tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post7265181938474006517..comments2024-03-28T08:34:43.846-07:00Comments on CONTRARY BRIN: Suggestion 4: Watch out for a supra-national aristocracyDavid Brinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14465315130418506525noreply@blogger.comBlogger39125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-38137061072367965022008-12-11T14:35:00.000-08:002008-12-11T14:35:00.000-08:00Daggat... har!http://daggatt.blogspot.com/2008/12/...Daggat... har!<BR/><BR/>http://daggatt.blogspot.com/2008/12/buy-toaster-get-free-bank.htmlDavid Brinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14465315130418506525noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-17341218696269015402008-12-11T14:28:00.000-08:002008-12-11T14:28:00.000-08:00I think a good compromise would be that ONLY comme...<I>I think a good compromise would be that ONLY commercial passenger planes over 50 people can fly at the big airports -- but that is solving an issue with air traffic congestions, not necessarily what ANONYMOUS is saying.</I><BR/><BR/>A few years ago I completed a Private Pilot Certificate. I assure you, the big airports already have rules such that littleplanes can't really land there. The landing fees for the Class B airports are enormous; just touching down at Kennedy costs hundreds of dollars, for example. And Mayor Dayley in Chicago has been brazen, in the past, about his contempt for GA, by digging up the Miegs runway. <BR/><BR/><I>A lear jet is taking up the same flight window as a 777 Jumbo. It's a cost shifting on the rest once again.</I><BR/><BR/>Incorrect; the Lear lands in a smaller amount of time, and on shorter runways; its window is smaller than a 777. Unless you're talking about spacing around STAR junctions under IFR rules? <BR/><BR/>The FAA is funded by a fuel tax, the airports by fuel surcharges, plus whatever landing fees they can get. GA is already not in the large airports, or they're paying dearly for the privilege. Some places, like San Francisco, are said to be downright hostile.Rob Perkinshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15618647194288598056noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-23503192429173824392008-12-11T13:20:00.000-08:002008-12-11T13:20:00.000-08:00Jester said...We don't really need any regulation ...<I>Jester said...<BR/>We don't really need any regulation on how long someone must hold a stock, just a 2% transfer tax.<BR/><BR/>First, it would slow down the churn, second, it would flood cash into government coffers during periods of (relative) volatility.</I><BR/><BR/>I was going to also recommend the transfer tax -- which should absolutely go into effect to pay for he Wall Street handout.<BR/><BR/>Reducing CHURN is exactly what should happen. The POINT that justifies stocks, is that it helps business raise money for improvements. If it is merely a gambling chit to track your winnings, and all the companies are putting money into stocks, rather than improving their business -- stocks are then useless for their intended purpose.<BR/><BR/>Give investors some return -- but the 15% YOY or more is not sustainable. Making money merely on money, does absolutely nothing for the economy. I want people to make a living on their own labor FIRST. That is they way 90% of us are going to make most of our money.Fake_William_Shatnerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09027049743048836086noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-90142931517705038362008-12-11T13:12:00.000-08:002008-12-11T13:12:00.000-08:00Ilithi Dragon said...I agree with Rob - shutting d...<I>Ilithi Dragon said...<BR/>I agree with Rob - shutting down private planes would be a bad idea, and a Bad Thing in general. </I><BR/><BR/>I think a good compromise would be that ONLY commercial passenger planes over 50 people can fly at the big airports -- but that is solving an issue with air traffic congestions, not necessarily what ANONYMOUS is saying.<BR/><BR/>A lear jet is taking up the same flight window as a 777 Jumbo. It's a cost shifting on the rest once again.<BR/><BR/>>>><BR/><BR/><BR/>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V0GHVEKrhng<BR/><I>NIST has reversed its earlier denial of freefall and acknowledged a period of freefall comparable to this analysis in their final report on WTC7 released in November 2008. They did their own measurement with a point near the center of the roof line and came up with an acceleration of 9.81 for approximately 2.25 sec. Their report did not, however, face the consequences of this acknowledgment: that ALL RESISTANCE was instantaneously removed across the width of the building, supporting pre-planted explosives as the cause of the collapse. <BR/>----------------------------------- <BR/>(Original comment comments follow) <BR/>----------------------------------- <BR/>Contrary to the August 2008 NIST report on WTC7, the acceleration of Building 7 is measured and is found to be indistinguishable from the acceleration of gravity over a period of about 2.5 seconds of fall. <BR/></I><BR/><BR/>Worth a look. The NIST guy is totally caving in on himself here (no pun), because he was caught in a lie, trying to fix the facts. The building fell at free fall and this has been verified. As did the other buildings. I don't need any other information to tell me that charges HAD TO BE SET. OK, maybe an acoustic destructo space beam -- maybe.