Humodour

Thanks for demonstrating your immense ignorance of the situation in Afghanistan.

Kaftan: I have a feeling we're in Afghanistan for the long haul. Well, if something good comes of it (Afghanistani democracy), at least it will have been worth it.

Indeed. Both Mexico and America reacted far too sluggishly to this threat. The WHO moved it to Phase 4, which is effectively an admission that border control is now useless and impossible.

You need to replace a mask every 20 minutes (certainly every hour) because once it gets damp/moist, it actually becomes a transmission vector for bacteria and viruses.

I'm pretty sure that's Obama's plan. Wouldn't you say that's certainly what Britain and Australia have? I don't know enough about Scandinavia and co to comment on their systems.

I think it's a good thing, so long as it is replaced by a party of socially progressive (or at least centrist) moderate economic conservatives. In other words: a modern neoliberal party with the dynamicism to effectively challenge the Demcratic party and keep things balanced. Then again, that's kind of what the Democrat party has become, so I dunno where such a party would fit. Either way, some force needs to evolve to challenge the Dems. Nobody wants stagnation or corruption (which many terms unopposed would breed). They are in most other countries. The unionisation process in America is really skewed against unions. I don't agree with removing secret ballots but the process certainly needs fixing. I don't really understand why the unions figured it'd be easier to remove secret ballots than actually fix the legislation, however.

? All troop increases combined, the effective troop numbers will more than double their current number. Combined with a strategy overhaul how can you possibly think that nothing will change (whether for better or worse)? Ignorant.

Wow, you made it further than me. I gave up once I got to the imp village, which was like 1/3 of the way? It was a cash cow so they could keep going long enough to finish DD2. They also make a lot of childrens games which is funny. They must sell well and keep them in business. More power to them. But as for those unsure of DD1: try it. It's a unique game, and it has its flaws, but it's probably fairly close to Baldur's Gate 1 in terms of feel, with combat somewhat more like Diablo. Unlike Diablo, you only have to click once to keep attacking an enemy, thank god.

Well, with these being just the most recent in a string of troop increases from NATO and allies, it looks like Obama pulled off the "convince allies" part. Now it's time to see how the troop surge and narrower strategy shift pans out (training Afghanistani soldiers and police, and economic-political stability, rather than full democracy). http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story...5013871,00.html

Oh you heard, did you? Well, if you think ethanol is toxic, sure.

The graph you posted shows cloture votes increasing sharply in 1970, certainly way before Geoge HW Bush ever became president. Why don't you actually read that article, the history of the filibuster is quite a long one, as I said. Dear me you're a fool. You can try and hide that fact all you want, but you clearly said the following which is down and out wrong: "And what, cloture used to be rarely used? Where the hell to you get your info Krezack?" Moreover, the 'sharp increase' is actually under the Reagan-Bush Sr tenure, it's certainly in full swing for Bush Jr's reign. Regardless of exactly whose term it started in, the point is Cloture never used to be so abused, which you refuse to accept for some reason.

Yes, that's what my friend told me is the new convention. It certainly makes more sense than coughing on your hand, which so many people do (here at least).

I don't know what the first link is because it;s dead, but I'm pretty sure I LIEK MILK

Correct, which is why covering your mouth when you cough is exactly the opposite of what you should do if you want to minimise transmission. What better way to spread a bug than to spray it all over the hands you use to touch everything and everyone with?

I fall head-first for broads with auburn hair every time. It's that perfect mix of red and brown.

You might not agree with Labour unions for some reason or another, but there's nothing Stalinist about them. Perhaps this is an area you need to do some research on. Taking away the secret ballot is what's Stalinist, you're the one who needs to do some research. "In the American democratic tradition the principle of the secret ballot is not simply the fact that you go into a voting booth and pull a curtain and nobody sees what you do. It is your right to keep your political opinion private to yourself before, during and after the act of voting; that you can't be lured or coerced into a conversation that is designed to make you reveal your political preferences. In the NLRB, while the vote does take place in a booth where nobody sees what you're doing, management is allowed to engage in a series of behaviors in the lead up to the vote that force the vast majority of workers to reveal how they're going to vote long before they ever step into the booth." Also, you still haven't explained to me how secret ballots have anything to do with Stalin's strain of Communism. Cloture used to be a last a resort, the 'nuclear option' and the ultimate threat to force compromise on bills. No longer. Again, where are you getting your info, the filibuster is a long standing tradition in the Senate, it is the primary reason why change takes a long time in the US. Um, Cloture was introduced in 1917 and between then and 1962 was used only 11 times, all of which failed. in 1975, the supermajority required was reduced from 67 senators to 60 senators. Yeah, what a "long-standing tradition" that is. Frequency of Cloture use since 1947: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/e...947_to_2008.jpg Where do you get YOUR information? Enoch is right: if you think Specter is going to vote for EFCA in its current form you're dreaming. The Dems want him for other things, namely healthcare and budgets.

I could conversely say it's the non-US market that makes the research profitable and I'd be no less correct than you.

South-East Asian women in general can be pretty gorgeous. Actually, to generalise to the point of triviality: women in general can be pretty gorgeous.

The United States population also accounts for almost half of the Western world's population (excluding Eastern Europe). Who woulda thunk it. But don't divert the subject at hand, now. Your point was that the US does all the drug research and that the rest of the West rides off it, well that's patently false, no pun intended.

That's not correct. America has the largest number of drug makers of any Western country, but, and this might shock you, America also has the largest number of people of any Western country. The drug industries in the EU, Australia, and Canada, are far more vibrant than you presume. It may be correct to say that disturbing pharmaceutical industry political lobbying is less rife in the rest of the West, if that's what you were going for. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pharmaceutica...erms_of_revenue Please note the countries of origin. It's likely that without the rest of the Western world around to buy your so-called 'subsidised' drugs, they would be too expensive to develop in the first place. Perhaps you should be thanking us.

You also noticed this? We Australians have a little thing called 'sunlight'. The British should try it one day. Wouldn't that only make the ugly British people easier to see? I concede your point.

You might not agree with Labour unions for some reason or another, but there's nothing Stalinist about them. Perhaps this is an area you need to do some research on. Cloture used to be a last a resort, the 'nuclear option' and the ultimate threat to force compromise on bills. No longer. The Democratic fundraiser thingy (DSCC?) and Obama have both stated they'll back him in the primary.

You also noticed this? We Australians have a little thing called 'sunlight'. The British should try it one day.

Indeed they are, which is why both have public welfare programs in place to ensure there a no gaps left by the free market (namely work for the the dole and public housing). It wouldn't surprise me if these programmes are also inadequate in America, but you're certainly right.

The free market should not be invoked when the item being competed for is a person's life, Gfted.