I am sad for our future...

Your example here only works with regards to things like the culture and people of a country, not the issues I am speaking of.

 

 

 

Then why did you offer your opinion in the first place? Also I am not trying to come across as any expert, I just put my opinion out there in order to see what the other person has to say in response. That actually is a great way to learn and think, because the other person can point out holes in your argument. You stated your opinion, I said I disagree with it and explained why.

 

And what you take as an insult actually was meant as complementary from me, as I didn't just say, "Fortis, I think you're wrong" and that's that, I explained in detail why I think you are wrong, so in other words, I value your opinions on things. I think you think I am just being a Know-It-All and trying to lecture you, I am sorry as that isn't how I meant to come across.

 

 

 

I never said that Europe is definitely going to collapse. My disagreement with you was your reasoning that because Europe has made it through crises in the past, that they will definitely be fine in the future. Nor did I say they are dumb and stupid. They ARE pretty defenseless and helpless. When France needed to airlift troops into Mali, who did it call? The United States. When they were bombing Libya, the NATO members doing so ran out of ammunition. They couldn't even sustain a very limited bombing campaign. The U.S. had to start sending them bombs. And Germany's troops right now have been using broomsticks for their vehicles because they do not have enough guns or ammunition for the entire army.

 

There are the problems the UK is having affording their military (such as their navy) and the Baltic countries right now are very concerned about Russia. Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia have all requested a permanent NATO (i.e. American as America is NATO basically) troop presence. And the United States is now planning to move a much larger amount of troops and armor into Europe to be able to check any Russian aggression.

 

Also I disagreed with your stating that good always prevails over evil.

 

 

 

 

The architecture thread all over again!

 

The architecture thread all over again!

 

We can just agree to disagree. But Fortis, with me you can't just throw out a comment relating to international issues and not expect a response on said opinion

So what?

The states also gave all of that up by uniting to form the United States of America, right?

Why did they choose to do so? Because they knew they would have it better in the end. Their personal lifes would be enhanced by that decision. They knew that.

 

That was very controversial at the time and we still as a nation are constantly debating about states rights versus federal power. We also have a lot of dislike of the huge unaccountable federal bureaucracy that was developed. The last thing, IMO, that we would need is yet another, even more unaccountable, level of government dictating to us.

 

Thousands of years ago tribes gave them up atleast partly by forming cities, than cities gave them up by forming states, states formed countries and so on...

 

It will happen, hopefully. Cause there are only two ways for the human race. Further uniting, or killing each other off.

Most of you guys really don´t seem to want the human race to succeed but only care for your own short term benefits.

It´s a shame.

 

Modern liberal democracies do not need to unite into unions to prevent conflict with one another. And I very much want humanity to succeed. But not at the expense of personal, individual, and national freedom.

 

Cruz gone.. Kasich gone... Its a good day.

Cruz gone.. Kasich gone... Its a good day.

http://money.cnn.com/2016/05/04/news/econo...-men/index.html

Not just millennials are sad with the way things are

Nearly one-quarter of white men with only a high school diploma aren't working. Many of these men, age 25 to 64, aren't just unemployed ... they aren't even looking for a job, according to federal data.

 

The architecture thread all over again!

 

Fortis my friend, you're far to intelligent and accomplished to waste your time trying to enlighten wheels. He's already proven (and gone to tremendous lengths to remind us) he's unwilling to even consider the view of people who are far more educated and experienced than he can even wrap his dense little head around.

 

Let him anguish in his myopic opinions from his shitty apartment. Go back your Lamborghini out of the livingroom of the Fortis-Dome^TM and continue kicking ass at life.

 

Wheels should feel lucky to have you (and most of this board) even acknowledge his existence, let alone try to mentor him.

Holy crap seeing some of Wheels' rebuttals in this thread reinforces what I've seen in a few people I know that have been getting on my nerves lately.

 

It's that super strong stance on theoretical things, talked about with such authority with no evidence of it being right (or wrong). Also coming from people younger than me, certainly doesn't help. I have no idea how a bunch of 20/early 30somethings could have such an authoritative view on how the world should work, against the status quo mind you......it makes no sense!

 

You can blame this naivete on youth.....most of us have probably been down that road before, I know I have.

 

But at some point you gotta embrace the wisdom of those older than you and mature. To not even budge is very annoying to deal with.

