Messages

Some of you say that you can't expect to change someone's point of view on this subject in a thread like this.

Well, I'm reading every opinion here rather seriously and I'm VERY open to changing my opinion.

I'm against the death penalty in theory, but I look at the world practically and I can also see the arguments for it.

What I want is to be the devil's advocate. I want to take the argument of every single person arguing against the death penalty and make you convince me of it's worth because I WANT to be convinced otherwise. I WANT to find a solution that works. I want people to discuss how we can get to a point where we don't need the death penalty. Is that even possible? What do we consider acceptable in the long period of time it will take us to get to that point?

I want all the this arguing (as long as it stays on topic and doesn't just because insults) because this is how we flesh out our own ideas and come to find solutions. I think a certain way now, but I might not have considered a lot of things. I should have to answer for my opinion... I want people to question what I think so I have to give a reason for it, if I can. If not, then I need to start questioning whether it's really the right way to think.

So, that was a convoluted way of saying that don't think this is pointless I'm really enjoying this discussion and I hope I see some new points of view or get some new ideas from it, or at least that I know a little more about the validity of my own opinion.

scotch was kidding, man.




Weren't you scotch??

I only have two experiences but, for my first game, I used Anvil to create MIDI music. I'm currently using Sound Club for my current game.

SSH: I call it "sleep", too. Even dust would be acceptable, I think. I've never heard anyone call it pus.

I'm a English teacher so I'll right. Everyone else are wrong!

Now you have me totally lost! Do you like actors or not? Simple as that...

I mean "I'm going to kill you if you don't stop spouting this nonsense" in the NICEST way

Nikolas, shut the hell up Seriously, I fecking adore Morgan Freeman. I wish he was my grandpa.

EDIT: Of course, I mean "shut the hell up" in a nice way ^_^

I can see we're spiralling towards a conclusion here ^_^

I agree with DG. Murder CAN, in some circumstances, be a mistake. whether it be accidental, unintentional, the result of an alterered mindstate or simply really regretted.

Just because it's an action that resulted in the death of someone else, that doesn't mean it can't be a mistake.

Don't just think of 'murder' as some scary looking guy shooting an innocent person. In real life, it happens all the time for bizarre or really mundane reasons.

Recently in Japan, a young girl student was murdered by her teacher. They had a lot of fights and he simply decided to kill her one day. He got all the other students out, closed and locked the classroom and stabbed her to death. He then confessed, no struggle. He simply found that he couldn't live with that girl also existing in the world, regardless of the consequences. This case REALLY baffled me, I tried to think of what he could have possibly been thinking. How he thought this would help. Why he gave himself up just like that. This isn't an argument for my "murder is sometimes a mistake" case, just to show that murders in real life are often just strange like that. Just someone kind of snapping out of their usual self and society. Life is extremely complicated like that.

Now, I don't think the fact that murder is sometimes a mistake or regretted, is a good argument against the death penalty. It's simply a good reason to be very wary, and to... as much as we possibly can, take things on a case by case by case basis.

Squinky: That sounds pretty good, I'm glad to hear they have things like that in place!

I guess I meant what I said on a more extreme level though. Like, think of the most seemingly-insane, evil criminal you can think of. do you think it's possible for him to see the error of his ways and honestly change for good? I do. Honestly. I believe even someone like Hitler could have been convinced of his own evil and made to realise the horror of what he did. I think it would have taken a heck of a lot more than years of therapy and things like that though. It would have to have been an intense, intense shake up of his life, involving every trick in the book. Old grandmas, young children, kittens, flying him to different countries, re-educating him on the basics of life, possibly some spiritual enlightenment, drill sargaent style interrogations probing deep into his soul... I don't know. I believe it's possible with everyone. But it's not practical. I think we should do everything we can on a broad scale, as squinky mentioned in Idaho, and individually as much as we can, but doing as much as we can won't necessarilly mean it's enough... there's just no guarantee.

I'd like people not only to consider murder though, which is not, to me, the worst of all crimes, and think of the case of a child rapist. These are the one "genre" of criminal I find my usual values have trouble standing up to. I tend to find myself thinking these people are beyond saving in any circumstance. I'm honestly not sure what to do in these cases but I can't say I'd be sad to have a Ã, death penalty exist soley for these people.

pcj: Thanks for the info. But I'm not just talking about America. Do any other countries use it? Anyway, in that case, why does Nebraska still do it, I have to wonder.

He shotgunned 4 people.Ã,  He tried to kill jail guards, and threw chemicals at them.Ã,  He wasn't some kind old guy feeding cornbread to "Mr. Jingles".

I cry my eyes out every time I see the Green Mile. I don't think anyone on this earth should be killed by electrocution. I can't honestly see why it's still done in a modern society. I'm guessing expense...? But how much more expensive can one or two injections be? Anyone have any info on this for me?

I'll be honest, I'm against the death penalty 100% when it suits me. Ã, I find that the kind of people who have hard line, no room for movement stances on it tend to be young people. I know for a fact that the older I get, the more I've seen in the world and the more I realise there are some people for whom it's a better choice. Of course I don't know where to draw the line, and I rather hope that's a debate we never stop having.

I believe it would be perfect if every case could be dealt with very deeply and personally, so that every criminal could become a changed man (or woman). That's just impossible on every level though. Only a fool would think otherwise.

