News that makes us laugh, cry, or both

[RobbyPants]

Biblical law is straight up horrible. And the new covenant is in its way even more fucked up - in that raping is still not prohibited

Perhaps that's covered by the whole "love your neighbor as yourself" part, unless you like getting raped. Who knows. I agree that old testament biblical law is straight up fucked up, and the new testament is contradictory, at best.

[Maxus]

I'm normally a very laid-back guy. I'm easy-going, tolerant, and basically willing to live and let live. My bosses at work like me because 'good mood' is my ground state of being. Evidently, I'm easier to ask to do something extra than one of the old-timers.

So I'm a nice guy. Normally.

This is a shining example of one of the few things which can regularly move me to want to break things. Or people.

Turns out the Texas Board of Education has decided that...GRAGH I'M SO FUCKING PISSED BY THIS I CAN'T EVEN MAKE A JOKE ABOUT IT.

They've decided to get some new social studies textbooks which, among other things, paint FDR as a liberal commie who nearly destroyed Murrika.

I fucking HATE that. So, evidently, black is white and bad is good and keeping America from going under is a bad thing.

It provokes the exact same emotional response as does Glenn Beck. The other day, he was on TV acting bored and mugging like a 13-year-old girl trying to let her friends know what a loser someone is without saying it--total passive-aggressive transparent BULLSHIT--over an Obama interview.

I had to change the channel. I mean that. I had such an impulse for violence I changed to channel to prevent an almost-certain followup provocation which would have a higher save DC than Glenn Beck's immature, lying, perfidious...

My vocabulary's breaking down.

Let's say I think telling the truth and backing it up with facts should apply to people who claim they're just stating their opinion.

[The Lunatic Fringe]

That was satire (I can't tell if you know that, internet and all). Nevertheless, the bizarre and terrifying nature of the American textbook system and its dependency on Texas is a wrath--inducing subject.

[Maxus]

That was satire (I can't tell if you know that, internet and all). Nevertheless, the bizarre and terrifying nature of the American textbook system and its dependency on Texas is a wrath--inducing subject.

Looking on it, I remember thinking it. But my nerdrage short-circuited my memory once I got going. And satire or not, Texas is looking to Conservapedia the textbooks.

The principle's still the same. I sometimes have an urge to make sure I'm holding a club--possibly with a nail in it--if I ever meet Glenn Beck. Or whatsisname that started Conservapedia.

I think there was a Pratchett quote applicable... "The enemy is the malign, the close-minded, those who would do a bad thing and call it good."

Something like that.

How can these fuckers be beaten?

[Kaelik]

Well the part about McCarthyism/Strong Christianity of the Founding Fathers isn't satire it actually fucking happened in this stupid fucked up state.

[The Lunatic Fringe]

How can these fuckers be beaten?

Aldo Leopold, a prominent 20th century environmentalist writer, conceptualized the "land ethic" - the inclusion of nature in our ethical system - as the best and most lasting fashion in which to promote environmentalism. I do not fully agree, as I believe that such a cultural change would be an unwieldy, unreasonable, and overly blunt tool, but the role of culture and education in effecting societal change cannot be denied.

So, what we have to do to "win" in any real fashion is to do what "these fuckers" have been doing for the last thirty years - create a new culture, a new framework in which people understand the world. We've done this before - look at the swiftness with which racism has declined since 50 years ago, and the manner in which homophobia is now disappearing in cities (though much work remains to be done). In short, we need to be as unreasonable as the Texas school board, but in reverse.

Unreasonable. Being fanatical or extreme in one's views tends to make us lefty types cringe slightly. After all, we are educated, intelligent people! We favor models that make use of systemic causation! We launch into detailed - but true - explanations to refute our opponents' strongly declared points! In a carefully moderated debate judged by a panel of intelligent, open-minded people, we would totally win!

But we are not having that debate, and we need to realize that no matter how many times we come up with the correct answer, it will be lost in the maelstrom of societal opinion as long as we fail to achieve cultural change. You can look at the history of the twentieth century to see the correct path; when have we come close to victory? When have we shaken things up? When we are extreme, when we are angry. When have we failed? When we move slowly. When we start out open to compromise.

There is this strange vein of thought running through just about everyone. It is called the "Golden Mean Fallacy", and it basically means that people tend to assume, when faced with two opposing viewpoints, to pick a middle road. This can actually be very reasonable; when faced with two bickering friends, picking sides is unlikely to resolves much. Also, extremists can be really unpleasant - compare a fundamentalist suicide bomber to Amir from accounting. Centrism is pretty natural.

However, policy is not like your arguing friends. Policy is like an ice cream maker - you don't get points for making ice cream that is half delicious, and you don't do society any favors by supporting a policy other than the correct one. The golden mean, when applied to politics, fails miserably to provide its users with a valid opinion.

