General Chat Thread

[Phlogiston]

That is another reason i hate the news. They can turn anything into some sort of hidden agenda topic

I could discover the cure for cancer, aids and all the other terrible diseases out there and give it away for free.

The news would it as I was trying to undermine all the pharmaceutical companies and destroy the American economy. There would little to no mention on the fact that I just got rid of some of these most deadly and horrible diseases in the world.

My ethics on the matter are questionable, but doesn't the pharmaceuticals industry deserve to be undermined? I consider medicine-for-profit on higher levels unethical, and medicine prices are going berserk. Unless they actually cost that much to produce (which is possible!) and profit per transaction is extremely small percentage-wise. Shouldn't helping people come first?

This is a lot of my friends who are liberal. Just because I can reason why voting conservative is a good idea they all start screaming "you hate *blank* people, you are against equal rights"

its like, "when the **** did I say that?". I also wasnt to thrilled with the war in Iraq, does that mean I was cheering for the other side? No, I fully support our troops and make it a point to go out of my way to shake their hand and thank them, or buy them a drink or meal.

Politics make me hate people in general!!!

Our current political climate is too goddamned polarized in general. I'm a dirty lib and I'll admit to there being some good conservative principles and like the idea of fiscal conservancy where possible.

[Gothitelle K]

This is a lot of my friends who are liberal. Just because I can reason why voting conservative is a good idea they all start screaming "you hate *blank* people, you are against equal rights"

!

That happens to me except replace friends with people on forums. They get upset when I want to follow tradition and go on about how awful I am.

[ArmorAndonomon]

My ethics on the matter are questionable, but doesn't the pharmaceuticals industry deserve to be undermined? I consider medicine-for-profit on higher levels unethical, and medicine prices are going berserk. Unless they actually cost that much to produce (which is possible!) and profit per transaction is extremely small percentage-wise. Shouldn't helping people come first?

I used to work in a pharmacy and can tell you first hand that a lot of prescription medications DO cost quite a bit to produce, mostly because some of the chemicals for many big name products are all manufactured by one or two specific companies who refuses to let anyone else produce it, pretty much creating a monopoly.
Then again, medicine and pharmaceuticals aren't the only areas that this happens, but they're the most discussed, just because of what you mentioned. Y'know, money coming before helping people.

[Phlogiston]

I used to work in a pharmacy and can tell you first hand that a lot of prescription medications DO cost quite a bit to produce, mostly because some of the chemicals for many big name products are all manufactured by one or two specific companies who refuses to let anyone else produce it, pretty much creating a monopoly.
Then again, medicine and pharmaceuticals aren't the only areas that this happens, but they're the most discussed, just because of what you mentioned. Y'know, money coming before helping people.

All basically fair. I guess it boils down to "fixing that requires some pretty hardcore reform."

[Pesky Persian]

This is a lot of my friends who are liberal. Just because I can reason why voting conservative is a good idea they all start screaming "you hate *blank* people, you are against equal rights"

its like, "when the **** did I say that?". I also wasnt to thrilled with the war in Iraq, does that mean I was cheering for the other side? No, I fully support our troops and make it a point to go out of my way to shake their hand and thank them, or buy them a drink or meal.

Politics make me hate people in general!!!

I think we can all agree that both extremes are annoying. I don't consider myself a liberal/conservative/Democrat/Republican/whatever. I just vote for whoever I feel is more in line with what I value, regardless of what political party they represent. My dad just looks at everything political in such a black-and-white manner. You're either a Republican or a "Goddamn Democrat." There's no grey area to him and it's probably the most frustrating part.

That happens to me except replace friends with people on forums. They get upset when I want to follow tradition and go on about how awful I am.

Just judging by your posts here, I think it's more of the way you come across when you say things sometimes. Like a while back in the (I think, I maybe have the thread wrong) attraction thread, you said something about it being a woman's job to wait hand and foot on her husband/boyfriend. It's fine if you want to live your life that way but you made it sound like every woman should. That's the kind of thing that annoys people.

[BJPalmer85]

My ethics on the matter are questionable, but doesn't the pharmaceuticals industry deserve to be undermined? I consider medicine-for-profit on higher levels unethical, and medicine prices are going berserk. Unless they actually cost that much to produce (which is possible!) and profit per transaction is extremely small percentage-wise. Shouldn't helping people come first?

