archenemy

No doubt. It's more expensive but less painful.

It does indeed. And impractical. I work in a corporate office. I am not allowed to bring a sidearm with me to work. If I have no warning, as in the case of a devastating earthquake, a plane flying into my building, or close up tsunami or some crazy shit like that, I am caught downtown w/o the benefits of survival plan #1 or #2. Not that I am paranoid or anything, but I just don't think its practical for most people to be prepared for this shit on a daily basis; yet, we seem to expect them to be. I don't know where I am going with this, I just am trying to put myself in these people's place and it doesn't seem like any of our pat answers or solutions are really viable. Thoughts?

Actually, no, its not okay. I think what is unspoken here is the underlying acceptance in our society (perhaps not of this individual, but the statement reflects what we are all taught) that there are situations where it is acceptable to rape a woman (if she is wearing a revealing outfit, if she is drunk, if she is "asking for it", etc.). And although the conditions in New Orleans are awful, I don't know if it is so simple to say that these woman are suffering more than an eleven year old who is raped by her father, a jogger who is raped by 13 boys, or a comatose patient who is raped by a caretaker. How does one measure such pain? What is interesting to me about this setting, however, is that people are acting in ways that I don't think many of us could have forseen. Why is that? I have read results from anonymous surveys that show that when asked, "If you could commit rape and get away with it, would you?", one-third of the repondants answered yes. Scary enough, but I would have never thought that someone would take the opportunity in the aftermath of a natural disaster. Is it our own ignorance of human nature that is shocking us and making us see this situation as more dispicable than other instances of people attacking others? I am just curious what it is about people that allows them to prey on those who are unable to defend themselves. I have read a fair number of posts that seem to blame the people stuck in N.O. for their situation. I also wonder why some folks are quick to say that people are responsible for their own safety and thus should not rely on the government to protect them or "save" them. I think folks may be forgetting that half the population cannot even protect themselves from the other half; and that they also did not forsee the spectre of rape in the aftermath of a devastating storm. Just some random, barely-connected thoughts and a few questions...

I am curious why you qualified your statement with "in these type of situations". In what situations is it permissible to rape a woman?

that mp3 rocks. I would vote for that guy to be mayor anytime. That guys talks straight--something I have rarely heard from a politician. He makes sense, and I agree with his request/declaration for martial law.

It should have turned up a hammerhead shark--they actually come equiped with two. Not forked in the literal sense, but I would use that as a meta tag...

Cute. I still hear it though. Anyone else working downtown Seattle right now?

work safe?

some huge helicopter right over town? I can hear it but can't see it.

Maybe we all tend to underestimate a bit because it is frightening to think of the utter destruction that lies in wait. Did that sound too dramatic?

My new hero

Clever.

Ok, away from the personal attack on a good guy. The editorial that was posted here was right to the bone. I like this part: I don't think this is a simple tale of incompetence. The reason the military wasn't rushed in to help along the Gulf Coast is, I believe, the same reason nothing was done to stop looting after the fall of Baghdad. Flood control was neglected for the same reason our troops in Iraq didn't get adequate armor. At a fundamental level, I'd argue, our current leaders just aren't serious about some of the essential functions of government. They like waging war, but they don't like providing security, rescuing those in need or spending on preventive measures. And they never, ever ask for shared sacrifice. Yesterday Mr. Bush made an utterly fantastic claim: that nobody expected the breach of the levees. In fact, there had been repeated warnings about exactly that risk. So America, once famous for its can-do attitude, now has a can't-do government that makes excuses instead of doing its job. And while it makes those excuses, Americans are dying.

You called? Yeah, you're on right after the antichrist and the locusts!

Cord is code for cock.

Me too.

This is the important part of your post.

And for the love of god come up with a new name tweak.

Hello dummy--forked as in devil's tail.

Fuck man you don't know anyone who isn't white or middle class, do you? I just grew up in North Idaho. Anyone who didn't have at least one wood stove and a enough wood for 2 weeks in the winter, regardless of income was a moron. I distinctly remember the year an ice-storm rolled through the area and places lost power in December for several weeks, and in some areas til the next spring. Regardless of where you live or to some degree your at the mercy of the weather and world, I don't think it's unreasonable to act like. For a lot of friends (from a full range of incomes) heat, cooking and water purification all boil town to a wood stove or fireplace and a couple of pots or a dutch oven, maybe beefed up with some iodine or chlorine. That's not really much of a stretch. I lived in North Idaho for seven years and agree that living there after a disaster would be feasible. However, trying to survive in the wreckage of a city (sewage lines breaking, skyscrapers falling over, city folk freaking out) seems a lot different. I agree with the "escape to the hills" mentality--that thought goes thru my head every day I am at work--but I just can't see that it could be that easy after a disaster that wipes things out, freaks people out, and seperates you from your loved ones. I mean, what if your mate was downtown when the shit hit the fan? What if your parents just flew in to visit you and were at the airport? what if....

If he's forked, I'll take him.

Is that chick trying to get a closer look at what cord he's strumming?

See, now that's good song posting. Just enough, not too much. Goldilocks is happy.

Actually, this is just a ploy to meet you. I'd love to meet old blackie! PM me.

That sux. I hate to hear about this kind of stuff.