Who can we blame?

[Alias Detective 1,396]

1 minute ago, IGotWorms said:

Again, you appear not to understand either the purpose or operation of a defined benefit plan. It is not to maximize returns. It is to invest VERY safely and ensure there are no huge losses

BwahahahHh

[IGotWorms 4,057]

Just now, Alias Detective said:

BwahahahHh

What an asinine post

[Fnord 2,225]

3 minutes ago, Hardcore troubadour said:

I committed no acts of heroism surrounding that event. I did suck in a lot of toxins though. And I’m still not happy about it. The fire department punked Guilliani when he was going to pull everyone out until it was safer to do the recovery a few weeks after.  And Christie Todd Whitman saying the air was safe. No it wasn’t. As soon as you got there you knew it wasn’t, and for a long time afterwards. 

I rolled into NYC early morning of 9/14/01 during a heavy rain. Damn glad for that rain, as I was told it drastically improved the air quality in lower Manhattan. It's probably moot since I smoked over a pack a day while I was there, but at least it wasn't AS bad. I'll never forget some of the shlt I heard and saw that week. Tragedy, sadness, and real heroism.

[Hardcore troubadour 15,317]

7 minutes ago, Fnord said:

I rolled into NYC early morning of 9/14/01 during a heavy rain. Damn glad for that rain, as I was told it drastically improved the air quality in lower Manhattan. It's probably moot since I smoked over a pack a day while I was there, but at least it wasn't AS bad. I'll never forget some of the shlt I heard and saw that week. Tragedy, sadness, and real heroism.

Want to hear something sad? One Police Plaza, which as the crow flies is a few minutes run to the WTC, is full of hundreds of cops and bosses, especially on a Tuesday morning. Know how many cops from 1PP died that day? Zero. Cops  and fireman coming in from surrounding boroughs tore ass to get down there and abandoned their cars on the FDR and west side highway, ran over there and some of them died.  Not the palace guard though. They didn’t budge. 

[Fnord 2,225]

5 minutes ago, Hardcore troubadour said:

Want to hear something sad? One Police Plaza, which as the crow flies is a few minutes run to the WTC, is full of hundreds of cops and bosses, especially on a Tuesday morning. Know how many cops from 1PP died that day? Zero. Cops  and fireman coming in from surrounding boroughs tore ass to get down there and abandoned their cars on the FDR and west side highway, ran over there and some of them died.  Not the palace guard though. They didn’t budge. 

They should be defunded.

 

Kidding, couldn't help myself. That story is fuct.

[Baker Boy 1,698]

14 minutes ago, IGotWorms said:

Again, you appear not to understand either the purpose or operation of a defined benefit plan. It is not to maximize returns. It is to invest VERY safely and ensure there are no huge losses

No, I understand it. It is a huge socialist program that is breaking this country‘s back and eventually it will bury us. Obviously investing money not to lose money is not a winning formula.

[Hardcore troubadour 15,317]

4 minutes ago, Fnord said:

They should be defended.

 

Kidding, couldn't help myself. That story is fuct.

If I racked my brain I could tell you some doozies. Some funny stuff too. And yeah, some uplifting ones as well. But I will freely admit that I’m bitter about the whole thing for the most part. So many phony bastards, mostly my own kind. And so many unnecessary deaths and illnesses. That were easily avoided with a little courage.  It forever changed my outlook on these events. 

[Alias Detective 1,396]

8 minutes ago, Baker Boy said:

No, I understand it. It is a huge socialist program that is breaking this country‘s back and eventually it will bury us. Obviously investing money not to lose money is not a winning formula.

Let him go.  He thinks he’s educating us.  

[IGotWorms 4,057]

6 minutes ago, Baker Boy said:

No, I understand it. It is a huge socialist program that is breaking this country‘s back and eventually it will bury us. Obviously investing money not to lose money is not a winning formula.

You still don’t understand the point of it. It’s not to make you rich. If you’d like to do that you can certainly try through other investments, including a 401k, but that’s not what social security is for. The sole purpose of social security is to provide you some bare minimum floor so you’re not starving on the streets in your old age. Maybe you made sh1tty investments, maybe you were poor your whole life, maybe you squandered all your money on hookers and blow… it really doesn’t matter, point is, no matter what, you’ve got that modest defined benefit coming your way past a certain age to ensure you can at least hopefully eat something, have a roof over your head, and maybe be able to afford your medications.

[IGotWorms 4,057]

1 minute ago, Alias Detective said:

Let him go.  He thinks he’s educating us.  

I am. You should be paying me, but at least a thanks would do

[Hardcore troubadour 15,317]

5 minutes ago, IGotWorms said:

You still don’t understand the point of it. It’s not to make you rich. If you’d like to do that you can certainly try through other investments, including a 401k, but that’s not what social security is for. The sole purpose of social security is to provide you some bare minimum floor so you’re not starving on the streets in your old age. Maybe you made sh1tty investments, maybe you were poor your whole life, maybe you squandered all your money on hookers and blow… it really doesn’t matter, point is, no matter what, you’ve got that modest defined benefit coming your way past a certain age to ensure you can at least hopefully eat something, have a roof over your head, and maybe be able to afford your medications.

Agree with this. Are we really going to ask the majority of Americans to do what’s right ? Please. We will end up paying for them anyhow. What else are we going to do with them? It needs to be overhauled, especially the disability part. It’s out if of control. 

