The military contractors have been designing special bombs JUST for those bunkers and the US has been buying them. If the presidents says "pop the bunkers"... they will get popped.
Has the military designed a bunker buster that could get under the White House? I ask this seriously. One scenario is the White House goes rogue, and needs to be put down; another scenario is the enemy obtains these munitions, and uses them against the US.
Thanks, and I agree -- it's not an original idea to devise some sort of financial IED to slow down the invaders/occupiers/imperialists/etc.
I'm not aware of any of these actions being illegal, but you can bet that the establishment will take a very dim view. They will begin by arresting people for trumped up charges (arresting peaceful people in line at the bank for trespassing, or public nuisance), then passing laws which make this behaviour specifically illegal.
I somewhat like the idea of it becoming harder and harder to both run a bank, and be a customer. I think if the people making the rules had a systemic view, they would instead make the leverage-based business model illegal. Rather than the paying customers' collective actions. Because failure is built in to the system (hence the systemic view is required, because looking at just parts of the system, you don't see the full elephant).
Public outcry stopped the AT&T/T-Mobile merger, or at least it helped. Similarly, public outcry attempted to hurt Bank of America and GoDaddy over their political beliefs.
[...]
We haven't had an effect on the really big companies yet (BOA), but I'm hoping that this grows to be a worldwide trend.
I had the following idea a few days ago, regarding the banking issue, and would like to hang it off your post for the world to perhaps use, or if not at least be entertained by.
The idea stems from fractional reserve banking; the fact that a bank does not have all of the money it would require on-hand if all depositors chose to remove their deposits on the same day.
It also stems from the Occupy movement.
So without further ado: Occupy Bank of America. Open an account, deposit a thousand dollars. Do this over the course of a month or so, get people to get their friends to sign up, etc. On a chosen date, everyone goes to their local bank branch and closes the account, removing all funds as cash.
Please poke holes in this idea? (I'm sure there are many, like, banks have metrics tons of cash on-hand, the 99% doesn't have enough wealth to make this happen, etc...)
You reading this now are the internet... the 'series of tubes' that you are.:)
I like the extrapolation: my body is a series of tubes that allow communication between remote parts of my body. The internet is similar, in that it allows communication between remote parts of the world. I really like the biological metaphor, because it truly is like the world is developing into a new organism. A much larger, much harder-to-destroy organism. (For the karma, it's something like a car as well.;)
Yes, but if you're the last toe, then you must vacate the line. At least, that's how I recall it from a movie, the title escapes me but it was something about a part of a building; "Pinky! Get off the line!"
It's been a really long while since I read the Pern books, but I think that Avatar contains some of the Dragonrider mythos: pair bonding, a telepathic link between dragon and rider (using a physical cable in Avatar, I don't think it was physical in McCaffrey's books), and the "ruling class" nature of the riders. (Also, I liked your use of "...after literally reading...", that's neat to me.)
I can think of a few that I've already re-watched: Rango (some excellent lessons in that!); Rise of the Planet of the Apes; Limitless; Inception; What if Cannabis Cured Cancer?; Avatar; and several others. It's not that all signal is noise; the ratio is likely the same as when we were kids, we just didn't know any better. Ever try re-watching your childhood favorites? (Especially TV shows? They don't always stand up to our recollection of them...)
I've long thought that indoctrinating children into a religion should constitute child abuse. Teach them about the wealth of religions out there, sure; but telling them "my way or the highway" is shameful.
[...] and that their loved ones weep when they die.
You know, I've never really given it much thought; I know that sphincters open when death occurs, so it's entirely likely that not only urine and feces appear, but tears as well. Grammar is fun. (s/office/officer/g; and it sounds like the cancer is ordering from McDonalds. (Hey, I'm drunk too and enjoying it...:) Merry New Year; "moderation in everything including moderation.")
Do that enough times and pretty soon the private sector will never cooperate willingly with the government under any circumstances even to the detriment of national security.
