I'm really not the political junkie I once was, and have definitely cooled on Rombama. If she wrote something like "funding teacher training programs for fiscal 2010 will cost $7.3 million" I don't have a problem; if she wrote "healthcare" SHE has a problem (maybe her teachers needed more federal funding.
)

It was fairly short, nobody seems to know what it said yet. It's very clear as writing on the video but I guess VHS recordings from 1990 aren't easily enhanced. For all I know, it might have said 'Hi Mom' or "Take Mittens to Vet", not long enough to be a cheat sheet. Your objections may differ from the norm on this one, my point primarily being that writing on your hand is not in of itself an indicator of stupidity or dishonesty... after that it's really an "eye of the beholder" situation.
I favor shotguns, preferably pumps sawed off with pistol grips, remember? Not much more than a handgun, but unless you routinely wear a trenchcoat (which draws the eye these days... ) not too concealable. Bottom line, I don't mind you having a gun as long as I KNOW you have it; that people want to hide it makes me very insistently ask, "Why...?" Far as that goes, you can carry a .357 and I'm fine with it--as long as it's on your hip, not in your pants. I don't dispute your right to bear arms, but I don't think expecting to KNOW you're doing it infringes on that right.
Yes, not a pistol grip on shotgun fan, I think I mentioned as much when we were previously going over this sometime last year. I don't really have a problem with concealed weapons where the motivaiton is simply to be able to carry a gun without having gawkers everywhere you go. Of course, I'm used to carrying an assault rifle everywhere I go and it being 'normal' and my mental attitude towards pistols tends to be 'ah, well, blatantly inferior but probably not so ackward'. I don't object to conceal bans, but I don't consider them especially useful either, I agree it doesn't fundamentally violate the 2nd amendment to have laws about concealment. I don't really favor those laws, but it's a local issue IMO - note that I may not be especially representative of 2nd amendment sorts on that though. I wouldn't want the penalty to be especially big either, if you have a permit or your area doesn't require one, and you move and get frisked, I think'$100 fine' is appropriate, not 2 years in prison.
I deeply dislike being told I can't vote for someone. Even Reagan, though without term limits he probably dies in office.
I think he'd have stepped down. Now, let me emphasize, I don't believe term limits are built into the constitution (with the obvious exception) so my attitude is that every state should decide. I think if Colorado wants to pass a law saying their senators can only be around for 3 terms, well, that seems fair, if they want term limits on their governors, that seems fair. There really is no pre-eminent right to vote for whoever you wnat in elections, since there are already rules controlling a candidates age, country of origin, etc. For POTUS, well, I tihnk what FDR did was wrong, I think Washingston was very right to establish that precedent, remove it, both as a rule and a tradition, and we will get president's serving for life. You'll always get a certian segment that will resist a change under the 'devil you know' principal.
Probably; the governments purpose is service, not profit. Note that the opposite is true of private industry. 

