REAL WORLD EVENT DISCUSSIONS

stupid, evil, and corrupt

POSTED BY: RUE
UPDATED: Wednesday, September 13, 2006 04:47
SHORT URL:
VIEWED: 2936
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Friday, September 8, 2006 5:24 AM

SIGNYM

I believe in solving problems, not sharing them.


Dreamtrove, I'm sorry to say this but you're so hopelessly wrapped up in ideology that you can't see the truth even when it's right in front of you.


Yes, different corporations have varying degrees of enmeshment with the current government, but all... repeat ALL... large corporations have a great deal of power over individuals and the government. Corporations play NATIONS against each other... do you think that individuals stand a chance against that kind of power?

---------------------------------
Reality sucks. Especially when it contradicts our cherished ideas.

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Friday, September 8, 2006 5:33 AM

CHRISISALL


Man, this threads too heated up, even for ME!


Back to the Buffyverse Chrisisall

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Friday, September 8, 2006 5:51 AM

CITIZEN


Quote:

Originally posted by Signym:
Dreamtrove, I'm sorry to say this but you're so hopelessly wrapped up in ideology that you can't see the truth even when it's right in front of you.

Don't say that! He'll call you a, now lets see if I can get this right:
Stupid pseudo intellectual punk ass liberal prick with you're head up your trollish arse.

Oh yeah and work shy, gotta remember that, Dreamtroves not only the hardest working person in the world, he's the only working person in the world.



More insane ramblings by the people who brought you beeeer milkshakes!
No one can see their reflection in running water. It is only in still water that we can see.

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Friday, September 8, 2006 6:02 AM

BIGDAMNNOBODY


Quote:


Originally posted by citizen:
Quote:

Originally posted by dreamtrove:
Citizen,

I said I'm not getting baited in to your flame war. You are now the troll I have decided not to feed. 90% of everything you say is cr@p. Probably 100% of what you just posted re: me is wrong.


You were the one who started throwing around insults, you're the troll.



Quote:


Originally posted by citizen:
DT's ability to assume his opinion is unbiased fact is truly amazing, not to mention annoying. Since coming back here he’s really taken a dive off the deep end, he seems to consider any discussion pointless, because there’s what he thinks and there’s being wrong.

I'm almost surprised that in the pictures of God thread he didn't post pictures of himself, he seems to think he has God’s insight.



I'm not taking sides here but...
It's amazing how fast a discussion can degenerate with the name calling. It's hard to both read and retain a posters message when the post opens with an insult. Just look at the lack of communication going on between Rue, SignyM and Auraptor. Is it just me or does anyone else think insulting a faceless and nameless poster is funny? Maybe it's like when you walk into the coffee table leg with your bare foot in the dark.

Posting to stir stuff up.

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Friday, September 8, 2006 6:15 AM

CITIZEN


Wasn't an insult, just an observation.

Since he has comeback he has proven he's not interested in anything save saying "I'm right, you're wrong". He doesn't feel the need to back up word one of what he says, but he feels we should accept his opinion as defacto proof regardless. Seems like a god complex to me, all he needs is a book, thou shalt not contradict Dreamtrove and things of that nature.

DT insults everyone all the time, he turns up in a thread and says "okay we can stop talking about this now, I have spoken". He has his head shoved too far up his arrogant arse to make a coherent sentence.



More insane ramblings by the people who brought you beeeer milkshakes!
No one can see their reflection in running water. It is only in still water that we can see.

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Friday, September 8, 2006 6:33 AM

RUE

I have a vote and I'm not afraid to use it!


BDN,

I ALWAYS call him names. But it's not b/c I disagree. I call him, and very few others, my pet endearments b/c they consistently lie or otherwise use trollish debate tactics.

There are many other people I seriously disagree with who I don't call names. We debate and discuss like normal people. Because, as misguided as I may think they are, they can engage substantively.

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Friday, September 8, 2006 6:43 AM

FREMDFIRMA


I've no problem with folks slinging insults (especially amusingly creative ones) at each other, long as the discussion continues.

Posting ONLY insults is asinine and pointless, but I see no reason folks can't slag off at each other a bit *while* discussing heated topics, we're not the PC police and if folks wanna blow off the steam they've worked up at each other, fine.

Makes no difference whatever to me, even when aimed in my direction - compared to what I hear directed at me whilst driving a cab in downtown detroit, this stuff is pretty mild.

-Frem

PS - On road-rage shouted insults,etc...
Made a drop off in Ann Arbor yesterday and schooled some little prick who apparently can't read or understand a YIELD sign...
Lil prick cussed me out in KLINGON - man that's a weird town, really it is.

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Friday, September 8, 2006 6:51 AM

FREMDFIRMA


Oh, yah.. forgot something...

Hey Rue?

vam-chay'SoH vaj!



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Friday, September 8, 2006 7:01 AM

SIGNYM

I believe in solving problems, not sharing them.


Frem: whaaaa...???

---------------------------------
Reality sucks. Especially when it contradicts our cherished ideas.

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Friday, September 8, 2006 7:06 AM

SOUPCATCHER


Quote:

Originally posted by Fremdfirma:
Lil prick cussed me out in KLINGON - man that's a weird town, really it is.


Oh man. I'm not sure what's funnier, that the prick cussed you out in Klingon or that you understood what language he was using.

Either way, I busted a gut when I read your story. Thanks for the laugh.

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Friday, September 8, 2006 9:30 AM

DREAMTROVE


Signym,

This problem is so much worse than you realize. Email me, this board is a mess. You're missing a big key part.

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Friday, September 8, 2006 9:39 AM

SIGNYM

I believe in solving problems, not sharing them.


Quote:

Lil prick cussed me out in KLINGON
Oh sure- I knew that!


Dreamtrove: Recapping a bit. I'm not saying that Bush is good, or that he believes in small government, or that Halliburton doesn't have deep tentacles in the current Administration (and for all I know, in the previous Administration). I know about the Carlyle Group, and the revolving door that shuttles sick sycophants in and out of government, lobbying, and corporations.

But ALL large businesses have long proud histories of fucking people over at every turn, not just "rogue" corporations that are fully enmeshed with gummint. Nike uses slave labor, Microsoft gained its monopoly by killing its competitors (not marketplace competition), Midwest power plants continue to spew acid and mercury all over the East Coast, Enron defrauded its investors, and Weyerhauser wants to clearcut in the name of "heatlhy forests". Look back in history, or better yet, look around the world to the misery that people are living in thanks to race to the bottom hosted by business.

It's not just about Halliburton. Yes, Halliburton/Cheney are a serious problem, but even absent THAT we have a serious 'systems' problem of unmatched corporate power. "Capitalism" as envisioned by Adam Smith only works when the various economic entities interact on the basis of approximately equal power. "Without fear or fraud". If there is NO power approximately equal to corporate power (employeee power, government power, investor power), how does the system keep on an even keel? Yeah, I know it would be great if everyone went back to mom-and-pop businesses. But you know what? That's not going to happen, and it's not useful to whine for the past... if you COULD break up large businesses and make them all small again we wouldn't exactly be having this discussion, would we?

Keeping our heads in the present reality, I ask yet again: WHO will provide the counterbalance to corporate power?

