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Muchas Gracias, Rebeca. Looks like we’re starting a mutual admiration society. LOL. Seriously though, this small invasion of our liberties and privacy in the name of “protecting society,” has got to be nipped in the bud. The government’s duty to protect its citizens has to have limits. It is quite apparent that fear is running the show. Fear by a government that does not know how to deal with today’s situations in the world, and a citizenry that is becoming fearful of its own government. The crap that went on the senate floor today was unbelievable. Harry Reid’s remarks about the Limbaugh letter, has me questioning his sanity. Try to find it in the news. It will make you think these egotistical officials have left the planet. By the way, I’m no Limbaugh fan. I don’t care much for neo-cons. They are the ones that got us into this mess.
As much as I will hate myself in the morning for saying this, we were better off under Clinton. Oh boy, Am I gonna hate myself!
There is hardly a politician out there that has a clue of what is going on in the lives and minds of the majority of people in this country. I fear for the soul of this once great nation. The one that stood up to Nazi Germany, helped prevent a grateful Europe from going down the drain, and shed its national blood for a greater cause. You know Hitler thought the US wouldn’t have the resolve to fight for an ideal. Freedom, was that Ideal, and in those days it was worth fighting for. All we’ve done now is pi** it down a rat-hole. We’ve sold out our ideals, traditions, families and I hope not our future.
You know, the Catholic church for all its problems, has stood against communism, oppression, and evil. They condemn the act of homosexuality, but by doctrine, they are God’s children, and should be treated with respect.
On 9/11, an openly gay but not sexually active priest, FR.Mike, was the chaplain of the NYC Fire Dept. He died at the towers while giving last rights to a fallen fireman. The other firemen took his body back to the firehouse, laid it on the dining room table, cleaned the blood off him, and kept him there all night before allowing his body to be taken for funeral preparation. They loved him, and treated him with respect. Big, burly, NYC firemen treated a homosexual priest with the respect he deserved. We are all God’s children. sometimes I think we need to be reminded.
I’ve not read Fritjof Capra. Now I will. Thanks.
Rebeca, You haven’t been here long enough yet to know the topic of the thread is meaningless after the first few posts. That’s why I love the entertainment value of this site. Love, hate, venting and even occasionally, serious discussion……..Sometimes.
Can’t think of a better way to spend a Friday night.LOL Makes me feel alive!
Pura Vida!
Rebeca, I love that quote, Friedrich Nietzche coined it, and it a good one to live by and reflect on in troubling times. I’ll add intelligent to the compliment as well. Your answers and comments are just great. Have you read any books by Paolo Coelho? Great author.
This camera situation is one of those “first step” kinds of things. People will not put up with monitoring if it is thrust upon them all at once. However, incrementally, they will not notice the invasion of their privacy, and may go along with it.
As was brought up by Rebeca, a casual conversation may be interpreted by officials as a threat. Freedom of speech and assembly will be compromised, without a doubt. Who wants to have to speak in hushed tones under a camera or hidden microphone. It is not a Libertarian or crazy Idea to think this cannot happen. “Just because I’m paranoid, doesn’t mean no one is watching me,” remember that line?
Also, why is it the Bush administration can hide things from public view, and we must accept being under the microscope? Don’t fall into the sheep trap.
Diego, Instead of me smacking the monitor, this time I gave it a tender pat. Lol. It seems you and I are in almost total agreement. While I share similar sentiments, it should not lead to discrimination, but to concern and compassion. We are slipping down the slippery slope at an alarming rate, and there doesn’t look like there is any end in sight. Some might fry us in the same pan maybe, but we sometimes have to take a stand on our convictions. It takes guts, and I respect that.
Rebeca, you are one tough woman, and I mean that in a good way. Even though we may on some points have differing opinions, you express yourself beautifully, and do not get intimidated. You have my respect as well.
I could be wrong here, but it sounds like we may have shared a common Catholic upbringing.
Sprite, Now this is beginning to scare me. How long do you think it will be before the chip gets implanted in us….They are already using it in pets. And don’t forget about E-Zpass.
The thing that bothers me is, who is watching, why are THEY the ones watching, and how do we know they can be trusted.
The problem is once technology is invented, you can’t un-invent it. This talk about, “well, if you are an honest citizen, you need not worry” garbage is not cutting it anymore. Face it! We all will be under the microscope as the technos create more and more sophisticated devices. I’m not an ACLU kind of guy, but I think they should be looking at our eroding civil liberties in this regard.
I don’t like the thought of someone I don’t even know, creeping around looking at me, possibly just for their own personal kicks. And don’t think it won’t happen. Who knows who will be given oversight to this type of thing. Can you imagine the areas of abuse?
Diego, Very insightful, I must say. Sometimes we want to believe things are as we seem to believe them, but the reality may be quite different. I’ll take your’s as an accurate assesment. Twenty years of observation qualifies your comments. Thanks for the reality check.
The ability to solve crime with cameras may be compromised by the fact they are in an office looking at the monitor, and not on the street where they should be. How many people do you think it requires to monitor 10,524 cameras? If one can only look at a maximum of, say, 10 at one time, that leaves 1000 potential officers off the street. I would be assuming, of course, officers would be the ones doing the surveillance.
Big brother is here, there, and everywhere.
frettless, This thread may be getting a little long in the tooth, but as someone who appears to agree somewhat with me, I guess it still has legs, and I feel obligated to respond. Nobody, not the si or no voters will know what the true impact will be for a while. And no one from the north ever mentions how many jobs we will be losing with the agreement. The impact will be less felt in the US than in CR I’m sure, but I can’t see how Costa Rica can be big losers. It would have been nice if the agreement were written in simpler terms so everyone could at least get a grasp on it. I think they will work it out just fine though.
