It amazes me what Americans don't know about the Constitution and what it does NOT provide for, but then, over the years, we have wandered away from the intentions and provisions of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights to the point where very few actually know what "upholding the Constitution" really means. I find your knowledge delightful and I've enjoyed this discussion.

I see what you are getting at.

I asked if you were speaking as a Cuban because the Cuban Spanish is a little different than Castilsan (misspelled, I know) Spanish of which I can understand some. It is a particular dialect. Even the Spanish translations are mangled when translated into English - it is even more mangled when speaking to a Cuban. :-)

I had a very hard time helping a Portuguese lady I spoke with for about 3 years at my last on-line job because the slight difference of her dialect from the main area of her country, was almost impossible to correctly translate using traditional methods. :-)

In closing, I think the American people need to stop thinking they are to lofty to be attacked and start becoming more aware of themselves, their dealings and surroundings. If all people would protect themselves with awareness, less protection would be needed by the government. But that is just my opinion and not a fact.

I agree that the present system used by this country is not doing what it was supposed to do. Still, until all people participate in protecting this country and it's people's rights, the only system we seem to have is this faulty one.

LOL

Well sir, I have never believed in surveillance programs of any sort on any level as an American who believes in privacy of individuals. The argument for them is valid - to insure safety and protect the citizens. But as in so many things, once you take something out of context, such as monitoring internet, phone, etc. activity, people tend to form a bias opinion of the activity - something that may or may not be true. I do understand what you are saying and I don't have much of a solution. I do not want to be tracked in a computer, nor do I want to have a terrorist fly a plane into my home and kill me. The monitoring going on by the government on all levels is escalating and we are losing our freedoms and privacy. Yet, it probably has saved lives as well. The potential for misuse is enormous and can we trust our government agencies to only use this information for pure and honest purposes? I'm not sure I can answer that without feeling remorse on one side or the other of the answer. BTW, F16 Club, is your primary language Cuban?

Wow, I did Google this and it is on tons of blogs but no origin sited. Seems its been circulating in emails for a year or two with no origin anywhere. But I see it's re-posted on the Freepress blog site, Tea Party affiliated blogs and several free-world anti-American blog sites. Still makes me wish I could find the source.

It's a translation thing. Been up against this before in my web-based employment. He's not really able to phrase correctly, words are substituted for the more normal "slang" Americans are used to using and inflection and non-serious tone all point to a translator that isn't able to do a good job from his home language. He makes sense in the abstract and thinks we are making fun of him rather than see him as having valid thoughts. That's because the thoughts as they come through are not coherent in our language. Sometimes a simple phrase or thought can be translated almost perfectly but in more convoluted sentences, the translations are impossible. I know this is so in some of the Middle Eastern languages, Portuguese and places where more than one dialect is used.

Not that too many of you will care, but I do think he's trying to express valid opinions but none of us can figure out what they are.

Just curious...what TV host or news person created this British Top 10 List? I don't see who it was attributed to. It sounds more like a list created by a disgruntled American from the pure political view and knowledge of the thoughts. Not that I say I agree or disagree with it, but I'm just curious about the source.

How very sad. I only gave my opinion. I respected yours. I still do. We simply differ in how we see it. I do not feel the need to berate you, or disrespect you. I do not understand your rage at a difference of interpretation. May I point out, no dogs search, or search or further words would have occurred if the boy had simply rolled down the window nicely when asked? But, I was not there and I have no idea what was said or done off-camera so perhaps, I am wrong. But from what I did see and hear, I formed my opinion. So sad you would blow out over someone not sharing your own opinion. :-(

My dad passed through Belgium during WWII and all of my life he spoke about the beauty of the countryside, the friendliness of the people, the kindness he was shown and the wish he could return some day. I imagine it as enchanting...

Wow! you guys are impressive with all the places you have lived in and visited...I've always heard about Belgium and it has always been my dream to see it. I can't come close to these places you mention but...I lived in Cleveland for 10 years...

What I saw was a "know-it-all" kid who acted suspiciously with his responses to the officer, and had I been the officer, I would have been alerted to someone who had something to hide as well. That "Constitutional rights" stuff usually comes out of people with things to hide. If a person rolls the window down as asked, the entire stop is usually ended within a few moments or minutes. As for the asking of an ID...where I live you are required to carry a valid ID and present it when asked, even randomly, and if you don't, you can be detained, taken to the station and held until an ID is made through the computer system. I have no objection...I am not hiding anything. The kid might have been within rights, but he got exactly what he asked for with his disrespectful attitude. I don't advocate taking crap from cops, but the cop wasn't disrespectful when he made the stop. The kid pushed for it. I have no sympathy for the kid.

I own that very same child-safety gate. It doesn't do a thing to keep the ghosts from falling down the stairs...

This looks like such a happy occasion and just like all the other wedding photos posted of opposite sex couples that we don't know, I think seeing such happiness and affection is a beautiful thing. Happiness and love is good under any condition, especially when a person's heart carries more dissatisfaction and effrontery than joy. It is a lesson that is taught in all societies and all religions - to treat others as you wish to be treated. Differences are minor...sameness is immense.

Skin-so-Soft works very well. I lived in a tropical climate and used it regularly. Also, I did a lot of shoots on the Gulf of Mexico beaches and sometimes an accident would happen when a bare foot would encounter a washed up jelly fish. Best remedy - either you or a passerby ... pee on it. Also, you can use meat tenderizer - sprinkle it on thick on jelly fish or sting ray stings. Eases the pain tremendously.

Why do we still have an appendix?
Why do men have nipples?

Geez.