Alan Eichler: Merv Griffin Show- Diana Dors (1979)

Source:Alan Eichler- Ann Miller and English Muffin Diana Dors, on Merv Griffin in 1979.

Source:The New Democrat

"British bombshell Diana Dors made this rare TV talk show appearance in 1979.  Also on the panel are Ann Miller, Stockard Channing, Lesley-Anne Down, and both Fernando and Lorenzo Lamas."

From Alan Eichler

Source:Dialogues- English Muffin Diana Dors, on Merv Griffin in 1979.

I love it when Diana Dors, first comes to America. Just wish she spent more time here and did more here, because she would’ve had a great career in Hollywood if she wanted it. And not just of been a sex symbol, but someone who was also a hell of an actress and a very versatile as well.

But I also love it when she brings out her personality and her sense of humor. Because she had a lot of both. And physically, she might have been the Marilyn Monroe of Britain. But she was better, at least in the sense that grew up and matured. And just looked as cute as a baby most of her life. But she grew up on the inside and took care of herself. Unlike Marilyn, who acted the way she looked.

Merv Griffin, apparently liked panel discussions and brought on several guests at the same time. And in some cases at least the guests wouldn’t know each other and perhaps not have much in common. Which backfired at least one time that I know of. When he had James Brolin and Dennis Hopper on at the same time. And Brolin, accused Hopper of something to the effect of spilling a lot of garbage. I would’ve been nice had Merv interviewed Diana one-on-one and did a ten-minute interview. Because he was a good interviewer and she was a very interesting person and not just great to look at.

Diana, died in 1984 at I believe the age of 52. So in that sense she lasted longer than both Marilyn, who died at 36 and Jayne Mansfield at 34. And Diana, did 34 films and actually had a pretty good career in length and substance.

But back then even, when the average American and Brit was living into their seventies, to die at 52 when you’re still a middle-age person, is dying while you’re still fairly young. She still looked great at this point and was still baby-faced adorable with the great body and could still turn young men on. And yet she dies just five years later. It would’ve been nice to of had Diana around as long as Elizabeth Taylor, who with all of Liz’s problems in life, made it to 79. Because Diana, is one of the best stars of all-time.

The Economist: Jailhouse Nation

Source:The Economist Jailhouse Nation.

Source:The New Democrat

I agree with The Economist, that the War on Drugs in America is the biggest contributor to our large prison population. That costs American taxpayers billions of dollars every year. As well as the fact that we send so many non-violent offenders to prison. Shoplifters, car thieves, prostitutes and others, to prison. When everybody involved would be better off if these people were in a halfway house, local jail even and in the case of prostitution, not that I’m recommending prostitution, but we don’t need to lock up people for simply making a living giving sex. Drug addicts, need to be in drug rehab and halfway houses. Not jail, or prison. And that would reduce our prison population dramatically.

Prisons, shouldn’t be the home for the mentally ill either. Even for the criminally insane. We use to have special state hospitals that were secure like prisons, that housed are criminally insane. And for our mentally ill offenders who clearly do pose a real threat to society, but perhaps aren’t career criminals, we should have state hospitals for them. Prisons, should be the last resort when it comes to offenders in America. People who pose real security and economic threats to society. Where we might need to hold them for ten years, or more and try to rehabilitate them there as well. Prisons, should be for violent offenders and economic terrorists. Not small town hoods, who otherwise aren’t very dangerous.

And the other way to cut the American prison population, is for the people who need to be in prison, you work with them inside, whether they are serving life, or not. Especially if they aren’t serving life, so they can get out of prison as soon as they are ready to succeed on the outside. You do that by empowering them and requiring them to finish their education while in prison. Put them to work in prison based on the education that they now have. Pay them for the work that they do so they can pay for their cost of living in prison. Give them whatever counseling and programs that they need to be able to succeed in prison and succeed on the outside.

America, will simply never be Europe, for a whole lot of reasons that not even The Economist knows. We are much freer and more individualistic as a country. We are a lot more diverse, as perhaps the most racially, ethnic and culturally, diverse at least large country in the world. We are the home to Hollywood, where a lot of our criminals get inspired. We also have poverty and single-parent issues that a lot of other developed countries do not have. And we are also so damn big as a country. By far the largest developed country in the world as far as land and population. And culturally with our individualism and Americans wanting to do things for themselves and be able to take care of themselves, we don’t have the pacifist collectivist attitude of Europe. But we could become a country that is even more free with fewer people in prison.

The Economist: The Real Cost of The War on Drugs

Source:The Economist with a piece about the American War On Drugs.

Source:The New Democrat

America, at least at one point and perhaps they still are, was the biggest consumer of narcotics, legal and otherwise, in the world. One reason why you see so many drug dealers, drug lords, drug terrorists in Central America, the Caribbean, Columbia and other places in South America. Because they want to get their dope to the United States. Because they know how much of that Americans consume. I’ve made this point so much, but once you prohibit something, doesn’t mean it goes away. It means it goes underground. Where people can’t see it and find it. Where the only rules that are in place, are made and enforced by drug dealers.