As long as CR looks better by comparison to here, people will flock there.
I just finished reading an article about new species being found in the depths of the Celebes sea, which is south of the Philippines. We still don’t know everything about our planet, or what is living on it, or in it. New discoveries happen all the time, and we may never know to the full extent, the variety of life we live with. Preservation of the Leatherback turtle is just one of the challenges facing us. Who knows what discoveries will be made in the plant world. The key to many cures for illness may lie in the rain forest, or a plant growing in a back lot. Much as some of my brethren will argue about “tree huggers,” taking a back seat to development, there is an important reason for conservation and research.
Beautifully stated, Rebeca. We all are more than just the sum total of our parts. Breaking down our being just to chemicals, can have the effect of reducing our worth to the sum total of our chemical value, which in today’s market, most likely is still under $100. I believe in the words Thomas Jefferson wrote in our national document, The Declaration of Independence, that “We are endowed by our creator with certain unalienable rights.” He believed, as I do, that we did not create ourselves, and therefore are bound to respect and protect all of creation. We are the stewards of the world, like it or not. We are one of the only creatures with the ability to change its environment. This is a responsibility that should be taken seriously.
Pura Vida, it does have a nice ring.
Rebeca, Political views can divide, or lead to change and some form of understanding. My reason for mentioning mine, was I am fully aware many on this site do not share my basic political views as far as the “label” is concerned. Yet I find common ground with many, and am aware that everyone has a valid point of view. To be narrow-minded would perpetuate ignorance. We all share the same planet, and each of us have an idea of what is best. The usual US attitude, whether Lib or Con, or somewhere in the middle is, “My way is best don’t try to push your beliefs on me.” While it is good to have convictions and values, they should not close your mind to differing opinions. I have met many fine individuals here, you included, and hope to continue interacting with them. Beyond our political or religious labels, we are people, each and every one of us.
Diego, what can I say? I hope that was a hoax. I know how you like to test us and make us think. In that, you do a good job. I found myself hoping you did not actually believe some of the things you said. Every now and then some of the things you say livens up the conversation. Sometimes it does turn this into a shouting match. I’m not telling you how to think or what to say. I’ve read some other posts of yours that shows you are a very generous person. It would be beneficial to my blood pressure if the nice Diego would show up more frequently. This is only a suggestion.
Racism is a serious thing. I think some of it has to do with over sensitivity, a loss of humor and the ability to laugh at ourselves. Most of it is downright wrong. A couple of times I have been its “victim” and I know I didn’t like it all that much. Like I said before, many of us have our own set of prejudices about people that are usually borne out of ignorance. Until you interact with a wide mix of different nationalities and races, you may hold onto these beliefs. When you realize most people, though they have differing customs, are essentially much like ourselves, you find it easier to relate to everyone. Other people have similar desires and dreams as many of us. Any preconceived notions I had about Central Americans, were totally dispelled by visiting Costa Rica. Traveling as a minority in a country where you really do not speak the language, gave me a humbling experience, and has given me a respect for others I never could have gotten any other way. Since visiting Costa Rica, I have studied their culture probably more than I’ve learned about my own. I have learned more about Latin America as a whole in the past few years because of my experiences in CR. This has changed many of my opinions, I think, for the better.
If you really want to see how we are all connected, do a DNA test for your heritage. You may be surprised by what you find. In fact, I know you will. If you decide to do it, I guarantee you will look at others in a whole new light. You will realize we are all related in some way, and we all are human, with each of us having tremendous value.
I think all voting is done on Sunday in CR. A thought that was also suggested by many for voting in the US, and one that I support. Many more would then participate. As far as educating the electorate, that’s another story. People can’t be force fed information on something they may not be interested in learning in the first place. A willingness and desire has to be instilled in order to be a part of the process that governs a nation. For that to happen, everyone has to feel they are included in the process, and will receive representation by their government once the officials are installed.
I think democracy takes a hit if you are forced to vote. While it is a constitutional duty, and democracy may suffer if you don’t, how democratic is it to fine you for not voting?
More people would vote however, if there was a “none of the above” line in every election or referendum. This includes other countries as well as Costa Rica.
Diego, lighten up a bit, huh. And no, this is not a veiled racial remark. We’re all a bit ignorant on some issues, and carry our own set of prejudices through life. We just should have the decency to respect other peoples feelings.
I really think you do this purely for the rise you get out of some of us. I myself use provocative remarks on occasion to keep the entertainment going, but still try to keep them within limits. Yes, self imposed limits.
I don’t think my membership in those organizations is in jeopardy. As a conservative, they wouldn’t want me anyway. This is not a qualifying statement, just a point of fact. Still, I’ve always tried to respect other people’s point of view, and have expanded my own by reading their comments.
Now go ahead, pick this post apart and have some fun.
Diego, One of the few times I’m not pounding my monitor because of something you said,lol, is agreeing with this point about developers. They should provide the access road from the main road or highway to the development. I’ve seen roads in Jaco that have been destroyed by heavy machinery and trucks driven to the construction site. As one expat local put it, “this is the only country where you see paved roads get turned into dirt roads.” The developers should be more responsive, and the gavernment should hold their feet to the fire to make necessary infrastructure improvements to the community in which they build. The extra cost would most assuredly be borne by the purchasers of the homes or condos, But who does not want better infrastructure?
My two cents about the monkey remark. It was over the top, even though you like to stir things up. Sometimes we all get a little carried away.
