TheBigHurt35

QUOTE(LowerCaseRepublican @ Mar 7, 2005 -> 11:35 PM) I don't like she's saying it without a lot of evidence for the claim either. More like ZERO evidence and absolutely no motive on the part of the U.S. to commit the crime in the first place. One theory being floated is that the Italian government was secretly removing her from the country because they didn't want our government to know that they paid off the terrorists for her release. That would explain why their Secret Service is backing her story. However, that's just a theory and, unlike Ms. Sgrena, I'm willing to differentiate theory from fact. Of course, the irony in all of this is that the terrorists that she so staunchly opposes us eliminating would've gladly slit her throat had her government not (allegedly) forked over a huge sum of cash for her release. I agree that the U.S. is taking a significant PR hit because of this, but just about anything we do over there will be viewed negatively by a significant population. It's a waste of time for us to worry about what some anti-American communist (hey, that's about as repetive as "Christian Catholic"!) thinks about our military. Those people are going to hate us no matter what we do.

QUOTE(LowerCaseRepublican @ Mar 7, 2005 -> 09:25 PM) During a press-conference shortly after the liberation of his girlfriend Giuliana Sgrena, the famous journalist for Il Manifesto who was kidnapped and held hostage in Iraq for nearly a month, Piero Scolari had this to say: "It's like an hallucination, all of this is like an hallucination. Giuliana risked her lifed, they could have killed her. And I don't mean Iraqi criminal gangs but American soldiers. We are in the hands of madmen. We can't stay another minute longer down there. They fired more than 300-400 rounds on the car that was taking Giuliana to the airport... they were like madmen, our agents down there said, immediately after the shooting stopped. Complete insanity. They killed Nicola Calipari, an extraordinary man, a special person. Nicola died in order to save Giuliana, he shielded her with his body." While the precise details of the shooting still remain unclear, and an angry Premier Silvio Berlusconi is demanding that the Bush administration conduct a thorough investigation to ensure that "someone assumes the responsibility for what has happened here," According to l'Unità, Scolari stated: "The Americans shut down the cell phones of our agents who were with Giuliana. They shut them off while they [the agents] were speaking with Silvio Berlusconi, they prevented the emergency medical technicians from approaching the wounded," Scolari recounts, basing himself on the eyewitness testimony of the Italian secret service agents at the scene. But how is it possible that all this was allowed to happen? In that moment I shouted at the premier [berlusconi] that your war is to blame for this. This war is madness and these are the results that it produces." Scolari dismisses as ridiculous the official story-line that has been circulating in US military circles that "the car was driving at full speed toward the American check point" where the shooting took place. "Giuliana and the other people who were there told me that the American attack was completely unjustified. They had allerted the whole chain of command, the Italian troops were awaiting them at the airport. Any yet, they fired 300, 400 rounds. Why?" -- So according to Italian secret service agents, the US cut off the cell phones & that Italian soldiers were waiting at the airport as well. It seems that the testimonials of the Italian secret service agents at the scene are in direct conflict with the Pentagon story. And excuse me if I am skeptical of a Pentagon that earlier in this war tried to give us the heroic tale of Jessica Lynch -- and their story flew in the face of what actually happened. Now Italian Secret Service agents are backing the story produced by the journalist, so it kind of puts a damper on the "commie b****" theory regarding this case. Cuz Burlusconi can be called a lot of things but definitely not a Communist. Well, that's their side of the story. And given this rhetoric, ... it sounds like Mr. Scolari is speaking for the communist publication for which his girlfriend writes, rather than from a rational, unbiased position. Somehow, I'm not surprised. What the Secret Service agents say has nothing to do with Burlusconi. Perhaps they're angry about taking orders from our military? I have no idea why they'd shut off their cell phones. Perhaps it has to do with military security? I have no idea. Look, I have no problem admitting that some trigger-happy soldier may have panicked and made a terrible mistake. These guys are dealing with terrorist attacks every day and are under a tremendous amount of duress. However, that does not excuse what happened and, if the investigation does show that the American troops were to blame, they should definitely be brought to justice. What I do have a problem with is someone making false claims about our government targeting civilians. I stand by my previous statement that Giuliana Sgrena is a b****. Her claim that the U.S. government purposely attempted to kill her is just plain asinine. It's nothing short of a grasp for fame and an attempt to sell a more copies of her paper to her already anti-American communist readership. Why would our government go after some no-name journalist who works for some two-bit communist newspaper in Italy? Oh, and don't you think that the soldiers might've finished the job if that was their intent? Ms. Sgrene's claim of "attempted assassination" is not only flat-out wrong, but irresponsible and dangerous as well.

