The uhh...(new) pose a question to a poster thread...

[Platypus]

Instant death if Howard was not re-elected.

Seriously...If Kim Beazley is still leader of the ALP, Howard is locked into a contract in which he would retire shortly after the election and hand the reigns onto a moderate, the Senate was controlled by minor parties, and the Liberal majority only existed through support of Independents.

I wouldn't be happy with it but i'd accept it. I'm a lot more anti-Howard then Anti-Liberal, but in either case I think it';s time for change.

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

everybody: does anyone even remotely like Passions?

Love it. Best show for drinking games ever, besides coverage of Parliament.

What?

[Platypus]

everybody: does anyone even remotely like Passions?

Love it. Best show for drinking games ever, besides coverage of Parliament.

What?

Reference back to a past event-one shot. Long, staring gaze to the left of Camera-people whose names sart with a-l drink; those with m-z drink when it's to the left. Julian on screen, all women drink; Theresa on screen, all men drink. Etc etc.

[Chancellor Tanterterg]

Why do you call yourself Hughhento, if that is too personal, what is your favorite color?

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

everybody: does anyone even remotely like Passions?

Love it. Best show for drinking games ever, besides coverage of Parliament.

What?

Reference back to a past event-one shot. Long, staring gaze to the left of Camera-people whose names sart with a-l drink; those with m-z drink when it's to the left. Julian on screen, all women drink; Theresa on screen, all men drink. Etc etc.

Never realized that.  So, who's your favorite character?

[Platypus]

I loved Timmy, now...Julian I suppose :S

jdb-hugh is my name; ento is an acronym of four things I like. It's been around for a while. Favourite colour is grass green.

[Colin]

Everett: How many digits of pi can you remember?

Hugh: Did you get to Valparaiso and Vina del Mar when you were in Chile? How were they? I wanted to see both of them but didn't have the time.

Gabu: Give me a reason why Canada should not become part of the United States.

[YRABNNRM]

Gabu: Give me a reason why Canada should not become part of the United States.

I'll answer this for him: Celine Dion/Sum 41/Bryan Adams/Nelly Furtado/Avril Lavinge/Hayden Christensen/Brendan Fraser/Matthew Perry/Keanu Reeves....enough said....

[Platypus]

Hugh: Did you get to Valparaiso and Vina del Mar when you were in Chile? How were they? I wanted to see both of them but didn't have the time.

Yes, right near the end of my tri[p I had a choice between two days of hiking around Pucon or visiting Valpo and Vina...I chose the latter and I'm very glad I did. I based myself in Valparaiso for two nights, and it was like a massive Fitzroy on hills...really arty, funky, bohemian; with the craziest streets and painted houses everywhere. Great city. I spent one afternoon in Vina del Mar, which is just a short train trip away (20 mins at most) and wandered around there, along the beach and through the heart of the city, but I didn't like it nearly as much as Valparaiso.

Valparaiso also has the worst traffic in the world, purely because of the 'micros'- small buses (maybe 15 passangers) that zigzag all around the place constantly-there are literally thousands of routes, and each bus has a different fare. Trying to lug around a backpack through Valparaiso, in the rain, hopping on and off the micros, was insane. Valparaiso is a must-see.

[Colin]

Hugh: Did you get to Valparaiso and Vina del Mar when you were in Chile? How were they? I wanted to see both of them but didn't have the time.

Yes, right near the end of my tri[p I had a choice between two days of hiking around Pucon or visiting Valpo and Vina...I chose the latter and I'm very glad I did. I based myself in Valparaiso for two nights, and it was like a massive Fitzroy on hills...really arty, funky, bohemian; with the craziest streets and painted houses everywhere. Great city. I spent one afternoon in Vina del Mar, which is just a short train trip away (20 mins at most) and wandered around there, along the beach and through the heart of the city, but I didn't like it nearly as much as Valparaiso.

Valparaiso also has the worst traffic in the world, purely because of the 'micros'- small buses (maybe 15 passangers) that zigzag all around the place constantly-there are literally thousands of routes, and each bus has a different fare. Trying to lug around a backpack through Valparaiso, in the rain, hopping on and off the micros, was insane. Valparaiso is a must-see.

God damn it. I knew I should have given myself more time in the Central Valley. Damn desert excusrion.

[Platypus]

I didn't get to go to the desert, I've heard it was pretty cool though, as well as the Salt Plains, so maybe that was a must-see as well that I missed. Don't feel too bad

[MaC]

Statesrights: how did you manage to quit this forum?