Can you say "constitutional loophole"? I can. Yes, I would rather corporations not "cooperate" with the government in anything other than paying taxes, and obeying lawful orders, which do not include the black boxes still resident in AT&T facilities. How does a corporation know that it's a lawful order? If it will cost the corporation any money, any money at all to comply, then the corporation should get advice from counsel. Counsel knows the law. Are there laws that counsel cannot know? Then we need a revolution.
I agree that we should come down like a ton of bricks on those who overstep those bounds, but each and every one of us has a moral and ethical obligation to weigh every request, order or demand from authority before complying.
Exactly right! I for one vote that Qwest be restored the government contracts that were stripped from it[1] when it grew a spine. ([1] -- Should I say "he", now, after Citizens United, another government oxymoron? Or perhaps "she", since Qwest was acting in the power of good?)
As long as we keep complying with authority because "I was just following orders" we are willing accomplices in their evil.
Yeah, except ignoring the order "leave this crime scene", while not a constitutional order, will result in your jailing or beating or dying, so I obey those types of unconstitutional orders... (I tend not to ask "please be specific; how many feet away from you should I stand? Oh, I should not be in viewing distance? Are you clearing out those apartments across the street which have windows from which the crime scene can be viewed? Etc?" Generally, tasing happens before full communication can occur.)
The Clinton administration passed a retroactive tax increase, as I recall. Sure, it was unconstitutional; but as the other response mentioned, there is no penalty for acting unconstitutionally. There needs to be.
I agree. Change takes time. I've already eliminated HFCS once, and lost over 50 pounds doing so. I'll do it again, and I like your encouragement to drink water. Thanks.
Thanks, I've found the product, now just need to find it locally! Like you (see my other response), I eliminated HFCS several years ago; in my case, I lost over 50 pounds. In the past year or two I've started adding a Coke back in now and again; I'm now back to one per day, which is why I wanted to find a sugar-based one. Thanks again.
What exactly is wrong with selling corn to other countries that can't grow it, like South Korea?
A couple reasons: first, why does their population need corn if it cannot be grown locally? Seems like they would have some other similar vegetable growing locally; selling them our corn seems wasteful in terms of delivery charges. Second, it seems to be making their population dependent on one of our resources. While that might be a good strategy for the producer, it's not so good for the consumer.
You do realize that corn is subsidized for reason completely independent of HFCS production, right?
One issue with subsidies is that during surplus years, we try to find other things to do with it -- like HFCS, and fuel production. In lower-production years, we will still want to make HFCS and fuel because there are now industries already existing to do these tasks. So, while you are correct that the subsidies started out being independent from HFCS production, they are now quite linked. Especially in the budgets of the HFCS producing companies.
An anecdote (admittedly not data, but this happened to me, directly): I was at one point drinking a lot of soda. I decided to quit. In six months I lost over 50 pounds, just from that change. Agreed, I was likely consuming more calories than I needed, and stopped doing that, so lost the weight. Perhaps the same would have happened with sugar-based drinks as well; I haven't attempted that experiment yet, but I now know I can look at Sam's Club and see if they have any Mexican Coca Cola.
Are you really saying that 5% difference in the fructose to glucose ratio is that important?
I suppose so; it is possible that a 5% difference can account for some drastic changes. I don't know all the science here so I'm not arguing with you on that minor point; HFCS consumption has increased, obesity has increased, so we have correlation. I understand that is not causation. Many brands now label their products "HFCS-free", so those who do not want to consume this substance compose a sizable market; there must be some reason for this new development. I've also seen an ad from the HFCS producers saying something like "it won't kill you in small doses" -- which doesn't sound like a ringing endorsement...
Your "simple visual comparison" needs to also take into account the US subsidizes corn growers, meaning they grow more corn than we need, and then convert the corn into sugars in a very toxic process that produces High Fructose Corn Syrup, or HFCS.
The US puts this in most everything; almost every popular soda contains HFCS instead of sugar, because the subsidies make the cost of HFCS lower even though it requires more processing (expense) than sugar actually does -- as is evidenced by other countries, which do not subsidize corn growers, who use sugar as sweetener. HFCS is linked to obesity, as the body is not as prepared to deal with it as the body is with sugar.
