WIP

This is old, but it seems that the main reason why African Americans don't have a colour litmus test or some other obvious identifier for being black, is because in US history, after slavery was abolished, the Jim Crow laws labeled anyone with an "ounce of negro blood" to be a negro and therefore 2nd class. This was a different development than other slave-based societies like Brazil, which considered anyone who looked white to be white, and favoured shades of whiteness over darker, with negritoes being the lowest class in their pecking order. So, so many African Americans have an ancestry of being classified 'negro' for generations, even though a lot of European mixture was added, first when female slaves were raped with great frequency by slaveowners and overseers, and then white bosses had impunity to rape negro housekeepers who worked for them in the decades afterwards. The majority of the African American community's attitude was to identify everyone thrown into the club as black, although there have been tensions and resentments within between those who are dark and those who can pass for white.

I'm not a Catholic, and I never would have considered becoming one before this new pope came along, but after two popes playing geopolitics games and hiding Church crimes...especially the sex crimes, my impression is much more favourable than when Benny was still in charge! I'm surprised that his hard-hitting speech on the environment doesn't show up here, and even more surprised that he's done a 180 from the last guys, and is telling the powerful and prominent Catholics that preventing abortion and birth control isn't enough to consider yourself a good Catholic! From the speech: In our age of capitalist christianity, it's no wonder that Prosperity Gospel adherents, who have turned the New Testament message upside down, are shocked and bewildered when pointed towards the Gospel of Matthew or especially Acts. ch. 5. On another topic, the speech also called attention to the plight of Christians in the Mid-east, who are in danger of being erased in nations like Syria and Iraq...where some of the first Christian communities were established. Thanks to "regime change" and giving money and guns to "moderate" rebels, these communities are subject of ethnic cleansing right now. Ever since the fall of Saddam, I haven't heard much of anything coming from conservatives and assorted warhawks about the blowback faced by Christians in the ME.

It's probably a waste of time trying to reason with Neoconservatives and Neocapitalist deadenders...they're going to prescribe more bloodletting (a useful analogy in this instance) regardless of the harms caused to the patient! Speaking of how bankers control nations...especially central bankers...I came across an essay today by John Pilger on the situation in Greece, and the failure of Syriza to be what it presented itself as to the Greek people: If John Pilger's name doesn't ring any bells, it should. About 10 years ago, he wrote a confessional biography about his lucrative career as an economist for the "strategic consulting firm" Chas. T. Main, where he was put in charge of some of the accounts loaning vast sums of money to South American dictators (with the cooperation of the CIA) Confessions Of An Economic Hitman. The key point of the story and followup writings is that nations are loaded up with debt deliberately. The over-indebted nations then become debt serfs which have to sell off public assets, including municipal services to international corporations. Mines, forests, arable lands, everything is up for sale (at low prices) as foreign experts are sent in by the US or allied powers, to manage the liquidation and introduce austerity measures on the populations. Up till now, this has been the pattern...starting first in Africa right after independence from colonial governors to Latin America and Asia, and now with Greece, Europe is devouring itself! The ravenous capitalist monster always requires more and greater profits. When their loans cannot be paid through conventional means, then people are virtually enslaved and resources confiscated to meet expected profit goals! What's different now, is that the monster has arrived at European shores, as every nation besides Germany is saddled with debtloads that they will eventually have to default on and face the same austerity and selloffs and oligarchic rule as Greece is facing right now. Since we have locked in globally to a capitalist system fueled by money creation thorough the creation of new debt; eventually the entire planet cannot be harvested for resources and real assets to pay the demands of virtual assets, and the whole psychotic system of growth-based capitalism will collapse.....hopefully before our entire planet is destroyed!

