Mr. Magniloquent

QFT. Exactly my thoughts as I watched the trailer.

We live in an era of "free love" that puts the 1960s hippies to shame. It does not take much to get a woman to have sex these days. There are even applications for that now. One would think that would do something to diminish the demand for sexbots.

You asked me an the other person why we were anti-western. I corrected your assumption being that I'm not anti-western, but in opposition to the institution of compulsory governance, known as The State. I'm not sure what there is to explain.

I'm not anti-west, I'm anti-State. At this particularly moment in history, and that which is most relevant to my life directly, certain western States presently reign as the greatest menace to my own life and the broader world. Had I lived at a different point in history, or even geographically in the present, the particular governments highest on my animosity list would likely be different. The "Social Contract" is a farce and a myth. The State is an abomination which by definition exists through monopolizing the crimes it allegedly was spawned to eradicate. Whether it be the USSA, Israel, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Syria, Lybia, Russia, China, etc., I have no love for their respective governments. This is not to say I loathe the captive populations in those countries. Quite the contrary, I am very well traveled and revel in cultural exchange.

lol, very true. The internet has allowed douchebags to be more open than ever before! I blame the internet, not fat people;) Meh. While I don't go out of my way to insult others, I feel no pity for people who suffer at their own hand. I do begin to take exceptions when someone wants to disturb my peace by being lout and proud about their deficiency though. There is alot of that going on around the world today. Nobel Prizes for warmongers, sainthood for gender confusion, victimization for bad lifestyle choices...the list goes on. It's very easy to become irritated by all of that. This video is just a reaction to it and no more original than most of the other opinions you'll find online.

Everyone has held opinions throughout all of history. The only difference now is the ability to record and transmit them around the world any where, any time, all of the time. Deal with it.

If accepting refugees were supposed to be some sort of apology for a century of coup de'tats and destabilization, I'd perhaps see some reason accept a gigantic mass of young, single, male, welfarists with no desire to assimilate during a worldwide depression. Otherwise, it's just suicide. Then again, Europe's birth rate is negative, so perhaps the respective oligarchy's are looking for more mules to keep the ponzi schemes going. Questionable premise at best. Ultimately, I find it hard to sympathize with any group here. Europe assists and instigates the third world in its own destruction, so now the third world is moving to Europe to return the favor. WWII left a heavy scar on the continent. Anyone there with a spine firm enough to reject them will be crucified. We live in interesting times.

I do not view the Iranian State as noble, but there is no credible evidence that they are seeking nuclear weapons. To the contrary, the only real evidence in this situation would be fabrications and false pretexts to engage in hostilities towards Iran by rival State actors. Therefore, provoking WWIII under the farcical pretext that Iran is in pursuit of nuclear weapons is insane. Furthermore, I do not consider any of the existing nuclear powers to be any more responsible stewards of nuclear technology than Iran would hypothetically be. I view the counter parties involved in this campaign of aggression to be significantly greater dangers to the world, and am less concerned by them being counterbalanced than I am in them furthering their own hegemony. As such, I am indifferent to the non-existent scenario of Iran pursuing nuclear weapons. I believe provoking WWIII due to a blatant lie is a greater and more present danger than a fictitious and fallacious hypothetical situation where Iran should acquire nuclear weapons. That's where I stand. I don't believe we have much to discuss beyond that. I think we'll just have to disagree.

So, let's refresh. You assert that Iran possessing nuclear weapons increases the chance of catastrophic war, despite being highly skeptical of claims that they are, in-fact, pursuing them. I assert that Iran's lack of nuclear weapons is the only reason why the open aggression against them occurs, while also being highly skeptical of claims that Iran is pursuing nuclear weapons. Are we caught up? Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Israel, and the USA governments are waging a campaign of aggression towards Iran over the false premise of WMDs. I don't care to listen to the lies of a cabal of some of the most evil governments in the world. Even if Iran were developing nuclear weapons, which they are not, it doesn't matter--because Iran is the victim here. Pondering the potential disaster of Iran acquiring a nuclear weapon is like recoiling in horror that a person being actively mugged at gun-point might potentially acquire a fictitious gun before they've been murdered and robbed. I don't care to debate that. It absurd, and a distraction from what is actually happening, and what matters.