Of course the service industries would probably point out to you that the two are the same. Trust is practically a marketable quantity. I'd say you're more like to get good service and a profit on the private end then you are to get good service and low cost on the public end. Scoundrels not invcluded, but I don't think there are really that many scoundrels and they end up in both areas anywya.
There's really only one logical explanation I can find: Employees Perry and Cintra have in common.
Well, that's always an area to look at for corruption, but as an example, a lot of military contractors are stacked for of ex-soldiers, and on the other end of that, a lot of their higher ups end up in positions of gov't power on the military. Sometimes that just a matter of common association and passion, people often mistake that for corruption, when that's usually on a small minority of the cases. Not saying something isn't up there at Cintra, just playing devil's advocate on it.
*nods* I can understand it if done right, even if I don't really agree. You get it back at the gas pump, I reckon.
More or less, realistically the higher speeds people travel on them at is probably using more fuel than medium-heavy traffic occasional braking does. The faster you're going, the more energy you lose to air resistance per distance. So I wouldn't say you really save at the pump, but certainly you do in time. And of course avoiding those toll roads to take back country roads will involve some winding, probably equalling out or exceeding what you burn on the freeway. HArd to say, but in theory, yeah. The gas taxes are supposed to pay for the roads, so the tolls save people who don't benefit from those roads a fair amount of money, and toll roads aren't evenly distributed like normal roads are.
Well, pandemics are a little different; presumably if martial law was declared compulsory vaccination is as much on the table as "you loot, we shoot. "
Agreed. Still, we have a number of things that we could do a better job at there if we had a bit more control. i.e. Not forcibly making everyone take HIV tests but making them free and issuing people 'clean cards'. A lot of people wouldn't do it, but in the more promiscous sectors (for fun or profit) you might see people saying 'Wait, you got your card?' and infection rates might drop significantly. That sort of thing doesn't trample on anyone's right or represent an objectionable public expenditure, though now that I think on it, that particular example probably would tick off the 'increased safety breeds bad behavior' crowd too. But that's just a random example that comes to mind, I tend to feel a mixture of shame and embarrassment combined with a free lollipop is a good way to influence behavior.
Yeah, I'm pretty sure teenagers got each other pregnant before compulsory education, so I don't think vouchers and the like will fix that.
Just like I don't think mom and dad will be too great at teaching the kid they had at 16 how NOT to get pregnant. We're not going to stop teen pregnancy by just saying, "DON'T HAVE SEX111" and isolating the genders. We're going to have to accept the, er, "facts of life" that very few HS graduates are virgins, and do something about the potential consequences of that. Something that leaves them with better data than "if you drink a Coke with cigarette ash in it you won't get pregnant. " To cite yet another of the absurdities passed around my HS like it came from C. Everett Coop.

Well, I meant vouchers that applied to private schools fix a lot of the objections... I want evolution to be teachable in schools and sex ed too, but I don't like fighting battles with people who have legitimate objections. Handing someone vouchers says "You don't like it, send your kid to X, they don't teach it there" and that sort of thing diffueses it. This is how I meant vouchers tend to solve most of these problems. People who object to sex ed and those who don't but support them, well, the latter will desert when ther former has an option around it, and most of them will grow less strident on the matter. There objection is basically 'not my kids' as opposed to 'no one's kids'
Indeed, we're talking about oversights that can cause permanent injury, disability or even death. That's in a very different arena than some idiot that doesn't know up from down on his coffee cup. What's the line? "I'm not saying we should execute stupid people, I'm just saying remove all the warning labels and it's a self correcting problem. "
If you want to restrict the grounds for a suit (within reason) that's one thing, but if a jury of peers says that 40 year old father of fives life was worth $7.3 million to his family, I'm not going to argue with them. Saying some evil trial lawyer conned them into it is really just saying a TEAM of evil trial lawyers couldn't con them out of it.

Yes, I had a survey with something like that I posted a few days back. Removing warning labels isn't going to fix stupid people via darwinian removal, they are unlikely to know how to read them

I want to emphasize on tort reform, we're not talking about setting draconian limits, we just want limits. I think 7 mill might be a bit high for a 40 year old, but it's not ridiculous. If you think the average award should be maybe 2 mill, then a cap at 10 mill seems fair. Personally, having that sort of subconscious ire that comes from knowing my life was worth exactly 500k to my family (which actually seems quite fair, generous even) I have difficulty thinking wrongful death should ever be paying out much more than a million, if the guys ultimate earnings would have been more than that, well, his survivors should already consider themselves pretty blessed.
Well, I actually heard today that Perrys showing a big lead in primary polling, which floors me. I might actually have to think if it was Kay vs. Houston Mayor Bill White, because he's the guy who introduced the red light cams that have become ubiquitous across TX. I think he owes me a new set of tires.
If Kay doesn't get nominated, well, my favorite candidate is anyone who can beat Rick Perry, or something like that. I'm a little sick of Governor Puppet, though at this point I can't even blame his failings on orders from Bush. He's worse than Bush, and I didn't think that possible.

