Politics

[375 Ruger Fan]

I want the one that interprets Kamala Harris' word salads.

Bet you that model is much more expensive! Especially if it has the laugh filter/suppressor.

 

[spike.t]

Mmm....wonder if the Chinese offloading some old equipment.....

Zimbabwe receives US$28 million worth of military hardware from China

China has been a true and reliable ally. We are forever thankful'

www.zimlive.com

 

[Tundra Tiger]

@mdwest "Do we really need a Natural Resource Conservation Service at the Federal level?"

I live way out in the sticks of Alaska. We have an NRCS office. A friend of mine used to work for them, and one of their big projects was... improving moose habitat on the Nushagak River. Habitat is critical for any critter, but have you seen the Nushagak? Improving moose habitat is about the same as saying Dolly Parton needs breast enhancement surgery.

 

[Randy F]

@mdwest "Do we really need a Natural Resource Conservation Service at the Federal level?"

I live way out in the sticks of Alaska. We have an NRCS office. A friend of mine used to work for them, and one of their big projects was... improving moose habitat on the Nushagak River. Habitat is critical for any critter, but have you seen the Nushagak? Improving moose habitat is about the same as saying Dolly Parton needs breast enhancement surgery.

I'm not surprised. When you keep adding departments and personnel you are forced to justify their existence...apparently even if it's ridiculously so.

 

[skydiver386]

I'm not surprised. When you keep adding departments and personnel you are forced to justify their existence...apparently even if it's ridiculously so.

Ronald Reagan once said "The closest thing to eternal life on this planet is a government program."

 

[mdwest]

@mdwest "Do we really need a Natural Resource Conservation Service at the Federal level?"

I live way out in the sticks of Alaska. We have an NRCS office. A friend of mine used to work for them, and one of their big projects was... improving moose habitat on the Nushagak River. Habitat is critical for any critter, but have you seen the Nushagak? Improving moose habitat is about the same as saying Dolly Parton needs breast enhancement surgery.

Reminds me of a study the US Navy paid a consulting firm to do for them back in the mid 1980's..

NAS Millington had a problem.. young sailors and Marines in training would spend their weekends in Memphis (Millington is a Memphis suburb) and a large number of them would end up getting into trouble (bar fights, etc)... So NAS Millington wanted to encourage sailors and Marines to stay closer to base, use base facilities and entertainment services on the weekends, etc. instead of going into the city..

I forget how much money the navy spent.. but it was well over $1M..

After several months of research the consulting firm produced a huge report.. that could have been summarized in just a few sentences..

essentially.. 18-23 year old Marines and Sailors really love beer and pretty girls.. occasionally they will also frequent places that allow gambling and the really adventurous ones will even seek out prostitutes and titty bars with some regularity... so.. if you want to keep them closer to home and out of trouble in Memphis, you need more beer and titty bars closer to base...

Well.. no shit?!?!?!?!?! lol..

but the Navy was happy to pay a consultant a ton of money for that information lol..

 

[Randy F]

Reminds me of a study the US Navy paid a consulting firm to do for them back in the mid 1980's..

NAS Millington had a problem.. young sailors and Marines in training would spend their weekends in Memphis (Millington is a Memphis suburb) and a large number of them would end up getting into trouble (bar fights, etc)... So NAS Millington wanted to encourage sailors and Marines to stay closer to base, use base facilities and entertainment services on the weekends, etc. instead of going into the city..

I forget how much money the navy spent.. but it was well over $1M..

After several months of research the consulting firm produced a huge report.. that could have been summarized in just a few sentences..

essentially.. 18-23 year old Marines and Sailors really love beer and pretty girls.. occasionally they will also frequent places that allow gambling and the really adventurous ones will even seek out prostitutes and titty bars with some regularity... so.. if you want to keep them closer to home and out of trouble in Memphis, you need more beer and titty bars closer to base...

Well.. no shit?!?!?!?!?! lol..

but the Navy was happy to pay a consultant a ton of money for that information lol..

Once again, I'm in the wrong business.

 

[LivingTheDream]

Yeah, it’s far more complicated than I stated that’s for sure. Some companies are trying to be acquired by the next larger equity group, and they need to show ever improving margins for a short burst until they’re acquired

I have had to help get a couple small business ready for acquisition. 5% is what they show the tax man, then they get rid of the fluff, clean their books and next thing you know 10 to 15%.

 

[LivingTheDream]

Bet you that model is much more expensive! Especially if it has the laugh filter/suppressor.

It is pretty easy, there is a Venn Diagram.

 

[mdwest]

 

[Tanks]

View attachment 574619

I am not sure that the increase of interest rates gave that much relief to the administration. People looking to finance cars and homes surely are not happy.

 

[mdwest]

I am not sure that the increase of interest rates gave that much relief to the administration. People looking to finance cars and homes surely are not happy.

