Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Libertarianism

While this post by PZ Myers is itself worth reading, the comments section has an excellent discussion of Libertarianism, which, for those of you who don't know, is what well-off white people want, that is, Republicans who want to smoke pot and buy hookers. I really, really, dislike Libertarianism. Not everything it leads to or stands for, but its essence. It is just so inhuman, and amazingly unrealistic. The comments in the linked post do a good job of exposing the buffoonery, but also showing some of the redeeming features of Libertarianism.

Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Tales Of Private Sector Efficiency [UPDATED]

UPDATE: I have been humbled. Although, in my defense, my particular story is not what this is getting at, I still had to append this post because of it.

I work from home, for a Fortune 100 company. I know that because I am reminded of it all the fucking time, not because I give a shit about the Fortune 100. When my home office was set up, the company agreed to subsidize my internet service. That is great, I'm not complaining about that. In order to receive said subsidy, I have to submit a monthly expense report. At this point, it is already stupid, because they know I'm using the internet because I could not possibly work otherwise.

What I used to be able to do, until just now, was submit the expense and call it a recurring allowance, thus obviating the need to document the expense (via a copy of the bill). This makes sense, because it is an allowance, not a reimbursement. It was easy, and took me maybe 5 minutes, once a month, on the company website. Click, click, type, click, submit, done.

Friday, August 19, 2011

Evolution Is A Fact, And A Theory

Neat post explaining the difference between theory and fact, and how evolution is both. Creationism, by the way, is neither.

Thursday, August 18, 2011

Presidential Power

Today's depressing slog through the comments section of PolitFact on facebook raised the issue of Presidential power. As my slogging sapped my energy for blogging, I'll just refer you to a few posts that I found illuminating.

Wednesday, August 17, 2011

MMT vs. Paul Krugman

A very technical, but very informative response to Paul Krugman from one of the leading academics in the field of MMT (Modern Monetary Theory).

Paul, its time to update your textbook

If You Don't Know By Now

It matters who is in the White House. As this post from LG&M indicates, just because Obama can't will Congress to legislate a pony for every homeless child in America, it doesn't mean that the holder of the office of the POTUS is irrelevant. I don't know if anyone who reads this (if anyone there is) would ever, ever vote Republican in this upcoming race, but for the love of all that is holy, PLEASE don't argue that it doesn't matter. Sure, I criticize Obama, because I think it is important to hold him accountable, and to argue for what I think is best. But that doesn't mean I'm stupid enough to think a primary challenge would be a good idea, or that it doesn't matter who wins next year.

Things I Do Not Understand

Well, I suppose that could be the title of this entire blog. But, what I mean is, I hear people argue that the unemployed are lazy, and that they should do more to find work. We shouldn't give them UI benefits (even though it is insurance, not a handout). In thinking about this line of "reasoning," a question came up. Did we suddenly have a massive spike in laziness? Do people understand that when the unemployment rate when up 6% or so, it did not happen because people, en masse, began to think, "Hey, fuck work. I'll live on the dole, because the pay is so great, and I'd rather give up my job, the benefits, the gratification, and just be a bum?"

Tuesday, August 16, 2011

Rick Perry Is Not A Joke

Inspired by a post on facebook, I am lazily linking to a very good, VERY scary post on LG&M, which I urge you to circulate. Bitch all you want about Obama, I know I do, but seriously, we cannot let this man Perry be President.

Thursday, August 4, 2011

Who Knew?

I was surprised to find out that today is Barrack Obama's birthday, because with the way he dealt with the debt ceiling "crisis," I thought he was born yesterday.