Bear Pit: now the sole domicile of politics at LuLa

[faberryman]

Last week? Well, you guys keep talking about Trump's last four years.   Cuomo still a working politician, a governor.  We should be talking about current news.

Well, we were happily talking about the power outage in Texas, and Amazon being cowered into submission by AOC, until you mentioned you got your second vaccine dose today thanks to Trump's Operation Warp Speed. If you don't want us to talk about Trump, quit bringing him up.

[Alan Klein]

I assume Amazon is delivering stuff in NYC just like around here.

Actually there's amillion sq foot Amazon depot not too far from where I live here in Central NJ. Actually a few on them.  Our Men's Club set up a visit to tour it.  Unfortunately, I missed the tour but it was fascinating, I was told.  Too bad.  I missed getting some interesting pictures. 

[Alan Klein]

And your conclusion from that fact is what? Be careful not to commit the logical fallacy of composition I was mentioning the other day.

More than what?

The teacher's votes.

[Alan Klein]

I'm happy that you and your wife received your full vaccine regimen on time. I genuinely mean that. It must have come as a welcome surprise to you!

4-weeks ago you said: "So now, millions of people will never see their second doses because a political decision was made backed up by CDC bureaucrats who don't want to go against the new president." And...

Glad that you are now vaccinated!

Thanks for the congrats.  Much appreciated.  We were worried today with the snowstorm last night, we'd have trouble even getting there.  But the guard was very generous.  Not only did he let us in early, but he also let us park in a private spot right next to the entrance door.  It must have been my wife.  People aren't so nice to me when I'm alone. 

[TechTalk]

Former presidents made the same deal with North Korea and they cheated.  Duh.

How do we know they cheated? Because we caught them cheating and ended the agreement. Duh.

[Alan Klein]

My post was about federal agencies and their oversight by the president. So, I have no idea how that relates to what I posted.

Well, governors are responsible for most of the protocols for schools, restaurants, masks, etc.  Biden has little to say about that as Trump did.  I wonder if Cuomo would have blamed the Federal government if Biden was president at the time Cuomo sent all those sick people home to infect healthy oldsters?

[Alan Klein]

How do we know they cheated? Because we caught them cheating and ended the agreement. Duh.

Well, we didn't exactly catch them.  They exploded a nuke.  That's how we'll find out with Iran, too.

[TechTalk]

Well, we didn't exactly catch them.  They exploded a nuke.  That's how we'll find out with Iran, too.

Their first nuclear test was years after the agreement was terminated.

[faberryman]

Well, governors are responsible for most of the protocols for schools, restaurants, masks, etc.

Maybe in your state, not around here. Decisions about schools here are made by local school superintendents. Decisions about masks and restaurants are made by the mayors. Our governor has basically been sitting on his hands doing nothing.

Biden has little to say about that as Trump did.

Have you stopped watching the news and ignored your newsfeed since the inauguration?

I wonder if Cuomo would have blamed the Federal government if Biden was president at the time Cuomo sent all those sick people home to infect healthy oldsters?

While not admitting the content of that sentence, I am pretty sure that Cuomo would have blamed someone, anyone, other than himself. That's the way these things usually work.

[Alan Klein]

Biden announced today that he will invite European allies to join together to pressure China to abide by the economic and trade norms of the west.  He's abandoning Trump's go-it-alone agenda.  I wish him well.  But I doubt Europe is going to help.  First, they'll demand America drop any tariff or considering tariffs on Europe.  Then, the first time China shuts down one of their plants in China, or stops European goods from being sold in China, they'll chicken out and tell Biden he's one his own like Trump. Of course, Trump understood that.  That's why he never bothered with Europe.


Biden says U.S. and Europe must push back against China’s economic ‘abuses and coercion’
https://www.cnbc.com/2021/02/19/biden-says-us-and-europe-must-push-back-against-chinas-economic-abuses.html

[James Clark]

Their first nuclear test was years after the agreement was terminated.

Sorry - I've fallen behind. I spent most of the last two days delivering food to people here in Austin that couldn't get out of their homes, or whose grocery stores lost power and had all their food spoiled.  It was hairy out there, but 4wd, appropriate tires, and 20 years of training people how to manage traction in their cars carried the day.  Sorry for the digression, but I just wanted to point out that I've done a fuckton more for my community in the last two days than Ted Cruz has.

Anyway, are we back to talking about this Iran thing?  Are some people still trying to convince other people that a veritable army of international arms control experts and a UN team of inspectors are all so clueless that they agreed to an inspection deal where the place were the activity was happening wasn't allowed to be inspected?  And that clowns like Hannity know more than those guys?  Really?

Did I mention that the people asking what Ted Cruz could possibly be doing if he stayed are idiots? 

[faberryman]

Biden announced today that he will invite European allies to join together to pressure China to abide by the economic and trade norms of the west.  He's abandoning Trump's go-it-alone agenda.

I thought you didn't want us talking about Trump.

I wish him well.  But I doubt Europe is going to help.  First, they'll demand America drop any tariff or considering tariffs on Europe.  Then, the first time China shuts down one of their plants in China, or stops European goods from being sold in China, they'll chicken out and tell Biden he's one his own like Trump.

I read that and the first thing that popped into my mind was Johnny Carson doing his Carnac the Magnificent routine.

