"if we keep allowing deniers to have a say in policy."

that's what it's all about right there. CONTROL. can't very well let people who disagree to have any say in policy. that would be nuts. we know what's best for everyone. we will make the hard decisions for the greater good. you stupid people get out of our way. we know best.

nothing worse then a bunch of people who know they are smarter then everyone else.

"It would be great to get the US to give up making land mines, but unfortunately China and Russia would almost certainly ramp up production to fill any shortfall. That's not a good enough reason for us to keep doing it"

how about, we keep making/using them because they work? they are a very effective, low cost solution that saves the lives of those using them.

i love land mines. much better then throwing soldiers at the problem.

if you like your video game, you can keep your video game.

well, when deniers talk the science, the believers go into "burn the heretics at the stake" mode. it's hard to have an honest debate with people who have drank the kool-aid. so, when dealing with cults/religions i think it's valid to point out the hypocrisy of the cults leaders. it's also important to show why they want you to believe what they're selling. it's probably not for the greater good, it's most likely to gain more control and power.

it's always about control and power.

this heretic is ready, mod me down.

"So now the government is talking about regulating peering. I feared this would happen once someone woke up to how the Internet actually works. I really don't see how any good can come of this."

it's the government, "good" has nothing to do with it. they want control and power. regulate, is what they do. control is what they want. outcome is not important to them. repeat.

"While we may be out of an economic depression"

we have just begun our decent into the depression. we have a very bumpy ride ahead. the house of cards is coming down.

tell that to those who order drone strikes on their own citizens with out so much as a grand jury inditement.

and they will be incapable of doing another simple daily task.

i love technology, but i shudder to think how bad a collapse will be.

that sucks!

getting the info off the devices and back to the DOD does not always happen. i know of numerous times an entire missions worth of data was never uploaded to a computer and/or never sent any further up the chain. it may be collected, but it's not all getting where they want it.

and from what I saw in two tours, the data that does make it up never amounts to anything actionable. a waste of money and resources right now.

i think you're right. it is a good place to beta test and will be much more useful here at home, where people are much easier to identify and track.

sign me up. i can get more than that many neighbors to agree to those terms. alas, we don't even have that option. we'd pay many times more for the chance.

it's all relative.

we have not followed the law of the land for some time. why start now?

more meaningless proclamations.

which would of been picked up by the next, possibly innovative, auto company to come along an buy up all the union heavy, bloated, bureaucratic, bankrupt companies assets at rock bottom prices. there is/was no need to bail the industry out. people like/want cars. somebody will always be around to make them and people move were the jobs are. you don't stop being valuable or employable because the company you work for goes out of business. it's called a free market. which we haven't had for some time.

as for moving to Detroit, no thank you. too many union types lurking around up there.

you sure can.

the branch dividians purposely didn't pay the tax on their weapons in order to instigate a standoff with the Feds. if you pay the proper tax, you can legally own any of the weapons they were killed over.

the FBI/ATF did not have to step in and stop it anymore then they have to enforce any other failure to pay taxes.

the Man wanted blood and the dividians gave them an excuse. just remember, all those people died because they didn't pay the tax. money == freedom and in this case life.

i have yet to see one dire prediction from the 70's on that has come to pass regarding the environment, global climate charade, and population.

burn me at the stake.