livendive

Meh, he never had a chance anyhow. Not far enough removed from the last idiot governor of Texas. At least Jeb knows to let his brother fade in the popular memory a bit...Mr. Perry was trying too soon. Blues, Dave "I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!" (drink Mountain Dew)

No, you don't got it. The tree farmers could self-impose the tax on themselves, and use the group funds to create their own public awareness campaign. It is not the purpose of government to promote xmas trees for them. Nor did I say or even imply that this was an attempt to kill xmas. Got it? Ho-ho-ho. I understand all that. I actually clicked the link and it was the death, destruction, and Obama wants a big government to squash baby Jesus tone of the republican politicians that prompted my response. The funniest part here is its GOP going against the farmers (typically part of their base) solely because Obama did what they asked, which must make it bad. Ain't partisan politics fun? Blues, Dave "I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!" (drink Mountain Dew)

An agriculture group asked for some help, and suggested that a tax be imposed on their own product to fund that help. And somehow this means Obama is trying to grow government and kill Christmas. Got it. lol Blues, Dave "I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!" (drink Mountain Dew)

I have two kinds of rounds for my carry gun, and I refer to them as target rounds and "stop doing that" rounds. I think the distinction here is similar...a restraining order tells someone "stop doing that" from a distance. If they ignore that and come closer, a gun can be a bit more compelling. As you say, when my life is in imminent danger, a restraining order is worthless, kinda like my XD-40 when the crazy is miles away. The difference is distance, and the manner in which it compels someone to stop fucking with me...one threatens legal consequences, the other mortal. Blues, Dave "I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!" (drink Mountain Dew)

Noted. Of the three attorneys who routinely post here, you are the most easily amused (and probably the most likely to torture small animals). Blues, Dave "I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!" (drink Mountain Dew)

It depends on how far away the threat is. A restraining order is better protection from someone currently a few miles away, a gun works better for someone currently a few feet away. Personally, I like having access to both.\ Blues, Dave "I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!" (drink Mountain Dew)

If the goods and services you're referring to are actually necessary, the people whom the federal government is no longer paying to provide them will have an opportunity to sell them privately. Yes, there' will be fewer dollars to spread around due to higher taxes, and fewer services due to budget cuts, but that's kind of the point. I don't think any reasonable person is expecting the deficit to magically disappear without impacting everyone's lives...the trick is to limit the impacts to those that are tolerable, broad based, and reasonably "fair". Make it hurt for everyone, without unduly punishing anyone, and try to respect some reasonable limits (let the working poor continue to eat and the working wealthy continue to prosper, but both should adjust their expectations somewhat south of where they are currently set). Blues, Dave "I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!" (drink Mountain Dew)

A balanced exhortation: Blues, Dave "I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!" (drink Mountain Dew)

This would only be true if there were not blacks that are racist against whites. White population: 72% Black population: 12% If 20% of each population is racist against the other, which type would be more numerous? Blues, Dave "I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!" (drink Mountain Dew)

Truth be told, I don't really care about this death one way or another. A LOT of people died this weekend, many of them due to their own choices. My trouble with this thread has been the vigor with which her jewelry has been singled out...who cares? She died. At a protest or not isn't really relevent, but ok, if someone wants to use her as a poster child for the protest, fine. But to jump on her jewelry as if that had something to do with her death? Lame. Blues, Dave "I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!" (drink Mountain Dew)

You have no idea whether she was trying to express anything. An awful lot of people wear earrings just because they like the way they look. Maybe she liked the way these piercings looked...seems like the more logical assumption. I choose to have tattoos on my arms. Does that mean I'm only partially incapable of conformity? Or rather, are traits such as personal tastes and inherent abilities about as related to each other as critical thinking skills are to flatulence? Because I don't think any jewelry or tattoos (or the lack thereof) indicate an sort of (in)abilities, except possibly the tolerance of pain. To suggest otherwise is pretty elitist, and counter-indicative of deductive ability. I've yet to come across a panhandler who wasn't at least partially responsible for their own economic situation. I see no reason to treat jewelry decisions as more repugnant than an unwillingness to leave a bottle corked. Simple solution, assume all panhandlers made dumb choices that render them unworthy of assistance. To the best of my knowledge, she respected you enough to not publicly criticize your ridiculous fashion choices the day after you died. There's no way of knowing, but it's the logical assumption. If her family and loved ones found their way here, how much compassion and respect do you think they'd sense from your post? And what convoluted set of assumptions leads you to believe that a person dying (*possibly* by overdose) is a victim of a tolerant and compassionate society, as opposed to a simple mistake in dose or delivery? Blues, Dave "I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!" (drink Mountain Dew)

Meh, you should've seen me when I was an athiest... Any who, I hope your perfect thinking takes you very far in life...godspeed. It is because I understand how flawed people are at thinking that I choose science. Belief without evidence is faith, not reason. Well then, apparently you have faith in your perfection...good luck with that. I rarely use the words "believe" or "faith" relative to my opinions. I prefer "suspect" and "doubt". Blues, Dave "I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!" (drink Mountain Dew)

