Al Gore win Nobel Peace Prize

[swede]

The sun is dimming.

The universe is inexorably expanding and unwinding.

Entropy rules the cosmos.

Humans are ridiculously self-centered. They want to believe that they have power and control over the geological evolution of a planet that bubbled along quite nicely for a good four billion years before they came along.

As a species our history is as finite as our own fragile lives.

That's why we enjoy things as ridiculous as football.

Roll in the hay while the sun still shines!

Edit: I can't believe Skin beat me to the "we're all gonna die any way post!

[mraynrand]

The "if" applies to the appropriatness of the word "terrorist." You have parsed my words surgically and drawn false distinctions to justify your firey speech.

distinction without a difference. You didn't use 'if' for the appropriateness of labeling Israeli leaders terrorists.

Several Israeli leaders during the Arafat era (Begin, Shamir, ...) led cells back in the 1940's that planted bombs to blow up British occupiers. You can call them "terrorists" or "freedom fighters." Similar status with Arafat, and this is my point.

The point isn't so much what you name them, as it is that you find them equivalent. People who target foreign terrorist leaders or military occupiers are not the same as those who tell their people to strap bombs on their children to blow up other women and children in restaurants. Not equivalent at all. That's why you are so screwed up. Recall the old saw - don't keep such an open mind that your brains leak out. I suspect that's what happened to you.

[Freak Out]

I would think the balance of the only existing livable planet in our reach is pretty important. You hate to do irreversable damage. The safest thing to do is preserve the planet the way it is so that we don't stumble upon any suprises. It could work out great, but who wants to gamble when it comes to that planet that gives us life?

You ever think the planet is sick of "giving us life" and would rather we just fucking perish? Why is the possible extinction of mankind such a dramatic event for you people? We ain't gonna last forever you know and the planet you claim to care so much about will be better for it. Deal with it.

In the words of the Shatner:

Live life like you’re gonna die
Becasue you’re going to.
I hate to be the bearer of bad news
But you’re gonna die

Maybe not today or even next year
But before you know it you’ll be saying
“Is this all there was?
What was all the fuss?
Why did I bother?”

Now, maybe you won’t suffer, maybe it’s quick
But you’ll have time to think
Why did I waste it?
Why didn’t I taste it?
You’ll have time
Because you’re gonna die.

Yes it’s gonna happen because it’s happened to a lot of people I know
My mother, my father, my loves
The president, the kings and the pope
They all had hope

And they muttered just before they went
Maybe I won’t go
Live life like you’re going to die
Because you are

Maybe you won’t suffer maybe it’s quick
But you’ll have time to think
Why did I waste it?
Why didn’t I taste it?
You’ll have time
‘Cause you’re gonna die

I tell you who else left us
Passed on down to heaven no longer with us
Johnny Cash, JFK, that guy in the Stones
Lou Gehrig, Einstein, Joey Ramone
Have I convinced you yet?
Do you read my lips?
This may come as news but it’s time.
You’re gonna die.

By the time you hear this I may well be dead
And you my friend might be next
‘Cause we’re all gonna die

Maybe you won’t suffer and maybe it’s quick
But you’ll have time to think
Why did I waste it?
Why didn’t I taste it?
You’ll have time
You’ll have time, ’cause you’re gonna die
Yes, you’re gonna die
You’re gonna die, I tell you
You’re gonna die
You are going to die

Where's the Nimoy baby!

Oh...here it is.

http://www.leonardnimoyphotography.com/2photo.htm

[MadtownPacker]

If any of you panochas are worried about the world ending I will be more then happy to take your ass out now.

[Merlin]

Kiwon,

Gore put the environment on the agendas of people that wouldn't ordinarily taken too much notice. Despite HH's "higher-than-thou" stance towards you, I share his position pertaining to the importance of the Nobel Peace Prize.

To dismiss it, I think, is a bit short sighted. Yes I had trouble with Arafat receiving the award based on his past, but, when he won it, he was genuinely working towards solving a 1000 year war.

Having sat next to an Israeli doctor on the plane from DC to Frankfurt this week, I had a chance to discuss this with someone who was there; She said, she and many of her countrymen were in awe of Arafat's attempts at achieving peace and, she is convinced if it weren't for the assassination of Rabin, peace might have become reality.

Going back to his old ways embarressed the committe, I suspect.

Anyways, Gore has done a wonderful job of getting the environment on the agenda. Whether or not this was politically motivated is a different discussion; solving the peace issue in the Middle-East is also pretty good for one's polical resumé!

I think you forgot all about the 1970's and the naive environmental laws that have been passed since. Not that all of them are bad but some of them are a joke. The issue for Gore is not the environment, it's his ego. The environment is all over the media and has been for three decades now. If this award held any creditability anymore, he would not have received it over other nominees whose LIFETIME achievements meant more to peace in the world then his 15 minutes of fame do. The problem is the MSM wanted Gore to get it, therefore it is a meaningless award that was once a prestigious award but now tainted because of idiots like Gore.

[Merlin]

Jimmy Carter: The Worst Ex-President in History

Better enjoy it, he loses his crown in 15 months.

No, he won't lose it. He is by far the worst president in US history. No other president came as close to running a country into bankruptcy as Carter did. His domestic policies were the worst on record and his foreign policies lead to the detainment of US Citizens for some 400 + days. Nothing he has to say is worth a shit, not one word. He is goo for the habitat for humanity but outside of that, he is living in some kind of ultra-dictator loving reality.

[Merlin]

My biggest beef with that article is that it says that Carter "allowed" the hostage crisis to happen. Using that logic, Bush "allowed" 9-11 to happen and on our own soil which makes him 100x worse.

