Clipmarks | strider72's clips

The allure of liberalism

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 18:04:53 GMT

clipped by: strider72
clipper's remarks: Read the whole article!

The allure of New Deal liberalism does not lie in collective economics – most voters are not eager to view themselves as living off the government dole. The allure lies within collective morality. People love the idea of buying a slice of high-flying, big-spending government virtue for the low, low price of one little vote. After they cast that vote, they can go home and relax in front of the TV, while the latest out-of-control progressive spending program is quietly extracted from their paycheck… and their employers’ bank account. For many voters, the punitive class warfare of liberal politics is one of its benefits, not part of its cost.

Tags: politics, democrats, liberalism, socialism

Overheard in comments

Fri, 09 Oct 2009 22:28:21 GMT

clipped by: strider72
clipper's remarks: As an atheist, this amused me.

Clip Source: munchkinwrangler.wordpress.com

Amen, Marko!
(or whatever the atheist equivalent is)

“By the power of Grayskull.”

(Some atheists prefer “Wonder Twin powers, activate”, but we consider them heretics.)

Tags: humor, religion, atheism

Quote of the Year

Tue, 06 Oct 2009 19:21:19 GMT

clipped by: strider72
clipper's remarks: in 1,000 words or less....

Clip Source: smallestminority.blogspot.com

Tags: politics

America's Terrible Health Care System

Tue, 08 Sep 2009 15:40:47 GMT

clipped by: strider72
clipper's remarks: Yes, it seems that our health care system is not very good at preventing murders.

Clip Source: www.reason.com

In their 2006 book, The Business of Health, economists Robert L. Ohsfeldt and John E. Schneider set out to determine where the U.S. would rank in life span among developed nations if homicides and accidents are factored out. Their answer? First place.

Tags: politics, health care, obama, obamacare

Compact Flourescents are not equal

Mon, 31 Aug 2009 16:59:59 GMT

clipped by: strider72
clipper's remarks: Now that countries are banning traditional lightbulbs, they're discovering that the replacement is not up to the task.

Clip Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Buyers of the main type of energy-saving bulb, compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs), are told on the packaging that they shine as brightly as an old-fashioned bulb. For example, an 11W CFL is labelled as being the equivalent of a 60W incandescent bulb.

We found that under normal household conditions, using a single lamp to light a room, an 11W low-energy CFL produced only 58 per cent of the illumination of an "equivalent" 60W bulb – even after a 10-minute "warm-up".

a reading was taken in lux, a measure of illumination.

Traditional incandescent:

Osram 60W (700 lumens) – 126 lux

Philips 60 W (700 lumens) -114 lux

Tesco 60W (700 lumens) – 122 lux

Maxim Pearl 60W pearled (no lumen info) – 101 lux

Energy Saving (all claim to be equivalent to 60W):

Philips 12W T60 Softone (610 lumens) – 77 lux

Southern Electric/GE 11W (610 lumens) – 79 lux

Tesco Greener living stick 11W (640 lumens) – 70 lux

Eveready Energy Saver 11W (no lumen info) – 60 lux

Osram Duluxstar 11W (600 lumens) – 67 lux

Tags: energy, economy, science, consumer, lighting, politics

Orwellian "Choices" and Socialised Medicine

Fri, 17 Jul 2009 13:39:54 GMT

clipped by: strider72
clipper's remarks: It's not "optional" if all other choices are outlawed.

Clip Source: www.ibdeditorials.com

It didn't take long to run into an "uh-oh" moment when reading the House's "health care for all Americans" bill. Right there on Page 16 is a provision making individual private medical insurance illegal.

When we first saw the paragraph Tuesday, just after the 1,018-page document was released, we thought we surely must be misreading it.

The provision would indeed outlaw individual private coverage. Under the Orwellian header of "Protecting The Choice To Keep Current Coverage," the "Limitation On New Enrollment" section of the bill clearly states:

"Except as provided in this paragraph, the individual health insurance issuer offering such coverage does not enroll any individual in such coverage if the first effective date of coverage is on or after the first day" of the year the legislation becomes law.

the bill itself will kill the market for private individual coverage by not letting any new policies be written after the public option becomes law.

Tags: politics, heathcare, obamacare

The Other Hispanic Nominee

Fri, 17 Jul 2009 13:32:39 GMT

clipped by: strider72
clipper's remarks: We keep hearing about how Sotomayor is the first Hispanic nominated for the SCOTUS. That's only because Democrats didn't allow another judge anywhere near the position....

Clip Source: www.humanevents.com

Every time a Democrat senator has talked during the Senate hearings on Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor this week,

Democrats revel in telling us what a racist country this is.

Their examples did not include Miguel Estrada

who was blocked from an appellate court judgeship by Senate Democrats expressly on the grounds that he is a Hispanic

in 2003, Estrada was blocked "by an extraordinary filibuster mounted by Senate Democrats" -- as The New York Times put it.

Memos from the Democratic staff of the Judiciary Committee were later unearthed, revealing that they considered Estrada "especially dangerous" -- as stated in a memo by a Sen. Dick Durbin staffer -- because "he is Latino and the White House seems to be grooming him for a Supreme Court appointment."

In frustration, Estrada finally withdrew his name on Sept. 5, 2003.

Tags: politics, sonia sotomayor, miguel estrada, supreme court, racism, democrats

Ten Commandments for Liberals Who Want To Argue Politics

Mon, 13 Jul 2009 17:50:14 GMT

clipped by: strider72
clipper's remarks: Note: These are the rules they **should** follow, not the rules they **do** follow.

Follow the link for the whole thing.

Clip Source: www.peekinthewell.net

Ten Commandments For Liberals Who Want to Argue About Politics

IN, or OUT. Your preference is to argue politics, or not to. One or the other

2. You get to change your mind later if you’re out and then want in. But not vice-versa.

7. You’ve got some facts on your side; your “opponent” might have some on his side. Don’t be too surprised when he gives you some.

If you find some facts agreeable and others less so, even though they’re all verifiable

This selective sensitivity of yours is your problem. Yours. Not his. Yours.

8. Of course you think the world is a better place if & when your ideas prevail. Just remember, if you think the ends justify the means in whatever you’re saying or doing — your noble goals have metastasized into something that isn’t good

You are heading down a steep, slippery road to a very dark place.

9. If you really want a civil discourse, stay away from the “the other guy did it too” defense. That isn’t a valid defense and you know it.

Tags: politics, argument, logic, liberals, progressives, democrats, rules

One (Cl)ass Act

Mon, 13 Jul 2009 17:35:44 GMT

clipped by: strider72
clipper's remarks: Isn't that Michelle standing *right behind him*? Nice.

Clip Source: www.ilgiornale.it

Tags: politics, obama, men, women

Lies, Damned Lies, and Health Care

Tue, 07 Jul 2009 21:41:51 GMT

clipped by: strider72
clipper's remarks: It's amazing what you can come up with when you mess with the numbers enough.

Clip Source: www.ibdeditorials.com

Infant mortality rates are often cited as a reason socialized medicine and a single-payer system is supposed to be better than what we have here.

these comparisons are bogus.

in the U.S., low birth-weight babies are still babies. In Canada, Germany and Austria, a premature baby weighing less than 500 grams is not considered a living child and is not counted in such statistics. They're considered "unsalvageable" and therefore never alive.

Norway boasts one of the lowest infant mortality rates in the world — until you factor in weight at birth, and then its rate is no better than in the U.S.

In other countries babies that survive less than 24 hours are also excluded and are classified as "stillborn." In the U.S. any infant that shows any sign of life for any length of time is considered a live birth.

A child born in Hong Kong or Japan that lives less than a day is reported as a "miscarriage" and not counted.

In Switzerland

not counted as a baby if it is less than 30 centimeters in length.

Tags: politics, socialism, health care, statistics, single-payer system

USA Gun Deaths

Fri, 29 May 2009 19:24:25 GMT

clipped by: strider72

Clip Source: smallestminority.blogspot.com

Yes, we have a high homicide rate involving firearms for an industrialized nation, but we rank 24th in the world for homicide, far behind Mexico, Columbia, South Africa, and Venezuela - countries not known for their lax gun-control laws. And our homicide epidemic is heavily concentrated in a tiny, easily identifiable demographic: young, black, urban males. In 2006 (latest data available from the CDC) there were 18,573 deaths recorded as violent homicides. Of those victims, 7,611 or 41% were black males. Of those, 5,589 were under the age of 35. Black men under 35 are just 3.7% of the population of the country, but they provided 30% of the victims of violent homicide in 2006.

