18-03-2005 22:05									#31
	Support Apolyton, buy GURPS/ Alpha Centauri

Everyone is not the same Imran. You are obviously too prejudice to make a sane judgement here so I'll drop it.

	18-03-2005 22:06									#32
	Support Apolyton

quote: Aggie got PWNED!

Hardly. It's common knowledge up here that Martin is one of the richest people in Canada. But its also common knowledge that his official PM perks are quite spartan.

	18-03-2005 22:07									#33
	Support Apolyton, buy Galactic Civilizations

quote: Originally posted by Kidicious Everyone is not the same Imran. You are obviously too prejudice to make a sane judgement here so I'll drop it.

The sane judgment is not believing someone is such a saint that he's a totalitarian leader and isn't making some serious money off of it. The prejudice here is all yours.

	18-03-2005 22:08									#34
	Support Apolyton buy from Amazon

quote: Originally posted by Agathon quote: Aggie got PWNED! Hardly. It's common knowledge up here that Martin is one of the richest people in Canada. But its also common knowledge that his official PM perks are quite spartan.

It's 'cause he's the Head of Government in a democratic state. One with some checks and balances and not someone's personal fiefdom.

	18-03-2005 22:08									#35
	Support Apolyton buy from Amazon

quote: I do know that he is a brutal dictator that has not loosened the reigns on his people for over 50 years

Brutal? Give me a break.

Castro is absolutely loved by the Cuban people. Cheering mobs greet him wherever he goes. There are few world leaders that are as popular as Fidel.

He would easily win any election that were ever held. The main reason for not holding one is that the US would bankroll or otherwise support the opposition.

	18-03-2005 22:11									#36
	Avatar Enlargement: We've got the solution

quote: Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui The sane judgment is not believing someone is such a saint that he's a totalitarian leader and isn't making some serious money off of it. The prejudice here is all yours.

The difference is that I'm using information about the particulars and you aren't. You're just making a generalization and purposefully ignoring particulars. Believe it or not there are people who are not materialistic. Actually there are lots of people like that.

	18-03-2005 22:11									#37
	Support Apolyton, buy Galactic Civilizations: Deluxe Edition

quote: Originally posted by Agathon quote: I do know that he is a brutal dictator that has not loosened the reigns on his people for over 50 years Brutal? Give me a break. Castro is absolutely loved by the Cuban people. Cheering mobs greet him wherever he goes. There are few world leaders that are as popular as Fidel. He would easily win any election that were ever held. The main reason for not holding one is that the US would bankroll or otherwise support the opposition.

Of course he is, he sent all his political enemies here in the 80's. At least those brave enough to voice an opinion.

I'd cheer Bush to, if I had no other choice.

ACK!

	18-03-2005 22:13									#38
	Support Apolyton buy from Amazon

Don't believe the hype. Why not try watching the Stone film. It's uncensored.

Castro is what is keeping Cuban children in school rather than stitching baseballs for Americans for 2 cents a day. They know this even if you don't.

	18-03-2005 22:15									#39
	Support Apolyton, buy Alpha Centauri

quote: Originally posted by Agathon Don't believe the hype. Why not try watching the Stone film. It's uncensored. Castro is what is keeping Cuban children in school rather than stitching baseballs for Americans for 2 cents a day. They know this even if you don't.

Oliver Stone, yeah he's believable...

ACK!

	18-03-2005 22:16									#40
	Tired of ads?

quote: Originally posted by Kidicious I believe he doesn't live much better than most Cubans. He isn't materialistic.

Where is the vomit smiley, when you need it?

Asmodean

	18-03-2005 22:17									#41
	Support Apolyton, buy Alpha Centauri

quote: Originally posted by Asmodean Where is the vomit smiley, when you need it? Asmodean

I thought the same thing when Oliver Stone was mentioned........

ACK!

	18-03-2005 22:21									#42
	Support Apolyton, buy Civilization 2

quote: Originally posted by Tuberski Of course he is, he sent all his political enemies here in the 80's. At least those brave enough to voice an opinion.

Not all of them. He's jailed the rest.

quote: Don't believe the hype.

I'm not aware of anyone other than Kid who believes you in this thread so that part is covered. BTW, here is something to tell us just a little about how free Cuba is: http://www.cpj.org/attacks96/sreports/cuba.html

	18-03-2005 22:23									#43
	Support Apolyton buy from Amazon

quote: Originally posted by Agathon He would easily win any election that were ever held. The main reason for not holding one is that the US would bankroll or otherwise support the opposition.

I'm a little curious about this magical veil that prevents the US from successfully supporting any opposition now that would be lifted if Castro held an election. Especially given that he's so immensly popular and would easily win any election, as you say.

	18-03-2005 22:26									#44
	Increase the size of your Attachments

Let's get something straight before you all start getting out of control. I'm not saying he doesn't abuse human rights. I said he wasn't materialistic. Damn you guys are pitifull sometimes.

	18-03-2005 23:14									#45
	Enter the AD-FREE zone

And who was quoting you? Damn you are so pitiful sometimes with your "Look at me".

As for people not being materialistic... yeah, I guess in the 'believe it or not', I'm going with not, especially with that much power.

	18-03-2005 23:15									#46
	Got spare money?

I guess he didn't like me lumping him in with Aggie.

