Miko.. Since I know you to be an intelligent and very competent human being, I can also assume you knew exactly what you said when you explained to us that we are 'serfs'.
He's the cut..
That's how your space program is implemented - by serf labor, not by free willing people.
There were other comments, in other threads that cut across the lines of 'technical discussions' and WALLAH! You got me camped out on the back of your neck.
Since the products I make were developed for the space program, and I know myself to not be a 'serf' and have yet to meet even one unwilling soul let alone serf involved in the space program, I felt it was high time your high horse got a swift kick in the ass.
Some of those envious "less affluent" do not even realise how much they suffer as the result of the government mismanaging. The people who tend to notice and recongize such mismanagment are usually educated, smart and well-read - which in US makes them more likely to be wealthy. Which, according to you makes their opinion automartically suspect and their patriotism questioned by liberal spinmasters. Should we only use expertise of the bums on the street from now on?
LOL.. I love how you managed to worm a 'liberal spinmeister' into that diatribe. That'll look good on my resume right next to 'socialist'. I suspect (!!) you have misjudged me. As I said.. it's not about wealth.. it's about attitude. I'm just as likely to kick a poor pinhead in the pants as a rich one. I never claimed NASA was well managed. In my 50 years of sucking in air and blowing out stink I've never observed any federally controlled agency that was either efficient or well managed.
On the other hand, NASA, warts and all, has managed to accomplish some things that no other entity on the face of this planet could accomplish. One could argue that ends justify means.. I'm satisfied that the guy currently in charge of the manned program (dittmore) is a quality Joe, and not a pinhead. He's got my support.
... First, I've left from the Socialest Soviet Union before it fell. I had as much chance to "help" the country as any North Koread does now. We had no rights or votes or whatever. If I engaged in a public discussion (which I did), before getting a first warning from KGB (which I got), the mere statement that the country is not perfect elicited accusations of bad patriotism just like from you and invitation to go to America. Most russians confused constructive criticism with dislike rather than attempt to help - but unlike you they had excuse of being brainwashed. If I stayed here and worked to the best of my ability, it would be used to plug the holes and keep the bad system goind. If I engaged in outright sabotage, it would have hurt the people I knew.
First, you tell me I'm brainwashed because I was raised here.. then ya tell me I'm not brainwashed.. your citizens were. I'm not at all confused, but it sure looks to me like your pretty damn busy hopping back and forth on this issue.
Fact.. You are a Russian Immigrant. You made a choice.. this nation, not the one of your birth. Now that you are here, you angrily remonstrate that we are socialist puppets, our taxation boards and government agencys are enslaving the people and it's products are substandard.
You howl about our inability to accept constructive criticisim. You call us names. I never called you a name Miko.. all I said was "You, sir; suck"!! LOL! It was not even a criticisim.. just a simple observation.
Look.. matters not when or how you managed to get here. Matters not even why. What matters is that you left and came here and now apparently you can't stand your local government, you detest the national one and your all for a total freemarket economy.
Well.. how about this.. the oppressive government you left is no longer in control of the land of your birth. You appear to be a man of some means, so the ability to leave this land and return to the one of your birth is well within your powers to effect. That nation needs free thinkers like yourself that understand the political ramifications of a 'socialist democracy'.. why not return there and assist your native land in its attempts to improve the lot of it's citizens?
I'll tell yah why.. yer a sellout.
Yer here to do some carpetbagging and really really resent the government gettin it's share of your pie. And you are also well aware that the land of your birth is now thorougly dominated by a 'freemarket entity' that ruthlessly protects it's control of the 'serf's.. the Russian Mob.
Far easier to languish here, protected by the society that gave rise to such socialist democratic nonsense spinmeistering as "one small step for man..."
You can take all the potshots yah want at my 'patriotisim' miko. You'll not be able to tarnish it. Yours on the other hand is as fake as your rolex.
...I was not sneering at the serfs - I claimed that we are serfs. People who had to work half of the year or more for government. And since the "wealthy" are in higher tax bracket, they are more serfs than less wealthy.
No cigar. Neither I or you work half our lives to pay the government.. oversimplification and broad misdirection. You've made yet another serious mistake here Miko.. don't try to roadkill the public about the wealthy and their tax liabilities. Data point.. If you are 'wealthy' and paying a higher percentage of your net income than I am in taxes then you'd better fire your wife and get a good accountant. FACT>> The Wealthy in this nation pay a significantly lower percentage of their income in taxes than does the middle class.
If there's one thing we can agree on here it's that this nations tax codes are freakin insanely broken... and need to be chucked out the window a heluva lot more than NASA's Shuttle program.
The point of my post was not complain about how much I pay but how arbitrary and nontransparently it is decided by some bureaucrat. I do not mind increased taxes - I want them increased honestly, by rate, not fudging with assessment values.
There's a system in this country where a grievence regarding property values can be addressed. Get a lawyer. When they re-assesed my property values and cranked up the rates I got a hearing and the the assesment was reduced. The system ain't perfect, but you sure as hell have more rights than a gawdamned serf.
I say again, the only difference between the government and any private foundation is that government can use coercion and violence to achieve cooperation.
Third big lie. Corporations are a whole lot nastier than governments when it comes to protecting markets and profits. Corercion and Violence is the trademark of Corporations not limited by government. At the height of the industrial revolution in thios country Coroprations murdered routinely. Thank christ Government stepped in...
Let's keep it civil. I will try to keep my the personal details of my life out of the posts to reduce your temptarion to make discussion personal rather then on issues? Do you think I should create another name or can you handle the pressure?
Hey.. I'm comfortable on either level.
Understand that I respect your opinions more than this mere type interface can possibly convey. What you've been through and what you've accomplished since you've been here would likey read like the classic american success story. I well aware that without folks like you contributing to the fund of talent and knowledge here we would not have an America as strong and diverse as it is.. I also hope you understand that when you paint the nation and it's accomplishments with a poorly applied brush there will be folks like myself that will kick yah in the pants and point out that there's far more to the paintjob than just paint.
