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News Briefs 09-11-2006

Plenty of known unknowns in today’s news, even without Don-boy around anymore…

  • Cell transplants restore sight to blind mice. Mice are said to be doing well, and muttering something about purchasing a big carving knife and seeing how a certain farmer’s wife runs.
  • Death is a long,strange trip. Most especially when your mortal remains are blasted into space. “Beaming up Scotty” would have been a much catchier title I think.
  • Want to improve your memory? Give yourself an electrical shock while you sleep. TDG disclaims any liability for bad hair the next day.
  • British Air Force radar goes “out of alignment” and zaps electronics in passing cars. But what about the improved memory?
  • Why do hoaxes keep sucking us in?
  • Forty-year-old Navy UFO image to go on display. Or is this story just an exclamation point to the previous news brief?
  • Out of place animal in Florida: chimp or skunk-ape? Photo is here.
  • Turning conventional folklore on its head (so to speak), our big brains may be a genetic inheritance from Neanderthals. Who’s going to trot out the Neanderthals = advanced ancient civilisation theory now then?
  • The afterlife in this life: paranormal or paranoid?
  • Tarantula venom and chili peppers target the same pain sensor. And everyone laughed at my idea for Tarantula Con Carne…
  • New research explores how pigeons make joint navigational decisions when travelling together.
  • More Orwellian reality – Heineken to track beer by satellite. Watch out all you under-age drinkers!
  • India plans for human space mission.
  • Military continues to look at ‘UFO’ blimps.
  • Doctor tells patient that something is moving inside her stomach, and she should seek an exorcism at Westminster Cathedral.
  • Is Christianity under attack? Whassamada Torquemada?
  • Various shaped skulls uncovered in Iranian excavation. No Starchildren listed.
  • Avebury Guardians win prize for their volunteer work in aid of the Avebury monuments.
  • Looking for elves in Iceland. Travel reporters should always take some DMT with them when going in search of elves.
  • Experts say global warming threatens ancient ruins around the world.
  • Google Earth gives a boost to armchair archaeology.
  • A well-founded belief in the magic of water. What is it with holy springs and miracle cures…certainly not folklore only associated with Celtic Britain?
  • Baboons and birds can remember hundreds of photos.
  • Scientist pours cold water on Nessie-dinosaur theory.

Quote of the Day:

The reason why is I didn’t want to inject a major decision about this war in the final days of a campaign. And so the only way to answer that question and to get you on to another question was to give you that answer.

President George Bush, on why he said just a week ago that Donald Rumsfeld would stay on till 2008, while actively searching for his replacement at the time.

Editor
  1. The Bush Push
    Is it a coincidence today’s date is 9-11?

    The Age has a great photo of Bush showing Rumsfeld the door. If you squint your eyes a bit, it looks like he’s about to push him down a flight of stairs.

    The Democrats have also won back the Senate. I hope our American friends can tolerate the sad quacking noises they’ll be hearing from the Whitehouse over the next two years. 😉

    Just don’t mention elections to Kat, I hear she’s still waiting in line to vote … Blame it on the Mercury transit, Kat!

    1. actually
      When you posted this, it was 8/11 in many parts of the world, as in 8th of November.
      9/11 is the peculiar american way of saying September 11.

      Having said that, perhaps a better way of saying that Rumsfeld “resigned”, or that he was “shown the door”, could be that he was “tossed over the side [of the boat]”.

      This was widely expected, Americans don’t like accumulation of power, no matter who it is. They always vote against it after some time. There is a good reason for this – when you have the same people controlling most things for too long, the results are not good.

      1. “9/11 is the peculiar
        “9/11 is the peculiar american way of saying September 11.”

