sinker

thanks for the link... here's where I stood based on THAT particular instrument... (which I find particularly interesting) slightly left (-1.75) and slightly libertarian (-.51) (couldn't get the thing to attach properly, sorry) -the artist formerly known as sinker

I was tickled to see Ford resign the other day. As for the rest of them, I truly hope they get max sentences if found guilty. Half of them are old enough that they would die in prison. Would suit me fine. Good of you to call Wilder's office. If only everyone was that involved perhaps we'd have TRUE servants of the people as politicians instead of these greedy sons of bitches. -the artist formerly known as sinker

hi zenister... where did you get that chart and what are the questions/criteria for obtaining a score on personal issues / economic issues? i apologize if you've answered this already... michael -the artist formerly known as sinker

pm sent. -the artist formerly known as sinker

how about this... what you SAID is myopic. Or, you seem to display characteristics that are consistent w/ myopia, given your response to my post. i'm finding this a little amusing that you're taking me to task about this word, myopia, given the derision I receive from Zen about my faith. It's pretty silly really to not be able to say someone is short-sided in response to their post, that really only serves to mock my beliefs. ah well... -the artist formerly known as sinker

hmmm... my beliefs can be openly mocked, which they often are, but I can't say someone is short sighted. What if I changed the words and say that I thought Zen was missing the forest for the trees, or not seeing the picture in the right focus. (Certainly, given his silly, out of context reply, this is the case.)Those are certainly judgements, but are those also attacks? They certainly mean the same thing as being myopic, although they are more wordy. Is myopia just too "negative" sounding, given that it is associated w/ a medical problem? how can you equate myopia w/ idiocy or stupidity or being a looser, bill? -the artist formerly known as sinker

is asking/suggesting that one is short-sighted on an issue a personal attack? it certainly seemed to fit based on zen's reply to me... not to mention his constant sarcasm and mockery of my beliefs. -the artist formerly known as sinker

yeah, they're on the ball, all right... forced abortions if the family already has one child, enfanticide, if the first child is a girl (yes it really happens), since the fam typically wants a boy to carry on the family name/traditions, etc. yep, they're on the ball indeed. -the artist formerly known as sinker

how typical of you to go to the sarcasm/mockery card. why do you even bother replying when all you have to say in response to my posts is disdainful? the landmass example of texas had to do w/ illustrating just how MUCH land there is in the world comparable to the number of humans on it. of course I wasn't advocating all of them moving to Texas, it was an illustration. too myopic to see that are you? spread those people out to the habitable places of the world and there are copious amounts of land for food generation, human living, etc. so you wouldn't have to worry about your "quality of life" issues. as billvon said, the world can sustain many more people than it has right now, provided she is used/respected as she must be. -the artist formerly known as sinker

We're just lucky enough to be here in America where we can go to the grocery store and take it for granted*** i couldn't agree w/ you more... I actually want to take my wife and kids on a mission trip to honduras to see first hand what true poverty really is. I think it would go far to change our mindsets. I know this is a little tangent, but I was actually hoping the W2K scare would have panned out... not b/c I want people to suffer, but I think it would be good for us to learn to live w/o all of our modern conveniences. They aren't bad, mind you, but as you intimated, we can so easily get too dependent on them... and it's truly sorry that kids starve every day, or that anyone starves at all. it's tragic. -the artist formerly known as sinker

can you explain further? this doesn't seem to make sense to me, since we're not w/o food now, w/ some 6+billion folks around. -the artist formerly known as sinker

really? when every human being on earth could fit in the state of Texas w/ 1,000 square feet per person (and there would still be 1.3 trillion square feet left over)? when every single human being on earth could fit w/in the confines of Jacksonville, FL, if each person had a 1.5 x 1.5 square to stand in? the issue isn't how much room there is... "but much of the world is uninhabitable" you say? well, so was much of the southwest in this country until people risked their lives during the Great Depression building the Hoover dam. look at my city of birth, Phoenix, a frickin desert! Millions of people living -quite nicely at that- in a damn desert. when you fly over the United States, how much empty land do you see? true, parts of the world has a population density that is frightening at first blush. however, isn't the real issue about the unjust distribution of wealth to the masses in "overpopulated" countries? blaming over-population for things like hunger and poverty and other forms of human suffering is often just a subterfuge for other agendas like those of Planned Barrenhood. since overall habitable land mass isn't the real problem here (and neither is the sheer volume of food produced each year), it would be far more productive to attack problems of corrupt governments, wars that disrupt food supply and unjust social systems that keep wealth from those who need it most. m -the artist formerly known as sinker

So, you don't like Arnie, we get that. Now, can you answer John's question? If he fills in the real pot holes and actively improves the roads then what's the problem? - Jim Well, for starters, how about the blatant inauthenticity of the event? Doesn't that say something about Arnie's character? -the artist formerly known as sinker

