Politics

[Hunt anything]

Gotta ask, what’s the beef with coffee?

 

[1dirthawker]

Gotta ask, what’s the beef with coffee?

short answer....Gina is a coffee snob, freak, expert, etc. and spikeT is pulling her chain to get a reaction. all done in fun.

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

The last ten pages or so of polarised back and forth between normally rational, reasonable and intelligent people upon who should be their president between two inadequate candidates has cemented my view that the current form of your democracy has failed the USA. There has to be a better way. Forget your domestic issues, the whole future of humanity may hang in the balance.
Some thoughts for alternatives:
1. Strip the president of real power and devolve that to a 'super committee' of no more than five people with a majority vote system. People would need to be qualified according to criteria and nominated for choice by congress.
2. Strip down both the senate and congress to about a third of their size and give the members limited terms.
3. Force performance in some way, x number of acts passed or whatever per term or they all get removed.

Or....?

 

[Newboomer]

Question for the US Army people on the thread. What do y’all think about West Point moving on from “Duty Honor Country” to ”Army Values” ? Under the guise of being more inclusive.

I don't like it. I'm not a ring knocker but did serve 30 years as enlisted. We always taught "Duty, Honor, Country".After all that's what the mission of the armed forces is. To serve honorably and protect our country. "Duty, Honor, Country" says it all.
"Army Values" is included in the three main words "Duty, Honor, Country" and I 'don't believe they should supplant the original. I think they do add more detail and possible clarification.

 

[Tanks]

Did someone say coffee? Below is for about 9 months total as I was overseas for 3 months.

 

[Mekaniks]

Did someone say coffee? Below is for about 9 months total as I was overseas for 3 months.

View attachment 593839

13.5 cups a day??? Dang I thought I drank a lot of coffee ….

 

[Just Gina]

13.5 cups a day??? Dang I thought I drank a lot of coffee ….

When Drs ask me how many cups of coffee per day do you drink, I answer in pots. I then ask if they can convert pots to cups. I always get a chuckle

Edit: I mean, I am trying to be a good friend and drink enough for me and @spike.t !

 

[Tanks]

The last ten pages or so of polarised back and forth between normally rational, reasonable and intelligent people upon who should be their president between two inadequate candidates has cemented my view that the current form of your democracy has failed the USA. There has to be a better way. Forget your domestic issues, the whole future of humanity may hang in the balance.
Some thoughts for alternatives:
1. Strip the president of real power and devolve that to a 'super committee' of no more than five people with a majority vote system. People would need to be qualified according to criteria and nominated for choice by congress.
...

First, decisions by committee never really work at executive level. That being said, I think that is what is happening at Biden administration as I truly think Biden is not really involved.

2. Strip down both the senate and congress to about a third of their size and give the members limited terms.
3. Force performance in some way, x number of acts passed or whatever per term or they all get removed.

That is the wrong approach. I'd rather Congress did less rather than more. Most successful State government are those that are in session only a few months a year.

 

[mdwest]

I do love a good cup of coffee.. but I cant imagine that sort of intake.. I'd be a nervous wreck all day...

I used to do 4-6 cups a day (large cups.. probably equal to most other peoples 6-8 cups per day... and would consume that starting at about 0600 each morning and continue until about noon.. I have to shut it down by then or I'll be up all night... caffeine seems to stay with me for a while once I consume it..

Im now down to 2-3 large cups per day (probably equal to most peoples 3-4 cups..

Ive got a good buddy that an all day coffee drinker.. I'd guess he does a legitimate 10+ cups a day.. It amazes me how much coffee he drinks, the time of day/night he drinks it, and how 20 minutes after sucking down the last cup of the day, he can go lay down and be asleep without effort..

How you guys pull off more than that, I'll never understand...

 

[mdwest]

First, decisions by committee never really work at executive level. That being said, I think that is what is happening at Biden administration as I truly think Biden is not really involved.

I think its likely worse than that..

I think Biden is involved for short periods of time.. when he has both the energy and cognitive ability.. (which likely dont converge often or for much more than a few hours at any point)..

inconsistent leadership at the executive level is in my experience FAR worse than even incompetence or uninvolvement..

you can plan and work around constants.. if you know the boss is an idiot and always involved.. you can find ways to get things done despite him/her.. if the boss is brilliant, but totally checked out, you can find ways to get things done in their absence...

but when the boss is sometimes around (and demands being in charge when he is around), is sometimes completely checked out, is sometimes firing on all 8 cylinders, and is at other times only firing on 2.. you have chaos.. no one is ever really in charge.. and no one is ever really fully responsible..

 

[Tanks]

...

