Gotta love Texas USA

[ubeaut]

I never comment on political or other seriously stupid stuff but just can't help myself here.

I have a son and his family living in Houston Texas USA and this is the latest from him.....

WEAPONS
There is a new gun law in Texas allowing most people to carry handguns in public without a permit or training. https://www.ubeaut.biz/2gunsfiring.gif

This came about from the belief that the best way to prevent crime and stop an armed bad guy is to make sure an armed good guy is nearby.

Prior to that:
Back in (I think) Sept 2020 they passed open carry of bladed weapons into law:
You Can Now Legally Open Carry a Sword in Texas 500580
The open carry of swords, daggers, dirks, stilettos, Bowie knives, spears and poniards is now legal in the Lone Star State as of Sept. 1

It's all a joke, right..... NO IT'S REAL! :o

This when COVID is ravaging Texas with well over 800,000 case so far this month.

Below are the numbers for Sept 1st in Harris County where my son lives and Houston there's a lot more counties with big numbers:


Harris County (256,189 cases, 2,238 deaths, 229,739 recoveries)
Houston (245,609 cases, 3,089 deaths, 212,354 recoveries)


To top all that off:
School went back a week or so ago, after 12 mths of online classes.

On day one, my 12 year old granddaughter was carpooled to school with a family who had a COVID positive child in the car with them.

Texas schools have amassed more than 50,000 confirmed coronavirus cases in students in just a couple of weeks.
More than a dozen school districts have closed temporarily as a result of the disease:
Texas is a leader in child deaths from COVID-19 with 59 as of Sept. 3.

I My daughter in law said yesterday the numbers are around 200,000+ rather than the above but can't find any info on line.

As we often say here in Oz
Only in America!

Well all I can say right now is:
ONLY IN TEXAS!!!..... But give it time.

Thank goodness we here in Oz are at least trying to get on top of it all, no matter how hard it is and what it costs..

We really do live in the lucky country.

Apologies for the rant and nothing else.

:U

PS My granddaughter is fine. She had been vaccinated and was wearing a mask. :2tsup:

[Mobyturns]

5000 + deaths from COVID in just two counties/cities - "NO they were people who were going to die anyway because they had complications" is the indefensible and ludicrous response from the ill-informed.

I reckon one would struggle to find 50+ deaths from complications associated with a vaccine in the same area. Can't beat Texas logic. :?

I'm still waiting for the 5G tracking chip to kick in with my two shots. :rolleyes: It might actually be a bonus, given I'm not getting any younger and I'm starting to forget why I was replying to this post ...... :D

[barri]

That makes perfect sense. The way to stop gun atrocities is more guns :no:. It was Ghandi who said an eye for an eye the whole world goes blind.

[Beardy]

500581

[barri]

The “Good Guy with a Gun” Myth | Giffords (https://giffords.org/blog/2020/10/the-good-guy-with-a-gun-myth/)

'Good guys with guns' rhetoric doesn't save lives (https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/opinion/columnists/kathie-obradovich/2017/11/07/texas-church-mass-shooting-trump-good-guys-guns-rhetoric-sells-guns/840121001/)

Good guy with a gun myth: Guns increase the risk of homicide, accidents, suicide. (https://slate.com/technology/2015/01/good-guy-with-a-gun-myth-guns-increase-the-risk-of-homicide-accidents-suicide.amp)

Some light reading for the Texan government

In my googling I found a great quote .....

"In Australia health insurance is a right and gun ownership is a privilege whereas in the US gun ownership is a right and health insurance is a privilege"
Which of those would you rather have?

[rrich]

Ah, but the Texas legislature takes up really important issues.

A new law effective September first allows anyone to sue abortion providers and anyone that facilitates a woman's access to abortion services. Basically the taxi driver who takes the woman to the airport could be sued.

The simplest solution to the abortion issue can be solved in three words. Don't Have One.

[markharrison]

"NO they were people who were going to die anyway..."

I wonder if we started prematurely removing these idiots from the gene pool they would be cool with the explanation that they were going to die anyway?

Asking for a friend...

