JS-Kit/Echo comments for article at http://smallestminority.blogspot.com/2007/01/i-want-life-preserver-of-my-own.html (18 comments)

  Tentative mapping of comments to original article, corrections solicited.

jsid-1169609292-549936  Doom at Wed, 24 Jan 2007 03:28:12 +0000

It's nice to know I am not alone, or, necessarily, crazy. About the authors, I just started reading "Notes From The Underground" by Fyodor Dostoyevsky (not a commy) printed in 1864. If you can get past the histrionics, I think you find they were just as put out then as now. It's comfortably disturbing or visa versa, I haven't made up my mind.

Still, I'm with you on those issues. Many of the wars (drug, terror, poverty, whatever) seem to be being fought merely for the fighting of them with all reason and goal let slip away with UN oversight, international input, and have our citizens having gone back to sleep since 9/11 is well past. Voting again for the very people who helped to make sure 9/11 would indeed happen.

But you are so right about the good life. Even if Chicago, though preferably NYC (what with wind direction and location being least likely to do more collateral damage) go up in smoke, we will probably still have good lives and an end to muslim "religions". Don't worry about footprints, I just try to make mine as big as possible to please them and they still aren't happy. *grins* And, even when we have poor, it seems they are the fat ones. Yes, our poor are the 'largest' minority. It's sort of amazing.


jsid-1169641331-549939  ballistic at Wed, 24 Jan 2007 12:22:11 +0000

I may be caught in the current, but I'm not going willingly. And if someone wearing a diaper on his head shows up at my door I'll blow his face off. I'm not taking this or anything else lying down. And when the "end of days" comes maybe they'll be enough of US (not THEM) left to carry on. If not I'll take the rest of THEM with me. I'm not capitulating.


jsid-1169651092-549943  DJ at Wed, 24 Jan 2007 15:04:52 +0000

If you give up, then you let the bad guys win. You might want a boat, but what you need is a rest. The fight is still worth fighting.


jsid-1169654200-549945  David at Wed, 24 Jan 2007 15:56:40 +0000

Yea, the fight's worth fighting but sometimes it seems the odds keep getting worse. The inability of both conservatives and liberals to understand cause and effect is driving me insane. (ok, so it's just a short putt) The insistence that if one law doesn't work, that two will. And if two doesn't let's try a third. The inability to see that that the "War on Drugs" is creating the crime that it is fighting. It's self-perpetuating. arrrrggghhhhhh

But on the other hand I intend to go down swinging. Guess that's why I like long guns. If you run out of ammo, you still have a club.


jsid-1169668172-549967  Sarah at Wed, 24 Jan 2007 19:49:32 +0000

Once Hillary wins in '08 and things go completely to ratsh*t, that's when we'll see some leadership from the conservative side and some renewal of hope for the future. It's gonna get a lot worse before it gets better. But I really do think it will get better.


jsid-1169670379-549972  geekWithA.45 at Wed, 24 Jan 2007 20:26:19 +0000

I calculated my carbon bootprint.

It's 64,572.

(UK household average: 12,034)

I love the sound of Euroweenies and Greens as they run shrieking through the forest, begging Gaia's forgiveness on my behalf.

:)


jsid-1169678218-549980  DJ at Wed, 24 Jan 2007 22:36:58 +0000

I find it fascinating that the choice of vehicles when computing a carbon footprint does not include pickups. Talk about a Eurocentric attitude!


jsid-1169718702-549991  Anonymous at Thu, 25 Jan 2007 09:51:42 +0000

I've reached the conclusion that we won't get out of this without a revolution. The only unanswered questions are: will it be a peaceful revolution conducted with ballot boxes, or a more spirited kind, similar to what we had about 230 years ago, and; when will it occur.

I suspect, or, rather, hope, that it will be largely the former, perhaps with some of the latter thrown in. A small amount of that may, in fact, be the catalyst which produces results from the former. In either event, as viewed from various points of the compass, it won't be a pretty sight. Necessary, but not pretty.

