Guard Dog Posted February 24, 2019 Posted February 24, 2019 Hey Democrat supporters here you go. You're going to wind up hating yourself on way or another once you vote in the primaries. This guide will help you figure out what you hate yourself for! "While it is true you learn with age, the down side is what you often learn is what a damn fool you were before" Thomas Sowell
Gromnir Posted February 24, 2019 Posted February 24, 2019 (edited) Hey Democrat supporters here you go. You're going to wind up hating yourself on way or another once you vote in the primaries. This guide will help you figure out what you hate yourself for! (edit: image) am not democrat, so we got no involvement in primaries, but am finding warren and bloomberg most intriguing, if for different reasons. 'course bloomberg is older than biden and almost as old as sanders. call us ageist. harris is seeming like the current candidate-to-beat for the democrats as she has adopted the goldilocks zone for most issues and doesn't have any eyebrow raising questions regarding her background or campaign. HA! Good Fun! Edited February 24, 2019 by Gromnir "If there be time to expose through discussion the falsehood and fallacies, to avert the evil by the processes of education, the remedy to be applied is more speech, not enforced silence."Justice Louis Brandeis, Concurring, Whitney v. California, 274 U.S. 357 (1927) "Im indifferent to almost any murder as long as it doesn't affect me or mine."--Gfted1 (September 30, 2019)
Guard Dog Posted February 24, 2019 Posted February 24, 2019 Hey Democrat supporters here you go. You're going to wind up hating yourself on way or another once you vote in the primaries. This guide will help you figure out what you hate yourself for! (edit: image) am not democrat, so we got no involvement in primaries, but am finding warren and bloomberg most intriguing, if for different reasons. 'course bloomberg is older than biden and almost as old as sanders. call us ageist. harris is seeming like the current candidate-to-beat for the democrats as she has adopted the goldilocks zone for most issues and doesn't have any eyebrow raising questions regarding her background or campaign. HA! Good Fun! The only one of them I find even somewhat tolerable is Gabbard. She does have a few redeeming qualities. As you already know I am predisposed against the Democrat Party for a number of very good reasons. Hell will freeze solid before I ever cast a vote for one. Of course I'm predisposed against the Republican Party for pretty much the same set of reasons. And I used to be one of their biggest supporters. Heck I worked for a Republican candidate when he ran for Congress back in florida in '94. But as Reagan once said, I didn't leave them, they left me. John McCain was the last Republican I voted for and I strongly suspect we will be the last one I will ever vote for. 1 "While it is true you learn with age, the down side is what you often learn is what a damn fool you were before" Thomas Sowell
smjjames Posted February 24, 2019 Posted February 24, 2019 @GD's joke chart thing: Heh. That list is also sexist for leaving out the other women candidates Also maybe homophobe for leaving out Buttigeig. Hey Democrat supporters here you go. You're going to wind up hating yourself on way or another once you vote in the primaries. This guide will help you figure out what you hate yourself for! (edit: image) am not democrat, so we got no involvement in primaries, but am finding warren and bloomberg most intriguing, if for different reasons. 'course bloomberg is older than biden and almost as old as sanders. call us ageist. harris is seeming like the current candidate-to-beat for the democrats as she has adopted the goldilocks zone for most issues and doesn't have any eyebrow raising questions regarding her background or campaign. HA! Good Fun! The only one of them I find even somewhat tolerable is Gabbard. She does have a few redeeming qualities. As you already know I am predisposed against the Democrat Party for a number of very good reasons. Hell will freeze solid before I ever cast a vote for one. Of course I'm predisposed against the Republican Party for pretty much the same set of reasons. And I used to be one of their biggest supporters. Heck I worked for a Republican candidate when he ran for Congress back in florida in '94. But as Reagan once said, I didn't leave them, they left me. John McCain was the last Republican I voted for and I strongly suspect we will be the last one I will ever vote for. Isn't Klobuchar more moderate than Gillibrand? Klobuchars apparent management style though.... I think I'll wait for the truth or perhaps more facts on that to come out before making an absolute judgement on that.
