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I was born in Louisiana and now I live in Virginia. I was 3 years old and living in Tehran when Iraq attacked. I don't remember the war as a series of news reels on TV. I remember the war as nights filled with bombs whistling down on me. I remember the war by the faces of the uncles and cousins I lost. I remember the war by the silent nights that punctuated the months. All this time I knew that I was American. I remember, when I was 5, I thought that America was going to come and help me. They weren't going to let me die.

My parents didn't want to explain the dirty truths of the world to a little child. I had no idea that the bombs being dropped on my city were guided by America, but they were. I didn't know that the chemicals being used against my drafted uncles and cousins were provided to Iraq by America, but they were. I didn't know that my life was not as important as providing more oil for America, but I was not important. I am an American. I am an Iranian. I don't hate Iraqis. I don't hate Americans. I don't hate Saddam. I don't hate Bush. Hate is ignorance within fear. Fear is the mind killer.

But all occupied people rebel against their occupiers. No matter how wonderful they may be treated, they will rebel. Not because they hate their occupiers. Not because "they hate our freedoms" as my fearless leader so arrogantly phrased it. They will rebel because they are Iraqis, not Americans.

Why did America support Iraq when it attacked Iran? Iran had the audacity to tell America to leave. Iran no longer wanted to be a puppet state, and Iran deserved to be punished for that. Iraq will be the same. Conquerors often cloak themselves as liberators.

It might be easy for the average American citizen to accept that this is a "Just War." But, for someone who has been on the receiving end of a missile, this coupling of words is a mockery of logic and respect for human life.

If you don't agree with me that is fine, but don't advocate war unless you feel so strongly that you are personally willing to run into a wall of enemy soldiers, armed with only a sword, knowing that you are going to die, and accepting it as the right thing to do. If you are not willing to do such a thing, then you do not truly believe that the fight is just.

But all that I just wrote is pointless because the spice must flow.

I was born in Louisiana and now I live in Virginia. I was 3 years old and living in Tehran when Iraq attacked. I don't remember the war as a series of news reels on TV. I remember the war as nights filled with bombs whistling down on me. I remember the war by the faces of the uncles and cousins I lost. I remember the war by the silent nights that punctuated the months. All this time I knew that I was American. I remember, when I was 5, I thought that America was going to come and help me. They weren't going to let me die.

My parents didn't want to explain the dirty truths of the world to a little child. I had no idea that the bombs being dropped on my city were guided by America, but they were. I didn't know that the chemicals being used against my drafted uncles and cousins were provided to Iraq by America, but they were. I didn't know that my life was not as important as providing more oil for America, but I was not important. I am an American. I am an Iranian. I don't hate Iraqis. I don't hate Americans. I don't hate Saddam. I don't hate Bush. Hate is ignorance within fear. Fear is the mind killer.

But all occupied people rebel against their occupiers. No matter how wonderful they may be treated, they will rebel. Not because they hate their occupiers. Not because "they hate our freedoms" as my fearless leader so arrogantly phrased it. They will rebel because they are Iraqis, not Americans.

Why did America support Iraq when it attacked Iran? Iran had the audacity to tell America to leave. Iran no longer wanted to be a puppet state, and Iran deserved to be punished for that. Iraq will be the same. Conquerors often cloak themselves as liberators.

It might be easy for the average American citizen to accept that this is a "Just War." But, for someone who has been on the receiving end of a missile, this coupling of words is a mockery of logic and respect for human life.

If you don't agree with me that is fine, but don't advocate war unless you feel so strongly that you are personally willing to run into a wall of enemy soldiers, armed with only a sword, knowing that you are going to die, and accepting it as the right thing to do. If you are not willing to do such a thing, then you do not truly believe that the fight is just.

But all that I just wrote is pointless because the spice must flow.

I was born in Louisiana and now I live in Virginia. I was 3 years old and living in Tehran when Iraq attacked. I don't remember the war as a series of news reels on TV. I remember the war as nights filled with bombs whistling down on me. I remember the war by the faces of the uncles and cousins I lost. I remember the war by the silent nights that punctuated the months. All this time I knew that I was American. I remember, when I was 5, I thought that America was going to come and help me. They weren't going to let me die.

My parents didn't want to explain the dirty truths of the world to a little child. I had no idea that the bombs being dropped on my city were guided by America, but they were. I didn't know that the chemicals being used against my drafted uncles and cousins were provided to Iraq by America, but they were. I didn't know that my life was not as important as providing more oil for America, but I was not important. I am an American. I am an Iranian. I don't hate Iraqis. I don't hate Americans. I don't hate Saddam. I don't hate Bush. Hate is ignorance within fear. Fear is the mind killer.

But all occupied people rebel against their occupiers. No matter how wonderful they may be treated, they will rebel. Not because they hate their occupiers. Not because "they hate our freedoms" as my fearless leader so arrogantly phrased it. They will rebel because they are Iraqis, not Americans.

