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epepke · 19th September 2004, 11:03 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Ziggurat
You're not looking at the right metrics, then (and I don't mean the statistics are wrong). Terrorism risks more than killing people. It damages the most critical element of any society, the trust and faith that people have in the system. 9/11 didn't just kill 3000 people, it paralyzed a nation.

That's why I advocate not getting all reactionary about terrorism. We've all heard ad infinitum about the Bush reaction, but remember how when Bush had the unmitigated audacity to suggest that people go about their business, the left all went, "hyulk, hyulk, chimp so stoopid, chimp so bad."

19th September 2004, 01:09 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by BPSCG
You're almost a quarter mile behind the guy in front of you? That's hardly what I would call "keeping pace".

ARRR!!!

At highway speeds? That's just a comfortable buffer.

If I were to "catch up" to the point where I was tailgating, it would save about 15 seconds, and make everyone less safe.

And every time someone does pass, they only end up tailgating the guy I was pacing. Without exception. Even when they pass that guy, most of the time, I end up catching up when he reaches the EVEN SLOWER traffic ahead.

Of course, the passing idiot takes multiple mortal risks around blind mountain curves at high speeds while they're at it. I've seen many fatalities, including someone who was going 90+ in the middle of the night, slammed into trees, and crawled out of his vigorously burning car, and roasted to crispy-critter status on the highway that I had to block traffic for and monitor the spread of fire. Probably killed 'instantly'. I wasn't there to see the impact, which happened several minutes before I arrived.

19th September 2004, 01:36 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Skeptic
Evildave wrote:

You're right so-called Skeptic, I am not the owner of this forum, and neither are you.

That's quite right, Evildave, quite right.

The difference, however, is that I do not try to tell you what to post in this forum, partially out of general respect for free speech, and partially because I know I am not its owner. (Duh.)

You're the guy who tries to tell other people what to post and not to post, and "demands" apologies and retractions of things you don't like. You're the man who thinks he somehow has the "right" to "enforce civility" in the forum by telling people what to write.

I tell no one what to write, but if you insist that 'standards' do not apply, then I shall happily treat you as you seem to want to be treated.

Quote:

("You will apologize for this, and sincerely"-- BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That was a good one. Almost as funny as your suggestion to "solve" terrorism by giving Al Quaeda the world's most powerful radio station--with the west footing the bill, too...)

And by the way, you're a liar, too. I wouldn't normally flat out call someone a liar, and I would normally attrinute this sort of idiocy to your poor reading and comprehension skills, but to be perfectly fair to your so-called 'intelligence', you're simply a lying piece of human excrement.

You obviously don't have the slightest bit of critical thinking or introspection in you at all, except for that minimum amount of canniness that habitual liars develop to sense how far they can distort whatever it is that passes for 'truth' in their little minds. Being as intellectually dishonest as you are, and displaying the utter lack of integrity that you do, your every statement is an amusement, just like the Iraqi news guy who claimed there were 'no troops in Baghdad'. That's what truth is to you.

But hey, what should anyone expect from someone who gets his standards of truth from Joseph Goebbels, and about as laughable as that Iraqi TV guy.

Quote:

Get it? It's not my forum, so I don't try to shut people up... and it isn't your forum, but you still try to shut people up. That's the difference between us: I'm not a wannabe censor, and you are.

P.S.

By the way, the moderators are still ignoring your complaints. How dare they ignore a flame war on the "Politics and Current Events" section of the forum! Sure, they own the forum, but such capitalistic nonsense cannot overrule the "fact" that you have determined the will of "most people" in this forum is that I shut up after apologizing to you.

Oh, the opressions of the capitalist system, when the owner actually gets to decide how to use his property instead of the self-important, self-elected "champion of the people"...

Thank you for clearing up what 'community standards' means in this forum.

