There's a useful flip side to that. I'm fine with being stopped (politely) when it's part of the cops ensuring that people who don't belong in my neighborhood are deterred from hanging out there. Insurance and registration checks, for example, are great for reeling in drunks and those with outstanding warrants.
I prefer my stuff stay "my stuff", the folks who live in my neighborhood all know the cops, and we don't want intruders. They shouldn't be busted for nothing, but should be inspected and made aware they are watched.
If the police don't have something to hide they should be fine with being filmed. I'm fine with being filmed if I'm in public, where I have no expectation of privacy. Public servants carrying out their jobs likewise should have no problem being filmed as it will serve to confirm their professional and virtuous conduct while also showing the conduct of those they apprehend.
The rest of world not being any better is no excuse for declining standards and goal in the US.
The US is still the land of opportunity. Immigrants, legal and illegal, understand that, while the native-born drool in front of the idiot box feeling sweet affirmation from Fox News.
I'm an American, and this pisses me off. When they shit in their own nest they shit in mine.
"Yup. Why use tactical nukes when MOABs & Daisy-cutters work just as well".
In what alternate universe do these little weapons with _tons_ of yield work "just as well" in destroying hard military targets compared to devices that yield in _kilotons_?
"And neither art nor sports require knowledge or mental discipline to be successful"
For those with talent, particularly "primitive" artists, artistic knowledge and discipline may not be required at all. "Art" nowadays may be almost completely dismissed as popular shit (whose MARKETING requires knowledge and discipline).
Sports require some knowledge, considerable discipline, but not necessarily the kind that is transferable to anything else, which is why stories of jocks who ruin their lives despite wealth are legion.
Unless you make an effort to live and work among superior people most of the country is a (Katzian definition) Hellmouth. Americans are brutish and willfully ignorant, most are superstitious (from religion to astrology), and they fetishize their stupidity and ignorance in their popular entertainments and choice of elected officials. Except for a very few people, the US has turned into a bad place.
It's really no surprise that business and government can't resist exploiting such people. Most of them deserve it.
Stupid people worship jocks because it is easier to imagine being strong than being smart. This would be fine if it didn't have devastating consequences for society.
North Korea has massive chem warfare capability, so the "community" the chemical agents could be drifting through is South Korea. Chems aren't great in small doses, but slather a few urban targets and widespread panic would ensure (even more than from the accompanying artillery bombardment). Since the POTUS has committed to No First Use of nukes, the NKs could use chems in the safe knowledge that we banned chems and won't use any other WMD to stop them.
Marketing the cleaners as a response to "terrorists" conveniently avoids pissing off the Norks or reminding anyone on our side that the US and ROK forces are in deep shit if they get smegged.
"Perhaps they ought to try securing our borders first."
That isn't acceptable because it will interfere with Reconquista. La Raza vote, they already control California, and they oppose immigration limitations of any sort. It's no longer possible and even debating it is pointless. Mexico won the demographic war.
NBC decontamination training is standard in the military, and nearly everyone gets to play. Alternate decon solutions that aren't themselves composed of nasty chemicals would be quite useful considering tens of thousands of gallons would be needed for even a small site. The product would need to kill germs and remove chemical agents while helping break them down (they degrade anyway). Other than washing off radioactive contamination there isn't much to be done, but that still would require effective detergent to break loose ground-in crud.
Given the over ONE BILLION dollars in pedo payoffs worldwide and the ongoing investigations turning up pedo priest after pedo priest, that's no troll.
No one hides a pedo unless they are a pedo. There is no reason for the systematic and effective pedo-shuffling policy of the Catholic Church except rampant pedophilia through the ranks. That they didn't give the pedos to the police, and excommunicate them, proves it beyond doubt.
Latest catch, Google for a vast number of other examples:
"When you encourage violence as part of your "overthrowing", you'll have a violent revolution. "
Of course. Since that variety of Revolution must take from all to redistribute wealth, it means that in practice that opponents must be killed. One cannot do capitalist things under Communism, and to ensure they are not done requires Stalin or Mao.
That is why there is violent resistance to Communism. It inevitably turns bad, so the reasonable thing to do is kill all the Communists one can catch. Francisco Franco saved Spain because enough people "got" this idea in time.
"And despite what the militia fucktards think, armed insurrection is not going to topple the U.S. government if it gets out of hand."
