Yes, but I've had more than one person who was "in the know" about specific classified things tell me that Tom Clancy had an uncanny ability to somehow come up with fiction that matched reality too close and too often to be just a coincidence. I think he did a lot of careful research but he was also given information about some things he shouldn't have known as well.
A few facts, some intelligent guesses, and extrapolation from that can sometimes take you a long way.
The middle class got screwed and they generated the numbers when it came to private flying, hence the massive drop. The top 1% want 99% poor, no middle class because the middle class are the power and the greatest threat to the psychopathic dominance of the 1%, who are conspiring to starve the middle class out of existence and have done so for the last thirty years.
Unfortunately I have other demands on my time at the moment so all I have time for is to throw this out. I might come back to this later.
African-American columnist Joseph Perkins has studied the effects of Reaganomics on black America. He found that, after the Reagan tax cuts gained traction, African-American unemployment fell from 19.5 percent in 1983 to 11.4 percent in 1989. Black-owned businesses saw income rise from $12.4 billion in 1982 to $18.1 billion in 1987—an annual average growth rate of 7.9 percent. The black middle class expanded by one-third during the Reagan years, from 3.6 million to 4.8 million.
I doubt that is being repeated today.
Your ideas about "the 1%" are pretty much nonsense. A prosperous economy creates more opportunity for everyone.
That is an interesting idea. Why don't you look into the news to see if there are any campaigns of terrorism and violence in the world with the aim of establishing an extremist Islamist government with strict Sharia law. That would be putting their words into action. I might have heard a rumbling or two that something like that could be going on. Maybe you'll find something if you look.
If you think the US is creating terrorists then you don't understand their motives, at all. You should look into that. Start you search looking for Caliphate and Sharia. You'll find that they want you to live under it too. I doubt you'll like it.
Someone has to bring the unpleasant facts to the discussion. That is often me. Discussing the actual facts is pretty useful.
You're assuming we want the US to get stronger instead.
No, I'm not assuming that. Why would you think that?
US military strength has grown and decreased over the years, depending on what the perceived threat was. After the Cold War ended US military strength was significantly reduced. After 9/11 it was significantly increased, although not to Cold War levels overall. The US military is currently shrinking. But if al Qaida makes significant gains and grows in strength it will probably mean that the US will increase its armed forces to deal with it again.
Who was it that decided the world should be a Christian place run by the US?
Nobody, why do you think that? The US certainly doesn't run the world and it isn't forcing Christianity on anybody. The US government is secular. You may be getting some incorrect information if you believe that.
Yeah, it all started when Reagan reduced the top marginal tax rate below 50%. Before that there was more incentive to put the money back into the business rather than hoard it for yourself.
Then why did the US economy grow at the higher rate than the decade before and after?
Despite the steep recession in 1982--brought on by tight money policies that were instituted to squeeze out the historic inflation level of the late 1970s--by 1983, the Reagan policies of reducing taxes, spending, regulation, and inflation were in place. The result was unprecedented economic growth:
This economic boom lasted 92 months without a recession, from November 1982 to July 1990, the longest period of sustained growth during peacetime and the second-longest period of sustained growth in U.S. history. The growth in the economy lasted more than twice as long as the average period of expansions since World War II.10
The American economy grew by about one-third in real inflation-adjusted terms. This was the equivalent of adding the entire economy of East and West Germany or two-thirds of Japan's economy to the U.S. economy.11
From 1950 to 1973, real economic growth in the U.S. economy averaged 3.6 percent per year. From 1973 to 1982, it averaged only 1.6 percent. The Reagan economic boom restored the more usual growth rate as the economy averaged 3.5 percent in real growth from the beginning of 1983 to the end of 1990.12
But outright trolls seem to have decreased as a proportion of posts, and the endless complaining about the new interface being testing are mostly gone. Overall the quality seems to be up. I'll call that a win:win.
You don't see the world they way that they do. To them there is only one Islam, without race or nationality. They are all part of the Ummah - the body of believers that constitute the Islamic nation. In Islam there are two main divisions of the world: Dar al-Islam (House of Islam - where Muslims rule) and Dar al-Harb (House of War - where Muslims do not rule which makes it subject to war). Their goal is to extend Dar al-Islam to cover the entire world, restore the Caliphate government dissolved with the fall of the Ottoman Empire in 1923, make their flavor of Sharia law the law of the land, and return Islamic civilization to the glory of its former days.