You know 'skeptic', it's fine that the mods ignored the complaints. That just means I *can* call you a nazi, and it's A-OK. I can tell you your parents must have been crack-heads to raise someone as poorly as they have obviously raised you, though I suspect that would be giving them a lot of credit they don't deserve. After all just turning their child loose to be raised by television is hardly an upbringing.

Of course, your upbringing may have been deliberate, since beating you and locking you in cages, to roll in your own excrement as a child, and then lying about it when the teachers and police asked about the bruises and lesions must have been "just growing up" to you, so any such treatment of prisoners by the USA would seem like tender, motherly love from your perspective. What a sad childhood you must have suffered through.

I think we've definitely hit a milestone here.

Skeptic · 19th September 2004, 04:02 PM

You know 'skeptic', it's fine that the mods ignored the complaints. That just means I *can* call you a nazi, and it's A-OK. I can tell you your parents must have been crack-heads to raise someone as poorly as they have obviously raised you, though I suspect that would be giving them a lot of credit they don't deserve. After all just turning their child loose to be raised by television is hardly an upbringing.

Yup, you can. And guess what--unlike your whining, crybaby, I'm-taking-the-ball-and-going-home @$$, I will NOT complain to the moderators about you! Go ahead, knock yourself out--say anything you want against me. Impress everybody in this forum with your coolness and politeness under pressure.

Oh, and since you brought up my "upbringing", you do know that old definition of someone with a good upbringing is seen in their ability to act with grace in adversary? Your torrent of foul-mouthed abuse sure shows somebody's upbringing left room for improvement, but it wasn't mine...

Yes indeed, Evildave, you are the "progressive" par excellence--you're all for freedom of speech, "sensitivity training" to understand "the other", etc., etc. ... until someone gores your Ox (it's in the bible, look it up). Then, it's, first, pathetic attempts at censorship and intimidation ("You will apologize for this!"), and, when that doesn't work, torrents of foul-mouthed abuse.

19th September 2004, 05:20 PM

So says the very model of a mindless dittohead.

Skeptic · 20th September 2004, 04:56 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by evildave
So says the very model of a mindless dittohead.

I repeat:

"and when that doesn't work, torrents of foul-mouthed abuse."

20th September 2004, 01:28 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Skeptic
I repeat:

"and when that doesn't work, torrents of foul-mouthed abuse."

Actually, you seem to take a little short-cut to it as your very first response to any posting.

But I'm sure for a mouth as foul as yours, and a mind as small, that's to be expected.

20th September 2004, 02:55 PM

Then of course, there is the American tradition of 'going postal' (AKA 'Killing Sprees')

Got a grudge & a gun? Make 'em pay!

Killing sprees are a staple of American tradition. Someone blows a fuse or shorts out a circuit in their brain, and just starts killing people. We in America tend to get one or two such stories every year, and cherish them.

At the office, at McDonald's, on a train, at school, on a tower. A grand old American tradition.

epepke · 20th September 2004, 03:18 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by thaiboxerken
I wouldn't say that there is a single, American culture, but several smaller ones. I think that we're very close to having a cultural civil war in the USA.

I agree with that statement, at least the first part. It would be interesting if this were a discussion about American culture rather than a place for Evildave to get ticked off at other people because nobody is as reflexively defensive as they are about Islamic culture.

I don't agree that we're going to have a cultural civil war, because nobody cares. Nobody thinks it odd if an Irish immigrant wearing Native American jewelry plays the blues while drinking German beer and eating Blue Crab tacos with Cajun seasoning in a flour tortilla.

21st September 2004, 02:10 PM

'Reflexively ticked off", eh? It had been a discussion before the personal attacks and whining from 'skeptic' started up.

epepke · 21st September 2004, 02:20 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by evildave
'Reflexively ticked off", eh? It had been a discussion before the personal attacks and whining from 'skeptic' started up.

Of course, that's a misquote, but yeah, nobody has gotten reflexiively defensive on this thread. With the possible exception of Skeptic. As compared to threads on condemning Muslim culture, in which people do get reflexively defensive.

