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Posted: Sat Mar 28, 2015 12:22 pm
by Malcolm
The way I look at it now days is that revolutions? Not our business. "Death to America" threats? Our business.
I'm opposite. I don't give a fuck how many threats we receive. I care how the political turnover's going. If we keep putting enough coins in that slot machine, eventually we might hit the jackpot and some non-douchebags might take power. Until then, we have the following problem in nearly every Middle Eastern territory (I might expand this to African onees as well, although you have some insane "Christians" over there as well):
When the douches get to consolidate power, be it a state or extremist group, then they start figuring out ways to expand. Often, a way to expand is to attract new psychos to your side. Know a cheap way to attract new psychos? Advertising. Not just twitter, but anything that gets free news coverage. Like acts of terrorism. Suicide bombings, mass shootings, kidnappings, whatever. For every one dude that blows himself up, you recruit more than one. Until that last sentence is false, this shit won't stop. I don't see that happening until enough people in those regions just get fucking tired of the constant slaughter and rein in the psychos. Or all the psychos could cross-exterminate. In the meantime, let the wackos fight it out with the wackos, keep the churn rate for leadership going, cull the bright ones.
Posted: Sat Mar 28, 2015 8:05 pm
by GORDON
If we keep putting enough coins in that slot machine, eventually we might hit the jackpot and some non-douchebags might take power.
I think the problem is that money wins elections, and nobody is going to give money to the non-douchebags who aren't going to make sure that money isn't well-spent.
Posted: Sat Mar 28, 2015 8:49 pm
by Malcolm
GORDON wrote:If we keep putting enough coins in that slot machine, eventually we might hit the jackpot and some non-douchebags might take power.
I think the problem is that money wins elections, and nobody is going to give money to the non-douchebags who aren't going to make sure that money isn't well-spent.
When the non-douchebags take over, they're the ones that foster economies and trading. All we have to do is not kill them. Over here, cash wins elections. Over in places like Nigeria, I don't know if there's enough cash to wave in front of everyone's faces to distract them from the raping, pillaging, and plundering going on.
Posted: Sat Mar 28, 2015 9:47 pm
by GORDON
Oh, for a second I thought you meant how do we get non-douchebags over HERE winning electins.
Over there, one of their big problems is the concept of private property. When the government (or mafia, or thugs, or anyone) can take what it wants, when it wants, and frequently does, there is absolutely no incentive to invest in anything. If there's no reasonable assurance that what you build today won't be eminent domained and/or stolen tomorrow, you aren't going to invest in that economy.
Again, this could have been a problem solved by TELLING them what constitution they will follow (an original version of ours), and sticking around long enough to enforce things and get them off the ground. When people are secure in their private property, and when the economy gets off the ground, people are going to be less likely to cave to the thugs and more willing to trust the police.
IMO.
Edited By GORDON on 1427597213
Posted: Sun Mar 29, 2015 2:12 pm
by Malcolm
Oh, for a second I thought you meant how do we get non-douchebags over HERE winning electins.
Oh, that. I say we redefine politics so we can treat it more like what it actually is, a sport. Maybe everyone will pay more attention then.
Posted: Sun Mar 29, 2015 6:36 pm
by Vince
Malcolm wrote:I'm opposite. I don't give a fuck how many threats we receive.
The reason it matters is because Bin Laden was saying for at least a couple of years that they were going to make the streets of New York flow with blood before the Sept 11th attacks. If we'd taken him at his word, we'd probably been better off.
Posted: Sun Mar 29, 2015 6:47 pm
by GORDON
On the other hand, do we Seal Team 6 every chucklefuck who gets mouthy?
Posted: Sun Mar 29, 2015 9:27 pm
by Vince
Not at all. But I think they do warrant a look-see to determine if it's more than just mouthing off. I think our default should be taking them at their word unless we have evidence to the contrary. We certainly don't continue talks on nuclear capabilities while they've threatening to fly the flag of jihad over the white house.
Posted: Mon Mar 30, 2015 3:42 pm
by TPRJones
With the number of threats bandied about, there's not enough money in the world to pay for the amount of effort it would require to follow up on them all.
