Trump NY Hush Money Trial: Guilty on all 34 charges

[Jamalisms]

I'm still not certain whether Simple Jake and this Jacob are the same person but there's certainly a coincidence of names.

[Justafan]

48 minutes ago, Jamalisms said:

 

Just my opinion but this sort of thing tends to be a pretty easy distinguisher between those who actively and conscientiously practice living within the precepts and teachings of Christ and those who simply claim membership to Christianity.

 

It also seems to align pretty well with highlighting those who attend a church that's top-down, borderline cultish on leadership defining the Bible / right and wrong and those who attend churches where personal investigation of truth is important. The former transitions pretty easily to simply accepting what they hear from pundits as well. The latter stop and think too much to be so easily bamboozled by the antithesis of what they claim to believe.

 

So, I'm not a Christian anymore, but much of my family is. I grew up in the church. I was baptized at age 12 before I started really reading and asking questions. I have a lot of sympathy for people who are trying to lead a high-character life and aren't in it to brainwash others; they just believe that it fulfills them as a person and all that.  I think there's a nobility in that.

 

I think about those people and the things they taught me when I was young and said when I was a kid, and I just can't imagine any of that lining up with Donald Trump or some of the rhetoric coming out of DC. Is abortion really so important that you would embrace this? That's the question I really want to ask people. Instead, I've learned to just not discuss politics or religion with my family and friends because all I will do is hurt people's feelings and divide the room. 

[Jamalisms]

2 minutes ago, Justafan said:

So, I'm not a Christian anymore, but much of my family is. I grew up in the church. I was baptized at age 12 before I started really reading and asking questions. I have a lot of sympathy for people who are trying to lead a high-character life and aren't in it to brainwash others; they just believe that it fulfills them as a person and all that.  I think there's a nobility in that.

 

I think about those people and the things they taught me when I was young and said when I was a kid, and I just can't imagine any of that lining up with Donald Trump or some of the rhetoric coming out of DC. Is abortion really so important that you would embrace this? That's the question I really want to ask people. Instead, I've learned to just not discuss politics or religion with my family and friends because all I will do is hurt people's feelings and divide the room. 

 

I think that last part is the challenge. It's all about timing, setting and approach. In a group? Nope. When people seem interested in arguing or their first thought is how to counter your contention? Nope. One on one when someone is curious and interested and open for a real discussion? That's the time.

 

There's a quote (associated with my own religion) that I really like. I certainly don't practice it here (or online in most places) but I try to keep it front of mind in my personal life:

 

“Not everything that a man knoweth can be disclosed, nor can everything that he can disclose be regarded as timely, nor can every timely utterance be considered as suited to the capacity of those who hear it.”

[Downtown]

Pretty telling that the only people I hear clamoring for a "Civil War" are extremists on the far-right. Is it really a Civil-War if disgruntled Trumpers just want to kill other people? 

[ctm]

2 hours ago, scine09 said:

Joe Biden is anything but.

It's a very weak attempt at a false equivalency.

[begooode]

2 hours ago, scine09 said:

Give me a break.  Seriously.

A quick glance at the thread title vs his comments shows pretty clearly dude is not here for convo, imo. He’s just here to serve up another combo meal of shit slinging on Biden and the classic “Trump’s not great, but,…” bullshit.  They’ve been recycling this so long within their group that it’s become unassailable conventional wisdom — everybody knows! 
 

Edited May 31, 2024 by begooode

[begooode]

2 hours ago, Downtown said:

Pretty telling that the only people I hear clamoring for a "Civil War" are extremists on the far-right. Is it really a Civil-War if disgruntled Trumpers just want to kill other people? 

LARPing ‘patriots’ = domestic terrorism

[IsntLifeFunny]

4 hours ago, Justafan said:

Why are we even discussing the legitimacy of a charge that the DA brought to trial and successfully prosecuted with a jury selected from both sides?

You know 

 

4 hours ago, begooode said:

 

And that's why Trump will have no hesitation at all of using whoever or whatever means to get him elected.  Murderous rappers on stage? check. Naked quid pro quo solicitation from big energy for campaign funds? check. Open invitations for influence, including from other countries? why the hell not.  Trump is as badly a compromised presidential candidate as we've likely ever experienced. 

Likely? We are way past likely amd into full blown certainty. He's as compromised as the extent of the word can even have meaning. 

[MadMax]

 

 

Edited May 31, 2024 by MadMax

[nine]

The hilarious part of Christians latching onto Trump is that if someone exactly like him was a member of their church, that person would be shunned and ostracized by the entire congregation.  
 

Think about it:  a serial adulterer with five kids by three different women…who’s also a lying, bombastic, self-important narcissist who fancies himself as the smartest guy in the room in every situation.   A guy who never attends services, who never participates or makes any sort of contribution to the church and  who only interacts with other members when he’s looking to take their money or needs something from them.

