CE9

[stratman19]

Hey Ampster. Morning.

[JACkory]

Pissin2 said:

These people that are waiting in line to see the pope are the people that really scare me.

Why?
What's so scary about them?

Personally I think it's a testimony to the devotion of the faithful that they would travel, sometimes around the world, to pay their respects to their Pontiff.
It's not as if this is an anomaly...the death of a Pope always draws huge numbers of Catholics to the Vatican to "say goodbye" to their leader. Of course, it's been 27 years since that has happened, and I'm sure several of you here weren't around to witness it last go round. That said, John Paul II was a VERY popular Pope, and so the outpouring of grief has been on a scale of magnitude that has not been seen in some time.

[Ampage]

Please don't feed the animals.

[pissin2]

It just freaks me out that so many people are interested in checking out a dead guy. If you're gonna buy a plane ticket to fly to Rome and be a part of that, I think you need to seriously sit down and re evaluate some things in your life.

[pissin2]

*disclaimer: those last two posts were not meant to insult, or deliberately get a reaction of any sort out of anyone*

[Dr. Drum]

Chrisfan said:

What I object to - what I find childish - is to use it in a taunting way as i believe that Drum's post way. To in essence say "oh, all these neo-con supporters suddenly support and mourn the pope ... well look at what he endosed that they don't agree with."

Chrisfan, why are you always loaded for bear? Furthermore, since you're always so quick to take exception whenever anyone makes an assumption about your intentions that you haven’t explicited stated – or in your view puts words in your mouth – why do you do the same thing with my post? My comments were intended to have the effect of a mild ribbing, not to go for the jugular or hold anyone up to public ridicule. You used to pat yourself on the back all the time for your great sense of humour. Where is it now?

Mary, nothing to add to your comments last evening other than to say I agree with everything you said. I was brought up Catholic and went to Catholic schools from primary through to high school graduation, so my childhood education was steeped in the social doctrine you highlighted. Some of which no doubt shaped my adult political outlook and has stuck to this day. 'Once a Catholic, always a Catholic', as they say.

[Galactus]

You must be mistaken Drum, Chrisfan doesn't do things like that.

[chrisfan]

I'm sorry if I misinterpreted you Drum. That is certainly possible, which is why I was sure to state that my interpretation was what I BELIEVED you were doing, rather than a declaration that it defnitely was. I hesitate to even say it, because I'm afraid it'll be taken as an insult, and it's not meant that way, but perhaps the reason that I did not take your initial post as a gentle ribbing is that I'm not used to you being a source of comic relief on this board. Most of what you post here (and this board is really the only one we both post on) comes across as quite serious. Normally, i don't read humor into the posts of people who usually don't rely on humor. It'd be like looking for deep philosophical wisdowm from Amp's posts, when I know he's more likely to go for the quick quip.

[chrisfan]

DED said:

You must be mistaken Drum, Chrisfan doesn't do things like that.

Another example of expected behavior from regular posters ... DED jumping on the chance to join in on someone's frustration with me. THAT's one you don't see every day ... not.

[pissin2]

yo it be like an american holocaus up in this bitch

[Mary]

Pissin2 said:

It just freaks me out that so many people are interested in checking out a dead guy. If you're gonna buy a plane ticket to fly to Rome and be a part of that, I think you need to seriously sit down and re evaluate some things in your life.

I dunno.... I find it oddly poignant to see all these crowds of people mourning the Pope's passing. Especially younger people. I imagine he represents a kind of rejection of worldliness which is becoming more and more rare and unfathomable in our hypermodern, mass-commodified world. I don't think the people mouring the Pope are a bunch of crazy religious fanatics who devote every second of their lives to the church and believe every word John Paul II ever said, straight down to his rejection of condoms - quite the opposite, I'm sure the vast majority of them are mostly like us, wrapped up in pop culture and celebrity culture and mass-consumption and spectacle and sex and money - and it's the fact that the Pope represents something outside of this that gives him a deserved gravitas and emotional power. There aren't many symbols left of anything outside this all-consuming way of life. He's a reminder that there might be something else beyond your car or your favorite rock band or your weekly paycheck or your latest fling - and even if you don't accept what that "something else" is, as I certainly don't, I still find the reminder oddly moving.

M

[Galactus]

Chrisfan said:

Another example of expected behavior from regular posters ... DED jumping on the chance to join in on someone's frustration with me. THAT's one you don't see every day ... not.

Actually I haven't done that in a while...it was for old times sake. One day we'll look back on this and it will all seem funny.

[chrisfan]

One day it will all seem funny? But I laugh at you now.

[Galactus]

I have an honest question. Why is everyone so upset with Koffi Anon and the Oil For Food business...as I understand it the company his son works for got some big fucking contracts and they claim he knewand "helped" them get them. Therefore lining averyone pockets with cash. Right?...ok the question then is why is no one upset about Halliburton who, as I understand it, got several no bid contracts that actually should have been up for bid and now it's coming out that they haven't really keep very good books. I'm just hoping somone can explain the difference...because while admitted I've only read alittle bit about both...and so you don't think I'm trying to play gotcha here...it seems the left are trying to sweep Oil for food under the rug and make a case of Haliburton but the right is doing the opposite. Are these really not very simalar cases? if they are and we're asking Anon to step down shouldn't we be asking Chaney to resign as well?

[chrisfan]

The outrage in the Oil for Food scandal does not really come from Kofi's son being involved. The outrage in the oil for food scandal is that the UN was abusing it's power, profiting by totally corrupting a program that was put into place by them, in order to keep Iraq in check. The program was designed to prevent Iraq from being a threat to the world, while at the same time ensuring that the people living under his rule were not harmed by the sanctions. Instead of working that way, the very organization that put it into place cheated the program and made off with the money.