I've been in the military since I was 17, I've never voted using a machine. It's always been absentee paper ballots for me. When I get out, even though I will be moving back to my home state, I will continue to absentee ballot vote, and say it's for religious reasons.
As much as I'm for the right to bear arms, do you really think the legal guns that our allowed militia will carry will even compare to the illegal (for citizens and militias) guns, bombs, tanks, jets, helicopters, etc. that we pay for and our government uses? Not to mention sheer numbers.
I know for a fact that gun > no gun when it comes to any sort of armed resistance. You may not be able to accomplish a lot with a 30.06, but it'd be a lot more then you'd be doing with a slingshot.
Me, I'm making plans to take off for the mountains, maybe the Rockies, and live out in the middle of nowhere. If there's not an organized resistance I'm not going to put my neck on the line to start one or go solo, but if things do go bad I will be getting the frakk out of Dodge and living free and primitive out in the mountains. I've made a shopping list for stuff like tents, water purification tablets, basic supplies, and so forth, everything I'd need to just survive. And hey, if nothing happens, I've got some good camping supplies.
Marksmanship is about the only place it makes a difference. It trains you to work with the natural rise and fall from breathing, and how to time your shots just right. Course, that doesn't train you to carry the weapon without shooting your foot off, or how to reload, or how to take care of the weapon. But if the simulation is realistic enough, you can get some worthwhile marksmanship training, and for cheaper then a couple boxes of bullets.
I play a lot of first person shooters, and I also recently got my Expert Marksmanship ribbon from the Air Force for shooting 45/50 with an M-16. I'm also a decent shot with a semi-automatic pistol, and with a revolver. I may just be a good shot and games don't have anything to do with it, or maybe they do.
If they have the ability to communicate at FTL speeds, it would only take as long as it takes for our signal to get there, then potentially a faster response back.
I've got a saying. I hold my country to the higher standards, not the lower standards. I don't say "Well, we aren't Iran/Saudi Arabia/North Korea yet, so we're okay", I say "Well, we aren't New Zealand/Canada yet, we've got a ways to go".
"Sure we're disappearing innocent people. But hey, they aren't American citizens, so they don't really matter." "Sure, the Jewish guy down the street disappeared, but he's not really German so he doesn't really matter." And people wonder why the German people did not overthrow the Nazis.
Yeah, I mean, why have somebody completely uninterested in forcing their viewpoints and lifestyle on others involved in politics? Pssh, they'd probably even be against expeditionary wars for questionable value, the silly fuckers.
I guess this means that the US Gov't will do thr right thing in the "War on Terror" (a phrase I dislike since I don't recall a formal declaration from Congress, the ONLY gov't body that can declare war if I recall correctly) once they have:
"How can you have a war on Terror? It's not even a NOUN!" -Comedian Jon Stewart
If you want a really comforting thought, I'm in the military, and over the last year or so I've heard multiple generals and senior officers, commanders, people like that, refer to the current conflict, globally, as "The Long War". In speeches, formations, emails, and just about any other form of communication. They're getting that from somewhere.
Somebody's ignoring the massive faults with Diebold and with the entire election process... somebody with a Bush quote in his signature. Ah... enlightenment is attained.
Yeah, they're called Republicans. They don't seem to have actually acted on that platform, but there's no denying that the GOP platform is "less government, less regulation, less taxes".
The Republicans were for smaller government until they became the government, then they couldn't stop feeding at the trough. Now they want more government provided it's secretive and intrusive, less regulation of their corporate buddies, more regulation of "moral" things like expletives on the air or (non-kiddy) porn websites, and while they don't raise taxes, they do spend a whole hell of a lot more money, like it was going out of style. All to make you think you're safer, or will cease to be safe if you don't vote for them again.
Do you think the Democrat Party is the answer? Both parties are the same shit. Both do not uphold the Constitution and Bill of Rights. Only when the majority of America finally dumps this Republican vs. Democrat bullshit will there be any meaningful change.
Which will never happen, because monochrome dichotomies and simplistic "good vs evil" arguments are much easier for the simplistic and uneducated to understand, and our country is steamrolling towards being entirely simplistic and uneducated.
John Kerry was an excellent example of the Democratic party snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. Makes me wish the Republican party wasn't so odious and repugnant to me.
I'm a registered Democrat, largely due to numerous ideological similarities, and not to their success as a political party.
I think the best part of Clinton's presidency was that for most of it we had a Democrat for president with a Republican dominated Congress that hated him. The Lewinsky stuff kept all of them busy from doing real damage. I've always felt gridlock makes for good government, and I look forward to having it again in November.
Agreed. Gridlock guarantees that stuff only happens if it absolutely has to, or if everybody (or nearly everybody) agrees on it. Whether it's a Democrat president and a Republican congress, or a Republican president and a Democrat congress, gridlock is great. It's the whole basis of the "checks and balances" system, which, according to the civics classes I got in school, is a good thing.