Which is the point I alluded to earlier, but I still don't expect you to get it.

21st September 2004, 02:41 PM

And what of our so-called hatred of socialism, yet our embracement of NASA, and government funded space exploration? For some reason it was OK to take on massive socialised space development by a government owned company that made it *impossible* for any civilian owned corporation to compete for the same sort of work for decades?

The federal government had extremely deep pockets, padded by taxpayers and federally enforced accumulation of debt to pay for all those toys.

We became socialist to fight communists because they were socialists.

Of course, never mind the wars we fight and the governments we topple and the dictators we support and the wars we cause in the name of our government supporting businesses. Getting rid of individual welfare was a very good idea (giving free money to people for being bums was a bad idea to begin with) We still have corporate welfare, and for some reason it's OK for the government to coddle and support businesses that lobby for money or outright force to 'compete'. What sort of weak, lame businesses will such dependence on government help breed?

Of course, on the opposite extreme, we've dropped import tarrifs and such that makes moving American industries overseas (where they are at far greater risk of being 'socialised' (i.e. just taken over by a foreign government, as happened to the oil industry in the 60's and 70's) or lost to foreign conflicts).

In other words, the Federal Government has committed its self to protecting and running everybody's business interests "for them". A bit like underwriting insurance for people who build in a flood plain or on coastlines annually threatened by hurricane storm surges.

Everything is the government's business. We're pretty much already the Socialist States of America, soon to become the Holy Socialist States of Jesus, if the religious right could have their way.

Cleon · 21st September 2004, 02:45 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by evildave
And what of our so-called hatred of socialism, yet our embracement of NASA, and government funded space exploration? For some reason it was OK to take on massive socialised space development by a government owned company that made it *impossible* for any civilian owned corporation to compete for the same sort of work for decades?

I think that's a bit of an overreaction. NASA began as, and in many ways still is, a military project. Its transition to a more "science for the sake of science" standpoint is relatively recent.

Besides, it's not like space isn't being opened up to the private world. Yeah, it's a slow process, but it took a while for NASA to get going, too.

BPSCG · 21st September 2004, 03:01 PM

I'd like to make a motion that this thread be renamed, "evildave's Nonstop Rant Against Everything American".

Are there any seconds?

epepke · 21st September 2004, 03:13 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by BPSCG
I'd like to make a motion that this thread be renamed, "evildave's Nonstop Rant Against Everything American".

Are there any seconds?

But then we'd have to rename far more threads.

21st September 2004, 03:43 PM

Funny thing how a Muslims Self-Criticism should be lauded, while American Self-Criticism should not. Introspection is such a bad thing in American culture.

"Slurp down a big gulp with your BSE burger and shut up!" - That appears to be what American discourse has become. Don't be critical of our Fearless Leaders. It can't be tolerated (especially when they're such incompetant tools).

Don't examine how you live your life in any way, or look for a way that things could be done better, because we're #1!

Naturally we'll always be '#1', even if we're only the #1 best place in the septic tank our world becomes.

Don't expect to strive to be anything better than we ever once were. We went to the moon first, and old successes are all that matter, not the future... maybe because 'Jesus will come' and 'make everything better' any day now. Just you wait and see!

And naturally, whatever we do to stay '#1' is A-OK, even if it compromises every principle we ever stood for.

epepke · 21st September 2004, 09:48 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by evildave
Funny thing how a Muslims Self-Criticism should be lauded, while American Self-Criticism should not. Introspection is such a bad thing in American culture.

As I pointed out earlier, more than once, nobody has reflexively defended American culture. Skeptic only pointed out that you're being a jerk. As frustrating as it may possibly seem to you, nobody has presented American culture as sacrosanct or declared that it may not be criticized.

Quote:

"Slurp down a big gulp with your BSE burger and shut up!" - That appears to be what American discourse has become. Don't be critical of our Fearless Leaders. It can't be tolerated (especially when they're such incompetant tools).