---------------------
Reality sucks. Especially when it contradicts our cherished ideas.

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Friday, September 8, 2006 3:21 PM

AURAPTOR

America loves a winner!


rue- you're the liar and the coward. I'm not going to waste time w/ you trading off web links. There was a time before you were a man when civilized folks discussed things out in the open, with their own words. You're too much of a punk, so I'm not wasting my time.



People love a happy ending. So every episode, I will explain once again that I don't like people. And then Mal will shoot someone. Someone we like. And their puppy. - Joss

" They don't like it when you shoot at 'em. I worked that out myself. "

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Friday, September 8, 2006 5:59 PM

DREAMTROVE


Signym,

Sorry, but you are really missing the point.

There's nothing here in your past few posts I don't already know, it's just the icing on the cake of what's going on, it's not the main deal. Essentially, you're sitting here counting the orcs you're up against, and missing the nazgul right in front of you.

The corporate profiteers are small potatoes, the carlyle group is barely even corrupt. Anti-Enron is actually more corrupt than Enron. But all of these games are nothing compared to what's really going on here, and there's really very little theory involved.

But while you're beating up on corporations, you've missed the really big ones, the new jersey pharmaceuticals, the AMA and most of all Time/Warner and Viacom. Also, the fragments of standard oil should get honorable mention. But there are 300,000 corporations in america, and 15,000 publicly traded corporations. Many of the largest ones (and virtually all in employee terms) don't even play a part in your corrupt monopoly scheme. Over 90% of corporations lose money under Bushonomics.

But all of this is peanuts compared to the real goings on. Multi-national unions, compound majorities, perpetual entities, captured agencies, all of the forms of massive widespread corruption and the ultimate not to secret goal of the zero-dissent, completely unaccountable, perpetually all pervasive one world govt. and it's total monopoly on executive power, weapons, medical technology, etc.

Joss understood this very well, and it's what the alliance is all about. Pretty soon we'll have it here on Earth, and there is no tinfoil hat conspiracy involved. This is all basically above board, and no one is even noticing it. It's the elephant in the room.

If you have your way, and get elected someone who clamps down on corporate power, these guys who have spent a lot of effort to become heads of these target corporations will leave at 5PM, and by 8PM will be heads of the new institution of power.

And this is just the tip of the iceberg.

And btw, no, I'm not missing the corporate corruption, it's pretty obvious, I think I see everything going on in that arena, and I still say, it's a minor detail in the overall disaster we have in front of us.

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Friday, September 8, 2006 6:18 PM

RUE

I have a vote and I'm not afraid to use it!


OOOHHHHhhhh ... I'm so sad.

Ass-wrap

ME
I provided one link for each of my claims. I could provide more.

YOU
your response - NO LINKS - NO FACTS, just lies
global warming - out of our control
arsenic - blame Clinton
only private companies work - only government is corrupt
war crimes - "Now that's funny"
Katrina - blame State and local gov't

ME
Now scrolling down, I offered to provide the 30 YEAR history of regulating arsenic in water. I challenged you to post ANY documentation.

YOU
And how did you respond? "What I said was right, and if you don't like it, piss off. As for Katrina, I know far more about this than you. It's not even worth going over." In other words, you got zip.

ME
I challenged you AGAIN "Give me ONE link that backs you up. ... ASS-WIPE, put up. Or reveal yourself to be a liar AND a coward."

YOU
And you?
I'm going to waste time w/ you trading off web links.


Ass-wipe, you love to make all sorts of claims - but you NEVER back them up. Ever. And that's why you're an ass-wipe.

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Friday, September 8, 2006 6:19 PM

RUE

I have a vote and I'm not afraid to use it!


dbl!

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Saturday, September 9, 2006 2:55 AM

AURAPTOR

America loves a winner!


I always back up my claims, but I've got too much of a life to waste time on the computer playing swapping links w/ a moron such as yourself. Want to discuss a topic and at least PRETEND you're an adult? Fine. But from what you've posted thus far, I know I'm asking far too much from the likes of you.

People love a happy ending. So every episode, I will explain once again that I don't like people. And then Mal will shoot someone. Someone we like. And their puppy. - Joss

" They don't like it when you shoot at 'em. I worked that out myself. "

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Saturday, September 9, 2006 3:06 AM

AURAPTOR

America loves a winner!


Quote:

What I said is that this huge expansion of the the Federal budget and Federal power is unsustainable. (Except for people like Auraptor who's so fearful he'll give up ANYTHING to feel safe. Which of course he never will.)


Give one example of me having given up ANTYHING to feel safe. You made the specific charge, now offer up some evidence.

Fact is, you can't. Your opinion is based solely on your biased, distorted view of what other's say. You offer no susbstance, merely wild conjecture.

People love a happy ending. So every episode, I will explain once again that I don't like people. And then Mal will shoot someone. Someone we like. And their puppy. - Joss

" They don't like it when you shoot at 'em. I worked that out myself. "

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Saturday, September 9, 2006 4:14 AM

SIGNYM

I believe in solving problems, not sharing them.


Auraptor- I agree with Rue here. (No big surprise I'm sure). I tried many times over to get into a detailed conversation with you about your threads on the economy and you slid away. Ditto with your posts on Iraq. Same thing in the "Free Speech... unless" thread. And that's just what I remember off the top of my head. Imagine what I could find if I were to do a detailed review!

You say you don't have "time" to go look up or link your sources. All you do is post hit-and-run opinion, which you won't back up or discuss. That's showing a tremendous disrespect for everyone here. You KNOW that people here are too bright to merely believe Auraptor (or SignyM). We'd like to see your evidence and understand your logic. Heck I've even followed PN's links and learned a thing or two!

And since you must KNOW that you're not going to convince anyone by posting "your" way, I have to ask:Why do you bother to post at all? I'm not trying to drive you off the board, I'm trying to get you to engage in meaningful discussion. This is after all a discussion board, not a place to splatter second-hand propaganda and then run away.

And it seems to me that you're showing terrible disrespect for yourself. You don't have "time" to google up simple facts, but you have your whole life to slavishly parrot someone else's opinion?? I suspect you're afraid of thought and discussion because you might develop some serious cracks in your ideological foundation.

But you know, it's boring to engage in discussion with a parrot, because all they do is repeat a few phrases over an over. Join the human beings on this board and do what humans do best- think.



---------------------------------
Being Dr Phil.

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Saturday, September 9, 2006 4:17 AM

SIGNYM

I believe in solving problems, not sharing them.


Auraptor- to back up my claim: You'd give up civil rights. You have said so many time over. EDITED TO ADD: Here's one:
Quote:

Warrant, no warrant, I still support what The President is doing in regards to fighting terrorism and ' collecting the dots ', before another attack.
fireflyfan.net/thread.asp?b=18&t=17189
And in doing so, you'd be rushing headlong into the dictatorial one-world government that DT so greatly fears.

EDITED TO ADD: Oh yeah, not a SINGLE link in your Plamegate thread either. Nor in the Our President , Surreal World Event Discussion, End Times, Rumor Has It, or Serenity as Consitution threads.
---------------------------------
Reality sucks. Especially when it contradicts our cherished ideas.

