I am in no way condoning what happened here, however as a resident of Orange County I was appalled enough to look into the backstory, as the protest simply seemed far too hateful given the amount of support it had.

From the Washington Post:

"In an e-mailed statement, (U.S. Rep. Ed) Royce said he was angered by the presence of two keynote speakers at the event. Imam Siraj Wahhaj was named with169 others as co-conspirators in the 1993 World Trade Center bombing, though Wahhaj was never charged and has denied involvement. And Amir Abdel Malik Ali spoke at "Israeli Apartheid Week" at UC Irvine in 2010 where he said he supports Hezbollah, which the CIA labels a terrorist group."

Again, I think this is disgusting, but the choice of keynote speakers seems odd given the purpose of the fundraiser.

>> ^blankfist:

@NetRunner, you have to understand also, I'm completely in favor of people having living wages and benefits. I think too often businesses take advantage of their workers. So we're in agreement. We're just not in agreement how we arrive there.

That is true about almost every argument you and I have.

>> ^blankfist:
Unfortunately with the amount of protectionism currently in place so many industries are forcing entrepreneurs out by making it difficult to compete against those companies already rooted in the industry (strict regulations, licensing, permits, taxes, and so on), and as a result competing is too expensive so the number of workers go up while the number of job creators goes down. Soon we'll all be working for Corporations.
That's what people like me want to stop. We won't change this trajectory by going down the same path we've been going down for the last hundred years. We have to face the facts that politicians are more willing to give attention to those with deep pockets than those with barely two nickels to rub together.

I agree with all of that.

>> ^blankfist:
The rich will always prevail within a human government, and no amount of legislation will change that. It hasn't in the past, and it won't in the future.

I'm not so sure they'll always prevail. We'll never have a perfectly egalitarian society, where no man ever rises above another, and I don't think we should. But monarchy and oligarchy should be able to be killed off, or at least sent into long periods of remission. To quote that guy who ran for President in 2008, and then disappeared, no one can stop millions of people calling for change. Just ask Ben Ali, and Hosni Mubarak, maybe even King George III.

My cure for creeping oligarchism is to push for changes in social norms to promote egalitarianism. I want people to realize that nobody's intrinsically superior or inferior to anyone else, that they are their brother's keeper, that we're all in this life together, we're only really different on the outside, etc., etc., etc.

I push for increased deference to basic human dignity and fairness for everyone. When I think I can get away with it, I say we should all love one another, and make sure to forgive people as often as possible.

In terms of politics, this translates into social justice. Not because I have any particular desire to compel people to do things they don't want to, but to at least put forward the notion that it's as wrong to let a homeless man starve as it is to kill someone in cold blood, and that if government can do things to stop the latter, it should also do things to stop the former.

If people would treat people who act purely on self-interest as being morally wrong instead of morally neutral (or even morally virtuous!), then things, big things, would change.

Anyways, I agree with you on protectionism being bad, and I agree all your examples are things that shouldn't be happening. I still don't think eliminating unions does anyone any kind of good, and I think it's antithetical to both of our belief systems, for the reasons I said.

The thumbnail image for this video has been updated - thumbnail added by Stingray.

The thumbnail image for this video has been updated - thumbnail added by Norsuelefantti.

Nicky Rawlins: I feel like some part of this story is missing. Regardless, she probably didn't deserve the treatment she received.

Bishop Nick Baines: Bravo, Sir.

Gary MacFarlane: He seems to think he should be able to discriminate without being discriminated against, and that he should be able to refuse to do his job without being fired. I'd like to ask him to explain why he should get such preferential treatment.

Peter Tatchell: He takes the words right out of my mouth.

Andrea Williams: "Waaah! People are allowed to make fun of Jesus!" Another one who is offended that everyone else isn't a Christian. How dare they have different beliefs than you and, furthermore, have the gall to express them.

Bishop Michael Nazir Ali: I agree that someone being made to leave their home over their religion is persecution. The rest of his words are nonsense.

Anjem Choudary: Muslims probably far are more persecuted than Christians, but you can't move to a country which has laws that are opposed to your beliefs and then whine about it. If you want Sharia, go live in a country that has Sharia.

