How free is your state?

[mnealtx 0]

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Which, of course, goes back to my original point in responding to this thread. It all depends on how you define your terms and the original post's link had it defined in terms most people wouldn't actually associate with "freedom" but rather "business."

Yes, of course, because things like 'taxation as a percentage of PERSONAL income' really means "business tax".

Wasn't aware that evaluation of gun control law, same sex marriage and cigarette taxes were associated with business, either - thanks for pointing that out for us.

You *really* should have read the report - or even glanced at section pages.

I refer you to post #12 of this thread wherein I detail where I formed my opinion . . . of course, that also required me to do more reading than either you or our jackass iconed friend seem to have done.

Post 12:
"Just out of curiousity, do you know what the word "mercatus" means?"

Yeah, that's a hell of a lot of reading you had to do - hope you didn't get any eyestrain from it.

Let's see... reading "mercatus" vs being able to speak of the references to PERSONAL income and the comparisons of various laws...yeah, I'm thinking you're a bit behind on deal there, bub.

Mike
I love you, Shannon and Jim.
POPS 9708 , SCR 14706

[quade 4]

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Post 12:
"Just out of curiousity, do you know what the word "mercatus" means?"

So, answer the question. Do you know the answer or not?

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[mnealtx 0]

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Ain't it something how quade can backpedal so fast he trips over his own lips?

Again, I'm not back pedaling. I continue to stand by everything I've written in this thread. Your continued attempts to suggest otherwise are simply ridiculous.

It is you, my jackassed iconed friend that shot YOUR mouth off before closely scrutinizing the originally linked web site and drew your conclusions a scant 4 minutes after the original post.

Now, I'm sure you're a speed reader and are able to digest in detail quite a bit of information in a very short amount of time, but in this case, the posting history simply doesn't support that.

You couldn't even make it through the first sentence of the executive summary?

"Executive Summary
This study comprehensively ranks the American states on their public policies that affect individual freedoms in the economic, social, and personal spheres."

Mike
I love you, Shannon and Jim.
POPS 9708 , SCR 14706

[Gravitymaster 0]

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Especially with over 50,000 skinheads and other hate groups which exist in Germany today.

Because, you know, we don't have any hate groups in the US.

BTW, I now define "freedom" in terms of being able to legally drive as fast as you fuckin' can.

Germany wins!

Exactly, and those who fear hate groups in the U.S. can go to bed at night with a weapon to protect themselves. Not so in Germany.

Which, of course, goes back to my original point in responding to this thread. It all depends on how you define your terms and the original post's link had it defined in terms most people wouldn't actually associate with "freedom" but rather "business."

You are so cute when you are pathetically trying to stretch a point to make something completely unrelated sound intelligent.

[quade 4]

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"Executive Summary
This study comprehensively ranks the American states on their public policies that affect individual freedoms in the economic, social, and personal spheres."

THAT's the spin. Look at the actual criteria and their actual policy recommendations for each state.

Or did THAT require too much reading for you?

Look, when a pickpocket is going to take your wallet, he doesn't walk up to you and SAY, "Hey, I'm going to pick your pocket now." He uses misdirection.

That is exactly what that "executive summary" is.

Care to do a little random test?

Pick a number between 1 and 100.

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[mnealtx 0]

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THAT's the spin. Look at the actual criteria and their actual policy recommendations for each state.

Yes, let's.

"Yes, of course, because things like 'taxation as a percentage of PERSONAL income' really means "business tax".

Wasn't aware that evaluation of gun control law, same sex marriage and cigarette taxes were associated with business, either - thanks for pointing that out for us."

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Or did THAT require too much reading for you?

Not at all - did you hurt yourself trying to spin it that hard?

Mike
I love you, Shannon and Jim.
POPS 9708 , SCR 14706

[quade 4]

I notice your complete and utter lack of response to the question I asked about the meaning of the word "mercatus" as in the Mercatus Center who concocted the criteria they use to judge whether or not a state is "free."

Mercatus derived from the latin for markets.

The Marcatus Center says this on their web site;

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Mercatus research, as our name implies, is focused on how markets solve problems.

Source; http://mercatus.org/about

Hmmm, markets . . . not people.

Now, can you guess who set up this think tank?

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[mnealtx 0]

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I notice your complete and utter lack of response to the question I asked about the meaning of the word "mercatus" as in the Mercatus Center who concocted the criteria they use to judge whether or not a state is "free."

