pirana

I'm not sure "Big Science" is cohesive enough to warrant the epithet. Most definitely agree. Big science (if such a thing can even be said to exist) is made up of too many factions that will pursue evidence and the truths behind it to ever behave badly as a whole. I do not see even a simple majority of scientists ignoring solid evidence because it doesn't fit into a politicized agenda. Essentially, determining facts not only dictates their agenda, it is their agenda. What the rest of Those Darn Humans do with those facts (their application) is simply not the job of science - that's for the technicians and engineers hired by private and public sector business. Maybe that is what the OP really refers to; the employees of the corporatocracy and bureacracy that actually decide what to do once scientists provide them with information about the natural world. " . . . 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

Visit any ICU and see the effects cocaine has and I bet you change your mind. People who see the ER/trauma center horrors of cocaine certainly see the horrors of alcohol too. So, back to the original post question: Why is alcohol legal? If legality is to be decided based on ER and trauma center horror stories, then alcohol, guns, autos, living in the worst ghettos, sending soldiers to combat, skydiving, etc, etc should all be illegal. But that is unfair baiting because we all know that what is legal or illegal has not much to do with actually proving safety or danger - it has to do with cultural norms, politics, and acceptance of perceived risk. Otherwise cigarettes would have been banned 30 years ago. So go ahead and cherry-pick your Utopia, everybody's will be different. " . . . 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 still think he was a Picses working for SCALE. " . . . 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

Sounds like you've read Parliament of Whores. At the risk of ruining the conclusions for those that may yet check it out; it turns out that the biggest whore is the public at large. Too many are willing to sell their principles and loyalties for a few cheap goods and lots of coddling. In the long term it will end, or to be more accurate, the cycle will continue. The system will implode, recover, and begin anew. You'd think we'd learn these lessons as they are pretty obvious when looking at history over the long term. However, because the cycle often takes so many generations to run, and because the pain is forgotten and the coddling feels good, we go headlong into the next cycle. Democracy is still a relatively young experiment, but it hardly appears to be able to solve all the problems of the world. Maybe it is a problem of scale. How do we scale the chatracteristics of healthy individual behavior (survival, accountability, and liberty) up to a system of governance that actually works? Could it be there is no solution? Is individual responsibility not compatible with governance beyond a certain scale? If so, then we are either doomed to a Borg-like future in which we surrender our individuality to a peaceful but incredibly boring existence (door #1), or we will be forever embroiled in cycles of social chaos and/or warfare (door #2). Which door each person would choose (if we had such a choice), would probably depend on each person's station in life; which is of course completely irrelevant in the discussion of long-term solutions. The gonzo whopper moral dilemma of all time. So go cast your vote as if it matters, which, for the short term it does; but of course over the long term is an exercise in futility. " . . . 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 think the request for a program like this is premature. Before they throw money at it; especially if it looks to morph into another ongoing or permanent program; they need to really get to the bottom of why the established businesses aren't willing to open outlets there. Most likely the answer is that it is not profitable. Then you ask why again. Keep asking why until you get to the core problem. For some reason, that doesn't seem to be the way our government solves problems - much easier, and more popular, to simply throw money at it than to ask the tough questions and demand honest answers. " . . . 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

From the conversation in the recording it does not seem anything was lost in the interpretation. Pretty clear from the interpreter's response that they understood what they were being asked; especially since they conceded that although virgins are mentioned, the number 72 is not. Yes, I work with translators (written word) and interpreters (spoken word) a lot. You can visit my work at: www.dialog-one.com " . . . 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

Then why didn't one of them tell him it's not in there? Instead, they go looking for it. " . . . 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

Regardless of who wins what or who controls what, the 2 parties and all of their minions will blame each other for all that is not well, and each will take credit for all that is well. It's just that simple because the simple majority of people (at a minimum) are just that simple. " . . . 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

Well, Ron is stipulating spiritual truth, not corporeal truth. Spiritual truth is personal and based strictly on what the individual believes to be true. It does not require evidence, intellect, or logic; and in fact ignores such things if it leads to a conclusion that has been predetermined to be undesirable. The only good coming out of a system like that is that it can help some people sort out and overcome their personal demons (aka the destructive components of their individual psyche). Corporeal truth on the other hand is it's antithesis, absolutely requiring evidence and the intellectual application of logic; and placing individual beliefs at the bottom of the heirarchy when it comes to determining truth. It is the preferred method for seeking unbiased knowledge; but is a very ineffective tool for those that need the commands and assistance of a supernatural power. I find it fascinating that some will obey a perceived supernatural power, one for which there is no evidence for existence, but can not obey their own thoughts. In other words, they know something is really bad for them, but will disregard their own knowledge and continue the behavior. Then along comes a mysterious voice (or feeling or something) and they follow that. It's too bad all the voices people hear aren't kind and benevolent. " . . . 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 rescue effort was most commendable; and it sounds like this guy was a key figure in the heroics. Too bad that can not be called out and discussed without everybody using it as a jumping off point for their next let's-bash-the-other-side diatribe. " . . . 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 suppose that might be a bit small if using vehicles; but if hunting on foot, isn't a square mile big enough? Seems to me it would be a good day of hiking to completely cover a square mile - especially if it had a good amount of woods and hills. " . . . 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

