tmay

freeassociate2 said:

tmay said:

nubus said:

freeassociate2 said:

Also, I’d like the EU to open up all transportation systems to third party availability, with no tax subsidies. No more government monopolies.

Eh... USPS is running a government monopoly on letters and mailboxes with subsidies. Are you really that happy about service and pricing at USPS? And Amtrak... seems you just can't get enough services from government monopolies loaded with tax funding.

EU forced competition on rail in 2010 and the postal directive has opened competition on letters as well. We do add subsidies as needed, but we let real companies compete on services and pricing. No USPS or Amtrak here.

Actually, I am happy about the service and pricing of the USPS, which delivers to all communities at a fair price, thanks for asking, and given that the U.S. isn't as passenger train friendly as Europe is, almost certainly due to distances, I am also happy that the U.S. has Amtrak. Bet you weren't aware that the U.S. subsidizes air travel to smaller, rural communities.

Decades ago, I drove something on the order of 2800 miles in 4 days, from Reno to Fairbanks, so that I could have my vehicle with me for my summer job as a smokejumper. That would be similar to driving from Lisbon to Talinn. Dead Horse to Key West would likely be the longest trip at 5500 miles/8850 km, a significant portion through Canada.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FkOLKzgjNj0

Key West, FL to Deadhorse AK

I threw the gov monopoly example in for shits & giggles, mostly over the fact that a central feature of governments is to act as a gatekeeper directly or anoint a proxy, yet think that’s a valid prerogative. I don’t necessarily disagree with that distinction, just pointing out the hypocrisy. (For example, for better or worse, governments have a monopoly on murder, and enforce it assiduously.)

But thanks for the little pointers on the train resources. I’ve worked as a subcontractor for a number of city and regional rail systems, so have an abiding interest in their evolution.

Europe’s rail systems are a real hodgepodge, with varying degrees of comfort and convenience to travelers. Most are showing signs of aging infrastructure, despite being seemingly well maintained and funded. (Watch a few YouTube videos — it’s a popular topic with some particularly well done material.)

Anyway, it’s clear that litigate and delay is the way to go. So many circumstances could change over time.

[Maybe this is all a conspiracy to funnel money to NATO countries for preparing to counter Russia’s current and future invasion plans.   Sorry, had to poke the tinfoil hat brigade. I’d really rather be shot by comrade murder squad than deal with the Randian drivel that’s been seeping in here. But I digress. Apologies.]

nubus said:

rob53 said:

Communists? What term do you use for the EU? I see them as being an economic dictatorship over Europe. The biggest problem with all these lawsuits by the EU is that the EU is struggling to produce much of anything that people outside of the EU really want to buy. 

1. The politicians elected to the EU and in the EU are mixed. Italy and Hungary are very much to the right while Greece has been communist at times. But still... all democracies. "Economic dictatorship"? Really?!? Go check EU countries like Luxembourg, Malta, and Ireland... their economies are based on banking, gaming, and corporations. Not much dictatorship.

2. US is running a huge trade deficit towards the EU. Seems we're doing fine in producing what you want. From BMW to Wegovy.

nubus said:

freeassociate2 said:

Also, I’d like the EU to open up all transportation systems to third party availability, with no tax subsidies. No more government monopolies.

Eh... USPS is running a government monopoly on letters and mailboxes with subsidies. Are you really that happy about service and pricing at USPS? And Amtrak... seems you just can't get enough services from government monopolies loaded with tax funding.

EU forced competition on rail in 2010 and the postal directive has opened competition on letters as well. We do add subsidies as needed, but we let real companies compete on services and pricing. No USPS or Amtrak here.

danox said:

tmay said:

mac_dog said:

They want access to everyone’s phones. This is about the fact that this government is having such a difficult time controlling their narrative and they want more access to be able to control it. Yes, I’m talking about the genocide in Gaza. It’s making clear to everyone the myth that the US as global peacekeeper is just that when the reality is that we are still colonizing the world and we’re the global bullies. 

Israel may have committed war crimes, but not genocide.

https://thehill.com/opinion/international/4442213-israels-may-have-committed-war-crimes-in-gaza-but-not-genocide/

You are likely unaware of how much the U.S. Military, and our allies, facilitate global trade via maintaining freedom navigation; see Yemen current events as an example.

You are probably unaware that France failed at creating a canal thru the Isthmus of Panama, likely due to Malaria, that the U.S. was able to complete later. That was more inline with our take on the Monroe Doctrine. The U.S. maintained its presence, including military, in the Canal Zone up until the very end of 1999, where it became Panamanian again. I would agree that the U.S. peacekeeping has been a mixed bag, as peacekeeping often is.

France completed the Suez Canal in 1869. It, and the Panama Canal, are the two premier shortcuts for shipping in the world. Neither France nor the U.S. are "colonizing the world", and they haven't for very many decades.

You know who is still colonizing the world? That would be Russia and the PRC, and interestingly enough, there are plenty of people as yourself that are fine with that, just as they were fine with Assad murdering Syrians.

Put your efforts into actually stopping colonization by those two parties, and I will no longer consider you a "tankie", or a "useful idiot".

 

Not true currently indigenous people around the world are currently getting the boot as usual the Mapuche in Chile or the islanders on the Indonesia western side of New Guinea, West China, or the Nordic Far North, do America Indians still exist in the eastern US I notice that when they raise their hands in mild protest like union organizers they seem to get crushed? Colonization is still on going worldwide it's just more quiet it is more than a Two Body Problem in fact it's a collective Human problem.

And the surviving (people) leftovers will be gaslighted out of existence do the Netanyahu.

 The United States assumed territorial control over the southern portion of Guantánamo Bay under the 1903 Lease. The United States exercises jurisdiction and control over this territory as the home of the Guantanamo Bay Naval Base, while recognizing that Cuba retains ultimate sovereignty.