 

(and those that do this, don't even realize they are doing this! Wheels cannot see his own behavior, IMHO.)

I think it is in the nature of young people to want to ignore the wisdom of elders. Perfect example: I was raised by my mother, whom I loved very much. I didn't necessarily trust her to always give me good advice though. After all, she had ulterior motives... (ie, protecting her baby, etc, etc.) -- so when she gave me advice I always took it with skepticism and sometimes just flat out didn't believe her. My father was the same way, but he usually threw in a story to go with the advice which made it more palatable... but I was still skeptical.

 

Fast forward, I'm 37 years old and I can't think of one piece of advice or wisdom that either parent ever gave me that has not turned out to be true.

 

It's okay to be contrarian... or skeptical. But not at the cost of ignoring advice, experience, wisdom, etc.

 

The saying: Cutting off your nose to spite your face comes to mind.

 

Anyway, back to the arguments

Fortis my friend, you're far to intelligent and accomplished to waste your time trying to enlighten wheels. He's already proven (and gone to tremendous lengths to remind us) he's unwilling to even consider the view of people who are far more educated and experienced than he can even wrap his dense little head around.

 

Let him anguish in his myopic opinions from his shitty apartment. Go back your Lamborghini out of the livingroom of the Fortis-Dome^TM and continue kicking ass at life.

 

Wheels should feel lucky to have you (and most of this board) even acknowledge his existence, let alone try to mentor him.

 

I know, I am always hopeful but 100% of the time it's akin to talking to a pile of disorganised bricks.

 

 

Holy crap seeing some of Wheels' rebuttals in this thread reinforces what I've seen in a few people I know that have been getting on my nerves lately.

 

It's that super strong stance on theoretical things, talked about with such authority with no evidence of it being right (or wrong). Also coming from people younger than me, certainly doesn't help. I have no idea how a bunch of 20/early 30somethings could have such an authoritative view on how the world should work, against the status quo mind you......it makes no sense!

 

You can blame this naivete on youth.....most of us have probably been down that road before, I know I have.

 

But at some point you gotta embrace the wisdom of those older than you and mature. To not even budge is very annoying to deal with.

 

(and those that do this, don't even realize they are doing this! Wheels cannot see his own behavior, IMHO.)

 

I know this isn't right or politically correct but the only option you have if you want a positive outcome is to ignore them or not allow them to talk, obviously you can't do that so you are screwed.

 

I understand everyone should have a say but if you never baked a cake STFU and let the chef speak!

 

Yeah you can learn, yeah you can read shit on the net, you can ask your mom, or your friend who apparently is a chef but that does not make you a God damn expert top hat Chef, we got a bunch of them lets just listen to them first.

 

I don't think this is only a youth issue it's a common trait amongst stupid people and as you know they come in all sort of age, shape and sizes and in most cases there is a tremendous oversupply of them.

Fast forward, I'm 37 years old and I can't think of one piece of advice or wisdom that either parent ever gave me that has not turned out to be true.

 

Ha yeah!

 

When I was seventeen my Dad knew absolutely nothing...... by the time I was twenty five it was amazing how much he'd learnt

 

When I brought this up on my Facebook I eventually made this (long) post...

 

When I was a kid growing up my American Dream was to work hard and be successful at whatever I did. I hoped that this success would bring me not only happiness but financial gain. The thought never crossed my mind that me simply wanting to do well and earn money would some day be vilified. As if somehow hard work and luck that paid off should be an albatross that I wear around my neck in shame.

 

There is a movement sweeping across America and a good portion of it is coming from the younger generations. I completely understand where they are coming from. Growing up in this day and age can't be easy... hell, when I was growing up I lamented at how well the generation before me had it. I think it is natural to do this. But my solution was never to try and "take" something that I hadn't earned to make things even and fair. You can never do good as a society when this is your ideal solution.

 

I buckled down and worked harder... I wanted to prove that I could do it. Every job I did I gave it 100%... I never thought a job was beneath me. I mowed lawns. I chopped wood. If you ask my Father he will tell you that no one could clean a bathroom as well as I did. Most of the jobs I did paid less than minimum wage. I was excited when I got my first job paying minimum wage (Thanks to Kristine G) -- did I ever think to myself: Screw these guys paying me less than minimum wage... there must be some conspiracy! They are taking advantage of me! I deserve more! No. I understood the law of supply and demand. The jobs I did paid the amounts they did because that was what they were worth. If I hadn't done them at that price, someone else would have. So... what can I do to correct this situation I thought? Well, that is easy. You work harder than the other person and prove that you are worth more. You don't get it before you even start, you show that you deserve it. You get promoted and work your way up the system. That's how the immigrants who moved to the United States with nothing did it... when they started sweeping as Janitors for the company that one day they would eventually own.

