› ›
Our new Indie Games subforum is now open for business in G&T. Go and check it out, you might land a code for a free game. If you're developing an indie game and want to post about it, follow these directions. If you don't, he'll break your legs! Hahaha! Seriously though.
Our rules have been updated and given their own forum. Go and look at them! They are nice, and there may be new ones that you didn't know about! Hooray for rules! Hooray for The System! Hooray for Conforming!

The American Presidency: This Thread Is 'Inartful'.

1…6791112…63

Posts

  • SpeakerSpeaker Registered User regular
    http://blog.wired.com/defense/2008/06/baracks-defense.html
    Barack Obama has blasted nearly every element of George W. Bush's defense policy, from Iraq to Afghanistan to Iran. But the Democratic nominee for President, if elected, might very well keep Bush's Secretary of Defense, Robert Gates.

    Yeah, I'm just as surprised as you are.

    This Sunday's Times of London quotes Obama national security advsier and former Navy Secretary Richard Danzig as saying: “My personal position is Gates is a very good secretary of defense and would be an even better one in an Obama administration.”

    That's quite a statement, from Danzig, a man who could himself "become the next secretary of defense," as NPR recently noted. So I asked him whether the quote was accurate, or had been taken out of context. Nope, Danzig replied. In fact, he had made it about ten days earlier, to the L.A. Times. And he hadn't changed his mind since.

    So what gives here? How could Obama -- who's running to turn the page on the Bush White House's foreign and military portfolio -- look to keep that book in Gates' hands?

    Obama's defense team certainly has serious beefs with Bush's military and diplomatic decisions -- to launch the war, to take resources from Afghanistan, to refuse serious talks with Iran. But, from my limited discussions with Danzig and others, the thing that really pisses them off was the management of the Pentagon during the Bush years. The spiraling budgets, the lack of accountability, the slipped deadlines, the circumventing of the chain of command, the politicization of policy -- to former Defense Department stewards like Danzig, those were the real horror shows.

    But since Gates has been brought in, things have started to turn. Budgets have begun to return to reality. People lose their jobs when they can't do them right. Experts in their fields are being heard. Sound policy is often trumping adherence to political orthodoxy. And the Pentagon is slowly, slowly starting to focus on today's wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. That's the attraction of Gates.

    Folks like Andrew Sullivan have written about Obama's conservative, don't-do-anything-dumb-and-radical temperament. That goes for military policy, too.

    Back in May, I wrote, "Look, I know no Democrat is going to keep a Republican Defense Secretary around. But if McCain winds up in the Oval Office, I vote that Gates stays at the Pentagon."

    Gates insists he's done, either way, in January, 09: "The circumstances under which I would [continue on] are inconceivable to me."

    But Barack Obama seems like a pretty persuasive guy.

    Langston Hughes wrote:
    Being walkers with the dawn and morning,
    Walkers with the sun and morning, we are not afraid of night,
    Nor days of gloom, nor darkness -
    Being walkers with the sun and morning.
    • Agree Awesome
  • DeaconBluesDeaconBlues __BANNED USERS
    That's... a pretty bad evaluation of why GM is failing, Cantido.

    Might have something to do with the fact that the money from one out of every eight cars they make goes right to the lifetime healthcare they promised their unions.

    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
    • Agree Awesome
  • CantidoCantido Registered User regular
    I'm personally biased, too.

    You will not catch me, or anyone in my family, living or dead, in an American car.

    The sound of eight hooves reaches his ears, comes from the heavenly light, two wolves howls fills his heart with fear, and he sees two ravens fly. Down from the sky a warlord rides, like fire his one eye glows, and just before the preacher dies he knows his god is false.
    • Agree Awesome
  • ZephyrZephyr Registered User
    http://blogs.abcnews.com/legalities/2008/07/bush-to-close-g.html

    interesting, but i really doubt he will

    16kakxt.jpg
    • Agree Awesome
  • Professor PhobosProfessor Phobos Registered User regular
    DeaconBlues wrote: »
    That's... a pretty bad evaluation of why GM is failing, Cantido.

    Might have something to do with the fact that the money from one out of every eight cars they make goes right to the lifetime healthcare they promised their unions.

    Which wouldn't be a problem if GM made cars that could compete outside the US...

    • Agree Awesome
  • SpeakerSpeaker Registered User regular
    DeaconBlues wrote: »
    That's... a pretty bad evaluation of why GM is failing, Cantido.