 

A person like that would quickly be run out of town by any church community.   “How can we be rid of this jerk and get him out of our church once and for all?   Hey….I know!   Let’s put him in the Oval Office and let him run the entire country!”

[Pragidealist]

Just now, nine said:

The hilarious part of Christians latching onto Trump is that if someone exactly like him was a member of their church, that person would be shunned and ostracized by the entire congregation.  
 

Think about it:  a serial adulterer with five kids by three different women…who’s also a lying, bombastic, self-important narcissist who fancies himself as the smartest guy in the room in every situation.   A guy who never attends services, who never participates or makes any sort of contribution to the church and  who only interacts with other members when he’s looking to take their money or needs something from them.

 

A person like that would quickly be shunned and ostracized from any church community.   “How can we be rid of this jerk and get him out of our church once and for all?   Hey….I know!   Let’s put him in the Oval Office and let him run the entire country!”

Or he's the mega church pastor... 

[begooode]

45 minutes ago, Pragidealist said:

Or he's the mega church pastor... 

 

Those Gulfstream jets aren’t going to buy themselves! All glory to on high, of course.

[nine]

1 hour ago, begooode said:

 

Those Gulfstream jets aren’t going to buy themselves! All glory to on high, of course.

Speaking of Gulfstreams….

 

20 or so years ago, my Dad was the CFO for a privately-owned high-tech manufacturing company in SoCal.   The company had its own private jet and a pilot on staff.   
 

As the CFO, it was my dad’s job to know every penny the company spent.   He once mentioned to me, “You know that private jet the company owns?    They mostly use it during the week…but a couple times a month, one of the owners uses it to fly his family up to their ranch in Napa Valley for the weekend.  
 

“Every time he uses it…by the time you add up the cost of fuel,  the pilot’s salary, airport fees, and the prorated cost of jet insurance and maintenance for the days they’re using  it….it ends up costing the company around  $10,000 per trip, every time they go up there. “

And this was 20-25 years ago.   There’s no telling how much it costs to operate a private jet  these days.  

[chef]

1 hour ago, nine said:

Speaking of Gulfstreams….

 

20 or so years ago, my Dad was the CFO for a privately-owned high-tech manufacturing company in SoCal.   The company had its own private jet and a pilot on staff.   
 

As the CFO, it was my dad’s job to know every penny the company spent.   He once mentioned to me, “You know that private jet the company owns?    They mostly use it during the week…but a couple times a month, one of the owners uses it to fly his family up to their ranch in Napa Valley for the weekend.  
 

“Every time he uses it…by the time you add up the cost of fuel,  the pilot’s salary, airport fees, and the prorated cost of jet insurance and maintenance for the days they’re using  it….it ends up costing the company around  $10,000 per trip, every time they go up there. “

And this was 20-25 years ago.   There’s no telling how much it costs to operate a private jet  these days.  

 

Typical charter trip from WC out here to HI will run about $100-200K r/t.   Hourly rates for NJ larger cabin (like those that can make it to Hawaii) are ~ $15,000/hr.  You fly often, way cheaper to buy a fractional ownership.

 

Normally a crew of 2 pilots, 1 FA.  FA higher end rates (call it high standard) = about $800-1000/day on the better operators.  Pilots run more of course.  See them come out here for a few days and now just your crew costs, putting them up (hotels here all crazy in Maui especially), airport parking charge etc. and you could be looking at ~ $40K just for crew salary/lodging/tarmac costs.  

 

Most will quick turn - drop pax and head back to keep working, avoid all that costs.  Very high % of charters or fractionals in fact. But lucky crews tied to one plane/one owner are most likely to get to get paid to sit by the pool at the Wailea Marriot.  Can be extremely stressful job, but DEFINITELY got some perks.

 

[begooode]

1 hour ago, nine said:

Speaking of Gulfstreams….

 

20 or so years ago, my Dad was the CFO for a privately-owned high-tech manufacturing company in SoCal.   The company had its own private jet and a pilot on staff.   
 

As the CFO, it was my dad’s job to know every penny the company spent.   He once mentioned to me, “You know that private jet the company owns?    They mostly use it during the week…but a couple times a month, one of the owners uses it to fly his family up to their ranch in Napa Valley for the weekend.  
 

“Every time he uses it…by the time you add up the cost of fuel,  the pilot’s salary, airport fees, and the prorated cost of jet insurance and maintenance for the days they’re using  it….it ends up costing the company around  $10,000 per trip, every time they go up there. “

And this was 20-25 years ago.   There’s no telling how much it costs to operate a private jet  these days.  

This is the type of imputed income the IRS wants to start going after, but the repubs keep scaring people that they’re coming after regular joes.