The Real timschochet

Because he wasn’t part of the decision making that got us involved in the Vietnam War.

I don’t keep count by skin color. But whatever the number, 6 million of them were Jews.

He’s not responsible for that.

Now THIS is hypocrisy. Putting aside the fact that everything Ali ever said about Frazier was designed to sell tickets to a sporting event, the fact that one could criticize it and yet either stay silent or actively defend Donald Trump’s history of vicious bigoted and false attacks against his opponents shows an incredible lack of awareness even for you. Throw in line about “purposely dividing the nation” and it’s almost unbelievable.

Well to each their own. Personally I have no problem with Trump lying to avoid going to Vietnam.

Thats not what I’m arguing. I don’t care if it makes a single person less sick. If it can contribute to making large numbers of people less sick (or dead) then I think a mandate can be justified.

I don’t believe he was afraid. I don’t disagree with your number but I think Ali was in the 2%.

My understanding is that they made Covid less fatal and less serious. That being the case I believe it was proper for them to be mandatory. But even if you disagree with that, I’m glad that you agree with the principle that vaccines can be mandatory if the alternative is a public health risk. We are likely to confront future pandemics and may be forced to deal with this issue again.

I think that’s implicit when I wrote “public health risk” so yeah of course.

Ah yes now the Jew hater shows his ugly face. I hope you get a chance to go to Budapest one day and see the Holocaust memorial. It’s outside in a park that also features a statue of Ronald Reagan. For me it was terribly sad and moving since some of my immediate ancestors were killed very near there, for you it will be a repudiation of some of your crackpot beliefs and perhaps it will educate you (though I doubt it.)

As much as I enjoyed this trip, the Italian Riviera (Amalfi Coast) is still the best place in Europe I’ve been to.

No. Small boat compared to ocean cruises- only 150 passengers.

Both Trump and Ali wisely avoided going to Vietnam. I would have as well. Ali, however, did it out of personal conviction, whereas Trump did it because, like me, he was afraid.

I think: 1. All vaccines should be voluntarily UNLESS there is a risk that not taking them can lead to a public health crisis or threat. In that event they should IMO be mandatory. 2. I personally believe that almost all fear of vaccines, including the Covid vaccine, is rooted in anti-science superstition. But so long as public health is not threatened, people should have the right to refuse.

Late to the discussion here. I’m less amused by this disagreement than heartened and relieved by it especially because Trump appears to side with Musk and Vivaswamy. Now we just need to get some common sense about the undocumented issue as well. The next few months are bound to be a chaotic show in which a tiny number of actual criminals, along with some innocent people , are detained. The vast majority of undocumented will be untouched. Once that is over, maybe we have a serious discussion about what is to be done.

I would recommend the book Muhammad Ali: His Life and Times by Thomas Hauser. Available on Kindle. One of the best and most fascinating biographies I’ve ever read.

Yeah the mulled wine was OK. Kept me warm. There was a hot punch that I preferred.

AMA

Many were quite stunning. Particularly at the higher end restaurants and hotels. The hostesses could easily pass as models- maybe they were.

I’ve never seen evidence to back up this claim.

Too early to rank, but I loved, in no particular order: 1. Little Nuremberg sausages with sourdough rolls, mustard and sauerkraut 2. Hungarian Langos (fry bread) with cheese and garlic 3. Viener Schnitzel from Vienna 4. Chicken Paprikash in Budapest

Nice to know your level of class hasn’t changed.

Yeah I was in Amsterdam over the summer. My father in law decided to take the whole family (13 of us) to see the Christmas markets (thankfully we missed the one that got hit). Munich, Nuremberg, Salzburg, Vienna, Budapest. A cruise ship on the Danube. Awesome trip. I’d never been to any of these cities. Gorgeous buildings, great food.

Headed on a plane. Catch you guys after the new year! Happy holidays to all.

Because I don’t care about Fani Willis. I care about that case. Trump deserves to be prosecuted, and put in jail, for what he said on that phone call. It’s too bad that it’s now delayed for reasons that have nothing to do with what Trump did. Hopefully someday he’ll face the music.