This is a basic fact of society, and it leads us to the following conclusion: We need to shift the center of our political culture further to the left, and that can be done by moving, ourselves, farther to the left. We need to stop accepting conservative or centrist views of everything. We need to stop thinking that we should be fair to the conservatives when making educational plans. We need to stop saying that soldiers are deserving of some special sort of honor. We need to stop thinking that it is radical to be a socialist. We need to stop thinking that the constitution is anything other than "pretty reasonable for its time". We need to be more like the Lunatic Fringe.

[Data Vampire]

IRS Agents Visit Sacramento Car Wash To Demand 4 Cents

[violence in the media]

TLF, that brought a smile to my face and brightened my morning. Thanks.

[mean_liar]

How can these fuckers be beaten?

So, what we have to do to "win" in any real fashion is to do what "these fuckers" have been doing for the last thirty years - create a new culture, a new framework in which people understand the world. ...In short, we need to be as unreasonable as the Texas school board, but in reverse.

Well, I'd certainly agree that impassioned reasoning doesn't seem to be gaining much headway in these parts as of late.

Thank goodness we're allowed to emigrate from the US. At this point in my life I feel like I'm only hanging around here to pay no taxes and then bail when it's getting close to retirement time.

[The Lunatic Fringe]

Well, I'd certainly agree that impassioned reasoning doesn't seem to be gaining much headway in these parts as of late.

Or ever. Conservatism provides simple, easy answers (centrism provides even simpler ones: "extremists are bad, and good is defined as not being an extremist") because it tends to make us of Direct Causation in explaining societal phenomena. "Crimes happen because of criminals, who are bad people". That's short, it's easy, it doesn't require a lot of thought, and it fits with our cultural view of criminality. Citing criminological studies takes a whole lot of work, is long, is complex, and forces us to think of bullies as victims in their own right. That's not going to win us any converts who wouldn't have shown up on our doorsteps anyways.

Edit: Er, I thought you wrote "dispassionate" rather than "impassioned".

Thank goodness we're allowed to emigrate from the US. At this point in my life I feel like I'm only hanging around here to pay no taxes and then bail when it's getting close to retirement time.

No. The United States is too important to abandon it for the other side. We can't take our toy and go home.

What you should do, if you care enough, is volunteer. Seriously. the conservatives have a whole army of phone staffers and other such types hanging around in churches around the country (and I do mean the country). They are much better organized than we, and that means that they get to effect societal changes, while we get to bitch on the internet.

[Crissa]

I'd be surprised if those really were IRS agents. Admittedly, the nearest IRS office is in Sacramento, so the drive wasn't far. But that columnist has been caught not actually investigating before. Once-source stories are tough to prove...

-Crissa

[mean_liar]

No. The United States is too important to abandon it for the other side. We can't take our toy and go home.

You absolutely can take your toy and go home. All the wonderful reasons why the vast majority of my family tree came to America from abroad are the same reasons why I can and should leave it.

[The Lunatic Fringe]

No. The United States is too important to abandon it for the other side. We can't take our toy and go home.

You absolutely can take your toy and go home. All the wonderful reasons why the vast majority of my family tree came to America from abroad are the same reasons why I can and should leave it.

If you leave, your ability to affect American policy is curtailed severely. Unless you can somehow ensure that the US will cease to be a world power, or that it will be run properly, leaving for greener fields is profoundly irresponsible. We have nuclear weapons. Would you prefer to leave these in the hands of people who think that nuking Iran is a reasonable thing to do?

Full Disclosure: I have often considered leaving the country. It is a very reasonable thought to have.

Edit: I agree with Crissa. The only evidence we have that the IRS is being unreasonable is the word of the car wash owner. Since the IRS is unable to release their accounting to the public (according to the spokesperson), he can say whatever he wants and never be challenged.

[CatharzGodfoot]

...the IRS is unable to release their accounting to the public (according to the spokesperson)...

Heh.

[Crissa]

Well, an IRS form would be pretty good second proof.

...Oh! How about some photos from some 'ruined' proms that should have been cancelled, per the earlier conversation.

Also, candidate for Senate, J.D. Hayworth (R-AZ) said, "[T]he Massachusetts Supreme Court, when it started this move toward same-sex marriage, actually defined marriage -- now get this -- it defined marriage as simply, 'the establishment of intimacy.'" Rachel Maddow confronted him on where this quote was from... As she couldn't find reference to it anywhere. And neither could he. so he agreed to disagree with empirical evidence.

-Crissa

[Maj]

So, what we have to do to "win" in any real fashion is to do what "these fuckers" have been doing for the last thirty years - create a new culture, a new framework in which people understand the world. We've done this before - look at the swiftness with which racism has declined since 50 years ago, and the manner in which homophobia is now disappearing in cities (though much work remains to be done). In short, we need to be as unreasonable as the Texas school board, but in reverse.

I think as part of our education system, when kids are about 14 or 15, we need to ship them overseas for a month rather than require they attend school. So, after junior high/middle school "graduation," they take a year off, travel a little (I think a month long trip would be cheaper than a school year) to a couple of places where life is drastically different, then come back and make their decision about what sort of track to follow in high school.

