Sunday School

[TheEncogitationerParticipant]

Jake,

Am sort of surprised you see the dependence on Russian oil and gas as an impediment. Markets are not fixed. It can change. In fact the threat by Nato or USA might entail going elsewhere to purchase oil and gas.

Europe is starting to switch suppliers, but they had to have their heads put over a barrel by Putin before they would change, when they could have been doing more to diversify their supply before then.

The U.S. has lots of restrictions that keep us from our full energy independence potential, so that also limits what we could supply to Europe.

Moreover, Europeans like the U.S. increasingly, are becoming enthralled with Net Zero pipe dreams of supplying their energy with wind and solar, and subsidizing those projects works against them exploring for more petro options, too.

Markers can only change when freed up to do so.

[TheEncogitationerParticipant]

Jake,

In terms of Israel Gaza i think probably those hostages should have been sacrificed for the sake of the future. Written off. If you can save any big big bonus but policy and war strategy should not be dependent on Israeli hostages. I know i would not have that position were i to have family or friends in such a position. However negotiating over hostages encourages more hostage taking. It caused the release of idk how many Palestinian criminals. And perhaps Israel is even more circumspect about attacking than they otherwise would be.

Perhaps the best course would be for Israel to take a note from O. Henry’s story “The Ransom of Red Chief” and teach their citizens to be the worst hostages anyone would ever try to take. So bad that the hostage takers would end up paying to send them back.

[UnseenParticipant]

TheEncogitationer wrote:

Unseen, You posted one article entitled: When Vladimir Putin escalates his war, the world must meet him.

This article did praise the Ukrainians for resistance.

Everything else you posted was boasting how Putin and his weaponry were strong like bull, and how all the usual suspect “experts” blamed Ukraine and the West for wearing short skirts and provoking Putin, and the threat of “World War III”. Basically, the Russian equivalent of Lord Haw-Haw, Axis Sally, and Tokyo Rose.

I’m guilty of overestimating Russia’s capabilities and underestimating those of Ukraine. No more.

Now, I think we’ve all run into people who have a certain sickness impelling them to never ever lose an argument, Consequently, no matter how weak their arguments, they don’t know when to drop it and so they look like fools as their continued doggedness and inability to simply leave it there makes them look more clownish with each weakening response.

Are you one of those people? I’m going to admit three things I admit I was wrong about and then it’ll be your turn. 1) I didn’t think Ukraine had a chance vs. Russia; 2) I backed Tulsi Gabbard’s presidential run when it looked like she was the only antiwar candidate; 3) I invested $2000 in cryptocurrencies and that investment is now worth about $1090.

• This reply was modified 2 weeks, 6 days ago by  Unseen.

[jakelafortParticipant]

Enco,

I don’t know how plausible it is to be a bad hostage to the point that they want to let you go as opposed to torture, rape and murder you.

https://nypost.com/2025/01/28/world-news/freed-israeli-hostages-made-final-act-of-defiance-to-spoil-hamas-photo-op/

[TheEncogitationerParticipant]

Unseen,

Are you one of those people? I’m going to admit three things I admit I was wrong about and then it’ll be your turn. 1) I didn’t think Ukraine had a chance vs. Russia; 2) I backed Tulsi Gabbard’s presidential run when it looked like she was the only antiwar candidate; 3) I invested $2000 in cryptocurrencies and that investment is now worth about $1090.

Alright, I’ll bite. 1.) I was wrong for thinking that maybe Putin’s underlings would mutiny and end the war. 2.) I was wrong for being too techno-optimist about AI without seeing the Murphy’s Law of GIGO still applies. 3.) I was wrong for ever thinking that ancient irrationalities could never be thought and unashamedly expressed by modern people like they are everyday.

And I hope I’m wrong about all that.

• This reply was modified 2 weeks, 5 days ago by  TheEncogitationer. Reason: I meant to say 'never' instead of 'ever'. I was wrong yet again

[TheEncogitationerParticipant]

Jake,

O. Henry’s little Red Chief managed and it was funny to watch the TV version. (Note: the written story has offensively named geography, but the plot is what counts.)

It looks like those Israeli girls had the right idea for foiling Hamas’ propaganda war by showing resilience.