They need only be part of a mass movement that sustains them. The government doesn't have enough personnel to secure the whole US against serious _popular_ resistance. The thing about modern armed forces designed to destroy other sophisticated modern armed forces is that they aren't capable of putting all that many boots on the ground. Iraq and Afghanistan are difficult enough, and tiny compared to the USA, and not full of people Americans object to killing.
In any mass movement, the military itself would be in play, with results depending on the allegiance of individuals or units. There are lots of folks in Combat Arms who aren't going to shoot their kinfolk, and might savor putting politicians against the wall if the situation is right. Direct "toppling" isn't necessarily the mechanism by which government might be changed. Coup and other methods might offer themselves.
Never underestimate the appeal of mass movements. Should the economic situation get bad enough (the major reason people revolt, not for freedom but for food), ANY conduct becomes reasonable. The ghey and genteel Civil War was a long time ago. In modern civil wars, there is no useful reason to let enemies survive so they are often liquidated (why save them so they can fight again?). The best way to fight any serious internal conflict would be to exterminate ones enemies since they have no worth.
Everything is cozy now, so none of this is more than speculation. The US isn't hurting, no one is starving, and the economy is showing some signs of health. Crime is low, even auto fatalities are low. It's boring and there is every reason to keep it that way.
"the US right already thinks climate change legislation is a socialist plot."
The proponents of such legislation haven't done a very good job of selling it, or selling the idea of local sacrifice while law-free zones of the world do what they will.
There is the problem of climate change, and there is the problem of addressing it in ways that are not and are not perceived as "lawfare" against the US.
Speed, if one doesn't grow to fond of it, is actually quite nice. It is easy, however, to grow too fond of it. An appropriate solution would be to invent friendlier speed for appropriate speedful uses. (Aircrew "go" pills come to mind as an ethical use of speed.)
"All of the landmines in the world don't address the problem with the North Koreans having enough artillery in place to completely level Seoul within an hour or two."
One problem isn't the other, though there is ample debate on their ability to "level" Seoul.
They CAN certainly chem the shit out of it and we have NO disabling retaliatory capability.
We renounced chem warfare long ago, but Obama has renounced first nuclear use too. It appears he hadn't thought that through, not having much military knowledge and no experience. What that means is our esteemed opponents can smeg South Korea with chems and BW if they are so inclined, while all we can do is "nothing much". Merely having to WEAR chem gear will kill people from heat stress (even trained and fit troops), while SK civilians have no protection from chem and BW agents.
There WAS a ready deterrent to chem'ing the South back when we were serious. Tactical nukes on Zulu Alert aircraft were ready for immediate launch 24/7. Atmospheric tests have proven tactical nuclear war quite (yes, really) practical, and BTW the Korean War ended just as suitable tac nuke artillery and missiles became common knowledge. When we calculate the risks now, remember the North knows we won't nuke them unless they nuke us first.
"It is pretty clear that this device is intended to support ground attack by a first world army against an adversary like Iraq (or some other country beginning with "I"?)."
There is also a small country next to China that is fond of raiding their neighbors as well as sinking ships now and then. Fighting them to a draw was bloody and expensive the last time.
NK not only must attack through some mine fields, but can deploy their own. In order to counterattack, being able to rapidly cut lanes through (anyones) minefields (or by clearing a strip, ensure there are not mines in the way) has been important since anti-tank and anti-personnel mines came into use. Mines slow movement, and forces slowed by mines can be more easily shot, shelled, or otherwise shwacked. A way to clear lanes that doesn't make a juicy target of the troops doing it is desirable.
Slashdot Mirror
"We have a system of higher education that has basically unlimited government money to loan to poor foreign nationals. "
And plenty to loan to local nationals. The business of education is to sell education, not necessarily to educate.
There's a useful flip side to that. I'm fine with being stopped (politely) when it's part of the cops ensuring that people who don't belong in my neighborhood are deterred from hanging out there. Insurance and registration checks, for example, are great for reeling in drunks and those with outstanding warrants.
I prefer my stuff stay "my stuff", the folks who live in my neighborhood all know the cops, and we don't want intruders. They shouldn't be busted for nothing, but should be inspected and made aware they are watched.
It's not nice, but that doesn't concern me.
If the police don't have something to hide they should be fine with being filmed. I'm fine with being filmed if I'm in public, where I have no expectation of privacy. Public servants carrying out their jobs likewise should have no problem being filmed as it will serve to confirm their professional and virtuous conduct while also showing the conduct of those they apprehend.
The rest of world not being any better is no excuse for declining standards and goal in the US.
