PATTERNS OF FORCE

One of the Top 5 Star Trek episodes, in my not so humble opinion.. :D

Michale......

On another note, when I posted the "why oh why did they have to kill 6 billion Vulcans" it made me think of exactly why this NuTrek is not really Trek.

The writers of NuTrek just figured that there were 6 billion people on planet Earth, so that was a good number to have as population of the planet Vulcan.

The REAL Trek would have calculated the size of the Earth compared to the size of Vulcan and extrapolated the comparative population centers of both planets creating an algorithm to allow for the disparity in the different ecological and terrain idiosyncrasies and come up with a population number for Vulcan that was REALISTIC.

NuTrek just said, "Oh, the Earth's population is 6 billion so we'll say that Vulcan's population is the same." :^/

Star Trek is and always has been a THINKING person's SciFi. With minor exceptions here and there ( {{{cough}}}Wesley Crusher{{{cough}}} ) Star Trek has always been cerebral and on the cutting edge of societal issues of the day.

NuTrek is all about seeing Orion girls in bikinis...

Don't get me wrong.. I **LOVE** seeing Orion girls in bikinis! :D And so does the wife... :D :D

But it's not Trek...

OK, I think I got that outta my system..

Back to Democrats and Republicans and the sorry state of the union.. :D

Michale.....

* fingers crossed *

Imagine for a second if she came out and said she would vote against health care reform because it didn't include a competitive option.

Hell, if she did that, *I* would vote for her if I was in MA... :D

I think the Democratic party is underestimating the current dissatisfaction from a lot of people who voted for Obama.

I think you are dead on ballz accurate with that statement.

Even if Coakley wins, but it's only by a few points, it should be a MAJOR wake up call for the Democratic Party..

9 will get you 10, the wakeup call goes unheeded...

Michale.....

Imagine for a second if she came out and said she would vote against health care reform because it didn't include a competitive option.

Would she energize Massachusetts liberals? Would the Democratic party desert her? Might she improve her odds with independents?

I think the Democratic party is underestimating the current dissatisfaction from a lot of people who voted for Obama.

-David

p.s. But I still wouldn't vote for Brown because we share different principles. Sure, he might kill health care, but then we've got him for 4 years.

Predictable is boring. :D

I have to admit that I'm disappointed in Obama so far as well, but I'm going to keep fighting for a government that serves more than just corporate special interests.

As will I.. But I don't see how getting more Democrats into office will achieve our goals.

For example, you are on record as being opposed to this so-called health care "reform". It was you, after all, who coined the term "CrapCare".. :D

Such being the case, you can see how voting for Brown in MA would be the best thing for the country, no??

Sometimes the best person to vote for IS a Republican.

I think Obama's election proved that our country wants this quite badly. It just may be that the 2-party system is broken. Because honestly, though many people seem to think the two parties are vastly different, the way both govern is very similar.

Truer words were never spoken..

p.s. What's not "Star Trek"? The new cast? I'm confused. Don't tell me you didn't like the last movie ;)

Basically, the movie totally destroyed 40 years of Star Trek. The Trek we know, the Trek we grew up with doesn't exist anymore..

As an action Sci-Fi movie, Trek 2009 was an awesome slamfest of action and technology.

But, because they wanted to make more money, the slapped the STAR TREK label on it. The could have made an awesome SciFi movie based in the Star Trek universe and still leave the heroes of the Trek we know intact..

Why, oh why, did they have to kill 6 billion Vulcans??

Michale.....

I have to admit that I'm disappointed in Obama so far as well, but I'm going to keep fighting for a government that serves more than just corporate special interests.

I think Obama's election proved that our country wants this quite badly. It just may be that the 2-party system is broken. Because honestly, though many people seem to think the two parties are vastly different, the way both govern is very similar.

That's why I donate to groups and individual candidates rather than either party.

-David

p.s. What's not "Star Trek"? The new cast? I'm confused. Don't tell me you didn't like the last movie ;)

Ya know, he doesn't have a very good track record for riding in at the last minute and saving the day..

Some might say that this will probably guarantee a GOP victory in MA...

Won't the fecal matter hit the metal circulating blades if THAT happens, eh??

Michale.....

It's like taking the Confederacy out of GONE WITH THE WIND, yet still calling it GONE WITH THE WIND..

But, I digest.. I don't want to get accused of hijacking a commentary... Too Late!! :D

Getting back on track...

It's the Golden Rule of Politics...

Whoever has the gold, makes the rules..

I was hoping that Obama would be the one to break the cycle and get us to a government by the people and for the people..

But he has proved to be a HUGE disappointment in that regard...

At least Republicans keep us safe from terrorism...

