DocSarvis

Every time I shoot a deer, I thank my animal brother of offering his life so that I may live. I live in a modern world, but possess the skills of my stone age ancestors. Do not tell me what I believe or feel.

"The world is what it is, and therein lies its entire and sufficient meaning." -Edward Abbey

And this:
"Look at Myanmar, if you have been reading the news instead of sticking your head under the dirt, you know the Junta government there certainly is not any friend of the Buddhists. Good will of heaven created cyclone and wipe some of them out."

How many more innocents were wiped out in that storm, you smug little asshole?

I'd like to stick your head under the dirt. posted 05/16/2008 at 17:22:14

Saying what happened in Tibet was "exacerbated" by the Chinese government is an understatemnt.

With regard to building standards in China: they are not long out of the third world, and many older buildings are not up to modern earthquake standards. Besides, I don't hold out much hope for the architecture of St. Louis the next time the New Madrid Fault decides to move. Or Charleston's when it's fault decides to move again.

I know what Karma means, but Bodhiratna above seems to take a different view, and my response was tailored to that view, which I find repellant.

Thank you for your input. posted 05/16/2008 at 15:18:55

The "Will of Heaven" is dead little kids?

That's fucked up.

"Karma is just justice without satisfaction, and I don't believe in justice." posted 05/16/2008 at 12:42:15

Math genius.


"Zimbabwe's inflation tops 1,000%

The poor state of the economy is having an effect on infrastructure
Zimbabwe's inflation rate has surged past the 1,000% mark signalling that the African country is struggling to keep its economy functioning normally.

The poor state of the economy is having an effect on infrastructure
Zimbabwe's inflation rate has surged past the 1,000% mark signalling that the African country is struggling to keep its economy functioning normally.
The annual rate of price growth was 1,042.9% in April, the Central Statistics Office (CSO) said, having risen 129 percentage points from March.

It means average goods are about 11 times as expensive in April 2006 as they were 12 months earlier."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/4765187.stm posted 05/15/2008 at 13:05:00

Eoin,

"Maroon" is a Looney Tunes reference, not a spelling error.

Doc posted 05/15/2008 at 11:57:19

Why do you keep saying VolvoBirkenstock is a moderator? Is this sarcasm or verity? posted 05/15/2008 at 11:52:21

So is this now the off-topic diatribe distraction thread?

Good times. posted 05/15/2008 at 10:55:19

Were I a voter in one of those two states, I would be pushing for change in the state party leadership.

But I live in a state where the party plays by the rules. posted 05/15/2008 at 10:47:02

"Republicans think that everyday is the fourth of July.......Democrats believe everday is April 15th."

Republicans think every day is September 11th. posted 05/15/2008 at 10:31:01

"By the way, has Obama officially wrapped up the nomination? Has he the required number of delegates?"

No:
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2008/president/democratic_delegate_count.html posted 05/15/2008 at 10:28:10

Please stop.

And I don't just mean you. I mean every Democratic supporter of one candidate or the other who stoops to name-calling and tearing down the other candidate.

The truth is: both Obama and Clinton have strengths and weaknesses. Neither is perfect, both have admirable qualities. Both would make fine Presidents.

As for Florida and Michigan: Those state parties broke the rules. Voters knew their votes were meaningless, so many didn't turn out. Some candidates followed the rules and refrained from campaigning in those states. Some candidates were not even on the ballots there. I would fully support a revote in those states. But regardless of who won in FL and MI, I oppose seating their delagates based on the votes that took place in violation of Democratic Party rules. If you can't play by the rules, find another game. posted 05/15/2008 at 10:22:04

I don't disagree with your assessment of the actions of the Chinese government, but unlike the United States, in China the government is not the people. I don't blame the people there for the actions of their authoritarian government. I especially don't blame the children. You can express your distaste for the Chinese government without dismissing the suffering of the earthquake victims.

You say, "[T]hey cant even provide disaster relief for their fellow countrymen." I suppose you think our government did a bang-up job of preparing for and responding to Katrina.

