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Feel, Think, Act, Pass it on. — Parallax Forums

Feel, Think, Act, Pass it on.

kwinnkwinn Posts: 8,697
edited 2013-09-01 16:52 in General Discussion
Found the attached note while sorting through my paper files and thought I would post it since it relates to some recent postings and seems very relevant to our current situation.
doc
doc
We do not live in a true democracy.doc
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Comments

  • LoopyBytelooseLoopyByteloose Posts: 12,537
    edited 2013-09-01 04:16
    Trying to obey forum rules and not get political. But there should be a forum somewhere for your concerns... I just wish I knew where.
  • Heater.Heater. Posts: 21,230
    edited 2013-09-01 04:19
    Politics Alert! Politics Alert!

    A call to civil disobedience and revolution. PRISM is watching. Anyone replying here will be under suspicion. Anyone replying to kwinn on any other forum will be under suspicion, by association. Joining the dots that is all of us.
    The "Five Eyes" are watching you. Welcome to the new world order.

    Discussion of politics is generally frowned upon on technical forums. Which is a bit of a problem as many of the people on technical forums have spent their lives creating the technology and systems that make the above nightmare scenario possible. Perhaps they are exactly the people who should be talking about it more.
  • Martin_HMartin_H Posts: 4,051
    edited 2013-09-01 05:57
    I can't read the document because the office suite on Android claims that it isn't a valid Word 97 document. However, citizens of the US live in a constitutional republic, not a democracy. While citizens of the United Kingdom live in a constitutional monarchy and parliamentary republic*, not a democracy either.

    * Given that the monarch is also the head of the established religion we could also add theocracy to cover all our bases.
  • ElectricAyeElectricAye Posts: 4,561
    edited 2013-09-01 06:19
    I've got to confess, there are times when I look around at the people who live near me and I often wonder if democracy was such a good idea after all:

    vkfridaynightcafe17.jpghillbillies-with-guns.jpg
  • BeanBean Posts: 8,129
    edited 2013-09-01 07:47
    I forget who said it but it is very true...

    "A true democracy is two wolves and a sheep deciding what is for dinner."

    Or put another way, mob rule.

    Bean
  • Heater.Heater. Posts: 21,230
    edited 2013-09-01 07:56
    Bean,

    "A true democracy is two wolves and a sheep deciding what is for dinner."

    So obviously what the sheep need is an ape to look out for them and shoot the wolves. Of course they give up their freedom to get that safety and may well end up in the pot as well.

    Seems to be about where we are now.
  • ElectricAyeElectricAye Posts: 4,561
    edited 2013-09-01 08:02
    Bean wrote: »
    ...

    "A true democracy is two wolves and a sheep deciding what is for dinner."

    ...

    Even 99 sheep and one wolf seems to favor the wolf most times.
  • ctwardellctwardell Posts: 1,716
    edited 2013-09-01 08:21
    ElectricAye,

    Notice that the man with the pistol has his finger properly outside the trigger guard and pointed in a relatively safe direction.
    The Senator has her finger ON THE TRIGGER and given the number of people in the room, likely in an unsafe direction.

    I would submit this as evidence that ones grooming and socioeconomic status has little to do with their ability to handle a firearm in a safe manner.

    C.W.


    FeinFinger.jpg
    hillbillies-with-guns.jpg
    FeinFinger.jpg
    335 x 272 - 27K
    hillbillies-with-guns.jpg
    320 x 229 - 28K
  • ElectricAyeElectricAye Posts: 4,561
    edited 2013-09-01 09:09
    ctwardell wrote: »
    ...

    I would submit this as evidence that ones grooming and socioeconomic status has little to do with their ability to handle a firearm in a safe manner.

    ...

    You are absolutely right about that. The statistics for "friendly fire" incidents prove that even extremely well-trained professionals have a hard time not accidentally offing their own. While it has been difficult to pin down exact numbers, the estimated range is 2% to 20%. Based on my own observations, I would guess 10% is about right.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Friendly_fire
  • Oldbitcollector (Jeff)Oldbitcollector (Jeff) Posts: 8,091
    edited 2013-09-01 09:40
    Someone was looking for these?

    http://forums.parallax.com/showthread.php/134682-Forum-Guidelines
  • ctwardellctwardell Posts: 1,716
    edited 2013-09-01 09:41
    ElectricAye wrote: »
    You are absolutely right about that. The statistics for "friendly fire" incidents prove that even extremely well-trained professionals have a hard time not accidentally offing their own. While it has been difficult to pin down exact numbers, the estimated range is 2% to 20%. Based on my own observations, I would guess 10% is about right.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Friendly_fire

    So why do you only post pictures of stereotypical "hillbillies" with guns all the time? It seems like you might be practicing a little classism.

