"There have been documented cases where innocent people in Afghanistan during the invasion were reported to the American forces as Taliban fighters, simply because someone held a grudge against them and wanted them "got rid of"."
Really? Name one. I'll wait.
Still waiting.
I think the point you've missed is that
A. YOU don't know what they have and haven't been given (so stop making what could very well be incorrect assumptions). If you want to hammer the administration for not providing information about their cases, fine, I'm with you. But NONE of the conclusions you've drawn are supported by facts, because no one is being given any facts.
B. You're not going to get ANYWHERE arguing that individuals who have engaged in covert military action against the US aren't enemy combatants. The "loophole" you describe has been used by other countries before, and quite frankly, the people who are being detained violated the Geneva Conventions themselves by not clearly identifying themselves as combatants. When they did that they forfeited their protections.
C. If they're US citizens, then their first protection should be the CONSTITUTION, not some ridiculously weak loosley related aggreements between previously (and sometimes currently) warring countries.
You're a partisan shill. And the worst part is that you've swallowed a line of crap as gospel, because you're too enamored with your own intellect to admit you may not know the truth.
STOP portraying your interpretation of the situation as fact. It's not, it's just your obviously biased opinion.
"A lot of universities use SSNs as student IDs which is really retarded."
My University used to do this, but changed their policy after 2000. Their reasoning was that federal law had made it illegal to use SSNs in any form, including just part of the SSN, as identification.
Anyway, it seems my school was ahead of the curve for once.
"denied even minimal Geneva Convention protections"
Why would you NEED Geneva Convention protections, unless you were a combatant? Wouldn't the CONSTITUTION and THE BILL OF RIGHTS have jurisdiction otherwise?
"merely for being in the wrong place at the wrong time."
When did this EVER happen? The truth is you don't KNOW it was for being in the wrong place at the wrong time. You're making things up.
There are a TON of reasons to rail against rights abuses, you have no reason to twist the truth in order to do so.
First, let me say this was awesome. I always love it when someone takes a piece of propaganda as gospel (that's what you did by the way).
"* Disdain for the Recognition of Human Rights (Guantanamo, Abu Ghraib, etc, etc)"
Which I will counter with, Affirmative Action, the Americans with Disabilities Act, The Family Leave Act... need I continue?
"* Obsession with National Security"
Then why hasn't the single most serious threat to national security, the largely unguarded borders, been addressed? Why is amnesty for illegal immigrants being considered? Nope, this fails too.
"* Religion and Government are Intertwined (the Religious Right has enormous power in the US, and has successfully pushed through many initiatives despite your own Constitution mandating the separation of church and state!)"
There is NO separation of Church and State outlined in the Constitution. You are quoting an oft repeated misunderstanding of how the Constitution discusses this subject. But I'm not surprised, you didn't bother to research your other points either.
"* Disdain for Intellectuals and the Arts (Bush is practically the poster-boy for this, as is the right-wing rejection of intellectualism, mis-using of scientific evidence, political interference in scientific research, etc, etc, etc)."
Bull. Stop confusing the Executive branch of our government with America. They're not the same.
"* Fraudulent Elections (Bush's initial election, ongoing evidence of large-scale voting fraud, "problems" with e-voting machines, etc, etc)"
Of course, it must be FRAUD!!!!!! What's that saying, "never attribute to maliciousness what can be explained by incompetence". Have you ever heard that one? If you're trying to assert that one side cheated in the 2000 elections, while the other side was holding a bake sale, you're a fool.
Overall your post is an ill informed screed against the Bush administration, which you seem to equate the the entire US. WHY? you do realize that the country is deeply divided on many of the issues that you list.
As is always the case, you've found just what you were looking for, and discarded the rest, despite the fact that "the rest" belies your arguments.
"I'd be fucking worried if my country was demonstrably 71% of the way to being a fascist state."
Well, what country is it? I'm sure if I picked out specific facts, and discarded things that didn't suppotr my argument, I could make your country look pretty bad too.
"Microsoft has several orders of magnitude more impact on societ than does Apple, and therefore Microsoft -has- to be held to even higher standards."
HAD. What was the last thing MS did that mattered, versus the last thing Apple did that mattered (iPod). I think one could make the argument that Apple is more culturally relevant right now than MS.