<BR/><BR/>Folks, something only falls at 9.8 m/s/s if there is no resistance. If there is no resistance, than the weight of objects in the building is NOT making the building collapse. If there were a pancake collapse, say on the North Tower, it would have taken at least 60 seconds to fall, as each floor overcame the floor below. <BR/><BR/>I also have a hard time with this theory that architects are designing buildings with more horizontal integrity than vertical -- which is what is required to have one corner of a building pull the whole thing straight down. Apparently, I haven't seen the chairs that, when one leg is kicked out, the entire thing turns into a fine powder dust and falls in on its own footprint. Say hello to Mitzleplick when you get to that dimension for me, OK?<BR/><BR/>>> THE POINT IS. I was pointing out just one of many examples of TREASON. Politicians like Nixon, actively plotting against the best interest of America, our forces, and the lives of our people so that they can get into power. I've just told you that at least 20,000 lives were lost, so Nixon could be President. Are we talking about squeamish people? We lose so many more people, for preventable reasons, because people get lots of money to let companies pollute, or cut corners, or whatever. They are stealing TRILLIONS OF DOLLARS on Wall Street right now. Don't think a complex conspiracy can happen? The Bankruptcy Reform Act was designed to keep people on the hook, for home foreclosures -- it was 4 years in advance of the housing market collapse. Not only did they NOT WORRY ABOUT THE REPERCUSSIONS, they fired people who did. <BR/><BR/>What is the downside to running a bank into the ground and pocketing some of the money? Obviously, even amongst a collesction of smart and informed people -- like we have here -- you can perpetrate the most amazing schemes right in front of people and get away with it.<BR/><BR/>YOU ALREADY KNOW, that most wars are false flags and created to funnel profits from us to big power brokers. This is also adding What about my comment there? Other than WW II and the revolutionary war - they have all been fights about moving money from the people to the power brokers -- INCLUDING the civil war, which was about trade issues.<BR/><BR/>So really, what is the quibble about? If you can steal a trillion dollars, start a few bogus wars, and get away with it -- what other BIG crimes are there and what is this nonsense about them not being able to pull it off? They certainly can't be worried about the consequences, because people here are sleep walking.Fake_William_Shatnerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09027049743048836086noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-88579806093530519902008-12-11T12:18:00.000-08:002008-12-11T12:18:00.000-08:00We don't really need any regulation on how long so...We don't really need any regulation on how long someone must hold a stock, just a 2% transfer tax.<BR/><BR/>First, it would slow down the churn, second, it would flood cash into government coffers during periods of (relative) volatility.<BR/><BR/>Private jets are big fuel wasters, and you couldn't produce more CO2 per passenger mile unless you traveled in an M1A2 Abrahams. Alone.<BR/><BR/>They're also extremely potent missiles in the hands of any suicidal freak. I mean, Phil Specter travels on private jets. Certainly doesn't make me feel safe.<BR/><BR/>Outlawing them doesn't mean outlawing all private planes, of course. If the filthy rich want to stay away from unwashed hordes badly enough, then they can take twice as long to cross the country.<BR/><BR/>I'm not going to storm the Capitol over it, but it's not really a bad idea.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-8424432855587618802008-12-11T10:57:00.000-08:002008-12-11T10:57:00.000-08:00Alberta had a Social Credit government for decades...<I>Alberta had a Social Credit government for decades </I><BR/><BR/>One of these things is not like the other...<BR/><BR/>Lars, this is true that across the Commonwealth many political parties have taken up this notion of Social Credit. However, describing something as a "Social Credit government" is meaningless unless it is actually capable of issuing currency and setting bank policy. I'd just like to point this out in case anyone was under the impression an actual Social Credit currency has been tried. One might argue that the Second Life virtual world operates under a variant of it, but "foreign" exchange there (converting back and forth to dollars) is such a dominant factor it's hard to say whether it's a succesful test of the idea.