Jump to content

Onboard 2.0

Legacy Members
  • Posts

    19417
  • Joined

  • Last visited

  • Days Won

    2

Posts posted by Onboard 2.0

  1. 7 minutes ago, Lobo said:

    Your illicit organization doesn't exist until there's a corkboard of you and your confederates on an FBI wall somewhere with pieces of string connecting index cards.  

    Actually, I still adhere to the "follow the money" rationale when it comes to shit like ANTIFA, La Cosa Nostra, most Trump fundraising entities, or the illegal financial networks of a Mister Ronan Sinatra.

    You can't say confederate.

  2. 29 minutes ago, F250 said:

    The funny thing about this "outrage" is that the RCMP has a history of being much more aggressive with First Nations protesters but moving the trucks out of the way is a clear sign of authoritarianism?

    They got the best uniforms since Hugo boss asked Heydrich which way he dressed.  You leave them alone.

    • Hook 'Em 1
    • Haha 1
  3. 1 hour ago, Longhorn_Fan68 said:

    THERE IS NO ANTIFA ORGANIZATION!!!! How many fucking times do we have to explain this? You're a tool of misinformation and you should really reassess your worldview. You're creating a boogeyman for yourself that doesn't exist.
     

     

    Is this like there is no MAFIA ? 

  4. Just saw Death on the Nile last night. Great soundtrack that they actually let songs get played out, the music wasn’t just the same old background noise.

    Beautiful visuals, and great scene settings.

    As usual it’s a group of characters who are exaggerated characters.

    The story dragged a bit at times, but all in all good fun to watch.

    • Like 2
  5. 44 minutes ago, XYZ said:

    Alternatively, NATO could tell Putin that it’s not going to add Ukraine and everybody gets to go home.

    If that would end it, I'd say sure, but there would need to be assurances of no more Russian aggression towards Ukraine (laughing as I type that Putin riding unicorns, filled fantasy).  It would sorta be the DMZ of Euroland.

  6. 20 minutes ago, Bevo said:

    Germany is a little like a whore in this instance. It will most definitely continue to buy oil and gas from Russia. They know it is wrong but they need the juice. So, does the takeover of the Ukraine really complete the break from Europe? The only asset Russia has worth purchasing is oil and gas.

    Uhhh. Vodka......stumbles up, and says privet.....

    • Haha 1
  7. 13 minutes ago, F250 said:

    This and they figured it out fast. Actually it was Deng Xiaoping that figured it out and then he began reforming China in the late 70's. The dude was purged multiple times during Mao's regime and had plenty of enemies after Mao's death but some how managed to assume leadership in China then initiate massive reforms that lead to China's rise.

    I don't see how this happens with anyone other than him running China. The political maneuvering, national economic, technical and military strategies not bound by ideology were pretty fucking impressive considering it was Communist China.

    Good 'ol Dung................ errrrrrr Deng....

  8. 1 minute ago, Brisketexan said:


    No argument there. Post WWII, the cheap manufacturing timeline, as told by the “made in” stamp on the bottom of plastic toy soldiers:

    Taiwan, ROC
    Japan
    China
    Vietnam?

    Each one began by making the cheapest shit possible, then advanced to making high end products (electronics, cars). China is a bit of an odd case, because it’s still making the cheap shit, and its high end stuff isn’t really homegrown yet - it’s largely making components for other companies and such.

    What I still don’t get is why we haven’t turned to Central America for the cheap shit. There’s no reason that there aren’t plastic molding factories, and textile mills, in Honduras. Shipping costs are less, and the added bonus of providing stabilizing revenue to those countries. We have fucked up our relationship and opportunities with Central America at every turn for 200 years. We could turn to them now, and reduce our dependence on China. But we don’t. All it takes is some bribes to the right people, and we get it done.

     

     

    I'm always puzzled by Chinas inability to really innovate. I imagine there's a theory they have on that.  I think some of it comes from if you stick your neck out and fail it's usually death or long term stays in a re-education camp.   They are such a nation of easily cowed people, so similar to the Russians in many ways.

    I definitely agree with the bolded part. Short sighted ignorance would be one explanation.  We should be making our neighbors to the south strong, reliable allies, and not just a potential, cheap vacation destination.  

    • Hook 'Em 1
  9. 1 minute ago, Brisketexan said:


    Counterpoint…a country of a billion plus people, with a history of empires and commerce, was gonna figure this shit out sooner or later.

    Counterpoint: True, but not until Mao was dead, and his virulent anti capitalism dogma was erased (sort of) were they gonna embark on that of course.  

    They finally figured out they had to join the 20th c. and create wealth to project power.  We sped up that time line. We embraced the flow of manufacturing to their corner of the planet.  They're now a bit of a genie out of the bottle.

  10. 5 minutes ago, FirstTimeCaller said:

    Is it? I can't imagine living there. If it weren't for the mountains that surround it, I'd think it would be the ugliest place ever. Just seems like a sprawling one-story city outside of the strip. 

    I do think some of the natural areas outside of it would be great. But between the culture, heat, lack of rain, I'd go insane.

    Both my brother, and son have lived or currently live there.  There are lots of non gambling things to do in Vegas, and lots of off strip things, and places that are great,  and the natives know them all.  Lots of great hiking out in the hills around Vegas. 