        Actually that sound pretty logical. Referring to September 11th as 11/9 is the peculiar method. 😉

        This election was actually quite normal from a historical perspective. The party in the White House traditionally suffers big losses in the President’s mid-term elections (i.e. 2nd and 6th years). The Republicans have bucked that trend for a bout a decade until this election. And as some analysts are now saying, this may be a blessing for Republicans. 1. It gives them the opportunity to “clean house” and re-establish it’s connections to it’s grass-roots base. 2. As Bill Clinton said just today, this election is not a move to the Left. Most of the new Dems that were voted into office ran on a platform that is markedly more conservative than the current Dem leadership or party in general. 3. The Democrats are now under the gun to make good on their nebulas promises of “change” and “new direction”, which they failed to define prior to the election. 4. The Dems will have two priorities during the next two years that will turn off voters: tearing down the Bush administration and taking political steps to secure their own power so as to never loss control of Congress again. Both endeavors will be huge mistakes in the eyes of the American public.

        Failing to make any substantial difference over the next two years will actually make it easier for a Republican Presidential candidate in 2008 as the the electorate will have two years of Dem control of Congress to critique. And with their plans to raise taxes and give amnesty to millions of illegal immigrants, the Dems will no doubt alienate most of America. Just as they’ve done for the most of the last thirty years.

        1. logical
          Actually, two logical ways to write a date as a number are with either the most significant part first, then descending to the least significant part, or else starting with the least significant part and then going to the most significant. Switching directions in the middle is silly. So, 2001/09/11 or 11/09/2001.

          That bit of american silliness notwithstanding, a long standing tradition shows up again in these elections – people feel uncomfortable with a dominant government, especially in the US. I think that is healthy.

          1. “two logical ways to write a
            “two logical ways to write a date as a number are with either the most significant part first”

            Well….”most significant part” is rather subjective. Neither method you cite matches up “logically” with the commonly spoken method of giving a date, such as “where were you on September eleventh two thousand one?” which provides the month first, date second, year third. Hence, the more intuitive and pragmatic American method. At least given the more often used, albeit more casual, vernacular within America. I suppose if it were more common to say “where were you on the eleventh of September two thousand one?” you’d be correct. But, at least in America, it’s just not said that way very often in common speech. And people prefer to read and write the same way that they speak.

            😉

          2. numbers
            it is a number my friend

            so changing directions in the middle does not make sense, course you insist on taking the number in a very small context

          3. Chronological Order
            Day, month, year. Simple.

            But you weirdo Americans have to drop the “u” in colour, and use “z” instead of “s”. Driving on the right-side of the road is also abnormal. 😉

          4. Abnormal
            Hi Rick,

            We use mm/dd/yyyy because we want to do so, not because it makes sense.

            Unable to write dates in your strange fashion, still measuring twelve to a dozen and inches in a foot, driving on the wrong side of the road, and removing useless letters from words such as color is what allowed the USA to be the world’s only remaining super-power and Uncle Sam tapping his foot waiting for one of the rest of you to get to the Moon. Accepting soccer as an exercise program for children helped, too.

            I hear great gnashing of teeth. :o()

            Bill

          5. soccer
            the reason that soccer is not popular on US media is because the US can’t win

            But if you check my history of posts here, you will find that I’m so pro-american, it makes people sick

          6. soccer
            The reason that soccer is not popular on US media is because soccer refuses to change the rules to allow loads of ‘time outs’ for television commercials. 😉

            Kat

          7. Soccer?
            Soccer is played in the US but very few care. If anyone would watch it, soccer would be on TV. The rest of the world has commercials during soccer games. Soccer is a sport; soccer doesn’t refuse to change rules. People set rules. If there’s money to be made people change rules. Americans don’t watch soccer.

            America plays and watches football, high school, college and professional. American football.

            Bill

          8. Now! Now!
            earthling

            It doesn’t make me sick! We simply don’t feel the same way about the United States. I’m as Anti United States as you are Pro United States! I refuse to call it America; because, America is a two continent system with many countries in it! The United States is just one of those countries! So what? It allows us to have good dialogues!

