Re: Idiot America: How Stupidity Became a Virtue in the Land of the Free

that might work. I started to disagree with you above, my point being that while astronomical lawsuits make a good yarn, they are the exception as far as I can see, I know that when I was hurt in a car accident the settlement I finally got (like four years later!) did not cover my actual costs, l

Re: Idiot America: How Stupidity Became a Virtue in the Land of the Free

Am I the only one that has no clue what Sam is talking about? Electing Obama? On Tue, May 12, 2009 at 12:15 PM, Sam wrote: > > That's great satire, he should send it to The Onion. > > "And the words of an obscure biologist carry no more weight on the > subject of biology than do the thunderation

Re: Idiot America: How Stupidity Became a Virtue in the Land of the Free

NPR even... On Tue, May 12, 2009 at 1:12 PM, Vivec wrote: > > BBC > > 2009/5/12 Ian Skinner > >> >> And before you harp on it, I *do not* know what a better solution is >> then capitalistic driven news. >> > > > ~| Want to re

Re: Idiot America: How Stupidity Became a Virtue in the Land of the Free

Here's a thought I just had. As a means of trying to tackle both at once, lets couple healthcare reform with tort reform. A single payer health care system with strong reforms on malpractice lawsuits. It wouldn't cure all the product liability lawsuits out there, but it would be good start. Lets g

Re: Idiot America: How Stupidity Became a Virtue in the Land of the Free

lol, +1 On Tue, May 12, 2009 at 5:28 PM, Maureen wrote: > > Or Fox or any of the other networks with talking heads who have no clue. > > Stupidity, unfortunately, is not limited to any single political > persuasion. > > On Tue, May 12, 2009 at 10:53 AM, Robert Munn wrote: > > > > "no longer d

Re: Idiot America: How Stupidity Became a Virtue in the Land of the Free

> I don;t see any other way than to tackle both at once.  Shakespeare > knew a great way too...'first, kill all the lawyers' I do wish people would stop taking that quote out of context. -- will "If my life weren't funny, it would just be true; and that would just be unacceptable." - Carrie Fi

Re: Idiot America: How Stupidity Became a Virtue in the Land of the Free

Or Fox or any of the other networks with talking heads who have no clue. Stupidity, unfortunately, is not limited to any single political persuasion. On Tue, May 12, 2009 at 10:53 AM, Robert Munn wrote: > > "no longer do kooks have to work to get their voices heard, but the more > insane their

Re: Idiot America: How Stupidity Became a Virtue in the Land of the Free

I don;t see any other way than to tackle both at once. Shakespeare knew a great way too...'first, kill all the lawyers' On Tue, May 12, 2009 at 7:47 PM, Judah McAuley wrote: > > I agree. I'm one of those liberals who is for tort reform. > Unfortunately, most of the people who are pushing for to

Re: Idiot America: How Stupidity Became a Virtue in the Land of the Free

> Scott wrote: > > Bah...I guess I am more pissed at the litigiousness of our society > than the political beliefs of those involved. > Now there ya go. See, it's not "liberal" thing. Take Europe. Social Democrats. Yet in Holland there's a famous case where a guy was walking down the sidewalk

Re: Idiot America: How Stupidity Became a Virtue in the Land of the Free

I agree. I'm one of those liberals who is for tort reform. Unfortunately, most of the people who are pushing for tort reforms are assholes and aren't interested in corporate responsibility either. It's kind of a chicken and egg scenario. I want to improve both personal and corporate responsibility

RE: Idiot America: How Stupidity Became a Virtue in the Land of the Free

> I guess if her kid stuck a fork in the elecrical > socket she would sue the electrican or electric > company. Well, duh! It's negligent for them to install standard sockets and not suggest those little plastic covers or safety tamper-proof sockets in the house! Of course it's their fault! j/

Re: Idiot America: How Stupidity Became a Virtue in the Land of the Free

Bah...I guess I am more pissed at the litigiousness of our society than the political beliefs of those involved. This story just got my blood pumping. Pisses me off. Her kid dies because she is a fucking idiot and she is trying to pin the blame on someone else. I guess if her kid stuck a fork i

Re: Idiot America: How Stupidity Became a Virtue in the Land of the Free

On Tue, May 12, 2009 at 6:57 PM, Gruss Gott wrote: > > > Yeah, right Scott, Republicans are all about accountability. Please to show me where I said that? > > Good fairy tale.  You're a true Republican. I am neither republican nor democrat (though it would not surprise me if I have voted for mo

Re: Idiot America: How Stupidity Became a Virtue in the Land of the Free

The way that most people would define "liberal" would tend to include many of the western european liberal democracies. They don't tend to be nearly as litigious as the U.S. in spite of being more "liberal" as a rule. The litigious nature of the U.S. seems to be one of those things that is just ho

