the democrats [...] vilify the republicans for wanting to enforce the rule of law
Wait... what? Did I fall through a tear in the time-space continuum?
Warrantless wiretapping of American citizens, indefinite imprisonment and torture, political intervention in private medical decisions, targeted DOJ prosecutions designed to subvert elections, exposure of covert operatives, evasion of corporate taxes.
That's a short list, just off the top of my head, of activities fully endorsed by the GOP that directly contravened the rule of law. I think if we could find more Republicans who were genuinely willing to support the rule of law, we might be able to winnow some of the more blatantly-corrupt politicians all along the political spectrum.
Some dumbass spewing hateful cliches doesn't seem to be getting the job done.
how come the only place I hear about the problems with his policies is on slashdot and conservative news and opinion sites?
Although I think this is a fair question, I wonder how many progressive outlets or forums you expose yourself to. Jon Stewart, for example, has certainly wasted no time taking shots at some of the dumbass stuff that's happened since the new Administration took office.
In conversations with friends, I certainly don't hold back my criticism, but here I find people on the other side of the fence tend to do enough criticizing (of Obama) for everyone.
[...]Joe Lieberman? got drummed out of the party because he had the temerity of thinking that getting rid of Saddam Hussein was a good idea[...]
Well that's a dramatic reinterpretation of history. Here's a bit of what the Venerable Wikipedia has to say on the topic of why Joe lost the primary:
"[3]his opposition to affirmative action;[4] his opposition to a Connecticut state law that would require Catholic hospitals to provide emergency contraception to rape victims;[5] his membership in the bipartisan Gang of 14;[6] his support of Florida governor Jeb Bush in the Terri Schiavo case;[7] his initial willingness to compromise on Social Security privatization;[8] his alliances with Republicans[9] and attacks on other Democrats;[10][11][12] and Lieberman's rhetoric, which is believed by many Democrats, including Paul Krugman and former John Kerry advisor Ari Melber, to often support Republican talking points."
The union most likely negotiated your contract, the amount of in-service days you worked, the pay scale you participated in, and the benefits packaged that was offered to you (retirement, pension, healthcare, life insurance...etc).
They also, most likely, negotiated the school calendar that you worked as well.
Obviously, this varies from state to state, but teachers unions have FAR reaching influence - more so than most people realize.
-ted
I hear this statement repeated like a mantra, and it never seems to have any citation or corroboration. Are there a few places where I can read about these unions that supports these claims?
It isn't just you Ted, I've seen it so many times in this thread. Just seems like everyone takes it as fact, and that troubles me somewhat.
I've noticed too, it really is disturbing. Considering the fact that we're now in the 21st century the kind of reactionary hatefulness on this site is weird.
I hate censorship but maybe if the response to racist posts were less along the lines of "oh, it's -1 troll/flamebait that's ok" and more "fuck off you hateful shit-storm" then things could improve?
Yes, good idea. Let's take all this xenophobia, or racism, or whatever, and force people to bottle it up and hide it for another half century. Maybe then it will all finally just disappear! What's the half-life on bigotry, anyway?
Can we please please please start discussing race relations in the US in public now?
Cliches make it easier to make blanket statements without providing citations or evidence.
All snarking aside, if you actually elaborated on your point there might be a conversation worth having. This little sound byte is worse than pointless.
I thought penmanship taught us to endure tedious and repetitious tasks, to prepare us for cramming and studying later in life, later a boring 9-5 office job, and perhaps a tedious marriage.
I also thought tasks like that was to break the child's spirit, teach them to obey authority, and used as an excuse to smack the child's hand with a ruler when he steps out of line, an early indoctrination.
Holy shit... this is exactly my experience of this kind of class. I was an unconventional kid with terrrrrible handwriting, and I endured 2 years of "classes" that consisted of sitting quietly copying dotted-line letters.
It made me furious that no one seemed to grasp how utterly pointless an excercise this was, as I mastered typing in something like a few weeks. Now I see, about twenty years later - I think you're right, it was an actual torture technique designed to break the willful student.
Care to take a stab at what the "socio-" part of "socioecominics" might refer to?