And who says I'm not proud of my country? I'm just sorry that we have people like you. posted 05/16/2008 at 08:49:18

The children crushed in the rubble aren't big boys. This isn't about politics; it's about ordinary people suffering.

You should be ashamed of yourself. posted 05/15/2008 at 16:37:19

An insult to the name of Yoda you are. Compassion you have not.

Anyway, China has a history of underrreporting casualties, not overreporting.

And why would China want "aids"? posted 05/15/2008 at 12:30:54

+1 posted 05/15/2008 at 12:28:36

The old gang is gone. We need to send a bat signal across the interwebz. posted 05/15/2008 at 09:50:33

It's there now. They must have deemed it savory.

Looks like this is the plan:

Step 1: Go to a slow thread

Step 2: Turn it into a chat thread

Step 3: Good times! posted 05/14/2008 at 16:12:43

We on the Left like to call it "Fascism".

Doc don't truck with authoritarians of any persuasion.

I've made two posts, one quoting and commenting on the mod policy, that never made it through. The other was about cheese. posted 05/14/2008 at 15:21:15

"Maybe I'll take up woodworking."

That would probably be more fruitful.

Not only are they limiting the number of responses, they're actually locking subthreads. People couldn't even respond to my parent comment anymore.

That is, as the kids say, "whack". posted 05/14/2008 at 14:41:15

Well, you're right.

And you said Huffpo doesn't censor based on politics!

Re: your comment at the bottom
What's with them closing a subthread to comments? Obviously, my parent comment generated a lot of relevant discussion, some of which I was able to respond to. Since when did they start cutting people off like that here?

It's like they said "Enough of this! We're locking this discussion!" I think they realized that my interpretation of Sam Stein's interpretation of what Obama allegedly said didn't look as good as they thought it did. posted 05/14/2008 at 13:29:34

What did you do to deserve it? ;o) posted 05/14/2008 at 12:42:37

Haven't really found a good one yet.

I'm in the mood for firearms, mayhem, and spicy cheese. posted 05/14/2008 at 12:21:23

Sometimes they do it to be heroes. And it's not just foresters like Terry barton, but firemen as well, like John Leonard Orr. posted 05/14/2008 at 09:35:47

I thought that story was bullshit. posted 05/14/2008 at 10:01:01

Leave it to the Repugs to twist whatever statement into whatever they want.

[ I apologize for using your comment now to reply to someone above, but it looks like they've closed my thread down to comments.]

Ghop said, "Try living in a big city with lots of gun violence."

I do live in a big city with lots of gun violence, a city that has a large population of urban poor, among many of whom I happen to live and with whom I ride the city bus. posted 05/13/2008 at 21:25:00

"You guys."

I wonder what runs through your mind when you write that. What group do you have in mind when you address me in such a way?

As someone who has a vested interest in campus security, I support a policy allowing students and faculty who have passed the necessary safety and background requirements to carry concealed firearms on campus.

I also voted for Obama.

Tell me, Donald: what are your views on public mental health, confidentiality, and interagency information sharing? Because these issues are more relevant to campus violence than the 2nd Amendment at the moment, since the right to keep and bear arms ends at the schoolhouse door. posted 05/13/2008 at 20:02:18

" Help us prevent the Virginia Techs and other tragedies"

http://concealedcampus.org/ posted 05/13/2008 at 17:16:12

"We weren't given the right, we have the right."
Agreed.

"Each state has the right to determine its policies."
Agreed. posted 05/13/2008 at 16:34:21

"Do you see any limit on the kind of arms? Long guns are for hunting. Saturday Night Specials are for hunting people."

There's no such thing as a "Saturday Night Special". That's a term concocted for propaganda purposes. Anyway, a long gun would be better for hunting people than a snubby wheelgun.

No, I don't see much limit on what people should be able to buy, but I do see some limits on who can buy them. Obviously some restrictions make sense, like background checks and safety training.