SonicMage117 Posted February 24, 2019 Posted February 24, 2019 The red capes are coming... The red capes are coming Just what do you think you're doing?! You dare to come between me and my prey? Is it a habit of yours to scurry about, getting in the way and causing bother? What are you still bothering me for? I'm a Knight. I'm not interested in your childish games. I need my rest. Begone! Lest I draw my nail...
Blarghagh Posted February 24, 2019 Posted February 24, 2019 image coulda' been almost any o' those scandinavian countries, and they choose norway? https://atlas.media.mit.edu/en/profile/country/nor/ norway is almost as dependent on raw resource exports as is russia, which ain't a compliment, and nearly 60% o' all exports is petroleum-based. as such, norway suffers from extreme volatility o' currency. is also geographical much smaller and cultural far more homogenized than US. problems facing norway is a bit different. got vast stretches o' highway in the west and midwest o' US with absolute nothing to mark passage save mileage markers. is no wonder infrastructure improvements is so daunting. just one example. coulda' used any scandinavian nation as an example, but we get home o' whale killers and recreational seal clubbers who is as over dependent on oil as russia? however, we get the point. there is examples o' socialism working okie dokie for folks. HA! Good Fun! The picture also referred to Norway as "countries" and "they".
Maedhros Posted February 24, 2019 Posted February 24, 2019 (edited) We're definitely different from our neighbours in that we've made ourself pretty dependant on oil export yeah. Through our oil fond I believe we own 1,4% of all the worlds stocks, so we're heavily invested in all sorts of ventures. We adapt to the volatile currency pretty easily, but that's another discussion. Doesn't make the image any less relevant. Just goes to show that countries with different economies can make the same policies work. Not denying that the US has unique challenges that we don't have in Scandinavia though. Edited February 24, 2019 by Thingolfin
Guard Dog Posted February 24, 2019 Posted February 24, 2019 In the US the all male military draft has been ruled unconstitutional. https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2019/02/24/military-draft-judge-rules-male-only-registration-unconstitutional/2968872002/ Women will now have to register for Selective Service. If there ever is a draft: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0gtvILZ-Kw8 Actually I wouldn't worry too much.. I doubt we will have a draft again. Conscripts are f-----g useless. One volunteer is worth three of them. "While it is true you learn with age, the down side is what you often learn is what a damn fool you were before" Thomas Sowell
Gromnir Posted February 24, 2019 Posted February 24, 2019 (edited) Trump’s Trade Chief Lectures His Boss and Gets an Earful in Return gotta be tough working for this administration. lighthizer is doing his best to keep a deal from having to go to Congress for a vote, and the President torpedoes him in front o' chinese and a gaggle o' reporters. HA! Good Fun! Edited February 24, 2019 by Gromnir "If there be time to expose through discussion the falsehood and fallacies, to avert the evil by the processes of education, the remedy to be applied is more speech, not enforced silence."Justice Louis Brandeis, Concurring, Whitney v. California, 274 U.S. 357 (1927) "Im indifferent to almost any murder as long as it doesn't affect me or mine."--Gfted1 (September 30, 2019)
Guard Dog Posted February 24, 2019 Posted February 24, 2019 OH Please please please please please please please please please let this happen! https://www.theamericanmirror.com/ex-clinton-pollster-hillary-will-run-if-biden-doesnt-or-field-is-too-far-left/?fbclid=IwAR3SHvVcBvPQa7fscfU_zWG_ZFvBlnDIVCTclREcMhgolyGa0x00IDYw2Sg The Dixie Mafia vs the Socialists. This would be the gift that just keeps giving! 1 "While it is true you learn with age, the down side is what you often learn is what a damn fool you were before" Thomas Sowell
ShadySands Posted February 24, 2019 Posted February 24, 2019 I don't have a problem with women having to register for the draft as something major would have to occur for another draft to happen but I also worry about the warrior caste system we are developing. 1 Free games updated 3/4/21
Guard Dog Posted February 24, 2019 Posted February 24, 2019 (edited) I don't have a problem with women having to register for the draft as something major would have to occur for another draft to happen but I also worry about the warrior caste system we are developing. Bah... non-issue. No draft, not going to be another one. I've been arguing for some time we need to not just cut defense spending but to re-prioritize from tactical superiority to strategic superiority. Large contingents of infantry and armor are needed for fighting wars and holding ground. But if we get off a war footing and go back to focusing on the ability to destroy enemy assets remotely or from the air the first dividend is a reduction in necessary man power. Edited February 24, 2019 by Guard Dog "While it is true you learn with age, the down side is what you often learn is what a damn fool you were before" Thomas Sowell
injurai Posted February 24, 2019 Posted February 24, 2019 Curious what you mean by warrior caste? I know there are military families who see that as their best financial vocation. I've also heard of some contract military workers that get to sock away 6 figures straight into a 401k for a decade while basically having the lowest possible living expenses the entire time.
