All Hank, all the time.

[Hank Chinaski]

Originally posted by Tyrone Slothrop
We shall see. I prefer to blame the messengers, not the message.

eta: If I wanted my thoughts to be accepted and ratified by the voters, I would run for office. I prefer to hang out here instead. I understand that "the left doesn't understand terror" may work well as a political attack, but I'm sick of answering such crap here. If you want to spout that crap to people who will applaud, go hang out with the freepers.

no one said anything about you. the question was whether several Parliment members who happen to be Muslims might have done harm by implying that they understood where the impulse to blow up planes came from- I read it as clearly being written from the standpoint of leaders in the Muslim community and clearly giving young men the idea that maybe blowing up shit ain't completely crazy because some respected leaders said that it certainly is predictable.

You clarified that they were just writing as random people, so that cleared it up for me.

[Spanky]

Just a quick diversion from the pile up on Ty.

So I get my registration renewal in the mail, and it is liberals run amuck again. I have to get my smog check, but can I go to just any old smog check station, no - I have to go to a specially certified smog check station that is more expensive and really far away.

So I am thinking what crazy liberal bureaucratic #$%&%$$ idiot came up with this B.S......

As I was bitching about it, one of the employees in my political organization reminds me this difficult procedure is the result of clean air legislation that went through the state legislature a few years back - and this is the critical part - that I lobbied for!!!!! . In fact, I made it the top political priority of that year and called in a lot of favors to make sure it had Republican support.

So that clearly means I win the biggest idiot award, or at least the biggest hypocrite award.

[Adder]

Originally posted by Penske_Account
the first few times I read this my mind's eye saw "Tit O'fringey".

I have dubbed her an honorary Irishman, not an honorary stripper.

She has to earn that one on her own...

eta: dammit

[Spanky]

Originally posted by ltl/fb
w/r/t slave's statement about peopel who want to cut off his head on TV, I think he's safe from that if he doesn't leave the US. Whoever suggested he leave the greater SF area is correct -- I fear for his sanity/heart attack risk if he stays. Maybe one of the wilder areas of Colorado? Perhaps adjacent to some white supremacist organization? I don't think he's white supremacist; I just would like to see how much his opinions on stuff are really reactions to what he sees going on in his immediate vicinity.

But then who will be left to take all my money at poker?

[Penske_Account]

Originally posted by Adder
I have dubbed her an honorary Irishman, not an honorary stipper.

She has to earn that one on her own...

What is a stipper?; Isn't honorary spelled honourary in Ireland?; What makes you think she hasn't earned it?; Her noir is legendary........

[Adder]

Originally posted by Spanky
Just a quick diversion from the pile up on Ty.

So I get my registration renewal in the mail, and it is liberals run amuck again. I have to get my smog check, but can I go to just any old smog check station, no - I have to go to a specially certified smog check station that is more expensive and really far away.

So I am thinking what crazy liberal bureaucratic #$%&%$$ idiot came up with this B.S......

As I was bitching about it, one of the employees in my political organization reminds me this difficult procedure is the result of clean air legislation that went through the state legislature a few years back - and this is the critical part - that I lobbied for!!!!! . In fact, I made it the top political priority of that year and called in a lot of favors to make sure it had Republican support.

So that clearly means I win the biggest idiot award, or at least the biggest hypocrite award.

Does your state (like Virginia) have one of those scam systems where you are just supposed to go to a local repair shop who checks you out (and, of course, happens to find thousands of dollar to get repaired?)

The DC one sucks, because there is always a ridiculous line, but at least you don't have to pay for it separately, and the government employees who run it have no financial incentive find something wrong.*

*at least since the end of the last Berry administration.

[Sidd Finch]

Originally posted by Tyrone Slothrop
This business of attacking moderates for not speaking out more against extremists is not useful. I would suggest that attacking moderates for being on the side of terrorists does strengthen them, or induce them to speak out more. It does tend to lump them all together at a point when we ought to be finding ways to marginalize the extremists. And it's a sort of cheap talking point that the fighting keyboardists can use to prove how tough they are on terrorism. I agree that it would be a better world if the moderate Muslims spoke out more. If the question is, how do we strengthen moderates Muslims so that they will speak out more, I'm not sure what the right answer is, but I feel fairly comfortable that this isn't it.

It's one thing to blame the silence of "moderates" on authoritarian governments.

But you are generally suggesting that moderates -- i.e., those opposed to targeting civilians, regardless of cause -- are devoid of power to speak out, even in the US or Britain -- right?

If so, think about what that really means.

[Penske_Account]

I never thought I would say this, but Slave has my proxy on the substantive matters of today's convo here.

[Spanky]

Originally posted by Adder
Does your state (like Virginia) have one of those scam systems where you are just supposed to go to a local repair shop who checks you out (and, of course, happens to find thousands of dollar to get repaired?)

Yes and that is why the change in legislation. It seemed that a lot of these places were taking bribes to let people off and others were gauging. That is why the legislation set up these special stations that are highly scrutinized (when they test your car the information they receive while testing goes straight back to the State overseer) and are not able to fix your car so there is not incentive to say you failed. With randomly sending people to the test only stations the state can collect data, look for statistical anomalies, and then find the stations that are being unscrupulous.

Not surprisingly the small gas station owners association, mechanics organizations, and oil companies fought the legislation tooth and nail.

It all seems very sensible unless you are one of those people selected who has to go to the smog test only stations.

[sebastian_dangerfield]

Originally posted by Penske_Account
I never thought I would say this, but Slave has my proxy on the substantive matters of today's convo here.

Your proxy gets around. Have you have it checked for the warts lately?

[Greedy,Greedy,Greedy]

So what is everyone talking about today?

It all just looks like a set of canned rants - is there a theme, or is this just one of those summer episodes made up of snippets of past episodes strung together?

[Spanky]

Originally posted by Sidd Finch
It's one thing to blame the silence of "moderates" on authoritarian governments.

But you are generally suggesting that moderates -- i.e., those opposed to targeting civilians, regardless of cause -- are devoid of power to speak out, even in the US or Britain -- right?

If so, think about what that really means.

I think the bigger issue here is how much of Britians actions in the Middle East are prompting these terrorist acts.

If Britain completely disengaged from the Middle East. No more support for Israel, no troops in Iraq, and didn't mess around at all in who runs which government, would the terrorist attacks against Britian stop:

My guess here, and this is just a guess:

Ty = yes

Club, Hank and Sgt Club =no

Spanky = confused

Sidd = ?

[Spanky]

Originally posted by Greedy,Greedy,Greedy
So what is everyone talking about today?

It all just looks like a set of canned rants - is there a theme, or is this just one of those summer episodes made up of snippets of past episodes strung together?

Of course, but your participation is always welcomed.

[Sidd Finch]

Originally posted by Spanky
I think the bigger issue here is how much of Britians actions in the Middle East are prompting these terrorist acts.

If Britain completely disengaged from the Middle East. No more support for Israel, no troops in Iraq, and didn't mess around at all in who runs which government, would the terrorist attacks against Britian stop:

My guess here, and this is just a guess:

Ty = yes

Club, Hank and Sgt Club =no

Spanky = confused

Sidd = ?

For awhile.

[Greedy,Greedy,Greedy]

Originally posted by Spanky
Of course, but your participation is always welcomed.

I'm retired. I only come back when there's a need for a senior statesman.