The purpose of the TSA is to force all of us to perform an obedience ritual when traveling, instead of taking any practical measures to equip ourselves for emergencies.
Right after 9/11, many people were calling for allowing all CCW holders to carry on aircraft, since the policy of attempting to disarm everyone discards the natural advantage that good people have over bad people, which is that bad people are almost always greatly outnumbered. GWB and the rest of the Ruling Party didn't want us taking our safety into our own hands, so they dreamed up the security theater bullshit to deflect public attention.
the private sector will always allocate resources into areas that are needed for society to function.
It allocates resources into areas that people are willing to pay for on a voluntary basis. That doesn't include things like trains without enough riders to break even, or drones to kill kids in Pakistan, oddly enough.
The point of HSR is to make valuable real estate less concentrated.
Bullshit. The point of HSR is loot the taxpayers for the benefit of politicians and their cronies. If there was any intention to reduce the concentration of valuable real estate, the governments involved would start with dialing back their hostility to new construction.
there is nothing inherently wrong with government investment in infrastructure
Of course there is. Whenever resources are allocated politically, wealth is wasted, people are diverted from work that produces goods and services that we actually want, and government power is increased.
projects that create jobs.
Government projects NEVER create jobs. They divert money and labor from productive to unproductive activity.
Seems to me that you'd obviously want enough heat capacity that you could provide power around the clock. Add heat whenever you have sunlight, draw power whenever you need it. Ten hours of reserve shouldn't be that much cheaper than 14 hours of reserve. We're just talking bigger tanks, right?
it's how they treat their employees, e.g. by calling them contractors
They ARE contractors, you moron. They set their own hours, they go where they want to go, they don't have to rent a medallion, they're working when they turn on the app, and they're not working when they turn off the app. Uber is a booking agent, not an employer. Nobody puts a gun to anyone's head to get them to drive for Uber, and I've seen plenty of drivers who work with Uber, Sidecar and Lyft, and they're perfectly free to do that.
This isn't most people's issue with these services - it's their treatment of their drivers.
BULLSHIT.
Uber drivers get a far better deal than your typical cabbie, as I've been told by any number of Uber drivers who got sick of renting medallions from your cartels.
Uber is beating the shit out of cabs, because cabs SUCK. All the astroturfing in the world won't change that simple and obvious fact.
The NTSB will tell you, far and away the most common mode of aircraft accidents is what they call "controlled flight into terrain". Not mechanical issues or weather.
Slashdot Mirror
He should be nominated for the Peace Prize, which actually is a Nobel prize. The Swedish Banker's prize is far less prestigious.
-jcr
Security theater can be great as a deterrent,
It has no deterrent benefit whatsoever. The perps know that the days of "just do what the bad man says" are over.
-jcr
Punching a hole in that skin tends to cause sudden depressurization,
Hollywood Bullshit.
-jcr
Not exactly.
The purpose of the TSA is to force all of us to perform an obedience ritual when traveling, instead of taking any practical measures to equip ourselves for emergencies.
Right after 9/11, many people were calling for allowing all CCW holders to carry on aircraft, since the policy of attempting to disarm everyone discards the natural advantage that good people have over bad people, which is that bad people are almost always greatly outnumbered. GWB and the rest of the Ruling Party didn't want us taking our safety into our own hands, so they dreamed up the security theater bullshit to deflect public attention.
-jcr
Problem solved.
-jcr
You think Tannenbaum lost that argument? Linus made a complete ass of himself.
-jcr
Not verified, but that doesn't necessarily mean it's bogus.
Do the words "burden of proof" ring any bells with you?
-jcr
They were slandered, not "outed."
-jcr
the private sector will always allocate resources into areas that are needed for society to function.
It allocates resources into areas that people are willing to pay for on a voluntary basis. That doesn't include things like trains without enough riders to break even, or drones to kill kids in Pakistan, oddly enough.
-jcr
The People's hatred and fear of government is well-earned.
And regrettably, it's far too mild.
-jcr
The point of HSR is to make valuable real estate less concentrated.
Bullshit. The point of HSR is loot the taxpayers for the benefit of politicians and their cronies. If there was any intention to reduce the concentration of valuable real estate, the governments involved would start with dialing back their hostility to new construction.
-jcr
there is nothing inherently wrong with government investment in infrastructure
Of course there is. Whenever resources are allocated politically, wealth is wasted, people are diverted from work that produces goods and services that we actually want, and government power is increased.
projects that create jobs.
Government projects NEVER create jobs. They divert money and labor from productive to unproductive activity.
-jcr
I don't know that it's entirely a scam.
If the shoe fits, wear it.
They need to put someone in charge of the money who will make a real attempt to prosecute every single person who attempts to gouge the taxpayers.
I agree, but what do you seriously think the chances of this might be? I place it right between infinitesimal and nil.
-jcr
The closest "enforcer" of the constitution the US has would be the SCOTUS.
What's your next guess?
Go read the oath of office that every federal judge swears to upon taking office.
-jcr
Dereliction of duty.
HIs job is to enforce the constitution, not to invent asinine excuses for letting the government violate our rights.
-jcr
Same at Apple. If you call 911, they'll take longer to reach you than Apple security would.
-jcr
Seems to me that you'd obviously want enough heat capacity that you could provide power around the clock. Add heat whenever you have sunlight, draw power whenever you need it. Ten hours of reserve shouldn't be that much cheaper than 14 hours of reserve. We're just talking bigger tanks, right?
-jcr
Simpler than that, you could just paint Texas white, or seed the ocean with iron sulfate and cause a massive spike in phytoplankton growth.
-jcr
Our schools are not underfunded. They're over-administered.
-jcr
Cheap, reliable, effective.
-jcr
Uber drivers are on strike right NOW.
Bullshit. I'm looking at the app right now, and I'm seeing a four minute pickup time.
Anyone who doesn't feel like driving for Uber doesn't have to. Looks to me like plenty of people are willing to participate.
-jcr
it's how they treat their employees, e.g. by calling them contractors
They ARE contractors, you moron. They set their own hours, they go where they want to go, they don't have to rent a medallion, they're working when they turn on the app, and they're not working when they turn off the app. Uber is a booking agent, not an employer. Nobody puts a gun to anyone's head to get them to drive for Uber, and I've seen plenty of drivers who work with Uber, Sidecar and Lyft, and they're perfectly free to do that.
-jcr
She's either being paid, or she really is that incoherent. Which interpretation is more charitable?
-jcr
This isn't most people's issue with these services - it's their treatment of their drivers.
BULLSHIT.
Uber drivers get a far better deal than your typical cabbie, as I've been told by any number of Uber drivers who got sick of renting medallions from your cartels.
Uber is beating the shit out of cabs, because cabs SUCK. All the astroturfing in the world won't change that simple and obvious fact.
-jcr
The NTSB will tell you, far and away the most common mode of aircraft accidents is what they call "controlled flight into terrain". Not mechanical issues or weather.
-jcr