Election time again... Food for thought.

[AffectionateDan]

Re: wow you're from California...I'm shocked....

What a bunch of left-wing commie tripe... blah, blah, blah... ...anyway, I would be honored if Bush were to be re-elected. He's got my vote anyway.....

Wow, you're from Florida... I'm shocked. At least we know how to count our votes here in California.

Your friendly, California State Trooper, joyfully blasting his way through any and every ethical stop sign without so much as a toot of the siren and dumping boxes of Californian voter's chads out the window of my cruiser at twenty miles over the speed limit...

~~~ Dan ~~~

 

[BigJim]

Re: wow, makes me proud i voted for him..

p.s. to believe any of it, you have to be a half wit, or dyed in the wool liberal!

Or open-minded.

Or literate.

Or awake.

Or sober. 😀 😛 (I love ya Steve! 😉)

Without wishing to cast aspersions Steve, you'd have to be a died-in-the-wool, utterly blinkered right-winger to completely dismiss it all too.

I'm not a liberal, a half-wit or even a Democrat. Neither one of these candidates are capable of doing the job, because they have divided loyalties and strings pulling them elsewhere. It's not possible that either one would actually give a shit about the people who's votes get them the job and who's hard work pays the taxes that pays their salary and provides the cars and security. Bush is man who's destroyed and trampled on the rights of American citizens and bombed and obliterated the homes of foreign citizens. Kerry is a man who'd be more covert and subtle, but would be just as slimy and destructive.

My advice? (Not that many care a damn about it of course.) Don't vote for any of them. Demand through every channel at your disposal and in the loudest possible voices that you can muster, to have candidates who aren't steeped in criminal corruption, who don't pay lip-service to businessmen who control their campaign purse-strings and who actually care about representing you as your national leaders, instead of viewing you as mindless cattle to be exploited and manipulated in the cruelest possible way. Your rights and freedoms have been systematically destroyed and shredded by Democrat and Republican President alike. Stand up and demand them back!

 

[BigJim]

Re: wow you're from California...I'm shocked....

What a bunch of left-wing commie tripe. Most of the "atrocities" that Bush "committed" were due to 9/11. The only reason we had surplus in the first place, was because Slick Willie devastated our military. The rest of the economic problems of the nation were inherited from BJ Bill and the Gang and Bush had to deal with them, which he has gracefully, He handled foreign policy issues wonderfully, and if the UN doesn't like it, screw them. The UN does NOTHING!!!! well unless you count just putting more sanctions on nations, oh no not that....Kerry is an evil man, who will destroy this nation with his Socialist ideas, and his lack of policies. I would just like to know what policies Kerry has put forth other than libel and slander toward our great leader...anyway, I would be honored if Bush were to be re-elected. He's got my vote anyway.....

On the stage of world politics, the American Democratic Party is more or less centre. If anything else, it's slightly right of centre. Anyone who calls them or their supporters communists or pinkos had better start worrying, FAST!

 

[BigJim]

A prediction...

Call me psychic, call me a prophet..... just don't call me a merciful tickler.

John Kerry will win, and quite possibly by a landslide. Many, many Americans are sick of a President who committed a country to a war that has resulted in God alone knows how much heartache, and never once proved or supported the justifications he used for it. Being someone who keeps his ear to the ground, it seems to me that a very large backlash is growing.

Sadly it's a pointless one. I don't believe in John Kerry's honesty, integrity, skill or morality. I personally think he'll be just as awful as BJ Billy; the man who couldn't stop lying if you held a gun to his head and couldn't keep his dick in his pants without wire stitches.

 

[Deleted member 2452]

how about a bet big jim?

small, and simple. i bet you one u.s. dollar, to 4 british shillings,
that president bush will win.
what do ya say? we'll be meeting in orlando, so the looser can pay up then?

i base my belief on his victory, by listening to people too. i not only watch the "talking head shows". but also listen to peole.
just the other day a friend of mine was saying.. he hates bush, but won't vote for kerry, cause he knows kerry will be an unmitigated disaster! so he's thinking of voting for the libertaians. i pointed out that this is a wasted vote, he replied that it was his vote to waste, and that it was ment to send a message that better cantidates need to be found by both parties.

that's the only thing that will change the republicans, and democrates. that is the only way those parties will give us better people to concider. voting for neither parties cantidates!
but who is waiting in the wings at the dnc? hillary clinton, that's who! you dems have to get your party together, and get the scum out!

steve

 

[MrMacphisto]

