theloniusfleabag

Dear Argus, Spoken like a true conservative...but you are undeniably right. The 'best' people are in the corporate fields, pulling down major salaries because they can get things that they promise actually done when millions, if not billions, are on the line.However, don't forget that some private sector CEOs have borne out to be as corruptable as any politician.

Rumour has it that Rob Reiner may run against Arnold "Black Plowman" to be the next Govenor of California. I could see Reiner coming in as an uber-conservative, but how will he beat this headline in the public's mind?

Dear BHS, Surely you jest. Do you recall the title of the thread? Corporate espionage would be rampant (moreso than it is), stalking, etc would all be legal without rights to privacy. (bear in mind, electronic surveillance is now advanced enough so that tresspassing is not required).

Dear PocketRocket, Yes, thanks for noticing the epitome of 'false dichotomy'. I have decided to not waste my time responding to people whom I could out-debate whilst typing with my ass cheeks. Indeed. It seems to me, the author is merely chasing the dollar, which is what the american dream is all about. How can he be criticized when he is simply doing exactly what the military claims to be fighting to protect?

Dear Shady, The 9/11 Comission Report pointed out the terrible 'protectionism' within the US intelligence communities, and suggested that it would be a good idea if they started to share info. As it stood, (and to some degree still stands) the FBI, the police, the military and the CIA are all diferent entities, and jealously protect their own budgets, sources and info. There wasn't anything manifest that prevented them from sharing, except for the fear that their contributions might not get the credit (and budget allocation) that they feel they deserve.

Dear eureka, I would say that the 'clan' could not have developed unless the basic moral guideline of 'don't club others (with no reason) lest they club you' was followed by the majority, by choice. We have come so far as to make it 'law', but it still often gets ignored. Not really 'supernatural', even the 'natural' was incomprehensible, so the 'supernatural' (gods, witches, etc) were a quick and easy substitute for the previously 'unexplained'.

Dear eureka, Absolutely, morality pre-dates religion. (at least, organized religion). "Do unto others" is the foundation of society, back to the days of the cave-man.

Dear August1991, Having children, and raising them in a particular religion, is 99% of how they get new members. We live in a new age where people aren't having children because they needed 'help on the farm'.

from...http://www.globalsecurity.org/intell/libra...51217-voa01.htm A slippery slope indeed, for when rights and freedoms are curtailed in the name of rights and freedoms, you lose a bit of what you are fighting for.

Dear Renegade, It seems that you do not believe in morality at all, just legality, even though you say this; . Or, it seems that you think that 'the scales of justice' only measure when coinage is placed on them. Actually, some companies have been fined, and in at least one case a factory manager was sentenced to 10 years for 'slaving' (I couldn't find a link, but I believe the factory was affiliated with JC Penny, located in SE Asia.) I must plead ignorance as to local conditions in Asia, though they must have done something before multinational corporations took over their resources and land. Perhaps if they unionized, some might make $40,000/yr, and others could start up service businesses, such as daycares, restaurants and the like. Oh, wait. That would mean that they would have to use their military or coerce our government to enslave us, and move all the head offices over there.

Dear Renegade, They would mechanize in a second if it were more profitable. Slavery isn't 'gainful employment', because there isn't any 'gain' at all for the slave. I would suspect that they could do the very same jobs, with better conditions and higher pay, as long as 'slavery' gets outlawed, so the companies can't simply move somewhere else. There is lots of unemployment in the US, some of it amongst blacks in poorer neighbourhoods. Perhaps you can suggest bringing back slavery as a means to 'gainful employment'?

Dear eureka, This is what unfettered capitalism is, and it is much of why I am 'left-wing'. Therefore, morality itself is 'leftist', or at least, to the left of Wally-World and it's ilk. PocketRocket, I love Value Village, and other such stores, which often are operated to help fund charities, etc. (the thrift store in my 'hood raises money for 'education') Plus, some of the 'retro' styles are fantastic!

Dear Renegade, I would rather not risk naming names, but here are a few links...http://www.she-net.com/nosweat/hanessweatshops.htm http://www.aworldconnected.org/article.php/525.html from...http://www.davidicke.net/newsroom/asia/china/111101b.html Some lawsuits have been filed,... http://www.fafo.no/liabilities/part_II-2forc-lab.htm Definitions for 'slavery' can be found on this site also.

Dear newbie, (and sharkman) The Tiananmen Square incident happened in 1989, under Bush, and congress chose to impose sanctions. So, Bush actually rewarded China for crushing democracy and executing the democratic movement leaders. source: The People's Chronology, by James Trager pg 220 (1992) Also in 1989...Russia uses poison gas against demonstators in Georgia...someone we know is facing the death penalty for this sort of thing...

Dear Renegade, Certainly not all Wally-World goods are made by slaves. Some are though, and some celebrities with their own lines of clothing have been accused (and some caught) using sweat-shop/slave labour. There are certain brands of products that I have not bought for decades because of this. Perhaps Wal-Mart should not be held accountable for only selling a few products made from 'stolen labour', but the consumer is ultimately the fuel which enables slavery to continue. Wal-Mart seems to have no qualms about profiting from slavery.