            What do you think?

            cnnek

            {You Can Teach People How To Think Or What To Think; But, You Can’t Do Both! It Is Better To Teach People How To Think!!!}

          9. Moon Nazis
            [quote=Bill]…removing useless letters from words such as color is what allowed the USA to be the world’s only remaining super-power and Uncle Sam tapping his foot waiting for one of the rest of you to get to the Moon.
            [/quote]

            If you just could have shared around some of those Nazis, the rest of us might have stood a chance. Damn Americans, always hogging the Nazis for themselves.
            😉

            Kind regards,
            Greg
            ——————————————-
            You monkeys only think you’re running things

          10. Hogging the Nazis
            Hush, Greg – not another word on it. Some dignity on your part please – don’t beg for Nazis. Nazis are not like peanuts or beer. One cannot share Nazis. Nazis must be earned and the way one earns Nazis is to invade Germany – ask the Russians. It won’t work now though since that supply of Nazis is close to being all dead. It’s not your fault really; Imperial Japan was keeping you busy.

            The Nazis were pretty strong on propulsion, sub-orbital stuff and great on guidance, but they seriously lacked any space-environmental or pilot-assist expertise. Landing was not their strong suit nor was carrying anything that didn’t blow-up. They were pretty much “up, down, boom” kind of guys. In fact, their expertise was useful through the Redstone program of missile technology, but they needed lots of help in the Apollo phase. Besides that, our Nazis were getting too long in the tooth in the ‘60s – you would be hard-pressed to find one now.

            Bill

          11. A Soul Singer Headed the Apollo program?
            [quote=Bill]They were pretty much “up, down, boom” kind of guys. In fact, their expertise was useful through the Redstone program of missile technology, but they needed lots of help in the Apollo phase.
            [/quote]

            “Apollo space program director Sam Phillips was quoted as saying that he did not think that America would have reached the moon as quickly as it did without von Braun’s help. Later, after discussing it with colleagues, he amended this to say that he did not believe America would have reached the moon at all.”

            In terms of up, down, boom, you have to appreciate the suggested subtitle to Werner von Braun’s “I Aim for the Stars” (“But sometimes I hit London”).
            😉

            Kind regards,
            Greg
            ——————————————-
            You monkeys only think you’re running things

          12. Stars or London
            I’ll buy into “(would not have)reached the moon as quickly as it did without von Braun’s help.” I think Sam needs to reconsider again on “would (not) have reached the moon at all.” Von Braun stated that in 1936 Goddard was ahead of all of them.

            Von Braun recieved funding for military applications of his rockets and built a program. Goddard was working on rockets when the Wright brothers were at Kitty Hawk but her recieved very little. It’s not as though the Germans were the only people on earth that knew anything about rockets.

            I don’t think von Braun had much to say about his choice of targets, but I do like the subtitle.

            Bill

          13. Date
            [quote=earthling]it is a number my friend

            so changing directions in the middle does not make sense, course you insist on taking the number in a very small context[/quote]

            Ok, it’s a silly discussion, but c’mon…that was my point. WE aren’t changing the order in the middle. If we say “where were you on september eleventh two thousand one?”, then it stands that it should be written 9/11/2001.

            BTW…MOST of the world drives on the right (right) side. And they have the…dare I say, arrogance, to call Americans arrogant. Sheesh! 😉

        2. Food For Thought!
          Anonymous and Guys (Non-Gender)

          By gaining control of both houses of Congress, but not enough control to make major changes, the Democrats have set themselves up to be scapegoats in 2008 regardless of what they do! Not only that, the infighting that is highly likely to occure in the Democratic Party between the Conservatives and Liberals should make Karl Rove’s heart sing. This is undoubtedly the best of all possible futures for Republicans; because, it gives them a much needed chance to clean house and get their act together!

          I think that Karl Rove is loving this!

          What do you think?

          cnnek

          {You Can Teach People How To Think Or What To Think; But, You Can’t Do Both! It Is Better To Teach People How To Think!!!}

          1. LOL
            What do I think? I think that’s the worst bit of amateurish political spin I’ve ever read on this site. But if it makes you feel better, go ahead and believe that. I see you’ve also bought the spin that these Democrats are really “conservatives.” Two-thirds of them are solidly pro-choice. Every single one of them is an economic populist. And not only they but many of the moderate GOP members who retained office like former war supporter Shelley Moore Capito are for bringing the troops home from the war Bush lost.