[Bushmiller]

Texas is a leader in child deaths from COVID-19 with 59 as of Sept. 3.



Neil

I have singled out the statement above not because I don't despair at all the other comments about gun toting, sword wielding, litigious Texans, but because it puts a nail in the coffin (poor choice of phrase - sorry) of those who have previously claimed victims of covid-19 were going to die anyway.

I have to remind people that we are all going to die: None of us are going to get out alive, but there is a point at which we say, "We could have (or should have) avoided that."
I believe there is a basic instinct within the human race to look out for and care for children in a way that is not necessarily carried on to adults. 59 child deaths in Texas is a disgrace.

Regards
Paul

[Handyjack]

So a pregnant person (birth giver) is not allowed to terminate a pregnancy (even if the human is going to need 24 hour care for its life), but it is OK for a child to get a virus that could kill them.

An abortion is not allowed that could save the pregnant person's life, but you can have an item that can terminate a life.

Can I say I am confused?

Sorry about some of my terminology but in these times are we allowed to use the terms male and female?

At least they are leading a more normal life than those of us in Lockdown Melbourne (record number of days), Victoria and New South Wales.

[tomartomau]

In principle, I am against abortion and eugenics in general.
I do not claim that abortion should never be undertaken, but in principle I am against the practice simply because I stand with the unborn as they have no voice.
I do not claim a higher moral ground but that unborn children should have inailable rights

[Mobyturns]

So a pregnant person (birth giver) is not allowed to terminate a pregnancy (even if the human is going to need 24 hour care for its life), but it is OK for a child to get a virus that could kill them.

An abortion is not allowed that could save the pregnant person's life, but you can have an item that can terminate a life.

Can I say I am confused?

Sorry about some of my terminology but in these times are we allowed to use the terms male and female?

At least they are leading a more normal life than those of us in Lockdown Melbourne (record number of days), Victoria and New South Wales.

How to over complicate things male / female, mother / father, is a lot easier than potential gestational parent / non gestational parent ...... but then I'm sure some will take umbrage / offence to the inference :D

Where it really gets confusing to me is when a reporter uses the term "Their" - is the intended meaning / interpretation a simple "non-gender" term or a reference to a multiple personality disorder or say a greedy person who assumes they possess "things" .... ?? Ah language is a wonderful thing, and we introduce unnecessary complexity / doubt.

What ever happened to the KISS principle "Keep It Simple S..." oops can't use that word any more now its KISFTU "Keep It Simple For The Unschooled."

[verawood]

Mobyturns - I'm still waiting for the 5G tracking chip to kick in with my two shots. :rolleyes:

I didn't know we got free 5G with every jab. :D:D:D:D:D

[Mobyturns]

Mobyturns - I'm still waiting for the 5G tracking chip to kick in with my two shots. :rolleyes:

I didn't know we got free 5G with every jab. :D:D:D:D:D

According to some anti-vaxers there are all sorts of "freebies" included in the shot/s - take your pick. :D I want to know how to activate it? 'Cause mines not working yet.

I wonder if the different pharmaceutical companies have included different "freebies" or are bound to only use "the new world orders" mandated versions. :rolleyes:

Now I'm really confused, which "freebies" did ScoMo mandate? :?:?:?:?:?:?

Does it matter if the vaccine comes from Singapore or Poland or the UK in a swap deal??? Do they include that govt's freebies and vice versa. :?:?:?:?:?:?

Very sad that there so much mistrust in politicians in the wider population, but it is of the pollies own making.

[damian]

People believe what they want to believe, and you are all as guilty of that as anyone.


I don't quite understand the connection between gun laws abortion and vaccination. Maybe the common link is you don't agree with any of them so their position is "stupid" for all three and maybe by extension for everything ?


If you profile Texas for education and economic status against jurisdictions with gun restrictions their rate of firearms related crime is low. This is a pretty common theme across the world,but I guess outcomes are not as important as belief.


We here in Australia are right about everything aren't we ? Everyone should do as we do.

[Mobyturns]

People believe what they want to believe, and you are all as guilty of that as anyone.