I think it is the -economics (or... "ecominics" if you like) part of "socioeconomics" that Main Gauche has a problem with - a social group may be materially poor, but with sufficient cultural incentive that group can succeed in education and improve their socioeconomic standing.
I don't have numbers to back up this position, but I will say it satisfies my sense of how education should work.
On the other hand, I and a lot of people I know discounted teaching not because we aren't interested in teaching, but because for us it's not the difference between $32K and $28K, but the difference between $110K and $40K.
I hope to retire into teaching, but I'd like to be able to more than subsist.
Your sentiment deserves to be modded up and read. Why did you post as an AC?
Don't have to be 18 or older to buy an iPod Touch though.
I am a big NIN fan, and it pisses me off to see the lyrics of "Closer" taken completely out of context of not just the song, but the entire album. (Which like Pink Floyd's "The Wall", which inspired it, is a concept album.)
It's fucking stupid though. Not just the music they sell but some of the podcasts they list. Actual recordings of people having sex. And not just regular sex, but master/slave stuff etc...
And yet somehow something in the NIN app is offensive.
Idiocy.
If this is a subtle slashvert, you have my attention.
I was thinking in terms of revenue back to the artist vs more traditional models. Apple wants to stay the drug dealer. The kids are learning to cook meth at home....
This metaphor pleased me immensely, and then I noticed your handle.
Well-played sir, well-played.
Entertainment is the modern mass-produced drug and has been for at least a generation or two. And it's getting more potent.
I don't think that would help much in this situation, I think "You let me penetrate you... You let me violate you" and "I want to fuck you like an animal" would fall within the "overly sexual/ violent" category.
Sounds like exactly the right amount of sexual to me. And I don't see anything about violence in the lyrics you quote. Puritan!
Oh shut the fuck up. Religious people tend to be happier. Maybe you'd feel happier if you learned to stop resenting those of us who choose to follow a God (Jewish, myself).
I could choose to take a medication. I am less clear how I would choose to believe in something that I cannot convince myself is rational or probable.
Am I jealous that many people are able to believe in (what I perceive to be) a pleasant fiction which gives them comfort? I suppose I am.
On the other hand, the idea that faith brings happiness seems like it could easily be just another pleasant fiction, especially if judged solely by the attitude in your post.
If they're talking about it, they don't intend on doing it. It's only after they are not heard that they turn to actually committing suicide as a last resort.
Although this is technically true, it's surprising how few people hear their cries for help. I've been suicidal several times in the past, and you really have to hit people over the head with it to get them to believe you.
There was common ground to fund massive scale adult stem cell research, but Democrats blocked it.
It was an article of faith that new embryonic stem cell lines were superior to pluripotent adult stem cells -- largely because it fit with their pro-abortion stance and narrative that Bush was "anti science".
China put money where the science was. The Democrats wouldn't permit that here. And still won't.
Troll though you are, I feel the need to point out that you make claims with zero supporting evidence. Since you posted as an AC, I would guess you are unable to cite specific instances of Dems blocking funding of "massive scale adult stem cell research". I'm not familiar with any, not that I'm an expert.
Also, your use of the phrase "pro-abortion" paints you as a religious extremist. You might consider using different language in the future, since extremists are the cause of so much conflict in the country and the world.
Slashdot Mirror
the democrats [...] vilify the republicans for wanting to enforce the rule of law
Wait... what? Did I fall through a tear in the time-space continuum?
Warrantless wiretapping of American citizens, indefinite imprisonment and torture, political intervention in private medical decisions, targeted DOJ prosecutions designed to subvert elections, exposure of covert operatives, evasion of corporate taxes.
That's a short list, just off the top of my head, of activities fully endorsed by the GOP that directly contravened the rule of law. I think if we could find more Republicans who were genuinely willing to support the rule of law, we might be able to winnow some of the more blatantly-corrupt politicians all along the political spectrum.
Some dumbass spewing hateful cliches doesn't seem to be getting the job done.
how come the only place I hear about the problems with his policies is on slashdot and conservative news and opinion sites?
Although I think this is a fair question, I wonder how many progressive outlets or forums you expose yourself to. Jon Stewart, for example, has certainly wasted no time taking shots at some of the dumbass stuff that's happened since the new Administration took office.
