Jack M Posted March 23, 2004 Report Share Posted March 23, 2004 Originally posted by Phil There may be a lot of people who know quite a bit about snowboarding on this forum, but there are few if any who know anything about what is REALLY going on in politics. The reality is that most of us know only rhetoric. (myself included) We have only bought into the entertainment aspect of politics. If we ever actually had a candidate that would make a huge difference, we would not vote for them. They would have too much integrity to play the game. If they did not play the game, we would not think that they were worth voting for. We don't want a good politician, we want someone who can act like a good politician and use the rhetoric that we think is befitting of a "good politician". My $0.02 as a moderator.... What he said. People like Nader, Dean, Sharpton, Perot, Keyes, Forbes, and Buchanan come to mind. Phil is right on. I'll bet nobody here knows exactly which way is up, and that everyone is a hypocrite to some degree. What good ever comes out of discussing politics with your friends? Has anyone here ever actually changed someone's vote or party affiliation? I really doubt it. IMO, "discussing" politics only leads to "arguing" politics, which leads to tainted or destroyed friendships. <b>The alpine snowboarding community is small enough as it is.</b> Why alienate half this forum with your political beliefs? Especially this year when our only two choices are so <i>not</i> worth getting excited about. Any regular of this forum should consider themselves "friends" with any other regular. Because someday we'll all probably meet at an Expression Session, or randomly at some resort, or we may buy stuff off each other, or whatever. What if you meet someone from here, or you need someone's help or advice and you realize that you already despise their political beliefs? Or worse - that they already despise you? I also read a motorcycling mailing list. Political discussion used to be no-holds-barred there. You name it, taxes, gun control, war, peace, abortion, homosexuality, religion, it was all out in the open. That list has created sworn enemies for life. People there have standing vows to kick other people's asses if they ever meet in person. I don't think this community can withstand that crap. There is one individual here at BOL who once posted a long diatribe of his political beliefs, leaving no stone unturned, and making no uncertainties about who are his enemies. I have lost all respect for that person, and all his posts are hereafter tarnished in my eyes (and many other's eyes, I know). I don't want that to happen again. It is sickening and pointless. Arguing politics online rarely changes anyone's opinion, but it <i>always</i> creates enemies. Of that, you can be certain. -Jack (these opinions are my own and do not necessarily represent the other moderators or administrator here) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Marilyn Cambers Posted March 23, 2004 Report Share Posted March 23, 2004 Right on Jack!!!! The politicians of the group should check out rules ##4 and 8 of the Rules and Guidelines for this Forum -- hmmm did you create those too? :D Marilyn ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rusty Posted March 23, 2004 Report Share Posted March 23, 2004 I once heard it put this way... Stay away from the three G's and every one gets along...God, Guns and Government. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D-Sub Posted March 23, 2004 Report Share Posted March 23, 2004 Originally posted by Rusty I once heard it put this way... Stay away from the three G's and every one gets along...God, Guns and Government. 3 gs and a D (drugs) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack M Posted March 23, 2004 Author Report Share Posted March 23, 2004 Originally posted by dalv I cast my vote for Jack Michaud as President Sweet. I'm hereby announcing my write-in candidacy. The first person to post a picture of their ballot with my name on it will receive a free ECES t-shirt. My platform is this: skiers and snowboarders who can't carve will pay higher taxes, and all resorts will have to have at least 3 trails blocked off for carvers only. Rob McBroom will be my running mate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D-Sub Posted March 23, 2004 Report Share Posted March 23, 2004 dont forget hot chocolate Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Dahl Posted March 23, 2004 Report Share Posted March 23, 2004 Phil makes a good point, up to a point. Jack is right, we will not likely change anyones opinion with an arguement. I take issue with the statement of not knowing whats up. It is very simple to have more than a clue, if you are willing to look. Its the layers of nonsense that take a little prying to get to the bottom of. Just take a look at where each person/party stands on your basic constitutional rights, you know, the unaLIENable ones. With the religious right's involvement in the Republican party( which puts me at odds with them, as a christian), you can see that they are no friends of the first amendment, and there is much more to follow. This forum is no place to even think of expounding that topic. The Democrats are absolutily no friends of the second amendment, and their party platform says as much. I will vote this November, and I'll vote my consience, so i will not vote for either party. 