I don't quite understand the connection between gun laws abortion and vaccination. Maybe the common link is you don't agree with any of them so their position is "stupid" for all three and maybe by extension for everything ?


If you profile Texas for education and economic status against jurisdictions with gun restrictions their rate of firearms related crime is low. This is a pretty common theme across the world,but I guess outcomes are not as important as belief.


We here in Australia are right about everything aren't we ? Everyone should do as we do.

"People believe what they want to believe, and you are all as guilty of that as anyone." True and guilty as charged, however the rest is debatable.

I prefer to make my own judgements from creditable sources, backed with data supported by evidence, and peer reviewed - however - there is one small problem - trust - do we trust the source/s? Other behavioural factors such as tolerance, forgiveness, empathy, reasoning, plus education etc all play a part in the formation of "beliefs."

Unfortunately the wider populations trust in once trustworthy sources has been eroded in many ways, through unethical behaviour by a minority of researchers; distortions for gain (i.e. political, monetary, notoriety,...); mischief; or outright deception ..... Somehow an individual must assess the "information" supplied to them and form their own beliefs. Do they have the "right" to impose those beliefs (gun control, abortion, immigration, religion, politics, vaccination, etc) upon others? Wars have started over such matters.

Do we have all the answers? - no! All we can do is make decisions based upon the best available advice and "evidence." Even "scientific" and other "evidence based" (outcomes) findings, therapies have been adopted / debunked / refuted / modified as better evidence becomes available. We live in an imperfect world.

[Picko]

I didn't know we got free 5G with every jab. :D:D:D:D:D

You don't, you get 2.5G with each dose if my maths isn't letting me down. :p

[Beardy]

You don't, you get 2.5G with each dose if my maths isn't letting me down. :p

According to the reliable medical advice I received from my IT guy you get the chip in the first jab and the battery in the second and any subsequent boosters after that are software updates

[Picko]

I stand corrected. :)

[rrich]

Everyone should do as we do.

Damian,
It would be one heck of a good start.

[verawood]

I was secretly hoping with both doses I was up to 10G.
Now I've got a headache.:)


According to the reliable medical advice I received from my IT guy you get the chip in the first jab and the battery in the second and any subsequent boosters after that are software updates

[Simplicity]

According to the reliable medical advice I received from my IT guy you get the chip in the first jab and the battery in the second and any subsequent boosters after that are software updates

Hope the software updates don’t have viruses.

Cheers Matt.

[woodPixel]

I'm still waiting for the 5G tracking chip to kick in with my two shots.

I don't think They* have turned them on yet.

Honestly, the miniaturisation is incredible. To fit a working 5G chip (with mind control integrated) down that tiny narrow-guage needle is mighty impressive.

*They = New World Order Lizard people (or the Liberal party, which may be the same thing?)

[woodPixel]

Hope the software updates don’t have viruses.

Only bugs :)

[woodhutt]

I just wonder what Bill Gates is doing with the information he's getting from my chip. I didn't know my movements between bathroom, shed and the local club for a beer or three would be so fascinating or informative.
Pete

[barri]

If you profile Texas for education and economic status against jurisdictions with gun restrictions their rate of firearms related crime is low. This is a pretty common theme across the world,but I guess outcomes are not as important as belief.




Was this anecdotal or do you have a source for that comment. Also I would assume that the Texas education and economy is not a lot different to here in Australia and yet they have a gun death rate 12 times worse with a population similar to Australia and they are in the middle when comparing with other US states, some with stricter gun control and some with little. Why is that? Also if their firearm rate is "low" why does their government want to arm their citizens? Its certainly a culture that's hard to understand particularly when you see the statistics on mass shootings, school shootings, gun suicides, gun accidents, gun deaths etc.



Gun Deaths By Country 2021 (https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/gun-deaths-by-country)

[woodPixel]

Good graphs. When clicking on the countries it divides the gun-deaths up into homicide and suicide.

Seems the USA has 4.46H 7.32S compared to our 0.18H 0.8S per 100k.

While both are "worse" it seems that the USA has many multiples of gun suicide. Perhaps due to ease of obtaining and surety of result. In Oz it may be 0.8, but we may choose another... method...


