Bitcoins record every transaction. If you know who owns a given wallet... who paid what for which bitcoins... you can follow the money.
Bitcoins are not an anonymous currency. They are a peer to peer free of middle men currency.
They are absolutely traceable unless you interface with them using totally anonymous money. Then they can't track you because you're turning the bitcoins into cash or cash into bitcoins. But if like most people you're transferring money from your bank account into bitcoins... easily tracked.
Could it be that that is where they sent all our money?
DC doesn't have an economy. It is the federal government. It profits because federal employees profit.
As to NYC... they went broke. And then suddenly they had all the money they wanted. Where did it come from? Federal Reserve wished the money into existence. Effectively devaluing everyone's currency to bail out the bankers.
We hear people complaining about the "hair cut" in Cyprus. Where they were going to take a percentage of everyone's bank account's to pay the national debt. Well... our government did the same thing. They do it every time they devalue the currency.
These regions of the country are only wealthy at the expense of the rest of the country. DC and NYC robbed the rest of the country. Point blank.
Government tends to exempt itself from such lawsuits. Meaning you can't sue them.
There is some merit for the ability to shield the government from some things like that... but its obviously abused.
Its one of the reasons why its a really really stupid idea to concentrate too much power in the government because when they screw up... no one is held accountable.
If you want no one held accountable when bad things are done... then keep putting more power in the hands of politicians.
First, I want our rights protected. I am not advocating for this guy or any other to violate our rights.
That said, the point he's making is that if he doesn't do that he can't actually track the communication. The NSA is not the FBI. They don't need a court order to track the communication of a terrorist. They're enemies. Just as the army doesn't need a court order to shoot a guy. They just need marching orders.
So here is the NSA with their mission of tracking spies, terrorists, and various other enemies of the American people. Many of our enemies are clever and will disguise or hide their communications. How do you sift through it all to find what you want?
Seriously... anyone have a solution here?
How does the NSA do its job... and lets face that we do need something LIKE the NSA. Whether you like them or not... if we destroyed them we'd have to make something like them all over again.
So how do we do it?
I don't think I have the ideas either.
I think the best we might be able to do is set some rules for the NSA's conduct that guard our rights. Then establish some kind of internal affairs system that audits the NSA at intervals and prosecutes them if violations are found. Such a group would have to be independent of the President. Possibly under the judiciary or congress.
I've seen all that. Its just pathetic that they think they can fight a fact with an opinion.
Like if I could say "I like the color blue" to turn day into night. Or "7 is my lucky number" some how had the power to make the seas rise.
The idiocy of their arguments is really pretty shocking. Opinions are opinions. They are likes and dislikes. It is to love and to hate. But the universe does not respond to the whims of human emotion. The winter doesn't care if you hate it. It will still freeze you to the bone.
You fight the winter by chopping fire wood, burning it, and huddling near the warmth. Action. You address facts with other facts.
They don't seem to understand that they have no facts. They have only their stupid ill informed callow opinions. Mindless asshats to a man.
That isn't how a contract works. You don't dictate what I offer.
I say what I am willing to offer for what price and you can either accept it or try to negociate it.
But you can't dictate what I am offering or the price beyond simply refusing to sign/buy... which then puts me in the position of either compromising or abandoning the deal altogether.
That is how contracts work.
You don't like the choices being offered?
What does that even mean?
If I had gasoline to sell for 3 dollars. Would you say "I don't like the choices I'm being given, reduce the price to 50 cents." Obviously I'm not going to do that because it isn't sustainable. So I'll reject that offer.
It seems like you're implying that you have a right to force me to offer given contracts or forbid me from offering certain deals.
You do not have that right. Oh, you can get a man with a gun to force me to stop. But that doesn't make you right... it just makes you a violent thug.
Now maybe I'm misunderstanding your position here... but it does seem like you're suggesting that you have a right to dictate the terms of private contracts.
Why are so many so willing to interfere with the free choice of consenting adults?
From those that feel they have a right to tell homosexuals they can't have relationships with each other. To those that feel they have a right to tell people what drugs they can and cannot take. To people like you that seem to think they're protecting people by taking away their choices and involving the government in every aspect of our private lives.
We don't need your interference. You neither care nor understand enough about every person's situation to deserve to have that kind of influence.
As to why I would have a problem with providing federally subsidized healthcare to everyone... why stop there?