It really doesn't matter what the truth is historically, they act on their beliefs.
As to conquest by "Christian nations," few of them are overtly Christian in any meaningful way anymore, and they haven't engaged in conquest expressly to spread Christianity in a very long time. Al Qaida and company is engaged in conquest expressly to spread Islam.
They would gladly do it to you, just like they did it to those 17, and to Daniel Pearl. Their goal is to impose that sort of rule on the entire world even if it takes 1,000 years. As of today there are people willing to put their body between you and them, putting their life and limb and risk, to prevent them from endangering you. Frankly, I'm not sure that the sacrifice of any of them is worth you. But they still do it. So it would be great if you would either grow up, or stop providing evidence you may be a moral idiot and a fool. (I realize that asking you to show some gratitude for the defense of your life is wasted breath. Some people only learn the hard way.)
You don't understand the problem, it isn't about being nice, or anything wrong you might have done to them. They are ultimately going to come after New Zealand because New Zealand doesn't conform to the rules they demand you live under. Do you know anything about the age of Islamic conquest, such as when they invaded Europe or took Constantinople? That is what they are about, their goal is a Muslim world even if it takes force of arms. You don't want them to get stronger.
From what I recall reading, the US and Pakistan had long had an understanding that if the US found Bin Laden it would come after him.
If the raid to kill Bin Laden had gone badly it would have been an international incident, but that's about it... more than likely. Jimmy Carter survived his debacle at Desert One.
This is less of a technology problem than a policy question. The technology exists to build secure databases and make it accessible to only one remote client. The real controversy is over collecting the data, and who holds it. Private companies don't want to do it. Many are against the NSA, and by extension the Federal government doing it. If only there was somewhere in the middle, between the Federal government and private industry...
I imagine they'll take what they can get: IP, personal data, or just more computers to control.
If it really is China as suggested in the article that could make sense. China's population is going to be aging, and medical devices would be handy for either internal use or for another technology to develop and market.
This is interesting (FTA): "The medical device makers were not aware of the intrusions until federal authorities contacted them, and they have formed task forces to investigate the breach, he said."
Many European countries have significant numbers of extremists in them that are either involved in terrorism or support it, including France, the UK, and Germany. One of the terrorist cells that conducted the 9/11 attacks came out of Hamburg. Germany has seen a rise of neo-Nazi violence, including a string of murders, and there have been concerns that the government was looking the other way to allow it. At the same time Germany has been a key supplier of sophisticated weapons to various countries, including Israel. It was also a country that did a lot of business with Saddam. There are growing tensions among countries in the EU over a number of issues, including the financial and economic problems, and some old hatreds seem to be stirring in many places. These sort of tensions have previously led to war and genocide. Russia, China, and probably Iran, all have many spies in Germany. Chancellor Merkel's phone was being monitored by five (5) different countries, not just the US. Russia especially would like to neutralize Germany, and see NATO fall apart, and who knows what with the EU. The potential for the Euro to fall apart in a meaningful concern, and the German central bank plays a key part there. There is certainly more beyond that to be concerned about. If you can't figure out some reasons why the US may be interested in the domestic affairs of not only Germany, but other nations to varying degrees, you don't really have much useful to say on the matter.
Slashdot Mirror
Yes, but I've had more than one person who was "in the know" about specific classified things tell me that Tom Clancy had an uncanny ability to somehow come up with fiction that matched reality too close and too often to be just a coincidence. I think he did a lot of careful research but he was also given information about some things he shouldn't have known as well.
A few facts, some intelligent guesses, and extrapolation from that can sometimes take you a long way.
Inside the Making of 'Dr. Strangelove' @2
I expect it is to save their fellow countrymen. The "change" America got isn't the change that it wants.
I invite you to acquaint yourself with reality. To your distress you'll see that I'm right.
The middle class got screwed and they generated the numbers when it came to private flying, hence the massive drop. The top 1% want 99% poor, no middle class because the middle class are the power and the greatest threat to the psychopathic dominance of the 1%, who are conspiring to starve the middle class out of existence and have done so for the last thirty years.
Unfortunately I have other demands on my time at the moment so all I have time for is to throw this out. I might come back to this later.
