Firestarter

You can't prove that someone or something never existed. That's nonsensical. You can only prove that we have ZERO records of Jesus or anyone like him ever having existed. Also, for everyone saying that it's the philosophy, not the man which is really important (and I agree), I trust you are all aware that your opinion is completely contrary to Christian doctrine? It's straight out of Jesus Christ Superstar, and we all know how much the Church loved that. "You've begun to matter more than the things you say!" - Judas, Heaven On Their Minds Hell, where's SP hiding when his input might actually be of some use? He's made this exact point before, and he's right. Christ's divinity is fundamental to the Christian faith. If you just want the philosophy, you might as well call yourself a Socratian.

No. Just that online polls are meaningless due to the automatic preselection. Scientific opinion polls conducted by reputable agencies still have validity.

Good work, Jobber! I'm impressed by the way you summarily rendered irrelevant Senator Miller's 48 years of consistent support for Democratic presidential candidates by posting a single crude cartoon. But wait, you didn't. Try harder.

My wife just quit menthols a few weeks ago. We both smoke the regular Marlboro 100s now.

... And now we all sit back and wonder why, exactly, Agent knows what cologne tastes like.

George Bush vs the Naive Nine by Senator Zell Miller (D-GA) "I will vote for George W Bush for president. I have come to believe that George Bush is the right man in the right place at the right time. And that's a pretty big mouthful coming from a lifelong Democrat who first voted for Adlai Stevenson in 1952 and has voted for every Democratic presidential candidate the 12 cycles since then... this was the easiest decision I think I've ever made in deciding who to support... the Democratic candidates who want to be president in the worst way are running for office in the worst way... I cannot vote for a candidate who wants us to cut and run... These naive nine have managed to combine the worst feature of the McGovern campaign... with the worst feature of the Mondale campaign... George McGovern carried one state in 1972. Walter Mondale carried one state in 1984. Not exactly role models when it comes to how to get elected or, for that matter, how to run a country. So, as I have said, my choice for president was an easy decision. And my own party's candidates made it even easier." (emphases mine) Thanks for your support, your confidence, and your vote, Senator. You're a man of integrity and courage, and I'll miss seeing you in Congress. God bless.

CNN story: Lawyer grateful he survived courthouse shooting That's got to be the biggest "Well, duh" headline I've seen today.

So I guess the absolute worst driver in the entire world would talk like this: "Yee-haw! Let's burn rubber an' git our backsides on over ta Big Jim's sushi bar! It's ladies' night an' boy, do Ah loves me some wasabi! Say... y'all wouldn't be starin' at my tits now, would ya?"

Well this is good. And I don't say that because I'm an evil conservative who cares more about corporations than individuals. It's because I'm an intelligent conservative who understands that businesses create jobs. If you harm businesses, you harm the individuals that they employ, and you harm the individuals businesses might have employed if they were doing better. I don't understand the left's newfound antipathy towards business. I really don't. It makes zero sense. One side has an understanding of utterly elementary economics and the other doesn't. This is interesting, considering that both the employment rate and the unemployment rate are increasing. Do you know what that means? Did you even know that was possible? Yes it is, and that's because people on the unemployment registers are actually looking for jobs. Spending is also up. That points to increased consumer confidence and increased worker confidence. That means that businesses are hiring, not shipping off good American jobs to those dirty darkies overseas. I love the way the left tries to say that conservatives are bigots while at the same time claiming protectionist credentials from the labour unions. You "liberals" are amazingly proficient hookers, working both sides of the street while talking out of both sides of your mouth and wearing two hats at once. Don't you ever get tired? Consistency has its virtues. Try it sometime. But that's fine, as long as it doesn't affect investor confidence. In fact it makes the government more effective and the economy more stable. And as Mike already pointed out, governments don't exist to make a profit. The federal budget should never have a surplus. Governments exist only to protect and secure the unalienable rights given to the people by their Creator, and taxation is a means to an end, not a good in and of itself. There is nothing inherently inhuman about "giant firms," much though the left loves to make this silly and fraudulent assumption. Firms are made up of people. Firms provide jobs. Firms, right now, are hiring. And this improves the lot of the people. Take a deep breath, put a paper bag over your head, and try to accept reality.

