aroddoold

The US prison industry and how it influences law enforcement in Everything Else Demigod Forums

US prisons are a business. Private coorporations build and manage prisons and get paid by the state to handle prisoners. This creates an immediate conflict of interest: The prison industry wants as many felons ar possible while the state prefers free taxpaying americans. To further increase revenue, prisoners are put to work. Now, that isn't a bad thing per se, but ask yourself this: Do you really want to tell a convicted murderer your name, address and credit card

Reply to Health care reform: The motives behind the opposing parties in Everything Else Demigod Forums

[quote who="Frogboy" reply="288" id="2348737"] [quote]So, what was the point of all that rambling? You americans now have to opportinity to define anew what should be important in your society. To decide what is your 'right'. You have arguments on both sides of the issue and it's an important issue. It's important to discuss it, it's important to discuss about what values are important and it's important to be informed before you commit to a path. [/quote] I don't

Reply to Health care reform: The motives behind the opposing parties in Everything Else Demigod Forums

Ultimately, your country is what you want it to be. That is the essence of democracy. I may not agree with some of your opinions on what "right" or which values your society as whole should treasure. If the majority should agree that your rights include the right to sell your organs to whoever they want (yes, you may not do so) - then it becomes your right under god and country. Of course, some squeamish minority might complain that this reduces the poorer population to nothin

Reply to The personal cost of Health Care - An international comparison in Everything Else Demigod Forums

@psychoak Thank you for trying to derail this thread. Your opinion is important to me. Please create a new thread with the topic you wish to talk about and invite me to it. @Jalicos Thank you for your numbers. I admit I don't have an idea on how large income/tax/insurance varies between different states but it's interesting to see any numbers from a foreign country. I didn't mention apartment rent because they vary too much to be comparable. And I imagine

Reply to The best of Jon Stewart (The Daily Show) in Everything Else Demigod Forums

Well, Stewart is clearly not a conservative and he can give his stories any inflection he wants - so, no, he's definetly not unbiased. And you can see in the McCaughey interview how he deals with "bitches that need someone to kick their teeth in for the shit they are saying". Beck could easily have told the caller that he didn't support the bailouts at all and that he said so in previous shows but instead he rages on like a wrathful animal. Anyway, sorry for biting the bait. L

Reply to The best of Jon Stewart (The Daily Show) in Everything Else Demigod Forums

I like how he even treats guests on the polar opposite of his political view and ethic standards with courtesy and gives them a chance to explain their position. He usually trashes them anyway but at least he doesn't do it by screaming them into the ground. <param name="allowscr

Reply to The personal cost of Health Care - An international comparison in Everything Else Demigod Forums

Small addition: The german health care cost can rise up to about 400€ if you earn significantly more. Also, half of the total cost of health care fees have to be paid by the employer (i.e. €185 employee + €185 employer = €370) - and there's no legal way an employer can choose to avoid paying for his employees health care costs.

Reply to Health care reform: The motives behind the opposing parties in Everything Else Demigod Forums

[quote who="Melchiz" reply="251" id="2347680"]Also, these are the off-topic boards of a software company. I mean, would agents of insurance companies or politicians really waste their time here? [/quote] sure, if they can reach enough people. Let's check the blizzard forums.

Reply to Health care reform: The motives behind the opposing parties in Everything Else Demigod Forums

[quote who="zndkwin" reply="248" id="2347542"]Only greedy insurance companies and the conservative politicians in bed with them are against health care reform. Simple as that.[/quote] You wish it were as simple as that. If you were right then all persons here ranting against the reform must be lobbyists for insurance companies or a terminally stupid. While I'm surprised and a bit appalled by the vehemence (and occasional ruthlessness) of the opposition, I can't simply write th

Reply to Health care reform: The motives behind the opposing parties in Everything Else Demigod Forums

How did this discussion drift to Iraq? I lost the thread somewhere ...

The best of Jon Stewart (The Daily Show) in Everything Else Demigod Forums

Jon Stewart the most trusted person in american news. Which is interesting because he isn't a news anchor and his show, The Daily Show , is hosted on Comedy Central. Anyway, some of my favorite moments. <param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"

Reply to Health care reform: The motives behind the opposing parties in Everything Else JoeUser Forums

@ Primal Zed So you are saying that true christian compassion must be individual and must not be practiced by a state? Doesn't the official motto "In God We Trust" imply a state based upon christian values and if so, isn't that state compelled to act upon those principles?

