401. Lying for Jesus?

Comment #191261 by al-rawandi on June 10, 2008 at 1:21 pm

Quetz,





Gay scat porn gets old, needs something else to occupy his time.


Maybe he has found another German Sheizer video and will leave us alone.

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

Comment #191256 by al-rawandi on June 10, 2008 at 1:17 pm

Toad,







Careful, people in the west don't like to think about how bad they have fucked other people. Remember it is always the fault of darkies, never our own fault.

If you look at most despots in the world, look at the strings that guide their moves, it is not a pleasant bit of introspection.

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

Comment #191241 by al-rawandi on June 10, 2008 at 12:59 pm

FF,






My point is this, it is close to Europe, maybe it is about time that Europe started shouldering the burden for its own borders and defense. I am getting pretty sick of the sissies in Europe sitting around guzzling tea, while someone else is responsible for fixing everything. They just expect Americans to go and shed blood while the Europeans shake their limp wrists at "Imperialism".

Why is my tax money going to help Chad fight rebels? Maybe YOU should donate YOUR money to these programs, while MY money should be used to secure MY border.

The government of the United States has no business wasting MY money on other militaries.


Ok the last two paragraphs were pretty sarcastic, but here is the dilemna:


How long do we, America, continue to shoulder the burden for everything in the world. Maybe we need to let Europe get a bloody nose so they wake up and quite appeasing psycopaths. As long as America fixes everything on its own dollar we develop expectations for similar behavior in the future. We create a dependency on American power which is bad for business and hard on our economy.

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

Comment #191230 by al-rawandi on June 10, 2008 at 12:33 pm

Ok

Please read about OEF-TS and try to understand just how important Africa is to the security of this country. While I certainly believe in non-intervention, I absolutely reject isolationism. If there are countries out there who are desperate to train with us (and again *trust me* there are plenty) to combat against terrorism, then we have every obligation to help them.

I understand there are plenty of people who want to train with us, there is nothing wrong with that. How does a military base in Greenland help that? This is a war on terror, or polar bears?

Have you ever heard of the GWOT? Do you have any idea how involved we are in that mission? Do you have a clue as to how pivotal the struggle is in Africa right now?

No idea, I was born yesterday.


Of course I get it, I understand what is happening in places like Chad and Mauritania, and Nigeria, Somalia, and many other places. I understand we can help these people. What does Ramstein have to do with that. Why don't we just fly direct? Does German sovereignty mean nothing to America, or to Germans for that matter?


You are still getting 180 F-22's.


"Look a bogeyman! Quick give us money for toys... I mean guns"

Limited government you say?

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

Comment #191224 by al-rawandi on June 10, 2008 at 12:18 pm

FF,







I am not convinced. There are plenty of countries that don't have countless overseas bases, that are economic and world powers, and are plenty safe. It's an industry. The Air Force recently made a play for 300 F-22's, Gates told them to fuck off and they are getting 180. The Air Force desperately wants to fight MiG's with their cool new toys, no idea what the fuck is really going on. We need predator drones, not F-22's.


The desert? What the fuck are we doing in the desert anyway? Who gives two shits and a fuck about these places. A carrier battle group has 120 aircraft, plus an untold # of cruise missiles. Buy the fucking oil on the free market, Mr. Libertarian, don't go around strong arming people. I could really care less about our operations in backwards armpits like Afghanistan, it was a noble try, but these people want to herd goats and stone women, I say let them have at it.


And you will have to forgive me if I am skeptical when an employee of the US government says "just trust me".

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

Comment #191218 by al-rawandi on June 10, 2008 at 12:02 pm

FF,






Uhhh we have over 700 overseas military bases, most do next to dick to keep me safe. How the fuck is the Iraq invasion keeping me safe? We are there, hoping that the Iraqis will use oil to pay us back for this whole shit show. We have wasted BILLIONS on a war that didn't make me any safer, at all. How does an air force base at Ramstein help me? It doesn't. Okinawa? It doesn't it is a huge waste of money. Dwight D. Eisenhower said "beware the military industrial complex", I suggest you heed his advice.

