Originally Posted by RayMan (Post 2085228)

You embrace her, show her respect...and enjoy your game. That simple!

Originally Posted by golfing eagles (Post 2085279)

GENDER FLUID????? I can't find the fill tube. Is that located between the power brake and automatic transmission fluids???? And since pink and blue are already taken, as is green for antifreeze, what color is "gender fluid"?:1rotfl::1rotfl::1rotfl:

Originally Posted by MartinSE (Post 2084960)

In Sweden, MOST (not all) people pay only local tax which ranges between 29.08 and 35.15 per cent depending on municipality, on their annual income. In addition earners above a certain income threshold set by the Tax Agency also pay 20 per cent state tax.

The Swedish tax system includes a so-called basic deduction, a sum that is exempt from the taxable income. The sum differs depending on whether a person is under or over 65, see link above.

So, if you make less than the basic deduction you pay no taxes, sort of like here.

And for the VAT, the standard VAT rate for goods and services in Sweden is 25 per cent, but there are reduced rates of 12 per cent for foodstuffs and 6 percent for books, newspapers, passenger transport within Sweden.

So, lets take the high road, and say citizens in Sweden pay 55% (35% local and 20% state). On top some pay as much as 25% VAT. Kind of a "sales" tax which is sort of like sales tax here. Which runs depending on state between 8% and 12%(?) not sure.

Now, Federal tax rate goes from 0% to 35%, state tax rates vary, CA is highest at 12%, then 9000 local jurisdictions have local income tax up to 3%. So, add those up and your get 50% income tax max for US Citizens. (Let's not quibble over the 40,000 pages of Federal tax code and all the possible infinite variety of marginal rates).

Two things pop out in Sweden you pay more VATG than we pay in sales tax. Agreed.

Second using the highest rates, in the US and Sweden, in Sweden you would pay 55% income tax, and in the US you pay 50%. For that 5% you get Universal healthcare - well, not just you EVERYONE. You (everyone) also gets unemployment compensation, which benefit consists of two parts: a basic unemployment insurance and a voluntary income related benefit. If you retire you are covered by their state run pension plan, which unlike private pension plans in the US which trend to go bankrupt leaving workers holding the bag.

Anyway it goes on and on. The bottom line, Sweden pays MORE taxes, but if you include Heath Insurance in the US, we actually pay a LOT more than they do. And it covers everyone, not like here with 30 million Americans uninsured for healthcare, and vastly more under insured because of massive deductibles and not covered issues. And let's not go into how much better their healthcare outcomes are.

I am not sure what you point of bring up Sweden, but they are far better off than US citizen both in what they pay, and what they get for what they pay.

At least that is my humble opinion.

Originally Posted by kcrazorbackfan (Post 2084933)

I DO NOT go into public bathrooms unless it’s a single stall and I can lock the doors; it’s one less place where I don’t have to deal with them.

Are you looking?

Originally Posted by Kgcetm (Post 2084555)

Does Converse still make high tops?

Originally Posted by MartinSE (Post 2084960)

In Sweden, .

Originally Posted by thevillages2013 (Post 2084349)

Well first it was Nike. Threw away or gave to charity all all my Nike stuff including a golf bag and would never buy anything with a swoosh on it again. Now Adidas is running a commercial pushing transgender women in sports.
Pretty soon I will be barefoot

Originally Posted by fdpaq0580 (Post 2085286)

Tell your friend that my friend ( yes, I have one ) says, " No sweat, No sweatshop. "

Originally Posted by fdpaq0580 (Post 2085311)

SWEDEN??? Ewwww!! They eat LUTEFISK!!! Ewwww!!!

😱😨😖😤😬😬

Just .... Ewwww!!

Originally Posted by fdpaq0580 (Post 2085270)

Maybe! Maybe not! Point is, letting athletes ( surgically altered or simply identifying as) compete as other than their genetic code stipulates, is throwing in a ringer. It is wrong.

Originally Posted by MartinSE (Post 2085334)

I don't think it is "wrong", maybe not fair would be better choice. I have suggest that sports, especially professional sports, should have multiple classes, like drag racing (no pun intended) Pure stock, modified, and super modified.

