LasÞ²t nigÞ²ht - BilÞ²l CliÞ²ntoÞ²n

[Morphine Child]

Yes, Hillary will raise taxes. And that won't have anything to do with you. "I want to restore the tax rates that we had in the '90s," said the New York Democrat and former first lady. "That means raising taxes on corporations and wealthy individuals. I want to keep the middle-class tax cuts." So does that mean money is coming out of your wallet? NO. It also doesn't mean I'm voting for Hillary, but get your facts straight before you complain.

I love the Conservative chants of, "they're going to take all of my money and start global health care!", but it's funny that 5 years ago it was the conservatives that put us in a seemingly never ending war that is costing us (when I say "US", I'm including you, me, everyone that pays taxes) $12 billion a MONTH, and will cost us $1.7 TRILLION by 2017. With no end in sight. But those are statistics, and I know you guys on here aren't big on "statistics" and "reality". That's understandable, because it requires going beyond barstool personal "theory".

I never understood Jones - though we discussed it briefly before - the justification of your libertarianism while still supporting the war, but not wanting to pay taxes. How the hell does a government pull that off? Where does a government come up with 1.7 trillion dollars for a pointless venture like that?

[bwohlgemuth]

A bit of Economics 101 for our friends on the left.

Corporations exist to make money for their shareholders. When you make their primary purpose in life extremely difficult, they move on. Perhaps they move offshore, or get bought by a foreign competitor. In the end, that money goes elsewhere.

Corporations have very deep pockets to find ways around tax burdens. They pay billions each year to Deloitte & Touche or Crowe Chizek to find those loopholes. And they will exist, even under Hillary-care.

So what ends up happening? Hundreds of billions in tax revenues go elsewhere. And who is left with the bill? Not the rich, since they left with their fortunes a long time ago. Not the poor, since they don't have any money.

And if you think I'm trying to scare you with that, look at no other place than Hong Kong. HK is the Asian leader in free markets, and the ChiComs are doing a great job of pissing that away. People are starting to leave HK to other markets like Singapore and the US because of the openness of those economies.

[bwohlgemuth]

I never understood Jones - though we discussed it briefly before - the justification of your libertarianism while still supporting the war, but not wanting to pay taxes. How the hell does a government pull that off? Where does a government come up with 1.7 trillion dollars for a pointless venture like that?

Define pointless.....

Freeing 27 million people from tyranny? Creating two strong republics which surround our most imminent threat, with each republic having strong ethnic ties (Shites in Iraq and Pashtuns in Afghanistan). Creating an area of democracy that will hopefully wake up the people of this region from the strife they live in and move towards becoming real global partners?

Yeah, that 1.7 trillion was a waste. We should have given it to the Department of Education.

[Morphine Child]

I never understood Jones - though we discussed it briefly before - the justification of your libertarianism while still supporting the war, but not wanting to pay taxes. How the hell does a government pull that off? Where does a government come up with 1.7 trillion dollars for a pointless venture like that?

Define pointless.....

Freeing 27 million people from tyranny? Creating two strong republics which surround our most imminent threat, with each republic having strong ethnic ties (Shites in Iraq and Pashtuns in Afghanistan). Creating an area of democracy that will hopefully wake up the people of this region from the strife they live in and move towards becoming real global partners?

Yeah, that 1.7 trillion was a waste. We should have given it to the Department of Education.

The key word in your statement, for me, is hopefully. Japan landed back on their feet after WWII. But Japan was structured before WWII. They had knowledge to fall back on, and they direction, and stability on their own. Yes, we supported them, but we weren't running the place. Unlike Iraq. We're dealing with people that have known nothing but Dictatorship, and have no idea how to run themselves. They're still running around blowing each other up. A fragmented nation with no experience in democracy, is not likely to form any sort of cohesive democracy.

I see the point of "globalization"...but I really struggle to see it working.

[lbanks]

Ya' know, nothing we do over there will make any difference. That part of the world was fighting before the Roman Empire and will be fighting long after the Sun is a cold, dully throbbing orb.

[Morphine Child]

A bit of Economics 101 for our friends on the left.

Corporations exist to make money for their shareholders. When you make their primary purpose in life extremely difficult, they move on. Perhaps they move offshore, or get bought by a foreign competitor. In the end, that money goes elsewhere.

