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kippyk
·I feel an attack on Iran is in the cards to distract.
Originally about tariffs and watches ... now just political rambling
Locked
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ErichPryde
··Seamasters ForeverSo, “stable genius” is off the table?
I don't know, shouldn't it be? Just a few pages ago you made it clear how you feel about ad hominem attacks. Most of this "stable genius"/"cackling loser" stuff is:
back and forth banter I’m not going to engage in.
If you're not interested in this sort of discussion, let's try to steer the conversation back to something resembling a topic.
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Mtek
·I don't know, shouldn't it be? Just a few pages ago you made it clear how you feel about ad hominem attacks. Most of this "stable genius"/"cackling loser" stuff is:
If you're not interested in this sort of discussion, let's try to steer the conversation back to something resembling a topic.
I am engaging just like others at this point.
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ErichPryde
··Seamasters ForeverI am engaging just like others at this point.
What about standing for principles?
Twice I've asked you for a source for information. The first time you flat refused and accused me of attempting to engage you in back-and-forth, which.... all of a sudden seems to be exactly what you want to engage in? And the second time your response answered my question... by citing the source I was essentially questioning.
Other members make statements that are indeed questionable (the always/never unified response statement) and instead of sharing a source of information to engage in genuine correction, you tell them you are "embarrassed" for them. Not sure I'd call that an ad hominem attack, but it's certainly personal.
You aren't personally engaging in any sort of honest or intellectual discussion, and I genuinely find your entire approach completely disappointing.
Edited:
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Tony C.
··Ωf Jury memberSoft power was a waste and wrought with fraud. Hard power, like economic and military power, works much better.
You think that the U.S. is in a position to wield "hard" economic power with debt/GDP 120%, deficit/GDP at 7%, US interest & interest like obligations at 108% of receipts and rising? How have those tough sanctions on Russia worked out?
And do you imagine that it is in a position to exercise "hard" military power when it relies on China in order to manufacture the hardware that it will use in such conflicts?
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Mtek
·What about standing for principles?
Twice I've asked you for a source for information. The first time you flat refused and accused me of attempting to engage you in back-and-forth, which.... all of a sudden seems to be exactly what you want to engage in? And the second time your response answered my question... by citing the source I was essentially questioning.
Other members make statements that are indeed questionable (the always/never unified response statement) and instead of sharing a source of information to engage in genuine correction, you tell them you are "embarrassed" for them. Not sure I'd call that an ad hominem attack, but it's certainly personal.
You aren't personally engaging in any sort of honest discussion, and I genuinely find your entire approach completely disappointing.
Many here are not engaged in honest discussion, let’s be honest. Dan S, who has twice edited responses, attacked Trump with the “stable genius” earlier. I responded a lot more directly. In my opinion, I’m one of the few who is being open, with issues with the alternative candidate who gave rise to Trump and tariffs. Using him as an example again, he then responds with the need to get back on topic.
I did tell one person I was embarrassed for them, I was responding to them saying YouTube (instead of msm) was a credible source. I was out of line, it was an ad hominem, and unnecessary.
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Mtek
·😂
You think that the U.S. is in a position to wield "hard" economic power with debt/GDP 120%, deficit/GDP at 7%, US interest & interest like obligations at 108% of receipts and rising? How have those tough sanctions on Russia worked out?
And do you imagine that it is in a position to exercise "hard" military power when it relies on China in order to manufacture the hardware that it will use in such conflicts?
I absolutely agree with every thing you are saying. The focus on soft power put us in this very position.
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texasmade
·I absolutely agree with every thing you are saying. The focus on soft power put us in this very position.
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Mtek
·Hard power only works when you're the biggest baddest guy on the block. As history has shown every bully gets knocked off their perch eventually. Bludgeoning your allies to get them to do what you want only leads to them ganging up on you later once you pushed it too far.
I look at it more of a deterrent. We have wasted trillions on soft power, it hasn’t gotten us as far as it should have. The end game of that approach, is installing a gov who is favorable to us, it’s dishonest.
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texasmade
·I look at it more of a deterrent. We have wasted trillions on soft power, it hasn’t gotten us as far as it should have. The end game of that approach, is installing a gov who is favorable to us, it’s dishonest.
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Mtek
·We wasted trillions using our hard power starting 2 wars which got us nothing. Saying soft power has no benefits is like saying paying taxes to the has no benefit. You may not like everything but the pros outweigh the cons for a large majority of the people.
You can have hard power and not start unnecessary wars. The soft power hasn’t exactly worked in our favor either, and the current admin is being very effective with marketing it as a failure. There is no magic bullet.
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ErichPryde
··Seamasters Forever@Mtek
I can't speak for anyone else, but I no longer am interested in what you have to say. you had your shot.
I can't speak for anyone else, but I no longer am interested in what you have to say. you had your shot.
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Archer
··Omega Qualified WatchmakerIn a couple weeks Trump learned who our true allies are, brilliant.
I don't know if it's real, I don't know a lot about this stuff so it's probably not. Just putting it out there...
😉
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kfranzk
·Hallo friends,
yes some posts here are too political, so lets talk about you and me.
There is rough characterism (with a smile) of European nations or people:
"In heaven the English are the police, the French the cooks, the Germans the technicians, and the Italians the lovers and the Swiss run it all.
In hell the Germans are the police, the English the cooks, the French the technicians, the Swiss the lovers, and the Italians the helmsmen."
So what're the (US-)Americans stand for?
Do they come with a Care parcel as I had the luck to get in my childhood, when I was almost starving?
Or do they come with the political attitude of the current administration (It reminds me of Broncos in medieval villages)?
I have very good watch collector friends over there, I visited in Tulsa, Honolulu, Austin and Miwaukee and had lots of fun and friendship.
I used to drive Harley-Davidson and wear Levi my whole life, had IBM PCs as long they were, use still Intel and Microsoft, Adobe, Amazon, Whatsapp and Google and pay for that with my € and data for US profits.
=> I am in favor of the TTIF negotiations between the US and EU, for fair competition of different markets. Yes they were on hold due to different food regulations, but at least there was no US interest any more to deal that.
And yes for many decades I favor much more funds for German defence forces.
Konrad
Btw.: An expert here says, to bring back manufacturing to the US will contrast to the lack of craftmens skills of the workforce in large scale.
So this goal may not only be a problem of finance, tariffs and market access.
yes some posts here are too political, so lets talk about you and me.
There is rough characterism (with a smile) of European nations or people:
"In heaven the English are the police, the French the cooks, the Germans the technicians, and the Italians the lovers and the Swiss run it all.
In hell the Germans are the police, the English the cooks, the French the technicians, the Swiss the lovers, and the Italians the helmsmen."
So what're the (US-)Americans stand for?
Do they come with a Care parcel as I had the luck to get in my childhood, when I was almost starving?
Or do they come with the political attitude of the current administration (It reminds me of Broncos in medieval villages)?
I have very good watch collector friends over there, I visited in Tulsa, Honolulu, Austin and Miwaukee and had lots of fun and friendship.
I used to drive Harley-Davidson and wear Levi my whole life, had IBM PCs as long they were, use still Intel and Microsoft, Adobe, Amazon, Whatsapp and Google and pay for that with my € and data for US profits.
=> I am in favor of the TTIF negotiations between the US and EU, for fair competition of different markets. Yes they were on hold due to different food regulations, but at least there was no US interest any more to deal that.
And yes for many decades I favor much more funds for German defence forces.
Konrad
Btw.: An expert here says, to bring back manufacturing to the US will contrast to the lack of craftmens skills of the workforce in large scale.
So this goal may not only be a problem of finance, tariffs and market access.