Response to comments.: 1. We are already sending arms to the insurgent groups and providing some training. 2. Russia has a naval base in Syria and is always sending ships there. This is normal; Vlad may have sent an additional ship or simply advertised what is a common occurrence for posturing. The ship could be carrying soap and toilet paper for all we know. Russian may bluster but has no intention of getting involved beyond. 3. Read my earlier responses to an attack solely via cruise missiles. By now their command and control - and most of their really neat war toys- are dispersed and bunkered and such an attack, if it lasted weeks, would be a deterrent. 4. We already have carrier groups in the Mediterranean. Moving carriers closer to the front and/or advertising this could either be 1. a message/deterrent to Syrian and a counter to Russia's "announcement" of war ships in the area (again, normal) or 2. signal the potential use of stealth fighters launched from the carriers which would be used after the air defense capabilities had been eliminated by cruise missiles if possible The fighters would likely provide support/cover for the larger stealth bombers which would likely come from Kuwait or another Mid East base, and these would only be used if bunker busters were to be dropped on deeply embedded Command and Control, weapons caches, etc. The fighters could also be used to finish the AD capabilities and attack visible military and C&C targets. Can't imagine the bombers would be used for any other purpose. The fighter plans would be enormously useful with the right intelligence and available targets, absent the AD and any air to air threat. 5, Kerry hasn't removed ground troops from the table because that is a war strategy. You never say what you will or won't do even if ground troops would never ever be used. 6. The U.S. will try to minimize collateral damage as much as possible, but as I noted earlier the C&C and military posts are likely now day care centers. (this was confirmed a couple of days ago by Syrian citizens). Managing the PR campaign will be as, if not more, important than anything. 7. The U.S. will try to eliminate the loss of one of the stealth bombers/fighters from any of Syria's AD. They don't want to give Assad a token of success (and pump up the Arab/Islamist world) and these planes are enormously expensive. Taking care to eliminate AD will be critical. I wouldn't expect any air to air fights; Syria's planes wouldn't last a few seconds. 8. Obama is, based on Myers Briggs, likely a rational, which means he typically needs more and more data and analysis before making a decision. His decision to send this before Congress was predictable; regardless of his bluster about it (and I think it primarily due to not wanting to appear weak now or with his legacy) is trumped by his desire to gain a consensus internationally, get the Brits onboard (neither of which have occurred). So now he sends it before the Congress. Probably not a bad idea really but I think it a stalling tactic by him to see if this will work itself out and he won't really have to do anything. Analysis paralysis. But appearing presidential and forceful for his legacy. Even Congress is today saying he is waffling and non-committal.
Posts by DJS
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28Syria limited strike and consquences
by d inwhat do you think would be the result if we go the u.s goes thorough striking syria?
i fear that it will drag the u.s into a vietnam like situation and this will hurt our economy..
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71
Are You Upset My Miley Cyrus' Performance On MTV Awards?
by minimus ini'm not, even a little bit and i don't understand what the outrage is all about..
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DJS
SammiesWife, I agree completely. I'm so tired of ED and low T commercials I could scream. As for Miley, I'm surprised by all of the judgmental comments in the media and on this forum. Words like trash, disgusting, whorish, etc. They use these words like they are a bad thing. LOL. Seriously, get over it America. Get over it forum. This is the 21st Century; it isn't your daddy's world anymore. And thank god. I didn't find any of it disgusting. If you don't want to see it, our TVs and computers come with magic little buttons. They are called off switches and channel changers. Miley is marketing; she's using what she has. That hasn't changed in a millennia. Or five.
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Formatting
by DJS insimon,.
my posts are not formatting correctly.
once i submit the spacing is lost and all of the paragraphs are pushed together in one long run on pargraph.
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DJS
Simon,
My posts are not formatting correctly. Once I submit the spacing is lost and all of the paragraphs are pushed together in one long run on pargraph. Is there something I'm doing wrong? Thanks.