Corporations have very deep pockets to find ways around tax burdens. They pay billions each year to Deloitte & Touche or Crowe Chizek to find those loopholes. And they will exist, even under Hillary-care.

So what ends up happening? Hundreds of billions in tax revenues go elsewhere. And who is left with the bill? Not the rich, since they left with their fortunes a long time ago. Not the poor, since they don't have any money.

And if you think I'm trying to scare you with that, look at no other place than Hong Kong. HK is the Asian leader in free markets, and the ChiComs are doing a great job of pissing that away. People are starting to leave HK to other markets like Singapore and the US because of the openness of those economies.

I'm tired, we're talking economics...I'll get back to this one!

[GRAVE ROBBER]

This makes me happy!

[GRAVE ROBBER]

I never understood Jones - though we discussed it briefly before - the justification of your libertarianism while still supporting the war, but not wanting to pay taxes. How the hell does a government pull that off? Where does a government come up with 1.7 trillion dollars for a pointless venture like that?

Define pointless.....

Freeing 27 million people from tyranny? Creating two strong republics which surround our most imminent threat, with each republic having strong ethnic ties (Shites in Iraq and Pashtuns in Afghanistan). Creating an area of democracy that will hopefully wake up the people of this region from the strife they live in and move towards becoming real global partners?

Yeah, that 1.7 trillion was a waste. We should have given it to the Department of Education.

this makes me happy, too!

[G Fresh]

So is no one else wondering why Conley's original post has a bunch of question marks scattered randomly throughout making it extremely difficult to read? Or is there just something wrong with my work computer...and my home computer?

That is all, carry on.

[poopstains]

So is no one else wondering why Conley's original post has a bunch of question marks scattered randomly throughout making it extremely difficult to read? Or is there just something wrong with my work computer...and my home computer?

That is all, carry on.

It's on your end, there are only ? after the word aggressive, or at least that I noticed.

[G Fresh]

Okay, so this is what I see on my end. Everything Mike wrote after this plus all the comments are fine. And it looks this way on both my work computer and my home computer.

P.S. If my copy and paste looks normal to you all than either you're all messing with me or I'm going insane...or I'm being stalked by the Riddler.

..Þ²Þ²..Þ²IÞ² wasÞ²Þ² forÞ²Þ²tuÞ²nÞ²aÞ²teÞ²Þ² enoÞ²Þ²ugÞ²hÞ² to be ablÞ²Þ²e to cheÞ²Þ²ckÞ² outÞ²Þ² BilÞ²Þ²l CliÞ²Þ²ntÞ²oÞ²nÞ² lasÞ²Þ²t nigÞ²Þ²htÞ²,Þ² as he wasÞ²Þ² in ourÞ²Þ² finÞ²Þ²e citÞ²Þ²y speÞ²Þ²akÞ²iÞ²nÞ²g.Þ²Þ² LikÞ²Þ²e himÞ²Þ² or notÞ²Þ², he reaÞ²Þ²llÞ²yÞ² doeÞ²Þ²s kicÞ²Þ²k assÞ²Þ² as a pubÞ²Þ²liÞ²cÞ² speÞ²Þ²akÞ²eÞ²rÞ².

