No question now, evil corporation that lies constantly and panders to anti American extremists.

Because of their evil extremist anti choice pandering, California just cancelled a $54 million a year contract for drugs for prisoners.
Expect more to come, Walgreens is done in the 4th largest economy on the planet, California.
State government health plans will likely be next to ban Walgreens.
California (and other states) customers are boycotting…those few that still shopped at Walgreens in the first place.

It’s idiotic to pander to a failing cult and turn off your biggest customer base….like Tesla and Twitter. All 3 turned hard right directly into the sewer. Bye Felicia. We’ll be better off without any of you.

Evil Corporation or government policies? You decide

For the time being, I don't think that's a concern; with all of the incredible progress being shown in using neural networks to replicate (and yes, improve on) human skills, I'm not aware of any real advances in any field related to giving AI any sort of actual will.

What's more concerning to me is how this sort of technology will be put to use to categorize and control people. I'm not talking about shadowy cabals, or even evil corporations--I'm talking about the unintentional consequences of being able to accurately reduce people to a set of metrics and predictable behaviors, and how that may push culture to a bland algorithmic mush rather than the chaotic but vibrant human mess it's always been. Time will tell, I guess.

@radx and @enoch

radx said:
Painting Truthout, Truthdig, Counterpunch, Alternet, BlackAgendaReport, NakedCapitalism and others as stooges of the Kremlin is such an obvious attempt to discredit dissenting voices that it's, quite frankly, rather offensive.

enoch said:
i have considered his works and found them informative and reflective of our current situation.

just as i have found:howard zinn,noam chomsky,amy goodman,jeremy scahill,laura poitrus,glenn greenwald,paul jay,richard d wolffe.

All of the outlets and authors listed above have been very thorough or exhaustive in documenting the evils of America or Capitalism(as represented by America). The length, depth and detail they have all given and time spent documenting any and every instance is almost breath taking. For a long time, I sort of sat closer to you both by looking at the merits of each instance and case weeding through which stories were accurate, which ones were complete, which ones were misleading or fair. Lots and lots of the coverage from those groups and individuals were very accurate.

Here's the counter balance though, how much time, detail and effort have all of those groups combined given to any positive outcomes of America or Capitalism(as represented by America). How much time, detail and effort have all of those groups combined given to the evils of any alternatives or opposing forces that would or did fill the voids were America isn't involved? It's crickets all around.

Chomsky's work alone could fill a library with the thorough documenting of America's evil corporate execution of class war on the workers of the world. How many books and documentaries can we count form the entire group that attempt anything similar for China, Russia, Middle Eastern nations, heck, the rest of the world combined?

I don't draw attention to this to point out that anything they have all observed is even wrong or incorrect. I draw attention to the glaring omission of similar documentation of alternatives. As it stands, a country like Russia couldn't dream of a better and more effective propaganda coup than the work of these groups and individuals. That doesn't in anyway say any of them are in allegiance with Russia, or even like anything about Russia. It still stands that even if Russia set out to discredit and smear America and leave itself looking clean, it couldn't pay people to do a better job of it. That's something worth considering and the deep, deep absence of balance and perspective that the listed sources represent is DAMAGING when taken in isolation.

Perhaps more pointedly, is the problem with Breitbart merely with it's fact checking department? They are, in as close as investigated them both, about on a Howard Zinn level for accuracy/honesty. None the less, it's the facts they willingly and knowingly leave out that makes them so damaging. The fact they fall right wing instead of left wing doesn't make their damage so much more appalling to me.

So you are implying that centralized government control of the school system has not worked. And that this intentionally broken system helps feed the prison system. Furthermore you are saying that by privatizing it evil corporation get richer.

If the "state" would do a good job of education we would not be in this mess.
If the "state" would do a good job there would not be a reason to privatize.

The "state" has failed.