	18-03-2005 23:19									#47
	Increase Your PM Length

quote: Originally posted by Kidicious Let's get something straight before you all start getting out of control. I'm not saying he doesn't abuse human rights. I said he wasn't materialistic. Damn you guys are pitifull sometimes.

Power Corrupts.

Absolute Power Corrupts Absolutely.

'nuff said?

Asmodean

	18-03-2005 23:22									#48
	Support Apolyton, buy Galactic Civilizations: Deluxe Edition

I don't personally think Castro is brutal. The US has to take a lot of blame for being so hostile to Cuba. Cuba would be a much different place if it didn't have to worry about the US ****ing with it.

You guys are making this out to be about Castro's political control of Cuba when it has nothing to do with it. Just because someone has the ability to do something doesn't mean that they do it. Castro came from a wealthy family. He never had to be a communist. He did so by choice because of his moral convictions.

	18-03-2005 23:25									#49
	Tired of ads?

quote: Originally posted by Asmodean Power Corrupts. Absolute Power Corrupts Absolutely. 'nuff said? Asmodean

Yep, that's my point entirely. If you don't believe Castro is corrupted, then you believe him to be a saint (an actual one, not the sort that the Vatican wants to confirm for political reasons). Frankly, I consider that silly.

	18-03-2005 23:27									#50
	Suffering from ads?

The part that you are ignoring is that he didn't from a gd poor family. He never had to fight a revolution and get thrown in prison. He could have lived a life as a wealthy lawyer. Damn you guys like to ignore reality don't you.

	18-03-2005 23:31									#51
	Support Apolyton buy from Amazon

And people from poor families have to fight a revolution and get thrown in prison? I wan't aware of that one.

	18-03-2005 23:34									#52
	Put an end to popups!

quote: Originally posted by Kontiki And people from poor families have to fight a revolution and get thrown in prison? I wan't aware of that one.

Once again you miss the point, and don't ask me what it is.

	18-03-2005 23:36									#53
	Help yourself to an AD-FREE life

quote: Originally posted by Kidicious The part that you are ignoring is that he didn't from a gd poor family. He never had to fight a revolution and get thrown in prison. He could have lived a life as a wealthy lawyer. Damn you guys like to ignore reality don't you.

Who is ignoring reality in saying a guy with absolute power isn't corrupt? Is Castro a saint to you? Is he Father Fidel in the Church of Communism? He didn't have to fight the revolution, but it made him far richer than he otherwise would have been.

	18-03-2005 23:39									#54
	Support Apolyton, pre-order Civilization IV

quote: Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui Who is ignoring reality in saying a guy with absolute power isn't corrupt? Is Castro a saint to you? Is he Father Fidel in the Church of Communism? He didn't have to fight the revolution, but it made him far richer than he otherwise would have been.

I didn't say he was a ****ing saint. I said he wasn't materialistic for Christ's sake. Is everyone you know materialistic? What kind of world do you live in?

	18-03-2005 23:42									#55
	Help yourself to an AD-FREE life

quote: Originally posted by Kidicious I didn't say he was a ****ing saint. I said he wasn't materialistic for Christ's sake. Is everyone you know materialistic? What kind of world do you live in?

Absolute power corrupts absolutely.


Are you denying that Fidel is corrupt? Can you name any absolute rular who was not corrupt?

	18-03-2005 23:44									#56
	Increase Your PM Length

Jesus - Lord of lords King of kings.

	18-03-2005 23:46									#57
	Tired of ads?

The comparison to the leader of the USSR seem valid, because when the USSR collpaesed, none of the party's top leaderships bailed with huge bank accounts.

Look at Gorbachev (who certainly lived better than the average Soviet Citizen), when the Union feell, did he have billions stached away in some bank account, which he honeslty could have had?

Or the Mao family: are they living it up with a huge, multi-million dollar private bank account? I have never heard that, and certainly most of the big party bosses in the USSR, while confortable, have never been on the top forbes lists, have they? These guys, running a disctatorial styate with a GDP of over a trillion, you would think they could siphon of a few hundred millions, no?

Compare this to deposed kings like the Shah, that leave and flee the country with susbtantial personal savings.

Simply bieng the leader of a dictatorship, which certainly gives you perks, does not equate to you looting the national treasury to stash away on your own.

I don;t think its correct to assume that a dictator must be personally stinking rich.

That said, I would be interested to know were exactly Castro's money would come from, and go to.

	18-03-2005 23:52									#58
	Support Apolyton, buy Galactic Civilizations

quote: Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui Absolute power corrupts absolutely. Are you denying that Fidel is corrupt? Can you name any absolute rular who was not corrupt?

Like I said, I'm sure he's not a saint. He's much less materialistic than the average person though. He doesn't have palaces and that sort of thing. He cares deeply about communism and the Cuban people. I truly believe that.

	19-03-2005 00:07									#59
	Increase Your PM Length

quote: Originally posted by Kidicious Once again you miss the point, and don't ask me what it is.

Should I not ask you because you don't have a point? Or are you saying that I should have asked you, because I'm misunderstanding that there's no way being the absolute head of a country could make one better off monetarily or otherwise than starting off from a middle class background?

	19-03-2005 00:46									#60
	Support Apolyton buy from Amazon

I don't want to be rude Kontiki. The point is that there are some people who become happy by other things besides material objects. Just because he can be rich, doesn't mean that he is. You couldn't make a more absurd assumption.