LaxPower Back-Up Stick

MDlaxfan76 wrote: ↑Wed Dec 08, 2021 9:19 pm

seacoaster wrote: ↑Wed Dec 08, 2021 4:42 pm I’d take her word and advice over yours any day of the week.

Over Salty's as well.
Not a close call.

old salt wrote: ↑Thu Dec 09, 2021 1:34 pm Let the Germans take the lead. They're the ones with the most at stake & the most leverage. We should offer to hold their coat.

old salt wrote: ↑Thu Dec 09, 2021 1:34 pm

MDlaxfan76 wrote: ↑Wed Dec 08, 2021 9:19 pm

seacoaster wrote: ↑Wed Dec 08, 2021 4:42 pm I’d take her word and advice over yours any day of the week.

Over Salty's as well.
Not a close call.

Jump on the Fiona train. She, Vindman & Nulin will happily lead us into a war with Russia to defend their friends in Ukraine.

Let the Germans take the lead. They're the ones with the most at stake & the most leverage. We should offer to hold their coat.

a fan wrote: ↑Thu Dec 09, 2021 1:44 pm

old salt wrote: ↑Thu Dec 09, 2021 1:34 pm Let the Germans take the lead. They're the ones with the most at stake & the most leverage. We should offer to hold their coat.

+100

Kismet wrote: ↑Thu Dec 09, 2021 2:07 pm

old salt wrote: ↑Thu Dec 09, 2021 1:34 pm

MDlaxfan76 wrote: ↑Wed Dec 08, 2021 9:19 pm

seacoaster wrote: ↑Wed Dec 08, 2021 4:42 pm I’d take her word and advice over yours any day of the week.

Over Salty's as well.
Not a close call.

Jump on the Fiona train. She, Vindman & Nulin will happily lead us into a war with Russia to defend their friends in Ukraine.

Let the Germans take the lead. They're the ones with the most at stake & the most leverage. We should offer to hold their coat.

You do realize that Fiona Hill was was appointed, in the first quarter of 2017, by the former DOPUS as deputy assistant to the president and senior director for European and Russian affairs on his National Security Council staff. I don't recall you saying anything about her at that time or any other time before her testimony in the first DOPUS impeachment....only then did you have a cow.

Vindman is not currently in the government and I highly doubt anyone at the WH is checking with him on what do do in the current situation.

As for Nuland, I guess you also prefer government officials with friends in Moscow rather than Kyiv.

get it to x wrote: ↑Thu Dec 09, 2021 2:08 pm

a fan wrote: ↑Thu Dec 09, 2021 1:44 pm

old salt wrote: ↑Thu Dec 09, 2021 1:34 pm Let the Germans take the lead. They're the ones with the most at stake & the most leverage. We should offer to hold their coat.

+100

Why should they have all the fun? Now that we've given all those munitions to the Taliban

Kismet wrote: ↑Thu Dec 09, 2021 2:07 pm

old salt wrote: ↑Thu Dec 09, 2021 1:34 pm

MDlaxfan76 wrote: ↑Wed Dec 08, 2021 9:19 pm

seacoaster wrote: ↑Wed Dec 08, 2021 4:42 pm I’d take her word and advice over yours any day of the week.

Over Salty's as well.
Not a close call.

Jump on the Fiona train. She, Vindman & Nulin will happily lead us into a war with Russia to defend their friends in Ukraine.

Let the Germans take the lead. They're the ones with the most at stake & the most leverage. We should offer to hold their coat.

You do realize that Fiona Hill was was appointed, in the first quarter of 2017, by the former DOPUS as deputy assistant to the president and senior director for European and Russian affairs on his National Security Council staff. I don't recall you saying anything about her at that time or any other time before her testimony in the first DOPUS impeachment....only then did you have a cow.

Vindman is not currently in the government and I highly doubt anyone at the WH is checking with him on what do do in the current situation.

As for Nuland, I guess you also prefer government officials with friends in Moscow rather than Kyiv.

old salt wrote: ↑Thu Dec 09, 2021 2:19 pm

Kismet wrote: ↑Thu Dec 09, 2021 2:07 pm

old salt wrote: ↑Thu Dec 09, 2021 1:34 pm

MDlaxfan76 wrote: ↑Wed Dec 08, 2021 9:19 pm

seacoaster wrote: ↑Wed Dec 08, 2021 4:42 pm I’d take her word and advice over yours any day of the week.

Over Salty's as well.
Not a close call.

Jump on the Fiona train. She, Vindman & Nulin will happily lead us into a war with Russia to defend their friends in Ukraine.

Let the Germans take the lead. They're the ones with the most at stake & the most leverage. We should offer to hold their coat.