In fact Republicans LOVE huge aid (military) packages to other countries, because they stipulate that Boeing planes must be bought (put any company in that slot you wish). The Republicans steal our money, send it to some shit hole dictatorship somewhere, and then force them to spend it on large companies that buy politicians nice flights on private jets for hunting trips and golf outings. These people are crooks and thieves, and the Republicans are the worst. They should be hung as traitors.


A Republican Congress? And why did they get it done, because they had to deal with a Clinton veto if they didn't get their shit together.


As for tax cuts for the wealthy? I can asure you that every cent of a tax cut that goes to the underclass gets spent into the working economy, this then increases corporate profits, which means they can spend more on business development and expansion.

Now tax cuts to the wealthy can work indeed, but a lot of that gets spent on yachts, and other luxury items that have a lower amount of positive effect on the economy.


Don't delude yourself into thinking Republicans are anything more than lackeys and catamites to the corporate world. There to ensure the corporate welfare remains.

If you hate welfare, how about hating the welfare handed out to US corporations.

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

Comment #191214 by al-rawandi on June 10, 2008 at 11:52 am

FF,





I work at a Mutual fund, people are banking their golden years on corporate profit. In fact a cap gains tax increase will hit the middle class the hardest. It is just liberal sloganeering:

"We will get those wealthy bastards"
"Yaaaayyyy!"

You are right, the oil companies will see that tax and say "Okay" turn around to the customer and pass on the bill with a prompt, "Fuck you."

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

Comment #191200 by al-rawandi on June 10, 2008 at 11:14 am

FF,






The Republicans and Democrats have an interesting power play:



Republicans get elected, increase stupid spending (defense, and other wasteful programs) while cutting taxes for the wealthy, thus decreasing government income. This drives us into debt.

Democrats get elected, balance the budget by raising taxes. Spend plenty on stupid programs themselves.

Republicans then run on the platform that Democrats raised your taxes, then stupid sheeple in America vote for Republicans and the cycle starts over.


Despite my libertarian views, the Republicans really are the biggest scoundrels ever. Total dipshits, evil liars.

409. Louisiana's latest creationism bill moves to House floor

Comment #191188 by al-rawandi on June 10, 2008 at 10:48 am

Steve Zara,







I have noticed the change. Although I don't always comment, I do follow your blog.

There has been a marked change, I am quite impressed. Keep up the good work!

410. The 14-year-old Afghan suicide bomber

Comment #191171 by al-rawandi on June 10, 2008 at 10:10 am

Black Wolf,





Next time there is a natural disaster in one of these places, just give them this:


"Pray hard and Allah will provide. Good luck."

411. The 14-year-old Afghan suicide bomber

Comment #191157 by al-rawandi on June 10, 2008 at 9:54 am

Layla,




Khomeini wrote that in his Tafsirvasiyoleh, and he wrote that it was permissible to engage in anything but vaginal sex with a woman so long as she was no long radi'yya (breast fed).

I mean ANYTHING but vaginal sex. But once she turned 9, vaginal sex was, of course, permissible.


The moderates do run cover for whackos. They feel like criticizing the whackos is just criticizing their religion, and even themselves. Apologetics for Islam is apologetics for the same violence done in the name of these verses and Islam in general.

412. Court Claim: Chimps Are People, Too

Comment #191144 by al-rawandi on June 10, 2008 at 9:37 am

Become legal guardian, of a 26 year old (chimp)?



"Matthew, I think it is time you got a job and moved out."

"OOoh aahh ahhhh".

"Don't talk back, I am serious, all you do is wake up at 10:30 watch Animal Planet and eat bananas."

"ahhh oooh ooooh ahhh ahhh"

"Damn it, you dropped out of school, what kind of a job do you expect to get. Why don't you go see if you can deliver for Fed Ex."

"ahhh ooh oooohh ahhh"

"Damn, well just wait until your father gets home. He will straighten you out."


