BigSqwert

http://msnbc.msn.com/id/10682403/site/newsweek/ 01/03/06 "Newsweek" -- -- Jan. 9, 2006 issue - Noam Chomsky has been called one of the most influential intellectuals of the 20th century, but it's an accolade the 77-year-old MIT professor doesn't take very seriously. "People just want to hear something outside the rigid dogma they're used to," he says. "They're not going to hear it in the media." The linguistics prodigy turned political theorist has been a leading mind in the antiwar movement since the early '60s; he's also still a prolific author, producing more than six books in the past five years. He spoke to NEWSWEEK's Michael Hastings about the current geopolitical climate. Excerpts: Hastings: Where do you see Iraq heading right now? Chomsky: Well, it's extremely difficult to talk about this because of a very rigid doctrine that prevails in the United States and Britain which prevents us from looking at the situation realistically. The doctrine, to oversimplify, is that we have to believe the United States would have so-called liberated Iraq even if its main products were lettuce and pickles and [the] main energy resource of the world were in central Africa. Anyone who doesn't accept that is dismissed as a conspiracy theorist or a lunatic or something. But anyone with a functioning brain knows that that's not true—as all Iraqis do, for example. The United States invaded Iraq because its major resource is oil. And it gives the United States, to quote [Zbigniew] Brzezinski, "critical leverage" over its competitors, Europe and Japan. That's a policy that goes way back to the second world war. That's the fundamental reason for invading Iraq, not anything else. Once we recognize that, we're able to begin talking about where Iraq is going. For example, there's a lot of talk about the United States bringing [about] a sovereign independent Iraq. That can't possibly be true. All you have to do is ask yourself what the policies would be in a more-or-less democratic Iraq. We know what they're likely to be. A democratic Iraq will have a Shiite majority, [with] close links to Iran. Furthermore, it's right across the border from Saudi Arabia, where there's a Shiite population which has been brutally repressed by the U.S.-backed fundamentalist tyranny. If there are any moves toward sovereignty in Shiite Iraq, or at least some sort of freedom, there are going to be effects across the border. That happens to be where most of Saudi Arabia's oil is. So you can see the ultimate nightmare developing from Washington's point of view. You were involved in the antiwar movement in the 1960s. What do you think of the Vietnam-Iraq analogy? I think there is no analogy whatsoever. That analogy is based on a misunderstanding of Iraq, and a misunderstanding of Vietnam. The misunderstanding of Iraq I've already described. The misunderstanding of Vietnam had to do with the war aims. The United States went to war in Vietnam for a very good reason. They were afraid Vietnam would be a successful model of independent development and that would have a virus effect—infect others who might try to follow the same course. There was a very simple war aim—destroy Vietnam. And they did it. The United States basically achieved its war aims in Vietnam by [1967]. It's called a loss, a defeat, because they didn't achieve the maximal aims, the maximal aims being turning it into something like the Philippines. They didn't do that. [but] they did achieve the major aims. It was possible to destroy Vietnam and leave. You can't destroy Iraq and leave. It's inconceivable. Was the antiwar movement more successful in the '60s than it is today? I think it's the other way around. The United States attacked Vietnam in 1962. It took years before any protest developed. Iraq is the first time in hundreds of years of European and American history that a war was massively protested before it was launched. There was huge protest in February 2003. It had never happened in the history of the West. Where do you put George W. Bush in the pantheon of American presidents? He's more or less a symbol, but I think the people around him are the most dangerous administration in American history. I think they're driving the world to destruction. There are two major threats that face the world, threats of the destruction of the species, and they're not a joke. One of them is nuclear war, and the other is environmental catastrophe, and they are driving toward destruction in both domains. They're compelling competitors to escalate their own offensive military capacity—Russia, China, now Iran. That means putting their offensive nuclear missiles on hair-trigger alert. The Bush administration has succeeded in making the United States one of the most feared and hated countries in the world. The talent of these guys is unbelievable. They have even succeeded at alienating Canada. I mean, that takes genius, literally. (Not sure if this last paragraph is part of Chomsky's quote or the writer's own opinion. Check the website and decide for yourself.)

QUOTE(kapkomet @ Jan 12, 2006 -> 10:45 AM) I think one likes to push buttons. There was a heated discussion yesterday between a handful of people. You were not involved. One day later you call me an ass and proceed to tell me that I like to push buttons. Interesting.

QUOTE(kapkomet @ Jan 12, 2006 -> 10:41 AM) you know damn well what he meant, and you kept twisting it. Please don't speak for me because I did not know exactly what he meant. It was ambigous the way I read it.

QUOTE(YASNY @ Jan 12, 2006 -> 02:43 AM) Now then, to the two of you I told to "go to hell", I apologize to each of you for my outburst. No problem. I know things were getting heated and we probably pushed the right buttons for you to say that.

QUOTE(kapkomet @ Jan 12, 2006 -> 07:49 AM) now all you do is taunt. Take a look in the mirror. And I don't resort to name calling as you do.