I have been watching WITH GLEE!!! that these crooks were arrested. And it's not just one party or the other, or one race or another, they rounded up dems, repubs, blacks, whites, etc. It's been an equal opportunity round-up!! It pained me to see Ford released from jail today, the philandering prick. But at least he is on house arrest and basically has his nuts nailed to the floor. I think that jackass is going to jail for a very very long time. The rest of them should go away for a long time too. Judy, I'm way with you in despising Ford. He gives politicians and even WORSE name! What a weasel. -the artist formerly known as sinker

that's really funny. 10,000 uses for a sharpie and counting... -the artist formerly known as sinker

OMG!!! That made me spit milk on my keyboard!! Holy Hell is that offensive! But f*ck me, I'm laughin hard at it... I don't dare try that on my wife, she knows where I keep the guns. -the artist formerly known as sinker

smegma breath -the artist formerly known as sinker

Condee for president!!! Wouldn't that be sum-sum... the first woman AND black president... even better would be her soundly kicking hillary's nasty ass. -the artist formerly known as sinker

i always wanted a hafada, but my wife said she'd not sleep w/ me again if I did it... there's a perfect place for it too, that line of skin attaching the shaft to the bag, great place for a ring. ah well... maybe some day. -the artist formerly known as sinker

maybe if it were a hafada, they wouldn't freak, but I'm just guessing... -the artist formerly known as sinker

keith i'm surprised noone has commented on how long your tongue is... -the artist formerly known as sinker

1... I'm so frickin glad my undergrad/grad days are long behind me... good luck to y'all... 2... glad I work from home where I can surf dz and the rest most of the day w/o any real consequences... whew... -the artist formerly known as sinker

I agree, the responses have certainly been interesting, esp. the fact that so many responders came in w/ "you don't know what you're wishing for... I've been there and it sucks." I'm sure most of those posters, if not all, really MEANT what they said... but for someone who hasn't experienced it, it SEEMS somewhat elitist, bragadocious (sp?)... although those ares not quite the right words for it. This whole thing reminds me of some people who murder... they don't know what it's like to take a life, and they are mezmerized by it. Eventually, the desire to EXPERIENCE the sensations overwhelm them and they kill. It's a common theme seen in movies and shows. Although I think what the OP is posting is pathological, I think deep down there is a little bit of this in most of us... the "rubber-necking" syndrome... we all look at the car wreck scene on the road, wanting to see "what happened," yet sometimes looking away when the first signs of carnage appear... then we may think, "if only I were more brave, if only I'd experienced the whole scene." It's like a deep seated voyuerism that is more than just visual, if that makes any sense. it's really analogous to an addiction, this fascination that I think the OP touched on. Just look at all the popularity that sites like Ogrish and Rotten have garnered in the past couple of years. Look at the increase in gore on TV and movies... once you're satiated w/ a certain level of stimulation, there seems to be something w/i a lot of us to "NEED" to go to another, more graphic level. This tendency is really partly what drove me OUT of the sport of skydiving. My last 8 jumps were two years ago. Having 4 kids, I left the sport b/c I didn't want to orphan them. I have never seen a jumper go in. But two of my AFF instructors are now dead, one of them was a very well known skydiver who many of you knew, Chris Martin. It chilled me to know that this man, father of 2, is no longer gracing this earth. We drank together, smoked marlboro lights together, scrubbed the Twin-Bo together. It's haunting to know that the man, with whom I had a theological/philosophical discussion about porn while climbing to altitude, hammered in. Also, there was this old guy where I used to jump... he consistently low pulled and everyone thought it was just a matter of time. I think he was even grounded a few times by the DZO. I was on a three way w/ him and pulled by 3k. While under canopy, I saw him tumble and tumble and tumble until his AAD fired. He had a very short reserve ride into some trees. I watched him all the way down and was just sick to my stomach... but yet I watched... couldn't take my eyes off him, partly for concern, partly b/c of what I THINK the OP was referring to... and so I don't jump anymore... I don't want to know what seeing a skydiving death would do to my psyche. It's not worth it to me. I know what it did to me to assist in CPR on a man w/ massive head trauma on a residential road in Nashville did to me... profoundly affected my life. I cried alot after that, w/o any provocation or fore-warning... the tears would just flow all of a sudden. (even though I no longer jump, I still love coming here and living vicariously through you all... and OP, I hope you get over this wish before it actually comes true) -the artist formerly known as sinker

I hope for HIS sake and that of the daughter it isn't true. I agree w/ most, that molestation is just about the WORST thing someone can do to another. Having 4 kids of my own, I've tried to think through what I'd do if it happened to one of my precious kids. And I just can't get through the thoughts... it is just too maddening. I'm sure I'd try to kill the perp, which goes against so much of my philosophy of life, but shit. It's hard to not think such things. Another sad part is this... if the allegations are false, this man has still been branded. Once you're even accused, it's hard to shake the stigma that quickly attaches to you. -the artist formerly known as sinker

hi jt... i don't know how to answer your question, but I wanted to say Hi and Howard Stern still SUCKS!!! hope you're well, friend. md -the artist formerly known as sinker