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@Sum1hugme
No. the domestic product maker should overcome the competition by improved quality and reliability, thus making its cost more justified to the consumer. Q&R, as I've already stated, have little in the consumer's mind to cost. We expect greater performance to have a higher cost. It is why I prefer Apple to Windows. Better performance over a longer period. I have owned, in my lifetime, fully seven Windows-based computers and laptops. Over the same period, I have owned three Apples [and only two Macs]. They were each more expensive than their competition in their time, but are more reliable and last longer. My original Apple II still functions. Every Windows product was replaced by necessity by failure. Actually, I now own two Macs, a desktop and a laptop, and I have never owned a tablet, but that it was an iPad, of which I own two, a 5-gen mini, and a 7-gen regular, which are both still functional.
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@Theweakeredge
That's a fine argument for the launch of new words, but neither gender nor sex are new words. According to the OED [which happens to be better in the task of research of etymology of words than any other science discipline], 'gender,' and 'sex,' in English, have both been around in English since the 14th century; both with their current, separate meanings as nouns.
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@Sum1hugme
In a situation of forced trade imbalance where import value highly exceeds export value, yes, but that does not make it an ideal trade factor. Trade balance does. And, yes, the trade imbalance is forced, by virtue of dumb trade negotiations, like NAFTA.
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@Theweakeredge
But, as I've previously said, according to the OED [which also has degreed experts behind it; and its business is definition of words, after all], "gender" and "sex" are different words and meanings, sociologists and psychologists, whose business is not definition of words, be damned.
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@dustryder
If you insist on parsing what he said that way, that's your choice, but the fact remains, when Biden said "we" had no vaccine, even if implying we Americans, nevertheless, doses have been available since 12/14. For all Americans? No. But did everyone expect immediate availability for all? Also, no. Stop insinuating that we did expect it. That makes no sense or logic, as I've also said.
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@Dr.Franklin
which is why I do not mistake scientism for science.
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@RationalMadman
of curse; you're right. Sorry for the confusion. I've corrected.
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@dustryder
But you seem to have ignored all the context and parsed that single sentence as him personally not having had the vaccine when he came into office.
Dec 14, 2020 - First doses of vaccine available to give
As I cited, Biden received his first dose on Dec. 21, a month before he entered office, and his second dose on 1/11, also before he entered office. His own later statement of not having the vaccine before he entered office is wrong, in context and fact.
Not to mention that his citation to Cooper last night that by July, we'll have 600K doses available as being sufficient for the entire US population ignores that there are 330M of us, and that only 274M of us are left [330M - 56M] needing 2 doses, or 548M doses, total, which will, even by Biden's estimation, be available before July 2021. Simple math.
Who is light on logic and sense? Don't know, but the initials are dustryder.
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@RationalMadman
I realized when making the invite that I had blocked you a long time ago, and forgot, but unblocked to make the request. Sorry for the oversight.
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@Theweakeredge
Traditionally speaking, it has always been the right to hide things behind a political facade, not the left, the problem with the left is that its typically TOO honest for people to like it.
The left has its own share of euphemisms, if that is your preference to define PC as such. "Woke" is a great example. Hell, "PC," itself, is a creation of the left by former NYT journalist Richard Bernstein. "Gender" hides behind the label of "choice" rather than birth designation. "Choice" itself, in terms of abortion, hides behind itself rather than "pro abortion," which is the typical choice of "pro choice."
So, you cannot say with impunity that the right always, as if exclusively, hides things behind PC. All are culpable.
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@RationalMadman
Thanks. And, as for your return, I welcome you back. Yes, you are frustrating, at times, to debate, and we've had a few, but isn't that the challenge, after all? I consider you an adversarial friend, and wonder why we are not, for the site, friends. I've sent a request for such, because I do enjoy our debates, win or lose.
I have just engaged a new debate with Theweakeredge. I'd appreciate your perusal, and potential vote, as we engage
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@janesix
I appreciate your admission that plants and animals, both on the food chain, may suffer premature death on the basis of being food for other life forms higher on the food chain. The claim by vegans that plants are satisfactory to eat ignores this admission, even if plants do not suffer pain in the death process, which I'm not convinced is the case. I just don't know. However, eat, we must and all lifeforms, whether by direct cause of death, or by merely taking advantage of the fact of death [plants do that] of other lifeforms, must consume to survive. Being a fact of life [literally], I find the argument immaterial to debate, or we [all lifeforms] would not consume anything, and would die for the lack.