I think the meme creator was pointing to what the Fed is promising for next year (during the election cycle)...

3 straight quarters of reductions in interest rates!!!!!!

I can hear uncle joe now.. preaching about how great his impact on the economy has been... "look! interest rates have been dropping every month all year!"

while refusing to acknowledge they were at a 40 year high just 6 months prior.. and are still higher than they have been in 40 years with the exception of the prior 6 months...

Kinda like theyve been preaching about how awesome the stock market is doing...

yeah... well.. for the last 12 weeks.. sure..

but when you consider I still havent been able to earn back all the losses over the last 3 years in the 401K and IRAs (and they are all conservatively invested)... we are indeed still well behind where the economy was sitting just 36 months ago..

 

[sestoppelman]

Over the top nonsense? Didn't like it did you? I think I was exactly correct. So will history.

Republicans and only republicans will be responsible for halting military support for Ukraine. The border and Ukraine are two separate national security issues. I think you are smart enough and educated enough to realize that.

It also should be apparent that a large portion of the Republican party, purely for political purposes, has decided it is in their interests to conflate the two. I hope it is worth it. Every Ukrainian civilian or soldier who dies as a result of any delay in support is on my party's hands.

WOW, just WOW! Yes, I thought your remarks were extreme in your condemnation of the Republican party., going to vote for the dim tards next time?

The Republicans have very little else to use for leverage to get the border under control. If they agree to just say OK on funding for Ukraine with a promise to address it later it will probably never happen.

And you dont know what the history will be, it hasnt happened yet. This idea that anyone knows where this ends up is silly, nobody knows for sure until it actually happens.

I for one dont think Putin is going to have much stomach for more fighting regardless how this ends up.
Certainly the Russian people wont and probably his military either.

I dont find wanting to protect our borders to be an extreme position.

 

[sestoppelman]

@mdwest "Do we really need a Natural Resource Conservation Service at the Federal level?"

I live way out in the sticks of Alaska. We have an NRCS office. A friend of mine used to work for them, and one of their big projects was... improving moose habitat on the Nushagak River. Habitat is critical for any critter, but have you seen the Nushagak? Improving moose habitat is about the same as saying Dolly Parton needs breast enhancement surgery.

I have seen the Nushagak!! Been up to Dillingham a few times on the tugs delivering freight.

 

[wesheltonj]

@mdwest "Do we really need a Natural Resource Conservation Service at the Federal level?"

I live way out in the sticks of Alaska. We have an NRCS office. A friend of mine used to work for them, and one of their big projects was... improving moose habitat on the Nushagak River. Habitat is critical for any critter, but have you seen the Nushagak? Improving moose habitat is about the same as saying Dolly Parton needs breast enhancement surgery.

I’ve had them out to my place in South Texas, as I was interested in some grant money to plant native grass. They came out took some photos, gps coordinates and gave me the forms to compete. I would have love for Uncle Sam to subsidize the project. However, it was cheaper and easier for me to just go buy the seeds and have plant them myself.

 

[Red Leg]

Good.

Congress approves bill barring any president from unilaterally withdrawing from NATO

Congress has approved legislation that would prevent any president from withdrawing the United States from NATO without approval from the Senate or an Act of Congress. The measure, spearheaded by Sens. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) and Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), was included in the annual National Defense...

news.yahoo.com

 

[Altitude sickness]

Although a little cage rattling helped our NATO partners pay the agreed to 2%

Many were only paying 1% or 1.5%

I choose one of the more liberal sources

Trump’s NATO criticism is ‘valid,’ Europe isn’t spending enough on defense, UK ex-minister says

President Donald Trump is pushing other countries within the NATO military alliance to contribute more to their defense spending — and the U.K.’s former defense minister has told CNBC that he agrees.

www.cnbc.com

 

[Red Leg]

This is far too long a read for most here, but I highly recommend it - particularly for the Ukraine doesn't matter crowd. The Institute for the Study of War (ISSW) has been the most authoritative source of information about the conflict since it began.

Institute for the Study of War

The United States has a much higher stake in Russia's war on Ukraine than most people think. A Russian conquest of all of Ukraine is by no means impossible if the United States cuts off all military assistance and Europe follows suit. Such an outcome

www.understandingwar.org

 

[Mekaniks]

I haven't been following the defense spending bill until today....

But, looks like 800 million for Ukraine in the fast track Defense Spending Bill passed Congress and going to the White House tomorrow.

Going to interesting to watch the political fallout. We will see.....

 

[ActionBob]

EBITDA remains strong but I would be shocked if in early 2024 the margin numbers posted are not adjusted down for 2023.

EBITDA needs to be considered a bit differently with interest rates where they are now. And what will future taxes do to that indicator?

I've never been a fan of using it. The amount of debt carried is pretty much taken out of the equation. I have young managers who think it's all the rage... It justifies borrowing without considering payback! An important point when it is your equity on the line