sherpa

For what it's worth, I agree, and I wish this man would go away.

I get what your point is here, but I would add... There was no risk to the US Naval forces. The issue is how much confidence the US had that this was actually, as claimed, a boat full of drugs headed for the US. I am still confused how such a small craft could make it to the US from Venezuela, a long way away, so I suspect it was headed to a drop off point for further transport. Either way, it was likely a hellfire missile from a drone, and that is approved at the highest gov authority, not from an on scene commander.

Best and luckiest things I've done in life. West coast Naval Aviator based in California for years, though a lot of that was spent on a carrier at sea. Met my wife, did our dating and marriage thing with kids there. Purchased our first house there, in the Bay area. Sold the house and left there in 1989. That was probably the best.

It "can happen" because flyovers are not hostile acts, and happen all the time. If they performed a hostile act as defined by the rules of engagement, they would have been destroyed. See "Libya vs US Navy," or "Operation Praying Mantis," vs Iran.

I don't think Putin and Russia have a chance. They can be on this oil life support for a bit, but their economy is so distorted on the input side from oil dependence, which is no longer that important, to the output side, which is a grossly distorted military expenditure centric thing that I don't think they survive. Eventually, some event occurs, and things go south at an incredible rate.

I'm not a maga guy, but the purely economic reality is that because of the tariffs, Russian oil is less desirable, and is forcing them to sell it at deep discounts, costing them billions. I doubt it's hundreds of billions, but it is a very significant number, and because that is all they have to sell to fund their war, it is not insignificant.

I don't think you have any idea what your are talking about. A Naval force deploys with various capabilities that complement and support each other. They didn't deploy with the plan to go after one boat. And yes, when the org is defined as a terrorist org, a sovereign has the right to do something before they get in your waters, which they probably wouldn't have done anyway. That boat was a bit small to make it from Venezuela to the US. Likely it was heading to a drop off point for further transport. That's how this stuff works.

Regarding relative safety in Chicago,I lived in the a western suburb for a number of years. The crime issue is really neighborhood dependent. There are places we really enjoyed, and there were places we would never go voluntarily.

It was created to allow MN Governor, and VP candidate Tim Walz a career that would provide him the opportunity to exit when it was time to deploy with his unit.

Sure. I'm just not as smart as you. I can tell. On the other hand, things are going pretty well in my world, maybe because I'm not obsessed with our president.

Fully agree. I've owned a Kubota 45 hp diesel and now own a 50 hp Deere diesel. They will be fine, and it has nothing to do with Trump. I have looked, but am unable to find out how the EU and other's tariffs and VATs Deere and countless other US manufactured products have dealt with for years. I'm not a fan of the Trump process dealing with this, but I'm quite glad somebody did something about it. In addition, I have lost any interest in any individual who expressed a view that Biden was competent for his last two years. That was a totally idiotic view, and we all knew it.

By the way, public corporations don't post "vague plans." They are held responsible by shareholders, who actually own the company, manage them, and can fire them in a vote.. They don't throw 20B numbers out there for fun. Deere has problems. I own one, as I think you do. They have recently got into marketing trouble because of the necessity to have all maintenance done by a pro, which is antithetical to tractor owners, but that is a different subject. It must be all about Trump. Every day, every subject.

At some point you must wonder if there is anything wrong with you. There is nothing in the Deere report, which companies don't simply make stuff up about, that has anything to do with Trump. This is an obsession of about four people here. It is simply impossible to converse on anything without some Trump or Maga accusation. Unceasing. It's ridiculous and pitiful, as well as asserting a lie, over and over. Deere wants to spend 20b on US manufacturing. Great. That's my point, and it has nothing to do with any contrived accusation of supporting anyone. That's not what I do.

Same old bullstuff. What I posted is from their second quarter earnings report. Trump was not mentioned in that report. Kind of significant, eh? 20 billion. This never ends. Any idea what tariffs and VAT do to American exports to Europe? Any idea about anything at all?

