ScottSA

I'm afraid there's some conceptual confusion in the above. Claiming the status of "minority" for a segment of society carries with it, in today's lexicon, more connotation than the simple mathematical denotation. It carries a twofold moral weight, making of the alleged "minority" a group in need of protection," and claiming for the group moral righteousness. Criminals, pedophiles, and beastialists are "minorities" as well, but I daresay if one were to substitute any of those terms for 'homosexuals,' your logic wouldn't work very well for most people. Further, you are denoting "women" as a minority. They are not. Finally, you are mixing the concepts of 'individual' and 'group.' One cannot step from one category to the next without destroying the last category visited. Arguments for 'group' status simply don't work within the context of 'individual.' Witness the concepts of 'majority' and minority.' In an individualistic paradigm those divisions have no meaning. The politics of victimization depend upon the recognition of groups...the slideover from "class," which Marxian derivitives demand.

You must have missed the article, not to mention grades 5 through 12. It said that she drew "some" of them to bring attention to the ones that were drawn before. I agree with Argus; she's probably just an attention whore, like the life-destroying feminists and spoiled little brats who cry "rape" when there was no such event, but let's at least pretend a degree of objectivity. If this were some Palestinian, you'd be ready to man the barracades.

You know, you're not the first one to display galloping ignorance and the usual attack of verbal trots, but you do it so loudly and proudly, as if to holler "look at me make an ass of myself!"

This thread sure shows the divisions between the cradle to grave leftists and the individualistic right. I'm sure no one is in any doubt as to where I sit, but just in case: Margrace, what planet do you hail from? "We don't want bullies, we want people in government who care about us." Errrr, no, but it sounds like what "we" (meaning "you") want is a kindly shepherd. The rest of us want an honest politician who does his best to withdraw the tentacles of the state from around our wallets. So far that's what Harper is doing.

Here's a hint: if GW is happening, buy northern real estate. You can get it for glass beads...oops, I mean peanuts. Even Alaskan real estate is cheapie cheapie in resource areas. If global warming is not happening, buy northern real estate; the so-called "green" portfolios will soon be sniffing in that direction. Maybe long term, maybe short, but whichever it is, you or your kids will be very happy. Oh, and PDAE , HYGS , and especially WWAT are stocks to look at for both long and short. I'm personally in WEGI at .07, but it's a hurricane stock that I'll be stuck with till March unless it runs...or unless there's a terrorist attack or another anthrax scare. Needless to say, don't listen to me...what do I know?

Yer gonna be in trouble. This crisis is not going to be confined to the US, by any means; the US is at once the center of it and the economy best able to withstand it. Unless you're in pure oil stocks (and even that is iffy), the third world will fall much more profoundly than the US ever will. The ripples haven't even started yet. That's why I can't understand this notion that China somehow holds the cards because it holds US debt and dollars. If China wants to commit economic suicide, the best way I can imagine is for it to attack the US by dumping greenbacks.

There's nothing more idiotic than assigning moral or legal weight weight to one's ability to go to war. By your own logic, we should only ask those who are actually going to war, and if we did, you'd have overwhelming numbers of votes in favor of it. Remember, these are young men you're talking to. But really, the whole excercise is ridiculous, because in a democracy, a granny has as much legal force as a young man, and quite as much right to call the shots for the armed forces. Would you have it any other way?

Kuzzad: Klein's book was written for people just like you! You know, catering to the ignorant conspiracy minded left, evoking the usual anti-capitalist bigotries and displaying an astounding lack of understanding as to how the real world works. Klein and her acolytes seem to think the world is run by a cabal of evil rat-faced bankers with their collective hand on the handle of a money cranking machine with which they control the destiny of billions... [enter scene] as the wind whips through the castle in eerie gusts, cackles of glee and lust echo from the walls and shrieks of agony resound from the proletarian dungeons below...Bush and his henchmen are seen huddled together on the rush-strewn floor in the flickering light of a dying hearth-fire, peering over the protocals of Zion, stopping every now and then to raise a sinister howl over the demise of another poor widow...

It's only talk, of course, and arguably motivated by political consideration, but he's not far off. In any event, don't buy Wells Fargo stock anytime soon. SAN FRANCISCO — Evoking Depression-era memories, Wells Fargo & Co. President John Stumpf on Thursday became the latest banker to predict continuing difficulties in the U.S. housing market as risky mortgages made to overextended borrowers disintegrate into large loan losses. Speaking at an investment conference in New York, Stumpf said the current real estate conditions are the worst he has experienced during his 30-year career. He then punctuated his gloomy assessment by harking back to the deepest downturn of the 20th century. "We have not seen a nationwide decline in housing like this since the Great Depression," he said. http://www.insidebayarea.com/business/ci_7480194

There are about thirty definitions you have to tack on to that statement, starting with "different" and "education." Being indoctrinated in shamanistic hogswaddle for years and being indoctrinated in the doctrines of "women's studies" or Koranic verse for years are no so very different. If you mean we are different by virtue of compiled knowledge and a shift toward scientific and philosophical inquiry, then sure, we're different in our actions, if not our thoughts. But I would suggest to you that we are moments away, at any given time, from reversion to the barbaric. Having said that, neither of us know the degree to which genetics has changed us.