Both. My sideline interest in anthropology...especially paleoanthropology, informs me that male domination of society and culture is neither traditional in the long view of history, nor is it hardwired into us! Because our origins were in societies that required close cooperation between men and women of an extended family group, and male domination is a phenomena that occurred in recent millennia when patriarchs were able to control food production and distribution. So, I have an overall dismal outlook on what you have considered progress; because western civilization has been unbalanced and dysfunctional right from the start. And in this crowded, polluted, resource depleted world we find ourselves in, restoring the gender balance is an essential part of saving our future generations from extinction. This small issue is just a small part of that, but I think most issues....regardless of how seemingly inconsequential, intersect with each other for better or worse.

It's not mindreading. And if you are clueless about how to read people's body language and facial expressions, you better not be living in the average city! If they are just clueless and have just copied what their friends do etc., they won't be offended if they're asked to make some space. If they are, then my original assessment stands.

I'm sure I noticed it before; that's why the stories with pictures resonated in the first place. I just hadn't heard the complaints before, because most women feel intimidated and don't want to cause a scene. Once I was aware of the issue, then it became clear that although this is a minor issue in the grand scheme of things, it's something that should not be tolerated. And part of dealing with it is raising greater public awareness about the problem.

I still say the manspreading phenomena is an act of aggression. The mostly women who complain about it, have a clear point to make that a lot of young guys need to stay in their own spaces in a crowd. As for language....however that connects....doesn't it get the message across about gender inequality, that our language and culture has been by default male oriented? i.e. male god with a son...the goddesses that were traditional for fertility in pre-patriarchal religions totally erased. Male pronouns that don't fit when jobs and titles are taken by women etc.. So, because a few changes had to be made to acknowledge an increasing role for women in society, you see that as some sort of attack on your freedoms and/or privileges! It's sort of similar to the white backlash to desegregation and civil rights in the U.S.. Back when Americans could have an honest conversation about race, a lot of middle class and lower whites were offended that any changes would have to be made to what they grew up with as the norms: separate bathrooms, fountains, schools, hotels, segregated neighbourhoods, being forced to sit at the back of the bus etc..

You want single mothers to pay the same amount of taxes as those with no childrearing responsibilities.

I think I like the full length version better also. And judging from an interview I heard Loreena do on CBC Radio several years ago, I get the feeling that she would prefer to do the full 11 min version also. But, after the Juno Awards people asked her for an abridged version, every other TV appearance she did after that also wanted the shorter version. At least they didn't demand 3 minutes! That used to be the cutoff for 45 singles back in the old days of radio. No station would play a song that was more than three minutes long on a.m. radio. But when f.m. came along, longer cuts were played frequently. A friend of mine who used to dj in Toronto back in the 70's, told me the reason why "Stairway to Heaven" got such frequent airplay at night, was there was no one else in the place, and it was the "bathroom break" song to put on before headng down to the washroom.

Because there all things that guys do, and those of us who don't or are trying to refrain from them, shouldn't be offended by the fact that these are traits of men who try...even in subtle ways to impose their will on others. Sort of similar to the clowns who talk too loud, get too close, or try to show off that they have strong handshakes.

Quite alright! I have so little time when I come on here to post, that I blow right past a lot of comments without noticing them, and sometimes catch them the second time around....if the thread's not too active.

Absolutely. I think it's important to mention that this is not just about the old chivalry codes:'giving up a seat, or holding a door for a lady' and other things that can be patronizing or suspicious if uninvited. But since I am healthy enough to run 20 miles and cycle about 60 to 70 miles in the average week, if I get on a bus, I sit at the back and if it's getting crowded and I see anyone come along who looks like they may have difficulty standing for a long bus ride, I'll offer my seat to them. On this point I disagree! I don't spend a lot of time riding transit, but when I became aware of this "manspreading" meme in internet world, I started paying closer attention when I was on a bus or a train, and sure enough, the "jackasses" can be profiled by age and even more so by gender. There's no getting around the fact that, although I've seen ignorant and inconsiderate females, the "spreading" is clearly a testosterone thing, coming from younger guys who are trying to give off an intimidating vibe....definitely something unwanted in crowded spaces!

