Gosh darn it, isn't it terrible the way them homosexuals stole the word gay! They RUINED it I tell ya!Originally Posted by alan
Gosh darn it, isn't it terrible the way them homosexuals stole the word gay! They RUINED it I tell ya!
Well, attaching new meanings to words can have consequences. When I was a kid, in my home town, there was a small entertainment center called The Gay 90's Village, which showcased nickelodeon music and a large collection of the machines themselves. It was a moderately successful tourist draw in the 50's, 60's & early 70's, although was out of business by the late 70's. Not sure why.
"Things should be made as simple as possible, but not one bit simpler." ~ Albert Einstein
Perhaps Disney gave him enough for the machines that he thought it was a logical decision financially. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sikeston,_Missouri
# In the 1950s, the "Gay 90's Village Museum," a music machines, owned by Paul Eakins was established. The museum was closed in the mid 1970s, when Eakins sold the bulk of his collection to Walt Disney World.[11]
As I recall, business was pretty bad for them at that time so it was probably a smart move to sell off items he had spent his entire life acquiring and displaying. My point was that when the meaning of words change, there are consequences. I recall a diet suppressant candy called Ayds (pronounced aids) back in the 70's and 80's, which went out of business due to confusion over Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ayds
But enough of these sidelines, my original point was that those who consider themselves "liberal" are historically anything but, and it's a shame that people who actually are can no longer claim the term.
"Things should be made as simple as possible, but not one bit simpler." ~ Albert Einstein
I've dealt with quite a few oil service companies over the years. I can tell you that there are very few industries better at long term strategic planning than the petroleum industry. Regarding what they provide; with some products, like highly processed foods, you can argue the paradox of whether the demand was created to sell the product or the product was created to fill the demand. I don't think that's really true with oil. Consumers demand what oil can do for us. So far oil is the only source of highly concentrated, highly transportable, affordable energy we have discovered. No substitute exists (again, so far). The oil companies do what they do because we, consumers, place a very high value on their product. If we change our buying habits and begin to demand something different the mix of available products in the marketplace will change accordingly.
Really, it is not a shame. It just is what it is, Alan. As you concede, the meanings of words change over time. There really are no consequences to this particular item of etymology other than the rest of the world not agreeing with your personal preference. Nobody else really cares. Progressives did not "ruin," "steal" or "debase" the word. And BTW, Alan, AYDS is not to AIDS as liberal is to progressive. We are not a disease. We are not an unfortunate consequence of any kind. We haven't ruined the country, we haven't ruined your life, we aren't demonic or evil or scheming to install a totalitarian regime. The impetus for "progress" in society has led to many things that have improved the lives of peole and that people take for granted today. We have safer food, medicine, housing, consumer products and work conditions thanks to the efforts of reformers and progressives. I for one am comfortable with the label liberal or progressive. But really, to go on and on about how we ruined a word you would like to apply to yourself as a label, but no longer can because a group of people you don't like stole it is very insulting and veers into crank territory.
Rodger that is scaryBut to set the record straight, part of the opposition was indeed the risk of a pipeline spill or other local damage. There is also a significant opposition based on a projected increase in greenhouse gasses. Spokesmen included well know environmental writer, Bill McKibben, and former head of NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies, James Hansen, who is one of the country's leading climatologists. The tar sands involve the extraction of exceptionally dirty crude using huge amounts of water and heat, which when eventually burned would add a large new source of greenhouse gasses. To quote Hansen, “Essentially, it’s game over for the planet.”
As for the discussion on the meaning of words which isn't scarely but frankly just ridiculous. Look if someone was trying to change the meaning of a word in their politicing and debating and pushing for some policy or other TODAY it might be relevant and interesting and worth pointing out as yes a form of propaganda (and yes politicians do this all the time). But fighting over words whose meaning was changed 80 years ago or something, is just um give it up already. Those words already mean what they mean now. Though you can call it historical propaganda, and take historical interest in it, it is no longer active propaganda, it's no longer alive if you will, the life is gone from it, give it up.
Trees don't grow on money
Seems more like discussion territory to me, but if you want to get cranky about it, be my guest.
"Things should be made as simple as possible, but not one bit simpler." ~ Albert Einstein
Good advice. It was just thrown in as a "by the way, did you know" sort of thing. Who knew it would inflame so many?
"Things should be made as simple as possible, but not one bit simpler." ~ Albert Einstein
Fair enough. I was just hassling you to hassle you since you set yourself up for it so perfectly. Truth be told I was well aware of the older definition of liberal and am fine with it. I may not agree with everything lew rockwell and murray rothbard have to say, but I understand where they're coming from and don't have any major issues with the older, traditional, definition of liberal. I have much bigger issues with the way the country is being run right now, but I don't think those issues are at all related to minor semantic things like the definition of liberal. My issues with our governance are a much bigger thing then semantics and certainly would warrant a completely different discussion thread so I won't even try to address them here.
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