DebateAnything.com / Debate Lounge / Serious Debate

Union workers are Lazy!

Dick Tator — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 03:37:56 GMT

It's no secret that Chicago mayor Richard Daley is in love with government and is most assuredly a union-friendly politician. So when you wake up one morning and Chicago is covered in snow, don't go looking to government employees to plow those streets clean so that the achievers can get to work.Nope. In efforts to save money, Daley says that city crews would only plow streets during weekday union business hours, rather than working overtime. That means they will end the day at 9pm and cannot resume work until the next morning at 7am. Oh and weekends? Forget about it. Ok, what's really going on here, folks? Mayor Daley could probably save a heck of a lot more money by canceling those union contracts and employ workers that are willing to work those overtime hours at a reasonable rate. But no. In Chicago, the labor unions will keep their jobs and plow less.

Gay Murders Beware

SAMSON — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 22:01:05 GMT

OK, OK QUEERS can relax:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/mcclatchy/20091028/pl_mcclatchy/3343585

[quote]The new law adds acts of violence against gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people to the list of federal hate crimes. Gay-rights activists voiced hope that the Obama administration would advance more issues, including legislation to bar workplace discrimination, allow military service and recognize same-sex marriages.

Congress passed the hate crimes protections as an unlikely amendment to this year's Defense Authorization Act. The amendment signed into law Wednesday was named partly for Matthew Shepard , a 21-year-old student at the University of Wyoming who died after a 1998 beating targeting him because he was gay, and whose parents were instrumental in leading the fight for such legislation.[/quote]

Well, isn't this special. Someone murders my daughter because she's blonde, then the Fed's could give a shit. HOWEVER, if she is a Lesbo Freak Mutation, then it makes a difference.

Bisexual? WTF? I've seen FM without a shirt on.

Does that count? Does it matter?

If some Brute ever decides to slap me around, I'm gonna hafta scream "STOP!! I'm BISEXUAL!!!??"

Gay Rape

SAMSON — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 13:33:16 GMT

Cruising through Dogpatch USA.

If they stop and Gang Rape F&L, should they be prosecuted more strictly than a gang of Georgia U Cheerleaders that commit the same crime?

Dick V Oki

Dick Tator — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 12:25:28 GMT

Answer the poll! Discuss!

Evolution

Fat Ike — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 10:31:34 GMT

evolution is a bankrupt speculative philosophy not a scientific fact and only a spiritually bankrupt society could ever believe it and only atheists could accept this satanic theory.

Did Anyone Attend a Tea Party?

boedicca — Sun, 19 Apr 2009 21:00:02 GMT

One did.

One helped out with the SF Tea Party - and gave one of the speeches.

We had 500-600 people turn out in SF on a workday - a lot of people took a vacation day from work.

The event was fabulous - serious but good natured. People acted civilized - and were very articulate with why they were there: concerns that expanding government scope, opporessive taxation, and Gobs-o-Debt are huge risks to Individual Liberty.

Obama's Denomination!

Dick Tator — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 03:50:20 GMT

So what bill or coin should Barack Obama be placed on after he dies? Im thinking the penny, because that is Lincoln's current spot and he freed the slaves. Lincoln wouldnt be left out, he still have the 5 dollar bill. Also, the penny is already dark, so yeah, it would be fitting! Ummm... either that, or we should bring back an old version of the 1 dollar bill for Obama. There used to be a version that had George Washington and Martha Washington facing each other. I wouldnt mind having something like that with the five dollar bill in which Lincoln and Obama face each other.Here is the old bill Im discribing...[IMG]http://ana-museum.org/images/1988_17_390_b.jpg[/IMG]

Personal Liberty

SAMSON — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 12:31:33 GMT

"Individuals should be free to make choices for themselves and to accept responsibility for the consequences of the choices they make. No individual, group, or government may initiate force against any other individual, group, or government. Our support of an individual's right to make choices in life does not mean that we necessarily approve or disapprove of those choices."

This is the first Platform of the Libertarian Party: No Nanny-State. No "Safety Nets."

You decide to live on the coast, A Hurricane blows your house down, then YOU rebuild it, move, or simply fucking go without shelter and smoke crack.