[Joe Republic]

Anybody religious, so Jmfcst I guess:

If Mary was only 13 or so and unmarried when she became pregnant, what does that make God?

[bullmoose88]

Anybody religious, so Jmfcst I guess:

If Mary was only 13 or so and unmarried when she became pregnant, what does that make God?

Wasn't 13 the old 30 back then?

:-p

[Gabu]

Gabu: Give me a reason why Canada should not become part of the United States.

You'd get roughly 30,000,000 more people who would vote in favor of universal health care.

[Undisguised Sockpuppet]

Gabu: Give me a reason why Canada should not become part of the United States.

You'd get roughly 30,000,000 more people who would vote in favor of universal health care.

How is that a bad thing?

[MaC]

Gabu: Give me a reason why Canada should not become part of the United States.

You'd get roughly 30,000,000 more people who would vote in favor of universal health care.

How is that a bad thing?

shut up Straha!  Good answer Gabu-I am impressed.

[bullmoose88]

Scoonie: Have you ever voted for a Republican, if so, for whom (when)?

Under what circumstances would you vote Republican?

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

He actually admitted to voting for Judd Gregg (due to the fact his opponent was a 94 year old novelty candidate).

If anyone asks me, I can think of two cases in 2002 where I would've voted Republican:

-Maryland gubernatorial election
-For now retired Rep. Amo Houghton of New York

nothing since then (except Lugar this year), though I would've voted Schlesinger if Lieberman won the primary (on the grounds that he's a good person and Lieberman isn't)

[MaC]

He actually admitted to voting for Judd Gregg (due to the fact his opponent was a 94 year old novelty candidate).

If anyone asks me, I can think of two cases in 2002 where I would've voted Republican:

-Maryland gubernatorial election
-For now retired Rep. Amo Houghton of New York

nothing since then (except Lugar this year), though I would've voted Schlesinger if Lieberman won the primary (on the grounds that he's a good person and Lieberman isn't)

you'd go Republican before Libertarian?

[Joe Republic]

Would you have voted for Connie Morella?  (To BRTD and Scoonie, and any other Demohacks)

[Beet]

I don't think you identify me as a "Demohack" Joe, but I'm a pretty partisan Dem and this is an interesting question.

Connie Morella is if anything slightly to the left of me. I would certainly vote for her for President. But in the 2002 congressional elections I would probably vote for Van Hollen if I could go back.

The issue is not just what Connie's positions were but where she stood relative to the House that we had back then. The 2002 House was far to the right of us in MD-08, there was almost nothing the voters in the 8th district could do about it.

It's not that we were to the left of Connie, it's that we wanted to push the House harder in Connie's direction. And the way to maximize our impact was to elect a Democrat. It was really that simple. Of course, many still supported Morella for her long constituent service and name in the district, and combined with a minority of genuinely conservative voters she was able to narrowly survive. But most of those in this district who voted her out didn't do so because of her politics but as a way to more forcefully express opposition at the national level. In many ways it was both the most and the least we could do.

But Morella was an excellent representative, no doubt about it. When you take out the rest of the House of Representatives from the equation, I'd support her; and as I said I'd vote for her (and many other Republicans which I would have opposed for Congress) for President.

[Joe Republic]

You're not a 'Demohack' in my book, thefactor, and that was a very thoughtful and relevant response.

I certainly understand the reasons for why she was defeated in 2002, and she would never have performed as well as she did if it was purely about partisanship.  Still, it was a shame to have lost her.

(Voting "present" to re-elect Newt Gingrich as Speaker?  Wow, I'm impressed.)

[Beet]

You're not a 'Demohack' in my book, thefactor, and that was a very thoughtful and relevant response.

I certainly understand the reasons for why she was defeated in 2002, and she would never have performed as well as she did if it was purely about partisanship.  Still, it was a shame to have lost her.

Agreed. I like both her and Van Hollen.

Strangely, Maryland Republican congressmen and women with perhap the exception of Bob "sample Democratic ballot" Ehrlich tend to be wonderful. Gilchrest and Bartlett are both independent-minded "citizen legislators" who have remarkable achievements. It will be unfortunate when they retire as well.

[Joe Republic]

Very true; I do have a great deal of respect for most Maryland Republicans.  Ehrlich and Steele, for all their separate faults, weren't *that* bad on the whole.  Wayne Gilchrest is one of my favorite congressmen in the entire House, as is Roscoe Bartlett (to a slightly lesser extent).

And of course, who can forget Al Wynn's perennial opponent, John Kimble?