Quatloos!

It's just getting started but it should be interesting.

http://www.facebook.com/events/148665735245803/

What really should be interesting is when the Los Angeles Dodgers send them a letter demanding they cease infringing the Dodgers' trademark.

Whenever I hear the claim that a company making billions in profits did not pay anything in taxes, I just have to cry BULLSH*T. As they say on Wikipedia, citation needed. I am not doubting that Verizon made 32 billion in profits, or that it paid no income taxes. Instead I am doubting that the poster is telling even a fraction of the whole story.

Brandybuck wrote:Whenever I hear the claim that a company making billions in profits did not pay anything in taxes, I just have to cry BULLSH*T. As they say on Wikipedia, citation needed. I am not doubting that Verizon made 32 billion in profits, or that it paid no income taxes. Instead I am doubting that the poster is telling even a fraction of the whole story.

Its Facebook, what do you expect. I just got deleted and blocked by some woman because she posted a graph saying the US spent $683 billion on its defense budget for 2010, which is true, and China only $190 billion, which I have a real hard time believing. China has the largest standing Army in the world, I have a hard time believing they spend 1/4 of what we do. When I asked for sources I was basically told it was true 'cuz Ron Paul said it (remember these?). Then I was told defense over spending is the SOLE reason we have the deficit we have. The SOLE and ONLY reason. Not unbelievably expensive welfare programs, not stupid supposed reform programs that dont work, defense programs. That $683 billion by itself caused $30 trillion in debt. So yeah, if its on Facebook, have fun with it.

JamesVincent wrote:Its Facebook, what do you expect. I just got deleted and blocked by some woman because she posted a graph saying the US spent $683 billion on its defense budget for 2010, which is true, and China only $190 billion, which I have a real hard time believing.

She might be right! While I don't have their current 2012 budget, that amount of disparity is consistent with prior budgets.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_b ... c_of_China

Brandybuck wrote:

JamesVincent wrote:Its Facebook, what do you expect. I just got deleted and blocked by some woman because she posted a graph saying the US spent $683 billion on its defense budget for 2010, which is true, and China only $190 billion, which I have a real hard time believing.

She might be right! While I don't have their current 2012 budget, that amount of disparity is consistent with prior budgets.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_b ... c_of_China

Right is relative when you refuse to provide sources and answer with 'cuz. You spent more time looking for answers then she did and would probably actually look at the fact that there is a big difference between what the "official" statement is and what our and others estimate what they spend is. And, knowing China, all of us could be wrong and it may very well be higher then that. I dont mind a debate Brandy, I mind someone who knows they are right and you are stupid because you dont agree with them. Like I said, China is pretty stuck on advertising themselves as having the largest standing army in the world, it costs money to feed.

JamesVincent wrote:the fact that there is a big difference between what the "official" statement is and what our and others estimate what they spend is.

Yet none of the unofficial estimates is even half of what we spend. You may want to believe that they spend more than us, but there is not one shred of evidence that they do.

Brandybuck wrote:

JamesVincent wrote:the fact that there is a big difference between what the "official" statement is and what our and others estimate what they spend is.

Yet none of the unofficial estimates is even half of what we spend. You may want to believe that they spend more than us, but there is not one shred of evidence that they do.

Still not the point. YOU researched it and actually debated it. She said it was so just 'cuz Ron Paul's little graph said it was so. YOU provided a source, which was a wiki link, knowing wiki would be sourced. She provided a graph with no names, no sources indicated, no names attached but credited it to Ron Paul. I could care less whether its true or not, I know what we spend, I know what we spend it on, I was in the military and I have an idea what we can cut back on and what we shouldnt. I also know cutting the defense budget will NOT solve a $30 trillion deficit by any stretch of the imagination and theres a whole lot more wrong then whether or not we spend more then China in defense. And the only thing I said I believe is that they spend more then what they say they do, which is what DoD also says, not that they spend more then us. I quite frankly think we spend more then any one in the world for a total defense budget.

I wouldn't have even looked at those numbers funny, I'm if anything surprised that they're that close to us. Aside from paying soldiers more than $70 a month our military has a lot of very high tech and thus VERY expensive weapons systems. And that's just the legitimate reason we spend so much. Sad to say, a very large part of our defense budget is, if not wasted. at least sepnt on things we don't need, have more political than military value or both. And the defense budget is fraction of what it was (by % of spending) not so long ago.

The last rational administration in regards to the defense budget was Eisenhower, and if people would look beyond his farewell address to the way he actually managed the military, more of them would realize that.

And right is never relative. If you're right, you're right, even if you're just showing that a blind pig can find an acorn in the mud sometimes.