BruceVC

Gromnir I am going to be honest, sometimes I misunderstand what you talking about it. Not often but sometimes and the same thing applies to me and how people misunderstand me and of course sometime I am just wrong with my views. Its rare but it happens So in this regard, I never joke about my ideological views when it comes to topics like the War on Terror or the threat of well meaning but insidious left wing influence in all our countries. So I wasnt joking about my post I also think I understand what you referring to now and correct me if I am wrong. You believe Gfted1 is being hypocritical because he says " I like UBI " but he also says " I am opposed to Communism " and UBI and is form of socialism\Communism But I dont think Gfted1 is being serious when he says " I want to live off UBI and not work anymore"? Of course any of us would love to not work anymore and live comfortable lives off state sponsored stimulus but I dont think he is being completely serious as he has raised several times valid concerns about this type of socialism Anyway I may be wrong and maybe Gfted1 does really believe in the ideological objective of this type of thing and I am sure he can clarify if he wants to So in closing, I think he is joking with you about being opposed to Communism\socialism yet supports UBI. That is what I found funny as I am aware their is an inherent contradiction to these 2 views

I always appreciate and enjoy in MMO and online games where the developers integrate holiday themes like Halloween and Christmas

Just to clarify, I agree the " war on Christmas " is real. So my earlier post when I said " I consider it misplaced and unnecessary " I meant the criticism towards Christmas, not you raising this. When I went back to read my response I can see how my comment wasnt necessarily clear In many countries some people on the left do attack and criticize Christianity for unfathomable reasons under the auspicious of " freedom of speech ". I have no issue with normal, constructive criticism of any religion but their is an element of people that mock religion as opposed to just raising valid issues. Personally on this forum I think the criticism towards Christianity is reasonable and fair in almost all examples I can recall where we have debated this topic But GD do you want to know something ironic, in the UAE and specifically Dubai they put up Xmas trees in certain malls and recognize the Christmas spirit. And yet the UAE is a Muslim country so you can easily ask " why would a Muslim country recognize Xmas in their malls " ....its because they respect and appreciate the large number of expats and foreigners in their country that are mostly from Western countries who are Christian https://lovin.co/dubai/en/sponsored/mall-of-the-emirates-unveils-a-fabulous-christmas-tree Yet in the USA, or in some states, they dont put up Xmas trees in certain malls anymore for reasons I have never understood or agree with. At least that is what I believe, it may not be true? Anyway their is an irony when a Muslim country can recognize Xmas but a Christian country has less emphasis on its primary religion And for interest sake I was trying to find a link that highlights how in the US its true some states have less recognition for Xmas but I found this interesting link about the historical " war on Christmas " instead which I found pertinent https://www.livescience.com/32891-why-was-christmas-banned-in-america-.html Did you know Christmas was once banned in Boston?

Gromnir you misunderstand me, I laugh when people say funny things and make humorous posts Its not such a serious reason but more based on humour. We dont have to be so serious all the time and sometimes we must appreciate levity as it has its own charm and purpose A sense of humor is a strange thing and we cannot and should not try to define it in a specific way But yes their is a real time for serious debates but not all the time

My sister has been dating her boyfriend for 6 years, he is great. Very different to me and my brothers, he doesnt talk much but if you ask him something he normally responds constructively and makes sense ....unlike me When I moved to Cpt him and I have been drinking by ourselves and he is great fun and very agreeable and he loves his social drinking...like me so we get on very well Anyway he proposed to my sister today on the beach and in the rain and it was very romantic and sweet. So we all very happy and I have a new brother in law and I can go to another wedding which I love because at most weddings I attend nowadays their are always single women, great food and free alcohol ....what could be better