You're talking to yourself, evildave. If you scarf the burger, it's because you with your own hand picked it up and stuffed it into your face. Whatever it is you think you are exorcising, it isn't from the other people in this thread.

22nd September 2004, 12:32 AM

Well, it could be that people have simply be implicitly agreed that American Culture is not all it's cracked up to be.

Nobody reflexively defends American Culture because there isn't any such thing to defend. What passes for 'culture' in America is simply marketing and consumer psychology.

Skeptic · 22nd September 2004, 10:40 AM

epepke wrote:

You're talking to yourself, Evildave

evildave replies:

Well, it could be that people have simply be implicitly agreed that American Culture is not all it's cracked up to be.

Yes, that must be it. When nobody wants to talk to you anymore, and everybody is ignoring you, it means they all "implicitly agreed" with your views.

Keep telling yourself that.

BPSCG · 22nd September 2004, 11:48 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by evildave
Well, it could be that people have simply be implicitly agreed that American Culture is not all it's cracked up to be.

I don't remember agreeing to anything of the kind. Actually, I'm not sure I even understand what you're trying to say here - try reading that sentence aloud and see if W doesn't sound like an orator by comparison.

BPSCG · 22nd September 2004, 11:53 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Skeptic
Yes, that must be it. When nobody wants to talk to you anymore, and everybody is ignoring you, it means they all "implicitly agreed" with your views.

Keep telling yourself that.

I'd have him on "ignore", but lately his rants have been getting so bizarre that I can't resist staring.

Kinda like the day I was riding the subway and looked up to see a three-headed goat standing in the middle of the car...

...okay, I made that last part up...

22nd September 2004, 02:02 PM

Well, it's just with spokesmen for American culture like 'skeptic' and now you BPSCG, it simply makes it apparent there's not much of merit left to discuss here, as has been pointed out, most of the participants have wandered off by about the third page of the thread.

Maybe a new topic:

America's Positive Contributions To The World

There, we can discuss happy things America has done.

Skeptic · 22nd September 2004, 02:17 PM

Well, it's just with spokesmen for American culture like 'skeptic' and now you BPSCG, it simply makes it apparent there's not much of merit left to discuss here

Of course there isn't. Nothing could POSSIBLY be of merit if it disagrees with your views, after all. Since we keep disagreeing with you, it means there is no merit to our views.

You keep meeting a lot of people that don't have a lot of merit in their views lately, aren't you?

Maybe a new topic:

America's Positive Contributions To The World

There, we can discuss happy things America has done.

Yet another page in evil "weirdo" dave's continuing saga: "disagree with me again and I'll... and I'll... start another thread bashing the USA!!!".

Go ahead, knock yourself out.

19th September 2004, 11:03 AM	#121
epepke Philosopher Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 7,953	Quote: Originally posted by Ziggurat You're not looking at the right metrics, then (and I don't mean the statistics are wrong). Terrorism risks more than killing people. It damages the most critical element of any society, the trust and faith that people have in the system. 9/11 didn't just kill 3000 people, it paralyzed a nation. That's why I advocate not getting all reactionary about terrorism. We've all heard ad infinitum about the Bush reaction, but remember how when Bush had the unmitigated audacity to suggest that people go about their business, the left all went, "hyulk, hyulk, chimp so stoopid, chimp so bad."
epepke Philosopher Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 7,953

