tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2181921610078796867.comments2023-10-15T07:10:27.220-04:00Easy OpinionsAndrew_M_Garlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02855052302054611917noreply@blogger.comBlogger85125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2181921610078796867.post-64531206316570123542014-10-31T10:51:10.312-04:002014-10-31T10:51:10.312-04:00Thanks for this list! There are so many scandals ...Thanks for this list! There are so many scandals I lose track and it's nice to have this blog and other blogs as a resource.Andy Foxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03324532029366118746noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2181921610078796867.post-2004792668352172012014-06-10T12:40:04.570-04:002014-06-10T12:40:04.570-04:00Mellody Sharon,
In theory, people can be persuade...Mellody Sharon,<br /><br />In theory, people can be persuaded by facts and logic. This is almost never observed in the wild. Wishful thinking beats a discussion of policy every time. <br /><br />Amazingly, many people will not change their beliefs even (or especially) when told that they are wrong by the person they first believed. Motto: "I can't be fooled, so you must have superpowers."<br /><br />http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Randi<br />=== ===<br />[edited] Randi has been accused of using psychic powers to perform acts such as spoon bending.<br /><br />Randi was duplicating the performances of Uri Geller. A university professor shouted out that Randi was a fraud. Randi said, "Yes, indeed, I'm a trickster, I'm a cheat, I'm a charlatan, that's what I do for a living. Everything I've done here was by trickery." The professor shouted back: "That's not what I mean. You're a fraud because you're pretending to do these things through trickery, but you're actually using psychic powers and misleading us by not admitting it."<br /><br />Senator Claiborne Pell believes in psychic phenomena. Randi demonstrated to him that simply by using trickery he could reveal a concealed drawing secretly made by Pell. Pell refused to believe that it was a trick, saying, "I think Randi may be a psychic and doesn't realize it." Randi has consistently denied having any paranormal powers or abilities.<br />=== ===<br />Andrew_M_Garlandhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02855052302054611917noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2181921610078796867.post-79358549437451917982014-06-10T08:36:44.670-04:002014-06-10T08:36:44.670-04:00. Is it possible for ads, editorials, or political.... Is it possible for ads, editorials, or political speech to be equally effective in convincing people without using propaganda techniques or faulty logic? Explain your opinion and support it with relevant examples.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17816112205427768368noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2181921610078796867.post-19070554580653424332014-01-17T11:23:22.565-05:002014-01-17T11:23:22.565-05:00Love this blog, hope you'll post again soon.Love this blog, hope you'll post again soon. StephUFhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11643886409197075180noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2181921610078796867.post-51259477257324419542013-07-30T12:44:13.901-04:002013-07-30T12:44:13.901-04:00To JB McMunn: Well said.To JB McMunn: Well said.Andrew_M_Garlandhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02855052302054611917noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2181921610078796867.post-78498527254347929322013-07-20T10:27:27.913-04:002013-07-20T10:27:27.913-04:00I've often felt the same way about MMT. They m...I've often felt the same way about MMT. They mistake a descriptive equation for the thing itself and run off into the Wonderland of $5 trillion coins.JB McMunnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15468282698533043544noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2181921610078796867.post-87794282401137448392013-07-15T00:28:04.601-04:002013-07-15T00:28:04.601-04:00To StephUF,
Thanks for the kind words and the enc...To StephUF,<br /><br />Thanks for the kind words and the encouragement.Andrew_M_Garlandhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02855052302054611917noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2181921610078796867.post-59332595903130169872013-07-13T08:31:51.266-04:002013-07-13T08:31:51.266-04:00I love this blog. It would be ok with me if you po...I love this blog. It would be ok with me if you post more often. :)StephUFhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11643886409197075180noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2181921610078796867.post-14783661608389159962012-12-21T14:55:23.562-05:002012-12-21T14:55:23.562-05:00On infant mortality you can also add that under so...On infant mortality you can also add that under socialized systems there is less fertility treatment and so fewer multiple births.<br />Also different ethnic groups have different rates of multiple births. Interestingly Hispanics in the USA have lower rates of multiple births and lower rates of infant mortality that the overall population despite have less access to healthcare. JWOhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00004178958481335795noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2181921610078796867.post-36001251032017483602012-09-20T21:35:00.124-04:002012-09-20T21:35:00.124-04:00Dear anonymous: It was a frightening time and it f...Dear anonymous: It was a frightening time and it felt like things could just explode. It really was a break down of the culture. A youth culture, one that denigrates everything that preceded it, is not a good thing. Young people have too little experience to be wise in the ways of the world. They are too easily corrupted and misled. There was a tremendous loss of innocence when Kennedy was assassinated. The folks above predated that, of course, many from families that were communist sympathizers. When you read the history that makes Joe McCarthy look like a crank, dig deeper and notice the number of folks that really did turn out to be communists in that era.