OP ED-"Little Timmy Wants to Know Why Nobody Likes Airplanes Anymore?

[BorealOne]

You keep talking about Iran like it is a monolithic society, incapable of change. I'm arguing for regime change. Clearly business as usual under the ayatollahs isn't a benefit - not to us, not to Iranians. But the benefit of a democratic, progressive Iran joining the community of nations as a trading partner would be huge for the region and good for the West. A market of 76 million people in an oil rich nation isn't something that most trading nations would turn their noses up at.

We got over our little disagreements with Germany and Japan after a little regime change, and there used to be this thing called the the Soviet Union and the Eastern Bloc.

Things can change, and sometimes for the better.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[AndyFromCB]

Reducing China's role in their energy development. You guys still live in cold war years. New trade routes to Central Asia. Reducing pakistans influence in Afghanistan. I can keep on going. Keeping Saudi terrorism in check

[Andy95W]

And why give money to Israel, or Pakistan, or Afghanistan?

Because you catch more flies with honey than with vinegar.

You may not like the flies, but you recognize the benefit to catching them.

[John Pleisse]

Reducing China's role in their energy development. You guys still live in cold war years. New trade routes to Central Asia. Reducing pakistans influence in Afghanistan. I can keep on going. Keeping Saudi terrorism in check

 

Oh boy...... Andy.....these are so round about, I couldn't even plead ignorance. I'll let your answer stand and just look at it every day to enjoy it.

[Andy95W]

We can depend on our honest politicians to give money to the "good" flies! Remember that Shah of Iran guy? Wasn't there some nice couple in the Philippines? And that clean cut guy in Iraq. Hussein?

All great examples, and my gut also says that money is better spent elsewhere.

But it also feels like holding a wolf by the ears- you don't like it, but you don't dare let go, either.

[flyboy0681]

Meanwhile, I was watching Fareed Zacharia this morning and he put American's killed by terrorism into perspective. He stated that since 9/11, 49 American's have been killed as a result of radial Islamists while a little over 858,000 were killed during that same time from firearms and car accidents. I'm not that great in math, but the chances of an American being a victim of terrorism appears to be 5 digits to the right of the decimal point. I guess the reason we view it as such a horrific threat is because it's unpredictable and occurs so infrequently.

[John Pleisse]

Meanwhile, I was watching Fareed Zacharia this morning and he put American's killed by terrorism into perspective. He stated that since 9/11, 49 American's have been killed as a result of radial Islamists while a little over 858,000 were killed during that same time from firearms and car accidents. I'm not that great in math, but the chances of an American being a victim of terrorism appears to be 5 digits to the right of the decimal point. I guess the reason we view it as such a horrific threat is because it's unpredictable and occurs so infrequently.

 

 

So a blase' approach and a strong policy should be avoided? Iran should have the bomb? Again, if you look at raw numbers, it is violence. When you observe its psychological affect, financial affect, political affect and religious affect, it serves it's intended purpose. There's reason ISIS is a propaganda machine. Mr. GPS is a bright guy, I like watching him, but he is an intellectual liberal, who uses analytical data to arrive at answers that suit his agenda. We've been through this....you know, the total dumb-assed chart posted about 30 pages back, comparing the statistical data of a terrorist attack to a heart attack. Dumb, moronic, drool........fabulous in forgone conclusion. Are people terrorized by the prospect of a heart attack enough,  to get on a treadmill????

[flyboy0681]

So a blase' approach and a strong policy should be avoided? Iran should have the bomb? Again, if you look at raw numbers, it is violence. When you observe its psychological affect, financial affect, political affect and religious affect, it serves it's intended purpose. There's reason ISIS is a propaganda machine. Mr. GPS is a bright guy, I like watching him, but he is an intellectual liberal, who uses analytical data to arrive at answers that suit his agenda. We've been through this....you know, the total dumb-assed chart posted about 30 pages back, comparing the statistical data of a terrorist attack to a heart attack. Dumb, moronic, drool........fabulous in forgone conclusion. Are people terrorized by the prospect of a heart attack enough,  to get on a treadmill????

