SkyDekker

I wasn't really speaking about history. I was speaking about today. Those of us who grew up in Europe have had significant exposure to the ravages of WWI and WWII. All my friends and schoolmates had family members affected by the war, or fought in it in some form or the other. It is indeed an interesting thought expirement to ponder. Though WWI got started with a handgun and was facilitated by the inherent downfall of treaties.

It's not just incarceration. Guns are but one freedom being cut. We know as well as anyone that freedom isn't as free as it used to be. Look at tge NSA. Look what is going on with the press in the US. Just to name a couple. Guns are a symbol because it's something actually tangible. Here's something you can actually hold and touch that the government can't take that serves the purpose of empowering an individual. It's not some intanglible thing. I agree.

Not in my opinion. One is the termination of a fetus, or a clump of cells that might turn into a fetus. The other is a systematic ellimination of one parent from a born child, putting it at a disadvantage. Quite possibly tipping the mother in the direction of an abortion. It could also be seen as a decision forced under duress. There can be a limited time frame to make the decision, with significant impact. I don't see how this scenario is workable at all.

dating = prostitution. You provide gifts, dinner, drinks and sometimes you get sex in return. The times you don't is the cost of doing business. After that, for most men sex remains one side of a transaction. Behave like a good boy, keep your wife happy and hopefully she will grace you with a lay from time to time. (obviously no more blowjobs, there is a reason women smile walking down the aisle) And this isn't aimed at you Dave, but this holier than thou attitude regarding prostitution (and porn) while most men spend their life bartering for sex, is tiring.

Except that it is for many Americans, since it is pretty much the only first world country where you have a right to do so. The rest of the world seems to have been able to live in relative peace, and freedom, without having a right to carry a firearm around. That right is certainly a strong symbolism for what Americans perceive to be freedom. What I find interesting is that this society with such a focus on freedom, with such a premium placed on freedom, not only incarcerates so many people. But, also has found a way to be less free in most other countries in the world. Americans are more and more seen us unwelcome guests.

I believe in psychology affecting health. I believe in the placebo effect. In that context, I can agree with you - the reason why a person finds ways to heal themselves doesn't have to be rational. In fact, it can be quite powerful. Considering the placebo has been just as succesful as the most used migraine drug, I wholeheartedly agree with you. http://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/migraine-headaches-and-remarkable-power-placebos-180949284/

I saw the movie this afternoon. Let me say this, anyone who watched the movie and came away with it being anti-capitalist completely missed the point of the film. It is NOT anti-capitalist. It's anti-conformist. THAT is the point of the film. Okay, and there's a little bit about god mythology too. I'm VERY surprised FoxNews didn't catch the pro-intelligent design subtext. Then again, I think they might be part of the 30% of people who simply never understand the concept of subtext, which may be why they thought it was anti-business. Either that or . . . they just never f'ing watched the film in the first place. Maybe like me, they fell asleep half way through.

I agree. There is no doubt that americans have the right to own and acrry fire arms. I am just approaching this from a person who is allowed to own arms, not allowed to carry arms, yet still feels free. My free speech is more restricted, yet I still feel like I live in a free country. Hence the symbolism is a little lost on me.

Yeah, but a lot of this is about feelings. Like how many people have their feelings hurt if they couldn;t have a gun and how many people have their feelings hurt seeing a gun. In my opinion the thought that was put into the 2nd amendment has now turned into a feeling and a symbolism. The US incarcerates more people than any other first world country. The US has a serious problem with violence and killing. An armed populace isn't what is keeping your government from going rogue and it certainly isn't making your society polite. It is however seen as a strong symbol for being free and gives people the feeling of being safe.

Ostrich is great!! Elvisio: I agree with you on the over-commercialised aspect. Hence, no cards, no gifts, no flowers....just a dinner at home, which we would normally do anyways.

So what if you don't believe in a 'creator'? How exactly did the big bang give rights?

Oysters paired with double cross vodka Seared sushi grade scallops Seared sushi grade tuna Both paired with red wine to be determined Some garlic and herb mashed potatoes and probably some carrots. She is going to have to work for desert.

So true!! But I just hate waste... yet you wasted your money on two other pair

Yet, the popular saying is, innocent until proven guilty. Yet, none of us are innocent.

Big Boys and Girls don't care about that. It is all about total body count.

...and now you're projecting the relatively static state of society Europe and much of the Pacific Rim enjoys today on the 1940s. It's absurd to hold someone to answer for events that occurred 70 years ago against the standards we strive for today before you'll consider acknowledging complaints and grievances about events that are ongoing today. What do you want him to say? "Yeah, if we were currently carpet bombing and nuking cities right now I'd bite my tongue." I think that all of them are wrong. But he wasn't discussing judgement of the bombings. He was telling us how he couldn't understand the mindset of mindlessly killing, specially innocent women and children. Merely showing that without the capability of laser targeting, GPS guidance etc, this was the way things were done. Breaking society was often considered as a goal, or at least a path towards a goal. He claims not to understand the mindset of a small group of people displaying the same behaviour displayed by many, many other groups throughout history.

Which you drink to get drunk right? Cause those who say they drink for the taste of it are liars. Can't it be both? Sure...according to me, it can even be either or.

So what about the carpet bombing of German cities in WWII and the use of two nuclear bombs? Also different? Just trying to figure out how you justify indiscriminate killing, while railing against it.

Not if your daughter is raped and murdered. Nothing will make that scenario right.

Carpet bombing German cities is somehow different? What about dropping a nuclear bomb or two? Napalm bombing in Vietnam? Bullshit, just watch the large number of people who will justify the above examples. Oh look, your hatred and dislike quickly turns to thoughts of mass murder as well.

Did you read the linked article? I have this feeling you might be missing something.

Or he just doesn't like the death penalty is standing firm on his beliefs. That alone should make him a R superhero.

Which you drink to get drunk right? Cause those who say they drink for the taste of it are liars.

agreed, it is stupid.

Probably trained by the DEA