Valsuelm

You do realize that the United States has the second largest manufacturing industry in the world, right? Differing from China's by a small percentage? Christ, you're not even looking up concrete data, are you, Sarex? The U.S. has been consistently developing its sector for the past forty years. The fact that some manufacturers have outsourced low complexity, cheap item manufacturing overseas doesn't mean that the U.S. has dismantled its manufacturing sector. As the statistics show, it did not. Neither did it dismantle its strategic military industries, such as tank plants, fighter assembly lines, shipyards, and other vital industrial centers. No. That data is even less useful and factual than the unemployment data coming out of the US federal government. The U.S. has been hemorrhaging it's industrial/manufacturing sector for the last few decades, mostly to China, but other places as well. I live here, and I'm very well traveled within the states. I've been through all lower 48, and all major cities repeatedly over the years for work (and some play) and I've witnessed first hand the damage done over time. I've seen factory after factory close all throughout the U.S. with few new ones being built, and just about anyone here who ever pays attention to where whatever it is they just bought is made can tell you that at this point very little of it is made in the US at local store X, whereas not so long ago that wasn't the case. The World Bank numbers on most things is not to be trusted. It's a pretty evil entity, and is not even remotely an unbiased benevolent organization as is advertised. The numbers you cite however are even noted as being in accurate in their description, taking almost no pertinent factors into their calculation. These numbers you cite as well as many of their other numbers from the WB are generated to obfuscate the damage that the WB and those behind it do.

Neither the executive nor the judicial branches of the government are policy-makers. If you remember from civics in 7th grade that is the purview of the bicameral legislative branch. That would be the senators and the representatives. Neither the scotus nor the president make legislation, regardless of the commerce law. Anyone can present a law including the president, but the legislative branch has to actually vote it in. The scotus, being a part of the judicial branch only determines if a law is being upheld correctly or not. The scotus specifically, can determine what a law really means or if it is constitutional. Well.. that's how it is *supposed* to be. That's not what we currently have, or have had now for the last couple generations. Congress by and large has abdicated most of it's power to the executive at this point, just as they abdicated most of their power of the coin to the privately controlled Federal Reserve Bank. The alphabet soup agency/departments that are run mostly by the executive make and decree regulations that are essentially law all the time. In many instances this is done by unelected folks. There is a great deal of what the Federal government now is and does that is black and white unconstitutional. Ravenshrike pointed out one of the major reasons why the Federal government gets away with much of what it does.... get a few corrupt SCOTUS judicials and strong arm the others under your belt as FDR did in the 30s/40s to make up constitutional law, pretend that a duck is fact a cow, and pretend that some ducks don't exist when they're right in front of your eyes and we get what we have now.

No one called Roosevelt a Nazi....

Yea.. because the word 'pagan' means the festival wasn't religious.... Point taken, but what I meant is that christians adapted a festival dedicated to Cybele into a holiday dedicated to the resurrection of Jesus. It's always been religious, but it originally served a completely different purpose than it does now. Christians repurposed a festival to a completely different goddess into a holiday for their lord and saviour because the time frame sort of coincided and there was conflict between the pagan worshippers and the christians in christianity's early years, so while the christians initially tried to abolish the festival they adapted it to their own purpose as a compromise. Can't say I've heard that specific one (Cybele) before, bit I've heard others ,and the tying of Christian holidays to pagan holidays is nothing new. In some instances, there's some credibility to it, in others not really. It's done too often in a half baked attack on Christianity in attempt to de-legitimize it as a religion. Those with a chip on their shoulder against religions often eat up this stuff voraciously. But it's generally really doesn't mean all that much even when it's true, though often what's said is really just made up garbage. Whether or not Easter was set to coincide with celebrations of Cybele or not to help win over some Cybelites (very doubtful, considering she was a relatively minor God worshiped in a relatively small area, and of questionable popularity at the time Christianity emerged) really has nothing to do with Easter itself as a religious holiday. Did the Church at times attempt to replace already existing holidays with their own? No doubt. They would have had to in some instances, especially considering that at the time Christianity came on the scene there weren't too many if any days of the year not dedicated to the celebration of one or another of the many deities in the Roman pantheon or in the pantheon on the various folks that encompassed the world at the time. The spring equinox was of course important to a great many people, pagans or not (it's important to a great many people today, pagan or not, and with good reason). Easter is about resurrection, so in a way is the spring equinox for many. It certainly would make sense to tie the two celebrations together in some way. Trying to say that doing so somehow de-legitimizes the Christian holiday is a very very weak argument.

If he moved out of California S.S.R. the price would go down. Cali has had the most expensive gas in the nation for close to 20 years or more now, due to their retardo laws and taxes.

Indeed. This situation, as it progresses, may help to highlight what's wrong with the 17th amendment to those who don't see the fundamental problem with it as well. If Reid keeps up his rhetoric that is, which he is likely to do.

Good thing the U.S. isn't and hasn't ever been a democracy, but is a representative republic. The writers of the paper got it right, but the BBC, as per usual, didn't. This isn't really news to anyone who can critically think for themselves and even half way pays attention to what goes on here over a length of time. I suppose a study from some official source will help serve to wake up some zombies to this though. Kudos to Gilen and Page for that.

