I would, but since my dollars are worthless, I have nothing to buy gold with.
If I could find someone that would give me gold for some of my dollars, then I would know that my dollars weren't worthless anymore, and would have no need to buy gold.
One point of misrepresentation in your post. (I didn't research, but can comment on the one point obvious to a person that lives where I do.)
You may not have noticed that when your (linked) list of the richest counties in the country, there were several in New Jersey.
If you had noticed that, then you still probably didn't notice that Essex county (where a lot of people just as wealthy as in the other New Jersey counties on your list) is not on your list.
Because, if you had noticed that Essex county wasn't on your list (assuming you're honest) you might also have noticed that Essex county contains the LARGEST city in New Jersey. Newark is such a money pit that it not only keeps Essex off the list of wealthiest counties, but the non-Newark parts of the county have been trying to split the county for lears, so they won't have to syuport Newark.
The states with the Big cities all have the highest tax rates (in other words, the highest RELATIVE taxes).
New York state has very high taxes. (e.g. my property taxes in rural Virginia were less than 25% of my property taxses for an identically valued/priced house in rural New York) But even those high taxes statewide aren't enough. New York City has EXTRA property, sales and INCOME taxes above and beyond the already-high state taxes.
The preceding is fact. The following is opinion. I believe that cities could be more efficient, tax-wise, but because they are bigger, it is easier to get people to agree to spend tax money, because they don't feel like it comes from them. This leads to more unnecessary tax-funded programs. It also leads to much more corruption, which is always more expensive than it seems.
"1. Will the cost of the new taxes really be higher than the cost of the gasoline?"
When I hear discussions of the cost-to-taxpayers for public transportation, I almost never hear the cost of tax-subsidies for personal cars. Roads are EXPENSIVE to build, and expensive to maintain. (And expensive to police, and expensive to provide medical infrastructure for all the accidents, and use LOTS of land.)
If you re-read my post, you may notice that I never stated, suggested nor implied that there isn't a problem. (And, I never said that there is, either.)
To re-explain: When you described the results of a rise in sea level you exaggerated. Not every country has millions of people, let alone millions near sea level. If you are interested in having reasonable discussions, stick to the facts without exaggerating/sensationalizing.
As much as the people and ecology in Nepal would probably suffer (at least temporarily) from a climate change, millions there would not be innundated from even a 50m change in sea level.
I had hoped that the (poor) humor in my first post would make it easier for you to not get all worked up about me pointing out your irrational arguing. I'm sorry it didn't help.
If you have real data on the percentage (or number) of people that live within 10m of sea level, I would be glad to know. I imagine it is significant.
"Can you point me in the direction of a single instance of Michael Moore lying or exagurating something bad that Bush has done?"
On the off-chance that you are serious about your request, I include this link found with a simple google search. Sorry that I didn't persevere to find a link to a SINGLE instance as requested.
Disclaimer: This post is meant to assist the google-challenged. I do not endorse the site linked above, or guarantee in any way the accuracy of the material presented there.
"there doesn't seem to be a way to 'pull the plug' on their connectivity."
Because instead of being connected by a wire to the power systems of your car, it is all contained (including Foundation-like walnut-sized fusion power source) in an invulnerable black box that will explode if tampered with.
But, seriously, does the car run if the On Star stuff is disconnected or disabled, or is there an anti-theft measure there to keep you from disabling it?
Theoretical anarchy is only temporarily possible. Groups of people make governments. Whether it's a country, neighborhood association, labor union or club of kindergarten girls, people will form governments one way or another.
Real-life anarchy is just a bunch of small governments fighting over who gets to rule with they consolidate into larger governments.
If all you want is a computer with limited uses it will be easy to operate.
If you only need something for email, get an email-only machine (BlackBerry, or one of those email-only terminals that people come out with now and then).
If you only need to type letters, get a new electric typewriter. They make them with cut/copy/paste functionality. Or maybe hunt up an old standalone wordprocessor. They are very inexpensive, secondhand.
If you only need to play certain types of games, get a PS or X-box or Nintendo, or whatever.
If you only need to make phone calls, get a phone.
If you only need to print photos, get a camera/printer combo that interfaces directly.
If you only need to keep medical records, get a filing cabinet, or a room full of cabinets, or a building full.
If you only need to schedule your time, get a calendar, or maybe even a Franklin Planner. A PDA works, but it does more than that one thing, so it's more complicated.
