Moonbox

That's not how this works. The research is needed to provide solutions within the next 30-50 years. If we continue as we are for the next 100 years, it won't matter what we come up with in 200 years, because by then we'll be in goblin-town.

To be clear, I don't like this bill. I don't think it's fair, I don't think it was carefully or properly considered, and I don't think it will achieve its goals. It's not something I've put a lot of research into, so I can't comment too much, but the whole thing stinks as haphazard railroaded legislation. The specific criticism is what's important though, not how you feel about Trudeau. As soon as you start ranting about how mad the Liberals or the Lefties make you, or how stupid you think they all are, anyone whose thinking you're seeking to influence will tune you out. Talking about the firearms seizure, for example, is a good way to make your point. Your post wasn't clear but I assumed you meant to that out of 62 seized firearms, 61 were illegally imported from the States. Correct me if I'm wrong, but that's the sort of data that can change people's minds. Nobody cares that the Liberals make you MAD. When you tell people that, all they're seeing is an angry partisan with a narrative to peddle.

I already told you we are in for a recession, and it's basically guaranteed. It will also mostly likely be a minor one. Why minor? Because it's fully anticipated (with global markets already down 15-25% this year) and therefore won't surprise or panic people out of the blue, because the job markets are still exceptionally strong, and most importantly because the two things that are driving us into recession (inflation and rising interest rates) are negatively correlated.

You started this thread off with a rational criticism that pointed out what was wrong about the firearms bill (which even the NDP is now criticizing). This is good and this is how you convince and influence people. Unfortunately, it didn't take you long to descend in emotional rambling about the liberals and the leftists, how stupid they are and how you are SO DONE WITH THEM!!! This sort of stuff, and the melodramatic ranting like I've quoted above, are not much better than the man shaking his fist and yelling at the clouds.

I spend 8-10 hours a day with this stuff for work, listening and speaking to actual economists and experts. If I'm going to learn anything new, you're going to have to provide better info than links you've reposted from Twitter without actually reading them.

I don't think the civilian counterparts are fair comparisons most of the time. If you compare a clerical job in the CAF against a Service Canada position, the roles, lifestyle and expectations aren't even in the same realm, I suspect. The former is likely working in the same places as everyday Canadians (like Toronto, Montreal or Vancouver), the latter is potentially living in Petawawa, Cold Lake or somewhere like that, or even Latvia. It doesn't really matter that we haven't seen major deployments in 8-9 years either. The reality is that service members assume the risk of deployment regardless of whether there are active missions.

I don't think the pay and the lifestyle can be separated. Service members should get paid more than their civilian counterparts - significantly more, because today's young people are otherwise going to choose the safer, less arduous and more flexible career options, other things being equal.

This is a common problem for everyone on this forum, or I guess people in general these days. We're so certain of the viewpoints that we've already landed on, that we accept without question anything that confirms it and ignore anything that doesn't. ?‍♂️

Recession? Almost certainly. Major? Very unlikely. This chart is referenced from a wsj article from 2016, and records walmart closures over the last 6 years. With all of your talk about the upcoming Christmas season, guess how many Walmarts have closed in the US in 2022? Just seven. Not mentioned in your little narrative here? The Walmarts that opened this year, or over the last 6 years. For your reference: I got my research team to run the math on the data, and it turns out that 3573 stores in 2022 is a bigger number than 3570 in 2021, but further modeling is required. ? Of course your narrative is the much more interesting story, so don't let facts or reality get in the way of your research.

Nope, but it's moronic to blame the people defending themselves from invasion, or the folks helping them do so. The simplest and most reasonable solution is for Russia to...stop invading! Here's an offer to the Russians that will work for everyone: Leave Ukraine. Don't come back. The war is over. ?

It's not. I'm going to have to go with Army Guy on this. Considering the lifestyle sacrifices you make, the danger in which you put yourself, and the training requirements and standards that are expected of you, our servicemen and women are being underappreciated compared to their civilian counterparts. Ignoring diversity and not at least encouraging it doesn't work either. Despite what everyone seems to portray, there is a huge amount of nuance and gray area we can aim for. This was a very interesting and timely read: https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/article-canada-military-shortage-crisis/ Written by a navy commander who retired back in 2019. Here are some of his observations: 1) Support for our troops is certainly necessary, but it doesn’t deal with the fundamental problem: The Canadian Armed Forces no longer reflect the principles and values of the Canadian populace, or of a modern Canadian work force. 2) Successful modern businesses understand that employees want to feel valued. They also understand that, if they want to access a higher quantity and quality of talent, they need to become an employer that people actually want to work for. This thinking should drive military reform. To start, the CAF should substantially increase members’ pay. No profession is as uniquely demanding, in physical and psychological terms, as military service; wages should reflect that. And just as work-life balance is an important consideration in a modern workplace, military leaders should recognize that deployment time is not the equivalent of working from a different office: It is a high-demand period that requires meaningful rest afterward. Post-deployment time off should be equal to the time of deployment, as is the policy in the Danish navy (and elsewhere in offshore industries). This has helped keep Danish enlistment high, and attrition low. 3) Marching in lines, stamping feet on parade grounds and keeping with traditional uniforms – these should also be done away with. These rituals are simply not relevant to the citizens who must make up the force of the future; they reflect the reality that Canada’s military is stuck in the past. Nobody wants to work in an old, tired organization that draws its culture and values from a museum; people want to be part of an agile organization that rewards modern values. The Canadian Armed Forces needs to abandon its sternward perspective on legacy force structure and missions – or it won’t be able to bail out the sinking ship.