It appears he does know his stuff and is aware the belief in question is most likely not true (understatement intended). In other words, he is not asking them because he doesn't know and needs to find out. He is asking them in order to confront their bizarre belief. Whether it is 72 virgins, or 72 Virginians; and regardless of the source (be it Quran or some 11th century Club Med for terrorists); what he is doing is poking at their very asinine belief. Maybe he is attempting to get them to take a critical look at their beliefs. Maybe he is trying to just make their beliefs appear completely uncredible to some younger generation that is at risk for getting indoctrinated with said asinine beliefs. Why do you think he is dumber than a box of rocks? Because they might get really pissed and kill him? Do you think every soldier that goes over there and is at risk of getting killed by pissed off terrorists is also dumber than a box of rocks? " . . . 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

It used to be that drivers believed cars could not go faster than 150 on a flat track because the tires would break traction in the corners. Among other things, banked tracks solved that problem. And using the relative wind to create downforce without adding weight. " . . . 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

Time travel is not trickery... you're doing it right now ....and now...and now .....and......

Oogie-boogie is intentionally fabricated bullshit that someone creates because they are either afraid to say they do not know, or because the evidence that is available contradicts their predetermined agenda. Maybe our definitions of oogie-boogie don't match. To me it is when people invoke imaginary friends, astrology, supernatural powers, ghosts & goblins, planetary allignments, virgin births, flying reindeer, etc, etc as an explanation for something. So, give me an example of an event for which the cause is oogie-boogie. BTW, I've never said the substances are required. Experimental/recreational is the standard beginning; with some, for one reason or another, falling into addiction. Not all users are addicts. " . . . 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

Heineken is the equivalent of ditch weed. Hell, they make it smell like rotten beer - on purpose. Any better example? I should not have used a brand name; it obscurred my point. Different people like all kinds of different varieties of all kinds of different things. You, and probably lots of other people, don't like Heineken. I, and probably lots of other people, don't like Budwieser. But somehow they both remain on the market. As long as there is demand (purchasing power) for variety, there will be variety supplied. It doesn't matter how many people don't like any specific variety; what matters is that enough people like something enough that suppliers are incented to bring them to market. Even when a product is illegal, this holds true. The experience of past prohibition bears this out. Even when alcoholic beverages were illegal, there was demand for bathtub gin and fine Cognac. In fact, with legalization, bathtub gin pretty much disappeared because the price of much better booze came way down. So the statement by someone earlier that legalization will result in all available pot being ditchweed is absurd. " . . . 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

Or they find some good oogie-boogie version of bizarre beliefs to make themselves comfortable with the real world. Sometimes there are oogie-boogies in the real world. 2 Corinthians 2:14 Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place. Provide an example of real world oogie-boogie; that is, some observed event for which there is evidence that it actually happened, preferably repeatable, and for which the explanation requires a belief in magic or mysticism. " . . . 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

Can't speak for all of "they" but I do mean all incumbents. A Dem and a Rep are just 2 flavors of the same basic shit sandwich. They all pull the same favor-trading, two-faced, bully pulpit, back room pork dealing shit; and as a group they are despicable for their lack of principles while on the job. I am aware that at least some of them are decent people in private; but my observation is that they all digress to assinine irresponsible behavior in their elected roles. Kick them all to the curb. Those waiting in the wings ought to get the message, and most of them will have been close enough to the action long enough to be effective - without engaging in the unprincipled and irresponsible behaviors of their predecessors. The fear that they won't know what to do is lame. They are the next wave that will supply the vast majority of elected officials for the near future anyway. The difference is they will be operating with the knowledge that if they play the same old games, they will be kicked aside next. " . . . 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

V.O.T.E. Vote Out The Elected. As a group, they have failed us miserably. Kick them all to the curb. Send the message, hand every single national elected official their departure ticket. Let's see if that wakes up the collective group of assholes known as politicians. " . . . 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

Ever consider getting trained to use it? I'm just saying. " . . . 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

Depends on the direction in which you will be shifting the decimals. " . . . 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

Never noticed that on his posts. Pretty disrespectful. skydives - you really ought to change that. " . . . 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

In an ironic twist, weed has been shown to reduce the occurence of flashbacks for people with PTSD. " . . . 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

OH! OH! OH! Can we do spaghetti next!?!? " . . . 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

Or they find some good oogie-boogie version of bizarre beliefs to make themselves comfortable with the real world. " . . . 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