Putin33 considers Kim Jong Il and Mugabe to be success stories, which (unfairly) undermines people on the reasonable left end of the spectrum.

That's not what I said but as usual you can only construct strawmen. And your supercilious contempt for government doesn't allow you to speak for the left in any capacity, let alone determine what delimits 'reasonable' opinion.

"everyone does it, so i'll do it as well. that sounds like a reasonable philosophy."

I'd like to see your restraint if you were in my shoes.

Tendmote is the same man who called all public officials sociopaths. He's obsessed with "reason" but seems to think no one but him possesses it.

I didn't say "no one" possessed "reason".

I meant that political power draws people who have out-of-control egos, a high appetite for risk, and are often dishonest, which certainly has the whiff of sociopathy. Political power is a specific magnet for such people; I did *not* say "everyone but Tendmote" was a sociopath.

Anyway, would it be safe to say that you consider Kim Jong Il and Mugabe to be admirable, then? If so that would still call the "Putin33 road" into question.

^ To clarify the above, what I said was "Every political or military leader of every persuasion is a dangerous sociopath." I was not talking about "everyone".

Inb4 evasion of question followed by ad hominem response.

Happy birthday ?

Haaa ha ha ha....apparently the shit sucking attention whore Putin has made his presence known...no doubt dripping with his usual bile and attack-dog style, while pretending to be some paragon of virtue.

Mute is a glorious and wonderful thing. I can just imagine him huddled in his closet petting the children he keeps there with his one free hand...

Ah what the hell...BUMP

Krells, now *you* are being the attention whore. You got the last word in and should have let it be.

/\ No, you just tried to get the last word. :P

Besides the current crop of threads bores me.

But you *had* the last word until you bumped it, goof. No just respond with a "You're right, Draug. You're always right." and you will not see me respond again and you will have gotten the last word in - again.

I think bumping an attack thread is the permanent prerogative of whoever was attacked (¡NOTE: rule does not apply to self-attack threads!) If the target doesn't want to drop it, that's the attacker's problem.

• I would tend to agree with tendmote – why shouldn’t I keep this honorary thread created in my name alive and kicking throughout the holidays? Wasn’t that the purpose of it? It certainly has as much value as any other “I posted the last random comment” thread, or the thirteenth billion religion thread, or the twice-daily new “commie v. capitalism” thread?

I agree, but I find it ironic that the victim got the last word by calling the attacker an attention whore, then had to be an attention whore himself. :-)

I would have been disappointed if krellin didn't bump the thread.

Draug - I didn't call the attacker an attention whore as the thread was started by General Ass Clown. I called Putin an attention whore because apparently (according to other posts) he showed up, do doubt to demonstrate his cum-gargling skills for us (I don’t know, he is muted).

Correction noted and apology offered up. I oft forget Putin is here cause I have him muted.

Still, you must admit that you got the last word in calling *someone* an attention whore then turned into one yourself. :-)

Draugnar, my only reply is this: I don't believe in "last words"...

@krellin ... all too obviously.

right...

You could have ended the question before saying "with Krellin".

Honestly, why do people debate at all? Has anyone here ever had their mind changed by a debate? Has anyone ever changed anyone else's mind?

Discourse is productive, but debate is not discourse. Debate is yelling.

Arguably, discourse is a form of debate and arguing is a form of debate. And I have had my mind changed by debates from this very forum.

I challenge you to a debate on the productiveness of debate.

@hecks – I have moderated my views on a topic or two over the years, and I would say in part that would be due to some discussions had around here.

Yeah, I remember when Krellin advocated eating babies and sterilizing Putin. :-)

Well you know what they say, the best way to get a baby out of a blender is with tortilla chips.