Zoraptor Posted February 24, 2019 Posted February 24, 2019 OH Please please please please please please please please please let this happen! https://www.theamericanmirror.com/ex-clinton-pollster-hillary-will-run-if-biden-doesnt-or-field-is-too-far-left/?fbclid=IwAR3SHvVcBvPQa7fscfU_zWG_ZFvBlnDIVCTclREcMhgolyGa0x00IDYw2Sg Well why not, she only lost last time because of that evil misogynist Putin and not because of her moronic electoral strategy and lack of broad appeal.
Gromnir Posted February 24, 2019 Posted February 24, 2019 (edited) OH Please please please please please please please please please let this happen! https://www.theamericanmirror.com/ex-clinton-pollster-hillary-will-run-if-biden-doesnt-or-field-is-too-far-left/?fbclid=IwAR3SHvVcBvPQa7fscfU_zWG_ZFvBlnDIVCTclREcMhgolyGa0x00IDYw2Sg The Dixie Mafia vs the Socialists. This would be the gift that just keeps giving! (image) such a result is exact the unfortunate scenario we mentioned earlier in the thread. independents is current dissatisfied with trump in pretty much every poll. to beat trump, the democrats need to actual vote for a change or they need a candidate who will appeal to independents. depend on democrats showing up to vote is not a smart money bet. a democrat candidate who appeals to independents need be moderate and not clinton. is disappointing for democrats 'cause the candidate they seem to want and are current creating is one skewed further to the left. further left they go, the more they lose bulk o' independents vital to 2020. as for women in draft? meh. as o' 2015, pentagon lifted restrictions on women serving in any kinda role. this ruling were a kinda given at some point. am admitted little knowledgeable o' draft nuances save for how it pertains to speech and religion issues. is a flaw in our self education. while recognizing draft and military service as a whole appears to disproportionate rely on economic disadvantaged portions o' our population, military service would appear to be a way for many people to improve their situation with programs such as gi bill and va loans and whatnot. am thus kinda ambivalent. while am glad we got the opportunities afforded by military service, am kinda offended by how draft and military service as a whole functional targets specific segments o' the populace. while some folks might balk at the socialist nuance o' our suggestion, have always personal been in favor o' some kinda universal mandatory fed or state service following graduation. not necessarily military, but service to country or state for a couple years following high school graduation (or end o' high school career,) or university is something we has seen suggested over the years, but have never seen it get any kinda general support. no warrior caste issue for shady if everybody needs serve, yes? "But if you want to serve and I can't talk you out of it, then we have to take you, because that's your constitutional right. It says that everybody, male or female, should have his born right to pay his service and assume full citizenship — but the facts are that we are getting hard pushed to find things for all the volunteers to do that aren't just glorified KP. You can't all be real military men; we don't need that many and most of the volunteers aren't number-one soldier material anyhow...[W]e've had to think up a whole list of dirty, nasty, dangerous jobs that will ... at the very least make them remember for the rest of their lives that their citizenship is valuable to them because they've paid a high price for it ... A term of service is ... either real military service, rough and dangerous even in peacetime ... or a most unreasonable facsimile thereof." no, am not actual suggesting going full starship troopers, but am seeing a whole lotta positives for a kinda universal service. HA! Good Fun! Edited February 24, 2019 by Gromnir "If there be time to expose through discussion the falsehood and fallacies, to avert the evil by the processes of education, the remedy to be applied is more speech, not enforced silence."Justice Louis Brandeis, Concurring, Whitney v. California, 274 U.S. 357 (1927) "Im indifferent to almost any murder as long as it doesn't affect me or mine."--Gfted1 (September 30, 2019)
Guard Dog Posted February 24, 2019 Posted February 24, 2019 as for women in draft? meh. as o' 2015, pentagon lifted restrictions on women serving in any kinda role. this ruling were a kinda given at some point. am admitted little knowledgeable o' draft nuances save for how it pertains to speech and religion issues. is a flaw in our self education. while recognizing draft and military service as a whole appears to disproportionate rely on economic disadvantaged portions o' our population, military service would appear to be a way for many people to improve their situation with programs such as gi bill and va loans and whatnot. am thus kinda ambivalent. while am glad we got the opportunities afforded by military service, am kinda offended by how draft and military service as a whole functional targets specific segments