2012-12-29, 17:48 | Link #25501 | |
blinded by blood
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I hear anti-government, anti-police types complain endlessly that they get paid too much, that they get too many privileges, that they get away with too much. It hurts my brain when pure illogic pours out of another human's speech-orifice. I used to live in the South, where cops aren't paid shit. They make barely over minimum wage--and guess what? A lot of them are on the take, or are otherwise corrupt. I remember an incident where a coworker of mine got stopped for a routine traffic violation and the police found his gigantic bag of weed. The officer took the weed and didn't arrest him (which, in Alabama, for that much weed, he'd be tossed in the back of the car so fast he'd get whiplash), or even give him a ticket, told him he'll be let go with a warning. Both of us knew damn well that cop took the weed to either smoke or sell.
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2012-12-29, 18:45 | Link #25502 | |
books-eater youkai
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Betweem wisdom and insanity
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National Rifle Association vows to fight arms trade treaty at U.N.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/...8BR03420121228 Quote:
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2012-12-29, 19:37 | Link #25503 | |
Senior Member
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Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Philippines
Age: 47
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2012-12-29, 19:39 | Link #25504 | |
廉頗
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Massachusetts
Age: 34
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Regardless, I don't think too many people were checking up on each other's religion after that shooting. Everyone felt outrage and dismay and I think even the most fervent atheists and religious people can find some common ground in expressing shock and sadness in light of that horrible event. I certainly didn't need to attend a candlelit vigil or commune with my neighbors to reach my feelings of anger/horror - and my desire to see constructive changes made to prevent future such occurrences (even if I am not wise enough to think of them myself). |
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2012-12-29, 21:45 | Link #25505 |
Senior Member
Author
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Philippines
Age: 47
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http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/331529/...os-says-bishop
As I read this article, I was like, "ARE YOU BLIND?"
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2012-12-29, 22:04 | Link #25506 | |
Sayaka★Magica
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Under the piercing blue sky
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2012-12-29, 22:39 | Link #25507 | ||
NYAAAAHAAANNNNN~
Join Date: Nov 2007
Age: 35
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On the other hand, having worked both blue and white collar as temp and contracts, I would actually want to agree with the incredibly sexist saying of "Women have two mouths and men have two heads" with regards to the current generation of women workers. A number I have met in the management positions, especially in blue collar, are typical Sarah Palin types or realistically detached like their male fresh-grad counterparts. They have never moved heavy equipment before, neither have they visited the warehouse even once, yet they are given the power to have a say in deadlines and workloads. And those claims of "sexism" when they are passed over such positions are entirely unwarranted for when they don't even possess the logic to determine that in the case of a massive stock-in within a single week/month, the BIGGEST items should be the ones to be turned over first, NOT the ones given in the earliest date because of the warehouse space constraints. The older generation of "aunties" have that pre-requisite experience and understanding of work environments but are treated to glass ceilings because of their age and gender, and their younger female counterparts are offered management positions for "gender fairness" when they don't even possess the necessary experience and understanding of the environments they manage. As a result, there isn't much respect for women even in developed Asian societies, just alot of "do it yourself" and resignation letters being submitted. Quote:
My relatives have told us that the policemen in their kampung are only given incentives, i.e a home near their workplace, personal vehicle, but the pay scale is sometimes not even enough to send their kids to university. Over here, the cops are duly well paid, but they do not have enough balls to step in and break up fights, or spirit to enforce justice, preferring to "investigate the issue".
