Kid Rock has nothing
to do with this post.
His knowledge of how
to treat the American
flag is mythical,
however. :\

I’m a big believer in the power of myth. My only gripe is when people don’t admit that what they believe in is a myth in the first place. See, I don’t think aa story has to be true in order to learn valuable life lessons from it. So, I can be an Atheist and learn from Jesus, or not believe in the Federal Reserve and still earn and spend money. The thing is, I understand and admit that both are myths–fictions that don’t represent anything provable.

Now, the only reason I bring this up is because the other day, an Internet acquaintance of mine and I were talking about political party differences between my country and his (he’s in Germany) and naturally taxation came up (check the comments to see the convo). He referenced that little chestnut of historical Americana, “Taxation Without Representation” via the Boston Tea Party, and suggested it was our “founding myth.”

I did take issue with this, but only the part where he suggested that it was our “founding myth.”

Oh, I agree it’s a myth in that the “Boston Tea Partiers” were likely Freemasons who probably worked it out with the British East India Company (run by Freemasons) to let them throw British East India tea into the harbor, thus making it a kind of “false-flag operation,” and thus, a myth–but the idea that our country was founded on this myth? Nah, that’s not accurate to me at all. So, here’s how I replied (emphasis added for effect): Continue reading »

FYI: This movie’s Japanese title is shown above. It was released on VHS in the US back in the 1990s with the title Phoenix 2772.

Try to find this movie.

Positive Experience/Entertaining? Yeesh… I haaate to say this about an Osamu Tezuka film but, for me, it was not a positive experience. I LOVE Tezuka’s stuff, normally.

Technically any good? The animation is definitely stunning by 1980-standards. Obviously, it’s looks dated by today’s standards. But that’s not even what bothers me about this movie. The plot is incredibly thin and the goals are achieved with amazing ease. What’s worse is that there are big, long sequences of “humor” where “cartoon” characters dance around and act silly doing nothing to move the plot forward. These scenes seemed inserted to please international audiences since, at the time, most folks outside of Japan would have trouble wrapping their heads around an adult storyline told in animation, so we see what I can only describe as a Jar-Jar Binks prototype and some of his friends who are equally annoying.

How did it leave me feeling? Disappointed and longing for Tetsuwan Atomu (aka Astroboy) or Black Jack, two of Tezuka’s other creations.

Read a longer review of Hi no tori 2772: ai no kosumozon that I wrote for Otaku-Complex.com here.

Sadly, for fans of this movie, it’s hard to find anywhere and hasn’t been released on DVD in the US. If you find a US distributor, please let me know. It’s Tezuka, so I want people to have access to it.

OK, now after bitching about Obama calling for Americans to take responsibility for their health care by paying for insurance, I’d like to suggest my solution:

Learn from history.

You remember history, right? It’s that thing that happened before now.

It’s got all sorts of lessons for us to learn about what to do and what not to do–especially when you look at other countries!

See, in every other “civilized” nation in the world, health care is a right, not something you pay for. After all, what would “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness” be without “life”?

So, I say you keep private insurers where they are for the folks that don’t trust government-run health care, but start up a UK-style NHS for those of us who don’t trust private health care or the insurance companies.

Who will pay for it? Well, ideally, us–in that we’ll still be alive thanks to it–but also our kids who will also benefit from it. If we’re REALLY smart, we’ll even take the money we normally spend on our military bases around the world and spend it on health care.

After all, if we keep going with the current system, tens of thousands will continue to die every year, not thanks to terrorist bombings (terrorists aren’t that good at killing), but thanks to a lack of affordable health care.

So, yes, I’m suggesting not only that we learn from history (GASP!) but also that we learn from OTHER COUNTRIES. (HEAVENS!)

Oh and we should also check the stupid labels at the door, too.

All this crap about “socialism” isn’t going to help anyone on either side of the political wall. Hitler wasn’t a bad guy because he wanted his citizens to have universal health care (did he?) he was a bad guy because he slaughter loads of people after he invaded a bunch of countries without a good reason.

Not that we would EVER do that!

COUGHnativeamericansCOUGH
COUGHiraqandafghanistanCOUGH

But I digress.

The point is, ditch the labels, learn from history and other countries who have done this successfully before.

Nothing will be perfect so grow the hell up.

