lookin

As well they should. The difference between letting a civilian get away with a thoughtless intrusion on our individual rights and letting a government employee get away with a thoughtless intrusion on our individual rights is that the government employee has the full force of the government behind him. That can easily extend to depriving us of our liberty and, in some cases, our life. Since 9/11, many people have turned a blind eye to such intrusions on our civil rights. And they have done so, as Epigonos pointed out, even in the absence of an iota of proof that we are getting anything in return. While I am perplexed that the federal government casually assumes these attacks on civil liberties are justified, I am gobsmacked that so many ordinary citizens don't consider them anything to get worked up about either. This desensitization to the value of individual rights in the U. S. is the worst fallout of 9/11, in my opinion. If Ayman al-Zawahiri was happy over the loss of three thousand lives on 9/11, he must be ecstatic over the subsequent erosion of freedoms for three hundred million U. S. citizens. Although the TSA's violations of individual rights is bad enough, they are a just a subset of the many violations of individual rights we have come to accept in little more than a decade.

Maybe not for long. This thread chronicles IBM's development of Watson, the computer that beat Jeopardy's reigning champs. Of course, IBM put a lot of manpower behind getting the right databases and algorithms in place, and then turned the corner by programming in some 'computer learning' code that let Watson figure out how to minimize its mistakes. Historically, IBM and others have put a lot of manpower behind all of their breakthrough computer systems, many of which are now fairly commonplace. I'm sure Siri will continue to improve and will one day be able to tell us not only where to get an abortion, but also to notify the National Enquirer that one of our esteemed posters has actually managed to get himself knocked up.

They are rather cute and would easily fit within his dimples. Unlike a few of the nipples on this page which would likely not fit inside the Grand Canyon. I will not post them in deference to our MER members who have not yet had lunch. I have met guys along the way who took great pride in the size of their nipples, but I've never found them particularly titillating. I'll usually pinch, tug, and twist as directed and occasionally bite and chew, but only for a bosom buddy.

Ha ha! I can see it now. Thanks! I reaized later that I should have said 'make-up'. (Don't know what happened to your earlier post, but I've had a few posts 'blow up' since the new software went live a year ago. It's always with a picture, and always with some formatting - centering or some such. Then I make the teensiest change and instantly the post is festooned with arcane strings of chazerei, like <br><br> && <br><br><br><br>. Even if I've saved the post and try to paste it over the detritus, chances are the post will remain mangled. No alternative but to begin again. If I'm too close to the hour-long window for editing, my shame remains there for all to see. You have my sympathy if this is what happened to your original post.)

I never give tipsy guys a second glance. Well, almost never.

Drat! I keep wondering what we missed.

Maybe he could save a little by outsourcing.

Well, at least the victim impact statement should be brief.

I'm here for my makeup exam, Señor Ricky.

One more reason why their Annual Barbecue is so sparsely attended.

Well, that was one of the most thought-provoking parts of the thread for me. I've been gay since before I'd even heard the word, but I always knew it was only a part of who I am. I've known other folks who considered being gay a - if not the - major part of their identity. And then there are a few who put it into the background almost entirely. I don't think there's any right or wrong way to feel about it, as long as someone is comfortable with his or her feelings, and doesn't cause trouble for others. (By the by, I don't think there's anything in the paragraph above that doesn't apply to heterosexuality as well.) Davies clearly isn't comfortable with his gayness and my wish for him is that he could become more accepting of that part of himself, and perhaps act on it one day. But, as far as I can tell, he doesn't cause trouble for anybody else, except maybe those reckless enough to chide him for his views. And perhaps his personal discomfort provides some of the fuel for his creativity and for his desire to express himself so fully. Thinking about the differences between me and other folks is always enlightening, and this thread provided a great opportunity to do just that. In your debt once again. PS: One of my memories from visits to Palm Springs was the prevalence of arctic-like air conditioning everywhere I went. Nanook himself could have dressed in brocades and felt right at home. Of course, this was before even Al Gore knew about global warming and energy was cheap. Should I ever return, I'll leave my furs in the closet.

Great mini-travelogue!! Nice blend of the world of guys and the world of recovery from the floods. And I can't help imagining the Japanese ladies checking out your little trio d'amour at breakfast. Thank you!