Re: Idiot America: How Stupidity Became a Virtue in the Land of the Free

> Stroz wrote: > door. That is that is the liberal way - it's always someone else's > fault. HA! Yeah. Right. All I've heard for the last 8 years is how nothing is the Republican's fault. Can't blame Bush, he's just the President and leader of our country. Can't blame the Republican Congress

Re: Idiot America: How Stupidity Became a Virtue in the Land of the Free

That has nothing to do with being liberal, it has to do with what pervades America, which is that there is no personal responsibility. Also, that there is nothing greater than the almighty dollar, so why not try to sue to get something. That's all it is..if there is a chance at getting money some

Re: Idiot America: How Stupidity Became a Virtue in the Land of the Free

On Tue, May 12, 2009 at 6:15 PM, Ian Skinner wrote: >But it is no > better to throw out the baby out with the bath water by saying personal > responsibility completely negates social responsibilities. > I am not saying persoanl responsibility should negate social responsibility, but in most case

Re: Idiot America: How Stupidity Became a Virtue in the Land of the Free

Scott Stroz wrote: > I'd bet my left nut that their lawyer is a liberal. I wouldn't take that bet. I think it is equally likely the lawyer is a conservative who knows a good paycheck he or she sees it. As well is a strong possibility the lawyer is really neither. > I really don;t know what'

Re: Idiot America: How Stupidity Became a Virtue in the Land of the Free

Here is an example of why I think liberals contribute to as much 'dumbing of America' as the Bible thumpers. I just saw a report on TV about this : http://snurl.com/hwcho . In an interview the mother states 'no one told me these can be dangerous' and she is suing the manufacturer of the 'doggie

Re: Idiot America: How Stupidity Became a Virtue in the Land of the Free

On Tue, May 12, 2009 at 3:00 PM, Vivec wrote: > > "What has America become? America has become an episode of *The > Office*, > where lovable assholes are put in charge to fumble their way along > incompetently, coasting on the slack, disinterested efforts of their

Re: Idiot America: How Stupidity Became a Virtue in the Land of the Free

"What has America become? America has become an episode of *The Office*, where lovable assholes are put in charge to fumble their way along incompetently, coasting on the slack, disinterested efforts of their underlings. The show is a comedy, and it can be hilarious

Re: Idiot America: How Stupidity Became a Virtue in the Land of the Free

Read the piece. You'll find that he does skewer liberals as well. Although not as pointedly has he does conservatives. And deservedly so, given some of the absolute tripe that conservatism in the US has championed, such as ID and creatinism, willing kowtowing to the religious extremists, the an

Re: Idiot America: How Stupidity Became a Virtue in the Land of the Free

Scott Stroz wrote: > I think that liberals and conservatives are equally responsible for > the erosion of common sense in our society. I would quibble that it is the fault of "spin doctors" and other media type consultants, that come equally in liberal and conservative persuasions. This class

Re: Idiot America: How Stupidity Became a Virtue in the Land of the Free

BBC 2009/5/12 Ian Skinner > > And before you harp on it, I *do not* know what a better solution is > then capitalistic driven news. > ~| Want to reach the ColdFusion community with something they want? Let them know on the H

Re: Idiot America: How Stupidity Became a Virtue in the Land of the Free

I think that liberals and conservatives are equally responsible for the erosion of common sense in our society. On Tue, May 12, 2009 at 2:13 PM, Larry Lyons wrote: > > Interesting blog piece on the US, the cult of stupidity and conservatism as > its main proponent. > > http://scienceblogs.com/p

Re: Idiot America: How Stupidity Became a Virtue in the Land of the Free

Watch Fox :) On Tue, May 12, 2009 at 11:09 AM, Ian Skinner wrote: > > Robert Munn wrote: >> Sounds like MSNBC any given day of the week > > And all the other For Profit news organizations that have recognized > there is much more money made in being controversial and splashy rather > then news w

Re: Idiot America: How Stupidity Became a Virtue in the Land of the Free

That's great satire, he should send it to The Onion. "And the words of an obscure biologist carry no more weight on the subject of biology than do the thunderations of some turkeyneck preacher..." Yet you're an idiot for not worshiping a VP that flunked out of divinity school and is peddling non

Re: Idiot America: How Stupidity Became a Virtue in the Land of the Free

Robert Munn wrote: > Sounds like MSNBC any given day of the week And all the other For Profit news organizations that have recognized there is much more money made in being controversial and splashy rather then news worthiness. Weather it be conservative or liberal the press has learned the b

Re: Idiot America: How Stupidity Became a Virtue in the Land of the Free

"no longer do kooks have to work to get their voices heard, but the more insane their claims, the more likely they will be given media attention" Sounds like MSNBC any given day of the week On Tue, May 12, 2009 at 11:13 AM, Larry wrote: > > Interesting blog piece on the US, the cult of stupi

Idiot America: How Stupidity Became a Virtue in the Land of the Free

Interesting blog piece on the US, the cult of stupidity and conservatism as its main proponent. http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/2009/05/idiot_america_new_and_expanded.php ~| Want to reach the ColdFusion community with somet