All I know is that I’d like to go to the dentist for the first time in ten years. The two times I’ve been to the doctors in the same amount of time was when I went to the LA Free Clinic.

Everyone knows that I’m not some lazy bastard either, it’s obvious I’m not freeloading on the system or whatever. I work my ass off all the time, I just don’t make a lot (or any) money for it. I like to think that my good health and, in fact, my life is worth a bit of your money, just as much as I already feel the same about your health and life.

But until you start clicking that Paypal donate link (and not even for a while after that), or hire me, I can’t afford Mr. President’s plan.

So, what the hell are people like me supposed to do?

More action: Continue reading »

Last month it came out that Blackwater (or whatever the heck they’re calling themselves these days), has massive ties with the CIA.

Seems like when the CIA wanted folks killed, they just outsourced it to the private sector.

This is how it starts folks–private contractors come in and do your empire building for you and the next thing you know, some dude with an Indian accent is asking what foreign leader you want to axed next.

OK, so it probably won’t happen exactly like that, but the Blackwater story will continue to flow downstream just like it has been for years now. Independent journalist Jeremy Scahill has been going after them for many trips around the sun and even wrote a book about them. And here comes the Christian Science Monitor and CNN (see: the screencaps in this post, sources: here and here), both mainstream news sources that reported on not just Blackwater but Blackwater getting hired to kill folks for the CIA. This isn’t the first time the guys from DarkH2O have been in the MSM, either. They’ve gotten press for “possible” massacres, random killings and maybe you remember those “contractors” who got pulled from their SUV outside Fallujah, killed, set on fire and hung from a bridge? Yeah, those dudes were Blackwaterians.

Gee, what would have made Fallujans mad enough be that horrible to a couple of guys in an SUV?

Regardless, nothing they’ve done stops Blackwater from existing and I believe they’re still doing things for the USG, too. If memory serves there were even Blackwater guys on the ground in New Orleans after Katrina.

How can any of this be legal? It’s like the Federal Reserve only with guns. How do you expect your senators and/or House reps to control what this armed corporation does in our names? It’s not like you or I can just vote Eric Prince, CEO of Blackwater, out of office anymore than we can vote out Ben Bernanke as the guy running the Fed.

More and more keeps coming up about Blackwater (really scary stuff, too) and yet no one seems to do anything about it.

Neat.

Want to learn more about Blackwater? Read Scahill’s book or at the very least visit his website: RebelReports.com. He’s also on Twitter.

OH and in case you’re curious, Blackwater changed it’s name to Xe Services…

…and then changed it again to US Training Center. At least, you end up at the US Training Center website when you aim your browser at: BlackwaterUSA.com.

Yeah, they’re having some issues with their image lately. Can’t imagine why…

Buy it from Amazon!

Positive Experience/Entertaining? Definitely entertaining and, more importantly, educational. I do take issue with a few things this documentary fails to present, however.

Technically any good? It does a great job of telling the story of oil. This was all stuff I’d never heard before and the way the film presents this history (and it’s eventual irony) is incredibly powerful and dramatic.

However, the film concludes that there is little hope for us. It takes on a very pessimistic attitude and quotes no one who points out that there actually is hope. I don’t need touchy-feely “get involved! call your congressman!” kind of stuff, but showing one guy saying “ethanol’s a dead-end” and not presenting anyone who might disagree doesn’t make for an accurate documentary of the problem facing us.

I actually agree that ethanol is not going to “replace” oil (no single alternative will), but I know for a fact that there are people who are big proponents of the stuff that did not make an appearance in this film.

How did it leave me feeling? Disappointed since it does such a great job of looking back and such a rotten job of looking forward. We’ll find a way out of this messy black stuff (we have to) but, based on this film, you’d think humanity hasn’t solved big problems before.

Final Rating? GSN – Go See Now. Despite the downer message of A Crude Awakening, I think it’s got some amazing facts in it that make it a must see.

Yep! Still going!

So, in part 1 the issue was Obama actually explaining to ABC News that car and health insurance are comparable.

In part 2, I focused on the lack of responsibility taken by the USG to keep practical poisons away from us.

Last time, in part 3, it was all about spending buckets on alleged military threats instead of providing universal health care for free.

This time I’d like to delve into the nitty-gritty of how Obama’s plan would even function. OK, so the understanding I have is that “most” Americans would be forced to have health insurance. Those that couldn’t afford it would get a tax credit.

