Reddy

QUOTE (StrangeSox @ Dec 6, 2013 -> 03:09 PM) For whom? And why is this Mandela's fault? For your argument to make any sense, it seems to be implying that the end of white-minority rule of SA necessarily leads to things 'getting worse.' Nah he's still comparing a 20 year old country to a 250 year old country. He's not gonna change his tune either. I recall the US having some big internal war in the 1800's... which one was that again? ANY TIME THERE IS A NEW GOVERNMENT OR REGIME CHANGE THERE WILL BE TURMOIL FOR A LONG-ASS TIME. Get it? Wait... I just drew a parallel... were you for or against the Iraq war? Because all I hear the GOP say was that regime change of that nature (no different than SA's) is worth it even if the turmoil lasts for years afterwards.

QUOTE (DukeNukeEm @ Dec 6, 2013 -> 03:03 PM) The poor in this country dont have much of an excuse. The guy livi ng in a cardboard house outside Johannesburg probably does. you realize, of course, that there are 34 countries in the world with lower poverty rates than the United States, yes? Including - wait for it - Syria. In NYC alone, the 21% poverty rate puts us right up there with Pakistan. But of course they don't have an excuse here. The system is absolutely not rigged against them.

QUOTE (DukeNukeEm @ Dec 6, 2013 -> 02:45 PM) I had been drinking and went a little off the res. Lets reel this back in. I dont hate Nelson Mandela, I actually kind of admire Mandela's violent streak to an extent. He did what he thought he had to do, it was bad in South Africa and peace wasnt going to solve anything. What I have a problem with is him indiscriminately targeting civilians and the brutality he oversaw. He was not a saint as so many like to portray. He killed a lot of people. His party did f*** the country up something fierce, too. They broke Apartheid but replaced it with a corrupt, wicked demon child that is doing serious harm to those people. I dont condemn him for being a terrorist or communist, his ideology is his business and the institution he was terrorizing deserved it. But, and its a big but, he did some stuff that cant be reconciled away. He tried to leave South Africa a better place than he found it but in the end the country has managed to get worse and the means no longer justify the ends. It can and has been reconciled away. The man IS a saint. There's nothing that says saints have to be perfect from day one. Just ask Connor and Murphy McManus

QUOTE (chw42 @ Dec 6, 2013 -> 10:46 AM) Is Duke trolling? Because what he's been saying in this thread is offensive, even by internet standards... That's just how messed up this sad little kid is unfortunately. I'd LOVE to find out some day that this was all just an act and that he trolled us harder than anyone's ever been trolled on the internet, but seems unlikely.

QUOTE (Milkman delivers @ Dec 6, 2013 -> 02:33 AM) First of all, blow it out your ass. Secondly, I'm only making a joke about how crappy Africa is as a whole. I wasn't at all referring to you, but my favorite boxing partner Dookie

QUOTE (DukeNukeEm @ Dec 6, 2013 -> 02:01 AM) You asked what America did in its first 20 years. I said it passed maybe the most important founding document in world history. I am using the exact same standard for both. I dont know why I'm bothering with this. End point : South Africa has turned into one of the most miserable places on the planet under the ANC and can really only be charged with the "accomplishment" of f***ing the country up worse than when it was under Apartheid. In its first 20 years women couldn't vote, blacks were slaves, and people got tarred and feathered and lynched. I just. Is there anything in this world you DON'T hate? I really wanna ask you about our new Pope... Basically I guess the rule of thumb is - if something good happens in the world, Duke hates it.

QUOTE (DukeNukeEm @ Dec 6, 2013 -> 01:43 AM) f*** youre right. We should just burn it then. We can replace the first amendment with #Justice4Trayvon, then we can prove to ourselves that we arent racist anymore. You realize, of course, that you're comparing a country that has existed post-revolution for 20 years to a country that has existed post-revolution for 250... right? You do understand this?

QUOTE (DukeNukeEm @ Dec 6, 2013 -> 01:38 AM) Are you trying to tell me the US Constitution was not ratified in the first 20 years of America's existence? If you are I can prove you wrong with facts. Or a fact. One fact. And you're saying it wasn't ratified by slave owners?

