I'm not sure he's opposed to free trade. He's mostly said that the existing deals were bad. He wants to re-negotiate trades that he considers bad. That doesn't make him anti-free trade.
Well, then Wikipedia is wrong. France has a socialist president and government. Greece just elected a socialist prime minister. There's plenty more in Europe.
The brand of socialism advocated by Sanders is NOT North Korea or Cuba. It's the Scandinavian model that is democratic.
The problem is that the term "socialism" is overloaded and means different things to different people. In America, due to cold war history, it has taken on a very pejorative meaning.
There's been plenty of free and democratic countries in Europe who willingly voted in a socialist government, willingly accepted to be taxed to pool their resources and together achieve greater things (free education, better infrastructures and healthcare, etc). And when they were unhappy with the amount of tax they were paying or how it was utilized, they voted for a different government. Nobody stopped them. Nothing oppressive. No coercion.
Well, that's all socialist Bernie Sanders is using as his model. It's doesn't take an authoritative government, just people who are willing to pool their resources for the common good. France also had a socialist president and socialist governments in the 80s, and nobody lost any freedom.
Maybe the bad guys will do that to cover their tracks and in doing so help protect the privacy of the average Joe as well? That would be ironic, at least as far as Alanis is concerned.
I've taken a few MOOCs and even completed a few. My big problem is that pretty much as soon as I completed the course I forgot everything I'd learned. I have a couple of explanations as to why that is:
- MOOCs don't usually have a project component where you'd get direct feedback from a TA (that's obviously due to the number of people registered). This is changing as peer-assessments are being used more and more as a way to handle project grading.
- the course in question wasn't directly related to what I'm doing in my day job. During university, a course you're taking is at least often useful as a prerequisite for the next one.
- I'm getting old and stupid. Maybe just smart enough to complete the course but not enough to retain it? I wonder how much more I'd have retained, say, 10 years ago.
Definitely not true on all counts, you are letting your ideology cloud your objectivity. Some aspects of French society might be called "socialist" (health care for all, free education, decent minimum wage and generally better protection for workers and the unemployed than in the US), but it is still a country where there is little to no public ownership of the means of production, and no central planning. It is a land of private enterprise just like the USA!
France just had a hardcore capitalist president with Sarkozy for 5 years (succeeding Chirac who was from the same party), and even under Hollande, nothing has changed regarding the general system of government. Ultimately, there's not much room to maneuver system-wise in the EU anyway.
To get back on topic, just like in the US the French government gives incentives for innovation in various sectors, and in France, public research institutes (CNRS, INSERM, CIRAD, etc.) and public hospitals have indeed been at the forefront of many breakthroughs, some that have won Nobel prizes, again thanks to support from the government, not in spite of it.
If I understand his point correctly, I guess in the post-information scarcity world you set up a kickstarter project and ask people to pay up *up front* to get to read your work. You then, hopefully, deliver (people won't pay up next time if you don't!). Once your work is delivered, it can be replicated ad nauseam and it won't have any resale value because information is cheap or free.
There's been a political vacuum when it comes to defending Snowden and more generally people's right to privacy. Good for Green politicians for showing their concern! There are many more orphan causes in search for a party to pick them up: copyright and patent law reform, standing up to lobbies, etc. They'd get my vote.
I only read Yahoo comments for a good laugh. I take a benign story, and then wonder "how can this be turned into a racist, xenophobic, homophobic, sexist rant in the comment section?", and they never disappoint.
Slashdot Mirror
I'm not sure he's opposed to free trade. He's mostly said that the existing deals were bad. He wants to re-negotiate trades that he considers bad. That doesn't make him anti-free trade.
Now Sanders was clearly anti-free trade.
Because PR.
'Gateway' drug is kind of a pun, at least.
Well, then Wikipedia is wrong. France has a socialist president and government. Greece just elected a socialist prime minister. There's plenty more in Europe.
The brand of socialism advocated by Sanders is NOT North Korea or Cuba. It's the Scandinavian model that is democratic.
