The art of deception

[keith]

Really now?

Really what?

http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpu...uidelines.html

Something certainly wasn't appropriate.

The level of journalism? Or the fine line between legal and appropriate, waterboard anyone?

You need to find a better class of windmill

[Slim]

The bottom line is that the institutions of movement conservatism (National Review, et al) are deliberately pushing falsehoods such as socialism=fascism=liberalism for the eager consumption of the intellectually lazy, such as Chase. And sure enough, here he is repeating them back like the good little parrot he is.

Why, those ba$tards!

I'd sure be pi$$ed off I was a socialist or a fascist.

[migopod]

Why, those ba$tards!

I'd sure be pi$$ed off I was a socialist or a fascist.

Too true. Can you even imagine how livid the American Nazi Party must be right now?

More so than usual, I'd be willing to bet.

[jessicasimpson]

Too true. Can you even imagine how livid the American Nazi Party must be right now?

More so than usual, I'd be willing to bet.

What I think is funny is that you can not immigrate to the US if you were a Nazi between 1938 and 1945, or if you were ever a Communist. So people who became Nazi's in the 1950's are ok.

[chase]

seriously? you call obama a socialist in one thread and a fascist in another? you do realize they're not interchangeable right?

The National SOCIALIST German Workers' Party wasn't facist?

[migopod]

The National SOCIALIST German Workers' Party wasn't facist?

The DPRK has "Democratic" and "Republic" in the name, so it's exactly like a Jeffersonian Democracy then, right?

[chase]

Hitler SOCIALIZED much of the private sector. He was a socialist, just like 0bama.

[migopod]

Hitler SOCIALIZED much of the private sector. He was a socialist, just like 0bama.

Way to dodge the question. Is the DPRK a democratic republic or not?

[chase]

You're right, it is mis-labeled. That doesn't change the fact that national socialism is facism.

[migopod]

You're right, it is mis-labeled. That doesn't change the fact that national socialism is facism.

Yes. National Socialism is fascism. Nobody disputes that. What's at issue is whether "Socialism equals National Socialism", which it absolutely does not.

And the Nazis called themselves Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei. They may have called themselves socialist, but their ideology was/is quite distinct from the larger Socialist movement.

Now consider that every modern, industrial democratic country in the world is to some extent or socialized. Taxes provide social services. Like federal highways, Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security benifits, National parks and monuments. All kinds of things.

The thing that makes Nazis so bad wasn't that they socialized the highways and built Volkwagons, it was invading Europe and Africa and murdering millions in death camps.

See the difference?

[jeff]

Chase, which parts of the private sector did Hitler socialize? Examples, please.

[foibles]

After careful consideration I've come to the conclusion that Dragons are more flawed than Unicorns. At least western Red Dragons are in that they breathe fire. Breathing fire is far more improbable than simply sticking a horn (alicorn) on a horse head.

However, it would be a mistake to pool ALL dragons together. Green dragons breathing poison seem possible. White dragons that breathe lightning even has some (albeit small) real life examples (electric eels for example). Additionally dragons stemming from Asian mythology seem somewhat more possible than their western counterparts.

Indeed, saying all dragons are the same would be a mistake.

That said, for MY money... Red dragons are more flawed than Unicorns.

[migopod]

After careful consideration I've come to the conclusion that Dragons are more flawed than Unicorns. At least western Red Dragons are in that they breathe fire. Breathing fire is far more improbable than simply sticking a horn (alicorn) on a horse head.

However, it would be a mistake to pool ALL dragons together. Green dragons breathing poison seem possible. White dragons that breathe lightning even has some (albeit small) real life examples (electric eels for example). Additionally dragons stemming from Asian mythology seem somewhat more possible than their western counterparts.

Indeed, saying all dragons are the same would be a mistake.

That said, for MY money... Red dragons are more flawed than Unicorns.

You're citing flaws in probability. I contend that all dragons are more flawed morally than even the most flawed unicorn.

I have a proof, but It's a state secret.