I was obviously a bit sceptical too, but the producer of the graph has owned up to doing so deliberately on Twitter, even if the defense is rather weak. (A personal preference to draw charts that way? Really?) I guess I must hate possums. haha. One wonders why the funk a pseudo journalist working in Singapore is making charts about the Florida murder rate in the first place. I'd probably fire her, knowing Reuters, they'll probably promote her.

Don't think there'd be anything funny about it. We'd run out of people before we ran out of ammunition.

I question the validity of whether Reuters actually published this chart. Either way, it's very misleading, as the crime rate has been steadily going down before and after 2005. The 'stand your ground' law has little to nothing to do with the state murder rate. http://www.fdle.state.fl.us/Content/FSAC/Menu/Crime-Trends/Violent-Crime.aspx As for something amusing:

Yea.. because the word 'pagan' means the festival wasn't religious....

We can't even get a man on the moon, let alone to the closest planet Mars or the far reaches of our own solar system. For the most part our endeavors in space have been abandoned excepting for commercial and military endeavors. By the predominant current dogma of astrophysical theory we will never be able to exceed the speed of light to go the ~490 estimated light years to the planet in question. Kepler-186f is as much a non-issue as planning your 283rd birthday right now is.

I'm interested, but am not 100% sure I can commit. How long do you think playing a game might take in day/week/month terms? My availability to play games gets curtailed as the weather improves. As such, I would likely prefer a 48 hour turn, as at some points in the coming months it won't be feasible for me to be at a computer every single day of the week, yet at least every other should be doable. Would 48 hours not potentially also make for more actual diplomacy?

SCG took the video down yesterday evening as it contained a factual error, and he's concerned with journalistic integrity. I think it would have been better to leave it up as there was only one error amongst many facts presented, and just add a note in the video with a correction but the guy behind SCG decided to take it down all together. He generally very good at researching the facts and ideas he presents on whatever subject he talks about, and along with his videos always sources very well whats in them on his website. He's stated he's going to put up another video on the subject at some point (could be days or a couple weeks knowing him). There's a short video giving a somewhat ambiguous reason as to why the video was taken down, but the specific reason is discussed on their facebook page and loosely in the comments of that video. In essence he cited a news story from some months back (I forget the date) that was somewhat rendered obsolete by things that happened since that story broke, which he wasn't aware of when he made the video. He was tying Reid directly and concretely to the Bundy situation, and provided evidence. One aspect of that evidence turned out to be outdated info. Reid is still tied to the Bundy situation through other things that have been mentioned by multiple news sources, albeit more loosely. I'll post the updated video when it's released. As for what our local pharaoh accused me of.... either he fails at reading comprehension of suffers from polarization such as I mentioned in this post in another thread. I do not make accusations of corruption or incompetence based on my disagreements with someone, but based on there actually being evidence of corruption or incompetence. Pharaoh assumes much and/or fails to understand what I wrote in order to make those accusations. He doesn't even know who on the Supreme Court I consider corrupt, who I consider incompetent, didn't bother to ask (it wasn't pertinent to my point to get specific), yet divines that I must disagree with them since I laid that charge. Truth be told, I follow the Supreme Court quite a bit and read a number of their rulings and opinions each year, at one point or another I've agreed and disagreed with everyone on that bench, yet I don't consider them all corrupt or incompetent. Perhaps pharaoh needs to add something to the sand he has his head in to help him divine better, maybe we should stick a crystal ball down there with him.

Well.. there are parallels. If it wasn't for modern technology (phone cameras, and the internet to spread the word fast so supporters could show up as well as keep the government from having a monopoly on the information of what's going on) things would likely have gone far differently out in the Nevada desert last week. The Branch Davidian event in Waco is definitely something worth reading/watching up on. Also, go look up the events that transpired at Ruby Ridge if you're unfamiliar with that. I can't recall the name of it but there's a very good documentary out there with interviews with the survivors of that situation as well as with numerous folks involved. Both are examples of great atrocities and beyond serious overreaches of power by the Federal government that resulted in great tragedy and multiple deaths.

If what the video Valsuem posted checks out this isn't so much the government as corrupt officials utilizing the government to make their fortunes (although to be honest this isn't something new in the US) It seems that the levels of corruption and their blatant disregard for public opinion are beginning to anger people. Whether their fears jump to the irrational; and fear always does, its undeniable that the US government has been growing corrupt for a long time now and the public seem to be beginning to understand what this means. The fact that it was posted by an account called "StormCloudsGathering" should give you some clue as to their biases. As Wals put it, they're among those running around pretending that we're all just about to get stomped. You would learn much from watching the videos there, and more if you actually researched what the guy on that channel ever talks about. But, keep on with your head in the sand. I hear it's good for psionics and divination to skip the stick and make your body the divination rod. No doubt that's how you knew what SCG was all about before ever watching or reading what SCG produces.

What kind of time commitment are we talking?