    Might have something to do with the fact that the money from one out of every eight cars they make goes right to the lifetime healthcare they promised their unions.

    And yet it was just reported that GM and Toyota have both lost around 20% of their market share.

    Probably just a coincidence, rather than this far out idea that neither company correctly predicted the consumer demand for smaller cars.

    Langston Hughes wrote:
    Being walkers with the dawn and morning,
    Walkers with the sun and morning, we are not afraid of night,
    Nor days of gloom, nor darkness -
    Being walkers with the sun and morning.
    • Agree Awesome
  • monikermoniker Registered User regular
    Cantido wrote: »
    I'm personally biased, too.

    You will not catch me, or anyone in my family, living or dead, in an American car.

    Why don't you like Toyota? My Mom loves them.

    tea-1.jpg
    • Agree Awesome
  • HedgethornHedgethorn Associate Professor of Historical Hobby Horses In the Lions' DenRegistered User regular
    DeaconBlues wrote: »
    That's... a pretty bad evaluation of why GM is failing, Cantido.

    Might have something to do with the fact that the money from one out of every eight cars they make goes right to the lifetime healthcare they promised their unions.

    It might have more to do with the fact that they're not building any vehicles that people want. Two of their eight brands (Hummer, GMC) make nothing but SUVs and Large Trucks, the sales of which have dropped through the floor in the last 18 months. Furthermore, only three (Chevy, Pontiac, Saturn) of the other six brands make any fuel-efficient models - Buick, Cadillac, and Saab aren't really known for their cost-effectiveness.

    • Agree Awesome
  • HedgethornHedgethorn Associate Professor of Historical Hobby Horses In the Lions' DenRegistered User regular
    Speaker wrote: »
    DeaconBlues wrote: »
    That's... a pretty bad evaluation of why GM is failing, Cantido.

    Might have something to do with the fact that the money from one out of every eight cars they make goes right to the lifetime healthcare they promised their unions.

    And yet it was just reported that GM and Toyota have both lost around 20% of their market share.

    Probably just a coincidence, rather than this far out idea that neither company correctly predicted the consumer demand for smaller cars.

    If you look past just the current month, though, Toyota has been closing the gap with GM. GM's share has been dropping for many months, while Toyota has been gaining (or at least dropping more slowly).

    • Agree Awesome
  • DaedalusDaedalus Registered User regular
    Hedgethorn wrote: »
    Speaker wrote: »
    DeaconBlues wrote: »
    That's... a pretty bad evaluation of why GM is failing, Cantido.

    Might have something to do with the fact that the money from one out of every eight cars they make goes right to the lifetime healthcare they promised their unions.

    And yet it was just reported that GM and Toyota have both lost around 20% of their market share.

    Probably just a coincidence, rather than this far out idea that neither company correctly predicted the consumer demand for smaller cars.

    If you look past just the current month, though, Toyota has been closing the gap with GM. GM's share has been dropping for many months, while Toyota has been gaining (or at least dropping more slowly).

    because the Prius is the automotive sales equivalent of the Wii?

    vvvvvv-dithw.png
    • Agree Awesome
  • CantidoCantido Registered User regular
    Daedalus wrote: »
    Hedgethorn wrote: »
    Speaker wrote: »
    DeaconBlues wrote: »
    That's... a pretty bad evaluation of why GM is failing, Cantido.

    Might have something to do with the fact that the money from one out of every eight cars they make goes right to the lifetime healthcare they promised their unions.

    And yet it was just reported that GM and Toyota have both lost around 20% of their market share.

    Probably just a coincidence, rather than this far out idea that neither company correctly predicted the consumer demand for smaller cars.

    If you look past just the current month, though, Toyota has been closing the gap with GM. GM's share has been dropping for many months, while Toyota has been gaining (or at least dropping more slowly).

    because the Prius is the automotive sales equivalent of the Wii?

    I want one of those ridiculous tiny SMART cars. I got a picture of one on my cell in a parking lot. I've never seen one before. :P

    The sound of eight hooves reaches his ears, comes from the heavenly light, two wolves howls fills his heart with fear, and he sees two ravens fly. Down from the sky a warlord rides, like fire his one eye glows, and just before the preacher dies he knows his god is false.
    • Agree Awesome
  • GoslingGosling Team Monica Watertown, WIRegistered User regular
    Phalla springs up, but the 538 momentum index rolls on. During my co-hosting, I'll only be doing a reduced version- I'll just count up the states in the state index rather than listing them, and we'll dump the notes of interest.