In conversations with friends, I certainly don't hold back my criticism, but here I find people on the other side of the fence tend to do enough criticizing (of Obama) for everyone.
[...]Joe Lieberman? got drummed out of the party because he had the temerity of thinking that getting rid of Saddam Hussein was a good idea[...]
Well that's a dramatic reinterpretation of history. Here's a bit of what the Venerable Wikipedia has to say on the topic of why Joe lost the primary:
"[3]his opposition to affirmative action;[4] his opposition to a Connecticut state law that would require Catholic hospitals to provide emergency contraception to rape victims;[5] his membership in the bipartisan Gang of 14;[6] his support of Florida governor Jeb Bush in the Terri Schiavo case;[7] his initial willingness to compromise on Social Security privatization;[8] his alliances with Republicans[9] and attacks on other Democrats;[10][11][12] and Lieberman's rhetoric, which is believed by many Democrats, including Paul Krugman and former John Kerry advisor Ari Melber, to often support Republican talking points."
And here's the link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democratic_Party_primary,_Connecticut_United_States_Senate_election,_2006
The union most likely negotiated your contract, the amount of in-service days you worked, the pay scale you participated in, and the benefits packaged that was offered to you (retirement, pension, healthcare, life insurance...etc).
They also, most likely, negotiated the school calendar that you worked as well.
Obviously, this varies from state to state, but teachers unions have FAR reaching influence - more so than most people realize.
-ted
I hear this statement repeated like a mantra, and it never seems to have any citation or corroboration. Are there a few places where I can read about these unions that supports these claims?
It isn't just you Ted, I've seen it so many times in this thread. Just seems like everyone takes it as fact, and that troubles me somewhat.
The dangerous [religious people] are the authority figures who try to micromanage domains that are out of their league.
But you repeat yourself.
I've noticed too, it really is disturbing. Considering the fact that we're now in the 21st century the kind of reactionary hatefulness on this site is weird.
I hate censorship but maybe if the response to racist posts were less along the lines of "oh, it's -1 troll/flamebait that's ok" and more "fuck off you hateful shit-storm" then things could improve?
Yes, good idea. Let's take all this xenophobia, or racism, or whatever, and force people to bottle it up and hide it for another half century. Maybe then it will all finally just disappear! What's the half-life on bigotry, anyway?
Can we please please please start discussing race relations in the US in public now?
Unions make it harder to fire bad employees.
Cliches make it easier to make blanket statements without providing citations or evidence.
All snarking aside, if you actually elaborated on your point there might be a conversation worth having. This little sound byte is worse than pointless.
Wait, did I say, "all snarking"? Oh well.
I thought penmanship taught us to endure tedious and repetitious tasks, to prepare us for cramming and studying later in life, later a boring 9-5 office job, and perhaps a tedious marriage.
I also thought tasks like that was to break the child's spirit, teach them to obey authority, and used as an excuse to smack the child's hand with a ruler when he steps out of line, an early indoctrination.
Holy shit... this is exactly my experience of this kind of class. I was an unconventional kid with terrrrrible handwriting, and I endured 2 years of "classes" that consisted of sitting quietly copying dotted-line letters.
It made me furious that no one seemed to grasp how utterly pointless an excercise this was, as I mastered typing in something like a few weeks. Now I see, about twenty years later - I think you're right, it was an actual torture technique designed to break the willful student.
I must ponder this!
So are you saying genetics has nothing to do with intelligence? Prove it!
So are you saying that success in public education has something to do with intelligence? Prove it!
Care to take a stab at what the "socio-" part of "socioecominics" might refer to?
I think it is the -economics (or... "ecominics" if you like) part of "socioeconomics" that Main Gauche has a problem with - a social group may be materially poor, but with sufficient cultural incentive that group can succeed in education and improve their socioeconomic standing.
I don't have numbers to back up this position, but I will say it satisfies my sense of how education should work.
Welcome to the new age, where genuine criticism is no longer politically incorrect.
If you really believed that, you wouldn't be posting as an AC.
On the other hand, I and a lot of people I know discounted teaching not because we aren't interested in teaching, but because for us it's not the difference between $32K and $28K, but the difference between $110K and $40K.