[erik_blank]

After careful consideration I've come to the conclusion that Dragons are more flawed than Unicorns. At least western Red Dragons are in that they breathe fire. Breathing fire is far more improbable than simply sticking a horn (alicorn) on a horse head.

However, it would be a mistake to pool ALL dragons together. Green dragons breathing poison seem possible. White dragons that breathe lightning even has some (albeit small) real life examples (electric eels for example). Additionally dragons stemming from Asian mythology seem somewhat more possible than their western counterparts.

Indeed, saying all dragons are the same would be a mistake.

That said, for MY money... Red dragons are more flawed than Unicorns.

I have to disagree with you here. Simply because the Unicorn is supposedly less 'evil' than a dragon does not make a dragon any more or less flawed.

In fact, I would support the idea that a dragon is much LESS flawed than a Unicorn in that it serves it's purpose in a clearer and much more overt manner.
What is a Unicorn supposed to do? Be a symbol of purity and power? OK, but a small piece of rock carved in a nifty shape can do as much...
but a DRAGON on the other hand is the epitomy of evil, destruction and chaos. Strong, nearly invincible, often insatiable and (in the Western mythos) able to project death from it's mouth in the form of flame.

So in my opinion:
Unicorn -> Not so good a symbol
Dragon -> We know where you're coming from...

[foibles]

Morally, white dragons are lawful good while unicorns are only chaotic good.
You See? You just cant lump all dragons together like that. It would be like saying that Totalitarianism is just like Socialism.

I was thinking flawed/ not flawed was contingent upon plausability rather than morals.

More plausable, I'd think, to create a viable unicorn (in vitro) than a fire breathing Red Dragon. I'll bet we actually get to see a unicorn some day. If they can put a human ear on a mouse, why not a horn on a horse?

[Bayou Bum]

Chase, which parts of the private sector did Hitler socialize? Examples, please.

Does killing Jews count?

[larkascending]

Does killing Jews count?

For future reference, consensus is that Holocaust jokes are still not funny.

[migopod]

Morally, white dragons are lawful good while unicorns are only chaotic good.
You See? You just cant lump all dragons together like that. It would be like saying that Totalitarianism is just like Socialism.

I was thinking flawed/ not flawed was contingent upon plausability rather than morals.

More plausable, I'd think, to create a viable unicorn (in vitro) than a fire breathing Red Dragon. I'll bet we actually get to see a unicorn some day. If they can put a human ear on a mouse, why not a horn on a horse?

Your blanket statement regarding the alignment of white dragons betrays your prejudice. The suggestion that all white dragons are morally identical and simultaneously ascribing a homogeneous alignment to all unicorns borders on bigotry of the highest degree.

I present to you as an argument that the white dragon who stole my car last week was chaotic neutral at best.

[lindajdunn]

Sigh! No, no, no.

Unicorns are good. Their meat is delicious and especially so when barbecued and served with onion rings.

Dragons, otoh, tend to be grissly and stringy and needs to slow cook for at least 20 hours to be properly edible.

[foibles]

Your blanket statement regarding the alignment of white dragons belies your prejudice. The suggestion that all white dragons are morally identical and simultaneously ascribing a homogeneous alignment to all unicorns borders on bigotry of the highest degree.

I present to you as an argument that the white dragon who stole my car last week was chaotic neutral at best.

Calling Me a bigot? Is your argument so grotesquely weak that you must resort to purile name calling to obfuscate your complete lack of valid ground to stand upon?

I find the idea that a white dragon, any white dragon could steal a car offensive . Clearly, you are insane, have never spent time around any White Dragons, or both.

Again. The truest measurement of how flawed a mythological beast might be is based on how close it is to existing natural existing beasts, not whether or not it acts nice in mixed company or whether it has become some arbitrary human symbol for goodness, fertility or evilness.

Take the Pegasus for example. How can the typically proportioned white fuffy wings support the weight of full grown horse? They can't and never will. Even is you were to create one in a lab, it will never fly. And THAT is why the Pegasus is more flawed than a Unicorn, which is less flawed than a Red Dragon.