Gromnir its normal and expected to anyone like you and me who were born during the Cold War to be opposed to Communism and old school Socialism. And when I say expected its because the "stinking Commie subversives " created an ideology that is a proven failure ....the Cold War was lost by USSR and Red China....as in lost.The West won And Im sorry that this historical fact doesnt suit the false narrative of our socialist forum friends like Majestic, Comrade and Pidesco but the lessons of history are immutable. Dont shoot the messenger and I know you know this So when people espouse these stimulus socialist initiatives like UBI, that has never been successfully implemented anywhere in the world except for limited pilot projects, we should be wary. And yes we were raised to be opposed to " bad commies " not because we bigots and right wingers but because these systems dont work and dont lead to sustainable governments and economic transformation And what surprises me the most is generally people who criticize all our Democracies, on forums like this, all live in first world countries that are Democracies that embrace and benefit from Capitalism\Free Market. You must see the irony ? So I dont see how pointing out the truth of what ideologies work and what doesnt work is somehow a lack of education...its not if its true

I was going to respond in detail but I realize your view of me is wrong on so many levels it would take time to refute everything you have mentioned. I will just summarize my points because I dont consider this a debate I want to commit time to because if you were serious about it you would know my real motives....this doesn't mean I dont appreciate your input because you have put your time into this post and that is the foundation of all debates In summary, I have never considered the US to be perfect and faultless in geopolitical decisions, they make mistakes the same as every country. But the US represents the balance, foundation and agency of all Constitutional Democracies when it comes to military and economic influence and especially Western countries Without the US contributing military resources to most UN missions these missions either fail or other countries, like the EU, simply dont do anything and we are beholden to the political machinations of Russia and China. Imagine a world where Russia and China were the most influential? The EU is a trade union and not a military union and lacks the political will and commitment to address the hegemony of Russia and China. So you being an EU citizen should be supporting the US as your future living in a Constitutional Democracy has nothing in common with Russia or China unless you dont care about freedom of speech, free media, transparent courts and your government being accountable Snowden is a traitor as he broke his NSA contract, publicly revealed highly confidential information and fled to China and then Russia...I am not sure how in any legal definition you can call him anything else? Maybe in Austria you guys dont believe in people signing binding government contracts about state security but that would make you unique compared to the rest of the world as every country has laws pertaining to confidentiality and what people can and cannot say in public Assange is not a traitor but a criminal and alleged racist, I always find it ironic when people like you defend him around his attacks on the US but you conveniently ignore his sexual assault charges, I guess rape doesn't fit your narrative so its not a big deal? And I do believe he will get a fair trial in the US but since he is guilty IMO of espionage in the US he will be found guilty and imprisoned ..we should be happy when the rule of law and order is practised ?He faces " 17 charges of espionage and one charge of computer misuse linked to WikiLeaks’ publication of thousands of leaked military and diplomatic documents " . Here is good link so you can familiarize yourself with this case https://www.heraldbulletin.com/news/nation_world/uk-court-permits-assange-extradition-to-us-on-spying-charges/article_d32dca96-e27c-5fa0-8621-02d0d2412111.html And finally the ME is a complicated place with historical ideological conflicts. I am aligned with the group that offers the current best way forward to ensure stability for the region and will ensure the oil supply that the whole world needs is not disrupted . I dont understand how you can suggest Saudi Arabia is the greatest destabilizing factor when its been an ally of the US and other countries since 9/11 and has played a key role in fighting Islamic Extremism. Saudi Arabia has been targeted on numerous occasions by AQ and ISIS and they are are reason for the violence we see linked to extremism...not Saudi Arabia or the Gulf States And the conflicts in places like Syria and Yemen are proxy wars between Iran and Saudi Arabia, its takes 2 sides to sustain these conflicts so its unhelpful to blame only one side

Before we go to our beach cottage for Xmas I am staying at my dads place. They bought this house before my sister was born who is 30 so they lived here for about 35 years. My dad since retiring has dedicated his life to conservation and has turned the garden into a 100% indigenous environment where literally every tree and plant is local to SA and their is no alien vegetation. Here are some photos of the garden, the house and the dogs waiting at the gate

Its interesting you raise how some people have " a war on Christmas" , I consider it misplaced and unnecessary. In SA we are a country that is 70% Christian and yet every year a small number of people, and its a small number but consistent, phone in on Talk Shows to complain about " being forced to take public holidays over the Xmas period but they not Christian so why must they " ? Except for basically all South Africans, including non-Christians, the end of the year is where businesses and public sector close down anyway and South Africans take end of leave anyway So in other words 95% of the country plans their holiday period at this time irrespective of the reason for the public holiday. I find the " war on Christmas " in SA to be more about attention seeking and complaining for the sake of complaining because people have nothing better to do Christmas doesnt have to be about religion, its where you have the opportunity relax and spend time with friends and family and thats what matters