    I guess only "extremely well-trained professionals" of the more fortunate classes, even when they sometimes make mistakes, have a right to self defense.

    C.W.
  • ElectricAyeElectricAye Posts: 4,561
    edited 2013-09-01 10:12
    ctwardell wrote: »
    So why do you only post pictures of stereotypical "hillbillies" with guns all the time? It seems like you might be practicing a little classism.....

    Are you suggesting there's nothing classy about being a hillbilly with a gun?

    I happen to be all three.
  • LoopyBytelooseLoopyByteloose Posts: 12,537
    edited 2013-09-01 11:45
    Oh my, that is the Chairwoman of the US Senate Intelligence Committee with key oversight of USA's security that has her finger on the trigger.

    America - Love it or leave it. I did both in that order.

    It is just so much nicer to live in Taiwan where everyone is not allowed to have guns ... except the police and a few others.
  • kwinnkwinn Posts: 8,697
    edited 2013-09-01 12:32
    Martin_H wrote: »
    I can't read the document because the office suite on Android claims that it isn't a valid Word 97 document. However, citizens of the US live in a constitutional republic, not a democracy. While citizens of the United Kingdom live in a constitutional monarchy and parliamentary republic*, not a democracy either.

    * Given that the monarch is also the head of the established religion we could also add theocracy to cover all our bases.

    Sorry Martin, I tried to post it as a PDF but could not get the forum to accept it.
  • kwinnkwinn Posts: 8,697
    edited 2013-09-01 12:46
    Heater. wrote: »
    Politics Alert! Politics Alert!

    A call to civil disobedience and revolution. PRISM is watching. Anyone replying here will be under suspicion. Anyone replying to kwinn on any other forum will be under suspicion, by association. Joining the dots that is all of us.
    The "Five Eyes" are watching you. Welcome to the new world order.

    Discussion of politics is generally frowned upon on technical forums. Which is a bit of a problem as many of the people on technical forums have spent their lives creating the technology and systems that make the above nightmare scenario possible. Perhaps they are exactly the people who should be talking about it more.

    My apologies to you and to anyone who found the message offensive. To me it seemed more of an appeal for us to live a more thoughtful and considerate lifestyle rather than any political or revolutionary message.
  • Heater.Heater. Posts: 21,230
    edited 2013-09-01 12:59
    kwinn,

    Not offensive to me at all.
    As I said techies should be talking about these things.
    Sadly it's my experience that such discussions soon run into a left vs right, democrat vs republican slanging match which is interminably boring and often totally missing the point of the problem at hand.

    Hence such debates are frowned up on techie forums. Which means they have no place to discuss these topics reasonably.
  • localrogerlocalroger Posts: 3,451
    edited 2013-09-01 14:06
    As much as I would love to say something about this, this is not the proper place to say it. There is no shortage of discussion boards for political topics out there. We have plenty of topics to discuss here which further our technical needs and Parallax's business without risking a political food fight.
  • GadgetmanGadgetman Posts: 2,436
    edited 2013-09-01 14:17
    One very big reason that political or religious discussions are 'frowned upon' in many forums is that these tends to escalate into full-blown flame-wars pretty quickly.

    This is a pretty friendly forum, and is also visited by children.
    I really prefer it to stay friendly, and also not to expose young minds to politics/religion or flame-wars...
  • ElectricAyeElectricAye Posts: 4,561
    edited 2013-09-01 16:36
    Gadgetman wrote: »
    ...
    This is a pretty friendly forum, and is also visited by children.....

    Hey! Who you calling children here? Them's fightin words!

    anime-funny-pictures-sandbox-watermelon-847950.jpeg
  • Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi)Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi) Posts: 23,514
    edited 2013-09-01 16:52
    kwinn,

    I know you meant well, but the temptation for some to pick up your ball and run the wrong way down the field with it has proven to strong to resist, apparently. So I'm going to close this thread and let it sink into oblivion, like an empty beercan thrown overboard and settling into the Marianas Trench.

    'Sorry guys...

    -Phil
This discussion has been closed.