Artysim

Reply to I just don't understand why they charge so much. in Blogging Stardock Forums

[quote]Why such a discrepancy? How are they in business? Why do people go to them?[/quote] I see it much the same as realtors- if you decide to sell your house on your own (or on the internet as has become popular recently) you can win big time in that you get to keep the percentage of the sale that would otherwise go to the realtor. The downside of this is 1) Time- you have to do all the legwork yourself. If your situation is straightforward and simple, and you understan

Reply to A Republican Speaks in Politics Stardock Forums

[quote]You don't think that the US having to "beg and cajole" is a strong indication that fighting a war with NATO is as easy as it should be?[/quote] Well, let's look at NATO- It's a military alliance originally created for the sole purpose of opposing the Soviet Union, primarily in a defensive capacity. An operation in Afghanistsan is a far stretch from the supposed purpose for NATO in the first place, -and- it's a challenge to an organization built around traditional w

Combat in Outer Space! in Gaming JoeUser Forums

-Warning- This article is just about as nerdy as it gets. If you are offended by or allergic to nerds, please turn back now. The last little while I've been completely nocturnal... projects in which work can only be done in the wee hours of the morning when most folks are sleeping. This has had an unforeseen consequence- I've been playing a lot more games than normal. As anyone who's ever had to work during off-times knows (midnight to 8

Reply to This is the End in Current Events Stardock Forums

Wow people commented on my complaint article! w00t! [quote]Eh, 'fraid I don't do video games. Not so much I don't do them per se as I can't do them. Something about all that jumping around on the screen makes me nauseous and ALWAYS gives me a terrible headache -even if I only play just a few minutes. Hell's bells, I even had a hard time sitting through Cloverfield fer cryin' out loud![/quote] I'm mostly the same, and Cloverfield was a headache to watch too! Once in a blue moon t

Reply to A Republican Speaks in Politics JoeUser Forums

[quote]If I answer all these questions, will you shut up?[/quote] Oh Leauki, there you go again! No need to throw a fit. Let's see here; [quote]No, the US did not assist Saddam Hussein's rise to power. Saddam also rose to power long before the invasion of Iran, and both happened without US help[/quote] So, the fact that Saddam pretty much started his career as a hired thug under the employ of the CIA has NO bearing whatsoever on any of this? Just pure happenstance?

Reply to A Republican Speaks in Politics Stardock Forums

[quote]What happens to Iraq after we shut down and leave?[/quote] I can't say. Don't worry, you're not "leaving", just carrying out the original plan which is to leave a garrison of 30,000-ish troops in a few remote mega air bases. [quote]Your article reads like a John Lennon song...and bears about as much resemblance to reality. But it's fun. It is always fun to see how things change when the left is in control. I mean "left" as in "liberal" and not necessarily by political par

Reply to A Republican Speaks in Politics Stardock Forums

[quote]The Americans liberated Germany and the occupation ensured the growth of a new democratic Germany which protected all its citizens and foreigners regardless of ethnicity or religion[/quote] I believe my good fellow, that you may be confusing the issue; you keep going back to Germany as a blanket case for all American occupation. But as I keep saying, there's no comparison between the conditions after WW2 and today. If nothing else, the U.S simply can't afford overseas mil

A Republican Speaks in Politics JoeUser Forums

The following words are from a Republican Congressman in Texas- Imagine for a moment that somewhere in the middle of Texas there was a large foreign military base, say Chinese or Russian. Imagine that thousands of armed foreign troops were constantly patrolling American streets in military vehicles. Imagine they were here under the auspices of “keeping us safe” or “promoting democracy” or “protecting their strategic interests.” Ima

Reply to I’m glad I don’t live in Finland in Politics Stardock Forums

[quote]I understand the rationale – you want the punishment to be felt equally by all citizens. But this flies in the face of the concept of all people are equal in the eyes of the law.[/quote] The truth is, there is a huge double standard in how rich folks are treated when they commit crimes in most countries, and believe me it is in their favour. By the way, I'm not talking "I have a million or two in the bank" rich, I'm talking a couple hundred million or billionaire ri

This is the End in Current Events JoeUser Forums

Sunday night, 8 pm. I've gotta couple of free hours to fart around. Girlfriend's sick and doped up on anti-histamines on the couch, watching her shows (well only sort of watching as she's drifting in and outta la-la land) So I figure I'm gonna do something I haven't done in a looooong time. I'm gonna nerd it up and play some computer games! Back in January I got a new PC. Nothing fancy, an off the shelf deal that's got better processor, memory, RAM, video card t

Reply to It Aint Over 'til the Fat Lady Sings.... in Current Events JoeUser Forums

[quote]Adult stem cell can and have be researched in the US for years.[/quote] This is true. However, all stem cell research based on adult samples up to this point has been dependent on introducing a virus to the tissue to create the desired result. However, this most recent experiment is radically different and removes much of the risk! [quote]Well that's just depressing. ~Zoo[/quote] And what would life be without a little sorrow, praytel?

