pirana

Pretty much what I was saying, but in a slightly different manner. An employer can only ask you to take a test, but they can not force it upon you. (I am not aware of an employer ever strapping someone in restraints and drawing blood). If you say no, then you will very likely find yourself given the opportunity to seek employment elsewhere. " . . . the lust for power can be just as completely satisfied by suggesting people into loving their servitude as by flogging them and kicking them into obedience." -- Aldous Huxley

Agree; and feel the need to point out that technically there is no such thing as mandatory drug testing. People are often confronted with choices they do not like to own. If an employer (or govt or sports committee or mom & dad or whatever) asks a person to take a drug test - the person has a choice. They can say yes or they can say no, and live with the consequences either way. But rarely is anyone FORCED to take a drug screening test. Personally, I am opposed to them, and would not work for an employer that did them. But I do think that for certain jobs it is prudent to test for certain abuses. " . . . the lust for power can be just as completely satisfied by suggesting people into loving their servitude as by flogging them and kicking them into obedience." -- Aldous Huxley

Because you have to be some sort of socially depraved moron to be that anthropomorphic with your animal. I'll admit to shedding a tear or two after loosing pets I've had for several years, but what kind of twisted dysfunctional existence must a person be leading to put a dog in a wedding dress? Makes me wonder what else they dress them as and what else they do with them? That ought to keep it in SC. " . . . the lust for power can be just as completely satisfied by suggesting people into loving their servitude as by flogging them and kicking them into obedience." -- Aldous Huxley

I see the same phenomena in other activities. I think we are just too old and not getting invited to the wilder extraciricular activities anymore. Has to do with the circles we move in. I attended a couple get-togethers from groups I belonged to in college - one was radio DJ's, the other rugby players. Both were far more sedate; but I think it was because we old-timers were not really privy to or invited into the younger circles. But in contradicttion to that, skydivers are less segregated by age than most activities. Regardless of age, it does not seem there is anyone at our DZ I can not be friends with. Maybe because it is a smaller circle. " . . . the lust for power can be just as completely satisfied by suggesting people into loving their servitude as by flogging them and kicking them into obedience." -- Aldous Huxley

Kinda funny. More than anything I didn't get how the dress-and-feed statement fit in at all. I suppose if a person thought I didn't understand or couldn't see the implications, they might think I was a real dufus. I do understand them, and am willing to tolerate them with the caveat that proper use of authority be enforced. Subject to abuse, certainly. But that doesn't stop us from keeping police on the streets, approving wiretaps, and in general funding and allowing all kinds of police actions - all of which get abused from time to time. As far as privacy, unless you live in a cave it is an illusion. People enjoy the illusion of privacy only because nobody is interested in them; or because they are not aware people are looking. People have different levels of tolerance for police activity. Mine is pretty high, and like I said, only is a go if the diligence in monitoring for abuse is also pretty high. I guess that puts me in the nothing-to-hide category. I'm comfortable there since my worst transgressions are a petty misdemeanor in most places. Now that I've endured my first PA, I feel like a real veteran. Do I get a number? As an aside, at a bonfire in my first year of jumping, we were burning couches, and of course sitting on them as long as could be tolerated. I was jokingly told I would get a Couch Number. Couple weeks later I asked about it "What's my number?" It was nice to provide everyone with such a hearty laugh, but I was serious - and am still waiting. " . . . the lust for power can be just as completely satisfied by suggesting people into loving their servitude as by flogging them and kicking them into obedience." -- Aldous Huxley

Might as well go for the gusto and form a Commission. " . . . the lust for power can be just as completely satisfied by suggesting people into loving their servitude as by flogging them and kicking them into obedience." -- Aldous Huxley

I'm sure the Franklin Mint already sells these; probably for about 10 times the actual price of silver. " . . . the lust for power can be just as completely satisfied by suggesting people into loving their servitude as by flogging them and kicking them into obedience." -- Aldous Huxley

Full access to our lives isn't the proposal. Just some basic information such as who you are, where you live, prior criminal history, outstanding warrants, in the explosives business, licensed to fly, etc. I'd bet it's all stuff that is stored somewhere already; just not in a manner that makes using it efficient or effective. I see lots of folks blasting the government for lack of efficiency (myself included). Well, here is a chance to improve that by simply using existing information effectively. I look forward to a Star Trek form of technology and the philosophy of it's use that preserves individuality while making it incredibly difficult to engage in illegal behavior. Between voice recognition, speech recognition, DNA reading, retinal scans, and the like; most of the pieces are already in place. Just a matter of time before criminals are forced so far underground they will probably just voluntarily surrender themselves to a penal colony. Thowing that topic on the table will finally give the ACLU something to REALLY whine about. " . . . the lust for power can be just as completely satisfied by suggesting people into loving their servitude as by flogging them and kicking them into obedience." -- Aldous Huxley

Very well said. Anybody who thinks our government can successfully execute in Men In Black fashion and scale is seriously deluded. " . . . the lust for power can be just as completely satisfied by suggesting people into loving their servitude as by flogging them and kicking them into obedience." -- Aldous Huxley