Why not provide housing, food, clothing, etc?
Why only medicine?
Are you heartless? Don't you know there are people that need food or are homeless? Clearly it doesn't do enough.
Forgive the hyperbole... but I think you can see the obvious problem with doing that. And its the same problem with endlessly expanding medicare. We can't afford it.
What is more... you do realize there are people pushing for open immigration... right? Do you see what might happen if you let everyone get on medicare AND have open immigration at the same time?
This isn't a political opinion here... this is simple accounting. Its math.
How do you balance this equation?
I balance it by having people pay for what they use. My system will work with or without open immigration. It will be infinitely scalable. It doesn't require tax increases or massive new regulatory agencies.
And my system works.
Does my system mean that sometimes people don't get the care they need? No system ensures that. None of them do. Both of our system are inherently rationing systems. Such systems are themselves a symptom of poverty... or if you will... limited resources. We have enough for some but not enough for every man woman and child on planet earth.
And it gets better... because then you have to consider medical advances and training. My system encourages new developments in medical technology, drugs, and treatment. Your system discourages profit which discourages risk which discourages investment and research. Which means your system over time will develop less new medicine. Over time... which system will treat people better? The system that is cash starved and primitive? Unlikely.
You lack respect. No one wants people to be without the treatment they need. But your methods trample over the rights of many and shatter an industry to no purpose. It is naive.
If you wanted to do Romneycare... that is... a state based healthcare system that states would individually opt into or out of and manage themselves. That would be fine. You didn't. You imposed it on all the states even those that deeply dislike the policy. It is was violation.
Your political faction exploited a momentary political advantage to ram through legislation the American people had rejected for generations. And what is worse, even with your majorities and power... you had to lie to get it passed.
That is what your policy is based upon. Lies, exploitation, and contempt. And for that reason it is hard for me to see it with anything but disgust.
I offered several facts. You apparently are unable to deal with facts... So my spite is frankly justified. Those that speak lies and corrupt all they touch are unworthy of respect.
I offered a challenge. A challenge you could meet easily were you more then a worm.
You failed... and as such... I care very little for your opinions on the matter. You have no opinions. You have only lies.
Confront the facts and deal with reality. That is the challenge. Do that and you'll merit civility. Fail to do that and you merit nothing. Fail that and you're less then dog shit.
I am very comfortable with writing you off. My challenge was fair and easy to address. Any half way intelligent person could answer it without any trouble. If you're unwilling to do it then I can't see why you expect anyone to take you as relevant.
Meet the challenge or I nothing you. Fail it and you're a man shaped void. An empty suit with a stupid plastic smile with skin no deeper then the shell of an egg.
Forced? You mean since your single payer idea was rejected by the american people you had to lie to enact it? Yes... I agree... you did have to lie to get your way.
But its hardly justification and hardly forced. Your subversion of the republic is noted... but don't try to justify it.
Actually the law itself is badly concieved. Its just harder to lie and pretend about the website then it is about the rest.
Get real. Lets assume for the sake of argument... because you won't admit it... that the law was idiotic.
Just assume for one moment that it was badly written and implemented and would actually hurt people.
Would the Obama administration or his political supporters admit it? Nope.
So right there its very hard to use their impression of the matter to justify anything. Obviously the opposition is no more reliable in this matter since they'd be as inclined to say whatever to get their way.
What then is left? Well... we have the emperical fact of the healthcare premiums going up. That's a fact. We have 70 percent of doctors in many areas boycotting the ACA. That is a fact. We have people with serious illnesses that were covered under the old system losing their healthcare and having new healthcare policies offered that are twice as expensive. That is a fact.
How do you deal with that? What is your answer?
Do you have a factual reply to that? Or do you have nothing but mindless worthless rhetoric devoid of integrity or intelligence? Do not be offended by that last point. It is not an insult. It is a challenge. Most that have commented on this issue have offered nothing but mindless rhetoric. Rise above that if you can... again... a challenge.
Really? I point to a failed healthcare program that is extremely unpopular... I cite that it was mismanaged... and from that you conclude "I" must have a mental health issue?
Do tell... how do you come to that conclusion.
You're probably not crazy... more likely just an idiot.
Its obvious from the way it was all designed. They stared... and it quickly became very complicated. And the law makers not wanting to spend the rest of their lives trying to understand something that was very complicated decided to simply reduce everything down to 4 metal themed plans.
Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum.
Not unlike Aristotle's definition of men... which was equally lazy.
And so an adaptable system that could account for literally hundreds of thousands of variables was reduced to a one size fits all system that generally serves everyone poorly.
Everyone.
Not even the poor are well served by this because it harms the healthcare industry itself and especially the healthcare research industry which is responsible for making the next drug or treatment or machine that will in the end... save your life.
This nonsense will see that the drug isn't researched. The treatment isn't developed. The machine isn't made.
Enjoy the free band-aids.
This whole crusade by the Obama administration was madness. Insanity. Giddy cackling lunacy.
And like most things born of madness... it will harm everyone.
This is the problem with the US. It isn't our guns or the money. Its the madness.
They already caved to the IRS. Why would we expect them not to cave to the NSA?
We need an organization with the stones to hold the line. The swiss have made it clear that they won't go to bat for anyone else... even their own clients/customers. So... that is over.
We need to see some one out there willing to sacrifice to hold the line. I want to see a group that has their feet held to the fire until they crisp... and yet not break.
Sound extreme? Its an extreme game. The swiss bankers are clearly weasels. They'll protect your identity and money so long as its easy and they're not challenged. They're fair weather players. They play when the sun is shining and the winds are calm. But when all hell breaks lose... they'll abandon you to be torn apart by jackals. And we can get that kind of service from any data host on earth. Why bank my data with the Swiss? Anything special about them? The days of numbered bank accounts were clearly just an illusion. We believed they would protect us and they charged us extra for our belief.
All that is gone. If the swiss want this role... they'll have to show themselves willing to eat some pain for it. Will they suffer so much as the displeasure of the EU or US?
No... the only protection will be the deep web. Bury the servers so deep that the authorities can't find it. Then its safe.
Completely dumb feature... but who wouldn't actually want it? You might not ever press it. But its there...calling to you... and one drunken night... magic will happen... and automotive landscaping.
The thing is you can't take it into consideration because there is no way to calculate it.
People keep referencing this stuff without any way to actually examine the data in a methodical and scientific process and then presume to keep the data valid.
It is NOT VALID if it can't be checked. If all you've got is something you can allude to but can't actually substantiate then it isn't admissible in a scientific discussion.
It could be relevant... or it could be irrelevant. There is no way to know until it is verifiable.
Until then... the number of eagles kill by coal is something around zero. I'm not saying coal doesn't kill eagles... I'm saying we have no idea. Try to tell me I'm wrong.
So... China's trip isn't comparable to what the private companies are doing. When a private chinese company sends something to the moon... then they're in the running. Till then... welcome to the party china... the punch bowl is over there.
He only met with the head of the healthcare exchange ONCE over all these years. The man really is not hands on with anyone.
I suspect its a calculated attempt to preserve deniability. Note that every time a scandal breaks his first statement is that he knew nothing about it. Which is easy to claim if you have no direct contact with anyone.
NSA should get used to be ignored. They're an embarrassment. Obumbles only associates with people that make him look good.
Remember Solyndra? He said they were the best company in America... then they went broke and he's basically forgotten they exist.
Go through his record. He's an empty suit. Do not look to him for leadership.
They made it not fun. You know it. Fix that or get over it.
Calm down gaggle of enviro weenies that are at this moment preparing to attack me for pointing out the obvious... I'm not suggesting you stop. I'm saying until you stop... its no fun. Which is true regardless of whether of your activities are justified.
In this case we're talking about birds killed directly by the blades. So... how many bald eagles are running into coal buildings and killing themselves INSIDE generators... about none.
As to how many are killed by the soot released from the power plants?... Impossible to calculate.
Could be zero too... depending on density and intensity of emissions. In china... maybe they kill a lot of birds. In the US?... Probably not many if any.
be realistic and be rational or be treated as neither.
Slashdot Mirror
Bitcoins record every transaction. If you know who owns a given wallet... who paid what for which bitcoins... you can follow the money.
Bitcoins are not an anonymous currency. They are a peer to peer free of middle men currency.
They are absolutely traceable unless you interface with them using totally anonymous money. Then they can't track you because you're turning the bitcoins into cash or cash into bitcoins. But if like most people you're transferring money from your bank account into bitcoins... easily tracked.
Use the banks and you're tracked.
Could it be that that is where they sent all our money?
