Cacti

French Military Intelligence Says Israeli Strike Not Behind Gaza Hospital Blast Link

The latest Gallup poll indicates that the “Situation with Russia” is way, way down the list of concerns. BTW, anyone who spends any considerable amounts of time on biased sources such as Fox and our own CR is not going to be able to speak for the ‘average’ American; neither source is representative.

If so inclined I’m sure I could find a politician or two who, at one time or another, meant abolishment when they used the word defund. But most people (like me) took it to mean a reallocation of resources from the police and directed to other personnel. No, I’m not in favor of cutting police budgets. Most big city police departments are bloated and relatively inefficient, but no more so than most large government and union entities. If additional or unique resources are needed, then fund them separately, without cutting the police budget. But it really doesn’t matter what ‘defund’ means to me or you; the word is mostly off-limits now. Most deft politicians, even the left-leaning extremists, run from that word like it’s the plague. As an example, in his Mar. 1, 2022 State of the Union address, President Joe Biden declared: The phrase is dead, as is the movement. All that is left is Surly banter.

I don’t know what socialist policies are being discussed in the whole U.S. at any given time, and neither do you. But if you want to narrow it down, then go to the DSA’s website and you’ll find a partial listing of their ‘wants’. I’ve already referenced one: defunding the police. I know…I know, the word defunding doesn’t really mean defunding; it means what you say it means. It’s sort of like the word socialism; you can change the meaning to fit the argument.

A slightly different name doesn’t mask the similarities between the “historically accepted definition of socialism”, and your definition—whatever it is. From the DSA website: Old boss … new boss.

She’s a member of the Democratic Socialists of America; is calling her a socialist an unjust accusation?

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Depends on one's point of view. If Hillary would have defeated Trump in 2016, she in all likelihood would have been elected again in 2020. While that would have eventually bent SOTUS to the left (a positive from the perspective of liberals), it would also mean that she would have had to deal with the Russian aggression toward Ukraine. Hillary was no friend of Russia, and undoubtedly would have supported Ukraine, but I have doubts if anyone could have handled the situation as skillfully as has Biden. Joe is the right person, at the right place and at the right time. So, in that sense, I feel that we are better off --- as opposed to the uncertainty of 'what if'.

So you admit to the possibility of a supreme being?

If it were solely up to our O&G industry, we would do exactly as you suggested. But since partisan politics are involved (CR), any discussion is severely limited on this particular board.

I believe Paul was haunted by his conscience, by the guilt he felt for violently persecuting Christians. His conversion ended the persecution but, like all of us, he forever had to endure the memory of past wrongdoings. I believe that is what tormented Paul.

Concerning the recent nuclear fusion breakthrough, Julio Friedmann, chief scientist at Carbon Direct and a former chief energy technologist at Lawrence Livermore, said: “This will not contribute meaningfully to climate abatement in the next 20-30 years”....“This the difference between lighting a match and building a gas turbine.”

While I agree that Thomas should recuse himself from insurrection cases, he not doing so doesn’t support your specific claim that either he, or SCOTUS in general, “aided an insurrection.”

Out of curiosity, what SCOTUS ruling has aided an insurrection?

What it is, is that we and our allies need Saudi oil. We’re still importing about 500,000 barrels per day from our M.E. friends acquaintances, so it makes no sense to alienate their leaders, which we’ve done. Biden has done an admirable job of repairing European relations after Trump caused so much turmoil. But I’m afraid there’s too much animosity between MBS and Biden for any such reconciliation between the two. It’s going to be up to Biden’s successor to repair the damage.