https://www.nytimes.com/2024/09/29/world/middleeast/middle-east-war-peace-nasrallah.html

The key paragraph:

“But an ironclad alliance with Israel built around strategic and domestic political considerations, as well as the shared values of two democracies, means Washington will almost certainly never threaten to cut — let alone cut off — the flow of arms.”

Notice the vague, careful phrasing. Translation: there’s nothing the US can do because the Israel lobby is too powerful (“domestic political considerations”) and is an extension of our economic agenda (“strategic considerations”) in the region.

There’s plenty we can do: namely, STOP SENDING WEAPONS. Stop funding the war. Period. Shame on The NY Times for talking nonsense. This isn’t the 1990s — we see right through it now.

Maggie Smith— not on the list, but probably should have been.

I hate Taylor Swift! Haitians are destroying music— they’re eating the Snoop Dogs; they’re eating the Doja Cats.

$14.70 per share — 180 Proof

Oof. That’s less than the IPO. :rofl:

Donald Trump and other insiders can now sell shares of DJT, just as stock hits new low

Don’t waste too much time with climate deniers. Ignore feature works great. That’s my recommendation.

Anyway— yes, for denialists who don’t understand a single thing climate scientists say, but want to sound as if they alone have special knowledge, it’s important to develop the strawman of “they think the world will end in 12 years!”

Idiots are gonna idiot.

Noam Chomsky b. 1928

Oh cool, the dude who worships the guy who said anyone burning the flag should get put in jail is gonna lecture us on free speech absolutism. Pass.

What I found is someone who is willing to ask the hard questions. — L'éléphant

:rofl:

Pay attention to these bogus beliefs:

That Israel only “defends” itself (it doesn’t).

That “wiping out Hamas” is even possible (it isn’t).

That some words in a charter are ultra-important (they aren’t).

That gaza isn’t a concentration camp (it is).

That Israel isn’t the overwhelming military power (they are).

Then you’ll have a better understanding of why these conversations go nowhere. The assumptions are so far apart it’s beyond rationality.

These people who keep trying to kill Trump must really hate the establishment. Since Trump is the embodiment of the establishment, he’s an easy target.

Anyway, look forward to this being forgotten in 48 hours.

“I HATE TAYLOR SWIFT!”

Quiz:

Who said the above?

A) a random troll on Instagram
B) a 9-year-old boy
C) a young girl who couldn’t get tickets
D) a 78-year old former United States president

Any guesses?

Anyways, what are other people's most uninteresting philosopher/philosophy and why? — schopenhauer1

Jordan Peterson. A bumbling, jumbled pile of garbage from what I can tell. No substance whatsoever. I’m reluctant to even include him— but many consider him a “philosopher.” Oy.

More classically: I agree about Wittgenstein to a degree. But mostly nearly all the analytic types from the 50s. :yawn:

Yes. Fun to watch the corporate-owned trickle-downers try to navigate all this.

Yeah, he’ll pretty much say anything at this point. Taxes, abortion, electric cars (now that Elon is on his side, he likes them), anything.

And always remember: they’re EATING the DAWGS.

If democrats had majority control of congress Trump could pass legislation supporting workers. — praxis

True— but that’s assuming he wants to help workers; his entire business and political life says otherwise.

Trump wins and inexplicably prevents on "blood bath" he promises a 100% tariff, but they would still be cheap. — Fooloso4

There’s already a 100% tariff.

And yes I’d buy one. BYD seems fine to me.

I think the doddering dotard should now take his very-stable genius brain, with his best words, and drop out of this race.

The obese, 78-year old lunatic should enjoy himself. He’s most likely only running again to avoid court losses anyway— and since he has never had any principles, he can do it. Just drop out that make up a story, say it a thousand times, and his supporters will come up believe it’s true.

Israel actually sent in special commando troops to al-shifa hospital. I don't believe any civilians were killed during the operation miraculously. — BitconnectCarlos

So it can be done… :chin:

I thought causalities were inevitable because war is hell, WWII, good intentions and so on.

“They’re eating the DOGS!”

What to do about the rockets being fired from the hospital? — BitconnectCarlos

We have the answer: obliterate the hospital, and everyone in it. Since they’re non-human anyway, it doesn’t matter much.

Guess we just can't go to war then. — BitconnectCarlos

Yeah, I guess nothing can be done. Genocides are inevitable.

I maintain that Israel does not intentionally murder civilians. — BitconnectCarlos

Yeah, because it isn’t obvious that bombing schools and hospitals and shelters — because “Hamas is there” — will result in civilian deaths.

Likud has unintentionally killed 300 thousand people.

“When they do it, it’s terrorism. When we do it, it’s counter-terrorism.” How tiresome.

doesn't take away from the fact that the Biden administration carries responsibility for things going to hell — Tzeentch

:up:

What national abortion ban? — NOS4A2

A ban can be enacted under the Comstock Act, if the DOJ (at the president's direction) so chooses. I doubt the Supreme Court would stop it. It's a very real possibility. The fact that Trump is backing away from the rhetoric because he sees at as the political liability that it is means exactly nothing.