Ive got a good buddy that an all day coffee drinker.. I'd guess he does a legitimate 10+ cups a day.. It amazes me how much coffee he drinks, the time of day/night he drinks it, and how 20 minutes after sucking down the last cup of the day, he can go lay down and be asleep without effort..

How you guys pull off more than that, I'll never understand...

Same here. I can have a nice cup of coffee after dinner and then sleep like a baby. Now, in Africa my coffee consumption goes down considerably as I have no coffee during the day. I have been toying with the idea of a thermos for the vehicle though for the next hunt.

 

[Altitude sickness]

Mdwest, Obama’s people are running this country. he promised to fundamentally change America and he is doing it

I know Kennedy‘s video has been posted but for those that haven’t watched the whole thing it’s worth watching.

Instead of us laying awake at night wondering which of the two great candidates we will vote for the next day

we have two that most can’t stomach. What in the heck is going on

If you haven’t already watch this video

 

[David AK 53]

Question for the US Army people on the thread. What do y’all think about West Point moving on from “Duty Honor Country” to ”Army Values” ? Under the guise of being more inclusive.

This is a tempest in a tea pot created by those that thrive on generating divisiveness. “Duty, Honor, Country” is and continues to be the motto for West Point and a standard for cadets and graduates to live by. Not all commissioned officers in the Army are Academy graduates, in fact more are not. We all strive to live Army Values. Army Values include all the tenets of the West Point motto and more. “Honor and Duty” are direct Army Values. “Country” is included in the Army Values of “Selfless Service” and “Loyalty” . It is completely understandable that the Academy Mission statement be more oriented on preparing graduates for service in the Army and to the Nation.

 

[PARA45]

short answer....Gina is a coffee snob, freak, expert, etc. and spikeT is pulling her chain to get a reaction. all done in fun.

You say freak? Nah, she is a coffee connoisseur.

I drink two big tumblers in the morning, and then at around 1030 or so, I make some Cuban Coffee (like an expresso). You should see the coffee crack heads come to get their fix. Good stuff. I think I was weaned on coffee; caffeine doesn't affect me at all. I just like the taste and love the aroma.

 

[mdwest]

Mdwest, Obama’s people are running this country.

Biden is one of Obama's people...

We cant forget what Obama said about Biden though.. .

"never underestimate Joes ability to fuck things up"...

Joe clearly thinks he is in charge at times... at other times he is clearly completely unaware of what room he is even standing in...

That puts Obamas plan and the rest of his people in jeopardy.. but in the worst possible way..

We dont just get Obamas plan... we get a Joe fucked it up version of that plan..

 

[Red Leg]

I don't like it. I'm not a ring knocker but did serve 30 years as enlisted. We always taught "Duty, Honor, Country".After all that's what the mission of the armed forces is. To serve honorably and protect our country. "Duty, Honor, Country" says it all.
"Army Values" is included in the three main words "Duty, Honor, Country" and I 'don't believe they should supplant the original. I think they do add more detail and possible clarification.

They did not supplant anything. The motto of the academy has not changed in 126 years. I am certain it will not. The mission statement has changed several times and only included the academy motto for the last 26 years.

An Army Values list was first adopted in 1970 and has evolved ever since. We expect both officers and enlisted men to be know and understand them. I don't know of a NCO board that would fail to ask a candidate to not recite them. I do not know when you retired, but assuming it wasn't before 1970, I am surprised you would not have known and embraced them as well.

As I noted earlier, I don't think it matters in the least, and I am fairly confident LTG Gilland wishes he had never suggested changing the mission statement in our current insane environment.

 

[VertigoBE]

The last ten pages or so of polarised back and forth between normally rational, reasonable and intelligent people upon who should be their president between two inadequate candidates has cemented my view that the current form of your democracy has failed the USA. There has to be a better way. Forget your domestic issues, the whole future of humanity may hang in the balance.
Some thoughts for alternatives:
1. Strip the president of real power and devolve that to a 'super committee' of no more than five people with a majority vote system. People would need to be qualified according to criteria and nominated for choice by congress.
2. Strip down both the senate and congress to about a third of their size and give the members limited terms.
3. Force performance in some way, x number of acts passed or whatever per term or they all get removed.

Or....?

Kevin, just on the first point, the last thing anyone needs is more committees or other ways of obfuscating responsibility. So I would not advocate for removing a singular leader, in exchange for a group of unidentifiable « wise men/women »

 

[mdwest]

The mission statement has changed several times and only included the academy motto for the last 26 years.

