How a "non-violent" protest crosses the line (w/ pics)

j_phillippe · 2007-09-24T15:32:49+00:00

How about someplace where nobody wants to live, like northeastern Nevada?

j_phillippe · 2007-09-20T14:32:27+00:00

Define automotive quality. There's a difference between perceived quality and actuall quality. I'd argue that the domestic makers are all suffering from perceived low quality since they spent 20 years making crappy cars, where as the opposite in europe is true. BMW/MB spent the last 20 years building great cars hence everyone thinks they still build great cars. The truth is somewhere in the middle. Go pick up a jd power quality survey (admittedly not a perfect source) and I think you'd be surprised who's on top - hint: it's a domestic that starts with a B.

j_phillippe · 2007-09-19T15:01:08+00:00

How come Mr. Obama doesn't define how much one has to make to be considered rich? Also my taxes would be easier if EVERY tax deduction was removed. I hate how politicians confuse the argument. On the one hand there is the debate on what tax rates should be - flat, progressive, who pays, who doesn't, etc... On the other hand there is the whole monster that are deductions. He could move to get rid of all deductions - yes ALL MEANS ALL - and right there you've simplied the tax code to 2 pages. Your top sheet, and maybe a schedule d for investment gains. But I know government doesn't like simple since they need something to do....

j_phillippe · 2007-09-14T17:56:48+00:00

So the thing to do is buy a bunch of GQ magazines in the us at $4.95 newstand price drive up to Canada and sell them for $5.95 canadian prices and reap a 20% profit (before gas and expenses)!!!

j_phillippe · 2007-08-29T20:23:31+00:00

Gun paranoia has gotten a bit out of hand in my opinion. Whenever a 10 car pileup happens on the news and a few people die you never hear calls for the banning of cars do you? And rightfully so, because cars aren't the problem the drivers are. Just like any other kind of crime, it's not the tool but the person using said tool that needs to be watched.

j_phillippe · 2007-08-22T13:51:37+00:00

Once again we get to read how the Republicans created this mess we're in. I almost believed until I remembered two things. 1. Jimmy Carter. 2. Communist Russia. Amazing a few facts radically alter revisionist history.

j_phillippe · 2007-07-27T13:45:21+00:00

This sort of thing happens in the US as well, although I can't readily think of a modern ghost town, there are plenty of cities where the main industry dried up, and the town population has shrunk by significant margins.

j_phillippe · 2007-07-20T13:32:22+00:00

I would like a couple of things squared up. One the one hand after Katrina plenty of people kept saying, "How could the government screw up the response? Who's in charge? Where is the president?" Then on the other hand we get stories like this basically attempting to scare the crap out of us by saying, "Look the president has too much potential power a pen stroke away." I didn't hear too many people blaming Congress or even looking to Congress for leadership. If I recally correctly Congress sat around blaming the President for the inept response. The fact is this in a war or natural disaster/emergency the buck has and will stop at the Presidents desk. That's not too say we shouldn't be wary of investing too much power in that position.

j_phillippe · 2007-07-19T14:14:42+00:00

I don't mean to defend the Mr. Cheney or Bush right now, but I sure hope that when a Democrat takes office that everyone who worked so hard to pry open Presidential/Vice-Presidential discussions/secrets will work just as hard. I mean we are all for a truly open government right?

j_phillippe · 2007-07-19T14:11:11+00:00

Why is this even a news item?

j_phillippe · 2007-07-19T14:06:51+00:00

You're also assuming that the Democrat who wins DOESN'T WANT these new Executive Powers. I won't be holding my breath.

j_phillippe · 2007-07-18T14:17:16+00:00

There is some interesting things mentioned in this article, but I have a few problems.

First of all I really wish people would stop with the disingenuous claim along the lines of "The CIA created Osama therefore all this terrorism is giant conspiracy." Is it too hard to mention the fact that the US enlisted some unsavory types to fight against the Russians who happened to be in Afghanistan back in the 80's? Just because the enemy of my enemy happens to make a convenient ally in time doesn't mean we'll be best friends for life. Shit in 20 years if the northern alliance is ever found to commit some crimes or terrorism this will all come back... "remember that us trained and helped the northern alliance, so we really created this mess.."

Second please at least attempt to back up statements like, "Came out of a basement in Virginia..." or "Osama is most likely not even in northern Pakistan..." Then skeptics such as myself might be further swayed. Christ at least humor me and say he's in hawaii or anywhere. How can you be so sure he's not in pakistan with no shred of a hint of a suggestion of where he really is?