"Oooohh ooooh ahhh ahhh"

"Same to you buddy."

413. The 14-year-old Afghan suicide bomber

Comment #191122 by al-rawandi on June 10, 2008 at 9:00 am

Peace,






I agree, it is a duty of powerful nations to assist those countries that want and need genuine assistance.

I think that we should look at polls in Iraq and see what most people want. Most people have taken to hating the American presence. The problem is that terrorists hide amongst civilians and then fire on US soldiers. The soldiers must return fire, and inevitably kill civilians. The Iraqis don't appear to get it, that the reason these civilians are killed is because civilians tolerate terrorists operating amongst them. This or the civilians are too scared to act against the terrorists, by informing or physically forcing them to leave.

It is a bad cycle.

414. Losing Our Spines to Save Our Necks

Comment #191117 by al-rawandi on June 10, 2008 at 8:49 am

More not-anti-semitism




http://www.jr.co.il/terror/israel/hate1.jpg


http://www.snopes.com/photos/politics/muslimprotest.asp

http://inhonor.net/ramlah/



Here is a non-shithole country, where this is allowed to take place:

http://leilamagazine17.blogspot.com/2008/02/blog-post_6785.html



The page is Arabic, but the caption above the video reads:

"Stoning and Arab Woman to Death".


The touching part comes near the end, when the non-violent arab guy who is a victim of western oppression smashes the cinderblock on the woman's head. Damn Jews, must be their fault.

415. The 14-year-old Afghan suicide bomber

Comment #191109 by al-rawandi on June 10, 2008 at 8:18 am

Black Wolf,






Pakistan will NOT come around. For instance they require the Afghan situation for strategic depth against India. Furthermore, Pakistan WANTS a religious state in Afghanistan for certain, if they do not get a religious state it will be a Pashtun state, in this case that would inflame Pashtun sentiments in Pakistan and destabilize the regime. The Pakistanis have a great deal invested in the US being mired in conflict with Muslim fanatics. The ISI in Pakistan has close links with the Taliban, and of course, Musharaf was instrumental there. The Pakistanis are backing off in the NWFP and allowing Taliban elements to run things and carry out their brutal executions.


Gordon,


I agree, instability is contagious, no doubt. These dictatorships may need to fall. But I can certainly entertain the stability argument.



Peace,


Well if the neighbor's wife believes she is religiously obligated to be beaten, there are no police in my neighborhood, and if I intervene I will be suicide bombed, along with my family, and then he will go back to beating his wife, then I would probably just turn the volume up on my TV.

These people are dedicated to killing one another, we certainly aren't stopping them, we are just an alternative target for the time being.

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

Comment #191104 by al-rawandi on June 10, 2008 at 8:10 am

Evidence Only,







I assume you have heard of the Rockridge Institute? I have a friend who works there.

417. Losing Our Spines to Save Our Necks

Comment #191094 by al-rawandi on June 10, 2008 at 7:53 am

Greek,


I am done wasting my time on your stupidity, but one little point:

1. Under the law of Foreign Travel (1948), it states that these regulations---that is travel to restricted countries---shall not apply to a person in posssession of a diplomatic passport of the State of Israel. Azmi Bishara had one.

What 1948 law did I refer to?


Not this one. It was the "prevention of terror ordinance" composed in 1948.

I simply cannot argue with someone who cannot manage basic reading comprehension.


More,

Nasty Bit 3: You are naive. Truly. I've never seen someone so easily persuaded as you. You swallow like a--- (damn nasty thought) : ) Do you really believe that Hezbollah actually said that Jews spread AIDS intentionally? Silly al-rawandi, don't believe everything you read. Try to have a healthy skepticism

Okay, let's just say that Hezbollah didn't say Jews spread AIDS intentionally, that Jews are responsible for AIDS by accident... what would be the point of that comment? It is manifestly untrue, it is an anti-semitic lie, and it is standard commentary from Hezbollah.