QUOTE (DukeNukeEm @ Dec 6, 2013 -> 01:27 AM) We were passing the Bill of Rights, exploring our continent, going to the moon, etc. Not raping each other compulsively. take off the rose colored glasses kiddo.

QUOTE (DukeNukeEm @ Dec 6, 2013 -> 01:23 AM) Native Americans was a war of conquest that they lost. Back then wars for land happened, if they wanted it so bad they should have fought harder for it. Japanese Camps was stupid and I beleive we've admitted that one and paid the people interred. Women's rights in America moved at about the same pace as history. Gays are discriminated against on one f***ing issue that nobody shuts up about. Blacks is more complicated, but eventually righting those wrongs was an ultimately bloodless affair comparatively. School shootings are meaningless. Infinitesimal amount of deaths wildly overhyped by our blood drunk media. More kids died of Leukemkia on the day of Sandy Hook than by guns, but we dont hear about them because its not dramatic enough. As for suicides, if people want to kill themselves thats up to them. I dont give two s***s about gang members slaughtering each other either, I actually wish theyd get better at it. So yea, America isnt really that violent a place. You are told it is to scare you and vote in these fascists who want to steal your rights "for your safety". OTOH, South Africa is arguably the most violent country in the world. Highest rapes, tons of murder, assault, burglary... the president before this one said something to the effect of "if you dont like it, leave" regarding the rampant violent crime. I just. this whole thing. All of it. Every line. Baffling.

QUOTE (DukeNukeEm @ Dec 6, 2013 -> 01:06 AM) Today's South Africa is more corrupt than Rwanda and the President is comically stupid. Hes noted numerous times his beleif that HIV doesnt lead to AIDS and when he had sex with/raped (he got acquitted IIRC) an HIV+ girl he claimed a shower protected him from the disease. Plus the country is basically a smoldering pile of s*** with a rich-poor gap that defies imagination. Its a violent country, and that violence comes from a violent past. Apartheid was eventually doomed to our globalised world, the sanctions were piling up and old allies turned their back on the Apartheid Govt. The chance was there to do it without violence, and he passed it up and went out for blood. Once it was inevitable the ANC was taking control of course he preached reconciliation and peace. He won, he got what he needed out of violence and its not like he was going to need to get oppressive to force the guilted and vastly outnumbered whites to fund this massive reperations and welfare scheme thats clearly sinking the country. 20 years, kid. 20 years. What do you think America was like in 1796? What about 1896? What about 1966? Oh and by the way, New York City's rich-poor gap is equivalent to South Africa's. Yeah. We're doing so much better here.

QUOTE (Jake @ Dec 6, 2013 -> 12:44 AM) He tried to lead a violent revolution. I think people "let him off the hook" because he revolted against one of the most despicable regimes in recent history. The thing that showed that he was more than a bloodthirsty war leader was his conduct as a political leader. There was widespread fear that that the reformed regime would turn around and really give it back to the white minorities. Instead, he came out and used his political capital to try to bring people together, avert further violence, and simply move on. He came back as a person that was profoundly unbitter for a person that spent 27 years in prison at the hands of his greatest enemy. He made overtures to former apartheid officials in shows of solidarity rather than retribution. It is really quite impressive. As far as his "terrorist" activities, he spent around 15-20 years involved in widespread, yet quite ineffectual nonviolent protests with important backing from Indians that were associated with Ghandi. ANC was constantly considered far too pragmatic and useless due to its resistance to militancy. This is why Mandela left them for the MK, saying this: When he was offered release from prison in 1988 with the condition that he must swear to forego violence, he refused. He said he would renounce violence as soon as the government did. They didn't like those conditions. He stayed in prison. He always insisted that violence was a last-ditch tactic to be used defensively, and his own actions did quite a good job of exemplifying that. The ANC and MK at times got away from him, especially while he was in prison, and he was ultimately one to face some criticism from those groups for being too "soft" and conciliatory. The ultimate thing that makes people respect him is that he stuck to his word. He didn't take over South Africa and enact violence, he didn't go kill his old oppressors. He said violence was a defensive measure against tyranny and he meant it. He ended up sensing the great extent of his own power due to society's love of him and he left office, despite knowing he could practically enact his own will. He had a reputation for being such a staunch believer in democracy that he would cooperate with ideas he deeply disliked if he knew that they had popular support. Today's South Africa is quite far from perfect, but stands out in Africa as a well-run place. +1,000