'Nuf said. Let's keep it here in this thread only, get it out of our systems and stay friends. THAT is my intent. Have good turns, Jon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest cmc Posted March 23, 2004 Report Share Posted March 23, 2004 you could all be like me and log a lot of days in on the hill, after tuning, eating and sleeping, you wont have time to vote or know what the heck is going on to even make it matter. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Dold Posted March 23, 2004 Report Share Posted March 23, 2004 Jack, I see your point. But I also belong to a web site that is almost exactly like this one, and in fact uses the same software, but is for airplanes (cessna140.com). We had the same problem of politics entering the airplane discussions and causing hard feelings, so the admin created a forum called "Off-topic" for anything non-flying related. All nasty arguments moved there by orders of the admin :-) That area instantly became the most popular part of the site, with all kinds of hot-tempered political discussions. But the interesting part was that, no matter how much tempers flared there, no bad feelings seemed to carry over to the regular forum. People would call each other names over civil rights or USA-bashing or Al Sharpton or whatever, and then have friendly exchanges back in the main forum. It probably works because most of the name calling is good-natured. I don't know if Fin would consider creating a third "Off-topic" forum in addition to carving and classifieds, but it worked on cessna140.com to fix the exact problem that's beginning to appear here, and it made the site a lot more entertaining. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack M Posted March 23, 2004 Author Report Share Posted March 23, 2004 An off topic forum is one valid idea. However when you say that everything is all hunky-dory in the on-topic forum, I just don't buy that. I know what you're talking about, the moderator of my motorcycle mailing list created a politics-only mailing list to get politics off the main list. (that list is now not even 1/10th as popular as the main list, unlike your example, but that's not my point) Now, when somebody who has really pissed me off with their political rants in the past helps me out with a question in the main list, I write back "thanks", but I think to myself, "dick." Maybe that's my own shortcoming, but I'll bet it's human nature. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Dold Posted March 23, 2004 Report Share Posted March 23, 2004 Here's our "Off-Topic" forum, it's pretty entertaining. http://www.cessna140.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?&forumid=120 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack M Posted March 23, 2004 Author Report Share Posted March 23, 2004 Originally posted by Steve Dold Here's our "Off-Topic" forum, it's pretty entertaining. http://www.cessna140.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?&forumid=120 ugh. No thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Dahl Posted March 23, 2004 Report Share Posted March 23, 2004 we should ALL be so lucky!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Houghton Posted March 23, 2004 Report Share Posted March 23, 2004 Jack - I'm with you. Up here in Canada we have no clue about the yue-ess politicking, and frankly we don't care. Kerry snowboards? Who the hell is Kerry? Just some guy as far as I can tell. Let's stick to the one subject we all pretend we know - snowboarding. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baka Dasai Posted March 24, 2004 Report Share Posted March 24, 2004 Originally posted by Chris Houghton Up here in Canada we have no clue about the yue-ess politicking, and frankly we don't care. You are so lucky! We Australians <b>are</b> passionately interested in US politics, because despite not getting to vote for US politicians, we seem to automatically inherit their foreign policy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kent Posted March 24, 2004 Report Share Posted March 24, 2004 Two snowboards DEMOCRAT You have two snowboards. Your neighbor has none. You feel guilty for being successful. You vote people into office who put a tax on your snowboards, forcing you to sell one to raise money to pay the tax. The people you voted for then take the tax money, buy a snowboard and give it to your neighbor. You feel righteous. Barbara Streisand sings for you. REPUBLICAN You have two snowboards. Your neighbor has none. So? SOCIALIST You have two snowboards. The government takes one and gives it to your neighbor. You form a cooperative to tell him how to maintain his snowboard. COMMUNIST You have two snowboards. The government seizes both and provides you with materials to make one. You wait in line for hours to get it. It is expensive and can’t hold an edge. CAPITALISM, AMERICAN STYLE You have two snowboards. You sell one, buy Sean’s company and build as many Doneks as you want. DEMOCRACY, AMERICAN STYLE You have two snowboards. The government taxes you to the point you have to sell both to support a man in a foreign