EvilMonkey

QUOTE(NorthSideSox72 @ Oct 30, 2006 -> 02:13 PM) I definitely agree that the best thing that Islam can do, if it wants peace, is to do much more to seperate the moderate core from the extremists (who clearly are gaining momentum). Unfortunately, part of the problem with doing that is Islam isn't centralized like Catholicism or other religions are. Its tough to move the religion in any organized fashion. So, I think the focus needs to be on the actions of the idiots. Extremism is sort of the "in" thing right now in Islam, so many clerics will try to win support via these types of comments (the clerics are very competitive). And to an extent, they are clearly making this work. More and more people are attracted to that in the Middle East. So what can Islam do? I think what we are seeing is the moderates being silent, as you point out. They are, I think, taking a wait and see approach on how things will shake out. I personally find that a bit disturbing, but, its what is happening. Now the big question - what do WE do? What we should not do is make this about Islam, because that just contributes to the extremist wave. I would instead suggest a combination of other things... One, you try to get as friendly as possible with the power brokers that are not at the extremes, among muslim Middle Eastern leaders. Negotiate. And yes, believe it or not, I'd say we should give them things they want. Focus on countries like Turkey, India, UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan and other moderate states with large islamic populations, and try to use them as partners in the fight. I am not saying this will be easy, but at least give it some effort (which we have done only partially to this point). Two, you get us off of oil ASAP, so we are in a power position in negotiations, instead of one of weakness. Even the first whiffs of any serious move this direction by the U.S. will bring many Middle Eastern countries to the table. Thus far, the current US Congress and PrezAdmin have shown almost zero desire to get this done. Three, you get serious about building Iraq. Yeah, the war was a debacle and still is. But pulling out is a huge mistake. Instead, commit MORE troops, and restructure our process there from the ground up. Pull troops out of areas we cannot control entirely, and beef up the central cities. Let Kurdistan go their own way (if not officially, then under the covers). Get a semi-calm Baghdad and a stable government (which will take years). Then, the extremists and violent factions will be forced out to specific, remote parts of the country. This isolates them from the mainstream, makes them easier to find and kill, etc. You notice how none of these point any fingers at Islam? And none of these things will encourage extremism in the long run? It also gives an out for the moderates in a few different angles. Make it about peace versus war, instead of Islam vs TheRestOfTheWorld. Its the only way we can be successful, in my opinion. That is an excellent post, and I agree with most of it, especially the dependence on oil part. However, i think that it will almost HAVE to get worse in general, for the moderates to come to the table and clean their own house. I don't want it to get worse, but I believe that alot of the moderates won't come around unless they are forced to, one way or another.

QUOTE(Rex Kicka** @ Oct 30, 2006 -> 05:50 AM) Funny you should mention that, he's also supported both Menendez and Kean in New Jersey this year because they have both said they support stem cell research (although Kean has voted against stem cell research 6 out of 6 times.) It's actually part of the reason why MJF hasn't been seen in NJ - his organization supports both candidates. He's only gone out to support candidates and campaign for them when they run against other candidates who oppose stem cell research. By the way, you are right, Ben Cardin did vote against one stem cell research bill. Because two different versions of a bill were presented to the House of Representatives. The one that Cardin voted against was not a true embryonic stem cell research but rather exclusively allowed funding for creating stem cell lines without actually using embryonic stem cells. The next day, Ben Cardin voted for a different Stem Cell research bill which was not as restrictive to the science community about how the stem cells can be retrieved. Source: http://www.vote-smart.org/voting_category....x=8&go.y=10 Maybe he just thought that scientists did science better than Congress could. Way to skip over the part about you being wrong and go off on a different topic. Yes, politicians are always in a position where they have to vote against a bill that at least in the title, they should be for. One of the things that sucks about politics, and it happens to everyone. That's why it is so hard for a long term Senator to get elected President, too many votes that on the surface can be seen to be conflicting. But the main point is that MJF did the ad based on an issue and ammendment that he did not read. He did NOT do the ad because he just likes Claire and her positions on the Missouri highway bill. He is free to campaign for anyone he chooses to. And right or wrong, if you enter in to the political arena, you are fair game for criticism for doing so by whatever the opposite side is. For MJF to have not expected criticism of some sort is just plain stupid on his part. And before you get your panties in a wad, I am not saying that any/all of the things said are a good thing.