Women Should Be Hit for Dressing Sexy

Ghost — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 03:55:29 GMT

[B]Women Should Be Hit for Dressing Sexy in Public, 1 in 7 Believe[/B] Monday, March 09, 2009 [IMG]http://www.foxnews.com/images/service_times_36.gif[/IMG] [B] One in seven people believe it is acceptable in some circumstances for a man to hit his wife or girlfriend if she is dressed in “sexy or revealing clothes in public”, according to the findings of a survey released today.[/B] A similar number believed that it was all right for a man to slap his wife or girlfriend if she is “nagging or constantly moaning at him”. The findings of the poll, conducted for the Home Office, also disclosed about a quarter of people believe that wearing sexy or revealing clothing should lead to a woman being held partly responsible for being raped or sexually assaulted. Although a majority of 1,065 people over 18 questioned last month believe that it is never acceptable to hit or slap a woman, the poll found that those aged 25-39 were more likely to consider that there were circumstances in which it was acceptable to hit or slap a woman. Men and women over 65 and those in the lower social class groups D and E are more likely to believe that woman should be held partly responsible for being raped or sexually assaulted, Ipsos Mori telephone poll found. Jacqui Smith, the Home Secretary, said: “Violence against women and girls is unacceptable in any form no matter what the circumstances are.” Ms Smith said that more needed to be done to challenge attitudes that condoned violence against women and girls. She was speaking as she launched a police lead review of whether new laws are needed to tackle serial domestic violence abuses and whether there is a link between the early sexualisation of young girls and violent abuse.

New Strain of Flu Virus

DngrMse — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 19:48:33 GMT

60+ Deaths in Mexico, and it's already jumped the border. There are as yet no plans to close the border. 8 cases have been confirmed in the U.S. There is no vaccine yet, though there may be in a few weeks time.

Flu pandemics occur every few decades when new strains mutate from existing strains. Sometimes mutating from more than one strain. In a given year, we can expect to see 500,000 flu related deaths....that number can jump by a factor of 20, or more, when new strains are introduced. vaccines are of limited use, because of the virulent nature of the flu...by the time an effective vaccine is developed, most of the damage is already done. If it's in the U.S., (and it is), odds are that it has already been introduced to Asia, and Europe.

Preventive measures include washing one's hands at least eight times per day, (which has been proven as effective as getting a vaccine). Don't eat out...you risk infection from everyone sharing the restaurant with you, including the staff, which may be under-insured, and/or illegal. Avoid those that appear ill. If you sneeze, sneeze into the crook of your elbow...advise others, especially your children to do the same. Don't fly. Avoid fresh vegetables, (unless you intend to boil them). At the first sign of an outbreak in your area, pull your kids out of school. Purchase only canned/frozen/dried foods, and prepare in a manner guaranteed to destroy virus particles, (usually cooking until temperature exceeds 212 deg F). Avoid touching your face, arms, or hands, (or anyone's), with your hands.

Most important....the first thing you, and everyone else in your family should do when returning home is to wash his or her hands, with soap. Any soap...with plenty of water. Anti-bacterial soap will NOT help....only frequency makes a difference.

is ikariam a cult?

oki — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 03:56:28 GMT

its taking over the members of thsi forum on by one. im scared.

Text Messaging

SAMSON — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 03:53:43 GMT

OK, people, I've NEVER, EVER sent a Text Message, and cannot imagine why anyone would doe such a thing. Can anyone please 'splain to me why texting would be preferable to simply speaking to another person? My question stems from the fact that this weekend I bought a New and Improved Phone (one that has enough backlight that I can actually see it during the day) from a Hawt Messkin Verizon Chix Named Martha. What to do with My Old Phone? Well, I've finally succumbed an gave my old phone to the Older Slave, who immediately sent 52 text messages at $0.20/message!!! WTF???!! WHY THE FUCK ISN'T HE FUCKING CALLING PEOPLE???!!!! Now, on top of the $10/month he will pay for the additional line, he owes $10 in text charges. You may be thinking, well, if he's a slave, by definition WITHOUT INCOME, then how the fuck will Samson ever get $10 from him? I rent him out. I just hope that it snows soon so I can rent him out as a snow plow so that he can compensate me for the inexplicable urge to write "How R U?" X 52 instead of simply dialing a fucking number and speaking into a microphone to satisfy the burning curiousity about other's welfare.

Is a 13.5% Budget Deficit worth $13 per week for Workers?

boedicca — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 03:53:14 GMT

Let's debate the Stimulus/Porkulus bill:Is it worth increasing the 2009 deficit to 13.5% of GDP in order for Workers (most likely excludes any evil rich people who make more than $80K) to get an extra $13 per week of take home pay? One's 20 cents (inflated due to porkulus bill): The resulting inflationary effect of this spending increase (the larges in American History) will undo any temporary effect of increased take home pay as the nation is weighted down with massive debt. The 3M or so jobs Nobama claims he will either save or create (if this happens, they will all be government jobs) will cost the receivers of $13 per week over $300K per job. This is one of the biggest cons ever played on the American public - hence the big rush to get a vote done before anyone has time to read the 700plus pages of legislation.It's sadly amusing to note that we must be slow and deliberate in withdrawing from Iraq (another broken Nobama campaign promise) - but we must rush into the biggest increase in spending ever with no review, no transparency, and no debate.Hope and Change!!!!!

