theloniusfleabag

Dear PocketRocket, I think that this is one of the reasons pot legalization has not had stronger support. Mind you, not everyone is willing to admit to being a 'closet farmer', but usually people only publicly admit to pot use after they stop smoking it...like most of our parliment did.

Dear KrustyKidd, I do not believe in the 'grand conspiracy' that the US was behind it, nor do I believe the twin towers were 'imploded'. However, I like the idea of the fiction writer bit, so here goes...If the US had found out about the specifics of the attack, perhaps six months prior, minimal effort and personnel would have been required. Even President Bush needn't have known. Let's say, Rumsfeld, Wolfowitz and Goss knew, and had some ten CIA agents and/or the Mossad involved (evidently the Mossad, though adamant that they do not spy in the US, had a 'proprietary' office in one of the WTC buildings). Demolition charges could have been placed at their leisure over the six months, at night, under the guise of 'general maintenance'. As to the hijackings, the terrorists had a couple of strokes of 'good luck', which to some might appear suspicious. The planes were at about 50% capacity, far less than normal, lessening the risk of a 'rebellion' on the plane (as happened on the Penn. crashed flight). Also, security was lax, with more than one of the terrorists setting off the security alarms at the airport, and one getting waved through without reconciliation of what triggered the alarm. (according to the (/11 Commision report) The Mossad would do anything that they felt would benefit Israel, except kill an Israeli. The stakes here are incredibly high, with 9/11 being the excuse the US needed (and the one the Israelis wanted) to start a war with the Islamic world while making it look like they were 'the good and righteous' under attack from evil. One wacky thing I recently heard was that Zach Moussai (sp?) has testified that he and the would-be shoe bomber Richard Reid were to hijack a fifth plane and were to target the white house. I find this a bit incredible, or should I say, uncredible.

Dear KrustyKidd, Isolationism in extremus, but plausible. Canada is one of the few countries in the world that actually could do it, though.

I personally would be ok using my real name. I like the moniker I use here, but really, as August points out, it is more or less irrelevant. However, there is some opportunity for abuse, real or perceived. (eg. there was a poster here called 'Scott Brison', though he admitted he wasn't the 'real Scott Brison')

Dear Mr. Hardner, After a bit of searching, I found a 'conversation' Pateris and I had before last season's record hurricane season. From Pateris: (Jan 17 2005) From me: His response... Perhaps not Pateris, but I'll bet some people are expecting some nasty hurricanes this year.

Dear Mr. Hardner, Indeed, the naysayers seemed to want both a priori and empirical 'proof' of the causal relationship. Akin to the 'long-held to' tobacco company argument that there was no 'proven' link between cigarettes and cancer.

The US has already decided to stay for some time. http://www.csmonitor.com/2004/0930/p17s02-cogn.html http://www.globalsecurity.org/org/news/200...uring-bases.htm As long as those bases (and Halliburton's oil) remain, the US isn't about to give up 'security control'. However, as long as these 'dozen targets' remain, they will presumably be under sporadic attack, and 'not retreating' will keep the US firmly planted there. They have created a cycle which might keep them there in perpetuity.

I am currently 38, will be 39 in the fall.

Dear Army Guy, I think we need a marauding army that funds itself with plunder. There is no greater motivator than personal gain. With people like Osama Bin laden, a price on their head (such as the weight of his head in gold to the person that brings it in) leaves them little time for foolishness. Truthfully, I think Canada should have a militia, with everyone doing 2 years service, from 18-20, or 20-22. Some income could be made through engineering projects done on the country's infrastructure. Jails and some provincial/federal police work could also be contracted to the military.

Dear Krusty Kid, I shall take a few from "The CIA World Factbook", if that's ok.http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/ao.html Bear in mind, the US and their CIA supported UNITA, in what was, on both sides, a tremendously brutal conflict. When democracy finally came, the US didn't get the result they hoped for, so they renewed the fighting. What is it called, again, when someone targets and murders the civilians of a democratically elected government with the aim of bringing down that gov't? Oh, yeah, Terrorism.http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/bk.html How about one that hasn't happened yet...Taiwan? They wish democratic independence from a communist regime...and even the US won't come out publicly to support them. China would be a formidable enemy. http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/er.html I would be happy to name some more but have to hit the hay.

Dear Krusty Kid, Um, read any news from Iraq lately? I understand it actually isn't a theoretical prerequisite, but it often turns out that way. Canada's history certainly isn't bloodless, even though 'independence' came over time, rather than over dead bodies.

Dear Krusty Kid, They have that now. They are going to have more of it anyway. The US would never 'pull out' completely anyway, they would pick a side to 'covertly assist', and try to buy the allegiance of that side which they wish to win. Freedom, and if so wished, democracy, can only both come and stay if it is 1. wished for and 2. fought for, by the people who are to have it. It is in the hands of the Iraq's now, if they are going to 'have it out', might as well be sooner rather than later.

