Trump-Russia collusion under investigation by FBI

fake

King of Spammers
15 Year Member
Anyone else think the Franken debacle was a hit via the Russians? Sounds like he wanted him gone. Not to mention some of the women complaining about being kissed were participating in a scripted skit.
 

ballzdeepx

Rugal's Secretary
20 Year Member
Anyone else think the Franken debacle was a hit via the Russians? Sounds like he wanted him gone. Not to mention some of the women complaining about being kissed were participating in a scripted skit.

While I'm sure certain people would have liked him gone..
Without even taking into account the speed in which they forced him out, the majority of his colleagues and roughly 73% of females within his party considered the accusations credible, this was in addition to talking with him during the investigation.
 

evil wasabi

The Jongmaster
20 Year Member
While I'm sure certain people would have liked him gone..
Without even taking into account the speed in which they forced him out, the majority of his colleagues and roughly 73% of females within his party considered the accusations credible, this was in addition to talking with him during the investigation.

It felt very fake. Franken was the most outspoken critic of all the civil rights attacks trump and his cronies were engaged in. But in the outrage generation, no room for anyone who doesn’t walk the line.
 

fake

King of Spammers
15 Year Member
Deputy Director of the FBI is "stepping down"... Not sure if I'm taking this one at face value. :scratch:
 

evil wasabi

The Jongmaster
20 Year Member
Deputy Director of the FBI is "stepping down"... Not sure if I'm taking this one at face value. :scratch:

Trump played this about as poorly as possible. “FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe is racing the clock to retire with full benefits. 90 days to go?!!!” was outright stupid of him.

It assumes that McCabe did not earn his retirement.

It brings up something I think about a lot: people who earn what they have.

Cory Booker, Obama, they earned it. They worked their asses off to get where they are. Obama made a name for himself in community service and that’s how he got elected as a Senator. After he worked his ass off, people with money and the hope for change took notice and sponsored his campaigns moving forward.

But then you got people like Trump, who was a millionaire from birth because of Fred Trump’s real estate empire. Trump didn’t earn shit. His dad bought his way into UPenn just like Hillary bought Chelsea admissions into Columbia. We need less of the entitled heirs of aristocracy, and a return to the meritocracy that saw the likes of Washington, Hamilton, and the once famous Cincinattus rise to power.
 

fake

King of Spammers
15 Year Member
Trump played this about as poorly as possible. “FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe is racing the clock to retire with full benefits. 90 days to go?!!!” was outright stupid of him.

It assumes that McCabe did not earn his retirement.

It brings up something I think about a lot: people who earn what they have.

Cory Booker, Obama, they earned it. They worked their asses off to get where they are. Obama made a name for himself in community service and that’s how he got elected as a Senator. After he worked his ass off, people with money and the hope for change took notice and sponsored his campaigns moving forward.

But then you got people like Trump, who was a millionaire from birth because of Fred Trump’s real estate empire. Trump didn’t earn shit. His dad bought his way into UPenn just like Hillary bought Chelsea admissions into Columbia. We need less of the entitled heirs of aristocracy, and a return to the meritocracy that saw the likes of Washington, Hamilton, and the once famous Cincinattus rise to power.

Yep. Only thing worse than a politician is a billionaire. And now those two are one in the same. Not that they were ever mutually exclusive. But it's worse than ever. This is why I was scratching my head over the past few years while Americans between the coasts were complaining that the liberals had sold them out. To me, there was never a question as to who sold them out; it's always been the billionaires in charge of corporations - people, for example, who install self-checkouts and then pocket the savings rather than raising the pay of the remaining clerks or lowering the prices of their merchandise. Or the food corps who ship crops from overseas. If any politicians are guilty of selling out middle America, it's the conservatives who claim "free market" and deregulate the billionaires, enabling them to make the most money, which entails circumventing unskilled, uneducated Americans. I feel very lucky to have grown up and lived my entire life on the coast.
 

wyo

King of Spammers
10 Year Member
Trump played this about as poorly as possible. “FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe is racing the clock to retire with full benefits. 90 days to go?!!!” was outright stupid of him.

It assumes that McCabe did not earn his retirement.

It brings up something I think about a lot: people who earn what they have.

Cory Booker, Obama, they earned it. They worked their asses off to get where they are. Obama made a name for himself in community service and that’s how he got elected as a Senator. After he worked his ass off, people with money and the hope for change took notice and sponsored his campaigns moving forward.

But then you got people like Trump, who was a millionaire from birth because of Fred Trump’s real estate empire. Trump didn’t earn shit. His dad bought his way into UPenn just like Hillary bought Chelsea admissions into Columbia. We need less of the entitled heirs of aristocracy, and a return to the meritocracy that saw the likes of Washington, Hamilton, and the once famous Cincinattus rise to power.

Well said.
 

lithy

Most Prominent Member of Chat
20 Year Member
Washington was born well-off as well. He was also given his military commission because of his brother's influence on the Virginia governor and in 5-year pre-revolution military career he went from major to colonel. In that short time he bungled Fort Necessity and had a friendly fire incident at Fort Duquesne. I would say that any high school journalist would have outed him as a failure if it happened today.
 

