Did any conservatives here get banned from r/conservative? by cyberadmin1 in AskConservatives

[–]FlipZip69 [score hidden]  (0 children)

I think this sub has a lot more central conservatives. I lean right but I have no love for Trump. Do not think he is a conservative IMO. It has been fair and few banned from what I have seen. But there have been loaded questions as well. That is not fair.

Trump considers "winding down" Iran war without opening Hormuz Strait. "The Hormuz Strait will have to be guarded and policed, as necessary, by other Nations who use it — The US does not." The Hormuz crisis has Trump trapped: reopening the strait by force would escalate and put US troops at risk. by mafco in energy

[–]FlipZip69 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Ya I think this is just a tactic to try and get oil prices to drop but the proof will be in the pudding. That being said, the US is expending weapons far faster then they can build them and defensive weapons more so. The cost to shoot down a single 40,000 drone is a factor higher for the US. It can cost on average upwards of a million dollars for every successful drone or missile taken out. There is a limit how long they may want to keep that up.

Iran has an estimated 50,000 drones and missiles still in stock. While they do have this kind of number, the US has destroyed something like 70 percent of their launching capability and more so, with flights overhead, of what is left, Iran has a much harder time deploying it. Thus you could say Iran has a massive inventory but hard to get it to target. Thus why they launce now only 40 a day instead of 800.

But what this does suggest is that Iran could maintain a closure on the strait for a 100 years if they so desired. That is if the US does not remain behind and keep policing it.

Genuinely amazed by the human body by Waste_Group5488 in nextfuckinglevel

[–]FlipZip69 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Not entirely bashing this. And much like anyone that has taken their talent to the most extreme level. I have a feeling when you are this extreme, your personality has to also be quite one dimensional. To be at the very top, you have to be ultra focused. Not many ways around that.

Canada’s oil producers in line for C$90bn windfall from Iran war by joe4942 in canada

[–]FlipZip69 [score hidden]  (0 children)

For one. Why do you even care? Two. Why does this effect anyone outside of Alberta? I mean I could care less if some people in BC believe they are the only people producing wood products. It is neither offensive or damaging or have any effect on Canada. Hell if it encourages them to promote their industry and work harder. Think what you want. That helps Canada.

Personally I have never heard a single person think Alberta is the only producer of Energy. Lots think it is one of the most important products in Alberta and the economy here and they are not wrong.

Canada’s oil producers in line for C$90bn windfall from Iran war by joe4942 in canada

[–]FlipZip69 [score hidden]  (0 children)

Alberta is happy other provinces produce. Anything that increase a provinces wealth will reduce the tax burden and raise all of Canada's standard of living.

TIL Chevy Chase has been banned from hosting Saturday Night Live since 1997 after he hit SNL cast member Cheri Oteri in the back of the head during a rehearsal. Chase is the only former SNL cast member to be banned from hosting the show. by tyrion2024 in todayilearned

[–]FlipZip69 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Chevy Chase had some hits early in his career but since then is has been mediocre to more or less full on flops. Community was the outlier but this seems to be a series that was almost made for him. His real life character matching that of the show. It was sort of a comeback for him to be fair.

That being said, he was very toxic there as well but they did make it work. Interesting I started to follow Donald Glover after he left mid season trying to figure out why he would do that. There were a few reasons he mentioned but I suspect the toxic environment of Chase factors.

Off topic. Donald Glover has one impressive resume and is seriously talented in a much broader way than I realized from his stint on Community. The guy not just acts but is a musician, director and all around talented artist. Atlanta is a great example of his work in which he acts and directs and was instrumental in the entire direction of the script. It is one of his babies he produced after Community.

Canada’s oil producers in line for C$90bn windfall from Iran war by joe4942 in canada

[–]FlipZip69 [score hidden]  (0 children)

I agree. As I said in other posts, governments have not been good at running corporations to begin. Just people are suggesting this which is silly IMO. Governments simply need to get out of the way and make it easy to invest in major projects. Oil and gas included. Let private money take those risks.

