A word on capital punishment, barbary aside; the fact that hundreds of convicts have walked off death row after years of imprisonment due to new evidence discovered should be enough to silence the blood lust in this country. And yet, it doesn't. Why not?

Because this world is ran by wrong species.

Christianity has had a hugh impact on the human race. It's roots go deep. And for some it's all they have experenced.
And the concept of god comes from the bible. If there is an all knowing , all loving god that creats us in his image, then why are some set to experence extreme suffering, and others enjoy life to the fullest?

Would you please explain that to me? The usual awnser is "well I don't know gods plan, he does what he does for reasons we can't understand".

Oh yeah? Humm, you're a fool dude, to believe that, it's simply foolish. our technological advancement, digital audio is based on scientific realities that you can't deny.

Your Mac doesn't work because a god is controling it. We have harnessed the natural forces of nature, laws of physics, everyday, and no how and why they work. I may say at times my computer works in mysterous ways, but the fact is we created it. It functions do to natural laws .

Now the christan explaination of the world is at odds with the science you work with everday. Science has proven that the earth is millions of years old, but your bible says otherwise. So how can you use something that is explainable, created by science you condem as false, and still work in your DAW?

Good to know, Kecinzer! Terje Rypdal is good stuff! I´ll check out your link. Ever heard Jan Garbarek by the way? So called "Mountain jazz"...Very good!

AO - actually good links. Initially, the first one annoyed me because of the obvious political agenda of the guy. However, I've spent a little time with it - some points are decent, some are lame. I plan to spend more time on it later. Until then...

I certainly don't plan on becoming the spokesman for the pro-death penalty crowd. As I've said, I go back and forth on this issue. For now, I'm content to allow a victim's family decide a murderer's fate. I guess I'm more sympathetic to their desires than anyone else's. I realize that this view might make me pro-death penalty in most cases. As far as clemency in any case, repentance has always been a factor. And I agree, the issue is death penalty or no death penalty - not is Tookie good or bad.

Nick, I GET YOUR POINT regarding absolute truth. I realize that all we have (now) is viewpoints. I'm merely stating basic logic: p does not equal -p. If I could prove something one way or another, I would do it. I think that I'm the only one on this board that acknowledges his viewpoint has faith built into it.

In regards to your next short step, of course I agree. In Christianity, we call that repentance.

Jeremy, I agree that the DAW is a modern miracle. I'm just not sure how it's existence proves anything. Please show me where I proclaim science as false.

Glenn - thanks for the clarification. It seems to me that you identify more with the anti-right wing crowd than the right wing crowd. Am I right? How come? Why choose one side to define yourself? I'm sure that you will probably object to this characterization - - but you delivered an empassioned explanation for one side and not the other.

I'm not sure anyone will identify with one side or another completely. Nick would be easily categorized as a liberal left loony from someone on the other side (Sorry to use you for that). I'm sure many here have already put me in the "right wing" box. I think that the labels are pointless; the issues need to be dealt with one by one. When people here refer to "the religious right wing extremists" I really have no idea what to think. It's such a loaded term - it shows a preconceived mindset that allows no room for discussion.

So, how does everyone here feel about abortion?

My positions are liberal and generally on the left, but by no standard are they looney. Looney positions are not based on reality.

I'm not saying there's no debating anything I believe, but it's certainly not crazy.

Love the discussion on religion but since it has zero to do with evolution, I gotta remain neutral.

However, I want to quote the best line I have seen.

I laughed so hard I blew milk out my nose.

No worries. FWIW, I consider myself a moderate centrist, not defined by Fox News, MSNBC, Rush Limbaugh or Al Franken. I would say I am comfortably between Nick and Zumbido - I'd agree with about 80% of what both logically represent without the extreme fringe elements or the political baiting.

Without hijacking this thread too much (but, to answer your question), I am empassioned negatively against the extreme right because of their somewhat successful attempt to co-opt the Republican party - and the Republicans, in their desperation to win the election, allowing this extreme point of view to be represented as mainstream. And the right wing media falling all over themselves to represent this agenda as pro American. I don't need to go down the laundry list of blunders, lies and near-crimes by the Bush administration - we are all well aware of them. And I'd say quite honestly that if the Democrats were in office and allowed fringe elements of the radical left to co-opt the Democratic party, my rhetoric would be equally as irate. However, in my estimation, the conservative right is far more of a threat to vast majority of free thinking, Constitution loving, moderate and average citizens at this point in history. Does that mean I dislike Christians? Hardly, how could I. Again, I stand by your side and defend your right to your beliefs, however they might differ from mine. If you see my distain for hypocrisy, ineptitude, dishonesty, perversion of morality as somehow impuning only one side, well, perhaps that is the direction that the smell is coming from...

There's a scary thought. Let aunt Thelma decide who lives and who dies. Once again, how can you (or anyone) be pro-death when we know for a fact that hundreds of convicted felons have been released (some decades later) when new evidence ,forensic or otherwise has finally proved them innocent? If hundreds have walked imagine how many innocents have died.

And also, everyone should realize the inhumane methods by which criminals are executed. They don't get a general anesthesia and die, they are made to suffer excruciating pain before their lives are taken from them, whether it's by the electric chair or lethal injection. What the hell is that? Blood lust, baby. Now what would Jesus say about that?

Thanx for the tip - I'll email Santa I have a few Jan's earlier albums.