You can also make gold by colliding two californium atoms in a collider.

I think

diplomat1824, you're the coolest. I wish that I was just like you.

Diplomat1824 why do you think the US defense budget should be huge? What benefit does it give America? Wouldn't the money be better spent on something else such as education or even greater tax cuts?

budgets ceased to matter when we moved from a gold standard

Wow, since when was everyone Ron Paul? =)

I mean I realize the economy is in the dumps but is it that simple? The currency we print is based on market demand. It's not so much that the Fed controls the market, it's that the Fed responds according to the market. Besides, I'm pretty sure Ron Paul called for a libertarian return to free market ideals in addition to the gold standard.

The gold standard's no good because countries have no way of countering any economic crisis, they just have to live with a recession. You can find a place that explains it better than I, but the gold standard is a very rigid system that's simply not politically acceptable to any politicians in the world.

Bretton Woods, on the other hand, that's worth another look.

yeah but now we have a fiat currency that is just paper. literally JUST paper.
not only that but the way the federal reserve prints money for the government (at interest) is debt. money is debt.
not in some abstract anarchist philosophy but literally.

also fuck ron paul

also diplomat
how is it possible to be both pro-life and pro-war?

i love how this thread got turned from a hatred for one person to a debate between TIE fighters and X-Wings...

Sicarius, you will lose a debate on monetary policy. Yes, it's a fiat currency, but that isn't so bad. I'd prefer it backed by gold (like Bretton Woods), but this system really isn't so horrible.

I'm not going to get into a whole thing on it, but the "debt" when it's held by US citizens is not bad at all. It's these sovereign wealth funds we need to worry about.

So, while it is not a perfect system by any means, we've got a pretty solid money system here.

Go look at some real economists to get the full story. Again, REAL economists.

Hey Diplomat, I have prepared for you a questionarre:

(1) What is your religious affiliation?
(2) What is the political affiliation of your parent(s)?
(3) What is the religious affiliation of your parent(s)?
(4) What is your race?
(5) What is your national origin?
(6) What percentage of your friends are of a race different from yours?
(7) What region of the world do you live in?
(8) What is the employment status of your parent(s), respectively, and what are (is) their income(s), respectively?
(9) What is your sex?
(10) What percentage of your friends are of a different sex?
(11) How many friends do you have, approxamately?
(12) What is the nature of your education?
(13) If you are currently being educated in a school format, give as a ratio the number of your classmates would say they dislike you as compared to those who would say they like you.

Just looking for some insight, is all.
Feel free to not respond to these questions if you feel they are too invasive, and to respond to any combination of questions you see proper. The questions are in no way intended to make your feel uncomfortable, nor are they intended to attempt to physically locate you. You should not feel threatened by the questions being asked, and should remember you need not respond to any of them, but should feel free to respond as it is hoped that your responses will give this forum insight into the origin of your beliefs and behavior.

If it makes you feel more comfortable I will answer these myself:

(1) Nominally Christian, non-denominational
(2) Mother: Republican; Father: Republican
(3) Mother: Evangelical Southern Baptist; Father: Evangelical Southern Baptist
(4) White (Caucasion or European origin)
(5) English
(6) ~40%
(7) Texas, USA
(8) Mother, employed (teacher); Father, employed (computer programmer) - Income: Prefer not to answer, middle class income
(9) Male
(10) ~60%
(11) ~50, and 465 on Facebook lol
(12) Senior in public high school
(13) ~70% would say they like me, ~30% would say they dislike me.

** All percentages are mere approxamations and have no statistical backing.

Only 70% like you? I can think of less than a dozen people who actively dislike me personally.

In real life, at least.

I'm being realistic, meaning I assume that there are people who dislike me in secret but tell no one. The percetage I gave is a reasonable guess at their numbers, though I was liberal in my estimate.

You're probably better liked than you think. It takes effort to dislike people.

Of course, you are still in high school!

Lol, I just added sicarous to my friends on facebook xD

dude now theyre gonna come to your house with pamphlets and creme de la dumpster cuisine to offer you which may or may not be laced with cyanide

not to mention the emp gun

Sic, a fiat currency isn't necessarily bad. It's how it's managed that makes it good or bad. It's a much more practical and feasible monetary system. Debt isn't necessarily bad eiher. If there was no debt backing the fiat currency then it really would be created out of thin air. Why do you say fuck Ron Paul? Is it just because he's a politician? I think that if you actually sat down with him you'd find you have a lot in common in terms of fiscal belief. Libertarianism is nearly anarchism from what I can see.