Your selective quotations are pointless. You pull at straws while completely ignore and fail to address the reality of the situation. Israel has been barking about Iran's imminent nuclear weapons for three decades. Thirty years. 30. That's how long they've been "imminent". Saudi Arabia & Bahrain are chomping at the bit to remove their only world-wide contender for oil production. The only thing propping up USA hegemony, is the petrodollar. No petrodollar, no unlimited military, no reserve currency. Instant banana republic. There is no evidence of an Iranian nuclear weapons program. None. Zero. All the while, the USA has Iran entirely encircled by armies, navies, and aircraft. Israel has been actively assassinating Iranian scientists and using all available sabotage, like STUXNET. Saudi Arabia & Bahrain have been funding and equipping, funding, training, and arming ISIS to topple the last domino before Iran itself, Syria. Concisely, you have a cabal of aggressors lying and marauding at the gates of Iran, yet you continue to buy into a false narrative. There is no spoon nukes. Wake up. You're allowing yourself to be controlled.

I have no idea what you're talking about, positing about the theoretical. The only reason Iran is encircle by US armies, navies, and fleets of aircraft is because Iran doesn't have nuclear weapons. If they did, none of those would make any difference at all. That's it. That's all there is to it. On the contrary, collective aggression from Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Israel, and the USA only provides motive for Iran to seek nuclear weapons, because that's the only thing that will get those collective nations to play nice in the sand box. Regardless, they don't have them. You're also waxing historic about situations that are not relevant to this situation. Iran lives and dies by its oil production. They source nearly all of their water from reverse osmosis plants, which is incredibly energy intensive. They are also aware that the oil is, and will run out. There are also a dearth of secondary products derived from nuclear activity, like isotopes for medical application, positron generation, and genetic marking. There is no self interest in negligent treatment of waste--particularly in a country the size of Iran. There is also extreme hazard in ground testing nuclear weapons in a country that pumps nearly its entire economy out of it. This isn't about nuclear weapons. This is actually less about nuclear weapons than Saddam Husein's overthrow was about WMDs--which wasn't. It's about Israel, Saudi Arabia, and Bahrain teaming up to eliminate their only regional rival (politically & militarily for Israel), and economically (oil & natural gas for Saudi Arabia & Bahrain). The USA chimes in because it lives and dies by oil through the Petrodollar standard. Inhale. This is not about the boogeyman of imaginary nuclear weapons. Exhale. Repeat.

Here we go Bruce, all of the uncomfortable truths erased. I'll stick with strict, open, and known facts. Israel possesses both nuclear weapons and nuclear reactors, yet refuses to sign or abide by the NNPT. Iran is signatory to the NNPT. The USA collaborates with India nuclear activities, particularly in weaponization, despite that India uses civilian reactors to do so---these are both violations of the NNPT. Even the USA's own intelligence agencies, like the CIA, have stated that there is zero evidence of an Iranian nuclear weapons program. That makes the USA and India both violators of international law. Rogue nations to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. That's just a brief example of the painful hypocrisy of this farce. The rabbit hole goes much much deeper. How do you reconcile this? @Agiel: You dance around the obvious. The USA and USSR avoided open war because of M.A.D. That's it. Do you honestly think that the visceral hate between India and Pakistan is restrained by anything else? There is no other explanation. They have all glimpsed into the abyss and they collectively blinked--for very good reason. Do you think Iran would be embargoed and ringed with dozens upon dozens of military bases, armies, navies, and squadrons of air craft if it had even one nuclear weapon? This isn't about reigning in some crazy mullahs. It's about maintaining total dominance in the region. Saudi Arabia, along with their good fascist pals in Israel and Bahrain need Iran under their thumb. The same goes for Syria. As far as the USA is concerned, those two nations are the only two which threaten petrodollar hegemony. Iran directly and Syria indirectly through Russia. It's not about saving the world. Quite the contrary, it's about making sure nobody is safe from said countries (USA, Israel, Saudi Arabia, etc.) For someone who obvious prides themselves on being supposedly informed, you're doing an excellent job of buying into the false narrative that this situation has anything to do with nuclear weapons.