<br /><br />These people found sympathy with other children of well-off families. Kids from blue collar families like mine didn't have anything to feel guilty about. When you are rich and feel somewhat guilty about what you have, you can be turned. And that's what led to the Weather Underground.Terihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13382050215676302342noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2181921610078796867.post-91276371555386643232012-09-17T10:03:44.849-04:002012-09-17T10:03:44.849-04:00In the US, state lotteries use a significant porti...In the US, state lotteries use a significant portion of their winnings to fund state programs like schools. <br />Is it a stupidity tax? Maybe. But at least something productive (that IS socially responsible, by the way) comes of it. Do people with gambling addictions spend way, way too much on the lottery? YES, but so do "investors" with gambling addictions, the ones who short shares and buy into derivatives, or other "risky" investments.<br />The only difference appears to be:<br />Lottery winners in the US are taxed usually over 50% on their winnings, while "investors" are taxed closer to 15%.<br />Why would you hate a lottery winner?<br /><br />Reply to: "Lotteries return only 60% of what is bet, and only 18-30% in the big prizes. Many people with a social conscience hate lotteries because they are designed to take money from people without much money, and states promote this scam on the people."<br /><br />James T.https://www.blogger.com/profile/11354193589553520285noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2181921610078796867.post-62256221620538393332012-08-07T08:46:42.643-04:002012-08-07T08:46:42.643-04:00This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.tenthouhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11278840698788349842noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2181921610078796867.post-19717511500932360022012-05-05T08:03:16.806-04:002012-05-05T08:03:16.806-04:00This blog is wonderful! Good stuff and so much fun...This blog is wonderful! Good stuff and so much fun!StephUFhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11643886409197075180noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2181921610078796867.post-17765081274373449612011-11-27T16:50:14.262-05:002011-11-27T16:50:14.262-05:00To Josh,
The issue in the PowerLine post is: what...To Josh,<br /><br />The issue in the PowerLine post is: what was the "bailout" and who received it. Hinderaker comments on TARP.<br /><br />If you are defining the "bailout" differently, then a link to your information source would be interesting. Also, support for the idea that the government gave the banks quiet loans in the background to pay off the public loans of TARP.<br /><br />There are other Federal Reserve policies which favor banks which precede and follow the crisis in housing bonds. I don't like those policies, but they are not usually called "the bailout".Andrew_M_Garlandhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02855052302054611917noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2181921610078796867.post-91470993024730337872011-11-27T10:06:40.408-05:002011-11-27T10:06:40.408-05:00Hang on a tick. 'Repaid', you say. But w...Hang on a tick. 'Repaid', you say. But with whose money? We slipped them more money than we bailed them out with, through the back door of the discount window. If you had a seat at the table, you could buy bonds at a discount, and then cross the street and re-sell them back to the government for a profit. How much in bonds passed through this way, hasn't it been over $1trillion?<br /><br />Possibly some of the bigger banks didn't need the bailout. But those which did, are also those which were handed the most additional capital in the *aftermath* of the bailout. The primary players had access to free cash that the smaller banks did not. So it's disingenuous to say the big banks paid up and the small banks didn't. The big banks repaid the bailout loan, with money we GAVE them (i.e. outright, not a loan).Joshhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15178165567582528357noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2181921610078796867.post-45594085477349856672011-07-31T20:01:29.875-04:002011-07-31T20:01:29.875-04:00The current mortgage crisis was caused by the unso...The current mortgage crisis was caused by the unsound financial decisions of many lending institutions, brokers, and home owners who based their actions upon the formerly-booming real estate market. <br /><br /><br /><a href="http://www.larryfry.com/" rel="nofollow"><b>mortgage consultant</b></a>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2181921610078796867.post-63988823477163539162011-06-08T19:20:25.346-04:002011-06-08T19:20:25.346-04:00I have to say the power factor thing's going t...I have to say the power factor thing's going to make me picky about which bulbs I get, but the rest of this is readable yet purple journalism favoring global warming (hot, stormy, wet and flat; from generation emissions and transmission and usage losses,) with hideous old fixtures, and hot broken glass, and exposed electrocution risk, over the CFL niggles presented.