It was great, accept it is over America

[PLAYER57832]

lol

Except: "the minimum number of characters you need to enter is 4". so --

lol lol

[BoganGod]

So far we have:

Missing trillions

The guy in charge of finding it's main job is getting government contracts and receives one at this time one for 32 planes. He makes another trillion disappear and for most of his life has been a military-industrial complex insider.

10% of the number was used to create the Russian Oligarchs by the CIA and some banking establishments.

Pentagon accountants saying they were funding empty enterprises, then being reassigned for saying it.

The investigators are killed with guided planes. The records destroyed. A CIA bank and Paul Bremmer's company acquire a software for clearing some of the missing trillions. A debunking site claims there is no need to investigate it.

I've posted the "official story". Can I move ahead with the real one yet?

So a thread started as commentary on the sad decline of america and the failure of many(most of whom are american) to acknowledge the decline and move on. Not many people have tried to argue against my "truth", a lot have changed the subject and attempted to exactly define the moment america jumped the shark.

Your magnanimous attitude will surely grant you extra closet access in the afterlife--with no external costs visited upon current closet occupants. All of us are simply enthralled by your shining example.

My dear friend(may I call you friend, I feel your love and choose to interpret it as friendship), thank you for once again taking the time to bolster my fragile ego. I would love to hear more about this afterlife you mentioned, hopefully with proof of some sort. Proof other than the ramblings of a flowery phrased prophet on hallucinogenics.

[BigBallinStalin]

Your magnanimous attitude will surely grant you extra closet access in the afterlife--with no external costs visited upon current closet occupants. All of us are simply enthralled by your shining example.

My dear friend(may I call you friend, I feel your love and choose to interpret it as friendship), thank you for once again taking the time to bolster my fragile ego. I would love to hear more about this afterlife you mentioned, hopefully with proof of some sort. Proof other than the ramblings of a flowery phrased prophet on hallucinogenics.

With the afterlife, we need not scientific proof but spiritual faith. We need a belief in the wonderful--a belief where all wrongs are punished, and all good deeds are rewarded. With this idea, we can gleefully cruise through easy times, and in times of hardship we can always look toward the horizon of hope.

Alternatively, we can dash away all that nonsense, study the science of happiness, and rework our brains into being happy now. Never mind attaining happiness only by overcoming challenges or by pursuing the ever-unsatiated conquest toward success. Happiness begins with you right now.

[BoganGod]

Damn, that is so sweet and uplifting. Reaching for insulin syringe right now. Are you trying to tell me that my dead pets are all happy up there playing on the other side of the rainbow bridge?

If happiness is a state of mind, then why are a lot of retarded people so happy? Does that say something about the function of intelligence in happiness?

[BigBallinStalin]

Damn, that is so sweet and uplifting. Reaching for insulin syringe right now. Are you trying to tell me that my dead pets are all happy up there playing on the other side of the rainbow bridge?

All your pets are dead. You will never experience them again. Only your imagination can do so.

You can only be satisfied with the pursuit of an unattainable dream.

If happiness is a state of mind, then why are a lot of retarded people so happy? Does that say something about the function of intelligence in happiness?

No, it's not about intelligence alone. Daniel Gilbert has this book on happiness; he's got a quick TED talk about happiness which gets to the point quicker while jumping over clarification. There's "natural happiness" and "simulated happiness." Natural happiness is attained through accomplishing some goal, but it's a constant tease because upon achieving some goal, there's plenty more afterward, so you never quite get happy. Simulated happiness is weirder... People don't like it because "it's not natural," but it seems to be just as effective.

Most interesting point: after 1-2 years, the difference in happiness between a >$10 million lottery winner and a recent paraplegic is practically zero. They're both equally happy (enough). Check out the TED talk.
I just recently downloaded his book but have yet to read it, so I can't provide much detail.

[BoganGod]

Thanks mate, I'll look it up. Love TED talks.

Back to the topic. Do we think America is in decline due to dino boy's concern for her welfare?

[BigBallinStalin]

Thanks mate, I'll look it up. Love TED talks.

Back to the topic. Do we think America is in decline due to dino boy's concern for her welfare?