From the Canadian Global Almanac, (1992), pg 97 (from 'Famous Quotes and Phrases') Compte de Frontenac, Govenor General of New France, replying to the envoy of the British Admiral, Sir William Phips, who ordered him to surrender Quebec, Oct. 15, 1690.KK, it is becoming a question of Bush's hold on power. If his own party wants him gone bad enough, the 'flung money poo' just might stick, and an impeachment might be seen as a viable way to remove him. I doubt that this would be the 'camel-back breaking straw', though.

Dear Leafless, From the book "The World At Arms", Reader's Digest, 1989 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._761st_Tank_Battalion The words of Patton on the 761st battalion:

Dear GostHacked, In my mind only the collapse of WTC 7 seems suspicious. Mind you, one man profited immensely from the collapse of those buildings. Silverstein, I believe. An incredible stroke of luck and profit, to the tune of some 7+ billion dollars, after just recently taking over the lease and loading up on insurance (and then being paid double the insurance amount as the two towers were deemed 'two seperate events'). Still, nothing 'illegal', just remarkably coincidental.

Dear RB, I should think that a batallion of crampy, bloated and PMS-influenced women armed to the teeth would be a formidable force indeed. (j/k) That time is closer than it's ever been. However, there are some scenarios where the genders generally are not equal. The 'fireman's carry', for example.

Dear Hicksey, I said socialist, not communist . The NDP are seen as really, really far left. The Liberals are moderately left, definitely to the left of centre. Even the CPC is only 'marginally' right wing. geoffrey, If one is a capitalist, the entire reason for being is to make your small business become a big, or the biggest, business.

I swear to god. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/4841942.stm It is this kind of thing that proves, to me at least, that everyone is equal. Race and gender are superfluous compared to the spirit of the individual.

Dear geoffrey, This is not true. Everybody cannot be 'rich', though 'anyone' can.

Dear August1991, I will certainly agree that this is the base of all conservativism, both social and fiscal. Most Canadians, both right and left, are appalled at gov't waste, but perhaps for different reasons. The problem is, to 'identify' with the right, they need strong, evident policies, and 'less' is an ambiguous term. If it were coupled with 'less taxes', it may be more 'evident', but the minor tax cuts proposed by Harper (through no fault of his own, minority gov'ts have to 'appease', rather than lead) don't cut the mustard. Canadians are 'socialist', by and large, so they equate 'less gov't' with eliminating social programs. As you say, there are some things the gov't shouldn't do, (funding 'arts', for example) but most gov't programs are lumped together in the minds of many.

Dear Argus All child porn involves the molestation of children. Being a part of it, either as producer or consumer, has been deemed 'wrong' and punishable, by society. As a consumer, you are an enabler...you are saying, "Do this again for me". Even porn scenes of rape can be faked...child porn cannot.

Dear Wilber, For some reason, I shoot pool better when I am 'half in the bag'... That's about it, though. I can do almost anything after a doobie. Too true. Any 'health benefits' from either come at a price. Pot does have some legitimate medical uses, though. Alcohol is good for cleaning wounds.

Dear geoffrey, No, there is some paperwork. Enough to minimize risk on both sides. My point to August. 'Friends are friends, but business is business', I heard a lot of that one. Actually, my point was that we were fully encouraged to 'gouge and screw each other' as much as possible before signing on the dotted line. Because that is the way it is done.

Dear August1991, My wife and I purchased a business from the former owner a couple of years ago. Without going into great detail, she made us a great offer, somewhat based on a friendship we all had, somewhat on circumstance. She paid over $100,000 when she bought it...she offered it to us for 80,000, with the deal that we paid half up front, and she would carry the other half personally, interest free! What a sweet (and more than fair) deal, we thought.It seemed that none of the 'professional advice' we got, from anyone, on both sides, thought that this was a good way to do business. Taking each other 'at our word' was unheard of, and everyone was floored that there was no offer/counteroffer process. Our accountant kept on saying, make another offer for less, the later in the day, the lower the price...it is 'the law of the prostitutes'. Gouge her. Women don't like confrontation, 'lowball her' even more... Her laywer thought she was crazy, everybody on both sides but us, the ones involved, thought 'business isn't done this way'...as it turns out, everyone came out very happy, and this was 2 1/2 years ago. In this way, August, I believe in the way you believe 'trade' can be done. But try it for real and all the 'professionals' think you're nuts.

Dear geoffrey, Indeed he does...or did. He and William Shatner had an album out called 'Spaced Out', filled with some hilarious cover songs. I have recordings of Nimoy singing "I walk The Line", "Ruby, Don't Take Your Love To Town", "Proud Mary", "If I Had A Hammer", "Both Sides Now", and others. Some original ones he recorded include "The Ballad Of Bilbo Baggins" (a truly unique recording), and "Highly Illogical". Shatner is no less bizarre, you should hear his cover of "RocketMan" from the 1978 Science Fiction Film Awards.I also have a book of poetry penned by Leonard Nimoy, called "You and I" from Avon Books (1973). I collect the eclectic.