QUOTE(Rex Kicka** @ Oct 30, 2006 -> 03:40 AM) You did read that, right? He didn't campaign for the initiative. He campaigned for Claire McCaskill. The "answer ad" is about an initiative. Two separate campaigns. You did hear the original ad, right? It starts off, "As you know, I care deeply about stem cell research. In Missourri, you can elect Claire McCaskill, who shares my hope for cures." The whole ad is about stem cell research, not Claire's position on welfare. You are wrong, that ad focused on stem cell research, even if it didn't mention it by name. "What you do in Missouri, matters to millions of Americans, like me." Yeah, her position on state highway bill really matters to those in Florida. With that in mind, and stem cell research soooo important to him, why did he campaign for the guy who voted AGAINST it (Cardin)?

QUOTE(NorthSideSox72 @ Oct 30, 2006 -> 02:36 AM) What are you talking about? Who has ever said any of these things you point out are OK? Who has defended idiocy? The only argument people have is with making this into a crusade. For the umpteenth time... IF YOU MAKE THIS ABOUT RELIGION, THERE WILL BE NO WINNING. You'll just further polarize the situation and give the extremists EXACTLY what they want - a religious crusade. Get it? Its what the extremists on all sides want. A nice, hateful war. Again, how extreme is it when the nations leading Muslim cleric says these things? If it was Joe Muslim on the street, that'sone thing. How about if the Cardinal from one of the majort US cities says something like this? How long would it be until the Pope himself has to issue apologies and newspapers editorialize about how the Catholic religion is full of hate? It IS about religion, but a segment of that religion. A segment that needs to be cut from the body post haste, but without cooperation from the rest of the religion, will never be done. So-called 'moderate Muslims' need to be pissed as hell, and start venting that frustration at their own who make them look bad by association. The true crusade needs to be within Islam, for them to bring themselves into the 21st century.

Interestingly, it seems MJF has not read the entire bill, and was merely relying on what someone told him it would or would not do. Inhis interview withGeorgeStephanopolous, he said this: Stephanopoulos: In the ad now running in Missouri, Jim Caviezel speaks in Aramaic. It means, “You betray me with a kiss.” And his position, his point, is that actually even though down in Missouri they say the initiative is against cloning, it’s actually going to allow human cloning. Fox: Well, I don’t think that’s true. You know, I campaigned for Claire McCaskill. And so I have to qualify it by saying I’m not qualified to speak on the page-to-page content of the initiative. Although, I am quite sure that I’ll agree with it in spirit, I don’t know, I— On full disclosure, I haven’t read it, and that’s why I didn’t put myself up for it distinctly. Plus, he also did an ad for Ben Cardin, who actually voted against a stem cell research bill, while Steele admits that he is for the research.

http://www.slate.com/id/2152402/sidebar/2152443/ Take the 'writing dirty' quiz! While I would agree that this is a book, I can't help but remember when Scooter was in trouble, passages from his book being used to paint him as a devient sort of individual, and that these sort of writings were 'not a good thing'. The opinion at the time, at least among the media, wasthat Republicans that did this thing were 'bad'. So, can only Democrats write about sex?

I had 3 Fords, all were fine. The Ranger I had was only for about 13 months, due to the arrival of my second kid and needing a back seat, but the other 2 were fine. I had a 95 Tbird that I put 150,000 miles on before I traded in my bigV8 for something with better gas milage. Also had rented Tauruses before, once for a month, and thought they drove nice. My biggest lemon vehicle was a Montero Sport. Once I hit 60,000, youname it, it broke. Plus, cost a fortune to fix, since you had to take apart half the damn engine just to get to anything. I got 135, 000 out of a base model 1992 Cavelier, 120,000 out of a 1993 Sunbird, 99,000 from my 1988 Daytona, 130,000 total from my 1996 Stratus (65,000 from me, the restfrom my sister I sold it to), 85,000 on my Dakota for work until an accident prematurly ended its life and have about 60,000 on the PT Cruiser that replaced it. Lemons are everywhere, not just limited to American brands.

QUOTE(KipWellsFan @ Oct 28, 2006 -> 07:13 PM) What do you want us to do about it monkey? Are we just supposed to start disliking muslims or what? Toquoteoneofour liberal posters, First they came for women, then gays, who is next? Next it will be ok to kill Canadians because they gave the world Celine Dion. Then the Amish because compared to Muslim women, those Amish babes are real whores. Where will it end?

