[quote][cite] zander:[/cite]And just to prove that I have no virtue...
[quote][cite] Tigerman:[/cite]There won't be any convincing me that government is good at anything other than using coercive force to benefit those who can afford to pay the politicians.[/quote]
Nope, you've made up your mind. That's entirely clear. My intent is to provide a counter-argument to your views, to help other people see both sides of the issue.
[quote]I don't think I'm ideologically blind. I am ideologically insightful to liberty's arguements.[/quote]
Actually, I think you are ideologically blind. I don't think you have any interest in whatever might lie outside of your own ideological viewpoint.
Look at how you interpreted Irish history - solely through your own lens. You ignored the facts and the reality of it and decided that you knew best. And even though you were wrong, you continue to promote your viewpoint as the truth. Which it isn't.
And if you have to reference both Hitler and Stalin in one argument - you've seriously gone off the rails here. Pragmatic - to me - means being able to understand reality. And to temper my own beliefs and ideology with reality. I may have strong beliefs, but I understand what works and what doesn't.[/quote]
I went looking for a no vice no virtue quote but look what I found!
"In questions of science, the authority of a thousand is not worth the humble reasoning of a single individual." --Galileo Galilei
I wonder why Galileo would have felt that way?
About that Irish history...
History is a pack of lies about events that never happened told by people who weren't there. --George Santayana
I understand reality zander.
If I were a pragmatic person I would do what Dr. Ron Paul did. I would do my best to get on the Conservative ticket and work from the inside.
That's for somebody else.
I prefer to promote anarcho-capitalism as a political sytem and liberty as the highest ideal.
[quote][cite] zander:[/cite][quote]History is a pack of lies about events that never happened told by people who weren't there. --George Santayana[/quote]
Sounds an awful lot like your version of Irish history...[/quote]
Yours too.
It's the interpetation of the "facts" as it were.
Ancient Ireland. No Central Authority from about 600 to 1600 and their civilization florished until the British come by to enslave them.
Too bad the Americans put the kibosh on Somolia. Neat how it was all done for about the same reasons Henry the 8th decided he had to conquer Ireland. Rebel bases and such.
What on Earth would prompt the Ethiopians to get involved in Somilian affairs?
Ethiopian politicians sold the country's soul for a few pieces of American silver perhaps? I wonder if the Ethiopians lie to their soldiers too?
Somilia had no army, what possible threat could they have been to Ethiopia? It's like how does killing 300,000 Iraqi's keep America safe from the likes of that Saudi millionaire Osama bin Laden? Very embarrasing that question but hey Americans are not imperial aggressors, no matter what their actions are. Listen to what they say instead of watching what they do and we won't attack you is the American motto.
Doesn't Ethiopia have enough of a problem just feeding themselves?
I bet Somolia would have went 1000 years and never missed having a government if the rest of the world would only leave them in peace.
[quote][cite] Tigerman:[/cite]Well, I'm 49 now alex and them old Nuns made sure I knew my masculine and feminine uses of words when they were in charge of the indoctriantions and I'm set in my ways now.[/quote] Can't teach an old dog new tricks I guess.
[quote][cite] burton:[/cite][quote][cite] Tigerman:[/cite]Well, I'm 49 now alex and them old Nuns made sure I knew my masculine and feminine uses of words when they were in charge of the indoctriantions and I'm set in my ways now.[/quote] Can't teach an old dog new tricks I guess.[/quote]
Never thought I would get old Burton.
I had the longest hair when that was important and I was the wildest one.
Now I still like Elvis, the Beatles and Led Zepplin and I hate Snoop Dog and the whole genre of gangsta rap and everything else I hear on some stations today.
Yep, it happened to me. Who woulda thunk it?
Saw a film clip of my old hero Gary Roberts when he won the Grand Prix Moto-cross in 1973. Well Mr. Roberts is 55+ now, grey hair and looks like he'd weight down a 250 motocrosser instead of pulling wheelies.
And let me tell you about the loves of my life. Started with Barbra Eden. Jennie to those of us of the 60 generation. And Elizabeth Montgomery, Samantha of Bewitched. Well, they are old ladies now and I still love them too.
They had class them chicks. They didn't need to run around half naked kissing other girls to get attention. 50 years later, my generation still loves them.
And let me tell you about the loves of my life. Started with Barbra Eden. Jennie to those of us of the 60 generation. And Elizabeth Montgomery, Samantha of Bewitched. Well, they are old ladies now and I still love them too.
[quote][cite] wolfboy:[/cite]well, that's just one take on the world, so i doubt either of us will "lose".
i see a million small problems in front of me that need to be fixed and addressed-- kids in my neighbourhood are hungry, and can't read, or have nowere to sleep. ignorance and prejudice are rampant. our city produces tons of trash every year. for me, those basic, day-to-day issues are the place to start, because i see it as something i can do every day in a real, tangible way.
i think you have a top-down vision of fixing the world, whereas i have a bottom-up. probably neither of us is going to change our views.
and yes, you do make a formidable foe. :)[/quote] Bottom up or top down. It's wonderful to see people with such commitment and passion for what they believe.
[quote][cite] alex:[/cite][quote][cite] MasterofChant:[/cite][quote][cite] zander:[/cite]I'm off this afternoon, waiting for a stupid delivery person.[/quote]
Is it one of those things where they said they'd be there between 12 and 5?[/quote]
MTS does it 9-5. You'd think they'd be able to call you..[/quote]
Ha ! I have always wondered that, too. MTS is actually really bad to deal with on the phone. the numbers are hard to find on their website and sometimes I end up getting cut off you'd think that they'd want their system to work well, not give you an example of what not to do !
Now, if I could just train my fricken IT guy at work to check and respond to e-mail, I'd be laughing. If you need him, you better phone him beause he's not too good on the e-mail thing !
[quote][cite] mrchristian:[/cite]Now, if I could just train my fricken IT guy at work to check and respond to e-mail, I'd be laughing. If you need him, you better phone him beause he's not too good on the e-mail thing ![/quote]
Funny - my IT guys insist on email. We aren't even supposed to phone them.
Which makes it kind of difficult if our computers aren't working - but I guess that possibility never occured to them...