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ORIGINAL: thompsonx

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ORIGINAL: seeksfemslave

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Epgah speaking of China
There's an old saying, "Never give a loaded revolver to a retarded child"...Can we assume it scales up to "Never give a NUKE to an immature country?"

My son, and I say this with no respect whatsoever, when I see a post like this, of such moronic stupidity, you will force  me to agree wth my old mate Meatcleaver, and even NG  perish the thought lol,  in believing that US chauvinism is a very dangerous thing indeed. By that I mean the simplistic  John Wayne attitude to foreign affairs.
Fortunately many American posters on CM do not reflect such attitudes.
China an immature nation.?  Only has been an advanced, politically structured, developed  if authoritarian economy for at least 2000 years or more before Buffalo were shitting on, or native Americans were dancing on  what is now Wall Street.
Get a grip young man please lol

seeks:
Would that I possessed your eloquence.
thompson

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ORIGINAL: SimplyMichael

At least my post contained an argument...

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Don't be so blinded by your dislike of the Bush Administration that you forget to look at simple logic. Russia and Iran may not be natural allies, but politics will make people strange bedfellows.

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ORIGINAL: EPGAH

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ORIGINAL: thompsonx
EPGAH:
You have taken a lot of ink to avoid answering the simple question I asked you.
Your logic escapes me.  You want others to pay you what you want for your labor but you do not feel we should pay what others feel is a fair price for their product.  Please explain this inconsistency in your thought process.
You say that you are in favor of free market enterprise but not when you have to pay more than you want to.  Isn't that more than a little two faced?

thompson

Not really, you accused me of being a welfare leech,
Ahhh...your problem becomes obvious...you seem to be able to read but not to comprehend what you read.  I accused you of nothing.  I asked you a question which you have managed to dance around without answering.

but back to your question, if everyone charged whatever the hell they wanted to, money would be devalued as a "yardstick of value "
How did you arrive at this fatuous conclusion.


...If everyone has "a lot of money", it becomes worthless--er--worth less. This is called inflation. Again, price limits are necessary to keep everyone honest...
I am unsure how "price fixing" keeps anyone honest.
You also need to get a good economics book and look up the word inflation.  Inflation is not caused by people having too much money.  It is caused when the government changes the value of its currency.

Or we COULD gouge the Arabs for food, the way they gouge us on oil, but that would be "racist"--they seem to have great facility at manipulating the media to generate sympathy!
Are you suggesting that the U.S. is the sole or even the major supplier of food to the Middle east?
Lets get back to the question...
Why is it OK for you to charge what you wish for your goods and services but wrong for others to do the same?  Did someone die and appoint you god? 

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ORIGINAL: EPGAH

We don't choose what to charge for our goods and services, otherwise, foreigns who cooperated with us would get huge price-breaks, and those who wanted to be our enemies would find prices "magically" higher, punitive, though, not from mere greed.
America p(l)ays fair, the others don't...

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ORIGINAL: EPGAH

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ORIGINAL: thompsonx

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ORIGINAL: seeksfemslave

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Epgah speaking of China
Can we assume it scales up to "Never give a NUKE to an immature country?"

My son, and I say this with no respect whatsoever, when I see a post like this, of such moronic stupidity, you will force  me to agree wth my old mate Meatcleaver, and even NG  perish the thought lol,  in believing that US chauvinism is a very dangerous thing indeed. By that I mean the simplistic  John Wayne attitude to foreign affairs.
Fortunately many American posters on CM do not reflect such attitudes

seeks:
Would that I possessed your eloquence.
thompson

Well, as this very thread has proven, age and senility--oops, I mean MATURITY--aren't necessarily related. China seems to be using up resources a LOT more lately, making deals with countries that the civilized world has embargoed (Silent treatment doesn't work, as long as ONE country is willing to break ranks), fund terrorists, participate on the Internet, then punish those who do, provide IP backbone access for spammers, and generally make a nuisance of themselves, but more importantly, threaten the precarious balance America has been building up/protecting for decades...If they want to be considered a superpower, this is very irresponsible behavior...And yes, this IS what America was doing about 60 years ago, but I think you already stated that what America did is wrong!

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ORIGINAL: thompsonx

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ORIGINAL: EPGAH

We don't choose what to charge for our goods and services, otherwise, foreigns who cooperated with us would get huge price-breaks, and those who wanted to be our enemies would find prices "magically" higher, punitive, though, not from mere greed.
America p(l)ays fair, the others don't...

EPGAH:
Still no answer to my question.
Why is it OK for you to charge what you wish for your goods and services and you feel that it is wrong for the OPEC people to charge what they want for their goods?
What is so difficult about answering that question?  Are you somehow "special" and can do as you wish while dictating to those whom you have labeled as "scum"?
thompson

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ORIGINAL: EPGAH

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ORIGINAL: thompsonx

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ORIGINAL: EPGAH

We don't choose what to charge for our goods and services, otherwise, foreigns who cooperated with us would get huge price-breaks, and those who wanted to be our enemies would find prices "magically" higher, punitive, though, not from mere greed.
America p(l)ays fair, the others don't...