Dear Argus, Good question, and the answer is no. It is similar to buying goods that you know, or suspect, are stolen. You only create a market for stolen goods (or labour). However, it would be important to prove Wally-World was aware of the slavery (very little proof exists, one can get shot or worse for painting China in a bad light while in China).Renegade, Normally, I try to not fall into the 'false dichotomy' trap, but it appears that you are endorsing slavery. This is a position of amorality, and while I agree that it exists (as the base of rights-theory), I think it is something we all are capable of being above.August1991, Don't be so silly. If Mel Brooks helped fund Hollywood's existence by being the executioner, perhaps you'd have a point.

I think there were grounds for Arnie to consider clemency, or else this would be true.Kimmy, The consideration for clemency shouldn't based on what the convict does with his/her own life, but based on what they do for others (that is, their own lives become worth 'zero', but they can have a positive effect on others). I would think that there must be some cases out there that might warrant clemency, or else there is no point in being 'taken alive'. As to the lack of contrition, that might have been a major factor. He claimed innocence, mind you, so being contrite might have also been lying. Another case where this is a factor is the incarceration of Len Pelltier, who also claims to be innocent, (and the FBI was caught coercing testimony, fudging evidence, etc) so it would be disingenuous to be contrite for something you didn't do. As the Chinese gov't says about their policy towards capital punishment, "Executing people educates others".

I have seen and heard of many a bar-fight-cum-brawl because some drunken idiot hurled a racial epithet. Generally, there are two conditions that are also at play...alcohol, and the proximity of a number of friends. Then, everyone joins in, not because they believed or agreed with or were insulted by the epithet, but because they feel the need to defend their 'friend', then friends, then race, etc, so that it eventually does become a 'race riot'. The police should put out a warning, that they will shoot indiscriminantly at rioters, whether they are black or white, yellow or green. If they want to have the rioters 'talk it over' and air their differences, they can round up the survivors and have a parley.

Dear Argus, I read most of it. A difficult read, very repetitive, similar to 'The Holy Bible'. Coudn't get through that one either, but again, I have read most of it. Bikini pictures would help both their sales numbers.

Dear sharkman, Sparhawk is right, in a weird way. Adolf Hitler said, "If you pick up your newspaper in the morning and don't see yourself being attacked by your opposition, you aren't doing a good enough job". It's all about sales. And since sales have been deemed 'the greatest good', how can there be a 'bad way' to achieve them?

Dear cybercoma, Nonsense. Elections are, by law, required to be on a Monday. The main reason for this was so that people didn't go to the polls while drunk. If we made 'voting day' part of a long weekend, full of drunken reverie, we just might end up with the Rhino party, the 'kimmy party' (no offense, kimmy!) or the Marxist-Leninist Party in charge. Besides, Burns is right... If there was any way to prove that an employee took the time off and then did not vote, an employer should have the right to NOT pay the person. Besides, when I voted last time, it took me all of 15-20 min, including the drive from my house, and they were very busy. I disagree with a second day of voting, and I suspect it would make a huge difference with both the votes and the wease...politicians. Even when 'campaigning' is supposed to be over with, I can imagine some 'leak' to the press between the two days, saying 'So-and-so promises a one-time baby bonus cheque of $10,000 (payable to everyone born after 1920) if he manages a 'come from behind victory'..."

Dear scriblett, I realize that certain things may or may not be possible with or without a majority, but the politicians aren't even qualifying their statements with that. Further, as a business owner, I do not have the luxury of doing the same thing, ie; advertising something and then claiming that it wasn't my fault that I wasn't able to deliver...it is against the law.

Dear FTA Lawyer, I was under the impression that 'breach of promise' has been deleted from the books as an offence. There used to be a lot of cases of it regarding 'engagements to be married', but as I hear that the courts will only deal with matters that are 'breach of contract' now. Would a 'class action suit' be possible? (for, say, false advertising?) Some of these 'election promises' are offering specific dollar values, and it would be easier to prove 'demonstrable loss' in these cases, possible even in the case of the Liberal's failure to abolish the GST. scriblett, Then they should not be able to make promises that they cannot keep. It is similar to a car manufacturer saying, "If you buy one of our cars, I promise that our engineers will develop, and equip your car, with a device that will give you 100,000 km/tank of gas".

My wife and I find all of these 'promises' from every party a bit much to swallow, given the fact that 'election promises are made to be broken'. If the politicians see their promises as a 'selling feature', is it not fraudulent if they don't deliver? We are giving them the right to withhold (tax) money from our paycheques for the 'goods and services' promised in exchange, so why shouldn't we have legal recourse if we get swindled?

Dear Argus, From the ashes shall rise the Pheonix...many 'right-wingers' feel that market forces, and not conscious or responsible choices, should dictate our actions and what and how much we produce and use. So, cleaner, safer and more reliable energy should become more available when $100-200 oil hits...While the cause of it, in this case, may be deemed 'artificial', it would be more or less permanent, albeit early. Making the automobile 'a thing of the past' doesn't have to be a bad thing....