o' the populace. Draftees have a very different experience compared to volunteers. As of today (meaning it may change if there ever is one again) a draftee serves two years active and two years inactive reserve in the Army. As a two year enlistee they will not get the benefit of the best educational programs. They will also not be able to select what job they are going to get while on active duty. A drafted soldier is damn near enslaved. A voluntary enlistee can choose their service branch, and if they are joining the Army or Navy they can even choose the exact MOS and duty stations they want most of the time. As long as their record is clean and the scored high enough on the ASVAB and that test they give you after you join. Forget what it's called. The Air Force and Marine Corps will not guarantee an exact job but lets you choose from a list. I never heard of anyone who qualified for them not getting their first or second choice once through Boot Camp & MCT. In my case the school I was signed up for was full so the last week of MCT the S1 guys informed me I had to choose a new MOS/school or go on Barracks Support (basically and never ending s--t detail) for 8 months until a slot came open. I picked one that looked interesting and it was. The point of that story being the military treats voluntary enlistees pretty decently. Don't get me wrong, there is a tremendous amount of BS that comes with just being in the military and it isn't easy work most of the time. But you know up front what you are getting and you do get it. A draftee on the other hand... that's a hard row to hoe. And more often than not they are highly unmotivated because they are not there by choice. But you are right about the opportunities military service offers. I was.t a particularly good football player like some folks i know and I was a C student in HS and didn't have much direction. In return for four years of service I have a degree and a career that I likely would not have without it. And paid for just a fraction of it from my own money. "While it is true you learn with age, the down side is what you often learn is what a damn fool you were before" Thomas Sowell
ShadySands Posted February 24, 2019 Posted February 24, 2019 (edited) Curious what you mean by warrior caste? I know there are military families who see that as their best financial vocation. I've also heard of some contract military workers that get to sock away 6 figures straight into a 401k for a decade while basically having the lowest possible living expenses the entire time. I spent a while trying to explain it in my own words before deciding that it's easier to just give links The Warrior Caste - America increasingly relies on a small group of multigenerational military families to fight its wars. That’s a problem. When the new White House chief of staff, then a Marine general, John Kelly received a knock on the door in November 2010, he became the highest-ranking military officer to lose a child in combat. In addition to his son Robert, killed by a landmine in Afghanistan in 2010, his other son is also an active-duty Marine. The Kellys’ legacy of service is not unusual among military families. This type of lineage has led to generations of flag officers, fathers and sons who reunite while deployed, and families who bear the loss of a war America has forgotten we are fighting. The U.S. military is comprised today of a large number of families who serve generation after generation. While the service and sacrifice of these families over the years are undeniable, the extent to which fighting America’s wars has become a family business should give us pause. The United States has been at war in Iraq and Afghanistan for more than 15 years. There have been calls recently to put “boots on the ground” in Syria. Should the situation on the Korean peninsula deteriorate rapidly, there are already tens of thousands of U.S. troops already on the ground who may be in harm’s way. Yet, for the vast majority of American society, these deployments are an abstraction. Most Americans won’t fight in those conflicts and don’t know anyone who will. More links that have variations of the same basic theme Military Times Task and Purpose INSS Foreign Policy My opinion is that even though I'm not in favor of conscription I do fear that our current system makes it too easy to maintain this state of constant military action Edited February 24, 2019 by ShadySands 2 Free games updated 3/4/21
injurai Posted February 24, 2019 Posted February 24, 2019 So America has it's own Spartan / Helot dichotomy. Some things don't change. 1
injurai Posted February 24, 2019 Posted February 24, 2019 Open Letter From New York State Budget Director Robert Mujica Regarding Amazonhttps://www.governor.ny.gov/news/open-letter-new-york-state-budget-director-robert-mujica-regarding-amazon This whole read is a trip. Easily will go down as one of the greatest **** ups of the decade. I'm not sure there can ever be enough lambasting of the politicians involved without a significant mea culpa resignation.