I believe that libertarianism has become a dominant force in modern thinking on many levels. And the attitude of everybody grabbing what they can for themselves is more harmful on balance for women than it is for men, because of factors like aggression, greater ability to use physical force or threaten the use of force to achieve goals, and the simple fact that most of the burdens of childrearing are for women to deal with....even in an era where the courts step in the cases of failed marriages etc., But, why are they unwilling to marry? Even the women worry about the difficulties trying to raise children in Japan, I'm sure these problems are also on the minds of many men.

I think that, since Harper's good luck streak has ended and he's leading us into another recession, the one last political chit he has to play, is gone, and hopefully the end of Tory dynastic dreams will not usher in another era of who knows what we'll end up with Liberal Government.

This kind of assinine attitude is why our society is going down the crapper today! In the old days, it would have been simple manners that prevented you from taking up more space than you are entitled to. When I first came across this concept of "manspreading" I asked my wife what this was all about, and she was already familiar enough with the phenomena whether or not she heard the title before. She spends more time on public transit than I do, and like so many other women have had to deal with guys sitting on bus or a train with their arms extended and legs extended so that they are taking up three seats. Some of the pictures I've seen posted on this are clearly acts of aggression. The clown...especially if it's a teenager or 20 sumthin, is already letting you know that you have to be ready to fight if you tell him to move or that he's taking up too much space. I know, I've had to deal with situations that could have ended up with fists swinging all because some jackass wants to impose his will on others...especially females who have to sit near him on public transit.

And Amy Winehouse is another example of newer music I can relate to because it's based on classic r&b styles.

I'm sure there is good rap music. But since at least one prominent psychologist has taken time to study and publish a report on the subject, it seems that our music preferences...along with many other things are pretty much locked in by our early 20's. So anything new that I hear, has to remind me of something old....something that I heard from the late 60's through the 70's....Alabama Shakes and My Morning Jacket would be examples of new music that's familiar to me because it's not really that new! So, since all rap was hardcore and within black communities in the US back in the 70's, it wasn't on my radar and still isn't today.

Not necessarily! I know of several cases where the father was awarded custody even for a two year old. The all-to-often problem is that a lot of guys look at separation and divorce settlements as some sort of competitive game! Even when they have been absent and uninvolved fathers who don't give a rat's ass about their kids, they still fight tooth and nail for custody.

Your attitude reveals the evils of libertarian thinking.....every man for himself etc! What kind of world do you expect to live in if there is no social responsibility for the quality of life for children growing up and eventually coming of age? I'm reminded that, according to a number of Japanese social critics, the most likely reason for Japan's extremely low birth rates is: 1. women have full control over their reproduction, so there's no compulsory motherhood as in conservative societies. 2. the state at all levels of government offers nothing to help young Japanese couples start families. The costs of parenthood are highest in the world, because rising real estate and housing costs have demanded most work long hours with no assistance for daycare or even taking unpaid leave. So, if women can control pregnancy and can clearly see that their lives will be financially ruined if they have children...they won't! And the alternative conservative paradise of no abortion or birth control allowed, will just mean trying to raise children in abject poverty. Either scenario should be unacceptable for anyone with any semblance of social conscience.

I think the rumours that are attributed to Yanis Varoufakis, that Tsipras didn't actually want to win the referendum are likely correct. I guess he's Greece's Obama! If I was a Greek citizen today, the bulk of my rage would be directed at Tsipras, not the blood-sucking Euro institutions and IMF, who already bailed out the original loansharks, because he made promises he could not, or did not have the courage to back up! He got a mandate from the people to do something radically different if the only option was a selloff of assets (including pension fund capital). A recent blog entry by public banking advocate - Ellen Brown lists three options the Syriza government was rumoured to be considering, rather than caving in to the Troika; why didn't they have the courage, mandate in hand, to strike out in a new direction, rather than accept the slow, grinding down process of wealth confiscation of lower classes (austerity) and the fire sale of publicly owned lands and assets? http://ellenbrown.com/2015/07/09/guerrilla-warfare-against-a-hegemonic-power-the-challenge-and-promise-of-greece/