The intro music from Ultima VI: The False Prophet.

Not really. It has one of the more palatable people and one of the more reasonable presidents in that godforsaken area of the world, but neither the president nor the people have any appreciable degree of power. Until they do, the country itself, governed by the Ayatollah and the Council of Guardians, will remain one of the vilest places imaginable.

Neither of us would've been able to go as Hillary Clinton.

Objection; the witness has perjured himself.

I'll be Cardinal Giuliano della Rovere during the papacy of Innocent VIII, whom he elevated, manipulated, and controlled as the shadowmaster behind the throne. Taking a few liberties with historical speculation, I'll carry the Summis desiderantes around, working on the final draft before my puppet signs it, and I'll threaten anyone who looks at me sideways with the fires of the Inquisition. My wife will be the succubus who seduces, corrupts, and tempts me into leading a life of evil and debauchery, just like in real life.

Or get rid of the silly rule. If you're at work, fucking work. If my boss were looking over my shoulder he'd be pissed off I was wasting my time on a messageboard, nudity or no.

Right you are. I always have a hard time remembering Egypt is part of Africa.

Seems perfectly logical to me. How did the Incas affect the world? Their achievements would be relevant in a class on Inca history, and the African tribes in a class on African history, and the Mayans and the Aztecs in Mayan and Aztec history classes, and so on. But why on earth should their specific histories be taught in a class on world history? Let that class concentrate on the histories of the civilisations that did shape the world. Try to include every extinct tribe and every petty second-rate power for the sake of "diversity" and "multiculturalism" and you'll end up teaching no one anything at all.

On its own? What if the dead white men had never existed? Maybe you mean the "countries" used as early staging grounds for World War II. Wait no, Rommel was over there and he's a dead white man too. Never mind.

Sorta flatbread they eat over there. Like a flour tortilla or something.

Yeah, because the history of the Mblwanganu tribe of south-central Equatorial Guinea is just as important as all those dead white men. Feh. We study European history in detail because that's what was consequential. One decade of advancements in the West changed the world, not just once but countless times. The Magna Carta. The Industrial Revolution. The Enlightenment. Let me know when Africa or south Asia has more of an impact on mankind as a whole than a stale chapati landing in a mosquito-filled puddle with a sort of gurgly whumph.

OMG HATE CRIME

Have to agree with Spicy on this one. Sorry Tom, but you're wrong. Men don't start raping children just because they aren't allowed to fuck women. That's ridiculous. A moral man would go out and hire a prostitute instead - the chance of being discovered is much lower, it should be more in line with his desires, and rape should be far, far more repugnant to him than paying for sex. What you're saying is a direct parallel to what apologists for terrorism say about the Palestinians: "They're murdering innocent people because they don't have jobs. Just give them jobs and they'll stop." No. They won't. And priests won't stop raping kids if the Church allows them to marry. Of course, the Church should allow them to marry anyway, but what's needed is a massive federal crackdown, systematic use of the RICO laws, undercover agents, wiretapping, and sting operations to destroy the ability of a corrupt and immoral institution which feels it's above the law to protect its members from justice. And possibly sanctions and airstrikes against the Vatican, the freezing of all its funds in the United States, the seizure of its property, the arrest or expulsion of its personnel, and the investigation of its supporters. Let the Pope surrender, let him sign a treaty promising to honour the laws of the United States, and let him understand that if he or his subordinates ever again attempt to undermine, obstruct, or evade our justice system, or give aid or sanctuary of any kind to those who do, he will be held personally responsible and his filthy organisation will be pounded into rubble around his ears.

Hate crime laws are not only silly, they're ineffective and redundant. Conspiracy to commit a felony is a crime in and of itself. Prove conspiracy (based on race or anything else) and you've got two easy convictions. As for trauma, if I were "attacked and severely beaten and kicked," I doubt I'd give a shit what the hell the criminals were yelling while they did it.

Hold on. Hold on just a goddamn second, Tom! Are you saying that guy you banned was GAY?!

<eyes T®ITEC speculatively>