19th September 2004, 01:09 PM	#122
evildave Guest Posts: n/a	Quote: Originally posted by BPSCG You're almost a quarter mile behind the guy in front of you? That's hardly what I would call "keeping pace". ARRR!!! At highway speeds? That's just a comfortable buffer. If I were to "catch up" to the point where I was tailgating, it would save about 15 seconds, and make everyone less safe. And every time someone does pass, they only end up tailgating the guy I was pacing. Without exception. Even when they pass that guy, most of the time, I end up catching up when he reaches the EVEN SLOWER traffic ahead. Of course, the passing idiot takes multiple mortal risks around blind mountain curves at high speeds while they're at it. I've seen many fatalities, including someone who was going 90+ in the middle of the night, slammed into trees, and crawled out of his vigorously burning car, and roasted to crispy-critter status on the highway that I had to block traffic for and monitor the spread of fire. Probably killed 'instantly'. I wasn't there to see the impact, which happened several minutes before I arrived.
evildave Guest Posts: n/a

19th September 2004, 01:36 PM	#123
evildave Guest Posts: n/a	Quote: Originally posted by Skeptic Evildave wrote: You're right so-called Skeptic, I am not the owner of this forum, and neither are you. That's quite right, Evildave, quite right. The difference, however, is that I do not try to tell you what to post in this forum, partially out of general respect for free speech, and partially because I know I am not its owner. (Duh.) You're the guy who tries to tell other people what to post and not to post, and "demands" apologies and retractions of things you don't like. You're the man who thinks he somehow has the "right" to "enforce civility" in the forum by telling people what to write. I tell no one what to write, but if you insist that 'standards' do not apply, then I shall happily treat you as you seem to want to be treated. Quote: ("You will apologize for this, and sincerely"-- BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That was a good one. Almost as funny as your suggestion to "solve" terrorism by giving Al Quaeda the world's most powerful radio station--with the west footing the bill, too...) And by the way, you're a liar, too. I wouldn't normally flat out call someone a liar, and I would normally attrinute this sort of idiocy to your poor reading and comprehension skills, but to be perfectly fair to your so-called 'intelligence', you're simply a lying piece of human excrement. You obviously don't have the slightest bit of critical thinking or introspection in you at all, except for that minimum amount of canniness that habitual liars develop to sense how far they can distort whatever it is that passes for 'truth' in their little minds. Being as intellectually dishonest as you are, and displaying the utter lack of integrity that you do, your every statement is an amusement, just like the Iraqi news guy who claimed there were 'no troops in Baghdad'. That's what truth is to you. But hey, what should anyone expect from someone who gets his standards of truth from Joseph Goebbels, and about as laughable as that Iraqi TV guy. Quote: Get it? It's not my forum, so I don't try to shut people up... and it isn't your forum, but you still try to shut people up. That's the difference between us: I'm not a wannabe censor, and you are. P.S. By the way, the moderators are still ignoring your complaints. How dare they ignore a flame war on the "Politics and Current Events" section of the forum! Sure, they own the forum, but such capitalistic nonsense cannot overrule the "fact" that you have determined the will of "most people" in this forum is that I shut up after apologizing to you. Oh, the opressions of the capitalist system, when the owner actually gets to decide how to use his property instead of the self-important, self-elected "champion of the people"... Thank you for clearing up what 'community standards' means in this forum. You know 'skeptic', it's fine that the mods ignored the complaints. That just means I can call you a nazi, and it's A-OK. I can tell you your parents must have been crack-heads to raise someone as poorly as they have obviously raised you, though I suspect that would be giving them a lot of credit they don't deserve. After all just turning their child loose to be raised by television is hardly an upbringing. Of course, your upbringing may have been deliberate, since beating you and locking you in cages, to roll in your own excrement as a child, and then lying about it when the teachers and police asked about the bruises and lesions must have been "just growing up" to you, so any such treatment of prisoners by the USA would seem like tender, motherly love from your perspective. What a sad childhood you must have suffered through. I think we've definitely hit a milestone here.
evildave Guest Posts: n/a

19th September 2004, 05:20 PM	#125
evildave Guest Posts: n/a	So says the very model of a mindless dittohead.
evildave Guest Posts: n/a

