March 29, 2014

We have to get past this "Democrats are monolithic" mind set by too many around here.

Monotheism is a Republican lock-step mind set
Democrats are anything but of one mind. The DLC, 3rd Way, New Democrats, Blue Dogs, Ex-Republicans "Democrats" that switch parties so they can run for office, do nothing except push and pull the Democratic Party ever farther to the Right. How does that help anything, when the party is already over Center to the Right? That magic (D) is not the answer, it is hiding the problem.



We need to do what the Republicans did. Start at the local level and run for any elected post available, from dog catcher, school board, any nonpartisan positions, where your politics are not an issue. Get known locally. Advance to the county level, or whatever the next level is. Then run for state level elected positions, using your past election wins and accomplishments. It took the Republicans over 30 years, but they elected a President that way. Then stuffed the federal agencies with their people. They are currently ham-stringing our government. Their gerrymandering is from local and state. They make and enforce election laws. They write laws keeping women and minorities down. And much much more, and there isn't a whole lot we can do about it because the have taken control from the local level to the federal level. Using this method, the have stacked the deck in their favor from the local level to every federal agency their is.
To undo what they have done we also must start at the local level and take back control. And that will take many decades also.

March 14, 2014

Just because they are on DU, does not mean they are any kind of Liberal.

It is the 3rd Way, DLC, New Democrats, people pretending, people without a clue, people that think that the (D) is all it takes, people that think the real political center is between conservative Democrats and the tea baggers, people that think that Democrats should be lock-step like the Republicans, purposeful disruptors, outright bullies...
If we we were all some kind of Liberals and/or Progressives here, there would not be anywhere near as much fighting. Disagreements, yes, fighting no.
We'd make more progress, if the tent weren't so packed damn full.

February 24, 2014

So you are declaring a win and going home?

You know I keep posting that women are people too and we all are deserving of the same Equal Rights. But somehow that keeps getting ignored for finding or twisting or assuming something not said or in evidence to use against a rather thoughful segment of DU anyway.
If you would stop making enemies, you might find you would have more friends. Your views are not the only views around, not by a long shot.
It is easier to get what you want by flattering people and being polite to them than by making demands. You only attract flies and disease with bullshit. But people respond to you in kind. That might be why your world is so dark and foreboding. Or at least it would seem so from reading you posts.

February 23, 2014

Just for the Record, 'General Discussion' is not a Safe Haven for anyone.

This OP and the OP below are related:

"It might be said that online trolls are prototypical everyday sadists"
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024551098

February 3, 2014

Censorship: A refusal to face reality.

Trying to force one's thoughts, feelings, or urges on others, while in denial regarding one's own disposition.
Censors often do not fully understand the situation they are trying to ban. Often contributing their own faulty interruption to words, pictures, events, etc. Few things are truly black and white, as the article in the OP shows.

"Save the children", is often the battle cry of the censor. Sorry, I can deal with the information my own children are exposed to, better than you. I don't need some censor's own hysteria in trying to dumb down the world around them, to save my kids from the reality of world that they will have to live in and cope with as adults. That is my job as their parent.

January 31, 2014

Are we a civilized nation, or are we an imperialist country?

It seems, if we are to face facts, a war mongering, imperialist country.

We have a fleet of planes the military doesn't want at $150 to almost $200 million, a copy. How many bridges could the money repair/rebuild? How many full time, Living Wage Jobs could that money create, if applied to Main Street? How many public schools could that money fully fund? How many miles of high speed rail, across this country, could that money fund?
The list goes on and on and on. We have plenty of money to blow stuff up and kill innocents in other countries, but we don't have enough to take care of our own in need.

We as a nation have lost our way, that is obvious. But we have too many cheer leaders on both sides of the fence, that refuse to face the facts that our government is not very responsive to the populaces. Our leaders may talk a good game, but the actions needed to correct the wrongs always seem to miss the mark. Even when we seem to win one, now and again, somehow it always has damaging barbs and exceptions in it. But never mind, both sides continue cheer leading for their favorite leader, based mainly on the (D) or the (R) by the name and that is what is important, correct? Thinking not required.
After all, for many politics is only a sports game, where we root for our favorite team, oblivious of the crimes the leaders on both sides are committing against those of us that pay them to lead us. Yea Team!

