JohnL

You’re getting a lot of defensive reactions here. As an American, I think what’s different here is the fundamental treatment of the individual as supreme. This allows us to choose our religion, say what we want, and whether to have a gun. This freedom unleashes the spirit. And we will always treat a Western nation as a friend.

From Martin Iles, reposted: Having lived in the USA for nearly two years, I've realised something. The USA and the remainder of the Western world are no longer aligned. We all laugh and mock when the Americans say, "Freedom!" because we truly think we're as free as they are. Wrong. We're not. Not even close. The laws, the mindset, and the behaviour, is totally different in this regard. Most of all, the governments are totally different. The USA's convictions around core freedoms are on a scale we do not share. Meanwhile, Donald Trump wins the popular vote, the electoral college, the House, and the Senate... a man who, in every other Western country, is held in open derision, if not contempt. For these and other reasons, we are not the same. Yet the West, including Australia, fully expect to rely on the USA for our very survival. If the world turns bad (which will happen - only a question of time), then the whole West, without America, is toast. So, you may ask - if we're not very aligned ideologically, then it must be that we bring something to the party militarily? Well, no... actually... we don't matter that much militarily. The USA has about 470 ships in its navy, including 11 aircraft carriers, 69 submarines, 75 destroyers... plus 110 new ships in the pipeline. Australia has about 30, including 3 destroyers, 7 frigates and 7 outdated submarines. The UK does a little better, with about 60. Meanwhile, the US has over 14,000 military aircraft. A staggering number. Australia has 252 military aircraft. The UK has 556. The US army has just shy of 1,000,000 uniformed personnel in its military. Australia has about 45,000. The USA spends 3.4% ($968 billion) of its GDP on defence. Australia spends 2% ($36.4 billion). The US spends as much as the next 15 largest military-spending countries (including China) combined. The USA has a fighting culture. The men shoot things (a lot) and hunt things, the veterans get favoured in everything from parking spots to boarding planes. A uniformed young man is thanked in the street a dozen times a day. "Oh, the Americans and their guns!" we say, in our smug way. Yes, they have a warrior culture. We do not. We don't have to, because we're a leech on theirs. How many young British men are willing to fight for their country? Now ask the same regarding young American men. The difference is about as wide as it could be. Militarily, we don't offer squat. Meanwhile, look at the way Australia works against America's interests by loving on China. China made us rich and we stay close. This is a Marxist regime with expansionist aims. Again, you have to spend time in the USA to realise just how vast a gulf there is between us on China. Europe, too. They let China have their way everywhere from Germany to Greenland, all the while importing Islam and sending their own people to court for saying hurty words. Somehow, we have landed the deal of a lifetime with the USA that says, "when the baddies come, you'll save us ok?" Because we can't save ourselves. And we live in peace. But we keep gnawing away at freedoms, keep enabling China, and get flabby and disinterested about our military because Uncle Sam's got it. And, let's be honest, Americans are widely looked down on. To add insult to injury, we don't think that highly of our protectors. So, the USA is finally saying "enough." I am here, I can tell you what the vibe is, and that's it. Trump is doing what people want in this regard. They're over it. And we come across all shocked and hard done by. We behave like people with no self-insight at all. Yes, the global alliance system is all over the place now. From America's perspective, it's about time. And I must say, though I be a proud Australian, I am forced to agree. Something has to change.

@theliamnissan Heard that at the barber shop?

Trump wants to use tactical nukes on Iran, and he just fired EVERY general that's against it. Let that sink in folks

@amazingmap What if New Orleans decides to shut it all down!?

Almost half of the US drains into this one river A raindrop falling in Montana can end up in the Gulf of Mexico

@DavidJHarrisJr Fully false. Only in recent decades have you seen this change in some locals (such as California) due to competition from cheap imported labor. Many people left the trades as they couldn’t afford it.

How would you respond?

@waronweakness Difference between conveying information and artful entertainment.

Writing gurus : "Write short sentences and don't use big words" Charles Dickens in the first sentence of Oliver Twist: "Among other public buildings in a certain town, which for many reasons it will be prudent to refrain from mentioning, and to which I will assign no fictitious name, there is one anciently common to most towns, great or small: to wit, a workhouse; and in this workhouse was born - on a day and date which I need not trouble myself to repeat, inasmuch as it can be of no possible consequence to the reader, in this stage of the business at all events - the item of mortality whose name is prefixed to the head of this chapter.

@PeterSweden7 You can’t logic your way there. I simply find the bible story of the resurrection, including multiple witnesses at different times and places, to be sufficient.

What is your best logical argument for the existence of God? I have two arguments that are very compelling... Argument number 1: The universe must logically have had a beginning. If it had a beginning, then that beginning must have had a cause. That cause must be outside of this universe and outside of time. An eternal, all powerful source. In other words, God. The other option would be that the universe, time and matter was eternal. Which would per definition place it in the category of supernatural, which is absurd. Argument number 2: If good and evil exists, that means God must also exist. Why? Because God is what gives the ultimate compass for what is objectively good and evil. Without God, an higher power that is all knowing and perfect, moral laws become subjective to each one of us. You cannot have moral law without a moral law giver. We can observe and logically understand that objective moral laws do indeed exist. We can clearly see that evil, that which goes against the objective moral law, does exist. Therefore good, that which follows the objectively moral law, must also exist. And if those are true, therefore then, God exists.

