Montgomery Burns

Thankfully I remembered bookmarking Britain’s own Home Office from a while back when another LLL like Eureka tried the same tactic of intellectual dishonesty regarding disarming law-abiding citizens. Page 10: UK homicide rates from 1997 to 2001 went up 19%. US homicide rates from 1997 to 2001 went down 12%. Page 12: UK violent crime rates went up 26%. US violent crime rates went down 12%. Page 13: UK robbery rate went up 92%. US robbery rate went down 15%. Britain Home Office Criminal Justice Statistics My reason for including the US is because during this time, while Britain had outlawed private ownership of firearms, about 35 million additional civilian firearms were sold in the US. Eureka should pay me for all the education I give him.

Leftist anti-war rally gains pace in New York City on September 19, 2001 And the majority of troops and nation builders in Iraq are American. But I'm not terribly surprised that you would try to take credit away from the US and President Bush...

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Election officials claim that 80 to 85% of the 12 million registered voters voted. Can anyone doubt that democracy has taken root in Afghanistan, and that its appeal truly crosses all cultural and economic lines? Contrast these numbers with the mediocore response to the rigged Egyptian election, which only attracted less than 20% of eligible voters. People know the difference. The anti-war left (who held an anti-war protest 11 days after 9-11) are proven wrong again.

McQueen, check out this tabulation of UN actions critical of the human rights policies of member states. Guess which country has been criticized more than any other from 2003 to the present? Okay, that was too easy. How about this one: What country has been criticized more often than such bastions of human rights as Myanmar, Indonesia, China, Russia, Haiti, Iran, Egypt, Pakistan, Somalia, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, Zimbabwe, Rwanda, Syria, Cuba, and - believe it or not - North Korea?

In another stunning victory for President Bush’s policy of confronting weapons expanders, North Korea has caved in to demands that it give up its nuclear weapons and the nuclear program which created them. In a last-minute reversal, as the US threatened to walk away from the latest round of 6-party talks between North Korea, South Korea, the US, Japan, Russia and China, North Korean negotiators agreed to sign an agreement "promising to drop all nuclear weapons and current nuclear programs, and to get back to the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) as soon as possible." The NPT allows UN inspectors to return to NK and its nuclear sites. In return, the US said it has no nuclear weapons in South Korea and "has no intention to attack or invade North Korea." Kim was faced with a simple choice - Saddam or Qaddafi? Would he give in to US disarmament demands as did Libyan terrorist dictator Qaddafi, and accept US non-aggression guarantees, or would he end up like his socialist soul-mate Saddam Hussein - cornered in a rat hole by the US 4th Infantry? This turn of events sharply increases the pressure on Iran. They are now the lone holdout of the original "axis of evil" countries. Holding fast to their nuclear program, they are faced by US forces on two borders – Afghanistan and Iraq. Having refused to bow to European negotiators, Iran is about to be referred to the UN Security Council for sanctions. The chance for a peaceful surrender of Iran’s dangerous nuclear ambitions has never been greater. Bill Clinton engaged NK in bilateral talks in 1994 agreeing the US would supply NK with nuclear power plants and energy in exchange for NK’s agreement to dismantle its nuclear weapons program over a 10 year period. NK did not honor the agreement. When Bush took office in 2001 he reversed this policy of appeasement and stared down the Stalinist Kim for 2 years. Finally, his country falling apart around him, Kim agreed to US demands for 6–party talks which have now led to the new nuclear disarmament agreement. During the Presidential debates, John Kerry called for a return to the failed Clinton-era NK policy. Fortunately Kerry was defeated on November 2, and with him went Kim’s hope for a US capitulation. In February 2005, Kim made a last ditch effort to intimidate Bush, announcing he had built several nuclear bombs and was withdrawing from the 6-party talks. Democrats hammered Bush for refusing to bow to North Korea’s demand for bilateral talks. Now, 7 months later, it is Kim who has capitulated. This clearly shows that the road to peace is through strength and resolve. The road to war is through appeasement of dictators and terrorists.

I agree with your statement that many gov't workers are 'hard workers', as I know several. This statement, though, I disagree with. It is not because they are gov't employees, though, but because they are unionized employees. I had, some time ago, applied for a job with a 'national railway company', which was a union job. They asked the strangest questions at the interview...for example, "What would you do if a fellow employee said "slow down, you are working too fast and making the rest of us look bad...." (followed by a multiple choice of: slow down, ignore them, rat on them...(in fact, a lot of the questions had the same choices for the answers) A long-time friend of mine once had a job with the old ALCB back in the 80's. There was no work for him to do one day, so they put him in the bottle depot to give him some hours...the person he was working with told him several times, "Slow down, we have to make this last all day" and, of course they could not be fired for being 'slow', and were making, as union employees, on loan from another, higher paying department, more than double what a regular 'bottle sorter' would make. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I know a guy who works in an unionized grocery warehouse. You are expected to pick about 1000 pieces per day. However one guy - a slacker - only picks about half that amount. My friend tells me that they have one employee who is slightly disabled (apparently one of his hands is gimped, excuse my un-PCness) and he picks about 700 to 750 pieces a day, i.e., he pulls his weight for a guy with a disability. However, Mr. 500 Pieces Per Day cannot be fired because the union protects him. It's unfair to the company when something like this happens.