You want to do something about the number of deaths in this country? Stop trying to blame the guns, and start addressing the cultural problems that lead young black men to kill and get killed at a rate eight times greater than the rest of the population.

"gun control" is what you do instead of something.

Tags: guns, law, gun control, statistics, united states

RIP Free Markets

Wed, 06 May 2009 22:51:03 GMT

clipped by: strider72
clipper's remarks: There's a word for when government takes control of formerly private industry.....

Clip Source: www.businessinsider.com

Creditors to Chrysler describe negotiations with the company and the Obama administration as "a farce," saying the administration was bent on forcing their hands using hardball tactics and threats.

The sources, who represent creditors to Chrysler, say they were taken aback by the hardball tactics that the Obama administration employed to cajole them into acquiescing to plans to restructure Chrysler. One person described the administration as the most shocking "end justifies the means" group they have ever encountered. Another characterized Obama was "the most dangerous smooth talker on the planet- and I knew Kissinger." Both were voters for Obama in the last election.

it was convinced to support the plan by this stark drawing of a line between firms that have the president's backing and those that did not. They didn't want to be on the wrong side of Obama. Privately, administration officials have expressed confidence that other firms will switch sides for this reason.

Tags: politics, communism, socialism, intimidation, barack obama

The paranoia of leftist thought

Wed, 06 May 2009 19:49:13 GMT

clipped by: strider72
clipper's remarks: This is a great article. Read The Whole Thing

Clip Source: drsanity.blogspot.com

neo-Marxist logic goes like this:

Are you poor? Someone must have robbed you of what you are entitled to!

Are you angry and experiencing hatred, but like to think of yourself as a loving, compassionate sort of person? Then the object of your hatred magically becomes the one who hates...you!

Is your genius not universally recognized? You must have powerful enemies that prevent you from achieving the success you know should be yours.

Have you made mistakes in your life or shown poor judgment? Someone has clearly tricked you into acting a certain way otherwise you wouldn't have.

Has your ideology continually and repeatedly failed in the real world and resulted in death and misery for all who implement it? Take heart! It is not your fault or your ideology's! Either it wasn't implemented virutously enough; or there were evil people [Capitalists, Republicans, Neocons, Males, Whites, Christians, Jews] (choose one or more) who have been plotting against it!

Tags: politics, leftists, marxism, socialism, communism, paranoia, projection

Climate Doom -- 1970 Style

Mon, 27 Apr 2009 16:35:22 GMT

clipped by: strider72
clipper's remarks: Global Cooling! Ice Age! We're Doooooomed!

Clip Source: urbin.net

Earth Day Predictions from 1970

Population will inevitably and completely outstrip whatever small increases in food supplies we make

100-200 million people per year will be starving to death during the next ten years

Scientists have solid experimental and theoretical evidence

urban dwellers will have to wear gas masks to survive air pollution…by 1985 air pollution will have reduced the amount of sunlight reaching earth by one half

the world will be about four degrees colder for the global mean temperature in 1990, but eleven degrees colder in the year 2000. This is about twice what it would take to put us into an ice age

by 1975 widespread famines will begin in India

by 1990 to include all of India, Pakistan, China and the Near East, Africa

By the year 2000, thirty years from now, the entire world, with the exception of Western Europe, North America, and Australia, will be in famine

Tags: politics, environment, predictions, global warming, global cooling, famine

English earns its keep.

Fri, 24 Apr 2009 16:29:40 GMT

clipped by: strider72

Clip Source: townhall.com

One of the reasons for the ascendance of the English-speaking world has been that the English language is almost alone among major languages in having the word “earn.”

Those of us whose native language is English assume that the phrase “to earn a living” is universal. It isn’t. It is almost unique to English. Few languages have the ability to say this.

“ganar” in Spanish, “gagner” in French. The word literally means “to win.” In Hebrew the word “marveach” means “profits.” In German, the word “verdient” means “deserves.”

Obviously, it is very different to “win” or to “deserve” or to “profit” than to “earn.”

a concerted effort has been made to weed the word, and therefore the cultural value, of “earning” from American life.

Many American kids no longer earn awards or trophies for athletic success. They are given trophies and awards for showing up

Parental unconditional love means

no matter how disgracefully they act

No one earns God’s love; we receive it, like sports trophies, for breathing

Tags: politics, soclalism, respect, language