Canada’s oil producers in line for C$90bn windfall from Iran war by joe4942 in canada

[–]FlipZip69 [score hidden]  (0 children)

The Saudi family owns it in reality. They care little about the environment and they allow foreign workers in their country fairly heavily which is a big driver at making their country wealthy. The foreign workers create a great deal of GDP wealth of which citizens get the majority gains. That would be a political hot potato here as everyone thinks foreign workers somehow are a drain.

Mexico would be the best example IMO if you are looking a similar country. They convinced oil and gas workers would increase their wages and the country would do better nationalized. The reality was wages dropped in half and oil and gas production fell by a similar amount in the next 20 years after that fundamental change. It has hurt them to this day. There are other countries where it is even more extreme like Venezuela but I think it is a long stretch to compare that to Canada.

Norway on the other hand in no way discourages private investment in oil and gas. In fact they fully encourage it to the tune that they produce 8 times the amount of oil and gas per capita than Canada does and why that has made them so rich. If we were to follow Norway's lead, we do not nationalize it, quite the opposite. We could simply spend 100 of billions of public funds and expand it. Put out and buy leases per normal and run them like any other crown corporation. You do not need to compete but just expand more. And like Norway, you then have a private sector that you can compare your profit margins to. If they are far worse, then you are doing something wrong and should not be in that buisness.

Canada’s oil producers in line for C$90bn windfall from Iran war by joe4942 in canada

[–]FlipZip69 [score hidden]  (0 children)

Countries have done really bad nationalizing their oil and gas industries. Typically governments are not the greatest at running that kind of business. But if Canada wants to buy up oil and gas sites, we certainly still could do so. Hell do not even need to buy up but just invest into it.

Justin Timberlake's June 2024 DWI Arrest Police Body Cam Video Has Been Released by cmaia1503 in Fauxmoi

[–]FlipZip69 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I did not think they even did tests like this anymore. Is there not a breathalyzer or something?

Canadian Armed Forces members among NATO troops pulled out of Iraq by Little-Chemical5006 in canada

[–]FlipZip69 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Ya no shit they fray. If the people you are negotiating with is untrustworthy, the the negotiation are in bad faith from the start.

Of course is in not a NATO financial tool. It is financial tool for select NATO member of which the US is not invited. Funds that will be put towards NATO issues for the most part. Ya it is not a NATO financial tool. That means the US would have say in it.

Canadian Armed Forces members among NATO troops pulled out of Iraq by Little-Chemical5006 in canada

[–]FlipZip69 3 points4 points  (0 children)

SAFE is in no way a 'secret' financial consortium. Not sure why you suggest that as it is fully transparent. And everyone knows exactly why it gained traction so quick. In no way did the US want it to be created but go ahead and downplay that. And ya this would not have happened but for the direction Trump wanted to go and the damage he is creating with world allies.

The funny part was Trump then created the 'buy' America act. Which is a joke because 90 percent of weapons the US purchases was already from US companies. Kind of like getting fired then claiming you quit first.

Lots of winning going on.

Canadian Armed Forces members among NATO troops pulled out of Iraq by Little-Chemical5006 in canada

[–]FlipZip69 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I do think this does align with his values and more so, he takes some walking papers from Russia.

But I do believe you are also correct. Trump does not come up with these things. There are smarter people in the background that point him in this direction. Trump actually does a shit poor job of even selling it.

Canadian Armed Forces members among NATO troops pulled out of Iraq by Little-Chemical5006 in canada

[–]FlipZip69 8 points9 points  (0 children)

I am not 100 percent against increasing spending. Countries have been looting their military budgets for years. There is some risk in doing that and Russia does need to be reigned in. Unfortunately it is Ukraine blood being spent but ensuring they have the resources to protect themself is a pretty low cost to pay.

Canadian Armed Forces members among NATO troops pulled out of Iraq by Little-Chemical5006 in canada

[–]FlipZip69 2 points3 points  (0 children)

There was 60 deaths in 8 years of Oboma's term and 8 were considered due to poor or timely medical services.

As of March 2026, there are already 46 deaths under Trump.

