2015-06-28

Daily Dope: One Shade Of Grey

Vermont's own Bernie Sanders has been in the news lately not only for his decision to run for President on the Democrat ticket, but for his rather sophomoric socialist economic takes.

But before we delve into Sanders' One Shade of Grey, I'd like to begin with a quote from a fellow socialist traveler Barack Obama (yeah, yeah he's "not' a socialist. And I'm not a middling blogger living in Canada)"

“I’m not saying this because I dislike hedge fund managers or think they are evil,” Obama said “You pretty much have more than you’ll ever use and your family will ever use....We’re not, we’re not trying to push financial reform because we begrudge success that’s fairly earned. I mean, I do think at a certain point you’ve made enough money,  President Obama.

That's exactly what you're saying Patty Presumption. 

There's a lot in there to lays out precisely Obama's inner-thinking. And it ties right in with Bernie Sanders.

But first. A scene from Harvey Birdman Attorney at Law:



/giggles.

Anyway.

Bernie Sanders said what?

"You can't just continue growth for the sake of growth in a world in which we are struggling with climate change and all kinds of environmental problems. All right? You don't necessarily need a choice of 23 underarm spray deodorants or of 18 different pairs of sneakers when children are hungry in this country. I don't think the media appreciates the kind of stress that ordinary Americans are working on."

It's not hard to understand the origins of this thought process once you understand they see things through a prism of a paternalistic know it all who sees everything as zero-sum. They like using pie charts never expands to make their point. To them, the pie is eaten with the crumbs left for most of the population.

 'See, we started with a full pie with eight pieces and now we're down to three and some crumbs! The rich are literally eating away at our fair share!' Hence, they will usually depict a pie chart that gives the impression, say, wages and wealth are in decline.

Of course, pie charts are just one-time snap shots at any given time. Like a balance sheet. The way a pie chart should be perceived is in the abstract. Pies expand (Sanders seems to think this is for 'its own sake' but I have never heard of a single incidence or example where a person went into a business to 'grow for its own sake'. It's a ludicrous assertion to make on soooo many levels it's literally mind-boggling) and when they expand everyone has a shot at gaining. Alas, again to go along with the 'its own sake' line, the game is 'rigged' so that you can't share into it.

Empirical economic evidence (to the extent the dismal science can be empirical) clearly shows we've never been wealthier and healthier as a species. Harping on the 'rich' (and Koch) is not only unproductive and unhelpful it's nothing but envious nonsense.

They employ the same reasoning with human population. More people 'logically' means less food and more environmental damage. Population is growing at such an alarming rate, why, one day we'll literally see someone fall off a cliff because there will be no more space - mostly because all the rich people will have taken them I reckon. It should come as no surprise lefties like population control in all its manifestations from evil minds like Singer to eugenics.

They rarely - if ever - acknowledge the pace of advancement and innovation that actually enhance our lives. 

Equally preposterous is his bizarre 23 deodorant and 18 types of sneakers quip. In a country of 320 million does the idea of choice really sound onerous to a sensible mind? Never mind it's simply the market reacting to demand. Right, to Sanders and his ilk, companies create demand and then coyly force us into buying 23 types of deodorants through subliminal messages and MSG.

Personally, yeah, I try new types all the time because some are better than others and sometimes it takes time to figure what's best for your body type. For example, I like Arm & Hammer and Mitchum. My neighbor may like Gillette. Another Old Spice. A younger guy may like Axe.

All good to me.

Same with running shoes. 18 types of shoes in of itself means nothing even if he's trying to make a point. It's like the scary 'assault weapon' catch-phrase they like to frighten people with.

If you're an athlete, you know why there are so many types of sneakers. There are shoes for hard court sports like volleyball, tennis and squash, for jogging, for turf soccer, for cross-training for hiking for several types of foot shapes and sizes. 18, in fact, is nothing.

It's a highly specialized industry precisely because science, technology, market demand and innovation all conspire to drive us to that point. In Sanders One Shade of Grey, you all get one brand and get to choose from 3 sizes. You get one type of chicken and you get baking soda to brush your teeth and dry your arm pits. That's where his line of thinking eventually lands everyone.