country who has only one snowboard, which was a gift from your government. FRENCH CORPORATION You have two snowboards. You go on strike because you want three snowboards. You go to lunch. Life is good. ITALIAN CORPORATION You have two snowboards but you don't know where they are. While ambling around, you see a beautiful woman. You break for lunch. Life is good. RUSSIAN CORPORATION You have two snowboards. You have some vodka. You count them and learn you have five snowboards. You have some more vodka. You count them again and learn you have 42 snowboards. The Mafia shows up and takes over however many snowboards you really have. TALIBAN CORPORATION You have all the snowboards in Afghanistan, which are two. You can’t ride them because you don’t have any bindings. You break them while using them as diving boards and claim a US bomb blew them up. FLORIDA CORPORATION You have a Prior snowboard and a Donek snowboard. Everyone votes for the best one. Some of the people who like the Prior best, mistakenly vote for the Donek. Some people vote for both. Some people vote for neither. Some people can't figure out how to vote at all. Finally, a bunch of guys from out-of-state tell you which is the best. NEW YORK CORPORATION You have fifteen million snowboards. You have to choose which one will be your main ride, so you pick up some fat snowboard from Arkansas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack M Posted March 24, 2004 Author Report Share Posted March 24, 2004 LOL - post of the month. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Jagger Posted March 24, 2004 Report Share Posted March 24, 2004 Kent that was pretty funny.:D Especialy the democracy American style, Too true. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Houghton Posted March 24, 2004 Report Share Posted March 24, 2004 Kent - you forget the Enron version, where you lease one back to another of your divisions, then you have three. The three are used as collateral to get capital from offshore investors, which you use to buy 20 more, which are then leased to another of your companies, who then use them for collateral to........................ isn't capitalism great. All from two snowboards. Weren't they Burtons? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willywhit Posted March 24, 2004 Report Share Posted March 24, 2004 Kent, I find your post very offense, I mean.... amusing.Last weekend my buddy had a big Bush/Satan 2004 bumper sticker on his board that he found in Vail the week before and it raised some eyebrows and comments on the six pack chairs at Stratton.Some were like "right on" and others, not so keen.He also had the "aloha monkey" sticker and that was just HI larious(check out: http://www.sailorjerry.com/store_stickers.php) People need to lighten up and stop taking it all so seriously. Kiters for KERRY! oops......:o Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sic t 2 Posted March 24, 2004 Report Share Posted March 24, 2004 Honestly, The only thing I topic I have ever seen get ugly on this website was that post where Maciek asked for "tuning shop recommendations" a month ago. lol Sic t 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derf Posted March 24, 2004 Report Share Posted March 24, 2004 Originally posted by Chris Houghton Jack - I'm with you. Up here in Canada we have no clue about the yue-ess politicking, and frankly we don't care. Kerry snowboards? Who the hell is Kerry? Just some guy as far as I can tell. Let's stick to the one subject we all pretend we know - snowboarding. I hear you brutha! Seriously, we have enought to worry about here in Canada, even more so in the province of Québec. For those of you who know what I'm talking about, you understand, and for those who don't know, you don't want to know. Derf Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mtnpig Posted March 24, 2004 Report Share Posted March 24, 2004 Two snowboards. Thanks, my day started with a smile Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bordy Posted March 24, 2004 Report Share Posted March 24, 2004 I am Voting for any one who wears hardboots! And talking Smack about everyone else! Hardbooter in 2004!!! Whos with me UHHHH! ( I then run away in a young man faced with the challanges of the world and a canidate to up hold my belif look on my face. I how every only get three feet until I fall flat on my face. I give up one the canidate grab get my ride and go ride instead of pimping the hard boot canadate who loses, and it is all my fault because I went riding!) Is the world a better place? My world is cuz I went riding. I would now like to change my vote to a vote for riding.. yea thats the ticket! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
philw Posted March 25, 2004 Report Share Posted March 25, 2004 <shrug> Even the political jokes are so parochial that they make no sense to me. Perhaps it would be more polite to have a separate area for USA politics, so the rest of us can easily avoid it, at least here? Kerry. It's a county in Ireland. Visit it sometime, but don't take your snowboards. Check out Northern Ireland whilst you're at it, although please don't sponsor anything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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