DC doesn't have an economy. It is the federal government. It profits because federal employees profit.
As to NYC... they went broke. And then suddenly they had all the money they wanted. Where did it come from? Federal Reserve wished the money into existence. Effectively devaluing everyone's currency to bail out the bankers.
We hear people complaining about the "hair cut" in Cyprus. Where they were going to take a percentage of everyone's bank account's to pay the national debt. Well... our government did the same thing. They do it every time they devalue the currency.
These regions of the country are only wealthy at the expense of the rest of the country. DC and NYC robbed the rest of the country. Point blank.
Government tends to exempt itself from such lawsuits. Meaning you can't sue them.
There is some merit for the ability to shield the government from some things like that... but its obviously abused.
Its one of the reasons why its a really really stupid idea to concentrate too much power in the government because when they screw up... no one is held accountable.
If you want no one held accountable when bad things are done... then keep putting more power in the hands of politicians.
What could possibly go wrong.
First, I want our rights protected. I am not advocating for this guy or any other to violate our rights.
That said, the point he's making is that if he doesn't do that he can't actually track the communication. The NSA is not the FBI. They don't need a court order to track the communication of a terrorist. They're enemies. Just as the army doesn't need a court order to shoot a guy. They just need marching orders.
So here is the NSA with their mission of tracking spies, terrorists, and various other enemies of the American people. Many of our enemies are clever and will disguise or hide their communications. How do you sift through it all to find what you want?
Seriously... anyone have a solution here?
How does the NSA do its job... and lets face that we do need something LIKE the NSA. Whether you like them or not... if we destroyed them we'd have to make something like them all over again.
So how do we do it?
I don't think I have the ideas either.
I think the best we might be able to do is set some rules for the NSA's conduct that guard our rights. Then establish some kind of internal affairs system that audits the NSA at intervals and prosecutes them if violations are found. Such a group would have to be independent of the President. Possibly under the judiciary or congress.
I've seen all that. Its just pathetic that they think they can fight a fact with an opinion.
Like if I could say "I like the color blue" to turn day into night. Or "7 is my lucky number" some how had the power to make the seas rise.
The idiocy of their arguments is really pretty shocking. Opinions are opinions. They are likes and dislikes. It is to love and to hate. But the universe does not respond to the whims of human emotion. The winter doesn't care if you hate it. It will still freeze you to the bone.
You fight the winter by chopping fire wood, burning it, and huddling near the warmth. Action. You address facts with other facts.
They don't seem to understand that they have no facts. They have only their stupid ill informed callow opinions. Mindless asshats to a man.
I've been hit with worse insults on this site many times and I doubt any of them have been removed.
Look at many of the other posts... mine is not exceptional.
That isn't how a contract works. You don't dictate what I offer.
I say what I am willing to offer for what price and you can either accept it or try to negociate it.
But you can't dictate what I am offering or the price beyond simply refusing to sign/buy... which then puts me in the position of either compromising or abandoning the deal altogether.
That is how contracts work.
You don't like the choices being offered?
What does that even mean?
If I had gasoline to sell for 3 dollars. Would you say "I don't like the choices I'm being given, reduce the price to 50 cents." Obviously I'm not going to do that because it isn't sustainable. So I'll reject that offer.
It seems like you're implying that you have a right to force me to offer given contracts or forbid me from offering certain deals.
You do not have that right. Oh, you can get a man with a gun to force me to stop. But that doesn't make you right... it just makes you a violent thug.
Now maybe I'm misunderstanding your position here... but it does seem like you're suggesting that you have a right to dictate the terms of private contracts.
Why are so many so willing to interfere with the free choice of consenting adults?
From those that feel they have a right to tell homosexuals they can't have relationships with each other. To those that feel they have a right to tell people what drugs they can and cannot take. To people like you that seem to think they're protecting people by taking away their choices and involving the government in every aspect of our private lives.
We don't need your interference. You neither care nor understand enough about every person's situation to deserve to have that kind of influence.
Leave us alone.
http://nypost.com/2013/10/29/docs-resisting-obamacare/
Actually... at best the number is unknown which is what the critics of the statistics have said.
That said... we do have some information on it and there does seem to be significant rejection.
As to why I would have a problem with providing federally subsidized healthcare to everyone... why stop there?
Why not provide housing, food, clothing, etc?
Why only medicine?
