Kudos to George Bush!

[PLAYER57832]

I don't care about the politics, and no doubt cynics will say it was just a stunt, but anyone who shaves his head to help a 2 year old feel better deserves praise.

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-250_162-575 ... r-patient/

[ManBungalow]

I still think Obama wears a hairpiece.

[/]

Why would anyone think it's a publicity stunt? What sort of publicity does a 89-year-old ex-president need?

Geez, those pictures almost made me cry just now for some reason, too freaking sweet.

[BigBallinStalin]

Why would anyone think it's a publicity stunt? What sort of publicity does a 89-year-old ex-president need?

More publicity.

[BigBallinStalin]

He's doing it for a member of his personal SS---just as someone else would for someone else's friend. It's nice, and it's kinda stupid since shaving your hair doesn't help save the kid.

[betiko]

I don't care about the politics, and no doubt cynics will say it was just a stunt, but anyone who shaves his head to help a 2 year old feel better deserves praise.

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-250_162-575 ... r-patient/

I can give him kudos for that. He sure has something on has concience with all the vets from the first iraq war that have developped cancers with all the biologic weapon shit saddam left around koweit.

[saxitoxin]

So, if one joins the Secret Service and ends up as a bodyguard to a 90 year-old ex president living in a fishing village in Maine, should one take that as a sign that one is not exactly on the career fast track?

[betiko]

So, if one joins the Secret Service and ends up as a bodyguard to a 90 year-old ex president living in a fishing village in Maine, should one take that as a sign that one is not exactly on the career fast track?

Hey, that could still sound fun to me. Fishing all day listening to a senile president sounds still more interesting that being a sleeping agent in the middle of the tartar desert with only a horse. And crazy mongols trying to get milk from your horse. And add a few vietcongs growing bamboo sticks under your nails and in your ass.
Oh, and also a few kgb agents that discovered that you work for the CIA and are running after you with nuclear choppers.

What the hell is wrong with fishing with george and friends, seriously saxi!

[Woodruff]

I don't care about the politics, and no doubt cynics will say it was just a stunt, but anyone who shaves his head to help a 2 year old feel better deserves praise.

Yeah, I can't imagine it's really a stunt...not at his age. Ain't got no time for that. Though I don't really think there's much point to it with the child only being two, it's still a really nice thing for him to do.

[loutil]

He's doing it for a member of his personal SS---just as someone else would for someone else's friend. It's nice, and it's kinda stupid since shaving your hair doesn't help save the kid.

You missed the point. They all shaved their heads in solidarity with the kid and to make him feel better. It was a very kind gesture. No more, no less...

[apey]

I would think that is the point. Those men hang out with the former president all day long, everyday, and you don't think they r friends??

[patrickaa317]

He's doing it for a member of his personal SS---just as someone else would for someone else's friend. It's nice, and it's kinda stupid since shaving your hair doesn't help save the kid.

Maybe not this particular kid but if George Bush hadn't done this, Player wouldn't have posted the thread about this kid in which MB, /, you, betiko, saxi, woodruff, loutil, and apey have talked about it just in CC. Now how many other sites have similar threads going bringing awareness to this. Awareness translates to some donations to the cause, which will eventually help future kids in this similar predicament. So by Bush doing this, it will in turn help some kids in the future.

[loutil]

He's doing it for a member of his personal SS---just as someone else would for someone else's friend. It's nice, and it's kinda stupid since shaving your hair doesn't help save the kid.

Maybe not this particular kid but if George Bush hadn't done this, Player wouldn't have posted the thread about this kid in which MB, /, you, betiko, saxi, woodruff, loutil, and apey have talked about it just in CC. Now how many other sites have similar threads going bringing awareness to this. Awareness translates to some donations to the cause, which will eventually help future kids in this similar predicament. So by Bush doing this, it will in turn help some kids in the future.

Well said ...

[notyou2]

So, if one joins the Secret Service and ends up as a bodyguard to a 90 year-old ex president living in a fishing village in Maine, should one take that as a sign that one is not exactly on the career fast track?

What have you got against quaint seaside towns?

[BigBallinStalin]

He's doing it for a member of his personal SS---just as someone else would for someone else's friend. It's nice, and it's kinda stupid since shaving your hair doesn't help save the kid.

You missed the point. They all shaved their heads in solidarity with the kid and to make him feel better. It was a very kind gesture. No more, no less...

