https://web.archive.org/web/20191028041753/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/national/daily/nov98/nazicars30.htm

The history is a little more complex than giving weapons, but US-owned companies manufactured equipment for the Nazis. “The business of America is business” rings true.

“American managers of both GM and Ford went along with the conversion of their German plants to military production at a time when U.S. government documents show they were still resisting calls by the Roosevelt administration to step up military production in their plants at home.”

During the war, US bombing plans avoided American-owned factories. When they couldn’t, they compensated the companies for the losses inflicted.

Again, it’s complex, and fascinating in many regards, but the business interests that drive the US government were also building the Nazi war machine.

Not exactly sure your perspective from your comment, but what would you advocate in the current situation in Ukraine?

I can lay my perspective out, just to be transparent. It sure as hell will be down-voted and isn’t popular in these parts. Near as I can tell, and from the very beginning, just pure numbers-wise Ukraine will eventually lose, unless they convince Europe that this involves them too, and damn, they’ve been trying. Thick propaganda recently. Neo-cons and Libs really want this shit for their MIC donors, but there’s no benefit to anyone else in the USA for this carnage. Actually engaging NATO countries in combat in Ukraine means nukes before too long and everyone on Earth loses, which is primarily why it’s all been supplies, money and training thus far.

For me, whatever gets this thing to end quickly, the better. Fewer lives will be lost for nothing. The already lost land is lost. Sorry Ukraine, you got sold a bill of goods from McCain and Graham, et al. News flash: they never gave a shit about you. Zelensky was and is a CIA cutout that is finding fewer and fewer tributes to fund his losing battle. He’s getting desperate. Big smoke clouds look impressive, but don’t change the raw numbers. Zelensky will ultimately abscond to his house in Miami unless he is assassinated first.

Trump is clearly doing the diesel ‘deal’ in some strange hope to undo the effects of another dumb war he started and quickly lost control of. First on the chopping block (after obvious ‘allies’ in SW Asia) is Ukraine, which has no resources to offer, and everything to lose when they get abandoned to somehow save face. It’s tragically unfortunate for all the loves lost to this carnage, but that’s the cost of trusting the USA to have your back.

Maybe that decision should be up to the people of Ukraine. They hold elections for that office, don’t they?

FTC chairman’s comments sound reasonable on the surface, but just vague enough to be meaningless.

It sounds to me like the “guns don’t kill people, people kill people” argument, but a first draft attempt to put AI issues away from the tool. Then, his definition of ‘developer’ is unclear.

With guns the argument is more straightforward, the tool is made to send projectiles in one direction when a user pulls the trigger.

With AI, does the end user know what the tool is capable of doing to achieve their goal when they direct it to do something?

Sorry folks, best we can do is beat the war drums and spend your taxes on armaments. That’s better than ‘social services’, right?

Setting aside how shitty this all is for the global populace, it’s a hell of way to completely withdraw the US from the middle east (or whatever the preferred name for the region is currently). All US bases decimated, including 5th Fleet saying they are not getting back to their main base in Bahrain anytime soon.

It’s wasteful, deadly, and beyond stupid, but ending (maybe) US military presence in the region as the end product? That’s wild, and a welcome outcome. If only.

Correct. 2/3 of the Senate present required to remove.

At least it’s a start. His boss is ultimately responsible, but it’s better than nothing if they succeed.

I think your second statement answers the first. 🙂

All the legal protections and multiple inherent contracts that come from having a state-sanctioned marriage, all for $20 ($100?) or whatever for the town/county clerk vs hundreds or much more for enacting every individual contract it stands in for.

I have a long winded reply in my head about how these relationship types are not a new idea, humans have had multiple types of relationships for millennia, etc., etc. But I’m tired, and it’s preaching to the choir at this point. (So to speak, lol)

I’m doing my part!

Bingo.

They weren’t building those ‘detention centers’ for the immigrants. That’s a convenient cover until they’ve captured every lever of power. Within reach, or they’ll make it so before or when elections don’t go their way, if those still matter. Dissent is terror.

AOC? Nah, she’s been made to heel to Nancy’s and Hakeem’s wishes. Buckled at pretty much the first opportunity too. Still says some nice things, but she’s useless as a challenge to the status quo. Made a useful tool of the establishment.

Bernie? Well, he tucked tail and quit fighting after the party establishment colluded and sabotaged his campaigns. 2020 was especially egregious, and he still agreed to back Biden. Again, says the right things at times, but far less a real challenge to the status quo now than he ever was.

The others you mentioned? Mamdani can be a good pragmatic example, wish him the best, but he’s limited to the Senate at the federal level if he aspires to higher office. El-Sayed, too early to tell. Talarico, I assume you mean? Tough row to hoe for a few months, probably a long shot, but he’s been a democrat for years. That party is really irredeemable.

I wish I knew the real solution to this electoral mess. I keep hoping for a really hard charging third party challenge that can bridge the divide. May wait my entire life at this point.