I see nothing wrong with a difficult to fake, high tech, federally mandated ID that would be required for certain activities. If a person wanted to engage in the activities that require that ID, then they have to get one. It would be a choice. As far as government agencies sharing data; I don't get why they already don't. They certainly collect a lot of it, and what is the point of collecting and holding a lot of the same information in a whole bunch of different places? Terribly inefficient. A central database would be good, and harm nobody (IMO having government agencies know who you are where you are, and when you engage in certain specific activities is not harmful). If that were to be abused, heavy punishment for the abusers. If someone wants to void their social contract because their paranoid concerns outweigh the benefits society would derive from such a system, they are free to go live in cave or deep in the wilderness so they can bask in privacy. Unless a person is already doing that, their information is very easy to get for anybody who REALLY wants to get it anyway. Imagine if every arrest warrant in the country were available to every government agency in the country at the cost of a couple keystrokes. Any interaction of any kind with the government, as well as engaging in certain select business activities would be impossible for these people. It would seem that a high tech society, with freely available information, and a 100% identifiable population, would make being a career criminal extremely difficult. I know some disagree with that, but it's just a matter of where you are on the spectrum of what you think government should be allowed to do to carry out their charge. In today's world, a common form of highly secure personal identification would seem to be a very valuable tool; so valuable that it seems silly we are not there already. " . . . the lust for power can be just as completely satisfied by suggesting people into loving their servitude as by flogging them and kicking them into obedience." -- Aldous Huxley

OK, this is my observation having lived in Arkansas during the Clinton reign. Don't you think it odd that the wife of a new governor would not take his last name? At the time she was the high earner in the family with an established career under her name. So it would seem more odd to me to switch. I wouldn't be changing my name in a marriage and have no expectations of the same from the other person. But if it comes to that happening and kids, not sure what the plan is. I'll worry about it then. A couple married goofs at my daughter's preschool gave their hyphenated last name to their kids. So if the kids adopt the same practice, after a couple more generations they'll have half a dozen last names all hyphenated together. Needless to say they were a couple hair-shirt liberals and taking the hyphenated last name thing to that next level was just one more way for them to demonstrate that they were oh so sensitive to all the most important issue of the day. " . . . the lust for power can be just as completely satisfied by suggesting people into loving their servitude as by flogging them and kicking them into obedience." -- Aldous Huxley

Yes. I was sent to Sunday School for years and church on Sundays and all that. By the time I was about 10 I knew it was totally bogus and was just going thru the motions to avoid the arguements and lectures. They made me go a couple more years and at age 12 said I could decide for myself; which of course I had already done years before. So I was definitely affected, but not how you might think. I came away with total distrust for all those that tried to cram fairy tales and other nonsense down my throat. Not all attempts at brainwashing work; even on kids. " . . . the lust for power can be just as completely satisfied by suggesting people into loving their servitude as by flogging them and kicking them into obedience." -- Aldous Huxley

I say take the red pill. And do it before 2012. It's kinda like jumping up out of your seat before a plane crashess. Although doing so will cause you to miss Planet X. " . . . the lust for power can be just as completely satisfied by suggesting people into loving their servitude as by flogging them and kicking them into obedience." -- Aldous Huxley

I've noticed that too. And it is not just kinda like it or just for a second - sometimes it is very genuine. I wonder if in the commercial growing of tobacco some pot doesn't make it in and thru the process. I'd guess they let police smell the real thing. They did it in the drug prevention class in our high school. They passed around a plastic shaker fulll of pot with lots of holes in it and everybody got to take a big sniff. " . . . the lust for power can be just as completely satisfied by suggesting people into loving their servitude as by flogging them and kicking them into obedience." -- Aldous Huxley

The suckers on her forearms, pointy teeth and tiny horns really give it away, though. Even with her hooves covered by fashionable shoes. Exactly why i'd never vote for a woman. "TEARS UPON DEMAND" And what happens if her estrogen pills get fucked up. Look out. She'll have to spend a week at Camp David every month just to save everybody else the hassle of evacuating The white House. "What do you mean by ovary-action?!" Statements like this say more about you than about Hillary.... Facetious fun man. I figure from my posting history people would know. I'll have to remember to telegraph those with smilies. " . . . the lust for power can be just as completely satisfied by suggesting people into loving their servitude as by flogging them and kicking them into obedience." -- Aldous Huxley

