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Messages - Mspfc Doc DuFresne

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1
Off-Topic / RIP Daniel Inouye, US Senator, Veteran
« on: 19-12-2012, 02:12:24 »
I was surprised that nobody else posted this, so I logged back in after all these years to do so.

Yesterday, Daniel Inouye, senator for the state of Hawaii, passed away at the age of 88. He represented Hawaii as a Democratic senator 9 terms and as a politician for 58 years and never lost an election, reaching the rank of President Pro Tempore of the US Senate, placing him third in line of presidential succession. He was known for his constant support of GLBT rights and his opposition to covert military actions not responsible to the US legislative bodies.

He was also a war hero. A Japanese-American, he was present at the battle of Pearl Harbor as a paramedic. He immediately attempted to enlist in the US Army, and upon learning that Japanese-Americans were not allowed, he kept petitioning to serve. In 1943, when the first all Japanese-American units were formed, he left his medical studies and joined the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, which was then deployed to Italy. It was there, as a 2nd Lieutenant, that he earned his Medal of Honor.


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Second Lieutenant Daniel K. Inouye distinguished himself by extraordinary heroism in action on 21 April 1945, in the vicinity of San Terenzo, Italy. While attacking a defended ridge guarding an important road junction, Second Lieutenant Inouye skillfully directed his platoon through a hail of automatic weapon and small arms fire, in a swift enveloping movement that resulted in the capture of an artillery and mortar post and brought his men to within 40 yards of the hostile force. Emplaced in bunkers and rock formations, the enemy halted the advance with crossfire from three machine guns. With complete disregard for his personal safety, Second Lieutenant Inouye crawled up the treacherous slope to within five yards of the nearest machine gun and hurled two grenades, destroying the emplacement. Before the enemy could retaliate, he stood up and neutralized a second machine gun nest. Although wounded by a sniper’s bullet, he continued to engage other hostile positions at close range until an exploding grenade shattered his right arm. Despite the intense pain, he refused evacuation and continued to direct his platoon until enemy resistance was broken and his men were again deployed in defensive positions. In the attack, 25 enemy soldiers were killed and eight others captured. By his gallant, aggressive tactics and by his indomitable leadership, Second Lieutenant Inouye enabled his platoon to advance through formidable resistance, and was instrumental in the capture of the ridge. Second Lieutenant Inouye’s extraordinary heroism and devotion to duty are in keeping with the highest traditions of military service and reflect great credit on him, his unit, and the United States Army.

What the MoH citation fails to mention is that he lost his arm to a direct hit from a rifle grenade while assaulting the final position. He pried his live grenade from the hand of his mutilated arm and used it to destroy the final machine gun nest. He then used his Thompson submachine gun and one remaining arm to single handedly continue the assault until he was wounded in the ankle. Unable to stand, he propped himself against a tree and continued to fire until he passed out from bloodloss.

Rest in Peace. Some men don't die, they simply decide that they've lived long enough.

His final words were simply "Aloha."

2
I think you meant to say that his stupid AVRE is nothing to the Sturmtiger, unless you really wrote a post to argue against yourself.

Also, can front-heaviness be coded into the game? Just wondering?

Jagdpanther IV== Less adorable than the Hetzer. I mean, come on. You just want to pinch that thing's little cheeks!

Who's a good little Hetzer? Who's a good little Hetzer?! YOU ARE! Yes you are! Yes you are!!!

3
Off-Topic / Re: Post something happy that happened to you
« on: 06-07-2010, 03:07:00 »
I ditched the forum for two months out of sheer and desperate apathy. That's fairly lazy.

Also, dear lord in heaven, how has this thread not died yet?!

Ok, see y'all again in a few months, probably.

4
Off-Topic / Re: Deepwater Horizon
« on: 15-05-2010, 01:05:35 »
http://publicpolicypolling.blogspot.com/2010/05/politics-of-oil-spills.html

Under WTF?,

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28% of Republicans said the recent oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico made them more likely to support drilling off the coast to an equal 28% who said it made them less likely to be supportive.

To quote a comment on a blog that I follow,

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Oh my Dear and Fluffy Lord, they've actually devolving to the level of Captain Planet villains.