OneÞ² of theÞ² manÞ²y intÞ²ereÞ²stiÞ²ng poiÞ²ntsÞ² thaÞ²t he disÞ²cusÞ²sedÞ² wasÞ² ourÞ² eveÞ²r incÞ²reaÞ²sinÞ²g eneÞ²rgyÞ² criÞ²sisÞ². We areÞ² speÞ²ndiÞ²ng bilÞ²lioÞ²ns & bilÞ²lioÞ²ns of dolÞ²larÞ²s on oilÞ² eveÞ²rydÞ²ay.Þ² He theÞ²n gavÞ²e an exaÞ²mplÞ²e of us beiÞ²ng ablÞ²e to savÞ²e fueÞ²l cosÞ²ts,Þ² whiÞ²ch wouÞ²ld resÞ²ultÞ² in senÞ²dinÞ²g lesÞ²s monÞ²ey oveÞ²rseÞ²as forÞ² oilÞ² - by putÞ²tinÞ²g morÞ²e resÞ²earÞ²ch intÞ²o theÞ² "hyÞ²briÞ²d carÞ² conÞ²cepÞ²t."Þ² HybÞ²ridÞ²s, I thiÞ²nk,Þ² getÞ² aboÞ²ut 25 - 30mÞ²ph on a batÞ²terÞ²y & theÞ²n anoÞ²theÞ²r 20,Þ² or so,Þ² on fueÞ²l - totÞ²allÞ²ingÞ² aroÞ²undÞ² 50mÞ²ph (orÞ² so)Þ².
i didÞ²n'tÞ² knoÞ²w thiÞ²s, butÞ² he saiÞ²d thaÞ²t theÞ²re areÞ² 12 hybÞ²ridÞ² proÞ²to-Þ²typÞ²es beiÞ²ng driÞ²venÞ² thaÞ²t havÞ²e a speÞ²ciaÞ²l lytÞ²hiuÞ²m batÞ²terÞ²y thaÞ²t wilÞ²l givÞ²e youÞ² 50mÞ²ph & aroÞ²undÞ² anoÞ²theÞ²r 50 in fueÞ²l = 100Þ²mphÞ²!!!Þ²! WhyÞ² havÞ²en'Þ²t we looÞ²kedÞ² intÞ²o thiÞ²s batÞ²terÞ²y morÞ²e aggÞ²resÞ²sivÞ²elyÞ²???Þ²? HisÞ² poiÞ²nt wasÞ², "IfÞ² we canÞ² putÞ² a manÞ² on theÞ² mooÞ²n, whyÞ² areÞ²n'tÞ² we resÞ²earÞ²chiÞ²ng thiÞ²s wonÞ²derÞ²fulÞ² altÞ²ernÞ²atiÞ²ve to fueÞ²l?"Þ² By proÞ²ducÞ²ingÞ² morÞ²e hybÞ²ridÞ² carÞ²s, we canÞ² eveÞ²ntuÞ²allÞ²y be speÞ²ndiÞ²ng lesÞ²s on oilÞ² outÞ²sidÞ²e of thiÞ²s couÞ²ntrÞ²y"!Þ²!!!Þ²!

[poopstains]

Okay, so this is what I see on my end. Everything Mike wrote after this plus all the comments are fine. And it looks this way on both my work computer and my home computer.

P.S. If my copy and paste looks normal to you all than either you're all messing with me or I'm going insane...or I'm being stalked by the Riddler.

..Þ²Þ²..Þ²IÞ² wasÞ²Þ² forÞ²Þ²tuÞ²nÞ²aÞ²teÞ²Þ² enoÞ²Þ²ugÞ²hÞ² to be ablÞ²Þ²e to cheÞ²Þ²ckÞ² outÞ²Þ² BilÞ²Þ²l CliÞ²Þ²ntÞ²oÞ²nÞ² lasÞ²Þ²t nigÞ²Þ²htÞ²,Þ² as he wasÞ²Þ² in ourÞ²Þ² finÞ²Þ²e citÞ²Þ²y speÞ²Þ²akÞ²iÞ²nÞ²g.Þ²Þ² LikÞ²Þ²e himÞ²Þ² or notÞ²Þ², he reaÞ²Þ²llÞ²yÞ² doeÞ²Þ²s kicÞ²Þ²k assÞ²Þ² as a pubÞ²Þ²liÞ²cÞ² speÞ²Þ²akÞ²eÞ²rÞ².