I hope to retire into teaching, but I'd like to be able to more than subsist.
Your sentiment deserves to be modded up and read. Why did you post as an AC?
Don't have to be 18 or older to buy an iPod Touch though.
I am a big NIN fan, and it pisses me off to see the lyrics of "Closer" taken completely out of context of not just the song, but the entire album. (Which like Pink Floyd's "The Wall", which inspired it, is a concept album.)
It's fucking stupid though. Not just the music they sell but some of the podcasts they list. Actual recordings of people having sex. And not just regular sex, but master/slave stuff etc...
And yet somehow something in the NIN app is offensive.
Idiocy.
If this is a subtle slashvert, you have my attention.
I was thinking in terms of revenue back to the artist vs more traditional models. Apple wants to stay the drug dealer. The kids are learning to cook meth at home....
This metaphor pleased me immensely, and then I noticed your handle.
Well-played sir, well-played.
Entertainment is the modern mass-produced drug and has been for at least a generation or two. And it's getting more potent.
I don't think that would help much in this situation, I think "You let me penetrate you... You let me violate you" and "I want to fuck you like an animal" would fall within the "overly sexual/ violent" category.
Sounds like exactly the right amount of sexual to me. And I don't see anything about violence in the lyrics you quote. Puritan!
=^-^=
Free sex?
Hell yes!
Don't be fooled - it's never free.
Oh shut the fuck up. Religious people tend to be happier. Maybe you'd feel happier if you learned to stop resenting those of us who choose to follow a God (Jewish, myself).
I could choose to take a medication. I am less clear how I would choose to believe in something that I cannot convince myself is rational or probable.
Am I jealous that many people are able to believe in (what I perceive to be) a pleasant fiction which gives them comfort? I suppose I am.
On the other hand, the idea that faith brings happiness seems like it could easily be just another pleasant fiction, especially if judged solely by the attitude in your post.
I have never before heard an argument for suicide before, and certainly never the same one used for abortion. Congratulations.
You haven't been listening very hard then. I'd say it's a perfectly rational argument that I've heard verbalized many times before.
I'm not advocating suicide, but I don't think criminalization and hospitalization are the panacea they're cracked up to be.
If they're talking about it, they don't intend on doing it. It's only after they are not heard that they turn to actually committing suicide as a last resort.
Although this is technically true, it's surprising how few people hear their cries for help. I've been suicidal several times in the past, and you really have to hit people over the head with it to get them to believe you.
"unless it would be a chemical to stop rational thinking"
Holy water?!!
Beer.
I dearly hope you get modded insightful and not funny. I seem to recall reading that beer's origin was as liquid bread for Egyptian slaves.
Also, the rate of alcohol poisoning in the US far exceeds lithium poisoning... um... probably...
*waves hands, hoping a citation would appear*
This is afabbro, replying anonymously
I can't tell - are you a nutjob, a troll, or just a mediocre talent in the art of parody? It's so hard to tell these days!
antonym
semantics
dictionary
There was common ground to fund massive scale adult stem cell research, but Democrats blocked it.
It was an article of faith that new embryonic stem cell lines were superior to pluripotent adult stem cells -- largely because it fit with their pro-abortion stance and narrative that Bush was "anti science".
China put money where the science was. The Democrats wouldn't permit that here. And still won't.
Troll though you are, I feel the need to point out that you make claims with zero supporting evidence. Since you posted as an AC, I would guess you are unable to cite specific instances of Dems blocking funding of "massive scale adult stem cell research". I'm not familiar with any, not that I'm an expert.
Also, your use of the phrase "pro-abortion" paints you as a religious extremist. You might consider using different language in the future, since extremists are the cause of so much conflict in the country and the world.
do you really think people are more interested in having an erection than to save their cognitive capabilities?
You.... must be new here...
...on the planet Earth...
frothing-mouthed lunatic fringe
destructive current Jimmy Carter 2.0 administration
Do you read what you write, or would the shock of the cognitive consonance be too much to bear?
"The question that needs to be answered is when does human life begin?"
Easy answer. Conception. Its that simple and its a scientific answer. All other answers are philosophical in nature.
Stupid philosophers... always challenging my black and white view of the universe. What have the Romans ever done for ME?!