I recently discovered that Mel Gibson is some kind of hard-core catholic instead of a scientologist like I though he was. I mean i gues this explains why he spent so much of his own money (I heard like 40 million) to make yet another rendition of Jesus and the cross. I mean i go to church and all that stuff, but i somehow i just dont feel the need to have Mel Gibsion indoctrinate me with his take. As for those who have had a "life changing experience" because of this movie i pity you. The bible's been around for quite some time and as far as i'm concerned the movies arent a great place to get your religion.
-paul.
I understand there's still a lot of fear that we are just moments away from pulling out of Iraq but I can see no reason why Bush and Company will do so. Bush realizes his opponents have waiting for him to pull out when the going got tough. Everyone seems to have forgotten Afghanistan because of its failure to prove Bush unwillingness to see the fight though. We live in a world where the only kind of news that seems to have any staying power in the global media is the kind that proclaims America as the hopeless failure that a great deal of the world wants us to be. Afghanistan isn't the kind of news they want to see, so it's conveniently swept under the rug so no one might get the idea that we might actually know what we're doing. It took over 3 years of walking the hard road to get Afghanistan on its feet and we still have a lot of work to do. The US has not cut its losses and run and I seriously doubt it will until Iraq has a stable democracy in place, and it's clear that Iraq no-longer needs us to keep the peace. Iraq is in deed still very volatile, but Bush from the beginning of this said we would be there until this conflict is brought to an end, and I can think of nothing that will bring Bush to go back on that.
Okay here's the deal. I am sick and tired of this endless ranting and raving that there is some conspiracy amongst George W. Bush and the leaders of this country. Its time we realize several things. One, just because we havent completely wipped the floor with the insurgents in Iraq doesnt mean the operation is a failure. Rebuilding a country does not happen overnight and it doesnt help that the only picture that most people get from the news is that the Iraqi people hate us and want to burn us alive along with out system of government. The fact is Reuters completed a poll with in the month that reported the following....
75% of the Iraqi people want us to stay until Iraq has a stable democracy in place
Of the remaining 25%, approxamately 20% or so want us to stay in Iraq for at least one more year
Thus you are left with 5% of the population that is often portrayed as the majority.
Second, we went into Iraq for the oil. This is so false, it makes me want to throw up every time someone points to it as our reason for removing a system of government who's idea of populace control involved throwing "insurgents" off multi-story buildings, cutting off their tounges, and fingers, all of which was done in the local public square for all to see and fear. Proof of this has recently been uncovered in the form of video tapes shot by the Former Iraqi Republican Guard. All of Iraq's oil remains in the control of the Iraqi People. We had an oppourtunity to take this oil free of charge, but we returned and will pay to use it just as we would've anyway.
Third, lets just forget about the countless thousands of innocent people who were killed at the hands of Sadam while the UN dragged its feet passing 13 consececutive security council resolutions which Sadam Hussein's government promptly violated without any fear of the UN getting off its but and taking the action "mandated" by the resolutions. In my opinion, if you're the United Nations speak loudly but carry a very small stick. But the world has been quick to blame the US for taking the Action that UN was supposed to take by its own accord starting 12 years ago. The blood of those who died under Sadam is on the United Nations Hands, but you know, why appropriately place blame them when you can blast the US.
I sincerely doubt that the social-Armageddon that many claim to be just around the corner is going to come to pass. There's been a lot of "outrage" about kids being singled out for not standing for. First, I am yet to hear someone be ostracized for not standing. And second, yes there is going to be some judging going on but, I am just waiting for it to separate the "true believers" and the "infidels." If someone cares enough about their beliefs to not say the pledge, they should find it as a source of determination not as a source of degradation when they choose to sit down. As for those who sit down feeling some sense of regret, i personally think that everyone owes some debt to the nation for their overall quality of life. But then again, why the hell should we give any credit to the lifestyle that this nation and the liberties it provides, protects, and preserves. We should be damn thankful that this pledge is voluntary and that we have the right to sit down. Thus, I continue to wait for a shred of evidence to indicate that a voluntary pledge to a country to which, whether we like to admit it or not has played a commanding role in our quality of life, has divided us into the goats and the sheep.
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City
In the world we live in today, it’s comforting to know that there is still a little place where senseless violence can continue to pollute or enrich (your call) the minds of America's young and middle aged. Thus, the friendly people at Rock Star and Rock Star North created Vice City. Retaining the go anywhere ability that made its predecessor GTA3 famous, Vice City rises as the undoubted symbol of mindless destruction. GTA3 set the bar pretty high with one of the largest go anywhere maps ever, and a realistic assortment of vehicles, people, and criminal activity. Vice City is truly in a league of its own. With a go anywhere world that is a full 50% larger that GTA3, the welcome addition of helicopters and a plane that is capable of sustained flight (GTA3's DODO plane was notoriously hard to fly), motorcycles, a greater assortment of automobiles, and more gangs, innocent civilians, and a better police AI, Vice City is a must buy if you have yourself a PS2. Vice City reminds us that you can kill as many innocent civilians as you want so long as you have enough money to get your car resprayed to lose your wanted level.
