Ghost of BiB

I'd get a car with more horsepower. That's happened to me, and I don't like it either. I've also had a turn arrow go green, and have someone wait until it flashes, takes off ahead of the oncoming, just so I couldn't make the turn. Things like happen a lot. Why? I think a lot of people weren't raised right. I've had people behind me get just about psychotic, because I let a car or two merge into my lane ahead of me (covered partially in another thread). What's wrong with saying people act like fools? I agree with UConn. If people had the disclipline here that they have there as far as driving, there would be no road rage. If you don't pull over on the Autobahn, you get a porsche up your ass.

The world needs more Southpark.

Touching, is it not? Odd, when you look at the middle east page - seems like every there is doing pretty good. Place must be a lot calmer than I thought. Oh, they DID say beheading the one guy was bad.

You're supposed to cook it first, Nanook.

I'm thinking Costa Rica. Warm winds and dusky maidens doing my driving for me. And, at the rate the world is going-might be sooner than later.

Excellent point. When I was in Korea, we wouldn't let the Korean guys talk during a card game. They had to speak English to play.

I love the baby animal buffet you threw last time. So tender. And the special sauce was absolutely divine.

But, doesn't the on-line engine give you a perfect random shuffle each time? How often does that happen around the card table? It would almost seem that the opposite would be true.

Yeah, OK...but I'm forwarding all the PETA calls to your place.

You think I should take the site down now?

Here, read their current "In the America's page". with all the countries in the americas, and all the crap that goes on daily...who gets star billing? AI No undue emphasis on the United States page

AI prides itself on being apolitical. That said, it's membership is largely second and third world-many basing themselves in countries not friendly to American interests. Whenever faced with a situation where they do not have first hand knowledge of allegations or facts, they rely on third party sources of information - most notably press reports and interviews with family members and the such. As with anything else, one can be selective when reviewing these. The results are then passed to an executive committe for review, before being published. Based on the above - most notably membership who are not wearing the red-white and blue...including many from within our own nation (AI people tend to be against most conflicts where someone invades another nation) and the lack of actual evidence to support their allegations - I see incentive to not so subtley word things in such a manner as to affect world opinion that much more against the US and it's allies, to assist even in a small way what may be perceived as a better potential outcome for people they deem oppressed. Do not think for a moment that there aren't AI members who also view this as a war against Islam. Once again, also from within our own borders.

CTM just answered for me. Word choices vs. evidence. "Gulag" implies a certain picture. I would have had much less trouble with it had it been worded objectively. Like i said, 10 cases - and we don't know the severity. That is hardly the draconian conditions implied by "Gulag". The wording is what makes it appear as though there is an Agenda. Not to mention, it's "flavor of the month" to hate America, so why not? How affiliated is AI with the UN? the UN can't STAND us.

I actually agree with a lot of that. Especially the part about there not being a short term solution. and, yes-it is going to take a global change of thought to reel things in. Homeland security, though - is not based soely in the homeland. the first, and most effective step is to take the fight to our adversaries - which is what has a lot of people up in arms. With our society, there is absolutely no way -none-to have a leak proof security system. The only chance we have is to confront it beyond our borders and attempt to keep the current fight on their turf. The medium term solution is to cut down/prevent/reform any Radical governments existing, and trying to help grow those that are in place. Everyone focuses on Iraq - but Iraq is but a piece of the puzzle. Anyone take a look at Libya lately? Anyone notice how Pakistan and India are playing nice? Anyone see any efforts to intervene and a get a handle on Israel-Palestine? see any support for emerging democracies in the former Soviet States? It's all part of an overall concept, with the hopeful design of maybe, 20 years down the road, having a lot more stable a world. In very simplistic terms, if the friggen Iraqis and their buddies weren't blowing each other to hell and gone, we'd have given them close to a brand new country by now, and could have been on our way. Syria will come around. It's already heading that way. Forget the posturing. With more regional stability, and pressure from moderate states, Iran is going to have to take their ball and go home. I see this last as being key. Not the UN - but the Pan Arab states working in concert.

And, once again - why all this attention to "abuse fueling terrorists"? Just what is/was so abusive? For most people in the world, Gitmo would be a walk in the park, compared to their own system. Don't think they don't understand that. The Newsweek fiasco will create a lot more terrorists than this - but, that's a "press thing" thus, automatically excused. No big deal, no problem. And, how do you know what is actually going on? Amnesty International hasn't actually seen anything. "At least 10 documented cases of abuse or mistreatment". 10? 10?. Out of how many? So this is a systemic erosion of rights and priveledge? And, how many of these are legitimate cases of abuse - rather than a B word?

So? Seriously - besides a complaint, what is your solution?

No, not the point. The flavoring is to make America look a little worse in the eyes of the world. I disagree with a lot of what America does. I'm also able to spot an agenda. There is a tremendous amount of abuse within our own domestic prison systems-but it's not all over the front page daily.

No kidding, Dev. I almost went nuclear trying to get on Monroe one morning. Do you keep a bulldozer in the yard for bad tunnel days? Just stay on the friggen beach. Let alone the beltway up here-but one has to factor in DC. Actually, 295 Baltimore is a lot worse than 495 DC in terms of stupidity. I have seen more than one 5 plus vehicle multi-cars up there.

Well, my thoughts on the subject are pretty clear. As I said in another spot, this is a no quarter deal. Both sides understand it. And, practically speaking-it doesn't really matter what our respective populations think of it. Moan about rights and due process all day long. They should be content that they weren't lined up against a wall and shot. No fun to be martyred in annonymity. I wish people would shut up about carpet bombing the middle east too. That's just stupid. I don't care for extreme liberals, either-but I'm not going to advocate bombing Boston. (I might have to think about Berkley, though...). Everyone needs to take a deep breath and separate the enemy from those who just plain don't like us. NEWSFLASH! Most of them have never liked us, and they certainly aren't going to start now. I'm "guessing" our goal is to help to install a series of "moderate" governments in the regions giving us trouble. As far as what the man on the street thinks, it's unfortunately a big "so what". A series of fundamentalist radical minded Islamic theocracies with a handful of deliverable nuclear weapons is not a good thing, folks.

I just changed my post because I like you.

I still say Baltimore drivers take the prize. But, they should do one by city. Using the whole state can water down the results.

Political Prisoners? Campy, why don't you just get some black coveralls, sneak in and let them all free like PETA does with the mink farms? Then you'll be able to sleep better at night. That wasn't the connotation meant to be delivered by use of the word anyway, and everyone knows it. Literal translations aside, it's meant as an anti-American statement designed to flame opinion.

See? If they hadn't have banned guns this probably wouldn't be a problem. They'd be shooting each other like normal people. Going to be hard to chiffonade with the back of a spoon.

One day in the life was pretty descriptive.

...sorry....