tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4477131299817733843.post1827431213226109787..comments2023-05-26T10:44:37.150-04:00Comments on The Bi-Coloured-Python-Rock-Snake: And So The Luster FadesBi-Coloured-Python-Rock-Snakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10486453438350039642noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4477131299817733843.post-83365423682998851802008-06-12T03:11:00.000-04:002008-06-12T03:11:00.000-04:00Truly. So you can figure for another few hundred ...Truly. So you can figure for another few hundred thousand jobs in beekeeping.Bi-Coloured-Python-Rock-Snakehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10486453438350039642noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4477131299817733843.post-68510269255313787062008-06-11T21:20:00.000-04:002008-06-11T21:20:00.000-04:00Not so fast, there. Paraffin wax is a petroleum p...Not so fast, there. Paraffin wax is a petroleum product.Elephantschildhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14610471467736150461noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4477131299817733843.post-66660451080985052592008-06-11T18:43:00.000-04:002008-06-11T18:43:00.000-04:00Please, link away!And Elephantschild, you forget, ...Please, link away!<BR/><BR/>And Elephantschild, you forget, one can always create millions of candlemaking jobs by outlawing light bulbs.Bi-Coloured-Python-Rock-Snakehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10486453438350039642noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4477131299817733843.post-38643003771154558842008-06-11T17:10:00.000-04:002008-06-11T17:10:00.000-04:00Excellent, insightful post!May I link to this?Excellent, insightful post!<BR/><BR/>May I link to this?Rita Locahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09961929692808138092noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4477131299817733843.post-35185467465955676082008-06-10T22:33:00.000-04:002008-06-10T22:33:00.000-04:00It occurs to me that Obama is systematically strip...It occurs to me that Obama is systematically stripping the word "change" of any meaning whatsoever and redefining it on his own terms.<BR/><BR/>He who controls the language...<BR/><BR/>From his June 4th speech:<BR/><I>That man needs us to pass [...]an energy policy that will create millions of new jobs that pay well and can't be outsourced. That's the change we need.</I><BR/><BR/>Ok. Someone explain how an energy policy that is likely to limit domestic production even further than it's limited now creates jobs that can't be outsourced. Oh, right: "Change" now means "paradox." And, um, where is he getting that "millions" number from? Even the most Evil Conservative Evil Big Oilaburton expansion would hardly create "millions" of jobs. Unless we're powering turbines with giant HAMSTER WHEELS. 'Cus that WOULD take alot of people. Wonder what *that* union would be called...Elephantschildhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14610471467736150461noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4477131299817733843.post-80612906727509477732008-06-05T22:14:00.000-04:002008-06-05T22:14:00.000-04:00Dude, I really appreciate your blogging - since I'...Dude, I really appreciate your blogging - since I've become a liberal I don't think I get enough conservative representation in my daily reading. It's refreshing to hear the thoughts of the other side from time to time. I don't even have conservatives in my platoon.<BR/><BR/>Since I will probably never get around to giving this presidential race much consideration in my own blog, I might as well address some points here.<BR/><BR/>I thought the graduation speech was pretty awesome. I do think that our nation's greatest interests lie in a global PR campaign - our image is tarnished, and this image is frustrating our goals abroad. I highly doubt a large number of Wesleyan's graduates were considering military service, anyway. Hell, my friends who went to military-friendly schools like Texas A&M don't even want to join now. Besides, asking graduates of Wesleyan to be scientists and engineers doesn't seem like a cost-effective use of Obama's influence. Sure, I'd love to get a shout-out for choosing the life of the E-4 instead of going to law school, but even I wouldn't recommend this career move to other college grads. Obama gets a pass from me on this one, since it seems like he's basically considering his audience and playing off that.<BR/><BR/>And as someone who thinks that we should get out of Iraq ASAP because it would be better for Iraq if we were gone (and better for the US), I love that we're making good progress in Iraq. I think it has less to do with the surge than it has to do with COIN (which should have been implemented years earlier - see Tom Ricks' Fiasco), but I'm honestly confident that drawing down troop levels will lower the overall levels of violence. In fact, if we left today after declaring victory (violence down, political stability up, etc. etc.), then we get to leave on our own terms. I don't want permanent bases in Iraq the way we have in Germany, South Korea, Italy, or Japan because I don't believe that it serves our strategic interests. Besides, all the power is in the Iraqi politicians' hands - the difference between a peaceful democracy and a violent failed state is in their hands, not ours. Besides, since most Iraqis want us out I'm inclined to say they probably know better than we do whether we're a force for good or for bad.<BR/><BR/>My last observation about your post - your portrayal of the left as some freedom-limiting regulatory nanny reminds me of why I always had hated liberal ideas before. But I've come around on issues where there are clear collective action problems, externalities, and the whole tragedy of the commons thing. That means I support strong environmental regulation (go breathe some Chinese air if you think that our environmental laws aren't worth the dampened economic growth), and believe that the health care status quo is unsustainable and in need of government intervention. <BR/><BR/>Really, I think there's too much talking past each other - the right likes to single out the Code Pink/Cindy Sheehan types as being typical liberal while highlighting the ACLU's establishment clause cases while ignoring its free exercise cases on behalf of Christians, while the left tends to demonize the right as racist hillbillies, greedy businessmen or ignorant, religious sheep. There's a bit of truth to both sides' strawmen, but not much.<BR/><BR/>Anyway, I still have some glimmer of idealism - I'd like to see bipartisan efforts to address nuclear proliferation and more sensible carbon policies, which are issues where both candidates share similar views. <BR/><BR/>When I have time to actually flesh out some of these admittedly undeveloped arguments, I'll probably talk to you online or post to my own blog. But I might not - I just don't have the passion for it anymore.Shanehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17023519482024334644noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4477131299817733843.post-88331692669657441212008-06-05T13:53:00.000-04:002008-06-05T13:53:00.000-04:00Yeah, I agree. This guy is a real jerk. And the fo...Yeah, I agree. This guy is a real jerk. And the fools around me are lapping it up, because they crave a monarchy and nanny government.Lutheran Lucciolahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06207851105681940388noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4477131299817733843.post-26171049838097912222008-06-05T12:15:00.000-04:002008-06-05T12:15:00.000-04:00Amen!Amen!Thursday's Childhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13302061328797620494noreply@blogger.com