BS: Ronald Reagan - Sadly Missed

Subject: RE: BS: Ronald Reagan - Sadly Missed
From: Ellenpoly
Date: 07 Jun 04 - 04:09 AM

I'm in complete agreement with Joe Offer on this one.

Subject: RE: BS: Ronald Reagan - Sadly Missed
From: kendall
Date: 07 Jun 04 - 04:42 AM

How in the name of intelligence can anyone admire this lying phony? So he's dead' so what?
Here I go again. Some time ago I posed this question about Bush, and I now pose it about Raygun. Tell us why we should admire this creep.
He ran for president with a promise to balance the budget, yet in 8 years he never even SUBMITTED a balanced budget. He spent more money than all previous presidents combined. His policies dumped thousands of mental patients out onto the streets, right here in Portland they tore down all of the affordable housing and put all those "hand to mouth" people onto the streets, he halted all funding for AIDS research, when in Germany he visited the graves of SS officers at Bittburg, he lied through his teeth about Iran-Contra, he lied through his teeth about arms for hostages, tried to throw his pet dog, Oliver North, to the wolves, surrounded himself with the likes of Adm. Poindexter and Sec. of the Interior, Watt, went union busting on a grand scale, and those were his GOOD points.
Ok Reagan lovers, talk to me.
bbc, the floor is yours.

Subject: RE: BS: Ronald Reagan - Sadly Missed
From: kendall
Date: 07 Jun 04 - 06:39 AM

Furthermore, the price of EVERYTHING doubled during his administration.
Well, not quite everything, garage door openers stayed about the same.
I don't know about you, but my income sure as hell didn't double.
The man was a third rate actor who was able to fool a hell of a lot of people who don't think very deeply.

Subject: RE: BS: Ronald Reagan - Sadly Missed
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 07 Jun 04 - 07:46 AM

I'm in complete agreement with Kendall on this. Actually, Kendall was being fairly polite and restrained.

Linn

Subject: RE: BS: Ronald Reagan - Sadly Missed
From: Greg F.
Date: 07 Jun 04 - 07:46 AM

Oh, OK. I see now. He was an affable asshole.

That makes all the crooked, scummy, petty and miserable things he and his administration did OK. Shame Pol Pot didn't know how to tell a joke; things could have been different for him.

There. Got my head right now.

Thanks!

Greg

Subject: RE: BS: Ronald Reagan - Sadly Missed
From: GUEST
Date: 07 Jun 04 - 08:50 AM

"What I keep thinking about is that the two elections that he won were I believe the largest landslide wins in anyone's favor.

What does that say to you?"

That the Nixon Republican's "Southern strategy" had taken hold, and alienated enough voters in other parts of the country to make them not vote. While it is true that when he ran for president, there was a bump in the number of voters over non-presidential election years, it is widely accepted that those voters were Democrats who had been abstaining because of disenchantment with the liberalization of the Democratic party.

The numbers can be seen at the Federal Election Commission's website here:

http://www.fec.gov/pages/htmlto5.htm

I'm sure Martin Gibson and the other Reagan lovers will also be disappointed to know that voter turnout for both Reagan elections was lower than the Bush/Clinton election, which had the highest voter turnout since 1972.

So I guess that puts the lie to the whole "Reagan was our most popular president" bullshit, eh?

Subject: RE: BS: Ronald Reagan - Sadly Missed
From: GUEST
Date: 07 Jun 04 - 09:00 AM

Here is a link to an interesting article about voter turnout and abstention from Noam Chomsky, written post-Y2K election:

http://zena.secureforum.com/Znet/zmag/feb01chomsky.htm

Subject: RE: BS: Ronald Reagan - Sadly Missed
From: ced2
Date: 07 Jun 04 - 09:08 AM

Sadly missed? Indeed it was sad that any assassin's bullet missed.

