drsmooth wrote:Re: my Douthat post above, I was not sufficiently clear. Douthat is a convert to the religion in which I was raised. I feel his op-ed piece has missed its chief organizing ideas almost completely, effectively placing a vain & needful self at its center.

In disdaining a nihilistic world view he manages to assert, mostly by insinuation, a preference for a universe centered on a pathetic, anxious humankind and its yearnings for external 'salvation'. I confess I find such a universe unappealing.

I'm sure it's possible his essay does not adequately encompass his views on the matter.

Douthat as a double convert to Pentecostal Protestantism and then Catholocism has the convert's zeal for the one true path. If you re-read his essay it is not so much an argument for Christianity as it is a trashing of inclusivist spiritual notions of becoming one with nature and all mankind. He just sets out as a given that there can be no belief in something larger than human physical existence which transcends bodily death unless one is a Christian who believes God walked as a man. Other than hewing to the particularity of his chosen religion, it is all dust to dust. Practioners of other religions and less organized beliefs in God may not view their own and their religion's view of the world and man's fate as 'a deeply tragic one', but with really no persuasive argument at all Douthat sees no alternative. He himself finds secular humanism, natie American and African religions, Budhism, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism unsatisfactory to him, so they simply MUST BE 'deeply tragic' for any who hold those beliefs. Those folks, if not mud people, are simply people of the dust. And he is more than a little pissed to have the views of these other people intrude on the Christmas season of himself and other right thinking people. What's more, by getting more and more Americans to embrace spiritual views that go beyond the blinders of their particular sect, Douthat sees Hollywood as deeply dangerous. Nothing worse than people of differing religions breaking down the religious barriers that separate them and joining together in respect to nature and their shared human dignity. The column is unabashed tribalism. During the month of December, all Americans should be exposed to nothing but relentless cultural images and art embracing his exact religious beliefs.

traderdave wrote:So the latest controversy in Camden County is an attempt to privatize our county jail. Although everybody in power insists that a site, and, in fact, the ultimate corrections firm, are unknown, there are zoning hearings scheduled for a site on Mount Ephraim Avenue in South Camden's Morgan Village neighborhood. Of course, the hearing is specifically for the Mount Ephraim site and the application was submitted by Community Education Centers, Inc. but the site and corrections firm are unknown.

This particular site actually sits near the borders of Camden, Haddon Township, Woodlynne and Collingswood and is less than one mile from an elementary school located in West Collingswood. Needless to say, residents are going to be out in full force on January 4th.

Here is a story about it:
http://www.courierpostonline.com/articl ... 006/news01

Sounds like a good way to meet some voters if you're still interested in running for office.

Indeed, lethal; thought the exact same thing (although making sure this jail doesn't end up at this location would be my #1 goal).

Interestingly, I was at a party over the weekend and a woman came up to me, introduced herself (although I already knew who she was) and told me how well she thought I represented my borough at a special meeting of school boards with the County Superintendent of Schools back in September (I think) regarding shared services. I guess I have already started "campaigning" and I didn't even know it.

allentown wrote:

drsmooth wrote:Re: my Douthat post above, I was not sufficiently clear. Douthat is a convert to the religion in which I was raised. I feel his op-ed piece has missed its chief organizing ideas almost completely, effectively placing a vain & needful self at its center.

In disdaining a nihilistic world view he manages to assert, mostly by insinuation, a preference for a universe centered on a pathetic, anxious humankind and its yearnings for external 'salvation'. I confess I find such a universe unappealing.

I'm sure it's possible his essay does not adequately encompass his views on the matter.

