US Politics Thread

[Bure_Pavel]

3 hours ago, bishopshodan said:

 

I understand that capitalism breeds innovation. It's a runner up to necessity.

 

However, I am talking about extreme wealth hoarding. Billionaires.

 

Edison, that pile of garbage, was worth $12 million when he died...about $228 million modern day ( inflation)

 

Let's pause the convo while you provide somone else from the same time period that is the equivalent of being worth $222 Billion today.

Someone that is close to the amount top modern day hoarders hold. 

To be fair they weren't just handed these dollars, most have created superior products that have benefited billions of people. Like Bill Gates (computers are pretty useful), Jeff Bezos (Amazon is very convenient, their distribution networks and algorithms are best in the world), and Elon Musk (sped up the adoption of the electric car by at least 5 years, what price tag can you put on the environmental impact of this change).

[NewbieCanuckFan]

11 minutes ago, Ghostsof1915 said:

One billionaire. And one Fraudster you mean? 

Yeah one guy turned a big pile of money into an even bigger pile of money.

 

"Depends" guy turned a big pile of money into debt (which he never paid).

[Bob Long]

44 minutes ago, bishopshodan said:

 

I think he is one of the biggest attention whores.

 

Married that hip goth girl ( and didnt he bang a buddies wife, google dude?) pretends he would fight MMA, suckles his tweeter daily.

 

i know you and I think he is king dork but he has millions of fans and supporters. It used to be because he was bringing new innovation, now it is because he is the richest of them all. 

 

Not much we can do immediately about these hoarders, however over time our society could build up an apathy for their floss ( rap term, keeping with my theme)

 

Maybe we should treat them like we would that obese kid, that wont share his chocolate with the other kids....specifically the dying ones. 

If we looked at him like that, he's not going to any dinner parties. 

 

 

Oh man, talking sense to Elon fan boys, I think you could be fighting human nature on that one.

 

[Bob Long]

14 minutes ago, Bure_Pavel said:

To be fair they weren't just handed these dollars, most have created superior products that have benefited billions of people. Like Bill Gates (computers are pretty useful), Jeff Bezos (Amazon is very convenient, their distribution networks and algorithms are best in the world), and Elon Musk (sped up the adoption of the electric car by at least 5 years, what price tag can you put on the environmental impact of this change).

 

thats where I'm at. Unless we actually are prepared to move off capitalism, we will produce these guys. But if what they foster benefits everyone else far more collectively, I don't really care tbh. 

 

If Elon can actually usher us into the next space era, even if he happens to flop but he created the competition needed to make it happen, I won't lose sleep about him personally. 

 

[bishopshodan]

15 minutes ago, Bure_Pavel said:

To be fair they weren't just handed these dollars, most have created superior products that have benefited billions of people. Like Bill Gates (computers are pretty useful), Jeff Bezos (Amazon is very convenient, their distribution networks and algorithms are best in the world), and Elon Musk (sped up the adoption of the electric car by at least 5 years, what price tag can you put on the environmental impact of this change).

 

Not saying they cant be rich. Maybe keep it to 8 figures?

 

I mean, they could solve world hunger with their dough.... that little issue of 9 million souls perishing per year.

I'd trade that for many of the things you listed.

 

I dunno about ev's and Amazon regarding them being a positive environmental impact but that might be another convo. 

[Bob Long]

55 minutes ago, the destroyer of worlds said:

Savage

 

Vance's first pet name was "Stormy"

 

[bishopshodan]

6 minutes ago, Bob Long said:

 

Oh man, talking sense to Elon fan boys, I think you could be fighting human nature on that one.

 

 

We always believe, as species, that we have figured it all out in that moment. The brilliant Aristotle thought the earth was the center of the Universe. 

 

I read a book once called ' But What if We're Wrong?' ( where I borrowed the Aristotle point)

 

It's not about wealth but more about that human nature.

 

We must evolve if we want to survive. That said I am on record for saying humans are doomed because I really think WE wont figure it out fast enough before we destroy ourselves. We might be advancing faster than our 'nature' can handle. We are still dumb naked apes, but some of us have most of the money and power, some others have nuclear weapons.

[Bure_Pavel]

21 minutes ago, bishopshodan said:

 

Not saying they cant be rich. Maybe keep it to 8 figures?

 

I mean, they could solve world hunger with their dough.... that little issue of 9 million souls perishing per year.

I'd trade that for many of the things you listed.

 

I dunno about ev's and Amazon regarding them being a positive environmental impact but that might be another convo. 

You want them to go from 12 figures to 8 figures, that's a huge drop? Just EV's for environmental impact, Amazon is strictly convenience. Some like Bill gates have started to give large portions away to good causes in their old age. If everyone in the world kicked in 20 dollars could probable make a big dent in world hunger as well, the real solution to world hunger will come via technology and someone will get very rich.    

Edited August 12 by Bure_Pavel

[Bob Long]

10 minutes ago, bishopshodan said:

 

We always believe, as species, that we have figured it all out in that moment. The brilliant Aristotle thought the earth was the center of the Universe. 

