Your correction, that "SOME Americans can afford to drive SUVs", makes a good point. There are lots of people here who live below the poverty level. I'd like to extend that by saying SOME Americans who drive SUVs can actually afford them, but most cannot. I've never been to Europe and probably wouldn't make a "standard of living" comparison if I had (apples to oranges and all that), but I'm pretty sure few Americans who buy new or late model vehicles pay cash for them. In this country to guess a person's net worth based upon his vehicle(s), home(s), etc. is pure folly. I don't know if that's true in Europe but here in the US it's a fact of life.
When threatened, a person's best weapon is his wit. However developing one's wit and learning this lesson typically takes some time and requires learning many other lessons as well. One lesson I learned in grade school was that, since I was the smallest kid in class, I was destined to tote numerous ass-whuppin's. My father pointed out that I should defend myself but I was afraid it would only anger my tormentor so for a long time I just tried to keep my head covered. And still got my ass beat... until it dawned on me that, heck, if I'm gonna get my ass beat anyway I might as well try to land a few punches of my own. This is when I discovered a marvelous new weapon: the element of surprise. Nobody expected a shrimp like me to fight back so nobody had his guard up; all I had to do was hit them once in the face really hard and they'd usually go down. Sometimes they'd promise to meet me after school and we'd arrange a place (I was terrified but heck, throwing that punch had been fun!) but they seldom showed up.
I decided that it is no disgrace to be beat up by a larger guy once. Sometimes it simply could not be avoided. But I could make damn sure he never wanted to have to do it again! I'm now well past fifty, still small in stature, but that philosophy has served me well in all aspects of my life. Peace is to be preferred over violence and can almost always be established through reason. Situations can exist in which everybody wins. Nobody has to go hungry or cold in order for someone else to eat and stay warm. But I wasn't born knowing these things; rather, I learned them a little at a time.
Absolutely right. I think that was the most important lesson I ever learned in school. Young people must learn that other kids can be cruel, and to deal with them accordingly. As they get older they'll learn that adults, especially those in positions of authority, are still cruel and much more effective at it. Those folks also have to be dealt with and shown little mercy.
Well yes, but down here in the Southland if you are A) having non-stop sex, a large dude will probably get jealous and kick your ass, and if you are B) homosexual, some large dude will likely take you apart to figure out why.
Aw, Bullshit! You can mic them in the nucrowave, but the only way to get a nice, crispy crust on 'em is to fry there little butts. After nukin' them, dunk them into very hot oil for a few minutes. You might want to bread them first (I'd use a buttermilk / egg / cornmeal concoction) but they should come out real nice. BTW, don't tell anybody I told you this.
Absolutely right (I'm an old phart and when I was a kid we did pretty much as we pleased, until we were called). But it's not so much that parents or children are different now, it's that the world has changed. Nowadays there are a lot more damned mean people than there used to be. When I was young kidnapping pretty much just didn't happen. A burglary was big news. Carjacking had not been invented. Oh, we had assholes back then, but they were either good at it and didn't get caught or so bad that the worst they did was busting some other guy's nose.
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We allowed our world to become the evil place that it is, and I have been as guilty as anyone in that regard. We can return it to its earlier state, or we can keep bitching about its decline. That is up to us.
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Tagging is nothing new. I was often tagged back in the '50s. If I didn't come home when my Dad whistled, I could count on a good tagging when I showed up, and he always had a right big belt. He didn't have the technology available today, but his system worked very well. Hell, my ass burns just thinking about it.
So, yuz plannin' on launchin' that capsule inter space, wuz ya? Well yer'd best check them bolts fust... I had one 'splode and blow one o' my best wrenches slap into! I wouldn' trust 'em, nosuh. - Y'all please pardon the spelling; I'm an old Southern hillbilly turner of wrenches.
Good post, but we do have one more thing to bitch about: when the government "overpays" to acquire these images (or anything else) they are doing so with OUR money. I won't conclude that the plan itself is bad, but negative points must be considered. And any time our government uses our money to limit our access to information I'd call that a negative point. The question is, is it justified?
