First All-Star votes in, Garnett leads all votes.

[loko_tomas]

well, let's hope that Dirk can stay infron of Duncan...*vote*

[benji]

on a military base

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe American military bases are considered American soil/territory.

[grusom]

on a military base

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe American military bases are considered American soil/territory.

I think you are wrong, but I'm not perfectly sure. Isn't the whole idea behind the Guantanamo base to be able to ignore the constitution?

I know embassies are considered a part of whatever country they are representing, but I don't think the same applies for military bases.

[benji]

Isn't the whole idea behind the Guantanamo base to be able to ignore the constitution?

Lawl, what? No, the idea of the Guantanamo base was to have a naval base on Cuba after the Spanish-American War because the location and harbor are bad-ass. Nothing there violates the U.S. Constitution.

It probably depends on the terms of the agreement, but most bases that I am aware of are considered territory of the country who owns the base.

[Indy]

Guantanamo Bay is a Naval base. There is also a detention center where suspected terriorists are held and untill 2006 it is widely acknowledged that there was torturing going on there to the extreme as the government maintained that they were not protected by the geneva convention.

[benji]

it is widely acknowledged that there was torturing going on there to the extreme

So, pouring water over someones' face for a few seconds, sleep deprivation and turning up the AC a lot is "torture to the extreme" now?

[hova-]

I can guarantee that no one in Germany is voting for Erick Dampier, dont even think anybody knows him. But why is he gettin that many votes ?

Dwight is a beast, but an ASG without Shaq wouldnt be an ASG.

Dirk in front of Duncan ... I dont think that it will stay like this.

[el badman]

So, pouring water over someones' face for a few seconds, sleep deprivation and turning up the AC a lot is "torture to the extreme" now?

Goddamn, that's so weak...
How can anyone be so biased and blind as to what's really going on?

[Axel]

How the hell is Boozer not a starting forward?

Two players known for their perennial playoff choking in Dirk Nowitzki and Carmelo Anthony make the squad... and Boozer with better numbers still doesn't get the nod? Or Caron Butler for that matter??

I hate the ASG, and this ludicrous fan voting process.

Here is my lineup, one which I think is very fair.

West:

Center - Chris Kaman
PF - Carlos Boozer
SF - Shawn Marion
SG - Kobe Bryant
PG - Steve Nash

East:

Center - Dwight Howard
PF - Kevin Garnett
SF - Caron Butler
SG - Ray Allen
PG - Chauncey Billups

[benji]

Goddamn, that's so weak...How can anyone be so biased and blind to what's really going on?

Because you know what's really going on?

I hate the ASG, and this ludicrous fan voting process.

Everyone whines about this, but what is the alternative? Come with an alternative plan to decide the All-Star starters people.

I can guarantee that no one in Germany is voting for Erick Dampier, dont even think anybody knows him. But why is he gettin that many votes ?

If only you know, Houston and Dallas were say, top six population areas in the U.S.

[el badman]

Because you know what's really going on? Idiot.

At least I don't convince myself that evil terrorists are just being splashed with water and engaged in tickle fights, just because I'm afraid of what might actually be taking place.

[benji]

At least I don't convince myself that evil terrorists are just being splashed with water and engaged in tickle fights, just because I'm afraid of what might actually be taking place.

Yeah, because that's what I said was happening. What "might actually be taking place"? That's fantastic, I can't merely believe the thousands of consistent reports, I have to believe the hysterical rantings of people with other agendas who have zero evidence to support their claims. Because, well, they might be right potentially if those things were actually happening! Even the worst thing former detainees can make up is that their religion was disrespected. If we call what's happening at G-Bay torture, we are really trivializing actual torture, just to score political points.

Two players known for their perennial playoff choking in Dirk Nowitzki and Carmelo Anthony make the squad... and Boozer with better numbers still doesn't get the nod? Or Caron Butler for that matter??

Well, Butler is in the race with KG and LeBron, not to mention Bosh and Pierce. I don't know if I would say he is more deserving than the first two guys despite having a great season.

[el badman]

That's fantastic, I can't merely believe the thousands of consistent reports,

Yes, I'm sure you must have read them all, and they must all come from sources that aren't affiliated in any way with your beloved administration
Anyone with more than half a brain knows that what's going on over there is definitely not supported by any kind of convention, and is downright scandalous. But it's all good, keep telling yourself otherwise, your claims are so well documented...

[grusom]

wow, did I just start this?

[el badman]

Sorry for off topic.
Like Axel said, what's up with Boozer and Caron Butler's rankings?
Also, why Stackhouse is even here is beyond me...

[benji]

Yes, I'm sure you must have read them all, and they must all come from sources that aren't affiliated in any way with your beloved administration
Anyone with more than half a brain knows that what's going on over there is definitely not supported by any kind of convention, and is downright scandalous.

Now I'm supposedly in love with the Bush Adminstration to go with the previous claim that I'm apparently a fundamentalist Christian.