 

 

One could ponder whether the multiple trillions that this nation has spent on security since that time, at the peril of our nations own financial well being - was actually worth it. If it prevented thousands of 9/11 type attacks (doubtful), then yes, it was worth it. If not, it was water down the drain. 

 

The statistics are not dumb, as it's all about risk assessment. A good example are those that purchase liability and collision insurance when they rent a car because the girl at the counter frightens them with all kinds of doomsday scenarios in case the renter gets into an accident. The coverage typically costs $40 a day, but how many of you would pay the equivalent $15k a year to insure our own car the same way? To add insult to injury, their daily insurance charges are the same whether you are renting a Corolla or a Lincoln. Again, it's all about risk and how well the counter girl scares you.

[John Pleisse]

Completely disagree. And here's what you guys seem to also constantly overlook......like a rattlesnake shaking its tail at you. They have oil, we want it. It serves our interests. We have well trained soldiers, bombs, missiles and hardware to help protect and stabilize their interests. It really is just that simple. Academy Award winning films (our other export), don't buy oil ...our protections and cash do.They can pick and choose who they like, but at the end of the day, they help us, we help them. (I created this summation since you seem to like rote level analysis).

 

As for your response....let's get an unedited version of an ISIS beheading and make, say...I don't know...... your wife and kids watch it. Practical and statistical analysis won't prevail... I promise you.

[flyboy0681]

Completely disagree. And here's what you guys seem to also constantly overlook......like a rattlesnake shaking its tail at you. They have oil, we want it. It serves our interests. We have bombs, missiles and hardware and like being protected and stable, it serves their interests. It really is just that simple. Academy Award winning films (our other export), don't buy oil...our protections and cash do.They can pick and choose who they like, but at the end of the day, they help us, we help them. (I created this summation since you seem to like rote level analysis).

 

I agree with your "you scratch my back, I scratch yours" analogy. This is one of the reasons we have always been friends with our enemies.

 

But to clarify using my analogy, if you would have invested all of your life savings in the 1960's by building and supplying a basement fallout shelter and I would have invested my money towards my retirement years, who would have come out ahead in this scenario?

[John Pleisse]

Comparing modern terrorism to 60's nuclear fear is reasonable. But bomb shelters have doors for a reason. To protect from fall-out, but to also secure your well bing when the nay-sayers, who used over-simplistic analysis to protect their families, want to save their lives. And you didn't factor in public policy....eventual nuclear detente and tough policies that lead to disarmament.

 

Sorry, you walked right into that one.

[flyboy0681]

Comparing modern terrorism to 60's nuclear fear is reasonable. But bomb shelters have doors for a reason. To protect from fall-out, but to also secure your well bing when the nay-sayers, who used over-simplistic analysis to protect their families, want to save their lives. And didn't factor public policy....eventual nuclear detente.

 

I happen to think it's a great analogy: fear is fear whether it's from communist Russia or ISIS terrorists. They all make you do irrational things and overreact.

 

How about an analogy you could relate to. In 2002 you spend all of your disposable money arming yourself with all kinds of firearms, and I continue to invest money towards my retirement. By 2015, who ended up ahead?

[Andy95W]

Firearms manufacturers.

[flyboy0681]

Firearms manufacturers.

 

Exactly right. And I benefit too because the mutual funds I invested in hold shares with the manufacturers.

[flyboy0681]

So with ISIS coming on ... beheadings on the rise ... any sword manufacting mutuals you recommend?

 

I don't know of any manufacturers here, all the ones I know of are in Japan.

[flyboy0681]

  

Any good Burka manufacturer mutuals? Those are definitely on the rise in Europe!

 

For those I would invest in Halloween costume manufacturers right here in the US.

