h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

"It seems to me, birth, that *Rod* began the insult-fest! He called Empty Sky a 'euro-git'. T'mershi Duween simply reacted (as someone from Europe has a right to do) to Rod's intemperate remark. I followed a link Blues Shark posted yesterday, to the newspaper known affectionately as the Grauniad, and they listed some of the remarks Americans had left on their website. "Islamofascist" and "Eurotrash" are two I remember. "

It wasn't T'mershi's reply to the rather stupid "Euro-git" insult that was my, and many other's problem. It was his highly insensitive (about the nicest way I can put it) comments about the Bali bombing.

"p**s or get of the pot" = make your point or shut up, as in, get on with your business or go away. (This is merely a clarification of a phrase, not a suggestion to anyone in particular).

Can anyone clarify for me why the disgraceful bombings in Bali are being attributed to Al Quaeda, and the terrifying snipings in Virginia are not? Just asking out of curiosity - the point being that either could be attributed to lone maniacs or organised terrorists. I saw Bush on the box last night, and it went something like this;

The shooting of an American troop was a terrorist attack,
The attack on the ship was a terrorist attack,
and the Alquaeda-type boming , well it was definately a terrorist attack...

But nobody has for a moment suggested that the Virginia snipings are terrorist activity. I'm not suggesting they are, I am just surprised Bush missed an opportunity. Afterall, they're causing more behaviour changes in that state than the twin towers did (on the non-flying population).

I apologise zareb I cut and pasted wrong qoute my fault. it should have been. please disregard 1515

Zegrab:
>It is a religion that seeks out the down trodden and have nots"<

starbirth:
would have to disagree with you there Zegrab. If you look at the converts to islam over last 20 years the majority came from the disenfranchised. They reach out to these people and offer a new start to them. Unfortunently these people are also the most meldable when approached by those who whould use islam for there own agendas.

>Can anyone clarify for me why the disgraceful bombings in Bali are being attributed to Al Quaeda, and the terrifying snipings in Virginia are not? Just asking out of curiosity - the point being that either could be attributed to lone maniacs or organised terrorists. I saw Bush on the box last night, and it went something like this;

The shooting of an American troop was a terrorist attack,
The attack on the ship was a terrorist attack,
and the Alquaeda-type boming , well it was definately a terrorist attack...

But nobody has for a moment suggested that the Virginia snipings are terrorist activity. I'm not suggesting they are, I am just surprised Bush missed an opportunity. Afterall, they're causing more behaviour changes in that state than the twin towers did (on the non-flying population).<

This may be a first but i agree with you frogbit. I guess all is possible under the moon and stars.

Stratch that;
"President George W Bush has expressed his revulsion at the sniper killings around Washington, describing them as a "form of terrorism". "


"This may be a first but i agree with you frogbit. I guess all is possible under the moon and stars."
You and I agreeing you mean?

TD's venom revisited:
>Also being a European-Grit(or git or whatever) I must say,I don´t really care what someone on the other side of the world think of me. All I can notice is,that apparently some of your neighbours think you`re a pain in the a*s , and regard you as AussiePrats and has acted accordingly.<

How can you defend that della? You come across as the caring intellectual who reveals in cultural diversity and racial harmony. You make a point of posting peace signs while denouncing war and killing blaming right wing politics. You exspose a liberal left wing Ideology. Make love not war-turn the other cheek sentiment.
This all go's out the door however when someone calls your friend td a name and you defend his retaliation of out right hate. He makes light in a gleeful way of scores of rod's dead countrymen. I was of the opinion that even though we did not see eye to eye you were sincire. I guess it was only posturing

"I apologise zareb I cut and pasted wrong qoute my fault. it should have been. please disregard 1515"

S'OK. I assumed it was a mis-paste, but I replied in case anyone browsing casually assumed I had made those comments. Have a .

hee, hee....


You know Della, he's got a point: peace takes no sides but that of peace.

Yeah, it's tough to live up to ideals. You really are better not having any in the first place........Just joshing.

The Virginia sniper has brought the issue of gun control in the US to the forefront. I can see why Bush is keen to label this nut job a "terrorist" given his backing by the NRA. But that's an altogether different topic. If someone has a link to the thread that discusses gun control, could you be kind enough to post it.

The sniper in virgina/dc area has killed 9 people over the last two weeks. The shooter is obviously a trained marks man. The weapon of choice knowing the ammo is a .223 is most likely a AR-15 or a M-16.
This shooter has taken the freedom to go about life away from all that live in the area. No one is safe from this sniper as his victims have been from differant economic,race,age and genders. It is having an economic affect on resturuants,stores,gas stations ect. In short it is terrorizing the public. Though no one it seems wants to mention the 'T' word in regards to this. I think all of us want to think it is a disgruntled loony at fault. I have a sick feeling in my stomach it's not.

The 'T' word has been mentioned
"President George W Bush has expressed his revulsion at the sniper killings around Washington, describing them as a "form of terrorism".

As if terror comes in different forms. The NRA are probably worried sick that this nut is a member of their organisation. It goes to highlight that guns cannot protect you from random snipings, and an environment in which guns are freely available can only make them more likely.

"I think all of us want to think it is a disgruntled loony at fault. I have a sick feeling in my stomach it's not."

The guy is a loony despite his agenda. Who do you think it is then starbirth? If it's not your disgruntled loony, that is.

I wish to make it clear now that I am opposed to his/her behaviour, and opposed to violence per se. But I would like to mention my surprise that none of the 'terrorist networks' hadn't come up with random snipings before. The funding is almost negligable, and you don't have to rely on anybody else to operate.
What a world.

Actually it might be a boon to the NRA. The NRA will take the stance that we are under threat of terrorist attacks and citerzens have the right to protect themselves. They will use the fear to drive home their point.

You think people would be dumb enough to swallow that? Snipe them before they snipe you?

The issue I've seen debated concerns whether this "disgruntled loony" has a right, in the first place, to own a high-powered firearm. The motives of this loony are immaterial and are probably less uderstood by the perpetrator then by the public. The effect that this loony generated is that of creating terror in a civilian population and hence is a....you guessed it..."one of them". Now whether anyone could become "one of them", or should be allowed the means to become "one of them" (by being allowed to posess the weapons used by "them"), is a serious issue the US public may want to debate before the elections.

The US authorities STILL have not charged anyone with the Anthrax letters, but have all but dismissed "foreign" involvement. Hence I belive this case should be also treated as a "local" matter.

"You think people would be dumb enough to swallow that? Snipe them before they snipe you?"

The US constitution, to which gun ownership is always referred, allows for gun ownership in the context of deffending oneself from the tyrany of the government. Now I've actually met people who strongly believe that the fiirearms they possess will defend them from the government that has access to chemical, biological and nuclear weapons.

If only the constitution referrd to "security blankets" instead of firearms.....because they'll be just as effective against anthrax spores and radiation as the firearms.

In a week when a nutter is sniping random citizens with a highpower rifle, the NRA news headline is...http://www.nra.org/display_content/show_content.cfm?mod_id=2&id=0

Bush: "..think about Saddam Hussein using al-Qaeda to do his dirty work.."

That really irks me!

Think about this. Think about Saddam having bugger all to do with Al Queda. Think about Bush's buddies the Saudis funding Al Queda, proving 15/19 hijakers and Bush with generous donations to his election campaign. Think about Bush being a gready SOB who is after Iraq's oil and using the lives of the citizens he has sworn to protect to do his dirty work.