Al Qaida Behead another US Hostage

I have decided that all voting gets me is a self serving SOB in office and Jury Duty. This has been true every year, no matter who I voted for at any level, and no matter who won.

I quit...
 
mrostov said:
...Mexico has an unemployment level that is beginning to exceed what the US had during the Great Depression. The government of Mexico is exporting to the US their unemployment problems and they are trying to use the US as a safety valve to forestall any real social change and possibly another Mexican revolution...

Mexico needs a revolution, because that is the only way things will ever change down there.

I've lived in Mexico, the real Mexico, not some Gringo filled coastal resort.

Mexico is the embodiment of the 3rd World and it is corrupt to the core. Units of the Mexican Army have been overtly helping drug runners. They also hand out maps and rations to illegals to help them get into the USA. They also hand out pamphlets explaining how best to take advantage of the US social services system.

They have poverty in Mexico which your average American couldn't dream of living under and few middle class Gringo whitebreads can even fathom. Yet, for all of the poverty, Mexico has a shocking number of the mega rich, billionaires who treat Mexico as their feudal kingdom.

Mexico is in many ways still a feudal society. You have the rich, and I mean RICH, like spending $30K just for vase to decorate a nook their house, and then you have the poor, with not a whole lot in between...
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munk I think a lot of the people who use 'corporations' as the boogieman are guilty of the same type of cliche and oversimplification they dislike on the other side of the poltical issue. [/QUOTE said:
...billionaires who treat Mexico as their feudal kingdom...

I think that we actually have a similar situation here in the US to what mrostov describes. The main difference is that the "serfs" make considerably more and enjoy a higher general living standard, and many of the "lieges" also enjoy a corespondingly higher living standard. There a few more in the middle, but otherwise, it looks pretty much the same to me, except that the whole set-up is a few notches higher up on the wealth scale.

The corruption exists here, just as in Mexico, it takes different forms. For a couple of examples look at Enron and WorldCom, and the attitudes of high-level executives. Look here in San Diego, where the city libraian will take home a pension of 10K/mo while many regular employees will get 6-800/mo, and while a comittee with a preponderance of high-ranking city employees determines future pension payments, the City has been chronically underfunding the pension plan to disguise shortfalls elsewhere. Unfunded obligations of a couple of Billiongive or take a bit. Look at the benefits beyond personal and corporate life/medical insurance paid to some of the victims of the WTC bombing out of government monies. Are the security guards' families getting tens of millions out of the treasury?

"Blame the corporations", nah, blame the people that run (some of) them. Blame those politicians who listen to their lobbyists. Blame the general populace for acquiesing to the notion that the only way to "save" money is in the form of mutual funds holding stock in said companies while transferring to another the voting power that comes with ownership. I think that there could be a revolution in the US.

The main difference I see, other than the general basis level, is the perception, whether true or false, that it is more possible in the US than in Mexico, for a "serf" to become a "liege".
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Ferrous Wheel said:
decided that all voting gets me is
Wow... I thot I was the only one...

Keith
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I guess I must be incredibly lucky.:D I have never once been called for jury duty anywhere I've ever lived and I have been a registered voter since I was old enough to vote.
And now the county courthouse I would have to go to in order to serve is about a 40 minute drive. That isn't so bad in itself but the drive there and then setting on a jury for any length of time would absolutely do me in.
Besides I doubt there's an attorney anywhere that would accept me for a jury with the amount of pain meds I take.
There are a few advantages to being old and crippled up.:D :p ;) :D
 
I don't understand politicians.

They try to protect themselves against becoming the next Cseaucesku by taking our guns away, but leave the sale of rope wide open.

Considering that a lot of us don't think politicians are worth wasting a good bullet on, that seems short sighted on their part to me.

But then again, I'd be willing to donate a hundred bucks or so worth of makarov ammo. Should allow for one shot behind the ear for every member of congress, and enough left over to shoot 'em all again a second time, just to make sure.
 
I killed a possum with a single shot from a pellet rifle.

How about death by bb gun?

It would take days.



munk
 
RE the buddhist perspective, I believe that the Dalai Lama has said ( not verbatim, but the general sense ) "If someone is coming after you with a gun it would seem reasonable to shoot back at him with your own gun."

Agree that all peoples have the capacity to perform atrocities.

Things are going to hell over here.

The politicians are to blame and ought to be treated to a necktie party.

And back to the original topic, I don't know what to do about it. The ones who cut off the guy's head have only deepened most people I know's resolve to not give in and make them pay for it.

I guess next time I go to Reno I'll get a couple more 200 round 7.62 nato Portuguese battle packs for my FAL. Don't do no good but it makes me feel like I'm gettin' ready for come what may, and it don't hurt nothin'.

By the way, did send some smoke up earlier.

