Displaying comments 1 to 50 of 1999
MeFi post:
Jackson's at it AGAIN!
I agree with dash_slot-. It's not about distrusting all adult males, it's about not unnecessarily gambling with the safety of one's children. A million to one? Probably. But if you don't have to, why take the chance and put your child in a situation where molestation or rape could happen?
posted to MetaFilter by UncleFes
at 11:53 AM on November 19, 2003
Hence, Jairus and Languagehat, the caveat: "If you don't have to..." dash_slot- (and I) are decrying unnecessary risks - like, say, leaving your son for overnight visits at Neverland Ranch. Yes, molestation could happen at all those places you describe, and if it does it is unlikely that I would be in a position to stop it. So I suppose do take risks, every day. What I don't take is unnecessary risks with my child's... [more]
posted to MetaFilter by UncleFes
at 12:16 PM on November 19, 2003
Although I might tend to agree with you on the latter, I must respectfully disagree regarding the former. I would find it very reasonable to question the motives of any adult male who wanted unsupervised sole access overnight to children. While any one of those might be perfectly innocent, the combination is, to my mind, an classic example of what I would regard as an unnecessary risk to take with my child's welfare.
posted to MetaFilter by UncleFes
at 12:33 PM on November 19, 2003
Perhaps our differences, then, are contextual rather than substantive.
posted to MetaFilter by UncleFes
at 12:42 PM on November 19, 2003
Irontom: Boy Scout campouts typically involve more than one adult and more than one child. Any Boy Scout campout that involved only my son and only one Scoutmaster? I'd think that was a bad idea, yes indeed.
Jairus: I concur. I also agree that the idea that 1 in 100 men is molester. That's patently ridiculous.
McBain: Big Brothers, as I undestand, are very rigorous regarding background checks for potential Big Brothers, aren't they?
posted to MetaFilter by UncleFes
at 1:00 PM on November 19, 2003
They did a criminal background check, then talked to my boss, my mother, and another personal reference. In addition to the interview.
That seems designed precisely to avoid putting the children at unnecessary risk. I ask myself: should I do less? As a parent, should I not put in at least that much thought and effort? S'all I'[m saying.
posted to MetaFilter by UncleFes
at 1:11 PM on November 19, 2003
True. I guess it comes down to the idea of, if I can't stop it totally, and it happens, can I look myself in the mirror and say truthfully that I did all I could to prevent it? Or did I gamble with my son's safety - because I was lazy, or thoughtless - and my son was subsequently hurt? Because if it's the latter, then the fault resides partially with me. I can't - I won't - have that.
posted to MetaFilter by UncleFes
at 1:18 PM on November 19, 2003
On the contrary, FFF - the fear, it seems, is on my side of the equation, not the pedophile's - yet I, and millions of other fathers, have done nothing violent at all, even to those pedophiles who have been found, convicted and later released back into the community - few, if any, retributions, vigilante action, midnight disappearances. Nothing of the sort. On the other hand, the violence and sociopathy of the average pedophile far and away outweighs even the most irate father. Which would seem... [more]
posted to MetaFilter by UncleFes
at 9:49 PM on November 19, 2003
soyjoy: I was responding to FFF's declaration, and caveated the whole thing with the "seem to indicate" part, as opposed to "I know this to be absolutely factually the capital-t Truth." I don't want people to automatically assume that they can trump any point I make by invoking Moore's movie. So, in the event that my general assumption that Bowling for Columbine thesis = American's shoot each other because they live in a culture of fear is incorrect, then... [more]
posted to MetaFilter by UncleFes
at 9:46 AM on November 20, 2003
soyjoy: In my defense, reading FFF's statement of the thesis:
America's passion for violence is fueled by fear.
Plus earlier comments that the "Overprotective" PoV (dash_slot-'s, mine, et al) was spurred by fear (mostly via squirrel) would seem to equal that the Overprotectives would thus have a passion for violence, when in fact it's the opposite.