Michale....

http://trekmovie.com/2010/01/08/breaking-star-trek-sequel-tentatively-set-for-june-29th-2012/

Here's what the guy wrote in the info:

PLEASE READ:
This is a fake trailer if you will, most of the battle footage is taken from the brilliant guys who made "Star Wreck" an absolute master piece of skill and talent. The story in Star Wreck was a battle between Star Trek and Babalon 5. There is also parts of other star trek films in this trailer I have made, and some sound additions from the latest Star Trek movie trailer.

Holy crap, that was a helluva trailer. But that just can't be the new Trek movie. That looks like a fan compilation.

There were elements of TNG, Voyager and I think I even saw a couple BABYLON 5 ships there.. :D

While it's probably not the movie trailer it was nonetheless impressive..

I'll get to the political stuff in a sec..

Michale..

When they support a corporate agenda (act like Republicans), they find it much easier to pass legislation. The lobbyists and the monied interests call off the dogs and bring in the support.

To me, however, leadership in government is more than just getting things accomplished. It's getting things accomplished that are best for everyone. Striking a balance between Main Street and Wall Street.

What I don't understand (and I'm curious), is why you see working for corporate interests only is a good thing? Just because you can get stuff done?

Maybe Democrats need to make a better case about how this balance is good for everyone involved. Such as, if people don't have money to buy things, this is going to hurt our economy. Good jobs and the middle class are what have made our country a great place. This is the same argument Henry Ford made. If he paid his workers well, they could afford his cars.

Maybe this argument needs to be made more to groups like the U.S. Chamber of Commerce to help convince the monied interests to stop fighting for trickle down theory. It's just so much more profitable for them to directly petition the government for handouts.

-David

p.s. Trailer for the new Star Trek looks interesting. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nQ6MDCUfxvY Was hoping to see another movie with the last cast though - the young Kirk/Spock/Bones crew.

No, I don't mean they are noble. They are disciplined and not as prone to in-fighting as the Democratic Party is. You have to agree with that.

As far as the easier job, maybe. Or is it just made easier by the discipline that the GOP seems to exhibit?

Trying to pass something that benefits people who aren't your big donors is much more difficult. Pass it w/o donor approval and you risk pissing of some big money. This is the situation Democrats are in.

Yes they are. And it's their own fault because they lack the strength of will to do the right thing, regardless of the cost.

It's as I always have said. The Democratic Party principles stand in the way of good leadership.

Really, the only time that the Dem Party succeeds at ANYTHING is when they act like Republicans.

Now what logical conclusion can be drawn from that inference??

On another note, I don't know if you are following up the conversation over at the Reid Gaffe commentary. You might want to peruse it and mark the day on your calender... :D

Michale.....

When you've got most of corporate America supporting your agenda and when all the monied interests can spend their time going after Democrats, it's easy. How hard is it to be a corporate shill?

Trying to pass something that benefits people who aren't your big donors is much more difficult. Pass it w/o donor approval and you risk pissing of some big money. This is the situation Democrats are in.

Republicans can be much more straightforward because they've already admitted that their primary goal is to help the wealthy (i.e. "trickle down" theory)

-David

Because the GOP has the strength of will and the discipline to further their agenda.

Democrats do not.

It's really that simple.

Unfortunately, this leads me to wonder how much interest they have in passing any real reform.

Could you point to anything that Democrats have put out to date that is anything close to "real" reform??

Michale.....

Yeah, it's late and all is forgiven :)

But, what are your thoughts on Secretary Geithner? Do you think he needs to go away?

:)

Sometimes you have to call a bluff. It's a lot easier to make Republicans look like obstructionists if they do nothing but filibuster. I'd make 'em do it for 2 years if I had to. See how popular they'd be after that.

The trouble is that Democrats give away too much power by acknowledging that they need 60 votes. How is Republicans managed to get votes through when they didn't not have 60 votes?

They took their case to the media and demanded a straight up or down vote.

Unfortunately, this leads me to wonder how much interest they have in passing any real reform.
-Dave

Do you think that President Obama needs to replace his treasury secretary before the mid-term elections?

That seems to be the conventional wisdom - around the blogosphere, at least.

It is especially difficult when a large part of the object (the GOP) is digging it's heals in against everything. There is no goodwill on the part of the republicans, they do not seem to care about the people they are supposed to represent - President Obama might as well be banging his head against a brick wall for all the good his overtures to the GOP have done him.

...Stan

You mean like Democrats did in the 2008 elections? :D

Democrats simply cannot rest on their laurels this year, the way most "in" parties do during an election year.

Simply because Democrats have no laurels to rest on.

The economy, of course, is going to determine next year's election more than any other single issue.

If there is another successful 9/11, the economy won't mean diddley squat to voters.. The American public will turn to the party who they think can best protect them.

And guess who that's going to be?

Michale.....