OrochiEddie

Kobaïa Is De Hündïn
20 Year Member
Yep. Only thing worse than a politician is a billionaire. And now those two are one in the same. Not that they were ever mutually exclusive. But it's worse than ever. This is why I was scratching my head over the past few years while Americans between the coasts were complaining that the liberals had sold them out. To me, there was never a question as to who sold them out; it's always been the billionaires in charge of corporations - people, for example, who install self-checkouts and then pocket the savings rather than raising the pay of the remaining clerks or lowering the prices of their merchandise. Or the food corps who ship crops from overseas. If any politicians are guilty of selling out middle America, it's the conservatives who claim "free market" and deregulate the billionaires, enabling them to make the most money, which entails circumventing unskilled, uneducated Americans. I feel very lucky to have grown up and lived my entire life on the coast.

The wealthy elite have convinced those below them that they are their own worst enemy. Middle American Republicans believe they would be millionaires too if it weren't for all those dang consumer protections, social services, and unions. We dug our own hole because we believed we were anything beyond mediocre.

Mediocre is still better than 49% of the pile. That aint that bad.

Someone on my Facebook feed tried to claim that the wealthy are mistreated because they pay the most taxes...as if they are being victims.
 

fake

King of Spammers
15 Year Member
I would do this.



I would do this too.


Have you ever run a business?

I sure do. And I would not automate the tasks of the people I bring into my projects. Why? Because I'm not a dick. Because I quote my clients enough so I can afford to pay people and pay them well. Because one day I may need to ask them if they have a gig for me.

Also, I hear you guys in the UK have pretty decent benefits that come from paying high taxes. The tax rate for robots is 0.00%. In the US, our roads are shit, schools can't afford basic supplies, and we have to pay corporations for healthcare. Lowering the amount of taxpayers isn't a good idea. And there are a lot of cashiers in this country. Cash registers are just the beginning. I work on media projects for tech firms. Every service-based industry except for hospitality is heading towards 100% automation - and fast.

But if you ran a supermarket, you'd replace a neighborhood-oriented, possibly family-owned business with a glorified vending machine? Go for it. I don't like interacting with strangers. But what I like even less is a society that's completely alienated from itself.
 

wyo

King of Spammers
10 Year Member
You'll have to forgive SteveNK. Britain monitors its citizens very closely via CCTV and intrusive internet surveillance. He has appear to go along with the government's clandestine program to replace workers with robots or he may be "disappeared".
 

Tacitus

Volatile Memory Construct - SN://0467839
Staff member
It felt very fake. Franken was the most outspoken critic of all the civil rights attacks trump and his cronies were engaged in. But in the outrage generation, no room for anyone who doesn’t walk the line.

That's an excellent point.

The outrage generation doesn't appreciate anything but their own personal views. It's on the label.

For a generation that preaches "acceptance", they're the least "accepting."

Judge each act against its time and the environment. People do dumb shit all the time.. social norms and mores change. Progressives have lost sight of this.
 

Tacitus

Volatile Memory Construct - SN://0467839
Staff member
I sure do. And I would not automate the tasks of the people I bring into my projects. Why? Because I'm not a dick. Because I quote my clients enough so I can afford to pay people and pay them well. Because one day I may need to ask them if they have a gig for me.

Also, I hear you guys in the UK have pretty decent benefits that come from paying high taxes. The tax rate for robots is 0.00%. In the US, our roads are shit, schools can't afford basic supplies, and we have to pay corporations for healthcare. Lowering the amount of taxpayers isn't a good idea. And there are a lot of cashiers in this country. Cash registers are just the beginning. I work on media projects for tech firms. Every service-based industry except for hospitality is heading towards 100% automation - and fast.

But if you ran a supermarket, you'd replace a neighborhood-oriented, possibly family-owned business with a glorified vending machine? Go for it. I don't like interacting with strangers. But what I like even less is a society that's completely alienated from itself.

HOLY SHIT YES! THIS!

The "future" of automation isn't the rosy '50s bullshit. It's driven by greed and profit margins. Am I totally onboard with it? Ehh...

Our industry is all about automation and driving "overhead" like paying people a decent wage out. The fatal flaw is "who's going to fix it when it breaks?"

Automation is just going to exacerbate the wage gap and eliminate the middle class. If you want consumers, eventually.. you have to pay people.
 

fake

King of Spammers
15 Year Member
HOLY SHIT YES! THIS!

The "future" of automation isn't the rosy '50s bullshit. It's driven by greed and profit margins. Am I totally onboard with it? Ehh...

Our industry is all about automation and driving "overhead" like paying people a decent wage out. The fatal flaw is "who's going to fix it when it breaks?"

Automation is just going to exacerbate the wage gap and eliminate the middle class. If you want consumers, eventually.. you have to pay people.