Its weird. I've been the USA a few times. While I'd say it wasn't my favourite country, at no time did I ever feel unsafe, uncomfortable or threatened. Chicago was nice, even the places I was told to avoid (actually, the people there were most excellent).

[Chief Tiff]

I was intrigued by Sweden… I did a couple of deployments on a Swedish minelayer where I learned a lot about their Defence Force; it essentially consists of a tiny number of full-time defence personnel, the previous year’s school leavers (effectively year 13’s) doing their 12m mandatory conscription… and the rest of the population as required upon notice of war! All adults over the age of 18 are required to own/hold and maintain competency in a weapon; pistols are their favourite with crossbows, shotties and rifles making up the rest. The tiniest mountain village will have a gun club!

They reduced armed crime by ensuring that everybody is trained in the use of lethal weapons and has access to them.

[ARealBoy]

When I was a kid I used to wander round with my friends in our small country town carrying air rifles or a .22 and no one raised an eyebrow. Now the tactical police would arrive I guess.

Mick.

[Beardy]

The problem with everyone having access to a gun is that sure the good guys will have one but so does everyone else including those that suffer from mental health issues and domestic violence perpetrators

I am not anti guns, I am a licensed gun owner myself but I have come across plenty of people who I am quite happy don’t have legal access to a firearm

[Glider]

I wonder how many mass shooters have been interrupted by a gun toting citizen who draws their weapon and plugs them.

Regarding vaccinations: It's interesting that many matters involving proven science have recently morphed into a question of belief.

I notice that the overwhelming majority of people with serious conditions like cancer and heart attacks rush to the experts for treatment.

I'll leave the abortion question to the moral philosophers.

What's the connection between all these issues? Far right ideology.

mick

[ubeaut]

Not sure if this is funny, sad or just an plain old dumb. I went for dumb myself and had a chuckle to myself, but it really wasn't funny as it was deadly serious.

Half a mile from my sons house is a liquor shop (store) and on the front door there us a big sign that looks almost identical to the mock-up below.


NO UNREGISTERED
FIRE ARMS
https://i.etsystatic.com/13221305/r/il/b1d3a6/1272767117/il_340x270.1272767117_8ap3.jpg
ALOUD IN THIS STORE
LEAVE THEM OUTSIDE!


Almost forgot.... There was a cardboard box outside the door for unregistered fire arms to be left in whilst owner was in the shop. Oh yeah, and no one to keep an eye on any that may have been placed in the box.

Kind of like. It's alright to rob or shoot me with a registered gun but woe betide anyone if they do it with an unregistered one. :o

As I said at the top of the thread. Only in Texas.

[Chesand]

Looks like they have a spelling problem also.

[Bushmiller]

Neil

Being a revolver, that is extremely cowboyish and under the circumstances, appropriate! :rolleyes:

Regards
Paul

[barri]

I wonder how many mass shooters have been interrupted by a gun toting citizen who draws their weapon and plugs them.



I've posted a few links on page 1 of this thread about that but the answer is basically none or very few. I remember reading that there were armed civilians at the Walmart shooting and some of the said they didn't want to fire in the crowd and others said they didn't want to be mistaken for the bad guy. So not only is it an extremely rare event but having guns at the scene of a mass shooting doesn't automatically mean there is going to be a good outcome.
Also read Myth#4 in the site below

10 Pro-Gun Myths, Shot Down – Mother Jones (https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2013/01/pro-gun-myths-fact-check/)

[Glider]

So not only is it an extremely rare event but having guns at the scene of a mass shooting doesn't automatically mean there is going to be a good outcome.
Also read Myth#4 in the site below

10 Pro-Gun Myths, Shot Down – Mother Jones (https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2013/01/pro-gun-myths-fact-check/)

Perhaps I didn't make myself clear. The NRA have often stated that guns in the right hands reduce crime. In the case of mass shootings, clearly they do not. Of course those gun toting people nearby would say that, wouldn't they? Guns are carried by the fearful.

