[Rhodes22-list] Brad, Elle, Slim, et al... (Big Al Delete)(Political references)(Save America Campaign)

Fri Jun 6 17:24:02 EDT 2008

Herb,

The single biggest fallacy in economics is the 'zero sum game', ie, the pie
is only so big and if someone else has a bigger slice then I'm being
cheated.  What if someone bakes a whole new flavor of pie?  Say, a Bill
Gates (who is barely on the top ten list anymore) creates something that
didn't exist before, is there less to eat or more to eat because a whole new
dish has been created?

Now John has a point, education is the key to success, to a point.  Michelle
Obama has been handed the keys to a first class education at two different
Ivy League universities and she's bitter.  The Asian, or whatever, that was
displaced to make room for Michelle has a valid reason to be bitter.  My
bets are that they did quite well with their second choice and MovedOn.
Access to higher education is the least of our worries.  Graduating people
from K-12 that can actually read is a bigger issue.  Money won't solve that
problem.  Work ethic is taught at home.  Destroy the home and you've
destroyed society.

Speaking of children, I've got to leave for the airport to meet my youngest
son's Grandfather. He's flying in to Memphis to drive Fan's car back to
California so Alex can report to his new assignment.  I would worry about a
75 year old man driving that distance non-stop in two days but he's ex-Army
Special Forces.  He'll run at 110% until his heart quits beating.

There's a lot of good men/women in this country!

Brad

On Fri, Jun 6, 2008 at 2:58 PM, Herb Parsons <hparsons at parsonsys.com> wrote:

> I firmly believe that one of the major things that divides the left from
> the right is that the left seems to believe that there's only so much
> wealth to go around, and if someone is getting more than their "share",
> that means someone else is doing without.
>
> Most CEO's probably aren't worth what they get paid, but that's OK by
> me. The people who decide how much they get paid are the ones that
> should be making that choice, not me. I hear lots of workers talk about
> how much more they should be getting paid because the company is making
> money, but I can't remember ever hearing about employees saying their
> pay should be cut because the company's doing poorly.
>
>
> Brad Haslett wrote:
> > Herb,
> >
> > Everyone is hung-up on the "who's is bigger" issue.  I have no idea what
> the
> > CEO of my employer is paid, its public information but I'm too lazy to
> look
> > it up.  What difference does it make?  He pays me well and treats me well
> -
> > I didn't risk my entire net worth to get the thing off the ground, let
> him
> > have his reward. Same as Bill Gates, who cares if he's worth 5 million,
> 500
> > million, or 50 Billion.  Everyone benefits from his efforts.  JFK said it
> > best, "a rising tide raises all boats".  So what if a few people in China
> > are becoming ridiculously wealthy.  The number of peasants is declining
> and
> > the middle class is growing exponentially.  You don't build the weak by
> > attacking the strong.  "Heaven on Earth" doesn't exist, but there's never
> a
> > shortage of messengers to woo the foolish that it does.
> >
> > Brad
> >
> > On Fri, Jun 6, 2008 at 12:39 PM, Herb Parsons <hparsons at parsonsys.com>
> > wrote:
> >
> >
> >> And, as usual, you clearly demonstrate what I'm talking about.
> >>
> >> You and I say "judge the cat on how well he catches mice. To us, juding
> >> that way constitutes a "level playing field".
> >>
> >> However, to some, the fact that the black cat can hide in the dark means
> >> that the playing field is not level. Thus, the farmer (the "governmnet")
> >> needs to step in by either providing additional mice in the grey cat's
> >> hunting ground, lowering the expectations for the deprived grey cat, or
> >> painting the black cat grey so their equal.
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> brad haslett wrote:
> >>
> >>> Herb,
> >>>
> >>> Oh what the hell, let's reinvent the wheel.  China experimented with
> "the
> >>>
> >> level playing field" and when that didn't work they reinvented
> reinventing
> >> the wheel with the Cultural Revolution. Then the idea of "I don't care
> if
> >> it's a black cat or a grey cat, as long as it catches mice" came along
> and
> >> now they're rapidly catching up with us and will soon kick our ass.  We,
> on
> >> the other hand, are trying to defy history and the nature of the entire
> >> human race.  As Santayana said, "those who are ignorant of history are
> >> doomed to repeat it!"
> >>
> >>> There's a lot of ignorance in this country.
> >>>
> >>> Brad
> >>>
> >>>
> >>> --- On Fri, 6/6/08, Herb Parsons <hparsons at parsonsys.com> wrote:
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>> From: Herb Parsons <hparsons at parsonsys.com>
> >>>> Subject: Re: [Rhodes22-list] Brad, Elle, Slim, et al... (Big Al
> >>>>
> >> Delete)(Political references)(Save America Campaign)
> >>
> >>>> To: "The Rhodes 22 mail list" <rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org>
> >>>> Date: Friday, June 6, 2008, 11:31 AM
> >>>> I think the the notion that the government should provide a
> >>>> "level
> >>>> playing field" is valid, the problem comes in the
> >>>> definition of what is
> >>>> a "level playing field".
> >>>>
> >>>> Sorry, but if MY expectation of a level playing field is
> >>>> that my childre
> >>>> be given the same financial opportunities as the children
> >>>> of Bill Gates,
> >>>> then my expectations are skewed. Bill's money is his to
> >>>> do with as he
> >>>> pleases.
> >>>>
> >>>> Obviously, that's an extreme example, but that's
> >>>> part of the problem.
> >>>> Everyone has different notions of what constitutes a
> >>>> "level playing field".
> >>>>
> >>>> Rik Sandberg wrote:
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>>> John,
> >>>>>
> >>>>> "and *perhaps false hope*, is that government is
> >>>>>
> >>>>>
> >>>> supposed to maintain a level playing field for all citizens
> >>>> in their "pursuit" of happiness."
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>>> All one has to do is look at the situation we are in
> >>>>>
> >>>>>
> >>>> now, (the last 5 years) to realize that your dream of a
> >>>> level playing field via gov't control is just exactly
> >>>> that ... a dream and not a very good one at that.
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>>> Money flows to where it gets treated the best. When
> >>>>>
> >>>>>
> >>>> prices are artificially high or low that flow can become a
> >>>> flood. Had the gov't stayed out of the banking business
> >>>> for example and let interest rates assume their own natural
> >>>> level, we wouldn't be seeing the collapse of a housing
> >>>> bubble now. Instead we have mega-wealthy bankers who are
> >>>> not held responsible for their own foolishness, a currency
> >>>> that is fast becoming useless and 4 dollar gas, just to
> >>>> name a few. Was that the help ... the level playing field
> >>>> you were hoping for? That's what your gov'ts
> >>>> meddling is doing for you.
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>>> Rik
> >>>>>
> >>>>>
> >>>>> In a centrally planned economy people get what they
> >>>>>
> >>>>>
> >>>> deserve, but rarely what they really want. Mistakes tend to
> >>>> be enormous...and petty. Results vary, but experiments with
> >>>> central planning always end in pathetic messes.....Bill
> >>>> Bonner
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>>> john Belanger wrote:
> >>>>>
> >>>>>
> >>>>>
> >>>>>> brad
> >>>>>> just one question:
> >>>>>> how can you have so much confidence in the private
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>>
> >>>> sector, and yet describe them this way:
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>>>> "I think most of the electorate is  ignorant
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>>
> >>>> of history,  economics, and politics, but that's just
> >>>> the mean-spirited, selfish,  and reality-based side of me
> >>>> coming out."
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>>>> my belief, and perhaps false hope, is that
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>>
> >>>> government is supposed to maintain a level playing field
> >>>> for all citizens in their "pursuit" of happiness.
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>>>> someone once complained about people who
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>>
> >>>> denigrated religious faith in the "new age of
> >>>> reason" as unnecessary. to which the response was, you
> >>>> don't want to be facing the devil without the shield of
> >>>> religious faith between you and him. thats what i expect of
> >>>> my government....a shield to defend me from excesses of the
> >>>> private sector.
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>>>> s/v 1969 venture 21
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>> --- On Thu, 6/5/08, Brad Haslett
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>>
> >>>> <flybrad at gmail.com> wrote:
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>>> From: Brad Haslett <flybrad at gmail.com>
> >>>>>>> Subject: Re: [Rhodes22-list] Brad, Elle, Slim,
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>> et al... (Big Al Delete)(Political references)(Save America
> >>>> Campaign)
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>>>>> To: "The Rhodes 22 mail list"
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>> <rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org>
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>>>>> Date: Thursday, June 5, 2008, 10:55 PM
> >>>>>>> Ed,
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>> "I am sorry that you bought into the
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>> fellow travelers
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>>>>> idea that compulsory
> >>>>>>> purchase contracts by a government agency is
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>> the same as
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>>>>> collective
> >>>>>>> bargaining.  In the compulsory contracts for
> >>>>>>> pharmaceuticals there just
> >>>>>>> might be unintended consequences."
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>> Where did you ever get that idea?  That is the
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>> antithesis
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>>>>> of my thought
> >>>>>>> process. I believe there are damn few things
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>> that the
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>>>>> government can do
> >>>>>>> better than the private sector.  We're
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>> going to get
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>>>>> some form of "national"
> >>>>>>> healthcare regardless of which party takes
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>> power.  The
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>>>>> country is in the
> >>>>>>> mood. I think most of the electorate is
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>> ignorant of
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>>>>> history,  economics,
> >>>>>>> and politics, but that's just the
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>> mean-spirited,
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>>>>> selfish,  and reality-based