          2. I Never Said That I Belived It! “I Said Food For Thought!”
            Carnacki

            I’m just trying to get a fun discussion going! As a matter of fact, I agree with you; but, with President Bush’s veto power, I don’t think that the Democrats can make big changes. I hope that the U.S. gets out of Iraq and, by doing so, makes the world a safer place! But, I’ll believe it when it happens!

            In terms of bad amateurish political spin, listen to a campaign speech sometime! I sincerely hope that you don’t believe everything that you hear or read; because, Campaign 2008 has just begun!

            What do you think?

            cnnek

            {You Can Teach People How To Think Or What To Think; But, You Can’t Do Both! It Is Better To Teach People How To Think!!!}

          3. 2008 and 2012
            I predict that the Democrats will find a way to screw up again for the 2008 election. Hillary will team up with some guy who is worse than Kerry, and they will find a way to blow it. This kind of stuff should be studied in universities, how to lose an election.

            Then in 2012, Arnold has a real chance, after the 2010 mid-term gives Hatch enough power in the senate to change the constitution.

            This is assuming that all these characters live long enough.

          4. We Agree; But,…
            earthling

            The Senate, by itself, cannot change the Constitution! You need 34 State Legislatures to agree on a Constitutional Ammendment in order to change the U.S. Constitution. And, getting 34 State Legislatures to agree on anything is not as easy as it sounds!

            What do you think?

            cnnek

            {You Can Teach People How To Think Or What To Think; But, You Can’t Do Both! It Is Better To Teach People How To Think!!!}

          5. How?
            [quote=cnnek] I hope that the U.S. gets out of Iraq and, by doing so, makes the world a safer place! [/quote]

            How would a US exit in Iraq make the world safer?

            Bill

          6. Good Question!
            Bill

            Firstly, the World couldn’t get much more dangerous!

            Secondly, the U.S. and the World would be much better off if the U.S. would take care of its own problems and let the World do the same!

            Thirdly, the world needs to learn that it can’t depend on the U.S. to solve its problems.

            Fourthly, the U.S. doesn’t really know what it is doing and, as a consequence, generally causes more problems than it solves.

            Fifthly, “How many U.S. soldiers do you want to die for another lost cause?”

            Sixthly, it will blunt the reason for Islamic terrorism!

            What do you think?

            cnnek

            {You Can Teach People How To Think Or What To Think; But, You Can’t Do Both! It Is Better To Teach People How To Think!!!}

          7. Firstly thru sixthly
            [quote=cnnek]
            What do you think?
            [/quote]

            Well, firstly I think the World could get much more dangerous. It would get more dangerous when Iran has the ability to refine weapons-grade plutonium and acquires a delivery system. North Korea has demonstrated a nuclear capability but still needs delivery capability. I think the Japanese are getting very uncomfortable with the situation. Aren’t you? The US is working with Japan to develop a defense against attack with products such as the F-2.

            Secondly, the USA has trading partners and alliances all over the globe. In Japan, for instance, the USA has pledged to come to your defense if necessary. Thirdly, many nations rely on our assistance because we have demonstrated our commitments in the past.

            Fourthly, I think no nation is without fault. But you’ll have to back-up your claim that the US causes more problems than it solves.

            Fifthly, what lost cause? Why do you believe that Iran hasn’t already developed a nuclear weapons capability? To save Kuwait we required the permission of Saudi Arabia to stage an attack. Diego Garcia is a long way from Iran. The invasion of Iraq required the permission of Turkey and Kuwait. Think of Iraq as a gigantic aircraft carrier parked between Syria and Iran. That “aircraft carrier” might come in handy if it is decided that Iran requires additional reasons to abandon their plutonium refining. No permission required.

            Sixthly, how did that Iraq pull-out work out for Spain? We tried ignoring the attack on a Marine barraks and an attack on the USS Cole. It didn’t work out well for us either.

            Bill

          8. Let’s Get Real About The World!
            Bill

            To begin with, I was refering U.S. meddling in the business of other countries, attempts at exporting U.S. and European Cultural values to the rest of the world, and U.S. attempts at world domination, not other forms of globalization! I obviously didn’t make myself perfectly clear on this point. I have never attacked globalization!

