theloniusfleabag

Dear eureka and Canuck E Stan, Thank you, gentlemen. I have just ordered it this am. I used to have most of both series' on VHS, (and 1 full beta!) but haven't seen it for a while. My sister used to be in the law dept for the B.C. Ministry of Finance (she was the one who introduced me to the series) and she could not belive how similar it was to reality (which is scary, since it is mainly farce!)

Dear Argus, Have you ever seen "Yes, Minister"? I am not much one for TV, but that was my favourite show of all time. If you haven't seen it, I urge you to somehow try. I have been searching for a 'boxed set' for some time, and I'd pay dearly to have it.

Dear Black Dog, Urban sprawl is very similar to the spread of cancer. Not that I am equating humans to cancer, but their behaviour (through choice) is very similar. It takes hold in one location, and grows, killing that part of the 'host'. (There is a sat-map of the city in the Calgary airport that illustrates this quite well.) Eventually, it can kill the host if untreated und unchecked.

Dear mirror, If 'Intelligent Design' is taught in school, it should only be in Religious Studies or perhaps Philosophy. To claim 'A big magic fairy did it' is not science. If ID schooling is going to cost the loss of logic and common sense, it can't be correct. There is ample evidence of evolution, not one shred for ID. Irreducible complexity is only held by those with no grasp of what an epoch is.

Dear Black Dog, B. Max is either flame posting or retarded. Normally, I do not say things like this, but I wouldn't waste too much more time attempting conversion to the logical side of life.

Dear Argus, It's been tried. The book I recommended, "Intifada", deals with a lot of how the 'peaceful protests' turned into violent protests, and there is certainly fault on both sides for it.

Dear B. Max, Actually, more likely. A poor chicken farmer from the outskirts of Bangkok is less likely to travel to Edmonton to Ottawa than a middle-class Canadian (of european ancestry). Well, I guess if you are espousing a racial hatred website, and claim to be 'right wing' (and of the 'religious variety', no less) it could be said that we have documented fact that all 'right wingers' are religious wacko white supremacists....However, most people are above that. Way above.

Dear Black Dog, No shit, that website is revolting. If the left is accused of 'playing the race card', at least we welcome 'spades' in our deck. Those that reference sites like that haven't got a full deck.

Dear Argus, If some people can't play nice with their religions, they have to be taken away. I expect you are right, though some form of 'willing arbitration', (just not legally binding) can still occur, and be facilitated by one's church. As for me, I belong to "The Church of Shit Happens". (My diocese is 'Our Lady Of Perpetual Cynicism')

Dear Montgomery Burns, True. It would be a tremendous boost to US morale, though, as long as he is executed before he is allowed to speak. Wrong. Where did you hear this? Wrong on both counts, unless you are claiming that putting US troops into any country in the ME would have attracted the 'Islamofascists' ( like 'moths to a light', which would not be entirely incorrect).Dear mirror, Yes, there has been credible (according to CIA, and other, analysts) reports of recent Osama tapes and statements.

Dear Montgomery Burns, That is because what you claim is not true. Clinton tried to address the pitfalls of deficit spending, while Bush has followed Reagan's footsteps, 'print more money, don't worry about debt, foreign investment will keep the dollar floating, and will keep people believing that the Emperor is wearing Clothes'.

Dear B. Max, Very well, it seems your wont to discount modern science, universities, et al.....you just keep believing in Worldnetdaily, the Enquirer, etc., to keep tabs of the 'fringe account of today's history', but don't be surprised when you get left behind by the rest of us.

Dear August1991, An excellent point. I have, to date, been asked to specify which school syatem I support, 'public or seperate', at census time. I was, however naively, led to believe that my answer to this question was going to dictate which 'school system' my taxes (or educational portion thereof) would fund. Perhaps, as this Dalton McGuinty thread indicates, we have entered a new phase of 'secularism'.

Dear mirror, I agree, if it is to be fair, it must be universal.

Dear Montgomery Burns, This website is garbage, they can't even spell. Some credible links, please. Perhaps the 9/11 commission report? The CIA? Saddam himself? They also repeatedly hurled unfounded accusations, later found to be lies.

