1. Unintelligent Design

Comment #233262 by Vecingetorix on August 19, 2008 at 3:12 pm

Unfortunately, Rod, the school year in Louisiana has been going for a week now. That's one week of ignorant indoctrination to fight already.

2. The Latest Wedge Document

Comment #200543 by Vecingetorix on June 27, 2008 at 8:51 pm

Somewhat. Thanks Lucas. The correlation, I believe, is not so much southern as rural, or very isolated. The resulting lack of new people and ideas cause intellectual stagnation.
There. All better now.

3. 'I despise Islamism': Ian McEwan faces backlash over press interview

Comment #200326 by Vecingetorix on June 27, 2008 at 10:13 am

I agree.

We digress

4. Non-voters: It's all in God's hands

Comment #200324 by Vecingetorix on June 27, 2008 at 10:10 am

Good job.

Way to be blandly patronising.

Hopelessness has never been employed before on this issue.

Thanks for something completely different.

Do I need to be predictable and point out where this isn't helpful?


on a somewhat related note, anyone see this yet?
http://www.yahoo.com/s/907672

5. 'I despise Islamism': Ian McEwan faces backlash over press interview

Comment #200321 by Vecingetorix on June 27, 2008 at 10:02 am

Heh,
While I agree that they tend to lose themselves in minutae, I will defend Chomsky - not too vigorously, however - or perhaps the reading of NC. It is definitely necessary to know the crimes of your government and of other state crimes it is complicit with. I think it is less a problem with reading dissident literature and more of another form of extremism, maybe even self-loathing. But I shouldn't presume.

At least we haven't seen too many references to 9/11 "truth" around.

The fact remains that, no matter how trying it may seem, especially having to deal with creationists and their like gaining power, as yet we have no issue compared to the oppression in these other societies.

6. Non-voters: It's all in God's hands

Comment #200312 by Vecingetorix on June 27, 2008 at 9:42 am

Just to point out that there are more candidates involved in this election than those the media deigns to cover, including one that has a decidedly more secular bent.

You don't have to choose one of the two versions of the same party.
PSA

7. 'I despise Islamism': Ian McEwan faces backlash over press interview

Comment #200308 by Vecingetorix on June 27, 2008 at 9:33 am

The fact that we have access to this site belies many of your points, Advocatus. Ask Ms. Hirsi-Ali to compare and contrast what freedoms she enjoys here with those in her native country. I'll give you that we are not as free as our elementary schools led us to believe, or that police brutality and child rape by authority figures are a serious problem, but they are not publicly encouraged as in many countries in Africa and the ME, or even Russia again.
Methinks its time for some perspective.

8. The Latest Wedge Document

Comment #200293 by Vecingetorix on June 27, 2008 at 9:06 am

you must forgive me for a moment, I shall drop my calm in relation to those who are generalizing about certain states:

Fuck Off!

There are crazily scary places in every region, especially in the US. In fact, the worst I have ever encountered have been in those enlightened states of Illinois, California, Arizona (especially northern Az, the state was settled by Mormons, after all), and New York. There are crazies all over. If you will pause to reflect, it took the Dover trial to overturn this effort in a state not named Louisiana. So, cease piling on.
It's funny, but I get the whole "backwards Louisianan/Southerner" thing a lot, and then the Columbia graduate from Connecticut who mostly plays that card has to leave class early on Wednesday to go to church. I'd say this is a little more widespread.


I apologize for the hasty, semi-retarded tone to this post, but I am fed up with this regional bigotry on a "clear thinking oasis". It makes me sick and embarrassed, thinking that I direct everyone I can to this site, only to have them point to threads like this that turn them off to an otherwise great experience. It is a mote in many of your eyes that you should look to.

9. Losing Our Spines to Save Our Necks

Comment #192551 by Vecingetorix on June 13, 2008 at 11:14 am

I certainly do not discount the negative influence of other state players, however, US backed Israeli aggression most definitely is a, perhaps THE major factor in the influence of Hezbollah, and therefore, Iranian influence, in Lebanon. Unfortunately, that influence has gotten so strong that it is now impossible to have a SERIOUS discussion about peace in that state triangle without having Hezbollah and Hamas (democratically elected party in Palestine) at the table.

10. Losing Our Spines to Save Our Necks

Comment #192364 by Vecingetorix on June 12, 2008 at 9:47 pm

Actually, Max, Lebanon IS a democratic government, much like the Palestinian Hamas. However, we (the US gov't) does not recognize that in our dealings with them. Lebanon was also a jewel of the region as far as progressive ideals until a recent Israeli invasion.
Funny how that gets ignored when Bush and his cronies quote democratic peace theory, i.e. democratic governments don't engage in hostilities with other democracies.

11. Debating creationism in Louisiana schools

Comment #192340 by Vecingetorix on June 12, 2008 at 7:49 pm

Has anyone else noticed that the media almost always gives the "last word" to the ID asshats and religious wingnuts? Dammit, that was my favorite local news channel.

12. John McCain: America a Christian nation, needs Christian president

Comment #190890 by Vecingetorix on June 9, 2008 at 8:15 pm

Impressed by your very on-point Lakoff references. Now I've got to find that book again. Damned clutter!

13. Prayer to feed the hungry

Comment #190888 by Vecingetorix on June 9, 2008 at 7:59 pm

that being said, I could barely get through that article without waking my household with my rage/barking mad laughter.

14. Prayer to feed the hungry

Comment #190886 by Vecingetorix on June 9, 2008 at 7:57 pm

Perhaps we should focus less on GMO's with their end game situation, and focus more on Agribusiness subsidies for US companies, and neo-liberal (in the international relations sense) policies such as "Food for Peace" and others that, instead of providing people with sustainable agriculture in their region, force them to accept outside foodstuffs. This suppresses the ability and need for local agriculture, until they don't get the next shipment.
This is the truth of the "...Teach a man to fish..." proverb. Don't focus too much on a single issue, be aware of the root causes. Bad policy is comparable to, nay, even the cause of other symptoms, like continued cultural problems and overpopulation. We can use GMO's as a temporary fix in an isolated, almost quarantined, situation, but these other things need to be fixed very quickly.

15. Judge orders La. school district to stop Bible giveaways

Comment #167840 by Vecingetorix on April 24, 2008 at 11:21 am

I really do take offense to the assumption by border collie, and many others, apparently, that simply saying "it is Louisiana afterall..." explains everything. I grew up in Louisiana, and yet live in Louisiana, though I have traveled and studied elsewhere. I received a quite worthy education, especially in the realms of science. However, this is more than a "southern" problem. This is indicative of government policy toward education - informed by evangelicals - that actually promotes biblical teachings and the saying of a prayer again in schools. Please place blame in the proper places. Do not dismiss a problem as simply regional and reflective of some backwards people.