If you think you have free speech in the US you need a major reality check ... ask a Muslim if he has Free Speech, or one of the many other minority groups ...

Problem is, its not actually influenced by the people. In Aus or UK, if you think the polls did a bad job you vote them out. The US seems to be driven by big business and the ridiculous lobbying system and finances paid for campaigning. If you want a better system that the people get a fair hearing, don't waste money on campaigns that last forever, have a month of debate with real people live on tv paid for not by ads but government revenue split between the parties. Each candidate (not just the best speakers get to have a go at debating questions they actually don't get to see first. Also they have 2 minutes to answer and not allowed to waffle and not answer the questions. Mu guess is it will never change because big business and lobbyists will never allow it.

Done, no green.

Done. ng, ng.

Who wins elections ( Not just US but UK as well ) The Party with the most Money, where do they get that money? Corporations, Who do the Politicians listen to? The Corporations who fund them.
All the Parties are playing the same game, It's the game that is wrong and not necessarily the players ( parties ).

There's a wonderful event on at the Perth International Arts Festival next month. It's a giant show box where you are fitted with another persons shoes (your size) and walk for a mile in them listening to their story on headphones. I think it includes an ex prisoner, a street prostitute, a FOFO (fly in fly out) mine worker amongst others. I'm hoping there will be a muslim, an indigenous Australian elder and other interesting people who all have a story we should hear.

Done

Your right Adr, thats why it should come from govt revenue and be equally split. A good example can actually be found in sport. In our Aussie Rules, a mad but brilliant game, definitely not suited to TV ads so will never take off in the US. Each team has a salary cap and new players are drafted each year to a club where the bottom placed club from the previous season gets the first choice, 2nd from bottom the next and so on. Over time, all the clubs go through periods of greatness getting a premiership. Even the finals is a well thought out series.

The top 8 of currently 18 clubs get through. Oh and the home and away season is also balanced so the better clubs play each other more often as do the lower clubs. In the finals top four play off 1 v 4, 2 v 3. The winner gets a bye to the next round, the losers get to play the winners of 5 v 8 and 6 v 7. Then theres just 4 left, if you can follow it.

Anyway, start the game from yesterday!

But that's the problem, why will the parties change the rules when they are the ones that benefit.
It's a closed shop they just vote themselves more money, vote the corporations more money look at Trans-Pacific Partnership, or look at what Monsanto have done, how they got Aspartame approved for use in the US.

ding

Phil - re the fitting someone with someone else's shoes. I think it was Dave Barry who said before criticizing someone, walk a mile in their shoes. That way if they get mad, you are a mile away from them and you have their shoes.

Yea I dunno if Dave Berry said it first, it's a very old joke I think I remember hearing it in the 70's or maybe even 60's

Done todays puzzle, gonna crash while I can 6:30 am , Internet has been very sick tonight, seems to have settled, so fingers crossed.

And many many more examples. Social media will be they key. Funny as the cats can be, there's a real chance that change will come through social media. My guess is that it won't be a political party, more like a huge injustice will be changed by the people collaborating through social media and voting for a change in the whole system. It has happened a lot in the way the median public get together in Aus and generate enough traction that the pollies finally listen. We may not be the first but we'll eventually get equal rights in marriage regardless of sexual orientation. Its really a non issue in most environments already just needs the law to catch up. I'm really surprised the American women haven't got together to get maternity leave. I think most women in Europe and for that matter the rest of the world can't believe they haven't got it.

off for a cuppa enjoy your sleep Adr

Difficulty score 14. No green.

Happy Waitangi Day! Wellington celebrates their big day today.

I'm bummed... completed all the puzzles and still only get a rank of 7523... :`(

Start todays puzzle

ding

Ha!

Nailed that puppy!

Rank be, babay!

For I am so rank(able)!

drwho is so right in history lesson of our political system, once worked so very well, now so sadly broken. I think the important lesson there is that 'forefathers' changed things up big-time. This is again what we need. If not, then so true - we will have no freedoms left.

Phil - remember, I mentioned the 'l' word, 'lobbyists' in first return message I sent on this topic - argh, don't even get me started on Monsanto - Adr is so correct in saying this is now a closed shop. And yes, Phil, I now see you were asking a rhetorical question, you well understand the mess we are in. Hope is an elusive thing here.

go

pompelid - That seems to happen a lot. First, if you've just finished the puzzles, wait for the scores to be updated overnight. Then, if you're still missing points, send a note to Dr. God (link at bottom of screen). I was missing 8 points when I had finished all the puzzles, but Dr. God quickly remedied the situation.

go

pompelid--you can also check your archive calendar for missing dates and manually insert them into the URL---ironsudoku.com/archive/(puzzle #)

done

I love politics. Yes, I'm a hippy, pinko, liberal commie, made only worse by my 16 years in much-better-governed Canada. Query to DrWho: The 2nd amendment is limited by language about a "well regulated militia". Why does the NRA and its friends ignore that part of the amendment? Do you think that the 2nd amendment justifies our having the highest murder rate in the first world? Finally, what liberties do you think we've lost?

Done

dng