less than 3 weeks till the US election

[Cope]

Clever pun ... I am seriously giggling here, and I think my roommate's wondering what's going on.

Wow...I'm a comedian and don't know it!

I don't consider pregnancy to be a punishment; I consider it an amazing privilege and responsibility.

Not all women see it as such. Their body; their choice.

And if you're not willing to serve a term in office, then you shouldn't put yourself on the ballot, if you'll allow such an odd parallel. Imagine someone saying, "Well, after nominating myself for Kabuki Club President, running a long, hard campaign, and winning the election, I've decided the job is nothing but an inconvenience and I no longer want it. So I'm hereby disbanding the club."

You couldn't possibly be saying that women shouldn't have sex with men at all if they don't want to become pregnant....so I'll assume you're referring to women who gad about and don't use contraception. Even in this case, I stand by my previous point. We could say "we'd allow you to have an abortion, but you were promiscuous and now have to take responsibility for your actions," but that still makes it seem like a punishment.

Of course I'm biased. I don't have the organs to ever put myself in a situation where I'd have an abortion. I just consider the family to be an important part of society...

What exactly do you mean by "the family"? (No Mafia jokes, please).

Oh, and what does "anti-ZGP" mean?

[Jim North]

ZPG = Zero Population Growth. When there's an overpopulation crisis in an area, some people believe the best way to solve it is for no one to have any children at all and then let nature take its course until there are fewer people and folks can start having kids again.

[Andronis]

One of the major problems with keeping people voluntarilly away from abortions comes from several of the people who are so obsessed with abstinence that they act like preventing contraception is more important than preventing abortions. But as my grandmother, who has lived next door to a Baptist minister for over 30 years, says, "Even these good Baptists I've seen always use their birth control so they don't wind up with more children than they can afford."

[Brockway]

Technically, its not having no kids, since having a huge old population with no young working class is not good (Japan comes to mind) its about having the amount of people being born be equal to or less than the people dying. If people pair up and have only 1 kid, there's no branching out and the population gradually thins back down (hopefully.)

I'm not against abortion, I guess there are circumstances where it might be the best option, but its still sad to me.

[Andronis]

I guess...Taiwan, because there was this reaaally good shrimp restaurant there.

Shriiiiimpy!
I love shrimp. I ate 75 once during an all-you-can-eat special at Red Lobster.

[Cope]

ZPG = Zero Population Growth.

Thank you, Mr North!

When there's an overpopulation crisis in an area, some people believe the best way to solve it is for no one to have any children at all and then let nature take its course until there are fewer people and folks can start having kids again.

Oh. I always thought ZGP entailed convincing parents to have no more than two children. To wit:

4 People (2 parents, 2 children)

When the parents die: 4-2=0 population growth.

Whereas parents who have (for example) three children:

5 people (2 parents, 3 children)

When parents die: 5-2=1 population growth.

[Alaina]

Oh, no, if people want to have kids that's cool by me.

I sound really selfish when I say I don't want kids because they're noisy, smell bad, and suck up all your food and money, so just pretend it's because of "overpopulation" or something.

Ugh, I totally understand. Today was Halloween, and my friends were all giddy at the thought of passing out candy to children (I need new friends), while I decorated my door with signs like, "IF YOU CAN'T PRONOUNCE YOUR R'S, THEN DON'T BOTHER [ex. 'twick ohw tweat']" and "I HAVE ZERO TOLERANCE FOR SUPERHEROES, PRINCESSES, AND CREATURES OF THE NIGHT."

[Luprand]

You couldn't possibly be saying that women shouldn't have sex with men at all if they don't want to become pregnant.

Don't heat up the water if you're not going to take a bath.

I find it frustrating that the big reason people seem to give for abortion is "You shouldn't have to feel responsible for your actions." But then, that's just me.

In its own right, I would be much happier if the focus were less on "stop all abortions" and more on "let's help improve the adoption process" or similar themes. Rooting out the weed, if you'll pardon the analogy, is useless without planting something good in its place.

What exactly do you mean by "the family"? (No Mafia jokes, please).

I'm not gonna go into that, as you'd find me so puckeringly conservative that you wouldn't be able to look directly at me without retching. I'd never condemn anyone on these boards for their choices or beliefs, but I've probably already taken too many steps toward Flamesville as it is.

--Sij

[Andronis]

You couldn't possibly be saying that women shouldn't have sex with men at all if they don't want to become pregnant.

Don't heat up the water if you're not going to take a bath.

I find it frustrating that the big reason people seem to give for abortion is "You shouldn't have to feel responsible for your actions." But then, that's just me.

In its own right, I would be much happier if the focus were less on "stop all abortions" and more on "let's help improve the adoption process" or similar themes. Rooting out the weed, if you'll pardon the analogy, is useless without planting something good in its place.

What exactly do you mean by "the family"? (No Mafia jokes, please).