The War on Drugs and drug terrorists, almost destroyed the Republic of Columbia in the 1990s. And they still have issues with their War on Drugs and terrorists down there. Why, because Columbians, other South Americans and Americans, still want their narcotics and want them badly. The War on Drugs, is not a real war, but America has been fighting this so-called war since 1971. Spending trillions of dollars on it and the problems have only been made worst. Just because you threaten to lock someone up for what they do to themselves, especially if they’re addicted to what they’re on, doesn’t mean it goes away. Just means people are now putting their freedom at risk and risking incarceration, to do their drugs.

The real costs of the War on Drugs, is a lot more money on law enforcement and incarceration, that taxpayers have to pay. A lot more Americans in prison for simply consuming drugs and what they’re doing to themselves. People who otherwise could be productive members of society if they weren’t in prison. People, that had they been sent to drug rehab, or a halfway house, instead of prison, could’ve beaten their addiction and been able to move on with the rest of their lives. But now have seen their addiction get worst and are now convicted felons with a prison record. Whose going to have a hard time making it on the outside when they get out. Even if they beat their addiction. So the real cost of the War on Drugs, is immense. And something Americans taxpayers have to pay for everyday.

VOA News: Henry Ridgewell: Greece Defiantly Rejects Europe’s Bailout Terms

Source:VOA News- with a piece about Greece's debt crisis.

Source:The New Democrat

I don’t quote Margaret Thatcher very often, because I don’t agree with her on much. But one good line that she has that is very true and cuts through all the, lets say bull, is that, “the problem with socialism, is that eventually you run out of other people’s money.” That is the problem with Greece right now. They live in a society where they expect their government to do things for them that their government can’t afford to do for them. Socialism, has its place at least in every democratic developed society. But the only way socialism can work and benefit people, is to have a strong functioning economy. Where most of the workforce is employed and making a good living.

And to quote Milton Friedman, who I probably agree with more than Maggie Thatcher, “there’s so such thing as a free lunch.” Socialism is not free. Everything that government does for, or to its people, comes with a price. And depending on how much government does for society, that price can be fairly steep. When your government spends half of the revenue that the economy brings in and you have a twenty-five percent unemployment rate that Greece has, you’re going to have high deficits every year and as a result, you’re going to pile up high debt. Which is what is going on in Greece right now. Greece, reminds on New York City in the mid 1970s and Detroit now and in the last ten years. They’re over-promised their people. And when you’re economy goes down, you can no longer afford the generous benefits that you’ve promised your people.

What the European Union is telling the Hellenic Republic of Greece and especially Germany, perhaps the only healthy large state in Europe now, economically, is that they’re no longer going to subsidize an economy and economic system that is failing. If Greece wants the EU to continue to help them and bail them out, the Hellenic Government in Greece is going to have to get their costs and debt down. And that means moving people off of Welfare and putting them to work. And expecting more Greeks to be able to take care of themselves. And not be able to live off of taxpayers and other European taxpayers indefinitely. That Greece, needs to go back to work and get their economy going.

What Greece is saying, at least a majority of their voters, is that they are not ready to give up their democratic socialism. Even if it means they’ll be able to go back to work and take care of themselves. That why should they have to work when they can be taken care of their government indefinitely. And as a result, they’re probably going to be on their own and without the help of Europe. Because European taxpayers are no longer going to be forced to subsidize a failing economy and failing economic system that Greece has. And as a result the tough times that Greece is going through right now, are just getting started.

Biography: Jayne Mansfield Blonde Ambition

Source:Biography- Hollywood Babydoll Jayne Mansfield never felt overexposed.

Source:The New Democrat

I just learned something new about Jayne Mansfield. Jayne, was a natural brunette. She changed to blonde, as part of her goal of becoming a Hollywood starlet. Which she essentially became and this night sound very hard to believe, but a lot of what she saw of her in public, was an act. She played the blonde bimbo to perfection to further her career. But in private, she knew exactly what she wanted and how to get it. And knew that she had real talent as an actress, comedian and even singer. But even if she was actually fairly bright and knew what she wanted and what she was doing, like Marilyn Monroe, she never had the maturity level and was never responsible enough to take care of herself.

Jayne Mansfield’s career, was basically over by the early and mid 1960s. She was hot, great body, baby-faced adorable, but inside she was just as cute and immature as her face look on the outside. She had the face and personality of a very big little girl and a high school girl. Who didn’t take rejection and disappointment very well. And as a result, she didn’t take care of herself and drank way too much. She died in 1967 in a car accident where was driving wild and gets hit by a car. Similar to Marilyn again, Jayne was physically a goddess and had a lot of professional talent and intelligence as an entertainer. But was immature inside and didn’t take care of herself.