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268
After 2000 years since JC was executed ,why have we heard not a whisper from GOD ALMIGHTY ?
by smiddy inhe/she had no problem talking to adam and eve ,though they were sinners in his/her sight .throughout the hebrew sriptures, ot, he /she had no problem communicating with fallen man ,imperfect humans , to dictate his will to his subjects by means of prophets , male and female ,according to the bible , the old testament ,the hebrew scriptures , god communicated not once ,not twice ,not even thrice ,but dozens of times during the first 4000 years of human history according to the bible.. why has this god been so silent these past 2000 years ,when their have been atrocities above the scale of anything that has ever been seen these past 6000 years of human existence .. oh you may say that the atrocities were not committed by god they were committed by man.
fair enough .but god intervened in human affairs in such smaller infringements.
with prophets or so the bible says.. the so called apostacy after the last of the apostles , the influence of satan in the world ,( or was that after 1914 ,) and the 2000 year gap when christ was supposed to return ,never mind about all the crap that went before it .. the fact remains we have never heard from god ,any god, or even" a " god, with either his/her approval or disapproval of events good or bad these past 2000 years... smiddy.
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DJS
Cofty, you and the other "non-theists" who have participated in this discussion are better than I. I have no desire to argue with people about their make believe characters, gods, saviors, fables and myths. Believing, as I have stated before, requires nothing that our primate cousins the chimps and monkeys don't possess. It is one step up the evolutionary ladder from reactive response to external stimuli. I'm trying not to enter theist, atheist discussions as a result, It appears other non-theists are following the same course. So Cofty thank you for carrying our banner. You do it admirably. Theists will blather on and on saying the same things and using the same mindless arguments over and over in the face of the overwhelming facts used against them. Why? Because they believe. We can't change that, not with all of the rational arguments in the universe. I also have no desire to view the theists with contempt, as they have traveled a similar path as I and I view them as kindred. I would only wish that they would use the intellect that led them out of the WT cult to move beyond the edge of the water. They are similar to the individuals who, after failing to heed the warnings to leave their homes during Katrina, managed to get to the edge of the water (usually because the government that they had ignored was air or boat lifting them to safety) and immediately sat down on the dry concrete, complained about being hungry and whining that the president didn't love them and was letting them and their baby be hungry. Too many of them didn't strike a lick to move beyond the edge of the water and actually DO something. Be a solution to the problem rather than the problem. Too many, IMHO, after leaving the WT are trying to hold on to failed ideas and ideals, metaphorically sitting on the dry concrete at the edge of the water without DOING something. Thinking, analyzing, for example, WTF got you into this predicament in the first place. Sorry for droning on boys and girls. I will stop now. Godspeed theists. And I mean that in the most honorable manner possible.
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23
Given your perspective, would you rank AA as a cult after reading this?
by NeverKnew ina very dear friend's husband is going to aa and has been successfully clean for a year now.
he has attributed his success to aa.
we are all very excited about his sobriety.
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DJS
As to whether AA is a cult I will allow others to decide. Does it have cult like qualities? Absolutely. Can it be effective? Of course. Just like any religious cult. However, its reliance on a "higher power" to "fix" those with drug and alcohol dependencies is the thing that makes it most like a religious cult IMHO. Humans have the capacity to "fix" such problems (not to mention the ability to avoid such problems in the first place) within themselves without relying on any imaginary beings. Or needing a religion or AA. I know quite a bit about AA, having had family members and my recent ex-girlfriend go through the program. Making them think that they do not have the strength within themselves and cannot succeed without a higher power are 2 of the most troubling - and cult like - features. Plus it ensures that they complete the initial program and keep coming back for me. Kinda like a religion. Or a chiropractor.
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Improving Critical Thinking Skills
by GloomySunday ini'm out of the jw religion, but still have trouble thinking critically.
when i was in, i had no idea what a logical fallacy was, i used all sorts of false arguments, yes, even "if man evolved from monkeys, why are there still monkeys?".
i would fall for just about everything.