MICHAEL REAGAN: Ronald Reagan -- More of a Friend to Blacks Than Obama?
African-American columnist Joseph Perkins has studied the effects of Reaganomics on black America. He found that, after the Reagan tax cuts gained traction, African-American unemployment fell from 19.5 percent in 1983 to 11.4 percent in 1989. Black-owned businesses saw income rise from $12.4 billion in 1982 to $18.1 billion in 1987—an annual average growth rate of 7.9 percent. The black middle class expanded by one-third during the Reagan years, from 3.6 million to 4.8 million.
I doubt that is being repeated today.
Your ideas about "the 1%" are pretty much nonsense. A prosperous economy creates more opportunity for everyone.
That is an interesting idea. Why don't you look into the news to see if there are any campaigns of terrorism and violence in the world with the aim of establishing an extremist Islamist government with strict Sharia law. That would be putting their words into action. I might have heard a rumbling or two that something like that could be going on. Maybe you'll find something if you look.
If you think the US is creating terrorists then you don't understand their motives, at all. You should look into that. Start you search looking for Caliphate and Sharia. You'll find that they want you to live under it too. I doubt you'll like it.
Someone has to bring the unpleasant facts to the discussion. That is often me. Discussing the actual facts is pretty useful.
You're assuming we want the US to get stronger instead.
No, I'm not assuming that. Why would you think that?
US military strength has grown and decreased over the years, depending on what the perceived threat was. After the Cold War ended US military strength was significantly reduced. After 9/11 it was significantly increased, although not to Cold War levels overall. The US military is currently shrinking. But if al Qaida makes significant gains and grows in strength it will probably mean that the US will increase its armed forces to deal with it again.
Who was it that decided the world should be a Christian place run by the US?
Nobody, why do you think that? The US certainly doesn't run the world and it isn't forcing Christianity on anybody. The US government is secular. You may be getting some incorrect information if you believe that.
And hello to you.
Yeah, it all started when Reagan reduced the top marginal tax rate below 50%. Before that there was more incentive to put the money back into the business rather than hoard it for yourself.
Then why did the US economy grow at the higher rate than the decade before and after?
The Real Reagan Economic Record: Responsible and Successful Fiscal Policy
HOW DID REAGAN'S POLICIES AFFECT ECONOMIC GROWTH?
Despite the steep recession in 1982--brought on by tight money policies that were instituted to squeeze out the historic inflation level of the late 1970s--by 1983, the Reagan policies of reducing taxes, spending, regulation, and inflation were in place. The result was unprecedented economic growth:
This economic boom lasted 92 months without a recession, from November 1982 to July 1990, the longest period of sustained growth during peacetime and the second-longest period of sustained growth in U.S. history. The growth in the economy lasted more than twice as long as the average period of expansions since World War II.10
The American economy grew by about one-third in real inflation-adjusted terms. This was the equivalent of adding the entire economy of East and West Germany or two-thirds of Japan's economy to the U.S. economy.11
From 1950 to 1973, real economic growth in the U.S. economy averaged 3.6 percent per year. From 1973 to 1982, it averaged only 1.6 percent. The Reagan economic boom restored the more usual growth rate as the economy averaged 3.5 percent in real growth from the beginning of 1983 to the end of 1990.12
I'm thinking this is somewhat better than a $200 car.
Aeronca 7AC Champion
You don't get it, do you? It isn't what I believe, it is what they say. Why don't you start educating yourself?
The Future of Terrorism: What al-Qaida Really Wants
Alarm in Spain over al-Qaeda call for its “reconquest”
HAMAS Targets Spain
I can't believe that people are still ignorant of this sort of thing after all this time. It is almost unbelievable.
I was visiting an aviation site a couple of days ago and it said you could start picking up decent used planes at around $30k.
But outright trolls seem to have decreased as a proportion of posts, and the endless complaining about the new interface being testing are mostly gone. Overall the quality seems to be up. I'll call that a win:win.