I have seen figures that show that govt is growing far greater proportionately than the population growth. There are many good hard-working govt workers, but there are also many slackers who are protected by their union. And the monopoly nature of govt makes them inefficient since they have no competition. I have a friend who works for the feds and she said they always take 30 to 40 minute coffee breaks. When I asked her what her supervisor says about that, she replied that the supervisor is right there with her and the rest of the dept. They also take 45 to 60 minutes (instead of 30 mins) for lunch each day. Assuming that the entire dept does this, it is a gross waste of taxpayer money as my friend makes a good salary and has good benefits. It is a reasonable assumption that each person in that dept slacks off 1 hour per day on the taxpayer's dime. That would never fly in the private sector.

I'm sorry, I didn't mean that! (and that applies to ANYTHING that I ever said that bugs you) Please don't have me banned. PLeeease! <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I think you have me confused with Cartman. He is the one who wants people punted for pointing out bad behaviour about liberals, and for using words like socialist, etc.

Angela Merkel wins narrowly, but Schroeder refuses to concede Good grief. I hope this doesn't turn into the Florida fiasco of 2000 where Gore refused to concede and tried to steal the election. I'm glad Schroeder lost. It was disgusting when his party released a campaign poster featuring the flag-draped coffins of fallen American soldiers, with a caption reading "She would have sent soldiers," - a reference to Angela Merkel, who was a supporter of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Some would love to see me "punted" from here, as one so eloquently put it, so they continue to hurl the word n*gger to their little heart's content. One might almost be led to believe that the ultra-lefties here don’t want their saintly message to become polluted with dissent, but that would be completely out of line. We all know, after all, that the far-left is the only part of the population that takes dissent seriously, as opposed to ChimpyMcBusHitlerHalliburton™ and his Digital Brownshirts™, right? “Freedom of speech for me, but not for thee!” -- The Marxist Mantra

Poverty can't be fixed by the govt: Most poverty isn't caused by storms. Or even bad luck. Most poverty is caused by poor decision-making. Having children out of wedlock, abusing drugs and alcohol, or putting personal pleasure above responsible action are problems much too personal to be cured by politicians and bureaucrats. Or by more money, either. Many of us have been poor at one time or another. But those truly stuck in poverty are usually suffering from a lack of character, something no government can provide. Except perhaps by tough love. What's that? It's the love that dares not reward or excuse bad behavior, that does not blame productive people for the poverty of those who refuse to produce, and that steps back and lets human nature do its work. People have survived on the planet a long time, even before government programs to battle poverty. One of America's (Canada's) biggest causes of poverty is fatherlessness. It is a problem that our society can discourage, but government can do little to solve. A government check certainly doesn't create a father. ...People's actions can be subsidized or taxed, they can preached at or ignored, but these choices cannot be legislated and the consequences of poor choices — namely poverty — cannot be solved by bureaucrats or politicians.

Station in liberal California struggles to sell ads for Air America Commercial business? Sounds like that evil capitalism. Why not just raise taxes and get the public to fund something they don't want to listen to? This is all so bewildering. Finally…FINALLY…America has a liberal voice in the media. People should be flocking to it, after having to put up with conservative media like The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Village Voice, The LA Times, Vanity Fair, Time, Newsweek, CBS, ABC, NBC, CNN, MSNBC, PBS, NPR, etc. I figured they’d have no problems selling ads because the American people were starving for liberal news coverage. But apparently they’re not selling a lot of ads - even in liberal California. Apparently their liberal target audience likes to talk a lot about how they want to hear liberal commentary on the radio, but when push comes to shove, they’re tuning in Rush Limbaugh and trying to get past his call screener so they can get on the air and call him a drug-addicted big fatass. And advertisers…those evil greedy corporations...refuse to buy ads unless they think people will actually hear them and buy their products! That's what’s wrong with America. Everybody wants to make a profit. Nobody is willing to do stuff just because it’s the right thing to do! I mean, okay, so you buy ads on Air America, and nobody buys your product. So what? At least people get to hear Al Franken connect the dots. You know. George Bush’s grandfather owned stock in companies that owned stock in companies in Nazi Germany, George Bush is the President, George Bush has friends in the oil business, therefore the election was rigged by Texas oil people so Bush would start a war in Iraq, take the oil, and use the money to start his own Nazi regime where a retarded 12 y/o raped by her Republican father can’t even have a partial-birth abortion! That’s what the Republicans are all about. Nazi Halliburton incest oil rape. And Al Franken is out there on the front lines every day, connecting the dots, which is hard, because some of the dots are really far apart. And some - I’ll be honest - some he has to make up, because they aren’t really there. But that’s okay, because falsified information is acceptable, as long as the final story is accurate. Just ask Dan Rather.

