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Post by PaulKay on Mar 23, 2016 11:04:49 GMT -5
With retirement, I have time to think about stupid shit.
And today's stupid shit is the realization that there are probably many thousands of high paying jobs in engineering, management, production, and support that depend on the U.S. military to use/destroy the existing guns, bullets, tanks, jeeps, shipes, missiles, and aircraft to make room for new guns, bullets, tanks, jeeps, ships, missiles and aircraft to keep the Industrial Militeay Complex humming along and keeping all those people and businesses running.
Basically we need the US to continually engage in wars/conflicts to keep the vast segment of the economy moving. Not to mention all the downstream jobs that support all those businesses and working families. It is sad to thnk that if the military just sits around and does nothing, the economy could eventually suffer contraction. Military engagement is good for business. How screwed up is that?
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Post by Doug on Mar 23, 2016 11:16:00 GMT -5
Yep that's what retirement is for. Thinking of stupid stuff. Hey if we cut the military industrial complex all those resources could go to something important like producing more bacon.
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Post by drlj on Mar 23, 2016 11:16:17 GMT -5
Gee, since I retired I have spent a lot of time thinking about cloud shapes and where to go next. Your thoughts are heavy, man!
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Post by fauxmaha on Mar 23, 2016 11:16:47 GMT -5
Put another way, think about how much human capital is being wasted in the pursuit of destruction.
There is a lot more to the pie than that, of course. For example, in every practical sense, the government bureaucracy has evolved into a (frequently very well paying) shadow welfare state.
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Post by PaulKay on Mar 23, 2016 11:23:35 GMT -5
Put another way, think about how much human capital is being wasted in the pursuit of destruction. There is a lot more to the pie than that, of course. For example, in every practical sense, the government bureaucracy has evolved into a (frequently very well paying) shadow welfare state. That's very true. And almost all of it is paid for with borrowed money. A huge swath of our economy therefore exists and depends on the US to continue to borrow and spend like drunkin sailors.
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Post by Doug on Mar 23, 2016 11:46:11 GMT -5
Put another way, think about how much human capital is being wasted in the pursuit of destruction. There is a lot more to the pie than that, of course. For example, in every practical sense, the government bureaucracy has evolved into a (frequently very well paying) shadow welfare state. That's very true. And almost all of it is paid for with borrowed money. A huge swath of our economy therefore exists and depends on the US to continue to borrow and spend like drunkin sailors. What's wrong with that is that drunken sailors only spend till their money runs out. The government spends till your money runs out.
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Post by brucemacneill on Mar 23, 2016 12:56:42 GMT -5
To his chagrin, my son is working for a defense contractor but he has figured out that there is probably no end to the need so he's probably safely employed. The pay's good but living around D.C. is expensive.
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Post by PaulKay on Mar 23, 2016 13:32:16 GMT -5
To his chagrin, my son is working for a defense contractor but he has figured out that there is probably no end to the need so he's probably safely employed. The pay's good but living around D.C. is expensive. That's what I mean, There is an economic financial downside to a major portion of the US for us to become isolationist.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 23, 2016 13:43:51 GMT -5
In light of the growing threat of terrorism, I was thinking about how there is no missle defense on the east coast and how an economic collapse could effect the development/installation of such defense. Could retirement have that kind of effect on my thinking?
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Post by RickW on Mar 23, 2016 13:48:23 GMT -5
In light of the growing threat of terrorism, I was thinking about how there is no missle defense on the east coast and how an economic collapse could effect the development/installation of such defense. Could retirement have that kind of effect on my thinking? Pretty much. I remember a poster I used to see with an old guy sitting on a rocking chair, saying, "Sometimes I sets and thinks, and sometimes i just sets." We probably all need to do more of the latter.
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Post by majorminor on Mar 23, 2016 14:51:05 GMT -5
Paul - did your never ONCE smoke a fattie in the 80's and listen to Floyd's "Dogs Of War" or "War Pigs" by Black Sabbath?
War Pigs Black Sabbath Generals gathered in their masses, just like witches at black masses. Evil minds that plot destruction, sorcerer of death's construction. In the fields the bodies burning, as the war machine keeps turning. Death and hatred to mankind, poisoning their brainwashed minds...Oh lord yeah! Politicians hide themselves away They only started the war Why should they go out to fight? They leave that role to the poor Time will tell on their power minds Making war just for fun Treating people just like pawns in chess Wait `till their judgement day comes, yeah! Now in darkness, world stops turning, ashes where the bodies burning. No more war pigs have the power, hand of god has struck the hour. Day of judgement, god is calling, on their knees the war pigs crawling. Begging…
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Post by majorminor on Mar 23, 2016 14:52:56 GMT -5
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Post by patrick on Mar 23, 2016 14:56:32 GMT -5
Paul - did your never ONCE smoke a fattie in the 80's and listen to Floyd's "Dogs Of War" or "War Pigs" by Black Sabbath? Now, see, THIS is how I intend to spend MY retirement!
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Post by Doug on Mar 23, 2016 15:02:00 GMT -5
"Masters Of War"
Come you masters of war
You that build all the guns
You that build the death planes
You that build all the bombs
You that hide behind walls
You that hide behind desks
I just want you to know
I can see through your masks.
You that never done nothin'
But build to destroy
You play with my world
Like it's your little toy
You put a gun in my hand
And you hide from my eyes
And you turn and run farther
When the fast bullets fly.
Like Judas of old
You lie and deceive
A world war can be won
You want me to believe
But I see through your eyes
And I see through your brain
Like I see through the water
That runs down my drain.