Last night, NATO forces killed 24 members of the Pakistani army, when apparently helicopters and fighter jets were called in by Afghan and NATO forces to go after 'rebels'. The big guns hit Pakistani forces stationed at two checkpoints by mistake. Pakistan responded by closing the border crossings that supply thirty percent of the non-lethal supplies used by NATO forces stationed in Afghanistan. While supply trucks were stranded or being rerouted, the 'real' militants got down to business and attacked them during the confusion. The fallout has not yet been felt by other than the families of the killed soldiers, but it's likely to be serious. Relations between the U. S. and Pakistan have been strained since the war in Afghanistan began, and I think this will take the tension to a new level. The Pakistani government will not turn a blind eye, and the average Pakistani citizen has one more reason to distrust the U. S. and demand that we get out of their country. And I think this latest 'collateral damage' is a windfall for anyone recruiting fighters to go up against the U. S. And for what? The goal is purportedly to 'stabilize' Afghanistan by 2014 before bringing home U. S. forces. Does anyone really believe that Afghanistan will be 'stabilized', whatever that means, in three years? As far as I can tell, Afghanistan is, has been, and will be for the foreseeable future, a tribal society. Unlike Iraq, the concept of a strong central government that can protect and provide services to its citizens has never become ingrained in the public consciousness. Not to say that it can't ever be done, but to think that the U. S. can do it by 2014 seems a pipe dream at best. I'm certainly no foreign affairs expert but I have to wonder, even if things go perfectly from this day forward, if we can say with any certainty that either U. S. or Afghani lives have been saved? And if things don't go perfectly, which seems a real possibility, might not we be making things worse? I also wonder how many lives might be saved if the resources we are spending against this war - human, financial, psychological, and moral - might be better spent directly protecting lives through better health care here at home and in the Middle East. Imagine the establishment of a dozen state-of-the-art critical care children's hospitals in Kabul, Kandahar, Herat, Karachi, Lahore, Faisalabad, Baghdad, Gaza City, Hebron, Sana'a, Detroit, and Miami. I know many may consider such a program to be nothing more than showboating, using the plight of poor children to make the U. S. look better. But would it really be such a tragedy if the U. S. became better known for saving lives than for taking lives?

Same here.

Lucky, you do come across the most interesting people! I'm sure your salon is one of the Desert's hottest destinations. Davies sounds like a guy I'd enjoy spending time with. I like folks whose experiences have been out-of-the-ordinary and have caused them to become independent thinkers. He doesn't seem to be telling anyone else how to live their lives, but he's clear on how he wants to live his. I expect I could learn a thing or two from him. While he may loathe his gay preferences, I didn't get the impression that he loathes himself. On the contrary, he seems quite confident in who he is and I find that an attractive quality. All that said, I'd welcome the opportunity to give him a few kisses and hugs. It would be nice to think he will find some comfort and happiness in his remaining years, perhaps even a little nookie. It turns out my local library has Of Time and the City on the shelf and I'll definitely be checking it out. Thanks for the introduction!

Apparently, the top three Republican candidates are all comfortable with the idea of a U. S. war with Iran. Gingrich and Romney said so during the North Carolina debate last week, and Cain said so in an interview with Bill O'Reilly earlier in the month. It doesn't seem to phase any of them that Iran has close ties with both China and Russia, who may have their own attitudes about such U. S. aggression. So let's see: at least one new war in the Middle East with Iran, saber-rattling against Egypt's military, no new taxes to pay for it, indifference to those without health care at home, and cuts to Social Security now that there's no longer a surplus to borrow against. Quite an enlightened bunch, these three.

Saúde! Sorry to hear of your misfortune, and hope the sauna managers had the foresight to take out a very generous trip cancellation policy on the both of you.

It was only a matter of time.

Congrats! (You notice I asked first? I do not fish off my neighbor's pier. ) You are indeed blessed. The roses are the topper, and hopefully not the only one in the relationship.

Are you suggesting that Lucky may be a bit short of patience?

Anyone else notice the hottie draped over the top? Is he anyone we know?

Didn't you used to be on the outskirts around here once upon a time? And now you're one of the in-crowd. Maybe you're just the guy someone is looking to see a play with. Or play with. As I recall, Falstaff managed to have a good time without exactly being anorexic.

Thanks for this, TY! I really wanted to like the new Honda Civic but it sounds like they're intent on shooting themselves in the foot.

Lucky, I think it's really good. There wasn't a single article that wasn't of interest and your writing style is very pleasant to read: light, friendly, and with a wink. No doubt it took some major effort to put together and I thank you. I suspect The Lucky Reader won't be coming out twice a week. Must admit, I haven't read all the pieces yet. I've had company and, even if I hadn't, I probably wouldn't finish it in one sitting. For me, any comments will probably be spaced out over time. (This is only fitting, as I myself am often spaced out over time. ) If others read it the same way, you may find that responses aren't as plentiful and immediate as they would be if the content were spread out over multiple posts. But, however you serve it up, I'm looking forward to the next edition. Well, off I go. I want to check out that little Johnson article. Thanks again!

LurkerSpeaks Day - November 15, 2011 ~ a gathering of friends ~