Meet your new thread, same as the old thread.

[Hank Chinaski]

Originally posted by Not Bob
Explaining why you think that the insult is accurate and sticky doesn't change the fact that it is an insult.

eta I don't mean to sound thin-skinned -- I was simply trying to answer Slave's question. Insult away, just be aware that it is an insult, that's all.

Quick question: when the Feds took down the "mafia' through wire taps and listening devices did your first amendment feelers prick up so strongly as they do about Islamic terrorists? It seems to me most of what has been done pales in comparison to what was done to people based solely upon the fact that there were rumors they were mobbed up, oh, and they had Italian names.

None of you seemed bothered when that occurred, and they were all American citizens, so I'm just confused.

and by the way, your explanation will probably be that labeling them "mafia" was "accurate and sticky", but that only supports whatever Bush has authorized.

[Not Bob]

Originally posted by Hank Chinaski
Quick question: when the Feds took down the "mafia' through wire taps and listening devices did your first amendment feelers prick up so strongly as they do about Islamic terrorists?

What makes you think that my name doesn't end in a vowel?

And, yes, if indeed the feds used warrantless wiretaps against the mob, that would bother me (assuming that one could say that the Mafia has been taken down).

[taxwonk]

Originally posted by sebastian_dangerfield
Your party is a machine, and its controlled by people with a vested interest in keeping govt big. Try to shake the "Democrat Party" label all you like, but it fits. That's why it's lasted so long.

I'm not saying the GOP is any better. If you have a slur for purported free marketeers who are more than happy to subsidize their businesses at the govt trough and drain that trough knowing the result will be a Democrat Party big govt resurgence in their wake, I'm happy to use it. "Greedheaded Big Govt Profiteers" is too clumsy.

Robber Barons?

There's a reason they call them classics.

[taxwonk]

Originally posted by Hank Chinaski
Quick question: when the Feds took down the "mafia' through wire taps and listening devices did your first amendment feelers prick up so strongly as they do about Islamic terrorists? It seems to me most of what has been done pales in comparison to what was done to people based solely upon the fact that there were rumors they were mobbed up, oh, and they had Italian names.

None of you seemed bothered when that occurred, and they were all American citizens, so I'm just confused.

and by the way, your explanation will probably be that labeling them "mafia" was "accurate and sticky", but that only supports whatever Bush has authorized.

Hank, the big distinction here, one which I am confident has not escaped you, notwithstanding your righteous indignation, is that those wiretaps were placed by leave of court. I don't think that anyone here would object to the feds using authorized wiretaps obtained under due process of law. It's the suspension of this process that I, along with many others, find objectionable.

[Tyrone Slothrop]

Originally posted by SlaveNoMore
It utterly baffles me that the term "Democrat party" gets you so incensed.

Who's incensed? I just have to set my sights low with you.

[Tyrone Slothrop]

Originally posted by Hank Chinaski I don't believe Ty is a tool.

I love you, man.

[sebastian_dangerfield]

Originally posted by Not Bob
What makes you think that my name doesn't end in a vowel?

Because you're not NotBobby?

[Gattigap]

You may remember seeing a picture of this kid from the Battle of Fallujah.



The photojournalist who took it works for the LA Times. For a long-form story of what happened to both the Marine and the photojournalist, go here.

Gattigap

[Tyrone Slothrop]

Originally posted by Gattigap
You may remember seeing a picture of this kid from the Battle of Fallujah.



The photojournalist who took it works for the LA Times. For a long-form story of what happened to both the Marine and the photojournalist, go here.

Gattigap

It's touching, but the end is more about the photographer's own feelings than it is about the Marine.

[Atticus Grinch]

Four times, starting in 1992, I have stood in a voting booth* and conjured up the image of a certain President of the Board of Supervisors for the City and County of San Francisco announce in a halting voice that Supervisor Milk and Mayor Moscone were dead of gunshot wounds and that Dan White was the suspect. I have done so in order to suppress the tiny bit of vomit that reflexively rises every time I am called upon by the perpetual joint stupidity of the Democratic and Republican parties in California that results in me having no alternative than to vote for Dianne Feinstein, and thinking of her having her last unselfish and genuine human emotion is the only thing that can get me through that experience.

Thought you'd like to know.

*This is a lie. I voted absentee in 1992 and 1994 and could therefore have vomited with impunity on both those occasions.

Originally posted by SlaveNoMore
It utterly baffles me that the term "Democrat party" gets you so incensed.

I like it - it's handy. As soon as someone drops it you know to turn the conversation over to sports before you have to hear a recap of whatever it was Rush Limbaugh was talking about that morning.

It's like when Hank drops "Paki" and you know to stick to talking about steakhouses instead of recommending the Indian place. These little markers are what make civilized social intercourse possible.

[Gattigap]

Originally posted by Tyrone Slothrop
It's touching, but the end is more about the photographer's own feelings than it is about the Marine.

Fair point. FWIW, here's Part 2 of 2.

[Tyrone Slothrop]

Originally posted by Atticus Grinch
Four times, starting in 1992, I have stood in a voting booth* and conjured up the image of a certain President of the Board of Supervisors for the City and County of San Francisco announce in a halting voice that Supervisor Milk and Mayor Moscone were dead of gunshot wounds and that Dan White was the suspect. I have done so in order to suppress the tiny bit of vomit that reflexively rises every time I am called upon by the perpetual joint stupidity of the Democratic and Republican parties in California that results in me having no alternative than to vote for Dianne Feinstein, and thinking of her having her last unselfish and genuine human emotion is the only thing that can get me through that experience.

Thought you'd like to know.

*This is a lie. I voted absentee in 1992 and 1994 and could therefore have vomited with impunity on both those occasions.

My landlord once ran against Feinstein. Talk about the lesser of two evils.

[sebastian_dangerfield]

Originally posted by ironweed
civilized social intercourse

It's hard to find good "dogging" in the country club parking lot.

[sebastian_dangerfield]

Originally posted by Atticus Grinch
Four times, starting in 1992, I have stood in a voting booth* and conjured up the image of a certain President of the Board of Supervisors for the City and County of San Francisco announce in a halting voice that Supervisor Milk and Mayor Moscone were dead of gunshot wounds and that Dan White was the suspect. I have done so in order to suppress the tiny bit of vomit that reflexively rises every time I am called upon by the perpetual joint stupidity of the Democratic and Republican parties in California that results in me having no alternative than to vote for Dianne Feinstein, and thinking of her having her last unselfish and genuine human emotion is the only thing that can get me through that experience.

Thought you'd like to know.

*This is a lie. I voted absentee in 1992 and 1994 and could therefore have vomited with impunity on both those occasions.

This was incoherent. You need to lay off the Twinkies.