looks at random hobo pissing in a tomato can
HEY YOU!! FIX THE ECONOMY!!!
looks at random hobo pissing in a tomato can
HEY YOU!! FIX THE ECONOMY!!!
To be fair to the guy, the cutoff line for income tax stuff is a bit high for the economy we're in. Maybe only 10,000 dollars or so, but if the government lets the tax cuts on the rich run out, lower the cutoff line slightly, and reduce spending, that's good money. Not a popular decision, but it has to happen.
Orrin Hatch is also Skeletor personified, though; so I don't know why I'm defending him.
Now that this whole Casey Antony garbage is over with, we can get to some real news
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-14068012
This is awesome. Totally deserving of mainstream media attention.
That is fantastic! This is the kind of acheivement that should be top news.
One step closer to Robocop.
Oh, Lord.
Bachmann's already signed it.
On Thursday, one of Iowa's most influential social conservative organizations, The Family Leader, informed GOP presidential candidates that to win the group's endorsement, they'll have to sign a pledge. Family Leader president Bob Vander Plaats, a former Mike Huckabee ally, wants GOP contenders to committ to a list of 14 red-meat items, including opposition to gay marriage, a ban on Islamic Sharia law, a rejection of pornography, and an affirmation that married couples have better sex.
…
Presidential candidates who sign The Marriage Vow will sign off on support of personal fidelity to his/her spouse, appointing faithful constitutionalists as judges, opposition to any redefinition of marriage, and prompt reform of uneconomic and anti-marriage aspects of welfare policy, tax policy, and divorce law. The Marriage Vow also outlines support for the legal advocacy for the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), humane efforts to protect women and children, rejection of anti-women Sharia Islam, safeguards for all married and unmarried U.S. military personnel, and commitment to downsizing government and the burden upon American families.
So, they totally want somebody to steadfastly defend the Constitution as well as somebody that will ban Sharia law, which is already banned by the First Amendment anyway. Also, is banning divorce going to be the next big thing for Republicans to talk about? Because that'll be a winner right up there with using Hispanics as a scapegoat for all of society's ills.
From where I'm standing these backwards fucks ARE instituting Sharia law.
Not like I expected Iowa to last out there alone in hostile territory.
We will hold steady over here, until the tide turns outward.
THE INSTITUTION OF SECULARITY!!
THE WINDS OF ROGER WILLIAMS!!
ZENSHIN!!!
KEIRETSU!!!
TEMPA KYORAN!!!
LOOK!! THE NORTHEAST IS BURNING PINK!!!
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WHOA WHOA...ahahahaha, I was so caught up in that I missed the whole "ban on porn" thing. That'll go over like a lead balloon lollll.
@Monkey:
WHOA WHOA…ahahahaha, I was so caught up in that I missed the whole "ban on porn" thing. That'll go over like a lead balloon lollll.
All they need do is try to ban alcohol, women serving in the armed forces and to jail someone over non maritial sex and congratulations, you became the most hated people in america.
Now that this whole Casey Antony garbage is over with, we can get to some real news
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-14068012
This is awesome. Totally deserving of mainstream media attention.
I love hearing about all the progress we've made the past few years….but damn do they take too long to trial and put these kind of procedures into place.
I guess this is a million times worse for people who have family that depend on this kind of breakthrough.
Speaking of Shariah Law, I was just reading an article about how Indonesian radical conservatives are leading a crusade against porn even though it already is illegal, because it's still so popular there. And how an Indonesian movie company was fighting them subtly by making non-porn movies that cast Japanese pornstars that are popular there.
And I was all "God, glad I don't live in such a crazy place like that". And here comes Bachmann and her crowd of morons.
I really really hope someone important just up and publically calls these idiots on being exactly the same bullshit they act so afraid of in regards to Shariah.
@I:
(sigh) http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/07/07/orrin-hatch-debt-poor-rich_n_892177.html
Usually people look at defending the minority as a good thing because they're the worst off and have to struggle to find support. In this case though the represented minority (super fucking rich people!!!) are the best off and defending them so they can be…even better off...? Is just dumb.
Sure, everyone should be equally represented but when you start arguing in a case of economics that we should dump a heap of burden on the poor and give tax breaks to the rich... What are the moral grounds for that?