    They know about the great deals they get from the hotels during mid week down times, they know the bouncers at the clubs so they get to the head of the lines, never pay covers, and never wait for drinks inside.

  11. 22 minutes ago, TwiceHorn said:

    Here's a fairly astonishing bit of Chinese suckitude.  https://www.reuters.com/business/eu-challenges-china-wto-over-telecom-patent-protection-2022-02-18/

    As many know, a number of companies worldwide hold what are called "Standards Essential Patents" or SEP that cover technology that is necessary to meet industry standards for things like 4G or 5G cell phones.  These are "blocking patents," meaning no one can build a phone that works with current technology without infringing them.

    These patents, which standards setting committees were aware of when establishing standards, must be licensed to all comers on "FRAND" terms, fair, reasonable, and non-discriminatory terms. And that basically means just about everyone gets the same deal and it's reasonable enough not to put anyone out of business.

    Unless their business model is to undercut everyone else in the business with possibly predatory pricing.

    So now, apparently, if one of these patent holders goes to a Chinese court to enforce the Chinese version of its SEP against a manufacturer that won't pay the FRAND license, the Chinese court will enjoin them from filing suit in any other country, with hefty fines for doing so. 

    So the EU is starting a WTO complaint against them and this practice.  Curious if the US will follow or it's somehow limited to EU "players."

    Weird, wild, wacky stuff.  Especially because China has been making a big show of granting and enforcing patents of western origin in the last couple of decades.

     

    All you had to say was China sucks.  They're the worst thing to hit the civilized world since the USSR.  

    A little thread drift, but I listened to part of "The Great Wager" on NPR yesterday. It's a multi part podcast about Nixon, and his plans to open up China to the west.  China, and the Russians hated each other in the 70's, and all kinds of behind the scenes, cloak and dagger, fuckery was going on.

    Mao's China was a third world country when Nixon made his historic trip, and created the path we're now treading.  From a Chinese woman who grew up in Beijing:  she, and her sister would count cars in Beijing for fun (early 70's). If they saw more than about 10 cars in a single day that would be a huge deal. China was an impoverished nation, no universities, no middle class, no progress, factories, if they were even open produced almost nothing. No capitalism per Maos blood stained orders.

    Before Nixons grand plan had really been developed, a Russian spy set a "chit chat" lunch date with one of Nixons ambassadors.  In one of those power broker, Washington haunts, the Russian asked the American, what would America think of Russia removing all of Chinas nuclear capabilities ? 

    The American froze in mid bite, and made an immediate bee line for the Oval Office with the news that Russia was signaling they were cool with a nuclear war with China.  That apparently caused an immediate defcon alert, and the US made ready for a possible war. From the little bit of the teaser they presented, they seem to be positing Nixons plan was then to cozy up to the Chinese to keep the Russians from carrying out that plan.  I'd never read anything about that encounter or the results,  but it seems it had the effect of pushing our diplomatic advances to China into overdrive.  Thanks Brezhnev.

    It's always been hailed as a hugely successful, diplomatic event, but in reality may have just been the opening of Pandas box or Pandoras box... whichever...  Who that success benefitted seems to be on Chinas' side based on what they've now become.

    • Hook 'Em 2
    • Like 1
    • Rage+1 1
  12. 2 hours ago, Shady Ray said:

     

     

    So...lemme get this straight...you net 12 billion dollars annually of someone else's straight cash (homie) to pay for your roads, bridges, railways, and agriculture development, but over 40% of you want a re-vote on EU membership because Poland can do it better on their own, because the gheys suck (they implemented "LGBTQ-Free Zones" all throughout SE Poland before the EU withheld just a little bit of their EU funds, after which those same municipal leaders became suddenly not quite so Catholic and reversed course), and because you want to go your own way on Ukraine? Okayyyy.

     

    The idea of PolExit makes Brexit seem absolutely rational.

    Stop me if you've heard this one.....2 Pollacks walk into a EU exit meeting

  13. Just now, Homercles said:

    This absolutely pains me to post…it’s got my wife crying and I am in shock.  My normally exceptional 8yo apparently took a river rock to an antique stone bench and broke off the edges…it is/was a prized possession by his godfather (!) as it was one of the only things he got from from his deceased grandmother. Pieces are scattered around the yard.  He did this at a super bowl party when the adults were preoccupied. 
     

    See photo.  
     

    My son is going to face severe consequences including likely selling his Switch.  I ask for the power of Surly here if anyone knows a firm in Centex that could even take a look at this…provided they can even recover the bulk of the pieces.  ThanksA041D1B1-F0E7-4388-B9E5-07D3612B40A8.thumb.jpeg.e50a4f8b2115cc31e7a981b4c9c3a7e5.jpeg

    You can always have other children……. Just sayin’.

    • Like 1
    • Haha 2
  14. 6 minutes ago, UpperWestside said:

    I have a friend that is a diver for the New York Aquarium. Diving is his life’s passion. He’ll go diving anywhere if he can afford to do it. Cave diving is a huge favorite of his. He can talk your head off about it. I think it would be fun to try at some point.

    That is about the most dangerous thing you can do underwater apparently... sharks aside that is.

    • Hook 'Em 1
×
×
  • Create New...