mosin46 said:

there is a book-"rare earth" by Ward and Brownlee that takes the position that we are indeed alone,that complex life is rare in the universe. haven't read it in a few years so i don't recall their exact reasoning. has a lot of reasoning geology,astrobiology and astronomy. they say that primitive life is likely common. they don't deny the possibility of complex live. they just emphasize it's likely rarity.
fits what i think and what others here and everywhere have said. measuring distance in light years is mind blowing if you do the math. makes me think we aren't gonna get too far away. if the fact that we are alone and stuck here for all practical purposes we might start acting a little more rationally. LOL.

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geek65 said:

Whatever species it is on the right looks like it should be running across the land of Gondor chasing Hobbits.

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mikeinfwa said:

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lash said:

Why so agreeable? It’s no fun arguing with you.

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Dead Eye Dick said:

I would argue with that. Shooting Bench Rest, were fractions of an inch could mean the difference between winning and not. An MOA scope with a dial of a tenth of an inch click is a finer adjustment than a MILRAD scope's tenth of a mil. It could make a difference in that exacting sport.

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sirhrmechanic said:

Aliens 100 percent exist. We would be incredibly arrogant to think that we are the only life form that evolved in several billion galaxies.

Run the Drake equation.

But there is no point getting in touch with us. We have only been radiating for about 150 years. Not enough time for our emanations to make it anywhere that matters. And even if someone 'did' spot us, the energy budgets involved in visiting don't make 'drive by anal probing' likely or realistic.

I know... your post is satire. And you are right... we are probably not evolved enough to bother to visit.

But I'll quote Stephen Hawking... "Any contact would come from a highly-advanced alien civilization and would probably be very messy." (maybe more of a paraphrase....) The net of it is that advanced civilizations rarely do well by primitive civilizations. Will Smith and Tom Cruise aside... we'd be fucked!

Sirhr

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armorpl8chikn said:

Let me translate that statist layerese speak for you.

"Paying taxes will be voluntary, if we can't send agents to threaten people to comply.

Your welcome.

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The word "voluntary," as used in Flora and in IRS publications, refers to our system of allowing taxpayers to determine the correct amount of tax and complete the appropriate returns, rather than have the government determine tax for them. The requirement to file an income tax return is not voluntary and is clearly set forth in Internal Revenue Code §§ 6011(a) , 6012(a) , et seq., and 6072(a). See also Treas. Reg. § 1.6011-1(a).

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United States v. Bressler, 772 F.2d 287, 291 (7 th Cir. 1985) - The court upheld Bressler's conviction for tax evasion, noting, "[he] has refused to file income tax returns and pay the amounts due not because he misunderstands the law, but because he disagrees with it . . . . [O]ne who refuses to file income tax returns and pay the tax owing is subject to prosecution, even though the tax protester believes the laws requiring the filing of income tax returns and the payment of income tax are unconstitutional."

Schiff v. United States, 919 F.2d 830, 833 (2d Cir. 1990), cert. denied, 501 U.S. 1238 (1991) - The court rejected Schiff's arguments as meritless and upheld imposition of the civil fraud penalty, stating "[t]he frivolous nature of this appeal is perhaps best illustrated by our conclusion that Schiff is precisely the sort of taxpayer upon whom a fraud penalty for failure to pay income taxes should be imposed."

Packard v. United States, 7 F. Supp. 2d 143, 145 (D. Conn. 1998) - The court dismissed Packard's refund suit for recovery of penalties for failure to pay income tax and failure to pay estimated taxes where the taxpayer contested the obligation to pay taxes on religious grounds, noting that "the ability of the Government to function could be impaired if persons could refuse to pay taxes because they disagreed with the Government's use of tax revenues."

United States v. Gerads, 999 F.2d 1255, 1256 (8 th Cir. 1993) - The court stated that "[taxpayers'] claim that payment of federal income tax is voluntary clearly lacks substance" and imposed sanctions in the amount of $1,500 "for bringing this frivolous appeal based on discredited, tax-protestor arguments."

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Longshot231 said:

I don’t know who this person is, but this video was sent to me. Does anybody know who this is that speaking?

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The D said:

View attachment 8655936

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