What were the first few things you learned to say in Russian, and why?

[slim 1,533]

I don't speak Russian. Can you tell me what that means?

[Brad and Vika 129]

Я не говорю по-русски

So apparently you only read and write Russian?

[Nasturtium 500]

The new suspect list I saw passed around was ridiculously broad. I'm not saying I approve of any suspect list, but this list would encompass both supporters and critics of the current, past and future government.

And that's the whole reasoning behind it. If it "can" include anyone, then anyone the govt. deems unfavorable at the time can be put on the list and dealt with accordingly.

Exactly. What surprises me is... do people live under rocks? Do they not actually notice that there could be major issues with that? I guess not, but then again I have noticed that I am pessamistic, and most people seem very giddy and optomistic about people in general.

[slim 1,533]

A person is smart. People are stupid.

[Nasturtium 500]

A person is smart. People are stupid.

I generally would agree except I often think a person is not smart either... too much working with the public, I think. Have I posted the wood chip story? I don't think I have. A man in his 50s or so came up to me and was very insistant that I answer his question: what local animal do we have that leaves 2-3' piles of wood chips along the sides of the highways every 2-3 feet. I thought about my answer carefully, first determining that he is, in fact, serious about this; then deciding to not tell him it is from the genus Sears, species Troy-Bilt that lives in a special den called the "city garage", taken out on a leash we call a"trailer" and fed massive ammounts of storm-damaged tree limbs which it immediately metabolizes into those piles. So, to let him down easily I informed him there is no such animal that chips wood like that, and that it isn't anything living-- but rather it is the city cleaning up storm damage (I had had it with him for various reasons). He flat out said, "No, it's an animal." Now, I was somewhat stunned that he was not only not embarassed at his mistake but chose to deny it altogether. Bizarre.

[slim 1,533]

There are plenty of stupid persons out there too, but as a whole, if you get a person by themself, they're a lot smarter than they are with a group.

[Brad and Vika 129]

There are plenty of stupid persons out there too, but as a whole, if you get a person by themself, they're a lot smarter than they are with a group.

Sometimes true, sometimes not

[slim 1,533]

You could call it stupidity or something else, but very rarely do you have folks willing to stand up to group mentality. We're conditioned as Americans not to rock the boat and if that's what everyone wants or feels, we should too.

[Brad and Vika 129]

You could call it stupidity or something else, but very rarely do you have folks willing to stand up to group mentality. We're conditioned as Americans not to rock the boat and if that's what everyone wants or feels, we should too.

I think less so than in other cultures. I know that you have lived in the orient, as I have. I find that the Japanese saying "the nail that stands the highest gets hammered down" or some such is much more true there than here. Here we tend to romanticize the rebel or underdog, and reward individual achievement/independence.

[slim 1,533]

Here we tend to romanticize the rebel or underdog, and reward individual achievement/independence.

Yes, but only afterward!

[Brad and Vika 129]

Here we tend to romanticize the rebel or underdog, and reward individual achievement/independence.

Yes, but only afterward!

Also true. The difference between a rebel and a loser is in the numbers, however we measure.

[slim 1,533]

Also true. The difference between a rebel and a loser is in the numbers, however we measure.

Sam Adams, John Hancock, Paul Revere, Joseph Warren, George Washington....... all TERRORISTS!!!! Well, at least they would've been if the numbers would've shifted the opposite way.

[Brad and Vika 129]

Also true. The difference between a rebel and a loser is in the numbers, however we measure.

Sam Adams, John Hancock, Paul Revere, Joseph Warren, George Washington....... all TERRORISTS!!!! Well, at least they would've been if the numbers would've shifted the opposite way.

So there is still hope for Bin Laden to rehabilitate his rep? I cannot believe it.

[slim 1,533]

So there is still hope for Bin Laden to rehabilitate his rep? I cannot believe it.

Sure. We weren't so mad at Bin Laden when he was funneling money and heavy equipment into Afghanistan back in the '80s.

If King George had won, the colonial terrorists would be villainized to this day, and even worse, we'd all be speaking English.

That's why we have a British-controlled Pitcairn Islands. And also why we speak English. - Hey, wait a minute!

[Brad and Vika 129]

I f*cking hate Nicolas Cage.

Me too - but I love big gulps and gamburgers.