Subject: RE: BS: Ronald Reagan - Sadly Missed
From: GUEST
Date: 07 Jun 04 - 09:24 AM

folkfan73, please tell us you are trolling and taking the piss, he helped that facist we had Margaret Thatcher to get many people killed and maimed. Fine individuals indeed excellent examples to our children and our childrens children, get real or up your medication...

Subject: RE: BS: Ronald Reagan - Sadly Missed
From: GUEST,Larry K
Date: 07 Jun 04 - 11:19 AM

Before reading this thread, I predicted that 9 out of 10 comments would be negative to Reagan.    How sadly predictable.   Yet the American people seem to know better.   In a recent Time Magazine poll, the american public voted Reagan as the best president in history.   Now who is out of touch?

I generally laugh when people try to explain that the fall of communism would have happened anyway and that Reagan had nothing to do it.    Let's not give Edison credit for the light bulb because someone else would have discovered it anyway.   However, I did read a new one today which still amazes me.   The assertion by Carol C. that defeating communism was a mistake because it lead to a lousy economy in Russia.    My guess is that people in Poland and Eastern Europe would not agree with Carol C. as they preferred communist rule and the murder of millions and millions of people.   I have to admit, I never thought of that angle before.

But that is not what pisses liberals off about Reagan.   It really wasn't his politics, or his charm, or his budget deficit, or even Iran Contra.   What really pisses liberals off about Reagan was his belief in America and how he made people proud to be Americans again.   That is something that liberals will never forgive him for.

Subject: RE: BS: Ronald Reagan - Sadly Missed
From: GUEST,bbc at work
Date: 07 Jun 04 - 11:26 AM

Kendall,

You seem to have missed my point. I don't think this thread was intended as a forum for bashing & I won't participate in it, to attack or to defend. IMHO, life's too short for that level of negativism.

bbc

Subject: RE: BS: Ronald Reagan - Sadly Missed
From: Ebbie
Date: 07 Jun 04 - 11:49 AM

Guest/Larry K, I think you are correct in saying that 9 out of 10 comments on Reagan by 'liberals' are negative. On the other hand, out of 6 or so 'conservatives' on the Mudcat, 100 % extoll Reagan's virtues. So just who is being predictable?

Subject: RE: BS: Ronald Reagan - Sadly Missed
From: CarolC
Date: 07 Jun 04 - 11:53 AM

The assertion by Carol C. that defeating communism was a mistake because it lead to a lousy economy in Russia.    My guess is that people in Poland and Eastern Europe would not agree with Carol C. as they preferred communist rule and the murder of millions and millions of people.   I have to admit, I never thought of that angle before.

You're misquoting me, Larry K. Or at least, you're trying to insert a different meaning into what I said, than the one I intended.

I am not saying that the people of the former Soviet Union prefer/preferred communist rule, and I most certainly am not saying they preferred the murder of millions and millions of people. You are the only one who is saying that.

Toward the END of the Socialist regime, it was already pretty obvious that democracy was coming and socialism was on its way out in the Soviet Union. Gorbachev knew that in order for the country to have any stability and any viability as a democracy, the transition needed to happen slowly. And this has proved to be true. There is no real democracy in what is now the former Soviet Union. There is only a particularly vicious form of criminally organized kleptocracy, and this is precisely because of the way in which the transition from the Socialist regime to the present system was implemented. The reason given by the US for wanting to see the end of the Soviet Union was humanitarian concern for the people of the region, and for stability and safety from the Soviet Union's nuclear arsenal.

But the people of the former Soviet Union are suffering every bit as much under the present system as they were under the system as it was during Gorbachev's time in power, if not more so, and there is no stability with regard to nuclear weapons. The breakup of the Soviet Union and the lack of jobs and the lack of access to the basic necessities of life has caused a big problem for people who want to keep nuclear technology and nuclear material out of the hands of terrorists, because desperate people are willing to sell these things to the highest bidders.

It would have been much smarter to have let Gorbachev make the needed changes gradually so that the Soviet Union could have become a real democracy instead of the festering pit of organized crime that it has become.