If you only need to record your thoughts, you can get a digital voice recorder very cheaply, and at this time of year notebooks and pens are real cheap at Wal-Mart.
If you only need to play music, you can get a small radio or cassette player for less than $10, and a portable CD player for less than $20.
If you only need to watch movies, you can get a portable DVD player or a TV/VCR combo for between $100-$200.
If you only need to add/subtract/multiply/divide/exponentiate/integrat e/differentiate several people make nifty calculators that work just fine. (Some of them even do symbolic calculus.)
If, however, you want a machine that does all this and more, and has multiple ways of doing each of these, and is extremely customizable/expandable/extendable, you're not going to get a very simple user interface. With anything that versatile, a basic knowledge of how the thing works will make a huge difference in how easy it is to operate.
"all know how fond AGs are of spending millions chasing unsubstantiated rumors"
First: (a technicality) Attorneys General investigate the legally innocent. If they are legally guilty, it is because the investigation and trial are finished. Second: You can't tell whether the rumor is unsubstantantiated before investigating, so I would assume that all law enforcment spends time investigating rumors that later prove to be unsubstantiated. Third: My post didn't presume innocence, though perhaps it should have. Fourth: I expect that AGs are much more likely to spend millions chasing high-profile possibilities, than chasing someone I've never heard of. (Attorneys General are politicians too.)
I apparently touched a nerve. Although I hadn't intended my previous post as an attack, your response suggests that it was interpreted that way. Sorry. I add this note because, although this post is also not meant to be antagonistic, it seems (to me) to sound even less friendly. Please don't get all offended.
Sadly, being the target (or victim) of a class-action lawsuit often means that you have money, and nothing more.
Hopefully people that are accused of fraud are investigated.
Regretfully, some people prefer rumors and accusations to evidence.
Perhaps Paypal is the epitome of all that is good and beautiful. Perhaps it is more evil than the Crudpuppy. Your post provides no real evidence either way.
"If the program you are in competition with is $140-Over $400! you don't have to be a perfect replacement,Just a "good enough"."
It didn't work for WordPerfect in the mid to late 90s. Most of the time WP was a much better program than Word. WordPerfect was (and still is) much less expensive then Word.
How many computers have you seen lately with WordPerfect on them?
Sometimes it takes more than quality and price to overcome marketing.
Disclaimer: I haven't used any version of WordPerfect since 8, so I don't know if the newer versions are any good, or if they support OpenDoc. I also don't much care.
"A growing number of Americans are finding themselves in that situation"
Americans are richer (as in farther away from starvation) than ever before.
There has never been a time in the history of the world, in any culture, where people haven't had to make the choice between honesty and gain.
Choosing to lie for money isn't right for Microsoft. It isn't right for AOL. It isn't right for me (or you).
True story: We (my family and I) went to a store the other day, and at the entrance a guy was giving away t-shirts to anyone who filled out a credit application.
He waved a shirt at us and told us to fill out a form for a free shirt. My wife and I both said that we didn't need more credit cards.
He said that we didn't have to get a credit card, just fill out the top part of the form. So we each took a form and started filling them out, up to the point of the Social Security Number. Neither of us wanted the shirt bad enough to put down our SSN, so we thanked the guy and told him nevermind.
He asked why, and we told him that we weren't willing to give our SSNs for a t-shirt.
He said, "Just make up a number."
My wife said, "I'm not going to lie for a t-shirt."
Slashdot Mirror
You don't get to wait for the new page to load if you scroll.
I would, but since my dollars are worthless, I have nothing to buy gold with.
If I could find someone that would give me gold for some of my dollars, then I would know that my dollars weren't worthless anymore, and would have no need to buy gold.
It's a vicious cycle, but someone has to spin it.
If people would learn from experience your optimism would be justified.
One point of misrepresentation in your post.
(I didn't research, but can comment on the one point obvious to a person that lives where I do.)
You may not have noticed that when your (linked) list of the richest counties in the country, there were several in New Jersey.
If you had noticed that, then you still probably didn't notice that Essex county (where a lot of people just as wealthy as in the other New Jersey counties on your list) is not on your list.
Because, if you had noticed that Essex county wasn't on your list (assuming you're honest) you might also have noticed that Essex county contains the LARGEST city in New Jersey. Newark is such a money pit that it not only keeps Essex off the list of wealthiest counties, but the non-Newark parts of the county have been trying to split the county for lears, so they won't have to syuport Newark.