Yet...... In it's second quarter earnings release Deere, indicated it would spend 20 billion to expand US manufacturing facilities. How's that for "waging war" on American industries. Deere Massive Expansion

Another idiotic accusation. This has nothing to do with Trump or any of his supporters. Absolutely nothing, but that oft repeated nonsense cannot be avoided by folks, and it is so illustrative of ignorance. I remember looking at this stuff years ago, and the amount of charity from US citizens is not nearly accurately reported because there are thousands of pathways to do so that are not statistically tracked, by gov reports. Believe what you want, but there isn't a single greater charitable nation in history that gets close to the US, and the charity extends well beyond money.

That may be something you're interested in. I do a good deal of dispursement this at our church, and I am not aware of anything attaching strings, but to each his own. I am simply stating that a great deal of charitable contributions that US citizens make are not reported in any official capacity, and certainly not as gov aid. It could be argued that a small amount of it could be monitored by allowable tax deductions, but that would be another false path, as a great deal of these are not reported to the IRS since people don't itemize as often since the standard deductions are large enough to eliminate that reporting. The point is that the US citizen gives way more in charity than is ever accounted for by gov stats, and those avenues are not nearly as opted for by foreign citizens,

I am extremely suspicious of this conclusion, as I have seen similar things in the past. In the link, at least as far as I could tell, there is no mention of aid totals that are separate from official gov numbers. The US grants aid as a government, and that is what seems to be reported in this link. US citizens also have thousands of avenues to provide such aid that are not reported as official gov aid, largely religious. Other countries do not have near that participation. I believe that if total aid from US citizens, including not formal gov aid was included in these numbers, it would drastically change the conclusion. Most US citizens support charities that are not part of any gov report.

You are going full Tibsy. You are asserting that I have said something I never have, nor ever will. Total Tibs. I have no view on "civilian employees" in DOD. Your phrase. What I have stated, and believe with clear, undeniable personal knowledge, is that the Reserves/National Guard supplement the active duty military, deploy regularly to war zones and our capability would be nowhere near what it is without them. In short, we couldn't function as we do without them.

I know what they do, and they deploy and pull triggers just like active duty, all the time. I think the current state of the US armed forces indicates and absolutely knows "what level of guard/reserve we need." They are invaluable, cheaper, and extremely effective. We could not support our military mission without them.

I have no idea what your nephew does. I do have a very good idea of what the Guard and Reserves do, and they deploy on active duty and carry out the same missions as as anybody else in the military, often for extended periods. It isn't what is used to be, and they are very involved. Social norms. It's a different culture. You can even see it here with various groups.

Go beyond the obvious, which these parables told by Jesus often do. It is easy to see the lesson of a perceived enemy helping out someone to an impossible level, which the Samaritan does above the priest and the Levit. The depth of the parable is that the moral/legal authority .who asks the question of salvation never gets the lesson, as he indicates by asking who his neighbor is. He is looking for an excuse. Similar to a number of parables, most obvious in the parable of the prodigal son. Most folks see that as a forgiveness lesson, but look at the other brother, who is angry because of perceived getting shorted by the dad. He never gets over it. He never figures that forgiveness is a gift and unburdens people.

I believe that there are hundreds of references in the Old Testament addressing this, which have come true. I am in no position to say what God requires, but I am familiar with what is in the Old Testament regarding what occurred, with undeniable accuracy.

Great question. First of all, it's a parable, not a true historical story. Samaritans were despised by the Judeans, and not to be dealt with, so this individual made a perfect example. This individual not only saves the guy, he puts him up in a hotel on the road and says he will pay for all expenses. There are two lessons in this parable. The first is the impossibility of ever living up to the standard of the answer to the Samaritan's question, which is "What is required for eternal life," to which Jesus answers, to this Old Testament legal authority, "What do you think," and he answers, "Love God with all your....and Love your neighbor as yourself." The legal authority, then, trying to get out of it, says, "Well, who then is my neighbor?" The point is that such a standard is impossible, and the only way is through the sacrifice which eventually reconnected humanity with God.

Jesus Joe. Come over the mountain. I'll buy you dinner. By the way, if you're ever over here, that offer exists. Peace.