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I believe the most appropriate vehicle would be the Chevrolet Trantrum.

Methinks yes.

obligatory link

My main fear of protectionism comes from China's history. China's economic and scientific progress outperformed the West from 1 to 1500 AD. Then the Ching dynasty consciously chose a policy of extreme protectionism that put China in stasis for the next half a millennium. By the 1970's, China's GDP was only on a par with Canada's. China is a big country. It still stagnated when it was cut off from the rest of the world.

How would isolating our economy create jobs? Would these jobs be any better for our economy than WPA "make work"? Maybe I'm missing something, but this doesn't seem much better than banning dishwashing machines so restaurants would have to hire more people.

I know I'm biased. Even if it meant the US could have three jobs for every worker, I wouldn't close trade with Belgium. There are regions of Belgium where beer is brewed with wild yeasts that exist no where else in the world. Cutting ties to Belgium, would be for me like denying a diabetic his only source of insulin. ;) I'm also worried what would happen to my friends in Turkey if we retreated into an economic cacoon. Turkey has a fragile economy. I know some of my best friends there would be in a tight spot if they were denied access to our market.

I'm not a blind follower of the theoretical benefits of free market ideology. My brother's mortgage company expanded their core business because they were able to reduce their overhead by offshoring some work to India. He has his job because of that expansion.

The Sims doesn't prove anything, but playing it did help me see how consumerism affects me. Soon after first playing the Sims, while watching basketball on my father-in-law's big screen TV, I realized my "fun meter" really was higher than sitting in front of my 13" at home, just like a Sim. The Sims game distills basic human needs in a way that made me more self aware of what brings me satisfaction. I've read J.K. Galbraith's ideas about how passive consumers are brainwashed into buying stuff they don't need. I've come to realize that Galbraith's ideas aren't any more true for me than they are for a Sim. I think Will Wright has done a better job than Abraham Maslow of defining human needs, at least for the 21st century man.

Maybe consumers aren't as passive as you think. I used to carry around my guitar and scorn "passive consumers" carrying Walkmans (Walkmen?) Nowadays, I'm an avid fan of "recording artists". Contrary to my erstwhile scorn, listening to recordings can be engaging. I used to badmouth TV watchers. Who would watch Seinfeld when they could be reading Proust? With all the TV-inspired fan fiction on the Internet, it's clear TV can be a creative impetus. I used to think sports fan were the worst of passive dolts. Today, I'm a basketball fanatic. Following the NBA can be at least as compelling as Proust. And, contrary to all my geek impulses, I now spend a fair amount of time on the court reverse engineering Karl Malone's hook shot and Allen Iverson's jumper.

In Poul Anderson's story, "The Last of the Deliverers", technology has given everyone the ability to live completely "off the grid". A small town is capable of thriving without any outside commerce. People can produce everything they need without any traditional income. Consumerism is obsolete and dead. Governments have nothing to tax, so they devolve to the most local level. Anderson's scenario seemed idyllic. Short of such a sci fi utopia, I don't see how protectionism and anticonsumerism can pan out for the best. Look to the economies of Syria or Myanmar to see what protectionism is like in the real world.

I recommend Cushy(TM) Brand Toilet Paper!

Oh yeah?! Well I think you sound like this guy!

Please properly credit your source. That article is from The Onion, circa 1998. The site you reference says it got the article from www.cars.com, which may be true, but it doesn't say exactly where on cars.com so the link could be followed to eventually find the real author.

Give credit where credit is due, coward!

The obligatory The Onion article:
Mexican Scientists Perfect Copying

Majority Of Americans Thought We Already Had A Moon Base
WASHINGTON, DC--A NASA poll conducted to gauge support for President Bush's space-exploration initiative revealed that a depressing 57 percent of Americans believe that the U.S. already has a research base on the moon. "We put that international space-station thing up there in the '60s," phone-poll respondent Randy Snow said. "It might be on Mars, but I think it's the moon--wherever they have the golf course that President Kennedy played on. Remember, the Cubans tried to take it over?" NASA officials said they hope someday to make Americans' perception a reality.

Thanks The Onion

As with most news these days, we are one step closer to living in a world where theonion is a serious news source. See here

As with most news these days, we are one step closer to living in a world where theonion is a serious news source. See here

This just in: Rob Enderle, Jim Anchower same person

Just have to share this hilarious article, which kind of fits the theme:

CLICK HERE TO READ

"I was getting 107 miles to the gallon when I T-boned that bus."

Anger Powered Cars

I dont like the sound of that, They may be mice and all but dont they have a right to live also? Something could go wrong like!

Yeah, the scientist could cut their fingers when they'll disect them later on...

The code lines correspond to blank lines. SCO has obviously copyrighted blank lines.

I get my interpersonal skills through Slashdot, you insensitive clod!

Seriously though, why do people think home schoolers get locked into basements and forgotten? They *do* meet other children, whether through things like scouts or sports or not. We aren't a bunch of recluses, you know. We don't try to stick a floppy in someone's mouth.

By the way, you should really acknowledge your sources.