    4%-plus:
    Florida- Down from 34% to 30%.
    New Hampshire- Up from 80% to 84%.

    State index:
    Winning, gaining ground: 20 states.
    Losing, gaining ground: 6 states.
    Winning, losing ground: Nothing.
    Losing, losing ground: 7 states.

    Overall: Up from 67.4% to 68.8%.

    I'm trying, through my blog, to break into the journalism industry. Any eyes and ears that pick up on any leads towards that end are greatly appreciated. PM me if you happen to hear anything.
    • Agree Awesome
  • QuidQuid The Fifth Horseman Registered User regular
    68.8%?

    Seriously?

    spacekungfuman wrote: »
    If that woman's cleavedge made one more person pick the game up off the shelf, it was a net positive for microprose. And to be blunt, if taking her top off could have increased sales enough to get a sequel, I'd endorse it 100000% because I like playing great games.
    • Agree Awesome
  • DaedalusDaedalus Registered User regular
    Cantido wrote: »
    Daedalus wrote: »
    Hedgethorn wrote: »
    Speaker wrote: »
    DeaconBlues wrote: »
    That's... a pretty bad evaluation of why GM is failing, Cantido.

    Might have something to do with the fact that the money from one out of every eight cars they make goes right to the lifetime healthcare they promised their unions.

    And yet it was just reported that GM and Toyota have both lost around 20% of their market share.

    Probably just a coincidence, rather than this far out idea that neither company correctly predicted the consumer demand for smaller cars.

    If you look past just the current month, though, Toyota has been closing the gap with GM. GM's share has been dropping for many months, while Toyota has been gaining (or at least dropping more slowly).

    because the Prius is the automotive sales equivalent of the Wii?

    I want one of those ridiculous tiny SMART cars. I got a picture of one on my cell in a parking lot. I've never seen one before. :P

    I have only ever seen them on Top Gear, where they were ruthlessly mocked.

    But then, Clarkson makes fun of anything that doesn't have powwwwahhh.

    vvvvvv-dithw.png
    • Agree Awesome
  • nexuscrawlernexuscrawler Registered User regular
    538 seems really iffy.

    SC2 : nexuscrawler.381
    • Agree Awesome
  • HedgethornHedgethorn Associate Professor of Historical Hobby Horses In the Lions' DenRegistered User regular
    mtvcdm wrote: »
    Phalla springs up, but the 538 momentum index rolls on. During my co-hosting, I'll only be doing a reduced version- I'll just count up the states in the state index rather than listing them, and we'll dump the notes of interest.

    4%-plus:
    Florida- Down from 34% to 30%.
    New Hampshire- Up from 80% to 84%.

    State index:
    Winning, gaining ground: 20 states.
    Losing, gaining ground: 6 states.
    Winning, losing ground: Nothing.
    Losing, losing ground: 7 states.

    Overall: Up from 67.4% to 68.8%.

    New avatar, huh? Who is that, Lisa Ling?

    • Agree Awesome
  • HedgethornHedgethorn Associate Professor of Historical Hobby Horses In the Lions' DenRegistered User regular
    nexuscrawler wrote: »
    538 seems really iffy.

    I don't know what to think about the models, but there is no better site if you want to know what the present polling data suggests or if you just want someone who clearly understands statistics explain what the polls really mean.

    • Agree Awesome
  • monikermoniker Registered User regular
    Daedalus wrote: »
    Hedgethorn wrote: »
    Speaker wrote: »
    DeaconBlues wrote: »
    That's... a pretty bad evaluation of why GM is failing, Cantido.

    Might have something to do with the fact that the money from one out of every eight cars they make goes right to the lifetime healthcare they promised their unions.

    And yet it was just reported that GM and Toyota have both lost around 20% of their market share.

    Probably just a coincidence, rather than this far out idea that neither company correctly predicted the consumer demand for smaller cars.

    If you look past just the current month, though, Toyota has been closing the gap with GM. GM's share has been dropping for many months, while Toyota has been gaining (or at least dropping more slowly).

    because the Prius is the automotive sales equivalent of the Wii?