I was once in a situation in a Thai jungle in which I became aware that I was no longer at the top of the food chain. That was a very defining realization, and it altered my feeling of being a superior animal. Yet, I continue to be an appreciative omnivore. To vegans, I say, "Eat your rice [which emits more methane into the atmosphere than do cows], but leave my steak alone."
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@Soluminsanis
I learned how to make ice cream as a teen when employed by an ice cream shop which made ice cream on site. I've valued that ability ever since, and my ice cream is highly valued by my friends. I've never commercialized my efforts, but others tell me me it is the best they've ever had. For pure taste satisfaction, and sensation, the colder, the better, and pudding cannot touch ice cream for those values.
However, my personal maxim may make pudding better than it is, typically. My maxim: "You cannot call it ice cream if it's made with milk." I NEVER EVER use milk in my ice cream, and I would not in a pudding, either. Milk is for drinking, not as a "creamy" desert ingredient.
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@RationalMadman
If we had a world where there were no import/export tariffs and economics was purely about trade between consumers and providers of goods/services, economics itself would ve both simpler
We do not need one worldwide nation to accomplish that. Just abolish trade tariffs. Trade should be successful for a nation based on the quality and reliability of goods and services, period. Cost is not so great a factor when the q/r of a product/service is superior to another's. Customers define quality, and the reliability of a product is proven by customers. Let the trade market be driven by those principles, and stop trying to make of us a one-nation world. Nations are defined by variable culture. The richer our cultural differences, and our ability to appreciate those differences, the better for humanity as a whole.
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One of my best debates, engaged 7 months ago with Rational Madman, ended with my loss on a single vote by Ragnar. I felt certain of winning the debate, but was voted down on a very simple, and, as I have learned since, practical and true argument from RM, which Ragnar judged to be significantly convincing by R2 and R3 consistency, to wit, "it's up to the debaters to market their debates." That was a profound argument I've come to agree was a winning argument. Many are aware of my dismay of no-vote ties, and I have a leading share in them, but RM hit the nail on the head: there would be less no-vote ties if the debate was made more interesting by proper marketing, i.e. draw the interest of voters to read the debate. Convincing argument must be entertaining to read. Even the best argument may fail if interest in the argument fails.
Therefore, I nominate Rational Madman as a best debater. I agree with other nominations made.
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@janesix
No, I don't agree. In 1899, late in the year, the US Patent Office had an article published in the NY Times that the patent Office would close at the end of the year because everything that could be invented had already been invented. It was a joke, but a lot of people believed it, just as they believed, contrary to being told on the hour that Orson Welles' "War of the Worlds" radio broadcast in 1938 was an actual news broadcast from New Jersey that we were, in fact, being attacked by Mars. And that is matched by many opinions expressed on History Channel's "Ancient Aliens" that our ancient ancestors would still be in caves today had we not the education of aliens to create our civilization. The same show claimed our DNA is derived from 3 basic amino acids. It happens to be 4, but, it was on TV, so it must be believed.
Mark Twain once said, "It ain't what you don't know that gets you in to trouble. It's what you know for sure that just ain't so."
The same kind of illogical belief as your assumption drives the absurd belief that the human mind is not creative nor inventive. Bullshyte, even if you believe those ancient aliens have names like Elohim, Jehovah, Jesus, or Allah, let alone Zeus or Mars.
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Last night [2/16], Biden claimed, "...it’s one thing to have the vaccine, which we didn’t have when we came into office..."
Really? The facts from live television tell us that Joe Biden had his first covid vaccine on 12/21/20
and his second vaccination on 01/11/21
both prior to Biden's inauguration on 01/20/21
How does one spell "competence" relative to Joe Biden, an incompetent authoritarian [on track to write 380 EOs in his first year]?
i-n-c-o-m-p-e-t-e-n-t.