Douthat as a double convert to Pentecostal Protestantism and then Catholocism has the convert's zeal for the one true path. If you re-read his essay it is not so much an argument for Christianity as it is a trashing of inclusivist spiritual notions of becoming one with nature and all mankind. He just sets out as a given that there can be no belief in something larger than human physical existence which transcends bodily death unless one is a Christian who believes God walked as a man. Other than hewing to the particularity of his chosen religion, it is all dust to dust. Practioners of other religions and less organized beliefs in God may not view their own and their religion's view of the world and man's fate as 'a deeply tragic one', but with really no persuasive argument at all Douthat sees no alternative. He himself finds secular humanism, natie American and African religions, Budhism, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism unsatisfactory to him, so they simply MUST BE 'deeply tragic' for any who hold those beliefs. Those folks, if not mud people, are simply people of the dust. And he is more than a little pissed to have the views of these other people intrude on the Christmas season of himself and other right thinking people. What's more, by getting more and more Americans to embrace spiritual views that go beyond the blinders of their particular sect, Douthat sees Hollywood as deeply dangerous. Nothing worse than people of differing religions breaking down the religious barriers that separate them and joining together in respect to nature and their shared human dignity. The column is unabashed tribalism. During the month of December, all Americans should be exposed to nothing but relentless cultural images and art embracing his exact religious beliefs.

You know, Atown, if we keep scratching this Douthat itch we've got, we'll brew up a tirade that would make Wizlah blush.

When I first posted the link to his op-ed, I almost included this:

I can't put my finger on it, but I feel like if the pasty little bugger was standing within arm's reach I'd tear a chunk of his doughy face off.

I am at times ashamed of my mostly repressed intellectual hostilities

lethal wrote:

traderdave wrote:So the latest controversy in Camden County is an attempt to privatize our county jail. Although everybody in power insists that a site, and, in fact, the ultimate corrections firm, are unknown, there are zoning hearings scheduled for a site on Mount Ephraim Avenue in South Camden's Morgan Village neighborhood. Of course, the hearing is specifically for the Mount Ephraim site and the application was submitted by Community Education Centers, Inc. but the site and corrections firm are unknown.

This particular site actually sits near the borders of Camden, Haddon Township, Woodlynne and Collingswood and is less than one mile from an elementary school located in West Collingswood. Needless to say, residents are going to be out in full force on January 4th.

Here is a story about it:
http://www.courierpostonline.com/articl ... 006/news01

Sounds like a good way to meet some voters if you're still interested in running for office.

That's an interesting perspective. I thought it was pretty much just the union against it

I don't what Dana Redd is talking about in that article. What does tearing down the state prison have to do with building a county jail?.

Good question, Swish, as one really has nothing to do with the other. The county jail is already in Camden so I have no idea what she is trying to get at. Obviously this would be a bigger facility but it is essentially just taking the jail and moving it in town (not creating an additional facility to replace the one being torn down). This is going to be a great meeting.

Sorry for rambling but I will also point out that it appears one of the officers of CEC (Bill Palatucci is a SVP and General Counsel for Public Affairs) is also a GOP strategist and former Chris Christie law partner. This whole thing just reeks of a money grab.

jerseyhoya wrote:Man I like that second ad a lot. Great work.

In competent hands that one could be used to vaporize whatever exists of the republican party in that part of Alabama.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r0uxURKIFqU&feature=player_embedded[/youtube]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tFUDEmMjC-c&feature=player_embedded[/youtube]

is C-SPAN regularly pranked like that? I've probably watched 20 consecutive minutes of C-SPAN call-in stuff ever, and in my small sample size it seemed like 1 in 4 callers was a plant or a fake or a joke or something like that.

I've read a lot of criticism of Avatar from the right, and now that I've seen it, I'm certain (not for the first time, not for the first movie) that none of these commentators have actually seen the film. The film is the same old Dances with Wolves/Last Samurai "westerner goes native and joins the indigenous people" archetype film that we've seen before, but I don't see the violence being done toward conservative principals they do, because it's not in the film.

I'm certain what follows won't ruin the film for anyone, but I'll just get out of the way that if you don't want details about it don't read further.

First - there's this impression that the antagonist in this movie is the U.S. "Military", which is clearly not true. U.S. military branches do exist in this sci-fi world, the story explicitly discusses the Marine Corps in particular, and the protagonist (Jake) wears a t-shirt with the U.S. Marine Corps symbol on it for a large portion of the film. The military "bad guys" in the film are a scummy Blackwater type military for hire group, not U.S. forces under government control. Jake is indeed a former Marine and he's the good guy who stands up and does the right thing along with others. The story favors warriors (explicitly), and the warrior who fights for good is a U.S. Marine. This is not disrespectful to the military, rather the message is complimentary - the true-blue "gets it" Marine is the one who stands up and says STOP. That's cool, not degrading.