The US is still the land of opportunity. Immigrants, legal and illegal, understand that, while the native-born drool in front of the idiot box feeling sweet affirmation from Fox News.
I'm an American, and this pisses me off. When they shit in their own nest they shit in mine.
"Yup. Why use tactical nukes when MOABs & Daisy-cutters work just as well".
In what alternate universe do these little weapons with _tons_ of yield work "just as well" in destroying hard military targets compared to devices that yield in _kilotons_?
http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/munitions/blu-82.htm
http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/munitions/moab.htm
http://www.brookings.edu/projects/archive/nucweapons/b61.aspx
"... once. After which they'd be the worlds largest crater."
Not anymore! The sweet days of aircraft on Zulu Alert ready with Silver Bullets are long gone, and one Change We Can Believe In is "No First Use".
"And neither art nor sports require knowledge or mental discipline to be successful"
For those with talent, particularly "primitive" artists, artistic knowledge and discipline may not be required at all. "Art" nowadays may be almost completely dismissed as popular shit (whose MARKETING requires knowledge and discipline).
Sports require some knowledge, considerable discipline, but not necessarily the kind that is transferable to anything else, which is why stories of jocks who ruin their lives despite wealth are legion.
The US is savagely anti-intellectual.
Unless you make an effort to live and work among superior people most of the country is a (Katzian definition) Hellmouth. Americans are brutish and willfully ignorant, most are superstitious (from religion to astrology), and they fetishize their stupidity and ignorance in their popular entertainments and choice of elected officials. Except for a very few people, the US has turned into a bad place.
It's really no surprise that business and government can't resist exploiting such people. Most of them deserve it.
Stupid people worship jocks because it is easier to imagine being strong than being smart. This would be fine if it didn't have devastating consequences for society.
North Korea has massive chem warfare capability, so the "community" the chemical agents could be drifting through is South Korea. Chems aren't great in small doses, but slather a few urban targets and widespread panic would ensure (even more than from the accompanying artillery bombardment). Since the POTUS has committed to No First Use of nukes, the NKs could use chems in the safe knowledge that we banned chems and won't use any other WMD to stop them.
http://www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/world/dprk/cw.htm
Marketing the cleaners as a response to "terrorists" conveniently avoids pissing off the Norks or reminding anyone on our side that the US and ROK forces are in deep shit if they get smegged.
"You're not factoring in the irrational hate some people have for Obama."
Not to mention the _rational_ hate some people have for Obama.
"Perhaps they ought to try securing our borders first."
That isn't acceptable because it will interfere with Reconquista. La Raza vote, they already control California, and they oppose immigration limitations of any sort. It's no longer possible and even debating it is pointless. Mexico won the demographic war.
NBC decontamination training is standard in the military, and nearly everyone gets to play. Alternate decon solutions that aren't themselves composed of nasty chemicals would be quite useful considering tens of thousands of gallons would be needed for even a small site. The product would need to kill germs and remove chemical agents while helping break them down (they degrade anyway). Other than washing off radioactive contamination there isn't much to be done, but that still would require effective detergent to break loose ground-in crud.
Have some Very Cool Soviet Decon vehicle:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cBI43LKuW00
Truth should be a defense against Troll mods.
I DEFY anyone to discredit anything in the above post.
http://lmgtfy.com/?q=catholic+abuse+settlements
http://www.bishop-accountability.org/
http://bishop-accountability.org/priestdb/PriestDBbylastName-A.html
http://www.boston.com/globe/spotlight/abuse/
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/01/world/europe/01vatican.html?src=me
Troll?
The only reason for downmodding that post is being an apologist for the Church. How dare you do that?
Given the over ONE BILLION dollars in pedo payoffs worldwide and the ongoing investigations turning up pedo priest after pedo priest, that's no troll.
No one hides a pedo unless they are a pedo. There is no reason for the systematic and effective pedo-shuffling policy of the Catholic Church except rampant pedophilia through the ranks. That they didn't give the pedos to the police, and excommunicate them, proves it beyond doubt.
Latest catch, Google for a vast number of other examples:
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/03/world/europe/03briefs-Germany.html
"When you encourage violence as part of your "overthrowing", you'll have a violent revolution. "
Of course. Since that variety of Revolution must take from all to redistribute wealth, it means that in practice that opponents must be killed.
One cannot do capitalist things under Communism, and to ensure they are not done requires Stalin or Mao.