QUOTE(LowerCaseRepublican @ Mar 7, 2005 -> 07:08 PM) If a journalist is injured in a war zone, people should not be concerned since they are in a war zone after all and the threat of harm comes with the territory. I'm just taking what you said about journalists getting in harm's way & then b****ing when they get hurt to its logical conclusion. No double standards when one standard will work just fine. You still fail to recognize the difference between being hit by indiscriminatory fire and being kidnapped, tortured, and beheaded because of one's race and/or religion. Did you catch the story about Reuters cameraman Mazen Dana being killed by a mortar round back in August? Or how about the one about Washington Post columnist Michael Kelly, who was killed in a Humvee accident? Most people recognize the difference between bad luck and the intentional slaughter of civilians. Most consider the former an unfortunate, but inevitable part of war. The latter, however, is only accepted by terrorists. QUOTE(LowerCaseRepublican @ Mar 7, 2005 -> 07:08 PM) And if you've read my previous posts in this thread -- its this sort of "Well she's just a commie b****" attitude that is making the world image of the US look like complete s***. This whole "America is never wrong!" attitude is childish and asinine. God forbid we apologize for making a mistake. Well, that's because communism is wrong. History has clearly shown that it doesn't work. This woman clearly has an anti-American agenda and she doesn't deserve a shred of respect from me. Being angry at the U.S. troops for accidentally opening fire on her car is certainly understandable. Trying to undermine our government with her "Bush tried to assassinate me!" rhetoric, however, is not and, frankly, gives me every right to give this left-wing America-hater the "b****" label. And I agree that we should apologize for making a mistake (if, indeed, the investigation determines that we were at fault). Then again, it's equally possible that her driver made the mistake. We'll have to wait until the investigation is complete.

I don't want to see any language "die," but it's much easier to communicate with others when people are actually able to, you know, understand what each other is saying.

QUOTE(LowerCaseRepublican @ Mar 7, 2005 -> 05:20 PM) No -- your statement was that when journalists get killed/injured in a war zone, there should not be outrage. So no, my comparison adding Daniel Pearl was not ridiculous. The only thing ridiculous in this thread is calling anybody who doesn't blindly follow the Bushies as "anti-American". Yes, it was ridiculous. I said "shot" and, if you had a grasp on the facts, you would've known that Daniel Pearl was beheaded. I also don't recall Pearl ignoring warnings from U.S. soldiers to stop as he was driving though a checkpoint. Again, comparing a brutal, pre-meditated murder to a collateral damage casualty due to miscommunication is nothing short of asinine. Ridiculous are the people who give credence to this commie b**** and her "America tried to murder me" bulls*** for the sake of making Bush look bad.

QUOTE(LowerCaseRepublican @ Mar 7, 2005 -> 04:44 PM) *Cough Daniel Pearl Cough* Wow, the anti-Americans are out in full force today. :rolly Daniel Pearl was brutally murdered by terrorists. The Italian passenger in this case was shot accidentally and it was just as likely the fault of his own people as it was the U.S troops. So, no, your comparison is completely ridiculous.

QUOTE(winodj @ Mar 7, 2005 -> 04:32 PM) When one of your own is shot, its rare that public reaction is a shrug and "s*** happens." And when one gets shot in a freaking war zone, most people with clear minds don't go bezerk with outrage.

QUOTE(Texsox @ Mar 6, 2005 -> 09:47 AM) I'm not certain where you are going with this. My much earlier post was pointing out that recently, the Italian public and government was outraged at US military conduct and punishment. Public opinion in Italy will once again be anti-American for this action. Two words: Who cares? This woman works for a communist newspaper and is, therefore, anti-American. So, if this ignorant b**** and her equally uninformed supporters want to believe that the U.S. government purposely targeted her (as if she's important or something), let them. Italians who have more than 10 functioning brain cells have already realized that someone simply made a mistake. To paraphrase Bill O'Reilly, you can't argue with illogical people. Communists are, by definition, misguided.

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QUOTE(southsider2k5 @ Mar 7, 2005 -> 10:18 AM) He said it felt just like home On a serious note, I didn't realize that Bush Sr is 80 now. http://www.cnn.com/2005/ALLPOLITICS/03/06/...n.ap/index.html Bush looks pretty good for an 80-year-old. It's also a good sign that he's still very active at that age.

Bobby Hull hasn't drank himself to death yet?

QUOTE(hammerhead johnson @ Mar 6, 2005 -> 03:22 PM) I could never listen to gangster rap, though. Maybe when I was like 10 years old. and simple. Dre's production is absolutely top-notch and made stars of N.W.A., The D.O.C., Above The Law, Snoop, Eminem, 50 Cent, etc. He's the best, regardless of what you think of gangsta rap. Personally, I prefer Tribe, the Beasties, OutKast, Common, and old school acts like Rakim and EPMD to gangsta rap. But I do listen to 50, Eminem, Ice Cube, etc. as well. Personal preference is just that, and those who call it a "cop-out" are nothing short of narrow-minded.

QUOTE(hammerhead johnson @ Mar 6, 2005 -> 02:39 PM) To tell you the truth, I would probably rate their first album as the least impressive of the four. Well, then we'll just have to disagree on the grounds of personal taste. "The kings of hip hop"? Wow, that's a pretty bold statement. They certainly are talented as hell, but I think that Run-DMC, LL, the Beasties, Tribe, Jay-Z, and OutKast have put out higher-quality work over roughly the same time span. Then again, that's just my personal opinion. And speaking of the "King of Hip Hop," we would be remiss if we didn't mention Dre. Everything that he touches turns to gold (and usually platinum as well).

QUOTE(hammerhead johnson @ Mar 6, 2005 -> 02:30 PM) And what kind of hip hop fan could sleep on these absolute classics? De La Soul- Three Feet High And Rising 1989 LP OK, this definitely merits consideration. The others, however, aren't nearly as strong.

QUOTE(hammerhead johnson @ Mar 6, 2005 -> 02:32 PM) Well, you know more than I thought you did, but you might wanna give that KMD album another try. Not even "The Humrush" did it for you, eh? Well, thanks for finally giving me credit. :rolly The KMD album was the one with "Peach Fuzz," correct? Didn't like it. I may give it another listen if I can find it for $3 used somewhere. The second 3rd Bass album, which came out right around the same time, was also a disappointment.

QUOTE(hammerhead johnson @ Mar 6, 2005 -> 02:22 PM) Yeah, but that's because you ain't heard anything. Bulls***. I've been listing to hip hop since the mid-'80s. KMD?! LOL! That album sucked. I sold it a few weeks after purchasing it. Big Daddy Kane's album was decent, but not great. I've never heard all of Master Ace's album. I could also ammend my previous list with the following... The Cactus Album - 3rd Bass Paul's Boutique - Beasties King of Rock - Run-DMC Midnight Mauraders - Tribe

I agree. Communism, a lack of fundamental human rights, and infanticide are the way to go.

QUOTE(hammerhead johnson @ Mar 6, 2005 -> 01:01 PM) Haha, is that supposed to be some kind of definitive list? You have just as much catching up to do, buddy. I see no RUN DMC, Krown Rulers, Bizzie Boys, JVC Force, T LA Rock, K-Solo, Hijack, Biz Markie, Big Daddy Kane, Master Ace, Craig G, Kool G Rap, MC Shan, Jaz, Gangstarr, Main Source, Special Ed, Organized Konfusion, O.C., Ultramagnetic MCs, De La Soul, Boogie Down Productions, Brand Nubian, KMD, Downtown Science, Funkytown Pros, Diamond D, Freestyle Fellowship, Aceyalone, Pharcyde, Hieroglyphics Crew, etc. And really, that's not even the tip of the iceberg considering all of the classic 12" singles out there with essential remixes and b-sides. Knowing about EPMD is a shocker, though. Excuse me while I laugh my ass of at all of the hip hop talk on here. The lack of knowledge and respectable taste is frightening. Sorry, but I don't consider the work of Big Daddy Kane, Master Ace, or KMD to be anything close to the "best rap album." QUOTE(shagar69 @ Mar 5, 2005 -> 04:41 PM) I was arguing with a friend about which rap album is the best, overall. What do you guys think? Sorry I dont have any mid 90's rap like Pac and Biggie (I didnt get into rap until a few years ago, plus im only 19 to begin with) Feel free to post albums that i didnt list Read the first post again, smarty pants.

QUOTE(shagar69 @ Mar 5, 2005 -> 04:41 PM) I was arguing with a friend about which rap album is the best, overall. What do you guys think? Sorry I dont have any mid 90's rap like Pac and Biggie (I didnt get into rap until a few years ago, plus im only 19 to begin with) Feel free to post albums that i didnt list You've got a lot of catching up to do... It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back - Public Enemy Straight Outta Compton - N.W.A. Paid In Full - Eric B and Rakim B.A.D. - LL Cool J Unfinished Business - EPMD AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted - Ice Cube The Chronic - Dr. Dre The Low End Theory - A Tribe Called Quest Ready To Die - Biggie Illmatic - Nas ATLiens - OutKast The Marshall Mathers LP - Eminem

Why do people act like complete morons when they drink?

Even if he does start the opener on the bench, this is still great news. Whatever time he misses will be minimal. "Excellent..." :mrburns:

QUOTE(winodj @ Mar 3, 2005 -> 04:28 PM) There are still 10,000 Hawks fans? It has enormous potential to do good, but I wonder about the competitiveness of having all the teams owned by one firm. This could just be the XFLification of Hockey. Except for the fact that the NHL is loaded with talented players and the best that the XFL could pump out were Tommy Maddox and "He Hate Me." This could be crappy news for Leafs fans, such as myself, but prying the Hawks away from that cheapskate Wirtz would be a godsend for Chicago fans. Overall, though, I think it could be better for the league as a whole, especially if they contract a few franchises.

QUOTE(winodj @ Mar 4, 2005 -> 01:47 PM) But it wasn't found illegal. If she didn't break the law to begin with, why is covering up the legal but shady thing she did illegal? Because she doctored evidence in a criminal investigation. The legality of what she tried to cover up is irrelevant. The act of tampering with evidence is a crime in itself.

QUOTE(winodj @ Mar 4, 2005 -> 01:35 PM) If you are under oath and you lie, you are perjuring yourself. She was not charged with perjury. OK, but I still think that she can be legitimately charged with obstruction. She tampered with an e-mail from her broker and her broker doctored her portfolio (most likely after she told him to). Tampering with evidence sounds like obstruction to me. And let's not forget about the phone call she made to ImClone's founder after he dumped a bunch of his company's stock. They have a recorded message of her asking him what was going on with his company. That's pretty shady and, fortunately for her, the securities fraud charges didn't stick (apparently she wasn't specific enough in her veiled attempt to obtain insider information). IMO, she obviously did something illegal and was attempting to cover it up.

QUOTE(winodj @ Mar 4, 2005 -> 01:14 PM) If you're not lying under oath, why should it be a crime? She wasn't under oath? I wasn't aware of that. I thought she was charged for what she told a grand jury, but I could be mistaken. I didn't follow the case closely because, frankly, I don't give a rat's ass about Martha Stewart. Many people think that Martha was unfairly targeted because she was a successful woman. I don't necessarily disagree with that, but still think that only an idiot would lie to the Feds.