Reply to Jesus - The Manga in Everything Else JoeUser Forums

added some other pages and the link. yes, it's about HIM.

Reply to Health care reform: The motives behind the opposing parties in Everything Else JoeUser Forums

@Primal Zed But isn't that an unchristian philsophy? Many americans and much more republicans seem to share your life philosophy while at the same time calling themselves devoted christians. Isn't that a contradiction?

Jesus - The Manga in Everything Else Demigod Forums

I wonder if Jesus can do a Kamehameha ... http://www.onemanga.com/Billy_Bat/14/01/

Reply to Health care reform: The motives behind the opposing parties in Everything Else Demigod Forums

Thank you so much for hijacking the thread. But we are kinda back discussing cost again. [quote]Two key issues that make the health care reform necessary in the eyes of the proponents are quailty and cost. Quality has been discussed to death and information (and misinformation) is freely available. Cost is harder to estimate - one simply can't understand what estimated costs of trillions of dollars over decades means for your paycheck. So I started a different

Personal Identification Card in Politics JoeUser Forums

I got the impression that US-americans are generally opposed to the idea of a mandatory personal ID. Out of interest I want to ask: Why? What are the advantages of not having an ID? Is this aversion a republican/democratic or conservative/liberal thing?

Reply to Obama = Hitler | Nationalized Health Care = Nazi Socialism in Politics JoeUser Forums

[quote who="aeortar" reply="14" id="2345706"] Nice try at a dodge Just as I thought, absolutely nothing to back up your feeble attempts at disinformation when they're challenged. As usual.[/quote] Nazis are famous for doing that!

Reply to Health care reform: The motives behind the opposing parties in Everything Else Demigod Forums

[quote]If you find an American who owns a car and a big-screen TV but doesn't have health insurance, you likely found an idiot. [/quote] Or someone who lost his job. [quote]But there seem to be quite many of those. [/quote]

Reply to Health care reform: The motives behind the opposing parties in Everything Else Demigod Forums

So you are just saying that one pro motive is the personal inability (due to preexisting conditions or lack of money) to afford health care? Sounds convincing. I'll put that in the list as desperation.

Reply to Health care reform: The motives behind the opposing parties in Everything Else Demigod Forums

In the end all americans would pay for everyone's health care. Willing to sacrifice a part of your income to ensure that every fellow citizen gets insurance may not be altruism but it's the opposite of a selfish "Why should I pay for your health care?" attitude. By altruism as motive I mean that the pro faction sees it as a selfless act, a desire to do what is right, untainted by hidden nefarious agendas.

Reply to German Newspaper Reports: After six months, Obama less popular than George Bush in Democrat JoeUser Forums

[quote who="Leauki" reply="14" id="2345361"] depp Andrew. Nice to meet you. See what happens when you run into someone who holds a view that is slightly more complex than the average German intellectual's? It's embarrasing, isn't it? I also think you didn't expect that I had actually read Boell's book. [/quote] Dude, the whole point of your rhetoric method is to invite flaming, so don't pretend

Reply to Health care reform: The motives behind the opposing parties in Everything Else JoeUser Forums

This is not about arguments pro/con health care reform. It's about the possible motives the pro/con factions might have to either support or fight it.

Reply to Health care reform: The motives behind the opposing parties in Everything Else Demigod Forums

[quote]The August 20th Daily Show Interview covers cost on a limited scale, but mostly covers the "death panel" debate. Clips are a little broken up, so to watch the entire interview, scroll down to the part 1 interview and then do the part 1 and 2 at the top. http://www.thedailyshow.com/[/quote] Just watched the full episode. I'm gonna miss Jon Stewart in the next three weeks. I bet now that he's going on vacation, all the really crazy stuff is going to happen. :) <

Reply to German Newspaper Reports: After six months, Obama less popular than George Bush in Democrat JoeUser Forums

depp It is argued Bild' s thirst for sensationalism results in the terrorizing of prominent people (such as TV presenter Charlotte Roche ) and stories are frequently based on the most dubious evidence. The journalistic standards of Bild , or the lack thereof, are the subject to frequent criticism by German intellectuals and media observers. <a class="new" tit