Have you ever watched the Arabic program Al-Shatat? It was broadcast on al-Manar (Hezbollah's TV station), it depicts the Jews, gathered in a secret meeting hall, plotting to take over the world? Have you ever watched the Egyptian Arabic program Fars bi la Jawad? More of the same, secret Jewish meetings to take over the world. Hezbollah has just recycled the Protocols.

Did you read up on Mr. El Betel who showed the Internation Humanist and Ethical Union slides of the anti-semitic material Hezbollah teaches to 5-6 year olds?

How about when Nasrallah said this:


"If we searched the entire world for a person more cowardly, despicable, weak and feeble in psyche, mind, ideology and religion, we would not find anyone like the Jew. Notice, I do not say the Israeli"


Maybe you could look up his comments on the Holocaust.




And finally, your flagrant lie, exposed:

By the way, why are all Arabs shitholes?

Arab countries. Not people. First this was brought up when I said Israel was a democracy unlike Arab shitholes (which are not).

You really cannot comprehend what you read. To take your interpretation (if placed in the actual context) I would have said:

"Israel is a democracy and Arabs as a people are not a democracy".


How can a people be a democracy? Are you a democracy? Hey righton, are you a democracy. Some days I feel like I am a democracy, but somedays not.


How could you possible interpret that statement as calling every individual Arab a shit hole? You are either a liar or the stupidest person ever. Right now I think the jury is still out.

418. The 14-year-old Afghan suicide bomber

Comment #191077 by al-rawandi on June 10, 2008 at 7:27 am

Layla,





Muhammad Ibn Abd al-Wahhab had memorized the Qur'an by age ten. Something special about that age. A professor I had spoke often of a Bosnian boy who had memorized the text by ten as well.

The most annoying thing I have ever encountered, and this just enrages me, is when I ask my Muslim friends about some of these ugly verses (along with the A'isha being 9 years old, etc...). One of my friends who is quite a brilliant guy, kept saying "These issues are asked and answered". I said "Okay where are they asked and answered?"... he just said, "Alex, they are asked and answered." I kept asking where, and I kept getting the same response. Most Muslims just assume some brilliant Islamic scholar somewhere has rationalized this all away, so they can go on feeling good about themselves. It is a scary bit (and really annoying) bit of dogma.



GordonYKWong,


I suspect that there is a great deal of research to be done on the matter. But I am curious, what would you do?


My suggestion was to withdraw our forces from Muslim regions, namely Iraq. Then we can let the blood bath begin. If we walked away from the Middle East regimes would collapse and there would be widespread fighting and death, but this is none of our concern.

My suggestion (more precisely) was to remove the oxygen from the fire, and then stomp out any embers that remain. Stop giving people reasons to hate you, and deal mercilessly with those who continue to act like barbarians.

It is a simple approach. Get unhooked from oil and walk away from the region. Offer economic agreements to any country that has a democracy emerge, and be ready to absolutely level the capital of any theocracy that comes to power (if it threatens the rest of the world).

We certainly cannot win in Afghanistan as long as Pakistan is run by the current group of people, so we might as well get the hell out of there as well.

419. The 14-year-old Afghan suicide bomber

Comment #191053 by al-rawandi on June 10, 2008 at 6:50 am

Layla,






I met a 10 year old Pakistani girl who had memorized almost the entire Qur'an and didn't understand a single word of it. Her doting father bragged endlessly about this great accopmlishment. I was speechless, truly speechless. What a waste of a child's time.

Oh and did you read about the 10 year old who had carried out a suicide attack in Afghanistan a while ago?

Do you have a good apostasy story for me?

420. The 14-year-old Afghan suicide bomber

Comment #191029 by al-rawandi on June 10, 2008 at 6:09 am

bucketchemist,





I agree the "gut 'em" comment is a bit reactionary, I would say the only conclusion is to kill these people. There is no reasoning with them. There is no evidence you can bring to the table.

A soldier who had served in Afghanistan mentioned that the Taliban they captured often (about 40-50%) believed the earth was flat. How do you deal with someone who has the intellectual development of a junior member of a cargo cult? How should we reason this. And don't forget they hate us, and that hate will never dissipate.

