Wow! Petey, you were right! We don't spend enough on Education...

[fair_warning]

The reality is that economics controls politics.

Oh yeah....

 

[4est_4est_Gump]

Just curious; what's a 2nd world country? Back in the day, when I was a young econ student, that term was used to describe countries with a command economy, which largely don't exist any more. I'm not quibbling with you, just wondering if the definition has changed in the interceding 30 years.

China

Command economy

The schools are as primitive as hell, yet their students run rings around ours, mainly, I suspect, because they simply work on a merit-based system where some kids are left behind to work the coal mines and fireworks factories...



... or the Apple factory...

Then there's India and Pakistan where at least half our CompSci faculty was from...

 

[Byron In Exile]

I highly doubt that.

Of course you do.

I would expect nothing less.

 

[4est_4est_Gump]

Of course you do.

I would expect nothing less.

Descartes 101...

 

[fair_warning]

Of course you do.

I would expect nothing less.

Well, of course, he probably made his mind up in like 1984....

 

[Byron In Exile]

I am not. I thought that's what you were alluding to...

Remember, I am dumb, I studied math and science so I probably cannot properly read your words, Ringo is a drummer, not an educated man...

Well, if you are so dumb, then why do you pontificate here every day?

You make people argue with you.

Is it all just for sport?

 

[JohnnySavage]

China

Command economy

The schools are as primitive as hell, yet their students run rings around ours, mainly, I suspect, because they simply work on a merit-based system where some kids are left behind to work the coal mines and fireworks factories...



... os the Apple factory...

Then there's India and Pakistan where at least half our CompSci faculty was from...

China is big. It could fit the definition of a 1st, 2nd and 3rd world economy.

With respect to schools - China, and most countries shit can the dumb kids while America educates everyone. The stats are skewed because of that.

India and Pakistan have a CompSci advantage because that industry is easy to get into and doesn't need an infrastructure. It's not rocket surgery. (no offense).

 

[4est_4est_Gump]

I said that Johnny...

 

[4est_4est_Gump]

Well, if you are so dumb, then why do you pontificate here every day?

You make people argue with you.

Is it all just for sport?

Are you not entertained? Are you not entertained? Is this not what you came for?

 

[fair_warning]

Are you not entertained? Are you not entertained? Is this not what you came for?

True, we come for entertainment not elucidation.
But it's late here, and I'm tired (probably from being upside down and all...) so, as much as I'd like to stay and join in the the pontification.....nitey nite

 

[Byron In Exile]

Are you not entertained? Are you not entertained? Is this not what you came for?

Yes, but what entertains me here is that you have an agenda, and that you're lying to me.

And yeah, it's totally fun.

 

[Frizzle_Fry]

I have known that are just as plain dumb as when they started their education are the science/maths based ones....

You probably think that because your to fucking dumb to make it through a discrete mathematics, O chem, quantum phys, or differential equations class. lol

When the BA crowd advances the human race 1/2 as much as the BS crowd...I will surrender and acknowledge your statement as valid. Untill then however, engineers, biologist (MD's), chemist and other BS grads pretty much provide all the lovely things we have in our modern world.

Just curious; what's a 2nd world country? Back in the day, when I was a young econ student, that term was used to describe countries with a command economy, which largely don't exist any more. I'm not quibbling with you, just wondering if the definition has changed in the interceding 30 years.

I'm not sure of the exact academic definition, but from what I understand it's used to describe developing nations, poor but not exactly 3rd world shit hole poor. Mexico for example....they have an established gov/economy/infrastructure but it's still rocky...not any real power economic or otherwise but they are not congo/iraq shit hole.

 

[4est_4est_Gump]

Well, of course, he probably made his mind up in like 1984....

No, in '84 I was a Leftist.

I grew up protesting the war, nuclear weapons and Goldwater.

I hated Reagan. I was an anti-intellectual and believed that virtue was in honest, blue collar, preferably Union work.

However, I have an open mind, a curious mind, and I like to read. I got to where I am via an education process open to every single person in America and it's free (well, our taxes pay for it), it's called the Public Library.