Given the current trend of public opinion, I think America is in decline. People generally have a bias against markets, and they imagine this ideal (unicorn) government actually exists. The problem is that this ideal government has never existed, but they buy into the proclaims of politicians and bureaucrats who are 'doing the right thing' and actually accomplish the right thing. As the politicians and bureaucrats do the 'right' thing, they tend to change legislation/enforcement in favor of interest groups (lobbyists), who are predominately large producers of various goods (weapons, taxi cabs, you name it).

Voters are enthusiastic about voting but unenthusiastic about following up on government's activities, so this lends a free hand for politicians to draft legislation which is favorable to producers who wish to reduce competition in their industries (e.g. automobiles, agriculture, banking, and more). The additional problem is that if voters are much more informed, there's still the disconnect between policies they want and policies which are selected amongst politicians, bureaucrats, and interest groups.

To reverse this trend of decline, people need to stop underestimating the mutually beneficial factors of voluntary exchange while denying their faith in a well-intended, systematically incorruptible government which tends to promote the ever vague "general interest." Until this happens, let's welcome the Great Stagnation.

[TA1LGUNN3R]

Hey, so in Australia does the parliament really just sit on opposite sides of the room and yell at each other?

-TG

[BigBallinStalin]

Hey, so in Australia does the parliament really just sit on opposite sides of the room and yell at each other?

-TG

If the accents are funny, then the benefits of their yelling won't offset the costs.

[GoranZ]

According to our recent changes in the constitution marriage is community of man and woman, so technically you are not allowed to be gay

That doesn't mean that being gay is illegal, just that gays can't marry.

No gay parades, no claims that they are discriminated because they are gay(in court), no adoption of children... the list in large

So yes, all Macedonians are gay.

We are gay free nation... and it will stay that way

That's probably why so many gay Macedonians come to other countries to get speared in the ass.

So that is the reason for the increase of non gay Swedes visiting my country I guess those Macedonian gays spear more swedes than they need to

Back on subject... The reason why US is failing in the world:
For US the global order is the same as western order but for countries like Russia, China and few others powerful enough to resist, global order is something else.

[PLAYER57832]

So a thread started as commentary on the sad decline of america and the failure of many(most of whom are american) to acknowledge the decline and move on. Not many people have tried to argue against my "truth", a lot have changed the subject and attempted to exactly define the moment america jumped the shark.

Its not that we deny it, its that we cannot dwell on what we cannot fix.

Also... if you peruse the many political threads (and you have), you know that we argue repeatedly over why things are going bad, how bad they are getting, etc.

Your thread came off as a sarcastic blurb, nothing constructive. Nothing much to add to it other than what you see.

[BoganGod]

So a thread started as commentary on the sad decline of america and the failure of many(most of whom are american) to acknowledge the decline and move on. Not many people have tried to argue against my "truth", a lot have changed the subject and attempted to exactly define the moment america jumped the shark.

Its not that we deny it, its that we cannot dwell on what we cannot fix.

Also... if you peruse the many political threads (and you have), you know that we argue repeatedly over why things are going bad, how bad they are getting, etc.

Your thread came off as a sarcastic blurb, nothing constructive. Nothing much to add to it other than what you see.

Surely "player" your not suggesting that some other threads in this forum are productive? Surely you are not that naive or hypocritical.

@bumshooter - Yes, Australian parliament, and a the parliaments of quite a few other "Westminster" style democracies have seats in a broad U shape either side of the U contains the government and opposite the opposition(literally opposite). Those at the bottom/curve of the U are cross benchers, mainly those with no affiliation to a political party

[warmonger1981]

9-11 Conspiracy..... Lease watch Richard Gage on C-Span August 14-2014. Its on YouTube. It may shed some light on the officially fucked up version. BBS might learn something or just keep listening to official story.AE911TRUTH.org.

[PLAYER57832]

So a thread started as commentary on the sad decline of america and the failure of many(most of whom are american) to acknowledge the decline and move on. Not many people have tried to argue against my "truth", a lot have changed the subject and attempted to exactly define the moment america jumped the shark.

Its not that we deny it, its that we cannot dwell on what we cannot fix.