(1) What is your religious affiliation? Agnostic
(2) What is the political affiliation of your parent(s)? Liberal
(3) What is the religious affiliation of your parent(s)? Christian Science
(4) What is your race? Grey (half white, half black)
(5) What is your national origin? USA
(6) What percentage of your friends are of a race different from yours?Well, since I'm part white and black, only about 10% are not those races
(7) What region of the world do you live in? Los Angeles California
(8) What is the employment status of your parent(s), respectively, and what are (is) their income(s), respectively? Teacher, and home buisness. I dunno about the money flow.
(9) Sex? Yes please
(10) What percentage of your friends are of a different sex? 75%
(11) How many friends do you have, approxamately? at least 10 good ones and about 20 after that for random outings/parties
(12) What is the nature of your education? Highschooled
(13) If you are currently being educated in a school format, give as a ratio the number of your classmates would say they dislike you as compared to those who would say they like you. Hard to tell, in my class there is about 200 people per class, but for the most part, around 8)% dislike me when we debate politics because I can kick their arsicles (thanks to you guys :P ) but aside from that I would say 85% like me

**80% dislike

Thucydides, realistically it's more likely that some people like you and everyone else is indifferent. It takes too much effort to dislike people. =)

well alright i guess i should have put the third option. i was envisioning a poll of all of them with only two options

and hey i definitely have a few people i dislike and never do i think it takes too much effort... they just deserve it

Just cause questionairs are fun
1-Religious Affiliation: Agnostic Athiest (yes it is possible, and it makes me happy=) )
2-Politicial Affiliations of Parents: Concervative (i think)
3-Religious Affiliations of Parents: United Church
4-Race: White
5- National Origin: Canada
6- % of friends that are a different race: 30-40%?ish
7- Refion: Ontario Canada
8- Employment Status and Incomes of parents: Dad, Managment fairly good income, not sure exactly. Mom, retired teacher.
9- Sex: Male
10- % of friends of a different sex: 60-70%
11- Approx. amount of friends: 5 Really Good ones, 10ish Good ones, 15-20 fairly good ones.
12-Nature of my education: High School (To OAC when that existed(grade 13)) 1 year of College, 3 years of university.
13- ratio of classmates that like-dislike me: hm..well my classes range from 20 people to 200 depending on the class. For just sit there and listen classes->2-3% dont like me (i have kicked a few chairs accidently and i fell on one girl once) 7% like me (have interesting conversations with a few fellow classmates, take notes) 90% dont know me (always sit with same people). For the discuss and work together classes->10% dont like me, they make dumb points and cant back them up so they dispise me. 70% like me, we have great discussions. 20% dont show up, sleep or dont care.

As a note, i like your idea of a questionair to put his points he made at the beginning into some form of context (the fact he has yet to write back says alot by the way). Dont think you'll get much outta him though, he seems like those people in my "sit and discuss" classes, they say something that has a hint of a well though argument in it, and a lot of attitude, and then are unable or unwilling to stand behind it.

1-Religious Affiliation: Athiest
2-Politicial Affiliations of Parents: progressive socialists?
3-Religious Affiliations of Parents: agnostic and athiest maybe? must be an american survey, this obsession with religious organizations
4-Race: White
5- National Origin: australia
6- 30% i think
7- japan
8- both part time nurses/olive oil farmers
9- Male
10- 60%
11- 15-30?
12- university degree
13- ratio of workmates that like/dislike me, really difficult to say being as i work in a Japanese workplace but i might have a guess at 90%/10%

(1) What is your religious affiliation? Evangelical Lutheran
(2) What is the political affiliation of your parent(s)? Independant
(3) What is the religious affiliation of your parent(s)? Evangelical Lutheran
(4) What is your race? White
(5) What is your national origin? United States of America
(6) What percentage of your friends are of a race different from yours? 20 %
(7) What region of the world do you live in? United States of America
(8) What is the employment status of your parent(s), respectively, and what are (is) their income(s), respectively? Retired (N/A)
(9) What is your sex? Male
(10) What percentage of your friends are of a different sex? 45%
(11) How many friends do you have, approxamately? 15, or so
(12) What is the nature of your education? Ph.D
(13) If you are currently being educated in a school format, give as a ratio the number of your classmates would say they dislike you as compared to those who would say they like you. N/A

Dr.Diplomat sir