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@zedvictor4
Nope. I have that contingency covered, as I have for food and water for longer than two years, and electricity for at least several months. Do I look like I'm wearing a clown suit?
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With frozen windmills in TX, is anyone wondering what the freezing temperature of natural gas is? Or that the mysterious science of dehydration will prevent it?
Or, is anyone still wishing it was called "global warming?"
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When it comes to covid related to "normal" society functions, it appears we need to find "science" earlier in the dictionary than in the 'S's. Joe Biden is credited with the new PC of following principles he maintained in his campaign, but, no one should be surprised that Biden is confused by words. After all, during the campaign, he said he had "Solutions" to covid. Now, he says solutions have escaped us. It appears that science, as well, has escaped him in favor of politics, as in "School," which also is a S-word. Seems Biden is consistent with word confusion in the 'S's. This malady may spread its contagion to other letters.
Too bad climate change is also spelled p-o-l-i-t-i-c-s.
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Death is merely a door, but it really isn't even that, because a door, when closed, is really just a wall preventing access to whatever is beyond, so, no wonder some consider there is nothing beyond death. Walls justify themselves as limitations.
Death is more like an open door, which is really saying there is no door at all; they don't exist. An open door allows free passage from one place to another. Thus, we make use of what is not [an open space in a wall] to gain access to what is: the next space; life after death. Death is merely the passage through the limiting wall.
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@FLRW
There are two factors that refute the limited scope Eisenhower had. because his was an administration that still enjoyed a proper balance of import/export on trade that we have been plagued with just about ever since: an continued imbalance of trade, i.e., more imports than exports. The reversal of that imbalance was what drove Trump to renegotiate disastrous trade deals of previous administrations. With a trade export surplus, something we have not enjoyed for over 40 years, the economy, and the gov't spending deficit, will improve significantly. Biden will not allow that to happen. Watch. You think he is courting China to increase our exports? Ha!
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It is curious that "authoritarian" is a discussed concept, and that Trump is exemplified by many as "authoritarian." One gage of that categorical designation is number of issued EOs. Over his tenure, according to my favorite site [Wiki], Trump issued 55.0 EOs per year. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_United_States_federal_executive_orders
That's a lot, until one considers others in modern time:
Carter: 80.0 pert year
Ford: 69.1
Nixon: 63.2
Johnson 62.9
Kennedy: 75.4
Eisenhower: 60.5
Truman: 116.7
Roosevelt: 307.8
But, who is the record-holder for per-year number? Extrapolated, because he has actually only been in office for 27 days: Joe Biden at 392.3 EOs per year.
So, Trump is merely ordinary compared to that level of taking authority.
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@Greyparrot
I find the idea of private industry lobbying for business to be totally distasteful. Lobbying ought to take only the form of official submissions of quotes for private industry participation in public works, i.e., infrastructure. Let PI's quotations and past experience demonstrate their competitive capabilities and not some paid stooge in DC. lobbying on the latter's system. That is fraught with fraud.
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@Reece101
I further find, reviewing matters in your profile, that you did not qualify to vote until two months ago when you filed your tenth qualifying forum topic. If you tried to vote earlier than two months ago, the vote, even if it qualified on RFD [reasons for decision] it was removed on that basis. That's on you, not anyone else.
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@BrotherDThomas
From whence comes Ephraim in my posting that you should dangle that argument? Who's running from this string? Not me, my friend, but thee. No, in a word, you are not correct. But, proceed to run your mouth in victory that Ephraim's women are barren. Your argument; you make it, first. But as another has told to me, it must harmonize with whatever this string is about, and I am fairly certain it in not about barren women. Thanks for playing.
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@3RU7AL
I refer you to my response to Reece101. The weight of the evidence opposing your redicule ought to tell you that your opinion may not be commonly held.
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@3RU7AL
Some are worthy of trust and will not deceive you.
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@Reece101
The point is why your vote was taken down. Was it a factual assessment? Did you touch on all the requirements of voting. I, too, have had votes taken down, but evcery take-down was valid. I had erred. In some cases, voting policy has been vague, but, once my errors were demonstrated, I saw where ?I erred and have worked to approve my assessment. I suggest you do the same. They are working right now to improve the voting policy. The rresutrs will be had shortly.