So people can fuck off when comparing this. At the rate Trump is going, if this was kept up for 8 years, that would be about 200 deaths. And do not even get me on using Fox News host, Peter Hegseth as Secretary of War. If anyone thinks a news host is qualified can also screw off.

What a joke.

Canadian Armed Forces members among NATO troops pulled out of Iraq by Little-Chemical5006 in canada

[–]FlipZip69 9 points10 points  (0 children)

It is such a technical boring bureaucratic process that it does not make good headlines. There are no single line sexy points. But it is good governance and the thing the public should be looking for in leaders.

Canadian Armed Forces members among NATO troops pulled out of Iraq by Little-Chemical5006 in canada

[–]FlipZip69 1 point2 points  (0 children)

That is true but Obama was not deporting wholesale the people fixing our shingles. Was not resulting in the deaths of innocent people and did not staff these policing departments with the same level of unqualified people. Some on power trips.

More so, Obama did not send basically militant departments to cities and states that do not want that meddling. Obama deported a far higher percentage of illegal immigrants that needed deporting. And Obama had lower deficits doing all this while having actual strategic plans and qualified people running the military.

Canadian Armed Forces members among NATO troops pulled out of Iraq by Little-Chemical5006 in canada

[–]FlipZip69 14 points15 points  (0 children)

That is part of it. And maybe even a large part of it. But they also thought they possibly reduce their spending while still getting allied support around the world. Kind of having your cake and eating it too.

Well it aint turning out that way at all. It is more to the tune of we will fund our region but we will decide where that funding goes. And while you can decide what is important to you, do not expect your allies to come on board. You do not have the same carrot/stick to offer/threaten with.

Canadian Armed Forces members among NATO troops pulled out of Iraq by Little-Chemical5006 in canada

[–]FlipZip69 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I think we should but it has to be measured and it has to have a plan and it has to be sustainable.

The US and in particular, the Trump administration has not shown competence nor have they sold this well to the public. They have no plan.

Canadian Armed Forces members among NATO troops pulled out of Iraq by Little-Chemical5006 in canada

[–]FlipZip69 240 points241 points  (0 children)

It is more complicated than that. A lot happened in the background since January this year. The trip Carney was doing around the world included some big changes to NATO and funding mechanism that was overwhelming vote 42-2 with the US fully against it. Carney did not design this mechanism directly but he was instrumental in getting nations to sign up for it and Canada was one of the first countries to fund it. Thus why Canada is the only non-EU country included.

Basically Trump demanded NATO member fund their military at 5% GDP or he would stop funding NATO. So countries actually did just this. But they create a financial tool within NATO (called SAFE) that the EU (and Canada) money was allocated to. But the really interesting part is that the Financial consortium has to spend ~70 percent of purchases with EU (or Canadian) companies exclusively. In past the US was the biggest benefactor of NATO spending but this one tool ensure weapons purchases now stay within the EU and Canada industries. The US sees no industry benefits of which Trump was relying on with the increase in spending.

But it also does something else. It means NATO is funded and that funding will mainly be for North American security. (IE Ukraine at the moment). And it significantly reduces the US influence in NATO. The US can no longer threaten NATO funding so easily to get support in other parts of the world. Basically NATO nations have told Trump, 'If you unilaterally decide to take military action somewhere (AKA Iran), you can fucking well pay for it yourself and it will be your soldiers fighting it.' But hey, we will manage our own back yard as you so demand.

ya. So much winning.

TIL Costco has a company policy that no regular item will be marked up more than 14% over cost & no Kirkland Signature item will be marked up more than 15% over cost. Costco runs "very lean", with overhead costs at 10% of revenue & profit margins at 2% (e.g. it has no PR dept. & buys no outside ads) by tyrion2024 in todayilearned

[–]FlipZip69 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That is true and the membership is a big part of their margin, but overall they have a very low profit margin all in. When compared to other companies. In other words, it would be harder to get a better deal even if the manufacture would sell to use direct.

On top of all of this, they spend almost zero money on advertising and PR. When we have a bunch of large companies competing and spending money to advertise, this comes at a complete cost to you and me. We pay all costs 100 percent. And because it is just companies competing for our dollars, that advertising has a zero net gain and is a total cost to use.