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ericj9's comments:
on Finding Work
The problem isn't being middle aged, too experienced, qualified or whatever. The problem is that employers and recruiters actually think they have magical or psychic powers! That is the problem; not the candidates. The caller who was “a drug user” because he was middle aged and under employed is a perfect example of the idiocy employers and some congressmen, apparently, have.
Here’s my magic powers job hunt war story: I was finishing my Master’s degree (not quite yet) when I was job hunting. I calculated that employers like smart people so I put it on my resume. Several employers explained that they weren’t sure they could afford to pay for my degree…WHAT THE…? Naturally, I never mentioned it before. I’m sure glad I work at a school now!
posted 2 years, 2 months ago
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on The Reality of Guns
I own enough guns to sink an island, mostly the military/police variety. I have a personal belief that the right to self defense is absolute and supercedes even a constitutional right if there wasn't a second amendment. I don't care if the FBI/ATF is "snooping on me;" I had a security clearance and I'm used to scrutiny.
If you make the choice to aquire a firearm, you have an absolute obligation to learn the effective/safe methods of handling/ employing them. I have a background as a small and heavy weapons specialist and armorer (gun mechanic) in the Army. Even though I have been through countless safety classes, I am always open to review. I will not go to the range without firearms safety review. It's my conviction that training is even more important to employing the weapon than ammunition.
There are almost no gun accidents; what happened in Oregon City was negligence. Unless there is a factory defect and a weapon goes off when it isn't intended to, its the fault of the weapon owner. My heart goes out to everyone involved in any shooting like this but responsibility is price of gun ownership. EVERY time you pull a trigger, you are responsible for the ultimate destination of the bullet.
With that in mind it isn't why I own them. I feel very safe in life, so self defense isn't the reason. I have been to dangerous places, more so than the US in my opinion. In some of these places, you are in more jeopardy when you posses a firearm because it identifies you as a combatant and therefore a legitimate target- so much for empowerment.
I own firearms because it is a way to keep me connected with a part of my past that I like to stay in touch with. I despise hunting unless its for survival and see hunting used as an excuse to bypass the big issues around defense and safety. Personally, its a hot rod like hobby.
I think both of your current guests are correct and clearly wrong. Too bad we are all too full of our own stories and political trenches to have a rational discussion around firearms. Every term is a code word and an inflamatory. Why can't we discuss this without blame. Until that changes we will remain in deadlock and we will get more laws, see more violence, see more negligent discharges, and in the end we all will be no safer than we are now whether the US makes it illegal to own anything you can't bring on a commercial airline...or if every American must own a rocket launcher at a minimum.
Why not find some common ground to defend.
posted 2 years, 4 months ago
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on Islam in the Northwest
Hallelujah, (pun intended) newts,
The fanaticism you speak of is the root cause of the worst of our (world's violence) problems. It is interesting that the psychopaths that claim Christian identity do not make a convincing argument to paint the religion with the broad brush.
All three religions of the book (Jeudaism, Christianity, and Islam) all have violent parts to their teachings. It might have something to do with the fact they were not written recently.
As a an owner of a number of guns, I disagree with your opinion on the NRA and private firearm ownership. Although I would rather donate my money to the FMF than the NRA, I don't view the NRA as a threat.
posted 2 years, 6 months ago
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on Islam in the Northwest
With respect (sincerely), you are wrong. Up until around 2006, the country with the largest number of terrorist incidents was...get ready for it: Columbia. Terrorism is not the exclusive domain of any religion and by taking an emotional stance on the issue you empower the architects of terror. This divide that is increasing is exactly part of the goal of separating muslims from non-muslims. What you and everyone else outside the counter-terrorism community need to understand is that the goal is not an Islamic one; it is the goal of the terrorists who want to unify them against the "west." Terrorism isn't a REAL threat to the United States. Obviously no one believes me so do this: research the stats for the number of annual deaths from: auto accidents, deaths related to trees (falling trees/industrial accidents), and terrorist related murders. If we are serious about recognizing and avoiding threats, stop driving and start biking everywhere.
When we accept jihadi propaganda (letting terrorists be identified as Muslim) we are empowering the terrorists. "Hearts and minds" works both ways. If we have to accept ABL as the massiah (caliphate in the Islamic venacular), as Christians we have to accept David Koresh, Jim Jones, and Eric Rudolf as our lords and saviors.
