It's about time to just give in to groundless paranoia and assume that everything that anyone does is monitored by government "ceiling cats".

Maybe we should just set an empty place at the table for Big Brother in case he drops in.

I used to say that Big Brother didn't much need to watch us, because He knew what most of us were watching.

Then the Internets came upon us.

Ironic that they use the same techno-wave that makes ceiling cats potentially ubiquitous.

quote:

Originally posted by limbojim:
The firehouse across the street had so many bulletholes from snipers, that the entire second floor was abandoned quickly after initial occupancy. They basically moved the second floor bunkhouse down to ground level, dragging the mattresses down and laying them between the firetrucks on the floor.

When it rained, the roof leaked like mad and no-one would go up on the roof to try and fix the holes.

Well, I guess that answers my What is it with firefighters and racism? question.

I haven't been down there for awhile, so I don't remember if the firehouse is still there, but if memory serves, the entire area's been pretty much swallowed up by the swanky River North art district next door. That and giant office buildings.

quote:

This is supposed to be an election thread, and it's turning into old home week.

I feel a little guilty about that.

Did some reading and alls I can say is that HHT sucks doorknobs. That's a shitty break.

Anyway, I'm gonna go study my maps, before I do anymore reminiscing.

I guess we should make room for the thread topic, but it's interesting connecting the biographical dots like this. You couldn't really have a thread for that.

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I guess we should make room for the thread topic, but it's interesting connecting the biographical dots like this. You couldn't really have a thread for that.

Well, folks oughta know the most qualified candidates' backgrounds, yes?

Me and Etruscan can duke it out like Kerry and Edwards in the primaries, while limbo can rest assured he'll be diabolical Count Richelieu to whatever poor sucker gets elected and thinks he can ru(i)n the country.

quote:

Well, I guess that answers my What is it with firefighters and racism?

Yup. My dad hated being shot at while he was rescuing babies and salvaging property.

On the other hand, it's my firm belief that cop-killing snipers were the main reason police brutality cooled down to a bit of verbal abuse and arm-twisting there in the 70s/80s.

quote:

Originally posted by kenmeer livermaile:
I used to say that Big Brother didn't much need to watch us, because He knew what most of us were watching.

Then the Internets came upon us.

Ironic that they use the same techno-wave that makes ceiling cats potentially ubiquitous.

It has always been my suspicion that no one, at any time, has really ever been in control of anything.

"It has always been my suspicion that no one, at any time, has really ever been in control of anything."

Well, thare are defined sets of control, like the steerin wheel and the right side of the road, et cetera, but as far as the Big Picture, especially politically, control is the *illusion* of havig control.

...interesting concept.

quote:

Originally posted by kenmeer livermaire:
On the other hand, it's my firm belief that cop-killing snipers were the main reason police brutality cooled down to a bit of verbal abuse and arm-twisting there in the 70s/80s

Hm. I might go along with that, but it was more than a little arm-twisting Jon Burge was up to during that same period. Chicago's finest.

But we should really stop hijacking this poor thread with that stuff.

quote:

But we should really stop hijacking this poor thread with that stuff

They, or we, can talk politics here or anywhere. Everyone talks too loud at cocktail parties.

Aye, I was exaggerating for brevity's sake about the reduction in police brutality. But yeah, all them brothers coming back from Nam knowing how to aim and shoot from afar put a crimp in police impunity for awhile.

Big Brother's Shooting, y'know? And folks thought Cop Killer was like, oh, new?

"If you can't run your own house, you can't run the White House"
-Michelle Obama.

and, might I just add:
Haw Haw!!!!!

quote:

Everyone talks too loud at cocktail parties

quote:

She told an audience in Council Bluffs that Obama was cautioned not to enter the race for president because there was so much fear: "fear that he might lose; fear that he might get hurt; fear that this might get ugly; fear that this might hurt our family."

Fuck your family, this is about all our families.

quote:

But the family decided to say "yes" to the Democratic race partially to confront those fears, said Michelle. "I am tired of being afraid . . . I don't want my girls to live in a country that is based on fear."

Straighten up and fly right.
Then again, what do I know? the American public is hungry for reactive schmaltz. Maybe Michelle will even be running for office in another five years.

Well, let's just say I wouldn't blame Michelle for putting her foot down and demanding Barack never ever make public appearances in Memphis on April 4th.

quote:

quote:

She told an audience in Council Bluffs that Obama was cautioned not to enter the race for president because there was so much fear: "fear that he might lose; fear that he might get hurt; fear that this might get ugly; fear that this might hurt our family."

Fuck your family, this is about all our families.

I think that was kind of her point, Etruscan. Personally, I like Obama simply because he's taking that personal risk. Not many politicians are willing to do that - I can think of one running for Pres, besides Obama, and that would be McCain.

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I can think of one running for Pres, besides Obama, and that would be McCain .

Now THERE'S a man who'd cut off his face to spite Bush's dick.

Yeah, until a public opinion poll told him to sew it back on.

Hold on, let's be fair. McCain's campaign is going down in flames because he refuses to budge on the war. Like Ralph Nader, he's honest to the point of political suicide.

And Artemis, I know. I just get impatient with the sort of suburban infantilism that makes it necessary to spell these things out for people.

McCain's butt-kissing of the religious right, after having been willing to call them on their bullshit in the past, is what has broken the myth of his integrity for me.

I had a history professor who once remarked on history politics and the like:

"Really, we might as well be talking about Hobbits."

What does that mean?

This message has been edited. Last edited by: the_Etruscan,

I think he means that when you get right down to the nitty-gritty, all politicians have really hairy feet.