I wouldn't have said that mass shootings are rare events. Wikipedia's count for 2021 is 470. 470!

mick

[barri]

The NRA have often stated that guns in the right hands reduce crime.



The NRA is wrong! Have a read below of one of the many research sites that have disproved that comment

Also, one of the NRA academics produced a book "More guns less crime" which has been debunked dozens of times in university studies. The one stat that's indisputable is "more guns, more gun deaths"


The “Good Guy with a Gun” Myth | Giffords


(https://giffords.org/blog/2020/10/the-good-guy-with-a-gun-myth/)

[AlexS]

A psychologists view on the odds of stopping a bad guy with a gun (https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/blog/statistical-life/201701/the-true-odds-shooting-bad-guy-gun).

[yvan]

How to over complicate things male / female, mother / father, is a lot easier than potential gestational parent / non gestational parent ...... but then I'm sure some will take umbrage / offence to the inference :D

Where it really gets confusing to me is when a reporter uses the term "Their" - is the intended meaning / interpretation a simple "non-gender" term or a reference to a multiple personality disorder or say a greedy person who assumes they possess "things" .... ?? Ah language is a wonderful thing, and we introduce unnecessary complexity / doubt.

What ever happened to the KISS principle "Keep It Simple S..." oops can't use that word any more now its KISFTU "Keep It Simple For The Unschooled."

I am patiently waiting for a new term to describe the female of our species in everyday English given that the current one contains the syllable
m-a-n in it. I'm leaning toward something like "woshe" or "woher" :D

Cheers,
Yvan

[The Spin Doctor]

I never comment on political or other seriously stupid stuff but just can't help myself here.

I have a son and his family living in Houston Texas USA and this is the latest from him.....

SNIP

So why does your son stay? Don't like - leave. A common mantra here in aus.

[rrich]

So why does your son stay? Don't like - leave. A common mantra here in aus.

Sometimes it is money and sometimes it is the other half.

Here it was with me, "You have three years to move us out of Pittsburgh."

It happened in about two.

[ubeaut]

Looks like they have a spelling problem also.

Hahaha :lolabove: yeah that was one of the bits I laughed at the spelling of aloud instead of allowed.

Made me think you could take them in so long as you were quiet about it. https://th.bing.com/th/id/R.ba75eec9e2670f9b8ce9bd0294433da7?rik=MYknNFHF6KuHpQ&riu=http%3a%2f%2fwww.sherv.net%2fcm%2femoticons%2fhand-gestures%2fshush-smiley-emoticon.gif&ehk=szSPoh4iRhUWp2A1iYkg%2bff2IdrSynXxa%2fJWmXky6nU%3d&risl=&pid=ImgRaw&r=0

Maybe if the gun had a silencer it would have been allowed. Ya just gotta love the place. :no:

[ubeaut]

So why does your son stay? Don't like - leave. A common mantra here in aus.

I never said he didn't like it. However he and family would be out of there in a shot (pun) if they could. It's all too easy to say "don't like it - leave!" but definitely not all that easy to do especially if you have family, other ties, commitments and bugger all money.

I packed up the family and left Melb for Perth and beyond at 25. No money, no job, no where to live and no prospects. The next 15-20 years were the hardest of our lives. Same happened to my wife and her family when they uprooted from Scotland and came to Australia back in 1960. Neither of us wouldn't wish that on our son and his family even though he went through it with us as a 4 year old youngster until his late teens.
Living in poverty wasn't fun back then and I'm sure it's a hell of a lot worse now. Would that we were in a position to be able to help them but we're not. :gaah:

If anyone wants to give us about $500,000 to bring them home and settle them back here on OZ please feel free. (he says tongue in cheek) I'm sure they'd greatly appreciate it. :U

Love it or leave it - easy to say, hard to do.

:U

[AlexS]

Love it or leave it - easy to say, hard to do.

:U

True, and it's not really a binary argument. How about "Love it or leave it or change it."

[rrich]

True, and it's not really a binary argument. How about "Love it or leave it or change it."

Good luck on that!