--- Update From New Post Merge ---
WTH is Shariah Law?
goes to google
A legal implementation of religious law when muslims do it!!1!1!1
@Monkey:
A legal implementation of religious lawwhen muslims do it!!1!1!1
I'm resigning myself to never understanding the controversy over this thing. If it's already blocked by the constitution I see no reason to fret.
Don't get me started on shariah law.
HEY LETS TAKE A MILLION STEPS BACKWARD INTO THE FUCKING STONE-AGE!
! THIS IS BEYOND DUMB! WHY IS THIS EVEN BROUGHT UP FOR ANYTHING OTHER THAN COMICAL PURPOSES!
I'm glad Bachmann's still openly batshit insane. For a little bit there with the debate I thought she had learned to hide her excesses from the public eye and appear to be normal. But you can't keep a good nutjob from nutting out I guess.
Now if only she wins the nomination.
Now that this whole Casey Antony garbage is over with, we can get to some real news
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-14068012
This is awesome. Totally deserving of mainstream media attention.
That's good. :)
@Ubiq:
Oh, Lord.
Bachmann's already signed it.
So, they totally want somebody to steadfastly defend the Constitution as well as somebody that will ban Sharia law, which is already banned by the First Amendment anyway. Also, is banning divorce going to be the next big thing for Republicans to talk about? Because that'll be a winner right up there with using Hispanics as a scapegoat for all of society's ills.
That's bad. :(
Oh Bachmann, such a crazy mess of mixed ideals.
"I want to give more power to the states! Oh, except for anything I find immoral, then I'll make that a federal deal."
Too bad the Ultra Christian Conservatives are afraid of Romney being a Mormon and the lack of political experience that Cain has. I think they'd make much better choices, with them being very economically savvy and socially liberal, instead of a social nutcase and economic nutcase.
And if Bachmann really wants the media to treat her well, then she should stop forcing her social ideology on a nation.
Talking about Sharia, I watched this show on Aljazeera not so long ago:
Shariah law IS already banned in the US so far as it being a public institution with any influence on the judicial and/or legislative spheres of our government. As it should be.
As was ensured by our founders.
And the same exact reason we won't ever have Shariah, is the same reason we should be throwing people like Bachmann and these Iowan doofs out on their asses for doing the same for Christianity. Because the US is clearly based around secular law and order, with religion kept in the personal sphere for both it's own protection and for protection of our government from it.
When the previous generations die off….man...I can't wait until this evangelist world dies with them.
You clearly haven't watched teh vid, lol. It's clear that crazy Iran/S Arabia-like sharia laws are ipso facto banned from every sane state, but sharia also entails things like prayer, fasting, donating to charity and stuff like that, will those things also be banned??
You clearly haven't watched teh vid, lol. It's clear that crazy Iran/S Arabia-like sharia laws are ipso facto banned from every sane state, but sharia also entails things like prayer, fasting, donating to charity and stuff like that, will those things also be banned??
You misread the post.
I said it was banned as having implementation in legislation. Just as Christian, Jewish or whatever else have you is also banned from being legally instituted.
Our laws may be influenced by our morals, whatever their source, but none are allowed for the fact of being a religious concept and must hold their own against the blueprint of a secular nation and basic reasoning and debate as any law is put up against in our Legislative branch.
Many religious laws are in tandem with modern secular morality, and most are fairly identical to eachother. But just as many are absolutely not.
And just as important is keeping the name and power of one religion out of the law even if the law lines up with the secular blueprint.
Oh yeah I agree with that of course. In that sense it's already banned.
Of course the revisionists on the far right would have us believe that we're a bible nation!!!!11!!!1!
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-14089843
So now theres officially a South Sudan. That map at the bottom makes me thinks this new country is about to get exploited out the ass though.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-14091004
Former US First Lady Betty Ford, the widow of former President Gerald Ford and founder of drug treatment facility the Betty Ford Center, has died at the age of 93.
I have a lot of respect for what she has done in her lifetime.
@Monkey:
When the previous generations die off….man...I can't wait until this evangelist world dies with them.
Amen to that. Evangelical politicians really are the scum of the earth.
@Monkey:
Of course the revisionists on the far right would have us believe that we're a bible nation!!!!11!!!1!