Or maybe people like Larry K just don't think very highly of Democracy in general, and prefer systems in which the most corrupt and ruthless people, who don't give a shit about humanitarian concerns, get to run the show.

Subject: RE: BS: Ronald Reagan - Sadly Missed
From: M.Ted
Date: 07 Jun 04 - 12:05 PM

Guest, you failed to point out that Martin"Wrong as Usual" Gibson, was, once again, wrong, as usual.
Reagan's first election was by 50.7% of the vote, certainly a victory, but not a landslide by anyone's definition.

Even his big win, in 1984(!) by 58%, was beat by both Lyndon Johnson, who got more than 60% in 1964, and Nixon, who got more than 60% in 1972--What does that say to you?

For the record, the biggest landslide by a President was James Monroe, who won in both 1816 and 1820 with 99% of the votes--

And, for what it's worth, I disagree with Kendall, I thought he was quite a good actor--

Subject: RE: BS: Ronald Reagan - Sadly Missed
From: Don Firth
Date: 07 Jun 04 - 12:10 PM

"In a recent Time Magazine poll, the American public voted Reagan as the best president in history.   Now who is out of touch?"

Let's put it this way: 5,999,999,999 people say that the world is flat. One person says it's a globe. Does that mean that the one person is "out of touch"?

The next question should have been "Popular with whom?" Truth is not determined by consensus.

Don Firth

Subject: RE: BS: Ronald Reagan - Sadly Missed
From: Don Firth
Date: 07 Jun 04 - 12:19 PM

Let me clarify: polls of this kind usually involve asking a sample of about 3,000 and then extrapolating. It's not at all unusual or difficult to a) be horribly wrong unintentionally; b) deliberately cobble the poll to get a desired result--as many a political pollster knows.

Don Firth

Subject: RE: BS: Ronald Reagan - Sadly Missed
From: Blackcatter
Date: 07 Jun 04 - 12:24 PM

Let's not give Edison credit for the light bulb because someone else would have discovered it anyway.

Talk about ignorance. Edison was the head of a team of men and women who developed the first useful lightbulb. By no means did he do it himself and he never gave his team credit on the work they did.

One other thing we tend to forget - while our "current pretender" avoided Vietnam by screwing around, Reagan blew off WWII because he could as a hack actor. And don't say he was a bit old to serve. My dad was the same age as Reagan and served in the Navy from 42-46, even though he had really poor eyesight and a 6 year old daughter who's mother had died 2 years before or Rheumatic Fever.

Once again Reagan was a piece of crap early on.

Subject: RE: BS: Ronald Reagan - Sadly Missed
From: Amos
Date: 07 Jun 04 - 12:32 PM

What really pisses liberals off about Reagan was his belief in America and how he made people proud to be Americans again.

I am a liberal. I have never been anything other than proud to be an American. It has always been my conviction that America represented the greatest hope for a liberal world (meaning tolerant and fostering freedom). Please don't be stupid enough to think that the word "liberal" has any meaning other than those relating to freedom.



The only things that undermine that pride are the ravages of warmongering, illiteracy, anti-humanism and imperialism demonstrated by Bush fils.

Reagan commited a lot of stupid things but I have always been proud of the way he dealt with Gorby. I am sorry Gorby's own power base waned so suddenly. Reagan was lucky to have him on the stage -- if Russia had been led by a stupider man, Reagan's job would have been a lot tougher.

Go suck a rock.

A

Subject: RE: BS: Ronald Reagan - Sadly Missed
From: kendall
Date: 07 Jun 04 - 12:37 PM

bbc, you may be right, but I'd be glad to start another thread apart from this one. Would that be more to your liking?

I'm not going to name names, but someone here is so full of "IT" his eyes must be brown. I am a liberal and I love my country. I served in the armed forces and have a medal to prove it. Furthermore, I'd love to compare my military record with Bush's. It's every bit as illustrious.
Too many of you Bushites are unable to distinguish between loyalty to the USA and loyalty to resident bush. That lying phony coward has gotten us into a hell of a mess and his real reason is VENDETTA.