The second one is harder to describe without getting into details (that still don't spoil but get into too much detail) - it is the whole dirt-worshipper eco-message criticism. This is a science fiction movie, not fantasy, not magic, not quasi-religious blah blah - the first introduction to the sci-fi aspects of this occurs within the first 30 minutes of the movie, and made firmly clear by the end. The science fiction is nothing like generic "it binds us and holds us" fantasy a-la The Force - it's clearly explained. There is no message to be learned about praying to Mother Earth from the Na'vi or the animals in their world or the world itself. At most, the eco-message of this movie is "Look at how big mean corporations will destroy things to get resources". Well, duh. This isn't even a subtle message for one to argue with - it's true and is a perfectly fine message for all of our little lefty and righty offspring.

Camden County Jail follow-up:

http://www.courierpostonline.com/articl ... 1006/rss01

It is so good to see the mayors of Cherry Hill and Gloucester Township are behind the plan to privatize; well, as long as the jail isn't being built in their towns.

Sorry if this has been discussed before, but could someone that has more political knowledge than I do please explain something for me?

How is it fair that once this health care bill passes, I will be forced to pay for insurance, or face a fine if I don't get it? Every cent of my money currently gets used up each month and I cannot afford to buy insurance that I don't want or really currently need. I don't see how this is fair or a necessary part of the bill.

The idea is if you get sick, really sick, society is going to end up picking the bill for you anyway.

Feel free to also complain about car insurance that you don't need since you're a great driver.

Actually car insurance is quite necessary because it is real easy for some idiot driver out there to dent up my car. IMO that is much more likely than my getting "really sick."

Odds of getting a $5000 car repair bill vs a $5000 medical bill? I'd guess that the medical bill would be far easier to get.

Man you guys must be zombies. I have been to the hospital due to an illness exactly 0 times in my 30 years. I easily would have spent $5000 on auto repairs if there was no insurance in only 13 years.

And such are the functions of risk that it's all about the LGD (Woody, fill him in)...

It's not just the risk of getting sick, it's the astronomical cost of treating you. Look, if you sign a contract promising to jump off a cliff should you get cancer, maybe...

No, society wouldn't have the heart to make you jump. You'll just have to deal (or perhaps you fall in the 6% of people who won't be covered - smoothie, who are those people?)

Of course you're not exactly someone I trust to make good decisions on health...

I understand all of that. I have my own reasons for not getting the vaccine and am not overly concerned about potentially harming other people. I just don't feel the need to get into all of that. That's why I just said it was my decision and tried to just use an old joke by saying the "with my luck" thing.

That's all well and good, but the main point is that I shouldn't be forced into paying for health insurance or paying a fine if I don't get it. Money is tight. And, now correct me if I'm wrong because, as I said, I am not as knowledgeable about this as others, I thought part of this bill was that insurance companies can't turn you down based on pre-existing conditions. If that's true, and I were to get cancer, why can't I just get insurance then?

And, no H1N1 vaccine for me and no swine flu either. Money, time, etc. saved. Figured you'd be happy to know.

gpicaro wrote:That's all well and good, but the main point is that I shouldn't be forced into paying for health insurance or paying a fine if I don't get it. Money is tight. And, now correct me if I'm wrong because, as I said, I am not as knowledgeable about this as others, I thought part of this bill was that insurance companies can't turn you down based on pre-existing conditions. If that's true, and I were to get cancer, why can't I just get insurance then?

And, no H1N1 vaccine for me and no swine flu either. Money, time, etc. saved. Figured you'd be happy to know.

You're oddly making me want to go and donate money to every senator who voted for this bill. Your position on this and Wall is so profoundly idiotic, it makes me want to refer you back to philaphans where you can be surrounded by people who really care about you.

Never part of philaphans thanks. I see you went to Brantt's school of how to fail at a humorous insult.

And yes, your comment about my opinion on Wall means so much considering:

jeff2sf wrote:I don't know Eddie Jordan from Michael Jordan.

So I am sure you know plenty about Wall to know whether or not my opinion is idiotic. Thanks for yet another stimulating chat jackass