Another old laugher... Dying Boy Brought In To Cheer Up Kansas City Royals September 29, 2005 | Onion Sports KANSAS CITY—Desperate to give their last-place, 100-loss team something to smile about, the Royals arranged to have a terminally ill little boy pay a visit to their clubhouse Tuesday. Danny Gladstone, 8, a leukemia sufferer who is expected to live just long enough to see the Royals make a run at setting a franchise record for losses, arrived at Kauffman Stadium at 11 a.m., and was immediately swarmed by players excited to see someone else who wouldn't be around in October. "I can't even explain how uplifting it is to see somebody who soon won't have to put up with the pain and misery anymore," Royals first baseman and team captain Mike Sweeney said. "Even though we have to endure the same terrible fate again come April, Danny, unlike the Royals organization, will be in a far better place." Sweeney concluded the meeting by promising the boy he would ground into a double play for him during that night's game.

http://www.theonion.com/content/node/41612 Fox Cancels ALCS After Just Two Episodes October 13, 2005 | Onion Sports LOS ANGELES—Fox Entertainment president Peter Liguori announced Thursday that the network is pulling the plug on ALCS, the new three-hour drama/comedy about two rival clubs competing for the coveted "pennant," just two shows into its run. "This uninspired series featured a cast of uninteresting characters, a hackneyed plot, and more boring narration than actual meaningful dialogue," Liguori said. "We tried to find an audience on Tuesdays, then on Wednesdays, and we were prepared to move its time slot to Friday nights or Saturday afternoons before ultimately realizing that the series had zero potential." Television experts cited several other possible reasons for the early cancellation, such as the overly expensive sets and costumes, the show's subject matter, and the fact that the series' projected breakout character—a brash, outspoken black man named Carl Everett—tested very poorly with audiences. Fox remains optimistic about its other fledgling program, NLCS, but critics say the series has "very little chance" of making it past seven episodes.

QUOTE(AnthraxFan93 @ Jan 11, 2006 -> 04:08 PM) There are rumors that this is the final season. I think it would be a good thing if they ended it this season. I would hate for them to draw the series out and water down the product. I mean how many times can the strike team get away with this stuff??

QUOTE(YASNY @ Jan 11, 2006 -> 03:39 PM) Who are you to have a clue what Jesus what or would not agree with? I'm pretty sure Jesus didn't preach hatred.

QUOTE(YASNY @ Jan 11, 2006 -> 03:35 PM) You don't believe anyway.... shut the hell up. Don't you all love how religion breeds love and not hatred?

QUOTE(YASNY @ Jan 11, 2006 -> 03:33 PM) Go to hell. As you surely will. Jesus would be proud of you.

QUOTE(YASNY @ Jan 11, 2006 -> 03:27 PM) Just who are you saying "Amen" to? To our mean God who kills unborn children in women's wombs.

QUOTE(AnthraxFan93 @ Jan 11, 2006 -> 03:17 PM) I would love one, since there is no god.. If there is please show me proof.. One must ask the simple question Did God create man, or did man create god to give their lives meaning? personally I see the later.. Amen

QUOTE(vandy125 @ Jan 11, 2006 -> 03:10 PM) Is that a fact or a belief? :headshake

I need some advice. Where can I buy something for a 3 week old fetus? None of the stores seem to have that size.

QUOTE(YASNY @ Jan 11, 2006 -> 03:00 PM) It's a fact. The sentence says what it says. Nothing more, nothing less. It is your opinion that it was clearly stated. That was my point. It was unclear to me.

QUOTE(YASNY @ Jan 11, 2006 -> 02:41 PM) The sentence is strucured to clearly state that. In your opinion.

QUOTE(vandy125 @ Jan 11, 2006 -> 01:32 PM) Pretty simple. It is a fact that he believes abortion is murder. It is a statement about his beliefs. It comes off as (abortion = murder) is a fact.

QUOTE(YASNY @ Jan 11, 2006 -> 10:43 AM) 1. Liberals philosophically support abortion. 2. Regardless of the laws of this land, in God's eyes, I believe it's murder. That's not saying liberals murder babies. However, those two statements, as presented above, are facts. I'll stand by that. Ridiculous or not. How can a fact include "I believe"? Isn't that an opinion?

Anyone else catch it tonight? Interesting episode. Forrest Whittaker's character is great. Good choice for the role. Looks like another action packed season to look forward to.

QUOTE(NorthSideSox72 @ Jan 10, 2006 -> 01:59 PM) But your response was to a posting about going to Church. In any case, same question. Do all people who do not believe in God, or not believe in your particular vision of God, belong in the "s***ter"? Do you actually believe that making American better or stronger necessitates a belief in a specific God? If we want America to be better, maybe we should focus on actually fixing the problems that exist, instead of hitching our fortunes to one particular guiding force in some people's lives. Especially since this country is supposed to be a secular state, protecting the freedoms of all believers and non-believers. Let's focus on the problems at hand, and not fall into the intellectual laziness that is mass-cultural stereotyping and categorization.

QUOTE(White Sox Josh @ Jan 9, 2006 -> 12:27 PM) My Top 5 Worst movies of 2005 are: 1. Wolf Creek 2. Yours, Mine & Ours 3. Transporter 2 4. Brokeback Mountain 5. Memoirs of a Geisha (my mom made me see it with her for her birthday) Did you actually see all of these or is list this from a website?

QUOTE(WilliamTell @ Jan 8, 2006 -> 03:24 PM) I think the Panthers will win. They'll be better prepared this time in Chicago. So do I but what do we know? We're AFC West guys.

You guys really thing the Panthers are going to lay another egg against the Bears? The Bears offense better show up. I think the Bears matched up better against the Giants or Bucs (young QBs).

QUOTE(WilliamTell @ Jan 8, 2006 -> 03:03 PM) Settle down, Oregon and Iowa have minorities too as much as you may think only corn and beans are in Iowa which must mean there are only white farmers. I know. I'm just giving you guys a hard time.