Subject: RE: BS: Ronald Reagan - Sadly Missed
From: GUEST
Date: 07 Jun 04 - 12:39 PM

I didn't like him. Why do some Americans think socialism and democracy are mutually exclusive, and has anyone told the China communism was defeated?

Subject: RE: BS: Ronald Reagan - Sadly Missed
From: Blackcatter
Date: 07 Jun 04 - 12:40 PM

Was/is Reagan a popular president - sure. The same way Britney Spears is a popular singer and Wheel of Fortune is a popular TV show - since when does popular automatically mean good?

A "popular" notion in the U.S. is that New Mexico is actually part of Mexico. Doesn't make it true.

Subject: RE: BS: Ronald Reagan - Sadly Missed
From: Strollin' Johnny
Date: 07 Jun 04 - 12:49 PM

GUEST - You don't know Folkfan73. I do. If you knew him you would know that your last comments are a sickening disgrace. I hope, one evening, to encounter you in a dark alley, so that I can tear your head off and piss down your neck. Unfortunately you're a cowardly bastard who hasn't even got the balls to identify him/her self, so sadly I'll never have the chance.
Johnny :0(

Subject: RE: BS: Ronald Reagan - Sadly Missed
From: GUEST
Date: 07 Jun 04 - 01:02 PM

bbc, there is a separate obit thread.

Larry K, I have no doubt that the reason why people here, as in many places right now, are bitching about Reagan IS because of his policies. To those of Americans to whom policies matter more than popularity, it is a no brainer.

If you love your country, you don't destroy it's government welfare system, bust it's unions, impoverish it's working and middle classes, dismantle entire cabinet level agencies like HUD, feed the military industrial complex by approving dangerous projects and defense systems (like Star Wars) that don't work, and waste the taxpayers money.

It doesn't mean you avoid military service because you can make government propaganda films instead. It doesn't mean you participate in witch hunts and destroy the careers and lives of your colleagues whom you dislike, or their politics.

There was not much decent about this man, and frankly, 9 out of 10 of us aren't going to be polite about his indecency and lack of personal integrity just because he died.

Subject: RE: BS: Ronald Reagan - Sadly Missed
From: GUEST
Date: 07 Jun 04 - 01:03 PM

Strollin' Johnny -- I am the Guest who just posted between kendall and Blackcatter and I'm sure I didn't ask for that vitriolic infantile outburst. If you knew me you wouldn't be so 'brave' in your threats to meet me in a dark alley. People like you are the reason I don't id myself, you nutter.

Subject: RE: BS: Ronald Reagan - Sadly Missed
From: CarolC
Date: 07 Jun 04 - 01:17 PM

I am sorry Gorby's own power base waned so suddenly.

Amos, I think we can thank the Reagan administration and the way it carried out its policies and agendas with regard to the Soviet Union and its government, for the sudden waning of Gorby's power base.

Subject: RE: BS: Ronald Reagan - Sadly Missed
From: Amos
Date: 07 Jun 04 - 01:50 PM

I am not welll enough informed to make a judgement on that, Carol. I have always felt the workings of the USSR were much more complicated than any brain could comprehend!

A

Subject: RE: BS: Ronald Reagan - Sadly Missed
From: Wolfgang
Date: 07 Jun 04 - 02:08 PM

07 Jun 04 - 01:03 PM, you obviously have not been meant by SJ's post, 07 Jun 04 - 09:24 AM has been meant.

Wolfgang

Subject: RE: BS: Ronald Reagan - Sadly Missed
From: Once Famous
Date: 07 Jun 04 - 02:39 PM

The far left liberal mind is a true embarrassment in this thread.

Total hypocrisy.

Glad people are dead and waiting for others like Thatcher and the Pope to go next makes me so glad I am not one of you and that your base of power is so stunted.

