Displaying comments 1 to 50 of 2962
MeFi post:
John McCain, Prisoner of War
Most of them see him as way too left. Just sayin'.
Most of your friends are apparently extremists, completely out of touch with the majority of Americans. Just sayin'.
posted to MetaFilter by Armitage Shanks
at 6:47 PM on July 5, 2008
Actually I wasn't sampling Brooklyn. I mean the country in general. Given that virtually no Democrats would consider John McCain "way too left" and at least some significant portion of Republicans don't, what percentage of the country does that leave? 25%, 30% tops? People who consider McCain "way too left" are like ardent George Bush supporters; more than none, but pretty obviously an extremist minority at this point.
posted to MetaFilter by Armitage Shanks
at 7:00 PM on July 5, 2008
Okay, let's see your statistics.
Oh come on, it's just common sense. The Republican Party is generally considered to the right of the Democratic Party; the two parties generally come within a few percent of splitting the vote of the majority of Americans. How can the percentage of people in the country who consider the Republican nominee not just "left" but "way too left" be anything other than a minority?... [more]
posted to MetaFilter by Armitage Shanks
at 7:45 PM on July 5, 2008
If the Republicans suddenly became proabortion and the Dems started picketing abortion clinic, and NOTHING ELSE CHANGED, I'd change my registration immediately.
Which pretty much explains why you keep getting used.
Oh well. The Great White Hope of social conservatism may be fizzling out with precious little accomplished, but speaking as a socially liberal financially well-off New Yorker, thanks for all the tax cuts.
posted to MetaFilter by Armitage Shanks
at 8:13 PM on July 5, 2008
MeFi post:
...if waterboarding does not constitute torture, then there is no such thing as torture.
I honestly don't understand this article.
The title is Believe me, it's torture.
After describing the experience, he says:
I apply the Abraham Lincoln test for moral casuistry: “If slavery is not wrong, nothing is wrong.” Well, then, if waterboarding does not constitute torture, then there is no such thing as torture.
Then, later in the article, he... [more]
posted to MetaFilter by Armitage Shanks
at 11:59 AM on July 2, 2008
The portion you quoted is part of a pro versus con segment. Hitchens ultimately sides with the argument contra waterboarding.
The last line clearly seems to be his opinion, not a presentation of the argument:I myself do not trust anybody who does not clearly understand this viewpoint.
He's willing to call it torture, but I don't see anywhere in the article that he comes to the conclusion we shouldn't do it.
posted to MetaFilter by Armitage Shanks
at 1:18 PM on July 2, 2008
Understanding the viewpoint is not the same thing as buying the argument.
But he's at least acknowledging that he thinks the viewpoint has merit, yes? I mean, the argument he's presenting boils down to this:
* When contrasted to actual torture, waterboarding is more like foreplay.
* The tormentors and murderers of (say) Daniel Pearl have done much worse.
* Therefore, indicting... [more]
posted to MetaFilter by Armitage Shanks
at 1:43 PM on July 2, 2008
Not only does he have a rather wide readership among both the left and the right, his article is likely to change far more opinions than sanctimonious drivel that serves little purpose other than to gloat.
Not a lot of change over at Red State:Let it be the policy of the United States that we will use all interrogation and punishment methods used by our enemies.
[...]
Al Qaeda cuts people's heads off? Well then, in comparison,... [more]
posted to MetaFilter by Armitage Shanks
at 3:19 PM on July 2, 2008
MeFi post:
Cause Without a Rebel
"has upset Muslims"
Well, we can add that to the list of things that gets them so emotional.
I am yaaaaawn at their outrage.
They should have used a piglet for the photo.
How adorable, you salivated on cue just as the Daily Mail wingnuts hoped you would. Good doggie.
posted to MetaFilter by Armitage Shanks
at 8:00 PM on July 1, 2008
MeFi post:
Look, you work your side of the street, and I'll work mine.
From the IMDB trivia section for To Live And Die In L.A.:The freeway car chase was filmed with the traffic flowing backwards. While Chance and Vukovich appear to be driving against traffic, they are in fact going in the proper direction for the U.S.; it is the rest of traffic that's moving on the wrong side of the road (Chance drives on the right side of the road, but the traffic is driving on the left). This was done to increase tension for the audience.I don't get it. Why... [more]
posted to MetaFilter by Armitage Shanks
at 10:40 AM on July 1, 2008
MeFi post:
Oh, let's see... A, C, phlegm...
why would you name your character "Achmed"
So you can do the phlegm joke!
and then have to make him say "Achned" during the long bit you do about his name?
Because you can still do the phlegm joke!
posted to MetaFilter by Armitage Shanks
at 8:36 AM on July 1, 2008
MeFi post:
In Space There Is Only Clicking
I find the 3D perspective a bit foreshortened, which makes it hard to place the smaller defensive shields precisely. Also the game moves really quickly if you reject diplomatic overtures and focus all your resources on buying larger shields. Got to 1,000,000 but then the big boss missiles wiped me out fast.
posted to MetaFilter by Armitage Shanks
at 10:59 AM on June 27, 2008
MeFi post:
Heller v. D.C. Decided
That article is about a case in Canada, and has nothing to do with speech laws in the UK.