If you have a chance read a couple of the following:

-"Architect of the Global Jihad" (about Abu Musab al-Suri)

-This month's American Interest

-This month's Journal of International Security Studies


This will outline the growing threat and the nature of the threat.


These people will give us no quarter, they gleefully behead pacifistic aid workers, they should be crushed under foot.

421. The 14-year-old Afghan suicide bomber

Comment #191022 by al-rawandi on June 10, 2008 at 5:58 am

Where the hell is lastgreekstanding?




His apologetics for this behavior are truly unmatched in the western world.


Fanusi,



Sometimes there are factors that go into creating a culture where violence is more commonplace... but I must say you are correct when you note that these kind of situations ALWAYS crop up in Muslim societies and cultures.

Surely, it is no accident.

422. Logical Proof of the Existence of a Divine Creator, Why Atheism is Not Logically Sound

Comment #190765 by al-rawandi on June 9, 2008 at 2:20 pm

corylus,





You have paws?


I don't have paws =/

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

Comment #190732 by al-rawandi on June 9, 2008 at 1:07 pm

Nova,





The Founding Fathers are smarter than any politician alive today, there is no doubt.

I care to understand the intent of a law, why it was written, the circumstances, the intent, etc... It is the biggest bunch of nonsense to talk about the "intent" of the framers, as the Constitution was a compromise of ideologies, not a direct and purposeful enterprise of singular ideology.

I think it is important to look at the prescient statements made by the founding fathers, my favorite is George Washington's "Passionate Attachment" speech. He had accurately predicted one of the most detrimental twists of policy to ever strike the United States, the Israel Lobby and the subservience of our foreign policy.

Furthermore, you should understand the debate that went into the creation of the Constitution. I think it more important for people to see what the Revolution was about, what the founding of America was about, and to choose to either re-affirm this or reject this. For me, I would like to re-affirm a commitment to personal liberty. It is always up for debate and the Constitution can be amended.

So it isn't so much a cult of hero worship but, at least for me, rather about certain convictions that are so relevant today, especially when you have fascists posing as men of the "people" lurking at every turn.

424. Discussion between Richard Dawkins and Paula Kirby

Comment #190712 by al-rawandi on June 9, 2008 at 12:41 pm

Hey I have a degree in these "soft humanities".


I just read a lot on logic and engaged in a degree of auto-didactism that really paid off. One shouldn't depend on an institution to teach them, they should go learn things for themselves.

And I think the criticism can go both ways, many scientists and analytical types have little to no grasp on history or other important domains of the so-called humanities.

425. Discussion between Richard Dawkins and Paula Kirby

Comment #190700 by al-rawandi on June 9, 2008 at 12:07 pm

Steve,







True.

I should have been more specific.

426. Discussion between Richard Dawkins and Paula Kirby

Comment #190692 by al-rawandi on June 9, 2008 at 12:00 pm

epeeist,







I am just searching my memory, and I notice that every theist we have had here has done roughly the same thing. He/she has dodged pointed questions, used fuzzy anti-logic, used tired and discredited arguments, and has been what I would call, disengenuous.

I can't say this goes for every theist, but it goes for every theist I have interacted with.

The scary part isn't the belief, isn't the doctrine, but the scary part is that they simply refuse to acknowledge their inability to behave rationally. There is no basis for a conversation if one person is going to use rational thought as a basis and another some crazy talk.

I feel that it's like setting a date to play golf with a friend, I come to the course dressed and carrying my golf clubs, and my friend shows up wearing a kilt, naked from the waist up and wielding a large axe. How does one proceed?

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

Comment #190630 by al-rawandi on June 9, 2008 at 9:56 am

mordacious1,






Thanks a lot for the info. I will take a look at the online app.

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

Comment #190620 by al-rawandi on June 9, 2008 at 9:47 am

mesomodel,





The impression I got speaking with agents is that the complete assholes right above the agents who actually know what they are doing, are screwing things up.

