Happy Independence day

[Ihateyoumike]

I, for one, don't understand the appeal of fireworks. And watching people come in to my work and purchase hundreds of dollars worth of fireworks just boggles my mind. Literally, they are blowing up their money. Good ol' 'Merica making everything into a way to get people to spend money on useless shit.

[Ali]

Totally OT, but that quote from Always Sunny in your sig is awesome, anti-Mike.

[Ihateyoumike]

Totally OT, but that quote from Always Sunny in your sig is awesome, anti-Mike.

Thanks Ali! That was definitely one of the best episodes in a show full of nothing but hilarious.

[AnimatedDirt]

I, for one, don't understand the appeal of fireworks. And watching people come in to my work and purchase hundreds of dollars worth of fireworks just boggles my mind. Literally, they are blowing up their money. Good ol' 'Merica making everything into a way to get people to spend money on useless shit.

I don't necessarily get it either, but it is called entertainment.  I'm sure we all spend money on "useless shit"...just we think our "useless shit" is better than other people's "useless shit."

Why is everyone ( it seems ) so anti-America?  I happen to love America.  It has afforded me everything I want. ( except wealth, but I'm working on that with my weekly lotto ticket. )  I don't care for some things, but I try not to bash my country just because things aren't going my way.  I leave the bashing pointed to the top man in office atm...that's it.

[AnimatedDirt]

...and I am no patriot.  Just know what I appreciate.

[Asmodean]

Why is everyone ( it seems ) so anti-America?

Well, me, I just compare it to Norway and find it sort of... Worse. That's the whole reason, really.

[OldGit]

^ Not so many fiords?

I'm not anti-America, AD, just anti most of your recent presidents. 

[Ihateyoumike]

I'm not anti-America, AD, and don't really appreciate being labeled as such from my comment. I am, however, against the extreme-commercialization of all the holidays... and not big on the idea of holidays in general. They just don't make sense to me, and I really don't see the appeal of things like spending loads of money on fireworks that do nothing more than make loud noises or flashes and end up littering our streets the next day. That's all.

[AnimatedDirt]

I'm not anti-America, AD, and don't really appreciate being labeled as such from my comment. I am, however, against the extreme-commercialization of all the holidays... and not big on the idea of holidays in general. They just don't make sense to me, and I really don't see the appeal of things like spending loads of money on fireworks that do nothing more than make loud noises or flashes and end up littering our streets the next day. That's all.

Sure sounded like it to me with the "Good ol' 'Merica making everything into a way to get people to spend money on useless shit."  I guess I was wrong about you specifically.

The mess creates work.  The street sweepers came by this morning through our neighborhood.  All clean again.

Not big on holidays in general?  Wow.  Let's hope you don't make it anywhere near a position to remove holidays.  I like my 12 holidays per year plus one floating holiday.  I support a holiday for Valentine's day and St. Patrick's day...among others. 

[AnimatedDirt]

^ Not so many fiords?

I'm not anti-America, AD, just anti most of your recent presidents. 

I dislike politicians for the most part, but I've really disliked this obummer guy since he came on the scene.  I don't get why everyone is so enamoured to him.  There's political dishonesty and crookedness, and then there's obummer...a crook from the day he was born ( ok, maybe a few years after. ).  But that's just my own opinion.

[Asmodean]

^ Not so many fiords?

Too many guns, idiots and idiots with guns, just to name three issues. Oh, we have out fair share too, but overall, I find Norwegians more laid back and less prone to idiocy.

[AnimatedDirt]

^ Not so many fiords?

Too many guns, idiots and idiots with guns, just to name three issues. Oh, we have out fair share too, but overall, I find Norwegians more laid back and less prone to idiocy.

I read an article from 2002 saying Oslo, Norway was Europe's drug overdose capital.  Is that still true?  The government wants a drug-free Norway, but seems to facilitate its use.  That's something I don't understand.  How is it now?

[Asmodean]

I read an article from 2002 saying Oslo, Norway was Europe's drug overdose capital.  Is that still true?  The government wants a drug-free Norway, 

That is correct.

but seems to facilitate its use.

That is partly correct. The police do not harrass the junkies and dealers nearly enough and the security guards are not taken all that seriously due to the limitations in their operating procedures. The queues for rehab are rather long too.

The main problem, however (Last I was in Oslo, that is, and that was some time ago) is in the visibility of it all. Rather than being chased into a slum Oslo doesn't have, the drug trade and use happens in the central area.

Also, I view the fact that the government sees junkies as people slightly problematic, but that's the flipside of a nice-to-as-many-as-possible coin.

Personally, I would say beggars from Romania are a bigger problem - they are the real eyesore in several of Norway's cities... They commit theft and the like too, in addition to shitting in parks, and because of the open border treaties, kicking them the fuck out is easier said than done.

[Sandra Craft]

Literally, they are blowing up their money. Good ol' 'Merica making everything into a way to get people to spend money on useless shit.

It's not useless shit if you get a kick out of it.  I love fireworks, they're beautiful and I only see them once a year so it's a treat.

[Sweetdeath]

Totally OT, but that quote from Always Sunny in your sig is awesome, anti-Mike.

Thanks Ali! That was definitely one of the best episodes in a show full of nothing but hilarious.

Please tell me which ep.
I LOVE THAT SHOW SO MUCH.

Dee is hilarious. Well, everyone is. Seen the Stockholm syndrome episode?