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by libertarian99
on Thu May 14, 2009 10:07 pm |
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freakycat wrote: Harmful is in the eye of the beholder. I know people who smoked like coal furnaces and lived into their 90's. I don't buy that it takes 12 years off my life to smoke, but if it does so be it. The last 12 years of anybody's life are usually pretty lame anyway IMO. I'd just as soon skip them, but I doubt that smoking is going to do that for me. LOL
The underlying assumption people have is that it's a good thing to strive for the maximum possible lifespan. People assume that they personally will be in good shape at 80 or 90 years of age. That's wishful thinking.
As far as I'm concerned, the people who are supposedly trying to save me are actually condeming me to 15 extra years of dementia. My family is extremely long-lived so I have no delusions about what old age will be like for me. I'm counting on checking out early, having enjoyed my cigs along the way. |
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libertarian99
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by Tsujiban
on Sat Jun 27, 2009 12:12 am |
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3rd hand smoke, huh?...
ASH and all these other people, what are they gonna do when they win the War On Smokers? Do they think that the tens of millions of people who were forced to quit are just going to pass them by on the street and smile at them and wish them a good afternoon? They're gonna have to spend the rest of their lives hiding out like Osama Bin Laden! lol...
man I can just see the signs popping up everywhere now...
FOR THE SAFETY OF OTHERS
NO PERSONS WITH COOTIES
ARE ALLOWED IN THIS AREA
...unbelievable... |
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Tsujiban
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by libertarian99
on Sat Jun 27, 2009 2:02 am |
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Tsujiban wrote: Do they think that the tens of millions of people who were forced to quit are just going to pass them by on the street and smile at them and wish them a good afternoon? They're gonna have to spend the rest of their lives hiding out like Osama Bin Laden! lol... |
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libertarian99
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by Darkseid
on Sat Jun 27, 2009 3:45 am |
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| He (and Pelosi & Waxman, Lautenberg, Dodd, & the rest of Congress)are screwing over a LOT of big and small businesses, with a TON of money involved-trillions-to persue their power-mad programs. Would be great as far as I'm concerned, because after having Biden as president, a democrat wouldn't get in for another 28 or so years. LOL |
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Darkseid
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Location: Peoples Republik of oHEILo
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by runamok
on Sat Jun 27, 2009 8:18 am |
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libertarian99 wrote: He's dealt two disastrous blows to the tobacco industry...
Disastrous blows? Phillip Morris, who has over half the domestic market, doesn't see it that way. |
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runamok
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by libertarian99
on Sat Jun 27, 2009 2:51 pm |
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runamok wrote: libertarian99 wrote: He's dealt two disastrous blows to the tobacco industry...
Disastrous blows? Phillip Morris, who has over half the domestic market, doesn't see it that way.
Most other people think FDA regulation is one step closer to prohibition. Can you name anyone besides Phillip Morris executives who supported FDA regulation? It's pretty mysterious how confident they are that they're not going to be banned out of existence.
Of course, if everyone has to turn to the black market to buy cigarettes, it will create another heyday for organized crime. The organized crime people will enjoy a Renaissance, of sorts.
We should probably just stop swimming against the tide and form an organized crime ring of our own. Wouldn't that be a whole lot more exciting and melodramatic than just sitting around being victimized by the do-gooders? |
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libertarian99
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by Tsujiban
on Sat Jun 27, 2009 6:14 pm |
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libertarian99 wrote: Just in the past couple of weeks I've started to think it's feasible that Barack Obama will end up being assassinated.
Not to misconstrue your statement there, but 1) I hope not, and 2) I don't see it happening.
1) I hope not because this is America, and I am an American, and despite the fact that I disagree with him and his supporters on pretty much every important issue and ideological position, he is my President. I will not stoop to the level of vilification and hatred that I see so much of on the extreme Left. And don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to "correct" you or read anything into your statement beyond the literal meaning of your words. But on this subject, I think it is important, in the public arena, to be very--*very*--clear about intention behind words. I'm sure there are people who hate Obama and want him dead, as there are for every sitting President. But I'm not one of them (and I'm not implying you are either).