"parties who realistically appear to be human beings"
I can't think of a single game that meets this standard (I'm sure some exist). Is it in the bill this way (no I didn't rtfa) because if it is, it'll never hold up.
They all look like VIDEO GAME human beings. Not even close to "realistic".
Is there someplace I can buy a MythTv box, so I don't have to muddle through it myself?
I don't mind learning, but I'd rather have a working box while I do so.
"Is 'frags per round' going to be the batting average of the 21st century?"
I agree, but for a different reason. Some of the beauty of sports is the generational association, remebering the game as it was when you were young, watching a Yankees game with your dad, then doing the same thing 40 years later.
The pace of technology will obsolete games so quickly that this particular appeal will be lost.
That's funny, I thought by reading it, comprehending it, and quoting the inconsistencies, I did a pretty good job of pying attention to what he typed.
He was just wrong.
And by the way, are you really trying to make the case that there are drivers out there so incompetent that they can't PRESS DOWN on a brake pedal? Where do you live, so I can never drive near there.
Slashdot Mirror
"Funny how an overwhelming proportion of the voting irregularities that have come out were in favour of Bush."
This, along with many other inaccuracies (read lies) shows how little you know.
Do a little research and then come back and apologize for lying.
"There have been documented cases where innocent people in Afghanistan during the invasion were reported to the American forces as Taliban fighters, simply because someone held a grudge against them and wanted them "got rid of"."
Really? Name one. I'll wait.
Still waiting.
I think the point you've missed is that
A. YOU don't know what they have and haven't been given (so stop making what could very well be incorrect assumptions). If you want to hammer the administration for not providing information about their cases, fine, I'm with you. But NONE of the conclusions you've drawn are supported by facts, because no one is being given any facts.
B. You're not going to get ANYWHERE arguing that individuals who have engaged in covert military action against the US aren't enemy combatants. The "loophole" you describe has been used by other countries before, and quite frankly, the people who are being detained violated the Geneva Conventions themselves by not clearly identifying themselves as combatants. When they did that they forfeited their protections.
C. If they're US citizens, then their first protection should be the CONSTITUTION, not some ridiculously weak loosley related aggreements between previously (and sometimes currently) warring countries.
You're a partisan shill. And the worst part is that you've swallowed a line of crap as gospel, because you're too enamored with your own intellect to admit you may not know the truth.
STOP portraying your interpretation of the situation as fact. It's not, it's just your obviously biased opinion.
"A lot of universities use SSNs as student IDs which is really retarded."
My University used to do this, but changed their policy after 2000. Their reasoning was that federal law had made it illegal to use SSNs in any form, including just part of the SSN, as identification.
Anyway, it seems my school was ahead of the curve for once.
What damages? What can someone do with grades?
As far as SSN's, be serious. I can get those, you can get those, hell, anyone who wants them can get them easily enough.
This is much ado about nothing.
"So if anybody's ignorant, it's actually the clowns in Florida."
See, I would think making unnecessary remarks that disparage people is ignorant. YOU did that therefore...
"denied even minimal Geneva Convention protections"
Why would you NEED Geneva Convention protections, unless you were a combatant? Wouldn't the CONSTITUTION and THE BILL OF RIGHTS have jurisdiction otherwise?
"merely for being in the wrong place at the wrong time."
When did this EVER happen? The truth is you don't KNOW it was for being in the wrong place at the wrong time. You're making things up.
There are a TON of reasons to rail against rights abuses, you have no reason to twist the truth in order to do so.
First, let me say this was awesome. I always love it when someone takes a piece of propaganda as gospel (that's what you did by the way).
"* Disdain for the Recognition of Human Rights (Guantanamo, Abu Ghraib, etc, etc)"
Which I will counter with, Affirmative Action, the Americans with Disabilities Act, The Family Leave Act... need I continue?
"* Obsession with National Security"
Then why hasn't the single most serious threat to national security, the largely unguarded borders, been addressed? Why is amnesty for illegal immigrants being considered? Nope, this fails too.
"* Religion and Government are Intertwined (the Religious Right has enormous power in the US, and has successfully pushed through many initiatives despite your own Constitution mandating the separation of church and state!)"
There is NO separation of Church and State outlined in the Constitution. You are quoting an oft repeated misunderstanding of how the Constitution discusses this subject. But I'm not surprised, you didn't bother to research your other points either.