In the late 80s, one of my fellow Martialists and mentors was a former cop and the Chair of the local English department and he got me to reading classical literature and from there I expanded and returned to college. The last two years I have been studying economics and that was the final nail in the coffin of Liberalism (as it is defined today) for me. I am now a classic liberal, a Libertarian.

So, can your prejudice due to my views. I came by them honestly, through hard work and diligent study.

 

[JohnnySavage]

True, we come for entertainment not elucidation.
But it's late here, and I'm tired (probably from being upside down and all...) so, as much as I'd like to stay and join in the the pontification.....nitey nite

That must be very disconcerting. I can't even imagine how the birds fly down there.

 

[4est_4est_Gump]

...

When the BA crowd advances the human race 1/2 as much as the BS crowd...I will surrender and acknowledge your statement as valid. Untill then however, engineers, biologist (MD's), chemist and other BS grads pretty much provide all the lovely things we have in our modern world.

...

Hear! Hear!

 

[4est_4est_Gump]

That must be very disconcerting. I can't even imagine how the birds fly down there.

You nailed it on the head.

They fly down.

 

[Byron In Exile]

Oh yeah....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-e6PmqsLBzY

 

[Byron In Exile]

No, in '84 I was a Leftist.

I grew up protesting the war, nuclear weapons and Goldwater.

I hated Reagan. I was an anti-intellectual and believed that virtue was in honest, blue collar, preferably Union work.

However, I have an open mind, a curious mind, and I like to read. I got to where I am via an education process open to every single person in America and it's free (well, our taxes pay for it), it's called the Public Library.

In the late 80s, one of my fellow Martialists and mentors was a former cop and the Chair of the local English department and he got me to reading classical literature and from there I expanded and returned to college. The last two years I have been studying economics and that was the final nail in the coffin of Liberalism (as it is defined today) for me. I am now a classic liberal, a Libertarian.

So, can your prejudice due to my views. I came by them honestly, through hard work and diligent study.

That is surprising to me. You were a leftist in 1984?

You had to have been off drugs by then...

 

[Frizzle_Fry]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-e6PmqsLBzY

I love it....everyone should listen to this.

 

[4est_4est_Gump]

That is surprising to me. You were a leftist in 1984?

You had to have been off drugs by then...

I don't recall.

Now, by drugs, you don't mean pot do you?

 

[Byron In Exile]

I love it....everyone should listen to this.

You can lead the horses to the water, but after that, it's up to them.

 

[mercury14]

I think we need another, let's say, oh SIX BILLION DOLLARS!

"Mr. Obama’s stated purpose is to get Congress to come up with $6 billion to prevent the interest rates on federal Stafford student loans from increasing to 6.8% from 3.4%."

Barack Obama as Steve Austin, The Six Billion Dollar Man...

Romney agrees with him.

 

[Frizzle_Fry]

Romney agrees with him.

Because he answers to the same powers that put Obama in office....he just waves a red flag for the rest of team red to congregate on.

 

[Byron In Exile]

I don't recall.

Now, by drugs, you don't mean pot do you?

I didn't mean anything, specifically.

I just know that 1984 was the year that I realized that the whole Democrat vs Republican thing was a total fiasco, that those organizations had already been bought and sold by the same people who pit Americans against each other every four years for no other reason than to give them a sense of accomplishment which will eventually turn to disappointment when nothing changes. That was the year I registered as a Libertarian.

I have not voted for a Democrat nor a Republican since that time, and by the gods I never will.

 

[mercury14]

That is surprising to me. You were a leftist in 1984?

You had to have been off drugs by then...

AJ was never a liberal. He just says that because he thinks it helps him gain some kind of legitimacy. If he was a former liberal he'd be able to articulate a left wing viewpoint without resorting to caricatures and straw men.

He's also no more of a libertarian than I am.

AJ is just another garden variety Republican who agrees with virtually every single Republican party plank there is. He uses the libertarian thing to shield himself of criticism, but never doubt that he's just another rightie.