Bah-Humbug. I suppose he had to find something, at this time of good cheer, to stimulate his vainglorious existence.
Still, could've been worse. He might of shattered the faith of our little ones by saying that Santa doesn't exist, and far from rewarding well behaved children, Santa is simply another marketing tool invented by the EVIL corporations.....
Merry Xmas Russell, you sad individual.

You know what is bullshit ?
Putting an asshole like Inhofe in charge of the Environment.

lying, evil, corporate owned, anti-American, sociopathic, uninformed, Republicunt$.

I assume you're referring to: http://www.upworthy.com/a-14-year-old-explains-food-labeling-in-language-even-condescending-tv-hosts-should-get-3

Ok...She explains what exactly? I'm pretty certain she doesn't even understand how genes work. She's a teen activist, not a scientist or doctor. I'm not saying that scientists and doctors are above reproach, but they at least have a basic understanding of the issues at hand with data to support their opinions.

I'm sure Monsanto is an evil corporation hellbent on profits at all costs, but the underlying concept that all GM food is bad for the planet and humans does not stand up to currently accepted scientific scrutiny.

Also, if this 14 year old girl and a documentary is the entirety of your "research", I'm not sure I should be wasting my time with you.

This is such a cruel thing to do to someone who is only trying to even the playing field and take it back from the evil corporation.

What?! No comments about the commercialization of Christmas, and the evil corporations that spawn it?
No comments on how Christmas is another plague brought about by organized religion/Christianity?
I just got my Christmas present from the Sift!

Thanks to all who commented!

A few extras:

Romneycare: was a state-level experiment, which is permitted. It is also, AFAIK, a failure that had to be bailed out by the feds.

Obamacare is really just Heritage/Romney Creation: rather than try to argue the small stuff...if somehow "HeritageCare" had made it to the Supreme Court, I would have expected it to crumble because of the unconstitutional mandate just the same as it should have under KING Obama.

It's really about expansion of government power: Presumably this law was to stop "freeloaders" of the health care system. If that's the case, what difference will be made insuring 30 million 'deadbeats' at gunpoint, who can't/won't pay a tax/fine any more than they would originally buy health insurance?

Hundreds of businesses got obamacare waivers, creating a dual caste system where the burden of this horrendous law will lay across the backs of the middle class and small businesses. The "evil corporations" that liberals were hoping to punish evaded them once again, in clear violation of the 14th Amendment (equal treatment under the law).

Paltry 'savings' from an extra 500 billion in new taxes: The 11 to 20 million estimated illegals will continue to bankrupt our hospitals via "free" emergency room visits.

Will you promise to leave the country when Obama is re-elected? I don't have to leave America. Unless obama is given a bus-ticket back to chicago come November, America will leave us. It already has.

Romney won't fix it: The end of the Republic is already on its way. Romney may forestall it a little while, but it's coming.

What seems lost in translation for the left is, the "evil" corporations as well as the little guys have little choice but to ALL have lobbyists pursuing their own interests. Why?

Because government is too large and too powerful.

You can take your pick of which is the greater evil: 'greedy' corporations which can and do fail, or a permanent class/army of government bureaucrats untied to quality performance or market demand, and which has lobbyists to shame even the corporations.

I'd rather take my chances with the market.






>> ^westy:

>> ^quantumushroom:
People who get "free" stuff usually like things being "free", and a corrupt government is more than happy to seize the money from the producers to buy the votes of the ignorant. Why should the producers continue busting a$$ only to have their 'extra' hard work taken away? Socialist paradises like mexifornia have been great for Utah and Arizona, which are more than happy to receive the fleeing companies voting with their feet.
Europe is in deep sh1t because of socialism, which sooner than later always fails. Even if you could tax everyone at 98% the unlimited wants of the people would outrun any government's ability to redistribute wealth.
Capitalism works, socialism 'sort of' works until it's literally too big NOT to fail.