Given that Margaret Thatcher's government could ban Gerry Adams's voice from being broadcast on radio and television when he was an elected member of the House of Commons, I think it's pretty safe to say that free speech rights in the UK aren't what they are in the US.
posted to MetaFilter by Armitage Shanks
at 10:46 AM on June 26, 2008
Fat suburbanite with a 9mm is not stopping a mechanized division. Ever. 1 million fat guys wont either. The idea that some basic firearms will over-throw a tyranic government is a historical fantasy
Yeah, I don't get this one either. If this is still a compelling argument for weapons in the hands of individuals, then surely it's an argument for those weapons keeping pace with the government's. What argument is there for limiting the types of weapons... [more]
posted to MetaFilter by Armitage Shanks
at 11:01 AM on June 26, 2008
When I read the opinion, I came by figuring there would be a thread here.
And a golden opportunity to insult everyone while in the same comment whining about how people have insulted poor you. Thanks for stopping by!
posted to MetaFilter by Armitage Shanks
at 12:15 PM on June 26, 2008
MeFi post:
13 People In A Volvo
Since when do toddlers count as people when filling cars?
I don't get this either. I'm sure I could jam at least 50 babies into a Volvo, and that's not including the trunk.
posted to MetaFilter by Armitage Shanks
at 9:26 AM on June 24, 2008
You should see how many Branch Davidians I can fit in mine.
Whole or in parts?
posted to MetaFilter by Armitage Shanks
at 9:52 AM on June 24, 2008
MeFi post:
Religious Groups' Official Positions on Same-Sex Marriage
In 2003, the Southern Baptist Convention issued a statement confirming its opposition to gay marriage. It called on “Southern Baptists not only to stand against same-sex unions but to demonstrate our love for those practicing homosexuality by sharing with them the forgiving and transforming power of the gospel of Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 6:9-11).”
It is not enough to disapprove; one must disapprove obnoxiously.
posted to MetaFilter by Armitage Shanks
at 8:48 AM on June 24, 2008
MeFi post:
Photographing gay weddings: a moral quandry?
Unless you're in the habit of telling people that you can't possibly shoot their wedding on June 26th, because you have to shoot the Martin-Tomlinson wedding and did you know that Martin and Tomlinson are both guys, by the way, and what's up with that, and so you're busy, why would they ever really need to know?
Yeah, exactly. If all he cares about is maximizing his revenue and not running afoul of the law, then the obvious solution is to take what... [more]
posted to MetaFilter by Armitage Shanks
at 6:17 AM on June 20, 2008
Here's a guy who apparently doesn't have anything against gay people, is fine with them being married, and in fact later on worries about insulting gay couples whose samples are omitted from his portfolio.
It's not clear from the article that he's worried about insulting gay couples. Nothing stops him from having portfolios targeted towards particular groups (in fact it would make obvious business sense), so what's the issue? The thrust of his... [more]
posted to MetaFilter by Armitage Shanks
at 7:23 AM on June 20, 2008
There are still lots of people in this country who dislike interracial marriages; I don't hear wedding photographers wringing their hands about that. Why is this a different problem?
Oops, because as Joey Bagels points out, he's not in California, he's in Colorado. In that case, I guess the best business decision is to avoid alienating his homophobic clientele until such time as he has the law to back him up. Just another reason not to live there.
posted to MetaFilter by Armitage Shanks
at 7:35 AM on June 20, 2008
What else could it possibly be?
The right to avoid going to hell for eating a metaphorical ham sandwich is my guess.
posted to MetaFilter by Armitage Shanks
at 2:07 PM on June 20, 2008
MeFi post:
The Internet dies a little bit
First they came for alt.fan.furry
and I did not speak out -
because I was not a furry.
Then they came for alt.religion.kibology
and I did not speak out -
because I was not a kibologist.
Then they came for alt.flame.hairy-douchebag.roger-david-carasso
and I did not speak out -
because I was not Roger David Carasso.
Criminal Armenians of
SDPA/Armenian Church/Sandia National... [more]
posted to MetaFilter by Armitage Shanks
at 8:18 PM on June 12, 2008
Also: KIBO LIVES!
____
/ \__
|\ / @ \
\ \_______| \ .:|> "Dogs aren't ALLOWED? WAAAAAAH!"
\ ##| | \__/
| ####\__/ \ -- Spot
/ / ## \|
/ /__________\ \
L_JJ \__JJ
Followup-To: misc.test
posted to MetaFilter by Armitage Shanks
at 9:15 PM on June 12, 2008
We'll gladly eliminate any offending websites that match the NCMEC's list of child-porn sites, if they're hosted on our servers.
Why not just delete all the websites hosted on your servers?
posted to MetaFilter by Armitage Shanks
at 11:18 AM on June 13, 2008
MeTa post:
Metafilter is....
Instanpundit: University of Tennessee law professor Glenn Reynolds's popular libertarian bull____. (4 letters)
posted to MetaTalk by Armitage Shanks
at 1:19 PM on June 12, 2008
MeTa post:
Answers, not opinions.
I can't wait until I have kids just so I can raise them right and show that it can be done.
Here's hoping they don't have asthma.
posted to MetaTalk by Armitage Shanks
at 2:56 PM on June 10, 2008
Yeah, obviously I was talking about asthma medication.
Sorry, I wasn't sure which of your sweeping generalizations were inoperative.
posted to MetaTalk by Armitage Shanks
at 3:15 PM on June 10, 2008
Weasels ripped my flesh.
posted to MetaTalk by Armitage Shanks
at 3:51 PM on June 10, 2008