I don't think he has the face to carry a mustache. Eh.... He surprisingly can carry one quite well. https://ixquick-proxy.com/do/show_picture.pl?l=english&cat=pics&c=pf&q=putin+moustache&h=597&w=600&th=158&tw=160&fn=1366178722_putin_moustache_07.jpg&fs=88.8%20k&el=boss_pics_1&tu=http:%2F%2Fts4.mm.bing.net%2Fth%3Fid%3DHN.608005491913196503%26pid%3D15.1%26H%3D158%26W%3D160&rl=NONE&u=http:%2F%2Fwww.xoxma.lv%2Fraznoe%2F27147-usy-dlya-putina-14-foto.html&udata=e87f4dd4caadca418941c997306e46da&rid=NGLNTRRPSKLT&oiu=http:%2F%2Fwww.xoxma.lv%2Fuploads%2Fposts%2F2013-04%2F1366178722_putin_moustache_07.jpg

Well, It's taken me a few decades on planet earth, but I guess I finally found someone who disputes what the generally accepted definition of a 'personal attack' is. Anon. I'll agree that in general debates are best when facts, ideas, views, etc are discussed. However, not all ideas, views, opinions, etc. are equal. More importantly though, it doesn't serve a discussion to be repeating the same thing over and over and over again, especially if it's erroneous. ie: The charge that there are 'pro-Russia' 'Russia is the good guy' people here. It's been pointed out more than once now that there aren't (at least no vocal folks) and the challenge has been issued to those making this charge (you, Tagaziel, Mor, (maybe others I forget)) to prove that there are by furnishing a quote or two, but it's ignored and the erroneous charge continues (at least from Tagaziel). If someone keeps blah blah blahing saying nothing constructive and something erroneous over and over, eventually, someone who generally does post constructive things is going to either call them out directly on it, or poke fun of them and jokingly suggest they go elsewhere for a better audience (as 213374U did to Tagaziel; Tagaziel's posts indeed would likely find more effect over at RT (assuming there are 'pro Russia' people there)). I say things that some folks don't agree with, so do others. I, and others, don't keep repeating them over and over and over again at the people who don't agree with me though (as some in the forum do), and I don't make erroneous charges at other posters, nor do most people here. It's really tiresome to see the repetitiveness of some of the posters here, and it detracts from the discussion being had. Why some feel compelled to do this I'm not sure. Perhaps that's all they know to say, or perhaps they think by repeating it over and over it'll make it true or somehow magically convince someone who wasn't swayed by the same argument the first time. I imagine the why depends on the person.

The Finnish people are in danger of not seeing Miley Cyrus and Justin Timberlake as well. Poor innocent bystanders are going to be the hardest hit by those tough sanctions on Russia. An aside: Is there a nation on earth where there aren't 'reality TV shows' and crap like 'blah blah has talent'? This cow diarrhea seems to be everywhere.

Huh? I don't know what you've been reading but definitely not these boards. Maybe try posting your butthurt on RT.ru for effect? DOES NOT COMPUTE I see no personal attack. What is relevance of saying " someone is butthurt" when you disagree with what they are saying? This is a personal attack, I can give other examples around other posts but its not necessary There's nothing necessarily personal about saying someone is 'butthurt'. Stop being butthurt because someone called someone you agree with all the time 'butthurt'. In case there's anything lost in translation: 'butthurt' is synonymous with 'whining'. While I'm sure there's some unusual situation where it might be considered a personal attack, the vast majority of the time when someone tells someone to 'stop whining', it's not a personal attack. I've been told to 'stop whining' a few times in my life and even been called 'butthurt' by some internetdweebs on forums elsewhere, I never considered it a personal attack. Here's an example of a personal attack: "Your momma is a @)#*$#@". (I don't mean your momma personally BruceVC ... this is just a generic example ). Or even worse: 'You're bossy!!' While Tagaziel seems to have been somewhat sarcastic in his remarks, he was indeed whining, albeit sarcastically (I think... maybe....). Given he's like a broken record in most of what he says (he stated nothing in his post he hasn't before, numerous times), and continues to make the erroneous charge that there are numerous 'pro-russia' folks here who insist Russia is the 'good guy', the 'butthurt' comment was apt.

Personal attack? What was said: Huh? I don't know what you've been reading but definitely not these boards. Maybe try posting your butthurt on RT.ru for effect? DOES NOT COMPUTE I see no personal attack.

Teenwolf has gotten involved! And he's pro Russian! http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/ukrainian-troop-defections-escalate-tensions-in-eastern-ukraine/2014/04/16/4d36b1b6-c532-11e3-b574-f8748871856a_story.html Alas Teenwolf. I thought you were one of the good guys. But you cannot be since BruceVC, Mor, Walsingham, Tagaziel, et all convinced me that Russia is evil incarnate on earth. Putin: Listen son. You're going to be able to do a lot of things the other guys aren't. Teenwolf: Oh yeah, like chase cars, and bite the mailman? Putin: No, better than that. Topple governments, piss on Obama, and have your way with Ukrainian women. Teenwolf: Aaaaaoooooooowwwwoooooooooooooooooooo!

A decent video that gives a pretty good synopsis of why what went down at the Bundy Ranch went down. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HFiosLqjoQQ In general, StormCloudsGathering videos are usually right on.