You do realize that Fiona Hill was was appointed, in the first quarter of 2017, by the former DOPUS as deputy assistant to the president and senior director for European and Russian affairs on his National Security Council staff. I don't recall you saying anything about her at that time or any other time before her testimony in the first DOPUS impeachment....only then did you have a cow.

Vindman is not currently in the government and I highly doubt anyone at the WH is checking with him on what do do in the current situation.

As for Nuland, I guess you also prefer government officials with friends in Moscow rather than Kyiv.

Yes. She was hired by Mike Flynn & KT McFarland. On her book tour she said she did not vote for Trump, support him or his policies. She sought a position of power in hope of changing or restraining his policies. That was before her friend & former assistant Danchenko was indicted as a Russian agent who was a prime conduit of Russian disinformation to Christopher Steele & thus the FBI. Hill & Vindman proved to be highly effective Deep State apparatchiks who sabotaged a President's foreign policy in favor of their own. Now they're tv talking heads hawking their books. Nuland told our EU allies to go F themselves, while handing out sandwiches to the Orange Revolutionaries in Maidan Square. That worked out great.

old salt wrote: ↑Thu Dec 09, 2021 2:19 pm

Kismet wrote: ↑Thu Dec 09, 2021 2:07 pm

old salt wrote: ↑Thu Dec 09, 2021 1:34 pm

MDlaxfan76 wrote: ↑Wed Dec 08, 2021 9:19 pm

seacoaster wrote: ↑Wed Dec 08, 2021 4:42 pm I’d take her word and advice over yours any day of the week.

Over Salty's as well.
Not a close call.

Jump on the Fiona train. She, Vindman & Nulin will happily lead us into a war with Russia to defend their friends in Ukraine.

Let the Germans take the lead. They're the ones with the most at stake & the most leverage. We should offer to hold their coat.

You do realize that Fiona Hill was was appointed, in the first quarter of 2017, by the former DOPUS as deputy assistant to the president and senior director for European and Russian affairs on his National Security Council staff. I don't recall you saying anything about her at that time or any other time before her testimony in the first DOPUS impeachment....only then did you have a cow.

Vindman is not currently in the government and I highly doubt anyone at the WH is checking with him on what do do in the current situation.

As for Nuland, I guess you also prefer government officials with friends in Moscow rather than Kyiv.

Yes. She was hired by Mike Flynn & KT McFarland. On her book tour she said she did not vote for Trump, support him or his policies. She sought a position of power in hope of changing or restraining his policies. That was before her friend & former assistant Danchenko was indicted as a Russian agent who was a prime conduit of Russian disinformation to Christopher Steele & thus the FBI. Hill & Vindman proved to be highly effective Deep State apparatchiks who sabotaged a President's foreign policy in favor of their own. Now they're tv talking heads hawking their books. Nuland told our EU allies to go F themselves, while handing out sandwiches to the revolutionaries in Maidan Square. That worked out great.

seacoaster wrote: ↑Thu Dec 09, 2021 2:31 pm And finally, we don't hold other nation-states' coats; we have a multilateral agreement with, and deep and important bilateral ties with Germany. The point of that Agreement is, in part, economies of scale and geography and power. But your retreat from leadership is, as always, noted.

seacoaster wrote: ↑Thu Dec 09, 2021 2:31 pm But your retreat from leadership is, as always, noted.

Kismet wrote: ↑Thu Dec 09, 2021 2:33 pm The Ukraine/Georgia/NATO deal was initially supported and initiated by Bush 43 administration. Where were you then?

a fan wrote: ↑Thu Dec 09, 2021 2:37 pm

seacoaster wrote: ↑Thu Dec 09, 2021 2:31 pm And finally, we don't hold other nation-states' coats; we have a multilateral agreement with, and deep and important bilateral ties with Germany. The point of that Agreement is, in part, economies of scale and geography and power. But your retreat from leadership is, as always, noted.

You have to admit that it's full on bananas that the American left and the American right has completely swapped places in less than four years when it comes to foreign entanglements.

.....ever since Vietnam, the American left's position is: "why are we fighting wars overseas? This isn't our problem. Let someone else deal with it"

Since Trump arrived, this is now the position of the American right.

Since Trump arrived, the America middle-left is upset that we're not taking the lead in every overseas conflict. (the far left still has no interest)

It's a bit bizarre, don't you think?

old salt wrote: ↑Thu Dec 09, 2021 2:41 pm

seacoaster wrote: ↑Thu Dec 09, 2021 2:31 pm But your retreat from leadership is, as always, noted.

Leadership -- bullying & meddling on the EU's continent....getting conned by the double-dealing EUroburghers, who hide behind our military expenditures, while undercutting us by trading with Russia, Iran & China on more favorable terms. Let them pay & bleed for their own defense.
We should offer to follow Germany's lead & match whatever Germany is willing to do & deploy -- nothing more

a fan wrote: ↑Thu Dec 09, 2021 1:44 pm

old salt wrote: ↑Thu Dec 09, 2021 1:34 pm Let the Germans take the lead. They're the ones with the most at stake & the most leverage. We should offer to hold their coat.