"See Timmy? No two hailstones are ali---OWWW!!!!!!"

Hey Genji,
Judging from your comment, seems im not the only one who shares my thoughts!

I remember when UFC first started in one form or another and guys would wear karate gear and the big sell was this guy is a boxer fighting a wrestler or this guy is a karate expert fighting a boxing guy.
But the "sport" seems to have evolved into an organized school brawl. The fights look amateurish and often dont go beyond 2 rounds, cause lets face it, not matter how big and muscly you are, skin is skin and easily cuts. The term "ground and pound" comes up often.

Dont get me wrong, I like a good fight just like the next guy... but im not seeing the skill in UFC. Where are the Tyson's, Ali's, Zhu's, etc.

Im keen to learn more, point me in the right direction

later bro


In reply to this comment by GenjiKilpatrick:
Goddamnit. Why do we always have this discussion?

First.
The only person who's struggling after two minutes is Lesnar.

He's a transplant from "professional" wrestling. Which is why he sucks.
He has no skill. No Endurance. And no clue what to do inside an octagon.

Lesnar was only the champion cause he's built like a grizzly bear/tank/meat shield hybrid.

He is essentially baby huey.

Shane Carwin almost beat him. Frank Mir did once before. He sucks and everyone knows it.

Second.
Of course it's a sport old fogey.

Are you really gonna sit there and try to tell everyone that
- FIGHTING ANOTHER HUMAN BEING FOR 15 TO 25 MINTUES STRAIGHT! -
doesn't take any athleticism, technique, training or endurance?

Fer cereal? = /

>> ^GuyFawkes:

I dont get this "sport", give me boxing anyday. For "professional" athletes they sure struggle after 2mins. Maybe its a gen y instant gratification thing... maybe im old.

shit you're learning from Fox News.
I think that's the most offensive thing anyone's ever said to me. For the record, I NEVER watch Fox, it makes me want to smash the television into pieces to stop the evil from spewing out of it. Oh, and I cited a book by Ali Allawi instead. You don't get much further from Fox News than a book written by an Islamic expert and former Iraqi minister who strongly condemns the occupation.

None of the attacks you cited have been attributed to Iraq or Afghanistan. The USS Cole bombings? Al-Qaeda and Sudan. The attacks on US embassies? The Egyptian Islamic Jihad and bin Laden. The 9/11 hijackers were from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Lebanon.

Really?

You agree that Bin Laden and Al-Qaeda where behind all of the attacks. You are aware that Bin Laden is no more a citizen of Saudi Arabia than he is a Muslim, correct? You are aware that as of the 9/11 attacks that Bin Laden and Al-Qaeda were operating out of non of the countries you mention, but instead out of... Afghanistan. And it wasn't the first time that America had confronted Afghanistan's ruling Taliban regarding Bin Laden. America had previously pressed for charges against Bin Laden, and submitted evidence to the Taliban. The Taliban even 'tried' Bin Laden under their version of Sharia law, and refused admittance to 100% of the evidence America put forward. They rejected not because it was considered unreliable, but because "it was nothing new and that they did not already know". The result of the case was a complete vindication of Bin Laden and his actions. I dare say going after Bin Laden and his Taliban allies in Afghanistan was irrefutably the result of multiple very serious provocations.

And nowhere in my post did I cite the Muslim-on-Muslim violence that you, for some reason, chose to cite in counter to my statement.

I was countering your claim:
any "terrorist" activity against occupying troops is most certainly merely resistance and protest against this occupation.

Calling the violence in Iraq resistance to the occupation and not terrorism is rather strongly countered by the body counts. The majority of dead are Iraqi muslims, killed by terrorist attacks by other Iraqi muslims. The violence in Iraq against coalition troops ended up being dominantly because they were trying to stem the muslim on muslim violence by standing in the middle and offering protection. Sure there was a much, much smaller faction really bent on 'resistance', but it consisted primarily of former Baathists, and was hardly a faction anyone in Iraq sympathized with.

