>> ^budzos:

Well, another bad choice was the qualifier "most" when that might not be the case. "many" people who join the military do so for reasons other than "protecting the country", and I find it saddest and most offensive of all when they end up dead. At least those who wanted to be heroes got what they wanted if in the most Faustian way.
No, I don't think many people join failing to understand that combat is deadly. I think a lot of people approach it as a career or lifestyle decision, not expecting to end up in combat. Or, they just hope not to die. And when those people end up dead, the entire narrative from a macroscopic view is just sad.
That's not to say that they might not well be heroes, either in action or in being taken up with the selfless spirit that obviously runs through a lot of military people.


Roger that. I won't pretend that the defence of Canada was my primary reason for joining -- although, as a serving member, I do consider it something that I'm charged with and may be called upon to do (as any serving member should). I'm also glad that Canada's reserves weren't mobilized to go to Afghanistan (although I may yet volunteer to go, as many of my reservist friends have done, often repeatedly) and I'm very glad we didn't get into Iraq.

I think Canada chooses her wars with a fair bit of caution, and so long as she continues to do so, I'm not apprehensive about being where I am in the Canadian Forces.

I think we've roughly found common ground, budzos, and I'm glad for it. Hail to thee.

Well, another bad choice was the qualifier "most" when that might not be the case. "many" people who join the military do so for reasons other than "protecting the country", and I find it saddest and most offensive of all when they end up dead. At least those who wanted to be heroes got what they wanted if in the most Faustian way.

No, I don't think many people join failing to understand that combat is deadly. I think a lot of people approach it as a career or lifestyle decision, not expecting to end up in combat. Or, they just hope not to die. And when those people end up dead, the entire narrative from a macroscopic view is just sad.

That's not to say that they might not well be heroes, either in action or in being taken up with the selfless spirit that obviously runs through a lot of military people.

>> ^islaywombats:

I can't decide if this is the saddest or funniest thing I have ever seen. The hopeful, "I can overcome adversity" music probably pushes it a little farther onto the sadness side... But seriously. That is hilarious. And so sad.


http://bennyhillifier.com/?id=9CC_9aFuEkA

Amazing what music can do to change the tone of a video.

I can't decide if this is the saddest or funniest thing I have ever seen. The hopeful, "I can overcome adversity" music probably pushes it a little farther onto the sadness side... But seriously. That is hilarious. And so sad.

The saddest part about this video is that when the media (the BBC) exposed the tampering of votes in Florida during the recount in the 2000 election no one cared. The Media in America picked up the story and started talking about it but all commentators were surprised at the public just not caring about it very much at all. It's because most of us know...elections are already bought and there's little difference between the candidates. They've already gotten it to the point where it's like choosing between Pepsi and Coke...big deal.

>> ^Drachen_Jager:

The saddest part of this article, "There were jaws dropping in the news-room when we heard this."
This is relatively common knowledge that the US did this sort of thing. Even on it's own citizens, they'd infect black men in asylums with syphilis and deny them the drugs needed to cure them so they could track the progress of the disease in the '50s.
That "Journalists" who's careers SHOULD be built on a foundation of understanding of modern history had no idea this sort of thing went on should be an embarrassment to the entire country.


Which he actually mentioned if you bothered to watch the whole thing. Tuskegee syphilis experiment

The saddest part of this article, "There were jaws dropping in the news-room when we heard this."

This is relatively common knowledge that the US did this sort of thing. Even on it's own citizens, they'd infect black men in asylums with syphilis and deny them the drugs needed to cure them so they could track the progress of the disease in the '50s.

That "Journalists" who's careers SHOULD be built on a foundation of understanding of modern history had no idea this sort of thing went on should be an embarrassment to the entire country.

...Not done watching yet, but something struck me:

Why does Sweeny apologize, multiple times, for his angry outburst during his previous examination of Scientology? I can see him admitting that his reaction did no good, and was in fact probably exactly what they were trying to provoke him to do, as well as possibly saying that it wasn't particularly professional.

However, one cannot interview someone in a professional manner if they are constantly being interrupted, called names, etc. About the only way I imagine that he could have handled that situation better would have been to break into full-on farce and talk over their interruptions with non sequiturs.

$cientologist: This is an e-meter. It measures the presence of ...
Sweeny: I had a telephone for breakfast today. It was ringlicious.

$cientologist: Psychology is a lie! They just want to sell ...
Sweeny: Freud was a hamster that smelled of elderberries!

One good turn of farce deserves another.

*edit:
Finally finished, my connection was really slow to buffer that all. Two more thoughts:
1) A lot of their tactics seem like Fred Phelps' loonies: Provoke, act outraged at the reaction you are fishing for, and attempt to discredit or apply leverage to your opponents via their reactions.
2) The saddest part of the video: there are apparently quite a few people who get their heads on straight enough to break with the official branch of Scientology, yet still buy into the "core beliefs" enough to follow a "reformation".

I'm gonna have to go with the story about the saddest handjob ever, actually.
>> ^Mekanikal:

Yeah I heard about his divorce a few months ago. Maybe his wife couldn't take the constant ragging on the kids lol

This is the saddest thing I've ever seen. 30 years and they haven't been able to come up with a plan for these type of situations? I was already pissed that they didn't have a plan....that was before I found out the SAME FUCKING THING has already happened before.

That is one of the saddest things I've seen in a long time.

I can't help but sense some method to her madness, though, which makes it all the worse.

I just love the Contrast of emotions

Camera 1- Saddest girl in North America

Camera 2- Happiest Man in North America

>> ^xxovercastxx:

>> ^Roachmojo:
This is the saddest thing I have ever seen, and to those of you making fun of this tragedy, you have no soul, and should be ashamed of yourselves. Where is your compassion??

Some of us deal with negative emotions by finding humor in them. When one of my closest friends was killed in a car accident almost 5 years ago, I made lots of jokes about or involving him. I miss him horribly, even now, and I still get a little teary when I see the wife he left behind.
Sorry I'm not exactly like you, douchebag.


You are a moron.

You don't get to lecture me about maturity if an injured cat is the saddest thing you've ever seen.

Maybe you prefer to repress your emotions but other people prefer to find ways to deal with them; sometimes odd ways. It doesn't make them soulless or shameful.

>> ^Roachmojo:

Don't worry, yxxovercastxx, you will mature in time. Perhaps by then you will react to a situation of that type like the rest of the adult/mature world, and maybe even get past name calling like an 8 year old.

>> ^Roachmojo:

This is the saddest thing I have ever seen, and to those of you making fun of this tragedy, you have no soul, and should be ashamed of yourselves. Where is your compassion??


Some of us deal with negative emotions by finding humor in them. When one of my closest friends was killed in a car accident almost 5 years ago, I made lots of jokes about or involving him. I miss him horribly, even now, and I still get a little teary when I see the wife he left behind.

Sorry I'm not exactly like you, douchebag.