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I guess we can hope that the government will use a better lubricant.

Actually, no. In 2013, the US was the second largest exporter of arms ($6.2 billion), after Russia ($8.3 billion). And because you probably won't read the linked article, I should mention that these numbers include the estimated value of arms given as foreign aid. But those numbers are dwarfed by the real heavyweights.

Top ten US exports in 2013:

1. Machines, engines, pumps: US$219,566,232,000 (13.5% of total exports)
2. Electronic equipment: $171,966,197,000 (10.6%)
3. Oil: $157,213,437,000 (9.7%)
4. Vehicles: $135,797,903,000 (8.4%)
5. Aircraft, spacecraft: $124,831,567,000 (7.7%)
6. Medical, technical equipment: $84,879,104,000 (5.2%)
7. Gems, precious metals, coins: $65,522,480,000 (4.0%)
8. Plastics: $63,025,216,000 (3.9%)
9. Pharmaceuticals: $43,967,977,000 (2.7%)
10. Organic chemicals: $42,255,264,000 (2.6%)

Dead is dead; what difference does the manner of death make, is that it? On the average day, 89 people die in automobile accidents. If that suddenly jumped to 3000 per day, you can bet your "dumb sheep" would react pretty much the same way.

Greece is going to try to give away electricity for free to extremely poor people. People who aren't extremely poor will get to pay for it.

The circular argument is actually pretty revealing. What it says is, "People don't want to learn anything they aren't good at". Since most everyone is best at things they know the most about, eventually no one will try to learn anything new at all.

It isn't nonsensical. It's idiom. Sort of like "head over heels" (which started life in the 14th century as "heels over head") or "the exception that proves the rule" (depends on an archaic definition of the word, "prove", meaning "test"; we see the remnants of that today in terms such as "proof mass"). By the way, English is in no way unique in having illogical idiomatic expressions.

You're right, of course. He really should have said, "Everyone in America who's been paying attention knows ...". Much smaller number than "Everyone".

Well, actually it only has to support what passes for creators to the extent required to make their business model work. As long as there is a sufficient market for the products they're churning out, the status quo will remain.

You mean like this?

Sort of like this.

Thanks. From what I have read, the majority of weight-maintenance failures occur because the individuals didn't find a diet that was satisfying in the long term. Breaking habits is very difficult. I guess I'm fortunate in that I seem to have settled into a healthy eating pattern that I find satisfying. It's been quite a while since I had to make a conscious effort to choose the right foods (as in thinking, "Well, I'd really rather have this, but I guess I'd better have that instead." As for the long run, time will tell.

You must think I'm a very unusual person then, having lost over 40 pounds in 6 months, just by cutting out high-calorie foods and between-meal snacks. No muscle loss, no feeling starved. And I've maintained the loss for 8 more months without feeling deprived.

I know a few people who have obtained similar results, so I don't think I'm unique at all.

Of course they can. You don't have to cut your intake to starvation levels in order to lose weight. In order to maintain an obese weight, an average otherwise healthy individual must consume at least 500 calories per day above their normal weight maintenance consumption level. Cutting 500 calories per day from an obese maintenance diet does not result in a person feeling like they're starving all the time, and it doesn't result in the body going into muscle consumption mode. It's a large order of french fries, or a quarter of a 14" pizza, for God's sake. Of course, all this assumes that the person doesn't confuse "I'm not uncomfortably full" or "I miss eating a burrito larger than my forearm every day" with "I feel like I'm starving." What it results in is a steady weight loss on the order of 1 to 2 pounds per week, which is perfectly sustainable until the person's weight drops to the level where the lower consumption balances the calories burned, at which weight levels off.

Most overweight people who are otherwise mostly healthy can reduce their caloric intake significantly without feeling like they're "starving all the time." Have a salad for lunch instead of that pizza or burrito. Stop eating crap between meals. Drink some water before you start eating. Stop wolfing down your meals, and stop when you start feeling full.

Indeed. Those arrested had explosives and/or poison gas in their posession. Nice sensationalism. And predictable responses from a gang that would rather be outraged than look beneath the surface for something of substance.