[Glider]

I can't say I've ever been to Texas but I did spend a few years living in New York, in Manhattan but mostly 50 kms up the Hudson, and I loved both the place and the people. I still have mates there with whom I stay when visiting.

SWMBO was heavily pregnant with our third child when we moved into our house in Westchester County. Within a couple of days of moving in, at least three of our neighbours came knocking on the door armed with pies and other food by way of welcome. Two brand new mates from work travelled 100kms and 140kms each way (!) to help me paint the house in time for the new arrival.

Every place has its share of maddies and its own peculiarities, Oz included. Our media don't help with their insular views on the US, mostly without telling the whole story. Neither American exceptionalism nor parts of their constitution have helped; but Australia exhibits its own form of exceptionalism by highlighting America's failings by comparison with our own society. It makes everyone feel better to think that our place is better than theirs, but its not. It's just different.

mick

[barri]

It makes everyone feel better to think that our place is better than theirs, but its not. It's just different.



Yes I hear what you're saying, most of their values align with ours and I don't necessarily think we're better on most things but when it comes to guns we are MILES better not just different. In the last 10 years they have had well over 1000 mass shootings and around 400 school shootings and around 30,000 to 40,000 gun deaths a year including 20,000 to 25,000 gun suicides a year. In the last 5 years some of those mass shootings have occurred at one a day and school shootings at one a week. Our mass shootings can be counted on a few fingers, school shootings, zero and gun deaths about 200 a year which has slowly come down over the last 30 years despite increased population. When they have a gun atrocity, the solution is more guns and they are the only country in the world that has more guns than people. When we,the UK and New Zealand etc have an incident which is rare we tighten our gun laws and apply tougher restrictions/bans etc.
So in terms of gun culture, attitudes and constitutional amendments they have a very serious problem compared to other similar, civilized countries.

[Glider]

So in terms of gun culture, attitudes and constitutional amendments they have a very serious problem compared to other similar, civilized countries.

Precisely, Barri. The Second Amendment starts with the words "A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free state...". These opening words illustrate the intention of the legislators at the time. How the US Supreme Court seems to have ignored the phrase "well regulated" is beyond me.

On our last trip to the States, we dined with the Chair of the Faculty of Education at UConn(Connecticut). Two of his former students were murdered at Sandy Hook. He said that if the slaughter of infants didn't change gun laws then nothing would. It's so deeply ingrained into the culture. I wonder why they don't just look over the fence at Canada, but it appears those who hold the power as constituents are not for turning. That's democracy, live with it or leave it. But I'm glad I live here.

mick

[markharrison]

Every place has its share of maddies and its own peculiarities, Oz included. Our media don't help with their insular views on the US, mostly without telling the whole story. Neither American exceptionalism nor parts of their constitution have helped; but Australia exhibits its own form of exceptionalism by highlighting America's failings by comparison with our own society. It makes everyone feel better to think that our place is better than theirs, but its not. It's just different.

mick

I've spent a lot of time in the USA; though it is not measured in years. Many months, certainly, and most of those were in Seattle (work reasons) and with my family. I'm sure I could live quite happily there or the SFO Bay Area, where we have family.

As I've recounted elsewhere on this board; I was being recruited (i.e. I was approached, I didn't go looking for it) for a job in Seattle in 2016 and turned it down after the November election result was known. I have no regrets about that decision.

I've also spent a lot of time in AZ, NC and FL and a short spell in NY. This was all work. Not tourism.

The thing is though, I'm white. I'm going to visually fit in pretty much most places in the USA.

But; our children are adopted and are ethnically African. We pretty much stand out in a crowd anywhere. There have been problems here in Australia (mainly, though not exclusively, in Sydney) for my kids.

Which is not to say that the majority of people in AZ, FL, and NC are anything other than good people. Like people the world over, they're fine. There are just enough folks with (um) somewhat extreme views that they are more noticeable in those states; based on actual people I met, in a professional work setting. A couple of those just blew my freaking mind!

And you're right. We have dills in the same category here. Some of them even occasionally get elected; but not many of them can make it last. Our electoral system of compulsory voting (attendance, anyway; though most people do) and preferential voting means the system averages most of the extremists out.