Never mind, that choice in the market place has nothing to do with starving kids. It's just one broad, insane appeal to emotions is all it is. It's your run of the mill 'why in my day' blah, blah.

I'm not gonna get into the economic specifics because frankly anyone who agrees with him is a hopeless cause; even if they find some logic in it.

More on the career politician with one shade of grey at Ethan Allen.org and Reason.

***

It's all in the family though.

Where there's smoke there's fire with this bunch. The only explanation Carney ever gave for having communist propaganda hang on his house walls was because he liked history. I like history too. I even have a degree in it! But I'm not moved to have that crap on my walls.

These guys should just admit they admire communists and socialists and be done with it already.

***

Yeah. Um. Yeah. A banner for being a Conference finalist only to be blown out by the eventual Super Bowl champs? A banner for being a finalist I get but a loss in a conference match?

Something tells me the Colts organization need to find their sore loser gene.

Or else they'll be destined to getting participatory ribbons.

Sheesh. You don't celebrate losses.

***

Russia needs to find a hobby or something.

An international probe should be launched into various murky details surrounding the U.S. moon landings between 1969 and 1972, Russia's Investigative Committee spokesman said Tuesday.

***

Degenerate Britain.

I ask, who are the uncivilized in this story? At this point, the turning of the blind eye to such crimes by the Brits leaves me wondering if they're immoral as they are cowards.

"Britain's second largest police force withheld a report about gangs of Muslim men grooming children in case it inflamed racial tensions ahead of a General Election, it was revealed today.
West Midlands Police were warned more than 100 predominantly white children - some as young as 13 - were at serious risk of child exploitation five years ago."

The first sentence alone is disgraceful.

They literally - the entire bloody government I might add - failed the children.

If they had any honor, they each go buy a woodchipper.
***



Stop pussy footing around Suderman and add a sixth.

There is no rule of law.

Just rule of men now.

It's been long argued America is no longer a Republic. This is very sad for Western civilization.

***

ISIS's capacity for pure evil never ceases to amaze and depress. Someone is gonna have to clean that garbage scum up.

For is part Obama and the left believe the real threat is from right-wing extremism.

And Confederate flags.

***

He may be an old, dead white guy but Ben Franklin and his contemporaries certainly had panache, strong wit and sense of history as well as excellent philosophical skill.

Benjamin Franklin, Advice to aYoung Man on the Choice of a Mistress (1745).

***

(Behold) Gawker's Nick Denton:

“Whatever information we have, whatever insight we have, whatever knowledge we have, our impulse is to share it as quickly as possible, and SOMETIMES WITH AS LITTLE THOUGHT AS POSSIBLE,” he told me after we had settled into a small conference room. “Before you can think about it too much, just put it out there, just share it out there. I think that’s the essence of who we are.”

Oh no he dint!

He did! 

And what might that essence be, eh?

***

Forget about that guy.

Take a journey into the history of gelato.




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Who invented the food pyramid?

***

Deconstructing 'The China Study':

"...In sum, “The China Study” is a compelling collection of carefully chosen data. Unfortunately for both health seekers and the scientific community, Campbell appears to exclude relevant information when it indicts plant foods as causative of disease, or when it shows potential benefits for animal products. This presents readers with a strongly misleading interpretation of the original China Study data, as well as a slanted perspective of nutritional research from other arenas (including some that Campbell himself conducted).

In rebuttals to previous criticism on “The China Study,” Campbell seems to use his curriculum vitae as reason his word should be trusted above that of his critics. His education and experience is no doubt impressive, but the “Trust me, I’m a scientist” argument is a profoundly weak one. It doesn’t require a PhD to be a critical thinker, nor does a laundry list of credentials prevent a person from falling victim to biased thinking. Ultimately, I believe Campbell was influenced by his own expectations about animal protein and disease, leading him to seek out specific correlations in the China Study data (and elsewhere) to confirm his predictions...."

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Almost all caught up!







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