<br /><br />Rail in favor of HID lamps (which, in good operating order, have awesome efficiency and color tunability,) for a bit, then we can talk.<br /><br />>heavy users get discounts.<br />Yes, yes we do. Were you worried about falling out of the heavies and our contracts, Panta Rei? (Awesome name, BTW.)<br /><br />PR> As shown by official government links etc:<br />You mean IANA, or that they're Federally Secured Lies (for whichever government you happen to mean?)Obsinguodhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00608098009867280297noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2181921610078796867.post-20058529183007573482011-03-23T05:04:54.113-04:002011-03-23T05:04:54.113-04:00I have yet to encounter a liberal who could provid...I have yet to encounter a <b><i>liberal</i></b> who could provide a non-circular, internally consistent definition of either "freedom" or "rights." Conservatives and libertarians have no problem with it.Francis W. Porrettohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05862584203772592282noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2181921610078796867.post-86962192421224408532011-02-03T13:26:37.228-05:002011-02-03T13:26:37.228-05:00Just ...exactly why is it so hard to open up the i...Just ...exactly why is it so hard to open up the ins companies to free market? Competition will drive prices down and cause companies to offer the best for less. It seems like reform should be commonsense.<br /><br />I just heard Harry Reed comment that 80% of Americans want this health care plan. Then he went on to bash republicans.<br /><br />My instant thought was ..why are these politicians allowed to get away with lies? They know the poll results and hear the people ..then turn away to promote their own agenda? Why can't someone immediately challenge a person when they state untruths? It's like everyone hollers into the wind whatever they want people to believe and hope that some of it registers as fact to the uninformed population. Just keep beating that drum.<br /><br />I just heard this and already forgetting his name, but he was on an evening talk show and he came out and said, "First we have to get rid of the private ins companies." Wow! <br /><br />Love the bunny replacement! :) Although ..give the pc police time and then bunny will be considered violent too.SeaSprayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07906503090688697222noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2181921610078796867.post-58795901140129043362010-12-08T13:22:56.658-05:002010-12-08T13:22:56.658-05:00This country is in big trouble. It's time to p...This country is in big trouble. It's time to prepare for the worse and pray for the best.Chrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12905362327313044045noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2181921610078796867.post-16539765175402764012010-11-26T14:58:31.158-05:002010-11-26T14:58:31.158-05:00"Untangle the tax mess, remove employers from..."Untangle the tax mess, remove employers from the middle, and salaries would go up in the amount of the "free" healthcare benefit through employers. Then people would have enough take-home pay to buy their own health insurance. That is what healthcare reform should be all about."<br /><br />Absolutely... I might throw in MSAs too, but these are the clearest, most common sense reforms necessary. I am convinced that Obamacare is more about control than it is solving any medical care problems.quiznilohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12086468386552688955noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2181921610078796867.post-16213563178457079492010-11-23T16:33:39.066-05:002010-11-23T16:33:39.066-05:00"Let's jail the government."
All ri..."Let's jail the government."<br /><br />All right, now you're talking. As long as we get all the drug users out of there first to have enough space for all those people! Now that's knocking down two birds with one stone.<br /><br />You know, you might just have a complete public policy in this idea of yours... :)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2181921610078796867.post-39564903402075145472010-11-23T15:15:07.250-05:002010-11-23T15:15:07.250-05:00To francoistremblay,
ft: Why are you being nice ....To francoistremblay,<br /><br /><b>ft:</b> Why are you being nice ...<br /><b>AMG:</b> That is a wierd reading of my post.<br /><br /><b>ft:</b> These people shouldn't be "endured."<br /><b>AMG:</b>Or course not. But, it seems we are stuck for the moment.<br /><br /><b>ft:</b> They are criminals who should be in jail. <br /><b>AMG:</b> TSA agents are following the orders of a government out of control. Let's jail the government.Andrew_M_Garlandhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02855052302054611917noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2181921610078796867.post-29151940336610844192010-11-23T14:10:28.656-05:002010-11-23T14:10:28.656-05:00Why are you being nice about sexual harassment and...Why are you being nice about sexual harassment and the rape of little children? These people shouldn't be "endured." They are criminals who should be in jail.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2181921610078796867.post-28958354632223948252010-11-09T13:55:32.788-05:002010-11-09T13:55:32.788-05:00To FrancoisTremblay,
Possibly you have more detai...To FrancoisTremblay,<br /><br />Possibly you have more details supporting "most conservatives don't know what words like "freedom" or "rights" mean". Would you have a link to your blog about this?Andrew_M_Garlandhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02855052302054611917noreply@blogger.com