QUOTE (Milkman delivers @ Dec 6, 2013 -> 12:52 AM) That...That's not saying much. By who's standards? And who cares? Why do you expect South Africa to be a paradise 20 years after apartheid??? After the Revolution, remind me how many years it took the US to abolish slavery? Think for ONE SECOND people. I know that's tougher for some of you.

QUOTE (Jake @ Dec 5, 2013 -> 06:47 PM) I haven't had a problem the entire time I've used the thing cue the Duke "you're stealing my money" and a "parasite to society" rant.

QUOTE (DukeNukeEm @ Dec 5, 2013 -> 11:04 PM) He didnt spend 27 years in prison for thought crimes, which is oddly what many people in the USA seem to think. Or at least thats the imoression you get hearing the MLK and Ghandi comparisons. He blew people up. He told people to blow people up. His wife (Mandela's connection to this exactly will never be known) had a habit of putting rubber tires around people's necks and lighting them on fire as an execution method. The Spear of the Nation, the military arm of the ANC, was a paramilitary group that targeted civilians. He founded it. The Apartheid Govt was nasty, but they got a lot more nasty in response to the violence. He scared the living s*** out of them and made them feel forced to crack down instead of negotiate because they feared the 90% majority was going to massacre them. Its part of the reason Apartheid lasted so long. Ghandi and MLK he was not. George Washington he was not. He was brash and ruthless and the monster he created (the ANC) has done nothing but f*** that country up worse and worse. Explain to me the difference between him and American revolutionaries. Please. God you're such a f***ing joke.

QUOTE (DukeNukeEm @ Dec 5, 2013 -> 07:06 PM) He was a murderer and war criminal that got a free pass. You are the worst human being alive.

QUOTE (witesoxfan @ Dec 4, 2013 -> 09:28 AM) In his career, his numbers away from Coors Field: .241/.333/.361/.694. He almost certainly would not perform that poorly elsewhere, but I don't think you can safely say he's anything more than a .250/.350/.375 player with mediocre defense in CF. What's the difference between him, De Aza, and Gregor Blanco? I'm glad the Sox stayed away. You realize the cell = coors field

QUOTE (oldsox @ Dec 3, 2013 -> 07:52 PM) Well, the Rockies just traded Fowler to Houston for an outfielder Brandon Barnes and a pitcher Jordan Lyles. Not much. I thought Fowler had more value than that. Of course, the two headed GM for the Rox are not the brightest, to put it mildly. For that price we could've gotten him easily and extended him. The kid gets on BASE which is something our team hasn't been able to do it.... well... ever.

honestly the only thing i'm pissed about is that we didnt get Dexter Fowler. The Astros got him for pennies. Pennies.

I love my city.

I'm like... legit sad about this one. F&F was iconic in my childhood growing up...

QUOTE (Y2HH @ Nov 26, 2013 -> 06:41 PM) There is nothing wrong with calling out a failed roll-out of something so important, when they had so much time and money to make it work properly from the get go. oh i completely agree that it was pathetically introduced. the thing was delayed a year for god's sake and they still couldn't iron it out? but my point is that it's working now. go try it. see how it works. if you dont like the plans it gives you, continue to b****. otherwise shhh.

QUOTE (StrangeSox @ Nov 26, 2013 -> 12:45 PM) was just able to successfully navigate through healthcare.gov to the point of picking a plan without any issues and within about 10 minutes total. BUT IT DOESN'T WERK!

let the manufactured outrage begin!

QUOTE (StrangeSox @ Nov 25, 2013 -> 04:19 PM) All I need is 31 points from Boldin... you're almost there. yikes. he just handed me a loss. didn't see that coming