rehmwa

The ice skater? ... Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants

lol whatever dude. Agreeing that you can ban all Muslims (including American citizens) until you figure out what is going on is idiotic and against your constitution. That has nothing to do with partisanship. Thinking you can go to Bill Gates to turn off the internet is idiotic as well. Has nothing to do with partisanship. If you think opposing such policies and ideas is narcissistic and non-productive, well then I don't think we are at all on the same planet. ***Look at facebook - how many posts do we see "I'm going to unfriend anyone that disagrees with me - I 'can't' understand them" But almost zero good discussions. I unfriend people who out themselves as Nazis. I have no interest in discussing anything with them. I see no difference with those supporting these policies. No, you completely missed my point - I agree we need to oppose horrible policies. But pouting and having a childish conversation rather than converting more to your point.... These conversations LEAD with the pout. the NATURE of the discussion is not helping people understand better. Isolating them and treating them like shit and then patting yourself on the back doesn't help. You make the point "YOU" don't have any "INTEREST" in convincing them to better reason. Apparently a better society only matters to you if you are entertained? ... Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants

you are being obtuse on this. He's talking about the philosophy of what you noted being analogous. 1 - Trump using a generalized and highly twisted subset of the radical Muslims to create BOOGIEMAN of all Muslims to stir up political activity. analogous to: 2 - Obama using a generalized and highly twisted subset of criminals to create a BOOGIEMAN of all gun owners to stir up political activity. between the two, we likely have the far left and right 25%'s of the population reacting like mindless sheep - and not to our benefit ... Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants

You are so great sometimes ... Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants

I recall that we have gone over this more than once, but here goes again. The tax exempt status of churches is a direct consequence of the 1st amendment. The reasoning is this: taxes necessarily demand that one entity (the one doing the taxing) has authority over the entity that is paying. Certainly there have to be penalties for failure to pay taxes. The courts long ago decided that governments taxing churches would make churches subordinate to government authority, and that would violate the 1st amendment. If you want to tax churches, you should recognize that that also gives the government power to control churches, effectively placing government in control of organized religion. That would be a significant erosion of religious freedom. It seems perverse, but the right to freedom of religious belief is incompatible with taxing churches. Given the choice, I'll side with religious freedom (including the freedom to reject religion). Don that's actually a good summary of the reason. I understand it and agree with you. My position is mostly based on a 'personal' opinion that 'organized' religion is a business and is not 'special' or needs special treatment more than any other service provider. Freedom of religion should be about protecting the INDIVIDUAL from being biased against by the government. Not some organization. So, if you decide to put a box on the tax form that asks one to identify their religion, and then have different tax tables depending on which box you check? that's bad. So is taking anyone checking a specific box and jailing them, beating them, taking their property, etc in any way that is not equal to people checking different boxes.... - of course, I'm VERY much in the minority and certainly not in line with the intent of the founding fathers. it's just an opinion. Mostly based on a very cynical view of "organized" religion of all kinds. (yep, I agree it's a 'perverse' situation as you note) Also, you do know that the idea that taxing someone gives them power over them - only works if they tax them differently than anyone else. Unless one is an interfering weirdo that considers taxing something to be a social experimental control mechanism rather than just a means to collect money to pay the bills. since 95% of everyone pretty much doesn't operate like me, though, I have to nod and support your view as noted. Jakee's comment on the news media is a good one...and analogous to the other specified rights as well.... ... Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants

I'd bet about half of the entire world is below average. I see a lot of lazy messages where people are lambasting the crowd that disagrees with their politics. (Stuff I agree with and stuff I disagree with). This is narcissistic and non-productive. Just Maybe, we need to look at the culture and figure out what the heck we've done to it, such that so many people are resonating with these messages. These oversimplifies, one size fits all, ignore our rights, ignore our vision, just spit out a soundbite and hope the fish bite. Frankly - I think politicians have pandered and pandered to the lowest common denominators, driving votes based on visceral fears, unreasonable emotions and bumper sticker slogans. We've encouraged laziness and entitlements, discouraged critical thinking and replaced it with nonsensical crap. Look at facebook - how many posts do we see "I'm going to unfriend anyone that disagrees with me - I 'can't' understand them" But almost zero good discussions. Just feeding the outrage and lashing out. it's nuts. Both controlling parties in Washington is getting exactly what they've been building for years - now it's two sides that are fighting over who can build the best reality TV show and put out the most dumbed down bumper stickers. Congrats. ... Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants

It's a christmas miracle. Like with the loafs and the fishes. I added the 4th guy after the fact. I like the 4th guy. He's not so wound up. And I like using both numbering and letters for counting AND - I believe it was the loafers and the fistings....but it's been awhile since I've read anything from the bible....I could be wrong ... Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants

So, if he has 3, NO WAIT,,, 4 neighbors - 1 - Neighbor A is religious right wing. They politely ignore him for a day or two, but they get rude a bit more each day. Next, they hold prayer vigils for this guy, culminating in a march in protest in front of his house, (until they notice they are marching with Neighbor B and then they politely run inside). Once the straw breaks, they launch a petty internet attack against the guy and try to ruin him by getting their friends to shop elsewhere than his business. Finally, they sneak out one night and destroy the scene because they just can't take it. They don't talk to the guy until it's a stupid confrontation during the protest march. And then it loud and totally anti-productive. They never EVER talk to him or his kids or grandkids, yey! unto the 4th generation they stare at him and his progeny with stink eye. 2 - Neighbor B is a religious lefty type. They politely ignore him for a day or two, but they get rude a bit more each day. Next, they talk to their friends in the coffee shop wondering how someone else in society has ruined his sensitivity to their religious beliefs. Finally culminating in a march in protest in front of his house, (until they notice they are marching with Neighbor A and then they tell Neighbor A to leave because even though they are on the same side, they can't let him participate because he does for the wrong reasons - even though they didn't bother to ask his reasons, but REALLY, it has to be). Once the straw breaks, they launch a petty internet attack against the guy and try to ruin him by getting their friends to shop elsewhere than his business. They next go to city hall and try to force a daily fine and new law outlawing scenes like this - the Facebook traffic is worldwide now. They wonder publically why 'someone else' or the government just doesn't do something. Finally, they sneak out one night and replace the scene with socially correct, gender and race neutral characters and remove the animals in bondage in the scene - for the children, and society - they publicly blame Neighbor A for this. They don't talk to the guy until it's a stupid confrontation during the protest march. And then it loud and totally anti-productive. they call him racist, even though they aren't sure if the zombies are considered a race or not. Eventually the scene comes down and they all get along together until the next thing comes along. Repeat. Funny, they don't talk about it in church - too busy on their cellphones. 3 - Neighbor C is just a regular guy that's religious - he grabs a 6 pack of beer and goes over to the guy's house and notes that the scene is a bit insulting and asks what's the point. The guy listens to him and apologizes and notes it wasn't the intent, he just thought it was clever and funny. Neighbor C understands and laughs it off. They go golfing together that weekend and nobody has hurt feelings anymore. neighbor C creates his own scene the way he wants it to look and thinks it's pretty decent too. 4 - Neighbor D isn't religious at all. he thinks it funny. builds his own and they have nerfgun zombie wars on Sunday mornings. Sometimes with Neighbor C. Neighbors A and B pretend they don't exist at this time. ... Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants

sounds like a good summer - You read his post to a deeper level than I chose/cared to. I just enjoy a good rant. Blues Coreece - I'm pretty much in line with Bolas here. The 'special' treatment is the tax exempt status. Not removal of the tax exempt status and the subjective fallout you are invisioning. I know you consider differently, but I just don't see it. However, for the good that some churches try to do, I still only consider them a service provider combined with an entertainment function. Even if I were to acknowledge a higher purpose, I'd still consider that purpose to internal to the individual, and that the church itself still only functions as service to their members to exercise that purpose. i.e., at best a specialized club or gym or the like. (I don't mean it to be insulting - I intend for it to be analogous). If one wanted to make the argument in today's PC world, I'd take it farther and put forth the position that if we are on the road to providing health care to all, then the churches can be considered equivalent health care providers (mentally, emotionally, counseling, etc) and make the gov pay for it. ... Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants

DarthGhengisBushbamaVoldeStalinTrumpMort? (and thus the birth of a bumper sticker ends a candidacy) ... Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants

I think it's more subtle than that. The right to speak is there regardless of courtesy. Courtesy and manners SHOULD be in place at all times, but it's a slippery slope if we try to legislate courtesy and manners rather than work to make it cultural norm. As far as any asshole being rude and out of line and using FoS to get away with it..... It sucks regardless of whether they are in any sort of perceived power structure or not. I wouldn't think you'd say it's perfectly ok for someone that's not perceived to be in power to be able to insult, verbally attack or instigate...... I think tagging it as a demographically specific type of issue is a false signal and a distraction from the overall cultural problem. insulation, isolation, narcissism,,,,...... those are the direct tools for any human to learn to severely devalue others ... Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants

sounds like trying to have a conversation in Speaker's Corner ... Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants

Of course you did. You've never been the balanced, central voice you think you are. it's true, I chuckle at your stuff all the time (I'm a big believer in personal responsibility, paying your own way, minimal government interference, social privacy and social freedoms. - I'm not balanced or central to the two philosophies in my country at all - I'm way off to the side or even completely polar to what they offer - from my view, they are the same party based on two things - a LOT of social busy bodies, and power brokers that want to run and own everything. The only difference is how they rationalize their crookedness as for what I chuckled at in Coreece's post - yes, the inability of the 'militant atheist' to not recognize the hypocrisy of his actions/attitudes is a wry humor. as for a normal atheist? those guys are cool. My agnosticism is like my politics, I think the 'true believers' of faith or anti-faith are a bit silly in their self righteous nonsense and they waste a lot of energy patting themselves on their backs. You've been a joy to write with lately, I hope you're not just going to return to your regular level of anger and antagonism.) ... Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants

That's really a great post. I chuckled. Absolutely, it's really very simple ... Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants

I look at your list and think the problem lies: disgruntlement fanatical mentalities mental illness ... Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants

Yes.....but So are the other guys..... It just depends on which half of the the list of crap each side has divvied up to try and impose on us. Edit: I'd also say it's not the "party" (whatever that is in a nation that is supposed to be individuals), but it's the specific leadership and entrenched power brokers. The citizens that are advocates of either? I really do think they are well intentioned, just blinded by the sparkly rhetoric and their own biases. ... Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants

you guys keep talking guns..... the real solution is to outlaw mail order brides perhaps marriage altogether just to be safe (no icons, people have to decide for themselves if this is serious or not, YMMV and likely has) ... Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants

You fanatical NRA members are SO unreasonable. Why do you hate children? It's a simple proposal that would allow some faceless bureaucrat, or insider, the ability to put anyone they feel like on a list that takes away their freedoms. It's so simple - things like 'due process' just slow down social justice and right thinking people. I can't even look at you. ... Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants

Well, heck, there have been newscasts, on broadcast TV, about the 9/11 Truthers. Would you think it defensible if Hilary announced that GWB and his brother had masterminded 9/11? no. Why the tangent? what are you strawmanning here? If you read the post, you can see I'm not defending anyone. I'm lambasting Trump and lambasting the media. But you like to strawman, so go do it to someone else. ... Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants

Just for clarity - no you don't. You have video proof of a New Jersey newscast reporting on 8 people in New Jersey celebrating the Twin Towers attack. The scary thing to me is that Trump is basing policy proposals and the potential position of his prospective administration on poorly remembered news reports. And when called on it he says he knows that he's right because some random people on Twitter agree with him. I'd prefer it if he was lying on purpose! Yes, in the newscast they used the phrase "swarming" and yes it was about 8 people. If you read the rest of my post, you see I agree with the rest of your post as I noted exactly the same position and that the media and the left should have used that argument instead of the 'he's Hitler' tactic ... Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants

CinC? clearly Cincinnati Kallend lives there, sort of ... Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants

riveting dinner conversation did you get to the wheel spacing of chariots and wagons then? ... Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants

Meh - 1 - We have video proof of a New Jersey newscast reporting on "Swarms" of people in New Jersey celebrating the Twin Towers attack. Regardless of the source. The only interesting thing here is how difficult it was to find after the fact. 2 - We have video proof of thousands of people celebrating the same elsewhere in the world. kind of a 'so what' type of thing in my mind - no kidding, we all saw that kind of stuff both were aired in the same timeframe (no kidding). I can see that he was sincere about his memory of the event. yet still at fault for WAY overplaying it, or not admitting afterwards that he mistakenly mixed up the two. seriously, it was over a decade ago - I don't even recall which TV series I liked 10 years ago. Trump's problem here is that he plays off the cuff too much and doesn't have anyone fact check before giving speeches. I don't think a President is a job where one just improvises all the time. Likely would be ok for a SMALL portion of domestic stuff, terrified of him for foreign policy stuff. The left media is just plain lazy - it takes no effort to go overboard and say "HE'S LYING, he's evil" etc etc etc. I'd have done the homework, point out where he inadvertently messed up, and then bring up the real point - do we want someone that puts all his cards on the table over a poorly remembered incident? especially something easy to confirm? I don't want someone that remembers something about Libya from 10 years ago and mistakenly attributes it to the wrong country and makes a decision before getting his facts straight. ... Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants

"reluctant service" (the people convince the best of the best to serve a limited term because of duty only - when they'd rather being doing the jobs they picked for themselves. Then they go back to their real jobs after a period and let the next guy take his 'reluctant' term) "HA!!! It's your turn in the hot seat!!" nonsense - where in the history of the founding fathers was the concept of 'reluctant service' proposed...... oh, nevermind..... it's SUPPOSED to be the basis of service in elected positions Terrifying - at what point does the entrenched modify that list of "qualifications" to move from success in one's field and general IQ and knowledge - and it because a political 'litmus' test of highly biased social agendas.....(the current crop of candidates would likely ALL pass any 'objective' list of qualifications already and we'd still be in this mess). Think of Supreme Court Vetting. Where the criteria needs to be ability to put aside personal bias and adjudicate based on the law as written.....it's become the exact opposite of that. ... Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants

The problem is we could do a LOT better in both parties. But what sort of sick fuck would even consider throwing their hat in the ring? At this point, I am skeptical of anyone that admits they actually WANT the job. They must be crooked - because if you're honest or talented, this is absolutely zero upside to being president. case in point - a scenario of Hillary vs Trump - in the past, we could at least vote for one with the lesser "HELL NO" factor. How can we possibly choose if this is the option? http://memory-alpha.wikia.com/wiki/Kobayashi_Maru_scenario ... Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants