Originally Posted by Replaced_Texan (Post 384833)

Eric Holder. You said something about Obama not putting black people in positions of power at the beginning of this discusison.

Originally Posted by ThurgreedMarshall (Post 384835)

If you think that kind of lack of respect didn't exist at the time of appointment, then I flat-out disagree.

Originally Posted by Hank Chinaski (Post 384817)

2. he actually fucked up Iceland's and China's economies too.

Originally Posted by Secret_Agent_Man (Post 384836)

Even if the problem was no more serious than Zimbabwe, that's a pretty f-ing serious problem if you care about human rights and human life.

Originally Posted by ThurgreedMarshall (Post 384835)

Really. Either he's a trusted advisor in one of the most powerful positions in the world or he's not and his opinions are not to be respected. If Bush had any respect for the guy, he would have listened to his counsel instead of (or in addition to) the neo cons'. He sent Powell out to lie to the public about a war he wanted for no good reason. If you think that kind of lack of respect didn't exist at the time of appointment, then I flat-out disagree.

TM

Originally Posted by greedy,greedy,greedy (Post 384843)

i cut powell a bit more slack. He was a soldier, and a damn good one. Unfortunately, he actually believed in civilian control of the military, and the chain of command. Even when lying, i think he was standing for his principals - they just weren't the principals you and i have. He gave his counsel. He was overruled. He fought the battle as best he could. And, before long, he got out.

I don't cut bush as much slack - powell was the guy with the best judgment and credentials on his team for dealing with iraq, and he didn't listen to him. Bush's failure, not powell's.

Originally Posted by Greedy,Greedy,Greedy (Post 384840)

Not a big problem with residential mortgages in China.

Originally Posted by Adder (Post 384839)

I guess what I am saying is that I don't have any way of knowing, and I don't really care.

Originally Posted by ThurgreedMarshall (Post 384855)

Why do so many of your post strings end this way?

TM

Originally Posted by Adder (Post 384847)

Interesting op ed from one of the AIG-FP people who got a retention payment. Not surprisingly, it paints a significantly different picture of things.

Originally Posted by Cletus Miller (Post 384852)

But a rather significant (somewhat hidden) problem with construction loans and office and commercial vacancy (and any related financing). One estimate has 500 million square feet of commercial real estate built in Beijing since 2006. The number appears to include retail, etc along with office, but that's more sqft than all of the office space in Manhattan.

Originally Posted by Greedy,Greedy,Greedy (Post 384843)

I cut Powell a bit more slack. He was a soldier, and a damn good one. Unfortunately, he actually believed in civilian control of the military, and the chain of command. Even when lying, I think he was standing for his principals - they just weren't the principals you and I have. He uses words like "honor," "code," "loyalty." He uses them as the backbone of a life trying to defend something. We use them as a punchline. He has neither the time nor the inclination to explain himself to lawyers who rise and sleep under the blanket of the very freedom he provides and then question the manner in which he provides it. I'm sure he would rather we just said, "Thank you," and went on our way. Otherwise, I'm sure he'd suggest that we pick up a weapon and stand a post. Either way, he doesn't give a damn what we think we are entitled to. He gave his counsel. He was overruled. He fought the battle as best he could. And, before long, he got out. What he does want is for us to sit here in our faggoty lawyer uniforms and with our "Harvard" mouths extend him some fucking courtesy.

Originally Posted by Greedy,Greedy,Greedy (Post 384843)

I don't cut Bush as much slack - Powell was the guy with the best judgment and credentials on his team for dealing with Iraq, and he didn't listen to him. Bush's failure, not Powell's.

Originally Posted by Hank Chinaski (Post 384857)

and his romances

Originally Posted by ThurgreedMarshall (Post 384860)

And, before long, he got out. What he does want is for us to sit here in our faggoty lawyer uniforms and with our "Stanford" mouths extend him some fucking courtesy.

Originally Posted by Cletus Miller (Post 384852)

But a rather significant (somewhat hidden) problem with construction loans and office and commercial vacancy (and any related financing). One estimate has 500 million square feet of commercial real estate built in Beijing since 2006. The number appears to include retail, etc along with office, but that's more sqft than all of the office space in Manhattan.

Originally Posted by Greedy,Greedy,Greedy (Post 384791)

So setting aside what an ex-
I'm still waiting for an R to tell me something good Bush did.

Originally Posted by Greedy,Greedy,Greedy (Post 384858)

Back in the 90s, when I was a green young whippersnapper like you, I heard a similar rant in the course of a negotiation relating to a bankruptcy. You promised! I have a contract!

Originally Posted by LessinSF (Post 384865)

Not an R, but AIDS education and condoms in Africa. The Pope is against it. Ergo, it must be good. Q.E.D.

Originally Posted by Adder (Post 384869)

The effort was a start, but will be much more effective now with the bullshit limitations (e.g., no money for organizations that have anything to do with abortion) lifted.

Originally Posted by Greedy,Greedy,Greedy (Post 384859)

Interesting comparison. How does it compare to combined retail and office space in Manhattan? How much of the Olympic space is included?

My solution to the overbuilding in the US - let's open the borders! Foreclosed homes for every Mexican or Canadian immigrant willing to work!

Originally Posted by Adder (Post 384867)

Did you read the piece? It appears that this wasn't a bonus, it was defferred compensation for staying on to help with the wind down.

Originally Posted by LessinSF (Post 384872)

Agreed, but we should also but Norplant in all food aid provided.

Originally Posted by Cletus Miller (Post 384878)

What, 8000 generations of Africans is enough?

Originally Posted by LessinSF (Post 384884)

I do sometimes appear to be the only one left who finds some value in that opinion by Justice Holmes. Note, however, that I have no problems with future generations in areas of Africa that are self-sufficient. However, the world needs fewer, not more, people in Ethopia, Sudan, etc., just as the world needs fewer people as a general matter.

Originally Posted by Adder (Post 384885)

I have never understood your concern about overpopulation, most particularly because nature has a way of dealing with such things (even if sometimes manifested in tragic ways).

Originally Posted by Adder (Post 384885)

I have never understood your concern about overpopulation, most particularly because nature has a way of dealing with such things (even if sometimes manifested in tragic ways).

Originally Posted by LessinSF (Post 384884)

I do sometimes appear to be the only one left who finds some value in that opinion by Justice Holmes. Note, however, that I have no problems with future generations in areas of Africa that are self-sufficient. However, the world needs fewer, not more, people in Ethopia, Sudan, etc., just as the world needs fewer people as a general matter.

Originally Posted by LessinSF (Post 384888)

1. We work to avoid your "nature."

2. We, and your nature, always wait until it is too late / crisis mode. Too little water for everyone. Greenhouse gases and pollution affecting everyone. As Obama said last night in relation to health care, we need preventative and prophylactic measures, not much more expensive, reactive measures.

Originally Posted by Adder (Post 384890)

2. We, and your nature, always wait until it is too late / crisis mode. Too little water for everyone. Greenhouse gases and pollution affecting everyone. As Obama said last night in relation to health care, we need preventative and prophylactic measures, not much more expensive, reactive measures.

Not necessarily. People choosing to have fewer kids, or moving to areas that offer better prospects are things we tend to encourage and are not necessarily too late or reactive. And the places you are talking about are not serious sources of greenhouse gases and pollution. That is us.

But you are right to the tragic manifestations of the natural forces that correct over population (e.g., war and starvation).

But

Originally Posted by Adder (Post 384890)

Not necessarily. People choosing to have fewer kids, or moving to areas that offer better prospects are things we tend to encourage and are not necessarily too late or reactive.

Originally Posted by Adder (Post 384890)

And the places you are talking about are not serious sources of greenhouse gases and pollution. That is us.

Originally Posted by Cletus Miller (Post 384891)

...I guess what I am saying is that I don't have any way of knowing, and I don't really care.

?

Originally Posted by LessinSF (Post 384892)

China, India, Bangladesh, Indonesia, etc. are growing at huge rates, as are their emissions and use. Their growth rate needs to be reduced, as does their and our consumption.

Originally Posted by LessinSF (Post 384892)

That is generally untrue. Higher living standards lead to people having feewer kids. Lower living standards and lower survival rates lead to people having more kids. That, and the fucking Catholics and Mormons.


China, India, Bangladesh, Indonesia, etc. are growing at huge rates, as are their emissions and use. Their growth rate needs to be reduced, as does their and our consumption.

Originally Posted by Adder (Post 384894)

Right, but those aren't the areas you mentioned before. They are, however, areas that are experiencing dramatic rises in standards of living though.

Originally Posted by Adder (Post 384894)

Anyway, the point is there are lots of challenges out there, not least pollution and climate change, but I don't think that population growth is the right prism through which to understand them.

Originally Posted by LessinSF (Post 384892)

China, ......growing at huge rates, as are their emissions and use. Their growth rate needs to be reduced, as does their and our consumption.

Originally Posted by Oliver_Wendell_Ramone (Post 384895)

Where does Islam generally stand on birth control/family planning issues? Genuine question; I don't know, and I don't feel like looking it up. I assume it's fucked up; how fucked up, in relation to the Catholics and Mormons, I don't know.

Originally Posted by Hank Chinaski (Post 384897)

1 kid rule hasn't slowed this? how can it not have?

Originally Posted by LessinSF (Post 384896)

Fine. Enjoy your world of 12 billion people, most of which want to live better, meaning "more like we do," meaning more people and consumption. I will continue to advocate birth control, eugenics, euthanasia, and suicide.

Originally Posted by Adder (Post 384902)

I'm all for advocating birth control (primarily as a means of improving the lives of those who practice it), but I am not delusional enough to think that it will have a meaningful impact on population growth, nor to think that it will work better than the other checks that have alreay been discussed.