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10231207016210956688noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-49519420766546799302008-12-11T10:54:00.000-08:002008-12-11T10:54:00.000-08:00Anonymous said...All these proposals involving tra...<I>Anonymous said...<BR/>All these proposals involving transparency and taxes just won't work. </I><BR/><BR/>I like your proposals.<BR/><BR/>I'd also add that stocks cannot be traded in less than two years for anything but a financial emergency -- forcing them to become actual investments again rather than speculative gambling that they are now.Fake_William_Shatnerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09027049743048836086noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-14979995489228015272008-12-11T10:38:00.000-08:002008-12-11T10:38:00.000-08:00I actually used to watch Bill Nye the Science Guy...I actually used to watch Bill Nye the Science Guy while homeschooling when I was a kid. Rob's right, it is a wonderful resource for a homeschooling student. Which is probably WHY it costs so much. Don't want our kiddies growing up learning facts on their own, now, do we?<BR/><BR/><BR/>Krock: The current administration.Ilithi Dragonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10300247936272572280noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-1581251541695105772008-12-11T10:13:00.000-08:002008-12-11T10:13:00.000-08:00A comment about this: Looking for that special Xma...A comment about this: <I>Looking for that special Xmas present? Say, for that special someone who loves nonfiction TV like Mythbusters? Here's something even better! A hard-to-find classic of rapid innovation.</I><BR/><BR/>For $24.95? For 44 minutes of television, however good? <BR/><BR/>Lessee... I paid $3.65/episode for a season of one of my favorite TV shows... iTunes sells their eps for $2/each... and I'm thinking that the History Channel people are robbing David and the other participants of good high-volume residuals by pricing things so high that no one will want it.<BR/><BR/>For that matter, why isn't Bill Nye's excellent Science Guy series available for download legally yet? That show would be a homeschooler's dream-come-true, but the set costs over $3000!Rob Perkinshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15618647194288598056noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-51249101329554453142008-12-11T09:58:00.000-08:002008-12-11T09:58:00.000-08:00I saw a video of WTC Building 7 that showed both t...I saw a video of WTC Building 7 that showed both the intact front of the building plus the back side with a huge triangular gouge. So the building wasn't knocked down for no good reason.<BR/><BR/>Further, about a year after 9/11, I met a woman who had worked in Building 7. She and her co-workers saw the fuss with the two towers but didn't know what was going on. She went out to get a portable radio from her car, but by the time she re-entered the building, her co-workers were being evacuated. Even while the towers still stood, the people in Building 7 knew there was something wrong with their building, too.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-54164794781449810812008-12-11T09:12:00.000-08:002008-12-11T09:12:00.000-08:00I agree with Rob - shutting down private planes wo...I agree with Rob - shutting down private planes would be a bad idea, and a Bad Thing in general. The answer doesn't lie there, and there would be no way you could legally regulate the industry in such a way that the execs couldn't work around without unfairly restricting the non-exec pilots and passengers, and as Rob said, killing half the US air fleet.Ilithi Dragonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10300247936272572280noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-40285147439626256752008-12-11T09:07:00.000-08:002008-12-11T09:07:00.000-08:00I'll take part in any fight against any one lookin...I'll take part in any fight against any one looking to close down any part of general aviation. If we want to stipulate that execs who take bailout loans give up their jets, that's one thing, but GA is half the U.S. air fleet.<BR/><BR/>I could go on, but I'm already boring y'all.Rob Perkinshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15618647194288598056noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-53306126006942169172008-12-11T09:00:00.000-08:002008-12-11T09:00:00.000-08:00You have a very good point, WS, and unless you're ...You have a very good point, WS, and unless you're in denial or massively misinformed, it's hard to refute.<BR/><BR/>While we're on the subject of unusual suggestions, I'd like to make one of my own: Remove the option to automatically vote along party lines, and any mention of all candidates' political party from the ballot. This wouldn't prevent people from voting along party lines anyway, something I personnally find abhorent and undeniably lends to the power of political division and culture war, but how many voters actually know the names of all the candidates for their party in their districts? It wouldn't be a perfect resolution, but it would be a step towards breaking the stranglehold of power the political party system has on our government, a system that has been ruthlessly exploited by people on both sides, especially those with ill intent, and makes it much, much harder for people not already in the 'country club' of one political party or another to get office.