+100

old salt wrote: ↑Thu Dec 09, 2021 2:50 pm

a fan wrote: ↑Thu Dec 09, 2021 1:44 pm

old salt wrote: ↑Thu Dec 09, 2021 1:34 pm Let the Germans take the lead. They're the ones with the most at stake & the most leverage. We should offer to hold their coat.

+100

From AFP :

https://www.malaymail.com/news/world/20 ... el/2027021

Putin wants ‘constructive’ ties with Scholz, praises Merkel

MOSCOW, Dec 8 — Russian President Vladimir Putin said today he wanted “constructive” ties with Germany’s new leader Olaf Scholz and thanked the outgoing Chancellor Angela Merkel.

“I look forward to establishing constructive dialogue with you and joint work on pressing matters on the bilateral and international agenda,” Putin said in a congratulatory telegram to Scholz, the Kremlin said.

Doing so “would undoubtedly meet the fundamental interests of Russians and Germans, and would contribute to the strengthening of stability and security at the regional and global levels,” Putin added.

In a separate telegram to the 67-year-old Merkel, Putin thanked her for cooperation over the past 16 years and readiness for “mutually respectful dialogue,” using the familiar “ty” form of address in his message rather than the formal “vy.”

“We were constantly in contact and tried to find ways out of even the most difficult situations,” Putin said. “We will of course continue our friendly interaction.”

Today, the German parliament elected Scholz as chancellor as a new centre-left-led coalition takes the wheel of Europe’s top economy.

The incoming government has pledged a tougher line with authoritarian states such as Russia after the business-driven pragmatism of the Merkel years.

Despite their bitter differences, Merkel and Putin, who speak each other’s languages, managed to keep talking throughout the outgoing German leader’s years in office.

Merkel was a proponent of direct talks with Putin and her ambivalent stance on Russia also frequently alienated partners, particularly in eastern Europe.

She angered them especially with the controversial Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline set to carry Russian gas to Germany, which several eastern European countries believe will embolden Moscow at their expense.

Germany imports around 40 per cent of its gas from Russia and is set to receive even more via Nord Stream 2, a project that has raised US concerns, divided Europe and angered EU ally Ukraine. — AFP

seacoaster wrote: ↑Thu Dec 09, 2021 2:47 pm

old salt wrote: ↑Thu Dec 09, 2021 2:41 pm

seacoaster wrote: ↑Thu Dec 09, 2021 2:31 pm But your retreat from leadership is, as always, noted.

Leadership -- bullying & meddling on the EU's continent....getting conned by the double-dealing EUroburghers, who hide behind our military expenditures, while undercutting us by trading with Russia, Iran & China on more favorable terms. Let them pay & bleed for their own defense.
We should offer to follow Germany's lead & match whatever Germany is willing to do & deploy -- nothing more

Good timing. Anyway....

You of course don't know that we are doing anything other than what you describe in your last sentence.

a fan wrote: ↑Thu Dec 09, 2021 2:37 pm

seacoaster wrote: ↑Thu Dec 09, 2021 2:31 pm And finally, we don't hold other nation-states' coats; we have a multilateral agreement with, and deep and important bilateral ties with Germany. The point of that Agreement is, in part, economies of scale and geography and power. But your retreat from leadership is, as always, noted.

You have to admit that it's full on bananas that the American left and the American right has completely swapped places in less than four years when it comes to foreign entanglements.

.....ever since Vietnam, the American left's position is: "why are we fighting wars overseas? This isn't our problem. Let someone else deal with it"

Since Trump arrived, this is now the position of the American right.

Since Trump arrived, the America middle-left is upset that we're not taking the lead in every overseas conflict. (the far left still has no interest)

It's a bit bizarre, don't you think?

MDlaxfan76 wrote: ↑Thu Dec 09, 2021 2:58 pm Seems to me that Ukraine has been provided much more military capacity over the past 7-8 years such that they can fight for themselves... and what the current Administration appears to be doing is signaling that we will do economic sanctions, not send troops or bombing runs, if Russia opens fire...maybe Biden threatened that as well, but that's not what I heard.

MDlaxfan76 wrote: ↑Thu Dec 09, 2021 11:27 am

jhu72 wrote: ↑Thu Dec 09, 2021 10:17 am

MDlaxfan76 wrote: ↑Wed Dec 08, 2021 9:16 pm

a fan wrote: ↑Wed Dec 08, 2021 3:14 pm

MDlaxfan76 wrote: ↑Wed Dec 08, 2021 2:11 pm Maybe you could explain "give away to other countries" when these are full pay students who need to be far higher achieving than do US students to gain admission? And certainly at most of our top universities, they also need to speak and write English at a strong level as well, so are active participants with their peers in class, on research etc. Are there more such full pay students available in the US? Seems to me they subsidize the cost of educating American students.