20th September 2004, 01:28 PM	#127
evildave Guest Posts: n/a	Quote: Originally posted by Skeptic I repeat: "and when that doesn't work, torrents of foul-mouthed abuse." Actually, you seem to take a little short-cut to it as your very first response to any posting. But I'm sure for a mouth as foul as yours, and a mind as small, that's to be expected.
evildave Guest Posts: n/a

19th September 2004, 04:02 PM	#124
Skeptic Banned Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Behind the chessboard Posts: 18,361	You know 'skeptic', it's fine that the mods ignored the complaints. That just means I can call you a nazi, and it's A-OK. I can tell you your parents must have been crack-heads to raise someone as poorly as they have obviously raised you, though I suspect that would be giving them a lot of credit they don't deserve. After all just turning their child loose to be raised by television is hardly an upbringing. Yup, you can. And guess what--unlike your whining, crybaby, I'm-taking-the-ball-and-going-home @$$, I will NOT complain to the moderators about you! Go ahead, knock yourself out--say anything you want against me. Impress everybody in this forum with your coolness and politeness under pressure. Oh, and since you brought up my "upbringing", you do know that old definition of someone with a good upbringing is seen in their ability to act with grace in adversary? Your torrent of foul-mouthed abuse sure shows somebody's upbringing left room for improvement, but it wasn't mine... Yes indeed, Evildave, you are the "progressive" par excellence--you're all for freedom of speech, "sensitivity training" to understand "the other", etc., etc. ... until someone gores your Ox (it's in the bible, look it up). Then, it's, first, pathetic attempts at censorship and intimidation ("You will apologize for this!"), and, when that doesn't work, torrents of foul-mouthed abuse.

20th September 2004, 04:56 AM	#126
Skeptic Banned Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Behind the chessboard Posts: 18,361	Quote: Originally posted by evildave So says the very model of a mindless dittohead. I repeat: "and when that doesn't work, torrents of foul-mouthed abuse."

20th September 2004, 02:55 PM	#128
evildave Guest Posts: n/a	Then of course, there is the American tradition of 'going postal' (AKA 'Killing Sprees') Got a grudge & a gun? Make 'em pay! Killing sprees are a staple of American tradition. Someone blows a fuse or shorts out a circuit in their brain, and just starts killing people. We in America tend to get one or two such stories every year, and cherish them. At the office, at McDonald's, on a train, at school, on a tower. A grand old American tradition.
evildave Guest Posts: n/a

20th September 2004, 03:18 PM	#129
epepke Philosopher Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 7,953	Quote: Originally posted by thaiboxerken I wouldn't say that there is a single, American culture, but several smaller ones. I think that we're very close to having a cultural civil war in the USA. I agree with that statement, at least the first part. It would be interesting if this were a discussion about American culture rather than a place for Evildave to get ticked off at other people because nobody is as reflexively defensive as they are about Islamic culture. I don't agree that we're going to have a cultural civil war, because nobody cares. Nobody thinks it odd if an Irish immigrant wearing Native American jewelry plays the blues while drinking German beer and eating Blue Crab tacos with Cajun seasoning in a flour tortilla.
epepke Philosopher Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 7,953

21st September 2004, 02:10 PM	#130
evildave Guest Posts: n/a	'Reflexively ticked off", eh? It had been a discussion before the personal attacks and whining from 'skeptic' started up.
evildave Guest Posts: n/a

21st September 2004, 02:20 PM	#131
epepke Philosopher Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 7,953	Quote: Originally posted by evildave *'Reflexively ticked off", eh? It had been* a discussion before the personal attacks and whining from 'skeptic' started up.** Of course, that's a misquote, but yeah, nobody has gotten reflexiively defensive on this thread. With the possible exception of Skeptic. As compared to threads on condemning Muslim culture, in which people do get reflexively defensive. Which is the point I alluded to earlier, but I still don't expect you to get it.
epepke Philosopher Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 7,953