Also, Oddball, when you are at the point where industrial accidents appear most likely to be sabotage intended to cause a massive witchhunt/ public scare and do not seem at all related to the gross negligence and shirking of the regulations by BP, then you may officially consider yourself a conspiracy theorist. Is the mine disaster also the result of sabotage by liberals seeking to influence public opinion, and who then moved on to the oil rig once they realized that people don't care too much if it doesn't affect them>

5
Quote
Spell the Magic Word

After a long illness, a woman died and arrived at the Gates of Heaven. While she was waiting for Saint Peter to greet her, she peeked through the Gates. She saw that it was so beautiful.

Saint Peter came by; the woman said to him "This is such a wonderful place! How do I get in?"

"You have to spell a word", Saint Peter told her.

"Which word?" the woman asked.

"Love."

The woman correctly spelled "Love" and Saint Peter welcomed her into Heaven.

About six months later, Saint Peter came to the woman and asked her to watch the Gates of Heaven for him that day. While the woman was guarding the Gates of Heaven, her husband arrived.

"I'm surprised to see you," the woman said. "How have you been?" "Oh, I've been doing pretty well since you died," her husband told her. "I married the beautiful young nurse who took care of you while you were ill. And then I won the lottery. I sold the little house you and I lived in and bought a big mansion. And my wife and I traveled all around the world. We were on vacation and I went water skiing today. I fell, the ski hit my head, and here I am. How do I get in?"

"You have to spell a word", the woman told him.

"Which word?" her husband asked.

"Czechoslovakia."

6
Off-Topic / Re: Picture of the Day (Other eras)
« on: 29-04-2010, 07:04:22 »
Ah, yes Zeno, the Kirov is a far superior helicopter to American ones  :P



^ and CPS's post would be appropriate for a "you pwn me" thread.

7
Off-Topic / Re: The "I pwn you thread"
« on: 28-04-2010, 02:04:25 »


Can't see the colors when you fail the colorblindness test!

8
Off-Topic / Re: Proof god exists
« on: 24-04-2010, 01:04:00 »
Arisaka, the fact that you can find only evil when you try to imagine motives for people trying to disprove god is a bit worrying. It is not necessarily for control (not that atheism is terribly useful for controlling people); a lot of, shall we call them aggressive atheists, like Dawkins, genuinely believe that organized religion is responsible for most of the evil that people do to each other, and that rational atheism prevents evil on a mass scale. Looking at the history of organized religion and religious wars, you do have to admit that religious institutions are hardly blameless.

Also, why do you hate people who try and disprove god? Do you hate people who try and convert others to their religion, like door to door preachers? They are a bit annoying, but mostly I feel a bit of pity for them. Certainly no hatred.

9
Off-Topic / Re: Happy Earth Day!
« on: 23-04-2010, 05:04:35 »
I admired the pretty Earth Day logo on Google.



Pretty.

10
Off-Topic / Re: Nice Try, Russia!
« on: 22-04-2010, 08:04:49 »
I like how there is a separate category for visiting with your Russian girlfriend. Still, required Hotel information, areas of interest, and areas of expertise, just to access a museum?

11
Off-Topic / Re: Proof god exists
« on: 22-04-2010, 04:04:48 »
Psychological Theology? That's rather...novel, Archi. What was wrong with the good old id-ego-superego?

12
Off-Topic / Re: Proof god exists
« on: 22-04-2010, 03:04:30 »
My personal theology is very simple:

1. I don't believe there is a god; I am a weak atheist, since by definition it is impossible to completely disprove the existence of god.

2.  I will be a good person, not out of fear but simply because it is the ethical thing to do. If there is a just and loving god, he will forgive me for the minor things, like Atheism, as long as I am a good person (for instance, a just god would rank helping the poor as more important than baptism; one who does not is either unjust or, even more terrifying, a bureaucrat)

3. If I am a good person, and god is unjust and judges me based on technicalities, then I would not worship him(them). I have morals, I have standards: I do not, and will not, worship power, however unilateral.

You know what Oddball, I find that most religious people have not studied atheist ideas of the universe and do not know or understand atheists very well. It is a human trait, not an atheist trait. It is simpler to just condemn those outside your group as ignorant, malicious, or somehow inferior than to get to know them. Religious people often think that atheists have no ethics because they have no fear of hell; Atheists often think that religious people are that way because they are blinded and ignorant.