Jayne, would be 82 years old today and depending on what kind of shape she was in physically, could still be working today. She would be about the same age of Ellen Burstyn, who is still active as an actress. But Jayne died 48 years ago at the age of 34. She was two years young than even Marilyn Monroe, when Marilyn died in 1962. She might even still look great and be as cute as a button even at 82, similar to Barbara Eden today. But she never grew up inside and didn’t take care of herself. Which is how you get in a car accident and die from speeding and getting hit. Jayne, was someone whose career could’ve gone a lot better and could’ve been a lot longer.

Slate Magazine: William Saletan: Is Polygamy Next After Gay Marriage? Chief Justice John Roberts Says Yes

Source:Slate Magazine- U.S. Chief Justice John Roberts.

Source:The New Democrat

Just to be clear, I don’t think there’s a good case against polygamy. At least one that I’ve seen that would say, “you know what, polygamy is a bad thing. To the point that it should be illegal.” And what I would say against polygamy, is that if you want to redefine marriage in America, even in a consenting polygamist relationship, legalize polygamy and call it marriage. Gay marriage, doesn’t redefine marriage. Up until the last ten years, or so marriage has always been between a man and a women, but there wasn’t any official definition of marriage. Other than it always involved two consenting adults who agreed to marry each other. Legalize polygamy, would certainly change that.

As a Liberal myself, if three people lets say want to be involved in a polygamist relationship and they all know about that, that’s their business. And why should big government be able to interfere with that. But just don’t call it marriage, because we’re not talking about two parties involved, but at least three. To give you a hypothetical, if Joe Jones, wants to marry Mary Smith and Sally Wilson at the same time, or he’s already married to Mary and wants to stay married to Mary, but wants to marry Sally and Sally wants to marry Joe and Sally knows that Joe is already married to Mary and doesn’t have a problem with that and Mary doesn’t mind Joe being married to Sally, as well and perhaps is even attracted to Sally, then that’s their business. Not big government’s. It’s not the job of government to run people’s lives for them.

I would never be involved in a polygamist relationship, at least one that I know about. But there a lot of things that I don’t personally approve of, including homosexuality as a straight man. But just because I don’t personally approve of something that doesn’t affect me and has nothing to do with my life and how I live, why should I or government be able to tell others that you can’t live differently, because we don’t approve. Gay marriage, doesn’t redefine marriage, at least not officially, but polygamy would. So legalize polygamy, sure, as long as all parties involved approve and are aware of the extra relationship, or relationships involved. But just don’t call it marriage, because its polygamy. Which is different.

Pot-TV: Andrew Bernstein: The Case For Ending Drug Prohibition

Source:Pot-TV-

Source:The New Democrat

I mostly agree with Andrew Bernstein here and I disagree with him when it comes to full legalization. I’m not a Libertarian and that is just one example of why I wouldn’t legalize cocaine, heroin and meth. This idea that people who consume these drugs and lot of these users are addicted to these drugs and is why they still use them, that they’re only hurting themselves, is simply false.

Cocaine, heroin and meth, are a lot stronger than marijuana and alcohol and are very addictive. And when you get and stay on heroin, cocaine and meth, you’re not only devastating yourself physically, but its bad for our healthcare system with all the added costs to our emergency rooms. And it hurts our economy as well, because of the lack of productivity that comes from having workers on those narcotics. You legalize those drugs in America and we’ll see a lot more accidents on our roads and people making horrible decisions that hurt others. Simply because they don’t know what they’re doing, because they’re high.

So here’s what I would do. End the War on Drugs and even end drug prohibition. I want marijuana to be legal everywhere in America and taxed and regulated like alcohol. But with the current makeup of Congress and even with a Democratic President, that is not very likely right now. But what I believe Congress could do and President Obama and the U.S. Justice Department is already doing, is to stay the Feds won’t interfere in states that decide to legalize marijuana. And won’t prosecute marijuana cases that involve the simple possession, usage and selling of marijuana for adults in those states. Congress and the President, could make that official Federal policy going forward.

As far as cocaine, heroin and meth. Again, end the War on Drugs and end drug prohibition. But that’s not the same as legalizing those drugs. What I would say for people who choose to use those drugs, they would no longer face prosecution, jail, or prison time, for simply being under the influence and in possession of those drugs. But if they are just in possession of those drugs, they would be fined for the amount that they have. If they can’t pay it, they would work it off. If they’re caught under the influence, or are addicts, they’re looking at forced drug rehab, at their own expense. As well as continue to prosecute cocaine, heroin and meth dealers.

The War on Drugs, is a complete failure. The War on Iraq, looks like a brilliant military strategy and campaign in comparison. But just because the War on Drugs has failed, doesn’t mean we should make a colossal mistake in the opposite direction. We need a sensible narcotics policy in America, that supports personal freedom and choice, but at the same time also makes sense for our economic, health care, law enforcement and corrections systems.