> >>>>>>> side of me coming out.
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>> BTW, I was the  guest of a government Kuhuna
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>> last week
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>>>>> (sent his driver for
> >>>>>>> us in a brand-new Audi) for tea (actually I
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>> drank free
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>>>>> communist beer).
> >>>>>>> Life is good if you're in control.  The
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>> difference is,
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>>>>> in this country, I
> >>>>>>> can complain about the quality of the
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>> government provided
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>>>>> "free" beer.
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>> We have the farthest left candidate nominated
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>> for President
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>>>>> in the history
> >>>>>>> of the nation.  He's being propped-up by
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>> the MSM which
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>>>>> is pretty far left
> >>>>>>> themselves.  I hope everyone has their eyes
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>> open.  I have
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>>>>> my exit plan.  Do
> >>>>>>> you?
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>> Brad
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>> On Wed, Jun 4, 2008 at 7:24 AM, Tootle
> >>>>>>> <ekroposki at charter.net> wrote:
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>> Brad:
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>> Keep the political references coming.
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>> Your last post
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>> that had the
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>> reference
> >>>>>>>> to:
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>
> >>
> http://gregransom.com/prestopundit/2008/06/obama-tell-us-what-a-sacrifice.html
> >>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>> lead to a very good analysis:
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>
> >>
> http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=NDkyZTNiZDdkMTNiNzViZTYxNDU0MTY4MzMzMzNmZDU=
> >>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>> I am sorry that you bought into the fellow
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>> travelers
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>> idea that compulsory
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>> purchase contracts by a government agency
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>> is the same
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>> as collective
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>> bargaining.  In the compulsory contracts
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>> for
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>> pharmaceuticals there just
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>> might be unintended consequences.  Small
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>> unique drug
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>> makers may be forced
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>> not to participate resulting in their
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>> demise because
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>> of the very
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>> specialized
> >>>>>>>> uses of their products.  When complying
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>> with request
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>> for lower costs, jobs
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>> will be shipped overseas.  One of the
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>> first cost
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>> cutting techniques of just
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>> looking at the bottom line and not the
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>> future is
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>> research, which will be
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>> left to foreign concerns.
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>> In contrast, you have benefitted from
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>> collective
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>> bargaining where first, if
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>> you did not like the contract, you had
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>> freedom to work
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>> elsewhere.
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>> Additionally, FEDX concluded that the
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>> skill level of
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>> its employees was very
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>> important to the success of its business
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>> model.
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>> Additionally, detailed
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>> analysis of the contracts show that the
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>> company can
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>> still make a ROI that
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>> keeps it in business.
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>> Mixing the two concepts is just the
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>> Marxist way of
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>> inching away at
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>> individual freedoms.
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>> Since you have unique research resources,
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>> where is a
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>> good article that
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>> clearly demonstrates Obama's socialist
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>> (for those
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>> not willing to accept
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>> that
> >>>>>>>> word, Marxist) economic ideology as having
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>> its
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>> historical roots in the
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>> concepts and beliefs of W.E.B. Dubois.
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>> Hopefully, Elle has been reading the
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>> articles to the
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>> point of
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>> comprehension.
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>> Ed K
> >>>>>>>> Greenville, SC, USA
> >>>>>>>> attachment:
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>> http://www.nabble.com/file/p17645451/today.jpg
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>> today.jpg
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>> --
> >>>>>>>> View this message in context:
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>
> >>
> http://www.nabble.com/Brad%2C-Elle%2C-Slim%2C-et-al...-%28Big-Al-Delete%29%28Political-references%29%28Save-America-Campaign%29-tp17645451p17645451.html
> >>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>> Sent from the Rhodes 22 mailing list
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>> archive at
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>> Nabble.com.
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>> __________________________________________________
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>>>>>> Use Rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org, Help?
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>> www.rhodes22.org/list
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>> __________________________________________________
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>>>>> Use Rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org, Help?
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>> www.rhodes22.org/list
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>> __________________________________________________
> >>>>>> Use Rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org, Help?
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>>
> >>>> www.rhodes22.org/list
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>>
> >>>>> __________________________________________________
> >>>>> Use Rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org, Help?
> >>>>>
> >>>>>
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> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>>>
> >>>>>
> >>>> __________________________________________________
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> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>
> >>> __________________________________________________
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> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >> __________________________________________________
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> >>
> >>
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> >
> >
> >
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