You fasten all the triggers
For the others to fire
Then you set back and watch
When the death count gets higher
You hide in your mansion'
As young people's blood
Flows out of their bodies
And is buried in the mud.
You've thrown the worst fear
That can ever be hurled
Fear to bring children
Into the world
For threatening my baby
Unborn and unnamed
You ain't worth the blood
That runs in your veins.
How much do I know
To talk out of turn
You might say that I'm young
You might say I'm unlearned
But there's one thing I know
Though I'm younger than you
That even Jesus would never
Forgive what you do.
Let me ask you one question
Is your money that good
Will it buy you forgiveness
Do you think that it could
I think you will find
When your death takes its toll
All the money you made
Will never buy back your soul.
And I hope that you die
And your death'll come soon
I will follow your casket
In the pale afternoon
And I'll watch while you're lowered
Down to your deathbed
And I'll stand over your grave
'Til I'm sure that you're dead.
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Post by AlanC on Mar 23, 2016 17:52:20 GMT -5
Paul - did your never ONCE smoke a fattie in the 80's and listen to Floyd's "Dogs Of War" or "War Pigs" by Black Sabbath? War Pigs Black Sabbath Generals gathered in their masses, just like witches at black masses. Evil minds that plot destruction, sorcerer of death's construction. In the fields the bodies burning, as the war machine keeps turning. Death and hatred to mankind, poisoning their brainwashed minds...Oh lord yeah! Politicians hide themselves away They only started the war Why should they go out to fight? They leave that role to the poor Time will tell on their power minds Making war just for fun Treating people just like pawns in chess Wait `till their judgement day comes, yeah! Now in darkness, world stops turning, ashes where the bodies burning. No more war pigs have the power, hand of god has struck the hour. Day of judgement, god is calling, on their knees the war pigs crawling. Begging… Now if you want to hear this song really well done, check out Gov't Mule recorded live New Year's Eve 1999. God, they were just so bad ass!! <iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/iHnWVy4Xpec" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
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Post by millring on Mar 23, 2016 18:57:01 GMT -5
With retirement, I have time to think about stupid shit. And today's stupid shit is the realization that there are probably many thousands of high paying jobs in engineering, management, production, and support that depend on the U.S. military to use/destroy the existing guns, bullets, tanks, jeeps, shipes, missiles, and aircraft to make room for new guns, bullets, tanks, jeeps, ships, missiles and aircraft to keep the Industrial Militeay Complex humming along and keeping all those people and businesses running. Basically we need the US to continually engage in wars/conflicts to keep the vast segment of the economy moving. Not to mention all the downstream jobs that support all those businesses and working families. It is sad to thnk that if the military just sits around and does nothing, the economy could eventually suffer contraction. Military engagement is good for business. How screwed up is that? I was thinking about the same thing today as I was listening to NPR discussing the situation in Europe and opining about the candidate's positions on our intervening. My first thought was to let Europe fix their own damn problems and quit relying on us for the very intervention they then condemn us for...though our military build up has allowed all the comparisons the left uses that makes Europe seem so progressive and us so evil (they spend a greater percentage of their GDP on education, medicine, blah, blah, blah. Well OF COURSE THEY DO. We do the military shit for them. And, again, they condemn us for that.) Well, I thought, let them dig themselves out of this mess. Then I though about the reality that the military industrial complex is about the only revenue positive endeavor in which the government engages. Do we really want to stop it?
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Post by millring on Mar 23, 2016 19:00:32 GMT -5
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Post by patrick on Mar 23, 2016 19:02:56 GMT -5
I've been waiting for something to happen For a week or a month or a year With the blood in the ink of the headlines And the sound of the crowd in my ear You might ask what it takes to remember When you know that you've seen it before Where a government lies to a people And a country is drifting to war
And there's a shadow on the faces Of the men who send the guns To the wars that are fought in places Where their business interest runs
On the radio talk shows and the T. V. You hear one thing again and again How the U. S. A. Stands for freedom And we come to the aid of a friend But who are the ones that we call our friends-- These governments killing their own? Or the people who finally can't take any more And they pick up a gun or a brick or a stone There are lives in the balance There are people under fire There are children at the cannons And there is blood on the wire
There's a shadow on the faces Of the men who fan the flames Of the wars that are fought in places Where we can't even say the names
They sell us the president the same way They sell us our clothes and our cars They sell us every thing from youth to religion The same time they sell us our wars I want to know who the men in the shadows are I want to hear somebody asking them why They can be counted on to tell us who our enemies are But they're never the ones to fight or to die And there are lives in the balance There are people under fire There are children at the cannons And there is blood on the wire
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Post by patrick on Mar 23, 2016 19:05:16 GMT -5
Then I though about the reality that the military industrial complex is about the only revenue positive endeavor in which the government engages. Do we really want to stop it? This makes no sense. How is the military industrial complex a revenue positive endeavor for the government?
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Post by Fingerplucked on Mar 23, 2016 20:00:58 GMT -5
Then I though about the reality that the military industrial complex is about the only revenue positive endeavor in which the government engages. Do we really want to stop it? This makes no sense. How is the military industrial complex a revenue positive endeavor for the government? I’m looking forward to the answer. It’s going to have something to do with no bullets coming out of bridges and windmills, or how solar panels and roads don’t create a positive blood flow, or that jobs are created only when there is loss of life but not when saving lives by replacing worn out lead water pipes, but I can’t quite get the facts to line up. We need somebody with a quick, nimble mind to answer a question like that. I’ve switched on my text alerts for this thread. Vibrate, ring, and flashing lights, the whole deal. My iPhone will wake me from a deep coma for this one.
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