OT: Tax the rich???

Now that's funny. I've just been pointing out that you have been mindlessly recycling Exxon-Mobil-inspired denialist propaganda - the classic "useful idiot" role - and you turn around and try and pin the tag on me.

And showing up how inadequate your reasoning is strikes me as a useful role, though you will - predictably - beg to differ.

-- Bill Sloman, Nijmegen

I know James. He's does electronics consulting and he's not broke. He gets cell phone calls, on chair lifts, from needy clients all the time; spoils the serenity, it does.

He seems to be immune to cold, which is maybe why he keeps his house so cool. He skis in shorts.

Hey, Joerg, recognize this?

ftp://jjlarkin.lmi.net/Zeit.jpg

John

But you *are* useless. And an idiot. Most obviously in s.e.d.

John

So Exxon-Mobil is a totally admirable firm? If this were the case

Exxon has a far more thoughtful and effective safety culture than the bean-counting morons who run BP. And they sponsor Masterpiece Theatre here, just about the only television that I ever watch.

Wrong again! Do you delude yourself that you are persuading anybody here? Your incompetence at being convincing is like all your other incompetencies: your ego totally sabotages your attempts.

John

Q: Why tax the rich ?

A: because that's where the money is

-- William "Willie" Sutton

I don't think that's entirely correct if they're parochial school teachers -- and the vast majority of private schools do have some sort of religious affiliation.

Not that I'm suggesting that's inherently bad, though -- clearly plenty of people thing it's a really good idea -- just that most private schools generally do have significant political beliefs that I expect do get passed on to the kids, whether intended or not.

The fact that private schools may pick and choose their students (not that

*all* of them do, mind you) -- and the mere fact that they charge tuition (since, statistically, there's more gangs and guns amongst folks with lower incomes) -- leaves the public school system with worse statistics than if there were no private schools.

The very reason that public schools have to address the question of why, "Heather has two mommies?" is, IMO, largely due to parents wanting their kids out of sight and out of mind, so they don't have to deal with uncomfortable questions like that themselves. I.e., they really don't want to be all that involved in their kid's education. Those sorts of parents seldom are going to send their kids to private schools...

---Joel

By your idiosyncratic standards. I don't flatter you, which means that I'm no use to you, and I value my self-respect too much to flatter you, which makes me an idiot in your eyes. The rest of s.e.d. has other opinions, some similar to yours, others different.

Big deal.

-- Bill Sloman, Nijmegen

And then they blow it by trying to convince the world that anthropogenic global warming isn't happening - not on their own account but via paid lackeys.

There now. You wouldn't be quite so vociferous about my inadequacies as a persuader if you weren't feeling distinctly embarrassed about the case you've boxed yourself into defending.

I, on the other hand, can sit back and relax, and watch you try and dig yourself out of the hole you've dug yourself into. I'm not the one with the ego problem.

-- Bill Sloman, Nijmegen

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n

However, as we've previously explored, those figures don't apply to you or to me. You're a particularly profligate spend-thrift, an energy wastrel of uncommon distinction, and proud of it. And I use but a small fraction of my share, leaving more for you.

George Monbiot figures that

Wrong. President Foodstamps' Energy Sect'y has said "We need to boost gasoline prices to European levels," which, in essence, means exactly that.

Candidate Foodstamps, running on the Foodstamp platform, said he'd bankrupt coal-fired electrical plants, and that prices would "...necessarily skyrocket." True dat. Coal supplies most of our electricity here in the US, 70% IIRC.

Wrong again. That's the house, not the office. Why heat a whole house when you can heat just the room you're in?

From that same thread: "I just wear a jacket and have a small space heater for the office. I spent $15 on heating last month."

That was a fun thread, wasn't it? "Wait a minute--I'm saving energy and the planet every day, using a tenth what my neighbors do, turning out lights and getting up in the cold, you're the one walking around telling people it's not worth conserving, living large, demanding gov'ts step in force us to do things your way, and I'm the problem?

Thanks Bill, that made my day."

Imagine that--common sense economy, conservation, concern for the planet. It's not a question of cost--I spent more on one ski trip than it costs to heat the house for the winter.

Thanks again Bill, once again you've made me laugh!

-- Cheers, James Arthur

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in

And you think they are from clients? Gullible John Larkin gets suckered again ...

Sounds more like he can't afford properly insulating ski gear.

-- Bill Sloman, Nijmegen

Misquoted, yes? Don't you mean "Q: Why do you rob rich people?"

Problem is, that's not where the money is. Not enough to pay for all this spending, anyhow.

-- Cheers, James Arthur

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n

Right. You can always tell the poor people on the ski slope that way.

(Bill, you're on your game today...I haven't stopped laughing! Thanks again--you've brightened my day. Truly.)

-- Cheers, James Arthur

Well, you do have all day to engage in this sort of stupid sparring. I think I'll design some electronics.

John

You, who do nothing and probably never will, can't stand the idea that other people are doing stuff, designing electronics.

James is also making some interesting LED lighting things on his own account. We have some in our house. Now you'll claim that he's fooled me into imagining the light they provide.

Oh, he has ski pants too, but doesn't wear them above about 20F.

John

Isn't there something kind of pathetic about taking humour at the foibles of the mentally handicapped?

I truly pity him.

Of course, he'll come back with some crack about my drug-addled brain, I'm not capable of thinking clearly, etc. My response will be, "Oh you just hate me because even falling-down drunk, I'm still smarter than you are," but why gloat about being smarter than an oyster?

Thanks, Rich

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Really? You aren't that impressed with any of the things I produced in the past - and I'm sure you'd find some reason to fail to be impressed if I got around to producing something now.

-- Bill Sloman, Nijmegen

I take my grocery bags back to the store - that thin poly is easy to fold up where I can stuff a could of bags in my pocket. Then, at the store, I whip them out proudly, and proclaim, "I'm recycling my bags! Save A Turtle!"

And yes, I really do reuse them, and I really do say that. Sometimes people even chuckle. ;-)

Cheers! Rich

I'm broke, but not proud of being broke because it's my own damn fault, but I am DAMN PROUD to be FREE!

I guess if you've never been in an iron cage against your will you really can't fully appreciate the sweet, sweet nectar of the Freedom to walk out my own front door any time of the day or night that I feel like it.

Thanks, Rich

I recall some numbers of commercial failures. Did any of it actually sell well?

and I'm sure you'd find some reason to fail to be impressed

Try me.

John