Shame on The Netherlands!

Dick Tator — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 03:52:04 GMT

[yt]EJKRF2uB8xU[/yt]

Jesus loves you... everyone else thinks your an asshole!

Ghost — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 03:51:08 GMT

If ya have an abortion Jesus loves you.....Other people look at you like your the kind of piece of shit that would kill your own child.If your a fag Jesus loves you.... other people make fun of ya behind your back for letting some guy pop your poop shute!!!!If your a drug addict Jesus loves you.... other people think your a waste of humanity.If your a drunk Jesus loves you... other people think your scum as your wife walks around with black eyes.So if your a liberal.... and you are a dope head, sleep around, kill your baby, getting drunk low life.... Jesus still loves ya.... but me well truth is.....I don't know why he died on the cross for vermin like you.Heck of a guy that Jesus!!!!!Viking

America is more open to new ideas than Europe!

Dick Tator — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 03:48:47 GMT

Where is your freely elected black President, Oki? Oh, wait, you have a Queen, dont you? :fuckoff:

Serious Help for Granny

Savannah — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 03:48:26 GMT

I know there are people here who are much more informed than I am ... so I need some knowledgeable input. I've been dealing with a most foul financial situation for some time and if SS doesn't screw me up, I plan to take care of the situation very quickly. I also plan to write a letter to the EVP I think might be the right person. I'm good at writing letters.What, exactly, is usury? I've look up the definition as being "charging interest higher than allowed by law." What can you all tell me about usury and if there are varying ways of carrying out this most hateful practice?

Stand Up or Sit Down for Potty Parity!!!!!!

boedicca — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 03:47:04 GMT

Finally, there is one issue which may promise a way for Obama to Unite Everyone: Potty Parity!(One also has yet another reason for being pleased not to attend the inaugural fracas - standing in lines several dozen deep in order to relieve oneself in sub-freezing weather is not remotely close to one's definition of A Good Time.)[i]The masses heading to the inauguration of President-elect Barack Obama could spend a lot of time in line for a port-a-potty.A George Washington University law professor says the 5,000 port-o-potties planned for Inauguration Day will be "grossly inadequate."Professor John Banzhaf, the so-called "Father of Potty Parity" sent a letter to the Presidential Inaugural Committee warning of potential lawsuits.He says women, who take longer in the restroom, could be forced to wait in longer lines than men, and that amounts to discrimination.Banzhaf says waiting in long lines is not just an inconvenience. It can trigger medical problems. He's asking the Presidential Inaugural Committee to make the toilets gender-neutral so that women do not have to wait longer than men. [/i][url=http://www.wtopnews.com/?nid=780&sid=1572281]'Father of Potty Parity' calls 5,000 johns 'inadequate' - wtop.com[/url]

The Great Global Cooling Thread

boedicca — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 03:45:16 GMT

Time to stock up on furs, boys and girls. It's time for another Ice Age:[i]The earth is now on the brink of entering another Ice Age, according to a large and compelling body of evidence from within the field of climate science. Many sources of data which provide our knowledge base of long-term climate change indi***e that the warm, twelve thousand year-long Holocene period will rather soon be coming to an end, and then the earth will return to Ice Age conditions for the next 100,000 years. Ice cores, ocean sediment cores, the geologic record, and studies of ancient plant and animal populations all demonstrate a regular cyclic pattern of Ice Age glacial maximums which each last about 100,000 years, separated by intervening warm interglacials, each lasting about 12,000 years.Most of the long-term climate data collected from various sources also shows a strong correlation with the three astronomical cycles which are together known as the Milankovich cycles. The three Milankovich cycles include the tilt of the earth, which varies over a 41,000 year period; the shape of the earth’s orbit, which changes over a period of 100,000 years; and the Precession of the Equinoxes, also known as the earth’s ‘wobble’, which gradually rotates the direction of the earth’s axis over a period of 26,000 years. According to the Milankovich theory of Ice Age causation, these three astronomical cycles, each of which effects the amount of solar radiation which reaches the earth, act together to produce the cycle of cold Ice Age maximums and warm interglacials. [/i][url=http://english.pravda.ru/science/earth/106922-earth_ice_age-0]Earth on the Brink of an Ice Age - Pravda.Ru[/url]

Police State: Oregon wants to tax mileage, installs GPS in cars!