Dear apollo19, Indeed, a large chunk of the bible is devoted to Mr. and Mrs. Whombegot. However, I must take this opportunity to lump atheism in with 'deism'. It is the placing of faith in an answer which you don't have.

Dear Montgomery Burns, Again, I stand corrected. I googled 'palestinian population' and it was one of the few sites with hard numbers that came up, and I didn't paste the link, just typed it quickly (and obviously erroneously). I don't expect too much else but one-sided bias from 90% of news, internet etc. anyway, especially with the word 'Intifada' in the name. Mind you, there is a great book by Ze'ef Schiff and Ehud Ya'ari called "Intifada" which is well worth a read. Very pragmatic, a stellar bit from 'Israel's two top reporters'. I only wished to reference the numbers.

Dear Melanie, Well said. I am not quite so polite, for I call the bible 'the writings of primitives', and their concept of the universe was probably even less cognitive and astute than the average grade 5 retarded kid (pardon me, 'differently-abled' kid) of today. Not that great writings, art etc. wasn't created then, but a few millenia ago (when the 'wandering Jews' penned the 'bible', or at least the first few books, which became the Torah, while on the road) people still 'quaked' at the 'signs of an angry God' and offered sacrifices of appeasement. Mind you, the Jews were advanced enough to abolish human sacrifice and replace it with that of rams. Then, after placing all their sins (read: blame) on the sacrifice, they pushed it over a cliff...the origin of the term 'scapegoat'.

Dear Sparhawk, Fair enough, I understand your argument of 'not being responsible for the minutia'. However, let's look at the overall scheme. I don't believe that a junior staffer would have taken it upn themselves to 'award kickbacks and largesse' (if I may use the such a simplification) to Quebec advertising firms, (which were 'kicking back moneyy to the federal party)ostensibly to promote 'Canadian Unity' to the tune of some hundred million dollars on their own accord. It is also indicative of a certain problem inherent in tax-funded gov't...no one is held accountable for losses or 'mishandling of funds' the same way as they would in private enterprise. If Martin were the CFO of a private company, and his 'junior accountants' spent (or gave away) the company's money as they wished, they all would have been cleaned out, and it wouldn't have made the news (unless it bankrupted the company).

Dear August1991, The 'Gang of Four" was purged, rather than overthrown. Deng wasn't well liked by anyone, so he can't really be seen as riding a 'white charger'. As to 'keeping things in perspective', China is gearing up as much economically as they are militarily, and is the only country that seems to be looking to challenge Bush's assertation (before congress) that 'no one will be EVER allowed to rival, or even come close, to the military superiority if the USA.

Dear August1991, Of course not, and it is not 'that simple case' here. Why didn't we think of that before!? We could have had Hitler and Stalin still with us! (Well, longer, anyway) Seriously, is the best way to end slavery to continue trading with the slaver? Never. Is it possible that continued trade might one day end the slavery? Maybe. To say, "Well, we'll just have to wait untill they enlighten themselves, the labour costs are just too good to be true!", is to grant approval. As I had argued with Hugo, 'granting rights' is solely at the whim of the holder of power. If the poor apple farmer is not 'granted basic human rights' from his overseers, how is failing to act on injustice any better?

Dear err, Believe it or not, China is much worse. Where do you think all the slave-labour is kept, to help fatten the 'golden calf' of America? China is far, far worse (mostly at home, mind you) than the USA for death and violations of Human Rights.

Dear Shady, It is intersting to note that both Muslims and Jews both deride Christians as 'Idol Worshippers'. Jews are forbidden to enter 'unholy Christian sites' such as churches, except in extremely rare circumstances, for example.

Dear Montgomery Burns, I stand corrected. This bit is taken from www.factsofisrael.com However, another site (electronicintifada.com) puts the population numbers at... So those 'Palestinians' under occupation don't get to vote...of course, it would be foolhardy for Israel to let them, or to grant them citizenship, lest Israel have to abandon democracy.

Dear Montgomery Burns, I have and have read the book, if someone on the commission thought the info was erroneous, they should have said so at the time. What you have provided is an accusation, not proof, especially when it uses terms like "may well have been".