Subject: RE: BS: Ronald Reagan - Sadly Missed
From: DougR
Date: 07 Jun 04 - 03:19 PM

Interesting to see how the comments on Ronald Reagan, as a president, posted here (Save bbc's and a mighty few others)contrast so vividly with those of world leaders as reported in the daily newspapers. Even Gorbachef referred to him as a "great president."

Of course those world leaders did not have the advantage of being born with such infallible insight as did the "lefties" on the Mudcat.

Most commentators I have heard state the Franklin Roosevelt and Ronal Reagan will go down in history as the two greatest presidents in the 20th Century. I am sure they would be disabused of that opinion were they to read the comments posted in this thread by such learned liberal writers.

DougR

Subject: RE: BS: Ronald Reagan - Sadly Missed
From: GUEST, yet another.
Date: 07 Jun 04 - 03:46 PM

DougR ... those people get paid for their plattitudes, people here are just exercising their constitutional right to have an opinion i.e. just saying what's in their hearts.

Subject: RE: BS: Ronald Reagan - Sadly Missed
From: Peace
Date: 07 Jun 04 - 04:15 PM

DougR: Ofetn, when a leader dies, he or she is lauded as the greatest thing since sliced bread. As GUEST, yet another said, they get paid for their platitudes.

Subject: RE: BS: Ronald Reagan - Sadly Missed
From: WFDU - Ron Olesko
Date: 07 Jun 04 - 04:46 PM

I do agree with Martin that it is rather hypocritical for those of us who proclaim to be "liberals" to wish death on anyone. If we oppose war, oppose the death penalty and agree with the necessity of abortions then it is rather unbecoming to enjoy someones passing.   I will admit I made a flip remark earlier that "only the good die young", but I meant no harm. I apologize if it seemed insensitive.

It should also be noted that there are also stories about Republicans who held parties when FDR passed away.
   
That said, as others have already pointed out, we do have the right to present the opposing view.   If the media were being honest, they would remember that Reagan was not universally loved. Conservatives love to point out a supposed flaw in John Kerry's having contridactory stances, but Reagan was a candidate who campaigned against big government and then went about expanding the military and government during his terms in office.   Commentators note his "touch for the common man" but overlook his handling of unions and how his "booming economy" left a huge debt. His "Star Wars" defense system never worked but yet there are those that credit it with helping to bring down the Soviet Union. "Iran Contragate" plagued his second term, yet the media bascially gave him a pass on his involvement.

There are many ISSUES that people took exception to back when Reagan was in office.   Now that he is gone, the media is painting a picture of a universally loved president.   I will agree that he was one of the most popular presidents of the 20th century, but there was some STRONG disagreement with his policies and style - then and now.

Subject: RE: BS: Ronald Reagan - Sadly Missed
From: Bill D
Date: 07 Jun 04 - 05:09 PM

I am a liberal....I don't 'wish' death on anyone, but I sure DO wish many Americans had enough sense to see that "affable fool" does not equal "great president"...It has been pointed out over & over here what a travesty the man was in almost every important way, but those who simple wanted a congenial conservative in the Oval Office ignore the damage Ronnie did thru his vapid blundering!....and obviously, those folks learned a valuable lesson from Ronnie...it simple ain't necessary to think too much to get by. We even have Rush Limbaugh to reinforce that attitude for them every day!

Subject: RE: BS: Ronald Reagan - Sadly Missed
From: DougR
Date: 07 Jun 04 - 05:14 PM

I agree, Ron. Reagan did not walk on water.

I also fully agree with your first paragraph Ron. As I have often pointed out, many "liberal thinking" people post messages on this forum that a "true" liberal would never write. Some postings are about as vicious as one could get, and usually due to the fact that there is a difference of opinion. Hypocrocy in spades.

And I would remind the poster who stated that the posters who were so critical of Ronald Reagan had a right to his/her opinion that that adage works both ways. Freedom of speech applies to all viewpoints, not just liberal ones.