My experiences as a child turned me off from organized religion at a fairly early age...I ran away from home at 13 just to get away from a church and its followers. However I still believed in a christian god for a couple more years, till critical thinking started to chip away at the concept. Eventually I became a die-hard agnostic, unaware of any evidence of a god. Occam's razor leads me to believe one likely doesn't exist, or at least not in any form currently recognized as a "religion". Today, I guess I'd still call myself an agnostic, but with a hefty atheist bias. I think a god (in the religous sense) is highly unlikely, and if one does exist, it's highly unlikely to be anything like we imagine. I seriously doubt we are capable of understanding such an entity's motivations or desires, and I'm not going to spend too much effort chasing an impossible goal. So I guess it was a slow process, and those closest to me are fine with it. My daughter was offended when I didn't call her on Easter this year, but that's the rare exception. It took me awhile to remind her that there was no snub...I honestly didn't even realize it was easter till that afternoon, when Costco was closed. (Eventually it dawned on her that we hadn't done anything on easter since she'd been of egg-hunting age.)There was no snub, it's just not a holiday I even notice, much less celebrate. Blues, Dave "I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!" (drink Mountain Dew)

Do you know how a filibuster in the Senate works? Yep, but none of them get that far Harry will not bring them to the floor Do you know how that works? Perhaps Congress should stop sending the Senate bills that they know have no chance. If *both* parties worked as if compromise and progress was good, they'd be a hell of a lot more effective. Unfortunately neither party seems willing to budge. Blues, Dave "I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!" (drink Mountain Dew)

Which only proves was a waste of time it was. Again, it was in no danger of being changed to begin with. No, it proves that idiots still need to have messages sent to show they are wasting their time. Which the vote does very well What kind of nonsensical gibberish is this? If they voted unanimously that terrorism is bad, would that prove that terrorists still need to be told we don't like them? All this proved is that a huge majority of our representatives believe "In God We Trust" should remain our national motto. In fact, enough of them believe this way (or at least that they should appear to believe it) that the question is rendered moot. So, it was time spent on a non-issue, and a foolish one at that. Perhaps if they trusted less in god and more in good legislation, our country would be on a better track. Bleus, Dave "I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!" (drink Mountain Dew)

Honesty is always the best solution. Soften it up a bit if necessary, but don't be cruel or dishonest. The fact that dating didn't work out doesn't negate the cool parts of them that made it worth trying in the first place. I'm on friendly terms with several girls I've previously dated, and I think they'd agree. If I liked them enough to give it a go, I probably like them enough to end it on good terms too. Blues, Dave "I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!" (drink Mountain Dew)

Congraturations Bill & Amy, and welcome Liam! Blues, Dave "I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!" (drink Mountain Dew)

Actually, they are. And they should be. By declaring that every jerkoff terrorist group is at war with the US just elevates their status. If we can capture them, like we have with everyone at Gitmo, we should try them like the dirtbag criminals they are. Affording them special status as enemy combatants gives them and their cause undeserved legitimacy. On what basis would you propose to limit the actions of non-Americans on foreign soil? A Saudi plotting against us in Yemen isn't really subject to any laws we could draft. Blues, Dave "I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!" (drink Mountain Dew)

"I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!" (drink Mountain Dew)

My ex had a boxster...I wouldn't be particularly interested in driving it in the snow, or paying someone to maintain it while cash is tight, or maintaining it myself. Fun car, but it's designed to be a toy, whereas it sounds like you needs something a bit more practical. Blues, Dave "I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!" (drink Mountain Dew)

Everyone is qualified to have an opinion. Everyone else is encouraged to consider a person's reputation when evaluating that opinion. Think whatever you want, but Milli Vanilli should not give vocal lessons, Kirstie Alley should not pontificate on maintaining a stable, healthy weight, and triple/quadruple divorcees will probably make better researchers of good marriage habits than teachers. Blues, Dave I disagree with your position. I believe you lack understanding of what defending marriage means. It would seem you don't consider experience of any value. That's OK. Experience can certainly be valuable, but I'd rather take a canopy control class from a pilot who's good at avoiding injury than one who repeatedly hooks himself into the ground. "I' an expert on quitting drinking by virtue of the dozens of times I've done so" isn't a particularly compelling sales pitch. Blues, Dave "I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!" (drink Mountain Dew)

Do you feel that way about all of our enemies in the "war on terror" (we should arrest them rather than kill them)? Or just this one? Because I'm not sure what process the enemy is due, other than maybe swift and humane where possible. Blues, Dave "I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!" (drink Mountain Dew)

Everyone is qualified to have an opinion. Everyone else is encouraged to consider a person's reputation when evaluating that opinion. Think whatever you want, but Milli Vanilli should not give vocal lessons, Kirstie Alley should not pontificate on maintaining a stable, healthy weight, and triple/quadruple divorcees will probably make better researchers of good marriage habits than teachers. Blues, Dave "I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!" (drink Mountain Dew)

Rob Reiner is, first and foremost, an entertainer. His opinions are of no more or less value than those of Ann Coulter, Michael Moore, Glenn Beck, Bill Maher, Rush Limbaugh, or Keith Olbermann. At least Bill Maher is funny, the rest I couldn't care less about. "I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!" (drink Mountain Dew)

If it's ok to lob mortars over the front lines, in hopes of getting the command structure in the back, it's ok to aim explosives at a car carrying a highly effective recruiter for the enemy. I don't consider this an execution per say, but rather the well-executed removal of a valid military target. Then again, I really have no problem with assassinations either...better 1 bad guy than 3,000 uniforms per side. Blues, Dave "I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!" (drink Mountain Dew)