In researching the link for the above, I recalled that Coca Cola makes a yellow-topped 2-liter during Passover; I bought a few of these last year, and thought they should sell it year-round. I also found a wiki page for OpenCola, which had Cory Doctorow involved. 1.0 was 2001-01-27; it's up to 1.1.3 now. I think I'll see if I can find this drink somewhere nearby; if not, I'll order some. Thanks, geekmux, for helping to bring this to my attention.
Here's the cure: practice with a heart rate monitor. You won't need any porn after an adequate amount of training. (Also, you won't be as embarrassed, once you have the control.)
If you say "cat" when you're referring to a dog, there isn't much communiaction.
Similarly, if you say "wolf" when referring to "pulpits", there isn't much communication.
The eyeball just happened? Illogical!
The moon happened; then the dog/cat/eyeball did. All, very logical.
Most people worship the same God I do [...]
As they say in wikipedia, "Citation needed". Your deity seems to worship death; at least, as is evidenced by the idolatry (crosses and thorn tiaras).
As to the different religions, at the core, most of them are very similar. [...] Explain sentience; what is it and where does it come from? Prove its existance!
Very much similar; they all reject each other. So, at the core, you're going to hell no matter what. Proving existence is simpler than pointing out typos; I can formulate predictions, therefore I am.
Exactly! The complexity of the solution is dependent on the complexity of the problem. Therefore, if the solution is simpler than the problem, there will be edge cases that are unaccounted for, and the solution will fail in areas. The solution to the calendar year depends on the complexity of the revolution versus the rotation, and no amount of attempts to simplify a fractional response will result in an integer response. (Not completely obligatory xkcd...)
Slashdot Mirror
I was going to make the same argument, just a little less eloquently. Thanks, AC.
Sinking a US warship would do the job, but will Iran be willing to risk the potential counterattack?
Does Iran need to? MIC sinks one warship; MIC gets contracts for another 30 years.
The military contractors have been designing special bombs JUST for those bunkers and the US has been buying them. If the presidents says "pop the bunkers"... they will get popped.
Has the military designed a bunker buster that could get under the White House? I ask this seriously. One scenario is the White House goes rogue, and needs to be put down; another scenario is the enemy obtains these munitions, and uses them against the US.
Other people have had this idea over the years.
Thanks, and I agree -- it's not an original idea to devise some sort of financial IED to slow down the invaders/occupiers/imperialists/etc.
I'm not aware of any of these actions being illegal, but you can bet that the establishment will take a very dim view. They will begin by arresting people for trumped up charges (arresting peaceful people in line at the bank for trespassing, or public nuisance), then passing laws which make this behaviour specifically illegal.
I somewhat like the idea of it becoming harder and harder to both run a bank, and be a customer. I think if the people making the rules had a systemic view, they would instead make the leverage-based business model illegal. Rather than the paying customers' collective actions. Because failure is built in to the system (hence the systemic view is required, because looking at just parts of the system, you don't see the full elephant).
Public outcry stopped the AT&T/T-Mobile merger, or at least it helped. Similarly, public outcry attempted to hurt Bank of America and GoDaddy over their political beliefs.
[...]
We haven't had an effect on the really big companies yet (BOA), but I'm hoping that this grows to be a worldwide trend.
I had the following idea a few days ago, regarding the banking issue, and would like to hang it off your post for the world to perhaps use, or if not at least be entertained by.
The idea stems from fractional reserve banking; the fact that a bank does not have all of the money it would require on-hand if all depositors chose to remove their deposits on the same day.
It also stems from the Occupy movement.
So without further ado: Occupy Bank of America. Open an account, deposit a thousand dollars. Do this over the course of a month or so, get people to get their friends to sign up, etc. On a chosen date, everyone goes to their local bank branch and closes the account, removing all funds as cash.
Please poke holes in this idea? (I'm sure there are many, like, banks have metrics tons of cash on-hand, the 99% doesn't have enough wealth to make this happen, etc...)