Dick Tator — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 03:44:58 GMT

PORTLAND, Ore. – Oregon is among a growing number of states exploring ways to tax drivers based on the number of miles they drive instead of how much gas they use, even going so far as to install GPS monitoring devices in 300 vehicles. The idea first emerged nearly 10 years ago as Oregon lawmakers worried that fuel-efficient cars such as gas-electric hybrids could pose a threat to road upkeep, which is paid for largely with gasoline taxes."I'm glad we're taking a look at it before the potholes get so big that we can't even get out of them," said Leroy Younglove, a Portland driver who participated in a recent pilot program.The proposal is not without critics, including drivers who are concerned about privacy and others who fear the tax could eliminate the financial incentive for buying efficient vehicles.But Oregon is ahead of the nation in exploring the concept, even though it will probably be years before any mileage tax is adopted.Congress is talking about it, too. A congressional commission has envisioned a system similar to the prototype Oregon tested in 2006-2007.The National Commission on Surface Transportation Infrastructure Financing is considering calling for higher gas taxes to keep highways, bridges and transit programs in good shape.But over the long term, commission members say, the nation should consider taxing mileage rather than gasoline as drivers use more fuel-efficient and electric vehicles.As cars burn less fuel, "the gas tax isn't going to fill the bill," said Rep. Peter DeFazio of Oregon, a member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.The next Congress "could begin to set the stage, perhaps looking at some much more robust pilot programs, to begin the research, to work with manufacturers."Gov. Ted Kulongoski has included development money for the tax in his budget proposal, and interest is growing in a number of other states.Governors in Idaho and Rhode Island have considered systems that would require drivers to report their mileage when they register vehicles.In North Carolina last month, a panel suggested charging motorists a quarter-cent for every mile as a substitute for the gas tax.James Whitty, the Oregon Department of Transportation employee in charge of the state's effort, said he's also heard talk of mileage tax proposals in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Florida, Colorado and Minnesota."There is kind of a coalition that's naturally forming around this," he said.Also fueling the search for alternatives is the political difficulty of raising gasoline taxes.The federal gas tax has not been raised since 1993, and nearly two dozen states have not changed their taxes since 1997, according to the American Road & Transportation Builders Association.In Oregon's pilot program, officials equipped 300 vehicles with GPS transponders that worked wirelessly with service station pumps, allowing drivers to pay their mileage tax just as they do their gas tax.Whitty said the test, which involved two gas stations in the Portland area, proved the idea could work. Though the GPS devices did not track the cars' locations in great detail, they could determine when a driver had left certain zones, such as the state of Oregon. They also kept track of the time the driving was done, so a premium could be charged for rush-hour mileage. The proposal envisions a gradual change, with manufacturers installing the technology in new vehicles because retrofitting old cars would be too expensive. Owners of older vehicles would continue to pay gasoline taxes. The difference in tax based on mileage or on gasoline would be small — "pennies per transaction at the pump," Whitty said. But the mileage tax still faces several major obstacles. For one, Oregon accounts for only a small part of auto sales, so the state can't go it alone. A multistate or national system would be needed. Another concern is that such devices could threaten privacy. Whitty said he and his task force have assured people that the program does not track detailed movement and that driving history is not stored and cannot be accessed by law enforcement agencies. "I think most people will come to realize there is really no tracking issue and will continue to buy new cars," Whitty said, noting that many cell phones now come equipped with GPS, which has not deterred customers. Others are worried that a mileage tax would undermine years of incentives to switch toward more fuel-efficient vehicles. "It doesn't seem fair," said Paul Niedergang of Portland, that a hybrid would be taxed as much as his Dodge pickup. "I just think the gas tax needs to be updated." Lynda Williams, also of Portland, was not immediately sold on the idea but said it was worth consideration. "We all have to be open-minded," she said. "Our current system just isn't working."[url=http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090102/ap_on_re_us/mileage_tax]Oregon looks at taxing mileage instead of gasoline - Yahoo! News[/url]

Japan Today, Zimbabwe Tomorrow?

fat mike — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 03:44:12 GMT

[url=http://www.fool.com/investing/dividends-income/2008/12/05/japan-today-zimbabwe-tomorrow.aspx]Japan Today, Zimbabwe Tomorrow?[/url][QUOTE]Now that Uncle Sam has thrown some $8.6 trillion at the financial fiasco, you'd expect inflation, if not Zimbabwe-esque hyperinflation, to rule the economy, right?Print now or forever hold your peace Sort of. Inflation isn't simply the result of the Fed printing money; it's also a function of how fast consumers turn around and spend that money -- called money velocity. Without any velocity, the Fed can create money like no one's business, but inflation won't budge (at least for now ... keep reading.) Think of it this way: You can make as many bullets as you want, but those bullets don't do any damage until they're actually fired.A good example is Japan in the '90s. In a desperate attempt to pump life into the economy, Japan nearly tripled its money supply over the course of a decade. Did it lead to crippling inflation? Nah. Check out this chart -- Japan struggled to keep prices treading water for years. Why? Check out the blue line in this chart -- the velocity of money fell off a cliff. There were more factors involved here, but Japan's a good example of an explosion in the money supply that didn't come close to inflation.The reason countries like Zimbabwe get destroyed by hyperinflation isn't just because the government runs the printing presses at full-bore, but because the urge to spend that money is out of this world. There are stories of Zimbabweans prepaying their restaurant bills because the price would surge in the time it took to eat. When you get a situation like that, anyone in their right mind will get rid of (spend) their money as quickly as possible -- likely within hours of getting it. In other words, the velocity of money is off the charts.[/QUOTE]of course americans have nowhere near the discipline of the Japanese