[_Robert_Participant]

I was right about a lot of things. The biggest being that the over-the-top left would shift the whole thing to the right. Davis got so mad at me. Wonder what he thinks now that Project 2025 and xtian nationalism/fascism is in charge in the US.

However, I thought conservatives might learn a bit of basic science, since they were unvaxed and getting decimated by Covid at higher rates even with all the help from “The blood of Jesus”. Instead, the morons gave us RFK Jr. Just waiting for polio and a host of other dreadful diseases to join measles hitting our schools.

I also thought the rule of law, fair elections, checks and balances, separation of church and state, freedom of press, and conflicts of interest were enshrined in the US political system. Damn I feel stupid about that now. You see, the founders assumed people would be wise and moral enough to respect those values and laws. Well, they were wrong. Our quasi-democracy is over. Bought and paid for.  We are too fat and idiotic to even realize it. The 0.1% are now unstoppable.

 

[PopeBeanieModerator]

I think you’ve been pretty objective and spot on, too. But…

_Robert_ wrote:

Our quasi-democracy is over. Bought and paid for.  We are too fat and idiotic to even realize it. The 0.1% are now unstoppable.

I was dead wrong that Trump and co-conspirators could pull things off as well as they have. I underestimated his stupidity and/or willingness to replace competent people with incompetent ass/ring kissers.

But I see a growing lot of people realizing unexpected pain, with more on the way. And Trump keeps getting more demented, and pushing fantasies that don’t pan out.

I’m not saying I’m sure you’re wrong. I just hope we’ve not really lost, yet.

[Reg the Fronkey FarmerModerator]

I did not expect to find myself in agreement with Ted Cruz…..

[jakelafortParticipant]

And for toppings?

Yes mam. We have jimmy’s, whipped cream, caramel it would seem. But i recommonend brain droppings as the better toppings.

My first impression was understandable. How can humans be so stupid? How is it possible that they can’t see through religion? Conclusion. Humans are as a whole incredibly stupid. Later i asked myself whether i might have become religious were i born in a family in which religion was a thang.

Did any one else notice Ted defended free speech for the wrong reason?

“He warned that if the government gets into the business of bans and regulating what the media says “that will end up bad for conservatives”.

“Going down this road, there will come a time when a Democrat wins again – wins the White House … they will silence us. They will use this power, and they will use it ruthlessly. And that is dangerous,” Cruz said.

So it is not that it is a fundamental right and that no society is worth a hoot if it lacks free speech. Instead it is about preservation of power for his disgusting party. Yea Teddy, but ya know what? You won’t have to be concerned about that in short order. And if you are outwardly critical of MAGA you won’t be in a position of power either. Dope.

I will have coffee and be on my way rather than deposit additional droppings.

[UnseenParticipant]

Reg the Fronkey Farmer wrote:

I did not expect to find myself in agreement with Ted Cruz…..

Nor i. I expected Rand Paul to be the first to speak up. I still hope he will become part of a conservative resistance to the excesses of Trump.

[TheEncogitationerParticipant]

Reg and Fellow Unbelievers,

It’s like I’ve said before: Misinformation, Disinformation, and Malinformation (MDM *Growl* 🦁) are bad things, but government is the last one to trust to end them.

And suppression of free expression is wrong whether done by an assassin to Salman Rushdie or Charlie Kirk or by a jawboning government bureaucracy like the FCC.

And banning “hate speech” is a bad idea whether proposed by the Southern Poverty Law Center or Pam Bondi.

• This reply was modified 2 weeks, 5 days ago by  TheEncogitationer. Reason: Punctuation

[jakelafortParticipant]

Enco,

Banning speech is at its nadir when government does it. Total supression means zero democracy.

At the same time free speech is not an absolute. And as i have indicated and still opine there are instances in which hate speech should be banned. But that is just me and the fucking progressives that i now despise! And i despise them even though i recognize that nobody is home. That they are caught up in the river of belief and incapable of doing the dog paddle to shore.

[Reg the Fronkey FarmerModerator]

At some point in the past I remember thinking that religious fundamentalism was a byproduct of whatever religion someone followed. But it is not. It is the natural destination to arrive at if you stay the course of the indoctrination process. There are just degrees of how “mental” people become once they reach the destination point.

 

 

 

[jakelafortParticipant]

I agree Reg.

The ones secular folks typically view as extreme are the purists.

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