"Having a gun and presenting to an attacker does nothing." As an American with some knowledge of firearm use and safety, I would like to note that when someone attacks you, presenting him with your weapon is not recommended. And if you think "Having a gun.... does not deter a home invasion," you just haven't invaded the right home; try mine. You will be deterred. -- Before seeking security we should ask: secure from what? Who would you trust to provide it? How's their track record? Thanks, but I prefer my 'security' loaded and handy.
Just for the hell of it, do a little research on your state's Insurance Commissioner(s). Find out what sort of jobs they had prior to their State gig. I'm not suggesting this sort of thing could still happen (snicker) but high-rollers in the insurance industry have been known to leave it and take relatively low-paying 'Commissioner' positions. Now, why would anybody do a thing like that?
Personally, all I ask for in a knife is a sharp blade (or several). I have to admit it's cool though when they throw in all that other stuff. Even the most basic SA knives have some handy bells & whistles in addition to a very good blade. I enjoy carrying them for all that stuff (especially the toothpick) but I still carry my trusty 3-blade pocket knife for most blade work. If I needed a USB stick I believe I'd want it seperate too.
"... buy top quality tools and keep them many, many years." -- I couldn't agree more. I have bought a few $10 Swiss Army knives over the years... tiny things with one blade, scissors, file/screwdriver, tooth pick, and tweezers. These are Victornox and have everything listed except memory and light. Seems like a better deal to buy USB memory units seperately and upgrade them as you wish.
I wish I could argue with you on this but I can't. Indeed, our only hope begins with a third party firmly grounded in the Constitution, but it must go further. Selling legislation to the highest bidder must be made a treasonable offense and this must be rigorously enforced against our offending lawmakers.---------- And just because we in the U.S. have taken a nap and allowed our country to be run by thugs and thieves is no reason for Australia (or any other country) to follow suit.
killjoe, I admire both your logic and your humor, but there is one basic flaw: when was the last time you noticed the 2nd amendment being actually applied to human beings in the US? The same can be said of many of our constitutional rights. I agree corporations should be treated like dogs; it just won't make much difference until citizens are once again treated like the citizens of a free republic, as our Founders intended.
Frostman, I totally agree. I just signed their petition (going to their site left a bad taste in my mouth) but for once, they're doing something I support. Thanks for the link. And I hope the Republicrats will get a clue and follow suit.
Very good points. I've never been outside the US and I've never been stabbed or shot, but I have been slapped up the side of my head with a large piece of a concrete bus-stop post and mugged... and darn near killed. Personally, I pose no threat to anyone unless they pose a threat to me, but I've found myself to be much more comfortable with a concealed pistol than without one. And damn a concealed carry permit; in the US that is unconstitutional. What part of the phrase, "shall not be infringed" do our idiot politicians fail to understand? We shouldn't be paying them to make laws, we should be paying them to pick up our garbage once a week. We'd still be paying most of them more than they're worth.
Oh, and contrary to popular belief, my karma is really doing pretty well.
I don't know if it qualifies under the definition of 'terrorism' because I don't know his intentions. That doesn't really matter though because the unconstitutional so-called 'Patriot Act' should never have been passed into law, and should be repealed forthwith. However, whatever this guy's intent, he should do some serious time for his malicious and thoughtless actions. Any such invasion of another person's computer should be dealt with most harshly, as should any deliberate interference with the emergency call system. If he's proven guilty in court for each infraction and each bogus 911 call, I'd think he could draw a lot of time. I would hope so.
I don't think you were shooting for 'funny' but that 'e-turds' comment cracked me up. It is so damned appropriate... a load of e-turds. I gotta remember that one so I can use it later! Thanks!
I will make only one generalization: that shit ain't music. If you like it, cool. Listen to it, create it, whatever... but please do not call it music. Doing so is an insult to real musicians the world over.
Damn good comment! I try to avoid killing people because I don't like doing stuff like that. It really has nothing to do with the chance that I might get arrested... Hell, I can avoid that, no problem. But I must live with myself.
"Morality is what you do when no one is watching"... well, no one but you.
You want deterrence? Buy a pistol and some ammo. Carefully clean and load the pistol and put it in your pocket. And vigorously fight any low rent, scumbag son of a whore who tells you that you don't have the God-given and Constitutionally approved right to do so. I'll back you up.