21st September 2004, 02:41 PM	#132
evildave Guest Posts: n/a	And what of our so-called hatred of socialism, yet our embracement of NASA, and government funded space exploration? For some reason it was OK to take on massive socialised space development by a government owned company that made it impossible for any civilian owned corporation to compete for the same sort of work for decades? The federal government had extremely deep pockets, padded by taxpayers and federally enforced accumulation of debt to pay for all those toys. We became socialist to fight communists because they were socialists. Of course, never mind the wars we fight and the governments we topple and the dictators we support and the wars we cause in the name of our government supporting businesses. Getting rid of individual welfare was a very good idea (giving free money to people for being bums was a bad idea to begin with) We still have corporate welfare, and for some reason it's OK for the government to coddle and support businesses that lobby for money or outright force to 'compete'. What sort of weak, lame businesses will such dependence on government help breed? Of course, on the opposite extreme, we've dropped import tarrifs and such that makes moving American industries overseas (where they are at far greater risk of being 'socialised' (i.e. just taken over by a foreign government, as happened to the oil industry in the 60's and 70's) or lost to foreign conflicts). In other words, the Federal Government has committed its self to protecting and running everybody's business interests "for them". A bit like underwriting insurance for people who build in a flood plain or on coastlines annually threatened by hurricane storm surges. Everything is the government's business. We're pretty much already the Socialist States of America, soon to become the Holy Socialist States of Jesus, if the religious right could have their way.
evildave Guest Posts: n/a

21st September 2004, 02:45 PM	#133
Cleon King of the Pod People Moderator Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Atlanta, GA Posts: 20,611	Quote: Originally posted by evildave And what of our so-called hatred of socialism, yet our embracement of NASA, and government funded space exploration? For some reason it was OK to take on massive socialised space development by a government owned company that made it impossible for any civilian owned corporation to compete for the same sort of work for decades? I think that's a bit of an overreaction. NASA began as, and in many ways still is, a military project. Its transition to a more "science for the sake of science" standpoint is relatively recent. Besides, it's not like space isn't being opened up to the private world. Yeah, it's a slow process, but it took a while for NASA to get going, too.
	__________________ "People like me are what stand between us and Auschwitz." - Newt Gingrich

21st September 2004, 03:01 PM	#134
BPSCG Cannibal Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Looting Fafner's Cave Posts: 17,556	I'd like to make a motion that this thread be renamed, "evildave's Nonstop Rant Against Everything American". Are there any seconds?
	__________________ Philanthropist (n.) - Someone who spends his own money to advance his version of Utopia. Socialist (n.) - Someone who spends your money to advance his version of Utopia.

21st September 2004, 03:13 PM	#135
epepke Philosopher Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 7,953	Quote: Originally posted by BPSCG I'd like to make a motion that this thread be renamed, "evildave's Nonstop Rant Against Everything American". Are there any seconds? But then we'd have to rename far more threads.
epepke Philosopher Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 7,953

21st September 2004, 03:43 PM	#136
evildave Guest Posts: n/a	Funny thing how a Muslims Self-Criticism should be lauded, while American Self-Criticism should not. Introspection is such a bad thing in American culture. "Slurp down a big gulp with your BSE burger and shut up!" - That appears to be what American discourse has become. Don't be critical of our Fearless Leaders. It can't be tolerated (especially when they're such incompetant tools). Don't examine how you live your life in any way, or look for a way that things could be done better, because we're #1! Naturally we'll always be '#1', even if we're only the #1 best place in the septic tank our world becomes. Don't expect to strive to be anything better than we ever once were. We went to the moon first, and old successes are all that matter, not the future... maybe because 'Jesus will come' and 'make everything better' any day now. Just you wait and see! And naturally, whatever we do to stay '#1' is A-OK, even if it compromises every principle we ever stood for.
evildave Guest Posts: n/a