That is the true problem with stereotyping, actually: A stereotype of someone, no matter what stereotype it is, will prevent you from seeing who they truly are. Instead, you often see only the stereotype.

The problem is, understanding other people is difficult. They can say things that annoy and infuriate you, especially if they are not trying to make an outreach as well. A few weeks ago I realized that it is not just a matter of Us not understanding Them; no, it is often a matter of Us not understanding how They do not understand Us. Once you see the other persons' stereotypes, their flawed misconceptions, you can correct them. The event that really opened my eyes was this:

I was talking with a (very conservative) friend. He asks my positions on Abortion and Capital punishment. I am pro-choice and rather ambivalent towards capital punishment. He mentions that he cannot understand how liberals can be pro-choice and anti-capital punishment at the same time; it seems like hypocrisy to him. He understood how somebody could be pro-life and pro-capital punishment or pro-life and anti-capital punishment or pro-choice and pro-capital punishment, but he didn't understand the fourth viewpoint. I pause, I think, I realize, I understand. Not only had it never occurred to him that Humans may not have souls, may not need souls, it had clearly never occurred to him, as I found out on asking, it had never occurred to him that anybody would believe that humans don't have souls. He had simply assumed that Liberals justified pro-choice beliefs based on a Libertarian and Utilitarian philosophy but switched to pure emotion and compassion with regards to the death penalty. For all his understanding of how pro-choice people believe that abortion is not murder, he did not understand that anybody could believe that abortion was not killing a person.

That is the true communication barrier. Not just us not understanding them, but us not understanding how they don't understand us.

That was a long post. Hmmm. Maybe it would just be easier to yell and shout and assume that all religious people are superstitious idiots who live in caves, instead.



P.S. @Oddball
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I find most people who do not believe in a God or Diety havn't read and understood a Holy book and their teachings, hasn't attended Church, or made connections amoungst the religions.

If your religion relies on atheists to go out of their way to read books they regard as mysticism and fiction, and to do this voluntarily and without prompting, then perhaps you should take a second look at your missionary strategy. We shouldn't have to convince ourselves; you should have to convince us, and you certainly have to put more effort into it than telling me to read the Bible and come back later. Don't be surprised if an atheist hasn't studied your religion; why should we try and convert ourselves?

Also, you'll find that djinn here, as he mentioned just earlier, was a devout christian until recently. I find that a significant percentage of the atheists I know were strongly religious earlier in their lives, but by no means a majority.

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Off-Topic / Re: Proof god exists
« on: 21-04-2010, 06:04:15 »
Hell, a significant number of the founding fathers weren't even Christians--they were deists, believing in a mechanistic universe, and thus Jesus was not divine to them. Quite trendy during the enlightenment too.

And regarding this:

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LOL....Seperation of church and state is just the retard version that seems to have caught on.

Separation of Church and State was first endorsed by Thomas Jefferson in 1802. (For this sin Texas did this to him.)

The Constitution, Bill of Rights, etc., are often frustratingly vague. Relying solely on a document that can be interpreted both ways is foolishness; if you cannot make a good point without relying on the wishes of people dead for 200 years, then you likely cannot make a good argument at all, imo.

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Off-Topic / Re: Proof god exists
« on: 21-04-2010, 02:04:19 »
Well that article was a definite lolercoaster. Not only did they bring up the "look, science doesn't explain everything, therefore god must exist" argument, not only did they bring up the "I was an atheist too once, therefore, you should believe in god like me" argument, they brought up the tired old "look, Earth is so perfect for life, therefore it must have been made for us by god!" argument.

All the people who were born on the trillions of planets that cannot support life would slap them, except they can't, because, he-yo, they are dead. Most planets are outside the Goldilocks zone; is it really so hard for them to understand that of all the dead planets in the solar system we would only find life on the planet that could actually support it?

15
General Discussion / Re: how I died... in FH 2.2
« on: 20-04-2010, 07:04:19 »
It was even better, since it was at edge of range and firing uphill, it had flown for three seconds and was nearly stationary when it bumped against the rear of the Sherman like a clumsy drunk kitten. BOOM!

The best part was, the guy watched it come and didn't get out cause he didn't think I could hit him.  :P

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