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Your correction, that "SOME Americans can afford to drive SUVs", makes a good point. There are lots of people here who live below the poverty level. I'd like to extend that by saying SOME Americans who drive SUVs can actually afford them, but most cannot. I've never been to Europe and probably wouldn't make a "standard of living" comparison if I had (apples to oranges and all that), but I'm pretty sure few Americans who buy new or late model vehicles pay cash for them. In this country to guess a person's net worth based upon his vehicle(s), home(s), etc. is pure folly. I don't know if that's true in Europe but here in the US it's a fact of life.
When threatened, a person's best weapon is his wit. However developing one's wit and learning this lesson typically takes some time and requires learning many other lessons as well. One lesson I learned in grade school was that, since I was the smallest kid in class, I was destined to tote numerous ass-whuppin's. My father pointed out that I should defend myself but I was afraid it would only anger my tormentor so for a long time I just tried to keep my head covered. And still got my ass beat... until it dawned on me that, heck, if I'm gonna get my ass beat anyway I might as well try to land a few punches of my own. This is when I discovered a marvelous new weapon: the element of surprise. Nobody expected a shrimp like me to fight back so nobody had his guard up; all I had to do was hit them once in the face really hard and they'd usually go down. Sometimes they'd promise to meet me after school and we'd arrange a place (I was terrified but heck, throwing that punch had been fun!) but they seldom showed up. I decided that it is no disgrace to be beat up by a larger guy once. Sometimes it simply could not be avoided. But I could make damn sure he never wanted to have to do it again! I'm now well past fifty, still small in stature, but that philosophy has served me well in all aspects of my life. Peace is to be preferred over violence and can almost always be established through reason. Situations can exist in which everybody wins. Nobody has to go hungry or cold in order for someone else to eat and stay warm. But I wasn't born knowing these things; rather, I learned them a little at a time.
Absolutely right. I think that was the most important lesson I ever learned in school. Young people must learn that other kids can be cruel, and to deal with them accordingly. As they get older they'll learn that adults, especially those in positions of authority, are still cruel and much more effective at it. Those folks also have to be dealt with and shown little mercy.
Well yes, but down here in the Southland if you are A) having non-stop sex, a large dude will probably get jealous and kick your ass, and if you are B) homosexual, some large dude will likely take you apart to figure out why.
You are a trusting soul.
Aw, Bullshit! You can mic them in the nucrowave, but the only way to get a nice, crispy crust on 'em is to fry there little butts. After nukin' them, dunk them into very hot oil for a few minutes. You might want to bread them first (I'd use a buttermilk / egg / cornmeal concoction) but they should come out real nice. BTW, don't tell anybody I told you this.
Absolutely right (I'm an old phart and when I was a kid we did pretty much as we pleased, until we were called). But it's not so much that parents or children are different now, it's that the world has changed. Nowadays there are a lot more damned mean people than there used to be. When I was young kidnapping pretty much just didn't happen. A burglary was big news. Carjacking had not been invented. Oh, we had assholes back then, but they were either good at it and didn't get caught or so bad that the worst they did was busting some other guy's nose. - We allowed our world to become the evil place that it is, and I have been as guilty as anyone in that regard. We can return it to its earlier state, or we can keep bitching about its decline. That is up to us. - Tagging is nothing new. I was often tagged back in the '50s. If I didn't come home when my Dad whistled, I could count on a good tagging when I showed up, and he always had a right big belt. He didn't have the technology available today, but his system worked very well. Hell, my ass burns just thinking about it.
So, yuz plannin' on launchin' that capsule inter space, wuz ya? Well yer'd best check them bolts fust... I had one 'splode and blow one o' my best wrenches slap into! I wouldn' trust 'em, nosuh.
-
Y'all please pardon the spelling; I'm an old Southern hillbilly turner of wrenches.
Good post, but we do have one more thing to bitch about: when the government "overpays" to acquire these images (or anything else) they are doing so with OUR money. I won't conclude that the plan itself is bad, but negative points must be considered. And any time our government uses our money to limit our access to information I'd call that a negative point. The question is, is it justified?
"Having a gun and presenting to an attacker does nothing." As an American with some knowledge of firearm use and safety, I would like to note that when someone attacks you, presenting him with your weapon is not recommended. And if you think "Having a gun.... does not deter a home invasion," you just haven't invaded the right home; try mine. You will be deterred.
