Chains

I just read this news story- http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091118/ap_on_re_af/pi... - about the Maersk Alabama successfully repelling another Pirate attack with onboard security. If you read the article, one of the spokespeople for the "international" maritime community said that the community is still "solidly" against ships arming themselves with private security. Some of his reasonings are as follows. Private security personnel do not have "maritime" experience or training, and that they believe that governments should protect their trade vessels on the open seas with naval escorts. Does anyone else here think these reasonings are absurd, particularly in the case of private security personnel not being "sailors". I suppose it would also follow that cruise ships should no longer allow passengers aboard their ships unless they have "maritime" experience. Also why should weapons of war be dragged out of harbor to do police work? Isn't that like having the army use a tank to catch a speeder on the freeway? Anyone else think these are just lame excuses, so the rest of the international community doesn't have to actually hand out any unnecessary freedom to their citizens, particularly if it involves defending themselves. After all, we all know how socialists and liberals feel about people doing things for themselves without a government stamp of approval.

Bring the Tibetan people, and their culture to America? I just read about the damage the Chinese society has caused these people and I wonder why we cannot offer these people safe haven in America. We have huge swaths of deeply isolated and mountainous regions in the Rockies that would be perfect to accommodate their culture. They are a very self sufficient people, and certainly are too proud to take anything from our society without returning something of equal value.

What I would like to know, as an American, if we are so powerful,and so right, and so much more civilized, and more free, and more advanced than anyone else on Earth, then why can't we help these people that are currently living in conditions that have been quoted as being "hell on Earth". Clearly the Chinese do not want them there, and clearly the Tibetans do not want to be ruled by them.

Are we so ignorant and ego-maniacal, that we cannot offer a legitimately oppressed culture safehaven in the United States. Obama has said that he is about hope and change. Does that hope and change stop at the border or do we have any intention at all of sharing or spreading freedom to all those who wish it, or do you think we should have just tore down the statue of liberty on the day of 9/11/01?

Every day we lose more and more of our freedoms, while the rest of the world looks to us for hope and change. Pretty soon, we will be the ones needing safehaven, and you know what the world will tell us? I won't say it here, I think you all know. There is no reason why we cannot open some of our unused land to those who are capable and willing to make use of that land to preserve their culture. Perhaps the Tibetans could teach us a thing or two about self-reliance and respect for nature as well. Seems like a fair trade to me. What about the rest of you? I look forward to some of your answers.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090310/ap_on_re_as/as...

Is it that they are just too poor to afford an accountant? Are they so overworked that they cannot go to H&R Block on the way home from work or during their lunchbreak? I am sorry, I just cannot for the life of me understand how so many of the supposed experts that run this country can't even follow their own rules. Maybe they cheat on their taxes on purpose, knowing full well that if they do get caught, they can always play dumb and just get caught up real quick since the majority of these people make an absurd amount of money, but of course if they DON'T get caught then they just keep going. Also doesn't it seem odd that so many democrat types are popping up all of a sudden delinquent on their taxes? I thought Republicans were supposed to be the ones that hate taxes so much. Wasn't it Biden who said it was "patriotic" to pay taxes? Is anyone else on yahoo answers sick to death of all these corrupt, sneaky, incompetent, lying politicians trying to tell us what we should be doing while they themselves don't appear capable of doing it?

How it is that the planet Jupiter doesn't have enough mass to initiate a fusion reaction at its core thereby turning it into a star, and our own Sun doesn't have enough mass to even begin, never mind sustain, the gravity condition that causes what we call a black hole, yet we actually have people......educated people......on this planet that are CERTAIN that this Large Hadron Collider will create a black hole that will destroy the Earth.

There isn't enough energy on a hundred Earths, several dozen Jupiters, or obviously even our own Sun to create a black hole, so my question is....

Why do people insist on using "junk science" or other absurd premises to try to scare the hell out of people, when there is nothing to be gained or lost from it?

I mean you could understand people doing that for financial or political gain, because at the core people are corrupt and dishonest, but what about when there is nothing in it for anybody. I cannot find an explanation for that aside from irrational, uneducated fear, or mental or emotional illness. If anyone can help me grasp this little problem I would be grateful. I must be missing something.

I just don't understand. In addition, why do most of the people that have such a bitter hatred for Jews or Israelis always seem to be ready to write a pass for people like Hamas, or Hezbollah, or other anti-Israeli groups regardless of the inhumanity of their policies, behaviors, or rhetoric? At the very least you would expect people to be able to admit that both sides should take responsibility for themselves and their actions, but you never hear that. Any thoughts you have on the subject would be useful.

For the purposes of eventually granting them statehood status, and bringing our American style of law, order, justice, and opportunity to the people of the world that are being oppressed by these brutal regimes which offer their people little or no say in how their nation behaves in the world at large, or domestically on their own soil.

Do you think that the PEOPLE of countries like Iran, Somalia, Palestine, Syria, Venezuela, or other nations would appreciate the opportunity to enjoy an American lifestyle even if their governments obviously wouldn't? and what of countries where the PEOPLE actually do hate us profoundly? At some point will we need to kill them to protect the integrity of our own nation, or should we "buy" them off, since the cost would be about the same? Should we pay our enemies to not fight against us? Should we be willing to pay for that, and is that the precedent we want to let the world see about us? How many countries on Earth would hold us hostage, if they knew that we would pay them not to go to war with us? Is it impossible for US citizens to come to a consensus on this matter, and if so how can we possibly proceed from here? What do you think, and why?

Hasn't America finally proven over the past 16 years that we have finally come to the end of usefulness of this form of government that we currently have? Both parties have had 8 years each to do something for America, and I think you must be blind to not see how they have brought us to the brink of bankruptcy and economic depression, special interest shadow governing, law by Supreme court decree, and WW 3.

I do not believe that the average young person in America has enough maturity, experience, wisdom, or courage to have a clear understanding of political matters. I know that when I was young I didnt, and I have a reasonably advanced intellect when compared to the average on any accepted scale of measure. It takes more than brains and books to qualify as having enough insight into how things work in a structured community. Although refreshing from time to time, being naive and idealistic can be far more dangerous than useful, far too often on the world stage. I dont have a problem with communities, or even states allowing 18+ voting, it just bothers me on a national level.

In addition, what kind of options might exist for compensation to the doctor or facilities that participated? Any ideas?