I believe that artists should get their fair share, but the RIAA and the Record Companies have done nothing to prove to me that it is worth it to buy a $15 CD for two or three songs when the artist will only get a fraction of the profit. Their first mistake was shutting down Napster, as it only publicized the logic behind cutting through the crap and getting the music you want. There was once a time when artists and Record Companies prided themselves in putting out albums that were great in their entirety. The record companies are solely to blame for the steady fall of record sales. They expected the public to continue buying over priced CD's that were long on fill and short on value, instead of going through alternative means that allowed them to get just the music they want. To remedy this, the RIAA has decided to take users to court demanding settlement fines up to $30,000 and potential penalties of up to $100,000 per song and they can re-po your computer if you go to court and lose. This policy is destined to fail, and has done little to deter use of download engines. Given the Record companies have started to wise up and offer certain songs for download on pay engines like Rhapsody, these engines are prohibited from carrying hundreds of artists who have not allowed their songs to be downloaded while other engines restrict or deny your ability to burn the songs you download. The companies opened Pandora?s box when they took on Napster and they are going to have to do better than trying to shock the public into submission with ridiculous attempts at retaking ground lost to their own stupidity.
opened the fortune cookie
paper's inside
wonder how they know my future
probably printed on a roll
bet its not even from China
those bastards
The last time a recall election was called was some 80 odd years ago. Adding to that, Gray Davis has presided over the creation of a $38 Billion debt. These are undoubtedly extreme circumstances. Considering California has had more than its fair share of problems during its history and this is the first time that they have recalled a governor speaks to the magnitude of the problem. Every politician does things wrong but California needs help, and Gov. Davis has been unable to fix a big problem. Granted the Florida recall was stupid, but this is a recall that has come about due to serious problems that have only gotten worse.
Chapter 1
There's something very wrong with the Magic School Bus
In this wondrous day and age that we call America, there are some things that cause us all to wonder if we would all be just a little bit better off had they never come to exist. While most of the mature adult population over the age of three would say barney is public enemy number one, I am convinced that the powers that be are protecting a far more sinister plan to undo all the progress that great works of drug induced animation to the tune of Blue's Clues and Transformers have done to bolster the American image abroad. We've got it pretty good in the USA, I mean any nation that has an industry entirely devoted to the creation of TV shows for a market that barring homicidal tendencies is more likely than not under the age of three, already struggling to keep up with the onslaught of early childhood learning devices being hurled at them by logic deprived adults, and probably in it for all the pretty pictures, has probably got a pretty good hold on things. But alas, flying underneath the radar of reason is one Ms. Frizzle and her magic school bus of mental instability. In times like this when everyone is trying to figure out why the hell there are so many kids on that wondrous pill known as Prozac and divorce rates are going up at a rate comparable to the steroid intake of WWF wrestlers, it's comforting to know that all is well in a magical time and place where a terminally depressed teacher with suicidal tendencies and her handpicked class that will one day become the basis for new master race of intellectually superior Frizzleites who will use the Democratic National Headquarters as their springboard to world domination, can take field trips into someone's body via a potato chip or visit the vast marijuana fields of Southern California with the press of a little red button and with no parental waiver in sight. Although it must be noted that the Public Blasphemy System otherwise known as PBS, has publicly declared that it's mission is to enrich the lives of young children nationwide by keeping them indoors, its good to know that viewers like you are taking to the streets in opposition of the corporate sponsors responsible for the continuance of the only method known to kill off brain cells faster than Johnny Cochran. VIVA LA REVOLUTION!!!
A long time ago, this forum underwent a troubled period known as the Iraq debate. But if you insist on prodding me for info, here goes. I urge you to take this evidence of yours with a very large grain of salt. The truth is, at this point, no one knows the full extent of Sadam's arsenal. It is inevitable that some WMD's do exist. The problem lies in finding weapons hidden by a madman who considered his people little more that human shields. Furthermore, for the time being we have no way of knowing how many WMD's were destroyed during the UN's 13 year lapse of enforcing it's own Security Council Resolutions (this being more than the US). Watch where you point the finger, being the world's foremost superpower the US has been given the job of global cleanup, and the burden of bearing the consequences of the world's ignorance. Be careful when you so easily over look the damage a corrupt government can do to a nation. The fault for this war, does not and never has been on the US's hands. Alex, how can you so easily overlook the hell that Sadam is responsible for, and furthermore the UN's gross failure to deal with him. For the UN, it's far easier to wash their hands of the situation and pass their burden of responsibility from meaningless resolution to meaningless resolution. Don't forget about France who hid behind the veil of peace to protect their multi-billion oil contracts with Sadam's regime. Unlike you, who through meaningless spiting are so eager to strike a blow for those who only see one side of an issue, even if no WMD's are found, this will not become the "greatest scandal in US history." I am still yet to hear an answer why the UN still refuses to make their word mean something, and Alex, you want proof of the UN's ineptitude... here it is.
Instead of taking the action necessary to ensure Iraqi compliance in the future, it "condemned" or "deplored 10 times the failure of Iraq to abide by conditions set by the Council (this being more than just the United States.) Listed below is a sampling of those...
UNSCR 1060: "Deplores" Iraq's refusal to allow access to UN inspectors and Iraq's "clear violations" of previous UN resolutions.
UNSCR 1134: Repeated refusal of Iraqi authorities to allow access" to UN inspectors, which constitutes a "flagrant violation" of UNSCR 687, 707, 715, and 1060
UNSCR 1137: "Condemns the continued violations by Iraq" of previous UN resolutions, including its "implicit threat to the safety of" aircraft operated by UN inspectors and it's tampering with UN inspector monitoring equipment.
UNSCR 1205: Condemns the decision by Iraq of 31 October 1998 "to cease cooperation" with UN inspectors as "a flagrant violation" of UNSCR 687 and other resolutions.
The UN has adapted the "speak loudly but leave your big stick at home" stance. US forces have found a wealth of documentation detailing Sadam's WMD capabilities in the face of UN orders that he was not to possess them or implement programs to make them. This alone provides adequate justification for the US's involvement. When you add the sickening multitude of death and destruction Sadam reigned down on his people, you have wealth of evidence that far exceeds any reasonable burden of proof.