Not very useful for people who are out of work and therefore aren’t paying any taxes.

See, ya can’t get a tax credit if you’re not making enough money to pay taxes.

AND, if you’re not making enough money to pay taxes, odds are, you’re not going to be able to afford health insurance either, so guess what!

If you can afford it the least, you get no help.

New boss same as the old boss.

“No Child Left Behind” ended up with a lot of child’s behinds left.

Now Obama-brand “change” seems to be promising to be about as effective, with Obamacare equating to “Obamacares about corporations more than it does people.”

Back on September 15, I got the latest edition of the privacy newsletter from EPIC.org in my inbox. In it, they talked about a BUNCH of things, including a new-ish policy on searching personal electronics. You can probably see the screencap of the news update from their website in this post, but just in case, here it is in text form:

Homeland Security Privacy Office Okays Suspicionless Seizure of Personal Information Stored on Digital Devices of US Citizens: The Department of Homeland Security released a Privacy Impact Assessment for searching electronic devices possessed by travelers, including US citizens, at US borders. The agency determined that laptops and cell phones are equivalent to briefcases and backpacks and granted itself broad authority to seize these devices from travelers and to copy stored data whether or not wrongdoing is suspected. The DHS policy fails to comply with the intent of the federal Privacy Act and leaves US citizens returning to the United States subject to surveillance by government and an enhanced risk of identity theft.

This is just LOVELY.

It’s one thing to assume we might have something that could actually harm the specific flight we’re about to board without any reason for suspicion and have our bags searched, but to assume we might have illegal data that would somehow be used to harm the plane or other passengers?

This is big brother big time.

Damn, and I’m flying to my dad’s in California for Christmas this year. Great. Gotta remember to delete all my child porn.

JOKE.

IT’S A JOKE.

Ironically, this whole move will just encourage sales of netbooks and the use of TheCloud for file storage. Why carry your data around on you and risk having some DHS guy come across it and steal your business idea or otherwise peak into your private life?

I know we literally don’t have a “right to privacy” in the Constitution, or anything, but I do believe there’s an amendment that promises something about not being subject to “unlawful search and seizure.”

Then again, I guess this is technically legal, huh?

This here is a short compilation of clips from September 10, 2009–the day after that dude in the White House talked to like everybody in Congress, man. It was crazy because somebody interrupted him and stuff. Not cool, well, not polite, anyway. So, the next day I shot all these in my 12stream on http://12seconds.tv. YEAH.

It’s a minute-and-a-half long and you can watch “YOU LIE!” as a 20MB mp4 or check out the YouTube player below, man! The mp4 is hosted by Lisa of OnLisaReinsRadar.com fame! YEAH! THANKS, LISA!!

Buy it!

Positive Experience/Entertaining? Written by William Goldman and based on his book? You bet it was a positive experience!

Technically any good? While the story is a little basic, it doesn’t overextend itself by complicating the plot too much. As a result it manages to do what it sets out to do really well. And of course the acting is perfect, but what do you expect from this cast? Anthony Hopkins, Burgess Meredith and Ann flippin’ Margret!!

OH yeah and it’s directed by Richard Attenborough.

Yep. THAT Richard Attenborough.

I have to admit being a little disappointed at not being completely blown away by this film, what with the cast, director and writer being known for their relative brilliance. However, this is film embodies the way movies should be made. It’s a good solid work that doesn’t rely on gimmicks or CG or even a lot of violence to creep you the hell out.

How did it leave me feeling? Definitely entertained. Hey, Ann Margret even gives us guys (and any lesbians out there) a little peak! I thought she’d never done nudity. ANYway, it left me very entertained and interested in reading the book it was based on.

Final Rating? SIYL – See If You Like–it’s a psychological thriller so if that’s not your cuppa, skip this. But if you are a person who likes solidly made films and don’t mind a little intense suspense and a bit of blood, Magic is your movie.

Gah! Yes, I still have more to say about Obama forcing “most” of us to “take responsibility” and pay some greedy-ass insurance company for health insurance. I’m even still harping on Barry’s use of the word “responsibility.”

In part 1 of my “Parody Earth” series, I talked about how unfair it was that the corporations were getting this gift of all these new citizens being forced to cough up cash for healthcare.