 

The only reason I mention any of this is because I see our country going in a very dangerous direction. A direction where people who create are seen as the guilty ones. Where having something someone else doesn't have means you are morally corrupt. Where if you don't voluntarily share everything you have with someone who might be more needy makes you heartless. I'm all for helping people out, but at the end of the day it is up to that person to either succeed or fail. Life will never be fair. You can lament this point until the day you die or you can accept it and move past it. Nothing we as a society can do, nothing the government can do will ever change this. Trying to make everything in life fair is like trying to escape from quicksand... the harder you try the deeper you'll become buried in the trap. The only thing we can try to make fair is the processes by which society is governed and the laws are enforced. This doesn't make life fair... it just means that the path you go through should be as close to fair as possible. It also means that you should never have something you've worked hard for taken from you if you've done it legally and in a morally responsible way.

 

Dude this is SO spot on. I started working at Burger King when I was 14 for ~ $4 an hour. Didn't care that I wasn't making minimum wage, just wanted to work hard. Was mowing lawns, raking leaves and shoveling snow like there was no tomorrow. When I graduated high school, I went to work for UPS loading trucks at 4am. When I finished at 9am, I'd meet up with my mom (she was an interior decorator) to go paint houses til around 5pm.

 

MJ's book Millionaire Fastlane was a great read. I love what he wrote about people being so transfixed by seeing the end result that they completely ignore the blood/sweat/tears it took to get there. Pretty sure that's why the number one comment you get in a Lambo is "must be nice."

 

Dude this is SO spot on. I started working at Burger King when I was 14 for ~ $4 an hour. Didn't care that I wasn't making minimum wage, just wanted to work hard. Was mowing lawns, raking leaves and shoveling snow like there was no tomorrow. When I graduated high school, I went to work for UPS loading trucks at 4am. When I finished at 9am, I'd meet up with my mom (she was an interior decorator) to go paint houses til around 5pm.

 

MJ's book Millionaire Fastlane was a great read. I love what he wrote about people being so transfixed by seeing the end result that they completely ignore the blood/sweat/tears it took to get there. Pretty sure that's why the number one comment you get in a Lambo is "must be nice."

 

 

It seems as though you and I have a lot in common. as soon as I turned 16, I worked full time flipping burgers to pay for my saxophones and car. I wanted to play music and I did whatever I had to do to get there. While everyone complained or called off work, I saw it as an opportunity to get as many hours as I could a week to make more money. I mowed lawns for $5, I pulled weeds. I didn't care what I was getting paid. I was just happy to get paid and make money.

 

It is because of you previously recommending that book, about a year ago on here, that my mindset has completely changed. Yes, it's just one book, but it has changed the way I think about money, life, goals. I have only become more determined because of reading this and I think it will have a lasting impact on me. Thanks for recommending it.

Fortis my friend, you're far to intelligent and accomplished to waste your time trying to enlighten wheels. He's already proven (and gone to tremendous lengths to remind us) he's unwilling to even consider the view of people who are far more educated and experienced than he can even wrap his dense little head around.

 

That is outright wrong. I am very willing to consider others views, hence debating them. IMO, it actually seems more the opposite: that people do not want to consider my views.

 

Wheels should feel lucky to have you (and most of this board) even acknowledge his existence, let alone try to mentor him.

 

I do! But the "mentoring" here is not on issues that anyone here is really an expert on, just educated laymen. You make it sound like Fortis was giving me advice on real-estate development and I was telling him he is wrong because of what I read in a book.

Holy crap seeing some of Wheels' rebuttals in this thread reinforces what I've seen in a few people I know that have been getting on my nerves lately.

 

It's that super strong stance on theoretical things, talked about with such authority with no evidence of it being right (or wrong). Also coming from people younger than me, certainly doesn't help. I have no idea how a bunch of 20/early 30somethings could have such an authoritative view on how the world should work, against the status quo mind you......it makes no sense!