But yeah, point taken. Mea maxima culpa. And thanks for being gentle :)
posted to MetaFilter by UncleFes
at 10:01 AM on November 20, 2003
FFF: Barring the Big Brothers, who we've noted are rigorously screened, every situation you've described is exactly the sort of situation a child molester would seek to take advantage of. I trust that none of the people you describe are molesters - but they could be. If I was any of those children's father, I would be looking very VERY closely at the situation, and the men involved.
It's not hysteria. I would not immediately brand someone a child molester, nor would I... [more]
posted to MetaFilter by UncleFes
at 11:14 AM on November 20, 2003
I will bet that 95% of the children's hospitals in the world were architected by men, too. And funded. And 95% of the construction workers were probably male too. What does this tell us? Jack shit!
No, it tells us that a new children's hospital it likely to have been designed and built by a man.
Statistically, I'll bet it's as inisignificant a fraction as it is in the female population.... [more]
posted to MetaFilter by UncleFes
at 11:23 AM on November 20, 2003
Until a scared parent goes out to buy a gun, because the evil "others" out there might come after him and his. Then one night the gun comes out in an argument, or little Johnny finds it, etc... that's the point.
That would be indicative of (a) paranoia, (b) lack of self-control, and (c) the abrogation elsewhere of the impulse to keep children safe that ostensibly prompted the purchase in the first place. Now who's acting fearful? I mean,... [more]
posted to MetaFilter by UncleFes
at 12:15 PM on November 20, 2003
Until a scared parent goes out to buy a gun, because the evil "others" out there might come after him and his. Then one night the gun comes out in an argument, or little Johnny finds it, etc... that's the point.
That would be indicative of (a) paranoia, (b) lack of self-control, and (c) the abrogation elsewhere of the impulse to keep children safe that ostensibly prompted the purchase in the first place. Now who's acting fearful? I mean,... [more]
posted to MetaFilter by UncleFes
at 12:16 PM on November 20, 2003
Ach, sorry about the double. In light of the blue acreage I've used up here, I'll make this my last (double) post.
posted to MetaFilter by UncleFes
at 12:18 PM on November 20, 2003
MeFi post:
Santorum
man-on-dog bestiality
Honestly, I don't think I've ever met a dog that was pretty enough to fuck.
But hey, that's just me.
posted to MetaFilter by UncleFes
at 9:30 AM on November 20, 2003
MeFi post:
Call The Hague! Make room in Milosevic's cell!
One may want to consider the possibility that Mr. Perle was talking right out of his ass. It is not an entirely unheard-of activity for him.
The Mefi Left been calling Perle a lying sack of shit for the last three years - but NOW he's spilling gospel? Twisty rationalization, perhaps, is not the sole purview of we conservatives :)
posted to MetaFilter by UncleFes
at 9:37 PM on November 19, 2003
I'm not saying he's lying now, or that the Guardian printed a little dab of wishful thinking, or what. Honestly, this incident is one little turd in a river of shit, and instead of staying in the boat, we have as usual reached out and picked this turd out of the river and indignantly exclaimed "This turd pisses me off! I'm going to get riled up about this turd!" It just seems unseemly to upbrade the man as a liar for years, then suddenly assume he's telling the truth (or even the truth... [more]
posted to MetaFilter by UncleFes
at 10:02 PM on November 19, 2003
I want the pro-unilateralism folks here to tell me what we are going to do when the 800 pound gorilla decides that the Taiwanese (Japanese, whomever) need to be liberated from the oppression that is democracy and free market capitalism?
I'm not sure I speak for the pro-unilateralism crowd, but most likely, we'll go to war with China. IIRC, all presidents since Reagan have reaffirmed American support for Taiwan.
posted to MetaFilter by UncleFes
at 10:05 PM on November 19, 2003
if very originally phrased.
alas, I cannot take credit for it. I lifted, then paraphrased the theme from a short scene in the movie Off Limits, where Willem Dafoe and Gregory Hines are being lectured by their superior. It seemed apropos, but credit should go where it's due.
posted to MetaFilter by UncleFes
at 8:40 AM on November 20, 2003
Buddhism teaches that at the psychological level one's shit is fertilizer for enlightenment.