[IGotWorms 4,057]

14 minutes ago, Hardcore troubadour said:

Agree with this. Are we really going to ask the majority of Americans to do what’s right ? Please. We will end up paying for them anyhow. What else are we going to do with them? It needs to be overhauled, especially the disability part. It’s out if of control. 

I do agree on the bolded too. It is basically permanent welfare at this point 

[RaiderHaters Revenge 4,325]

1 hour ago, Fnord said:

It wouldn't have to if any of our politicians had the balls to take on DoD spending and the pentagon. Wanna find giant abuses and fraud? Start there. They won't even allow an audit because of the complexity of the money trails.

No sh1t I agree completely. Why do you think I’m so adamant about funding wars like we do. However as you state this fact. What is your stance on funding Ukraine 

[The Real timschochet 6,700]

1 hour ago, RaiderHaters Revenge said:

no you wouldn't cause that would include completely blowing up the social security system

I want to reform Social Security. I don’t want to completely blow it up. The two ideas are not the same. If you’re for blowing it up then you’re not for reform. Which is it? 

[Engorgeous George 2,310]

.

[Fnord 2,225]

1 hour ago, RaiderHaters Revenge said:

No sh1t I agree completely. Why do you think I’m so adamant about funding wars like we do. However as you state this fact. What is your stance on funding Ukraine 

I think it's too important to prevent the spread of authoritarianism, especially when it encroaches on European allies, to not give aid to Ukraine. But I certainly see and acknowledge the point you're making. 

[seafoam1 2,964]

1 minute ago, Fnord said:

I think it's too important to prevent the spread of authoritarianism, especially when it encroaches on European allies, to not give aid to Ukraine.

What a rube. 

[Fnord 2,225]

2 hours ago, Hardcore troubadour said:

If I racked my brain I could tell you some doozies. Some funny stuff too. And yeah, some uplifting ones as well. But I will freely admit that I’m bitter about the whole thing for the most part. So many phony bastards, mostly my own kind. And so many unnecessary deaths and illnesses. That were easily avoided with a little courage.  It forever changed my outlook on these events. 

I only spent 8 days in NYC in the immediate aftermath as a member of the media.

The anecdotal observations I made were that FDNY were heroic studs, while NYPD mostly just sat around, got in the way, and generally made things more difficult than they had to be. I've got a fun story about media credentialing, run by NYPD, that was so fuct up that I ended up never getting one after spending two days trying. And it didn't matter a bit, despite insistence that all media carry one.

[Mike Honcho 5,252]

 

[seafoam1 2,964]

50 minutes ago, Fnord said:

I only spent 8 days in NYC in the immediate aftermath as a member of the media.

The anecdotal observations I made were that FDNY were heroic studs, while NYPD mostly just sat around, got in the way, and generally made things more difficult than they had to be. I've got a fun story about media credentialing, run by NYPD, that was so fuct up that I ended up never getting one after spending two days trying. And it didn't matter a bit, despite insistence that all media carry one.

[Hardcore troubadour 15,317]

39 minutes ago, Fnord said:

I only spent 8 days in NYC in the immediate aftermath as a member of the media.

The anecdotal observations I made were that FDNY were heroic studs, while NYPD mostly just sat around, got in the way, and generally made things more difficult than they had to be. I've got a fun story about media credentialing, run by NYPD, that was so fuct up that I ended up never getting one after spending two days trying. And it didn't matter a bit, despite insistence that all media carry one.

After a while I got sent out to the landfill. I was glad to get away from the WTC. It was no bargain, having  to wear the tyvex  suits and gas masks, but there was less bullshit. Yeah , it was the FD’s show. Lots of politics involved. The FD commissioner was actually the former head of their union. He had much more pull with Rudy than Kerik, who was too busy grifting and sticking his dik wherever he could. Including Judge Janine.  But I actually liked him as commissioner before that. He stopped a lot of the petty bullshit. But Ray Kelly brought it all back from day one.  And yeah, you’re right. A lot of standing around getting in the way.  Of nothing after a while. It just got colder. 

[seafoam1 2,964]

3 hours ago, IGotWorms said:

What an asinine post

 Yep. You are self aware. 

[RaiderHaters Revenge 4,325]

1 hour ago, Fnord said:

I think it's too important to prevent the spread of authoritarianism, especially when it encroaches on European allies, to not give aid to Ukraine. But I certainly see and acknowledge the point you're making. 

I appreciate the honest and civil type of discussion. I personally don’t think Russia would ever encroach on Europe but if they did I’d support wiping them out. And I’m glad you can recognize where I was going with the follow up question

there are no audits which I agree need to be done. But seems like people (yourself included) are fine with it going on in Ukraine. 
 

[Fnord 2,225]

On 12/29/2023 at 3:42 PM, RaiderHaters Revenge said:

I appreciate the honest and civil type of discussion. I personally don’t think Russia would ever encroach on Europe but if they did I’d support wiping them out. And I’m glad you can recognize where I was going with the follow up question

there are no audits which I agree need to be done. But seems like people (yourself included) are fine with it going on in Ukraine. 
 

Likewise on appreciating civil discussion. I'm all for defending Ukraine. I'm never in support of fraud or graft. Unfortunately, as our DoD is presently constructed, defense and graft go hand in hand.