The Onion had a Point-Counterpoint that I think applies here: My Computer Hates Me

Microsoft already did.

New $5,000 Multimedia Computer System Downloads Real-Time TV Programs, Displays Them On Monitor

Back in 2001, Helvetica Bold Oblique was the big winner of the 73rd annual "Fonty Awards". Times New Roman 14 didn't even get an honorable mention! Look at how far a font can come in a mere 2.5 years!

"Thats right, when you move out, why dont you try living WIHTOUT television at all. You'll find you have more time for other interests and more time for new interests... Happily Television free for 4 years."

"Thats right, when you move out, why dont you try living WIHTOUT television at all. You'll find you have more time for other interests and more time for new interests... Happily Television free for 4 years."

Come on slashbots, and set yourself free - Kill your TV!

Who let this guy in here?

I checked out the link to "Kill your TV" in your post. I was interested in Steve Jobs' quote: "You watch television to turn your brain off and you work on your computer when you want to turn your brain on."

If anyone is interested, the article from which that quote came is available online here.

I would like to remind everyone that any group is welcome to take any quote and use it for their own purposes. I personally don't see his quote, taken in context, as being a dig at Television Watching. But I would like to reflect on Steve's quote as follows.

I think Steve's statement is true for the most part. Most programming on TV is what we'd call mindless entertainment. You watch it, it makes you laugh, or "ooh and aah", or shout "ouch, bet that hurt!". You don't do a whole lot of thinking about it.

I also agree with the statement from Laura Bush: "Children cannot learn to read by watching television. Television is just background noise and a distraction." Absolutely true. Children are not going to learn to read by watching television. And television is certainly a distraction when children are studying at home.

But I say: What is the problem with this? What is wrong with turning your brain off? I have my brain "turned on" for a minimum of eight hours a day at work, often more when I'm working on creative projects at home. I like to turn my brain off at times, and TV is just one of many ways to do that. If you want to keep your brain "turned on" 24/7, feel free... it's not for me, though.

In the same way, I don't see anything wrong with letting kids watch a little TV now and then. Obviously it needs to be carefully monitored; because of television's power to 'suck you in,' so to speak, what starts out as an innocent "I'm just going to watch one program" can turn into a three hour marathon of television watching. But give kids a chance to shut their brains off now and then. Whether it's riding a bike outside or watching TV inside... I think there's some value to it.

And I do agree with TenaciousPimple that you just might be this guy.

It sure is.

Are man can't shut up about not owning television

Hey, are you this guy?

Yes, but Microsoft also patented ones and zeros

Aging Pope 'Just Blessing Everything in Sight'

Bill Gates' D&D card.

--
In London? Need a Physics Tutor?

American Weblog in London

Insightful? I guess the mods, like the editors, don't bother the read the links. The Uncoveror's about as reputable a source as The Onion.

Good thing, too, since apparently Travis never got around to it.

BTW, does anyone know where you can still get one of those pet rocks they used to sell in the 70's? From the looks of his letter, Darl looks like he could use a mentor to help him with his creative thought process.

You know things are messed up when something that (IMHO) was meant in jest is rated as Insightful.

Like how the Onion often becomes oddly prophetic.

The Onion has been doing this for a while. They always give you a link to click to skip the advert, though...

Oh, so this is more legal-system-as-advertising-vehicle and not simply life immitating Onion?
Truly a fresh slant on 'paying the bills'.

I assume that by Regan, you mean Donald Regan, the former Commerce secretary. I have two degrees in history and I can assure you that historians are far from any final assesment of the late 20th century presidents. But I think that the hostages is a key point. The Iranians were SO SCARED of Reagan (or maybe Regan?) that they released the hostages right away. See The Onion's take...

I suggest hiring from Azuma Corp.

I just patented freaking letters and numbers.

Can't do that. Microsoft already holds the patents for 0 and 1.. SCO probably has the entire alphabet covered under their IP as well.

cheers- raga

Tm

To make a link:

<a href="http://www.com/">click here</a>

Yeah, and I bet you probably get your news from The Onion also.

That's the best description of television that I've ever read =D

Going on about 3 years myself since I stopped watching TV.

For those who still watch TV regularly: you don't realize how bad it really is until you step away for a while and then come back. Give it a try and you'll probably be quite disgusted...

You aren't this guy, are you? :)

But seriously, TV is mostly crap. Lately it has gotten so bad that you can't get news anymore and everything is a commercial. I watch some of the documentary-type channels, but otherwise mainly do the net. TV is ok for mindless entertainment once in awhile, but even then there is slashdot instead, so why bother?

Could this inadvertently produce carcinogenic compounds (like when you burn meat)?

Probably. Scientists are aware of the problem posed by the accumulation of health risks of this scale and are working on reducing the consequences, but so far they have found no permanent solution.

We Can Put A Man On The Moon But We Can't Make Killer Robot Police?

The Onion called.

They'd like you to stop posting their articles on Slashdot.

I'm sure you just "forgot" to mention that that's where your post came from, right?