A man cannot step twice in the same river of shit, for the second time, he is a different man, and the river is full of different shit.
*assumes Lotus, gently levitates, changes aura to a nice turdy tan*
posted to MetaFilter by UncleFes
at 9:25 AM on November 20, 2003
MeFi post:
Who needs Alt-Tab?!?!
Count me in as another satisfied Ghostzilla user. And my computer faces away from the door of my office, so I get a LOT of sidlers.
posted to MetaFilter by UncleFes
at 1:52 PM on November 19, 2003
MeFi post:
Shorn From The Ring.
They're CUTTING the scouring of the Shire and the battles with Sharkey? It's like a quarter of the book.
Blah blah blah Aragorn, that's all anyone give a rat's about. Pfft. Big king, whup dee doo.
posted to MetaFilter by UncleFes
at 2:32 PM on November 12, 2003
MeFi post:
Pride In One's Country
Italian! the best wine in the world; dark-haired dark-eyed women with fire; a glorious, ancient history; romakimmy; the sharpest tailoring on the planet; and fishing ass-deep in the ocean at Cinqueterre. And a language that is just pure, unadulterated honey in the ear.
posted to MetaFilter by UncleFes
at 8:21 AM on November 11, 2003
Even their curses sound like poetry, my friend :)
posted to MetaFilter by UncleFes
at 8:29 AM on November 11, 2003
I'm not sure I'm proud, exactly, to be an American, but neither am I ashamed. It is what I am. And America has, in the past and yes, even today, stood for a lot of what is good and honorable in this world. I believe that it will do so again.
Sensible people the world over know that where one comes from does not automatically invest one with superior - or inferior - qualities. And perhaps that is one thing that I *am* proud to be an American for - the underlying precept... [more]
posted to MetaFilter by UncleFes
at 8:50 AM on November 11, 2003
Romakimmy, tu mi fai squagliare come neve al sole, mio angelo
posted to MetaFilter by UncleFes
at 10:47 AM on November 11, 2003
MeFi post:
U.S. military officials said Tuesday that U.S....
What this highlights, most of all, is the ineffectiveness of soldiers as policemen. Any decent beat cop could have handled this without killing the guy. In their defense, it sounds like they tried NOT to kill him (shot in the leg, quick action by medics), but nevertheless. Language barriers aside, putting soldiers (trained to destroy and kill) in positions where cops (trained to keep the peace and maintain order) are needed is historically a numbass idea.
It gives rise... [more]
posted to MetaFilter by UncleFes
at 9:57 AM on November 11, 2003
Travis: there is a HUGE artery in the upper thigh. I don't know what it's called, but my impression is that if it gets severed, your ass is pretty much grass.
Ufez: My intention was not to imply this guy was as terrorist. The environment was not one of a terrorist hunt - these guys were on parking detail, after all. A cop job, best handled by cops, thereby freeing up soldiers to go after the terrorists.
posted to MetaFilter by UncleFes
at 10:16 AM on November 11, 2003
MeFi post:
Bush's Speech on the Spreading of Democracy
Hey now. The Gore Speech thread garnered 29 comments, a derail attempt handily de-derailed, significant support from the Mefi left, no attacks on skallas for posting it, and near the end some actual debate (F&M and witty) on the greater issue. This thread? although the content of the post is, realistically, inherently no different (a political speech), this thread immediately devolved into personal attacks (thinly veiled, at best) on VeGiTo, numerous derail attempts and... [more]
posted to MetaFilter by UncleFes
at 7:23 AM on November 11, 2003
MeFi post:
But There's No Oil You Say?