EPGAH:
Still no answer to my question.
Why is it OK for you to charge what you wish for your goods and services and you feel that it is wrong for the OPEC people to charge what they want for their goods?
What is so difficult about answering that question?  Are you somehow "special" and can do as you wish while dictating to those whom you have labeled as "scum"?
thompson

Perhaps you've chosen not to read my previous posts,
I have read all of your previous posts and in none of them do you answer the question I keep asking.
Why are you allowed to charge what you choose for your goods and services and you seek to deny OPEC the same sort of right?  How many times will I ask this question before you feel compelled to answer?

but America doesn't choose, we have to keep our prices "morally low", or else the Third World accuses us of "abusing our position" as the world's only superpower.
Do you have anything to back up this absurd position?


America IS special, we play by morals*, which are quasi-imaginary rules, but still limits on America, that others don't "feel" like playing by! Any regime that has some good that the rest of the WORLD needs, and chooses to limit it, is obviously an obstacle, although as seeks pointed out, it is probably not OPEC so much as our own oil companies...Who don't, upon further research, even seem to be based in America, therefore a substantially reduced allegiance to America.
So it would appear that you recognize that when OPEC who supplies about 30% of our energy needs raises their prices the U.S. oil companies raise the price of domestic oil by the same amount.  That being the case why do you rag on OPEC so much when they are only 30% of our problem and our own citizens are 70% of the problem.



Speaking of allegiances, what did these other countries do for you and yours to give you such a bad case of loyalty to them?
Where have you seen me post anything that would suggest that my loyalty was someplace besides here in my home in the country that I have worn a uniform and taken hostile fire to "protect".  Something ,to which, you seem to be willing to give only uninformed "lip" service.



Unless you've made a special deal, you're paying higher gas-prices along with the rest of us--Heck, you live in Mexifonia, you should have a better perception than I of higher gas-prices and "concessions" made to illegal invaders, right?
It would appear quite obvious to the most casual observer that I have a much better perception of most things than do you.
The price of gasoline does not impinge on me directly because I do not use it.  My sedan runs on bio-diesel which I make out of french fry oil which I charge restaurants to pick up.  My pick up truck and my coupe run on methane which I make out of pig shit.  On those few occasions when I find I must buy fuel I run propane which is currently $1.65 @ gallon

(Morals in America is made with the obvious exception of Bush, but even this, we could just bomb Iraq into a new parking-lot for my alma mater, but "we" choose not to...Who's we, anyways? Americans want to get out fast, so why not use our amazing stockpiles of weapons to get a fast win?)
Why will you not answer my question?
Why is it right for you to set the price you wish to be paid for your goods and services but you deny that right to others?

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Boxer rebellion...... There was an alliance of 8 nations, including the USA, who had trade legations trapped by the boxers. All 8 nations sent troops, and America by no means had the most. The UK, Japan and Russia each had way more troops involved.

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China: Again, running security for our fair-weather friends--er--"allies"...The Boxer Rebellion, people of all nationalities threatened, the call goes out, "Help me, Uncle Sam"--oddly, they once again temporarily forgot how "evil" America is...I know stress of being taken hostage by hostile foreigns reduces memory faculties, but THIS sounds like downright neuropathology!   

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ORIGINAL: EPGAH

I'm just saying there is a reasonable price and there is gouging. We don't set our prices in a vacuum, sadly...When a VITAL commodity, like water or gasoline goes up, it raises the price on everyone, and other goods, such as, say, food! However, if you raise the price of FOOD, then other industries will have to raise THEIR prices, just to eat (i.e., survive in a physical sense, rather than economic!)
As such, in order to keep our economy running smoothly, we have to keep fuel prices low.
I see you are still trying to dance with both feet in your mouth.
You get to set the price for your goods and services but others are not because it does not suit you.  You being the omnipotent one who knows what is best for all decides when someone is gouging you and you will just go burn their house down or kill them if they will not sell to you at a price you feel is "fair" well I did not mean you yourself might go kill them because you have already told us of your infirmity and why you are not suitable for military or civilian service to your country.



Naturally, if fuel prices get high enough, there will be a "rebellion", of sorts, people will just give up gasoline and go to biodiesel, hybrid, and/or electric, but for now, the car industry keeps cars that are "good for you" a bit over-expensive (I have a Honda Civic Hybrid--fully TWICE the price of its non-hybrid brethren!)
This may or may not be related to the uniquely American "conspiracy theory" that healthy food is kept expensive to keep people subsidizing junk-food. I think it also might go something toward taste and visuals: Junk food tastes good and is attractively packaged,
It would appear that you are speaking from first hand knowledge here.

while health(y) food is bland, when it's not flat-out disgusting (Tofu). And ORGANIC fruit is anywhere from double to triple the price of inorganic fruit.
Inorganic fruit????Have you actually graduated from high school?


