Nailbender

I did not but it's as good an idea as any other. I had forgotten all about the story you posted. I did read just today about a balloon club of some kind that has a balloon missing. They suspect it might have been shot down. It wasn't a very reliable source.

I understood you perfectly the first time. Just saying it again with more words doesn't make my point less. If you're smart it will be evident. If you're not...I can learn from anyone.

Sorry, I don't have any patents to share and wouldn't if I did. Since you seem confused, my post was referencing this gem. "A nickle's worth of free advice from an old man before I leave you... When you play any sport or any game, you will never be much better than, maybe, a little better than the people you play with. The same is true of being intelligent. If you want to be smart, hang around and converse with smart people. I know, what a concept. In my opinion, this board is a very good place to start/continue." Been stuck in my craw. Hanging out where you feel comfortable doesn't make you any smarter. It's mentally lazy. So is the attitude in your post. I've been reading here for a long time. There's as much genius or ignorance as anywhere but other parts of the forum have some great wrestling talk. Nothing personal about it, for me at least. You think you're smart, maybe you are. I've seen nothing in your discourse to prove either way. However thinking you're smarter than everyone, does seem to be a theme with you and others here. Once again illustrated by... The fact that you took the time to dig that out, block out your personal info and post it while flipping the bird. As if that proves you have it all figured out. Please do tell me more about how smart you are, if you're so inclined though. I'm sure your old buddies will eat it up and it gives me quite a chuckle.

I contemplated leaving the quotes unattached but wanted to give credit. It's surprising to me that a self proclaimed deep thinker such as yourself would be so focused on who the quote was from rather than the content of the quote itself. The quotes aren't all that profound but you sure changed the subject to something unrelated and partisan you'd rather talk about pretty fast. Telling.

Why did you purposely leave out part of it? "Nor have rail regulators in Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg's department proposed reinstating the safety rule in question, The Lever reported. A spokesperson for the FRA told the outlet that it was continuing to evaluate ECP brakes to improve safety."

No, he did not. He did see it had Trump in it though. Trump baaaadddddd. (Grunts and other assorted noises)

There hasn't even been an investigation but this train derailment and the aftermath are already Trump's fault. The mental gymnastics on this board are why this country will fail.

Based upon what, exactly?

You only briefly touched on the role of lobbying in what is "safe" and what isn't. In some cases, safety is bought and paid for.

If you like that one, you'll love this one. -Most of the major ills of the world have been caused by well-meaning people who ignored the principle of individual freedom, except as applied to themselves, and who were obsessed with fanatical zeal to improve the lot of mankind-in-the-mass through some pet formula of their own. The harm done by ordinary criminals, murderers, gangsters, and thieves is negligible in comparison with the agony inflicted upon human beings by the professional do-gooders, who attempt to set themselves up as gods on earth and who would ruthlessly force their views on all others with the abiding assurance that the end justifies the means. Thomas Sowell

At least the quote was good. Here's a few more for your collection. -At least when a mosquito sucks the blood out of you, he doesn't pretend to be doing it "for your own good." Marty Rubin -Government exists to protect us from each other. Where government has gone beyond its limits is in deciding to protect us from ourselves. Reagan -It is hard to imagine a more stupid or more dangerous way of making decisions than by putting those decisions in the hands of people who pay no price for being wrong. Thomas Sowell

The most glaring example that ties science, Covid and the Twitter thread all together, is the lab leak theory. People were kicked off Twitter for mentioning it and now it is a leading theroy on how Covid began, is it not?

Unfortunately in a lot of cases trust is synonymous with gullible.

....but wait there's more! (Energetic infomercial voice)

If I recall some people thought it was the opposite. They had to double check to see if they were ever there at all?

Pretty sure I had that exact same helmet as a kid.

Yeah, it was probably those evil Hawkeyes trying to game the system by not wrestling.

Not really on topic but I watched a young man on Sat have his dreams of going to state crushed by a lady who felt he didn't follow her finger well enough. I don't blame her but he was very upset. I felt terrible for him.

My question had a point. Thank you for making it. The answer I was looking for was that there is zero reason for Brands to bench him for 3 competitions for getting pinned. The OP's question had a certain "breakfast" quality to it.

What reason would Brands have to bench him?

I don't believe you.

Ay caramba.

If either of you had any first hand knowledge in intelligence or DoD you'd be smart enough to realize no one here is actually solving the world's problems but by all means, please continue.

If I do will a bunch of really fancy acronyms fill the air?