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@RationalMadman
Such as?
Such as not having one iota of private or public industry executive experience.Obama was and is a man of the streets, and his smarts do not expand beyond that. once upon a time. even as recently as Truman, we could have a street-smart shoe salesman, but challenges on the world stage are not that simple anymore. Obama was over his head. Same problem Biden has, actually. A career in public service, but never in an executive position. I expect about the same mediocrity from him.
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@Theweakeredge
That's a great start. particularly considering you have a tight schedule. Believe me, you are not one I criticize. I know there is much on which we disagree, but you have always been honorable in your comportment, and honest in your beliefs, none of which I can or should criticize, other than in honest disagreement, which should never getr in the way of having a friendly competition. I know you're as as active in debate and voting and forum as much as you can. I worry, sometimes, that your involvement is too heavy. See first to your formal education. You have terrific goals, and none of this should interfere. I have all the time in the world, but I have 50 years on you. Thanks for all you do.
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@secularmerlin
It would really help me in evaluating your claim.
You want a sign? When, after feeding the 5,000, and Jesus offered the Bread of Life sermon, in which he frankly told the crowd that he was the Messiah, many left, saying, "This is an hard word, who can hear it." Jesus as Peter, and others, "Will ye also go?" Peter replied, "To whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life." I cannot convince you that the Holy Spirit can reveal all things, even by my own experience. don't seek a sign. The discovery of truth is entirely on you. You say others have told you this and that. Fine. I've given you a path to follow; steps to take to get answers from the Source. I cannot, of myself, other than by my own assurance that following that path will, for the sacrifice of sincerity of heart, by applying nothing more than a modicum of faith, at first, it will reveal wonders to you you cannot now imagine. A clarity of inner sight you have not now. A peace you cannot encompass, and a joy that will not leave you alone. And a surety that as you continue to apply more faith, having harvested a little fruit, will harvest more as your faith grows. I know this is true, but I had to apply it myself. No one could show me more, but by my own applied effort. Same with everyone. Stop worrying about what others say and find out what God says to your heart and soul.
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@3RU7AL
So, would you say that "true-true believers" will always divine the same answer?And the only way to detect the real "true-true believer" is to wait for confirmation of their predictions?Are real "true-true believers" almost never mistaken?
I can only speak for me. I have applied the sequence of tasks I described as honestly and open-minded as I know how to be, and I have received the confirmation sought.
No predictions involved other than several men of history I trust implicitly have said that the pursuit of knowledge is more than by the five senses and having faith [more than mere belief] and proceeding exactly as defined and that such wisdom is gained by its sincere application by the power of the Holy Ghost, and it does not matter whether I am seeking knowledge of God, or how to solve a professional problem encountered, or just a confirmation that God speaks to man today thorugh the Holy Ghost who can comfort my anxiety and give peace such as I have never known. I am a truly happy man.
I'm mistaken a lot. Sometimes, I rely on my own will and strength of purpose, or I forget, when blessed, to express my gratitude. At such times, I am alone, justifiably, until I put myself right. God is never the one to abandon our relationship, but I mistakenly do it frequently. Nobody ever said perfection is easy to accomplish, but it's worth it to try, and keep trying, until I, too, can say, like the prophet, Yoda; "Do, or do not. There is no try."
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@secularmerlin
Express faith about things you already know are true?
If you already have a perfect knowledge of something, there is no need to apply failth, Faith, as I've said, is applied to things which are unseen, but which are true without our knowledge of it. Plenty of unknowns out there that can be known. Start there with faith, and if it is not true, you will have no resulting knowledge.
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@3RU7AL
Some "true believers" may call themselves such, but, if they don't follow the path outlined, are they, really? Faith is much more than merely saying "Jesus! I believe!" One's actions, not their words, demonstrate, their faith, or lack of it even when claimed.
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@oromagi
You are totally misreading this string. You try to link specifically to Trump when I have not mentioned him, at all. I am making a general statement about cancel culture, and their aims. Facetious?Yes. Accurate? Well, that's what this string is all about, isn't it?