Why did America support Iraq when it attacked Iran? Iran had the audacity to tell America to leave. Iran no longer wanted to be a puppet state, and Iran deserved to be punished for that. Iraq will be the same. Conquerors often cloak themselves as liberators.

It might be easy for the average American citizen to accept that this is a "Just War." But, for someone who has been on the receiving end of a missile, this coupling of words is a mockery of logic and respect for human life.

If you don't agree with me that is fine, but don't advocate war unless you feel so strongly that you are personally willing to run into a wall of enemy soldiers, armed with only a sword, knowing that you are going to die, and accepting it as the right thing to do. If you are not willing to do such a thing, then you do not truly believe that the fight is just.

But all that I just wrote is pointless because the spice must flow.

Why do the requirements put this elevator in the middle of the ocean?

I believe it has to do with anchoring the elevator at the equator, since the other end would have to be directly over the equator to avoid wobbling north and south during its orbit.

Since Australia lies completely south of the equator (according to this web atlas), I would suggest that this company wants to have a base of operations in Australia, but place the anchor somewhere in the Indian Ocean.

However, I will not be surprised if, in 20 years, the planet's only super power, bowing to the unrelenting pressure of corporate interests, will declare content-sans-DRM a weapon of international terrorism and threaten to nuke any country that does not outlaw it.

And while I hold the podium, please allow me to offer several quotations from Lord Acton:

- Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men, even when they exercise influence and not authority.

- There is no worse heresy than that the office sanctifies the holder of it. That is the point at which the negation of Catholicism and the negation of Liberalism meet and keep high festival, and the end learns to justify the means.

- Property is not a sacred right. When a rich man becomes poor it is a misfortune, it is not a moral evil.

- Everything secret degenerates; nothing is safe that does not bear discussion and publicity.

- The danger is not that a particular class is unfit to govern. Every class is unfit to govern.

I hope you mean "America" in the correct sense -- as a continent

Err, that would be two continents, North America and South America, if you want to be picky.

I hope you mean "America" in the correct sense -- as a continent

Err, that would be two continents, North America and South America, if you want to be picky.

Right. Latin America truly rocks. Great people, great sights, good food, inexpensive. And it's reasonably safe if you don't do anything stupid. Not to mention the fact that you just need to know Spanish to get around most of it.

Antarctica is primarily solid land with ice-shelves hanging off portions.

Antarctica is primarily solid land with ice-shelves hanging off portions.

Citizens of the "United States of Mexico" are commonly called "Mexicans" just as citizens of the United States of America are commonly called Americans.

Someone who lives in North America may be called "North American" and someone who lives in South America may be called "South American."

There is no continent called "America", although North and South America are often referred to collectively as "The Americas."

References:

1. World Atlas
2. World Atlas 2000
3. The Continents
4. Continents of the World
5. World Facts and Figures

Get over it.

There is absolutely no reason why free speech is a required right, it may be desireable but it is never required and society can function extremely well without it (look at pretty much anywhere outside of the USA).

You can't be serious. You think that there's no such thing as free speech outside of the USA? What about the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms? In particular, check out the section titled "Fundamental Freedoms". I guess I probably have to remind you that Canada is, in fact, outside of the USA.

Anyone else live outside the USA and have freedom of speech? Speak up!

There is absolutely no reason why free speech is a required right, it may be desireable but it is never required and society can function extremely well without it (look at pretty much anywhere outside of the USA).

You can't be serious. You think that there's no such thing as free speech outside of the USA? What about the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms? In particular, check out the section titled "Fundamental Freedoms". I guess I probably have to remind you that Canada is, in fact, outside of the USA.

Anyone else live outside the USA and have freedom of speech? Speak up!

There is absolutely no reason why free speech is a required right, it may be desireable but it is never required and society can function extremely well without it (look at pretty much anywhere outside of the USA).

You can't be serious. You think that there's no such thing as free speech outside of the USA? What about the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms? In particular, check out the section titled "Fundamental Freedoms". I guess I probably have to remind you that Canada is, in fact, outside of the USA.

Anyone else live outside the USA and have freedom of speech? Speak up!

We have so much land it's significantly more expensive to cover the USA than an island that is only 374,744 sq km compared to the USA which is 9,158,960 sq km

Hell Europe is barely bigger than the USA at and has significanlty more people at 731,716,000 compared to 287,412,865 in the USA.

BTW we're kicking the worlds ass when it comes to wealth. Which in my opinion is a hell of a lot better than sending a Instant Message(tm) over a cell phone.

We have so much land it's significantly more expensive to cover the USA than an island that is only 374,744 sq km compared to the USA which is 9,158,960 sq km

Hell Europe is barely bigger than the USA at and has significanlty more people at 731,716,000 compared to 287,412,865 in the USA.

BTW we're kicking the worlds ass when it comes to wealth. Which in my opinion is a hell of a lot better than sending a Instant Message(tm) over a cell phone.

Still OT, but FYI there are five oceans, Atlantic, Pacific, Arctic, Indian, and Southern.

Still no Hindi Ocean though.