 

You can blame this naivete on youth.....most of us have probably been down that road before, I know I have.

 

But at some point you gotta embrace the wisdom of those older than you and mature. To not even budge is very annoying to deal with.

 

(and those that do this, don't even realize they are doing this! Wheels cannot see his own behavior, IMHO.)

 

One of Fortis's opinions was that Europe will be fine because historically it has been fine and also that good always triumph's over evil. Given that many experts on the subject would have a huge disagreement with both of those, how I am to just take them at face value? So I explained to Fortis my reasons for disagreeing with him.

 

And I am saying how the world should work against what the status quo is...? The status quo is that evil dominates and Europe relies on America for protection.

It's okay to be contrarian... or skeptical. But not at the cost of ignoring advice, experience, wisdom, etc.

 

The saying: Cutting off your nose to spite your face comes to mind.

 

Anyway, back to the arguments

 

What advice, experience, and wisdom am I ignoring? My opinions were on international issues, not life experience, business, etc...

I know, I am always hopeful but 100% of the time it's akin to talking to a pile of disorganised bricks.

 

You say this but then you do not provide any kind of explanation for the points you give. You seem to just expect me to take them at face value and seem offended that I would dare question the opinions you gave. Neither you nor I are experts on international affairs, just at most enthusiastic laymen. You are an expert in real-estate development however.

 

I have never criticized any advice you have given to anyone on real-estate development. Yeah, I got into it on architecture design, but in terms of how to actually put up buildings, I never criticized you on any of that, because you are the expert there. You and others though make it sound like I criticized something you said on that subject, saying it was wrong because of what I read in a book.

 

Like if you were explaining to someone about the proper foundation for a type of development or building, and I popped in and said, "Fortis, that is wrong, that is not how you do the foundation, I read it in a book and it says to do it this way..." that isn't what I am doing. Given how subjective international affairs can be, even if you had a Ph.D in that subject, I would still question your opinions if I thought them wrong, so that I can learn.

 

I know this isn't right or politically correct but the only option you have if you want a positive outcome is to ignore them or not allow them to talk, obviously you can't do that so you are screwed.

 

I understand everyone should have a say but if you never baked a cake STFU and let the chef speak!

 

Yeah you can learn, yeah you can read shit on the net, you can ask your mom, or your friend who apparently is a chef but that does not make you a God damn expert top hat Chef, we got a bunch of them lets just listen to them first.

 

I don't think this is only a youth issue it's a common trait amongst stupid people and as you know they come in all sort of age, shape and sizes and in most cases there is a tremendous oversupply of them.

 

You made an authoritative statement of your own without being the chef as well, and I, also not a chef, called it into question. You took offense to this it seems. Why is it you can speak as if an authority on the issue and if I question it, I am somehow out of my league and should shut up?

Wheels, I don't expect an answer from you on what I am about to ask but here goes anyway:

How old are you? If you don't want to be specific, what age group do you belong?

 

Judging from your responses throughout these years, you cannot be at a mentally "mature" level. And for that very reason, it solidifies the very proof of this thread..."sad for our future".

 

Stop arguing or, according to you, stop your debate and go out more. Make as much effort on attempting to travel abroad as you would be "debating" here. It will open your eyes. For better or for worse, you will have a new perspective on life and yourself afterward. Ok, you don't need a new perspective (which then proofed what I had just said earlier); but just go out and explore. It's a lot more interesting than what your PC could possibly show or how the books can evoke your imagination.

 

And trust me, you have absolutely no idea who Fortis is.

 

Wheels, there is a company called Megabus that will take you to a big city you've never been before from $10. Take a ride.

Wheels, there is a company called Megabus that will take you to a big city you've never been before from $10. Take a ride.

 

 

Ouch.

 

Man, wheels is wheels. Let the wheels keep spinning. Ignore if you don't like the posts. Can't stop him from posting. It is what it is. But let the guy live.

The 2016 election is a textbook example of campaigning on emotional sentiment and vague claims rather than specific policies. Trump has successfully gathered a cult following (I use this term loosely) by playing to the *existing* anti-political sentiment - a true opportunist, a true populist. An example of a successful campaign on emotional sentiment rather than specific policies: Cruz speaking to a Trump supporter recently, when Cruz asks the supporter what policies of Trump's he supports, he simply states "everything" and proceeds to call Cruz a liar. Unfortunately, this is indicative of all Trump supporters I have spoken with with one exception; not to say there aren't those out there who can articulate their support through specifics, I just do not believe that is the majority. On the other side of the coin you have various interviewers asking Sanders supporters on college campuses and at campaign rallys the same question, what *exactly* they support, the overwhelming answer is still "everything".

