theloniusfleabag

Yeah...odd. If China has enlisted Google to help supress the words 'democracy', Falun Gong', etc, one would think that China would want google to be the only search engine available... 99% of google is 'propaganda'? I can't believe we have all been suckers for so long...time to use the 'ignore function'. It always 'de-trolls' my computer for a bit.

Interesting stuff, our troll seems to be found everywhere.

Dear FTA Lawyer, I am pretty sure that is where his problems began. Indeed, after reading some of the rubbish this poster has claimed to have occured (and the light cast upon it by the poster), it is no wonder he gets tossed out of every agency he walks into.

Dear August1991, In the few months before 'Gulf II', something like 50% of Iraq oil sales were to the US (to build up their strategic reserves). The US had no problems writing them a cheque for it, although they probably wouldn't have felt obligated to honour it. Yes, perhaps in this case the US was a bad example. I should have used 'Iran or North Korea, or even China.' I doubt that Iceland is worried about their safety as much as they are worried about the lost of income fom military contracts, and the 'trickle-down' monies from those employed there. A bit of 'fear-mongering' here, when the word 'freer' could be substituted for 'vulnerable'. Like telling your kidnap victim "The world is a scary place, and you would be sure to get raped if I let you go free. Better just to stay here and forget this silly 'freedom' notion".

In response to... from... http://hrw.org/reports/2002/china/China0102.htm#P190_7527 (emphasis added) as to this... from...http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/ch.html from the same source (CIA world Factbook...

I am inclined to agree with geoffrey's limit of 3 years rather than 5, starting at age 14. This is strictly with a view of attempting to control 'predation' (most 19 yr olds have graduated high school, while a 14 yr old could still be in grade 7 or 8). However, there must also be a consideration that morals should be instilled by parents, and not gov't legislation.

Dear Leafless, I don't think there is a 'misconception' at all. What do you mean? What is a 'democratic manner'? The US has bills to vote on, which is more 'democratic', to be sure, but ours is a system where the gov't gets a 4 year 'mandate' to push the platform upon which they claim won them the election. We can't expect otherwise until we change the system.

Dear sharkman and GostHacked, Best not to respond here, and limit your responses to any of your concerns to the thread(s) you find most appropriate.

I was kind of wondering where this thread might go. I personally am on the side of FTA Lawyer, The irony here, of course, is that the bottle wasn't labeled to protect his privacy, and now because of the fact that the bottle wasn't labeled, he got 'busted' and now the entire world knows about it. Really, it isn't anybody else's concern, and it used to be that a 'non-story' like this wouldn't have made the papers, because a lot of people used to have a sense of decency and respect for others. Shady has it wrong...it isn't 'liberal MSM smear tactics', it is the 'right' that turned on Limbaugh... Not for who he is , but because the 'Main Stream Media' has, is, and will always, serve the 'right wing'. That is because they both serve 'Mammon', and hanging Limbaugh out to dry, violating his right to privacy, decency and respect is not done to discredit him, it is done to make extra profit. FTA Lawyer, if you are as appalled as I am by this, then you should also examine America's value system...this is what it stands for. Fealty to Mammon, suckling at the teat of the Golden Calf, and chasing the dollar are the greatest good, and it feels that everyone else on the planet should also share the same values...and it is willing ( and has resorted to in the past) to use force of arms to make it happen.

Dear Temagami Scourge, Indeed, that would likely be the best solution for you (and everyone, but most people would not like it, and probably launch a 'war of conquest). I have been to many reserves in Alberta, and met many different people, both 'traditional' and 'non-traditional 'natives'. The one common belief they all seemed to share was "Don't interfere with the cycle of life". Without interference, these things have been, and will always, be there. However, many think that 'interference' is 'progress'.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060627/ap_en_ot/limbaugh_viagra Should this even be in the news? Thank goodness his privacy has been protected.

Dear Mr. Hardner, No, I think you misunderstood. I am for the dissolution of borders. I am contending that, with the retention of borders, tying immigration 'quotas' solely to market demand for labour 'dehumanizes' us all. There would be no such classification as 'refugee', and and 'prospective immigrants' would be viewed as 'product' and not people. This would entail viewing all people as 'cogs, widgets, and Delta Upsilons'.

Dear Riverwind, Indeed it does, lest we 'pave paradise and put up a parking lot'.

