And Democrats aren't corrupt? Someone needs to come down from that tower.

I'm referring to a system that lends itself to corruption. See Philip Zimbardo's Lucifer Effect.

Netrunner, I can think of one thing. The 1913 Federal Reserve act. Woodrow Wilson member of the Democratic Party. How about the repealing of the Glass Steagall Act, President Bill Clinton?

How about the current president and Habeus Corpus for Bagram Airforce base detainees? Preservation of extraordinary rendition? Escalation of Afghanistan? Violations of Pakistani sovereignty?

You know what don't answer those questions. I don't want to see any more rationalizations for the two parties today. Freedom of choice be damned.

Philip Glass ==> Automatic Upvote.

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>> ^Yogi:

Yeah it's a good movie...if you don't mind the hypocrisy of deifying a senator for something completely misguided and deadly.


If you read the book, he's not exactly deified (nor was Charlie Wilson a senator). I don't really think he was deified in the movie either, but it wasn't as clear as the book, I suppose. The author (George Crile) does an extremely good job at making something that's at times extremely dense quite readable. The entire situation is something everyone needs to understand, because it shows how much influence a single person can have. The book and movie make the entire thing seem amazing because it was. A single US representative from Texas, with the help of a CIA agent (whose character you see in this clip) escalated US spending on equipment to incredible levels.

I don't think anyone would argue that opposing the Russian invasion of Afghanistan was necessarily a bad goal in and of itself, but the secretive way in which it was done meant the Afghans never knew it where the help was coming from, and that ultimately had unintended consequences. The book devotes quite large section at the end to discussing some of those issues. The movie sort of glossed over it if I remember correctly.

>> ^Dignant_Pink:

jesus, phillip seymour hoffman is an underrated actor. i've never seen him have a bad performance, but for some reason i feel like he's not among the acting elite. the guy's amazing in every role he does.


PSH has been awesome for several years now. But he's no longer underrated.

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000450/awards

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>> ^Retroboy:

He had a bunch of really good lines in this. Very, very entertaining.
Hanks was good in the film, but Hoffman was like Hit Girl in KickAss - owned every scene he was in.


right on brother.
hoffman banked this movie all the way.

Big, BIG upvote for this excellent remake by Philip Kaufman, the best of the "Body" series!

Don't you just love the music in that Joshua tree (or whatever those trees are) scene! The low, upward angle, the slow tracking....deliciously creepy!

I did. Take it up with Wikipedia.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_United_States_inventions

>> ^pmkierst:

Although the first liquid fuelled rocket was launched by an american, it was invented by a Russian.
I'm not sure about "inventing" heart transplants, but the first one was performed by a South African in South Africa.
The CD is harder to tell, because it was based on prior technology, but it would be likely attributed to Philips (Netherlands) or Sony (Japan)
Those are just a few I decided to fact check.
America has produced lots of innovations, but it would be nice if people could do at least a cursory investigation before attributing everything to it.

Although the first liquid fuelled rocket was launched by an american, it was invented by a Russian.

I'm not sure about "inventing" heart transplants, but the first one was performed by a South African in South Africa.

The CD is harder to tell, because it was based on prior technology, but it would be likely attributed to Philips (Netherlands) or Sony (Japan)

Those are just a few I decided to fact check.

America has produced lots of innovations, but it would be nice if people could do at least a cursory investigation before attributing everything to it.

A double agent sets up an elaborate sting operation on a terrorist that ends up being another double agent who is in the process of carrying out his own elaborate sting operation? Text book example of irony.

Just like a finding black fly in your glass of chardonnay at a party celebrating the successful fumigation of your vineyard. Or like rain on the wedding day of two meteorologists. Or like meeting the man of your dreams and then meeting his beautiful wife, who turns out to be the relationship advice columnist that encouraged you to get out of the house and meet the man of your dreams. Or like a no smoking sign on a cigarette break in the executive lounge of Philip Morris.

^ @SDGundamX, I fail to see how hanging up a lynching noose falls under "violence" and not "offensive behaviour".

Are you talking about Fighting Words? That seems to be as good a definition of hate speech as any, and is based on the following belief:

"It has been well observed that such utterances are no essential part of any exposition of ideas, and are of such slight social value as a step to truth that any benefit that may be derived from them is clearly outweighed by the social interest in order and morality."

(Chaplinsky v. New Hampshire, 1942)

However, to me that seems like a stupid attitude - is it then up to the judge's fancy whether, for instance, Philip Pullman's books constitute a "social value as a step to truth" or not?

If i "encourage" you to murder someone by saying you should, and you then do it, which of us is the guilty party? Are you less guilty because you were under my spell?

[edit] Oops, i confess i hadn't read the post-chaplinsky chapter in the wiki article. NOT so great a definition of hate speech then, but it does show how that sort of legislation is irrational

Found at Boing Boing.

This is actually Philip's attempt at a chat up line.

Remember to always sheath your sword before penetration Philip.

>> ^rougy:
I think the joke about stealing a bicycle and asking for forgiveness was by Emo Philips.
He also wrote a joke considered the best religious joke in the world (can't remember by who) that has probably been sifted.


* I was walking across a bridge one day and I saw a man standing on the edge, about to jump off. So I ran over and said,

"Stop! Don't do it!"
"Why shouldn't I?" he said.
"Well, there is so much to live for."
"Like what?"
"Well, are you religious?"
He said yes.
I said, "Me too! Are you Christian or Buddhist?"
"Christian."
"Me too! Are you Catholic or Protestant?"
"Protestant."
"Me too! Are you Episcopalian or Baptist?"
"Baptist."
"Wow, me too! Are you Baptist Church of God or Baptist Church of the Lord?"
"Baptist Church of God."
"Me too! Are you Original Baptist Church of God or are you Reformed Baptist Church of God?"
"Reformed Baptist Church of God."
"Me too! Are you Reformed Baptist Church of God, reformation of 1879, or are you Reformed Baptist Church of God, reformation of 1915?"
He said, "Reformed Baptist Church of God, reformation of 1915."
I said, "Die, heretic," and pushed him off.