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Saturday, September 9, 2006 4:50 AM

AURAPTOR

America loves a winner!


Quote:

Originally posted by SignyM:
Auraptor- to back up my claim: You'd give up civil rights. You have said so many time over. And in doing so, you'd be rushing headlong into the dictatorial one-world government that DT so greatly fears.

EDITED TO ADD: Oh yeah, not a SINGLE link in your Plamegate posts either.

---------------------------------
Reality sucks. Especially when it contradicts our cherished ideas.



I have never said any such thing. Sorry, you're wrong. Must have me confused w/ someone else.

What Plamegate posts was that again? Is your understanding of this issue , or any issue, based solely on the posting of a link ? Armitage fessed up, Joe Wilson lied. There's not much more to discuss here.

But since you won't take my word for it, here's your precious link !

Quote:

Plame's Lame Game
What Ambassador Joseph Wilson and his wife forgot to tell us about the yellow-cake scandal.
By Christopher Hitchens
Posted Tuesday, July 13, 2004, at 12:27 PM ET

The Senate's report on intelligence failures would appear to confirm that Valerie Plame did recommend her husband Joseph Wilson for the mission to Niger. In a memo written to a deputy chief in the CIA's Directorate of Operations, she asserted that Wilson had "good relations with both the Prime Minister and the former Minister of Mines [of Niger], not to mention lots of French contacts." This makes a poor fit with Wilson's claim, in a recent book, that "Valerie had nothing to do with the matter. She definitely had not proposed that I make the trip." (It incidentally seems that she was able to recommend him for the trip because of the contacts he'd made on an earlier trip, for which she had also proposed him.)

Wilson's earlier claim to the Washington Post that, in the CIA reports and documents on the Niger case, "the dates were wrong and the names were wrong," was also false, according to the Senate report. The relevant papers were not in CIA hands until eight months after he made his trip. Wilson now lamely says he may have "misspoken" on this. (See Susan Schmidt's article in the July 10 Washington Post.) http://www.slate.com/id/2103795/

See ? ANYYONE can play the copy/paste game. I'm sure you're all the more convinced now that I've posted a 2 + yr old Christopher Hitchens article instead of speaking in my own words. Point is, the whole PlameGate stuff was a complete fabrication by them to discredit Bush. It was known then as it's known now. There is no case. Plame wasn't even a covert op, so why Fitzgereald is still keeping this investigation is beyond comprehension. There's nothing there.


People love a happy ending. So every episode, I will explain once again that I don't like people. And then Mal will shoot someone. Someone we like. And their puppy. - Joss

" They don't like it when you shoot at 'em. I worked that out myself. "

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Saturday, September 9, 2006 5:11 AM

SIGNYM

I believe in solving problems, not sharing them.


Auraptor: posting links allows people to read in detail the information that YOU chose to exerpt here. Exerpts are necessarily incomplete and out of context. Also, if we know the source we have some indication of the author's bias, based on previous work and sources of funding. (Everyone has a bias).

But when you post something like "Plame wasn't even a covert op"... WHOA! That's not what the CIA said! That's why they asked for an investigation, not Justice. So where do you get THAT little gem? Hannity? Limbaugh? O'Reilly? Better post THAT link.

And I've love to follow your reasoning, but you won't do THAT either. When pressed with questions or challenges or self-contradictions you just kind of drift away.

To clean up the tangle of edits that I posted, here is you giving up your civil rights, in lieanr order:
Quote:

Auraptor- to back up my claim: You'd give up civil rights. You have said so many time over. And in doing so, you'd be rushing headlong into the dictatorial one-world government that DT so greatly fears.- SignyM

I have never said any such thing. Sorry, you're wrong. Must have me confused w/ someone else. -Auraptor

Here's one: "Warrant, no warrant, I still support what The President is doing in regards to fighting terrorism and ' collecting the dots ', before another attack."

fireflyfan.net/thread.asp?b=18&t=17189 - Signy



Now, see how useful links can be?

So stand up like a man for your opinions.

---------------------------------
Reality sucks. Especially when it contradicts our cherished ideas.

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Saturday, September 9, 2006 5:36 AM

SIGNYM

I believe in solving problems, not sharing them.


Auraptor: Okay, DON'T stand up like a man for your opinions. Just be prepared to discuss them and back them up.

---------------------------------
Reality sucks. Especially when it contradicts our cherished ideas.

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Saturday, September 9, 2006 5:42 AM

AURAPTOR

America loves a winner!


Quote:

But when you post something like "Plame wasn't even a covert op"... WHOA! That's not what the CIA said! That's why they asked for an investigation, not Justice. So where do you get THAT little gem? Hannity? Limbaugh? O'Reilly? Better post THAT link.


She wasn't a covert op. The CIA has never said anything on the matter, one way or the other.

Quote:

"Warrant, no warrant, I still support what The President is doing in regards to fighting terrorism and ' collecting the dots ', before another attack."


Taken out of context, you've made your case. The POINT was the fuss over gathering intel from KNOWN TERRORIST. I've given up zero of my rights, sorry. Your claim is invalid. Try again.

People love a happy ending. So every episode, I will explain once again that I don't like people. And then Mal will shoot someone. Someone we like. And their puppy. - Joss

" They don't like it when you shoot at 'em. I worked that out myself. "

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Saturday, September 9, 2006 5:55 AM

SIGNYM

I believe in solving problems, not sharing them.


That link works both ways, friend. People besides you and me can easily go back and review the entire discusison aside from what you or I choose to represent.

And what they will see is that the point was that if they were "known" or even suspected terrorists, the Bush Administration could EASILY get a FISA surveillance order if required. You don't care whether they get a warrant or not, even if required by law. That's giving up your civil rights.

As for Plame's CIA status: You're right, the CIA would never claim she was a NOC. But people who worked with her said this:
Quote:

Valerie Plame was a classmate of mine from the day she started with the CIA. I entered on duty at the CIA in September 1985. All of my classmates were undercover--in other words, we told our family and friends that we were working for other overt U.S. Government agencies. We had official cover. That means we had a black passport--i.e., a diplomatic passport. If we were caught overseas engaged in espionage activity the black passport was a get out of jail free card.

A few of my classmates, and Valerie was one of these, became a non-official cover officer. That meant she agreed to operate overseas without the protection of a diplomatic passport. If caught in that status she would have been executed.

You can find the original article yourself. Google is your friend.


---------------------------------
Reality sucks. Especially when it contradicts our cherished ideas.

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Saturday, September 9, 2006 6:17 AM

AURAPTOR

America loves a winner!


Quote:

And what they will see is that the point was that if they were "known" or even suspected terrorists, the Bush Administration could EASILY get a FISA surveillance order if required. You don't care whether they get a warrant or not, even if required by law. That's giving up your civil rights.


It's not against the law, and there in lies the flaw in your argument. The President is under no obligation TO get a FISA order. In no way does this take away any of my civil rights.

As for Plame, there's no indication that she was an active covert op at the time her name came up, FROM ARMITAGE. To the best of my knowledge, it had been years since she held that status. If her friends were so eager to willingly discuss her past status, then I guess it wasn't all that much of a secret.