<BR/><BR/>If people don't know which political party the candidates are from, they'll either make a random guess (which, I would argue, is better than voting along party lines, because it blunts the effectiveness of culture war as a political tool), or do more research of the candidates (which would only be a good thing). And, if they don't cast a vote or make a random vote because of it, it would only give more power to the people who actually DO know what's going on, and are making informed decisions.<BR/><BR/>But that's just one unusual idea from a firm independent who despises the political party system as a whole.<BR/><BR/><BR/>Clogge: Old English spelling of a drain blockageIlithi Dragonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10300247936272572280noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-9711978852627933182008-12-11T08:12:00.000-08:002008-12-11T08:12:00.000-08:00Supra-national aristocracy?I commend you sir, on f...<B>Supra-national aristocracy?</B><BR/><BR/>I commend you sir, on finding a much more palatable way to describe the Powers That Be, the Illuminati, or the Tri-later committee. Yes there is an international cabal, set against Democracies and the middle class, but somehow people have been brain-washed to think that conspiracies don't happen. Why do people pay half a million to be part of a Country Club? To conspire on the golf course - what else?<BR/><BR/>But I have to rant. I'm mad as hell;<BR/><A HREF="http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?id=6539062§ion=news/local" REL="nofollow">Just released, the LBJ audio tapes.</A> The Nixon campaign was blowing up the ability of Lyndon Johnson to end the Vietnam War. This treason resulted in the death of over 20,000 soldiers. They were negotiating with the Viet Cong to hold on until after the election. (Remember, Nixon was a protege if Prescott Bush). LBJ got wind of the conspiracy, but did not want to release it, and stops the reporter from the Christian Science Monitor from releasing the information -- he wanted it stopped in the best interest of the nation.<BR/><BR/>FDR did the same thing, when the Wall Street Banksters conspired to overthrow the government with the help of General Smedley Butler. Perhaps Prescott was taking revenge for FDR censoring him for his involvement in helping Nazis to move funds to banks in Argentina and other locations. Remember this when you think about later connections with the Cuban mafia, and why the Bush family has always been after Castro for kicking out the mob.<BR/><BR/>And again later -- so much like pappy Bush, helping the Reagan campaign, by giving the radicals in Iran missile parts AFTER the hostages were finally released. Just a sample of the shenanigans; Bill Casey-- the man who brokered the deal for the Iranians to hold the hostages. The morning of his day of testimony before congress, he has a sudden seizure and in Bethesda Naval Hospital, they removed the Left Parietal portion of his brain -- the part that controls speech. Wow, what a fortunate coincidence. Like the Destruction of building 7 that held FBI documents on ENRON and the Bush families involvement in many billions of fraudulent Federal Notes.<BR/><BR/>>> Against that backdrop, just look at how Fox News is handling the Bloggo story, even a newspaper condemns Obama in questions while asserting it was his call to undo a corrupt veto that helped to nail Bloggo in the first place.<BR/><BR/>Now begins the "trashing" of Obama. Did we ever expect otherwise? Every single bad thing that happens in the state of Illinois, will be connected, with fact or just a question mark at the end of the sentence. By the time the retraction will be issued for the "first scandal" the next two innuendoes will be catapulted.<BR/><BR/><BR/>The soul of the Republican party is lead by traitorous bastards, who have always used war, the courts, and trade, to diminish the power of the electorate and for their own gain. Once again, more politics are being played -- while America teeters on the verge of ANOTHER Republican economic depression. When do you think these people would say; "OK guys, let's call it quits, our country needs us." No, all for the country club -- these bastards are doing everything they can to bust unions and screw our country.<BR/><BR/>If Obama ever had the notion that he could "just move on with the business of government" -- he needs to put that idyllic notion aside. He will be convicted in the court of Republican Opinion. He needs to keep them busy, defending themselves from their many REAL crimes. He needs to make investigating treason, war profiteering, and conspiracy to destroy the middle class and subvert our Democracy his MAIN ISSUE. The Ship of State cannot sail with a hole in the boat.