Letters to the Editor
Fraud Guy
Published Letters: 337
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Mr. Bond, Jake Bond
[Read the article: PBS's "Frontline: Spying on the Home Front"]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Technically, you are correct, we would have avoided the wars you cite if the Allies followed your insane contra-rational advice. What we likely would have had is a continuation of WWII with Soviets rolling back over most (if not all) of Europe that we had just liberated, as well as running into the Middle East. They likely would have aided Indian independence from Great Britain (but with a slightly different tenor) afterwards. If we did still chuck a few Abombs over, they likely would have had to fall on Western Europe for effectiveness (and reach), which may have stopped hostilities, but would not have gained effective peace. The (new) Cold War would likely have flared hot a few times, but in different locations (including the ME and Africa, instead of or in addition to Korea and Vietnam). The United Nations would have been stillborn, or morphed into something closer to NATO. Then, at home, I don't want to even think about how bad HUAC would have gotten, then, but I wouldn't hesitate to state that the effects would have been worse for the world in the long run, with a higher body count and the sumbersion of even more countries under Communist rule for a longer period of time.
Remember, the Abombs hit a disheartened and losing nation, not one flushed with victory over a hated enemy. Our bombs would not have had the same effect on the Soviets that they had on Japan. The Soviets had the largest army, air force, and tank force on the planet at the time, and little hesitation about using it.
Often, the best use of an army, or a weapon is to not use it. A bluff not made can't be called.
And on your P.S. to Prunes. You still have yet to point out ONE incident where domestic spying that would not have been legal under FISA or other Constitutional methods has stopped a terrorist cell within the US. If there hasn't been one in almost 6 years of trying, then one can decidedly say that these extralegal, unconstitutional methods are not effective, and should be stopped. I use many fraud screening methods in my job--if one is not effective, and is costing money and manpower best used elsewhere, I stop it. It appears that you would keep using it because you just don't trust your fellow citizens to keep reporting the bad guys they see, not the ones you imagine are out there.
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Technically correct
[Read the article: PBS's "Frontline: Spying on the Home Front"]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]What's the difference between a war here and a war there...the names may change, but people will still be dead.
Contrafactuals are inaccurate by their nature, especially as time goes on. However, you seem to imply that no wars would have occured if we had dropped Abombs on the Soviets. It is much more likely that they would have occurred, but elsewhere.
I was reading somewhere that conservatives are more realistic than liberals because they take into account that bad things can happen. Obviously, that means you are a liberal, and I am a conservative.
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Feeding
[Read the article: PBS's "Frontline: Spying on the Home Front"]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Holly,
I apologize. I will stop, also. Contrafactual history is a hobby that I didn't want to see abused by secret agent man.
Fraud Guy
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2nd Apology
[Read the article: PBS's "Frontline: Spying on the Home Front"]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Karen, I apologize to you, also.
Fraud Guy
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Old time religion
[Read the article: Various items]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Jake,
You are pulling words from Saul trying to convert Yeshua ben Yusef's (or one of many other spellings) teachings into the mainstream. Or the Old Testament, or even Revelations. You may wish to read a little of the history* of how the quotes you love to pull up were accepted into the official creed and crafted in order to shore up a failing Empire...ironically, you may have known that already, because your last quote captures the current administration admirably.
*The Closing of the Western Mind Charles Freeman
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Michael Harold
[Read the article: Various items]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]It's amazing how many fundamentalists don't read those sections--they go straight to Exodus when they want to decide WWJD.
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BobFred
[Read the article: Various items]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]One of my favorite takes on the transformation of religion from Earth Mother to Stern Father is in The Cartoon History of the Universe (Vol. 1).
Clueless man looking over flock of sheep, does addition and realizes that those rams have something to do with ewes having lambs. Flashback to Earth Mother religion and human sacrifice, and man on alter asks "I thought that the Earth was nuturing?" and priestess states "Sometimes the Earth can be a mean mother."
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Re: L.W.M.
[Read the article: Various items]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]I was wondering when one of them would bring up that. Anyone posting online, pseudonomysly or not, can be outed with not very much detective work, unless they are going through extraordinary methods to hide their source, presence, and anything resembling personal history. I think that shot042,357,895,674 and bond, jake bond have not had the presence of mind to do so.
Caveat--my screen name reflects what I have to deal with, and so I felt it was appropriate. Anyone who knows me, knows me.
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Firefox
[Read the article: Gonzales' yearlong effort to block Comey's testimony]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Didn't someone once write something for Firefox under old Salon comments that would a) put all comments on one page and 2) allow exclusion of comments by certain posters? It would be nice for an updated script.