In part 2 I talked about how the government isn’t taking responsibility for itself as protector of its citizens. To me there’s an even deeper hypocrisy to it than simply allowing the FAA to permit corporations to all but poison us and the FCC to allow ads for said corporations’ practical poison to get pounded down our throats.

This is part 3 and in it I say that my government should STFU about me taking responsibility for my health when it would rather rob American soldiers, Iraqis and Afghanis of their health by putting them in harms way.

Even worse: our tax dollars help do it!

So, rather than provide health care to millions of Americans for free, they’re going to pay over a trillion dollars to fight a non-existent threat in two foreign countries (and what has it gotten us, Obama has said, Al Qaeda is still out to get us).

That’s always been the big gripe from universal health care naysayers:

“How are you going to pay for it?”

How are we going to pay for Iraq and Afghanistan?

“Well, we don’t have a choice for those!”

????

So, tens of thousands die every year due to a lack of health care, yet, somehow we HAVE to stop a tiny group of extremists by invading two countries??

Just who kills more people? Terrorists or health issues like obesity or cancer?

Seriously: Can you answer the question why we spend so much on fighting wars and so little on curing disease and keeping people healthy?

I bet you can’t.

TheDailyLego: Um, not sure what this is…, originally uploaded by thepetecom.

I think I was thinking about some sort of Aztec shrine kind of thing. I’m not entirely sure, though.

Different angles: Continue reading »

Huh. Seems the UN is always pissing and moaning about SOMEbody’s nukes! Here’s a cutting from a September 18, 2009 article called “U.N. body urges Israel to allow nuclear inspections” that explains:

Arab states in the U.N. nuclear assembly on Friday won narrow approval of a resolution urging Israel to put all its atomic sites under U.N. inspection and join the Non-Proliferation Treaty.

The Jewish state deplored the measure for singling it out while many of its Islamic neighbors remained hostile to its existence, and said it would not cooperate with it.

Sheesh–how dare the UN take issue with Israel’s nukes!! How else can Israel threaten retribution against other countries??

“You wanna invade? You wanna invade? Oh, I’ll give you an invasion!… with RADIATION!!”

Wait. Was that just an Italian stereotype or a Jewish one?

Like there’s really a difference–the point I’m trying to sarcastically make here is that clearly, Israel needs it’s nukes to protect them against…

…against…

uh…

Who again?

Those Palestinian folks who blow themselves up in pizzerias?

Or the loud-mouthed Arabs who whine endlessly about how the Holocaust never happened?

Why the hell does anyone need nukes, by the way?

I have no problem with Israel existing–I just don’t understand why they get so much preferential treatment (and nukes). I’m not saying the US shouldn’t help them out should they get in trouble, but this whole thing with them and their nukes–it makes no sense to me.

First, they haven’t really admitted to having nukes.

Second, no one else in the area has nukes. (Let’s grow up kids, Iran doesn’t have nukes and keeps insisting they only want nuke power not nuke weapons–it’s not fair to assume they are lying without some sort of ACTUAL proof.)

Third, if ANYone does ANYthing to Israel, America will pounce immediately. None of that waiting months to invade Afghanistan or years to invade Iraq after 911. When Israel gets attacked, we’ll jump so fast.

And that’s fine with me. If we find ACTUAL evidence that Iran or any of the Arab nations on Israel’s block have nuke weapons, then I don’t mind moving sooner.

But until then, I think all countries should be as transparent as possible with their nukes–especially if we (and Israel) expect other countries to give into inspections.

Click above to buy it

Positive Experience/Entertaining? Mixed experience for sure. This movie comes from a great place, premise and intent, but the execution of it just goes south.

Technically any good? Like I said, the premise was really interesting. However, the execution felt sadly student-filmish. The acting through the first third of the film was awkward (and wasn’t so much better through the rest of it) and the editing didn’t help it. Though to be fair to the actors, almost all of them are good in places, so I tend to shrug more at the director than them.

The film felt slow and that didn’t help that the story was really thin. There were plot elements that might have been interesting in a better movie, but this movie has a bad case of trying to run before it could walk.

How did it leave me feeling? frustrated. I don’t know how this movie got in my Netflix queue, but I wish it hadn’t. However, if the filmmaker ever considers remaking this movie, I’d love to help. I truly do think it has some great ideas (and even, on occasion, some great dialog).

Final Rating? DNS – Do Not See.