Are you heartless? Don't you know there are people that need food or are homeless? Clearly it doesn't do enough.
Forgive the hyperbole... but I think you can see the obvious problem with doing that. And its the same problem with endlessly expanding medicare. We can't afford it.
What is more... you do realize there are people pushing for open immigration... right? Do you see what might happen if you let everyone get on medicare AND have open immigration at the same time?
This isn't a political opinion here... this is simple accounting. Its math.
How do you balance this equation?
I balance it by having people pay for what they use. My system will work with or without open immigration. It will be infinitely scalable. It doesn't require tax increases or massive new regulatory agencies.
And my system works.
Does my system mean that sometimes people don't get the care they need? No system ensures that. None of them do. Both of our system are inherently rationing systems. Such systems are themselves a symptom of poverty... or if you will... limited resources. We have enough for some but not enough for every man woman and child on planet earth.
And it gets better... because then you have to consider medical advances and training. My system encourages new developments in medical technology, drugs, and treatment. Your system discourages profit which discourages risk which discourages investment and research. Which means your system over time will develop less new medicine. Over time... which system will treat people better? The system that is cash starved and primitive? Unlikely.
You lack respect. No one wants people to be without the treatment they need. But your methods trample over the rights of many and shatter an industry to no purpose. It is naive.
If you wanted to do Romneycare... that is... a state based healthcare system that states would individually opt into or out of and manage themselves. That would be fine. You didn't. You imposed it on all the states even those that deeply dislike the policy. It is was violation.
Your political faction exploited a momentary political advantage to ram through legislation the American people had rejected for generations. And what is worse, even with your majorities and power... you had to lie to get it passed.
That is what your policy is based upon. Lies, exploitation, and contempt. And for that reason it is hard for me to see it with anything but disgust.
They're doubling and tripling and quadrupling.
If you want to pretend the ACA had no role in that... then so be it... you can claim a duck is a banana as easily.
I offered several facts. You apparently are unable to deal with facts... So my spite is frankly justified. Those that speak lies and corrupt all they touch are unworthy of respect.
I offered a challenge. A challenge you could meet easily were you more then a worm.
You failed... and as such... I care very little for your opinions on the matter. You have no opinions. You have only lies.
Confront the facts and deal with reality. That is the challenge. Do that and you'll merit civility. Fail to do that and you merit nothing. Fail that and you're less then dog shit.
I am very comfortable with writing you off. My challenge was fair and easy to address. Any half way intelligent person could answer it without any trouble. If you're unwilling to do it then I can't see why you expect anyone to take you as relevant.
Meet the challenge or I nothing you. Fail it and you're a man shaped void. An empty suit with a stupid plastic smile with skin no deeper then the shell of an egg.
Forced? You mean since your single payer idea was rejected by the american people you had to lie to enact it? Yes... I agree... you did have to lie to get your way.
But its hardly justification and hardly forced. Your subversion of the republic is noted... but don't try to justify it.
Actually the law itself is badly concieved. Its just harder to lie and pretend about the website then it is about the rest.
Get real. Lets assume for the sake of argument... because you won't admit it... that the law was idiotic.
Just assume for one moment that it was badly written and implemented and would actually hurt people.
Would the Obama administration or his political supporters admit it? Nope.
So right there its very hard to use their impression of the matter to justify anything. Obviously the opposition is no more reliable in this matter since they'd be as inclined to say whatever to get their way.
What then is left? Well... we have the emperical fact of the healthcare premiums going up. That's a fact. We have 70 percent of doctors in many areas boycotting the ACA. That is a fact. We have people with serious illnesses that were covered under the old system losing their healthcare and having new healthcare policies offered that are twice as expensive. That is a fact.
How do you deal with that? What is your answer?
Do you have a factual reply to that? Or do you have nothing but mindless worthless rhetoric devoid of integrity or intelligence? Do not be offended by that last point. It is not an insult. It is a challenge. Most that have commented on this issue have offered nothing but mindless rhetoric. Rise above that if you can... again... a challenge.
Really? I point to a failed healthcare program that is extremely unpopular... I cite that it was mismanaged... and from that you conclude "I" must have a mental health issue?
Do tell... how do you come to that conclusion.
You're probably not crazy... more likely just an idiot.
*shrugs*
Its obvious from the way it was all designed. They stared... and it quickly became very complicated. And the law makers not wanting to spend the rest of their lives trying to understand something that was very complicated decided to simply reduce everything down to 4 metal themed plans.
Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum.
Not unlike Aristotle's definition of men... which was equally lazy.
And so an adaptable system that could account for literally hundreds of thousands of variables was reduced to a one size fits all system that generally serves everyone poorly.
Everyone.
Not even the poor are well served by this because it harms the healthcare industry itself and especially the healthcare research industry which is responsible for making the next drug or treatment or machine that will in the end... save your life.
This nonsense will see that the drug isn't researched. The treatment isn't developed. The machine isn't made.
Enjoy the free band-aids.
This whole crusade by the Obama administration was madness. Insanity. Giddy cackling lunacy.
And like most things born of madness... it will harm everyone.
This is the problem with the US. It isn't our guns or the money. Its the madness.
This country has a mental health problem.
Which is why I referenced the deep web. Encrypt the communication to such an extent that the servers can't be traced and thus can't be ceased.
They already caved to the IRS. Why would we expect them not to cave to the NSA?
We need an organization with the stones to hold the line. The swiss have made it clear that they won't go to bat for anyone else... even their own clients/customers. So... that is over.
We need to see some one out there willing to sacrifice to hold the line. I want to see a group that has their feet held to the fire until they crisp... and yet not break.
Sound extreme? Its an extreme game. The swiss bankers are clearly weasels. They'll protect your identity and money so long as its easy and they're not challenged. They're fair weather players. They play when the sun is shining and the winds are calm. But when all hell breaks lose... they'll abandon you to be torn apart by jackals. And we can get that kind of service from any data host on earth. Why bank my data with the Swiss? Anything special about them? The days of numbered bank accounts were clearly just an illusion. We believed they would protect us and they charged us extra for our belief.
All that is gone. If the swiss want this role... they'll have to show themselves willing to eat some pain for it. Will they suffer so much as the displeasure of the EU or US?
No... the only protection will be the deep web. Bury the servers so deep that the authorities can't find it. Then its safe.
Short of that... its all self deception.
Completely dumb feature... but who wouldn't actually want it? You might not ever press it. But its there...calling to you... and one drunken night... magic will happen... and automotive landscaping.
The thing is you can't take it into consideration because there is no way to calculate it.
People keep referencing this stuff without any way to actually examine the data in a methodical and scientific process and then presume to keep the data valid.
It is NOT VALID if it can't be checked. If all you've got is something you can allude to but can't actually substantiate then it isn't admissible in a scientific discussion.
It could be relevant... or it could be irrelevant. There is no way to know until it is verifiable.
Until then... the number of eagles kill by coal is something around zero. I'm not saying coal doesn't kill eagles... I'm saying we have no idea. Try to tell me I'm wrong.
So... China's trip isn't comparable to what the private companies are doing. When a private chinese company sends something to the moon... then they're in the running. Till then... welcome to the party china... the punch bowl is over there.
He only met with the head of the healthcare exchange ONCE over all these years. The man really is not hands on with anyone.
I suspect its a calculated attempt to preserve deniability. Note that every time a scandal breaks his first statement is that he knew nothing about it. Which is easy to claim if you have no direct contact with anyone.
NSA should get used to be ignored. They're an embarrassment. Obumbles only associates with people that make him look good.
Remember Solyndra? He said they were the best company in America... then they went broke and he's basically forgotten they exist.
Go through his record. He's an empty suit. Do not look to him for leadership.
They made it not fun. You know it. Fix that or get over it.
Calm down gaggle of enviro weenies that are at this moment preparing to attack me for pointing out the obvious... I'm not suggesting you stop. I'm saying until you stop... its no fun. Which is true regardless of whether of your activities are justified.
No fun. Your fault. I'm over it.
Zero.
In this case we're talking about birds killed directly by the blades. So... how many bald eagles are running into coal buildings and killing themselves INSIDE generators... about none.
As to how many are killed by the soot released from the power plants?... Impossible to calculate.
Could be zero too... depending on density and intensity of emissions. In china... maybe they kill a lot of birds. In the US?... Probably not many if any.
be realistic and be rational or be treated as neither.
If they try to jack up prices they'll see what happens.
It shows no causation. Correlation is useless.
Wearing long sleeves correlates with winter. Long sleeves do not cause winter.
What you want is CAUSATION. Everything else is trash.