 

I read a book once called ' But What if We're Wrong?' ( where I borrowed the Aristotle point)

 

It's not about wealth but more about that human nature.

 

We must evolve if we want to survive. That said I am on record for saying humans are doomed because I really think WE wont figure it out fast enough before we destroy ourselves. We might be advancing faster than our 'nature' can handle. We are still dumb naked apes, but some of us have most of the money and power, some others have nuclear weapons.

 

I'd like to think we'll survive it... it might look more like that show Fallout but we'll see. 

 

We can always just rise up once Elon tells us to eat cake as well. We know how that turned out. 

 

[bishopshodan]

1 minute ago, Bure_Pavel said:

You want them to go from 12 figures to 8 figures, that's a huge drop? Just EV's for environmental impact, Amazon is strictly convenience. Some like Bill gates have started to give large portions away to good causes in their as their old age. If everyone in the world kicked in 20 dollars could probable make a big dent in world hunger as well, the real solution to world hunger will come via technology and someone will get very rich.    

 

It is a huge drop

 

Bob and I were discovering that we have never had such hoarders in history. The great Edison would only be worth $228mil in todays world. 

 

Think about it. Billioniares could solve world hunger. 9 million people. almost 1/4 of the Canadian population.

 

They could end it. They dont.

 

That. is. evil.

 

...and all I am asking is for the collective 'we' to stop  putting these evil dorks on such high pedestals. 

 

I'll start. If any billionaires are reading this, you are not welcome to my dinner parties until you reduce your wealth to at least 99mil.

[bishopshodan]

4 minutes ago, Bob Long said:

 

I'd like to think we'll survive it... it might look more like that show Fallout but we'll see. 

 

We can always just rise up once Elon tells us to eat cake as well. We know how that turned out. 

 

Ive read the tea leaves.

 

Humankind, as we know it on earth, is doomed.

 

No wonder Elon is getting his own planet. He'll need some slaves though, thats where his new brain implants come in. 

[Ghostsof1915]

Seems long ago, but millionaires used to invest in schools, hospitals,  and libraries once upon a time.... I miss those days. 

[Bob Long]

11 minutes ago, bishopshodan said:

 

It is a huge drop

 

Bob and I were discovering that we have never had such hoarders in history. The great Edison would only be worth $228mil in todays world. 

 

Think about it. Billioniares could solve world hunger. 9 million people. almost 1/4 of the Canadian population.

 

They could end it. They dont.

 

That. is. evil.

 

...and all I am asking is for the collective 'we' to stop  putting these evil dorks on such high pedestals. 

 

I'll start. If any billionaires are reading this, you are not welcome to my dinner parties until you reduce your wealth to at least 99mil.

 

So could the Catholic church but that's a different grifting discussion .

 

 

[Ghostsof1915]

1 minute ago, Bob Long said:

 

So could the Catholic church but that's a different grifting discussion .

 

 

"God is all powerful, all knowing, all wise, but just can't seem to handle money?"

- George Carlin

[Bure_Pavel]

12 minutes ago, bishopshodan said:

 

It is a huge drop

 

Bob and I were discovering that we have never had such hoarders in history. The great Edison would only be worth $228mil in todays world. 

 

Think about it. Billioniares could solve world hunger. 9 million people. almost 1/4 of the Canadian population.

 

They could end it. They dont.

 

That. is. evil.

 

...and all I am asking is for the collective 'we' to stop  putting these evil dorks on such high pedestals. 

 

I'll start. If any billionaires are reading this, you are not welcome to my dinner parties until you reduce your wealth to at least 99mil.

Comparing today to the days of Edison is not a great comparison, business is done at a much larger scale then back when you had to mail letters to communicate and did business by candle light. Most governments could easily ensure no one goes hungry but do they? What percentage of your annual salary do you give to the food bank? Doesn't necessarily mean you are evil. Most of these guys wealth are tied up in shares of the company and free cash is used to fund additional endeavors.   

[Satchmo]

2 minutes ago, Bure_Pavel said:

Comparing today to the days of Edison is not a great comparison, business is done at a much larger scale then back when you had to mail letters to communicate and did business by candle light. Most governments could easily ensure no one goes hungry but do they? What percentage of your annual salary do you give to the food bank? Doesn't necessarily mean you are evil. Most of these guys wealth are tied up in shares of the company and free cash is used to fund additional endeavors.   

The differences in communication between then and now, or the scale of the businesses, is not much of an argument.  The intentions of the people involved remain the same - to make as much money as possible at the expense of others.

[JoeyJoeJoeJr. Shabadoo]

10 minutes ago, Bure_Pavel said:

Comparing today to the days of Edison is not a great comparison, business is done at a much larger scale then back when you had to mail letters to communicate and did business by candle light. Most governments could easily ensure no one goes hungry but do they? What percentage of your annual salary do you give to the food bank? Doesn't necessarily mean you are evil. Most of these guys wealth are tied up in shares of the company and free cash is used to fund additional endeavors.   