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DJS
One of the books recommended by Besty has a marketing sound bite that asks if you think crime and violence are on the rise. If I asked this question on a new topic it is likely that most on this forum would say that it definitely is. Yet the facts say just the opposite. And that we may be living in the safest time in this country's history. Below is an excerpt from a recent news article on the topic. You can't escape the headlines. An Australian going to college in the United States is gunned down by teens who police say killed him out of boredom. A few days later, a World War II veteran is beaten to death for reasons still unknown. The death of Australian Christopher Lane in Duncan, Oklahoma, even sparked calls for Aussies to boycott travel to the United States because of all the violence. Two shocking, high-profile crimes, one question: "What the hell is going on!?" Facebook user Stacey James Gordon wrote on CNN's Facebook page. "This country better wake up ...our youth have serious issues," Heather Chesser wrote. Although the cases have struck a nerve with their disturbing randomness and apparent cruelty, the reality is that living in the United States may never have been safer, and you're much more likely to be the victim of a crime committed by someone you know than you are to be assaulted by a stranger. WWII veteran beaten to death Thrill kill in Oklahoma Nearly eight of every 10 murders in the United States between 1993 and 2008 were committed by someone the victim knew, according a 2010 report by the federal Bureau of Justice Statistics. The report didn't include figures for 2011 or 2012. Similarly, nearly two out of every three nonviolent crimes were committed by someone the victim knew. Pair that with figures on overall crime: According to the FBI, the violent crime rate in the United States is about half what it was in 1992. And between 1992 and 2011, the annual number of murders in the United States fell from 23,760 to 14,612 despite a growing population. Rape, robbery, assault, even property crimes also fell in a well-documented decline that has gone on for years, albeit with a small upturn in 2012. Criminologists have cited shifts in the crack cocaine market, which drove many 1990s-era murders; an increase in the number of offenders behind bars; the country's aging population; and more sophisticated policing for the declines. But perceptions of crime haven't always followed the reality. In May, a Pew Research Center study found that 56% of Americans believe that gun violence is higher than it was 20 year ago, even though it has fallen precipitously since the 1990s. And in 2011, Gallup found that 68% of Americans believed crime was getting worse, despite the reality of declining crime rates nationwide.
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Improving Critical Thinking Skills
by GloomySunday ini'm out of the jw religion, but still have trouble thinking critically.
when i was in, i had no idea what a logical fallacy was, i used all sorts of false arguments, yes, even "if man evolved from monkeys, why are there still monkeys?".
i would fall for just about everything.
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DJS
Lots of good advice as usual on this topic. I would suggest 2 things. First I would read a book or an article on debating strategies. I think it will help you to understand the tactics people use when they don't have a sound argument. A sound bite is included below. But it comes down to facts and logic about those facts. The second thing I would suggest is to read a book on intelligence analysis. I developed an Intelligence Analysis course several years ago that I taught at one of the local colleges. Studying the subject and teaching it helped me to understand the process of how to separate "wheat" (intelligence) from "chaff" (fluff, filler, nonsense). And it helped me to fairly quickly drill down to the essence of any argument and not waste valuable brain space and energy on inconsequential data or arguments.I apply these concepts in everything. The course was patterned after the same course taught at West Point Military Academy. One of my old profs is a counselor there and they helped me develop the course. The process has changed my life for the better. If interested I have several books to recommend. Finally I would say to study, read, research, take a class, go to college. Do anything that expands your mind out of the encapsulated cocoon created by the WT. There are two intellectually-honest debate tactics: 1. pointing out errors or omissions in your opponent’s facts?2. pointing out errors or omissions in your opponent’s logic Rules of debate All other debate tactics are intellectually dishonest. Generally, the federal rules of evidence of our courts attempt to make the argument or debate there intellectually honest. Roberts Rules of Order, which were written by my fellow West Point Graduate (Class of 1857) Henry Martyn Robert, are used to govern debate in many organization meetings. For example, one of Robert’s Rules, Number 43 says, “It is not allowable to arraign the motives of a member, but the nature or consequences of a measure may be condemned in strong terms. It is not the man, but the measure, that is the subject of debate.” Most of Roberts Rules relates to procedure like limiting debate. Those rules are irrelevant to an online debate like that between me and other real estate investment gurus. Some debate organizations have rules like the Code of the Debater from the University of Virginia which says among other things: “I will research my topic and know what I am talking about. “I will be honest about my arguments and evidence and those of others. “I will be an advocate in life, siding with those in need and willing to speak truth to power.” I disagree with the phrase “those in need” above. It should say those in the right.