The Biden administration's colossal failures of diplomacy vis-á-vis Ukraine and Israel are very important to me. — Tzeentch

Understandable. It's important to me too, and Biden has been an utter failure in that respect. It's the one area that Trump may (accidentally) be better for the world. I don't see how he'd be any better on Israel, but perhaps I've missed something.

I think there's zero basis to argue that Trump was worse in any meaningful way. — Tzeentch

To pick one: environment. The IRA was meaningful, and has (and will continue to have, unless somehow dismantled if Trump is elected) meaningful impacts on a transition to less emissions— yes, despite current levels of oil production.

To say nothing about actions at the EPA, SEC, FTC, and NLRB— which have been surprisingly good. Oh and the education department’s canceling of student debt has been fantastic, despite the courts blocking much of that effort.

It takes effort not to see differences, unless there’s some real partisan skewering of perception.

There is no lesser evil. — Tzeentch

Yeah, actually there is. Trump is the greater evil. Don’t overthink it.

Taylor Swift has endorsed Harris.

“It’s over.”

Trump is so old and his bullshit is so tiresome after 9 years, I think many people will vote for Harris just so they won’t ever have to hear from this guy again.

It’s a good example of what this is all about: Trump is a dangerous, incoherent imbecile. Anyone with a couple brain cells realize you gotta vote against that.

Harris could have been replaced with a mannequin and still win.

Ukraine has been working towards implementing a modern, free, transparent democracy. — jorndoe

:lol:

Well he’s making it pretty easy for Kamala, who’s an awful actress.

God this is fucking embarrassing.

15 minutes in— She looks nervous, dry-mouthed, and is delivering memorized lines, ignoring the questions. She’s delivering them without stuttering and with coherence, but it looks fake and forced.

Trump is his usual rambling, incoherent buffoon self — repeating his rally lines reflexively. But he looks more natural doing it.

Man, it would have been nice to have Bernie up there with Trump just once.

Would you rather see it a Muslim state? — BitconnectCarlos

Nope.

Having 6 million Palestinians come to Israel brings "Israel as a Jewish state" into question. — BitconnectCarlos

As it should.

magnitudes more strife and difference. — BitconnectCarlos

I’d say the strife the last few decades has been pretty bad— so you better be sure. I don’t see it as a certainty. Maybe pockets of violence— maybe just issues at first but not in the long run, etc. Giving Likud and Hamas less power could be the ultimate result, which would be good.

You seem far too certain for such an important possibility.

different community with different values there can very well end up being strife as both groups — BitconnectCarlos

Isn’t there strife now?

This is convenient framing that you, like some other posters, like to proscribe for us. — Echarmion

It’s a framing because that’s what you, and others, are constantly doing. You just did it above, and you know it.

For example:

US as the great Satan and the Ukrainians as the hapless victims. — Echarmion

The US is not a great Satan and Ukrainians are not hapless victims, although most of the population is. Ditto Russia.

That framing is leading you to exclude the russian war dead — Echarmion

I feel for the Russian dead as well. But they’re the invading force, so yes I de-emphasize that. Doesn’t mean it’s right to kill innocent people — regardless of nationality.

This war is also a russian tragedy. How do you propose to understand it if you're not even seeing that side of the equation? — Echarmion

I think it’s an unfortunate move by Russia— even stupid in a political and strategic sense. But they do seem to be winning, and now have a lot of leverage. I don’t necessarily like that, but that seems to be the case so far.

So it’s tough to say it’s a “tragedy” for Putin. The Russian people on the other hand— yeah, maybe it is.

Hey Mikie, what do you think of the idea of a mosque being built next to your house? — BitconnectCarlos

Ohh cool, I love when people play Socrates!

I’d have no problem with a mosque next to my house! Muslims are kick-ass people, so far as my personal experiences go. And you are asking me, after all — so there you have it. You wouldn’t? Why?

They'll blast calls to prayer 5x daily including at like 3am (don't worry, the times will shift.) Excited? Great! Embrace diversity. — BitconnectCarlos

Being woken up at 3am would be annoying to me. I find Christian church bells irritating sometimes too, but they’re generally pleasant. 3am not so much.

Also, hope you're not a dog owner. — BitconnectCarlos

I am. But why do you ask? …

They don't have the best reputation in Islamic texts so be careful. — BitconnectCarlos

The Quran is anti-dog? Guess I should watch out for those Christians then too..some nasty stuff in that Bible.

Well that was fun. Now about that genocide…

“We can’t let people in — they’re vicious animals.”

“Some behave that way because they’ve been living in concentration camps.”

“Yes but we have no choice but to keep them there.”

“Why?”

“Because they’re vicious animals.”

And on and on we go.