Incidentally, I am a Democrat, but I don't live in Maryland. I'm opposed to Diebold because it sucks, and I think the election process should be secure. It's not, or shouldn't be, a partisan issue. If the majority in an area is honestly Democrat, honestly Republican, or honestly don't-fucking-care, then either you put up, you move, or you try to change people's minds. The voting process is gorram sacred, and I don't care who is being corrupt, they need to stop. I'm from Chicago, I know all about bipartisan severe corruption. I really don't have a whole lot to do this election, my congressional representative, while Republican and repugnant to me, is a lock for the seat. I'll be voting against her anyway, but it won't make a difference. I'm very happy with both my senators, but neither Durbin nor Obama are up for re-election this year. All the local elections are decided well before the polls open.
You were doing very well up to that point. If you think that the way to stop corruption in government is to slander one party you disagree with, you are wasting your time.
If the Democrats are hijacking the electoral process, stealing votes, perpetrating widespread electoral fraud, participating in voter intimdation, and just generally doing their best to corrupt free and open elections... they certainly haven't been doing a very good job of it.
In the aftermath of a problem-filled primary election caused by defective Diebold voting machines in Maryland, Governor Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. insists that the state should return to paper ballots in order to ensure that the upcoming November election is valid and unhindered by technological failures....
Maryland's Board of Elections administrator Linda H. Lamone characterized the Governor's suggestion as "crazy." Lamone telling the Washington Post she will "work around the clock" to resolve deficiencies and put pressure on Diebold in an effort to make the machines usable.
If you have to work around the clock to make the voting machines usable, then there was a SEVERE problem with them when they came from the manufacturer. Rushing to get them operable before election, instead of scrapping them entirely, is pretty crazy. There's more.
Diebold's voting technology has received a steady litany of bad press for the past two years. The state of California banned Diebold's products, and then sued the company for machine-related fraud in 2004. Security researchers have illuminated severe flaws in both the hardware and software, recently revealing that Diebold machines are vulnerable to self-propagating viruses capable of altering the outcome of a vote. Diebold voting technology drew sharp criticism in Alaska last month, where elections were also disrupted by the machines....
Condemning Lamone and the General Assembly for "[setting] dangerous precedents that.. threaten the integrity of November's elections," Baltimore election director Gene Raynor chose to resign earlier this week rather than condone the use the faulty machines. Given the numerous election difficulties attributed to Diebold's products by members of both major political parties in several states, it is clear that these problems represent a pattern rather than a series of isolated incidents. The company continues to claim that its products function adequately when properly configured. In light of the significant risks associated with using Diebold products, Governor Ehrlich's concerns seem more than valid. With critical elections on the horizon, other states should reevaluate their electronic voting plans and consider using paper until they can acquire machines from a reliable vendor.
It's slow, ugly, tough, and mean as hell. The name in reality is because the sound the 20mm rotary cannon in the nose makes as it fires sounds like a warthog grunting and snorting.
There are a few boogiemen that never seem to fail those that would take our freedoms. Environmentalism, evil corporations, the unconscionable drug companies, and Bushcheneyhaliburton are some of the most reliable. A few decades ago it was "anti-unionism" "anti-Communists" and "Japanese imports" that were the standbys.
Yeah, cause when the political party using those boogiemen doesn't control any of the branches of government, it's a real threat to your freedom. Arguably, the environment is in fact going to hell, the evil corporations have clearly been the only winners in Iraq with rampant and unchecked war profiteering, the drug companies do overcharge the people who need the medication most, and Haliburton falls quite soundly under evil corporation.
Slashdot Mirror
Maybe all the North Koreans jumped up and down at the same time.
I've been in the military since I was 17, I've never voted using a machine. It's always been absentee paper ballots for me. When I get out, even though I will be moving back to my home state, I will continue to absentee ballot vote, and say it's for religious reasons.
(I don't have faith in my government)
Depends on if you count the USS Cole. If you're going by "terrorist attack on American soil", then yes, that's true.
I know for a fact that gun > no gun when it comes to any sort of armed resistance. You may not be able to accomplish a lot with a 30.06, but it'd be a lot more then you'd be doing with a slingshot.
Me, I'm making plans to take off for the mountains, maybe the Rockies, and live out in the middle of nowhere. If there's not an organized resistance I'm not going to put my neck on the line to start one or go solo, but if things do go bad I will be getting the frakk out of Dodge and living free and primitive out in the mountains. I've made a shopping list for stuff like tents, water purification tablets, basic supplies, and so forth, everything I'd need to just survive. And hey, if nothing happens, I've got some good camping supplies.