Smoke a doob and don't worry about it. I think what most people are missing is that this wouldn't even be noticed if the guy hadn't died. It would be one of many such incidents that day, and in fact if most of us heard about him being tazed, we'd agree that he should have been. The cops didn't shoot him or give him a Rodney King, or leave him on the outskirts of Regina in January, they did what cops all over north america do daily. They did the right thing to subdue an out of control individual. The fact that the guy died has no bearing on the rightness or wrongness of their actions. If they are wrong, so are dozens of cops every day all over the world.

I too am a leftist in search of a leftist cause I can believe in...even a little bit. But I do save up beer bottles to throw at the homeless. They like to return them for beer money, you know, so I feel I'm doing my part as an interim measure till I find that elusive leftist cause; one that I can embrace with the same passion as any good leftist; enough to make me throw rationality to the winds and soar into pure emotive bafflegab, tenuous strawmen, and abject universal/particular confusion.

Here's a custom worth bringing to Canada! Bring more immigrants! Yay multicult! http://www.worthyweirdandwacky.com/zone/te...-site-5-page-0/

How about stereotyping all unthinking pro-immigrant lefties who have no real idea whether wee "need" immigrants or not, but knows damned well that immigrants are good because, well, most of them are swarthy, and it would be "racist" not to celebrate diversity an' stuff?

Populations fluctuate all the time, and waves of boomers do too. Just because the current stats show a decline is no reason to run out and import people. Far better to encourage women to start being women again, and get rid of the feminazi myth that there's something wrong with making homes for children.

Immigration is not good for Canada, even if you parrot the mantra 1000 times a day. We are producing a future powder keg. Stop worrying about who is going to take care of you and start worrying about who is going to take care of your kids.

Right. That had to do with racial disharmony...the thing you regularly deny is a threat. Walked into the swamp with that one, eh?

I think it might have something to do with maintaining your ability to spit illiterate fury at it over the internet. You, know, paying for stuff like the streets that you have to go on to buy your computer, and that the power companies use to instal power, telephone, or cable that you're using. Alternatively it might be paying for your welfare while you yowl at the queen. The government certainly isn't doing a very good job of controlling you, is it?

I've actually spent a good part of my life living in 3rd world countries. That's why I know more about Islam than you do.

That's a possibility, but not a very good one. Neither Germany nor Japan reverted to militarism after the US drew down the occupation, nor, for that matter have most conquered areas after occupation. Having a couple thousand more troops in Iraq no more reduces the conflict in and of itself than did Westmoreland's "surge" in Vietnam. Clearly there are other factors at work, including a tendency for the Iraqis themselves to reject the armed opposition of most actors, and the increasing ability of the Iraqi army to maintain control. If what you mean is that Iraq will never be a Jeffersonian democracy, you're probably right, but that was never really within reach anyway.

Who are you talking to, and why does it include a rehash of the early Marx?

Perhaps the day after that we could have a discussion of THC's effects on the math centers of chronic druggies' brains?

This is all pretty simple, really. LAs in the PMO have to prepare what could very loosely be described as "briefs" on everything mailed to the PMO. Sometimes they are categorized and included in bulk notations, and sometimes they are noted as exceptional items. That's their job. These alleged "briefs" are sent daily to the next level of advisor, who decides what. if anything, should be passed on to the PM. I know this, because that used to be my job...not in the PMO, but for the whip. There is absolutely no reason for the PM to have read briefs or anything else about a private lawsuit. There is no reason for an advisor to bother the PM with some lawsuit, which to all appearances is a continuation of a witch hunt after a former PM from damned near 20 years ago. Dion is simply showing his lack of honesty in pretending to be shocked that Harper wasn't all over this. However, when a court document mentions the sitting PM, you'd better believe the advisors are going to start sending this stuff on the the PM. Which is, of course, what happened. And it's hardly surprising that Harper would immediately call an inquiry, because A ) He has nothing to hide, and B ) because he doesn't want to give Dion anything to further garble the English language over.

Not in Africa. Don't be racist.

If lenin was illiterate, this is pretty much what "What is to be done" would have sounded like...