I notice your complete and utter inability to counter my statement above. Maybe you can correct that and explain how effects on PERSONAL income, evaluation of gun control law, same sex marriage and cigarette taxes are somehow "pro-business".

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Mercatus derived from the latin for markets.

No shit...how long did it take you to connect mercatus and mercantile?

Mike
I love you, Shannon and Jim.
POPS 9708 , SCR 14706

[kelpdiver 2]

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BTW, I now define "freedom" in terms of being able to legally drive as fast as you fuckin' can.

Germany wins!

We have hundreds of miles of I-5. And Montana. Only abput half of the Autobahn are unlimited.

[Belgian_Draft 0]

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I notice your complete and utter lack of response to the question I asked about the meaning of the word "mercatus" as in the Mercatus Center who concocted the criteria they use to judge whether or not a state is "free."

Mercatus derived from the latin for markets.

The Marcatus Center says this on their web site;

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Mercatus research, as our name implies, is focused on how markets solve problems.

Source; http://mercatus.org/about

Hmmm, markets . . . not people.

Now, can you guess who set up this think tank?

I base my response on the content of the report.
You base yours on the name of the organization that developed it.
So, tell me again who is jumping to conclusions?
And yes, I can read rather quickly with decent comprehension. That and most of the report is graphs, but I wouldn't expect you to know that.
Your blithering is getting boring. I'm going to go ride.
BTW, I found this pic of you....

HAMMER:
Originally employed as a weapon of war, the hammer nowadays is used as a
kind of divining rod to locate the most expensive parts adjacent the
object we are trying to hit.

[JohnRich 4]

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It is you, my jackassed iconed friend...

I'm not sure that icon is a jackass. His screen name is "Belgian draft", and that is the name of a breed of horse that is prized for its ability to pull heavy loads. So it's likely that the image is a Belgian draft horse, rather than a jackass.

But of course the real problem here is that you're trying to make a clever insult, and doing so as a moderator who is supposed to enforce the rules against others for doing things like that. You're setting a bad example, and playing games to hurl an insult while pretending to not violate forum rules. You should know better than that, my slimy serpent-iconed friend.

[Belgian_Draft 0]

Actually, it is neither a jackass nor a Belgian. It is a mule. But you are correct in the interpretation of my screen name.

HAMMER:
Originally employed as a weapon of war, the hammer nowadays is used as a
kind of divining rod to locate the most expensive parts adjacent the
object we are trying to hit.

[Amazon 7]

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It is you, my jackassed iconed friend...

I'm not sure that icon is a jackass. His screen name is "Belgian draft", and that is the name of a breed of horse that is prized for its ability to pull heavy loads. So it's likely that the image is a Belgian draft horse, rather than a jackass.

But of course the real problem here is that you're trying to make a clever insult, and doing so as a moderator who is supposed to enforce the rules against others for doing things like that. You're setting a bad example, and playing games to hurl an insult while pretending to not violate forum rules. You should know better than that, my slimy serpent-iconed friend.

Poor John... yet another FAIL.

All the piccies of you in the great out doors... camping... paddling... and you still do not know that snakes.. are not slimy....

Eels are slimy ... slugs are slimy....

[Belgian_Draft 0]

...politicians are slimy...
(no disrespect to slugs and eels intended)

HAMMER:
Originally employed as a weapon of war, the hammer nowadays is used as a
kind of divining rod to locate the most expensive parts adjacent the
object we are trying to hit.

[oldwomanc6 60]

The comment (John's) was still valid: why do "Moderators" participate?

Why can they post scathing editorials/rants with impunity? It seems to me that they cover themselves with the "veil of impartiality" when it suits and then say something that rivals darn near anyone they have ever shut down?

lisa

btw, not all moderators

lisa
WSCR 594
FB 1023
CBDB 9

[quade 4]

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The comment (John's) was still valid: why do "Moderators" participate?

Would you rather the moderators hide behind some sort of veil of false impartiality that simple can't exist?

Further, if you can prove any moderator has ever abused his powers to banish people from the web site to silence dissent, I'd like to see it.

To my knowledge, no moderator of this web site has ever done that in any forum and yes, they all give opinions in every forum they moderate.

Do you think this forum is somehow special?

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[JohnRich 4]

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Poor John... yet another FAIL. All the piccies of you in the great out doors... camping... paddling... and you still do not know that snakes.. are not slimy.... Eels are slimy ... slugs are slimy....