Dumb ass government bureaucrats.

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

Comment #190610 by al-rawandi on June 9, 2008 at 9:39 am

FF,





See I have this annoying problem/compulsion, when someone is an idiot I cannot help but tell them so. That doesn't work too well in politics. I had my chance to get into politics about a year ago and I passed.

Although I could pull a Ross Perot and run on the "Area 51" platform later in life.

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

Comment #190607 by al-rawandi on June 9, 2008 at 9:36 am

mordacious1,





I studied Arabic, Turkish and Urdu. Although the latter two have slipped away and the first is in the process of atrophy.


I have thought about the NSA, but there is a lot less action and a lot more analysis. My goal was to get a foreign station assignment and have a more dynamic role, although the NSA may do this as well.

Do you have any additional info? If so you can post it or PM me.

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

Comment #190591 by al-rawandi on June 9, 2008 at 9:25 am

mesomodel,






Actually the FBI does excellent work when it comes to counter terrorism. And a lot of their work is on Russian gangsters who target Americans financially. This in addition to the work they do with more traditional terrorist.

And the threat is pretty real, 25% of German Muslims said they would engage in violent actions against non-Muslims, and 50% said that Muslims who died in violent action against non-Muslims go to paradise. So these are real people.

As for the CIA, it performs a number of function, #1 is simply gathering the intelligence from on-the-ground local assets. The people most inflamming the world is the DoD, and all their subsidiary divisions of force.

The real war on terrorism will start when the terrorists once again act against our people, which will happen.

432. Logical Proof of the Existence of a Divine Creator, Why Atheism is Not Logically Sound

Comment #190579 by al-rawandi on June 9, 2008 at 9:10 am

tyler, whitepearl,





Do I sense an email campaign coming on?



My emails, in my usualy friendly tone, generally elicit some incredible responses. Make sure you post up the responses you get, assuming you even get them.

I have received the following from a well worded and thought out email:


"Fuck you!"



Love it.

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

Comment #190578 by al-rawandi on June 9, 2008 at 9:08 am

mesomodel,






Uhhh probably the same ones. I need a job with some excitement. Maybe I will get to participate in an illegal rendition... ooohhh the excitement.

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

Comment #190527 by al-rawandi on June 9, 2008 at 8:27 am

mesomodel,






I am way way too young to run for the big office. I am looking into jobs with various government agencies that may be interested in a person with my "skill set".


Elephant,


Like who?

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

Comment #190513 by al-rawandi on June 9, 2008 at 8:12 am

Elephant,







You are right. Believe me, I hate Republicans far more than Democrats. Democrats want more government and simply say so. Republicans pretend they want less government.

Republicans have been the biggest proponents of corporate welfare. They also love their campaign contributions and are largely traitors to their own people. Handing no-bid contracts to Haliburton sums it up, it is anti-libertarian, anti-free market, and anti-American... how can they claim a limited government?

Republicans are also the biggest war mongerers in the US, always willing to send an army consisting of the economically disadvantaged to some shit hole to die for some ridiculous cause (Iraq!).

The long and the short of it is, labels are useles, people should be intellectually honest, a spade is a spade, it doesn't matter what "party". A party should be a platform to get into power, not a dictation of ideology.

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

Comment #190500 by al-rawandi on June 9, 2008 at 7:54 am

elephant,





The government should be the servant of the people, IMO. Unfortunately many dogmatic ideologues *cough* socialists *cough* think governments are a great tool to impose their ideologies on large number of people, then keep them under foot.

The government should be there to ensure safety to pursue personal goals.

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

Comment #190499 by al-rawandi on June 9, 2008 at 7:51 am

Scooter is back.




Niiiccceeee.


Anyhow scooter, don't forget that Rev. Wright wrote some glowing things about Hamas. The problem is most liberals are anti-racism as long as it is Whites hating some other color, but when it is a black guy spewing anti-semitic rhetoric and anti-white hate, they just look the other way.