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@3RU7AL
to your #16, First, common sense should tell you that even if I had such an idea, I could not carry it out. Have to find you, first. But, since your belief is not true, it is not going to happen. Therefore, what action is needed on your part?
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@secularmerlin
What does asking someone something have to do with the bible? The bible is not a someone.
Did I say this process of dicovery of truth is limited to the Bible? Any truth can be obtained by this means described by James. And here's a virtual repeat, with some addiotnal information, from the Book of Mormon, Moroni 10: 4, 5.
It's a simple formula:
Read and study, ponder what is read.
Ask God, in the name of Christ if what you have read is true or not, but there are conditional commitments:
1. Ask in faith
2. Be sincere
3. Have real intent to know.
4. If your query is a sincere desire to know, the truth will be given by the power of the Holy Ghost.
5. By that power, the truth of all things may be known.
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@secularmerlin
And how do we determine if a thing is true?
Ask someone who knows what is true. Read James 1: 2-5. Actually the entire chapter is relevant, so read it all.
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@Danielle
What's your point?
The point ought to be obvious. Sorry to have to teach grammar, but there are proper rules of same and the constitutional founders knew them:
- When there are two items in a list, don't use a comma to separate the list items (unless it helps your reader).
- “And” is inclusive and means all of the items mentioned apply, whereas “or” indicates that only one of the items is relevant.
Please read Article I, Section 3, clause 7 in that light:
“Judgment in Cases of Impeachment shall not extend further than to removal from Office, and disqualification to hold and enjoy any Office of honor, Trust or Profit under the United States: but the Party convicted shall nevertheless be liable and subject to Indictment, Trial, Judgment and Punishment, according to Law.”
If you think the two results of a Senate conviction on impeachment of the President can be either removal from office, or disqualification, you failed your grammar school [gee, I wonder why its called that?] education in English grammar. Congratulations. You’ve learned nothing since.
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@secularmerlin
Faith, as used in this context, would seem to be a possible evidence for literally any position and therefore does not actually act as definitive (read sufficient) evidence for any.
You have defined belief, not faith. One can believe anything they wish, but that belief, alone, compels no one to action. Further, belief is not necessarily linked to truth, whereas, "And now as I said concerning faith—faith is not to have a perfect knowledge of things; therefore if ye have faith ye hope for things which are not seen, which are true." - Alma 32: 21
Faith must be expressed in only things which are already true, or it is not faith.
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@Intelligence_06
You will note that my statistic counted total number of debates, and the total number of debate ties with no-votes. I rank 10th in total number of debates, and first among that ranking, and all others below it, in percentage of no-vote ties.
Yes, there may be debaters with one or two debates with ties and maybe even no-vote ties, but they do not have the number of debates in which I have participated.
Helps to understand the elements of the stat.
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@oromagi
Did I mention Trump?
Did I mention a king?
Eat your own words; they're yours.
Congratulations
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Article I
Congress shall make law respecting the cancellation of religion and the free exercise thereof; the freedom of speech; and of the press; and permitting the right of certain people to riot in the streets without fear of retribution, and to censure all others by whatever means necessary.
No further rights, no further legislation, and no further justice need be enumerated.
The rest is summarily cancelled.
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@secularmerlin
Who am I? Read my profile. I notice you don't have one.
What do I believe? read my profile.I notice you don't have one.
How do my beliefs affect others? I know by participation in debate. I notice you have no debates.
This is entirely on you.
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@Danielle
the trial to remove him from office should have immediately been held, but Mitch McConnell chose to delay for political purposes.
Guess what? As of 1/20/21, Shoofly became Majority Leader, and therefore had control of the Senate to schedule the trial anytime he wished.
However, the Senate cannot begin the trial until after they have received the Article of Impeachment from the House. McConnell could have begun a trial, but could not until the Article was delivered. Pelostomy is who held up your trial for political purposes. She did not deliver until 1/25/21. I don't need wish balloons to insult. You need, however, a sense of timing to hurl accusations. So, keep blowing. One day, you'll get that balloon filled.
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The left has claimed for the better part of six years, since Trump announced his candidacy in 2015, that Trump was a pure authoritarian.
In three weeks, Joe Biden has issued over 50 EOs. Who wears the big A?
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