Changing the subject slightly, I think I've determined that I follow politics the way a sports fanatic follows sports.
I analyze both individuals and the overarching drama, understand the nuances of every statistic, listen to commentary by a multitude of different people, and have my own strong opinion about certain things.
And in the end I'm thinking that all my effort in understanding this is as completely and utterly useless as knowing a lot about sports. Arguing against a lot of people is like trying to talk to a dining room table.
Changing the subject slightly, I think I've determined that I follow politics the way a sports fanatic follows sports.
I analyze both individuals and the overarching drama, understand the nuances of every statistic, listen to commentary by a multitude of different people, and have my own strong opinion about certain things.
And in the end I'm thinking that all my effort in understanding this is as completely and utterly useless as knowing a lot about sports. Arguing against a lot of people is like trying to talk to a dining room table.
Yea, I call my following of politics the same as people follow sports, except people don't want to talk about it as freely ^_^
I have no problem with a 90% top tax bracket. I have no problem with taxing the gain from stock sales as earned income. In my opinion dividends should not be taxed because taxes were (or should have been) paid on that money when the corporation earned it. Since stockholders are the owners of the corporation why should they be taxed twice on that money?
When pundits refer to the taxes on stock sales they often do not point out that capital gains only applies to the gain in value. If a stock is purchased for $100 and sold for $110 only $10 is taxed. The way some pundits talk the full $110 is taxable.
A 90% tax rate leads to greater employment for all and more philanthropy among the wealthy.
No, I'm not against taxes. I am against people who use greed and envy rather than truth and logic when talking about taxes.
I have no problem with a 90% top tax bracket. I have no problem with taxing the gain from stock sales as earned income. In my opinion dividends should not be taxed because taxes were (or should have been) paid on that money when the corporation earned it. Since stockholders are the owners of the corporation why should they be taxed twice on that money?
Actually, there is a very good reason to tax dividends. The purpose of a corporation is to isolate the owners (AKA stockholders) from liability should the company go belly up. However, there is no such thing as a free lunch, so in exchange for protection from liability, they pay the penalty of double taxation. Seems reasonable to me as the other option would be that if, oh, I dunno, say American Airlines were to go bankrupt, creditors could go after the personal assets of all of AA's stockholders to pay off the bankruptcy.
Home schooling! Those who can't afford to send their kids to good schools can always home school.
Or kids who are AWESOME. /formerHomeschooler
As a former homeschooler, I have to say that homeschooling makes you miss out on A LOT. Not recommended.
As a teacher, I highly recommend against homeschooling. Not only can it stunt the social development of a child, but unless you have studied to actually be a teacher (which includes area specialty and child psychology) there is a high chance that you have no idea what the fuck you are doing and your child will turn out, for lack of a better term, stupid.
Also, Newt wants to establish a permanent moon base Because that is the best possible way to spend tax payer money right now.
Also, Newt wants to establish a permanent moon base Because that is the best possible way to spend tax payer money right now.
Still not sure how he hopes a lie that obvious, especially in state with people who should be the ones to know it is a lie, would help him. Not that I have a large problem with the concept as a long term goal once the economy is better but not something that really sound that smart, or possible considering how NASA. I will say the headline made me pay attention for a moment until realized his supposed timeframe, although that has a bit more to do with my extreme annoyance at the Constellation Program getting canceled than anything else. Still pissed about that.
If he's trying to build a base on the moon, then I think Ro's theory about him will be proven true: he really is the emperor. Next he'll put a laser on it and everyone will feel the power of his fully operational battle station.
As a teacher, I highly recommend against homeschooling. Not only can it stunt the social development of a child, but unless you have studied to actually be a teacher (which includes area specialty and child psychology) there is a high chance that you have no idea what the fuck you are doing and your child will turn out, for lack of a better term, stupid.
Just trying to protect your corrupt government job! Why are you so afraid of doing the right thing?!
Now, with the sarcasm switch turned off:
I've known quite a few people who were products of home schooling and I don't think I can be a proponent of it at all. While there are a couple who have turned out as well as if they had been educated in any other format, these are the exceptions. Most of the people I know who were doing the home schooling did it due to religious or moral reasons rather than a desire to better educate their child.
Also, has it always been around or does it seem like it is getting more popular recently?
I can't see a purpose of a moon-base that would be worth all the money it would cost, regardless of when it was built.
The moon's lower escape velocity could make an extremely well-developed moon base a perfect place to launch extraorbital stuff on the cheap, but we're talking a hundred years worth of moonbase here. Still, gotta start somewhere.
I can't see a purpose of a moon-base that would be worth all the money it would cost, regardless of when it was built.
The moon's lower escape velocity could make an extremely well-developed moon base a perfect place to launch extraorbital stuff on the cheap, but we're talking a hundred years worth of moonbase here. Still, gotta start somewhere.
I can't see a purpose of a moon-base that would be worth all the money it would cost, regardless of when it was built.
The lower gravity of the moon, other than the lower escape velocity, may make for some interesting scientific research possibilities. In general, I'm all for a moon base once the other more pressing issues are taken care of.
I love the idea of a moon base. I want to go to there. But we can't do awesome things if the super-rich refuse to even contribute an equitable share toward things like police and fire departments.
Home schooling! Those who can't afford to send their kids to good schools can always home school.