Marksmanship is about the only place it makes a difference. It trains you to work with the natural rise and fall from breathing, and how to time your shots just right. Course, that doesn't train you to carry the weapon without shooting your foot off, or how to reload, or how to take care of the weapon. But if the simulation is realistic enough, you can get some worthwhile marksmanship training, and for cheaper then a couple boxes of bullets.
I play a lot of first person shooters, and I also recently got my Expert Marksmanship ribbon from the Air Force for shooting 45/50 with an M-16. I'm also a decent shot with a semi-automatic pistol, and with a revolver. I may just be a good shot and games don't have anything to do with it, or maybe they do.
Just look at "America's Army".
If they have the ability to communicate at FTL speeds, it would only take as long as it takes for our signal to get there, then potentially a faster response back.
I've got a saying. I hold my country to the higher standards, not the lower standards. I don't say "Well, we aren't Iran/Saudi Arabia/North Korea yet, so we're okay", I say "Well, we aren't New Zealand/Canada yet, we've got a ways to go".
"Sure we're disappearing innocent people. But hey, they aren't American citizens, so they don't really matter."
"Sure, the Jewish guy down the street disappeared, but he's not really German so he doesn't really matter."
And people wonder why the German people did not overthrow the Nazis.
I don't have to. My Senators are Richard Durbin and Barak Obama, and I know they'll vote the way they should. Illinois = win.
Um... Bush? That's pretty much the point of the legislation he's been railroading through Congress.
Yeah, I mean, why have somebody completely uninterested in forcing their viewpoints and lifestyle on others involved in politics? Pssh, they'd probably even be against expeditionary wars for questionable value, the silly fuckers.
If you want a really comforting thought, I'm in the military, and over the last year or so I've heard multiple generals and senior officers, commanders, people like that, refer to the current conflict, globally, as "The Long War". In speeches, formations, emails, and just about any other form of communication. They're getting that from somewhere.
Somebody's ignoring the massive faults with Diebold and with the entire election process... somebody with a Bush quote in his signature. Ah... enlightenment is attained.
The Republicans were for smaller government until they became the government, then they couldn't stop feeding at the trough. Now they want more government provided it's secretive and intrusive, less regulation of their corporate buddies, more regulation of "moral" things like expletives on the air or (non-kiddy) porn websites, and while they don't raise taxes, they do spend a whole hell of a lot more money, like it was going out of style. All to make you think you're safer, or will cease to be safe if you don't vote for them again.
Which will never happen, because monochrome dichotomies and simplistic "good vs evil" arguments are much easier for the simplistic and uneducated to understand, and our country is steamrolling towards being entirely simplistic and uneducated.
John Kerry was an excellent example of the Democratic party snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. Makes me wish the Republican party wasn't so odious and repugnant to me.
I'm a registered Democrat, largely due to numerous ideological similarities, and not to their success as a political party.
Agreed. Gridlock guarantees that stuff only happens if it absolutely has to, or if everybody (or nearly everybody) agrees on it. Whether it's a Democrat president and a Republican congress, or a Republican president and a Democrat congress, gridlock is great. It's the whole basis of the "checks and balances" system, which, according to the civics classes I got in school, is a good thing.
Incidentally, I am a Democrat, but I don't live in Maryland. I'm opposed to Diebold because it sucks, and I think the election process should be secure. It's not, or shouldn't be, a partisan issue. If the majority in an area is honestly Democrat, honestly Republican, or honestly don't-fucking-care, then either you put up, you move, or you try to change people's minds. The voting process is gorram sacred, and I don't care who is being corrupt, they need to stop. I'm from Chicago, I know all about bipartisan severe corruption.
I really don't have a whole lot to do this election, my congressional representative, while Republican and repugnant to me, is a lock for the seat. I'll be voting against her anyway, but it won't make a difference. I'm very happy with both my senators, but neither Durbin nor Obama are up for re-election this year. All the local elections are decided well before the polls open.
If the Democrats are hijacking the electoral process, stealing votes, perpetrating widespread electoral fraud, participating in voter intimdation, and just generally doing their best to corrupt free and open elections... they certainly haven't been doing a very good job of it.
If you have to work around the clock to make the voting machines usable, then there was a SEVERE problem with them when they came from the manufacturer. Rushing to get them operable before election, instead of scrapping them entirely, is pretty crazy. There's more.
It's slow, ugly, tough, and mean as hell. The name in reality is because the sound the 20mm rotary cannon in the nose makes as it fires sounds like a warthog grunting and snorting.
Kitty*hawk*. That hawk still makes it sound scares and impressive. Also, most people realize that kittyhawk is a historical reference.
By "our" I meant USAF.
Yeah, cause when the political party using those boogiemen doesn't control any of the branches of government, it's a real threat to your freedom. Arguably, the environment is in fact going to hell, the evil corporations have clearly been the only winners in Iraq with rampant and unchecked war profiteering, the drug companies do overcharge the people who need the medication most, and Haliburton falls quite soundly under evil corporation.