Blockading the straights is the dumbest possible thing Iran could do. That would result in the rest of the countries in the region begging the USA to punk Iran (more then they already do). In terms of realpolitik, the last thing Iran should do is give the USA an internationally recognized Casus belli.
That's just impossible: highly educated people tend to be libertarian.
Citation??? There are so many important philosophers, economists, scientists, etc... who were not Libertarian. Now if you had said that "highly educated people tend to be less religious" then sure... but Libertarian? Do you not realize how many highly educated socialists there are?
Not to be pedantic, but there are no longer US troops in Iraq.
it wouldn't take much to push the US to shift the carrier fleet over there and up the proposed trade embargo to a compete military blockade
I disagree. The USA has no desire to cut off 5% of the world's oil production, not to mention seriously pissing off the Chinese (who get 20% of their oil from Iran). The only thing that would incite a complete military blockade of Iran is a nuclear test.
While I do agree that Iran is heading down a dangerous route, I don't believe that creating a domestic intranet constitutes something which "is building justification for some sort of military action against them". What a government does inside its own borders is almost always nobody else's business.
The lot of you aren't nearly as Christian as you think, you're American[tm] first. Bristle on.
I don't know many Americans who would bristle at that. Most Americans strongly believe that "Americanism" is an ideology and way of life, and back it with religious fervor. Most Americans would agree with the statement "We're right, they're wrong" with virtually no hesitation.
But Mohammed created a religion that divides the world into "us" and "not-us" (dar al-Islam and dar al-Harb) with a primary mode of interaction consisting of antagonism and violence
That sounds like Christianity for most of it's history... until separation of church and state prevented Christianity from starting more wars.
I hate anyone and everyone who claim to have knowledge of "God's will". All that means is that they couldn't come up with a logical and reasonable explanation for their actions, so they say that "God wants it".
If it's liquid nitrogen cold, wouldn't it make more sense to just use a high temperature superconducting material? I wonder if nanoscale wires made from something like TBCCO would still be superconducting? I don't see why they wouldn't, but I also am not really knowledgeable in the subject area.
Well, after RTFA, it seems that being able to observe continuously for long stretches has certain advantages for things like finding extrasolar planets.
I would think building a large telescope on the permafrost you get up north would be quite challenging. I could see the foundation being a real headache to keep level and stable.
Secondly, I don't see why "endless nights" are so much of an advantage, since that just means your telescope is fairly useless during the "endless days" of the summer months.
It's in your TV. In your computer. In your roads. In your electricity. In your water, gas, car, heat, food, clothes. Or do you not believe that standard of living has vastly increased over the last century? That's where productivity increases went. I'm not saying that the 1% haven't taken more than they should, but claiming that the productivity gains of the past century have been completely lost is just nonsense.
Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't realize we were living in the 19th century. Or do you really think that is feasible for someone to "cut the trees down, prep them and build the house within a year"? Where the hell am I going to get an acre of pristine healthy forest to cut down for my house? Where am I going to have the logs turned into boards? Where am I going to "chop down" the electrical wiring, plumbing, insulation, and heating used in a modern home?
You're in even worse shape if you buy your home after you turn 20.
Christ, I must be in serious trouble. I don't know ANYONE who even considered purchasing a home before, at the earliest, 22. In fact, I don't know anyone who bought a home before they were 25. California prices I guess.
There is no "magic" to compound interest. If I give you 200k today, you better damn well give me 400k if you're going to take 30 years to repay it.
Besides, if houses were really so cheap to build, it seems like there would be a multitude of builders out there willing to build houses for a discount that still gave them a profit.
Truth is, people pay for expensive houses BECAUSE they are expensive. It puts them in a "better" neighborhood, and gets them a more stylish kitchen. You CAN buy cheaper houses, but you're going to have to live in a neighborhood you may not like.
Ok, if the government's role isn't to ensure the fair treatment of all her citizens, then what is it?