Also... if you peruse the many political threads (and you have), you know that we argue repeatedly over why things are going bad, how bad they are getting, etc.

Your thread came off as a sarcastic blurb, nothing constructive. Nothing much to add to it other than what you see.

Surely "player" your not suggesting that some other threads in this forum are productive? Surely you are not that naive or hypocritical.

Depends on our goal. If your goal is to hear what a few other people think about various subjects, then sure.. it's productive. If you mean will it change anything in the world at large, likely not. Then again.. "a butterfly flapping its wings"

[BoganGod]

So a thread started as commentary on the sad decline of america and the failure of many(most of whom are american) to acknowledge the decline and move on. Not many people have tried to argue against my "truth", a lot have changed the subject and attempted to exactly define the moment america jumped the shark.

Its not that we deny it, its that we cannot dwell on what we cannot fix.

Also... if you peruse the many political threads (and you have), you know that we argue repeatedly over why things are going bad, how bad they are getting, etc.

Your thread came off as a sarcastic blurb, nothing constructive. Nothing much to add to it other than what you see.

Surely "player" your not suggesting that some other threads in this forum are productive? Surely you are not that naive or hypocritical.

Depends on our goal. If your goal is to hear what a few other people think about various subjects, then sure.. it's productive. If you mean will it change anything in the world at large, likely not. Then again.. "a butterfly flapping its wings"

Damn kiddo, talk about having a bob each way. Make up your mind. Where is your glossy world changing thread on CC. Preaching the word of change. Is CC with it's limited amount of subscribers really a suitable forum to change the world? If anyone can do it, you can kid. Never stop believing.

<Bogan saunters off, humming "somewhere over the rainbow">

[BoganGod]

Hello people,
Thank you for accepting the decline of America. Let us all sing and dance, and celebrate the little that is left of a once great nation.

[ooge]

Hello people,
Thank you for accepting the decline of America. Let us all sing and dance, and celebrate the little that is left of a once great nation.

well thats the thing about Americans we don't pat ourselfs on the back and brag about how great we are.The wars we fight coming to the aid of the weak(Australia) all we ask in return is a place to bury our dead.

[GoranZ]

Hello people,
Thank you for accepting the decline of America. Let us all sing and dance, and celebrate the little that is left of a once great nation.

well thats the thing about Americans we don't pat ourselfs on the back and brag about how great we are.The wars we fight coming to the aid of the weak(Australia) all we ask in return is a place to bury our dead.

I presume you are talking about WW2...
With all respect to the fallen American soldiers but if they had a chance to decide if they should die so someone like you would live I presume they wouldn't have died. You are an... I will restrain myself of using bad words in respect of American soldiers.
Australian percentage of lost population due to WW2: 0.57 %
American percentage of lost population due to WW2: 0.32 %
*source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_War_II_casualties

[BoganGod]

Hello people,
Thank you for accepting the decline of America. Let us all sing and dance, and celebrate the little that is left of a once great nation.

well thats the thing about Americans we don't pat ourselfs on the back and brag about how great we are.The wars we fight coming to the aid of the weak(Australia) all we ask in return is a place to bury our dead.

I presume you are talking about WW2...
With all respect to the fallen American soldiers but if they had a chance to decide if they should die so someone like you would live I presume they wouldn't have died. You are an... I will restrain myself of using bad words in respect of American soldiers.
Australian percentage of lost population due to WW2: 0.57 %
American percentage of lost population due to WW2: 0.32 %
*source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_War_II_casualties

Well said GoranZ, if you delve into the statistics further there are a few more sobering facts. Like the percentage lost as a proportion of that age group. Pretty sobering stuff. Know there were many women in the commonwealth nations of Australia, Canada, and New Zealand who never married due to lack of prospective partners, some of the men available were too damaged to sustain relationships. PTSD was not a turn of phrase/euphemism coined till later, shell shocked was the blanket description. PTSD affected a lot of returned servicemen.