--
Before seeking security we should ask: secure from what? Who would you trust to provide it? How's their track record? Thanks, but I prefer my 'security' loaded and handy.
Just for the hell of it, do a little research on your state's Insurance Commissioner(s). Find out what sort of jobs they had prior to their State gig. I'm not suggesting this sort of thing could still happen (snicker) but high-rollers in the insurance industry have been known to leave it and take relatively low-paying 'Commissioner' positions. Now, why would anybody do a thing like that?
They keep them very, very sharp. Oh, and they also make sure everyone has a gun. We could learn a lot from the Swiss.
Personally, all I ask for in a knife is a sharp blade (or several). I have to admit it's cool though when they throw in all that other stuff. Even the most basic SA knives have some handy bells & whistles in addition to a very good blade. I enjoy carrying them for all that stuff (especially the toothpick) but I still carry my trusty 3-blade pocket knife for most blade work. If I needed a USB stick I believe I'd want it seperate too.
"... buy top quality tools and keep them many, many years."
--
I couldn't agree more. I have bought a few $10 Swiss Army knives over the years... tiny things with one blade, scissors, file/screwdriver, tooth pick, and tweezers. These are Victornox and have everything listed except memory and light. Seems like a better deal to buy USB memory units seperately and upgrade them as you wish.
I wish I could argue with you on this but I can't. Indeed, our only hope begins with a third party firmly grounded in the Constitution, but it must go further. Selling legislation to the highest bidder must be made a treasonable offense and this must be rigorously enforced against our offending lawmakers.---------- And just because we in the U.S. have taken a nap and allowed our country to be run by thugs and thieves is no reason for Australia (or any other country) to follow suit.
killjoe, I admire both your logic and your humor, but there is one basic flaw: when was the last time you noticed the 2nd amendment being actually applied to human beings in the US? The same can be said of many of our constitutional rights. I agree corporations should be treated like dogs; it just won't make much difference until citizens are once again treated like the citizens of a free republic, as our Founders intended.
Frostman, I totally agree. I just signed their petition (going to their site left a bad taste in my mouth) but for once, they're doing something I support. Thanks for the link. And I hope the Republicrats will get a clue and follow suit.
Very good points. I've never been outside the US and I've never been stabbed or shot, but I have been slapped up the side of my head with a large piece of a concrete bus-stop post and mugged... and darn near killed. Personally, I pose no threat to anyone unless they pose a threat to me, but I've found myself to be much more comfortable with a concealed pistol than without one. And damn a concealed carry permit; in the US that is unconstitutional. What part of the phrase, "shall not be infringed" do our idiot politicians fail to understand? We shouldn't be paying them to make laws, we should be paying them to pick up our garbage once a week. We'd still be paying most of them more than they're worth. Oh, and contrary to popular belief, my karma is really doing pretty well.
I don't know if it qualifies under the definition of 'terrorism' because I don't know his intentions. That doesn't really matter though because the unconstitutional so-called 'Patriot Act' should never have been passed into law, and should be repealed forthwith. However, whatever this guy's intent, he should do some serious time for his malicious and thoughtless actions. Any such invasion of another person's computer should be dealt with most harshly, as should any deliberate interference with the emergency call system. If he's proven guilty in court for each infraction and each bogus 911 call, I'd think he could draw a lot of time. I would hope so.
I don't think you were shooting for 'funny' but that 'e-turds' comment cracked me up. It is so damned appropriate... a load of e-turds. I gotta remember that one so I can use it later! Thanks!
So let me be sure I've got this right: you are going to trust these dingbats with your credit card number? What have you been smoking?
I will make only one generalization: that shit ain't music. If you like it, cool. Listen to it, create it, whatever... but please do not call it music. Doing so is an insult to real musicians the world over.
Wait a minute here! Has anybody asked the mice how they feel about that?
Damn good comment! I try to avoid killing people because I don't like doing stuff like that. It really has nothing to do with the chance that I might get arrested... Hell, I can avoid that, no problem. But I must live with myself. "Morality is what you do when no one is watching"... well, no one but you.
You want deterrence? Buy a pistol and some ammo. Carefully clean and load the pistol and put it in your pocket. And vigorously fight any low rent, scumbag son of a whore who tells you that you don't have the God-given and Constitutionally approved right to do so. I'll back you up.