>> ^DuoJet:

No one knows how to handle his "argument" because his "argument" is rambling, incoherent, ill-informed bullshit. I watched the video three times and failed to detect any of the truth so touted in this post title.
But I agree; the USA is not at war. Instead the US has conducted an unprovoked invasion and ongoing occupation of two sovereign, albeit oil-rich and strategically valuable countries. These countries have no military organization, and no military means to resist the US occupation. The USA occupation is NOT welcome (just as an Iraqi occupation of US soil would not be welcome), and any "terrorist" activity against occupying troops is most certainly merely resistance and protest against this occupation.

What an incredibly stupid thing to say.
the US has conducted an unprovoked invasion and ongoing occupation of two sovereign, albeit oil-rich and strategically valuable countries
When did Afghanistan become 'oil rich'? When did the destruction of 2 American embassies in Africa, a US Warship and 3000 civilians in New York NOT get to be considered a 'provocation'? Stop repeating such ridiculously ignorant stupidity.

any "terrorist" activity against occupying troops is most certainly merely resistance and protest against this occupation.

Right, all the violence in Iraq is 'resistance'. That's why 99.9% of the attacks where against fellow Iraqi citizens based on their religious affiliations alone. Iraq sits on the border between the Sunni and Shia strongholds of Islam. The brutal violence there following the removal of Saddam was overwhelmingly terrorist attacks conducted against Iraqi muslims, Sunni on Shia violence. Ali Allawi, an Iraqi minister under the occupation and a vocal opponent of the occupation wrote a book that utterly destroys the disgusting misrepresentation you gave of the violence in Iraq. Don't spout this ignorant stupidity, it is damaging.

Mmmm, brownie points.

In reply to this comment by Seric:
>> ^poolcleaner:

>> ^Seric:
>> ^misslover:
Hello beloved,
kindly reply if your're interested in relationship with me with this email address(gabriellasankara25@yahoo.co.uk).Iam miss Gabriella seeking for my partner.

My my my, it's one of those....ladytypes.
I think I had better go an- DELETED

SAVED. Saved forever. Now you can treasure it for years and years, and show it to your kids. The ones you should be having with Ali and Ali's sister.


You - get brownie points.

>> ^poolcleaner:

>> ^Seric:
>> ^misslover:
Hello beloved,
kindly reply if your're interested in relationship with me with this email address(gabriellasankara25@yahoo.co.uk).Iam miss Gabriella seeking for my partner.

My my my, it's one of those....ladytypes.
I think I had better go an- DELETED

SAVED. Saved forever. Now you can treasure it for years and years, and show it to your kids. The ones you should be having with Ali and Ali's sister.


You - get brownie points.

>> ^Seric:

>> ^misslover:
Hello beloved,
kindly reply if your're interested in relationship with me with this email address(gabriellasankara25@yahoo.co.uk).Iam miss Gabriella seeking for my partner.

My my my, it's one of those....ladytypes.
I think I had better go an- DELETED


SAVED. Saved forever. Now you can treasure it for years and years, and show it to your kids. The ones you should be having with Ali and Ali's sister.

I have yet to meet a girl gamer that was realyhot ( to me) had a brawd intrest in games (fps,Rts,Sim,MMO) + realy good at games / better than an avverage guy gamer.

vast majorty of girl gamers that are good at games that i have ever known play MMO,s or RPGs exclusively.

Id rather more girls in england played games more ( not just wii or MMOs ) i know in sweeden its more normal for women to play games and a wide varity of games.

Its weaird how this woman in this video describes how awsome it is to be sumone else , and i think allot of women and people in general that play MMO games want to be sumone else , persoanly i have never had or wanted that desire , unless that sumone else was a persoanly boilt ulter ego for example i would not want to take on the roll of a pre made charactor but i would be happy with inventing a new charactor in aplay or something and then developing that ( ali G, Hard gay ) . just a shame that MMO games r so uterly shallow and although they make out that u r devloping a charactor everything u can do is totaly neglagable and indestiguishable from the next person.

When I was child I was always told that Ali was a coward and a criminal for not going into the draft.

Now I find that it's not about cowardice, or religion. It was about liberty and the right to be free. The Draft is diametrically opposed to liberty, although found to be well within the right of the government.

It's not like forcing you to have health care, or forcing you to take the census. The draft is conscription.

A Patriot if you ask me.