And on another note, isn't the idea that "all men are created equal" one of the founding principles of the USA? Doesn't that imply that one must treat all men equally in public? And no, a place of business like a gas station is not private property as a home is private property. That would imply that business owners are as Kings, and can do whatever they please on their property. Clearly some distinction must be made between private property which is a public place of business (like a store) and private property for personal use. On the former, you must treat people equally. On the latter, you can do (almost) anything you please.
For a democracy as our own to function it is necessary for all voters to be educated.
This is often stated as fact, and yet I don't really see why it is necessarily true.
A shepherd doesn't need an intelligent flock to have a successful harvest.
I would argue that someone who can't even locate their own country on a map is not prepared to make reasonable political decisions.
I agree, but since the USA is a representative Democracy, one never has to make political decisions. They simply have to vote for someone who convinces them they can represent them well... and that convincing requires intelligence, if not in the politician themselves, then in their advisers (a la Bush Jr).
Exactly, and it seems highly likely that anyone who is paying attention can identify the USA on a world map once someone shows them where it is. If they can't do that, it is unlikely that they can perform any useful task in society. Such as that of an autoworker. Seems to me the problem is parenting and the education system, rather then entertainment. If you can remember what time your goddamn reality TV shows start, you can remember what the Continental US looks like. The problem is that nobody motivated (or forced) them to learn useful knowledge, so their head is riddled with useless trivia like the names of the cast of the Jersey Shore.
No way. What's next, people being forced to harbor troops in their houses because it would be mean to make them sleep outside?
The government does not get to force you to do things like that.
Really? You believe that the government shouldn't step in to ensure fairness when a free-market isn't available? It seems like you must have never faced much discrimination in your life. Quartering of troops is one of those things especially enshrined in the Constitution, and really isn't relevant.
If you are the only provider of a service in an area, it is only fair that you should be required by law to provide that service as fairly and equitably as possible.
Slashdot Mirror
Blockading the straights is the dumbest possible thing Iran could do. That would result in the rest of the countries in the region begging the USA to punk Iran (more then they already do). In terms of realpolitik, the last thing Iran should do is give the USA an internationally recognized Casus belli.
What would the outcome be if they mixed Totipotent cells from monkeys of different genders?
That's just impossible: highly educated people tend to be libertarian.
Citation??? There are so many important philosophers, economists, scientists, etc... who were not Libertarian. Now if you had said that "highly educated people tend to be less religious" then sure... but Libertarian? Do you not realize how many highly educated socialists there are?
With troops already in Iraq and Afghanistan
Not to be pedantic, but there are no longer US troops in Iraq.
it wouldn't take much to push the US to shift the carrier fleet over there and up the proposed trade embargo to a compete military blockade
I disagree. The USA has no desire to cut off 5% of the world's oil production, not to mention seriously pissing off the Chinese (who get 20% of their oil from Iran). The only thing that would incite a complete military blockade of Iran is a nuclear test.
While I do agree that Iran is heading down a dangerous route, I don't believe that creating a domestic intranet constitutes something which "is building justification for some sort of military action against them". What a government does inside its own borders is almost always nobody else's business.
The lot of you aren't nearly as Christian as you think, you're American[tm] first. Bristle on.
I don't know many Americans who would bristle at that. Most Americans strongly believe that "Americanism" is an ideology and way of life, and back it with religious fervor. Most Americans would agree with the statement "We're right, they're wrong" with virtually no hesitation.
But Mohammed created a religion that divides the world into "us" and "not-us" (dar al-Islam and dar al-Harb) with a primary mode of interaction consisting of antagonism and violence
That sounds like Christianity for most of it's history... until separation of church and state prevented Christianity from starting more wars.
I hate anyone and everyone who claim to have knowledge of "God's will". All that means is that they couldn't come up with a logical and reasonable explanation for their actions, so they say that "God wants it".
The expression is "for all intents and purposes", and your statement is incorrect, the internet would still function if the USA went boom.
Nevermind, superconducting crystals are way too complicated to make nanoscale wires from.