About 9/11. Both Clinton and Bush misunderestimated the al quaeda threat. It's that simple. They both bear some responsibility, along with the CIA for letting the terrorists get by them. The events in Iran were far more transparent, and there were plenty of people who were writing at the time (and warning) about the nature of Khomeni and the fundamentalists who were trying to seize power in Iran.

Clinton bears the brunt of the blame on this one. He didn't do anything after the first WTC bombing, he had the same intelligence reports that Bush had. Bush was in office for 8 Months when the attacks occurred, Clinton had 8 years and did nothing. Bush can take some of the responsibility but to dismiss the inaction of the previous administration because you don't like Bush is just wrong (not that you did that here).

[Merlin]

We only get one earth. It's unfortunate that the rest of the world won't play fair. Greed and competitiveness is not always what is best for the world. It makes people work harder and be more efficient, but it doesn't make the world a better place in all instances. I'm a conservative, mostly because of economic issues and overall efficiency in our country, but I'm very much against the republican party when it comes to the enviornment. They want to make it possible for companies to compete. Mabe they should start devising ways to make other countries compete on a level playing field instead of making it possible for our companies to polute as much as their companies.

Most aren't aware that the United States has the strictest environmental policies in the world. Maybe we should take that mantra to the countries that aren't doing anything and are actually creating more pollution to get some of those Kyoto Treaty dollars from the UN. That is the reality. Another reality is that in the global market place the US cannot compete with other countries because of our environmental laws. No one is saying destroy the planet. No other president has given more money to environmental maintenance then Bush. It's a cold hard fact that gets lost in the rhetoric.

Just another spin on the same.

[swede]

[RashanGary]

Most aren't aware that the United States has the strictest environmental policies in the world. Maybe we should take that mantra to the countries that aren't doing anything and are actually creating more pollution to get some of those Kyoto Treaty dollars from the UN. That is the reality. Another reality is that in the global market place the US cannot compete with other countries because of our environmental laws. No one is saying destroy the planet. No other president has given more money to environmental maintenance then Bush. It's a cold hard fact that gets lost in the rhetoric.

Just another spin on the same.

Good point. I agree that republicans or Bush are not at fault. Our country seems to do a very good job. The real fight against global warming, Ozone depletion and the possible threat to life are countries like China who have little to no laws about how much garbage they can dump into our atmosphere. Fighting to level the playing field would be good for current and prospective buisnesses in our country and MUCH better for the maintenance of the planet we occupy. The answer isn't more laws against us, the answer is more universal laws as a law here just moves a buisness there and it continues at what is probably a higher rate. Bush has the right idea. He's pressuring the world to follow suit, rather than making our laws more strict which would really do nothing.

My arguement is against those who say global doesn't exist and mock poeple who value maintaining the earth.

[Harlan Huckleby]

People who target foreign terrorist leaders or military occupiers are not the same as those who tell their people to strap bombs on their children to blow up other women and children in restaurants.

How does the behavior of terrorists compare morally with the firebombing of Dresdon in WWII? Tens of thousands of INNOCENT women and children died an agonzing death. And the military rational was dubious.

I see no difference. A burned baby is a burned baby.

I don't know whether Menachem Begin killed any civilians when he led a terrorist cell in the 1940's, I assume he did, they were attacking the civil administration. It is the same strategy the Palestinians have employed.

Anwar Sadat got a Nobel Prize, he was a brutal dictator who tortured thousands.

What were we arguing about? Oh ya, you are outraged that the Nobel committee gave a prize to a man who is not only arrogant, but also a card-carrying Democrat!

[falco]

good job everyone.

lets keep on dumbing it down.

[Harlan Huckleby]

The universe is inexorably expanding and unwinding

So at the end of a terrible day, when I'm expanding and unwinding with a shroom, the universe is right there with me. That is so Zen, dude.

Entropy rules the cosmos.

you anarchist. I wouldn't be surprised if you were a pervert too. What with everything falling apart, why not explore the full garden of earthly delights? Republicans today, I shudder.

Humans are ridiculously self-centered. They want to believe that they have power and control over the geological evolution of a planet that bubbled along quite nicely for a good four billion years before they came along.

This philosophy justifies any and all polluting. I've heard this dodge from Rush, too. It's too ignorant and delusional to argue with. Like somebody putting their hands on their ears and yelling, "Nah nah nah nah nah nah!!!!"

[Freak Out]

[quote="Merlin"]

Most aren't aware that the United States has the strictest environmental policies in the world. Maybe we should take that mantra to the countries that aren't doing anything and are actually creating more pollution to get some of those Kyoto Treaty dollars from the UN. That is the reality. Another reality is that in the global market place the US cannot compete with other countries because of our environmental laws. No one is saying destroy the planet. No other president has given more money to environmental maintenance then Bush. It's a cold hard fact that gets lost in the rhetoric.
Just another spin on the same.

The EU has much tighter overall EHS laws and the enforcement to back them up. China has very tough laws but almost zero enforcement, the US has some tough laws but not much enforcement. Every once in a while a violation will be sent to the DOJ for enforcement of a criminal violation. The EPA budget has remained pretty stable for the last 10 years or so but Dubyas proposed cuts are going to hurt in some areas that many people are completely unaware of....and the lack of adequate management for the Superfund is almost criminal.

[mraynrand]

A burned baby is a burned baby.

That sums you up Harlan. You couldn't care about intent, ultimate goals or outcome - if a baby is burned, it's all the same. Moral equivalency, thy name is HH.