Blah blah blah. The USA, the only nation to ever employ nuclear weapons (on civilian population centers no less), standing on a moral high ground of responsibility towards their use? Laughable. The notion that the Ayatollah of Iran is willing to wipe itself off of the map to destroy Israel...also laughable. Their demagoguery is exactly that. Saudi Arabia is also a religious state...a monarchy actually, yet nobody would ever regard The House of Saud as zealous enough to bathe the world in fire. When you state the plain facts of the actors involved, this whole Iran nuclear business becomes all the more transparent. Israel possesses both nuclear weapons and nuclear reactors, yet refuses to sign or abide by the NNPT. Iran is signatory to the NNPT. The USA collaborates with India nuclear activities, particularly in weaponization, despite that India uses civilian reactors to do so---these are both violations of the NNPT. Even the USA's own intelligence agencies, like the CIA, have stated that there is zero evidence of an Iranian nuclear weapons program. That's just with things specifically regarding nuclear activity. That's before even reviewing VERY relevant other circumstances, like Saudi Arabia, Israel, Jordan, and Bahrain financing equipping, arming, and training terrorist organizations--including ISIS to use them as a foil against their regional competition (Syria, Iran, (formerly) Lybia). Israel has been barking up this tree for three decades, and yet nothing. The USA has Iran completely encircled by military bases, navies, and air forces. This is all a farce, and you're all blind to the reality of the situation. You know what it took for the USA, erm, UN to dethrone Saddam Hussein? It wasn't that he was gassing Kurds with chemical weapons Donald Rumsfeld's chemical company and the CIA supplied him with. It wasn't for gassing Iranians when Saddam Hussein invaded Iran with those same weapons either. It was when he refused payment for oil in US dollars, and only accepted Gold and Euros. The same thing happened to Gaddafi. He was the USA's good 'ol buddy in the region for most of a decade until he refused payment for oil in US Dollars, and accepted only gold. This is a cardinal sin. Are any of you getting this yet?

Are you kidding? An armed society is a polite society. There is a reason why the Cold War was a proxy war. The moment things could have potentially become a direct conflict, suddenly both sides realized how terrible war is. Do you think that's a coincidence? Do you really think Pakistan and India have made it this long without a major war for any other reason? When war assures mutually assured destruction, nobody profits. The implicit threat of Russia getting involved (and possibly the Chinese) is the SINGULAR reason why Iran isn't looking exactly like Iraq right now.

Good question, I don't there is one definitive answer to what makes someone an alcoholic as it will vary from person and person I am binge drinker for example so when I drink I tend to drink loads but I can easily go 2 weeks without a single drink But I suppose the best definition for an alcoholic is where you are sober and you really start to crave alcohol to the point where there is a physiological impact ..like your hand is shaking or you are irritated or uneasy until you have a drink. So in other words the lack of alcohol in your system has a noticeable effect on your thinking If someone is at that point, they have already been an alcoholic for some time.

For thousands of years, the only way artists and musicians could get by was by first pleasing their wealthy patron. This is just a reversion to the mean, albeit in a vastly superior fashion. Far better for gaming studious to live and die by their reputation and quality than 20th century publishing models.

I will fund this without question. The first game was fun, had great humor, quest resolution, and problem solving. Sure the plot was thin and certain aspects of the character creation and combat systems could have been improved, but whatever. Larian has actually taken up those concerns with their free enhanced edition. I imagine much of it will be trial balloons for the sequel's systems--even more so given the release/announcement proximity.

I think the only good beer I have ever had that was born in Texas was Devil's Backbone. Everything else was garbage. Most of the microbrews in Austin left me wanting. In Portland the quality is generally high, if pretentious and overstated. Portland is overly fond of IPAs though. Very bitter IPAs. Oddly enough, my best experience with microbrews came out of the Sierra Nevadas in northern CA and NV. Some excellent Belgians come from Eldorado Hills, Tahoe, and Reno.