Regardless, there's nothing to the fairy tale that releasing her name was some revenge tactic by the White House, or Rove, or Cheney in the least. This story is moot.

People love a happy ending. So every episode, I will explain once again that I don't like people. And then Mal will shoot someone. Someone we like. And their puppy. - Joss

" They don't like it when you shoot at 'em. I worked that out myself. "

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Saturday, September 9, 2006 6:20 AM

CITIZEN


AU:
Point is you can say anything, and as DT has shown its really easy if you don't feel the need to back anything up with evidence outside of your own words.

For instance I could say:
George Bush is an Alien invader, head of a master race who wish to turn the Earth into a radioactive waste ground and sell it as spacecraft fuel.

Would you consider this worthy of debate? I think not, but why should we take you at your word that this is nonsense if you are unwilling to back up your claims with data. Words are cheap on the internet, the words of someone with no data to backup their claims even cheaper.



More insane ramblings by the people who brought you beeeer milkshakes!
No one can see their reflection in running water. It is only in still water that we can see.

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Saturday, September 9, 2006 8:31 AM

SIGNYM

I believe in solving problems, not sharing them.


Auraptor: providing "context" for your comments, here are MORE of your comments from the same thread: -
Quote:

Where do you get that idea, unless you're paranoid? Under no circumstances am I "OK" with the Gov't snooping me or any average Joe. But that isn't what they're doing. When they say they're monitoring KNOWN terrorist operatives, I have no delusions in thinking that means me. Nor is there any evidence to suggest that is what the Gov't is wasting its time w/ random searches of any/every American. That'd be ridiculous.
Then you and Bush are ridiculous together.

---------------------------------
Reality sucks. Especially when it contradicts our cherished ideas.

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Saturday, September 9, 2006 1:42 PM

AURAPTOR

America loves a winner!


Quote:

Originally posted by SignyM:
Auraptor: providing "context" for your comments, here are MORE of your comments from the same thread: -
Quote:

Where do you get that idea, unless you're paranoid? Under no circumstances am I "OK" with the Gov't snooping me or any average Joe. But that isn't what they're doing. When they say they're monitoring KNOWN terrorist operatives, I have no delusions in thinking that means me. Nor is there any evidence to suggest that is what the Gov't is wasting its time w/ random searches of any/every American. That'd be ridiculous.
Then you and Bush are ridiculous together.

---------------------------------
Reality sucks. Especially when it contradicts our cherished ideas.



You post is a complete waste of time and space. Nothing you cited in any way contradicts what I said.
* Nor is there any evidence to suggest that is what the Gov't is wasting its time w/ random searches of any/every American. That'd be ridiculous *

Why did you repost that line ? There indeed was no plan which the Gov't was 'randomly ' searching private US citizens. That doesn't in the least bit advance your cause or make your case. All you did was post what I accurately stated, and then said ' see? '. No, I don't see, nor does anyone else. Stop wasting time on here if you've got nothing to say.

People love a happy ending. So every episode, I will explain once again that I don't like people. And then Mal will shoot someone. Someone we like. And their puppy. - Joss

" They don't like it when you shoot at 'em. I worked that out myself. "

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Saturday, September 9, 2006 2:24 PM

AURAPTOR

America loves a winner!


Quote:

Originally posted by citizen:

Point is you can say anything, and as DT has shown its really easy if you don't feel the need to back anything up with evidence outside of your own words.

For instance I could say:
George Bush is an Alien invader, head of a master race who wish to turn the Earth into a radioactive waste ground and sell it as spacecraft fuel.

Would you consider this worthy of debate? I think not, but why should we take you at your word that this is nonsense if you are unwilling to back up your claims with data. Words are cheap on the internet, the words of someone with no data to backup their claims even cheaper.



The burden of proof lies upon those making the claims. I have been willing to back up my cliams, you've just not been interested in what I say. Sig says I'm willing to trade my freedoms for security. That is a false statement. He offers my own words, and then the wrong conclusion that because I say Bush is right in something, that means I'm giving up my freedoms. Not one of my freedoms have been given up. It comes down to how each of us want to frame the issue. You don't like Bush, so you see what ever he does as wrong, and that he's 'evil' in his methodology in dealing w/ Islamo-fascism. I for one see the wisdom in his very pragmatic approach to beating Islamo-terrorists, and see there's nothing what so ever illegal here. No threats to my freedoms.

So, nice try.



People love a happy ending. So every episode, I will explain once again that I don't like people. And then Mal will shoot someone. Someone we like. And their puppy. - Joss

" They don't like it when you shoot at 'em. I worked that out myself. "

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Saturday, September 9, 2006 2:56 PM

CITIZEN


I'm really not sure who it is you're responding to, because despite the fact I received the notification and you've quoted me in your post you’re sure as hell not responding to me.

All I said is words is cheap. DT says ridiculous things like "dogs are more intelligent than people" and when you ask him to back it up with something outside his own words he either ignores you or throws a tantrum. Kind of destroys his credibility.

I said if you want to be taken seriously you have to bring something that goes beyond your word for it, some reason why you think X. Now you always say "I'm prepared to bring evidence" then you erm, don't. It's not just me saying or noticing that. So rather than telling us you're going to back up your claims why don't you just do it, and then when as you say sigy fails to back up his claims your burden of evidence is sure to sweep him away, no?



More insane ramblings by the people who brought you beeeer milkshakes!
No one can see their reflection in running water. It is only in still water that we can see.

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Sunday, September 10, 2006 3:57 AM

DREAMTROVE


I'm going to butt in to this amazingly confusing conversation.

Auraptor,

I could be mistaken, but it's my understanding that SignyM is a chick.

Yes, there is something to the Plame case. It's very simple, unlike this thread.

Plame was the head of a WMD CIA research division, which is, as you suggested some time ago, a desk job. By exposing her identity, they forced her sources to become dried up, or killed, and effectively put her out of work, which was undoubtedly the goal. The purpose of this was to hinder the CIA's independent WMD research division, to prevent a vision of intelligence contrary to the fantasy concocted by the executive from reaching the light of day before critical decisions were made.

And sure, it was not a revenge case. There are a ton of arguments bouncing around that aren't strongly anchored in reality because everyone is kind of stabbing around in the dark, which is pretty much where we all are in this current political environment.

I recognize, btw, that a democratic coup is a serious possibility, and that there's a reason to fear it from a partisan point of view. That said, this Administration is clearly way over the line, whereever the line was. I would have been terribly happy if someone had taken my idea of a republican impeachment of Bush, and in a completely GOP controlled congress, we could have gotten a sane republican replacement for Bush, and that person could have run for re-election in 2008.

Now, sadly, it's probably going to be too late for that plan. Congress, not surprisingly, sat on its hands until opportunity went away again, and in a couple months we will probably get a democratic majority, if the media is to be believed. This means we're in for two years of stymieying (sp?) which, admittedly, there are worse things than, esp. when the agenda is this bad.

But, then our problem comes. I think that the republican controlled exectuve and congressional leadership, by which I mean Frist and DeLay have screwed things up so badly that 2008 is fairly hopeless. What's going to make matters worse is that Lou Dobbs or someone very much like him, will run as an independent, and my worst fear will be realized: ie. President Hillary Rodham Clinton.