Ooge you know I'm not Australian. Though as a kiwi that has lived in OZ on and off for a long time I have a fair handle on Australian culture(yes there is such a thing, similar to American culture - drink, fight, f*ck repeat. Throw in farting, eating pies, and being a tit at the footy<any of the 4codes>) and lingo. Older Australians of my father's generation and the generation before refer to Americans as seppos. This is a combination of Australian rhyming slang and the Australian habit of abbreviating things. So seppo - septic tank = fucking yank. The insinuation being that americans are lower than a septic tank. A slur that reflects as badly on the Australians as the Americans. Brief history lesson. America joined the war late again(now they prefer to start the wars), Australia had had food and luxury rationing for a few years. Australian men were away fighting in Papua New Guinea literally being eaten by the starving Japanese in some cases. Mean while the late americans stationed in Australia were hooking up with Aussie women(not single women....) using the lure of rare treats like stockings and chocolates. The Aussie returned servicemen after the war were rather upset to find so many american cuckoos in their nests. Hence the term seppos for americans. To no one's surprise the women escaped blame, or taking their share of responsibility for chocolate paid whoredom.

[ooge]

Hello people,
Thank you for accepting the decline of America. Let us all sing and dance, and celebrate the little that is left of a once great nation.

well thats the thing about Americans we don't pat ourselfs on the back and brag about how great we are.The wars we fight coming to the aid of the weak(Australia) all we ask in return is a place to bury our dead.

I presume you are talking about WW2...
With all respect to the fallen American soldiers but if they had a chance to decide if they should die so someone like you would live I presume they wouldn't have died. You are an... I will restrain myself of using bad words in respect of American soldiers.
Australian percentage of lost population due to WW2: 0.57 %
American percentage of lost population due to WW2: 0.32 %
*source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_War_II_casualties

Well said GoranZ, if you delve into the statistics further there are a few more sobering facts. Like the percentage lost as a proportion of that age group. Pretty sobering stuff. Know there were many women in the commonwealth nations of Australia, Canada, and New Zealand who never married due to lack of prospective partners, some of the men available were too damaged to sustain relationships. PTSD was not a turn of phrase/euphemism coined till later, shell shocked was the blanket description. PTSD affected a lot of returned servicemen.

Ooge you know I'm not Australian. Though as a kiwi that has lived in OZ on and off for a long time I have a fair handle on Australian culture(yes there is such a thing, similar to American culture - drink, fight, f*ck repeat. Throw in farting, eating pies, and being a tit at the footy<any of the 4codes>) and lingo. Older Australians of my father's generation and the generation before refer to Americans as seppos. This is a combination of Australian rhyming slang and the Australian habit of abbreviating things. So seppo - septic tank = fucking yank. The insinuation being that americans are lower than a septic tank. A slur that reflects as badly on the Australians as the Americans. Brief history lesson. America joined the war late again(now they prefer to start the wars), Australia had had food and luxury rationing for a few years. Australian men were away fighting in Papua New Guinea literally being eaten by the starving Japanese in some cases. Mean while the late americans stationed in Australia were hooking up with Aussie women(not single women....) using the lure of rare treats like stockings and chocolates. The Aussie returned servicemen after the war were rather upset to find so many american cuckoos in their nests. Hence the term seppos for americans. To no one's surprise the women escaped blame, or taking their share of responsibility for chocolate paid whoredom.

Be careful what you wish from your father generation to today,The U.S. is war weary, defending the freedom of others who will not defend their freedom themselves.As I look into my crystal ball I see a future were china decides to expand into South east Asia and Russia decides to expand into Macedonia.The U.S. Response will be one of."you know what screw it let them have it we learned from ww2,Korean war that they did not appreciate what we did for them,They are on there own"...its a truth that today when ever anyone is threaten weather it be persecution war natural disaster.Those threatened say "when are the Americans going to help us" and help we will in some way. The U.S. gave back what it conquered in the wars,accept the cematarys for our dead. I am not a unique American in saying one grandfather,three uncles,three cousins one brother and myself being a member of the armed services at some pt. Like I said be careful what you wish.but hey maybe Australia and New Zealand could defend themselves for more than a couple days before they are defeated but I doubt it.

[ooge]

This is a famous editorial from a Canadian broadcaster defending Americans.listen to it before you continue to criticize Americans.