<BR/><BR/>>> The Democrats, keep burying the hatchet and turning swords into plows -- and the Republicans keep betraying the country and stabbing Democrats in the back. Stop it. The Scorpion is always going to sting the frog because that is his nature.<BR/><BR/>Carter didn't blow the whistle on Bush's father and Reagan (though I learned a bit of why he didn't)<BR/>LBJ didn't blow the whistle on Nixon.<BR/>FDR didn't blow the whistle on Bush.<BR/>JFK didn't blow the whistle on Bush, having plotted the Bay of Pigs (the CIA actually rented boats from their oil company and it was originally code named for the oil company; Operation Zappatta).<BR/>Clinton refused to go after Iran/Contra. How did that work out for him? For every missing paper -- there was a investigation, and does the press even cover that Cheney had a paper shredding truck outside of his mansion for months?<BR/><BR/>Forget the farce that was the Second Gulf War -- The first Gulf War was engineered -- the Kuwaiti royals got rid of a Democratic uprising and were out of the state when it was invaded -- must be good luck. It was that scum bag James Baker who told Saddam that he could invade in the first place -- to stop the Kuwaitis from slant drilling their oil. Then, in a well rehearsed tear-fest, the Kuwait ambassadors daughter tells about babies being thrown out of incubators. Good, tried and true war baiting.<BR/>I could make a list for every Republican administration, and the following Democratic one that decided that the nation needed to heal. Now we have $3 Trillion already stolen by financial banks, and another 6 more on the way. They are making sure the silverware is not left when they leave the White House and they will be throwing rocks at the windows funded by stolen money for the next 4 years.<BR/><BR/>None of the bad guys at the top of power in this nation in my lifetime, have paid for their crimes. They get cushy multi-million dollar talk show gigs. I am sick to death of it. And if Obama doesn't cut these cancerous legions out of the nation -- they are going to finally kill our Democracy this time around.Fake_William_Shatnerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09027049743048836086noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-33382287499800621092008-12-10T23:43:00.000-08:002008-12-10T23:43:00.000-08:00Hi, I have just read the Godwin post.There are som...Hi,<BR/> I have just read the Godwin post.<BR/>There are some good ideas along with some outrageous hype <BR/>After 24 years in the diesel performance game I can say that nobody is going to get 50% improvements in efficiency.<BR/>100 mpg is also not going to come from an old monstrous luxury car.<BR/><BR/>Gas turbines were powerful but thirsty - simple thermodynamics the input temperature is too low.<BR/>Now if one of the ceramic units can be made to work and the temperatures increased ...<BR/><BR/>My main point is that anybody reading this article will see the hype and ignore the whole thing.<BR/><BR/>A minor point diesel cars are much better than petrol (gas) cars in town as the engines do not lose as much efficiency at part load.<BR/>As a result the hybrid technology may not give as much improvement<BR/>(The extra cost may therefore not be economical)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-30532075051575191242008-12-10T21:46:00.000-08:002008-12-10T21:46:00.000-08:00anonymous,Sounds like Detroit really does need mor...anonymous,<BR/><BR/>Sounds like Detroit really does need more people like Goodwin. It's just looking like they've been better at making excuses than making cars in recent years. <BR/>I was just having a conversation the other day with my mech-geek brother about why nobody's making diesel-electric hybrids. It almost seems too simple an idea. <BR/><BR/>"untlys" hmmm... sounds to my like a British firm specializing in the manufacture of trouser suspenders.Matt DeBlasshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17666227904684289223noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-47646333891689092502008-12-10T19:12:00.000-08:002008-12-10T19:12:00.000-08:00All these proposals involving transparency and tax...All these proposals involving transparency and taxes just won't work. The super-rich don't care about an extra tax, and they publish all their financial activities, the activities are just so phenomonally complex that no one can understand them.<BR/><BR/>No, what we need is something simpelr and more drastic.<BR/><BR/>1. Shut down private jets. Force the super-rich to fly first class like everyone else.<BR/><BR/>2. Restrict capital flows across borders. You can only pull out 5% of your money in any given year.<BR/><BR/>3. Eliminate stock options as pay, as Joseph Stiglitz suggests.<BR/><BR/>4. Restrict by law the maximum ratio of CEO-to-worker pay. No more 1,000:1 ratios. Peg it at some high maximum, like 75:1.<BR/><BR/>And so on.<BR/><BR/>Incidentally, <A HREF="http://www.mindfully.org/Energy/2007/Johnathan-Goodwin-Motorhead1nov07.htm" REL="nofollow">here's a solution to Detroit's woes</A>...but no one sign that Obama or anyone else will make use of it.