I actually agree with you, Steve... but the reason why I agree with you is quite different. The Republicans have bought the majority of the media in this country, they have successfully perpetuated the image that religion somehow is connected to their party's platform, and they have pandered to the blissful ignorance inspired by our country's decadence and patriotism. Quite frankly, this society has been put into an intellectual stupor from both fear and apathy. Kerry may not have been the best candidate that the Democrats could have chosen, but putting someone into office worse than Bush would be quite a task. I'd rather see even Harry Browne or the Natural Law party candidate in office than this corporate ***** we currently have. Yet, something almost makes me hope Dubya wins.... If you look at the progression of his actions in relation to the rest of the world, he's set quite a pessimistic precedent. He's pissed off the rest of the world like no other president before him, and perhaps, the rest of the world will begin to unite in response. What they will unite against is an increasingly "Roman Empire" style of America that is developing. We have passed our prime and are entering an age equivalent to Nero or Caligula's rule. It was decadence that brought down the Roman Empire, and the same shall be true of this culture if we don't wake up. Yet, one must ask: would this world be better without us? At one time, I would've said no, but now, I'm not so sure about that....

 

[BigJim]

Re: how about a bet big jim?

small, and simple. i bet you one u.s. dollar, to 4 british shillings,
that president bush will win.

what do ya say? we'll be meeting in orlando, so the looser can pay up then?

4 shillings? I'm assuming you mean 20 pence Steve? (The pre-decimal British pound had 240 old pence, with 20 shillings each made up of 12 old pence; a twentieth of a pound. Thus the decimalised pound, in use since 1971, has a twentieth value of 5 pence, sometimes still referred to as "a bob" by old farts; as this was the nickname for the shilling.)

Not a bad idea, but how about we make it a six pack of beer instead? That way we both win, whatever happens. 😀

i base my belief on his victory, by listening to people too. i not only watch the "talking head shows". but also listen to peole.
just the other day a friend of mine was saying.. he hates bush, but won't vote for kerry, cause he knows kerry will be an unmitigated disaster! so he's thinking of voting for the libertaians. i pointed out that this is a wasted vote, he replied that it was his vote to waste, and that it was ment to send a message that better cantidates need to be found by both parties.

Your friend sounds a pretty switched on kind of guy. Trouble is if any sidline party started gathering voters because of apathy with the big guns, it'd quickly be infiltrated by the corrupt shites who control the other two. I personally am considering joining the UK Independence Party, and voting for them. (A political party in favour of getting the fuck out of the European Union and introducing massive control on illegal immigration; unlike the British National Party though, they havn't got a load of skinhead wankers with swastika tatoos watching the doors for them.)

that's the only thing that will change the republicans, and democrates. that is the only way those parties will give us better people to concider. voting for neither parties cantidates!
but who is waiting in the wings at the dnc? hillary clinton, that's who!!

You want another prediction from me Steve? Hilary Clinton to be the first female President of the United States. Possibly running in '08, definately by '12. The first eventuality would be if John Kerry loses in November, the second if he wins. Whoever is his VP wouldn't last two terms with someone so richly endowed with royal genetics as Hilary Clinton champing at the bit.

Good point though Steve and one I wholeheartedly agree with. I'd sooner vote for Screaming Lord Sutch's corpse than I would for Tony Blergh or Michael "Count Dracula" Howard.

you dems have to get your party together, and get the scum out!

Hell yes! Sadly about as likely as Neutron winning the Nobel Peace Prize and you writing to the Pope and asking him to canonise Bill Clinton.

 

[Deleted member 2452]

we can make it a six pack jim

but do me a favor; my kids collect coinage/money from other countries. so please bring 4 each of all the coins you're using. i'll pay you back, of course. i thought a shilling was a 10th of a pound, only a 20th, huh... it's ok i was looking for the novelty of the coin.

steve
p.s. liked the rest of your post too.
p.p.s. to mrmacphisto. i'm sad to see you think so little of YOUR country. but give your young tender years, it's not all that unusual.
i hope with age, and wisdom you'll learn to love america, and work toward keeping it a great nation. who knows, maybe your grandfathers fought to keep it free back in ww2? peace my friend.

 

[BigJim]

Re: we can make it a six pack jim

but do me a favor; my kids collect coinage/money from other countries. so please bring 4 each of all the coins you're using. i'll pay you back, of course. i thought a shilling was a 10th of a pound, only a 20th, huh... it's ok i was looking for the novelty of the coin.

No problem mate. consider it done.
Just for the sake of info...

PRE-DECIMAL BRITISH CURRENCY: (In use until 1971)

1 pound = 240 old pence & 20 shillings
1 shilling = 12 old pence

Coins: (In the old days the word "pence" was symbolised as 'd', whereas it is now symbolised as 'p'.)
Farthing (Quarter of one old penny.)
