You know, my only training are in PWR's, so I'll admit general ignorance, but it still nonetheless sets a warning light off when someone claims a system can fail catastrophically, but harmlessly.
Any chemical you can make, can leak. Any radiation that is emitted, will penetrate per its type. Good engineering practices control these things, and well enough to make the main process useful (and affordable). But bad engineering practices are as human as the Titanic.
For one, I don't think that the Occupados are, when all is said and done, really interested in replacing Obama. (though that's their quickest route to real power)
And for two, let's see how Egypt works out before relying on it as model.
Isn't there something like a trillion dollars 'on the sidelines'? If this is so supermalimagorgeous, why isn't the 1% putting some money on the pass line so they can rake in the payout and buy some new monocles and monocle insurance?
(and if it's a regulatory problem, why doesn't the White House, well, fix that?)
Actually, a good deal of why the Civil Rights movement worked, imo, was that it was pretty easily to both articulate and implement (the low hanging fruit) of the changes the Movement wanted. "Do not discriminate on the basis of race" is a fairly easy thing to conceptualize, particularly when one is looking at pictures of side by side water fountains with peculiar signage.
And I would also say the Civil Rights movement, as a movement, rather suddenly and irrevocably deflated when the easy pickings of, for instance, removing signs from water fountains was done, and the work of, for instance, figuring out how busing plans should go started.
A big deal was made in the last administration on politicizing the Justice Department; the pendulum could have very well swung the other way. But like I said, apathy may be as big, if not bigger of a part. And FWIW, the current head of the DEA is a holdover from the previous administration. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michele_Leonhart
The other option is that it's *not* Holder or Obama deciding this, and they've lost control of their bureaucracy, (modulo don't care enough to rein them in)
When you read some accounts* of the Afghan war decisions, this scenario doesn't seem all that far fetched to me.
*accounts to be sure, told by people with an axe to grind.
This, of course, is basically how baseball does it. Players are compensated according to a more market-oriented structure, they have a full-time job that is explicitly their full-time job, and there is little to no exploitation of any kind involved (except insofar as the big leagues exploit their labor, but there are players’ unions that are responsible for combating this)
I do not believe the player's union has much sway over the minor league franchises (it's why, for example, drug testing was able to be instituted in the minors well before the majors)
One other factoid - almost half (48%) of minor leaguers are foreign born (a little under a quarter of major leaguers are foreign born) http://mlb.mlb.com/news/press_releases/press_release.jsp?ymd=20100407&content_id=9121458&vkey=pr_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb
I think once the players get to the US, it's not very exploitative* (the farm teams for the Braves used to go out of their way to acculturate the Latin American players, giving them English lessons, and helping them get part time jobs to augment the relatively meager minor league salaries)
But the stories you hear about when these kids** go through the baseball talent search machines down in the Caribbean - it's not Triangle Shirtwaist, but it does leave even this gliberatarian with a bad taste in the mouth.
*otoh, this may have been more of an indication of a really good PR department
**literallyjoebiden, they start when they're about thirteen or so if not younger
I'll bet it won't*. Cannon fodder is worse than useless for the machine these days.
*within the parameters of what we currently call 'Western Civilization'. A real apolcolyptic event? all bets are off, though conscription would only arise when the next civilization does.
Libertarians also don't believe that all violence exercised by the state is legitimate. The radical ones, of course, believe none of it is, the other minarchists and various squishy types can point to examples of both legitimate and illegimate exercise of violence by the state. The key is only the state has any claim to be an *initiator* of violence (or in other contexts use the threat of force to back up its request for action - or inaction - among a person or people)
Regardless of their positions on various civil rights legislation currently codified in US law, most libertarians are against lynch mobs and drug gangs.
I didn't give the tea party any consideration until the special election in the NY 23th. Prior to that I thought they were just Dick Armey scheme to co-opt the Ron Paul movement.
As has been said frequently lately the Tea Party got scalps. (even in the face of shooting itself in the foot wrt larger Republican party electoral interests).
When this movement replaces a politician with someone more to their liking - particularly if both are on the same Team - I'll give them due consideration.
(like I give credit to the coalition that kicked out Al Wynn and replaced him with Donna Edwards in the Maryland 4th.)
On “A Lannister always spays his pets”
Leftover thought on 'the human mic': Small d democracy predates electrical acoustic amplification by over 2000 years.
On “24,887 To Go”
@Pat Cahalan
yes, I'd be interested
"
You know, my only training are in PWR's, so I'll admit general ignorance, but it still nonetheless sets a warning light off when someone claims a system can fail catastrophically, but harmlessly.
Any chemical you can make, can leak. Any radiation that is emitted, will penetrate per its type. Good engineering practices control these things, and well enough to make the main process useful (and affordable). But bad engineering practices are as human as the Titanic.
On “Some Occupied Thoughts”
Ah, now I get it. Where I grew up it was called sodalism.
"
"#egypt anyone?"
For one, I don't think that the Occupados are, when all is said and done, really interested in replacing Obama. (though that's their quickest route to real power)
And for two, let's see how Egypt works out before relying on it as model.
On “24,887 To Go”
And asking for money is supposed to be more feasible?
"
Isn't there something like a trillion dollars 'on the sidelines'? If this is so supermalimagorgeous, why isn't the 1% putting some money on the pass line so they can rake in the payout and buy some new monocles and monocle insurance?