21st September 2004, 09:48 PM	#137
epepke Philosopher Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 7,953	Quote: Originally posted by evildave *Funny thing how a Muslims Self-Criticism* should be lauded, while American Self-Criticism should not. Introspection is such a bad thing in American culture.** As I pointed out earlier, more than once, nobody has reflexively defended American culture. Skeptic only pointed out that you're being a jerk. As frustrating as it may possibly seem to you, nobody has presented American culture as sacrosanct or declared that it may not be criticized. Quote: "Slurp down a big gulp with your BSE burger and shut up!" - That appears to be what American discourse has become. Don't be critical of our Fearless Leaders. It can't be tolerated (especially when they're such incompetant tools). You're talking to yourself, evildave. If you scarf the burger, it's because you with your own hand picked it up and stuffed it into your face. Whatever it is you think you are exorcising, it isn't from the other people in this thread.
epepke Philosopher Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 7,953

22nd September 2004, 12:32 AM	#138
evildave Guest Posts: n/a	Well, it could be that people have simply be implicitly agreed that American Culture is not all it's cracked up to be. Nobody reflexively defends American Culture because there isn't any such thing to defend. What passes for 'culture' in America is simply marketing and consumer psychology.
evildave Guest Posts: n/a

22nd September 2004, 10:40 AM	#139
Skeptic Banned Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Behind the chessboard Posts: 18,361	epepke wrote: You're talking to yourself, Evildave evildave replies: Well, it could be that people have simply be implicitly agreed that American Culture is not all it's cracked up to be. Yes, that must be it. When nobody wants to talk to you anymore, and everybody is ignoring you, it means they all "implicitly agreed" with your views. Keep telling yourself that.

22nd September 2004, 11:48 AM	#140
BPSCG Cannibal Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Looting Fafner's Cave Posts: 17,556	Quote: Originally posted by evildave Well, it could be that people have simply be implicitly agreed that American Culture is not all it's cracked up to be. I don't remember agreeing to anything of the kind. Actually, I'm not sure I even understand what you're trying to say here - try reading that sentence aloud and see if W doesn't sound like an orator by comparison.
	__________________ Philanthropist (n.) - Someone who spends his own money to advance his version of Utopia. Socialist (n.) - Someone who spends your money to advance his version of Utopia.

22nd September 2004, 11:53 AM	#141
BPSCG Cannibal Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Looting Fafner's Cave Posts: 17,556	Quote: Originally posted by Skeptic Yes, that must be it. When nobody wants to talk to you anymore, and everybody is ignoring you, it means they all "implicitly agreed" with your views. Keep telling yourself that. I'd have him on "ignore", but lately his rants have been getting so bizarre that I can't resist staring. Kinda like the day I was riding the subway and looked up to see a three-headed goat standing in the middle of the car... ...okay, I made that last part up...
	__________________ Philanthropist (n.) - Someone who spends his own money to advance his version of Utopia. Socialist (n.) - Someone who spends your money to advance his version of Utopia.

22nd September 2004, 02:02 PM	#142
evildave Guest Posts: n/a	Well, it's just with spokesmen for American culture like 'skeptic' and now you BPSCG, it simply makes it apparent there's not much of merit left to discuss here, as has been pointed out, most of the participants have wandered off by about the third page of the thread. Maybe a new topic: America's Positive Contributions To The World There, we can discuss happy things America has done.
evildave Guest Posts: n/a

22nd September 2004, 02:17 PM	#143
Skeptic Banned Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Behind the chessboard Posts: 18,361	Well, it's just with spokesmen for American culture like 'skeptic' and now you BPSCG, it simply makes it apparent there's not much of merit left to discuss here Of course there isn't. Nothing could POSSIBLY be of merit if it disagrees with your views, after all. Since we keep disagreeing with you, it means there is no merit to our views. You keep meeting a lot of people that don't have a lot of merit in their views lately, aren't you? Maybe a new topic: America's Positive Contributions To The World There, we can discuss happy things America has done. Yet another page in evil "weirdo" dave's continuing saga: "disagree with me again and I'll... and I'll... start another thread bashing the USA!!!". Go ahead, knock yourself out.