Gorth Posted February 25, 2019 Author Posted February 25, 2019 I spent a while trying to explain it in my own words before deciding that it's easier to just give links Pictures... or it didn't happen! 2 “He who joyfully marches to music in rank and file has already earned my contempt. He has been given a large brain by mistake, since for him the spinal cord would surely suffice.” - Albert Einstein
Zoraptor Posted February 25, 2019 Posted February 25, 2019 So America has it's own Spartan / Helot dichotomy. Some things don't change. Or latish Roman Republic: immense capite censi with low political engagement, lots of gerrymandering and back room deals, a political system that was designed well before the country got so big, huge vested interests that effectively controlled the Republic, colossal income disparities, massively disproportionate weight of military enlistment on a specific subgroup of the population and a lot more long term military engagement than was ever considered at the Republic's founding. Which probably makes Bernie Sanders Tiberius Sempronius Gracchus reborn, hopefully without the getting beaten to death by Mitch McConnell part. 1
Malcador Posted February 25, 2019 Posted February 25, 2019 Open Letter From New York State Budget Director Robert Mujica Regarding Amazon https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/open-letter-new-york-state-budget-director-robert-mujica-regarding-amazon This whole read is a trip. Easily will go down as one of the greatest **** ups of the decade. I'm not sure there can ever be enough lambasting of the politicians involved without a significant mea culpa resignation. Is going to be a decet sized bullet to fire at Sanders, I am guessing. Why has elegance found so little following? Elegance has the disadvantage that hard work is needed to achieve it and a good education to appreciate it. - Edsger Wybe Dijkstra
213374U Posted February 25, 2019 Posted February 25, 2019 So America has it's own Spartan / Helot dichotomy. Some things don't change. Or latish Roman Republic: immense capite censi with low political engagement, lots of gerrymandering and back room deals, a political system that was designed well before the country got so big, huge vested interests that effectively controlled the Republic, colossal income disparities, massively disproportionate weight of military enlistment on a specific subgroup of the population and a lot more long term military engagement than was ever considered at the Republic's founding. Which probably makes Bernie Sanders Tiberius Sempronius Gracchus reborn, hopefully without the getting beaten to death by Mitch McConnell part. The morale of this story is of course that socialism failed even before it was invented, because the Gracchi bros laws to have the state give handouts of land and wheat (eventually) led to the fall of Rome. Checkmate, commies! - When he is best, he is a little worse than a man, and when he is worst, he is little better than a beast.