With a democratically controlled congress, Hillary will go ape on a radical big govt. agenda, and a Clinton style serial war, and the Media will spend so much time kissing her hand that the people won't notice that they're taxes are going up, spending is going up, govt. is grow, but america is losing its sovereignty, and we're slaughtering more civilians with the "protect american lives at the cost of everybody else's millions" way of conducting foreign policy.

The hard reality is that in spite of the media's fantasy of surprise results and upset elections, no one ever won an election at the last minute. Elections were won years ahead of time. The one we should be working on is 2012. If the MSM loves Hillary the way they loved her husband, and they will, and we don't have a decent alternative media, the people will never know about the million people she's killed in Iran and South America, (and North Korea?) If they don't know, then they will resoundingly re-elect her, and by 2016, the USSA will be a reality.

Since I think that Bush is essentially Clinton, and I think there's a sound policy and personel tie in there, I see this as a big long agenda to transform what used to be the USA into the next soviet union, or worse, a socialist/corporatist one world govt.

On a side note, there's not really any point in getting too worked up about losing this current govt. to the democrats, because we essentially have a democrat now. Bush's backers, the neocons, *are* the old social democrats, and they've yacked in the background for many years, and I mistook them for random conservative hawks, but now that I've seen the whole thing in action, I see that they are pretty much unchanged, they basically are democrats. The only thing that save Bush from being a total unmitigated disaster (If anything does) is that he has to make deals with real republicans, which temper the agenda with the occassional dose of common sense.

When Hillary has her democratic majority, you'll see the salutes a plenty (if these guys think the republicans are a rubber stamp, just wait...) We'll have a draft and everything.

I've been doing some serious thinking about it, and what we really need is to define and possible cleanse, our own political base, root out some corruption, and some neocon RINOs, and come up with some candidates with some actual conservative principles and platform points. If we don't win in '08, as I suspect we won't, we keep trying. If you try everything to win, but when you win you get what's mostly a democrat wearing an elephant pin, it's really kind of a hollow victory.


Citizen,

Anger management, look into it.


"dogs are more intelligent than people"

Is not what I said. I said , according to the intelligence trends, about 150,000 years ago, when humans and dogs began their association with one another, dogs were more intelligent than people, by about 10 eq points or so, which is the margin by which a middle of the road downes syndrome case is smarter than a chimpanzee. It's and interesting thought. It may explain why we feed dogs. Of course, since then, dogs have been getting steadily dumber, and humans, up until about 40,000 years ago, were getting smarter.

Now dogs are on the rise, and humans have been on the decline pretty steadily. In another 50,000 to 100,000 years, the situation could recur, and it could be dogs who take us to the vets for a fix.

The whole evolution of the animal kingdom is rather complicated, and not the steady progress that some people believe. I think this ties loosely in to political theory, because I believe that the same is true of social change. We have not made 'steady progress' through the centuries, in fact I think social order has gone through an incredible degree of degeneration. Technology does not advance because our current society is ideally suited to it, (it's barely tolerant of it, imho) but rather because of inertia. Human technology evolves through the presence of written language, as it still exists, a few plug along and make scientific advancements, will the lions share of our culture slouches into the stone age.


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Sunday, September 10, 2006 4:37 AM

AURAPTOR

America loves a winner!


I was replying to both you and Sig, for you 2 made the same lame charge that I don't back up my claims. I do. Where it seems I fail in your eyes is that instead of relying on link upon link, I have the ability to speak my mind on a topic. I don't treat this as a Debate 101 class. I'm more than aware of the importance of citing references and the like, but so often in the past I've gotten into a pointless contest of 'whose link is more valid ' because folks on the other side don't like the conclusions from this or that link...it ends up , kinda like this, folks talking in circles. I don't have time for that.

Citing references and backing up claims is nice. It's important, but one should also not live for the 'link' as the sole ability to respond when discussing a topic.

People love a happy ending. So every episode, I will explain once again that I don't like people. And then Mal will shoot someone. Someone we like. And their puppy. - Joss

" They don't like it when you shoot at 'em. I worked that out myself. "

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Sunday, September 10, 2006 4:46 AM

SIGNYM

I believe in solving problems, not sharing them.


Quote:

The burden of proof lies upon those making the claims. I have been willing to back up my cliams, you've just not been interested in what I say.
Auraptor- you have not been willing to back up your claims either by reasoning or by evidence (lack of links) I named about eight threads in which you posted extensively with no links, and did not back up ANY of your claims:
Kerry was planning to assasinate the President
there is no evidence that Bush had ordered widespread surveillance
it's not required by law to get warrants for snooping on people
the economy is booming...

and the rest of those propaganda points that you scarf up from right-wing radio and then insist on mindlessly parrotting on this website. You should know by now that the rest of us are just a little more intelligent than that, and your pattern is crystal clear.

BTW- As loony as PN is, he's a FAR better contributor than you. He looks things up, he references his sources, about 75% of what he says is true, verifiable, and off the radar of most folks.

And, I'm going to add something about the importance of citing your sources: Since none of us are doing "original research" everything we think we know about a topic is something that we have been told by someone else. It is extremely helpful to be able to look at a person's sources: How close are they to the "original research"? Do they have expertize in the topic of their opinion? As you might have gathered from my other posts, I'm not overly impressed wtih "authoritative" opinion. But who do you think I'm going to take more seriously about (for example) Saddam's WMD? Hannity? Or the people who were there: Blix, Kay, and Duelfer Unless someone can provide a cogent argument to support your opinion which contradicts the opinion of people who were mired right in the research, I will not take your opinion very seriously.

And YOU are neither authorititive nor cogent. YOU make hit-and-run statements that not backed up either by evidence or logic. You're just a shit stain on Limbaugh's extra-wide whities. A person with the mind of a parrot who can't even reason their way around their own talking-points. No wonder you feel so akin to Bush.
Quote:

Sig says I'm willing to trade my freedoms for security. That is a false statement. He offers my own words, and then the wrong conclusion that because I say Bush is right in something, that means I'm giving up my freedoms. Not one of my freedoms have been given up
I'm going to respond to this in detail. As far as I can tell from your posts, criminals, suspects, peace activists, people who might be peace activists, and for all I know environmentalists, people who disagree with the President in any way, people who MIGHT disagree with the President in any way.... have no right to Fourth Ammendment rights, or due process. But YOU'RE a fine upstanding citizen and therefore you have not given up YOUR rights in any way. Just like the white Nazi felt safe under Hitler, right?

So tell me, in detail- how do you think that Bush has NOT violated the Fourth Ammendment and Fourteenth Ammendments.

---------------------------------
Reality sucks. Especially when it contradicts our cherished ideas.

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Sunday, September 10, 2006 5:01 AM

AURAPTOR

America loves a winner!


dream, we're gonna disagree on this, no question about it.
Quote:

By exposing her identity, they forced her sources to become dried up, or killed, and effectively put her out of work, which was undoubtedly the goal. The purpose of this was to hinder the CIA's independent WMD research division, to prevent a vision of intelligence contrary to the fantasy concocted by the executive from reaching the light of day before critical decisions were made.