Talk Radio: Conservative Conspiracy

SAMSON — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 03:42:16 GMT

[B][SIZE=2]The Public airwaves are NOT serving the Public. Station licensing is given on the premise that the ENTIRE public will be served, not just parrotboss and dittoheads.[/SIZE][/B][B] [/B][B][URL="http://thinkprogress.org/2007/06/20/radio-report/"][COLOR=#800080]REPORT: The Right Wing Domination Of Talk Radio And How To End It[/COLOR][/URL]»[/B]The Center for American Progress and Free Press today released the [URL="http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/2007/06/pdf/talk_radio.pdf"][COLOR=#0000ff]first-of-its-kind statistical analysis[/COLOR][/URL] of the political make-up of talk radio in the United States. It confirms that talk radio, one of the most widely used media formats in America, is dominated almost exclusively by conservatives.The new report — entitled “[URL="http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/2007/06/pdf/talk_radio.pdf"][COLOR=#0000ff]The Structural Imbalance of Political Talk Radio[/COLOR][/URL]” — raises serious questions about whether the companies licensed to broadcast over the public radio airwaves are serving the listening needs of all Americans. While progressive talk is making inroads on commercial stations, right-wing talk reigns supreme on America’s airwaves. Some key findings:[INDENT]– In the spring of 2007, of the 257 news/talk stations owned by the top five commercial station owners, [B]91 percent of the total weekday talk radio programming was conservative, and only 9 percent was progressive.[/B]– Each weekday, 2,570 hours and 15 minutes of conservative talk are broadcast on these stations compared to 254 hours of progressive talk — [B]10 times as much conservative talk as progressive talk.[/B]– [B]76 percent of the news/talk programming in the top 10 radio markets is conservative[/B], while 24 percent is progressive.[/INDENT][CENTER][IMG]http://thinkprogress.org/wp-content/uploads/2007/06/radiographic2.gif[/IMG][/CENTER][QUOTE] Two [URL="http://corner.nationalreview.com/post/?q=YWE3MThlMjgyMGRiZmQ4ZThjODhlNzFlNDIxYzYwZWY="][COLOR=#0000ff]common myths are frequently offered[/COLOR][/URL] to explain the imbalance of talk radio: 1) the 1987 repeal of the Fairness Doctrine (which required broadcasters to devote airtime to contrasting views), and 2) simple consumer demand. Each of these fails to adequately explain the root cause of the problem. The [URL="http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/2007/06/pdf/talk_radio.pdf"][COLOR=#0000ff]report explains[/COLOR][/URL]:[INDENT]Our conclusion is that the gap between conservative and progressive talk radio is the result of multiple structural problems in the U.S. regulatory system, particularly the complete breakdown of the public trustee concept of broadcast, the elimination of clear public interest requirements for broadcasting, and the relaxation of ownership rules including the requirement of local participation in management. [/INDENT][/QUOTE][…]

Missing Bees / Honeybees

taru — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 03:41:44 GMT

I haven't seen a bee in a long time... ? have you? [url=http://www.gravitycontrol.org/blog/2007/04/11/the-vanishing-bees/]The Vanishing Bees — Gravity Control[/url] [url=http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2007/02/070223-bees.html]Mystery Bee Disappearances Sweeping U.S.[/url] :superbotsmile:

Who killed Stacey Stites?

Ghost — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 03:41:37 GMT

This story just burns me up. Read it[url=http://www.austinchronicle.com/gyrobase/Issue/story?oid=93214]News: Who Killed Stacey Stites?: A Bastrop County jury convicted Rodney Reed of murder -- but left many questions unanswered - The Austin Chronicle[/url]Now, read this story about what happened to Stacey's fiancee recently:[url=http://www.news8austin.com/content/your_news/?SecID=278&ArID=196176]News 8 Austin | 24 Hour Local News | LOCAL NEWS[/url]He didn't just sexually assault her, he picked up a drunk woman, and made her dance for him. Then he bent her over his trunk and raped her. They knew she was telling the truth because they found both of their handprints on the trunk.Are you convinced yet that Fennell killed Stites? I just read today that they have denied Rodney Reed another trial. WTF?????????

Where the hell am I?