Or kids who are AWESOME. /formerHomeschooler
As a former homeschooler, I have to say that homeschooling makes you miss out on A LOT. Not recommended.
As a teacher, I highly recommend against homeschooling. Not only can it stunt the social development of a child, but unless you have studied to actually be a teacher (which includes area specialty and child psychology) there is a high chance that you have no idea what the fuck you are doing and your child will turn out, for lack of a better term, stupid.
Well first and foremost, I was homeschooled in/near NYC, so given the relative enormity of the homeschooling community in that area, I certainly had my fair amount of social interaction.
Also, if you want to get technical, I was "unschooled" - I was only "homeschooled" for a few years when I was very young, then much of my education was put into the hands of tutors and unschooling study groups. Not to mention, once I was 14, I started taking local community college courses for the sciences, and traveling in/around the city for various other classes. My education was definitely not the "norm" as far as country-wide homeschooling is concerned, but there are a shitton of ways to do homeschooling, aside from the (unfortunately mainstream) religious nutjob perspective.
I could go on for literally hours on this topic, because I have my perspective as a lifelong home/unschooler (up through college, anyway), as well as my friends' perspectives. Anyway sorry, derailed the convo a bit here.
With the greatest respect Joe, I'd contend that YOU are the reason you're a cool guy, not the methodology of your nonducation.
Oh, I'm not crediting my education for that (thanks, btw ), but I am crediting my education for my current insatiable drive for knowledge, and possibly even my current passion for computing. Being home/unschooled gave me the time and opportunity to focus on my own projects and interests, without devoting *all* of my time to a curriculum that was preset for me. I built my first computer when I was 13, and devoted plenty of time to fiddling around with it. It would've been a lot harder for me to devote my time to that project if I had a more traditional schooling experience. Could I have done it anyway? Probably, but I have no regrets about the way I was raised.
-EDIT- It's also worth noting that the state requirements did make me take classes in a number of more traditional subjects, so I "graduated" with a well-rounded education. That said, I was able to go about those subjects however I pleased. My english requirement was fulfilled one year by a playwriting class, where the first half was spent writing short two-character plays, and the second half involved directing your own play, and also acting in two of the other students' plays, ultimately culminating in a performance at the end of the school year. It was AWESOME, and now my writing abilities are leaps and bounds ahead of my peers, both to my satisfaction and displeasure (seriously dude, you're taking a college writing class, you really shouldn't have your opening paragraph consist of a 100 word run-on...)
I think the moonbase/SciFi Space program pandering is frustrating, because as a space program nerd I really want stuff like that in the far future. However, I separate stuff I want from what I need. One does not buy designer shoes when they are starving. There are far more important issues on our collective plates right now. I agree with Rym and Scott that we should have a semi-moratorium on manned space flight for the time being.
Comments
I analyze both individuals and the overarching drama, understand the nuances of every statistic, listen to commentary by a multitude of different people, and have my own strong opinion about certain things.
And in the end I'm thinking that all my effort in understanding this is as completely and utterly useless as knowing a lot about sports. Arguing against a lot of people is like trying to talk to a dining room table.
When pundits refer to the taxes on stock sales they often do not point out that capital gains only applies to the gain in value. If a stock is purchased for $100 and sold for $110 only $10 is taxed. The way some pundits talk the full $110 is taxable.
A 90% tax rate leads to greater employment for all and more philanthropy among the wealthy.
No, I'm not against taxes. I am against people who use greed and envy rather than truth and logic when talking about taxes.
Home schooling! Those who can't afford to send their kids to good schools can always home school.
/formerHomeschooler
And wouldn't it be homeschoolee, not homeschooler? Parents never taught you that one, did they?
Also, Newt wants to establish a permanent moon base Because that is the best possible way to spend tax payer money right now.
Now, with the sarcasm switch turned off:
I've known quite a few people who were products of home schooling and I don't think I can be a proponent of it at all. While there are a couple who have turned out as well as if they had been educated in any other format, these are the exceptions. Most of the people I know who were doing the home schooling did it due to religious or moral reasons rather than a desire to better educate their child.
Also, has it always been around or does it seem like it is getting more popular recently?
Also, if you want to get technical, I was "unschooled" - I was only "homeschooled" for a few years when I was very young, then much of my education was put into the hands of tutors and unschooling study groups. Not to mention, once I was 14, I started taking local community college courses for the sciences, and traveling in/around the city for various other classes. My education was definitely not the "norm" as far as country-wide homeschooling is concerned, but there are a shitton of ways to do homeschooling, aside from the (unfortunately mainstream) religious nutjob perspective.
I could go on for literally hours on this topic, because I have my perspective as a lifelong home/unschooler (up through college, anyway), as well as my friends' perspectives. Anyway sorry, derailed the convo a bit here.
-EDIT- It's also worth noting that the state requirements did make me take classes in a number of more traditional subjects, so I "graduated" with a well-rounded education. That said, I was able to go about those subjects however I pleased. My english requirement was fulfilled one year by a playwriting class, where the first half was spent writing short two-character plays, and the second half involved directing your own play, and also acting in two of the other students' plays, ultimately culminating in a performance at the end of the school year. It was AWESOME, and now my writing abilities are leaps and bounds ahead of my peers, both to my satisfaction and displeasure (seriously dude, you're taking a college writing class, you really shouldn't have your opening paragraph consist of a 100 word run-on...)