Declaring something to be "known" or that "anyone with half a brain knows" does not make it true. Saying something is not supported by a convention does not also mean it is opposed by a convention. Declaring something to be a scandal, does not make it one. My "claims" are well documented, "waterboarding", sleep deprivation, and extreme temperatures have been fostered on the detainees. I just don't declare anything uncomfortable to be torture because I think of torture as the things that are going on elsewhere on the island of Cuba to prisoners of that regime. I am done with this topic because there is no point in arguing with someone who does not believe in truth, but has already decided on what the "truth" is. I will respond to plans to fix the All-Star voting, and explanations for how I'm apparently a Christianist.

And, how many times to do I have to say it...Dallas is the fourth largest metropolis in the country. And Butler is in a race that he cannot win.

[el badman]

My "claims" are well documented, "waterboarding", sleep deprivation, and extreme temperatures have been fostered on the detainees. I just don't declare anything uncomfortable to be torture because I think of torture as the things that are going on elsewhere on the island of Cuba to prisoners of that regime.

It always seems to come down to this...So because more extreme forms of torture might be practiced elsewhere, that makes the US' "lighter" form of torture (I'm sorry, "formal interrogations") justified? Apparently, you really want to think that your country does not engage in barbaric acts that you condemn when they happen somewhere else.

And, how many times to do I have to say it...Dallas is the fourth largest metropolis in the country.

I'm aware of that, that doesn't make it fair to have the Stack in this list in the end.

[benji]

Fine, one last. If you are really going to claim that conditions in G-Bay are anywhere near comparable to the prisons of Cuba, China or other Stalinist states, then I do not think you have a leg to stand on in the argument.

I'm aware of that, that doesn't make it fair to have the Stack in this list in the end.

How is it not fair? People want to see him, they vote for him. Sounds fair to me.

[Matthew]

I wonder why someone who is so anti american chooses to live in america?

o0o look people are voting in players they like, stop it!

[el badman]

wonder why someone who is so anti american chooses to live in america?

o0o look people are voting in players they like, stop it!

I think you got confused here, the NLSC Issues section is at the top of the page, that's where you can do your random whining about this site...

And since you seem to like this one in particular, here's a couple for you: (lemme know if you need more)

[Matthew]

I'll pretend for a minute I was "whining" about the site by pointing out your contradictions...

[shadowgrin]

sleep deprivation, and extreme temperatures

IMO, I don't consider those torture.
Our retreat organizers did that in HS. It was a retreat to prepare us for graduation.
I only read afterwards that those techniques are used by organizations (mostly religious and government agencies) to brainwash potential members and as interrogation techniques.
If I remember correctly, someone in that retreat complained about the lack of sleep. The reasoning was so that we could subconciously lose a part of ourselves and embrace and accept the teachings of being a member of (insert religion here).
Before we slept they made us hike for an hour outside the retreat house at 11 PM to 12 AM. The place is in the mountains and we had our retreat by February or March so it was freezing cold. It was a 'required' hike.
That retreat lasted for three straight days. I slept for almost a day when I arrived home.

On-topic:

Carmelo leads the West forwards? WTF?
At least Kidd gets some votes to start for the East guards. (Hopefully)

[Jackal]

I'd like to say some things. I just forgot what I wanted to say.

Haha, nah, just messing.

Uhm, I still voted for Shaq as starter. Got lots of love for Howard, but I can't not support the big fellow.

Secondly, maybe this sounds crude...but it's me, so yeah...just write it off as me being an asshole, but a question if I may...

What's so wrong in torturing a handful of people to save the lives of a whole lot more? Sure, sucks if it's your family member or something...but shit, who told your family member to go be a dumb fuck and blow shit up?

Lastly, I'm so scared to make sexual oriented jokes aimed towards men since Axel came out of the e-closet. Shit Axel, you done ruined my party.

Mmmkay, carry on.

[Andrew]

Every year the concept of fan voting takes a beating and not without reason, but when's the last time ten players who didn't deserve to be called All-Stars get the call? At most there's perhaps two or three who are questionable and quite often the argument is not that they couldn't be considered All-Stars but shouldn't be starting ahead of someone else who got the nod or in some cases injury replacements.

If voting closed today, these would be the starting lineups:

East: Dwight Howard, Kevin Garnett, LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Jason Kidd
West: Yao Ming, Dirk Nowitzki, Carmelo Anthony, Tracy McGrady, Kobe Bryant

Now, there are some players who are currently having better seasons than a couple of those players and in that respect, it could be said they should get the nod ahead of them as All-Star starters (and hence a guaranteed spot at the All-Star game). However, it's not as though any of those players could in no way be considered All-Stars or are players that no one wants to see in such an exhibition. For all the complaints about fan voting, we're yet to see a Greg Ostertag or Jake Voskuhl named an All-Star starter.

[Matthew]

People just like to complain. That's all it is.