Fidget — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 03:41:19 GMT

Is this truly cool with you Mike ([I]or whoever is boss[/I])?[url]http://www.debateanything.com/non-philosphical-rhetoric/8461-fat-mike-needs-forum-3.html#post236323[/url]Does this really represent the heart & soul & intent of this site? It looks like some of those places clicks on popups took me as a newbie. If you have any self-respect here you are a debate site? not a garbage bin.

who needs to do what?

oki — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 03:39:43 GMT

in SA, if men are temped by women showing skin, the woman needs to cover up. the west sais no, the men have to control themselves. if theres murder, europe sais lets ban guns, no guns, no shooting. USA sais, no, gun ownsers have to control themselves. we believe in freedom of choice. how about the following subjects: abortion. women will sometimes have abortions. you can say ban abortion, and theres no abortion. or, no, women will have to control themselves, and you dont need a ban. freedom of choice.or showing boobs in public. or have children run around nude if they feel like it. or drugs, all same arguement. so where does freedom stop, whyb do we approach these things in a different way? why ban certain things and others not?

Day without a gay.

Ghost — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 03:38:33 GMT

[B]SAN FRANCISCO — Some same-sex marriage supporters are urging people to "call in gay" Wednesday to show how much the country relies on gays and lesbians, but others question whether it's wise to encourage skipping work given the nation's economic distress.[/B] Organizers of "Day Without a Gay" — scheduled to coincide with International Human Rights Day and modeled after similar work stoppages by Latino immigrants — also are encouraging people to perform volunteer work and refrain from spending money. Sean Hetherington, a West Hollywood comedian and personal trainer, dreamed up the idea with his boyfriend, Aaron Hartzler, after reading online that a few angry gay-rights activists were calling for a daylong strike to protest California voters' passage last month of Proposition 8, which reversed this year's state Supreme Court decision allowing gay marriage. The couple thought it would be more effective and less divisive if people were asked to perform community service instead of staying home with their wallets shut. Dozens of nonprofit agencies, from the National Women's Law Center in Washington to a Methodist church in Fresno collecting food for the homeless, have posted opportunities for volunteers on the couple's Web site. "We are all for a boycott if that is what brings about a sense of community for people," said Hetherington, 30, who plans to spend Wednesday volunteering at an inner-city school. "You can take away from the economy and give back in other ways." Hetherington said he's been getting 100 e-mails an hour from people looking for volunteer opportunities, and that his "Day Without a Gay" Web site has gotten 100,000 hits since mid-November. Despite Hartzler and Hetherington's attempt to fashion a positive approach, some organizers of the street demonstrations that drew massive crowds in many cities last month have been reluctant to embrace the concept, saying that it could be at best impractical and at worst counterproductive to "call in gay." "It's extra-challenging for people to think about taking off work as a form of protest, given that we are talking about people who may not be out (as gay) at work, and given the current economic situation and job market," said Jules Graves, 38, coordinator of the Colorado Queer Straight Alliance. "There is really not any assurance employers would appreciate it for what it is." Graves' group nonetheless is arranging for interested participants to volunteer at the local African Community Center in Denver. The agency said it could find projects to keep 20 people busy, but so far only 10 have pledged to show up, said Graves. Scott Craig, a fifth-grade teacher at Independence Charter School in Philadelphia, had no problem requesting and being granted the day off. So many of the school's 60 teachers were eager to show support for gay rights they had to make sure enough stayed behind to staff classrooms. About 25 teachers plan to take Wednesday off and to have their work covered by substitutes while they discuss ways to introduce gay issues to their students and volunteer at the local branch of the American Civil Liberties Union, Craig said. A letter telling parents why so many teachers would be out went home Monday. "We want to get the conversation going in the community that gay is not bad," Craig said. "For kids to hear that in a positive light can be life-changing." Join The Impact, the online community that launched protests last month over the passage of gay marriage bans in California, Florida and Arizona, has urged people to withdraw $80 from their bank accounts Wednesday to demonstrate gays' spending power, and to devote the time they might otherwise spend watching TV or surfing the Internet to volunteer work. Witeck-Combs Communications, a public relations firm in Washington that specializes in the gay and lesbian market, published a study this year that estimated that gay and lesbian consumers spend $700 billion annually. Bob Witeck, the firm's chief executive officer, said it would be difficult to measure the success of Wednesday's strike since gay employees occupy so many fields. And rather than suspending all consumer spending for the day, gay rights supporters would have a bigger impact if they devoted their dollars to gay-friendly businesses year-round, Witeck said. "Our community leaders who are running book stores, newspapers, flower shops, coffee houses, bars and many, many other things are hurting right now, so paying attention to their needs during this hard time is an effective form of activism," he said. Hetherington said he has been careful to design A Day Without a Gay — he came up with the name after the film "A Day Without a Mexican" and liked it because it rhymed — so no one feels excluded or threatened. He has specifically urged high school students not to walk out of their classes and assured college students they won't be disloyal to the cause if they go ahead and take their final exams. He also has listed opportunities — ranging from writing letters to members of Congress about federal gay rights legislation to spreading the word about Wednesday on social networking sites — for gay marriage backers who cannot miss work.

