Stephen Colbert

[Kweepa]

How is the tax percentage a measure of freedom?
That suggests that the less money you have in the US, the more free you are as you have to pay less tax, which is clearly nonsense.
The people decided (by voting for socialist governments) that they wanted to pay more tax in Europe.

I lived in Belgium for a year, and I'm living in the US right now.
Belgium: going to the dentist/doctor is basically free, possession of MJ is legal.
US: possession of handguns is legal. Anything else?

Tuomas, nice Colbert-like satire...

[Becky]

Or, if you don't WANT to pay for it, why not die, you have the freedom to do that.

What about if you CAN'T pay for it?  I thought a right to LIFE was a fundamental human right. 

It's silly having to be the one to pay for other people being old or getting sick or educated.

Note that the system is in place because one day you will/or have done rely/relied on the services that you pay taxes for.  If you don't want to pay for anyone else to benefit, why should anyone else support you?

What is truly unfair, that the rich make more money as they deserve, they're better beings, but for christs sake, they have to pay more taxes. Now I raise my voice for their rights, come on, after taxes they still get more money, but they should get even more. After all, it's their right as better beings.

Having more money does not make you a better person.  It means you have more money.

[Tuomas]

Tuomas, nice Colbert-like satire...

Thanks, thb, I was kind of aiming to that Though apparently some of us didn't get that -_-...

How is the tax percentage a measure of freedom?
That suggests that the less money you have in the US, the more free you are as you have to pay less tax, which is clearly nonsense.
The people decided (by voting for socialist governments) that they wanted to pay more tax in Europe.

This is not for me, is it? considering the latter quote...

[Nacho]

The ironic previous post was ok, Tuomas, even might be totally true if you push it a bit.

But I am sure that an intelligent yankee could write something simillar towards Europe, full of simillar thruths.

Stop manifestos... please... 

[Las Naranjas]

But sanctimony is so fun! It makes me feel better about myself! I need this to make up for my lack of self affirmation!


Now, I can't decide whether to claim that all Americans or all Muslims are ignorant and prejudiced today

[Haddas]

Let's all just save up our money, decide to get something on http://www.vladi-private-islands.de/islandsforsale.html and declare independence as Christopia.

[Nacho]

I've allways thought in making a collective exercise of creating an imaginary AGS country, with its flag, its president... My idea is to use this country as a place for making some kind of RONish enviroment for placing AGS games (Like Borduria and Syldavia in Tintin's adventures)Ã, 

And I allways thought in some kind of caribbean enviroment for it... Funny coincidence, Haddas.Ã, 


EDIT: On the other hand...

http://www.vladi-private-islands.de/sale/site/html/cms_de-sale_detail_en-430/Argironisos%20Island.html

This island is located in the area of Evia, if I am correct, were mittens 2005 was set... Somebody has 2 or 3 millions of euros?

[Ali]

I've allways thought in making a collective exercise of creating an imaginary AGS country, with its flag, its president...

I know this is OT, but I've always thought this would be a good idea too. With CJ as king, the presidential election campaigns would be great.

There'd be manifestos, promises, sloganeering, dirty tactics...

[Nacho]

MY attempt:

In the shield:

Welsh "Jones" Lion.
One of the parts of the shield of the french name "Roger"
The cross of Saint James George (thanks Becky) (Because the AGS program is English...)

And of course, the bluecup.

The flag it's a bit rushed, but, as we are going to buy the island in the caribbean, I thought it might be cool to have some kind of "Jamaican squeme". I am open to suggestions.

Now we need an anthem... Nikolas? M0ds? Who wants to write the lyrics?

I think I am going to open a new thread, this is going to rock ^_^.

[Pet Terry]

Oh, but we have an anthem already. The AGS overture of course! (which we sang at Mittens too, remember?)

[Nacho]

Mid it. Record it... I want to hear it, I can't remember it. Was that the night I was drunk?

Opening a new thread.

[Pet Terry]

It's one of the original AGS operas. Hear it here.

[Andail]

Big Brother:
You make a big deal out of spotting a typo when you debate with a foreigner.

Also, you equate lack of taxes with freedom.

I think continuing this is quite pointless.

[big brother]

Well, I didn't exactly EQUATE the two. In the same message, I did say it depends on your working definition of freedom (the one you stated earlier involved not getting shot on the street).

Federal income taxes restrict the financial leverage a consumer holds in society, thus reducing their freedom in any monetary exchange for goods or services. Does that help clarify? It may not be an end all measurement, but it's nice to have a quantifiable metric in this otherwise subjective argument.

You make a big deal out of spotting a typo when you debate with a foreigner.

You make fun of my sport, I make fun of your English.

[Andail]

Dude, I said that fencing isn't very politically provocative. I meant that if you were ever to partake in associations or organisations dealing with politically hot stuff, like anti-war issues, veganism, unionism, etc, you might experience a different side of your government.
I never said that fencing is unsophisticated or a sign of low education. I myself go to the gym regularly, and that's light-years away from the sophistication of fencing.

And if you think it's "making fun" of somebody to point out a typo, you need to brush up your mocking skills. Spelling has little to do with education. People with dyslexia can still be remarkably well educated.
But hey, if you want to quibble, we could still have a spelling bee just you and me, and then we could laugh at the loser.

Edit: Here's the passage, in all its i-mockerish glory, that I was referring to:

And yeah, thanks for the fencing put-down. Next time you might want to spell "provocative" correctly when you're trying to make me feel uneducated. Mortal Kombat isn't a good reference for learning English.

[Haddas]

On the other hand. Some people with great grammatical and vocabulary skills may be but idiots in disguise.

What... ¬¬

[DGMacphee]

You make a big deal out of spotting a typo when you debate with a foreigner.

You make fun of my sport, I make fun of your English.

And if you think it's "making fun" of somebody to point out a typo, you need to brush up your mocking skills. Spelling has little to do with education. People with dyslexia can still be remarkably well educated.
But hey, if you want to quibble, we could still have a spelling bee just you and me, and then we could laugh at the loser.

Oh, this is priceless. And while you're at it, how about the two of you call each other "smelly poo-heads" and have a peeing contest in the boys' lavatory?

[big brother]

If you ever partake in movements more politically provokative than fencing, you might experience this too.
And this doesn't happen in most western European countries today.

I only said that fencing gave me the opportunity to travel, experience different cultures, and meet more diverse people than a lot of the Americans I know.

Your statement is insulting because it assumes that this sport is the extent of my political involvement, something you can't possibly know. In addition, it belittles the international experience I've earned from the sport. For instance, it's one thing to talk about racial tension in France, and quite another to be attacked by a gypsy in Strasbourg.

I see this as a put down, a sort of "well, that's nice you can play with your toy swords, but leave the real thinking to me, the mighty gym-attending, self-actualized Andail and my erudite fellow Europeans".

As far as an insult goes, I was hitting more at your English learning method than your actual spelling.

If you'd like to clarify, please enlighten me.

[Nacho]

What is fencing?

[Squinky]

Sword fighting with foils or rapiers or whatever they are called these days....Basically...