If it's liquid nitrogen cold, wouldn't it make more sense to just use a high temperature superconducting material? I wonder if nanoscale wires made from something like TBCCO would still be superconducting? I don't see why they wouldn't, but I also am not really knowledgeable in the subject area.
You learned Moore's "law" in high school physics class? That seems pretty off-topic to me.
I find it's much better to take a knife and stick it under the lip of the lid slightly, and bend it to break the vacuum seal.
Well, after RTFA, it seems that being able to observe continuously for long stretches has certain advantages for things like finding extrasolar planets.
Secondly, I don't see why "endless nights" are so much of an advantage, since that just means your telescope is fairly useless during the "endless days" of the summer months.
Nice quote!
It's in your TV. In your computer. In your roads. In your electricity. In your water, gas, car, heat, food, clothes. Or do you not believe that standard of living has vastly increased over the last century? That's where productivity increases went. I'm not saying that the 1% haven't taken more than they should, but claiming that the productivity gains of the past century have been completely lost is just nonsense.
Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't realize we were living in the 19th century. Or do you really think that is feasible for someone to "cut the trees down, prep them and build the house within a year"? Where the hell am I going to get an acre of pristine healthy forest to cut down for my house? Where am I going to have the logs turned into boards? Where am I going to "chop down" the electrical wiring, plumbing, insulation, and heating used in a modern home?
You're in even worse shape if you buy your home after you turn 20.
Christ, I must be in serious trouble. I don't know ANYONE who even considered purchasing a home before, at the earliest, 22. In fact, I don't know anyone who bought a home before they were 25. California prices I guess.
Besides, if houses were really so cheap to build, it seems like there would be a multitude of builders out there willing to build houses for a discount that still gave them a profit.
Truth is, people pay for expensive houses BECAUSE they are expensive. It puts them in a "better" neighborhood, and gets them a more stylish kitchen. You CAN buy cheaper houses, but you're going to have to live in a neighborhood you may not like.
Ok, if the government's role isn't to ensure the fair treatment of all her citizens, then what is it?
And on another note, isn't the idea that "all men are created equal" one of the founding principles of the USA? Doesn't that imply that one must treat all men equally in public? And no, a place of business like a gas station is not private property as a home is private property. That would imply that business owners are as Kings, and can do whatever they please on their property. Clearly some distinction must be made between private property which is a public place of business (like a store) and private property for personal use. On the former, you must treat people equally. On the latter, you can do (almost) anything you please.
even then comes dangerously close to the line of "not the government's role"
Ok, if the government's role isn't to ensure the fair treatment of all her citizens, then what is it?
For a democracy as our own to function it is necessary for all voters to be educated.
This is often stated as fact, and yet I don't really see why it is necessarily true.
A shepherd doesn't need an intelligent flock to have a successful harvest.
I would argue that someone who can't even locate their own country on a map is not prepared to make reasonable political decisions.
I agree, but since the USA is a representative Democracy, one never has to make political decisions. They simply have to vote for someone who convinces them they can represent them well... and that convincing requires intelligence, if not in the politician themselves, then in their advisers (a la Bush Jr).
Exactly, and it seems highly likely that anyone who is paying attention can identify the USA on a world map once someone shows them where it is. If they can't do that, it is unlikely that they can perform any useful task in society. Such as that of an autoworker. Seems to me the problem is parenting and the education system, rather then entertainment. If you can remember what time your goddamn reality TV shows start, you can remember what the Continental US looks like. The problem is that nobody motivated (or forced) them to learn useful knowledge, so their head is riddled with useless trivia like the names of the cast of the Jersey Shore.
No way. What's next, people being forced to harbor troops in their houses because it would be mean to make them sleep outside? The government does not get to force you to do things like that.
Really? You believe that the government shouldn't step in to ensure fairness when a free-market isn't available? It seems like you must have never faced much discrimination in your life. Quartering of troops is one of those things especially enshrined in the Constitution, and really isn't relevant.
If you are the only provider of a service in an area, it is only fair that you should be required by law to provide that service as fairly and equitably as possible.