First, you don't know her identity was exposed with any intent. Armitage sure didn't give any indication of that. You problbly should ask Joe Wilson what was on HIS mind when he outted his wife. Second, you don't know what became of her sources. It's pure specualation based on the idea that she was still in the same positon she had been years before. She wasn't. Also, it was the CIA's director George Tenent ( appointed by Clinton) who said that WMD in Iraq was "..a slam dunk ". Why would the administration then turn around and try to sabotage the CIA which essentially had given the green light to invade Iraq? Your internal conclusions don't bear out in the real world.

It's easy to play Monday morning QB and say this or that SHOULD have been knonwn. Hell yeah, in a perfect world, we'd have video of OBL meeting w/ the 9/11 terrorist and Saddam gassing his own citizens..oh, wait. Never mind. But the point is, there were a lot of screw ups , all by career folks who had their asses on the line, and no one ready to step up to the plate. Except Tenent. He later gives some squishy ' they wanted me to gloss over the intel ' excuse, as if he's somehow not culpable for not doing his job. Amazing. If the President can't trust the CIA Director to give him a straight, honest answer, then who will ?

And btw, none of that does away w/ the fact that Saddam ignored 17 UN Resolutions and defied every attempt until the end to come clean on his WMD. Fault the U.N. for aiding Saddam all the while trying to vilify him, but THAT's another story.

People love a happy ending. So every episode, I will explain once again that I don't like people. And then Mal will shoot someone. Someone we like. And their puppy. - Joss

" They don't like it when you shoot at 'em. I worked that out myself. "

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Sunday, September 10, 2006 5:01 AM

CITIZEN


Quote:

Originally posted by dreamtrove:
Anger management, look into it.

At least I can keep this disagreement here.

I can only wonder what the content of your deleted posts was .
Quote:

"dogs are more intelligent than people"

Is not what I said.

I know, but what you said, without any attempt to back it up is just as far out there.
Quote:

I said , according to the intelligence trends, about 150,000 years ago, when humans and dogs began their association with one another, dogs were more intelligent than people, by about 10 eq points or so, which is the margin by which a middle of the road downes syndrome case is smarter than a chimpanzee. It's and interesting thought. It may explain why we feed dogs. Of course, since then, dogs have been getting steadily dumber, and humans, up until about 40,000 years ago, were getting smarter.
What it doesn't explain is why people are the only animal to domesticate another, except dogs which actually domesticated people in your theory, but then this went upside down because dogs got less intelligent through some unknown mechanism. I'll ask for proof, data, anything outside of your own say so again, let’s see if you ignore that request again.

Also "I don't have time to back up what I say" doesn't impress me, if you don't have time to back up what you say; I don't have time to listen.



More insane ramblings by the people who brought you beeeer milkshakes!
No one can see their reflection in running water. It is only in still water that we can see.

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Sunday, September 10, 2006 5:09 AM

SIGNYM

I believe in solving problems, not sharing them.


Quote:

You problbly should ask Joe Wilson what was on HIS mind when he outted his wife
When? Where? This is yet another one of those unsubstantiated hit-and-run talking points. Like Kerry was planning to assasinate the President. As YOU YOURSELF JUST SAID
Quote:

The burden of proof lies upon those making the claims.


Look Auraptor- either straighten up or we'll ignore you off the board.

---------------------------------
Reality sucks. Especially when it contradicts our cherished ideas.

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Sunday, September 10, 2006 6:12 AM

AURAPTOR

America loves a winner!


Quote:

Originally posted by SignyM:

Look Auraptor- either straighten up or we'll ignore you off the board.



Oh dear lord, NOT THAT! Anything but THAT! *laughs* Too funny.

But you do post a valid question, where did Joe Wilson out his own wife ?

Well, there's this...
Quote:



WND Exclusive THE PLAME GAME
Analyst says Wilson
'outed' wife in 2002
Disclosed in casual conversations
a year before Novak column
Posted: November 5, 2005
1:00 a.m. Eastern

By Art Moore
© 2005 WorldNetDaily.com

A retired Army general says the man at the center of the CIA leak controversy, Ambassador Joseph C. Wilson, revealed his wife Valerie Plame's employment with the agency in a casual conversation more than a year before she allegedly was "outed" by the White House through a columnist.

Maj. Gen. Paul Vallely told WorldNetDaily that Wilson mentioned Plame's status as a CIA employee over the course of at least three, possibly five, conversations in 2002 in the Fox News Channel's "green room" in Washington, D.C., as they waited to appear on air as analysts. http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=47242




And then there's this...
Quote:

So if Novak did not reveal that Valerie Plame was a secret agent, who did? The evidence strongly suggests it was none other than Joe Wilson himself. Let me walk you through the steps that lead to this conclusion.

The first reference to Plame being a secret agent appears in The Nation, in an article by David Corn published July 16, 2003, just two days after Novak’s column appeared. It carried this lead: “Did Bush officials blow the cover of a U.S. intelligence officer working covertly in a field of vital importance to national security — and break the law — in order to strike at a Bush administration critic and intimidate others?”

Since Novak did not report that Plame was “working covertly” how did Corn know that’s what she had been doing?

Corn does not tell his readers and he has responded to a query from me only by pointing out that he was asking a question, not making a “statement of fact.” But in the article, he asserts that Novak “outed” Plame “as an undercover CIA officer.” Again, Novak did not do that. Rather, it is Corn who is, apparently for the first time, “outing” Plame’s “undercover” status.

Corn follows that assertion with a quote from Wilson saying, “I will not answer questions about my wife.” Any reporter worth his salt would immediately wonder: Did Wilson indeed answer Corn’s questions about his wife — after Corn agreed not to quote his answers but to use them only on background? Read the rest of Corn’s piece and it’s difficult to believe anything else. Corn names no other sources for the information he provides — and he provides much more information than Novak revealed.

Corn also claims that Wilson “will not confirm nor deny that his wife …works for the CIA.” Corn adds: “But let’s assume she does. That would seem to mean that the Bush administration has screwed one of its own top-secret operatives in order to punish Wilson …”

On what basis could Corn “assume” that Plame was not only working covertly but was actually a “top-secret” operative? And where did Corn get the idea that Plame had been “outed” in order to punish Wilson? That is not suggested by anything in the Novak column which, as I noted, is sympathetic to Wilson and Plame.

The likely answer: The allegation that someone in the administration leaked to Novak as a way to punish Wilson was made by Wilson — to Corn. But Corn, rather than quote Wilson, puts the idea forward as his own.

Keep in mind that from early on there were two possible but contradictory scenarios:

1) Members of the Bush administration intentionally exposed a covert CIA agent as a way to take revenge against her husband who had written a critical op-ed.

2) Members of the Bush administration were attempting to set the record straight by telling reporters that it was not Vice President Cheney who sent Wilson on the Africa assignment as Wilson claimed; rather Wilson’s wife, a CIA employee, helped get him the assignment. (And that is indeed the conclusion of the bipartisan Senate Intelligence Committee.)

Corn’s article then goes on to provide specific details about Plame’s undercover work, her “dicey and difficult mission of tracking parties trying to buy or sell weapons of mass destruction or WMD material.” But how does Corn know about that? From what source could he have learned it?