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2012-12-29, 22:54 | Link #25508 | |
Le fou, c'est moi
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Las Vegas, NV, USA
Age: 34
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The question is kind of a peculiar one. "Where are the secular priests?" I would actually be rather pissed if someone steps out and says something stupid like "let us secularists/atheists join together to mourn this tragedy [amen]," because whether or not you are a humanist has shit all to do with it. And who the hell are they to assume the right to be my priests, to lord over me as my clergy and guides? The sense of crisis that produces this outpouring of religious unity and cooperation, while in this case harmless and comforting and which I have very little problem with, is the same sense that occasionally, very occasionally mind (ha), produces things like witch burnings, ostracisms, wars, and other Very Fun Things. I would celebrate its presence with utmost reservation. It doesn't even help with finding an actual solution -- unless someone smart, well situated, and infinitely more charismatic than I decide to harness this energy to bring some major cultural and mental health institutional reforms in place (+gun control optional because I don't want to wade into that debate). I would also have to note that what this article's author attempts to place as exclusively religious is, in fact, for many, many Americans, the supposedly religious Americans, superseded by the national community. It was a national tragedy, on national news, the unofficial public chief mourner is basically the national Head of State, the President, and the religious are but a subgroup in this context. Secular is already the invisible default. If you're looking for comfort in your fellow citizens, well there you are, you're replacing what your ancestors would have relied on religion for. Going by the power of nationalism and the very real and sometimes very, very destructive effects on humanity and the world, nationalism-as-secularism really is doing quite well (the subversion and subsuming of the previous regime, religious faith, into the new regime, nationalism, should not be considered truly "religious" in nature anyway). The state is, after all, the greatest of all secular institutions (us idealists would rather pursue things like human rights and "one world" global unity, but it's just not there yet and won't be for a very long time). The only way a non-national form of secularism can fulfill the need you mention is by its transforming into "a religion," an institution, something like communism. The State has replaced religion in very many key functions of civilization (legitimizing marriages, for starters, and oh how we still feel the hung up here in the US!), but I would rather leave some prerogatives to the not-state, whether they're faith groups, good old family and friends, the local neighborhood (the lack of an actual neighborhood is a modern problem not directly related to "secularism's" failings), or a subreddit. "All within the state, nothing outside the state, nothing against the state" isn't a very nice idea. And since I'm feeling cynical today, I might as well throw in the big, big context that it was only the 20th century that saw the world religions come together in a grand multi-faith celebration of, well, faith, where Popes make apologies to Patriarchs for past city-burnings, the Dalai Lama is a worldwide human rights leader, Zen Buddhism comfortably warps itself around American consumerism, and spiritual leaders come together in well-publicized grand gatherings where high rhetoric are spoken (let's ignore Islam's unique issues for now). Beautiful, unifying, so very human, a spectacular contrast to the religious wars of olden days, and it is only possible because of secularism's growing power and penetration. There is a common problem for them all to share, see. Last edited by Irenicus; 2012-12-29 at 23:05. |
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2012-12-29, 23:05 | Link #25510 |
blinded by blood
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It's that very secular penetration that scares the fundamentalists, you see. They'd much rather turn back the clock to the religious wars, the jihads, stripping women of rights and power, stoning homosexuals to death and burning witches at the stake.
The forward march of the widening secular state is what keeps religion from misbehaving badly. Where the secular state is narrow and weak (or nonexistent), barbarism in the name of their chosen deity (or deities) rules over all it sees.
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2012-12-29, 23:11 | Link #25511 | |
NYAAAAHAAANNNNN~
Join Date: Nov 2007
Age: 35
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Guess it is a choice of lesser evils, though I do not understand why people still want to mandate that "heresy" is some sort of taboo or crime. What is EXACTLY heretical about looking at things from a different perspective?
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2012-12-29, 23:11 | Link #25512 |
Gamilas Falls
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Republic of California
Age: 46
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They say a people need to believe in something to gain direction and success. What that thing is is to be deturmined. The "easy way" is religion as it is far easier to just let the clergy tell you the will of the lord and know that whatever happens it is for a purpose or that a higher power is there.
It is a far harder thing to force one to believe in ones self or others, as we are pretty much constantly told we can't do anything or are not good enough. The ego is set to fail on most people.
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2012-12-30, 00:41 | Link #25513 | |
Not Enough Sleep
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: R'lyeh
Age: 48
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People are weak, most prefer Warm illusions to Harsh Reality.
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2012-12-30, 00:48 | Link #25514 | |
Unspecified
Scanlator
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Unspecified
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Four dead as passenger jet crashes into highway outside Moscow
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2012-12-30, 00:52 | Link #25515 | |
NYAAAAHAAANNNNN~
Join Date: Nov 2007
Age: 35
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Besides, "reality" is not much more than a perspective of how we react to what we are informed about based on our senses, ethics and personal thought. It is an opinion that works truly well for each one of us and balances out in each give-and-take relationship. If is helps, congratulations, it is real. If it doesn't, well, it is on the imaginary side of the loci you have drawn for yourself - time to make some shifts and adjustments.
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2012-12-30, 06:25 | Link #25516 |
books-eater youkai
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Betweem wisdom and insanity
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Israel eases ban on building material for Gaza
http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/...8BT02U20121230 Pakistan militants kill 41 in mass execution, attack on Shi'ites http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/...8BT00T20121230
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2012-12-31, 17:04 | Link #25517 | |
Unspecified
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Join Date: May 2010
Location: Unspecified
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Clinton remains hospitalized with blood clot
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2012-12-31, 18:00 | Link #25519 | |
Not Enough Sleep
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: R'lyeh
Age: 48
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so no Hillary for 2016 but get ready for Chelsea in 2024.
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2012-12-31, 18:54 | Link #25520 |
Obey the Darkly Cute ...
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Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: On the whole, I'd rather be in Kyoto ...
Age: 66
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That's certainly not old for running for President, but the clot problem will be an issue raised by opponents even if they clear the one they spotted completely up.
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current affairs, discussion, international |
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