I still like Bush. Anyway, Kay or Rick, I'd imagine they'll win by a decent margin, I'm not surprised he's leading, like I said, nobody in the party hates Hutchinson, but she's not been to good about toeing the line, and while we don't go around punishing them for that, we don't really like to reward that kind of behavior either, especially when intregity in the party is all that's keeping the opposition form having it's way, so anyone with a rep for 'doing there own thing' justified or not, is going to be viewed with even more dislike than normal. When you're 60-40 or 59-41 in the senate, and that's the best situation you have in either place, well, you don't view Snowe's, Anthony Kennedy's, etc with much enthusiasm.
The intuitive mind is a sacred gift and the rational mind is a faithful servant. We have created a society that honors the servant and has forgotten the gift.
- Albert Einstein
King of Cairhien 20-7-2
Chancellor of the Landsraad, Archduke of Is'Mod
- Albert Einstein
King of Cairhien 20-7-2
Chancellor of the Landsraad, Archduke of Is'Mod
Palin reads Cheat Notes.
08/02/2010 12:43:02 AM
- 1423 Views
Is it really worse than reading answers on a teleprompter? sorry, I see no big deal here. *NM*
08/02/2010 01:02:49 AM
- 251 Views
yes yes it is. a teleprompter is subtle
08/02/2010 01:22:17 AM
- 591 Views
a teleprompter is not subtle
08/02/2010 02:25:46 PM
- 520 Views
staring openly and blatantly at your hand is? *NM*
08/02/2010 03:09:25 PM
- 321 Views
I think if anyone else had done the dame thing we wouldn't even had heard about
08/02/2010 06:13:44 PM
- 522 Views
Yes for what the notes were
08/02/2010 12:44:35 PM
- 555 Views
he is calling her content free while attacking her in such a content free manner?
08/02/2010 02:50:04 PM
- 550 Views
It's good the media still hounds her. I don't want her to be a candidate. *NM*
08/02/2010 01:20:21 AM
- 281 Views
This only obscures the rational reasons for duly decrying her political popularity. Moooooooo. *NM*
08/02/2010 03:19:45 AM
- 324 Views
I disagree, I think it underscores it.
08/02/2010 03:39:57 AM
- 523 Views
Or they might believe that a far left liberal
08/02/2010 04:16:51 AM
- 540 Views
Calling someone who needs a cheat sheet for their talking points stupid isn't an ad hominem, IMHO.
08/02/2010 12:13:36 PM
- 535 Views
soory but your wrong, again
08/02/2010 02:23:31 PM
- 495 Views
You shouldn't need reminders of your major themes after two years pushing them.
08/02/2010 02:55:22 PM
- 526 Views
I used to work in a call center and had a note to remind me to talk slower
08/02/2010 05:54:25 PM
- 650 Views
I don't hate her, and I think most liberals love her.
09/02/2010 10:45:25 AM
- 647 Views
way to play the pregant daughter card
09/02/2010 03:06:37 PM
- 555 Views
*shrugs* If you're going to suggest sex ed is harmful, unnecessary and promotes promiscuity...
10/02/2010 08:34:16 AM
- 622 Views
so if you don't support the liberal agenda your family is fair game for attack? nice to you admit it
10/02/2010 06:26:30 PM
- 554 Views
Um, no, if you're going to demand everyone follow your advice it better not be disastrous for you.
11/02/2010 05:29:01 AM
- 541 Views
Do you have anb example of when she demanded everyone follow her advice?
11/02/2010 05:33:17 AM
- 591 Views
Honestly, her sex ed position seems so muddled to me it's hard to say
11/02/2010 06:50:39 AM
- 745 Views
That's a bit silly
08/02/2010 08:40:25 PM
- 689 Views
I'm perfectly happy to discuss her positions; I just think Huckabee does a better job of it.
09/02/2010 10:26:54 AM
- 708 Views
Well, let's discuss some of these points
09/02/2010 07:13:33 PM
- 714 Views
Re: Well, let's discuss some of these points
10/02/2010 09:15:04 AM
- 746 Views
Re: Well, let's discuss some of these points
10/02/2010 06:49:51 PM
- 812 Views
Ironically, Palin seems to agree this is different than using a teleprompter for a speech.
11/02/2010 09:05:19 AM
- 707 Views
Again, two seperate things
11/02/2010 09:51:15 PM
- 523 Views
Agreed, but Palin and other Republicans, not I, drew the comparison.
15/02/2010 01:02:25 PM
- 672 Views
Just to get the obligatory Feinstein comment out of the way...
15/02/2010 11:43:42 PM
- 734 Views
Hadn't heard, actually.
19/02/2010 06:58:50 AM
- 649 Views
Re: Hadn't heard, actually.
19/02/2010 08:32:11 AM
- 647 Views
Ah.
23/02/2010 09:55:45 PM
- 723 Views
Re: Ah.
24/02/2010 01:32:34 AM
- 671 Views
Yeah, I think we've reached an understanding if not agreement.
01/03/2010 03:51:49 AM
- 665 Views
Re: Yeah, I think we've reached an understanding if not agreement.
01/03/2010 11:46:24 PM
- 879 Views
Re: Yeah, I think we've reached an understanding if not agreement.
05/03/2010 12:11:48 AM
- 754 Views
Random Title
05/03/2010 02:49:59 AM
- 681 Views
Re: Random Title
15/03/2010 05:37:22 AM
- 597 Views
Re: Random Title
15/03/2010 09:17:53 PM
- 912 Views
I disagree. For all we know she has a learning disability. "Disability" does not equal "stupid".
09/02/2010 03:23:24 PM
- 608 Views
A possibility I hadn't considered, true, and sorry if I gave offense.
10/02/2010 08:25:52 AM
- 736 Views
oh yes, and the right never uses ad hominem
08/02/2010 03:56:42 PM
- 490 Views
I do see as the primary focus like I see from the left these days *NM*
08/02/2010 06:15:22 PM
- 336 Views
could you rephrase? you seem to be missing a noun or something in there. *NM*
08/02/2010 07:57:19 PM
- 282 Views
misisng a couple actually
08/02/2010 08:04:35 PM
- 519 Views
Touch typing is easier, at least to learn, if you don't try to read it at the same time, FYI.
10/02/2010 09:24:33 AM
- 574 Views

