Poi Dog

Reply to Same Sex Marriage vs. Bush in Current Events JoeUser Forums

Brad Wardell - Just what is that profound change on society? You are so quick to defend your own institution without lending afterthought to those that want to live just as you. I applaud your devotion, but you cannot deny that our legislature needs to grant rights to gay citizens, just as they do to every other human being holding an I.D. and a claim to the bounties of this country. There is a reason why a religious instituition can impose their will, and you can be a part of that action. B

Reply to Why Separation? in Philosophy JoeUser Forums

Hah, just wrote a more elementary article on the same issue, and didn't realize we're probably surfing the same wave at the same time. I always enjoy your writing, because regardless of the issue, you write professionally and eloquently, and you help the reader to absorb your points without seeming to heavily critical. I think we're on the same page on this one, and thank you for saying what I can't. This issue is so blindly unconstitutional that the general populace tends not to think of the

Same Sex Marriage vs. Bush in Current Events JoeUser Forums

Ok, regardless of whether or not you are conservative Christian, or if you are in the gay community, or even if your best friend or relative is gay, this issue skirts the, well, issue. It doesn't matter what I think, either, and I'll spare you the majority of my own opinion. What I'm talking about is the Separation of Church and State. A wonderful rule, it is. It keeps religious ethics from interfering with logical progression. We all know that some religions progress slowly.

Reply to NAACP Chooses Poorly With R. Kelly in Current Events JoeUser Forums

averjoe - I'm just wondering why you consider the blog entry to be bordering on racist. A few questions on your points: 1. When did cultural vs. scientific become an issue here? It's an issue of morality, not race, and had nothing to do with the differentiation of society and logic. 2. I'm sure the readers understand the existence of the NAACP, however, the real question should be: "Has the NAACP overextended themselves and their limitations as society progresses?" We know the

Reply to NAACP Chooses Poorly With R. Kelly in Current Events JoeUser Forums

Mira - I see how that came across misconstrued. But a nomination is an award, just look at the back of your favorite videos when they say 'nominated for 6 Academy Awards'. It makes it seem better, doesn't it? And R. Kelly was the artist of the album, hence he would be the award recipient, would he not? And frankly it doesn't matter if he was the biggest thing since Elvis Presley, the man still should not be rewarded with this type of publicity, especially not by the NAACP. To me it appears

Reply to McDONALD'S BAD SERVICE in Consumer Issues JoeUser Forums

I've been actively boycotting McDonald's for almost five years now, and I don't miss it at all. I tend to stray away from almost all fast food joints, but I radically oppose McDonald's for their barbaric conquer-all history. They don't care what you think. They care that you buy. They simplify all their equipment so that they can hire the youngest, most ill-educated people they can (not that everybody that works there is, mind you), so that they ca

Reply to Should Offensive Art Be Taken Away? in Current Events JoeUser Forums

AR-15 - Actually, if you read what the artists had intended, it was a transition of innocence into a murderer, and had nothing to do with glorification. But what appears to be anti-semitic from first glance was meant to draw people into controversy. It represents the innocence of childhood twisted through control into a suicide bomber. And I hope you are of the Jewish community, because otherwise you may be another product of the U.S. media. Mazel reacted just as you did, making rash judgem

Reply to Barings and American Gold Exports in Current Events JoeUser Forums

Wahkonta - I've just never heard of this, but it doesn't mean you're wrong, because I'm certain I'm not the most informed person in the world (grin). I'll look up Senator Bumphus, and I'll look into the "Executive Outcomes" because THAT seems more plausible than the gold bullion story. If you have any links or books that you recommend, I'd be happy to look at them. And thanks for writing. You certainly got my attention.

Reply to Should Offensive Art Be Taken Away? in Current Events JoeUser Forums

GH33DA - Well, offensive material is defined by the people who ARE offended, and therefore it is brought to light. But we don't have to agree, because the powers are distributed by many, and the few don't have such a collective voice. Things like the media can amplify the small person's voice, and that is why the media is power. But I try to point out that people will be offended, and some will be wondering what is offensive, but artwork doesn't have to have a majority of supporters to exist,

Reply to Barings and American Gold Exports in Current Events JoeUser Forums

I just got off the phone with my friend, who is a high source from the World Wildlife Fund. She acknowledges that even though the WWF was started in Europe through the Duke of Edinburgh, the control is in Brussels and Switzerland, and the leader is an African. The leaders of the group are paid amenities from a trust fund that was started in the 60's, and now divisional control is devoted to region. And guess what? There are no WWF members in our national parks. There are no properties in th

Reply to Barings and American Gold Exports in Current Events JoeUser Forums

Whoa, whoa, you're delving into a lot of different conspiracy theories. As for the World Wildlife Fund, how on Earth are a bunch of environmentalists and intelligensia associated through the British Royals, not to mention affiliated with mistreating illegal immigrants, and even still helping to offload gold bullion? Where did you find this stuff? Because if its true, then you should be a popular novelist, or maybe I'm not reading the right stuff. Sorry, the article is really thought-provokin

Should Offensive Art Be Taken Away? in Current Events JoeUser Forums

Well, here we are again, involved with the battle of Israel and Palestine. Only this time a suicide bomber is immortalized through a piece of artwork in the Stockholm Museum of Antiquities. Last Friday a Jewish man, Zvi Mazel, disonnected cabling that supported lights for a piece of artwork, which caused it to fall into the set. The artwork was a piece of floating paper in a 'boat' with the picture of the deceased Palestinian bomber Hanadi Jaradat. The solution that the boat was fl

NAACP Chooses Poorly With R. Kelly in Current Events JoeUser Forums

At first I thought I was the only one wondering if there was something amiss with the NAACP and their 'image awards'. Besides their obvious choices for popularity votes in the music industry, it came to light that R. Kelly was one of the recipients. Now, before I get to the obvious implications of this, I have to restress that to be a NON African-American, and to criticize something as sacred as the NAACP is to commit 'humanitarian suicide'. Well, after really reading into this, I'm

Reply to NAFTA intro for "Poi Dog" in Business JoeUser Forums

Thank you for providing this information. I'm still chewing on it, and perhaps I can put it to use with another speculative article. I don't want to make ill-formed opinions, and your article is helping to educate. Thanks for taking time to do this.