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71
Are You Upset My Miley Cyrus' Performance On MTV Awards?
by minimus ini'm not, even a little bit and i don't understand what the outrage is all about..
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DJS
I'm not upset at all. This is called marketing, and we all should reallly be used to it by now. Madonna, Gaga, Britney, Christian, Miley. . . . It seems childish to me to make a big deal of this. Normal girls will do a lot of crazy a@@ crap to get noticed; and this generation has come up with all those I just mentioned and the ultra-millionaire Kim K who is famous for being nothing but hot. And making a sex tape.
I also thought it ridiculous that the U.S. made such a fuss over Janet Jackson's nipple - all .75 seconds of it, whiich I unfortunatley missed because I was looking away. Congress even got involved. Dear god. Grow up America.
And if they are truly outraged by it, simply ignore it. Making such a fuss over it gives her and all those like her exactly what they are seeking. My ex girlfriend would do similar outlandish things for attention. And she was beautiful in the extreme. And crazy. But as a marketing scheme it worked wonders. Even on me. At least for a while. ;-)
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41
How Did You View The Elders?
by minimus ini know some who truly believed they were "gifts in men".
they needed their approval and wanted to be well spoken of by them.. i know some who can't stand elders and regard them as pests, always looking for some dirt on somebody.. i know some who liked maybe one or two but regarded the majority as unqualified.. how did you view the elders??
?.
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DJS
I concur with Minimus; the task masters and harsh un-loving elders almost always advanced in the Borg. This was one of the key reasons I began doubting the WT and beginning my exit from it. I learned a long time ago that everything and everyone in life relfects its master, parent, teacher, coach or CEO, whether it is employees, children, team members in sports. My old company's leaders only promoted individuals who looked, walked, talked and acted just like them. And I mean just like them.
After observing that the harsh and unloving consistently were "promoted" for many years I figured the one common demoninator was the top leadership in the Borg. Are some elders or GB members kind or decent? Obviously. However, even they place the org. above everything else. The "Team" or "company" may be more important than the indivdiual, but when it comes to being a Christian, as I understood it when I was a JW, care for individual sheep was more important than the "Team." The WT operated more like a corporation than a Christ-like church.
Care for individual sheep meant nothing to the Borg and its minions. Being in lock step with the Borg's leaders was far more important than taking care of the weak (and I don't mean the WT definition of it) and oppressed. I concluded that the WT was a hate-filled, evil cult. And I was an elder at the time. And my opinion hasn't changed in the past 2 decades post WT exit.
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Former Elders? What did you not like about serving as an elder?
by JakeM2012 ina few of my pet peeves were:.
the po/cobe knowing that he needed to have an elders meeting after the meeting but not telling any other elders.
humm, but his wife knew.
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DJS
I hated having to take some of the nonsense being spewed, I mean lovingly shared, from Brooklyn and trying to act like I agreed with it. I'm not good at that, and my true feelings would give me away every time. How some on this board are capable of staying in positions of leaderhip right now in the Borg while simultaneously burying their disdain for the control and lack of love show by the WI is admirable but not in my DNA.
The second thing I hated most was the extreme egos amongst the elders. Most were uneducated and their only claim to fame in life was their eldership. I became disillusioned quickly upon seeing that the closer I got to the core of the apple the more rotten the apple became. Our Hall was known to have a loving, balanced body of elders but in reality almost all of them were nasty, dark, egomaniacal little men who thought they and their families were somehow better or more priviliged than the rank-in-file.