            Now, let’s clear up the issues of North Korea and Iran. China told North Korea that North Korea was sorry that it exploded a nuclear device; because, China didn’t want them to explode it and China runs things. Therefore, North Korea is sorry that it exploded a nuclear device. Economics is far more important to China than North Korea’s military ambition and North Korea knows it! The rest is just political gamesmanship that will make the arms dealers rich! As I noted in a previous post, maybe to earthling, Iran probably bought nuclear weapons before Putin tightened things up in Russia. If they don’t have nuclear weapons, they don’t want them. But, with Russia as a strong ally, they don’t need them; because, they don’t have a security problem. Furthermore, Russia doesn’t want trouble in the Middle East! So, there won’t be any trouble from Iran unless they are attacked. Since an attack on Iran is an attack on Russia, there shouldn’t be any trouble from Iran, just political games!

            You need to recognize political games and traps when you see them! Maybe you do; but, your post doesn’t indicate it.

            History backs-up my claim that the U.S. creates more problems than it solves, and that applies to some other countries also. To cite a few examples, the U.S. has a history of supporting petty dictators, as long as, they support the U.S.! If they step out of line, they get crushed. Saddam Hussen and Manuel Noriaga are two excellent examples. But, if they play ball, they can do anything that they want to their own people. If Saddam had played ball, and stayed out of Kawait, Saddam would still be loved in Washington! Who do you think gave him those chemical weapons? Secondly, most, not all, U.S. diplomats and service personnel walk around other countries acting like they are God almighty, looking down on the local residents, and expats, and they think that they have the God given right to do as they please! Doing as they please includes bullying the locals, trying to bully the expats, ripping people off, and deciding which laws apply to them. I’ve been ripped off by said U.S. personmel and I know Japanese who have been bullied and ripped off by said U.S. personnel. And you know what, there isn’t anything that you can do about it; because, the locals are afraid of the U.S., and the U.S. covers its ass! On the other hand, I know a few ass kissers that get anything that they want. But, even the ass kissers, don’t really love the U.S.!

            Finally, for now, The terrorist trap to egg you into using your Army to destroy infrastructure, and, in doing so, creat a furtile recruiting ground for them; because, by doing so, you legitimize them in the eyes of the local people. The way to fight terrorism is to build infrastructure and help economies to grow! Yes, special investigative services, and intelligence agencies are necessary! Armies cause more problems than they solve. Furthermore, the world has been fighting terrorism for a very long time, and many countries are much better at it than the U.S., i.e. China, France, and Britan!

            I want your response before I continue in order to make sure that we understand each other!

            What do you think?

            cnnek

            {You Can Teach People How To Think Or What To Think; But, You Can’t Do Both! It Is Better To Teach People How To Think!!!}

          9. US interference
            No Kennc

            history does not back up your statement that US interference causes more problems than it solves. You are wrong about this one.

            When the US went into an isolationist policy, between 1919 and 1939, the other significant powers (mostly Europe, including Russia, but also Japan even if you don’t like to admit it) Fucked things up in a major way.

            Excuse my language, but they did. Fuck things up, royally. Europe, Russia and Japan.

            Japan is as guilty as any other country. Of course Germany is. And communist Russia.

            But also France, and England, for brutally suppressing Germany after WWI.

            This was a consequence of the US with drawing too much from the major power game.

            No, history does not back up your statement in this particular case.

          10. Getting real about the world
            Hi Cnnek,

            I will agree with you about China and North Korea. It’s a result of the US awarding China a most-favored-nation trade status. However, Kim Jong-il is a loose-cannon. He had to know that a nuclear test would not be acceptable before he did it. His long-range delivery system test was a failure. His nation is an economic basket case. Since WW2-Japan made so many Korean women whores for the Japanese military and cut down most of the trees on the Korean peninsula, Korea hates Japan with a vengeance. You and President Bush believe that China can control North Korea; Japan and I don’t have quite the confidence in rational North Korea leadership.