"* Disdain for Intellectuals and the Arts (Bush is practically the poster-boy for this, as is the right-wing rejection of intellectualism, mis-using of scientific evidence, political interference in scientific research, etc, etc, etc)."
Bull. Stop confusing the Executive branch of our government with America. They're not the same.
"* Fraudulent Elections (Bush's initial election, ongoing evidence of large-scale voting fraud, "problems" with e-voting machines, etc, etc)"
Of course, it must be FRAUD!!!!!! What's that saying, "never attribute to maliciousness what can be explained by incompetence". Have you ever heard that one? If you're trying to assert that one side cheated in the 2000 elections, while the other side was holding a bake sale, you're a fool.
Overall your post is an ill informed screed against the Bush administration, which you seem to equate the the entire US. WHY? you do realize that the country is deeply divided on many of the issues that you list.
As is always the case, you've found just what you were looking for, and discarded the rest, despite the fact that "the rest" belies your arguments.
"I'd be fucking worried if my country was demonstrably 71% of the way to being a fascist state."
Well, what country is it? I'm sure if I picked out specific facts, and discarded things that didn't suppotr my argument, I could make your country look pretty bad too.
"It is provided to certified, professional social workers & police officers."
Because people who abuse children NEVER seek positions that give them easy access to kids.
Oh, wait, that's exactly what they do.
"children die because social services are hugely incompetent."
This should read "because PARENTS are hugely incompetent"
You're welcome.
"Microsoft has several orders of magnitude more impact on societ than does Apple, and therefore Microsoft -has- to be held to even higher standards."
HAD. What was the last thing MS did that mattered, versus the last thing Apple did that mattered (iPod). I think one could make the argument that Apple is more culturally relevant right now than MS.
Screw you buddy!
Meet me at the um... Give me your address so I can...
Ah forget it.
Well, it's a terrible affliction when people lose their sense of humor.
I didn't want people to discriminate against him, and I appreciate that you are in favor of my attempts to support the "humorally challenged".
I think he meant physical dimensions.
Nothing.
Thanks, I'll be here all week.
"I know I'll get modded down for this, it was a joke."
Yes, we could see that.
"But then again some people have had their sense of humour surgically removed"
This is redundant. We already knew this about you by reading your "joke".
By the way, isn't it hilarious that linux geeks are so thin-skinned that one of them modded me flamebait?
It was a J-O-K-E. Perhaps you should recompile your sense of humor.
for people claiming Linux is already fine for the desktop?
You know what's even better?
Someone actually got offended enough to mod me down!
BWAHAHAAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH
Sorry Mr. CyberathBWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH
Sorry couldn't get it out.
"parties who realistically appear to be human beings"
I can't think of a single game that meets this standard (I'm sure some exist). Is it in the bill this way (no I didn't rtfa) because if it is, it'll never hold up.
They all look like VIDEO GAME human beings. Not even close to "realistic".
Is there someplace I can buy a MythTv box, so I don't have to muddle through it myself? I don't mind learning, but I'd rather have a working box while I do so.
"Cyberathlete"
BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHA. *cough*cough*cough*choke*
(pauses to catch breath)
BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA...
"I can too make money playing video games."
No you can't. A group of 50 or so savant-equivalent individuals who devote their lives to gaming can.
"Is 'frags per round' going to be the batting average of the 21st century?"
I agree, but for a different reason. Some of the beauty of sports is the generational association, remebering the game as it was when you were young, watching a Yankees game with your dad, then doing the same thing 40 years later.
The pace of technology will obsolete games so quickly that this particular appeal will be lost.
That's funny, I thought by reading it, comprehending it, and quoting the inconsistencies, I did a pretty good job of pying attention to what he typed.
He was just wrong.
And by the way, are you really trying to make the case that there are drivers out there so incompetent that they can't PRESS DOWN on a brake pedal? Where do you live, so I can never drive near there.
"In practice, ABS WILL allow "most" drivers to stop more quickly than they otherwise would"
It's interesting that you say it will after saying this just before
"The point is, most people THINK ABS helps them stop quicker and they then unreasonably extrapolate from that (incorrect) assumption,"
Well, which is it?
Now I hope you see why I brought it up. YOU don't even know which it is, and you seem to have some knowledge on the subject.