You reading this now are the internet... the 'series of tubes' that you are. :)
I like the extrapolation: my body is a series of tubes that allow communication between remote parts of my body. The internet is similar, in that it allows communication between remote parts of the world. I really like the biological metaphor, because it truly is like the world is developing into a new organism. A much larger, much harder-to-destroy organism. (For the karma, it's something like a car as well. ;)
Yes, but if you're the last toe, then you must vacate the line. At least, that's how I recall it from a movie, the title escapes me but it was something about a part of a building; "Pinky! Get off the line!"
It's been a really long while since I read the Pern books, but I think that Avatar contains some of the Dragonrider mythos: pair bonding, a telepathic link between dragon and rider (using a physical cable in Avatar, I don't think it was physical in McCaffrey's books), and the "ruling class" nature of the riders. (Also, I liked your use of "...after literally reading...", that's neat to me.)
I can think of a few that I've already re-watched: Rango (some excellent lessons in that!); Rise of the Planet of the Apes; Limitless; Inception; What if Cannabis Cured Cancer?; Avatar; and several others. It's not that all signal is noise; the ratio is likely the same as when we were kids, we just didn't know any better. Ever try re-watching your childhood favorites? (Especially TV shows? They don't always stand up to our recollection of them...)
I've long thought that indoctrinating children into a religion should constitute child abuse. Teach them about the wealth of religions out there, sure; but telling them "my way or the highway" is shameful.
[...] and that their loved ones weep when they die.
You know, I've never really given it much thought; I know that sphincters open when death occurs, so it's entirely likely that not only urine and feces appear, but tears as well. Grammar is fun. (s/office/officer/g; and it sounds like the cancer is ordering from McDonalds. (Hey, I'm drunk too and enjoying it... :) Merry New Year; "moderation in everything including moderation.")
Do that enough times and pretty soon the private sector will never cooperate willingly with the government under any circumstances even to the detriment of national security.
Can you say "constitutional loophole"? I can. Yes, I would rather corporations not "cooperate" with the government in anything other than paying taxes, and obeying lawful orders, which do not include the black boxes still resident in AT&T facilities. How does a corporation know that it's a lawful order? If it will cost the corporation any money, any money at all to comply, then the corporation should get advice from counsel. Counsel knows the law. Are there laws that counsel cannot know? Then we need a revolution.
I agree that we should come down like a ton of bricks on those who overstep those bounds, but each and every one of us has a moral and ethical obligation to weigh every request, order or demand from authority before complying.
Exactly right! I for one vote that Qwest be restored the government contracts that were stripped from it[1] when it grew a spine. ([1] -- Should I say "he", now, after Citizens United, another government oxymoron? Or perhaps "she", since Qwest was acting in the power of good?)
As long as we keep complying with authority because "I was just following orders" we are willing accomplices in their evil.
Yeah, except ignoring the order "leave this crime scene", while not a constitutional order, will result in your jailing or beating or dying, so I obey those types of unconstitutional orders... (I tend not to ask "please be specific; how many feet away from you should I stand? Oh, I should not be in viewing distance? Are you clearing out those apartments across the street which have windows from which the crime scene can be viewed? Etc?" Generally, tasing happens before full communication can occur.)
The Clinton administration passed a retroactive tax increase, as I recall. Sure, it was unconstitutional; but as the other response mentioned, there is no penalty for acting unconstitutionally. There needs to be.
You started with confrontation like your previous post; in my response, I chose to ignore it. Not this time. Learn to communicate more effectively.
I agree. Change takes time. I've already eliminated HFCS once, and lost over 50 pounds doing so. I'll do it again, and I like your encouragement to drink water. Thanks.
Thanks, I've found the product, now just need to find it locally! Like you (see my other response), I eliminated HFCS several years ago; in my case, I lost over 50 pounds. In the past year or two I've started adding a Coke back in now and again; I'm now back to one per day, which is why I wanted to find a sugar-based one. Thanks again.
What exactly is wrong with selling corn to other countries that can't grow it, like South Korea?
A couple reasons: first, why does their population need corn if it cannot be grown locally? Seems like they would have some other similar vegetable growing locally; selling them our corn seems wasteful in terms of delivery charges. Second, it seems to be making their population dependent on one of our resources. While that might be a good strategy for the producer, it's not so good for the consumer.