The states with the Big cities all have the highest tax rates (in other words, the highest RELATIVE taxes).
New York state has very high taxes. (e.g. my property taxes in rural Virginia were less than 25% of my property taxses for an identically valued/priced house in rural New York) But even those high taxes statewide aren't enough. New York City has EXTRA property, sales and INCOME taxes above and beyond the already-high state taxes.
The preceding is fact. The following is opinion.
I believe that cities could be more efficient, tax-wise, but because they are bigger, it is easier to get people to agree to spend tax money, because they don't feel like it comes from them. This leads to more unnecessary tax-funded programs. It also leads to much more corruption, which is always more expensive than it seems.
"1. Will the cost of the new taxes really be higher than the cost of the gasoline?"
When I hear discussions of the cost-to-taxpayers for public transportation, I almost never hear the cost of tax-subsidies for personal cars. Roads are EXPENSIVE to build, and expensive to maintain. (And expensive to police, and expensive to provide medical infrastructure for all the accidents, and use LOTS of land.)
If you re-read my post, you may notice that I never stated, suggested nor implied that there isn't a problem.
(And, I never said that there is, either.)
To re-explain: When you described the results of a rise in sea level you exaggerated. Not every country has millions of people, let alone millions near sea level. If you are interested in having reasonable discussions, stick to the facts without exaggerating/sensationalizing.
As much as the people and ecology in Nepal would probably suffer (at least temporarily) from a climate change, millions there would not be innundated from even a 50m change in sea level.
I had hoped that the (poor) humor in my first post would make it easier for you to not get all worked up about me pointing out your irrational arguing. I'm sorry it didn't help.
If you have real data on the percentage (or number) of people that live within 10m of sea level, I would be glad to know. I imagine it is significant.
I'm done.
--
End of Line
"Even a moderate (few metres) rise in sea level will start to inundate the homes of millions in every country."
What about Bolivia and Nepal, you insensitive clod!
Hyperbole is much easier than reasonable discussion.
The problem was that roadkill cost too much fuel. Now that roadkill fuels itself, viola, perpetual roadkill. Problem solved.
Although if the problem were too much roadkill, a cookbook would be helpful.
At least you've convinced me that your request for evidence of Moore's deception wasn't serious. Thanks for clearing that up.
And here I was just thinking that we'd finally solved the problem of perpetual roadkill.
"Can you point me in the direction of a single instance of Michael Moore lying or exagurating something bad that Bush has done?"
i n-Fahrenheit-911.htm
On the off-chance that you are serious about your request, I include this link found with a simple google search. Sorry that I didn't persevere to find a link to a SINGLE instance as requested.
http://www.davekopel.com/Terror/Fiftysix-Deceits-
Disclaimer: This post is meant to assist the google-challenged. I do not endorse the site linked above, or guarantee in any way the accuracy of the material presented there.
"there doesn't seem to be a way to 'pull the plug' on their connectivity."
Because instead of being connected by a wire to the power systems of your car, it is all contained (including Foundation-like walnut-sized fusion power source) in an invulnerable black box that will explode if tampered with.
But, seriously, does the car run if the On Star stuff is disconnected or disabled, or is there an anti-theft measure there to keep you from disabling it?
Qoute from GP "Ever since the 50s??? Brother, this didn't start in the 50s."
Quote from Parent "Yes, but it was then that it entered into US politics."
One more quote: "Remember the Maine!"
But it IS Microsoft's responsibility to aviod misleading people.
Honesty is everyone's responsibility.
Do you really believe that criminals in Austrailia don't have access to guns? Dream on.
I love that game.
(But, I've only ascended by saving.)
Theoretical anarchy is only temporarily possible.
Groups of people make governments.
Whether it's a country, neighborhood association, labor union or club of kindergarten girls, people will form governments one way or another.
Real-life anarchy is just a bunch of small governments fighting over who gets to rule with they consolidate into larger governments.
Like we're going to believe that.
Everyone knows that North Dakota isn't real.
If all you want is a computer with limited uses it will be easy to operate.
t e/differentiate several people make nifty calculators that work just fine. (Some of them even do symbolic calculus.)