DougR

Subject: RE: BS: Ronald Reagan - Sadly Missed
From: GUEST,Desdemona
Date: 07 Jun 04 - 05:16 PM

Indeed. The "Great Communicator" was generally acknowledged in diplomatic and political circles to be "a very nice man" but not a particularly bright, insughtful, or competent one when it came to actual policy. I am a dyed in the wool liberal, but am also a human being, and so I'm sorry for the suffering he and his family have undergone due to his illness, but the fact remains that the Reagan '80s ruined our economy and it took a good decade to redress the balance (after which we got GW in a rigged election, thus guaranteeing us at least 4 years of mindless international hostilities and semi-literate rhetoric from the Oval Office; fancy a move to Canada, anyone??).

Wonder how "Mommmy's" doing?

D

Subject: RE: BS: Ronald Reagan - Sadly Missed
From: Blackcatter
Date: 07 Jun 04 - 05:33 PM

I've never said I was a liberal.

Do I wish death on some people - sure to - mass murderers or those that facilitate mass murder deserve it, as far as I'm concerned. Thatcher and the Pope are both guilty of that in roundabout ways.

Subject: RE: BS: Ronald Reagan - Sadly Missed
From: M.Ted
Date: 07 Jun 04 - 06:07 PM

Hey, Martin-aren't you going to acknowledge your mistake? You are big on name calling, and holding people to account for what they say, but bad on facts--embarassingly bad on facts--

Subject: RE: BS: Ronald Reagan - Sadly Missed
From: darkriver
Date: 07 Jun 04 - 06:46 PM

Here's a lovely obituary for the man:

http://www.axisoflogic.com/artman/publish/printer_8675.shtml

Regards,

doug

Subject: RE: BS: Ronald Reagan - Sadly Missed
From: katlaughing
Date: 07 Jun 04 - 06:47 PM

Well said, BillD, as always.

Dianavan said Its all in the visual and the ability to project an image the majority of Americans want to see. It has nothing to do with ability or integrity.

In the case of Clinton it had everything to do with actual ability, imo.

Bedtime for Bonzo, finally. The only good I can say is Nancy has now beocme a champion of stem cell research.

Subject: RE: BS: Ronald Reagan - Sadly Missed
From: GUEST
Date: 07 Jun 04 - 06:54 PM

According to ABC Nightly News, Reagan was no more popular than Clinton. Both averaged around 57% approval ratings while president.

World leaders are calling him a great president because that is what they say when a foreign leader dies. It neither represents their or their people's true feelings. Reagan was a very unpopular leader on the world stage.

Because cable news and talk radio runs 24/7 shit about Reagan claiming he was a great president also doesn't mean much. They are hyping the hell out of the story beyond all reasonable proportion, because it boosts their ratings for awhile.

I also find the suggestion that everyone should say nice things about Reagan because he died bullshit. Phoniness isn't becoming, regardless of the circumstances. This man was VERY old, lived a privleged life at the expense of millions he helped impoverish. We should dance on his grave.

Subject: RE: BS: Ronald Reagan - Sadly Missed
From: folkfan73
Date: 07 Jun 04 - 07:02 PM

bbc - thank you! You are right, This thread was meant as an orbitiuary, and I wished that those who used my thread to give negative messages on Ronald had put it on a separate thread, and keep this thread as a tribute, an opportunity to give condolences to Ronald Reagon's family, and an opportunity for all who liked him as a president, and actor, to give tribute messages, or even poems. Please keep this thread as a tribute to the positive and good things that Ronald Reagon did for America, as a president and what he did for the world, as an actor. I personally haven't seen his acting, but if I get a chance, I will watch him.

Subject: RE: BS: Ronald Reagan - Sadly Missed
From: Greg F.
Date: 07 Jun 04 - 07:04 PM

Talk about ignorance. Edison was the head of a team of men and women who developed the first useful lightbulb.

Err- sorry, but no. The Englishman James Swan invented the first practical electric light bulb. More evidence of Yanks taking credit where not deserved.