 

http://www.aliexpress.com/store/product/Halloween-Costumes-For-Women-Cosplay-Uniform-Sexy-Burka-Costume-H39224/1286207_2032594769.html

[John Pleisse]

I happen to think it's a great analogy: fear is fear whether it's from communist Russia or ISIS terrorists. They all make you do irrational things and overreact.

 

How about an analogy you could relate to. In 2002 you spend all of your disposable money arming yourself with all kinds of firearms, and I continue to invest money towards my retirement. By 2015, who ended up ahead?

 

 

Well, it's a poor analogy, because more people bought firearms the second the President and his media minions started bellyaching about gun control after Sandy, than ever did after 9-11 or any terrorist attack. No equivalency. $1,400 for a Glock or Berretta semi-auto, medium caliber had gun won't wreck your retirement, but could insure you get there. Careful in Florida. Do it legally or you might be in for a 3-5 mandatory imprisonment.

 

Here's something better. Remember that prick kid in the back of the school bus every morning...about 3 years older.....the bully who would mess with you? This would be more analogous. Bad dude, not relevant, nobody likes him and you out grew him some years later. But he got in your head. You either popped him one, or you moved to another seat. Now, if somebody had your back, you'd sit where you want.

[flyboy0681]

 

 

Here's something better. Remember that prick kid in the back of the school bus every morning...about 3 years older.....the bully who would mess with you? This would be more analogous. Bad dude, not relevant, nobody likes him and you out grew him some years later. But he got in your head. You either popped him one, or you moved to another seat. Now, if somebody had your back, you'd sit where you want.

 

?

[John Pleisse]

"?"

 

Exactly my point.

[BorealOne]

The only thing I've been able to follow on this thread today is Dave's post about the French skiier nailing the 1/2 pipe at X-Games.

[BorealOne]

Thanks for your concern!

 

As a Canadian (!) D'Artois would have heard countless stories about other Canadians being bankrupted in the event that he needed health care in the USA, so doubtless had plenty of private insurance.

 

I don't recall ever saying that US health care was lousy - in fact quite the opposite - but it's still extremely and unnecessarily expensive because so many middle-men have to get paid.

[BorealOne]

Dave, you guys are nowhere close to "fixed" when it comes to healthcare reform. A single payor system would make far more sense - but it seems politically impossible for ya'll to achieve. I guess a big part of being so free is being free to pay so much more to big HMOs and big pharmaceutical firms for something that the rest of the West regards as a public service.

[BorealOne]

You seem to think policy is like cheering for a sports team - pick a side and stick it to the rest. We have folks like that here - most of them are Maple Leafs fans. But most of us look at the stats. And when the stats don't look good, maybe it's time to change the lineup.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[jetdriven]

Not fixed? But that's what all the Obama fans keep telling us. Obamacare is just wonderful! Everything is great now!

Any bill you have to bribe votes, grant multiple exemptions, then cheat the rules to only need 50 votes instead of 60, and have a vote in the wee hours of the morning, on something with 1200 pages ... you haven't even read ... it must be just great!

But it is all working out pretty good, because now Obama and his staff are just making it up ... week by week ... over the next several years ... Great way to get world class health care!

(But republicans are idiots?)

Are you talking about The ACA or Medicare part D, or the recently passed CROmnibus bill?

[jetdriven]

You seem to think policy is like cheering for a sports team - pick a side and stick it to the rest. We have folks like that here - most of them are Maple Leafs fans. But most of us look at the stats. And when the stats don't look good, maybe it's time to change the lineup.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

People here loudly proclaim that we have the best healthcare system in he world, until they get sick and go bankrupt for it. Some even die because you know, health insurance companies had whole departments to deny claims and even rescind policies.

And for all that we spend 18% of GDP on it, and double digit inflation incosts, and worse outcomes that pretty much every other advanced nation that pays half per capita we do. Half. But ther sure are a lot of people yelling their heads off here about Freedom.