If you only need something for email, get an email-only machine (BlackBerry, or one of those email-only terminals that people come out with now and then).
If you only need to type letters, get a new electric typewriter. They make them with cut/copy/paste functionality. Or maybe hunt up an old standalone wordprocessor. They are very inexpensive, secondhand.
If you only need to play certain types of games, get a PS or X-box or Nintendo, or whatever.
If you only need to make phone calls, get a phone.
If you only need to print photos, get a camera/printer combo that interfaces directly.
If you only need to keep medical records, get a filing cabinet, or a room full of cabinets, or a building full.
If you only need to schedule your time, get a calendar, or maybe even a Franklin Planner. A PDA works, but it does more than that one thing, so it's more complicated.
If you only need to record your thoughts, you can get a digital voice recorder very cheaply, and at this time of year notebooks and pens are real cheap at Wal-Mart.
If you only need to play music, you can get a small radio or cassette player for less than $10, and a portable CD player for less than $20.
If you only need to watch movies, you can get a portable DVD player or a TV/VCR combo for between $100-$200.
If you only need to add/subtract/multiply/divide/exponentiate/integra
If, however, you want a machine that does all this and more, and has multiple ways of doing each of these, and is extremely customizable/expandable/extendable, you're not going to get a very simple user interface. With anything that versatile, a basic knowledge of how the thing works will make a huge difference in how easy it is to operate.
"all know how fond AGs are of spending millions chasing unsubstantiated rumors"
First: (a technicality) Attorneys General investigate the legally innocent. If they are legally guilty, it is because the investigation and trial are finished.
Second: You can't tell whether the rumor is unsubstantantiated before investigating, so I would assume that all law enforcment spends time investigating rumors that later prove to be unsubstantiated.
Third: My post didn't presume innocence, though perhaps it should have.
Fourth: I expect that AGs are much more likely to spend millions chasing high-profile possibilities, than chasing someone I've never heard of. (Attorneys General are politicians too.)
I apparently touched a nerve.
Although I hadn't intended my previous post as an attack, your response suggests that it was interpreted that way. Sorry.
I add this note because, although this post is also not meant to be antagonistic, it seems (to me) to sound even less friendly. Please don't get all offended.
Sadly, being the target (or victim) of a class-action lawsuit often means that you have money, and nothing more.
Hopefully people that are accused of fraud are investigated.
Regretfully, some people prefer rumors and accusations to evidence.
Perhaps Paypal is the epitome of all that is good and beautiful. Perhaps it is more evil than the Crudpuppy. Your post provides no real evidence either way.
"Who's going to sue them for $50?"
Someone will sue for $3.27 plus $32,700,000 for "mental anguish."
"If the program you are in competition with is $140-Over $400! you don't have to be a perfect replacement,Just a "good enough"."
It didn't work for WordPerfect in the mid to late 90s.
Most of the time WP was a much better program than Word. WordPerfect was (and still is) much less expensive then Word.
How many computers have you seen lately with WordPerfect on them?
Sometimes it takes more than quality and price to overcome marketing.
Disclaimer: I haven't used any version of WordPerfect since 8, so I don't know if the newer versions are any good, or if they support OpenDoc. I also don't much care.
http://www.cs.wisc.edu/~ghost/
http://www.foxitsoftware.com/pdf/rd_intro.php
http://www.planetpdf.com/
I've only used Adobe's reader.
I have used a free pdf maker, and it worked fine.
"A growing number of Americans are finding themselves in that situation"
Americans are richer (as in farther away from starvation) than ever before.
There has never been a time in the history of the world, in any culture, where people haven't had to make the choice between honesty and gain.
Choosing to lie for money isn't right for Microsoft. It isn't right for AOL. It isn't right for me (or you).
True story:
We (my family and I) went to a store the other day, and at the entrance a guy was giving away t-shirts to anyone who filled out a credit application.
He waved a shirt at us and told us to fill out a form for a free shirt. My wife and I both said that we didn't need more credit cards.
He said that we didn't have to get a credit card, just fill out the top part of the form. So we each took a form and started filling them out, up to the point of the Social Security Number. Neither of us wanted the shirt bad enough to put down our SSN, so we thanked the guy and told him nevermind.
He asked why, and we told him that we weren't willing to give our SSNs for a t-shirt.
He said, "Just make up a number."
My wife said, "I'm not going to lie for a t-shirt."
See why I married her?