Whatever your opinion is on any religion:
religion (any of them) does not equal terror
If you are a Muslim, you are not a terrorist
If you are a terrorist, you are not a Muslim; you are an apostate (read a book NOT A BLOG listeners if you don't know what that is).
posted 2 years, 6 months ago
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on Challenges for the National Guard
I am not a combat veteran(10 years active army/ 10 years army/air guard); only because I fought with the military my entire career was I able to carve out a middle class life and not dependent on the service.
I don't buy Jonathan's comments. What I notice with the Guard is that they bring a different skillset to the military. There are differences but it is not quantitative. Active/Guard BOTH bring their own strengths and weaknesses.
Regardless, the issue is malfeasance on the part of DoD and the service branches. It is directly the fault of the the Dept of the Army to provide modern equipment and care. It is an embarrassment to this country to see homeless vets and especially combat vets with no support when they leave active duty. If you are wearing a star on your collar YOU carry responsibility to fix the problem.
If the nation cannot afford to care for the people directly responsible for our liberty, DON'T GO TO WAR. It saddens me when I hear about fundraisers to help the families of combat vets who deserve nothing short of lifetime medical care. If you disagree, I would argue that you wouldn't have that right without their sacrifice (whether it is measured physically or mentally).
posted 3 years ago
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on Referendum Signatures
When you go to a town hall meeting, You do not stand up and say: "I'm [Joe T Sixpack] and my home address is:xxxxxx, let me know when you are ready for me to continue..." If you support it, it's your choice to determine the extent. Would you go to a town hall meeting if you had to tell the entire world (public is public) where you live?
I hate bigots. I strongly believe that the bill is a legalized attempt to support bigotry. What happens is when the opposition sinks to these tactics? Imagine a public marijuanna legalization petition; if I supported that I would be VERY afraid to sign it.
Goodnight democracy; it was a nice run...
posted 3 years, 9 months ago
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on A Sustainable Auto Industry
The big three are too big to fail and the implications are frightening to think about we should give them everything they ask for and more! Then we should seize control of the companies and replace the boards of directors and senior leadership with competent leadership. If I asked you for 100 grand to get me out of a jam, I can't expect you not to have lots of strings attached. This is unrealistic as well. $3.2 trillion (or whatever it is now) bailout dollars are at risk, The NSA can monitor our domestic communications at will, we have all the knowledge, money, technology, and need to get out of the climate/energy crisis and won't...but yes it is unrealistic...
posted 4 years, 6 months ago
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on A Sustainable Auto Industry
posted 4 years, 6 months ago
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on A Sustainable Auto Industry
You don't need ANY research for H2 technology. H2 infrastructure development would not only get the country out of this economic mess, it would make the information technology boom pale in comparison. Sure it has its risks; everything does. Look what doing the same thing, expecting a different result is getting us...
posted 4 years, 6 months ago
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on Burning Questions
Terrorism is: the systematic use of violence or the threat of violence against people by a non-state actor for the purpose of overthrowing a government or to cause significant change to the government, undermining the democratic rule of law.
posted 5 years, 3 months ago
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on Burning Questions
Terrorism is: the systematic use of violence or the threat of violence against people by a non-state actor for the purpose of overthrowing a government or to cause significant change to the government, undermining the democratic rule of law.
The "new and improved" federal government definition makes a joke out of what I used to do. Let's make it clear: if intimidation is the determining factor then that means Jersey Teamsters or even mean girls in junior high school are now terrorists because they use the internet to target, use propaganda against their victims, and sometimes lure their victims to be physically beaten. If I would/could be tasked to focus my efforts away from AQ to ELF, I don't know where I would have started. Case in point- Switch your Mid-East terrorism correspondents to the Earth-first beat and see well that works out.
ELF/ALF are clearly criminals, but worse than anything else they do is taint the image of people like me who care about the environment...just not enough to set it on fire. Many people who are on the fence of buying a Hummer or replacing their incandescent bulbs, rightly or wrongly see the "monkey wrencher" as their future if they start to go green. ELF/ALF's true damage is some arson damage it's the long-term tainting of the environmental movement and the slowing of green initiatives in this country. Nice going guys!
posted 5 years, 3 months ago
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