OneÞ² of theÞ² manÞ²y intÞ²ereÞ²stiÞ²ng poiÞ²ntsÞ² thaÞ²t he disÞ²cusÞ²sedÞ² wasÞ² ourÞ² eveÞ²r incÞ²reaÞ²sinÞ²g eneÞ²rgyÞ² criÞ²sisÞ². We areÞ² speÞ²ndiÞ²ng bilÞ²lioÞ²ns & bilÞ²lioÞ²ns of dolÞ²larÞ²s on oilÞ² eveÞ²rydÞ²ay.Þ² He theÞ²n gavÞ²e an exaÞ²mplÞ²e of us beiÞ²ng ablÞ²e to savÞ²e fueÞ²l cosÞ²ts,Þ² whiÞ²ch wouÞ²ld resÞ²ultÞ² in senÞ²dinÞ²g lesÞ²s monÞ²ey oveÞ²rseÞ²as forÞ² oilÞ² - by putÞ²tinÞ²g morÞ²e resÞ²earÞ²ch intÞ²o theÞ² "hyÞ²briÞ²d carÞ² conÞ²cepÞ²t."Þ² HybÞ²ridÞ²s, I thiÞ²nk,Þ² getÞ² aboÞ²ut 25 - 30mÞ²ph on a batÞ²terÞ²y & theÞ²n anoÞ²theÞ²r 20,Þ² or so,Þ² on fueÞ²l - totÞ²allÞ²ingÞ² aroÞ²undÞ² 50mÞ²ph (orÞ² so)Þ².
i didÞ²n'tÞ² knoÞ²w thiÞ²s, butÞ² he saiÞ²d thaÞ²t theÞ²re areÞ² 12 hybÞ²ridÞ² proÞ²to-Þ²typÞ²es beiÞ²ng driÞ²venÞ² thaÞ²t havÞ²e a speÞ²ciaÞ²l lytÞ²hiuÞ²m batÞ²terÞ²y thaÞ²t wilÞ²l givÞ²e youÞ² 50mÞ²ph & aroÞ²undÞ² anoÞ²theÞ²r 50 in fueÞ²l = 100Þ²mphÞ²!!!Þ²! WhyÞ² havÞ²en'Þ²t we looÞ²kedÞ² intÞ²o thiÞ²s batÞ²terÞ²y morÞ²e aggÞ²resÞ²sivÞ²elyÞ²???Þ²? HisÞ² poiÞ²nt wasÞ², "IfÞ² we canÞ² putÞ² a manÞ² on theÞ² mooÞ²n, whyÞ² areÞ²n'tÞ² we resÞ²earÞ²chiÞ²ng thiÞ²s wonÞ²derÞ²fulÞ² altÞ²ernÞ²atiÞ²ve to fueÞ²l?"Þ² By proÞ²ducÞ²ingÞ² morÞ²e hybÞ²ridÞ² carÞ²s, we canÞ² eveÞ²ntuÞ²allÞ²y be speÞ²ndiÞ²ng lesÞ²s on oilÞ² outÞ²sidÞ²e of thiÞ²s couÞ²ntrÞ²y"!Þ²!!!Þ²!

I believe the riddler is after you cause the boldened segments are the "?" here

[G Fresh]

Dangit! I was afraid of that...

...Now where did I put my Bat Signal?

[poopstains]

...Þ²Þ²OneÞ² of theÞ² manÞ²y intÞ²ereÞ²stiÞ²ng poiÞ²ntsÞ² thaÞ²t he disÞ²cusÞ²sedÞ² wasÞ² ourÞ² eveÞ²r incÞ²reaÞ²sinÞ²g eneÞ²rgyÞ² criÞ²sisÞ². We areÞ² speÞ²ndiÞ²ng bilÞ²lioÞ²ns & bilÞ²lioÞ²ns of dolÞ²larÞ²s on oilÞ² eveÞ²rydÞ²ay.Þ² He theÞ²n gavÞ²e an exaÞ²mplÞ²e of us beiÞ²ng ablÞ²e to savÞ²e fueÞ²l cosÞ²ts,Þ² whiÞ²ch wouÞ²ld resÞ²ultÞ² in senÞ²dinÞ²g lesÞ²s monÞ²ey oveÞ²rseÞ²as forÞ² oilÞ² - by putÞ²tinÞ²g morÞ²e resÞ²earÞ²ch intÞ²o theÞ² "hyÞ²briÞ²d carÞ² conÞ²cepÞ²t."Þ² .

I agree that we need to drastically reduce our dependence on foriegn oil, but we don't only use oil for our cars, it is a major part of many aspects of our lives. Whil hybrid cars would be a good first step, we need to look into drilling for oil on our soil, nuclear energy, or perhaps coal. Here is link to a very basic and rather elementary page that describes some of the things we use oil for. I don't know much about nuclear or coal energy but it just seems like things we can manage to create on our own basis.

http://www.schools.ash.org.au/elanorah/oil.htm

[echosauce1]

[quote="G Fresh"]Okay, so this is what I see on my end. Everything Mike wrote after this plus all the comments are fine. And it looks this way on both my work computer and my home computer.

P.S. If my copy and paste looks normal to you all than either you're all messing with me or I'm going insane...or I'm being stalked by the Riddler.

