If so, I could stop by somewhere and say hello (I'm flying up to Washington, I wouldn't miss it for the world, maybe for a big box expansion, but not the world).

Sooo... Who else misses the off topic section?

I wish I could Avi. Now for two reasons. One to support Jon and restore America's Sanity and Two to meet you Avi and loose my sanity in Arkham.

Innsmouth13 said:

I think you mean "lose my sanity," though "loose my sanity" is funnier and maybe not wrong.

I'll be about 5000 miles from DC. Sorry.

I'm probably 20 miles away but I have SO MUCH PHYSICS WORK to do this weekend. Sorry

avec said:

Avec, I am the world's worse speller.

Tibs, its not till 10.30.10

Tibs said:

What! Okay, the other answers I can accept, but this is just BS on so many levels including that the rally isn't even this weekend. Next time say something plausible like you are busy washing your hair!

Okay. You can come and do my:

1. Physics EM homework
2. Calc II homework
3. Astrophysical Techniques coursework
4. Physics EM labwork
5. Grading of Astronomy papers
6. Quasar research, image reduction and analysis

while I wash my hair.

Edit: plus, I just found out about this from you, Avi, like a half an hour ago.
Edit edit: and, it's not this weekend? Then it's not out of the question. Also, you've seen my hair. I don't know who you think you're kidding

Tibs said:

re: Edit edit: Yeah I have seen your hair ;') so I'll admit that while typing the previous message, the thought crossed my mind that no, it's not *entiiiirely* implausible.

As I understand it, the rally is designed to mock conservatives who want to reduce the deficiet, start paying off the national debt, and cut government spending, which sounds to me about like mocking those who think the Earth revolves around the sun. I wouldn't go to his rally if it were being held in my town, and I am sorry to hear that some of the posters here would like to attend such a nasty, mean-spirited event.

Sorry, "deficit". I'm also sorry if the above posting offends anyone, but I find this whole concept of this rally extremely offensive. Having watched Stewart on occassion I know he's funny, but I also know he's way to the left, and if you think through some of the things he says, they're not funny at all.

The man pokes fun at all sides of the political agenda. Also, if you believe that Republicans or anyone else in government gives 2 cents about anyone but themselves, you are totally misled. Republicans have changed their tune to big government spending and the like, because Obama has been spending and the people are mad about it. So go ahead and vote for a Republican in the next election, watch his office spend just as much if not more than Obama and go oh shoot, I should probably pick my leaders on past judgements and not what they tell me right before they are elected...

Republicans are responsible for the bulk of the US's national debt since WWII (see link to chart below). When a president started to pay off the national debt, they impeached him. The Republican party does not care about the national debt. But they constantly try to portray themselves as the party of fiscal responsibility. These people ought to be mocked.

Private citizens who consider themselves to be conservatives are different. I'm sure that many of them genuinely care about the national debt. But why do they keep voting Republican?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_debt_by_U.S._presidential_terms

avec said:

That last question is an excellent one, and the answer is simply this: Because we have no choice. The latest examples of Democratic handiwork prove that they can never be trusted to be fiscally responsible. The Democrat-led Congress has in less than two years added roughly four times to the deficit than what was added in the George W. Bush years. To be fair, though, the Democrats never claimed to be the party of fiscal responsibility: they're all about taxing, spending, and growing the government to an ever larger and more intrusive size.

Incidentally, the budget is controlled by Congress, and Clinton had a Republican congress starting in 1994. I must agree, however, that Republicans have often times failed to live up to conservative principles. That's why the Tea Party canadidates are such a welcome change, and the fact that Karl Rove went into a frenzy of rage over them should indicate what a positive development these candidates are. The Republican party HAS to be held to account. If they insist on being Democrats-lite, then they need to be defeated in primaries.

I wouldn't mind at all if Colbert and Stewart planned to mock Republican politicians; from what I've read, however, my understanding is that they intend to mock and deride the Tea Party, the citizens of this nation who are trying to force the Republicans to actually live up to their word. And that's what makes me sick.

Hrm... As much as I'm tempted to reply to political opinions expressed in this thread, I already see the brewings of a flame war, so I'm going to be keep quiet. It's probably not a good idea to make this forum a place for full blown political debate. I strongly disagree with some of the things said here, but I don't think this is really the place for this kind of disagreement. So. Unless anyone's saying something about going to the rally, I won't be responding to anything here (probably— I promise to at least try to bite my tongue).

Innsmouth13 said:

Naturally I'll be at the Keep Fear Alive March :') hey, someone's got to march ironically.

Let it be known that I hate politics. I find it very distasteful. It is a breeding ground for corruption and dishonesty. This may be a pessimistic view, but when the media cover more scandals than humanitarian efforts, it makes it difficult to ignore the flaws in politics and embrace its achievements.

I don't identify with one party over the other. Note that when the '08 elections were getting close, I had to make a pro-con list for the three leading Democratic and Republican candidates in order to decide for whom I would vote. As it turns out, none of them gave me any good "pro"s, so I literally had to vote for the least of the evils (those who scored the fewest red flags). Both parties do things that make me groan. But, as Churchill once said, "democracy is the worst form of government, except all the others that have been tried."

Rant aside, I find Colbert and Stewart amusing. I would try to attend an event featuring them if it meant that I might meet other fellow Arkham enthusiasts. Solan says they'll be ripping into people trying to reduce the national debt. Well, reducing the national debt can't be a bad thing, for sure. Not everyone will agree on the methods used to reduce the debt, but you can't please everyone. I don't want NASA spending to be cut, but that's rooted in my interests. A lot of people don't see any immediate benefits to mankind for funding NASA. Politics of a democracy is really a game of trying to displease the fewest people possible. It's a messy business.

I wish I could go, but I live on the other side of the country, and money and time just wont permit it.

Tibs said:

Bravo Tibs ;') that was a very non-offensive answer, you should consider going into politics. Anyway, if I end up seeing you there, I'll be shocked if you're any taller than you are in Skype. Shocked at your consistent flagrant misrepresentation of yourself!

I will run for the Anarchist party and try to be elected as a senator. Whenever we convene, I shall take the podium and move that we dissolve all government. Then I'll leave for the summer. Easy!

Of course, I'm not above the irony of running in an election as an Anarchist candidate.

I never thought I'd see a political argument on this forum 0_o

arachnidshadow9 said:

Well... This isn't really a political argument yet. And hopefully it's not going to become one.

(just to have some fun, not to offend anyone's political faith ::smiling:

About 16-17 years ago I had the pleasure to see Jello Biafra at a college event (hesitate to use the word "concert," as it was his stand-up stuff). Afterwards I commented to a friend that he was hysterical as a ultra-left wing rantist. And I've felt the same way about conservative talk radio. These guys would be entertaining to listen to if people didn't take them so seriously. I'd love to be at the rally, because I find both men humorous and entertaining, and if nothing else they have helped bring a new, younger generation into the politcal/voting field, which is a good thing.

And for the record, I consider myself pretty liberal. I also voted for Jesse "the Body" Ventura, and would have again if he would have run for re-election. But not for President.

JerusalemJones said:

Hey JJ, you've been mostly quiet lately :') have your store goers given up on the scenarios yet? I'm still producing them. Slowly but surely (another one will be put out this week).

Avi_dreader said:

Off topic yes. Politics? probably not...

arachnidshadow9 said: