Dr. Tom

Good grief. Gitmo Bay is hardly a concentration camp.

Heh. Yeah, I took it (In HS at least) back in 1991, long before the era of using calculators and having essay questions. It strikes me as a lot easier now. I wonder, though... with all the talk that standardized tests are unfair to minorities, has the test become easier just on those PC grounds?

I took it in 7th grade and got something like a 1050 on it. In 11th grade, I got a 1390. I never took the ACT.

Because we hated the Arabs, even back then. Duh.

::casts Raise Dead once per hour, just to torture Hoff::

It's not just one person's perspective. *Anyone* can have that perspective. You're also not taking any responsibility for what you said, and you haven't from the beginning. You're the one who chose to use "nigger" in your post, for whatever reason and however you meant it, and you've sloughed off the blame for it as some form of unfair punishment. If you hadn't used the word, nothing would have happened. If you don't use it in the future, nothing will happen. It's just common sense.

I shall hoist a Guiness Extra Stout tonight. Not necessarily for Chave, but just because I fucking love Guiness Extra Stout.

This is the perspective that has to be kept in mind. Is it easy to tell what's supposed to be a joke from what's supposed to be a hateful screed? Sure. But the fact remains that there are plenty of other options to say in a joke, and none of them carry the weight that "nigger" does. I'm aware there's no such thing as the right not to be offended, but that doesn't mean there should be carte blanche to say whatever you want, as long as it's not part of some KKK-style propaganda.

Getting more oil from places outside the Middle East You mean like Venezuela? Oh, wait... Heh. Yeah, wouldn't that be nice... ?

I'd like to see this, even though I'm an atheist. There are a lot of interesting stories in the Bible, and the last day of Jesus' life is one of them.

It's the Netsky virus. PC Magazine (www.pcmag.com) had a big write-up about it this morning.

Getting more oil from places outside the Middle East Carpooling Since hybrids have yet to catch on, and the oil lobby is loath to let anything threaten their position, those are the best reasonable options for now.

While I sympathize with your position -- and part of me agrees with you -- the fact remains that we live in a civilized society. Torture is evil, and we're better than that.

A warning wasn't necessary? Exactly what do you expect the staff to do when a virulent racial slur appears in a post? Look the other way? My impression of the post in question was that you were trying to make a point, but that's a poor way to make it. Because it was a two-day suspension from a messageboard. Really, have some perspective. The point is that it shouldn't have been used in the first place. What kind of reaction would you expect if you said a certain group was "a bunch of nigger lovers" in a crowded bar? "Oh, but I was just using the word ironically to make a point, tee-hee!" wouldn't go over very well with people who would be lining up to make you swallow your teeth. Can you change the past? Neither can I. The reasonable thing to do it put it behind you and move on, and by your persistent refusal to do that, you're being unreasonable. The rest of the staff thought I handled the situation properly. You're the one who expects nothing to happen when people post racist slurs in an open forum. You should. It's not difficult. If a two-day suspension for using a racist slur in an open forum has a bearing on how you post from here on out, that's your problem, not mine. No one's looking over your shoulder or anything like that. There's no witchhunt going on. THe issues here appear to be originating from your end. When have I told you to shut up? I've said the issue should be put to rest because what's done is done, and it should. I would've forgotten about it had you not brought it up whenever it became convenient. Because everyone is tired of hearing you go on about this. It's over and done with, except you can't let it go. Any sympathy your position might have gotten you has been eroded and destroyed by your conduct since then. Other people have been suspended and gotten over it. Why can't you? I've tried to be conciliatory here and extend an olive branch, but it's obvious you don't want any parts of that, nor do you want any parts of listening to reason, based on your replies in this thread. So I guess we're back where we started, which means this was a waste of time for everyone. All because you can't let something go.

Bah, I loathe Stuart Scott. You're a rich suburbanite, Stu; trying to sound "urban" and "real" just makes you sound FAKE.

So he's 28? He's a STAR, and stars sell tickets. The Mets have their division rivals to compete with in the standings, but the Yankees to compete with in the minds of the city. There's no reason not to bring in a big star like Soriano. He's 28, meaning they can sign him for 5-6 and expect good, consistent production from him. High ticket prices are hard to justify with, "This kid might be DA BOMB~! someday."

A suspension is ludicrous here. Wow, boys that age are looking at the SI swimsuit issue. I know I was when I was in 6th grade. Taking it away is fine, and so is sending a note home saying that the mag should stay in dad's magazine rack, but a suspension? Incredible. I went out to dinner Saturday, and the group of us were duscussing things that happen in schools these days, and how the administrations always overreact in a ridiculously PC fashion. This is another case of that.

For making a post using the word "nigger" in CE. I'm not sure it's possible to use that word in a manner that isn't offensive to someone. Regardless, there are plenty of ways to get one's point across without resorting to the kind of cheap heat "nigger" gets. Maybe I should have just warned you; it was an option I considered. Considering that was your first offense, a warning probably would have been a better option. But what's done is done. Asking won't get you suspended. The problem I had is that you were grinding a very noticable axe against me across the boards, any chance you got. That's not the right way to resolve a problem. Starting a thread like this, or PMing me, would have been much better options, and would have saved the board a lot of needless drama over the weekend. Like I said, a warning was probably the better option at the time, but it's the one I didn't choose and that choice can't be unmade. I don't hold a grudge against you over this or have any bias against you because of this, and I'd like to think the same is true from your end.

GM, the offer still stands: if you want to discuss the situation with me via PM, you know where to find me.

Actually, if I'm the Mets, I'd make that trade. Soriano is a big name who already has star value in NY. With all the moves the Yankees have made, how patient are the MEts' fans going to be to accept a youth movement? A 20-year-old SS needs time to develop; Soriano is already a star. I'd make the deal without hesitation if I were the Mets.

Good. More people like that need to serve some real hard time.

No idea, but I'll second that one. I forgot all about him and Shaved Bear. Why would you miss Shaved Bear. I've been wondering that, too. A nice avatar can't cover the multitude of sins.

"Compassion? Don't you remember? I sold it to you yesterday." -- The Twilight Zone, "The Self-Improvement of Salvadore Ross"

No. With a foreign-born candidate, there would always be a concern that he'd be loyal to his home country first. America and its people must always be the first priorities of the president.

When Comcast buys Disney.