Posted: Tue Apr 07, 2015 3:45 pm
by Malcolm
Rand Paul calls out GOP. Do I think he'll succeed? No. Do they need it? Fuck, yes.
Kansas Governor Sam Brownback on Tuesday signed into law the nation's first ban on an abortion procedure often considered the safest termination option for some pregnant women.
The new law, which takes effect on July 1, bans the dilation and evacuation (known as D and E) procedure commonly used during a pregnancy's second trimester, and thus effectively bans abortion as early as 14 weeks post-fertilization. According to the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, D and E is the safest means of performing an abortion after that time.
Thanks for encouraging underground, black market abortion industry that flourished fifty years ago, fuckwads. Eventually, unless there's a doctor right there in under five minutes after you finish, I just assume some more bullshit laws will get made up to do an end run around the Supreme Court.
Edited By Malcolm on 1428435980
Posted: Tue Apr 07, 2015 3:52 pm
by GORDON
Took the kid to the art museum today. Asked the question, "But is this art?" to him, followed by "why" or "why not?" Had lots of good discussion.
Anyway, there was a picture of a girl sitting, face in her hands. She looks distraught. The title was, "The Morning After." Depending on who you are you are left to make your own decisions about what happened the night before, but being me, I figured she regretted a drunken hookup.
I figured another good title would be, "The Result of Making Poor Decisions."
The abortion topic makes me think of this.
Posted: Tue Apr 07, 2015 4:08 pm
by Malcolm
Do I want to encourage people to make decisions without thinking? Not exactly. Do I want their lives locked into raising a kid they didn't plan for and don't have the means or will to support? Even less. I'm not a fan of making them wait out the nine months and giving the kid up for adoption, either. You don't get to make a claim on their body's role as an incubation chamber for three-quarters of a year or put them at risk of complications during delivery.
Edited By Malcolm on 1428437299
Posted: Tue Apr 07, 2015 4:13 pm
by GORDON
I don't think abortion should necessarily be illegal, but I do think people should be punished more for being stupid and making bad decisions. It's the only way they'll learn.
Even if it's just a big smack upside the head.
Posted: Tue Apr 07, 2015 4:32 pm
by Vince
GORDON wrote:Took the kid to the art museum today. Asked the question, "But is this art?" to him, followed by "why" or "why not?" Had lots of good discussion.
I had that discussion with a coworker once as we walked downtown and looking at modern art. I decided if they dig up the complete piece 2,000 years from now, would they recognize it's art, or would they keep digging for the rest of whatever it is it goes to? If they keep looking for the rest of it, it's not art. It's crap.
Posted: Tue Apr 07, 2015 5:14 pm
by Malcolm
If they keep looking for the rest of it, it's not art. It's crap.
By the standards of the ruling dudes at the time when shit's dug up.
Posted: Tue Apr 07, 2015 5:16 pm
by GORDON
My lesson to his was, "art can be anything that was created in order to illicit an emotional response." And, saying that something isn't art, but is bullshit, could be considered an emotional response.
I laid some deep knowledge on a 9 year old today.
Posted: Tue Apr 07, 2015 5:16 pm
by GORDON
I also taught and showed him that a lot of famous paintings are all about triangles.
Posted: Tue Apr 07, 2015 5:18 pm
by Malcolm
Sometimes it's not just emotional. You are supposed to think.
Posted: Sun Apr 19, 2015 1:26 pm
by Malcolm
Rubio is a fucktard. Hardly news.
"I don't believe same-sex marriage is a Constitutional right," Rubio added. "I also don't believe that your sexual preferences are a choice for the vast and enormous majority of people. In fact...I believe that sexual preference is something that people are born with."
Yep, neither's interracial marriage. Shit, I don't think heterosexual marriage is guaranteed.
States have always regulated marriage. And if a state wants to have a different definition, you should petition the state legislature and have a political debate. I don't think courts should be making that decision.
"I'm not against gay marriage, but if some states are, I'll totally back them just because it's not explicitly guaranteed anywhere in the Constitution."
Posted: Mon Apr 20, 2015 6:37 pm
by GORDON
Progressives in Wisconsin basically SWATing conservative supporters of Scott Walker.
Icing on the cake: judge issues gag order on victims so they can't talk about what's happening.
http://www.nationalreview.com/article....-french