I wasn't even aware back in the 80's, that Loreena McKennitt was recording (without a major contract) and performing locally from her home base in Stratford...not many miles away. My wife picked up the CD for the album "The Visit" by mistake...thinking it was a Stevie Nicks album that had a similar cover photo. She liked it, and I liked it when I heard it...it certainly was something different. At that time, most of her music was based on traditional Celtic music...even including a song on The Visit (Greensleeves) said to be written by King Henry VIII. All Soul's Night was the closest thing to a single from the album, but my favourite was a musical adaptation of "The Lady of Shalott" based on the poem by Alfred Lord Tennyson. The original version is a full 11 minutes long, but after creating an abridged five minute version for an appearance on the Juno Awards, the 5 min. version has been the standard for live performances since then. My favourite rendition is from the live album "Nights At The Alhambra". And for some reason, the only Youtube clip I can find is one with Spanish subtitles:

It's already been asked, but what the hell has he been doing during his eight years in office? Especially when he first took the controls of government and had a Democratic Party-controlled Congress! On his way out the door, Obama is the same person he was when he was handpicked by billionheiress - Penny Pritzker (a major behind the scenes player among the rich and powerful in Chicago) and introduced to Goldmann-Sachs execs and the Wall Street crowd, as a candidate who would look after the interests of the rich and powerful, regardless of whatever rhetoric came out of his mouth! So, here he goes...riding off into the sunset, making a bunch of speeches and introducing legislation (which has no hope in hell of passing) in order to try to leave behind some kind of populist legacy, while he will be richly rewarded for his services on behalf of the oligarchs....especially pushing through TPP, TISA and TTIP, which will usher in a brave new world where international corporations and banks have veto power over the nation states of the world. That should be the Obama Legacy (along with continuing the Bush legacy of using military to leverage US international interests) - the man who pushed through the last steps to rule by oligarchy, and not making pointless speeches on not PR at a federal prison, when he is the man who had the power to do something about the growing Prison Industrial Complex, and did nothing! May he rot in hell!

It's been noted for centuries that there is a connection between great artistry and madness. I wish I could recall the source now, but an interview I heard recently with a psychologist who's studied the problem, noted that the great visual descriptive phrases from varied sources from Samuel Coleridge to Syd Barrett are taken as examples of great imagination by the reader/or the listener, while the subject was merely describing the visual and auditory hallucinations that haunted them throughout their lives. On a lesser level, the great songwriter or composer, has to be capable of thinking outside the box, so this usually means someone unconventional who just doesn't fit in with the rest of society.

As has been pointed out numerous times since Wikileaks started revealing to the public what the US was doing with their "enhanced interrogations," these fall under the category of torture....even as how it was defined by US Law until they got out their little bottles of whiteout and concocted creative ways of excusing their abuses....for domestic consumption, if nobody else accepts it! The US has charged, convicted and executed Germans, Japanese and others in previous times for waterboarding and other warcrimes that they are now using themselves.

Sure you did! In recent years, neuroscientists have confirmed the nuts&bolts of why teenagers are a problem: the brain is still developing, the subject is much more prone to act on impulse than an adult and have too little regard for risk......things every parent has known and has not needed scientific confirmation of for centuries. This is why legal standards have set the bar lower for children and teens who commit crimes, than adults. The odds on reform or rehabilitation are greater than with adult offenders. The obvious exception that gets trotted out, are the criminal psychopaths. If caught at a young age, they cannot be rehabilitated because of damaged brain function doesn't allow empathy, so they have no moral compass. The majority of psychopaths are not criminals though, but most have great difficulty maintaining relationships because they have to fake their way through by acting in ways that they believe other people expect them to act. In order to be law-abiding, psychopaths have to follow systems of preset rules.....being virtuous just not compute. So, when it comes to a psychopathic young offender, who develops an interest in committing sex crimes or becomes a serial killer, this is someone who will always be a threat to others. The problem is the legal system is so far behind the science of the mind, they still don't have a legal code that uses the right criteria to separate them for life.