Oz the Great and Powerful

Be afraid, be very afraid... In space, no one can hear you scream!

a quote from Herbert Marcuse, Oooh, that's really good. Let me ponder and I'll be back.

It's hard to imagine Stormbringer happy. This I must see... (off to other post)

Playing escaped convict meets the French maid. We prefer "jail warden meets female inmate". I'm happy Stormbringer is happy. If he's happy, we're all happy. It's raining( I don't have to go to work, so I can play more GC2 ) What kind of stupid job do you have that you don't have to work when it rains? And how do I get one? Congrats Purge! Hope all goes well.

I'm guessing you have no family who are soldiers. I do have soldiers as family, and You're right. I don't. I often wonder if any of us who haven't served or have loved ones serving know what we're talking about. But I have a 16yr old son that could be serving in two years, and I employ 45+ high school students. When I see the soldiers running out of HUM-Vs on the news I try to remember that these could be the kids I have working here that are f

I stand by this man. I stand by this man because he stands for things. You know, there is some truth here. I would rather have a President who does what he thinks right even if I think it is wrong (Bush) than a President who does what he thinks the public wants even if he thinks it is wrong (Hillary? EEEEEEEEKKKK!) You have to admire George W's conviction. I just wish he had some smarts to back it up with. I'm speaking as a frustrated

Actually, it was about States Rights. Slavery was the underlying cause of the debate about States Rights, but it was about States Rights nonetheless. Thanks, Pitsnipe. I was just about to bring that up. But, Nevertheless, the Civil War was a war about slavery. And it was even though many of those in power didn't want it to be. It was the driving force beyond anybody's ability to control it. The Civil Wa

although being called a racist is a little startling. It does make you think harder to defend your position, though. What doesn't kill you makes you stronger.

i view religion as if it were a language. it's a very powerful language, for sure, but it's only a medium through which to make statements. Good concept. I never thought of it that way. so it's not totally ill-informed, at least. Ummm...that's probably an understatement. I would certainly say you know what you're talking about. and sometimes immediate survival can eve

I find it interesting to note how similar many of the great religions are in their core beliefs. Jesus said the greatest commandment is to love God, and to love each other. So did Mohammed and Buddha. actually, Buddha didn't say that. that's more like a Hare Krishna belief. You are better informed than I am. So, what is your opinion? Are love and tolerance core beliefs of the great religions, or am I off base here?

no I wasnt being sarcastic. Sorry. It's hard to tell. i just don't admire mystics bully tactics. That isn't debate thats intimidation, I agree. Mystik has strongly held views. Stating them strongly isn't bullying. The point would be to debate them, just as strongly. Jesus 'was' is the message which he brought to us... a message that unfortunately we just don't wi

Again, four of us speaking a common language trying really hard not to misunderstand each other. How hard must it be to talk to the rest of the world?

You don't need to retire. Just respect other's views. Intelligent, rational discussion can help make the world a better place. Marcus, if you think any of our views are racist, then tell us why. I'm a white man - I've had people assume I'm racist just because of who I am. I think that people who look at me and pre-judge me because of my appearance are racist. And if you are so quick to judge Mystik, well, Marcus, you might be racist too. I said it's a two edged sword...

If it is this easy to resort to finger-pointing and name-calling, is it any wonder there are problems in Iraq?

what you feel IS racism, whats it like?, makes you feel powerful I bet. No, I think what he feels is fear. A religious/ethnic group, Islamic fundamentalists, have said that all American, indeed, all non-believers, should be destroyed. If that's not racist, I don't know what is. I think Mystik's response is appropriate, and one of the root issues of this problem. How can we be thoughtful and act in an enlightened way when we are being threatened

Racism will always exist, I'm not willing to accept this, and I think that overcoming it is our great hope. If we can learn to see each other as individuals it becomes harder to make decisions that result in other's deaths. I truly believe that we are seeing some of this today. The information we get on a daily basis about Iraq is making it hard for the American public to accept staying there, and rightly so. We can see that our actions are causing harm

Look at history, can you blame them, especially when it still exists. I suggest you Aussies ask yourselves, whose counrty are you squatting on, then ask the Aboriginal tribes which invading culture they dissagree with. Marcus, you're a troublemaker!! Cultures have been overwhelming other cultures since we started

stop interfering in other nations and enjoy your supremacy in solitude actually, that sounds like a good plan to me. the 'stop interfering' part, anyway. Look at the US in 1938. It won't work. The world is becoming smaller and more global. We are all connected, and to ignore that invites trouble. We just need to figure out how to live with it.

He didn't need WMD to be exterminated. Sorry - I meant should he have used them, or used IEDs? Would he have been right to use any means neccessary? Or are you saying we were right to exterminate the Souix?

so how are you suposed to keep out a person with a small nuclear weapon, or biologiclal weapons? After all the peace and love I have been talking about, I can't believe I'm going to say this... You can't. The way you prevent it is by guaranteeing an unimaginably harsh response. I truly believe that if a nuke went off in the US and an Islamic faction took credit we would turn Mecca into a large green glass parking lot. People are trying

This is why "innocents" will always suffer, they always suffer and die for wars without Justification or even an end in sight. I had an interesting thought last night after watching "The Sopranos". HBO aired their ad for "Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee". What would Sitting Bull have done if he had WMDs? Is this a parallel to our current situation? Sitting Bull could be defined as a "Native American extremist" trying to take military action to defend his c

do you follow Islamic media sources or public debates? No, I don't. Excellent post, by the way. My point here would be that the posted message would help build support in the US for a peaceful resolution in Iraq. This message doesn't get publicized. What I hear is the imams calling for destruction. Of course, I get that message through the media, which leans toward the sensational. The kind of calm, rational thought in your post is wha

LOL! I almost choked on my lunch! Always nice to hear from you, Stormbringer. I know you're not that old, but I have this mental picture of you as an angry old man, chasing the UPS truck up your street in your nightshirt while waving your cane in the air. you actually know a contestant's name Oz... if that is what "Sanjaya" is of course. I don't watch the show either, but I do try to keep sewing implements away from my sensory inputs

To dismiss your argument, "Innocents" Do they "kill out citizens" " or are they, as you say, INNOCENT. Good point. The Iraqi citizens we kill in collateral damage are innocent, as are the Palistinian children shelled on the beach. I think we rationalize this by the argument that the citizens become legitimate targets when their own leaders choose to use terror tactics. If Osama Bin Laden decides that US citizens are legitimate targets, then, as far as I

in my contry EVERY one over 18 HAS to vote Wow! Where do you live? How does that work? more people vote for a singer on American Idol then in the last National election. Sad, but true. We get the government we deserve. And then we complain about who wins the elections...Sanjaya for Pres in 2008!