Reply to Illegal Immigrants Are Humans, Too in Current Events JoeUser Forums

Tony - I found your comments intriguing, and worthy of more research and reading. If you have any particular links, articles, or references, I would find them most helpful. I have worked side by side with many illegal immigrants back in my heyday in the kitchens of restaurants, and it was amazing how many benefits they could receive, and how the workplace even encouraged their illegal status. Many were paid under the table, and others received perks that many in this country would be fortunat

Reply to Presidential Voting or Trip To Dentist? in Current Events JoeUser Forums

Wahkonta Anathema - Perhaps you can write an article on the issue of NAFTA and the possible impact on this election. I, for one, am still pretty illiterate on the trade agreement, and am sometimes daunted by the conflicting pros and cons. Thank you for your comments. I'm also wondering if Nader is still going independent, since he dropped the Green Party, and what influence he might have in this election.

Presidential Voting or Trip To Dentist? in Current Events JoeUser Forums

The way I look at the situation is this: Whatever platform or political sway you vote for, you are voting on the war. Is that what Bush had in mind previously? Vote for Dubyah, and you concede that deception and power are quality virtues, or at least they are traits that can be overlooked in a World Leader. Vote for Dean or Gen. Clark, and you overturn the sacrifices of our nation in that land called Iraq. My first moral question: Assuming you opposed the war in Ira

Reply to Did Bush manipulate public opinion for the war in Iraq? in Politics JoeUser Forums

I wish I could respond in kind to many of the replies here, but there are simply too many tangents. I just wanted to lend perspective to those of you watching the war from your television sets: 1. The population cannot accept democracy. The Imams and clerics and religious leaders are the key holders of power. The U.S. gives leadership positions to those who could be a real help to Iraqi society, but the populace will not accept them, particularl

What is Our Goal in Iraq? in Current Events JoeUser Forums

I'm not ashamed to admit it. I'm really wondering what we're doing in Iraq. I mean, news media and political messages aside, I know that Saddam Hussein is an evil man. His regime is guilty of atrocities, and I, personally, am glad to see my Kurdish friends here finally relieved that they are able to go back and help their families rebuild. I'm glad that fellow humans are able to have a better chance at a life that is significantly better, and hopefully longer and more fruitful. I'm gl

Reply to How God Dosent Exist in Philosophy JoeUser Forums

Pefection is an abstract thought, anyhow. You only know perfection based on previous experience. If that is the case, then perhaps we, as people, have no concept of perfection because we base it upon small events in our lives. The very root of perfection could be spatial, abstract, or conceptless. If you look at an atom, it seems to have perfection; every part has a perfect meaning, a purpose. The subatomic particles, however undefined some may be

Pete Rose a Few Years Too Late in Sports & Leisure JoeUser Forums

Short and simple: when all else fails, say you're sorry so you can give a rebirth to your dead career. Pete Rose has come clean too many years too late. It really isn't the question that he was a gambling man, or that he gambled on baseball, or that he even bet on his own team. History has already judged him. Rose finally comes clean after the media haunts and sports goons have completed their feeding frenzy, when it is finally safe to say the truth in the hopes that a se

Reply to Yellowstone a Erupting Volcano? in Current Events JoeUser Forums

I'd recommend to you the book, "* A Short History of Nearly Everything" by Bill Bryson. He did some research into Yellowstone, and although his stats from the park geologists and vulcanologists differ somewhat, they do address the fact that the volcano is due to erupt according to its history. They also mention the events that have taken place, as well as the fact that 50% of the world's hot springs and geysers are located in Yellowstone. The volcano is so huge, it has blown away a mountain r

Military Tradition or Media Lackey? in Current Events JoeUser Forums

The military is fast becoming a torn image. They are trying to retain their old values, and keep the tradition of the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ), and at the same time cater to modern views, which are most certainly influenced by the liberal media. As for me, my opinion doesn't matter, necessarily. What I do know is, the military cannot function on both ends of the spectrum, and expect to achieve a positive or progressive end result. Consider some of their controversi

Reply to Japan Criticized for Honoring War Dead in Current Events JoeUser Forums

Thank you, BakerStreet, you have hit the ethical nail on the head; you have completed my thoughts. I especially like the analogy made between the average German soldier and a statue of Hitler or Goebbels.

Reply to 15 Common Opinions Debated in the United States in Philosophy JoeUser Forums

What else can I say about Betamax. I was young, and not wise in the ways of Sony. And Mr. Wardell, I'm not getting too deep into semantics, just simply inspired by your agitation, because *I* identified with your frustration. And since I'm not too skilled at heavy repartee, I thought it would be fun to do my own. Hope it didn't ruffle your feathers. Besides, the title is everything to a columnist, right?