[Mr Changsha]

Currently on a little tour of 'insanely booming' chinese cities.

A couple of points:

1. Changsha has gone from a sleepy 'town' (had the feel back in the day) that the arriving american would look around and compliment in a vaguely patronising way "Aren't they doing well" to a kind of frightening mega-city that I can but imagine leaves many arriving americans in a state of awe. Frankly it blows my mind again every time I come back. Of course Changsha has been claiming 15%+ growth rates for a decade. Who knows if that is entirely true, but you only have to look around to see what that kind of growth can do. So a decade ago most western european/american cites were far ahead of Changsha. Can you believe that the private car was just getting going in 2003? At this point Changsha is overall ahead (yes really) of most western european/american cities. The crazy thing? How far ahead will Changsha be in another ten years? I don't see this city slowing down for a second over the next decade and the gap that there will be in development between this city and most western european/american cities is probably, honestly hard for most of you reading this to fully appreciate.

2. Is it over for america? In many ways yes. I am not smart enough to fully understand why Changsha is soaring at mega-speed away from 'western cities'. But it is. From my perspective of dividing my time between China and France, what I have seen over the last ten years or so is that France has stood absolutely still during this period, while China for whatever reason has caught up, zoomed past and is now like some ethiopian marathon runner trouncing the plucky brit (again). I used to believe (many years ago) that China was catching up, that its growth rates meant little as it was starting from such a low base. But I was wrong. A fundamental shift in world power is happening around us. Chinese development simply isn't slowing down as I assumed it would by now and the growth figured suggest it is (a bit). It isn't..

3. China is going to leave America in the dust over the next few decades. It is inevitable now I think and while certain places of great ability will hang on to an extent for the west of course has many smart people (New York, London, Berlin) the overall trend is clear. I think these changes have been turbo-charged by the enormous leaps in technology we are witnessing. Just as my own country (the Uk) benefited hugely from developing at the right time, as did America in the 20th century, so will China in the 21st. Good luck for China (who lets be honest are probably due some luck) and bad luck for us...

4. The chinese will be our new overlords. Get your heads around that concept however hard and troubling it may seem to be. Most of the chinese I think can't quite believe it either but the better educated/connected ones know what's coming. America is finished because it simply can't grow like China can and while that mad growth was basically catch up for most of my time here it is going beyond that now, far beyond that and I believe that Changsha's development (which I know so personally and intimately) reflects the overall trend of things so well.

[muy_thaiguy]

What about the environmental impacts? I know China is resourcefully rich, but this has to be taking a toll environmentally, not just on say forests and jungles, but also on rivers, lakes, and air.

[2dimes]

America used to be populated by hard working people leaving the farm to build things in cities.

Now it's mostly people who need their mom to buy them lunch and do up that difficult button on their pants.

Off to WalMart for some food, clothes and a new tablet, made by hard working people leaving the farm to build things in cities.

[Mr Changsha]

What about the environmental impacts? I know China is resourcefully rich, but this has to be taking a toll environmentally, not just on say forests and jungles, but also on rivers, lakes, and air.

Without question..as an example consider that I now live in a clean(ish) northern coastal city after nine years in the big bad mad smoke of Changsha. Out and about in Changsha these last few days I have had mild panic attacks dealing with the noise, the smell, the crowds, the smoke and the heat. And then one ducks into an enormous mall and is assaulted by millions of products visually screaming at you.

The physical and mental damage Changsha inflicted upon me over the years broadly reflects the environmental damage the chinese are doing to their own land. But you know China uses me and will spit me out like the insignificance I am eventually and so they treat their environment. But that's won't stop the rearing, snorting juggernaut from taking over (which is the point).

So in some ways success is awful. But wasn't ancient Rome awful? Wasn't London (or other madly developing western european cities) awful? Weren't various american cities awful when they were surging? I think the terribleness of it all is what shows you that a place is winning.

You know now I live in Qingdao and it is quiet, calm and peaceful. Personally, I am much happier there just as most of you would be where you live. But give it twenty years and these Changsha types will be invading your homes with lazer guns and nuclear grenades. The stink is strangely the stink of success.