No one will ever go for that, but I think that getting out of the country and seeing life elsewhere (and meeting all types of new and different people and customs) is probably a lot more valuable than eighth grade.

Also, candidate for Senate, J.D. Hayworth (R-AZ) said, "[T]he Massachusetts Supreme Court, when it started this move toward same-sex marriage, actually defined marriage -- now get this -- it defined marriage as simply, 'the establishment of intimacy.'" Rachel Maddow confronted him on where this quote was from... As she couldn't find reference to it anywhere. And neither could he. so he agreed to disagree with empirical evidence.

You know, the more I watch conservative figures on TV, the more they seem to just be pre-recorded clips that are played back on the appropriate cue. They don't even seem to be real people. It's like chatting with Eliza T. Bender.

[The Lunatic Fringe]

So, what we have to do to "win" in any real fashion is to do what "these fuckers" have been doing for the last thirty years - create a new culture, a new framework in which people understand the world. We've done this before - look at the swiftness with which racism has declined since 50 years ago, and the manner in which homophobia is now disappearing in cities (though much work remains to be done). In short, we need to be as unreasonable as the Texas school board, but in reverse.

I think as part of our education system, when kids are about 14 or 15, we need to ship them overseas for a month rather than require they attend school. So, after junior high/middle school "graduation," they take a year off, travel a little (I think a month long trip would be cheaper than a school year) to a couple of places where life is drastically different, then come back and make their decision about what sort of track to follow in high school.

No one will ever go for that, but I think that getting out of the country and seeing life elsewhere (and meeting all types of new and different people and customs) is probably a lot more valuable than eighth grade.

No reason for "or". I spent my eighth grade social studies class learning about Viet Nam. Then went there for 3 1/2 weeks. It worked out.

But then again, I think that education and facilitation of education should be the top spending priority. So my views of what are acceptable expenditures probably differ from yours.

@Catharz: The IRS really is unable to disclose most of its info. Can you imagine if just anyone could go snooping around our financial data?

[Maj]

No reason for "or". I spent my eighth grade social studies class learning about Viet Nam. Then went there for 3 1/2 weeks. It worked out.

But then again, I think that education and facilitation of education should be the top spending priority. So my views of what are acceptable expenditures probably differ from yours.

I agree that education should be #1, so you really won't get any argument from me as to a year of school and then a trip (I went to Kenya at that age and it was a truly life-changing experience). But for all those budget-savvy congress people who don't like to pass measures unless it looks stunningly awesome on paper, I'd totally settle for taking the money that would be spent on a year of school and shipping kids off around the world instead.

[CatharzGodfoot]

@Catharz: The IRS really is unable to disclose most of its info. Can you imagine if just anyone could go snooping around our financial data?

Yes.

[The Lunatic Fringe]

@Catharz: The IRS really is unable to disclose most of its info. Can you imagine if just anyone could go snooping around our financial data?

Yes.

Ah. I misunderstood you.

[Prak]

The gay chicks, oh, and those thousands of other students, get their prom, after all.

It's nice to know that someone in miss. doesn't have their head completely up their ass....

[Data Vampire]

Survey Reveals Potential Impact of Health Reform on Physician Supply

[Koumei]

I have to be missing something here. Why would so many physicians quit/retire if there was a public option? It couldn't possibly be "More people will be able to afford seeing doctors, so more people will do so, so we'll have to do more work (if you're already fully booked, more on the waiting list don't change that. If you're not, then I'm sure other people don't quit over having to actually do a full day's work every workday)", so what am I not seeing?

[ckafrica]

Jurors convict member of Texas polygamist group of child sexual assault At least those rednecks can do something right. Australian Senate rejects call for parliamentary inquiry into Church of Scientologytoo bad these rednecks can't.

[RobbyPants]

Survey Reveals Potential Impact of Health Reform on Physician Supply

Some of the numbers seem dubious:

In a physician survey conducted December 2009 by The Medicus Firm, a national physician search firm, 24.7% of physicians stated that they would "retire early" if a public option is implemented, and an additional 21.0% of respondents stated that they would quit practicing medicine, even though they are nowhere near retirement. This brings the amount of physicians who would leave medicine to a total of 45.7%.

It looks like their total of 45.7% is just them adding 24.7% to 21.0%.

That first number only applies to people near the age of retirement. So the only way that we'd lose 45.7% up front is if the only people who answered yes to "retire early" were near retirement age in the first place. If some 30-year-old said yes, he'd probably keep working for 20 years.


Also, this doesn't take into account up and coming physicians. I mean, really, when you think about it 100% of all physicians will leave the field when they retire or die some day. We don't care because new people replace them. This just looks like a knee-jerk reaction to me of people not liking talk of things changing. If this change gets put into effect, it's not like people going through school are going to decide never to get into medicine anymore.