Basically since Reagan took office everything's been downhill
So.... you were happier when Jimmy Carter was in office? :D
You don't see the world they way that they do. To them there is only one Islam, without race or nationality. They are all part of the Ummah - the body of believers that constitute the Islamic nation. In Islam there are two main divisions of the world: Dar al-Islam (House of Islam - where Muslims rule) and Dar al-Harb (House of War - where Muslims do not rule which makes it subject to war). Their goal is to extend Dar al-Islam to cover the entire world, restore the Caliphate government dissolved with the fall of the Ottoman Empire in 1923, make their flavor of Sharia law the law of the land, and return Islamic civilization to the glory of its former days.
It really doesn't matter what the truth is historically, they act on their beliefs.
As to conquest by "Christian nations," few of them are overtly Christian in any meaningful way anymore, and they haven't engaged in conquest expressly to spread Christianity in a very long time. Al Qaida and company is engaged in conquest expressly to spread Islam.
Do you see this news story?
17 Beheaded in Taliban-Controlled Afghanistan for Attending Wedding Party with Dancing
They would gladly do it to you, just like they did it to those 17, and to Daniel Pearl. Their goal is to impose that sort of rule on the entire world even if it takes 1,000 years. As of today there are people willing to put their body between you and them, putting their life and limb and risk, to prevent them from endangering you. Frankly, I'm not sure that the sacrifice of any of them is worth you. But they still do it. So it would be great if you would either grow up, or stop providing evidence you may be a moral idiot and a fool. (I realize that asking you to show some gratitude for the defense of your life is wasted breath. Some people only learn the hard way.)
You don't understand the problem, it isn't about being nice, or anything wrong you might have done to them. They are ultimately going to come after New Zealand because New Zealand doesn't conform to the rules they demand you live under. Do you know anything about the age of Islamic conquest, such as when they invaded Europe or took Constantinople? That is what they are about, their goal is a Muslim world even if it takes force of arms. You don't want them to get stronger.
Al Qaeda-Trained Terrorists in New Zealand, Prime Minister Says
From what I recall reading, the US and Pakistan had long had an understanding that if the US found Bin Laden it would come after him.
If the raid to kill Bin Laden had gone badly it would have been an international incident, but that's about it... more than likely. Jimmy Carter survived his debacle at Desert One.
We are well into the era of automated translation programs. I'm not sure that the language you see is necessarily what it was written in.
Having said that, I wonder if they considered Portuguese? Looks a lot like Spanish, and Brazil is a major power in malware.
It is hard to say how well that will work since there seem to be many people that have no class.
It doesn't matter. It is "well known" that Dick Cheney has no heart, much like Hillary Clinton has no soul.
If the data is so available then why hasn't EPA given it to the committee? Do you oppose legislative oversight of Federal agencies?
This is less of a technology problem than a policy question. The technology exists to build secure databases and make it accessible to only one remote client. The real controversy is over collecting the data, and who holds it. Private companies don't want to do it. Many are against the NSA, and by extension the Federal government doing it. If only there was somewhere in the middle, between the Federal government and private industry...
I imagine they'll take what they can get: IP, personal data, or just more computers to control.
If it really is China as suggested in the article that could make sense. China's population is going to be aging, and medical devices would be handy for either internal use or for another technology to develop and market.
This is interesting (FTA): "The medical device makers were not aware of the intrusions until federal authorities contacted them, and they have formed task forces to investigate the breach, he said."
Who do you suppose noticed the breaches, and how?
Many European countries have significant numbers of extremists in them that are either involved in terrorism or support it, including France, the UK, and Germany. One of the terrorist cells that conducted the 9/11 attacks came out of Hamburg. Germany has seen a rise of neo-Nazi violence, including a string of murders, and there have been concerns that the government was looking the other way to allow it. At the same time Germany has been a key supplier of sophisticated weapons to various countries, including Israel. It was also a country that did a lot of business with Saddam. There are growing tensions among countries in the EU over a number of issues, including the financial and economic problems, and some old hatreds seem to be stirring in many places. These sort of tensions have previously led to war and genocide. Russia, China, and probably Iran, all have many spies in Germany. Chancellor Merkel's phone was being monitored by five (5) different countries, not just the US. Russia especially would like to neutralize Germany, and see NATO fall apart, and who knows what with the EU. The potential for the Euro to fall apart in a meaningful concern, and the German central bank plays a key part there. There is certainly more beyond that to be concerned about. If you can't figure out some reasons why the US may be interested in the domestic affairs of not only Germany, but other nations to varying degrees, you don't really have much useful to say on the matter.