January 22, 2014

The crux of the problem

We have too many people, even right here on DU, trying to make others conform to their view of the world.
People with their own confuse definition of tolerance, trying to impose their will on others in the name of tolerance. That is not tolerance. That, more than likely, is just plain bullying on the part of an intolerant person, who thinks they are being tolerant by trying to change others.

January 21, 2014

Setting up your wireless router to keep the neighbors out.

This post is in response to a request in GD.
So FCC can shut down the open internet. My Question:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024363261

These are the routers I have. Newer ones should be similar.
If not someone will be around to clarify.
If I confused you, let me know. But keep in mind, I am retired and some of my knowledge is getting dated.

For XP and Windows 7 --
To find MAC address:
Start > Run > CMD
In the black window, enter ipconfig /all and Enter.
Look for the numbers after "Physical Address" under the "Wireless Lan Adapter" listing. That is the Wireless LAN Adapter MAC address the machine is using. The number is hexadecimal and looks something like this:
00-16-BC-4A-6F-F3
This is the number you need to add to your White List in the modem.
You will need to do this for each machine you are setting up to use wireless.
The MAC address is different between wired (Ethernet) and wireless (WiFi) on the same machine. Be sure you use the Wireless number.
The router will only allow the machines on the White List through the router. All other machines will be blocked.

To Log on to AT&T U-verse router.
IP address 192.168.1.254 (Put in Address bar in web browser.) (You are using Firefox, correct?)

When asked for a password, use the wireless network key found on the sticker on the bottom of your U-Verse router.

To set up:
Click on Wireless button, near the top of the screen.

The Network Name (SSID) is just a label to identify your system. Be creative if you wish.
I set the transmit power on this router to 25% to keep the working range down. If 'they' can't see it, because the signal is too weak, they can't use it.


This is where you input you MAC address in the White List. Don't forget to Save when you are done.

[hr]

For a Cisco/Linksys router: The address is 192.168.1.1
No user name
Default password: Found on bottom of router. Wouldn't hurt to change it, but is not normally necessary.


Selecting a channel on either end would be better. Channel 6 is the default, but may be intermittent, due to over use and interference.
These channels do overlap. Keep your cordless phone away from your wireless computers and routers. They may work on the same frequencies.


WPA Shared Key. The more complex the better. No words.
Use Upper case, lower case, numbers and Special characters.
You will need to know this, but you will not be using it, once the system is all set up.
You can always log on to the router to see it.





[hr]
Sometimes the computer insists on using information in the DNS cache, when changes are made to the network, instead of using the new information.
You'll know, 'cause the internet ain't working, even though you know it should be. To fix that, you'll need to flush the DNS cache.

Clearing DNS cache:
http://docs.cpanel.net/twiki/bin/view/AllDocumentation/ClearingBrowserCache
[hr]
If you totally mess things up, you can start from scratch by resetting the router back to the factory defaults by pressing the Reset button. You may need a paper clip or something to press the switch. This resets everything, including password. The default password is on the bottom of the router. Then start all over.
[hr]
The MAC address White List is the secret to keeping the neighbors out.
You can set up a Black list for the unwanted intruders, but I am retired now and that is too much work.

I'll try to answer any questions and there are others around here that can answer your questions too. Just ask.

January 17, 2014

How the Media Makes Men Look Stupid

Don't expect me to referee this thread, but I will be checking in now and again, it it goes anywhere.

January 14, 2014

So, being spied on in all your private matters is alright with you?

Apparently you do not have a sufficient comprehension of the wording and sprite of the 4th Amendment.

How is mass collection and storage of this information, for possible future use, fit with the 4th Amendment?
The NSA is in direct violation of all aspects of the 4th Amendment. Just the mass collecting of that information is a violation. It does not matter whether the NSA itself does it, or the NSA directs the communication companies to collect and store this information. Both are violations of our Constitutional Rights. The courts set up to make these quasi-legal collections, are in themselves nothing more than kangaroo courts, for the purpose of allowing the NSA to appear to be acting within the law.