Man Jailed After Trying To Save Pets As Home Burns

Dick Tator — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 03:37:37 GMT

ZEPHRYHILLS - Henry Ben Morgan wanted to save his pets.Instead, he ended up in handcuffs and at least three dogs and a cat perished in the blaze that destroyed his home.Just before 11 a.m. today, firefighters were called to 35615 Chester Drive and arrived 12 minutes later, finding the home engulfed in flames.At some point, Morgan's wife arrived, followed by Morgan a few minutes later, said Pasco Fire Rescue Assistant Chief Mike Ciccarello.Morgan started running for the house. Sheriff's deputies and firefighters yelled for him to stay back, but he kept going toward a window.Deputies and firefighters, according to a report, restrained him so he could not jump through the window and into the blaze.Morgan, 41, was forcibly removed from the scene, the report states, and was arrested on charges of obstructing the extinguishment of a fire, a felony, and resisting arrest without violence, a misdemeanor, respectively.He was being held at the Land O' Lakes Jail this evening. Bail was set at $5,150.About 20 firefighters continued fighting the one-alarm fire but couldn't save the animals or the home, Ciccarello said."It looks like a total loss," he said.The family of five, including two teenage girls and a 7-year-old boy, are being helped by the American Red Cross.The fire began between a garage-turned-bedroom and a utility room in the small ranch home. The cause was a worn extension cord that had been run under a door, Ciccarello said.No one was injured.

Hey Fatass! Two seats for the price of one!

Dick Tator — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 03:36:25 GMT

OTTAWA (Reuters) - Obese people have the right to two seats for the price of one on flights within Canada, the Supreme Court of Canada ruled on Thursday.The high court declined to hear an appeal by Canadian airlines of a decision by the Canadian Transportation Agency that people who are "functionally disabled by obesity" deserve to have two seats for one fare.The airlines had lost an appeal at the Federal Court of Appeal in May and had sought to launch a fresh appeal at the Supreme Court. The court's decision not to hear a new appeal means the one-person-one-fare policy stands.The appeal had been launched by Air Canada, Air Canada Jazz and WestJet.

"Christmas" Lights?

SAMSON — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 03:35:29 GMT

BAH HUMBUG! Today I considered spending time outside in the toasty 60 F Late November day hanging Festive Samhain Lights but at about $7/12 feet for the CHEAP ones? I'd probably need 6 boxes. $42 bucks for freakin' lights....no But that's just the tip of the iceburg.... Am I the only one that's planning to spend NOTHING; Zero; ZIP; NADA this holiday?

suiside for the elderly

oki — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 03:33:11 GMT

okay so lots of you dont agree with euthanasia, beeing put to slep by a doctor when youre old and terminally ill. how about old peopel who have a bottle of pills they can take when they feel its been enough? i red this gains populairity in the Netherlands, people who want to decide their own ending, and not depend on a doctor to decide, if or when they can leave. they get the pills from abroad, or illegally.

UN sees new peril in Asia's huge brown cloud cover

oki — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 03:32:42 GMT

taru wuz here;

What Say You?

Tally — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 03:31:41 GMT

Lindsay Lohan has just confirmed in an interview that she is (and has been for a while) dating Samantha Ronson and that she loves her and all that. So is Lindsay a lesbian, a bisexual, or just a hetero girl that is "confused" and going through a "phase"? What say you?[img]http://dailybedpost.com/images_entries/lindsay_lohan_samantha_ronson.jpg[/img]

Poll: Who was the BEST President since Bill Clinton!?

Dick Tator — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 03:31:27 GMT

Yeah, answer the poll and discuss!!

Is NJR soliciting for CP?

Dick Tator — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 03:30:03 GMT

NJR posted a poll asking which child star would appear in Playboy when they turned 18. Someone pointed out that Cyrus had already done nudes, and what did NJR do? He asked for LINKS! He flat out asked for links to a nude underaged child star. Hmmmm..... And I thought others were blaintant with their attraction to little girls but NJR has removed any question in my mind.I would like to point out Im not accusing him of anything. He DID ask for the person to post a link. Im not suggesting that he is a Pedo, however, I personally feel that his is, and thats my opinion, not based on any relivent facts. Anyways... yeah...Please Discuss. :p

Do you want more niggers in your town?