Intellectual honesty is a difficult concept to master for the dogmatic. Americans are prone to dogmatism, and liberals aren't immune.

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

Comment #190489 by al-rawandi on June 9, 2008 at 7:37 am

FF,





Let's not forget Obama's other comments:

He wouldn't designate the al-Quds division of the Pastarand a "terrorist group" then only days ago said they were a terrorist group.

Let's not forget his comments to the den of traitors (AIPAC) that Jerusalem should be the undivided capital of Israel.


My greatest fear is that he is either a power hungry hypocrite, or a total and complete idiot.



EDIT*: Elephant,


I was referring to the United States.

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

Comment #190484 by al-rawandi on June 9, 2008 at 7:27 am

Peace,

I agree, I want to decide what to do. The problem is they we all occupy the same planet and do not have the same goals. Some of our goals directly oppose other goals.

Some people want monopolise and concentrate wealth in their hands. I'm glad the state is sometimes able to put the brakes on this.

To your first point, conflicting goals do exist. I don't know what to tell you, that is what competition is about, evolution doesn't stop simply because people have hybrid cars and mac books. Different ideas will compete, some will succeed and some will fail, that is pretty simple.

As for monopolization of wealth... if you are a true libertarian, and not one of the perverted Financial Fascists, then you will strive to protect people from the illegitimate centralization of power, this can be in private or public form. The centralization and abuse of power is the antithesis of libertarianism, any one for liberty must be against the abuse of liberty, that is pretty simple.

The sole purpose of the government is to protect the liberty of its people, from foreign and domestic threats. For the most part the free market will take care of domestic financial threats, absolute liberty will militate against those who attempt to abuse it and at least hold it in check. If not, the government should act as an agent of the people, which, by definition, it is.

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

Comment #190477 by al-rawandi on June 9, 2008 at 7:06 am

Peace,






You are certainly missing the point. People are subject to the laws of the state. But people aren't required to participate in the economy in a traditional way. For instance they can live communally.

It isn't a feather in the cap of capitalism per se, it is a feather in the cap of liberty, and free markets go with liberty.

The question is... do you want to decide what you do, or do you want a group of fattened bureaucrats telling you what to do? It is pretty simple, when you get down to it.

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

Comment #190472 by al-rawandi on June 9, 2008 at 7:01 am

TOCT,





One can be upset at the left leaning nature of certain people without being biased.

For instance, have I not always called a spade a spade.

Maybe liberals just get their feathers ruffled when someone who is intellectually honest happens to disagree with them... in fact that is precisely what happens.




Falcon,




Liberals used to stand for something. Truman, Kennedy, Roosevelt... what the hell happened? They used to be for justice, liberty, etc... now they are a whiners club.

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

Comment #190464 by al-rawandi on June 9, 2008 at 6:49 am

AtheistJon,








Damn right.

443. Town moves against Islamic school

Comment #190463 by al-rawandi on June 9, 2008 at 6:48 am

epeeist,






http://www.securityaffairs.org/issues/2008/14/alexiev.php



I think that is it.


Potential Support Ratio, is the number of people under the retirement age comapred to those over it. It means that the welfare state will soon fail because more people will be using it than those paying into it can support. And the only increase in young people comes from Muslims.


The Muslim populace grew in two waves really, decolonization, and one other which I forget the date for.

The radicalization grows because there is little integration going on. This seems to be steadily increasing, not with regards to immigrants, but their children.

There is no way to know how this will change in the future, hopefully it will get better. But hope in one hand and shit in the other and see which gets full first.

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

Comment #190457 by al-rawandi on June 9, 2008 at 6:22 am

Peace,







No, they cannot challenge the sovereignty of the nation. But they can maintain an economic system that was socialist in nature. This is the fundamental principle (in the US at least), liberty. In a socialist country people HAVE to be restricted, the government cannot trust them to make their own individual decisions.

445. Town moves against Islamic school

Comment #190453 by al-rawandi on June 9, 2008 at 6:12 am

epeeist,






I am afraid you will have to remove your head from the sand now.