[The Spin Doctor]

Love it or leave it - easy to say, hard to do.

:U

Yup. Certainly doesn't stop lots of aussies from saying it on jan 24th... And in some cases rightly so. Anyone wants to bag the place your are essentially a guest, then sod off. They knew what they were getting into, regardless of cost.

[Mobyturns]

And you're right. We have dills in the same category here. Some of them even occasionally get elected; but not many of them can make it last. Our electoral system of compulsory voting (attendance, anyway; though most people do) and preferential voting means the system averages most of the extremists out.

Perzactly! However we also have cashed up citizens who cultivate and groom potential politicians for their own political and financial agendas. Nothing unique to Australia by any means, but as you say most end up as "one term wallies" when the public get tired of their single agenda platforms.

[The Spin Doctor]

I wonder why they don't just look over the fence at Canada, but it appears those who hold the power as constituents are not for turning.

mick


I have to giggle at that. Canada is far from a good example of how a society should be run.

[markharrison]

I have to giggle at that. Canada is far from a good example of how a society should be run.

There is no perfect society. It's a scale where there is lots of competition for the wooden spoon.

Canada, like us, is also not perfect. However, neither of us are actually trying to win the wooden spoon.

I also do not believe that most citizens of the USA genuinely want to win that dubious prize either; even the ones I genuinely disagree with. That said, I do not know that conservative politicians in the USA actually have a coherent philosophy (apart from staying in power) that makes sense to anyone not already deeply embedded in that group. But, maybe that's just a lack of imagination on my part ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[q9]

Japan is pretty perfect. As long as you ignore the 95% of the nutbaggery.

Australia is pretty perfect too. As long as you ignore 96% of the nutbaggery.

[rrich]

....
I do not know that conservative politicians in the USA actually have a coherent philosophy (apart from staying in power) ....


I could not say it any better and not get banned.

[Pat]

"I do not know that conservative politicians in the USA actually have a coherent philosophy (apart from staying in power)"

All pollies have that aim, it doesn't matter if you are a communist dictator, conservative or radical, you just want to stay in power, so the money keeps rolling in.

[The Spin Doctor]

I could not say it any better and not get banned.


One thing is for sure. Remove conservative and replace with liberal. There is no difference between either side. They're all idiots that subscribe to either side. Intelligence is water (life giving) and politics is oil (pollution to the world). You will never mix them. On the left you have approx. 25% of the population is staunch liberals and on the right you have approx. 25% that say they are staunch conservatives. In the middle, we are the remaining 50% that wished covid would kill off both the right and left and leave us to get things back on track.

[The Spin Doctor]

There is no perfect society. It's a scale where there is lots of competition for the wooden spoon.

Canada, like us, is also not perfect. However, neither of us are actually trying to win the wooden spoon.

I also do not believe that most citizens of the USA genuinely want to win that dubious prize either; even the ones I genuinely disagree with. That said, I do not know that conservative politicians in the USA actually have a coherent philosophy (apart from staying in power) that makes sense to anyone not already deeply embedded in that group. But, maybe that's just a lack of imagination on my part ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Correct!! Sadly though Canada seems more intent to drag their country into the abyss. It is truly sad to see it's demise. Almost as sad as watching the US tear itself apart. My thoughts are that North America is going to collapse before a hundred years are over. The only one left standing will be Mexico.

[rrich]

A good friend, a gun nut was discussing guns and gun regulation. I asked, "What well regulated militia are you a member of?" I am not sure we are friends any more.

[Glider]

I have to giggle at that. Canada is far from a good example of how a society should be run.

Well named sir! Rather than holding up Canada as an example of good governance, the comment was made in the context of gun control only. My apologies if I was unclear.

mick

[woodhutt]

This seems to encapsulate a couple of contentious issues :U
Pete

502225

[woodhutt]

Oh yes. Another for the conspiracy theorists and Fox News watchers.

502231

Pete

[yvan]

This seems to encapsulate a couple of contentious issues :U
Pete

502225


Somehow this reminds me of the Bob Dylan song "With God our Our Side"

Cheers,
Yvan