Originally Posted by Two Bills (Post 2085257)

Because you are a sweatshop owner, and make Nike shoes with all those other countries!!:ohdear:

Originally Posted by jimjamuser (Post 2085273)

That was an impressive analysis of Sweden's tax system and hints at the country's philosophy. I know that Sweden beats the US in qualities like UPWARD MOBILITY. The Nordic countries place in the top 5 or 10 of all countries for various qualities of life. The US places below 20th and often below 30th in world lists. (do NOT just believe me, but check for yourself) The US was the top country in the world after WW2. But, due to various causes, has dropped steadily thereafter! Personally, my favorite issues for problems are unrestrained population growth and lack of nationalized health care........but, there are many othet problems.
.........Blaming shoe advertizers and a tiny % of the population like GENDER FLUID people, seems, to me, to be a "blame game" type distraction that allows people to MISS the real cause of their problems (besides aging).

Originally Posted by golfing eagles (Post 2085279)

GENDER FLUID????? I can't find the fill tube. Is that located between the power brake and automatic transmission fluids???? And since pink and blue are already taken, as is green for antifreeze, what color is "gender fluid"?:1rotfl::1rotfl::1rotfl:

Originally Posted by rsimpson (Post 2085326)

Buy NEW BALANCE - American Made - solid compnay!!

Originally Posted by MartinSE (Post 2084830)

Point made, I agree. I also say, the same could be said for Intersex people and others.

Whaat about Trisomy women, women with three Chromosomes? There are around 0.1% in the general population - that would be about 150,000 in the general population. Hmm. wonder what they are, since I have been told in this forum under no uncertain terms, that men have 2 and women have two. So, those 150,000 "people" (maybe not people?) are something else?

There is another case called Triploidy with 3 sets of Chromosomes which affects arounds 2% of all pregnancies but it is almost always fatal - the baby/fetus seldom survives. What do we put on their death/birth certificates? Male, female? I guess those fetuses just DECIDED to have 3...

It seems so easy to define "woman" today.

Originally Posted by OrangeBlossomBaby (Post 2085417)

A woman is someone with a uterus. Except for women who have had hysterectomies. A woman is someone who can produce milk. Except - men can produce milk too (look it up - they absolutely can, just not to the same extent as women). Also except for women who have had mastectomies. A woman is someone who can give birth. Except those who can't.

It still begs the question: what to "do" about it? I mean I totally get the basketball leagues situation. A man who transitions to a woman, could possibly be a foot taller than the tallest woman in the league. It can certainly be an advantage. But is it enough of an advantage that the league should actually care about it? I'm not convinced it is. But I believe it's a valid question that deserves an answer, for anyone who actually gives a crap about professional basketball.

I don't care about competitive sports at all. None of them. So I have no horse in this race. (I do like riding horses. I just don't race them because - I don't care about competitive sports.)

Originally Posted by JMintzer (Post 2085224)

Like the Bobby Riggs/Billie Jean King match, Renee Richards was a novelty act.

An older, slightly above average country club men's player who did nothing on the women's tour...

Originally Posted by fdpaq0580 (Post 2085424)

Abnormalities aside, here is the simplified answer. An x chromosome is female, xx is a woman. Y chromosome is the male. Presence of a y is a man. On average men are biger, stronger, faster then women. A so-called transgender woman is not a woman if the y chromosome is present.
Surgical alteration is artificial enhancement to give the physical appearance of what one wishes to look like, but it does not alter ones genetic code.
You may not care about competition in sports, but all of life is competitive. Sports, education, business science, health, politics, everything. Sports ia just the visable tip of the iceberg. If truth, real fairness, honesty fails here due to agenda driven PC, it will fail everywhere. Not everyone deserves respect. Truth deserves respect. Honesty deserves respect. And fairness deserves respect.

Originally Posted by BlackhawksFan (Post 2085464)

She got to a #20 international ranking and played in the U.S. Open getting to the mixed doubles final once and the semi final another time.

She then went into coach Martina Navrotolva.

She's certainly not a novelty act nor a footnote in women's professional tennis.

Originally Posted by fdpaq0580 (Post 2085424)

Abnormalities aside, here is the simplified answer. An x chromosome is female, xx is a woman. Y chromosome is the male. Presence of a y is a man. On average men are biger, stronger, faster then women. A so-called transgender woman is not a woman if the y chromosome is present.
Surgical alteration is artificial enhancement to give the physical appearance of what one wishes to look like, but it does not alter ones genetic code.
You may not care about competition in sports, but all of life is competitive. Sports, education, business science, health, politics, everything. Sports ia just the visable tip of the iceberg. If truth, real fairness, honesty fails here due to agenda driven PC, it will fail everywhere. Not everyone deserves respect. Truth deserves respect. Honesty deserves respect. And fairness deserves respect.