Ghost — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 03:28:28 GMT

Serious poll.Who wants more theiving, smelly niggers in their town?

Godless and free!

Dick Tator — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 03:27:18 GMT

[url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YjZ-lSn0A3M]YouTube - Godless and free[/url][yt]YjZ-lSn0A3M[/yt]

Election 2008: The Endwar Effect!

Dick Tator — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 03:27:16 GMT

[IMG]http://uk.playstation.com/media/116395/endwar_hero.jpg[/IMG]The highly anticipated game, Endwar, is set for release on 4 Nov. 2008. Lots of gamers are going to buy this game at midnight, and play it for several several hours. The question is, which demographic will be more likely to buy this game, and miss the election, thus causing the other person to win?On one hand, young people are gamers, and younger people are supporting Obama for a large extent. The release of this game could cause thousands of potential Obama supporters to stay home and play this game.On the other hand, its a war game. It will be bought by people in the military and people who are intrested in other war games like the Medal of Honor series. These people are probably more conservitive and more likely a McCain supporter than an Obama supporter. McCain advocates war, while Obama is a pussy. This game might cause McCain to lose the vote of this critical segment of the population.What is your take on this, and do you think this game could potentially be more politically explosive than when the Communist Superhero Game, Super Mario Bros. was released in 1985?

Bush: Total Fuck Up?

SAMSON — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 03:24:51 GMT

OK, I've held my tougue. But really, I appreciate the fact that no buildings in NYC have been destroyed...but WTF else??? Frankly, our leadership, even since G. Wahington, haven't been held to very high standards (and G.W. only had to run away and hide Our Army for 8 years to be Our National Hero).

Guess where all that 700 Billion is going? Here's an example...

Dick Tator — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 03:24:46 GMT

(CNSNews.com) – A tax break for movie and television producers who agree to film their shows in the United States – a part of the $700 billion economic stabilization package signed into law by President Bush on Oct. 3 – will cost taxpayers $470 million over the next 10 years, according to an Oct. 1 report published by the Joint Committee on Taxation. The tax cut, designed to entice Hollywood and TV producers to shoot their films domestically, will cost taxpayers $358 million in 2009 and $470 million by 2018, the report states. Described in the financial bailout bill as an “expansion and extension” of a nearly identical provision in a 2004 law, the revision now allows producers to write off $15 million in production costs on any movie they produce and slashes a restriction in the 2004 law that excluded films with budgets of over $15 million. The current legislation would also allow filmmakers filming in the United States to qualify for a tax deduction, capping the top tax rate at 32 percent instead of 35 percent. “A taxpayer may elect to treat the cost of any qualified film or television production as an expense which is not chargeable to a capital account. Any cost so treated shall be allowed as a deduction,” states the original tax break, passed in a corporate tax bill in 2004 and extended in the $700 billion economic stabilization package. Dan Glickman, chairman and CEO of the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA), told CNSNews.com in a statement on Monday that he thinks these tax cuts will help the U.S. economy. “This could not come at a better time for our economy, particularly for the growing number of states where film and television production means real revenues, real jobs, and real local economic activity,” said Glickman. “This puts our industry, which employs 1.5 million Americans, on equal footing under the tax code with other leaders of the U.S. economy, and will help keep jobs and film production here in the United States,” he added. But Stephen Ellis, vice president of Taxpayers for Common Sense, a conservative group, told CNSNews.com that while he is not opposed to tax cuts, Americans should be given a chance to carefully examine such expenditures. “The problem is that we need to look at all of these provisions and see if they still make sense for taxpayers in light of our current economy,” Ellis told CNSNews.com. On Sept. 23, before the bailout package passed, a nearly identical provision was passed by the Senate in a 92-3 vote as part of a $100 billion tax package. But it failed when fiscally conservative House Democrats, known as Blue Dogs, and House conservatives objected because its costs were not offset within the budget and therefore would have added to the federal deficit. But later in the month, after the first bailout had been defeated in the House by 12 votes on Sept. 29, the provision for Hollywood was added to the bailout as part of what became known as a “sweetener package” to attract members who were reluctant to vote for the $700 billion bill. On Sept. 24, Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) told a crowd at a campaign stop in Freeland, Mich., that adding “any kind of earmark”’ to the bailout plan “simply cannot happen.” "It is completely unacceptable for any kind of earmarks to be included in this bill," he said. "It would be outrageous for legislators and lobbyists to pack this rescue plan with taxpayer money for favored companies. This simply cannot happen.” On Oct. 1, however, McCain joined his opponent for the White House, Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.), in casting his vote, as a senator, in favor of the bill. [url=http://www.cnsnews.com/public/content/article.aspx?RsrcID=37849]CNSNews.com - $700 Taxpayer Bailout Gives Hollywood $470 Million Tax Cut[/url]