You do realize that corn is subsidized for reason completely independent of HFCS production, right?
One issue with subsidies is that during surplus years, we try to find other things to do with it -- like HFCS, and fuel production. In lower-production years, we will still want to make HFCS and fuel because there are now industries already existing to do these tasks. So, while you are correct that the subsidies started out being independent from HFCS production, they are now quite linked. Especially in the budgets of the HFCS producing companies.
An anecdote (admittedly not data, but this happened to me, directly): I was at one point drinking a lot of soda. I decided to quit. In six months I lost over 50 pounds, just from that change. Agreed, I was likely consuming more calories than I needed, and stopped doing that, so lost the weight. Perhaps the same would have happened with sugar-based drinks as well; I haven't attempted that experiment yet, but I now know I can look at Sam's Club and see if they have any Mexican Coca Cola.
Are you really saying that 5% difference in the fructose to glucose ratio is that important?
I suppose so; it is possible that a 5% difference can account for some drastic changes. I don't know all the science here so I'm not arguing with you on that minor point; HFCS consumption has increased, obesity has increased, so we have correlation. I understand that is not causation. Many brands now label their products "HFCS-free", so those who do not want to consume this substance compose a sizable market; there must be some reason for this new development. I've also seen an ad from the HFCS producers saying something like "it won't kill you in small doses" -- which doesn't sound like a ringing endorsement...
Your "simple visual comparison" needs to also take into account the US subsidizes corn growers, meaning they grow more corn than we need, and then convert the corn into sugars in a very toxic process that produces High Fructose Corn Syrup, or HFCS.
The US puts this in most everything; almost every popular soda contains HFCS instead of sugar, because the subsidies make the cost of HFCS lower even though it requires more processing (expense) than sugar actually does -- as is evidenced by other countries, which do not subsidize corn growers, who use sugar as sweetener. HFCS is linked to obesity, as the body is not as prepared to deal with it as the body is with sugar.
In researching the link for the above, I recalled that Coca Cola makes a yellow-topped 2-liter during Passover; I bought a few of these last year, and thought they should sell it year-round. I also found a wiki page for OpenCola, which had Cory Doctorow involved. 1.0 was 2001-01-27; it's up to 1.1.3 now. I think I'll see if I can find this drink somewhere nearby; if not, I'll order some. Thanks, geekmux, for helping to bring this to my attention.
actresses that start to disrobe
Here's the cure: practice with a heart rate monitor. You won't need any porn after an adequate amount of training. (Also, you won't be as embarrassed, once you have the control.)
If you say "cat" when you're referring to a dog, there isn't much communiaction.
Similarly, if you say "wolf" when referring to "pulpits", there isn't much communication.
The eyeball just happened? Illogical!
The moon happened; then the dog/cat/eyeball did. All, very logical.
Most people worship the same God I do [...]
As they say in wikipedia, "Citation needed". Your deity seems to worship death; at least, as is evidenced by the idolatry (crosses and thorn tiaras).
As to the different religions, at the core, most of them are very similar. [...] Explain sentience; what is it and where does it come from? Prove its existance!
Very much similar; they all reject each other. So, at the core, you're going to hell no matter what. Proving existence is simpler than pointing out typos; I can formulate predictions, therefore I am.
Sounds like it's a sin to accept physics. Which is okay to us physicists, because "sins" aren't.
No point for Google reference. Even though I saw the episode, I had to look up the link, so mod me down, o wise ones.
Is humanity past fearing the number 13 so much that we could have a rational calendar?
I've long thought that since we invented 0, we should be fearing 12 instead...
Sounds like they're just shifting the complexity.
Exactly! The complexity of the solution is dependent on the complexity of the problem. Therefore, if the solution is simpler than the problem, there will be edge cases that are unaccounted for, and the solution will fail in areas. The solution to the calendar year depends on the complexity of the revolution versus the rotation, and no amount of attempts to simplify a fractional response will result in an integer response. (Not completely obligatory xkcd...)