Rocket launchers are explosive devices and do not fall under the category of guns, though admittedly they are "arms". posted 05/13/2008 at 16:15:08

"I think you've missed the point entirely. The point is that guns are used a lot more in urban areas to commit crimes than they are in rural areas."

I'm assuming you mean "per capita": http://www.statemaster.com/graph/cri_vio_cri_percap-crime-violent-per-capita


Maybe the correlation is restrictive gun laws. Maybe the correlation is poverty. Maybe the correlation is the proximity of poverty to wealth. Maybe the correlation is the quality of the local education. Maybe the correlation is the values of the community.

If the point is that we need to keep guns out of the hands of the urban poor, I'd hate to see Obama say that, because that seems to be your point. posted 05/13/2008 at 16:11:44

I'm sorry that you were a victim of violence, but I doubt your attacker had a concealed carry permit.

What, by the way, is an "assault weapon"? Would my 1947 M-1 carbine be considered an "assault weapon"? posted 05/13/2008 at 16:03:25

"Fact is the vast majority of gun ownerships turn into self, family, neighbor, friend, driver, school shootings."

I call bullshit on that one. Care to rephrase that? posted 05/13/2008 at 16:00:22

Sorry to tell you, man, but you just bought a hoax out of Tom Coburn's office. The folks below have dome a good job of correcting you on this, so let me just say this: If Tom Coburn issues a statement that the earth revolves around the sun, dust off your Copernicus to make sure. posted 05/13/2008 at 15:44:25

We'll see in June, won't we?

"A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the People to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed."

You might as well say the right to vote isn't an individual one. posted 05/13/2008 at 15:40:56

"He thought the constitution and knows the constitution more than you can hope to know if you are not in that field."

Which is why I support his candidacy.

But if he thinks gun ownership is merely a tradition and not a right, we have a difference of opinion.. posted 05/13/2008 at 15:34:59

To respond to a point many made in response to my comment:

I deliberately quoted Sam Stein and not Senator Obama because I believe Stein is putting words in Obama's mouth. My point is that if you were to offer Sam's quote as representative of Obama's view on teh 2nd Amendment to most gun owners--not just the NRA or the gun lobby--it'll start the firestorm all over again. Gun owners do not see the 2nd as a collective right but an individual one, and to diminish it as a mere "personal tradition" that is not for all Americans is to fall on the wrong side of the fence with over fifty percent of American households. posted 05/13/2008 at 15:31:10

"Obama actually does view the right to bear arms as a personal tradition passed through generations, but one that does not necessarily comport to every geographic region."

I hope those aren't his views, since the right to bear arms is not simply a "personal tradition" but an individual right guaranteed by the Constitution of the United States to all free Americans regardless of geographic region. posted 05/13/2008 at 14:50:11

"Me, I just love a good argument. So I'm stuck."

Maybe you could go over to the Sam Stein thread on "bittergate" and back me up on the gun rights argument.

Heh. posted 05/13/2008 at 16:27:46

Well, I think we've found the solution to the reply constraints, unless the mods do another sweep over here.

"But (as you know) HuffPosting is a drug that's really hard to quit."

Fortunately, I have other venues these days, that are much more user-friendly, so it's easier to stay on the wagon. My current favorite is a non-political site--discussing politics will get you the banhammer--and I've grown weary of partisan politics, so it's been good for me. Right now I'm more interested in looking at solutions to real-world problems and tabling the issues that get bogged down by partisanship. posted 05/13/2008 at 15:00:48

"It is my understanding that Kos is not Right Wing friendly. That I would be deleted more "Liberally" there than I am here."

That may be. I haven't spent enough time over there to know one way or another.

"At least here, they claim not to censor based on political bias."

The proof is in the pudding. posted 05/13/2008 at 14:17:10

Thanks, Ms. Bass. Something I've been thinking a lot about lately. posted 05/13/2008 at 14:09:04

Tim,

I signed up over at Kos, but never really posted there much. Maybe that's the place the cool kids hang out now.

When I signed up there and told them I was a regular here, someone said that Huffpo was no place for decent folks.

LOL!