    The Camry and to a lesser extent the Corolla. They're like the standard sedan anymore, rather than the impala or whatever. A Prius is more for the conspicuous hippie types with money.

    And the Think is totally cuter than a Smart.

    tea-1.jpg
    • Agree Awesome
  • nexuscrawlernexuscrawler Registered User regular
    The Prius is flying off the shelves but I gather the profit on it if really iffy so far

    SC2 : nexuscrawler.381
    • Agree Awesome
  • ElkiElki hegemon globalSuper Moderator, Moderator, ClubPA mod
    Speaker wrote: »
    Andy Borowitz wrote:
    The liberal blogosphere was aflame today with new accusations that Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill) is trying to win the 2008 presidential election.

    Suspicions about Sen. Obama's true motives have been building over the past few weeks, but not until today have the bloggers called him out for betraying the Democratic Party's losing tradition.

    "Barack Obama seems to be making a very calculated attempt to win over 270 electoral votes," wrote liberal blogger Carol Foyler at LibDemWatch.com, a blog read by a half-dozen other liberal bloggers. "He must be stopped."

    But those comments were not nearly as strident as those of Tracy Klugian, whose blog LoseOn.org has backed unsuccessful Democratic candidates since 2000.

    "Increasingly, Barack Obama's message is becoming more accessible, appealing, and yes, potentially successful," he wrote. "Any Democrat who voted for Dukakis, Mondale or Kerry should regard this as a betrayal."

    Liberal bloggers said that they would be watching Sen. Obama's vice-presidential selection process "very closely" for signs that he is plotting to win the election.

    "Barack Obama still has a chance to pick someone disastrous as a sign that he wants to lose this thing," Ms. Foyler wrote. "If not, he should brace himself for some really mean blog posts."

    <3

    Jafar-Panahi_sig2.jpg royalist_pasig.jpg
    • Agree Awesome
  • Rufus_ShinraRufus_Shinra Registered User
    Quid wrote: »
    68.8%?

    Seriously?

    FiveThirtyEight is predicting the odds that Barack Obama will win the election in November, not if the election were held tomorrow.

    If it were trying to predict who would win in an election tomorrow, it gives Obama something like 90% chance of winning.

    This is why no matter how well either side is doing, at least for the next couple of months it will probably never break 80%.

    • Agree Awesome
  • OhtsamOhtsam Registered User regular
    nexuscrawler wrote: »
    The Prius is flying off the shelves but I gather the profit on it if really iffy so far

    dealerships must be making a profit since they are usually selling them above the price recommended by toyota

    • Agree Awesome
  • GoslingGosling Team Monica Watertown, WIRegistered User regular
    Hedgethorn wrote: »
    mtvcdm wrote: »
    Phalla springs up, but the 538 momentum index rolls on. During my co-hosting, I'll only be doing a reduced version- I'll just count up the states in the state index rather than listing them, and we'll dump the notes of interest.

    4%-plus:
    Florida- Down from 34% to 30%.
    New Hampshire- Up from 80% to 84%.

    State index:
    Winning, gaining ground: 20 states.
    Losing, gaining ground: 6 states.
    Winning, losing ground: Nothing.
    Losing, losing ground: 7 states.

    Overall: Up from 67.4% to 68.8%.

    New avatar, huh? Who is that, Lisa Ling?
    The sig gave it away, right?

    I'm trying, through my blog, to break into the journalism industry. Any eyes and ears that pick up on any leads towards that end are greatly appreciated. PM me if you happen to hear anything.
    • Agree Awesome
  • ClevingerClevinger Registered User regular
    McCain Health Credit Could Morph Into Tax Hike

    • Agree Awesome
  • Randall_FlaggRandall_Flagg Registered User
    moniker wrote: »
    Cantido wrote: »
    I'm personally biased, too.

    You will not catch me, or anyone in my family, living or dead, in an American car.

    Why don't you like Toyota? My Mom loves them.

    you mean 車株式会社 (,Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki-gaisha)?

    yeah, that came straight from the heartland of the good ol' US of A

    • Agree Awesome
  • monikermoniker Registered User regular
    Randall_Flagg wrote: »
    moniker wrote: »
    Cantido wrote: »
    I'm personally biased, too.

    You will not catch me, or anyone in my family, living or dead, in an American car.