            I think your assessment that Iran would have bought a nuclear weapon from a pre-Putin Russia has a major flaw. Nobody wants one or even a couple of nuclear weapons. Especially if war is threatened against a country that likely has several hundred. Russian and French advisors were in Iraq days before the US-led invasion telling Sadam that that the US would not invade Iraq without UN permission. You may believe that Iran in under some sort of protection from Russia, but I don’t think either Israel or Ahmadinejad believe that to be true. I know I don’t.

            The invasion of Iraq was very low in colateral damage, both in human life and infrastructure. Smart weapons and pin-point, high-altitude targeting insured it. On the other hand you have suicuide-bombers and civilian targeting by the terrorists.

            Your writing indicates that you resent US occupation very much. That’s a result of WWII that I would agree is no longer necessary. I think that your assessment of US involvement in world affairs is jaded because of this occupation. However, Japan as a whole seems to have bounced-back very well during the occupation. . Japan and Europe want the “occupation” to continue because it saves them lots of money that they would otherwise spend on military defense. Many in the US believe it should have ended long ago.

            Bill

          11. What do I think?
            “Firstly, the World couldn’t get much more dangerous!”

            Oh yes, it most certaintly could. And probably will.

            “Secondly, the U.S. and the World would be much better off if the U.S. would take care of its own problems and let the World do the same! Thirdly, the world needs to learn that it can’t depend on the U.S. to solve its problems.”

            As the the world’s largest single supplier of food, technology and charitable aid of all kinds, do you really want us to withdrawl? Or is this a case of “shut and go home, but keep sending the checks”? Many in the U.S. would love to let the rest of the world take care of their own problems. The problem is, who do they come crying to as soon as they need something? I suppose we could be more like Europe and just give them the finger, but we just aren’t like that. Often to our own disadvantage.

            “Fourthly, the U.S. doesn’t really know what it is doing and, as a consequence, generally causes more problems than it solves.”

            Yes, history backs that up. Not. But thanks for that bit of arrogance.

            “Fifthly, “How many U.S. soldiers do you want to die for another lost cause?”

            First, more people have died in their bathrooms in the last four years than U.S. servicemen who’ve died in Iraq. And Muslim extremists have killed FAR more civilians than have died due to American or coalition actions.

            “Sixthly, it will blunt the reason for Islamic terrorism!”

            Yeah, like they didn’t have plenty of reasons before we went into Iraq. Don’t be naive…their fanticism needs no reason. All they have are excuses designed for propoganda directed at weak, mushy minds.

          12. The Enemy
            Contrary to the beliefs of Liberals, Leftists, Democrats, Europeans and assorted other America haters, here is the voice of the real enemy:

            BAGHDAD (Reuters) – A purported audio recording by the leader of Iraq’s al Qaeda wing gloated over the resignation of Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, as a top U.S. general said the military was preparing to recommend strategy changes.

            Abu Hamza al-Muhajir, also known as Abu Ayyub al-Masri, said in the recording posted on the Internet on Friday that the group had 12,000 armed fighters and 10,000 others waiting to be equipped to fight U.S. troops in Iraq.

            “I tell the lame duck (U.S. administration) do not rush to escape as did your defense minister…stay on the battle ground,” he said.

            He said his group would not rest until it had blown up the presidential mansion in Washington.

            “I swear by God we shall not rest from jihad until we…blow up the filthiest house known as the White House,” the voice on the recording said.

            This is what was being said long before 9/11, or the Iraq war, ever happened. And they will not stop, even if liberals take complete control and capitulate 100% to these vermin.

          13. Numbers games
            [quote=Anonymous]First, more people have died in their bathrooms in the last four years than U.S. servicemen who’ve died in Iraq. [/quote]

            That puts things in perspective. Of course, the same also applies to the World Trade Center, so it shouldn’t matter either, and the War on Terror is obviously a false reality. Time to redirect our energy into the war against bathrooms…

            What an idiotic and completely insensitive statement.

            Kind regards,
            Greg
            ——————————————-
            You monkeys only think you’re running things

          14. “What an idiotic and
            “What an idiotic and completely insensitive statement.”