Originally Posted by JMintzer (Post 2085384)

The official "Old Man" shoe of TV...

https://i5.walmartimages.com/asr/691...7f669ea3d.jpeg

Originally Posted by kkingston57 (Post 2085544)

Wow, 300+ and rising comments about comment which started about boycotting Adidas. At this rate we will have more comments about this than Costco and discussions regarding gas vs electric golf carts.

Originally Posted by kkingston57 (Post 2085551)

Owned two pairs and both of the pairs had problems. For some reason, shoe laces came loose no matter how hard I tied them.

Originally Posted by golfing eagles (Post 2085554)

But not dog poop!:1rotfl::1rotfl::1rotfl:

Originally Posted by kkingston57 (Post 2085544)

Wow, 300+ and rising comments about comment which started about boycotting Adidas. At this rate we will have more comments about this than Costco and discussions regarding gas vs electric golf carts.

Originally Posted by fdpaq0580 (Post 2084448)

Agree with you. A few decades back I recall comments and jokes about the Russian women at athletic events showing up with "five o'clock shadow " and Adam's apples. Now it is accomplished through surgical body modification. If someone really can't find life bearable as the gender they are and wants to modify their body, I say do it. But, unless they have their DNA changed, they are still the same gender they have always been, but with body modification that mimics the gender they want to be. There are some animals that can change gender. Humans are not one of them.

Originally Posted by DAVES (Post 2085581)

That event with the Russian women had to do with drugs used for Olympic competition, there was a follow up story on them. Seems due to the drug some had gotten rare cancers and some could not have children. We all know about Lance Armstrong. In his book, It's Not about the Bike, he tells what they, doctors did to give him supernatural abilities without detected. Stuff like blood transfusions after he was tested. New abilities we need new answers. Fair? What is fair? LIFE IS NOT FAIR.

Originally Posted by fdpaq0580 (Post 2085590)

All to true. If life were fair we would be exact replicas of one another. But outside influences would change that.
In sports, athletes at least, used to get to compete with their natural abilities against others of similar natural abilities from the same starting point.

Originally Posted by JMintzer (Post 2085381)

They also lead the world in the usage of antidepressants...

Maybe that's why they're so "happy"...

The World's Biggest Consumers Of Antidepressants

Originally Posted by JMintzer (Post 2085384)

The official "Old Man" shoe of TV...

https://i5.walmartimages.com/asr/691...7f669ea3d.jpeg

Originally Posted by OrangeBlossomBaby (Post 2085417)

A woman is someone with a uterus. Except for women who have had hysterectomies. A woman is someone who can produce milk. Except - men can produce milk too (look it up - they absolutely can, just not to the same extent as women). Also except for women who have had mastectomies. A woman is someone who can give birth. Except those who can't.

It still begs the question: what to "do" about it? I mean I totally get the basketball leagues situation. A man who transitions to a woman, could possibly be a foot taller than the tallest woman in the league. It can certainly be an advantage. But is it enough of an advantage that the league should actually care about it? I'm not convinced it is. But I believe it's a valid question that deserves an answer, for anyone who actually gives a crap about professional basketball.

I don't care about competitive sports at all. None of them. So I have no horse in this race. (I do like riding horses. I just don't race them because - I don't care about competitive sports.)

Originally Posted by kkingston57 (Post 2085551)

Owned two pairs and both of the pairs had problems. For some reason, shoe laces came loose no matter how hard I tied them.

Originally Posted by DAVES (Post 2085581)

That event with the Russian women had to do with drugs used for Olympic competition, there was a follow up story on them. Seems due to the drug some had gotten rare cancers and some could not have children. We all know about Lance Armstrong. In his book, It's Not about the Bike, he tells what they, doctors did to give him supernatural abilities without detected. Stuff like blood transfusions after he was tested. New abilities we need new answers. Fair? What is fair? LIFE IS NOT FAIR.

Originally Posted by jimjamuser (Post 2085617)

You could (?) just change laces to ones with greater surface friction/abrasion.

Originally Posted by jimjamuser (Post 2085627)

One can say that "Life is Not Fair" ......Yet this topic shows the great interest in sports. And is sports fair?
........Sports are probably the FAIREST thing that a person can encounter on a regular basis in their life. Sports equalize for a short period of time, the Prince and the Pauper. The rich and the poor. The playing field is a GREAT equalizer. You can't just brag about your skills - you must show those skills - you must PRODUCE, NOT JUST TALK.
........SPORTS must be FAIR! Fans don't want to pay to see a fixed boxing match! There are written AND unwritten rules designed to keep an event FAIR.