What has failed here is your ability to recognize the point. Yes, I know that snakes aren't slimy. And Belgian-draft's icon isn't a jackass. The point is about making up false representations of someone's icon in order to insult them. I'm sure that quade's icon is really all about the political symbolism of "Don't tread on me", and not about "slimy snakes". But just look at how easy it is to make up something like that in order to hurl an insult. Do you think that moderators should be participating in that kind of behavior?

Okay, do you get the point now? I'm sorry that it required the long version to make it clear to you. Maybe if you had stopped to think for a few seconds first, instead of hurling your own knee-jerk insults (which are usually laced with prepubescent sexual references) you might have recognized it. I highly recommend you try it next time.

[JohnRich 4]

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The comment (John's) was still valid: why do "Moderators" participate?

Would you rather the moderators hide behind some sort of veil of false impartiality that simple can't exist? ...and yes, they all give opinions in every forum they moderate...

If you re-read oldwoman's comment you'll note that in the context in which she says "participate", she is NOT talking about simply participating in debate, but rather participating in the INSULTS.

Sheesh, why am I the only one here that understands what's going on, and has to explain it to everyone else?

[oldwomanc6 60]

Yes, I was referring to insult-hurling!

lisa
WSCR 594
FB 1023
CBDB 9

[Belgian_Draft 0]

I as well understood what she was referring to.

HAMMER:
Originally employed as a weapon of war, the hammer nowadays is used as a
kind of divining rod to locate the most expensive parts adjacent the
object we are trying to hit.

[oldwomanc6 60]

Quade,

I can't prove squat. That is because you-all hold all the cards.

But, I have seen posts on here that the mods have deleted (obviously before the mods read them). I read more than I post. It seems to me that is is usually one of a few ways: 1) Nasty, name-calling, 2) being a complete a-hole, or 3) Making a too cogent point in a direction a mod didn't approve.

I can't speak to the banning issue, because I'm not in the know.

It just seems to me that moderators shouldn't be part of the active conversation.

If they participate in that way, it "elevates" them to bully statis.

lisa

lisa
WSCR 594
FB 1023
CBDB 9

[quade 4]

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If they participate in that way, it "elevates" them to bully statis.

Well, you're entitled to your opinion.

Nobody in DZ.Com's management or moderation team have ever agreed with it, but you are certainly entitled to whatever opinion you care to have.

Let me ask you this, do you think that should apply to all of the forums or just this one? Should, for instance, DSE be required to not give his opinion about Video and Photography? Should faulknerwn and skymama not give opinions about Women Only issues?

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[wmw999 2,584]

I've been on the site for 9 years. I'm not about to say that no moderator has ever said anything intemperate, but I will say that, as a rule, moderators express their opinions, and they participate, and they generally keep the two separate.

If they were going to censor too-cogent points, they'd've banned lawrocket, gawain, jaybird, and several others over the years. They make VERY cogent points, and have colored my thinking on some issues (those are just off the top of my head -- they are by NO means the only erudite conservative posters).

Some have posting styles that don't appeal to me. Of course, so do some posters.

Sangiro is fine with moderators participating in conversations. It's his site.

Wendy P.

There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown)

[Amazon 7]

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Poor John... yet another FAIL. All the piccies of you in the great out doors... camping... paddling... and you still do not know that snakes.. are not slimy.... Eels are slimy ... slugs are slimy....

What has failed here is your ability to recognize the point. Yes, I know that snakes aren't slimy. And Belgian-draft's icon isn't a jackass. The point is about making up false representations of someone's icon in order to insult them. I'm sure that quade's icon is really all about the political symbolism of "Don't tread on me", and not about "slimy snakes". But just look at how easy it is to make up something like that in order to hurl an insult. Do you think that moderators should be participating in that kind of behavior?

Okay, do you get the point now? I'm sorry that it required the long version to make it clear to you. Maybe if you had stopped to think for a few seconds first, instead of hurling your own knee-jerk insults (which are usually laced with prepubescent sexual references) you might have recognized it. I highly recommend you try it next time.

Wagh Wah Wah....


Poor John

Please see my entry to the Favorite quotes.... it applies

Oh how it applies

[kelpdiver 2]

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Let me ask you this, do you think that should apply to all of the forums or just this one? Should, for instance, DSE be required to not give his opinion about Video and Photography? Should faulknerwn and skymama not give opinions about Women Only issues?

uh, again, no one is suggesting you can't participate in discussion. But your ability to maintain forum norms is compromised when you call someone a jackass (and yes, that's exactly what you did).