            And yet, completely true. Sometimes people’s perspective needs a little jolt. If only people directed their outrage at, oh..say Genocide in Africa, the ravages of narcotics, or any number of really senseless tragedies in the world rather than the unfortunate but amazingly small number of volunteer soldiers who have perished in a war that, whether you “approve” of the strategic decisions or not, is designed to make everyone safer from extremists that would kill YOU if they had the opportunity. Unfortunatly, for too many people, the lessons of history are fleeting and the short term politics of personal satisfaction trumps the long term interests of society. But don’t let me be insensitive. Oh God no, not that.

          15. Reiterating…
            Your argument is completely self-defeating (and also based in theory rather than practicality). You want me to be concerned about those terrorists coming to kill ME (!), when terrorism has accounted for a miniscule amount of deaths (compared to those other “really senseless tragedies”, such as famine, genocide, and bathrooms). By your definition, the Iraq war should not have even been pursued, thus reinforcing my point without me adding a single word to it. Perhaps you need to jolt your own perspective a little harder before you put forward self-defeating arguments?

            That’s not even arguing on the literal vs practical facts of life. Should we not be concerned about making pool areas safer to stop the “small number” of child deaths? Perhaps not jail those murderers out there who have caused deaths which make up a “small number” of the overall deaths in our society? Etc.

            Yes, idiotic and insensitive.

            Kind regards,
            Greg
            ——————————————-
            You monkeys only think you’re running things

          16. Reiterating too….
            “Your argument is completely self-defeating (and also based in theory rather than practicality).”

            In your opinion. The people dieing in Darfur, who don’t get a fraction of the compassion and attention that volunteers soldiers dieing in Iraq are getting, probably don’t don’t feel it’s theory. Nor do the 36,000 who will die of the flu this year. There is nothing self-defeating, theoretical or insensitive to use facts to set people’s perspectives straight. Perspectives that are off center because of politics rather than reality.

            “You want me to be concerned about those terrorists coming to kill ME (!), when terrorism has accounted for a miniscule amount of deaths (compared to those other “really senseless tragedies”, such as famine, genocide, and bathrooms).”

            Which is my point – I see more outrage on the Left about the deaths involved in trying to stop terrorism than I do with those things that kill far more people. Politics. But, yes, you should be concerned about terrorists coming to kill YOU because terrorism seeks to do just that. Acts of nature and accident can’t be helped. But with terrorism you can be sitting in the comfortable safety of your first world, suburban living room and some terrorist will seek you and you family out for execution. I’m sure the people in the Twin Towers, London and Madrid were equally complacent.

            “By your definition, the Iraq war should not have even been pursued”

            Uh…no.

            “, thus reinforcing my point without me adding a single word to it. Perhaps you need to jolt your own perspective a little harder before you put forward self-defeating arguments?”

            Saying it doesn’t make it so my friend. The reality of terrorism isn’t a self-defeating argument.

            “That’s not even arguing on the literal vs practical facts of life. Should we not be concerned about making pool areas safer to stop the “small number” of child deaths?”

            We already do that.

            “Perhaps not jail those murderers out there who have caused deaths which make up a “small number” of the overall deaths in our society? Etc.”

            I don’t know where you get that. Other than out of the mouths of Leftists.

          17. cnnek
            In looking at the items on the Democrats first 100 hour plan, it would be difficult for Bush to veto the items without sinking his approval ratings even lower and hurting Republicans even more for 2008. Raising the minimum wage, reversing the federal subsidies to oil companies when they’re making record profits, enacting the security recommendations of the 9/11 Commission, are all things the majority of the public wants. The problem will be when Bush signs these bills and then issues a signing statement countering them so he can have it both ways. One example of what I mean is the border security legislation which gave the GOP Congressional leaders a bill to tout back home in their campaigns that Bush signed the measure and we’ll have a security fence, but Bush’s signing statement negated it by saying as commander in chief he can decide not to fund the construction of the fence.

            The most important issue of having Democrats in charge is we can have actual oversight of where our money is being spent so we can begin investigations of the fraud and abuse that has occurred for the past six years. That is an issue that should appeal to people across the political spectrum unless conservatives no longer care that their tax dollars are wasted.