My ethics are also questionable but I agree with you, they deserve it, unfortunately like Armor said there are a lot of drugs out there that cost a lot to make, especially drugs for the more nasty diseases like cancer.

That is why research facilities rely heavily if not entirely on donations and thanks to people like Bill and Linda (i believe that is right) Gates, there have been a lot of great strides made. Not that there arent other people that help but when you make donations that equal or surpass some countries GDP than you get singled out.

Helping people should come first but that has been lost on these big companies.

Our current political climate is too goddamned polarized in general. I'm a dirty lib and I'll admit to there being some good conservative principles and like the idea of fiscal conservancy where possible.

i like this, very few people will admit to things like that

I used to work in a pharmacy and can tell you first hand that a lot of prescription medications DO cost quite a bit to produce, mostly because some of the chemicals for many big name products are all manufactured by one or two specific companies who refuses to let anyone else produce it, pretty much creating a monopoly.
Then again, medicine and pharmaceuticals aren't the only areas that this happens, but they're the most discussed, just because of what you mentioned. Y'know, money coming before helping people.

All basically fair. I guess it boils down to "fixing that requires some pretty hardcore reform."

It does but those companies line the pockets of the major political big wigs, meaning little to nothing will ever happen. which is sad.

I think we can all agree that both extremes are annoying. I don't consider myself a liberal/conservative/Democrat/Republican/whatever. I just vote for whoever I feel is more in line with what I value, regardless of what political party they represent. My dad just looks at everything political in such a black-and-white manner. You're either a Republican or a "Goddamn Democrat." There's no grey area to him and it's probably the most frustrating part.

Yes we can agree on that. I hate party separation so bad!! All the old generation sees everything black and white but a lot of the younger generation is all about giving and sharing at the same time.

again, the main reasons i avoid political debates as much as possible

B

[EternalSword7]

It does but those companies line the pockets of the major political big wigs, meaning little to nothing will ever happen. which is sad.

Because of those guys, this election boils down to choose your puppet.

[BJPalmer85]

Because of those guys, this election boils down to choose your puppet.

That pretty much sums it up and how it will continue to work until the country elects an Independent candidate.

B

[Pesky Persian]

That pretty much sums it up and how it will continue to work until the country elects an Independent candidate.

B

So forever...

[BJPalmer85]

So forever...

yea....tumblr_mcy63tjHsW1qdqix8o1_500.jpg

B

PS - tried to post a picture and failed, now i cant delete the attachment

[EternalSword7]

So forever...

Pretty much this. Unless some large group can actually pull off something big enough to change the system.

[Snorunt conservationist]

I hope any Americans casting their votes today stop and appreciate how privileged they are to be able to do so.

Even if you spoil your ballot, I do believe voting is a task that all should undertake.

[Phlogiston]

Still a few hours until actual election day, even on the east coast, but early voting has been going on for a while -- but you raise a good point. Even if we are just choosing between X dinguses, at least we get something of a choice and a chance to voice our opinions.

[Erfinjerfin]

it's amazing how much more cynical this forum has gotten since i was last here

[Crimsonlink]

A major problem is the vicious cycle America's politics are in right now.

Democrat/Republican is elected, makes laws, 4 years later people don't like the laws and elect Democrat/Republican, repeals laws and adds new ones, then cycle continues.

This country is mostly filled with independents, with most people leaning Liberalism and Conservatism on certain issues. Its just that the Demo and Repub sides are more outspoken and acts to convert the independents to their sides.

Maybe in the future we will have a Libertarian party. I hope so otherwise it will be time to move for me personally.

[Phlogiston]

I'm not really big on libertarianism on extreme levels where there's no safety nets, etc., but I can back the low-coercion-high-liberty model.

[HetaOni]

Herro~

*Sees you're all talking about the election"

Well,might as well leave before sh*t goes down.

[Erfinjerfin]

I suppose I'd consider myself being aligned with the libertarian left more than anything else. I'm all for extensive civil liberties, capitalism, and expanding free market, but I can't get behind abolishing gun control, taxes, and welfare.

[Cipher]

Hey.

If you're an American citizen over the age of 18 and you're not voting tomorrow, fuck you.

Tha's all.

[Autis-misc]

Because of those guys, this election boils down to choose your puppet.

I pick Mitt, since its a suitable name for a puppet.