Where Russia annexes 20% of Ukraine, or whatever they're up to now, which is just letting them take what they can/want. Best way for Russians to stop dying is for them to leave Ukraine. ? Like you're "howling and screaming now", because your wishes aren't coming true ?

So...let Russia have what it wants then. That's your solution. ?

The only thing you've proven here is how strongly opinionated you can be about something without knowing a damn thing about it. I shouldn't be the one quoting military regs to the retired army guy, but you made up your mind on this topic before reading anything whatsoever about it, and then fed us a line of emotional bullshit easily proven wrong just by lining your own quote up against one from the new regulations. I'd want out of this thread after that too. ? Not as silly as this thought. I suppose in your mind the soldiers are just sitting inside a chopper all day waiting to deploy on a second's notice. In reality, they're usually allowed enough time to put their boots and gear on and, if absolutely necessary, don a hat or a headscarf...for all of those neon-haired special forces on standby for rapid deployment...?

I've spoken negatively about Trudeau plenty, and I think he's a clown. That doesn't mean Pierre can't say stupid things and shouldn't be criticized for it. ?

It wasn't trivial. It was a direct public attack on an institution fundamental for a properly functioning economy (central banking). He made the comments because he knew it was popular to criticize the central bank, and all there were votes to find among the crypto bros and the conspiracy theorists. The fact that he owns bitcoin is just a side note.

None of those are my favorite sources, but I understand mentioning them is part of your programming. Probably because it's not really even real news.

It's REVOLTING! I like using EMOTIONAL LANGUAGE wherever I can to provide EMPHASIS. I don't like Trudeau either, but Pierre deserves to be criticized for his crypto natter, and he looks pretty stupid promoting it while trashing the central bank shortly before all the bitcoin he owned torpedoed -75% in value. Easy political points are scored against pointing at Pierre's mouthing off about this.

Surely you can't miss the fact that BC has been entirely unhelpful for getting Alberta oil to market, and has pretty much held Alberta hostage on pipeline negotiations.

True North is clown news, and as an outlet does nothing but tell you exactly what you already think and want to hear.

How does this work for you? You're the one raising fears of bright hair affecting "camo efforts", when the new regs specifically address this fear: "...the colouring of hair is permitted in all orders of dress unless it inhibits an operational duty. For example, bright coloured hair may have a negative operational impact during field operations or training. So this ends up just being another post where you're ranting about things you haven't even bothered to read about or think about, preferring to be swept up in your own emotion and hyperbole instead.

It was never "no biolabs". It was "no bioweapon labs". You're not entirely wrong. The MIC certainly has its reasons to push conflict and fear where it can, but that doesn't mean that we shouldn't support Ukraine against Russian aggression. It's just something we need to recognize in our decision making.

Agreed. Russian troops should go back to Russia!

It states right in the regs. It's only permitted "unless it inhibits an operational duty." That's the end of your line of reasoning, right there. It goes no further. The language is very clear, and the potential accommodations are suggestions that the member and his/her commander try to find a compromise that removes the concern. If it cannot be addressed, the item in question is not permitted. THAT's how this is written. You don't have to worry that officers are only allowed to meekly request that the member fix his glow-in-the-dark hair dye and his jangly nose chain, and that member just can say, "Naw dawg, my purple hair helps with my anxiety." or whatever other goof scenario you've imagined. Here's another quote for you, just as an example: Can CAF members be asked to shave their facial hair? Yes, Commanders of Commands, Task Force Commanders, Formation Commanders and Commanding Officers retain the right to order restrictions on the wearing of facial hair to meet safety and operational requirements. This instruction does not supersede Federal or National safety codes or regulations. Why don't I answer with a quote from the CAF regs that you totally definitely read. Piercings: the only piercing jewellery authorized are single or single set of stud or single stone earrings (one in each ear) in the earlobe(s) only. Piercings are not permitted on the face. Earrings shall not exceed one centimetre square or diameter. Gauges/spacers shall not exceed 2.5 cm in diameter. So we're really left with the green hair, which I'd probably think looks stupid, but I'm not sure how much it would affect me if the RCMP officer shows up at my house. I'd probably be more worried about why he's there. A more interesting question, I think, is how many people you figure go through with police (let alone army) training intent on coloring their hair bright green. From all the noise you're making about it, I'm certain to see crowds of these folk at the next military parade, right?

You've read them? Really!? ? This would suggest you have, at best, only skimmed them, because there are probably at least a dozen caveats on this page alone: https://www.canada.ca/en/services/defence/caf/military-identity-system/dress-manual/changes-canadian-forces-dress-instructions.html INCLUDING restrictions preventing the specific bullshit fantasy scenario you made up about bright-haired "attention-seekers" giving away combat positions: "...the colouring of hair is permitted in all orders of dress unless it inhibits an operational duty. For example, bright coloured hair may have a negative operational impact during field operations or training. Leaders are invited to discuss with their members to find a simple, suitable accommodation, such as a scarf to cover the hair. Accessories do not have to match the colour of the member’s hair. However, all accessories shall meet safety and operational requirements and must not discredit the CAF." I didn't serve in the military. You did. I shouldn't be able to do 2 minutes of Google research and show that you're BS'ing. If your curiosity and willingness to research came even close to matching your emotional conviction, you'd be crushing this debate.