In the Journal of International Security Studies this month there is an article by Alex Alexiev. He cites a study on German Muslim beliefs:

44% Have "fundamentalist" beliefs.
50% believe Muslims who die in armed struggle for Islam go to paradise.
25% are ready to engage in violence against non-Muslims.

(His source is Islamic scholar Bassam Tibi).


He juxtaposes this with Total Fertility Rates for Muslims in France and other countries. Then he discusses the Potential Support Ratio.

In France the TFR is 1.5 per woman. Compare this to about 3.0 for Muslims (spread mostly between Algerian, Turkish and Moroccan). Then compare this to the fact that by 2010, in France, people over 60 will outnumber people aged 0-14, and by 2015 people over 60 will outnumber people aged 0-24.

The fact of the matter is that Muslim populations are exploding, and are pretty radicalized. And don't be fooled by the demographic numbers encompassing all Muslims... that is too general. You can be certain the radical Muslims have a far higher TFR than the more passive or secular Muslims.

I am still reading up on the situation in England, but my guess is you will have a similar problem on your hands.

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

Comment #190451 by al-rawandi on June 9, 2008 at 6:00 am

windweaver,






Oh for fuck's sake don't start in with your socialism crap again.

When you can explain Venezuela away then maybe you will have some currency.

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

Comment #190449 by al-rawandi on June 9, 2008 at 5:53 am

irate,






That would be the Chomsky that lies about the Khmer Rouge genocide. The one who dishonestly compares it to East Timor.

The one who defends the Holocaust denial of European Neo-Nazis.

That is the Chomsky they are speaking of, the spineless toad who has made a living on wild exaggerations of western misdeeds to support an insane conspiracy theory on par with alien abduction stories. The one and the same.



John McCain,






Did he know that Thomas Paine called Christianity an "Amphibious fraud"? I guess the only people who think this place is a Christian country are the yahoo, slack jawed fucks who hijacked it after a bunch of brilliant men founded it.

448. Storm erupts over 'virginity' divorce

Comment #189572 by al-rawandi on June 6, 2008 at 2:15 pm

Mitchell,






I can just think appleby asking someone:


"Are you a vegan?"
"Yes I am."

"You must be sheep shagging homosexual."

449. Storm erupts over 'virginity' divorce

Comment #189566 by al-rawandi on June 6, 2008 at 2:06 pm

There is a joke that reminds me of Appleby's logic.






A redneck goes down to the local community college for an orientation.

He is looking at all the tables representing the various departments, when he comes to the "Philosophy" Dept. He asks the professor manning the table:

"How that philosophy gonna help me?"
Professor: "Well like logic"
Redneck: "How's that?"
Professor: "Allow me to demostrate: Do you have a lawnmower?"
Redneck: "Yeah I gots a lawn mower"
Professor: "Well since you have a lawn mower I can conclude you have a lawn."
Redneck: "Ya I got a lawn."
Professor: "And because you have a lawn I conclude that you have a house."
Redneck: "Ya I got a house."
Professor: "And because you have a house I can conclude that you have a wife."
Redneck: "Ya I got a wife."
Professor: "And because you have a wife I can conlcude you are a heterosexual."
Redneck: "Yessir."
Professor: "All this because I knew you had a lawn mower."



The redneck goes by his neighbor's house later that evening. His buddy asks:

"How was that college fair?"
Redneck: "Ir was good I learned all about logic."
Buddy: "Oh ya, let's hear it."
Redneck: "Do you have a lawnmower?"
Buddy: "No."
Redneck: "Then you must be gay."

450. Male circumcision is a weapon in the sperm wars

Comment #189544 by al-rawandi on June 6, 2008 at 12:50 pm

whitepearl,







I was happy to learn you are not one of these astorkists. I too am a firm believer in the power of the stork.

Also, I was a little weary of the term "sperm competition". I certainly don't want my sperm competing head to head with someone else's. The idea kind of perturbs me.