Kourtesan
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Makes you think ...
This is taken from a newsletter from author Steve Alten, all credit to him. He's a great guy and very smart. Lots of love to him.
His book, The Shell Game, directly addresses the topics often debated on this board. Pick it up and happy reading!
Tough Questions:
Question 1: If you knew a woman who was pregnant, who had 8 kids already, three who were deaf, two who were blind, one mentally retarded, and she had syphilis, would you recommend that she have an abortion?
Read the next question before looking at the response for this one.
Question 2: It is time to elect a new world leader, and only YOUR VOTE counts. Here are the facts about the three candidates. Who would you vote for?
Candidate A
Associates with crooked politicians, and consults with astrologists. He's had two mistresses. He also chain smokes and drinks 8 to 10 martinis a day.
Candidate B
He was kicked out of office twice, sleeps until noon, used opium in college and drinks a quart of whiskey every evening.
Candidate C
He is a decorated war hero. He's a vegetarian, doesn't smoke, drinks an occasional beer and never cheated on his wife.
Which of these candidates would be your choice?
BACK TO QUESTION 1: If you said ABORT, you just killed Beethoven.
BACK TO QUESTION 2: Candidate A is Franklin D. Roosevelt. Candidate B is Winston Churchill. Candidate C is Adolph Hitler.
Interesting isn't it? Makes one think before prejudging. Remember: Amateurs built the ark. Professionals built the Titanic. And finally, can you imagine working for a company that has a little more than 500 employees and has the following statistics:
* 29 have been accused of spousal abuse
* 7 have been arrested for fraud
* 19 have been accused of writing bad checks
* 117 have directly or indirectly bankrupted at least 2 businesses
* 3 have done time for assault
* 71 cannot get a credit card due to bad credit
* 14 have been arrested on drug-related charges
* 8 have been arrested for shoplifting
* 21 are currently defendants in lawsuits
* 84 have been arrested for drunk driving in the last year.
Can you guess which organization this is? It's the 535 members of the United States Congress. The same group that crank out hundreds of new laws each year designed to keep the rest of us in line. The same group who gave us the Patriot Act.
Wow.
Last revised by Kourtesan, 3/24/2008, 2:41 pm
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3/24/2008, 2:39 pm
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Lesigner Girl
Minerva
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Re: Makes you think ...
I probably wouldn't recommend an abortion, but I think I would recommend she get her tubes tied after this pregnancy, whether she decided to end it or carry to full term. Regardless of physical disabilities, 8 "normal" kids would be more than enough anyway, in my opinion, but add to that the extra difficulties of raising disabled children and what those children go through with their disabilities, and I think I would've had mine tied after the 2nd child.
Remember: Amateurs built the ark.
I was with you until that line, since the ark only exists in fairytales. 
Before reading the answers, I was thinking candidate C looked a little too good on the surface, but I would demand more information before making my choice whether he looked good or not.
As for candidate A, someone could associate with crooked politicians but not be crooked himself. Most politicians are crooked, so it's pretty hard to avoid associating with them if you a politician yourself. Someone could consult with astrologists for fun, but not base any important decisions on what they have to say. I don't care how many mistresses someone has as long as they are doing their job. That many martinis would concern me, but if he's not going in drunk off his ass (or even if he is a bit toasted from time to time), then it would certainly be better than a fascist. Before reading the answers, I thought candidate C could very well be just that, and it turns out he was.
Kicked out of office twice. I don't know the actual circumstances behind that, but before having the answers I still would've wanted to know what those circumstances were. Kicked out of office for having mistresses? See my comment about candidate 1. Kicked out for sleeping until noon? Hey, if he works until 10pm or midnight, then at least he's putting in a full day. A quart of whiskey is an awful lot to drink every day, just like the martinis, but see my response to candidate A, and it's certainly better than having a fascist in office.
While reading those stats, I figured they had to do with politicians. What's especially of interest is that they are all currently (or as of the time that was written, if different) members of congress at the same time.
Thanks for posting, Kristina. It really is some good food for thought. 
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3/24/2008, 6:36 pm
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Kourtesan
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Re: Makes you think ...
I didn't care about that ark bit. Thought it just made a good point in the narrative. Same way I might reference Snow White and say, "Don't take apples from strangers."
Steve's book tackles so many of the points we discuss here. I hope as many Americans as possible buy it.
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3/25/2008, 8:19 am
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toxiczen
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Re: Makes you think ...
question 1:
i don't think i would ever recommend ANYONE have an abortion, it seems to personal a decision.
i would ask them what they think of their situation, and what they are considering doing. than respond to what they say.
question 2:
woo hoo i chose Winston Churchill!
as for congress. i honestly am not surprised... how much more have they simply gotten away with?
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"Love is the strongest force the world possesses, yet! it is the humblest imaginable."
~Gandhi
"it is easier to tell the truth: you don't have to remember anything"
~Mark Twain
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3/25/2008, 6:04 pm
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Kourtesan
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Re: Makes you think ...
Tox, I wondered the same thing.
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3/26/2008, 7:25 am
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Lesigner Girl
Minerva
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Re: Makes you think ...
Fables can be good for making points.  I just think real life examples are better at proving those points. For instance, the space shuttle Challenger was built by Nasa and cost the tax payers billions, but a ship that was built for mere millions by private citizens actually made it into orbit. It's a little more wordy, but I think it actually proves the point he was making.
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3/26/2008, 6:29 pm
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