Europe is in deep shit because USA DEREGULATED THE MARKETS and the whole of europe and USA are all tied into the same big banks.
In reality we live in a coperate run socity and thats because for the most part its a FREE MARKET in the sense that whoever has the most money can do what the fuck they like by lobying the goverment thats what you get when you let companies and money dictate things the people with the money own and run the goverment its as close to free market as you can get and hense why everything has fallen apart for the menny and benofited the few super ritch.
also look at crime rates and quality of helth care for countries that have better distribution of wealth you will find they are among the top.

I'm not sure this should be posted either. If anyone has proved that they are worth paying to see, it's Louis CK. And as you said, this is "just a guy" trying to make a buck, not a corporation charging more than their product is worth. Hindering his ability to make money without DRM, etc. just helps those corporations.>> ^Boise_Lib:

Should this whole show be posted on Vs?
I'm really asking because I don't know. Louis has said, "Please don't steal from me--I'm just a guy not an evil corporation." (he meant torrent--not embedding--I think) I'm guessing that the Youtube account is from Louis (or, authorized by him). The description, "Some random fat dude totally not famous or whatever do a jokey routine." Sure sounds like something he'd say. Also the title says, "Reference Copy" whatever that means. So, embedding is not disabled--must be okay--Right?
He's trying out a new thing wherein he sells the video in the open--for a very low price--without all the anti-hacking crap. Is posting this helping him--or the corporations who what this experiment to fail?

Should this whole show be posted on Vs?

I'm really asking because I don't know. Louis has said, "Please don't steal from me--I'm just a guy not an evil corporation." (he meant torrent--not embedding--I think) I'm guessing that the Youtube account is from Louis (or, authorized by him). The description, "Some random fat dude totally not famous or whatever do a jokey routine." Sure sounds like something he'd say. Also the title says, "Reference Copy" whatever that means. So, embedding is not disabled--must be okay--Right?

He's trying out a new thing wherein he sells the video in the open--for a very low price--without all the anti-hacking crap. Is posting this helping him--or the corporations who want this experiment to fail?

First, I haven't advocated "getting rid of unions." Those are your words, not mine. I am merely agreeing with FDR that collective bargaining in the public sector is untenable. He made that assertion years ago and looking around today, he was right. But people didn't want to listen, and now we're here in the middle of some horrible mismanagement by the government. Unions aren't going away, but they aren't about to get the benefits outlined in their contracts either. It's pretty much over. Why? Because we've played about as many shell games with the money that we can play.

Second, this, in part, is what I think the government needs to do. Before handing out any more bailouts, it need to pass some good legislation regarding the ratio of pay between corporate officers and the common worker. The jerks we've elected are in collusion in this process, and they stand back acting like 'who struck John' when corporate boards continue to do what corporate boards do. What the hell did they think was going to happen? When you consider the men who are crashing the world, the pathology isn't limited to 'evil' corporations.

Third, therefore, there needs to be an adjustment to the 'bad legislation' as you put it. The government needs to set some limits on its ability to negotiate contracts on behalf of its citizens. Should pensions and benefit packages in the public sector exceed the average pension and benefits of its private citizenry? That kind of self regulation begins in Congress. Those vultures need to get the House in order. They've awarded themselves more perks than Maxwell House Coffee.

Lastly, I think I can help in some small way. Maybe we all can. As for my part, I joined "Create Jobs for USA," which is an effort by Starbucks, et al, to help people who are out of work get back to it. There are lots of opportunity to help people who are hurting. I hope we don't miss that in all the noise.





>> ^ghark:

@silvercord - your argument about the postal service is invalid - the issue is not with the unions, it is with poor legislation that shouldn't have been passed. I agree with you that the system isn't working, but getting rid of Unions would be about the same as putting a bandaid onto the sinking titanic, I hope you packed a life jacket and some hot cocoa
Oh, and America is a very wealthy country, you seem to suggest that you are running out of money to fund these public services - that is a complete fallacy, the issue is that the money is maldistributed.