The very poorest should be kept alive, but people will immediately game the system once the government attempts such a thing. Beyond basic government welfare (no frills survival), the better approach is for charities and/or churches to supplement welfare with voluntary contributions. This already exists, and I seriously doubt anyone in America today starves to death, yet “getting by” to some means having the latest iPhone.

アメリカ人に聞きたいんだけど、 アメリカの一人当たりGDPは日本の2.6倍もあるのに、 なんでそんなに生活が苦しい人が多いの？ 高所得の人がたくさんいるんだから、再分配を少し強化するだけで、貧しい人たちの生活はぐっと楽になると思うけど、なんで再分配を強化しないの？ ちなみに、再分配を強化するのは社会主義でも共産主義でもないよ。 それは修正資本主義。君たちの大好きな資本主義を、ほんのちょっと修正しただけのものだよ。

@phil_stn @RCEY28 @drawandstrike Agree, most folks don’t know anything about leverage (unless you were a wrestler), and hopefully it will work. My statement was merely a warning not to think you’re invincible with this training - and to use other safeguards as a first line of defense.

@johnL_99 @RCEY28 @drawandstrike You can try to avoid danger, but sometimes it will still find you despite doing everything right. The technique isn't taught to defeat a stronger opponent, just a way to get out of such a grapple despite being weaker (leverage instead of pure strenght) & hopefully get away...

This woman was in a self-defense class when the instructor grabbed both her wrists and challenged her to escape... You see her twisting hard, trying to slide her elbow over his wrist without pushing his arm down while he holds tight, everyone in the gym watching and the on-screen text popping up with the exact technique. She works it, gets free, and then they show how she can instantly strike with the same move on the pads. The escape move every woman needs to know... Would you be able to pull this off if someone grabbed you like that or would you be stuck trying to fight back?

@ryanswalters73 @drawandstrike If being born in the US was sufficient, there would not be an “and” here: “every person born within the limits of the United States, and subject to their jurisdiction, “

It’s so simple, only a complete moron, or TDS leftist, could possibly misunderstand it. A simple understanding of language, punctuation, and sentence structure helps too. Senator Jacob Howard of Michigan introduced the 14th amendment and said this: "This amendment which I have offered, is simply declaratory of what I regard as the law of the land already, that every person born within the limits of the United States, and subject to their jurisdiction, is by virtue of natural law and national law a citizen of the United States. This will not, of course, include persons born in the United States who are foreigners, aliens, who belong to the families of ambassadors or foreign ministers accredited to the Government of the United States, but will include every other class of persons."

@2000STOCKMASTER @sharma_views @piersmorgan I don’t live there, but I’ve heard there are no-go zones in London like in Paris. Not good!!

@sharma_views piers is a moron - and a liar @piersmorgan i’ve watched him alive on national TV and admit that there are places where he lives that are out of control because of the Muslims what a fucking asshole he he’s become

🚨 PIERS MORGAN: Iran can’t match militarily… so they’re playing it smart, right? RUDY: Europeans are run by useless cowards… the UK is being taken over by Muslims. PIERS: I live in London. I don’t see any of that. REALITY CHECK… RIGHT TO HIS FACE 💥

@GingerGold67317 @ferald_gord Winter, or more precisely when kids are in school.

@johnL_99 @ferald_gord What is considered “off season”?

this exact drive (in a convertible) is a major bucket list item for me

@GavinNewsom As a Californian, I fully support the Executive Order.

We’re challenging it. See you in court.

@ferald_gord Next time, do it by motorcycle

@ferald_gord Did exactly that in a Triumph Spitfire, top down, music playing, and wearing a Stetson derby. 2 suggestions: 1) keep going south all the way to Morro Bay - it’s open now, 2) leave early (and preferably off season) to avoid the RVs.

@dietrichBonh @ayeejuju Ha ha. Very flat, no lakes, no forests.

@ayeejuju Worst place I ever visited. It’s flat with just boring fields for agriculture. Zero to see there. Washington however is beautiful. I highly suggest avoiding that boring place and go to Washington.

i have always wondered what’s going on here

@JohnCleese I know you hate Trump, but would this have happened without US actions domestically, as well as his prodding of the EU?

The tide is turning Unless Islam is prepared to compromise... Fat chance

@mcucolo57 Ours wasn’t as bad but could no longer walk, so we pushed him.

Every day he pushes his paralyzed dog through the neighborhood because giving up was never an option. An elderly man went viral after photos showed him pushing his paralyzed dog through the streets in a handmade pram. When the dog lost the ability to walk, he did not give up on his longtime companion. Instead he built a wheeled cart from wood, fabric and basic hardware that allowed the dog to sit securely while being pushed through parks and neighborhood streets. Witnesses said they regularly saw the pair out together, with the man pushing the cart at a steady pace so the dog could take in the surroundings. The device keeps the dog's body supported while its legs hang naturally underneath.

@JohnCleese This is simply an opportunity for lesser, resentful nations to “bring down” the more successful. Not to mention, the more successful nations that fought to end such slavery, at the cost of many lives.

Why is the Transatlantic slave trade worse than any of the many other examples of this appalling behaviour ?

@Zigmanfreud How can such a powerful nation be so stupid?

You have been warned…