Really how many times can you rememeber a Bush press sec openly ridicule people in a press confrence
10/02/2010 06:28:57 PM
- 464 Views
Good point; all they used to do was have the VP say opponents helped terrorists.
11/02/2010 05:33:08 AM
- 514 Views
one is about actions ands the other is about personal attacks
05/03/2010 02:19:38 PM
- 479 Views
True, one is about what Palin DID and the other is just characterizing opposition as treason.
15/03/2010 04:39:45 AM
- 495 Views
This is petty and also rather ignorant
08/02/2010 03:59:40 AM
- 686 Views
so you're saying you're as dumb as sarah palin?
08/02/2010 10:55:00 AM
- 501 Views

In other news liberals can't get over someone being popular they don't agree with
08/02/2010 04:12:19 AM
- 662 Views
It's completely unprofessional
08/02/2010 08:27:47 AM
- 520 Views
yeah, she should have had them inscribed into her nail polish instead...
08/02/2010 10:55:43 AM
- 495 Views
why?
08/02/2010 02:29:44 PM
- 544 Views
You know that's a good question
08/02/2010 05:19:10 PM
- 506 Views
maybe you are just projecting
08/02/2010 06:15:57 PM
- 510 Views
well what is the association we have with notes on hands?
08/02/2010 07:58:41 PM
- 536 Views
or people on the far left are being grossly disingenuous
08/02/2010 08:18:06 PM
- 648 Views
dude, only posted it because it was funny
08/02/2010 08:43:55 PM
- 504 Views
so you like to point at people and laugh and can't understand why others would object
08/02/2010 11:24:37 PM
- 589 Views
Who cares? She's hot. *NM*
08/02/2010 03:06:58 PM
- 245 Views
Much ado about nothing. She was just making sure she didn't forget anything.
09/02/2010 02:00:56 AM
- 487 Views
I don't like the woman at all, but this is just silly. Who cares? *NM*
11/02/2010 10:11:17 PM
- 247 Views