darksabre

?

Ch-Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes

So silly. Just wear the #15 jersey. If spending the money on jerseys that could immediately go out of date is such a crisis then just do what I do: don't buy jerseys until the player is retired from hockey.

His new contract starts this year, so that's kind of a big deal. I hope he's seeing it as something he needs to live up to. #9 is probably a nice thing to attach to that.

I had to look it up. Now I understand why I wouldn't really know it. Before my time.

I don't even know who wore 15 besides Eichel.

Screw it, I like it.

This is the problem though. You're assuming that Libertarianism comes with an increase in choice. It doesn't. You simply have different choices than you had before, presented in a different set of boxes and restrictions. You're not any more free to make those choices because those choices don't happen in a vacuum. You might just as well go from having more money but less choice, to plenty of choices and no money. Libertarianism doesn't guarantee that you will benefit as an individual in such a manner as to have greater freedom.

I think the problem is that a lot of Ayn Rand styled Libertarians try to present themselves as not. But, when stressed, would revert to that model. Who was it, Gary Johnson? That guy is the kind of guy that my left-libertarian friends hitched their wagon to until it turned out he was actually trash.

The first bolded is a somewhat nebulous question that I think shifts depending on circumstances. It's why I don't like trying to fit my political beliefs into a box. I went ahead and filled out that survey and lo and behold: Even though I'm basically in the same place on the chart as LTS, I strongly resist identifying as Libertarian. Whereas LTS identifies as Libertarian, but I wonder whether examinations like these have had influence? Regarding the second bolded, I question any reference to "increased quality of life" when it's coupled with "industrial nation". I think there are plenty of societies that don't require being subjected to wage labor structures, land ownership, and everything else that comes with "industry" and "progress".

That's the problem with these tests. They allow people to come out and try to square things like being "socially liberal but economically conservative". Which is basically impossible.

My definition of a Libertarian (based on my experience with them) is someone who thinks the best way to solve bad government is to destroy it rather than participate in and fix it. It's the "Rage quit" of politics and completely fails to account for how inevitable/essential government is, especially in a capitalist economy. A Libertarian thinks that unregulated capitalism will somehow work for them and not against. Every Libertarian small business owner thinks they did everything themselves with no outside help even though that is NEVER true. Libertarians think everything they do and achieve happens in a vacuum. Unless we're completely dismantling capitalism there's no point in "being" Libertarian. Bring some Libertarian ideas to government. I like that. I would probably get on board with a number of Libertarian-ish reforms. In-re my comment about Soviet Communism, what did the leaders do versus what they said they were going to do? They promised a workers revolution and then used it to make themselves rich by controlling industry. Libertarian politicians (they are inevitable just like government) would promise that you as the labor would have more money to do whatever you liked with it, but the truth is they would be making themselves rich at your expense. You would be free to be poor and stupid. Liberty!

You're not a Libertarian bud. You're just a liberal who wants a better ROI for his tax dollars.

No, but when you take all of the coercive social structure out of the mix, it becomes hugely problematic because people will ultimately resort to just worrying about themselves over anyone else. Greed is a trait everyone has, Libertarianism just enables it most effectively. Every liberertarian I've ever met is just mad that they have to pay taxes. So they say "if I didn't have to pay all these taxes, I could be more involved in my community! I would donate more to charity! The Gospel!" But they're full of shite. They really just want to build a 12 foot wall around their property and stuff their money under the mattress. I should add that I am sure I have Libertarian views. But I would never identify as Libertarian. Anyone who comes before me and says "I'm a Libertarian!" immediately tells me that they're only worried about themselves. They may talk a lot of talk otherwise, but I don't believe them.

Word. The problem is that no challenger can outspend either party or overcome the creature-of-habit voting practices of most reliable party voters. I could walk away from the Democratic party but there's no point, because people sure as hell aren't walking away from the GOP. It's easier to try to influence the Democratic party from within, just like the Tea Party did to the GOP...

I'm stunned that Pruitt resigned. I figured this administration was condoning his behavior. Maybe Trump is mad that Pruitt is better at stealing than he is?

Not that our government is even doing the best job of that right now, but your point remains valid. Libertarianism is to me the modern equivalent of Soviet Communism. A whole bunch of people like to say and maybe even believe they are left-libertarian, but they're actually all right-libertertarian, because the "I want what is mine" part of being a Libertarian always wins out.

lol Islanders

Really feeling some jalapeno chips tonight

I'll be frank: I don't like these things. I can be a different thing on a different day and a different set of questions.

Sh*t dude. I'm sorry to hear that.

I think instead ofnothing every curse word should be replaced with "Smehlik"

This is it in a nutshell. I have a friend right now who is exploring the whole thing. He's made the switch to identifying as a woman. He's never really been a happy guy and he certainly seems happier as they/she. I don't know if his plan is reassignment surgery but I could see it happening. I'm not about to tell him he's wrong, ya know?

This is what happens when you live in a blue state. You don't see the wave coming. I didn't think Hillary was going to lose until I went with Josie to Ohio that fall and saw the chaos. Then I got worried. Her losing felt inevitable to me by the time we got to election night. I was feeling very "because Buffalo" about it all. Why did Hillary lose? "Because Democrats".

Gender dysphoria, sure. Gender norms are typically social constructs. Think of transgender as being straight up biologically put together wrong. A whole bunch of things happened to make you come out with the parts you have. But you never feel comfortable with those parts. It has basically nothing to do with gender norms and social learning. You're just straight up born wrong. I'm not sure we have the scientific research available to really completely explain the phenomenon. This is how I understand it. Transgender people feel in a way about their physical shells that is almost inexplicable to someone like you or me.