All imperialist and colonialist empires assume their regimes will last forever. And all imperialist and colonialist empires eventually fall: Russia, France, Germany, England, Persia, Rome, the catholic cult, Italy, the Netherlands, Mongols, imperial China, etc.
George Bu**sh** and his cast of clowns had all the intel needed from the FBI and CIA to detect and stop the 9/11 attacks. In all likelihood, it was their incompetence that allowed it to happen, though I still think it's remotely possible they knew it was coming and chose to let it happen, justifying the invasion of other countries to steal oil.
If you think it's unrealistic to suggest they are that callous towards human lives, just look at the 1,000,000+ murdered by the wars and the attitude of Bu**sh**, Cheney and Rumsfeld towards torture, and the complete lack of concern about Hurricane Katrina. They're sociopaths and war criminals.
If this were anybody else but Ratfink (aka Pope Vindictive), he'd be arrested for being the ringleader and facilitator of a p*dophile ring. But because he's deemed a "head of state" and leader of a wealthy and respected cult, he's untouchable.
Cripes, even Silvio Berlusconi committed less heinous crimes and has faced possible prosecution (when he's not the Italian PM, of course).
I post this separately since some might deliberately misconstrue and falsely infer this is "insulting" to the 9/11 victims, rather than a comment on the reality of the situation.
(I was out of town for two weeks, hence why no posts in the interim.)
"Religious freedom" means the right to have it. It does not mean the religious can force others to have it or spew it where it's not welcome.
By the same token, "respecting religion" means accepting and admitting others' right to have religion. It does not mean religion is exempt from valid criticism.
The thing I don't get about the nutcase in Florida is his ignorance of his own religion. The mythical "god" of islam is the same mythical "god" of christianity and judaism, the mythical "god" of the old testament. All three cults use the old testament as one half of their religious books, the difference is which is the second half of their religious books - the new testament, talmud, and koran.
I'd rather stick with and re-read classics: Tintin, Asterix, Maus and Elfquest. Those four are the progenitors of the "graphic novel", amongst which are stories like "Batman, the Dark Knight" and "V For Vendetta".
"You're entitled to your own opinion. You're not entitled to your own facts." - Patrick Moynihan
The problem is never that people disagree in opinion when they agree on the facts. The problem is always people who try to ignore and deny facts because reality proves them wrong.
For example, there are idiots who claim the first moon landing was a fake. There are six reflectors on the moon that can be detected by lasers on Earth. The reflectors were placed by the astronauts during the six moon landings (11, 12, 14, 15, 16 and 17). How else would they have been put there?
I also heard of a court case (an apocryphal story) where the prosecutor got a guilty conviction on a man who was previously convicted of the same crime. The prosecutor prevented the court from learning that the accused was in jail at the time of the crime he was being tried for a second time. The evidence didn't fit the prosecutor's opinion and theory, so he avoided and prevented its use. Just because you want or would like something to be true doesn't mean it is.
It's perfectly alright to reach two separate conclusions based on the same evidence, that happens in science all the time (e.g. Dark Matter versus MOND or other theories), or when a prosecutor and defense lawyer make their cases in court. But it's completely wrong to give an opinion that requires the denial of facts (e.g. Lou Dobbs' lie that illegal immigrants in the US were spreading leprosy).
Not one of those frauds and cranks has ever passed a "double blind" test with results better than chance. Not a single one.
Any alleged "predictions" they make fall into one of two categories:
(1) Before the fact, they make general statements that could apply to anyone.
(2) After the fact, they attempt to claim that they predicted it beforehand by "explaining" their "prediction". What they are really doing is postdiction.
Which one? You're going to have to provide a specific name. There have been thousands of mythical "gods" throughout history, many of which have more archeological evidence than others. For example, all the places mentioned in the Iliad and Odyssey actually exist and are geographically correct, which is more than can be said for the buybull.
Unless you prove one exists, yours remains as false and non-existent as all the others. Books of fairy tales do no constitute "proof", no matter how many people believe the lies in them; numbers don't make the argument "right".
Most of those calling for home schooling aren't trying to educate children. They're trying to prevent them from being educated and inflicting a narrow (minded) dogma on children. Their view is, to paraphrase George Bu**sh**, "I'll never educate my children. I don't care what the facts are."
Just this week, the idiot who runs conservapedia said that Einstein's theory of relativity should not be taught in schools because it conflicts with the buybull. Conservapedia calls relativity a "liberal conspiracy"; 70 years ago, it was called "jewish science". The accusations sound exactly the same to me.
And how is that any different than how christians used to behave? Both christians and muslims believe in the "old testament" where the "eye for an eye" crap started. Many people have been killed by christians for far less than assault (e.g. blasphemy, being jewish, alleged witches, etc.).
The only differences between christian violence and muslim violence are when they happened and the weapons used. If the crusaders of a thousand years ago had had airplanes, they would have done a christian 9/11 into Saladin's citadel.
Or are you suggesting he should be killed to remove him now?
At least Obama got the most votes and was legitimately elected, unlike George Bu**sh** who was twice unelected - the first time with fewer votes than Gore, the second time with corrupted "electronic voting".