I don't like all of his positions either, but I like enough of them to vote for him, and recognize that he is very unlikely to get all of those things. I'm willing to bet that even Democrats now know that tax hikes of any significance will be a fast ride out of office. Cigarettes, liquor, gas, and the like - no problem. Any attempt right now to hit people with anything more than a tiny incremental increase in income tax is political suicide. Federal gun control (in the flavor of nobody can have a gun) is generations away and will not be dependent on who is in The White House. Full-blown socialized medicine will not happen just because of the cost. Or as someone's Peter O'Rourke sig line says "If you think it's expensive now; wait until it's free." There will be needed changes such as guarantee issue, standardized benefit sets, closing of loopholes for special interests, and so forth; but I guarantee the price tag will prevent our federal government from actually owning the means to provide universal health care. Obama strikes me as a new breed who is actually going to listen, then act out to genuinely serve the broadest constituency possible. Hillary is an old-schooler who thinks she already knows how everybody should be. Straying a bit here, but I've always wondered how, with at least 80% of the population in favor of abortion in at least some cases (that being a very conservative "some"), how can any federal level politician get on board an abortion ban? How can they claim to represent the citizenry? " . . . the lust for power can be just as completely satisfied by suggesting people into loving their servitude as by flogging them and kicking them into obedience." -- Aldous Huxley

Uh huh . . . name one that isn't. This message has ben brought to you by the Department of Redundancy Department. Obama strikes me as a person who sticks to principles. For starters - Iraq. Against it from the beginning, and voted that way on day one. While Hillary and the bulk of the rest were worried about looking good (which meant looking patriotic for the breast-beating mouth-breathing masses) he voted on principle. Acting on principle for the longer vision is not usually good for many votes in the moment; but over time, people will recognize a person for the wisdom they posess. If Hillary has any wisdom, it hides beneath her mannequin-like veneer. " . . . the lust for power can be just as completely satisfied by suggesting people into loving their servitude as by flogging them and kicking them into obedience." -- Aldous Huxley

Tell that to the EEOC. If I bang my receptionist, I could get in some serious trouble. Not if you're good and she wants more. " . . . the lust for power can be just as completely satisfied by suggesting people into loving their servitude as by flogging them and kicking them into obedience." -- Aldous Huxley

The suckers on her forearms, pointy teeth and tiny horns really give it away, though. Even with her hooves covered by fashionable shoes. Exactly why i'd never vote for a woman. "TEARS UPON DEMAND" And what happens if her estrogen pills get fucked up. Look out. She'll have to spend a week at Camp David every month just to save everybody else the hassle of evacuating The white House. "What do you mean by ovary-action?!" " . . . the lust for power can be just as completely satisfied by suggesting people into loving their servitude as by flogging them and kicking them into obedience." -- Aldous Huxley

Got that right. She put on a yamika (?) for the Jewish vote, put on a Yankees cap for the sports bar vote. She'll claim to be whatever gets her a vote. A total whore of a politician. " . . . the lust for power can be just as completely satisfied by suggesting people into loving their servitude as by flogging them and kicking them into obedience." -- Aldous Huxley

Note to self: Begin hiding money now. I do like him, and think he is already almost a lock; barring some majot scandal. I think most everybody is just getting very tired of the same old shit. My only concern is for his safety. I think too many people on all sides of the race issue will despise his unwillingness to play that game. " . . . the lust for power can be just as completely satisfied by suggesting people into loving their servitude as by flogging them and kicking them into obedience." -- Aldous Huxley

Interesting posts here. Might I suggest that a parent's relationship with their child be driven by a need to have um, . . . a uh, . . . . , what's the word I'm looking for, . . . . . RELATIONSHIP! Yes, that's it! Rather than define who can do what, or parental and child rights set in terms of laws written by a bunch of stuffed shirt legislators (does anybody really want their behavior towards their kids ruled by legal precedents), maybe try just talking to them. Instead of screaming about nobody has a right to this or right to that - just talk to them a lot and trreat them fairly and as the precious and impressionable little humans they are. Things might just go well enough that we can ignore all the stupid laws telling us not to do what only a fucking moron would do anyway. " . . . the lust for power can be just as completely satisfied by suggesting people into loving their servitude as by flogging them and kicking them into obedience." -- Aldous Huxley

Nice to see nobody took this seriously. I'm right about that, right? " . . . the lust for power can be just as completely satisfied by suggesting people into loving their servitude as by flogging them and kicking them into obedience." -- Aldous Huxley

When we traded our principles of freedom, liberty, and justice for the exploitation of other countries resources via economic and military bullying. If you like our current standing, then your desire would be for the status quo in foreign policy. If you would like our standing to change, than your desire would be for a change in foreign policy. Either way, you probably have an interest, and thereforea concern with whether there is going to be change or not. Work towards a longer vision. Looking over even the last century, you should be able to recognize fundamental changes in our role, and therefore our standing, on the world stage. Extrapolated out over a few more decades; where do you think the current path is most likely to lead. There has only been one other superpower on the level of the current USA in all the annals of recorded human history - the Romans. You should read a good history of them. The paralles with our behavior are amazing. They traded living by strict principles of liberty and freedom for empire building and access to cheap goods. It may also be no mere coincidence that one of the cornerstones of their undoing was getting mired down in the politics of the Mideast. " . . . the lust for power can be just as completely satisfied by suggesting people into loving their servitude as by flogging them and kicking them into obedience." -- Aldous Huxley

Hey man; haven't you been paying attention to the last 7 years? " . . . the lust for power can be just as completely satisfied by suggesting people into loving their servitude as by flogging them and kicking them into obedience." -- Aldous Huxley