Ever notice how when they talk about the Founding Fathers, the one dude that doesn't come up is James Madison?
Anyway, the Marriage Pledge business the other day? It's actually worse than advertised.
@Absolutely:
Slavery had a disastrous impact on African-American families, yet sadly a child born into slavery in 1860 was more likely to be raised by his mother and father in a two-parent household than was an African-American baby born after the election of the USA’s first African-American President.
Translation:
Okay, see, look, yeah, slavery kinda sucked and all for black people, but you know what's really terrible? SINGLE PARENT HOUSEHOLDS.
Evangelical "Christians": Moving the Country Forward to the 19th Century!
I think I'm all the more absolutely disgusted by these FAMILY VALUEZ fucks, because I'm a gigantic huge massive family man myself who will literally cry like a baby in pride of just my younger COUSINS if I'm drunk, let alone when I actually have a family of my own.
Fuck them and their naive instrusive simplistic insulting view of something so beautiful yet complex and occasionally painful, they're the same about patriotism.
We have (or had) a single parent family in the family, and you know what? Good. My uncle was married to a spaz, good thing he divorced her and kept most of the custody rights.
And I can't even begin to remotely fucking fathom how they don't get that unmarried couples are the perfect healthy testing ground for having a married couple happened. GOOD that they're living together you dumb pieces of shit. How the hell do you think they're going to know if they can live together indefinitely?
And GOOD that they're not saving themselves for marriage? How the hell are they going to know how to do it well if they've never done it until then? And so what anyway?
And what in the holy fuck does being gay have to do with anything? How does that harm a family? At all?
You know what harms a family? Having judgemental dogmatic shits like you in them, causing a fuss over fucking nothing.
–- Update From New Post Merge ---
Amen to that. Evangelical politicians really are the scum of the earth.
They're just indefensible.
I may not be fiscally conservative, but I value the counterbalance and even some the views they have sometimes.
I may not be a hawk…..alright I'm actually pretty fucking far from a dove either...so yeah, sometimes I'm glad to have both these sides around, counterbalance and all that. And hawks are good to have around if it's a good war to have.
What pray tell to social conservatives bring to the table? What? Is there anything? They're absolutely worthless.
As much as I'd like to share your optimism, hoping that the previous generation will die off will solve a lot of our problems isn't something I can do.
A lot of them know that, and that's why they're trying to groom kids with Tea Party and Jesus Camps to keep their 'patriotic spirit' alive, not to mention the fact that things are starting to get rigged so that really only greedy, wealthy people can even have access to a political office anymore.
We really fucking need campaign finance reform more than anything else. We get that, and those zealots could go on living forever for all the influence they'll lose after that.
EDIT: And let's not even get into the passive aggressive voter suppression and war on the middle class that I keep hearing about. All the stuff I've forgotten combined would probably convince anyone that it might be too late for this country.
A lot of this shit that people are doing they're doing because they already know they'll get away with it.
EDIT 2: Sorry, kind of jumped from Tea Partiers to corporate campaign contributors, but still.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2011/07/09/gIQAIZwH6H_story.html
Oh man. At least, no casulties.
Social Conservatism is basically fear of anything different, and using government to force their fear unto others. Even though I'm Fiscally Conservative, Social Conservatism is, to me, a giant anchor in America.
"Our morals shall be imposed on a country built for the sole purpose of not imposing one's will unto others!"
Having the counterbalance between conservatism and liberalism for fiscal matters is desirable and necessary. Social conservatism, on the other hand, is just reprehensible, full stop. If a person is "socially conservative" I have next to no respect for them.
Now don't get me wrong. I'm not expressing hate or whatever for being socially conservative. If that's someone's thing, whatever.
I could honestly give no shit at all.
It's as a political force, form, and wing, that it's just amazingly worthless and horrible.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-14099402
The US says it is withholding some $800m in military aid to Pakistan.
YES! Now to see if they fold and cooperate, or go it alone. Either way tons of long standing issues should be solved from this, and hopefully for the better.
I also wonder if this was brought on more by the stuff found with Bin Laden. Maybe a solid link between the government and Al Qaeda was brought to light.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-14099402
YES! Now to see if they fold and cooperate, or go it alone. Either way tons of long standing issues should be solved from this, and hopefully for the better.