Yeah, that doesn't really impress me after considering their history and what they've perpetuated.

[BigBallinStalin]

He's doing it for a member of his personal SS---just as someone else would for someone else's friend. It's nice, and it's kinda stupid since shaving your hair doesn't help save the kid.

Maybe not this particular kid but if George Bush hadn't done this, Player wouldn't have posted the thread about this kid in which MB, /, you, betiko, saxi, woodruff, loutil, and apey have talked about it just in CC. Now how many other sites have similar threads going bringing awareness to this. Awareness translates to some donations to the cause, which will eventually help future kids in this similar predicament. So by Bush doing this, it will in turn help some kids in the future.

Yeah maybe, but the thoughts/sentiments don't matter that much, and we can easily exaggerate their effects. Funding cancer research would be more effective.

But, more importantly, their performance doesn't really impress me after considering their history and what they've perpetuated.

[Dukasaur]

He's doing it for a member of his personal SS---just as someone else would for someone else's friend. It's nice, and it's kinda stupid since shaving your hair doesn't help save the kid.

Maybe not this particular kid but if George Bush hadn't done this, Player wouldn't have posted the thread about this kid in which MB, /, you, betiko, saxi, woodruff, loutil, and apey have talked about it just in CC. Now how many other sites have similar threads going bringing awareness to this. Awareness translates to some donations to the cause, which will eventually help future kids in this similar predicament. So by Bush doing this, it will in turn help some kids in the future.

Yeah maybe, but the thoughts/sentiments don't matter that much, and we can easily exaggerate their effects. Funding cancer research would be more effective.

But, more importantly, their performance doesn't really impress me after considering their history and what they've perpetuated.

Yeah, seriously.

They say Hitler was very nice to dogs. I'm sure Mao Tse-tung gave a very generous tip to a waiter at one point.

The fact that someone does something nice for somebody really doesn't negate the fact that they falsified intelligence data in order to start an illegal war of aggression in which 100,000 people have died, just to raise the price of oil and create windfall profits for their friends in the oil-speculation business.

[Night Strike]

He's doing it for a member of his personal SS---just as someone else would for someone else's friend. It's nice, and it's kinda stupid since shaving your hair doesn't help save the kid.

Maybe not this particular kid but if George Bush hadn't done this, Player wouldn't have posted the thread about this kid in which MB, /, you, betiko, saxi, woodruff, loutil, and apey have talked about it just in CC. Now how many other sites have similar threads going bringing awareness to this. Awareness translates to some donations to the cause, which will eventually help future kids in this similar predicament. So by Bush doing this, it will in turn help some kids in the future.

Yeah maybe, but the thoughts/sentiments don't matter that much, and we can easily exaggerate their effects. Funding cancer research would be more effective.

But, more importantly, their performance doesn't really impress me after considering their history and what they've perpetuated.

Yeah, seriously.

They say Hitler was very nice to dogs. I'm sure Mao Tse-tung gave a very generous tip to a waiter at one point.

The fact that someone does something nice for somebody really doesn't negate the fact that they falsified intelligence data in order to start an illegal war of aggression in which 100,000 people have died, just to raise the price of oil and create windfall profits for their friends in the oil-speculation business.

The article was about H.W., not W.

[BigBallinStalin]

Right. H. W. only engaged in a war which further secured the hold of the dictator of Kuwait along with the regional dictators' which greatly appreciated the direct US subsidy toward fighting against the leftist dictator, Saddam Hussein. He was a 'bad guy', so H. W. is definitely 'good' in our books. Can I get a "herpaderp"? Amen.

Hey, let's not forget the countries which the USG subsidized during his stay--especially the dictatorships like Saudi Arabia, because... because freedom and Uhmerica. That's why (check out the US White Papers from the DOJ about Egypt and Saudi Arabia's "Progress" toward democracy during the 1990s. It's a unintentional joke. Furthermore, let's not forget the USG's further entrenching itself among the allies against the war versus.... Oh wait, what war? The Soviet Union was finished in 1991--effectively in 1989, so the US had to find another war--otherwise, how else can it justify such a budget???


No one--even the first Bush--deserves some escape from punishment. They're all very similar to mafia bosses and other 'organized' killers. They deserve no praise at all. Their antics of today would never correct for their mistakes and praising them for some alleged "public good" act does not help. It only erases the memory, which is replaced with "omgerd George Bush 1.0 is so caring and cool and awesome! omgerd he's against cancer!"