Gromnir Posted February 25, 2019 Posted February 25, 2019 So America has it's own Spartan / Helot dichotomy. Some things don't change. am not certain if this were intentional hyperbolic, so will treat as if you added a smiley or similar emoticon. sure, military careers tends to repeated generational in the US. 'course same is true for any number o' occupations and we don't see many concerns 'cause farmers and plumbers is often family businesses. the thing is, maybe not to the degree shady is concerned, we do realize town plumbers and individual farmers don't wield the same kinda power as does army colonels and navy captains. still, is not surprising when folks follow in the footsteps o' their parents, and we cannot imagine a legal method for barring families from helping their children along a similar career path. do we genuine want to prevent such? if debbie has desire and ability to get into annapolis same as her old man, then more power to her. if debbie wanted to become a plumber, and her road towards becoming a successful plumber were made predictable more smooth and less convoluted by having a father who could not only speak on her behalf with contractors and suppliers, but could offer her practical advice unavailable to a first generation plumber, am not certain many o' us would be offended overmuch. however, am recognizing the legit fear o' family power and the potential for manifest unfairness. captain or admiral in navy is different than neighborhood plumber. the thing is, given how merit-based is US military progression, particular compared to many other militaries 'round the world, am not certain what, if anything, we would change. colin powell, for example, were the son of immigrants. no US military background for the powells. how much were joseph dunford aided by his father having served as an infantry marine? dunford sr. career were the ultimate stereotype: an irish-catholic cop in boston. martin dempsey grew up in bayonne, nj... all o' his grandparents were born in ireland. general dempsey's father were a full-time oil refinery worker and a part-time mail man. mother worked at a department store. michael mullen's parents were hollywood showbiz folks. names might not be familiar other than powell, but these guys were all recent Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. clear don't need family name to rise in military. if you want another specific refutation o' the spartan/helot dichotomy, one need only look to "cadet bone spurs." the President not only don't have any military service record, but he arguable shirked military duty with a transparent medical condition and has, on numerous occasions, made light o' the contributions o' actual military leaders and heroes. kinda implausible for a helot who has shown contempt for those who has fought and shed blood while he stayed home safe with a seeming ephemeral medical disability to not only be afforded full benefits o' citizenship, but to rise to commander and chief o' the most powerful military force on the planet... which should cause a chill to run down your spine when you think o' the absurdity. so we clear don't have spartan/helot. also, as much as Gromnir rails 'bout income disparity, we sure as hell ain't gonna suggest the US suffers from some kinda rigid class system with patricians, plebs and slaves. best not forget the slaves. of the top dozen wealthiest folks on the planet, most is Americans, which comes as no surprise to anyone. however, bezos, ellison and bloomberg all came from, at best what could be described as middle-class families. gates, zuckerberg and page had slight more privileged upbringings, but still upper middle-class by most standards. warren buffet's dad were a Congressman, and the koch brothers inherited big-- patricians. oh, and am personal retiring this year before we turn 50 after having donated a small (extreme small by bezos standards) fortune to multiple charities. home whenever we get fellow americans chastising us 'cause am ignoring the plight o' folks in gaza or caracas, we wanna howl and laugh and cry all at same time. got dozens o' places just as worthy o' sympathy right here in the US, but such places go largely unnoticed. *shrug* yeah, we got lucky. we managed to get an advanced degree from a prestigious school. most important, we had grandparents raising us who believed in the importance o' education and who insulated us from much o' the day-to-day tragedies o' the rez. lucky. even so, our humble beginning didn't slow us down overmuch. also helps we don't hardly sleep, so there is that too. and is not as if am alone in success originating from the lowest pleb state. immigrants, particular from asia and africa, is doing well in the US, which is precise why immigrants keep coming to America. US is still a land o' opportunity, and not just for patricians, but perhaps one needs come from someplace truly hard to appreciate the possibilities. HA! Good Fun! ps retirement is on hold 'til we finish two cases. am assuming both is wrapped up by june. if all goes according to plan, then we get to say we retired before fifty. 3 "If there be time to expose through discussion the falsehood and fallacies, to avert the evil by the processes of education, the remedy to be applied is more speech, not enforced silence."Justice Louis Brandeis, Concurring, Whitney v. California, 274 U.S. 357 (1927) "Im indifferent to almost any murder as long as it doesn't affect me or mine."--Gfted1 (September 30, 2019)
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