I found the video tape of Arianna Huffington and Victor Davis Hanson debating. War and Empire: the Debate. VDH vs Arianna Huffington

Congratulations Afghanistan. I see the turnout was well. I apologize for the Western far-left doing everything in their power to see you from becoming free and being able to have elections. And congratulations to the Afghani women on voting. Your days of being stoned to death in soccer stadiums are over.

1. No one asked the U.S. to liberate anyone. In fact, the UN explicitly forbade it. Therefore, the U.S. has been involved in an ILLEGAL and UNPREEMPTED war for years, not only costing the American citizens money, but the whole world. 2. Osama bin Laden has NOT BEEN CAUGHT YET. Why? Because the U.S. is too incompentent to find him 3. Lebannon was NOT occupied by Syria. And when the Syrians living in the south of Lebannon did decide to leave, it was not at the hands of the Americans. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> 1. Enforcing the broken ceasefire is NOT ILLEGAL. And the UN is not just Russia, China, and France - who were all owed billions by Iraq from all the arms they sold Saddam. 2. So what? What are you saying? That as soon as Osama is caught, the War on Terror is immediately over? 3. Lebanon WAS occupied by Syria and Syria left partially because of the pressure put on them by the US being next door to their country. Are you George Galloway?

Well, they've instituted a GREAT colour scheme; "Orange Alert", "Yellow Alert" etc. This allows the powers-that-be to throw a good scare into the American public whenever it suits their needs. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Because there are no terrorists. None. Just ask Michael Moore.

Islamic butchers? Exuse me, but last time I checked, the Israelites had the people of Palestine in prison conditions, didn't allow them to live on THEIR land, and killed them without remorse or reason. So you can kaibosh that idea you ignorant redneck. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> What is this country called Palestine you speak of? I cannot find it on a map. Your silence about the butchery of the death cult of displaced Arabs from Jordan is telling... Btw, I believe calling someone an "ignorant redneck" is called flaming.

PocketRocket: What are you saying? The British are going to fight the US again, just like the War of 1812?

Anyone to the right of Joseph Stalin is a far far rightwinger in Argus World. In Argus World, you can accuse Bush of hating n*ggers, you can accuse him of being a cokehead, you can accuse him of using Daddy to get out of Vietnam - even though Bush volunteered to go to Vietnam - but you can be silent about Dear Leader's admitted draft-dodging and lying under oath, because Dear Leader is not president anymore. He's off limits now! You can blast Bush for not going against the US Constitution (Posse Comitarus Act) and bypassing the Constitution. If you have Bush Derangement Syndrome, you too can blame Bush for going by the Constitution and not micromanaging every single city, town, and villlage in the country. And you cannot question why Super Duper War Hero Kerry said he would release his military records, but refuses to do so. So what if Kerry made his 4 months in Vietnam the centerpiece of his campaign! He's not president, so he is off limits! Remember this and you can understand Argus World.

The Liberal Party is now rightwing? The Liberal Party of abortion at any time during pregnancy (all on the taxpayer's dime), gay marriage, anti-Americanism, prostitution, pot-smoking, liberal-leftist fundamentalism, social programs, more social programs, more social programs, anti-religiosity, anti-family, the culture of death, and not being a white man if at all possible is, according to some of this thread, a rightwing party. Just another example of that leftwing tolerance.

I'm not surprised. The recent chairman of the CBC board resigned to go run for the Liberal Party in BC, and the Liberal Party goes to the CBC when they need a new Governor General.

PocketRocket: Oh, of course not. They're always fair and balanced. Just ask the chairman of the board who recently resigned to run for the BC Liberal Party. Thank you. But I think I will pass on the CBC's Governor General Award. Ahh, yes. Those socialists and their noted "non-violence". I name 4 people off the top of my head and it adds up to 3 people in your mind. Let me guess. Math isn't your strong suit. I believe Freud called this projection. Those poor innocent abortion doctors bravely murdering innocent babies... Or perhaps they were just chicken. Oh, if only they could go back to their cocoon and not have to face the real world and consequences for your actions. Apparently the "I'm not really left" Pocket Rocket considers this honest journalism: Striking CBC workers show their commitment to honest journalism at cbcunclocked web site Btw, I have a doctor's appointment downtown tomorrow. I think I will go visit the CBC strikers again.

Did you hear when Galloway brought up the treatment of American Indians when the Europeans first came to America? I'm still trying to figure out how that ties into the 2003 Iraq War. Did you hear when those radicals shouted "NO" when Hitchens asked for a moment of silence for the 150 innocent Iraqis who had been killed by terrorist bombs that day? The far left is scary. Their hatred for freedom, their lust for totalitarianism, and their contempt for the Iraqis trying to build a democracy is truly frightening. I listened to the Hitchens/Galloway debate, but I missed the Huffington/VDH debate. I went to the university's website but the clip wouldn't play. Do you know of any place else it is available on the net? C-Span is only playing Galloway/Hitchens; I see nothing about Huffington/VDH on their site.

Thank you for the laugh of the week. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I'm always happy to educate you. Bush volunteered to go to Vietnam, but only had a bit over 300 flight hours and needed 500 hours