Scalia rocks. He's the only true conservative on the USSC.
Thank god for Antonio. We'd all be eating tofu and saying Islamic prayers five times a day if it weren't for him and those like him.
Oh wait, unless, of course, you're female, then you'd be cooking and cleaning and making babies behind a veil - no time for prayers.
JTT wrote:okie wrote:One thing is for sure in regard to abortion, the trumped up "right to privacy" as the grounds for the Roe v Wade decision is obviously bogus to anyone that has a lick of sense. Bad decision based on bad constitutional arguments.
I can't remember if you were on the list but you sure should be, Okie.
People who are prohibited from commenting on constitutional issues:
MM
Okie
Antonin Scalia
Contrary to what you might believe, common sense still means something when it comes to the law. Do not be fooled by the fact that lawyers use big words to make it appear that only they are smart enough to interpret them, but it is only a game they play, so that they get to run things and charge exorbitant prices for telling the rest of us what the laws allow us to do or not to do.
Lawyers suck. Even the ones related to me that I like otherwise.
A profession of lies.
There are some good ones, but I honestly think their professional standing tends to give many of them an arrogant view of the world and the rest of us, that they alone have the keys to making society work, and all the answers. By putting their signature on a piece of paper, or speak in a courtroom, they weild lots of power, and they know it. Listen to some of the senators, and that becomes so evident, it is embarrassing. Most people understand this, and thus all the lawyer jokes.
To a lawyer, 2 + 2 does not have to equal 4, it could be most anything, if they want it to be.
okie wrote:Diest TKO wrote:You could make this argument if they had an alternative to purchase. In cities with a functional public transit system, many people are making the choice to travel via bus/train. Actions are being taken.
Everybody has an alternative. It doesn't have to be a bus, it could be a bicycle, a moped, a horse, your own two legs. Granted, some driving may be almost necessary, for a while until you move away from your addiction to oil, but it is because we have wed our lifestyle to cars, why, because they are extremely efficient, which again shows the gasoline has been very well worth it.
This is a thread about idealism, realism, and practicality. You said that people think it's worth it to buy, I say that most don't have an alternative. You list off many options, but none of which are very practical or realistic.
That's the problem.
K
O
Diest TKO wrote:okie wrote:Diest TKO wrote:You could make this argument if they had an alternative to purchase. In cities with a functional public transit system, many people are making the choice to travel via bus/train. Actions are being taken.
Everybody has an alternative. It doesn't have to be a bus, it could be a bicycle, a moped, a horse, your own two legs. Granted, some driving may be almost necessary, for a while until you move away from your addiction to oil, but it is because we have wed our lifestyle to cars, why, because they are extremely efficient, which again shows the gasoline has been very well worth it.
This is a thread about idealism, realism, and practicality. You said that people think it's worth it to buy, I say that most don't have an alternative. You list off many options, but none of which are very practical or realistic.
That's the problem.
K
O
Small cycles are booming, and I see more people walking and riding a bicycle, so I think they are very practical in certain situations. Also, ranchers can use horses more instead of pickup trucks. Maybe ATV's are also being used more by farmers instead of large vehicles for many jobs, building fence, checking cattle, etc. There are many options, Diest that would take a long time to mention. Live closer to your work, if possible, not always possible, but certainly possible for many people.
Okie - Your suggestions are great but they would not work uniformly. Many people, myself included would love to live closer to work, but my apartment was chosen to optimize on a number of things, namely "what can I afford?" As for open air transport like bikes, motorcycles, mopeds, horses, etc, they are great in a temperate climate, but otherwise, they aren't going to be practical. I do agree that if these are a practical option, then they are superior, but that doesn't work out for enough people.
I have a friend in Minneapolis. He owns a motorcycle and a car. He can't use his bike in the fall or winter (sometimes late into spring) due to the weather. He loves his bike because of it's superior fuel economy, but I'm sure he'd be the first to acknowledge that he cards are played for him in colder times and he has to use his car.