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-10883326425739396132008-12-10T18:20:00.000-08:002008-12-10T18:20:00.000-08:00More on Brian's post:http://letters.salon.com/tech...More on Brian's post:<BR/><BR/>http://letters.salon.com/tech/htww/2008/12/10/steven_chu/<BR/><BR/>This guy sounds like he's a quality pick. While his major areas of advocacy are solar and sustainable biofuels, he's also pro-nuclear, at least as an alternative to coal and oil.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-72056243525763971412008-12-10T17:35:00.000-08:002008-12-10T17:35:00.000-08:00Off topic, but relevant for fans of science. Whil...Off topic, but relevant for fans of science. While it has not been officially confirmed, all major media outlets are reporting Lawrence Livermore Lab director Steven Chu will be Energy Secretary. He is a Nobel Prize winner in physics and seems to have a very rational and informed view on energy policy. He is also knowledgeable about the national lab system, which is a big plus.<BR/><BR/>If this becomes official, I would say this is a good news for science in this country.Brian Claymorehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06017976415908934264noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-56434620119390469272008-12-10T16:44:00.000-08:002008-12-10T16:44:00.000-08:00Are atheists a minority, though?billus: the nauseo...Are atheists a minority, though?<BR/><BR/>billus: the nauseous feeling that arises when I goes to 'ell' for making such suggestions ;-)Tony Fiskhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14578160528746657971noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-34181398736375788742008-12-10T16:13:00.000-08:002008-12-10T16:13:00.000-08:00Speaking of the Gay Marriage Amendment Ban in Cali...Speaking of the Gay Marriage Amendment Ban in California, one concerned citizen is resorting to the time-honored use of satire to drive home how idiotic a ban on gay marriage is.<BR/><BR/><A HREF="http://www.nukees.com/d/20081119.html" REL="nofollow">Nukees</A>, a webcomic that deals with nuclear engineering students, is parodying the recent ban with Proposition NA, which would ban atheists from getting married because marriage is a Biblical practice and atheists don't believe in the Bible.<BR/><BR/>Of course, I recommend Gav's comic on general principles (as it's smart and funny). But definitely, spread the word. Because if we can show how ridiculous a ban on gay marriage is by changing the minority to <I>atheists</I> or another minority... perhaps we can shift public opinion on this.<BR/><BR/>Rob H.Acacia H.https://www.blogger.com/profile/07678539067303911329noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-60498530021761749162008-12-10T16:03:00.000-08:002008-12-10T16:03:00.000-08:00The unusual suggestion I'd like to draw your atten...<I>The unusual suggestion I'd like to draw your attention to is called Social Credit...</I><BR/><BR/>Alberta had a Social Credit government for decades (ending about 1971, as I recall), BC had them in and out of office up until the nineties, and the Creditistes were a viable force in Quebec politics up until the late seventies. All of the provincial SC parties vanished, leaving nothing but a faint but persistent whiff of anti-Semitism, at least in Alberta. For the last three decades of their existences, they were essentially hard-right and had no use for Social Credit ideology except for whatever aura of fairness went along with the name, and of course the indefinitely-deferred idea that voting these jokers into office would somehow result in greater social justice. <BR/><BR/>- LarsAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-56032322026705530682008-12-10T15:15:00.000-08:002008-12-10T15:15:00.000-08:00Keep your Jesuses in a faraday cage in future?(Tha...Keep your Jesuses in a faraday cage in future?<BR/><BR/>(That *would* have made for an interesting headline!)<BR/><BR/>Question on the decline of first class: apart from the dearth of really wealthy folk, what services have actually declined/been withdrawn?<BR/><BR/>inguills: those thoughts that never quite make it to print, either from inherent shyness or a sense of self-preservation.Tony Fiskhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14578160528746657971noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-3573453602979051252008-12-10T14:24:00.000-08:002008-12-10T14:24:00.000-08:00Walt Disney Inc. needs no help in selling its prod...Walt Disney Inc. needs no help in selling its products, but I'd suggest WALL-E as a sneakily subversive gift for young relatives whose parents are novelty-phobic. A cartoon about a cute robot? Why, nothing dangerous about that.<BR/><BR/>"jugonse:" Hmmm, sounds like an obscure adjective.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-72330102938961169632008-12-10T12:09:00.000-08:002008-12-10T12:09:00.000-08:00The atheists in Washington should have put it on t...The atheists in Washington should have put it on their sign. Probably didn't think anyone would be so brazen...Rob Perkinshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15618647194288598056noreply@blogger.com