I know you're not xenophobic, wasn't saying you are...just don't understand the "give away" aspect.

I'm saying we need some of those spots to educate our own people. 300K is a HUGE number.

To wit:
55 percent of all U.S. graduate students in mathematics, computer science and engineering are international students


That number is a big long term problem, imho, if we're trying to compete globally, UNLESS the vast majority of these students stay and work in the US as citizens.

Is that happening? I don't know, and can't find a cite for that. If these ex-foreign students are turning into US citizens and staying here? Great. No problems.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions ... story.html

Let me repeat, I think you're ignoring that these are full pay students, which means that for most institutions, they're underwriting the cost for educating most of the American students.

If you've followed my other thoughts on education over the years (which I certainly don't expect you to have done), you'll recall that I feel strongly that we could and should do far more to transform our educational system, nowhere more obviously than in math and science. It's ridiculous that our system is designed to 'weed out' math and science students, 'separate the wheat from the chaff', rather than actually educating. What's the % of college freshmen intending to graduate with a math or science major degree (and that's after all the kids have been discouraged in American HS from such an objective) ? 50%? 30%?...nope, less than 10%. Less than 1 in 10 kids who actually intended to major in math or science end up doing so...Ridiculous. And it ain't because kids can't actually learn and perform at a high level...lots more on that topic...

... the woman's movement has helped with the scientific "weeding" problem, but not nearly enough and doing little if anything for males. I believe there are unrecognized differences between "natural" scientist/engineers and other students, generally unrecognized by the education profession.

If we accept that there are differences in individual's innate capabilities, and certainly such are observable physically, the question is whether such observable differences actually "make a difference" in STEM such that those who are perceived to have less "ability" are discouraged from pursuit at all. Basically, even if someone has some innate advantages in certain aspects of a STEM career, does that mean that someone with less such in that specific 'difference' can't be productive? Is it not possible that the 90% of those who had intended to major in math or science could well have been successful?

Moreover, are there other characteristics which might well outweigh the differences measured...eg what if Einstein's failure on an entrance exam had discouraged him from a career in math? Lots of students (not Einsteins!) are discouraged early on, either because of being bored or because some instance or series of instances put them behind their peers in a bulk taught classroom process, an illness, a death of family member, whatever...and from thereon, the coursework simply makes no sense given the building blocks missed...the student is perceived as slow, including their own self perception. Unless individually tutored and encouraged, they're lost.

Moreover, let's consider whether our sense of such "differences" is actually immensely biased by those doing the measuring. eg Geneva's point. Are academics really the best judges of what is necessary in industry, for instance?

About a decade ago I attended two eye opening TED talks.

One was by Freeman Hrabowski, head of UMBC, a small part of the UMD system, historically just a small, 'weak sister' to College Park, in the suburbs of Baltimore between Balt and DC. Much higher % of minority students than UMD but not an historically black institution like Morgan State. Hrabowski had been offered the top job at Harvard, but had chosen to go with UMBC, because "Harvard is like turning an aircraft carrier" and he felt he could innovate far more at UMBC. He described UMBC's philosophy, that their job was to teach, to help each student be successful, not to weed them out. He felt that every student could be successful, not just some. He talked about the the peer group project processes and industry projects that he felt were critical to bringing students into full realization of their capacities, learning from one another and learning how they could contribute in the real world and have a career. They also had/have a special scholarship for black students from the region seeking to major in STEM: https://meyerhoff.umbc.edu; Cyber security programs, CS programs, etc.

The result? UMBC produces more minority STEM graduates who go on to MA, PHD, MD programs than any other institution in the country. Really, really low drop out rate from the STEM major chosen. Very high job placement.

They teach, not weed.

The other TED talk was by an admiral from the NAVY who talked about the dilemma the Navy had in attracting enough qualified applicants to enter their training programs to become electrical engineers on nuclear subs. Their existing force was aging out and retiring and they couldn't find enough youngsters who could pass the test for entrance. Not strong enough in math.

So, they decided to experiment with a different curriculum and training process. They took a cohort, all of whom failed the entrance exam, and trained them for 9 weeks. At the end, they out performed 15 year veterans in complex problem solving relevant to the job. Outperformed, after 9 weeks of training. And these were kids who otherwise would have been rejected as incapable. How did they do it? Team projects, individualized instruction ensuring that at each step, each individual actually learned the necessary building blocks, and using peer processes to accelerate learning versus classroom.

A bunch of takeaways.