Of course, Trump understood that.  That's why he never bothered with Europe.

I thought you didn't want us talking about Trump.

[PeterAit]

All while not allowing any UN nuclear inspectors in to inspect their military bases, exactly where the enrichment is suspected to be happening.  Once again, it is you that is showing your ignorance.  Trust but verify, and Iran was not allowing us to verify, therefore they do not deserve our trust. 

There is point in having inspections if the inspectors can inspect anywhere but the places we suspect it is happening.

False yet again. The agreement specifies that access to military sites can be requested if there is credible evidence that something disallowed by the treaty is going on.

My dad told me that I should never try to teach math to a fencepost. I should have listened.

[faberryman]

Sorry - I've fallen behind. I spent most of the last two days delivering food to people here in Austin that couldn't get out of their homes, or whose grocery stores lost power and had all their food spoiled.  It was hairy out there, but 4wd, appropriate tires, and 20 years of training people how to manage traction in their cars carried the day.  Sorry for the digression, but I just wanted to point out that I've done a fuckton more for my community in the last two days than Ted Cruz has.

You are a good man. Meanwhile, Abbott has had his thumb up his ass.

[Alan Klein]

I thought you didn't want us talking about Trump.

I read that and the first thing that popped into my mind was Johnny Carson doing his Carnac the Magnificent routine.

I thought you didn't want us talking about Trump.

We're talking about the current Trump policy of how we're dealing with China and why that's a better way than asking Europeans who won't do anything.  All China's going to do is play our own allies off against us just like Iran did.  Biden's policy will just weaken the pressure. China will continue to steal our IP and use one-sided trade policies.

[digitaldog]

My dad told me that I should never try to teach math to a fencepost. I should have listened.

There's a saying in Italian that goes: "A lavar la testa all'asino si perde tempo e sapone", which I'm told roughly translates to "If you try to shampoo a donkey's head, you are wasting both your time and your soap."
Equally true in having this back and forth:
"Never argue with an idiot. They will only bring you down to their level and beat you with experience". - George Carlin 

[faberryman]

We're talking about the current Trump policy of how we're dealing with China and why that's a better way than asking Europeans who won't do anything.  All China's going to do is play our own allies off against us just like Iran did.  Biden's policy will just weaken the pressure. China will continue to steal our IP and use one-sided trade policies.

Actually, we weren't talking about it, you were. And I see that Ed McMahon has given you a new envelope.

[TechTalk]

Anyway, are we back to talking about this Iran thing?  Are some people still trying to convince other people that a veritable army of international arms control experts and a UN team of inspectors are all so clueless that they agreed to an inspection deal where the place were the activity was happening wasn't allowed dot be inspected?  And that clowns like Hannity know more than those guys?  Really?

Yep. And as proof that such agreements and inspections don't work, pointing to North Korea. The problem with that argument is that the agreement from 1994 to 2002 did work. North Korea abided by the agreement which prevented them from producing plutonium at their reactor facilities and there were regular inspections that insured that was the case.

A confrontation in 2002 over U.S. intelligence assertions that North Korea was working on building centrifuge facilities, as another way to enrich uranium into plutonium, caused a breakdown in the agreement. North Korea started in earnest to produce plutonium again shortly thereafter and tested its first nuclear device in 2006.

It isn't the history as Alan understands it; but it's the short true version of the story.

[digitaldog]

Regarding building codes, I'm still upset with those who mandated 1.2 gpf toilets and low-flow showerheads.  We have plenty of water here in New Jersey.  Maybe that works for California where they need to steal water from their neighbors to get a drink.

Maybe someone not on Alan's ignore list can break the bad news to him:

Former President Donald Trump's effort to loosen regulations dictating the water-flow levels of many household appliances and fixtures is under threat with the Biden administration announcing it will launch a federal review of several Trump-era rules and regulations governing the topic, in addition to other energy and efficiency-related edicts.
The Energy Department on Friday notified the Office of Management and Budget of the step, which begins a process that could result in the rescission or revision of those regulations. The changes garnered widespread attention last year after Trump went on several lengthy rants about his displeasure with the low water pressure provided by a number of household staples like showers and dishwashers.

30 days of Biden, how refreshing.

[Alan Klein]

Yep. And as proof that such agreements and inspections don't work, pointing to North Korea. The problem with that argument is that the agreement from 1994 to 2002 did work. North Korea abided by the agreement which prevented them from producing plutonium at their reactor facilities and there were regular inspections that insured that was the case.

In 2002 they tried an end run around the agreement by bringing in centrifuge parts which is another way to enrich uranium into plutonium not covered by the agreement. They were caught by U.S. intelligence and confronted by the Bush administration. North Korea admitted the intelligence was true because it wasn't covered under the agreement. The Bush administration rather than attempt to negotiate a new agreement that would cover centrifuge enrichment, responded by breaking our end of the existing agreement on reactors regarding fuel oil supply. In response to that, North Korea considered the agreement ended; kicked out the inspectors; and started back working again in 2002 to produce plutonium from the reactors that had been frozen for 8-years. In 2006, they exploded their first nuclear test.

It isn't the history as Alan understands it; but it's the short true version of the story.

Iran will follow a similar course as North Korea.