam to manage our affairs for us with a King Kong size unlimited big government.



Wednesday, September 4, 2013

Rey Lizard: The Doors Tribute Band Strange Days- Break on Through

This piece was originally posted at FRS Daily Journal Plus

I’m a big Doors fan like many people, especially Jim Morrison himself and how he presented himself, as well as his talent as far as a performer, his intelligence, his ability to communicate and his ability to write and sing. As are many people and I see him as a rock god and someone who would’ve been a no-brainer for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame had he lived a normal life as far as years. And had he gotten his act together so to speak, sobered up and got back t business. And because The Lizard King has so many fans, there are now never Doors cover bands and Jim Morrison covers.

Strange Days is the best Doors cover band that I’ve seen and their lead vocalist is the best Morrison cover that I’ve seen. Except for perhaps his hair being a bit longer than the real Lizard King, he has the size and look of the Lizard King down. The patent Jim Morrison skin-tight black leather jeans, with the cowboy boots and the concho belt and he is able to move in that outfit and of course his voice. And the band itself has the sound of the Doors down. And they do a great job of playing The Doors.



Tuesday, September 3, 2013

Melody Cat: Video: CBS Evening News, 12/26/72: The Death of President Harry Truman


This post was originally posted at FRS Daily Journal on WordPress

I believe Harry Truman was one of our top 3-5 presidents in American history, but certainly in the top ten. Because of how he managed post-World War II especially in Europe and put America in position to successfully win the Cold War. With the buildup of the national security state to deal with Russia, as well as the NATO. Harry Truman was the man not many people respected until they saw him in action. I don’t know of an American politician, especially a great American politician that was more underestimated than Harry Truman. A fairly unknown U.S. Senator who had only been a Senator for ten-years, where all of his Congressional service was served, becomes Vice President of the United States in 1945. Who didn’t have much of a professional resume at all before he was fifty-years old, not just becomes President of the United States, but achieves that within days of becoming Vice President. And becomes one of the best President’s in American history.


Monday, September 2, 2013

Omer Bozdogan: CNBC’s Phil Donahue Noam Chomsky Debate on Foreign Policy in 1994

This piece was originally posted at FRS FreeStates on WordPress: Omer Bozdogan: CNBC’s Phil Donahue Noam Chomsky Debate on Foreign Policy in 1994

They are discussing the Yugoslavian civil war from the early and mid 1990s probably in 1993-94. In the early days of the Clinton Administration right before America and Europe got involved in the Yugoslavian civil war. In September, 1995 and they were debating exactly if anything could be done about the situation in Yugoslavia.

Pre-1995, it was very hard to say what exactly was the Bill Clinton Administration’s foreign policy. There really wasn’t anything that could be called the Clinton Doctrine back then. Part of that had to do with Bill Clinton’s lack of foreign policy experience. And the other part had to do with the ending of the Cold War. And Russia now basically a developing country without much of a military that could really threaten anyone outside the European Union. And a failing economy trying to become a private enterprise economy and move away from Marxism. America was on top militarily and everything else. The question now became what is our role in the world.

This is really interesting, because Phil Donahue is about as left-wing, or Far-Left as anyone could be short of being a Marxist. And he’s making the liberal internationalist argument here that America and Europe should act to save the Bosnians and Croats, from being murdered by the Serbians. Who were still in control in Belgrade and running Yugoslavia. Instead of making the dovish argument that, ‘this is none of our business and if we were to act militarily, more innocent people would just get killed.’ Instead Donahue was making the liberal hawkish smart power argument here. With Professor Noam Chomsky essentially saying there no positive options here.

As far as the Vietnam War. I’m against that even though America was officially out of Vietnam before I was born in 1975. And I was born in 1975 just after that war was over. But this is where I disagree with Professor Chomsky on this. America went into Vietnam to assist and then later unfortunately fight the Vietnam War for the Democratic South against the Communist North. We didn’t invade Vietnam. The South wanted our help and resources and for us to be there. And unfortunately we did that instead of building up the South so they could defeat the North themselves.

It sounds like to me anyway and Donahue and Vladimir Pozner saw this as well, that Professor Chomsky was making an argument here that America really doesn’t have a free media. Meaning we don’t have a private media, because we have a corporate media. And even arguing that the corporate media are really just agents of the propagandists in government. I mean of course we have a private media that is separate from government. And they report things that goes against the government. Meaning the current administration all the time. Whether it is a Democratic or Republican administration.

New Economic Thinking: Rob Johnson: Who is John Maynard Keynes

New Economic Thinking: Rob Johnson: Who is John Maynard Keynes

Just from this quote alone someone whose fairly familiar with Franklin Roosevelt at least, but perhaps not so much with Economist John Maynard Keynes, would have to assume that John Keynes was way to the Left of Franklin Roosevelt on economics. At least in President Roosevelt’s first term as President of the United States. President Roosevelt, did send an Economic Bill of Rights to Congress in 1944-45. Where he essentially made the case that no American should go without. Meaning what people need to live well and live a good life. Education, employment, health care, housing, health insurance, retirement, food, etc.

Franklin Roosevelt was a Progressive Capitalist. He believed that individuals needed economic freedom as well as organizations. But that it had to be balanced with a strong safety net for people who fall down. And need help up, as well as a strong regulatory system to protect innocent consumers and workers, as well as companies from predatory behavior. Along with a strong modern infrastructure system so more people benefit from Capitalism. He never believed that capitalism and private enterprise should disappear and be outlawed. But that it had to be regulated and you needed an insurance system for when capitalism fails and people need help.

As radical as the New Deal might have been in the 1930s, it was actually pretty moderate compared with what else was being offered to help deal with the Great Depression. From Communists way over as Far-Left as you can get who wanted to see American industries be nationalized and private property to be confiscated by the Federal Government. To Democratic Socialists, who didn’t want to see private enterprise ended, but that we should have a much more generous public social insurance system than we have. Which is where John Keynes was and where people like Democratic Socialist Senator Bernie Sanders is today. Private enterprise, with a generous welfare state and strong regulatory state. To balance out the private enterprise system.


Sunday, September 1, 2013

Nelu Becheru: Video: The Doors Live in Copenhagen 1968


This post was originally posted at FRS Daily Journal on WordPress

Had this concert been in color and the Hollywood Bowl concert in black and white, then The Doors in Copenhagen would’ve definitely been The Doors best concert ever in the 3-4 years they were in concert. This concert had The Doors best sound and The Lizard King at his best on the vocals. But the Hollywood Bowl concert was The Doors especially Jim Morrison looking his best especially being in color. It would be nice to get the Copenhagen concert in color, colorized even so you could see how The Lizard King looked and sounded at his best. In the his leather suit, the leather jeans, the cowboy boots, the jacket, the concho belt and how he moved around on stage in this concert. And he sounded, but all in color. But unfortunately even though The Doors were big in the late 1960s when color TV, color movies and everything else was shown in color for the most part, a lot of The Doors footage and even their photos were still shown in black and white.