The problem is that the term "socialism" is overloaded and means different things to different people. In America, due to cold war history, it has taken on a very pejorative meaning.
Wow, Godwin already?
There's been plenty of free and democratic countries in Europe who willingly voted in a socialist government, willingly accepted to be taxed to pool their resources and together achieve greater things (free education, better infrastructures and healthcare, etc). And when they were unhappy with the amount of tax they were paying or how it was utilized, they voted for a different government. Nobody stopped them. Nothing oppressive. No coercion.
Funny then how the most educated countries in the world tend to elect socialist or social-democrat governments.
So don't worry, socialism has no chance in America.
Well, that's all socialist Bernie Sanders is using as his model. It's doesn't take an authoritative government, just people who are willing to pool their resources for the common good. France also had a socialist president and socialist governments in the 80s, and nobody lost any freedom.
Bernie Sanders, for one.
"Radical lefties"? They're claiming Sweden as their model. Sounds very dangerous!
Yeah, Sweden is such a dictatorship...
Serious question: is there a docking station for these phones?
Maybe the bad guys will do that to cover their tracks and in doing so help protect the privacy of the average Joe as well? That would be ironic, at least as far as Alanis is concerned.
Yeah, there would be a crackdown.
I've taken a few MOOCs and even completed a few. My big problem is that pretty much as soon as I completed the course I forgot everything I'd learned. I have a couple of explanations as to why that is:
- MOOCs don't usually have a project component where you'd get direct feedback from a TA (that's obviously due to the number of people registered). This is changing as peer-assessments are being used more and more as a way to handle project grading.
- the course in question wasn't directly related to what I'm doing in my day job. During university, a course you're taking is at least often useful as a prerequisite for the next one.
- I'm getting old and stupid. Maybe just smart enough to complete the course but not enough to retain it? I wonder how much more I'd have retained, say, 10 years ago.
I like fiction that makes me think:
Fictions - Borges
I, Robot - Asimov
Never Let Me Go - Ishiguro
Because the quality of art and culture can be measured by its financial success?
Definitely not true on all counts, you are letting your ideology cloud your objectivity. Some aspects of French society might be called "socialist" (health care for all, free education, decent minimum wage and generally better protection for workers and the unemployed than in the US), but it is still a country where there is little to no public ownership of the means of production, and no central planning. It is a land of private enterprise just like the USA!
France just had a hardcore capitalist president with Sarkozy for 5 years (succeeding Chirac who was from the same party), and even under Hollande, nothing has changed regarding the general system of government. Ultimately, there's not much room to maneuver system-wise in the EU anyway.
To get back on topic, just like in the US the French government gives incentives for innovation in various sectors, and in France, public research institutes (CNRS, INSERM, CIRAD, etc.) and public hospitals have indeed been at the forefront of many breakthroughs, some that have won Nobel prizes, again thanks to support from the government, not in spite of it.
I read it that way too...
If I understand his point correctly, I guess in the post-information scarcity world you set up a kickstarter project and ask people to pay up *up front* to get to read your work. You then, hopefully, deliver (people won't pay up next time if you don't!). Once your work is delivered, it can be replicated ad nauseam and it won't have any resale value because information is cheap or free.
I think that's a great idea. The ability to browse physical books in a nice environment is a service that I'm willing to pay for.
A "Gaga order" then?
With Oracle doing everything possible to kill Java, it's shocking that Java serializes.
FTFY. :)
There's been a political vacuum when it comes to defending Snowden and more generally people's right to privacy. Good for Green politicians for showing their concern! There are many more orphan causes in search for a party to pick them up: copyright and patent law reform, standing up to lobbies, etc. They'd get my vote.
Well, in the US the poor don't get access to healthcare, in Canada no one does. I guess at least it's fair...
We need to look beyond North America to find a system that works...
I only read Yahoo comments for a good laugh. I take a benign story, and then wonder "how can this be turned into a racist, xenophobic, homophobic, sexist rant in the comment section?", and they never disappoint.