I also wonder if this was brought on more by the stuff found with Bin Laden. Maybe a solid link between the government and Al Qaeda was brought to light.
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Huh! I'm a bit surprised this is your reaction.
But the more I think about it I guess it makes sense.
You're probably as tired as anything that the US teaming with your government for Afghanistan's war was causing a sort of legitimization of it's more unsavory aspects, such as your military with the extrajudicial killings, and ISI with god knows what.
Is that in the ballpark?
@Monkey:
Huh! I'm a bit surprised this is your reaction.
But the more I think about it I guess it makes sense.
You're probably as tired as anything that the US teaming with your government for Afghanistan's war was causing a sort of legitimization of it's more unsavory aspects, such as your military with the extrajudicial killings, and ISI with god knows what.Is that in the ballpark?
Yeps, definitely in ballpark.
I see US aid both to government and military as validating their corruption and extra constitutional and judical acts. Its like giving them a life line.
Lets say if USA, IMF and others completely stop all aid, then current elite wont be to run country. It will cause unrest and people will come out on streets and we might finally have a revolution which might root out these corrupt elites. But thats not gonna happen. For now USA needs current setup. They are never gonna let it go that far.
@Fire-fist - This reminds me our discussion a while back when it all kicked off.
I'm glad for several reasons, but at the back of my mind lurks the terror of 'what if it goes wrong'.
How stable is the current Government? are the people happy? is there opposition that could seize this as an opportunity to take power or influence? Also what changes do you think you will notice as a result of all this?
Could this act be the first domino? to what I don't know….but then again I don't know just how much Pakistan relied on that $800 million.
@Fire-fist - This reminds me our discussion a while back when it all kicked off.
I'm glad for several reasons, but at the back of my mind lurks the terror of 'what if it goes wrong'.
Goes wrong in what sense? You mean taliban getting more room? or army stopping action against them?
To be honest army wasn't acting against taliban anyway. They were only going against those who were attacking pak and not everyone. I personally don't think this is going to stop. Today's udru paper kindda confirms this with foreign office saying that operation was going on with own cost and wont be effected. Stopping of aid is just one more step in worsening relationships after osama's raid. Both USA and pak need each others support and i think its just arm twisting to get upper hand in negotiations.
I don't know just how much Pakistan relied on that $800 million.
It wasn't just these millions there were billions other given to civilian government and via IMF too. Its just a token of stepping up heat and wont change much on ground.
How stable is the current Government? are the people happy? is there opposition that could seize this as an opportunity to take power or influence? Also what changes do you think you will notice as a result of all this?
Current government is stable and is going no where. Also with elections approaching i dont see anyone making a huge effort to root it out. Mainly coz it will make current government look like a victim and would increase its sympathy votes. Also the so called opposition is leading government in most populated province they know if they make government leave from center, their own rule would end too.
[hide]Are the people happy?
Thats a very good question, and it kindda touches a nerve.
If democracy was any answer to a government's performance then yes people are happy. The current ruling party almost won with landslide victory in Azad Kashmir elections.
But reality is something else. To be honest democracy isn't really suited for Pakistan, the political parties bribe the poor in elections to vote for them. Poor knows that no matter who wins nothing is gonna really change for him, so he pockets the money and votes. If thats not all then there are fake voter lists, people who don't exist cast votes and to top it there are votes cast on gunpoint. In end democracy wins =).
But are people really happy? nopes. There is shortage of nearly everything, I wont even talk about poor. Even the privileged don't have access to daily life necessities. Lemme name a few, there is food shortage every other day. We dont get fuel for vehicles for 3 days a week. In this summer heat 48 C ( 118 F) we dont have electricity to turn on fans for 8 hours a day (i can go on for like pages on this xD). About the poor, they dont have anything to worry about except life. I did a research project in university and during it i interviewed a lot of people. Most of them were like we dont have time to think about government or country, we wake up 5am in morning and untill 10pm at night they only have one worry i.e if they dont earn this much money today. Their children wont have anything to eat at night or next day.
There are a number of things abundant too. One of which is terrorism, i think i might have mentioned it before but we have gotten "used" to it, and people actually get worried if some small blasts don't keep happening (not joking or being sarcastic or exaggerating, people actually get worried - calm before big storm).