Best,

Greg

Subject: RE: BS: Ronald Reagan - Sadly Missed
From: bbc
Date: 07 Jun 04 - 07:17 PM

No, Kendall, I won't be responding in another thread. I've said all I want to say.

GUEST, if that other thread, labeled "Obit" is the one you are referring to, it certainly doesn't dignify the name. Have you read it, other than the prefix? It is at least as much of a bashing thread as this one & I certainly would not post to it.

folkfan 73, you're welcome. Enough said.

bbc

Subject: RE: BS: Ronald Reagan - Sadly Missed
From: Amos
Date: 07 Jun 04 - 08:03 PM

I hadn't thought of Reagan from one year's end to the next -- he was entirely absent from the public picture, and has been pretty much for the last ten years. Why, therefore, mark him up as sadly missed? I honestly will not notice the difference in my life caused by his passing.

I did admire his dealings with Gorby, though.

A

Subject: RE: BS: Ronald Reagan - Sadly Missed
From: kendall
Date: 07 Jun 04 - 08:27 PM

bbc, I knew you wouldn't respond in any thread. Believe it or not, I'm not looking for a row, I do want to know why Reagan was held up as a great president, because he most certainly was not.

"I did not attend the funeral, but I did send a letter of approval". (Mark Twain)

Subject: RE: BS: Ronald Reagan - Sadly Missed
From: InOBU
Date: 07 Jun 04 - 09:35 PM

Dear Amos... I also did not wish to enter this fray, he's dead, and well there is a bit of finality about that - I don't like what he did in life, but I don't hold grudges, it was nice his kids were there when he died... BUT Approved of how he dealt with Gobichev?????????
Geeze ol' skin! Gorbichev pleaded for ecconomic help while Mr. Reagan backed Yeltzin, the founder of the Rusian criminocracy at the expence of a reforming communist government, leading to a disolution of systems all over eastern Europe returning the place to medi-evil wars and attempts at genocide. Some times it is better to put windows and doors in walls before you go tearing them down... feel better that there are missing ex-soviet nukes floating around in the total moral breakdown of the post colectivist world... ? I don't!
Cheersm'dears,
RIP
Larry

Subject: RE: BS: Ronald Reagan - Sadly Missed
From: Amos
Date: 07 Jun 04 - 09:51 PM

Well, ya know, Larry, I may have slept through that part of the deal...I was awful involved in my own life at the time and was not paying as much attention as I should have.

A

Subject: RE: BS: Ronald Reagan - Sadly Missed
From: Blackcatter
Date: 07 Jun 04 - 10:18 PM

folkfan73 - you don't even know how t ospell the man's name - why should we listen to you at all?

Greg F. - sorry about that, I've never heard about that - if you're right, that's wonderful, but it doesn't change the sentiment of my statement. Edison did not invent the lightbulb. I'll look around for more information about your assertion.

Subject: RE: BS: Ronald Reagan - Sadly Missed
From: WFDU - Ron Olesko
Date: 07 Jun 04 - 10:47 PM

Greg F - you are wrong as well. Neither Swan or Edison truly "invented" the lighbulb. The first practical lightbulb was invented by a German working in New York City named Henricg Globel about 10 years before either Swan or Edison. He never patented his invention, but Edison used his idea of carbon filaments to make the first long-lasting bulb. Swan had the first patent and he did sue Edison and won.

In addition to Swan, Globel and Edison, the idea of electric lights was worked on for nearly 50 years before they came along. Many inventors from England, France, Russia, the U.S. and Canada contributed to the process of the invention. In fact, Edison bought the work from two Canadian inventors to use in his design.

Sorry for the thread drift, but just as it is impossible to give Reagan all the credit for the fall of the Soviet Union, you can't give complete credit to Edison or Swan either.

Subject: RE: BS: Ronald Reagan - Sadly Missed
From: Greg F.
Date: 07 Jun 04 - 11:51 PM

Blackcatter- excuse my multiple typos- brain only partiaslly in gear..

You want to look up Joseph Swann & the carbon filament lamp.

Enjoy.