..Þ²Þ²..Þ²IÞ² wasÞ²Þ² forÞ²Þ²tuÞ²nÞ²aÞ²teÞ²Þ² enoÞ²Þ²ugÞ²hÞ² to be ablÞ²Þ²e to cheÞ²Þ²ckÞ² outÞ²Þ² BilÞ²Þ²l CliÞ²Þ²ntÞ²oÞ²nÞ² lasÞ²Þ²t nigÞ²Þ²htÞ²,Þ² as he wasÞ²Þ² in ourÞ²Þ² finÞ²Þ²e citÞ²Þ²y speÞ²Þ²akÞ²iÞ²nÞ²g.Þ²Þ² LikÞ²Þ²e himÞ²Þ² or notÞ²Þ², he reaÞ²Þ²llÞ²yÞ² doeÞ²Þ²s kicÞ²Þ²k assÞ²Þ² as a pubÞ²Þ²liÞ²cÞ² speÞ²Þ²akÞ²eÞ²rÞ².

OneÞ² of theÞ² manÞ²y intÞ²ereÞ²stiÞ²ng poiÞ²ntsÞ² thaÞ²t he disÞ²cusÞ²sedÞ² wasÞ² ourÞ² eveÞ²r incÞ²reaÞ²sinÞ²g eneÞ²rgyÞ² criÞ²sisÞ². We areÞ² speÞ²ndiÞ²ng bilÞ²lioÞ²ns & bilÞ²lioÞ²ns of dolÞ²larÞ²s on oilÞ² eveÞ²rydÞ²ay.Þ² He theÞ²n gavÞ²e an exaÞ²mplÞ²e of us beiÞ²ng ablÞ²e to savÞ²e fueÞ²l cosÞ²ts,Þ² whiÞ²ch wouÞ²ld resÞ²ultÞ² in senÞ²dinÞ²g lesÞ²s monÞ²ey oveÞ²rseÞ²as forÞ² oilÞ² - by putÞ²tinÞ²g morÞ²e resÞ²earÞ²ch intÞ²o theÞ² "hyÞ²briÞ²d carÞ² conÞ²cepÞ²t."Þ² HybÞ²ridÞ²s, I thiÞ²nk,Þ² getÞ² aboÞ²ut 25 - 30mÞ²ph on a batÞ²terÞ²y & theÞ²n anoÞ²theÞ²r 20,Þ² or so,Þ² on fueÞ²l - totÞ²allÞ²ingÞ² aroÞ²undÞ² 50mÞ²ph (orÞ² so)Þ².
i didÞ²n'tÞ² knoÞ²w thiÞ²s, butÞ² he saiÞ²d thaÞ²t theÞ²re areÞ² 12 hybÞ²ridÞ² proÞ²to-Þ²typÞ²es beiÞ²ng driÞ²venÞ² thaÞ²t havÞ²e a speÞ²ciaÞ²l lytÞ²hiuÞ²m batÞ²terÞ²y thaÞ²t wilÞ²l givÞ²e youÞ² 50mÞ²ph & aroÞ²undÞ² anoÞ²theÞ²r 50 in fueÞ²l = 100Þ²mphÞ²!!!Þ²! WhyÞ² havÞ²en'Þ²t we looÞ²kedÞ² intÞ²o thiÞ²s batÞ²terÞ²y morÞ²e aggÞ²resÞ²sivÞ²elyÞ²???Þ²? HisÞ² poiÞ²nt wasÞ², "IfÞ² we canÞ² putÞ² a manÞ² on theÞ² mooÞ²n, whyÞ² areÞ²n'tÞ² we resÞ²earÞ²chiÞ²ng thiÞ²s wonÞ²derÞ²fulÞ² altÞ²ernÞ²atiÞ²ve to fueÞ²l?"Þ² By proÞ²ducÞ²ingÞ² morÞ²e hybÞ²ridÞ² carÞ²s, we canÞ² eveÞ²ntuÞ²allÞ²y be speÞ²ndiÞ²ng lesÞ²s on oilÞ² outÞ²sidÞ²e of thiÞ²s couÞ²ntrÞ²y"!Þ²!!!Þ²![/quote]

You are not alone man, except on my computer they don't show up as question marks but grey squares. I was wondering what was up as well. Must be some kind of formatting thing?