I see a tipping point out there, somewhere, waiting for us.


jsid-1169748216-550018  Doom at Thu, 25 Jan 2007 18:03:36 +0000

geekWithA.45,

Where did you find a footprint calculator? I need to know how I am doing. I do actually shop at a coop for a few tasty things, and I would love to bring it up in conversation, actually. I know (and love) some of the people that work there (for less than minimum wage while their boss pushes for a "living wage". HA!). But the faces they get when I ask for plastic... hehehehe Oh, this would just be fun! Something like, "Hey, I'm up to 100,000 or something. I've been working hard. Bigger numbers are better, right?", ok, fantasy, but it would be fun to know (and enlarge in truth). It really has no true impact.

Anonymous, about revolt. I think we came very close in the last presidential election. I really think that is why the Supreme Dolts did what they did. Posse Comitatas (sp) only works so far and only restricts the military when it works. I do think there was a real fear of a real revolt if after the, what, 30th recount, Gore was lied into office.


jsid-1169776386-550038  Firehand at Fri, 26 Jan 2007 01:53:06 +0000

My carbon footprint depends partly on
How often I get to shoot,
Which guns, and
How many rounds.
Therefore I strive to make it as large as possible.


jsid-1169907251-550136  SGT G at Sat, 27 Jan 2007 14:14:11 +0000

Mr. Baker,
Reading your work is an emotional refreshment to me. It has served me as an example of how to represent our side to "those others", both at home and overseas. It may be a small thing, but I hope it will continue to be worth it to you.

SGT G


jsid-1169914922-550140  Steve at Sat, 27 Jan 2007 16:22:02 +0000

I've found this passage to be of note:

"No one in all the empire had any real power but the Caesar, and many of the later emperors were weak and foolish men. The people were burdened by heavy taxes, and this money was wasted on things which did no good. Everywhere existed the curse of slavery, and the people had forgotten how to be brave in war. Even the wealthy and intelligent Romans, weakened by luxury, could no longer lead in peace or on the battlefield. Learning itself declined. No more fine poems or books were written, and the buildings were not so beautiful as before. The world seemed to be dying."

I don't think we're "there" yet, and one can argue that there are a lot of things that are promising. Think back to (I was just a little critter then) when Carter was president, communism had just defeated us (from within) in Vietnam and was at its apex, taxes and fuel prices were astronomical, and the markets were being closed. I know that since then a lot of freedoms have still been lost, but there weren't as many outlets for people who knew it was wrong but couldn't articulate it. Now we have blogs, some radio programming, and--- oh, they're trying to shut those down... nevermind- make sure you have extra hicap mags in your life boat.

My whole point is, there's still a lot to fight for, bearing the standard of freedom of thought, namely logic and reason. But I understand your sentiment.


jsid-1169925151-550152  Oldsmoblogger at Sat, 27 Jan 2007 19:12:31 +0000

I hear you, Kevin. We cannot master all tides; we can only do what is before us and within our grasp.

I would like to start recycling brass. ;-) I think I'll get a Lee Loader this year.


jsid-1170137687-550255  Purple Avenger at Tue, 30 Jan 2007 06:14:47 +0000

Does recreational torching of dumpsters and the occasional hobo add to my carbon footprint?

I'm very concerned about this.


jsid-1170232740-550326  Cybrludite at Wed, 31 Jan 2007 08:39:00 +0000

Hell with a lifeboat, I want a battlecruiser to go commerce raiding in!


jsid-1170575506-550591  Ironbear at Sun, 04 Feb 2007 07:51:46 +0000

"Half of me wants to help pull it all down just to get it over with. The other half wants the world to go on so that my grandchildren can have a good life of their own." - Kevin Baker

Welcome, Brother. We've been expecting you. ;]


jsid-1171000516-550823  Steve at Fri, 09 Feb 2007 05:55:16 +0000

Kevin,

Tell ya what. You take the main body of this piece, starting with, We're at war... and ending with ...swirling of a toilet bowl. Then below you add, Therefore, on this day I have come before you to announce my candidacy for the office of President of The United States. Why? 'Cause somebody has to fix this shit, and none of the other candidates even seem to recognize that's it's fuckin' broke.

How 'bout it, Kevin? I need somebody to vote for.

Steve


jsid-1171035848-550836  Kevin Baker at Fri, 09 Feb 2007 15:44:08 +0000

Not a chance. No money, and there's no way I'd survive the media anal-probe.


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