^^^ this ^^^

Mission statements SHOULD change... they are generally supposed to be short in duration (once you achieve the mission.. you have a new mission.. and thereby you get a new statement).. in this case they didnt even really do that.. they changed some words without changing the actual mission (not in a major way at least).. which is somewhat typical of the military frankly (someone is always trying to put their mark on something, tweaking it, trying to claim something new or more viable has been achieved.. earning some additional attention when its time for the next OER, etc..etc..)..

VISION statements are longer term, but generally not enduring.. they are for letting people know what it is you intend to accomplish over the next 5-10-20 years, etc.. they set the lasting goal that once accomplished is a game changer for the organization...

VALUES statements are supposed to be enduring and should rarely (potentially never) change.. they tell you what drive the organization toward its mission(s) and its vision.. they are the standard that you expect people to strive to adhere to every day, etc..etc.. Duty and Honor remain in the Armys values statement (where they belong)... and Country is implied (to whom duty and honor as well as the other values are owed) via mission and vision..

If the army (or the academy) was changing its stated values, I'd be looking very hard at this decision...

Changing its mission statement... that (IMO) is much ado about nothing.. especially since the "new" mission isnt all that unlike the old mission.. and certainly isnt something "bad" that we wouldnt want the academy, its faculty, or the cadets attempting to accomplish..


I'd further add that the Army, as well as almost every large government and every large business organization, and every large non profit, professional organization, etc.. love to use words to tell people both internal and external to the organization who they are, what they do, why they do it, how they do it, whats important to them, etc.. they also issue creeds, mottos, and a host of other "things" to accomplish this...

With most organization, the issue isnt what words are used.. its whether or not people within the organization actually live by them, believe in them, and are held accountable to them.. in the VAST MAJORITY of cases.. it doesnt matter if we're talking the Fortune 50, young start up organizations, the US Military, or the US Dept of Commerce, or the American Red Cross.. mission, vision, values, creeds, and mottos are nothing more than words on a page.. because leadership doesnt live by them and doesnt hire to those standards, train to those standards, etc...

 

[Red Leg]

The last ten pages or so of polarised back and forth between normally rational, reasonable and intelligent people upon who should be their president between two inadequate candidates has cemented my view that the current form of your democracy has failed the USA. There has to be a better way. Forget your domestic issues, the whole future of humanity may hang in the balance.
Some thoughts for alternatives:
1. Strip the president of real power and devolve that to a 'super committee' of no more than five people with a majority vote system. People would need to be qualified according to criteria and nominated for choice by congress.
2. Strip down both the senate and congress to about a third of their size and give the members limited terms.
3. Force performance in some way, x number of acts passed or whatever per term or they all get removed.

Or....?

Uh no?

If for no other reason, your dismantling of our government would require dismantling our constitution. Compared to a typical Prime Minister, our President already has rather limited power, particularly domestically - after all, Congress truly does control the purse strings. But above all, I do not want a council of regents attempting the run the country. I would not run a corporation that way, Appointed by Congress, it would be a political oligarchy unaccountable directly to the American people.

Our problem is not our form of government. Our problem is the quality of our electorate and many of its representatives. I am not sure how to prove it because it has nothing directly to do with years of education, but I think the country has never been so generally ignorant, right - left - center, and less capable of employing common sense or critical thinking. Many of those who do make an attempt to understand issues are single source consumers - not necessarily a single news outlet, but a single philosophical family of outlets, each which compete to be the most outraged.

The West Point nonsense is a perfect example as is the outrage over the Trump "bloodbath" comment (I suppose we could also add "inarticulate" to the country's intellectual shortcomings).

 

[rookhawk]

Uh no?

If for no other reason, your dismantling of our government would require dismantling our constitution. Compared to a typical Prime Minister, our President already has rather limited power, particularly domestically - after all, Congress truly does control the purse strings. But above all, I do not want a council of regents attempting the run the country. I would not run a corporation that way, Appointed by Congress, it would be a political oligarchy unaccountable directly to the American people.

Our problem is not our form of government. Our problem is the quality of our electorate and many of its representatives. I am not sure how to prove it because it has nothing directly to do with years of education, but I think the country has never been so generally ignorant, right - left - center, and less capable of employing common sense or critical thinking. Many of those who do make an attempt to understand issues are single source consumers - not necessarily a single news outlet, but a single philosophical family of outlets, each which compete to be the most outraged.

The West Point nonsense is a perfect example as is the outrage over the Trump "bloodbath" comment (I suppose we could also add "inarticulate" to the country's intellectual shortcomings).

Probably the most benign solution (beyond term limits) to reel in government would be to abolish political parties. It would force the voter to understand the positions of their local representatives, rather than pulling a binary lever blindly.