Totally - and I don't mean this in the anti-intellectual sense...(I'm very against that movement)...but if I had a kid, I think I'd be pushing him more toward the less respected trades - auto mechanic or something along those lines - for his education, and teaching him myself how to build and run a small business. I think that blue collar and so-called unskilled jobs are going to be sorely lacking in the not so distant future - a real Time Machine situation where the smart people have grown complacent and in a sense dumb. Sure, I can talk Gemeinschaft and Gesellschaft all day, but I couldn't fix my kitchen sink off the top of my head, and if it were explosively leaking, I wouldn't be able to go online and figure it out. Someone that has skills and business know-how is going to be doing good in 10 years.
 

Tacitus

Volatile Memory Construct - SN://0467839
Staff member
Totally - and I don't mean this in the anti-intellectual sense...(I'm very against that movement)...but if I had a kid, I think I'd be pushing him more toward the less respected trades - auto mechanic or something along those lines - for his education, and teaching him myself how to build and run a small business. I think that blue collar and so-called unskilled jobs are going to be sorely lacking in the not so distant future - a real Time Machine situation where the smart people have grown complacent and in a sense dumb. Sure, I can talk Gemeinschaft and Gesellschaft all day, but I couldn't fix my kitchen sink off the top of my head, and if it were explosively leaking, I wouldn't be able to go online and figure it out. Someone that has skills and business know-how is going to be doing good in 10 years.

There's a deep sociological and philosophical discussion buried in here.

Anti-intellectualism is funny. People rant about this shit all day on one of the great technological achievements of our time. I am always amused to read this.

Frankly speaking, (I'm truncating a rant here), Anti-intellectualism is a symptom of a rural working class being squeezed out. It's also a symptom of every mediocre dude-bro jock who thought their high school glory or current golf game would eventually turn into millions overnight through "connections."

Tradesmen do VERY well and will continue to do so. Since none of those jocks or their equally mediocre kids are going to lower themselves to turning a wrench or using a caliper, they're forced into middle-management jobs that are wilting away.

My plumber drives an exotic car. My accountant drives a Hyundai. Do the math. (If value is derived from vehicles in your view.)
 

Tacitus

Volatile Memory Construct - SN://0467839
Staff member
I openly laugh at the anti-intellectuals who are getting SLAUGHTERED on get rich quick scams... like crypto currency... thought up by really intelligent people.

This is another long discussion. ( It's going to cost them billions and leave them with a worthless file on a device shortly.)

Point is: Those people serve a societal purpose. Mediocrity is the majority. Anti-intellectualism means they're figuring it out, finally. They're being easily led by intellects.

Wait until all the cryptorelated stuff comes out in this investigation. Hint: Get out now, if you haven't already.

Bunch of other financial networks and corporations are going to take an ass drilling as well. If they weren't complicit, just the PR hit alone will be critical.
 

Tacitus

Volatile Memory Construct - SN://0467839
Staff member
In case you're curious about what I'm getting at above...

Check the two indictments that came out and start comparing the things that overlap. Maybe one thing is mentioned in one, but may also be obfuscated in the other?

This is a RICO case and Mueller is def working it that way. That means some REAL bad stuff for people on the fringes.
 

StevenK

ng.com SFII tournament winner 2002-2023
10 Year Member
I sure do. And I would not automate the tasks of the people I bring into my projects. Why? Because I'm not a dick. Because I quote my clients enough so I can afford to pay people and pay them well. Because one day I may need to ask them if they have a gig for me.

Also, I hear you guys in the UK have pretty decent benefits that come from paying high taxes. The tax rate for robots is 0.00%. In the US, our roads are shit, schools can't afford basic supplies, and we have to pay corporations for healthcare. Lowering the amount of taxpayers isn't a good idea. And there are a lot of cashiers in this country. Cash registers are just the beginning. I work on media projects for tech firms. Every service-based industry except for hospitality is heading towards 100% automation - and fast.

But if you ran a supermarket, you'd replace a neighborhood-oriented, possibly family-owned business with a glorified vending machine? Go for it. I don't like interacting with strangers. But what I like even less is a society that's completely alienated from itself.

Every time you use a power tool you're holding the equipment that destroyed a million jobs. Every time you turn on a computer, a billion jobs, maybe more, who knows. Who is to say the current level of automation that you exploit is ok but future automation makes people dicks?

I used two drivers to pick up cars for me, one to drop him off, the other to drive the second car back. I recently bought a tow truck and now I only need one driver. I made no money, now I make slightly more than no money, the assumption that automation is driven by nefarious billionaires is naive. Have a pension pot? If so, a large part of that money will be invested in the companies doing what you hate. You are that nefarious billionaire.

Robots build cars, computers and conveyor belts sort mail, ATMs dish out cash - you have lived your whole life in the exact dystopian future feared 100 years ago by someone who was thinking the exact thoughts you are right now. The result - record employment levels.

I'm happy for you that your industry has the slack in it to allow inefficiency but many, many do not.
 
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