OK, Rainbow coalition, now it's your turn. Some Muslims in England are after you, too. http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/new...ion_of_gays.htm

One thing we hear on here alot is that these radical thoughts come from the fringes of Muslims, a minorityof them think thatway, etc. Iwonderhow 'fringe' THE nation's most senior Muslim cleric is, since these views were from him? An article on Musims and rape in Sweden. http://www.frontpagemag.com/Articles/ReadA...le.asp?ID=20552 Selected lines:

QUOTE(NorthSideSox72 @ Oct 26, 2006 -> 03:07 PM) Nuke, 1969 called. It wants its political angst back. I really cannot think of a human being I've seen on TV or met in person that fits the above. This "radical feminist agenda" thing is a figment of someone's imagination at this point in time. How about Andrea Dworkin and Catharine A. MacKinnon? I understand that you probably have never met them, but they fit that radical part quite nicely. We should send these two over to the mid east to kick some Muslim butt!

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story...437-601,00.html Ladies, this is what you have to look forward to from our new Muslim overlords.

http://www.collegehumor.com/video:1714321/

My computer musings usually involve a hammer, or death threats against Bill Gates. Yours sound so much........dirtier.

I wasgonna try, but I barelyhad the time for fantasy baseball. http://www.fantasycongress.us/fc/

How the liberal media plans to cover the last 2 weeks: (Rex will be helping to facilitate #9) http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/TheNote/sto...9592&page=1

QUOTE(NorthSideSox72 @ Oct 25, 2006 -> 01:36 AM) I am not stating that I agree with it, but, the argument there is that the death penalty (unlike prison terms) is irreversible. If a mistake was made, there is no way to correct it. And since humans are flawed, we should avoid that permanent, ultimate penalty. So if you have several witnesses, and videotape, and a confession, would it then be ok, or is video flawed as well? And yes, I know it can be 'fixed', but I am pretty sure you get the gist of my question. While I agree that there is no 'undo' button on the death penalty, therearecases where there is no mistake.

QUOTE(santo=dorf @ Oct 23, 2006 -> 01:19 AM) You mean the "Islamic world was facing cruel and incorrect accusations" line? Iknow you are not stupid, but since it wasn't in green, I'll let you know the part I meant. "but said Muslims themselves must take some responsibility for others' erroneous impressions. "

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid...ticle%2FPrinter

QUOTE(Balta1701 @ Oct 22, 2006 -> 10:57 PM) Given that fact about Hollywood, I find it difficult to believe that such a thing could happen by chance...it almost has to be some effort at historical accuracy, given the statistic Nuke cited. I would probably agree with that (OMG, did hell just get colder?). Just suprised that they didn't slip someone in there regardless.

QUOTE(LowerCaseRepublican @ Oct 22, 2006 -> 08:36 PM) No more than the average US company that does the exact same thing. The average US company doesn't ask the Feds to use tax money to feed the poor, THEN find ways to lower their taxes. If Bono wants to feed all the starving Ugandians, he should use his own tax savings to pay for it and quit trying to use MY tax money to do it (or Englands,in this case). When corporations standup for a cause, they front their own money for it, and then ask others for donations. Not the government for tax money.

Sounds like Mr. McPhatter is mad that in his opinion, he and other blacks weren't thanks enough for their role inthe war effort. Mr. McPhatter, I thank you for your service to this country. I also acknowledge that in thosedays, racsism was a very present thing. I disagree that it played a part in the making of this film. To think that Eastwood, or any other director, purposly chose to leave out blacks, is just wrong. This isn't pre-1945. On a different note, knowing how PC Hollywood is these days, it is a bit suprising that there were no blacks, even as extras.

QUOTE(santo=dorf @ Oct 22, 2006 -> 07:31 PM) Who are you talking about? Not anybody, at least on the current Sox. (Actually, Rowand sorta fit that descriptionlast year) Just stating that I believe THAT is the type of player you trade when value is high. That, or a guy who you know will not be back no matter what. NOTsomeone like Dye, who is consistent and getting better.

QUOTE(LowerCaseRepublican @ Oct 22, 2006 -> 07:37 PM) But having opinions and doing something...it is better than 50 "I got shot 9 times yet still can't rap for crap on anything that isn't produced by Eminem/Dre" Cent and the rest of the commercialized idiot pop/rock/rap that folds like a flan in a cupboard when it comes to issues of substance and doing anything even the slightest bit meaningful. I don't enjoy U2 or their music, but gotta give a golf clap for him at least getting issues out there and doing something. Any points taken off for the hypocracy of wanting the government to spend tax money on his pet projects, them moving their company to a tax-haven to avoid paying taxes? That is reason alone to dismiss his politics.

You trade the career.250 batter who just batted .310 when his stock is high, not the consumate professional who has just been getting better every year.