2) I don't see it happening because those Secret Service boys (and girls) are, to use technical terminology, some Serious Motherfuckers. As they say in the 'hood: "They don't play." Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think anyone has gotten close to a President since that incident with Reagan and Brady, right? That's not an accident.
Not counting that shoe that got thrown at Bush II. I was frankly surprised that his bodyguard didn't light that shoe guy up with MP5s when that happened. It made me very unhappy to see somebody get that close. Whatever our politics, it is to all of our disgrace when our President is seriously threatened or killed. That's one of the things that is supposed to separate us from the savages.
As he is the first black President, my belief is that the Secret Service is more serious than it's ever been about protecting it's charge. I've heard the arguments about high caliber rifle ranges in competent hands, but then so have those Secret Service fellahs. They're not dumb, they are committed, they are competent, and I have every faith in them. There are not many things that could be worse for our country right now.
And again, I'm not saying this to admonish or imply anything on anyone here, I'm just stating my position on it. People take this subject fucking seriously, and they should. |
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Tsujiban
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by Tsujiban
on Sat Jun 27, 2009 6:35 pm |
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libertarian99 wrote: It's hard to imagine why they don't. Apparently they think it's not going to lead to outright prohibition somewhere down the road. Apparently they're too focused on market share to notice the freight train of prohibition approaching down the tracks.
That's a problem for the next iteration of Altria management, right? The current management will golden parachute out when prohibition ramps up. That would be my guess anyways. SEP, Somebody Else's Problem. |
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Tsujiban
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by libertarian99
on Sat Jun 27, 2009 11:09 pm |
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Tsujiban wrote: libertarian99 wrote: Just in the past couple of weeks I've started to think it's feasible that Barack Obama will end up being assassinated.
Not to misconstrue your statement there, but 1) I hope not, and 2) I don't see it happening.
I think 50 Cent was the first person who publicly suggested that he would be assassinated if elected. At the time, I thought there was no way that could happen. I thought 50 Cent was being ridiculous.
Now you've got a situation where he's done a couple of things to step on money interests in the tobacco industry. He hasn't pulled the troops out of Iraq like he promised. There is an ever-growing number of people who are unemployed, have lost their insurance, and a certain percentage of those people will be the mentally unstable type who won't have any way to pay for their expensive psych meds.
Add to that the usual KKK, white supremacists and other hate groups, and you've got a pretty treacherous situation for Obama.
I don't think any system that relies on human beings is infallible. Human beings make mistakes, and they can be corrupted by various means, including money, sex, whatever. The Secret Service may be cool as hell, but they are still human beings.
We had an interesting incident recently where an attorney for the local City Council got drunk and ended up passing out for the night in someone's trash can. Unfortunately for him, the owner of the trash can reported it to the police and they took photos, which were later leaked to the press. You never know when someone will turn out to be a lot less cool than everyone thinks. |
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libertarian99
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by Tsujiban
on Sun Jun 28, 2009 12:17 am |
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Yeah again, didn't mean to put words in your mouth there, it's just that, given the existence of ECHELON http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ECHELON , the IAO http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Information_Awareness_Office and whatever replaced CARNIVORE http://tinyurl.com/5ta8nv , I just like to make sure my IFF signal is loud and clear in public about this kinda thing. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Identification_Friend_or_Foe
 jeez, is my jargon fetish showing?...
Hey, anything's possible. Like the movie "In The Line Of FIre" said, anyone can trade their life for the President's if they are smart, and they are willing. And you are right, there are plenty of people out there with motive. After all, we are only what, forty years out of segregation?
So yes, it's a possibility. And we seem to be living in a time of big changes, the fates are whimsical these days, so who really knows? I just don't think it's a likelihood tactically speaking. They've got a whole lot of tools, techniques, expertise and experience in between him and any would-be assassins.
For example:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8JMG-5416Qw
...yow! I want one!
That sucker would liven up the morning commute! |
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Tsujiban
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