Just to make myself sound like even more of an old fart, I don't place the importance I used to on human life anymore. I mean, in every day situations, sure. But I don't consider it beyond evil to take a human life in every circumstance. Ergo, I think there are times where it's just not a terrible thing.

Some people make the mistake of thinking that just because someone -could- be reformed in a certain amount of time, it doesn't mean they will be.

Of course, I think there should be severe, SEVERE limits on a government sponsered execution. There should be limits on exactly how sure you are of their guilt. I mean, they should have been proven guilty ... but in such a way that there could be no mistaking it under reasonable circumstances. Not everyone "proven" guilty is done so to such a degree. Of course, their crime should be pretty severe too. There's that line we should be debating though.

shitar: As everyone has said before me, you need to think before you start topics and actually tell people what you're talking about. Furthermore, when people actually discuss the topic, don't just swear at them and call them... whatever it was, I can't remember (I appreciate you editting your post though).

EDIT: I just wanted to add that I'm not -for- the death penalty, as my post may have sounded. I'm lucky I live in Australia where it doesn't concern me. To be honest, every case where I hear about it in recent years has angered me a lot and like I said, for the most part, I -am- against it... I just find myself wavering when I see that one special circumstance that makes me believe the criminal shouldn't be left alive anymore.

But yeah, I'm glad I live in Australia (or, will be in another 6 months anyway). We seem to be doing okay for the most part. That said, we don't have the crime that America does so I don't feel I have the right to be preachy in that sense.

[pussy]

I can picture you now! Your eye all red and pussy, with a matchstick to keep it open.

My eyes are what?!?! And why, in gods name would you put a match in there!?

I just about pissed myself reading that.

cp: I assure you, my comment to Nik was all sarcasm ^_^

I'm the same as voh in that I've donated to Yahtzee for his special addition (though only for 5 Days, didn't realise there was a 7 Days SE!).

To be honest, that's the only way I can see myself giving money. I wouldn't pay for a game (I just wouldn't pay for an amateur game, I'm too used to them being free online) and I wouldn't pay after playing a demo, to play the rest.

What Yahtzee did is perfect for me. I played his game, I LOVED it, and later I gave him a few bucks for some extra features to relive the game I loved and see some of the author's comments. I considered it a donation, but a donation I was getting something for. Noone was telling me I had to give money to play the game, which was great. The game itself was free and the game being so -good- is why I felt he deserved the money. But like I said, it wasn't a dnation, it was for a little something extra.

I really like that system.

Although Futurama being cut short was something I wouldn't even let myself believe for a time there ("It'l be back! SHUT UP!"), I can know at least see the beauty in it being preserved as the wonderful show it was, never having the chance to go downhill.

I still adore the Simpsons, and as much as it has gone downhill, everytime I lose faith in it, I watch a new episode and end up laughing myself silly. There's still a lot of gold there.

I really attribute the Simpson's to people like David Silverman and the regular writers. Matt had a lot to do with it at the start and obviously, I have huge respect for him and eveything, but I have a feeling he had a lot more to do with Futurama once that started up.

Anyway, I kind of think that the Simpson's has gone on longer than it "should" have, but now that it's done it, I really don't care if it keeps going. I still get some big laughs out of it now and again It's so subjective anyway, everyone has a different idea about exactly which period defines the Simpsons. For one, everytime I watch the first series, I'm saddened by the way they cut out the touching scenes. Homer was mostly just slightly uneducated, but deep down a really good father who tried to do the best for his family.

Of course, a few seasons in and it was 10 times as hilarious, and I think that's the Homer that defined "Homer" for me.

I also always think of how much I miss Lisa being a kid. She used to play with Bart a lot, laugh at Itchy and Scratchy (convincingly), and was simply more educated than the rest of the family rather than a vegetarian,  left-wing, alternative protestor... person. I really like how she used to have a lot of fun with Bart and join in on the pranks.

Marge changed a lot too after the first season. She used to be a real typical put-upon house wife. Let's face it, these days she kicks ass. I'd do Marge any day of the week @_@

So, the Simpsons has always changed... it's different these days, I don't care that much. As long as I can have it all on DVD and watch what I want, when I want.

Nik: I do, I just hate actors. Generally, they just get my goat, you know? Prancing around with all their money... acting. Bunch of bastards, the lot of 'em.

Ashen: If so, that is a nice touch but I still felt it was a little too happy an ending. How on EARTH was the son still alive? Why did the grandparents look like they'd just gotten back from skiing in Aspen? I would have preferred Tom and daughter made it out, perhaps found the mother holed up with new hubby in their grandparents house... heck, just seing the grandparents a little disshevelled and not wearing all their pearls would have been a tad more realistic.

But yeah, I loved the movie Wish I'd seen it at the cinema.

Wow! I agree, most original concept I've seen in an AGS game yet! Downloading now ^_^

I thought he played a shitty, dead beat dad really well.

Kevin spacey is highly over-rated. Usual Suspects was good but I got tired of him very quickly after that.

I remember someone posting the first Samorost game.

Well, he's the sequel! (I only pray someone hasn't posted -this- before)

http://www.samorost2.net/

Yeah, I did miss the ULLAs. The horn sound the tripods made in the film wasn't anywhere near as creepy.

And yeah, this was kind of a care package/christmas present package from my parents so it's all opened. I wont actually be in town for xmas, will be in a hotel in Tokyo, so I didnt see the point in waiting.