Random thoughts not worthy of a thread (Part I)

Status
Not open for further replies.

(Log in to remove this ad.)

Tas

Premium Gold
Joined
Dec 23, 2002
Posts
52,062
Likes
33,019
AFL Club
North Melbourne
Other Teams
There can be only one...
Power corrupts as it has always done, democratic Athens, Republican Rome, its human nature, it can't be helped, people want to dominate and they need power for that. Funnily enough there was a discussion over the growth of private industry in the US has gotten to the stage that there is no longer need for the state (political instutions etc) and that the private industry has too much power for the state, but that's an entire other discussion with the Tea Leaf Party etc (bunch of nutter, woops excuse me there).
Power doesn't corrupt, it is the people who seek power are the ones who become corrupted.

I think public office should be more like jury duty where people serve the nation for a period of time and are selected for their skill set, education and experience.

The problem is everyone running for office or wanting to own or run a mega-corporation are psychologically gone before they even get into power.

I am a major critic of the influence of the fourth estate (Mr Edmund Burke here) on influencing the policies and ideologies of parties since the late 1970s as the media power grows. Instead of holding the government accountable, they sensationalize everything, leaving those few journalists who actually have integrity (like the future Spitta2Azza) out in the cold so to speak.
We are going to the dogs as the Fifth Estate entrenches itself, the howling of the bloggers and social media. If you thought shit is bad now, we are literally being overrun by 'social justice warriors' determining policy. We are heading full on into Idiocracy. I hope my 'tone' isn't offending anyone. :stern look

I may disagree with socalist ideology being a Burkean style neo-conservative, but all systems have their values, socialism in giving some power and sharing the power with the people more, liberal capitalism in generating economic grow, conservatism in instilling positive traditions and highlighting the importance of tradition in the education system. We keep trying as a people to take the best bits and try to mash it together, but so far its failed in the Australia, because simply, Australian's are politically lazy and to a degree stubborn about change.
We don't like change, the fact we failed to become independent of the Commonwealth is testament to the fact we hate to change, even for the better.

The problem is we are not encouraged to think freely, to challenge the establishment, to look to improve, to grow beyond what we are now. Those who struggle to go beyond what they are have been holding on to the Liberal Market Economies (LMEs), such as USA, Australia, Canada, etc while those in Scandinavian Europe have been moving towards Coordinated Market Economies (CMEs) such as Germany, Sweden, Denmark, etc.

I think hybrid systems are viable, you just have to be progressive in your thinking.

I may also disagree with some of Kimbo's political leanings, but l see value in all political ideologies and too much power has been given to those who don't deserve it and l am far, far away from being a socialist, so that tells you something. Economic regulation, taxation and protection of certain industries (especially for manufacturing because we can't compete) and having the guts to tax certain companies (without seriously harming their growth potential) and use that to invest firstly in infrastructure and manufacturing as l believe manufacturing is the cornerstone of any strong economy (look at how well Germany is doing and is now the leader of Europe because of manufacturing).
Germany is a great example of the type of change that is possible if you are progressive thinking. We do not have to copy it but their hybrid system works very well and has ideals that are more compatible in terms of recognising the needs of the majority and ensuring despite the wealth accumulation of the rich, the lower classes have a good quality of life.

Our distribution of wealth is becoming even more lopsided than it was when we weren't leaning to the left as much as we do right now, our policies are a complete failure, it has just resulted in significant waste and the lining of pockets of those who are corrupt.
 

(Log in to remove this ad.)

Mr Reliable

Proud member of the outer scrotum
Joined
Aug 17, 2004
Posts
17,055
Likes
5,596
Location
Arden Street
AFL Club
North Melbourne
Battle of Stalingrad Casualties

The exact number of casualties will never be known. However, it is estimated that the German Army lost more than 750,000 men killed, missing or wounded. Archives record that the Soviet Army, by comparison, lost 478,741 men killed or missing, and 650,878 wounded.

To give you an indication of scale, consider that the US Army lost 416,800 men throughout the entire Second World War.

If you want to get a good idea of how the Russians treated their soldiers at Stalingrad and probably everywhere else (completely expendable), have a look at the first 30 minutes or so of the movie 'Enemy at the Gates'. They're trying to stop the advancing Germans from crossing the river and entering the city named after the Boss and they've got their backs to the river. The Germans are the only ones with planes. They send raw troops across the river in open boats to reinforce the defenders. They are strafed relentlessly as they cross the river. For those that get across the river to join the fight there is one rifle for every two soldiers. The instruction is 'when the man with the rifle gets killed, the man with the ammunition picks up the gun and fights on.' As they advance towards the Germans (some Russians armed, some not), there are communist militia/police behind them with orders to shoot to kill anyone who runs.

I tells ya K4e it's well worth watching 10/10. The rest of the movie is barely passable 4/10 - the usual stuff.

Lee for all his genius had a disastrous third day at Gettysburg and Grant always said he shouldn't have ordered the final assault at Cold Harbour towards the end of the American Civil War. Advancing on entrenched positions against well trained, well armed, seasoned defenders.
 
Joined
Jan 28, 2004
Posts
37,677
Likes
54,453
Location
Tender Touch
AFL Club
North Melbourne
Other Teams
MVFC, Storm, Everton, Socceroos
Moderator #5,791
I thought I'd take the iPad with me whilst on a late night slash run. Read the last couple of pages.

Nek minnit......



(No offence meant to those who've put in the work with the political chatter of course, as I'm genuinely impressed with that. Just not with the subject/s, especially in the middle of the night on a footy chat forum BUT, if it's to be discussed on the North forum then this is certainly the thread for it you funsters you.)
 

goalieboy82

Premiership Player
Joined
Sep 28, 2007
Posts
4,599
Likes
6,249
Location
USA
AFL Club
North Melbourne
Other Teams
North Fairfax Kangaroos
i would like you all to help with this:
https://www.krafthockeyville.com
the rink i would like you all to nominate is in DC (Friends of Fort DuPont Ice Arena).
the rink is in a somewhat bad area of DC (a place where its might not be a good idea to be after dark if you are by yourself). they help keep the local kids off the streets (and doing something bad).
http://fdia.org
the North Fairfax Kangaroos played there twice (back to back games in March 2010).
the place needs help (a lot of it).
timmy
 

Kangaroos4eva

Hall of Famer
Joined
Aug 22, 2012
Posts
36,423
Likes
60,292
Location
NSW
AFL Club
North Melbourne
Other Teams
West Ham United
If you want to get a good idea of how the Russians treated their soldiers at Stalingrad and probably everywhere else (completely expendable), have a look at the first 30 minutes or so of the movie 'Enemy at the Gates'. They're trying to stop the advancing Germans from crossing the river and entering the city named after the Boss and they've got their backs to the river. The Germans are the only ones with planes. They send raw troops across the river in open boats to reinforce the defenders. They are strafed relentlessly as they cross the river. For those that get across the river to join the fight there is one rifle for every two soldiers. The instruction is 'when the man with the rifle gets killed, the man with the ammunition picks up the gun and fights on.' As they advance towards the Germans (some Russians armed, some not), there are communist militia/police behind them with orders to shoot to kill anyone who runs.

I tells ya K4e it's well worth watching 10/10. The rest of the movie is barely passable 4/10 - the usual stuff.

Lee for all his genius had a disastrous third day at Gettysburg and Grant always said he shouldn't have ordered the final assault at Cold Harbour towards the end of the American Civil War. Advancing on entrenched positions against well trained, well armed, seasoned defenders.
9/10 three part series covering the eastern front, well worth a watch if you want to see the eastern front from the other perspective.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top Bottom