It's also interesting that rightwingnuts were calling for Obama to be impeached or murdered from day one, while nobody called for Bu**sh** to be impeached or killed in eight years despite a laundry list of crimes, including war crimes.
So does this mean the US is going to invade China? Oh, wait, I forgot: the US only invades countries that don't have Weapons of Mass Destruction (e.g. Iraq). They never attack anyone who can fight back unless attacked first.
In related news, the recent declaration against cluster bombs (which are WMDs, meant to target civilians) was signed by nearly 200 countries. However, the countries which refused to sign the deal were the major manufacturers and users of such WMDs - specifically, the US, Russia, Israel, China and a few others.
The one making the claim has the burden of proof. And in the case of mythical "gods", that means you or others saying one exists. You are making the claim, I don't have to prove anything.
For the same reason that you would be innocent until proven guilty if you were charged with a crime, your mythical "god" is false until proven true.
If you want me or others to believe, just split the waters between Cuba and Florida so the Cubans who want to leave can do so. Or bring some dead person back to life, since you say it's possible; Richie Hayward would do.
Until you prove your mythical "god" exists, you only get to believe in it, not claim it is true. The only reason you or others want different burdens of proof is because you know you can't prove it.
Being a "buybull scholar" is less useful than studying Shakespeare. I'd be more impressed by someone who can recite Scenes and Acts rather than "Chapter and Verse".
The writers and believers of the Book O' Blood couldn't and can't get their fictions straight. There are four "gospels" that disagree with each other, three "ten commandments" that disagree, and two creation myths that disagree.
As the saying goes, when you tell the truth, you don't have to worry if your story fits, whether that be the facts or the story itself.
The Big Bang, abiogenesis and evolution fit the facts. The Book O' Blood doesn't, so it doesn't matter if the condictions can't be grasped or explained.
The problem is not that people want to have religion for themselves.
The problem is that those with religion want others to have it, whether by proselytizing or by enacting laws based on said religion. (And also the lie that not being allowed to dominate and persecute others is somehow domination and persecution of themselves.)
The problem is that those with religion want different standards for themselves and others - they think their own proselytizing is acceptable,
The problem is that those with religion want different labels applied to themselves and others, especially on who is or who isn't one of their own (e.g. people claiming Scott Roeder "isn't a christian terrorist" but the DC sniper is a "muslim terrorist").
Many of the religious understand the concept of mutual respect, but a lot don't get it. To such morons, mutual respect means "I respect my 'god' and you have to, also".
Of course, but try getting the unthinking flag wavers to grasp that concept. They're like owners of vicious dogs who laugh as it attacks their neighbors without provocation - until, of course, the animal turns on them, and then they wonder how it happened.
"The military caste did not originate as a party of patriots, but as a party of bandits." - Henry Louis Mencken
"He who joyfully marches to music in rank and file has already earned my contempt. He has been given a large brain by mistake, since for him the spinal cord would surely suffice." - Albert Einstein
"When the military man approaches, the world locks up its spoons and packs off its womankind." - George Bernard Shaw
"Patriotism is the willingness to kill and be killed for trivial reasons." - Bertrand Russell
"The greatest guilt today is that of people who accept collectivism by moral default; the people who seek protection from the necessity of taking a stand, by refusing to admit to themselves the nature of that which they are accepting; the people who support plans specifically designed to achieve serfdom, but hide behind the empty assertion that they are lovers of freedom, with no concrete meaning attached to the word; the people who believe that the content of ideas need not be examined, that principles need not be defined, and that facts can be eliminated by keeping one's eyes shut. They expect, when they find themselves in a world of bloody ruins and concentration camps, to escape moral responsibility by wailing: 'But I didn't mean this!'" - Ayn Rand
Considering that George Bu**sh** was planning to phyically bomb Al Jazeera out of existence as well as ordering the US military to deliberately target and kill reporters in Iraq and Afghanistan who were not "embedded" (read: their reports could be censored by the US government), the talk on the link is mild by comparison.
If FAUX Noise were shut down, it would be done because FAUX violates FCC rules and done within the law, not done by murdering people.
The rabid rightwingers in the US are not going to like this, but it should have been the Cubans who went to Haiti, not the Yanks.
When hurricanes hit Cuba, they don't suffer massive deaths because they're better organized. Look at the comparative number of deaths in the US and Cuba after Hurricane Katrina and others.
Of course, the last time Cuba got involved in another Carribean country was Grenada. The Grenadan government turned to Cuba when the US wouldn't help with building an airport to increase tourism and improve Grenada's economy. Then the US decided to invade Grenada, preventing economic progress and keeping Grenada poor.
No thanks. The best game of the tournament was Spain versus Paraguay.
Despite the 1-0 score, both teams were aggressive, creative, and exciting to watch. Just as importantly, despite all the collisions and contact between feet and legs, only one player - Ramos - took a dive throughout the game, and he only did that once. When the players went down, they didn't act like they had been shot, they just got up again and dusted themselves off.
I can't recall another game that was as well played or as clean.
K_rational Forum Posts (257)
RE: Loss of a great nation?
Yet another ignorant moron proudly displays his ignorance. It's willing uneducated people you that caused the US to fade.Enjoy your career at Walmart.
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