Maybe tomorrow will be better. You know, this now being a police action rather than a war, can't we issue our guys over there hollow point 223 ( to prevent overpenetration and inadvertent wounding of civilians ) ?
 
Yvsa said:
... I doubt there's an attorney anywhere that would accept me for a jury with the amount of pain meds I take...
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I have never seen them ask directly about medications, but they do ask if anyone has a reason for not serving. You would have to volunteer that information about being doped up.

I used to tell them that I couldn't serve because I didn't believe in the justice system. If they asked for elaboration I would tell them I thought all lawyers were lying scum bags and judges were just lawyers with political connections. That always got me kicked out right away. But depending on the temperament of the judge, it could be a dangerous maneuver.

I don't have to do that anymore. When I get the jury summons I just send it back telling them that I'm a convicted felon.
 
I wonder if I wrote back and told them I'm a convicted Felon if they'd ever check?

What other things could i get out of using that? Don't want to help carpool the gradeschoolers to some picnic? I'm a convicted felon.





munk
 
I asked a Buddhist Monk once,"If someone is trying to take your life, is it permitted for a Buddhist to resist or to respond with deadly force against the attacker" .

He said that it was not permitted and one should choose death rather than try to kill the assailant.

I don't accept that philosophy but I think I understand it.

Quote for the day:

"Of all tyrannies, a tyranny exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It may be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron's cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end, for they do so with the approval of their own conscience." -C.S. Lewis

"... after a few more flashes in the pan, we shall hear very little more of Edison or his electric lamp. Every claim he makes has been tested and proved impracticable."
[New York Times, January 16, 188
 
heehee. Good stuff.

I'm not a buddhist. So in another thread, the Dali Lama says OK for self defense, the Buddhists say no. Anyone weigh in on what the Tao says on it?

Here's the viking take on self defense, from the Havamal:

1.
The man who stands at a strange threshold,
Should be cautious before he cross it,
Glance this way and that:
Who knows beforehand what foes may sit
Awaiting him in the hall?

16.
The coward believes he will live forever
If he holds back in the battle,
But in old age he shall have no peace
Though spears have spared his limbs

38.
A wayfarer should not walk unarmed,
But have his weapons to hand:
He knows not when he may need a spear,
Or what menace meet on the road.
 
this is a hard question.
Many religions teach non-violence, forgiveness and love.
At the same time, one must defend ones' family and self from harm.
the apostles carried swords for defense, did they not?
Not a gnurled stick, mind you, but probably the falcatta.
I have been struck on more than one occasion by the toughness and spirit of persons whose lives are dedicated to charity.

I think that a true follower of a non-violent religion would have to do what we try to do. Deal with violence in as minimallly violent way possible.
Non-lethal defense.
rubber bullets, tear gas, that kind of thing...

anyway, thats my idea.
 
Thanks.
I also feel that non-lethal is the way to go, and that most folks will cease and desist after some pain is inflicted or they get taken down. If that don't work gratuitous violence is still wrong, but evasion or (if trapped) a lethal responst to a lethal threat is needed.

Anyone who enjoys causing anyone to suffer in ANY fashion (phys, mental, spiritual) is gonna get paid a visit from Karma Police! Eventually....

Keith
 
I dont believe in the death penalty. Instead perpertrators should be beaten in regular intervals, in varying methods of humilations and pain, for the rest of their natural lives. On a serious note, immigration is what keeps this country strong. Compared to every other 1st world nation, the US is the only country that doesnt have negative population growth because of immigration. For a state to properly function, ie. maintain a large enough tax base to support its programs, it needs to maintain a certain population size of labor in relation to its services. Government aside, just to maintain a healthy economy, there needs to be a certain size of labor pool. Immigration is what keeps that population size tenable in the US. There is also a very big difference between legal and illegal immigrants. US immigration policy is rather strict, unless you are a family member of a citizen, to immigrate to the US, you must prove you would be a valuable asset to the country, ie. highly trained. This tends to be doctors, scientists, etc... Most legal immigrants are highly educated, the cream of their parent countries. However, illegal immigration is another aspect. There is no standard to those who come here illegally, and no guarantee they will not be a negative, the very illegality of their arrival increases their liklihood of being a negative because illegality follows illegality. Also illegal immigration does not properly integrate its labor into the tax base, though it does help the economy, I feel all illegals should be found, and taxed the hell out of. They want to come to the US, fine, but it is not fair that citizens should pay more taxes than them, they should. Anyways, illegals are prone to be abused by criminals due to their illegality. The human tragedy of illegals being brought into slavery is another aspect of why we need to re-address illegal immigration. Well I guess Im starting to straing my soap box, but those are my .0003 cents ps. Yangdu is an immigrant just imagine how life would be different if stricter immigration was in place or if immigration was banned completely, would there be a HI?
 
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