(and if it's a regulatory problem, why doesn't the White House, well, fix that?)
On “Protests in Des Moines – League Blogger Arrested?”
They started to enforce the 'parks closed after dark' in the 90's to remove the homeless that were using them for long term lodging and storage.
(one thing I'm not sure of is how the peace vigil folks in Lafayette park across from the White House got an exception carved out for them)
On “Promises Were Broken”
I really think that's what the Congressman is saying to his aide(?) at about 53-54 sec in
"
Actually, a good deal of why the Civil Rights movement worked, imo, was that it was pretty easily to both articulate and implement (the low hanging fruit) of the changes the Movement wanted. "Do not discriminate on the basis of race" is a fairly easy thing to conceptualize, particularly when one is looking at pictures of side by side water fountains with peculiar signage.
And I would also say the Civil Rights movement, as a movement, rather suddenly and irrevocably deflated when the easy pickings of, for instance, removing signs from water fountains was done, and the work of, for instance, figuring out how busing plans should go started.
"
But not as bad as a Kenyan-Hawaiian Commie Dem, amirite?
On “Getting Into Shape For The Election”
A big deal was made in the last administration on politicizing the Justice Department; the pendulum could have very well swung the other way. But like I said, apathy may be as big, if not bigger of a part. And FWIW, the current head of the DEA is a holdover from the previous administration. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michele_Leonhart
"
The other option is that it's *not* Holder or Obama deciding this, and they've lost control of their bureaucracy, (modulo don't care enough to rein them in)
When you read some accounts* of the Afghan war decisions, this scenario doesn't seem all that far fetched to me.
*accounts to be sure, told by people with an axe to grind.
On “So What Do We Do About College Athletics?”
This, of course, is basically how baseball does it. Players are compensated according to a more market-oriented structure, they have a full-time job that is explicitly their full-time job, and there is little to no exploitation of any kind involved (except insofar as the big leagues exploit their labor, but there are players’ unions that are responsible for combating this)
I do not believe the player's union has much sway over the minor league franchises (it's why, for example, drug testing was able to be instituted in the minors well before the majors)
One other factoid - almost half (48%) of minor leaguers are foreign born (a little under a quarter of major leaguers are foreign born) http://mlb.mlb.com/news/press_releases/press_release.jsp?ymd=20100407&content_id=9121458&vkey=pr_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb
I think once the players get to the US, it's not very exploitative* (the farm teams for the Braves used to go out of their way to acculturate the Latin American players, giving them English lessons, and helping them get part time jobs to augment the relatively meager minor league salaries)
But the stories you hear about when these kids** go through the baseball talent search machines down in the Caribbean - it's not Triangle Shirtwaist, but it does leave even this gliberatarian with a bad taste in the mouth.
*otoh, this may have been more of an indication of a really good PR department
**literallyjoebiden, they start when they're about thirteen or so if not younger
On “Our Star Chamber”
(I don't have anything to say I just want to see the funky new gravatars that show up)
On “Keeping It Simple”
there's a difference between 'recruitment' 'conscription' and 'taxes'. Gangs do 1 and 3 far more often than 2.
"
I'll bet it won't*. Cannon fodder is worse than useless for the machine these days.
*within the parameters of what we currently call 'Western Civilization'. A real apolcolyptic event? all bets are off, though conscription would only arise when the next civilization does.
On “Vote”
4
On “The Intersection of Government Coercion and Private Discrimination”
(g)Libertarian: "Democracy? I'm somewhat skeptical, people can be fishin grassy knolls you know."
Response: "What are you some kind of authoritarian fascist!?"
---
(g)Libertarian: "You know, it's not high on my agenda, but I don't think we necessarily need laws to ban private discrimination"
Response: "What?! You know, people can be fishin grassy knolls! What then?"
"
Libertarians also don't believe that all violence exercised by the state is legitimate. The radical ones, of course, believe none of it is, the other minarchists and various squishy types can point to examples of both legitimate and illegimate exercise of violence by the state. The key is only the state has any claim to be an *initiator* of violence (or in other contexts use the threat of force to back up its request for action - or inaction - among a person or people)
"
" lynch mobs to modern drug gangs and cartels."
Regardless of their positions on various civil rights legislation currently codified in US law, most libertarians are against lynch mobs and drug gangs.
On “Democracy and #OccupyWallStreet”
I was going to lump this in with my MD-4 example, except the fact that Lieberman is still a Senator and whatshisface isn't.
"
I didn't give the tea party any consideration until the special election in the NY 23th. Prior to that I thought they were just Dick Armey scheme to co-opt the Ron Paul movement.
"
As has been said frequently lately the Tea Party got scalps. (even in the face of shooting itself in the foot wrt larger Republican party electoral interests).
When this movement replaces a politician with someone more to their liking - particularly if both are on the same Team - I'll give them due consideration.
(like I give credit to the coalition that kicked out Al Wynn and replaced him with Donna Edwards in the Maryland 4th.)
On “For God So Loveth Ye That His Servant In Plano, Texas Doth Giveth Ye An Affordable Oil Change”
Nah, it's one of those 'sum of my best friends...' type statements.
*Comment archive for non-registered commenters assembled by email address as provided.