Corn concludes that Plame’s career “has been destroyed by the Bush administration.” And here he does, finally, quote Wilson directly. Wilson says: “Naming her this way would have compromised every operation, every relationship, every network with which she had been associated in her entire career. This is the stuff of Kim Philby and Aldrich Ames.”

Corn has assured us several times that Wilson refused to answer questions about his wife, refused to confirm or deny that she worked for the CIA, refused to “acknowledge whether she is a deep-cover CIA employee.” But he is willing to say on the record that “naming her this way” was an act of treachery? That’s not talking about his wife? That’s not providing confirmation? There is only one way to interpret this: Wilson did indeed talk about his wife, her work as a secret agent, and other matters to Corn (and perhaps others?) on a confidential basis.

If Wilson did tell Corn that his wife was an undercover agent, did he commit a crime? I don’t claim to know. But the charge that someone committed a crime by naming Plame as a covert agent was also made by Corn, apparently for the first time, in this same article. No doubt, the independent prosecutor and the grand jury will sort it out.

Criminality aside, if Wilson revealed to Corn that Plame worked as a CIA “deep-cover” operative “tracking parties trying to buy or sell” WMDs, surely that’s news.

And it is consequential: On the basis of Novak’s story alone, it is highly unlikely that anyone would have had a clue that Plame — presumably under a different name and while living in a foreign country — had been a NOC. At most, her friends in Washington would have been surprised to learn that she didn’t work where she said she worked.

But once Corn published the fact that Plame had been a “top-secret operative,” and once he quoted Wilson saying what exposing his wife would mean — and once Plame posed for Vanity Fair photographers — anyone who had ever known her in a different context and with a different identity would have been tipped off.

But they would not have been tipped by Novak — nor, based on what we know so far, by Karl Rove. Rather, it appears they would have been tipped off by Joe Wilson who, the publicly available evidence strongly suggests, leaked like a sieve to The Nation’s David Corn. http://www.nationalreview.com/may/may200507150827.asp



See? Isn't all that reading fun? I'm sure my posting of this information caught you totally by surprise, while at the same time completely changed your mind as to who was REALLY at fault for outing Val Plame.

So, I guess I should say you're welcome. Happy now ?

Good. We all are.

People love a happy ending. So every episode, I will explain once again that I don't like people. And then Mal will shoot someone. Someone we like. And their puppy. - Joss

" They don't like it when you shoot at 'em. I worked that out myself. "

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Sunday, September 10, 2006 6:12 AM

SIGNYM

I believe in solving problems, not sharing them.


Auraptor-While you're busy googling up some sort of supporting evidence for your claim that Wilson outed his own wife, I'd appreciate a COGENT reponse to my request for discussion or evidence that Bush did not violate the Fourth and Fourteenth Amendments.

---------------------------------
Reality sucks. Especially when it contradicts our cherished ideas.

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Sunday, September 10, 2006 6:18 AM

SIGNYM

I believe in solving problems, not sharing them.


Cross-posted.

Yes, I'm happy now. I know something more than I did before and it gives me a chance to follow up the timeline. And you made a valuable contribution to the board. See? That wasn't so hard, was it? You should try doing more of the same.

---------------------------------
Reality sucks. Especially when it contradicts our cherished ideas.

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Sunday, September 10, 2006 6:24 AM

AURAPTOR

America loves a winner!


Sig - one issue at a time.

*edit* Was that COGNET your typo or a swipe at something I posted ? Now I'm confused.

**edit** Never mind.

People love a happy ending. So every episode, I will explain once again that I don't like people. And then Mal will shoot someone. Someone we like. And their puppy. - Joss

" They don't like it when you shoot at 'em. I worked that out myself. "

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Sunday, September 10, 2006 6:29 AM

SIGNYM

I believe in solving problems, not sharing them.


Quote:

it's among the cheapest, most petty and small tactics to highlight an obvious typo.
You should know by now that's not my style. I prefer substantive discussion. I didn't see any "obvious" typos. Which typo did I highlight?

---------------------------------
Reality sucks. Especially when it contradicts our cherished ideas.

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Sunday, September 10, 2006 6:38 AM

CITIZEN


Quote:

Originally posted by AURaptor:
And it's among the cheapest, most petty and small tactics to highlight an obvious typo.

Let he who is without sin...



More insane ramblings by the people who brought you beeeer milkshakes!
No one can see their reflection in running water. It is only in still water that we can see.

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Sunday, September 10, 2006 7:39 AM

SIGNYM

I believe in solving problems, not sharing them.


Uh... I still don't get it. I looked thru my posts... found an obvious typo of my own (cognet instead of cogent, I typo ALL the time!) and corrected it. That was my typo, not yours, so..... ????

EDITED TO ADD: Oh, just saw your post. That was a typo of mine. If you notice my posts, they're full of typos... I try to catch them all but don't. Not a swipe. Just a typo.

---------------------------------
Reality sucks. Especially when it contradicts our cherished ideas.

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Sunday, September 10, 2006 1:36 PM

DREAMTROVE


AUraptor,

I'm just calling it as I see it, so as far as I understand, this is the most likely motive. I don't buy the level of incompetence that the apologists would for this administration, but it's entirely possible.

Quote:

Also, it was the CIA's director George Tenent ( appointed by Clinton) who said that WMD in Iraq was "..a slam dunk ".


You know how I feel about CLinton, but that aside, you're missing the point about the CIA. The CIA is not like an administration or a typical non-profit organization: it doesn't have an "official position," it has "consensus estimates." There is a hell of a lot of dissent and disagreement. If Tenet says it's black, and Plame-Wilson holds up a pile of evidence saying it's white, then what does it matter that Tenet is top dog and Plame is sub-dog?

For some reason people think intelligence operations are squeaky clean. If there was a desired result, and there certainly was, then there's every reason to suspect that there could be some skullduggery going on.

Also,

I hope that we can speak plainly about this: no one can seriously consider that the president is a sharp thinker. Cheney had a desired intelligence result, he discussed this with Tenet, and together they edited the data to support that case.

Now, in defense of Cheney and Tenet, they actually did thoroughly believe that this case was not just convincing, but accurate. What they didn't trust was their own ability to convince the president, and others, and so they did their best to silence dissenting views.

True, I'm speculating here, but I've dug pretty deep and I think that if I were wagering money, I'd certainly put my chips down on this side fo the board.

If we go on to the intelligence, and what was accurate, I'll fall closer to your side. Did Saddam Hussein have weapons of mass destruction and use them against his own people? Absolutely he did. Was he attempting to acquire nuclear technology? Absolutely he was. Was he doing either of these things during the Clinton and Bush years? No, probably not. He had gotten a little scared of America after the Gulf War I, and was a little less cocky. He was hoping that somehow he would be allowed to peacefully co-exist without being under the thumb of the US.

I think there's something here which, historically, cannot be denied. When push comes to shove, evil people will chill on the evil if they feel they have to in order to avoid a conflict they made lose. Look at Joseph Stalin prior to WWII and his alliance with the west. Concentration camps, extermination camps, purges, wholesale genocide, anti-semitism and all that, just a bucket of evil. After allying himself to us? Backpeddling, denying, and trying his best to keep a lid on things. Because he needed us. He needed us to draw off Germany, to defeat Japan, etc.