            And I apologize for calling your comment “amateurish.” I’m not being paid either. I’ve had a bad sinus infection for days and not been able to sleep which has left me quite cantankerous so I beg your pardon.

          18. Not so fast….
            I’ll just take one item from that post….minimum wage.

            The American people are not clamoring for a raise in the minimum wage. It’s not something that people passionately oppose, simply because because we are a charitable people and want everyone to do better. But the facts are:

            Only 2% of the work force make min wage. 70% of those people are high school and college students. And the majority of them rise above min wage after a year or less on the job.

            This is always an issue for the Dems for two reasons:

            1. It’s a populist issue that they can demagogue.
            2. Unions, who the Dems are in bed with, love it because it provides a means for them to demand union scales go up proportionally. Union workers don’t make min wage. But if the min wage goes up by 20%, then by God that $50/hour auto worker should get a 20% raise as well. Makes for feisty contract negotiations.

          19. Food for Thought
            This election was actually quite normal from a historical perspective. The party in the White House traditionally suffers big losses in the President’s mid-term elections (i.e. 2nd and 6th years). The Republicans have bucked that trend for a bout a decade until this election. And as some analysts are now saying, this may be a blessing for Republicans. 1. It gives them the opportunity to “clean house”, re-establish its connections to its grass-roots base and its traditional platforms. 2. As Bill Clinton said in a speech to liberals in Canada, this election is not a move to the Left. Most of the new Dems that were voted into office ran on a platform that is markedly more conservative than the current Dem leadership or party in general. If you look at all the State ballot initiatives that passed, along with the more conservative message of these new Dems, conservatism still rules the roost in America. 3. The Democrats are now under the gun to make good on their nebulas promises of “change” and “new direction”, which they failed to define prior to the election. 4. The Dems will have two priorities during the next two years that will turn off voters: tearing down the Bush administration and taking political steps to secure their own power so as to never loss control of Congress again. Both endeavors will be huge mistakes in the eyes of the American public.

            Failing to make any substantial difference over the next two years will actually make it easier for a Republican Presidential candidate in 2008 as the the electorate will have two years of Dem control of Congress to critique. And with their plans to raise taxes and give amnesty to millions of illegal immigrants, the Dems will no doubt alienate most of America. Just as they’ve done for the most of the last thirty years.

          20. Today’s democrats
            They are thought by some as being like the Republicans were 20-25 years ago.

            Very few expect them to turn much around and those that do are likely to split the vote during the next Presidentials and send the GOP back in power.

    2. Anti 9-11
      Actually, you could have argued that this date is rather the anti 911 (119). You must work with the local system if your numbers are to make sense.

      It would still work but more like the neutralization of its opposite forces as represented by the numbers.

      But this is all mumbo jumbo of course.

      1. yes silly
        this is all silly stuff I agree

        In english, even american, it is perfectly correct to say “11 of September, 2001”

        So the spoken language equivalent is not a very strong argument.

        My small point is that dates are numbers, and thus should be expressed in such a way that you can compare them for “greater”, “less” and “equal”.

        Hence, it makes more sense to have these numbered ordered, from high significance to low, or the opposite way.

        Roman numbers suffer from the same problem, only much worse, than the traditional american way of writing dates.

        Please let us not put anyone in jail for being heretics on this issue.

        1. Sillyness
          [quote=earthling]In english, even american, it is perfectly correct to say “11 of September, 2001”

          So the spoken language equivalent is not a very strong argument.

          My small point is that dates are numbers, and thus should be expressed in such a way that you can compare them for “greater”, “less” and “equal”.

          Hence, it makes more sense to have these numbered ordered, from high significance to low, or the opposite way.

          [/quote]

          Of course it’s perfectly correct to say it that way. My point is that it just ISN’T commonly said that way. Yes, it does make more sense to order the numbers in a more logical or mathmatical way….if you’re a computer. Our written language is designed to reflect how we speak. There is no reason that dates should be any different.

          1. no computers required
            If you want to sort things by date, manually, it is much easier to write a date as a number.

            And what is wrong with computers anyway?

            It is just an american oddity, how they write dates. No disrespect intended.

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