Dear BHS, Would the original story on this thread qualify? It is funny, Shady linked a story to an 'alleged civil liberties infringement' in an attempt to discredit The New York Times for reporting it. In that light, Woodward and Bernstien were 'traitors' for reporting the misdeeds of Nixon.

Given the relatively 'young' gov't, it is more of a question of 'how they have avoided problems', rather than having new policies dictate their ranking. So, what is most important to me is that i am encouraged by what I see, rather than leery. I'll give them 4/5...so far.

Dear BHS, None needed, but thank you. You are right, there is some conceit of those that are pro-Kyoto, likely the bulk of which is because Kyoto has been the only 'global' solution to be put forward thus far.I am a firm believer in using tax incentives as the carrot on this one.

Dear Shady, GostHacked raises a good point. Either that, or charge the media outlet in question with treason/sedition. Dangerous ground, there, mind you, Stalin saw sedition everywhere. And he acted upon it, real or imagined, in the most brutal fashion. Most leaked info comes from loudmouthed senators, etc. In the book "Imperial Hubris", the author also calls for treason charges against some of the 'leakers'.

Hmmm... Yet you use 'we' (solving Canadian problems..) [smells 'trollish' here]

Dear Black Dog, I would have to agree with Army Guy, and I personally equate chem/bio weapons as WMDs. Shady, You'll have to explain the difference between 'none' and 'none' for us... As far as the inspections have proven, it seems Saddam was one of the only ones that told the truth. Ironic, that.

Dear Argus, I had written a lengthy reply, but there was a horrible accident (my home computer crashed) and the post was lost. However, this... is not entirely true, but certainly the 'left' has been more critical of the US and it's support of tyrannical Muslim regimes than of the regimes themselves. Saudi Arabia is one example.The 'left' though, is generally critical of all religions, and I certainly haven't singled out Islam for any particular condemnation. (The rest of my post had basically agreed with a lot of Mr. Harner's post above.)

Dear BHS, Don't get me wrong, I am not espousing the Kyoto Accord as the 'only correct answer'. In fact, I am anti-Kyoto. It is a severely flawed proposal that should be scrapped. However, I do feel that pollution, emmisions, etc should be taken much more seriously and managed better. However, Kyoto is a very bad way to do it.

Dear Riverwind, Indeed they do it often. Never with such wide-ranging effect, though. August1991 asks a good question... Would you tear up the treaties and try to negotiate a one-time buy-out, 'take it or leave it'? Or give them nothing?(Which might lead to a small civil war.)

Dear Riverwind, Treaties and contracts must be treated as legal issues lest warfare become, once again, the main bargaining tool. Britain had a deal with China to turn over Hong Kong...from...http://www.island.net/~rjbw/hktp.html Both sides honoured this treaty, even though political events changed drastically around it. Perhaps one way to force the hand of those involved in the treaty is to stop payments on the cheques, and go to 'arbitration'. I do not know enough about the treaties to say whether they are made 'in perpetuity' or not, but if they are, then it is 'tough luck' for 'whitey'. The other side of the coin, (and what I feel wasn't addressed in your poll) is that if 'we' disagree with the terms of the contract, then obviously we should give the land back. IOW, I can't say to my landlord "I am tired of paying rent, I declare that I own the house now". So what if the landlord died and bequeathed the property to their heirs. It makes no difference to the lease.

Dear BHS, Sadly, it is thus. However, I am glad to see that you consider this issue seriously, and that "anthropogenic global warming" is indeed a reality, though highly politicized. I think it would be folly to say 'There is not, nor could there ever be such a thing, as a change in the environment due to mankind's activities'.As to Suzuki, perhaps he feels that political activism is more important to making changes than to belabour the point he already believes in. 'Climatology' is, at best, an inexact science. It isn't like metallurgy, where the melting point of gold can be established in a very small period of time. However, it is possible that environmental change could be what eliminates mankind as a species on the earth, and it is also possible that it could be from our own actions. Another metaphor I have seen is 'someone hanging from the edge of a cliff, with one hand hanging from the last branch before oblivion, and the other hand clutching a sack of gold'. It always makes me wonder why humans must wait until they are faced with immediate peril before they are willing to examine their own values.

Dear August1991, Perhaps that is why I gave up on television, I think the vast majority of it is garbage, and I love my cat. And 3 dogs. BHS, I agree with you on the merits of what you linked to, some of the 'plotical punditry' is top-notch. However, I think that August1991 is lamenting the fact that TV is a 'one-way mental orifice', but the internet can have an unlimited number of people 'screwing your mind', and you, theirs.