As long as Saddam Hussein needed us not to kick his ass, he was behaving reasonably well. (as well as could be expected, still evil) This is why he destroyed the WMDs, he was afraid we'd find them and take him to the war crimes court, etc. Certainly he was still a threat to iraqis, as witness when clinton cut off iraq's food and medical supplies, saddam hussein wasn't ready to step down to save his people.

The Iraq question overall is a complicated one for me, but I cannot accept pre-emptive war as an appropriate use of defense. If we allow certain conduct to be acceptable, as we lead by example, then we have to think what kind of message this sends not just to tin pot dictators like Kim Jong Il, but to Russia and China.

There has to be an in between. Our method which comes down to "Do what we say or we'll bomb you into the stone age" is really, if you have to define it, a sort of fascist tyranny. (literally, if you say, fascist is might-makes-right, which is what it really means, "rule of power," and tyranny is unquestioned and unchecked authority)

This gives us a superman situation. The problem with superman, as with the US's current self-defined rule, is it is only good as long as the decision maker, the superman, is good, or as long as his definition of good is correct.

It doesn't mean Bush is a Hilter, but consider a US with this power and self defined mission and power, with a different leader. It's an open door to a a real disaster. Picture Woodrow Wilson, or Andrew Jackson with Bush's level of power and mission. This is part of my worry with Hillary Clinton.

It's interesting to read the analysis of the situation from the insurgent perspective. They think that by deposing mullahs we are bringing them secularism, prostitution, drugs and aids. If you add to this, torture, random bombing and civil war, then one can see why iraqis might question our idea of good. You can see where all of this shows at least the possibility that the idea of good can already be in question.

Also, it's clear that part of the reason for moving against Iraq is political. Saddam Hussein was also a hardcore lefty, and antithesis to what we might want to see as a govt. Picture a radical leftist president like FDR in control, he might go to war with a right wing society like Japan. I know there are a few lefties out there would wouldn't mind a war with Saudi Arabia.

Think about, in two years, you will have a democratic president with a precedent of pre-emptive war, and a monopolistic unchecked power. Think of the things that a democrat would enact with a Bush-style "my way or the high way" and "55 senators is a mandate." I suspect a draft is almost an automatic. Once you have a draft you have an open door to a large scale war. Personally, presently, I prefer the current govt. in Iran, which is definitely right wing, to the one Hillary might create after she converts it into a radioactive crater.

AS a science fiction fan, I'm sure you have some imagination, apply it and see how this whole situation could easily spin dangerously out of control. War in eastern europe? US forces fight israel to help secure palestine? another land war in asia?

To say nothing of the spending...

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Sunday, September 10, 2006 1:44 PM

DREAMTROVE


Citizen

It's not so. In fact, it's widely known, domestication is rare but far from unheard of. There are dogs in africa who have domesticate species of bird, fish with jellyfish, all sorts of relationships have developed. Human beings in fact, don't even come in first in the number of species domesticated. We come in second. The argentine ant has domesticated as many as a thousand different species of animal. ALl invertebrates, to the best of my knowledge.


anyone,

A curious note, I would wonder if anyone has any has encountered any species of invertebrate that has domesticated a species of vertebrate or any species of vertebrate that has domesticated a species of invertebrate other than human beekeeping?

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Sunday, September 10, 2006 2:11 PM

CITIZEN


I'm talking about domestication, not symbiotic relationships, which are entirely different things.

Still not seeing much evidence for your claims.



More insane ramblings by the people who brought you beeeer milkshakes!
No one can see their reflection in running water. It is only in still water that we can see.

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Sunday, September 10, 2006 3:58 PM

RUE

I have a vote and I'm not afraid to use it!


Sitting here waiting for a search to end, so I can set up the next one and go home.

I really don't know how you all have the patience to debate ass-wipe.

"war crimes? Now that's funny. Realy, it is." Ass-wipe minimizes, rationalizes, condones, - supports evil. Rape, beating, murder - torture - ? No problem. Fascist control? Never happened. Bush breaking the law? By definition, he IS the law.

Every day every one of us draws a line as to where we will accept evil. If you don't stand against it - then you are for it. And ass-wipe, zero and slick have thrown in with evil and sold their souls for peanuts.

Got my new search set up. Time to boogie.

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Sunday, September 10, 2006 4:54 PM

FREMDFIRMA


Quote:

BTW- As loony as PN is, he's a FAR better contributor than you. He looks things up, he references his sources, about 75% of what he says is true, verifiable, and off the radar of most folks.


That being the primary reason I have less issue with PN than I do trolls from the right wing.

Mind, I'm not about to throw a tea party for either end of the political spectrum, but I figure if i have to listen to these right-wingies, who, as you so well noted, do less fact checking than someone who's obviously a bit kooky... i wanna hear PN's end of things as well.

The rightwingies can sometimes *sound* reasonable, tho in truth they're anything but.
PN sounds like he's lost a few gears, doesn't even pretend to be reasonable, and in the end is something much closer to it.

And just like PN, I prettymuch ignore the rightwingies unless they bring actual discussion instead of pre-programmed soundbite bullshit.

Anyone else notice they've begun to sound less and less sane and reasonable, and more and more like angry profanity muttering troglodytes as their bullshit gets slowly shot to pieces here ?

Gee, the masks come off quick when the facts hit the table, don't they ?

-Frem

Quote of the Day:
"My free advice is worth everythin ya paid for it, kid..."

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Sunday, September 10, 2006 5:34 PM

DREAMTROVE


Citizen,

You really just try to be difficult don't you?

Ants domesticate other insects, they don't just have pre-existing symbiotic relationships. I do understand the difference. We didn't domesticate the bacteria in our stomach. Ants actually trap and enslave other insects, much as humans do. But it makes me wonder, do you ever read science at all? I think this is pretty common knowledge.


everyone

BTW, since it keeps coming up: (from wikipedia)

In Internet terminology, a troll is someone who comes into an established community such as an online discussion forum, and posts inflammatory, rude, repetitive or offensive messages designed intentionally to annoy or antagonize the existing members or disrupt the flow of discussion, including the personal attack of calling others trolls. Often, trolls assume multiple aliases, or sock puppets.

At the moment, no one is being a complete troll, but some folks are getting close. Kaneman has calmed down considerably since his days of high trollishness.

Frem

I don't think the people on the right are being more trollish at the moment. IMHO. Six months ago I would have said yes. I don't think I've changed, I think it's the mode of debate. The right wingers have calmed down, partially because there's less overall pro-bush feeling, and so there's less need to argue. The left is more so now than it used to be, probably because anti-bush feeling has grown, and a tinge of partisanship is emerging. I suspect this will rally into a parade for hillary clinton when the day comes, as a large % of liberals elect that total lack of liberty into office.

I was actually surprised by this tirade, since you recently put up Ron Paul for president. He's a very conservative guy. I don't remember your take on the Buchanan crowd we were talking about earlier. But if, when you said "right-wingies," you actually mean "Bushies," please say so. George W. Bush is not "more conservative" than other republicans, in the same way that Hillary Clinton is not "more liberal" than other democrats. It's a matter of being "more stupid," "more evil," and "more corrupt."


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