A nuclear armed Iran would be the greatest achievement for peace in the middle east. Saudi Arabia, Israel, Bahrain, and the USA would have to play nice in the sandbox for the first time...ever. The total encirclement of Iran by USA military installations, bases, forces, and navies would also be rendered impotent. It would become very difficult to keep Iran from selling oil for things other than US Dollars...like Euros or *gasp* even gold! Now queue up Iraq 2.0, as "refusing inspectors" becomes the pretext for an invasion 30 years in the making.

"The context and structure of the Act compel us to depart from what would otherwise be the most natural reading of the pertinent statutory phrase," Roberts wrote That's a blatant admission of declaring the law to what the Justice (sic) willed it to be, rather than what was written. Then again, what else is new? People are wrong though when they say that the ACA is a government take-over of healthcare in the USA. That happened way back in the early 1970s at the latest. Healthcare in the USA is >70% dominated by The State anyhow. The ACA is a Fascist's Dream. It's State violence compelling serfs to enrich corporations. The rant that this thread is threatening to provoke out of me is immense. For example, one of the trumpeted aims of the ACA, was that "some people" possessed health insurance that was "too good" and needed to pay more for it while receiving less. That was an actual argument made on many occasions. Nacy "pass the bill to find out what's in it" Pelosi was particularly fond of that one. Congress exempted themselves from it as well--there is always that. I was in medicine for six years and did everything from admin, advanced diagnostics, and emergency care. The ACA was the final straw which made me not pursue medical school. Before it, there were ways where I would be able to practice medicine "outside" of the system to practice medicine as I wished at prices so low insurance would not be necessary. The ACA closed every last one of the loopholes I needed to do so, and forced an entire nation onto the corporate plantation. The only crime greater than the existence of the ACA, is that the people who created and passed it aren't hanging from a bridge.

Lol. Silly Rabbit, constitutions are for serfs. Rule of law doesn't exist anywhere anymore. It will be ratified as treaty and any laws which pre-empt it shall be ignored for the purposes of Our Masters--or Betters, if you prefer. I look forward to sharing a cell with you when we go to be reeducated. We can enjoy some schadenfreude and sardonic laughs.

Stated differently, the OP likes how PoE resembles the IE games (chiefly Baldur's Gate), but doesn't like how PoE's similarities to them are only superficial. Hence, they want to replace core game-play, lore, and setting. Lol. Sorry buddy, you're out of luck. I feel for you, I really do, but your wish is doomed. It should be self-evident why that is.

I responded to your comment, but this discourse is ultimately tangent to the topic, so is hidden in spoiler. If you cannot effectively defend yourself, then it is severely challenging to assert self ownership. Self-defense and self ownership are inseparable for this reason. Any attack or attempt to debilitate one is an offense against the other. My rights are not negotiable to some craven and illogical person's ill conceived notions, nor the predations career liars and sociopaths. The End.

Self-defense is the ultimate declaration of self ownership. To deny someone the most effective means of self-defense, is to deny them self ownership. The State has in many cases ruled that it has no obligation to protect nor save you. The 2nd amendment is about keeping society armed against their governments. If you do not understand why, which genocide of the month should I reference? Do you prefer the democratic brand of tyrannous murder, or the autocratic? The 20th century alone was a MASSIVE example of this. Criminals do not regard the law, so prohibition only disarms the lawful, and criminalizes those who are not. Prohibition has never worked in human history. That's just a brief list. Did I miss anything?

No, the only thing "socialist" about Obamacare is the mandate. Namutree nailed it when he called it a socialist/capitalist hybrid in that is uses the force of law to compel everyone to participate in a capitalist venture. And that is really the most heinous thing about it. It compels every citizen, as a requirement of citizenship, to enter into a private contract with a third party. It forces you to buy something. I'm not saying it's not something important but that should not matter. It has never been a crime to do nothing until that passed. It really sets a terrible precedent. Especially considering at the time the Federal Government had an ownership interest in GM and a few other companies. It's only another small step to force everyone buying a car to buy a GM car. It is horrible. The 20th century word for it was Fascism. National Socialism also functioned identically to this. Nobody seems to want to use these words.