I'm not gonna go into that, as you'd find me so puckeringly conservative that you wouldn't be able to look directly at me without retching. I'd never condemn anyone on these boards for their choices or beliefs, but I've probably already taken too many steps toward Flamesville as it is.

--Sij

The last thing anyone wants during their day is a bunch of angry archliberal flamers.

[Cope]

I've probably already taken too many steps toward Flamesville as it is.

--Sij

It was never my intention to start a flamewar, and I apologise if you feel I was pushing you in that direction.

I'll leave you alone now...

[Wp]

Well...America's not really allied with Taiwan anymore. It's got a new policy that says it'll support the country that is attacked first.

Um... I don't think Taiwan will be doing any attacking anytime soon. But what we *should* do is follow our supposed principles and support democracy (Taiwan) instead of worrying about economic problems. Unfortunately that will never happen.

I think Taiwan will be safe in the meanwhile since:
1) 2008 Olympics in China
2) US wants to have an eye in the Pacific against a potential threat

Pfft...as if the U.S. is really gonna endorse a country just because it's democratic when its opponent offers exports and wealth. Iraq was for the oil, not the prospect of democracy.

Just because Taiwan's not about to attack doesn't mean China is either. They've got just as much to lose.

Anyway, if it happens, I won't know who to root for because I've got relatives in both countries. I guess...Taiwan, because there was this reaaally good shrimp restaurant there. Then again, China's peking duck is amazing.....life is so hard.

You could have just said you agreed with me Anyway, my point in saying that Taiwan is not about to attack is that the US is almost guaranteed to side with Taiwan if anything gets crazy. Taiwan will most definitely not be the one to initiate an attack if there even is one.

[Stucifer_the_maligned]

And I'm kinda anti-ZPG in some ways, because if my parents had followed it, my brother and third sister wouldn't have been born, much less me (the youngest of 5 by 5 years).

if everyone believed in planned parenthood, i wouldn't be here. still, fewer people is better for the planet. but then again, how could we live in a world without Luprand?! i can't go on!

[Luprand]

I've probably already taken too many steps toward Flamesville as it is.

--Sij

It was never my intention to start a flamewar, and I apologise if you feel I was pushing you in that direction.

I'll leave you alone now...

Sorry about that; it's just that I can tend to be amazingly conservative in my viewpoints, and I'm only now learning to hold my tongue about some topics in polite company.

It's kinda one of the things I like about this forum; I actually have a chance to try and defend - and therefore understand - my point of view (and the time between posting is a nice time to gather my thoughts; you guys'd trounce me in a real-time debate ).

--Sij

[Cope]

if everyone believed in planned parenthood, i wouldn't be here. still, fewer people is better for the planet. but then again, how could we live in a world without Luprand?! i can't go on!

Let us not contemplate events that may or might have been. To do so would probably lead to a debate concerning the morality of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings...

[Stucifer_the_maligned]

i don't know much about anime, but tetsuo would have wanted to live! LIIIIIIVE, i say!!!

okay guys, i'm sorry. that was bad. the truth is that we need to be more efficient creatures. i don't want people to go out murdering people, i just don't want people to be packed like sardines by the turn of the next century.

[McDuffies]

*looks at this long thread about stuff*

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think the discussion has been on level most of the time. No need for mod.
I'm proud of you all.

[JexKerome]

i don't want people to go out murdering people, i just don't want people to be packed like sardines by the turn of the next century.

Too late. Read up on the Tokyo subway system to see what I mean.

[Warren]

i just don't want people to be packed like sardines by the turn of the next century.

Not a problem for me, I'd be 130! I'll be dead by then!

[Andronis]

*looks at this long thread about stuff*

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think the discussion has been on level most of the time. No need for mod.
I'm proud of you all.

The amazing civility during the heavy discussions really shows the wonderful character and integrity of Keenspacers, doesn't it?

[Alaina]

Um... I don't think Taiwan will be doing any attacking anytime soon. But what we *should* do is follow our supposed principles and support democracy (Taiwan) instead of worrying about economic problems. Unfortunately that will never happen.

I think Taiwan will be safe in the meanwhile since:
1) 2008 Olympics in China
2) US wants to have an eye in the Pacific against a potential threat

Pfft...as if the U.S. is really gonna endorse a country just because it's democratic when its opponent offers exports and wealth. Iraq was for the oil, not the prospect of democracy.

Just because Taiwan's not about to attack doesn't mean China is either. They've got just as much to lose.

Anyway, if it happens, I won't know who to root for because I've got relatives in both countries. I guess...Taiwan, because there was this reaaally good shrimp restaurant there. Then again, China's peking duck is amazing.....life is so hard.

You could have just said you agreed with me Anyway, my point in saying that Taiwan is not about to attack is that the US is almost guaranteed to side with Taiwan if anything gets crazy. Taiwan will most definitely not be the one to initiate an attack if there even is one.

Ahh, okay okay, I agree with you!!!