Fools. People are so easily manipulated. They'll even make excuses: "I don't care about the politics, but check out teh H. Emhgerd W.!!" Such foolishness.

[loutil]

Right. H. W. only engaged in a war which further secured the hold of the dictator of Kuwait along with the regional dictators' which greatly appreciated the direct US subsidy toward fighting against the leftist dictator, Saddam Hussein. He was a 'bad guy', so H. W. is definitely 'good' in our books. Can I get a "herpaderp"? Amen.

Dictator of Kuwait? Seriously?
Kuwait is a Parliamentary constitutional monarchy. The house of Sabah is the ruling family of Kuwait and has been for over 250 years. However, like England, the monarchy has limited power. They have direct elections for the parliament (the national assembly) that actually governs the country. Outside of Israel, Kuwait is the MOST democratic country in the middle east.
Carry on with you rant ...

[BigBallinStalin]

Right. H. W. only engaged in a war which further secured the hold of the dictator of Kuwait along with the regional dictators' which greatly appreciated the direct US subsidy toward fighting against the leftist dictator, Saddam Hussein. He was a 'bad guy', so H. W. is definitely 'good' in our books. Can I get a "herpaderp"? Amen.

Dictator of Kuwait? Seriously?
Kuwait is a Parliamentary constitutional monarchy. The house of Sabah is the ruling family of Kuwait and has been for over 250 years. However, like England, the monarchy has limited power. They have direct elections for the parliament (the national assembly) that actually governs the country. Outside of Israel, Kuwait is the MOST democratic country in the middle east.
Carry on with you rant ...

Polity IV Index: -10 as of 1990



http://www.systemicpeace.org/polity/kuw2.htm


In reality, that's a dictatorship. The phrase "parliamentary constitutional monarchy" is fancy but doesn't mean much. That family rules with a rubber-stamping parliament via laughable elections. Outside of Isreal, the most democratic country in the middle east is... Turkey or Iran.

[patches70]

And if the parliament does anything the Emir doesn't like, the Emir dissolves the parliament. Like he did in 2009.

or Iran

Haha! The democratically elected government of Iran is just a figurehead. The real power rests with the Supreme Council, who elects the Supreme leader and there have only been two Supreme leaders since Iran's revolution in '79. The first leader only leaving because he died.
And the Supreme leader must be a cleric. It's a farce of democracy. But if that's what the Iranian people want, then more power to 'em I say.

[BigBallinStalin]

Iran was about +4 when I checked it about half a year ago. That's better than most in that region, and if we're gonna kid ourselves about what a democracy is, we may as well go with Iran.

Turkey should be higher, but I'm not sure how they factor in their military and its systematic killing and discrimination against the Kurds for decades.

[patches70]

Iran was about +4 when I checked it about half a year ago.

According the polity IV index you referenced yourself, Iran had a "backsliding event" when they were at +4 and are sitting now at -6.



(according to the legend key, the solid blue line is the polity score. The green dash line represent transition, the solid red line is factionalism. The X is back sliding events, the R are revolutionary events.)

It appears that (as predicted with anything democracy related) certain people start believing they are free, go for more liberalization and then the Supreme council cracks down and shows everyone who is really in charge. Although it is interesting to note, the actual Iranian revolution in 1979 is viewed as an increase by getting rid of America's puppet the Shah. The Shah was pretty brutal, just as bad or worse than the current Theocracy in power now.

That's better than most in that region, and if we're gonna kid ourselves about what a democracy is, we may as well go with Iran.

What? That democracy is one of the worst forms of government? That democracy is effectively mob rule? That it's a myth that democratic nations get along better? That it's a myth that democratic nations are more peaceful toward her neighbors?

Yeah, we might as well go with Iran I suppose.

Turkey should be higher, but I'm not sure how they factor in their military and its systematic killing and discrimination against the Kurds for decades.

Turkey probably is the most democratic in the region behind Israel. But they are sliding more toward the negative, especially lately. Since they are a member of NATO, no one can really take into account that other stuff without a bunch of messy political ramifications, eh?

[tzor]

I don't care about the politics, and no doubt cynics will say it was just a stunt, but anyone who shaves his head to help a 2 year old feel better deserves praise.

I think it's a good idea, but I have a friend who does that EVERY YEAR. It's called "St Baldricks," and it raises money for children's cancer by having people shave their heads and collect donations.