Halfpenny (Pronounced "Ha'penny" for some reason.)
Penny
Threepenny bit (pronounced "thrup-penny". Came in a small, circular, silver variation, and a slightly larger, bronzey 12-sided one too.)
Sixpenny bit (pronounced 'sixpence'.)
Shilling (12 old pence, a 20th of a pound. Know affectionately as "a bob" to the peeps of the time; a term that is sometimes attached to the five pence piece today out of sheer bloody mindedness to refuse to let the past go.😀)
Floring (2 shilling piece.)
Half Crown (2 and a half shilling piece.)
Crown (5 shilling piece.)
Sovreign (A coin worth exactly a pound.)
Guinea (A 21 shilling piece. For some strange reason, horseflesh is still bought and sold in guineas. A guinea today would be one pound and five new pence.)

There were also notes, introduced in the late 18th century to save money and have been fucking up inflation ever since. The lowest denomination was a ten shilling one, then a pound, five pounds, ten pounds and twenty pounds. British currency decimalised in 1971, becoming the more familiar £1 = 100p we have now. One and two shilling pieces were still legal tender until the early 1990's, because they were identical in size, shape and metalurgical makeup to the five and ten new pence pieces. (Which is also what they were counted as being worth. The shilling piece was worth five p, the floring ten p. Of course they were also the same respective fractional worth of the old and new pound respectively.) The coinage changed a few years back, so the old 10p piece became the size of the old 5p, and the 5 p shrank to the size of a little finger nail. The 50p coin also shrank to half its original size. The three new, smaller coins also became less metallic and more like plastic. A cost cutting exercise no doubt.

Todays British currency is the Pound Sterling, with 100 new pence making up £1. Coins used are...
1p
2p
5p (Sometimes referred to as the "bob".)
10p
50p
£1
£2

Notes in use are...
£5
£10
£20
£50

steve
p.s. liked the rest of your post too.

Ta. 🙂

 

[R. Davis]

When will it end?

I get the feeling you can't trust anyone sitting in or running for The White House.

 

[MrMacphisto]

It's funny you should mention my grandfather, Steve... He was a member of the 82nd Airborne. What he did for this country is something I completely and utterly respect. The reasons for this: He fought for a different America than the one we're currently in, and he fought in a war that we truly HAD to enter. Few military engagements we've been involved in were absolutely necessary. WWII easily fits that description. Even WWI could've been avoided, but WWII happened under circumstances that were inevitable due to the stupidity of how WWI's aftermath was handled. He put his life on the line because we truly had to worry about our security and the fate of our nation's allies. Rarely has this ever been the case with our other wars.

You'd be surprised to know that I have a lot in common with my grandfather's generation when it comes to my views on foreign policy. You don't get involved in war, unless it is absolutely necessary. His generation favors isolationism, and so do I. Getting involved with global trade is one thing, but fighting someone else's battles is another. The most ironic thing about all of this is that isolationism was once the ideology of the Republican party, but apparently, they don't support that anymore. It would seem that imperialism has taken its place. For those of you familiar with American history, we went through a very costly and dark period of imperialism in the late 1800s and early 1900s. You'd think we'd have learned by now that imperialism is a bad thing, but this doesn't seem to be the case.

 

[venray]

Speaking of ideology........

Here's a prime example of the views held by the youth of my day.....

Good thing most of us grew up...😉

crosby, stills & nash -

So your brother's bound and gagged
And they've chained him to a chair
Won't you please come to chicago just to sing
In a land that's known as freedom how can such a thing be fair
won't you please come to chicago for the help that we can bring

We can change the world rearrange the world
It's dying - to get better

Politicians sit yourselves down, there's nothing for you here
won't you please come to chicago for a ride
don't ask jack to help you `cause he'll turn the other ear
won't you please come to chicago or else join the other side

We can change the world rearrange the world
it's dying - if you believe in justice
dying - and if you believe in freedom
dying - let a man live his own life
dying - rules and regulations, who needs them open up the door

Somehow people must be free I hope the day comes soon
won't you please come to chicago show your face
From the bottom of the ocean to the mountains of the moon
won't you please come to chicago no one else can take your place

We can change the world rearrange the world
It's dying - if you believe in justice
dying - and if you believe in freedom
dying - let a man live his own life
dying - rules and regulations, who needs them open up the door

Democrats like Dean are calling for this kind of change in the country
in the attempt to win over the youth of America. Will they be surprised if one of these guys gets into office in November.

To quote the Who.........

We won't get fooled again.

Ray

 

[MrMacphisto]

I agree Ray... we won't get fooled again like we did in 2000, if Kerry gets elected.