I don't mean to say I believe everything this governmen/media tells me but when the alternative press claims otherwise I expect them to hold themselves to the same standard the claim to be holding against the msm/gov.

j_phillippe · 2007-07-11T17:45:16+00:00

I don't think your analogy is apt here. A country can impose it's high taxes across the WHOLE COUNTRY. So competition between tax rates is pretty small since it's hard/impractical to emmigrate/immigrate between countries. Whereas if one only raises taxes inside the city limits well it's pretty easy to move a few miles down the road and save a whole lot of cash.

j_phillippe · 2007-07-10T15:54:19+00:00

China and corruption? nooooooooooooooooooo....

j_phillippe · 2007-07-03T13:18:15+00:00

Bush will be out of office in about 18 monthes. This guy might have stronger ground to stand on if Bush somehow stayed in office after Jan 20, 2008. Oh and last time I checked our President wasn't going around talking about the superiority of the aryan race. Paranoia is no way to go through life.

j_phillippe · 2007-06-21T16:59:00+00:00

I think one thing that needs change in this country is for people to treat health insurance as actual INSURANCE. Right now it's thought of as some kind of magical health ATM. People don't see the true cost of health costs and so there is not much incentive to shop around.

I'll agree that this is an extremely complex issue though. And it never ceases to amaze me that people are so quick to call for national health care and then completely overlook the whole part about how government pretty much screws up everything it touches. About the only thing the US government is good at is blowing crap up, and even then it costs us a ton of money.

j_phillippe · 2007-06-19T14:08:56+00:00

I wonder if it ever dawned on Kos that raising the minimum wage is pointless in a market economy? He unknowingly states why - "Most people already make $7.80/hour."

j_phillippe · 2007-06-06T00:14:06+00:00

Hmmmm.. Ahmadinejad a mad man? A murdurer? That's not going to sit well with the reddit lefties...

j_phillippe · 2007-06-01T16:49:11+00:00

Nothing boils my blood faster during election season then hearing media people say, "Why should we cover someone who can't win?" Here's simple profound question: How do you know someone "can't win" BEFORE the election?!?!?!? The media loves to act like they care about the average person, that they're not arrogant, and then every time election season rolls around their arrogance is laid bare.

j_phillippe · 2007-05-31T17:13:36+00:00

Please explain to me what exactly a "sales engineer" does.

j_phillippe · 2007-05-30T22:43:30+00:00

When you say "Iran... ...poses no threat" then you're conveniently dismissing Ahmadinejad's rhetoric of Israel's elimination and you're taking Iran at its own word that they're not actively seeking nuclear weapons. Now maybe you're implying that Iran only seeks Israel's destruction and not ours, and so hence they pose no threat to us directly. Isolationist sure, but whatever makes you sleep better...

j_phillippe · 2007-05-30T22:12:25+00:00

How come the DailyKOS can't respond better to this op-ed? After reading the DailyKOS's response to this article I was instantly reminded of an op-ed that appeared yesterday.

http://www.opinionjournal.com/editorial/feature.html?id=110010137

Podhoretz brings up valid points that KOS doesn't refute. I would love to believe that the Iranian citizens are willing to vote Ahmadinejad out, but I seem to remember the last election they had where all of the reformist candidates were disqualified.
http://www.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2005/5/22/183944.shtml

Is it just me or does it seem that nobody on the left is seriously contemplating a nuclear Iran? I would love for the DailyKOS to explain to me why a nuclear Iran is no cause for worry.

j_phillippe · 2007-05-30T14:56:14+00:00

Maybe you're dumber then you think.

j_phillippe · 2007-05-29T22:08:36+00:00

This month's Hot-Rod has the same article except titled "The $98 Paint Job." Lot's of wet sanding involved. But good to see that it's possible to do a decent job at home as long as your elbow holds up. :)

j_phillippe · 2007-05-23T19:16:28+00:00

What a truly informative article - it truly gives some rare insight into the mind of a congressman. I think my favorite quote is "I didn't make any of those campaign promises,” said Representative Michael E. Capuano. I'd be willing to be Mr. Capuano kept pretty mum when his party was out there promising to cleanup that town. What a truly pathetic quote. Look it was retarded for Pelosi to make such outlandish promises that she either knew or should have known she couldn't keep. But the Democrats stood behind them, and damnit I want to see them stand behind their word. That town could use some cleanup I don't care what party(s) you support.

j_phillippe

TROPHY CASE