Today will be the final 21st day of the 21st year of the 21st century Makes you think

I appreciate the response but next time please dont go into so much details with your post, remember Pidesco people have to read your comments to understand your views and time is limited ...so maybe next time maybe not so much explanation

Xmas is and always has been my favorite holiday and you right. After the last horrendous 2 years of the pandemic the opportunity to spend time with family and friends is more appreciated than ever

I dont know but this post seems very socialist, unpatriotic and far left to me ....dont you respect or believe in the significance of your country's flag ?

You funny

Well thanks for responding with details, I always appreciate people responding to debates we have. But you have completely misunderstood my ideological views in several ways. I will reply tomorrow as I have just arrived in Durban and Im busy with personal things I hope we continue to debate this mischaracterization and misperception you have of me where reasonable because its important in life that people understand what motivates us and what our views are on geopolitical events and global events that matter. And I noticed how you had the incorrect views of me when I raised the looting and violence in SA a couple of months ago so hopefully I can change your mind ? Also always remember " a debate is an exchange of intelligence, an argument is an exchange of ignorance". So lets debate, I really enjoy it

Great link, very interesting

Amentep, you cannot quit....remember that famous saying "winners dont quit " Arent you a winner?

Well thanks for responding, you make some good points and I will reflect on them But I still think you are over-analyzing Trumps comments and making your own statements of fact about what Trump meant or didnt mean. The idiom " die like a dog" and other statements like " its a dogs life " are not supposed to be taken literally and the genesis of these statements and how they get used is not suppose to be actually anti-dog Here is a definition of the expression https://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/die+like+a+dog So you cant make false equivalences like what would I think about Trump saying "die like a women\LGBT\Muslim\Jew ..xxx " because these other idioms dont exist so I cant comment on them and you cant really make your own definitions up of what " die like dog means " and other ostensibly anti-dog sayings?

Thats an interesting read but I am not sure when Trump says things like " died like a dog” it should be taken literally, its more about Trumps normal usage of metaphors and Trumpisms when he makes public and private speeches? The article even says its the suggested views of Vanity Fair so I am not convinced we can say with certainty " Trump hates\dislikes dogs " ?

" christians and dogs " ....Gromnir are you sure you not exaggerating? What has Trump said about dogs And Trump has offended me personally as a white South African. He pandered to the hyperbole about " white people in SA are facing genocide especially in farm killings " which is an egregious framing of the reality of farm killings in SA. And this is real but its criminal and not genocide organised by the state or ANC

I imagine you hunting for some hot Romance options, keep it up

I completed Bioshock 1 after 50 hours and it was a great gaming experience worthy of a 67/100 on the globally revered " BruceVC game rating " system Now I am moving onto Bards Tale Trilogy, I am not playing this CRPG in Legacy Mode because I am new to CRPG and I prefer auto-mapping and other features that are convenient for modern RPG I am very excited, its my first CRPG I am playing since I got back into gaming in 2007 and when I get back on 4 January I will really apply myself

You guys really have an issue with Dandelion.....he is a side character and not the main character but he is more than comic relief, he helps Geralt in numerous ways in the important quest to save the world. That makes him important https://screenrant.com/witcher-season-2-geralt-jaskier-return-reason/#:~:text=In addition%2C Geralt and Jaskier's narrative has confirmed,for moral support against the difficult trials ahead.

Flying to DBN, a warm coastal town, tomorrow till the 4 January, I cant wait I am especially looking forward to seeing friends and family who I havent seen in the last 2 years and Im excited about all the activities I can do again at our beach cottage like snorkeling and swimming

Its unusual because depending on where Trump is and who he is talking to he will say " how much he is a friend of Jews and Israel " Only recently has he started venting against Israel and more specifically American Jews