pirana

Wrong. Nothing is beyond humor. There is the decency of timing - I wouldn't stand up in church and tell Jesus-on-the-cross jokes, or hit people up with abortion or dead baby jokes as they emerge from the clinic - but to say that some topic or another should just flat out not be a source of humor is in the same boat as censorship and political correctness. " . . . 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 still trying to figure out the problem with letting poor people suffer. (If that is what's happening). My family was pretty strapped. We ate, and had a home, but even little luxuries were virtually non-existent. ALL my clothes were hand-me-downs, a frozen pizza was a big deal (ordering delivery was absolutely out of the question), we ate somewhere other than home maybe twice a year (Mother's Day and Easter). I learned some very valuable things in a nurturing, but very spartan environment. I'm not for letting people starve to death, but life on the dole SHOULD be harsh enough to motivate a person to want to work hard for another way of life. Not like "I'll get out and fill out some applications tomorrow." More like "I better get off my ass and make some money so we can eat tomorrow." As a friend of mine once said, why shouldn't we allow certain groups of people to eliminate themselves if they are bent on doing so. Just not on me please. " . . . 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

Somehow this makes me feel good. I would not know a contestant, or for that matter the host of American Idol if they bit me in the ass. I would however know that I had been bitten in the ass. That would not feel good. " . . . 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 4 months is what makes this a tough issue for me. Without frontal lobe activity, there is no awareness. Without awareness, there is no humanity. Up to that point (can't remember how many weeks that is) I have absolutely no problem with elective abortion - and the reason matters not. Once you get frontal lobe activity everything changes. It goes from living tissue with the potential to be human to a human within a human, aware of it's surroundings. " . . . 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

Everyone lives for themself. People do the things they do to make themselves happy, including having or not having children. I do not believe there is any such thing as perfect altruism. Even Mother Theresa helped others because it made her feel good. Everyone acts out what makes THEM feel good. " . . . 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

____________________________ That there's funny... I don't care who ya' are! Chuck But to achieve downright hilarity, and to move it a little closer to truth: Support the manufacturers of magnetic ribbons. The whole magnetic ribbon thing is a combination of: The crass commercialism that has overtaken the US. The entirely inexplicable need of the lower classes to display their opinions publicly via the use of baseball caps, shirts, bumper stickers, and now magnetic ribbons. The diminishment of the self, specifically the importance and value in which the self is held, generating the need to belong in every other way we can, even thru the purchase and display of tawdry paraphernalia like little magnetic ribbons. (Oh, I think I just eliminated the inexplicability of the item above). " . . . 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

did you know the first W in WW2 stands for "world?" And I thought it was an acronym for one of those wrestling organizations. " . . . 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

Sometimes this board is so interesting to watch. One person says: "Neither have said that, ever. You could claim that Bush wants all Muslims dead with just as much accuracy (i.e. none.)" And someone responds with: "You are FUCKING RETARDED Bill. And yes, that was a Personal Attack! Do you listen to yourself ever?" Did I miss something? I think we should elect storm1977 as President. Can you see it now? Comes out for a press conference, very stately affair, blue-topped podium with the seal on it and everything, throng of reporters waiting. President Storm takes the podium and in response to the first comment or question screams out: "YOU ARE FUCKING RETARDED!" Yes indeed, the quintesential thespian. The only thing better might be if we elected one of Springer's guests President, and instead of answering the questions they began disrobing and screaming: "YOU WANT SOME OF THIS DON"T YOU?" " . . . 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 believe the SOP (for anyone in an authority position since all cops are bad - by definition) is "slam her ass down on the ground". not "hold her down". edit: I have a friend that will walk home if he's too far gone to drive. He's been stopped a few times. Some cops, even after hearing that he's walking to avoid driving drunk - will still automatically charge him with public drunkenness. Others, will say 'good choice' and give him a ride home. This "all authority" are evil stance just gets old. YKWIM? Cops, FAA reps, even some politicians (that hurts to admit), doctors (and pharmaceutical salesmen), engine mechanics, etc are people doing a job. Some are assholes, some are trying to do the right thing. You don't know until you see them first hand, in person, and decide what kind of individual they are. Frankly, I blame Bush for it. That's OK; he probably blames you. " . . . 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

Define "function well". Since the thread is about DUI, I'm assuming you think they could drive. No way. Maybe they could put on some semblance of order in low demand situations - i.e. - I'll give you they might be able to stand up. But no way could anyone with a .25 drive safely; which would be my definition for "function well" when it comes to getting behind the wheel of a car. " . . . 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

Huh? This is barely readable. Apologies if English is your 2nd or 3rd language, but I'm not sure of what is being said. " . . . 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

Thanks for the tip. I look forward to seeing them, eventually. Speaking of documentaries, anybody else here see Memory of the Camps (or something like that)? It was an incomplete work, partly directed by Hitchcock, on the concentration camps. Incredibly gripping footage. Best (or worst) I've ever seen on the subject. " . . . 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

What's truly ironic is that an educator can't read a simple paragraph and understand its meaning, or that a scientist can be closed-minded in refusing to acknowedge evidence. (And please spare me the "WHAT evidence?" game--- if you're unaware of the evidence, it's because you don't want to see it.) Please do not tease like that. What is it you have that you consider evidence. I am very curious about what it is, and even more curious at what logic you use to go from the evidence to anything even remotely resembling a proof. " . . . 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