Let’s review:

On Sunday September 20, 2009, President Barack Obama gave interviews to a number of Sunday morning talk shows to talk about, among other things, his plan for health care reform in America. A September 20, 2009 article on Bloomberg.com explains:

“For us to say that you’ve got to take a responsibility to get health insurance is absolutely not a tax increase,” Obama said in an interview on ABC’s “This Week” program. “Right now everybody in America, just about, has to get auto insurance. Nobody considers that a tax increase.”

This is what is really starting to make me sick about politicians. Ridiculous generalizations. However, while some folks are mad that he’s comparing human health to the damage a car makes when it crashes, we miss what makes me even more sick to my stomach when it comes to politicians.

Blatant hypocrisy.

Sure, we’re all hypocritical at some point in our lives. But come on, man–how ANYone in government thinks it’s fair to point to the American people and tell US to be responsible is beyond me.

Seriously. The President of the United States wants me to be responsible about my health care.

How about you kiss my ass?

Since 2003, I’ve been eating 90% whole/real foods, avoiding anything processed when it’s possible. No easy feat no thanks to the FDA and the FCC.

Seriously, folks, ya gotta ask yourself why sweeteners are added to FRUIT JUICE?

Why is there high fructose corn syrup in BREAD??

It’s because the FDA says it’s OK.

Why does practically EVERY commercial I see on TV during cartoons or other kids programming try to sell me sugared cereal or cookies or candy or soda or something else bad for me?

Why is it that the FCC allows advertisements for things that, if consumed to excess, WILL KILL YOU?

Cigarette ads on TV aren’t legal, yet one cigarette a month won’t kill anybody.

However, eat a pint of ice cream a day and you’ll die of a coronary (and tax the health care system along the way).

Come on, Barry–it’s your job as part of the government to PROTECT your citizens. THAT’S THE DEAL. But all you’re doing is protecting the right of corporations to sell us shit that MAKES US SICK.

And you tell US to be responsible and pay for health insurance?

TheDailyLego: Flat-Packed Lego–it all fits in a box!, originally uploaded by thepetecom.

Ikea-style Lego!

Wow–I figured if I used “Ikea” and “Lego” in the same sentence a wormhole would open and suck the universe into it.

WHEW!

Oh here are a couple other angles: Continue reading »

In an article that originally appeared on CNET.com back on September 18, 2009, Tom Krazit reported that:

Google told the Federal Communications Commission in a redacted letter to the agency a few weeks ago that Apple did in fact reject its Google Voice application from the App Store.

Google dropped its request for confidentiality in the manner concerning the rejection of Google Voice from the App Store in July, and directly contradicted Apple’s version of events Friday. In the letter, Google said Apple Senior Vice President of Worldwide Marketing Phil Schiller informed Google that the app had, in fact, been rejected, when Apple’s public statements to the FCC in that month claimed it was merely still under review.

So, what the hell is Apple even thinking?

As a die-hard fan of a few of Apple’s products I don’t understand why it does a lot of what it does. I mean, the iPhone is incredible–it’s capable of doing some amazing things that Apple doesn’t want to let you do. You can hack your iPhone to make it do some of those things anyway (I have), but why not breed loyal customers instead of loyal business partners?

You’re Apple, you don’t need to bother getting along with everyone else.

So, you lie (apparently) and make us want to avoid trusting you even more than we did when we learned you put a kill-switch on every iPhone that lets you guys shut down apps on our phones if you feel like it (dont’ worry, there’s a hack for that, too).

That kill-switch wasn’t exactly advertised on the outside of the box, ya know.

So, why try to control even more how we use the iPhones we paid for? Why not just let us use a Google Voice app? What difference does it make to you or to AT&T whether calls are initiated on the iPhone or just received?

Also, why are there no legal consequences for corporations that lie?

Watch the trailer for yourself!

Positive Experience/Entertaining? Geh, not really. The movie might be really good, but the trailer just wanted to convince me that some folks were really, really scared by it.

Technically any good? The trailer intercuts clips of the movie with shots of the audience in a crowded theater watching the movie. Showing me how other people react to the movie didn’t make me wonder how I’d react. It made me think: “Well, I tend not to react the way most folks do, so I don’t know if I’ll like this.”