Doc posted 05/13/2008 at 13:58:17

I noticed you got wiped out.

Harrison Bergeron. Good reference. Enforced mediocrity.

[I wish I could find out what happened to Rand.]

Doc posted 05/13/2008 at 13:41:22

Off-topic, gratuitous, obnoxious, spam. Flagged for removal. posted 05/13/2008 at 13:29:53

TimmySlagle:

Responses scrubbed, but you can see my reply to you in my profile.

Doc posted 05/13/2008 at 13:10:52

Hey, Tim.

I still pop in from time to time. I need to change my profile message, I guess, because it wasn't really goodbye, was it? I do think that things have declined around here. It was better when the moderating was minimalist--when only the most obnoxious comments were scrubbed based on "community policing" through the flagging system--and I dislike the forum format. I see that they have reduced the word limit and the number of replies that can be tagged onto a parent comment.

One thing they could do to improve things here is to set up a PM system so off-topic chat like this could take place off the boards. Kos has it, as do others.

I see you comment pretty frequently still. That's good. You offer a level of decency and constructiveness from your side of the aisle that is a credit to your politics.

Thanks for the shout-out.

Doc posted 05/13/2008 at 13:08:32

What can you do? Besides giving money to the Red Cross?

If you live in the areas affected you can do something. In Florida, a group of men wearing gas masks were trying to extinguish fires with hoses and garbage cans full of water. In Sichuan, people are moving rubble by hand to reach victims. But unless you live there or will travel there, there's not much you can do for them.

But you can do something:

Prepare for disasters in your area. Assess your risks and prepare for those contingencies. Store extra food, water, clothing. Join a CERT team. Get Red Cross first aid training. Talk about disaster preparedness with your neighborhood watch, your coworkers, your family. Always carry essentials: flashlight, first aid kit, water, etc.

If you had to evacuate and every gas station had a line around the block, how far could you get on the gas in your tank? Without power for two weeks, could you feed your family?

For everything that you are prepared for, that frees up emergency personnel to help someone else. For everything that you are trained for, you can contribute to the emergency response in your area. For every pint of blood you donate, you help save someone's life.

Contribute cash if you want to do something for the people of Oklahoma, Florida, Sichuan, but you should heed these disasters as wake-up calls to assess the state of your preparedness should a disaster strike you or your loved ones. posted 05/13/2008 at 12:52:51

Eric Alterman on Cokie Roberts:
"With no discernible politics save an attachment to her class, no reporting and frequently no clue, she was the perfect source for a progressive media critic: a perpetual font of Beltway conventional wisdom uncomplicated by any collision with messy reality."

He calls her "a windup conventional wisdom doll."

Pretty apt, imho. posted 05/07/2008 at 14:15:16

You, apparently, since you went to the trouble of posting.

HuffPo doesn't have a PM system, so off-topic banter like this ends up on the comment threads. If you have a problem with it, flag me, because IDGAF. posted 05/01/2008 at 12:44:02

No worries.

I'm just a composer of doggerel and jest. posted 05/01/2008 at 11:48:24

I've been told that before (probably by you). I don't speak or read Japanese, so there's probably a lot lost in translation, but many of Basho's haikus have no season references in them in English:

Behind Ise Shrine,
unseen, hidden by the fence,
Buddha enters nirvana

There are probably words with multiple meanings that get lost. posted 05/01/2008 at 11:38:54

Nine trillion in debt:
Our kids will pick up the tab.
The check's in the mail

haiku by Doc
(c) 2008 posted 05/01/2008 at 11:15:53

Happy International Workers' Day.

Viva la Revolucion.