That is why there is violent resistance to Communism. It inevitably turns bad, so the reasonable thing to do is kill all the Communists one can catch.
Francisco Franco saved Spain because enough people "got" this idea in time.
"And despite what the militia fucktards think, armed insurrection is not going to topple the U.S. government if it gets out of hand."
They need only be part of a mass movement that sustains them.
The government doesn't have enough personnel to secure the whole US against serious _popular_ resistance. The thing about modern armed forces designed to destroy other sophisticated modern armed forces is that they aren't capable of putting all that many boots on the ground. Iraq and Afghanistan are difficult enough, and tiny compared to the USA, and not full of people Americans object to killing.
In any mass movement, the military itself would be in play, with results depending on the allegiance of individuals or units. There are lots of folks in Combat Arms who aren't going to shoot their kinfolk, and might savor putting politicians against the wall if the situation is right. Direct "toppling" isn't necessarily the mechanism by which government might be changed. Coup and other methods might offer themselves.
Never underestimate the appeal of mass movements. Should the economic situation get bad enough (the major reason people revolt, not for freedom but for food), ANY conduct becomes reasonable. The ghey and genteel Civil War was a long time ago. In modern civil wars, there is no useful reason to let enemies survive so they are often liquidated (why save them so they can fight again?). The best way to fight any serious internal conflict would be to exterminate ones enemies since they have no worth.
Everything is cozy now, so none of this is more than speculation. The US isn't hurting, no one is starving, and the economy is showing some signs of health. Crime is low, even auto fatalities are low. It's boring and there is every reason to keep it that way.
Truth should be a defense against Flamebait moderation.
Nothing in the above post is untrue or exaggerated.
"if they want my windows, they're going to have to pry it out of my warm, living, delicately moisturized hands"
The hands, describe them in more detail, and slowly....
"If the rest of the world says so, they have to abide anyway."
Good luck with that. Let's outlaw war and hunger while you are at it.
"the US right already thinks climate change legislation is a socialist plot."
The proponents of such legislation haven't done a very good job of selling it, or selling the idea of local sacrifice while law-free zones of the world do what they will.
There is the problem of climate change, and there is the problem of addressing it in ways that are not and are not perceived as "lawfare" against the US.
Speed, if one doesn't grow to fond of it, is actually quite nice. It is easy, however, to grow too fond of it.
An appropriate solution would be to invent friendlier speed for appropriate speedful uses.
(Aircrew "go" pills come to mind as an ethical use of speed.)
"All of the landmines in the world don't address the problem with the North Koreans having enough artillery in place to completely level Seoul within an hour or two."
One problem isn't the other, though there is ample debate on their ability to "level" Seoul.
They CAN certainly chem the shit out of it and we have NO disabling retaliatory capability.
We renounced chem warfare long ago, but Obama has renounced first nuclear use too. It appears he hadn't thought that through, not having much military knowledge and no experience. What that means is our esteemed opponents can smeg South Korea with chems and BW if they are so inclined, while all we can do is "nothing much". Merely having to WEAR chem gear will kill people from heat stress (even trained and fit troops), while SK civilians have no protection from chem and BW agents.
There WAS a ready deterrent to chem'ing the South back when we were serious. Tactical nukes on Zulu Alert aircraft were ready for immediate launch 24/7. Atmospheric tests have proven tactical nuclear war quite (yes, really) practical, and BTW the Korean War ended just as suitable tac nuke artillery and missiles became common knowledge. When we calculate the risks now, remember the North knows we won't nuke them unless they nuke us first.
"Do I have to buy the whole robot or can I just get the weapon mounts for my vacuum?"
Don't forget the "D & C" attachment, so you can have a Woomba.
"It is pretty clear that this device is intended to support ground attack by a first world army against an adversary like Iraq (or some other country beginning with "I"?)."
There is also a small country next to China that is fond of raiding their neighbors as well as sinking ships now and then. Fighting them to a draw was bloody and expensive the last time.
http://rokdrop.com/2008/12/30/dmz-flashpoints-the-blue-house-raid/
NK not only must attack through some mine fields, but can deploy their own. In order to counterattack, being able to rapidly cut lanes through (anyones) minefields (or by clearing a strip, ensure there are not mines in the way) has been important since anti-tank and anti-personnel mines came into use. Mines slow movement, and forces slowed by mines can be more easily shot, shelled, or otherwise shwacked. A way to clear lanes that doesn't make a juicy target of the troops doing it is desirable.