Yes, it might be slightly healthier for you, but it's not necessarily worth the price-hike.
Unlike gasoline, here you have a choice: Oranges for 98 cents a pound, or oranges for $3 a pound...With gasoline, you get gasoline for $2.60, and it's a deal! Or you go without.
Of course a bicycle for you would be out of the question would it not?


(Go ahead, walk to work across two busy highways, getting busier all the time as America's population rises, due to lack of birth-control, illegals, and illegals' lack of birth-control! You'll be exhausted when you get there--IF you survive!)
May we infer from your fervor that you have had yourself neutered in your quest for ZPG?

As to military service, the same Federal Government that wants to fight discrimination, decided that my Vestibular Deficit rendered me unfit for military service. No depth-perception, no service! I was top gun (pun intended) in the rifle club in school, but that doesn't count!
So I guess I must be content with being a lesser light, a computer-repairman, working in relative obscurity...Of course, in both cases, I'd be/I am blamed for something going wrong after I just fixed it!
If you fix it and it does not work then by definition you did not fix it.


Were you discharged honorably,
Oh my yes...they were quite glad to see me go they seemed to think I enjoyed my job rather more than I ought.

or did you question a lot of your superiors' commands?
The branch of the service I was in rather encouraged that sort of behavior.

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ORIGINAL: thompsonx

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ORIGINAL: EPGAH

Naturally, if fuel prices get high enough, there will be a "rebellion", of sorts, people will just give up gasoline and go to biodiesel, hybrid, and/or electric, but for now, the car industry keeps cars that are "good for you" a bit over-expensive (I have a Honda Civic Hybrid--fully TWICE the price of its non-hybrid brethren!)
This may or may not be related to the uniquely American "conspiracy theory" that healthy food is kept expensive to keep people subsidizing junk-food. I think it also might go something toward taste and visuals: Junk food tastes good and is attractively packaged,
It would appear that you are speaking from first hand knowledge here.
Yes, a Hybrid IS twice as expensive
while health(y) food is bland, when it's not flat-out disgusting (Tofu). And ORGANIC fruit is anywhere from double to triple the price of inorganic fruit.
Inorganic fruit????Have you actually graduated from high school?

Yes, it might be slightly healthier for you, but it's not necessarily worth the price-hike.
Unlike gasoline, here you have a choice: Oranges for 98 cents a pound, or oranges for $3 a pound...With gasoline, you get gasoline for $2.60, and it's a deal! Or you go without.
Of course a bicycle for you would be out of the question would it not?
You're absolutely right! Noone's EVER been run over and horribly maimed by a car while on a bike!
(Go ahead, walk to work across two busy highways, getting busier all the time as America's population rises, due to lack of birth-control, illegals, and illegals' lack of birth-control! You'll be exhausted when you get there--IF you survive!)
May we infer from your fervor that you have had yourself neutered in your quest for ZPG?
No, Americans go for 2 children, so when they die, the population remains the same! Foreigns, by contrast, view first world nations as empty spaces they can fill with their huge litters!
As to military service, the same Federal Government that wants to fight discrimination, decided that my Vestibular Deficit rendered me unfit for military service. No depth-perception, no service! I was top gun (pun intended) in the rifle club in school, but that doesn't count!
So I guess I must be content with being a lesser light, a computer-repairman, working in relative obscurity...Of course, in both cases, I'd be/I am blamed for something going wrong after I just fixed it!
If you fix it and it does not work then by definition you did not fix it.
No, actually, it's more like: If you download the same virus over and over again, each time I fix it, you'll re-break it...If it works when I leave, and it doesn't when you call me again, then somewhere in between, its status was changed...You DO realize my earlier talk of dark magic was spoken in a sardonic tone...I can't influence your computer's behavior when I'm away from it, meaning if it breaks while I'm gone, you and yours must've done it.
In military, this syndrome is present that if we leave before the (Insert terrorist group of your choice) is truly defeated, they come back, make a bigger mess than before, and it's "Why didn't the Americans crush these assholes?" Noone remembers that they wanted the interfering Americans gone and gone NOW, only that the Americans left before the "job was done"! Poor fickle foreigns...

Were you discharged honorably,
Oh my yes...they were quite glad to see me go they seemed to think I enjoyed my job rather more than I ought.
or did you question a lot of your superiors' commands?
The branch of the service I was in rather encouraged that sort of behavior.
Which branch were you in? I, myself, am an Air Force brat...But you don't see me complaining that my disabilities might have been caused by Dad's exposure to Agent Orange, do you?

 

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ORIGINAL: Politesub53

Alumbrado.......i was refering to this point.

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China: Again, running security for our fair-weather friends--er--"allies"...The Boxer Rebellion, people of all nationalities threatened, the call goes out, "Help me, Uncle Sam"--oddly, they once again temporarily forgot how "evil" America is...I know stress of being taken hostage by hostile foreigns reduces memory faculties, but THIS sounds like downright neuropathology!   

Sorry if you missed it......

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ORIGINAL: Alumbrado

Must have been a fantastic branch of the service.