You are either kidding or not at all schooled in logic. The love you have for your wife is an emotion, an internal creation of your own making. There is no proof of it's existence or lack of existence. By definition, if it requires an element of faith, then you have not proven it exists. As someone already mentioned, there is a reason the burden of proof lies with the person claiming something exists. And there is no guarantee that because something exists, that we can prove it does. This is why science relies heavily on falsification as a concept. If something can not be falsified, then it is outside the realm of science. A fun example someone uses as a sig line: There are invisible elves living in my back yard. Prove there aren't. Same with the FSM. " . . . 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

How? Read the emphasis I placed in original statement. It is sufficient for my "belief." This is basically the I-can't-comprehend-it-any-other-way rationale. It is the safe place for those who either do not understand, even on a conceptual level, or do not want to hear about things like molecular biology, plate tectonics, the magnitude of times measured in billions of years, genetics and the whole natural selection thing, etc. It is so much easier to just chant. " . . . 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

Believers do not respond to this level of logic, and least not in a logical manner. It backs them into an inecsapable corner, after which you usually get a God-loves-me-and-everybody style of response. Using God to explain the unexplainable back when most things were unexplainable was relatively harmless. This God-of-the-Gaps really started to fall apart though with the widespread application of the scientific method and people, even commoners to a great extent, actually discovering how the world works. This posed great problems for organized religions that had already claimed to have all the answers. They had to either modernize and build some flexibility into their processes, or stick to their principles of requiring blind faith and ignoring facts that contradict their stories. The chose the later, and the rest is history. " . . . 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 love The Onion headline: GOD ANSWERS LITTLE BOYS PRAYERS Article subtitle: God says "No." " . . . 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

You forgot about the part where when pressed on something like a salient point or bit of actual evidence that contradicts their belief, they go off on some God-loves-me-and-everybody style of tangent; like this: "He doesn't bow to me; I bow to Him. The time will come when every knee will bow to Him and every tongue confess that Christ is Lord-- some in anger, tho' forced to recognize His sovereignty over all creation-- and some in joyful fulfillment." There's really no debate here at all. Someone with a certain point of view cites some contradiction or evidence, then someone from the other point of view says something like 'But Jesus loves me.' It is entertaining though. " . . . 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

That's all fine and good, but does their heaven have a Stripper Factory and a Beer Volcano? That is so cool. Didn't know they had FSM tees. I like the design-your-own options. Gonna arder one tonight: Front: FSM NOT ON DUTY (visual of FSM having a martini) Back: SAVE YOUR OWN ASS (visual of FSM with malfunction passing thru 1500') " . . . 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

Actually, in my visits to NYC, I've seen quite a bit of it. Mostly gets treated as background noise. " . . . 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 would agree with that in general. There are some smart people who believe some ridiculous things. I won't say all fundamentalists are totally wacked, but anyone who believes the Earth to be 6 or 8 or 10K years old is open to criticism of their credibility. I mean, if you can buy into that kind of tripe, what other goofy notions might you hold? Do I need to watch out for myself in your presence? " . . . 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

This little trick of making up whatever numbers are needed is one of my favorites of the apologetic excuses from the believers. FUNDAMENTALIST: God created the Earth in 7 days. GEOLOGIST: Actually, evidence from a plethora of observations and repeatable experiments VERY solidly indicates the Earth to be about 5 billion years old. FUNDAMENTALIST: Well, what if each day for God equals a thousand years for humans? Yeah that's it, a conversion factor of 365,000 to 1 makes your evidence fit my desired truth. GEOLOGIST: Um, I said 5 BILLION, with a B; as in a really really long time. Maybe using scientific notation would help you grasp the enormity of the numbers we're dealing with here. FUNDAMENTALIST: Notation schmotation, no need for science like stuff. The conversion factor is now 1 day for God equals 830,000,000 years for ordinary humans. Yeah, that's the ticket. Do you have anything more to add, or can I leave the conversion factor at 830,000,000 to 1; because we can change it if any more pesky evidence comes along. If you are not searching for that which is false, you can not be actively searching out that which is true. But that is dogma for you. It's not about searching at all - it's about being convinced there is nothing more you need to know. That's why the name used by the Discovery Institute is such a fucking joke. They have no intent on discovering anything. (The institute is the primary political entity behind the push to get creationism/ID into science classes). " . . . 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 did some work once with some lawyers from one of the largest product liability firms in the world. They made no bones about the fact that they have a "scorched Earth" approach to pursuing the interests of their clients (in other words, take no prisoners and don't worry about collateral damage in getting what they can for whoever is paying the bill). " . . . 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 see how that is possible. It sounds like they are saying that after they caught the pole, but before they hit the ground, the instructor clipped to the student, made the comment, then they crashed? " . . . 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

So as a Floridian, what's your take? Why is this stuff so much more prevalent down south? I'm trying not to stereotype, and I honestly do not think all Southerners are evil or stupid; but why is there so much more abuse of children? Is it a media conspiracy? is there a cultural difference on the value of children that manifests itself as people (some people) being more willing to abuse them? " . . . 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