Endeavors like this?

 

[King Heffy]

2 hours ago, the destroyer of worlds said:

 

Another pic from that night has been released.  

 

Time to dial it up and make it clear that neither Trump nor Vance can be trusted around children, since Trump is a known child molester and the bigots who support Vance think that children shouldn't be allowed near men dressed in drag.

[King Heffy]

56 minutes ago, Bure_Pavel said:

You want them to go from 12 figures to 8 figures, that's a huge drop? Just EV's for environmental impact, Amazon is strictly convenience. Some like Bill gates have started to give large portions away to good causes in their old age. If everyone in the world kicked in 20 dollars could probable make a big dent in world hunger as well, the real solution to world hunger will come via technology and someone will get very rich.    

Personally I'd rather have Musk in prison for the rest of his worthless excuse for a life; cutting that piece of garbage's net worth to 8 figures is generous.

[RupertKBD]

Speaking of rich assholes, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver last night, talked about how Mark Zuckerberg is buying up parcels of land in Hawaii, so he can build himself a compound, complete with a huge mansion, (or mansions, not sure) and underground bunker and a network of tree houses, connected by bridges....

 

The problem is, the land he is buying up is actually owned by native Hawaiians. Unfortunately for them, land ownership in Hawaii has historically not been documented on paper. Zuckerberg is using a loophole law to get around native ownership. The law that allows him to do this was established by settlers who wanted to start Sugar Cane plantations on the islands and needed a way to wrest the required land from Hawaiians.

 

While they were at it, they used gunboat diplomacy to depose the Queen of Hawaii.....

Edited August 12 by RupertKBD

[Sabrefan1]

I'm assuming that the thread is going off about Trump going back onto Twitter/X. 

 

Honestly it took him long enough.  A mentally handicapped monkey could have told him that on Truth Social, he was just preaching to the people that were already going to vote for him.

 

I guess when you watch your poll numbers drop and your Big Mac fueled arse is quite literally on the line, the price of your meme stock becomes a secondary concern.

 

I'm still amazed at how poorly his campaign is being run in comparison to the others (including the one he lost).  I suppose that's what happens when you put your dumbest kid's wife in charge of the RNC.  Being the former producer of an infotainment and gossip television program isn't a proper qualification... who knew?!? 

[JoeyJoeJoeJr. Shabadoo]

2 hours ago, Elias Pettersson said:

Trump is back on Twitter…

 

 

Djt stock is down 5% as a result. Genius 

[Boudrias]

9 minutes ago, RupertKBD said:

Speaking or rich assholes, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver last night, talked about how Mark Zuckerberg is buying up parcels of land in Hawaii, so he can build himself a compound, complete with a huge mansion, (or mansions, not sure) and underground bunker and a network of tree houses, connected by bridges....

 

The problem is, the land he is buying up is actually owned by native Hawaiians. Unfortunately for them, land ownership in Hawaii has historically not been documented on paper. Zuckerberg is using a loophole law to get around native ownership. The law that allows him to do this was established by settlers who wanted to start Sugar Cane plantations on the islands and needed a way to wrest the required land from Hawaiians.

 

While they were at it, they used gunboat diplomacy to depose the Queen of Hawaii.....

I believe it was Hawaiian royalty that claimed land title and they sold much of that land to the cane plantations and the missionaries. 

[Sharpshooter]

1 minute ago, Sabrefan1 said:

I'm assuming that the thread is going off about Trump going back onto Twitter/X. 

 

Honestly it took him long enough.  A mentally handicapped monkey could have told him that on Truth Social, he was just preaching to the people that were already going to vote for him.

 

I guess when you watch your poll numbers drop and your Big Mac fueled arse is quite literally on the line, the price of your meme stock becomes a secondary concern.

 

I'm still amazed at how poorly his campaign is being run in comparison to the others (including the one he lost).  I suppose that's what happens when you put your dumbest kid's wife in charge of the RNC.  Being the former producer of an infotainment and gossip television program isn't a proper qualification... who knew?!? 

It’s great to see how unwell his campaign is being run. 
 

May it continue. 

[Sabrefan1]

11 minutes ago, RupertKBD said:

Speaking or rich assholes, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver last night, talked about how Mark Zuckerberg is buying up parcels of land in Hawaii, so he can build himself a compound, complete with a huge mansion, (or mansions, not sure) and underground bunker and a network of tree houses, connected by bridges....

 

The problem is, the land he is buying up is actually owned by native Hawaiians. Unfortunately for them, land ownership in Hawaii has historically not been documented on paper. Zuckerberg is using a loophole law to get around native ownership. The law that allows him to do this was established by settlers who wanted to start Sugar Cane plantations on the islands and needed a way to wrest the required land from Hawaiians.

 

While they were at it, they used gunboat diplomacy to depose the Queen of Hawaii.....

 

He's gonna be seeing protests from the native islanders if enough of them get angry.  The Hawaiians don't mess around.  They are not fans of "Haole's".