;o) posted 05/01/2008 at 11:09:58

Well, I think lying on your employment paperwork is grounds for disciplinary action. Trying to save a few bucks in premiums by claiming to live a healthier lifestyle than you really do seems awfully close to fraud to me, regardless of the employers' political affiliations or views on regulation. posted 04/23/2008 at 11:05:05

Do what you have to do. posted 04/22/2008 at 14:53:06

Dude, I'm flagging you for crimes against the English language. (Ironically, I'll bet you're one of those "English Only" xenophobes.) posted 04/22/2008 at 14:41:38

grinreaper apparently has as much trouble reading as it does writing. posted 04/22/2008 at 14:35:34

I am in the NC Dem Party. Trust me. It's no big deal. And who gives a shit about Couric? posted 04/22/2008 at 14:33:23

It will. Simple statistics: Obama has around 85% support among African-Americans in North Carolina and one out of five persons in the state are African American.

Did you pay no attention to South Carolina? That state's large black population helped deliver the state for Obama.

I'm not sure I understand your point. You seem to be saying that because Obama is running an inclusive campaign that black support becomes irrelevant. That's troll logic worthy of grinreaper. posted 04/22/2008 at 14:28:02

No date was agreed upon. You can't "pull out" of something never scheduled. posted 04/22/2008 at 14:16:03

You tell me. With links, please. posted 04/22/2008 at 14:14:36

Then to North Carolina, with it's large African-American population. posted 04/22/2008 at 14:03:35

But you are right. Today is his birthday.

Old Nicky wasn't much of an environmentalist. Soviet communism was worse for the environment than capitalism will ever be. posted 04/22/2008 at 15:46:13

Sorry. I was using the Julian Calendar. Russia didn't go Gregorian until 1918. posted 04/22/2008 at 15:12:14

Lenin was born on April 10th, 1870. His birthday was twelve days ago.

Oh no! You forgot his birthday! Well, you can still send a card. posted 04/22/2008 at 13:32:17

I liked "Bringing out the Dead", "Family Man" and "Matchstick Men". posted 04/04/2008 at 14:17:53

I thought "Hoffa" and "The Pledge" were pretty decent. posted 04/04/2008 at 14:14:36

"What If Hillary Wins The Popular Vote?"

If a frog had wings, he wouldn't bump his ass a-hoppin'. posted 04/02/2008 at 11:43:06

"Johnny could make broad humor sweet."

Well said. posted 04/02/2008 at 13:45:06

Johnny: "Boy, is it hot outside."
Audience: "How hot is it?"
Johnny: "It's so hot, I saw a fire hydrant flag a dog down for relief."

Johnny had a way of making a coarse joke into something you could tell your grandmother. posted 04/02/2008 at 13:16:53

It metacommunicates. ;o) posted 04/02/2008 at 13:04:04

Bad writing is always annoying. Bad writing that communicates unoriginal thinking is even worse.

And I wear boxers when I'm not going commando. posted 04/02/2008 at 12:15:47

How about the grammar and punctuation police?

Sheesh. If you're going to take the trouble to post an obnoxious comment, please take a refresher course in basic writing skills. Then you can disguise your bigotry and lack of originality with good writing. posted 04/02/2008 at 11:39:57

"A total confiscation of firearms has taken place from all law abiding citizens from coast to coast."

Make that: MΟΛΩN ΛΑΒΕ.

I wish Huffpo had a better font choice system. posted 04/02/2008 at 14:46:06

"A total confiscation of firearms has taken place from all law abiding citizens from coast to coast."

Î"ΟΛΩÎ" ΛΑΒΕ! posted 04/02/2008 at 14:44:05

The underlying purpose of these apparent body-paints is unknown. We tend to think of "make-up" as a superficial application designed to improve appearance. These could have been war-paints, used to invoke fear in their enemies. They could have been for transforming themselves into animal totems for ritual purposes. Maybe they had clowns or mimes. posted 03/28/2008 at 13:04:27

You have grown tiresome.

Now is ze time ven ve dance! posted 04/01/2008 at 10:34:17

Los Lobos. Bill isn't Cubano. posted 03/24/2008 at 12:44:38

Because we know how much the Latino community...loves...beards?

:eye roll: posted 03/24/2008 at 12:41:52

Note the "money can buy" part. posted 03/24/2008 at 12:48:25

It's because we have the best health care money can buy. |:o(

I'm still voting for John Edwards. posted 03/22/2008 at 22:42:43