Another is lawlessness, Police is one of the most corrupt departments of Pakistan and papers are usually filled with stories of lawlessness. This reminds me, people talked about osama's compound as if it was big thing - as in high walls, barbed wires etc. Well it might surprise you that my house has higher walls and has barbed wires too. On top it has secret infra red camera, security dog, a private security gunman (for street) and some other weapons at home. And its perfectly normal because people are pretty much supposed to defend themselves and dont expect anything from police.
But thing most abundant is corruption. You cant get anything done without it and with it you can do a lot. I couldn't get a phone or internet connection for 3 months via legal means but got it the day i paid bribe to line man. I sometime forget my University's security pass at home but instead of denying me entry the security guard takes bribe and lets anyone in. I never got a ticket, because the police guys always "asked" and threatened for bribe. It goes on all scales till very top but I am just giving small scale examples but it shows how much it has seeped in our society - specially with this government.
But its kindda expected, Our president has been convicted in past for corruption, has served 8 years in jail coz of it, is mentally ill according to certificates presented in courts, has attempted suicide in past and was known as mr 10% when his wife was prime-minister (as in 10% of anything that goes in pak has to go to him if the work is to be done). Its just not him, prime minister has served 6 years after being convicted of corruption and same goes for majority of other ministers. And most of the the US aid goes to these people and doesn't reaches grass root. One of my friends is an electrical engineer, he tells me that that the project he has been working on has millions already invested. Buts its stuck for like 3 months because minister of law hasn't received his share and is not signing a document needed for project to proceed.
Sorry but i guess i wrote too much… i kindda let it out and cleared my heart. It kindda pains me to know all this and and it pains me more that these guys are gonna get elected again after next DEMOCRATIC elections. I just know it, lemme give one last example. One of the politions from ruling party had a forged bachelors degree. He was proven guilty in court and he had to resign. Some time later elections were held on his seat, and he won AGAIN with landslide victory. I mean people elected same guy again whom they know lied to them and cheated, and not years later but mearly days later :s
Sigh! There is so much i wanna say but i guess i'll stop.
[/hide]
@Monkey:
Now don't get me wrong. I'm not expressing hate or whatever for being socially conservative. If that's someone's thing, whatever.
I could honestly give no shit at all.It's as a political force, form, and wing, that it's just amazingly worthless and horrible.
But it's not only as a political force that social conservatism wreaks its untold damage. Gay people taught to suppress their true natures, become totally celibate, or lie to themselves and others as they're trapped in loveless relationships. Ostracism by family and peers for any deviant behavior, because being different is wrong. If you mean social conservatism that isn't imposed on others, yeah sure, but social conservatism by default loves to impose itself on others, what with antiquated notions of a society drowning in iniquity.
I am intolerant of intolerance.
Wow now it's revealed The Sun illegally obtained medical records of Gordon Brown's son who has cystic fibrosis.
After New of the World's closure, it seems the course has been set for Rupert Murdoch's empire to slowly crumble around him.
Edit: Shit it gets worse :
Five years earlier, when their first child, Jennifer, was born on 28 December 2001, a small group of specialist doctors and nurses was aware that she had suffered a brain haemorrhage and was dying. By some means which has not been discovered, this highly sensitive information was obtained by news organisations, who published it over the weekend before Jennifer died, on Monday 6 January 2002.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2011/jul/11/phone-hacking-news-international-gordon-brown
If this ends with Fox News going under that would be a greater triumph than the fall of Gaddafi.
Chrissie :(
….................
She has not been online for the past few days, and not responded to my message…That worried me. Hope she is okay and only has power outage problem, if any problem at all.
I hope Chrissie is okay.
Chrissie is in Greece atm, not Cyprus, so don't worry guys ;)
Chrissie is in Greece atm, not Cyprus, so don't worry guys ;)
Relief.
Stil, I hope they fix the electricity by the time she comes back so she can actualy be around.
It wouldn't be the same without her :(
Chrissie is in Greece atm, not Cyprus, so don't worry guys ;)
That makes me MORE worried lol.
Chrissie doesn't even normally live in that area of Cyprus anyway.