As far as the movie goes, it looks like Blair Witch Project set in an average suburban house. If that sounds appealing to you, then maybe you should see it. However, because of the nature of the cinematography (looking like home video) I’d imagine it would be much scarier watching it at home than in the theater since it would feel like a more natural environment.

The only thing I really got from the trailer was that the FX are pretty realistic. Probably CG, but minimally–WHICH IS GOOD.

How did it leave me feeling? This trailer didn’t give me enough to go on, so I can’t tell if I will go out of my way to see this or not. Probably not since most of what I remember from the trailer (which I just watched moments ago) was just the gimmick of seeing the audience in night-vision video.

Final Rating? NFI – NetFlix It: Really, how can they expect any of us in today’s economy to spend $10+ to see a movie shot like a home video?

This movie originally premiered at Screamfest back in 2007 but then was screened at Slamdance in 2008 and is slated for limited release in the US on September 25, 2009.

Seriously.

President Obama said the following in an ABC News interview today: “For us to say that you’ve got to take a responsibility to get health insurance is absolutely not a tax increase,”

Uh-huh. Let’s think about this for thirty seconds.

He’s right. It’s not a tax–it’s a government hand out to corporations. By passing a law that says we MUST pay a health insurance provider for services, we’re not paying a tax, we’re paying a tithe–like the kind you give in a church–a tribute to God, basically.

I’m an atheist, so I don’t give to churches. Likewise, I don’t believe in the insurance system (health or otherwise). I think it’s a terrible system that allows people to get rich off of the suffering of others.

I don’t care if they’ll be forced to cover me, I don’t want to support them.

But if Obama has his way, I will have to.

Obama also said the following in that ABC interview: “Right now everybody in America, just about, has to get auto insurance. Nobody considers that a tax increase.”

NO, THEY DON’T HAVE TO GET CAR INSURANCE.

Man, do I HATE politicians who pull this shit!

Just because YOU drive a car doesn’t mean EVERYONE DOES.

As it happens, I live in NEW YORK CITY.

But guess what: I sold my car in 2004–four years before I moved to NYC, when I still lived in Los Angeles.

So guess what, Obama and America: one-size does NOT fit all and I don’t appreciate the suggestion that I HAVE to pay into a system that I morally object to.

I sold my car in order to avoid spending hundreds of dollars a year on:

Maintenance
Fuel
Registration
Parking
Insurance

So, Barry, don’t tell me about how health insurance is equivalent to car insurance because it’s not.

I stopped driving a car half-a-decade ago. I can’t stop driving my body.

What you’re suggesting is nothing but a juicy present for the insurance companies.

Funny how banks and corporations get what amounts to health care from the government while we living, breathing humans have give up our freedom to opt out of systems we don’t believe in.

Part 2 coming tomorrow.

Check out a cutting from the September 19, 2009 article capped to the right on NYTimes.com:

Seven former directors of the Central Intelligence Agency asked President Obama on Friday to shut down the new Justice Department inquiry into past abuses during interrogations of terrorism suspects, arguing that it “will seriously damage” the nation’s ability to protect itself.

In a letter to Mr. Obama, the former C.I.A. chiefs said the cases under study had already been examined by career prosecutors who found that no criminal charges were warranted. To reopen cases based on a change in which political party controls the government, they wrote, will make it harder for intelligence officers to take risks without worrying that some future attorney general might investigate them.

“Those men and women who undertake difficult intelligence assignments in the aftermath of an attack such as September 11 must believe there is permanence in the legal rules that govern their actions,” the men said in their letter.

Yes and if they did nothing wrong, then none of us have anything to fear. Proving we don’t do bad things will discourage terrorists from hating us.

Of course, if we did do something wrong, then don’t we set a good example by prosecuting them?

Sure, it compromises some of our intelligence operations no matter what, but this is the cost of being a moral nation.

Isn’t it better to clean up after ourselves and risk the consequences than to not remove all doubt that we’re a moral country?

Sometimes we have to take some lumps for our principles–we can’t just whine about it and make excuses.

Do what’s right, Obama. Make sure those investigations happen or those things you should be investigating will happen again–maybe not under your watch, but sometime down the road. After all, what example are you setting?

“Let’s look to the future.”

Uh-huh. When I look to the future I see leaders abusing their power because we let them get away with it before.

Just my ¥2, of course, but I learned a long time ago that you lead by example. Set a good one and good people will follow you.

Set a bad example and bad people will follow you.