Why, since they aren't busy in Iraq, are the UN troops NOT in Uganda taking care of this already?
posted to MetaFilter by UncleFes
at 1:00 PM on November 10, 2003
Hmm. A little googling reveals tha the UN apparently has no standing military forces. Didn't know that. I can only assume that they request troops from participating countries as needed. Assuming the US military forces and most of Britain's are considered out of pocket, can they not request forces from other large, military countries (Canada, Australia, Germany and France come to mind, all have significant military forces)?
as an aside, seems like the UN would be wise to... [more]
posted to MetaFilter by UncleFes
at 2:31 PM on November 10, 2003
Whups, EO is apparently definct. MPRI and Sandline, then.
posted to MetaFilter by UncleFes
at 2:37 PM on November 10, 2003
MeFi post:
Just like The Matrix, but with no Keanu or fighting or bullet time or Carrie-Anne Moss.
Not as many know this, but stavrosthewonderchicken is rated #2 and #4 respectively in the world in the sports of Yahtzee and Boggle, and in the summer of 1996 he went mano-a-Maco against a Classic IIe in a humanity vs. tiny-screened Applinity dustup for the title of "Yahtzee Champ of All Intelligent Creatures, Meat and/or Beige Division." At first, it seemed that all was lost for the Meat contender, since the Classic was getting three's by the bagfull, but... [more]
posted to MetaFilter by UncleFes
at 1:16 PM on November 10, 2003
MeFi post:
Tales from the Dean Camp
My understanding is that the connotations of the Confederate flag with white power groups is a relatively recent phenomenon. What Dean ought to be concerned with is that he's courting the vote of people who display the symbol of a group who openly declared themselves traitors to the Union and actually went to war against their own country!
I'm personally hard-pressed to determine which is worse, traitorous wretches or racist scumbags. I guess I'm... [more]
posted to MetaFilter by UncleFes
at 10:05 PM on November 9, 2003
MeFi post:
Antinutrients
Perhaps, now that yield issues have been addressed, genetic enginneering can decrease these naturally occuring antinutrients and toxins?
Step by step, towards perfection.
posted to MetaFilter by UncleFes
at 8:17 PM on November 8, 2003
MeFi post:
Matrix 3 sucks
Bellucci appears onscreen in full latex-dominatrix gear, showing a massive amount of impossibly pushed-up, D-cup size cleavage
They're getting my $7.
posted to MetaFilter by UncleFes
at 11:55 AM on November 6, 2003
Really, I preferred Trinity when she was the "older model who occasionally turned tricks" on Model's Inc.
posted to MetaFilter by UncleFes
at 12:04 PM on November 6, 2003
MeFi post:
Bust the caps?
Perhaps the operative words here are "...concomitant spending restrictions." It would be easy to eschew matching funds if one were well funded already, so as to avoid having to document one's spending too rigorously. That would be, ah, a different sort of balls altogether :)
/devil's advocate
posted to MetaFilter by UncleFes
at 8:51 AM on November 5, 2003
MeFi post:
CBS may cancel 'Reagans' mini-series over GOP protests.
This is ridiculous. CBS has a perfect right to air whatever they want to. If people don't like it, they can change the channel. If it is provably libelous, the Reagan family can sue.
Most likely, however, it's just simply going to suck. Cap'n! How shall we navigate this tempest! Hold fast the rigging, boy, and steer straightaway for the Teapot's edge...
And since when did he respect vegetables by declaring ketchup a member of this... [more]
posted to MetaFilter by UncleFes
at 7:52 AM on November 4, 2003
If there are any 'merits' to this, I've yet to see them. Straw men aplenty, as usual, but no merits.
posted to MetaFilter by UncleFes
at 8:27 AM on November 4, 2003
MeFi post:
Tripp gets her pay-off
You don't like her = she's not allowed to sue the government? If they violated her privacy, she's entitled to sue for damages. Even conniving, traitorous bitches without shame or honor are allowed recourse under the law.
posted to MetaFilter by UncleFes
at 7:24 AM on November 4, 2003
And some people have the guile to defend her?
Opposed vigorously by those champions of "recourse to the law for people we like."
posted to MetaFilter by UncleFes
at 7:56 AM on November 4, 2003
On the topic of poetic injustice, however? Conceeded. I don't think anyone here misses the shamefullness of it.
posted to MetaFilter by UncleFes
at 7:58 AM on November 4, 2003