 

President Obama defeated McCain on the same campaign tactic in 2008 - "Hope & Change". This is the campaign strategy that continues to prove its effectiveness, and it will mean Trump wins over Hillary in November.

 

 

Ouch.

 

Man, wheels is wheels. Let the wheels keep spinning. Ignore if you don't like the posts. Can't stop him from posting. It is what it is. But let the guy live.

 

I don't think RAWR was trying to be a dick. I interpreted it as what the others have said to Wheels-that he should take some time off and just get out for a little while.

Wheels, I don't expect an answer from you on what I am about to ask but here goes anyway:

How old are you? If you don't want to be specific, what age group do you belong?

 

Judging from your responses throughout these years, you cannot be at a mentally "mature" level. And for that very reason, it solidifies the very proof of this thread..."sad for our future".

 

Stop arguing or, according to you, stop your debate and go out more. Make as much effort on attempting to travel abroad as you would be "debating" here. It will open your eyes. For better or for worse, you will have a new perspective on life and yourself afterward. Ok, you don't need a new perspective (which then proofed what I had just said earlier); but just go out and explore. It's a lot more interesting than what your PC could possibly show or how the books can evoke your imagination.

 

And trust me, you have absolutely no idea who Fortis is.

 

My point is just if Fortis (or anyone) makes a statement on an issue such as international relations, people have plenty right to disagree and explain why. The person can then explain why they disagree in response. If they don't have the time or the inclination, then just say so. But I can't understand why it is okay for others to offer such opinions but if I offer such an opinion, people act like I'm giving advice on marriage, raising children, putting up buildings, building a business, etc...i.e. where experience really counts.

 

To use a rough example, look at Dr. Ben Carson. He believes the pyramids were used as grain silos. Now if he was a member here instead of a political figure now, and was known on this forum as being one of the finest pediatric neurosurgeons in the world as he was, and he made such a comment, and me, not knowing a thing about surgery, then responded with a lengthy post on why the pyramids were not used as grain silos, would you:

 

1) Consider my statement

 

2) Tell me to shut up because I have no experience like Dr. Carson

 

(also not comparing Fortis's opinion to that, just using this as an example)

The answer is simple Wheels. You already stated very clearly that you had never been out of the US. So you have no physical experience on something like IR or foreign policies. Your views and opinions are so outlandish and even if proven wrong by experts, you kept arguing to reinforce your point. I'll give you the benefit of the doubt that you just might be that 0.1% hidden genius that has yet to be properly recognized. But keep in mind that you are arguing with those who are experts in the field. Take your machining hobby for instance: emanon is a licensed engineer and likely have dreams about machining more than you could ever actually physically lay your hands on a lathe. And while you may take his advice sincerely at heart, your responses are so argumentative it simply leaves people shaking their heads. Anyway, getting back to the topic, until you have proven otherwise, the majority of your responses/rebuttal seem primarily based on what you can research on the internet or from the library. Add those to your stubborn responses and your "different" perspective on the matter, you are not painting a good picture of yourself at all. Consider this: someone has done the research on everything about Lamborghini cars since their founding in 1963, have all the pics, specs, manuals and all the related paraphernalia; I'll cut him some slack by assuming that he had ridden in a few; but he had never physically driven one before. So does that qualify him as a true expert of Lamborghini's then? Academically, he certain knows a lot but by not ever driven one, he simply couldn't fully comprehend how a Lamborghini would feel. And you, at best, are that so-called Lamborghini expert who had never driven a Lamborghini. And countering or arguing with someone else whom you know little of in both the person and the subject is simply unwise. There is a fine-line difference; actually, it's outright obvious; between reflecting an opinion and arguing for the sake of it and using silly ways to back up your argument.

 

Proceed with your rebuttal if your wish (nothing's new). I had stated what is properly needed and further response or elaboration is futile; it would only feed you and gives you an audience if that's what you are after. If anything else, it only proofs my points above further. I'll give you this though: on a slow rainy day, you do provide a good chuckle or two.