Stant123, I have no problems myself with Wikipedia as it is a quick short reference for those things I find unappealing and not willing to branch out further. Gregor Mendel is one such figure for me, sorry. I think you missed my point though, I assumed the “posthumous” award was delayed because the Church destroyed his work and a rediscovery was necessary because of that. No real matter. The common sense comment was directed at one thing specifically and that was: “Everything post 9-11-2001 in Iraq and Afghanistan does not fall into the spreading democracy doctrine because all actions were in direct response to a direct attack on the US itself.” And I stand with my call … you cannot possibly believe this … can you? Maybe if you could point out where Afghanistan and Iraq attacked the US itself (?) it would be clearer. I am sure you probably had something specific in mind here, but the comment on face value is incorrect. No real matter either. However now that I reread the passage, I have a few more points. The Saudis don’t give anyone complete and total access … you kidding? Well, the rest indicates to me that you believe the USG can go around the world and just dictate terms to everyone under threat of attack … I cannot agree. There isn’t much in most of those countries you listed for the USG to steal monopolize. If human life were of value today … that would not be the case, but it isn’t. We don’t have to attack countries anymore … we have our technology and our wealth. Do you know how profitable it is to sell arms to both sides in a conflict brought about by our desire for regime change and more and more power? I missed why we might want to bomb those countries … for what purpose. And if we stop slipping our chosen dictators into other countries and start attacking them directly whoa … do you think there is some reason for us to do Hitler’s job for him … posthumously? “The US participates in the spread of democratic ideals, not imperialism.”  We need to discuss the third world then because you seem clueless here. How in the world do you know what the USG is or isn’t doing or why ... because they tell us? When does might make things right … when has it ever?

Stant123, you haven’t proved anything yet, just sited one example that I still don’t agree with. Personally I think you chose a difficult path here with this Mendel character. He was a learned Christian … what other school would he even want to attend let alone could have … they took him in huh. I read the blurb about taxation but have no idea why taxing religious institutions would inspire anyone to destroy his paperwork? “He was posthumously recognized because that's how science is sometimes.” You used the word ‘sometimes’ here … humm. Yet it clearly states in the article that his recognition came late because his work was destroyed by the Abbot (Church) to be re-discovered much later … not because that is how it is done … sometimes. How in the world can you possibly even guess why his work was destroyed … it was destroyed by the Abbot who is the church authority in his abbey. This is so silly … I am not going to play with this guy (hahaha) again, I don’t care.

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

Maybe you should quote from Wikipedia since that is what he seems to find relevant.

'Imperialism is "the creation and/or maintenance of an unequal economic, cultural, and territorial relationship, usually between states and often in the form of an empire, based on domination and subordination."

Smoothseas ... the comment wasn't mine ... don't get your panties in a wad. There is no doubt in my mind that that was a foolish thing to say. OK, I see hahaha. I don’t like this pasting everyone’s comments over and over again … so I often use quotes and colored text to work someone else’s comments into my reply. I think you should have read the next line though. Do you know how many responses I could get because of this hahaha … life’s just one big beach huh?

I realize that. My reply was made because I don't think the poster of the original comment has any idea what imperialism actually means.

He doesn't even seem to know what patriotism means, that Americans are extremely patriotic,and how patriotic (and important) it is to openly critique the actions of one's own government.

The English language is something else for sure. I think people need to slow down and try harder understanding the context that words are used in. I have never seen so many people (on JU) that seem to have 'pet words' they have predefined just for themselves. Imperialism is one such word. Now I don't know how anyone capable of reading a reasonable dictionary could attach one and only one definition to it ... that is just plain stupid and argumentative and serves no purpose. Brainwashing is another such word … there are many. Everyone knows what patriotism is, they have different ways of expressing it. Patriot is also one of those buzz words. I don’t care to talk about others and avoid it when possible, I just think it is distasteful is all … but he sure does have some hard to understand points of view. Who cares, I am here to enjoy myself and to maybe learn a thing or two.

Just watch certain media outlets. I tend to receive that sort of propaganda filtered through The Colbert Report so I know not take it too seriously.

George Carlin - Dealing with BS Part 1

George Carlin - Dealing with BS Part 2

George is the most brilliant comic eva 

Too bad cutting through the BS like he did doesn't work in politics.

You would think that common sense would enter the fray at some point but that doesn’t seem to be the case. Without even a logical approach (there is none) … it is all pointless. Religion is only of use to the believers and there are no ‘problems’ amongst themselves for sure, hahaha. Science doesn’t have anything to do with theology and the only problems I see are when Christianity attempts to drag science into their make believe world to resurrect the morals of antiquity or whatever … when mankind was in his prime, hehehe. How about all you religious folk deciding what’s what before you ask me to disprove it for you? How about asking the science community what they think…

1. Evolution vs. Creationism: Listen to the Scientists.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bV4_lVTVa6k&feature=player_embedded

Religion is a hot poker in the mind of humanity with its indifference to the facts of life as we know them today. Our sciences would be as remiss as the religious zealots if we didn’t reevaluate our findings and beliefs with the invention/improvement of our technology and our improved knowledge. What in the Bible says we are supposed to be idiots, that we are useful only for kneeling down, praying to their jealous (???) God, donating much to the church coffers, and fantasizing over the bliss of sitting there all goo-goo eyed for eternity? I cannot imagine this existence on Earth and have no desire to experience this fiction for ‘eternity’. If the angels couldn’t tolerate the bliss in their short stay there (< infinity I suppose) … what chance does an inadequate evil human being have of surviving such an experience? How typical and self-serving; “I belong to the RCC and we can do better than the angels, Adam and Eve and all the rest of humanity … because God told us so”, hahaha. It is amazing the extent people will go to try and defy the grave hehehe.

George Carlin died in June, 2008.

Makes running for office very difficult, if not impossible.

Since when must death be a hindrance to political ambition? ....