Reply to The Free Write in Writing Stardock Forums

I'm impressed Roy. Keep on writing and keep on running. Or, as they said in the 70's, "keep on truckin" Kudos to you!

It Aint Over 'til the Fat Lady Sings.... in Current Events JoeUser Forums

Well folks, it looks like things are going to get a whole lot worse before they start getting any better- Today the largest corporate loss in U.S history was reported by AIG. In 4th quarter of 2008 (that's only three months!) they lost over 62 billion dollars. The Dow Jones dropped below 7000 today. In just a little over a year it has lost more than 50% of it's value. Big corp. USA stocks appear to be in a race to the bottom with Citigroup and Ban

Reply to Union only apply in Politics Stardock Forums

[quote]If that is true, then why are unions the biggest monopolies in the US? When was the last time you had heard of two unions competing? The AFL-CIO has a lock on the auto employees.[/quote] Hhhhmm, well seing as 87% of all workers in the U.S are non-union I struggle to see how it's a monopoly.... and as an aside, the argument that the unions are killing N. American auto is easily debunked. It's not the union workers...the people who actually make the product...

Reply to Union only apply in Politics JoeUser Forums

Hi Lee1776, You make some good points! However, if I may offer a counter-argument- In theory, you are correct. However, theory and reality often conflict. Contracts to 100% non-union companies have been just as (if not) more abused in the past. Let's look at an example. In the reconstruction for Hurricane Katrina, the U.S government needed folks to put tarps over damaged roofs. The gov owned and supplied the tarps, all they needed was a little muscle to put t

Reply to Race Report in Life Journals JoeUser Forums

Congratulations- beating your goal by 7 minutes is amazing for any runner! And you've got me beat hands-down on lasting so long before having your first beer of the year!

Reply to Well what do all the nay sayers think now?? in War on Terror JoeUser Forums

[quote]What do all those that said these things think now?[/quote] The war in Iraq was indeed a quagmire, in that many, MANY people died needlessly on both sides. In fact, the U.S almost succeeded in snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. The summer of 2003 was the make-or-break moment for the U.S and the ball was dropped big time. This was not the fault of the U.S military but the fault of civillian politicians who refused to admit their mistakes and made decisions based

Reply to Taper Week in Life Journals Stardock Forums

So.... it's saturday...... How'd it go????

Reply to Taper Week in Life Journals JoeUser Forums

You'll kick arse Roy- are there going to be pacers running this race? If so, just find anyone that's pacing for less than 2 hours and don't let em outta your sight!

Reply to Obama sends $1 Billion to Gaza in War on Terror Stardock Forums

[quote]According to reports I read, President Obama has pledged US$1 Billion to "rebuild" Gaza.[/quote] And you actually think that money will find it's way into Gaza? Much aid is always promised whenever an area of the globe is decimated in one form or another, but as soon as the cameras turn off it seems to peter out mighty quick. After the tsunami that killed a couple hundred thousand in Asia billions in aid was promised, but it was just that, promises. It didn't actually mater

Reply to I Got To Meet A Real Life Loon in Blogging Stardock Forums

1) You were right to put the youngun' in his place... there's no place for personal insults when discussing politics. With that said, I'm regularly accused of being godless liberal terrist' loving scum the moment I question why the U.S needs to maintain more than 700 military bases outside of it's own borders! 2) I would not go so far as to blame Bush for the current debacle.... in my opinion it has much more to do with the fact that the U.S went off the gold standard t

Reply to Giving a Face to the Faceless in Current Events Stardock Forums

[quote]Change it to what, socialism that has never worked?[/quote] Actually, it works quite well in certain scenarios. Canada is semi-socialist and our banking system fared far better than yours!! [quote]Government handouts have never helped, they only make the problem worse[/quote] So what exactly was WW2 then? All of those factories and production facilities were built with money from "government handouts" and after the war there were all of these factories just sitting

Giving a Face to the Faceless in Current Events JoeUser Forums

We've all heard an endless amount of rhetoric about the economy. An infininite number of well-paid pompous talking heads have poured forth from the media machine to pontificate, analyze, scold, and explain to us the sheeple about why exactly it is that we're being kicked in the teeth, and why exactly it's really all our fault. "Gol' dang poor people borrowed more money than they could from the well to do banks and now everything's in the crapper becaus

Reply to Coons Run Wild in the Whitehouse in Current Events Stardock Forums

I LOL'd. Good job!

Reply to Man beaten to death in DC in Politics Stardock Forums

This is a sad story indeed. But playing connect the dots to make a tragedy into a political point is in very poor taste. If you're gonna do that, make sure there's a direct link, like in the case of Jim D Adkisson, who walked into a church in tennessee and started shooting people, a church that he targeted because of it's liberal stance (there's no connecting the dots here, Adkisson left a letter in his car stating his hatred of the liberal movement and the church that helped found