Think practical and universal when talking about alternatives.
K
O
Okay, points well taken, but I did not mean to claim that everyone could discard their car completely, in fact most people would not choose to, but most people can find at least a few ways to economize or use different forms of transportation. This may include driving less, living closer to points of destination, taking fewer trips to accomplish errands, canceling unnecessary driving, trading for a more economical car, carpooling, taking public transportation, or using a motorcycle or bicycle or walking to do some things. Even just changing our driving habits can be helpful, don't floorboard the car from a standing stop and do not screech to a halt at every stop, and drive at lower speeds. If we all did something, it would lower demand and the price of gasoline would probably drop or at least discontinue any further upward pressure.
My central point is that I think the consumer is still king. There are things we can do, but it all has to do with supply and demand. To criticize oil companies is the wrong approach. That is nothing more than biting the hand that feeds us.
Last point, uniform solutions is what government does. The free market allows for individual solutions. We still have the freedom to tailor our own lifestyle according to what fits us best. Agreed, your solution is not the same as mine, but we can all institute something to affect our energy usage.
As a side note, I love the Metro here in DC. The supplemental bus system combined with the trains is really great. It makes my recreational travel much more convenient.
Now if they'd only expand the area near the south part of the blue line...
T
K
O
Diest, not to be nosy, I am not asking for specifics, but are you one of those dreaded bureaucrats in Washington? Or worse, part of some kind of special interest group hanging out there? Or maybe even worse, some kind of staffer for a lib politician?
I think he works for Don King as part of the boxing lobby.
JTT wrote:okie wrote:One thing is for sure in regard to abortion, the trumped up "right to privacy" as the grounds for the Roe v Wade decision is obviously bogus to anyone that has a lick of sense. Bad decision based on bad constitutional arguments.
I can't remember if you were on the list but you sure should be, Okie.
People who are prohibited from commenting on constitutional issues:
MM
Okie
Antonin Scalia
Who made you the final arbiter of who can comment or not?
The difference between you and me is simple...
I read what the Constitution says, and you read what you want it to say.
okie wrote:Diest, not to be nosy, I am not asking for specifics, but are you one of those dreaded bureaucrats in Washington? Or worse, part of some kind of special interest group hanging out there? Or maybe even worse, some kind of staffer for a lib politician?
Government contractor. That's all I can say. I work with people of all political backgrounds, no one more than another as far as I can tell. You'd be amazed (I certainly was) at how few politics influence work. I'll leave it at that, and maybe someday in th memoirs I'll be able to talk about the work here. If not, just trust that the work is invaluable to both liberals and conservatives.
Fascinating stuff.
T
K
O
Oh no, my worst fears are confirmed. So my tax dollars supports your job. I hope for your sake you are not working on no bid contracts, or you will have us all over you. By the way, haven't you bad mouthed Halliburton unmercifully? Or am I confusing you with others?
okie wrote:Oh no, my worst fears are confirmed. So my tax dollars supports your job. I hope for your sake you are not working on no bid contracts, or you will have us all over you. By the way, haven't you bad mouthed Halliburton unmercifully? Or am I confusing you with others?
Probably confusing him with me.
Speaking of Halliburton, and their subsidary KBR,
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/18/world/middleeast/18contractors.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin
That's what all those dollars pay for: shitty work that kills our own soldiers.
Cycloptichorn
Cycloptichorn wrote:That's what all those dollars pay for: shitty work that kills our own soldiers.
Cycloptichorn
The jism must be just running down your leg.
cjhsa wrote:Cycloptichorn wrote:That's what all those dollars pay for: shitty work that kills our own soldiers.
Cycloptichorn
The jism must be just running down your leg.
What a revolting little creature you are, Ceej. Truly.
Cycloptichorn
Takes one to even attempt to recognize one....
I wouldn't hire Iraqi's to wire my house.