    Why don't you like Toyota? My Mom loves them.

    you mean 車株式会社 (,Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki-gaisha)?

    yeah, that came straight from the heartland of the good ol' US of A

    I've never heard of San Antonio or Fremont, California referred to as the heartland, but okay.

    tea-1.jpg
    • Agree Awesome
  • nexuscrawlernexuscrawler Registered User regular
    Aren't Fords half made in Mexico anyway?

    SC2 : nexuscrawler.381
    • Agree Awesome
  • KiplingKipling Registered User regular
    moniker wrote: »
    Randall_Flagg wrote: »
    moniker wrote: »
    Cantido wrote: »
    I'm personally biased, too.

    You will not catch me, or anyone in my family, living or dead, in an American car.

    Why don't you like Toyota? My Mom loves them.

    you mean 車株式会社 (,Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki-gaisha)?

    yeah, that came straight from the heartland of the good ol' US of A

    I've never heard of San Antonio or Fremont, California referred to as the heartland, but okay.

    Huge chart of Americanness of a car: http://www.usatoday.com/money/autos/2007-03-21-car-content-chart_N.htm

    I thought Toyota built cars in Tenessee. Or Alabama. Somewhere like that with crappy labor laws. Your comment makes me wonder where the heartland is commonly defined.

    You can read automobile blogs (and history) and trace the creation of video game fanboys from automotive fanboys. I drove a crappy old Ford as a teenager, but I wouldn't translate the 1986 model experience to a 2009 model if I was buying a car.

    • Agree Awesome
  • KilroyKilroy Seer of Heart Registered User regular
    Kipling wrote: »
    I thought Toyota built cars in Tenessee. Or Alabama. Somewhere like that with crappy labor laws. Your comment makes me wonder where the heartland is commonly defined.

    There's a Toyota factory in Kentucky, if that's what you're thinking.

    Steam brotimes Xbox Live: DigitalGravitas
    • Agree Awesome
  • Robos A Go GoRobos A Go Go Registered User regular
    Get on topic before Jeffe gets back, guys!

    Robosig.png
    https://twitter.com/Hooraydiation
    • Agree Awesome
  • monikermoniker Registered User regular
    ...I hear Obama drives a car made out of American flag lapel pins that he refuses to wear.

    tea-1.jpg
    • Agree Awesome
  • KilroyKilroy Seer of Heart Registered User regular
    John McCain drives a Hummer that runs off of barbecue sauce and Budweiser.

    Steam brotimes Xbox Live: DigitalGravitas
    • Agree Awesome
  • BlackDragon480BlackDragon480 Registered User regular
    moniker wrote: »
    ...I hear Obama drives a car made out of American flag lapel pins that he refuses to wear.

    Does he hold the steering wheel with the hand he refuses to put over his heart?

    fss_overall.png
    • Agree Awesome
  • werehippywerehippy Registered User regular
    Kilroy wrote: »
    John McCain drives a Hummer that runs off of barbecue sauce and Budweiser.

    But people still don't want him at their barbecues.

    theeyeov3.jpg
    • Agree Awesome
  • DeaconBluesDeaconBlues __BANNED USERS
    I heard Obama's car runs on lattes and arugula.

    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
    • Agree Awesome
  • ElldrenElldren Registered User regular
    DeaconBlues wrote: »
    I heard Obama's car runs on lattes and arugula.

    What's arugula?

    • Agree Awesome
  • real_pochaccoreal_pochacco Registered User
    Obviously I haven't been reading these election threads enough because I know basically nothing about Kathleen Sebelius. I voted Joe Biden.

    • Agree Awesome
  • DeaconBluesDeaconBlues __BANNED USERS
    Obama's car's GPS system only allows you to merge right.

    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
    • Agree Awesome
  • Der Waffle MousDer Waffle Mous WALK 3X FASTER New Yark, New Yark.Registered User regular
    DeaconBlues wrote: »
    Obama's car's GPS system only allows you to merge right.
    I like this one.

    achar_zpse53d43a1-1_zps5cd88fc4.jpg
    Steam PSN: DerWaffleMous Origin: DerWaffleMous Bnet: WaffleMous#1483
    • Agree Awesome
  • KilroyKilroy Seer of Heart Registered User regular
    DeaconBlues wrote: »
    Obama's car's GPS system only allows you to merge right.

    I'll admit, I laughed pretty hard at this.

    Steam brotimes Xbox Live: DigitalGravitas
    • Agree Awesome
This discussion has been closed.
› ›