pirana

It is worth noting that James Randi has an outstanding challenge/offer of 1 million dollars (maybe it's multiple millions) for anyone who can prove supernatural powers in a controlled experiment. Not sure if it includes astrologers, but they are just another flavor of the same BS. To date, not one person has even come close. The professionals (those bilking the masses for their cash) refuse to bite since they know it will expose them. Tarot, astrology, crystal balls, tea leaves, palmistry, FOX News, etc; opiates of the ignorant. " . . . the lust for power can be just as completely satisfied by suggesting people into loving their servitude as by flogging them and kicking them into obedience." -- Aldous Huxley

If Sirius lines up with Orion's belt stars on 12/24; then it also does so every other day of the year. " . . . the lust for power can be just as completely satisfied by suggesting people into loving their servitude as by flogging them and kicking them into obedience." -- Aldous Huxley

Yes, the position of the planets CAN have a very significant effect on human affairs. And there is a very simple explanation for that. A large number of people believe in astrology and therefore behave differently in response to certain configurations of the planets than others. For example, if a large number of investors in a given stock expect the stock to drop for astrological reasons, then the stock WILL drop because many of the investors believing in astrology will sell. Skeptics who laugh at astrology may have science on their side but if they own the same stock they, too, will be rewarded for their ignorance of astrology by having their stock, too, drop in value--but unlike the astrologers it will come as a surprise to the skeptics and they won't know what hit them. As to whether astrology has an original basis in verifiable scientific fact independent of the fact that many people believe in it, I'm not sure. I do know that I've spent a lot of time around people who believe in it. Even if it has value, these people tend to be obsessed with it, and astrology and similar pursuits can become an all-consuming passion. I don't want astrology to be my passion. I've come to realize more and more recently that skydiving is my true passion and, if I ever want to make a significant number of jumps, I'm going to have to spend time around skydivers, not astrologers. BTW astrologers tend to be very obsessed with Mercury retrograde periods. These are the periods three times a year when the apparent motion of Mercury (of course Mercury's real orbit never changes) is in the opposite to normal direction. Astrologers generally are rather paranoid about these periods and believe that things tend to go wrong during these periods. If they can, people believing in astrology will batten down the hatches and go into hibernation during Mercury retrograde periods to avoid taking any risk. Again, it is good to know about these things, even if you don't believe in astrology, because a significant number of people do, and I believe it does have an effect on human behavior for that reason. Mercury is retrograde right now. And Mercury was retrograde when I had my one and only malfunction--but I'm sure that was purely coincidental. And we have therefore established the mechanism of influence to be paranoid delusional belief. " . . . the lust for power can be just as completely satisfied by suggesting people into loving their servitude as by flogging them and kicking them into obedience." -- Aldous Huxley

I just fail to see how the position of the other planets in our solar system can be used to predict anything of significance in our lives. Anyone care to explain how this could be done? As far as the farmers almanac, I haven't read it. Does it base predictions on astrology? Predictions of seasons based on the position of the Sun are not astrology. Astrology is believing your personal future is tied to postions of Sun, Moon, planets, and stars. Simply studying the movements of those things, and what non-supernatural effects they have on each other is not astrology. " . . . the lust for power can be just as completely satisfied by suggesting people into loving their servitude as by flogging them and kicking them into obedience." -- Aldous Huxley

You are gravitationally affected more by the person standing next to you than you are by any star other than the Sun (probably more than by all the other stars put together other than the Sun). What other "universal elements" did you have in mind? You CAN discount all of it, and there is absolutely no proof, even a proof in concept, that it is anything but wishful thinking. " . . . the lust for power can be just as completely satisfied by suggesting people into loving their servitude as by flogging them and kicking them into obedience." -- Aldous Huxley

When I was a toddler, my parents were shipwrecked off of the coast of africa and soon after attacked and eaten by a large cat of some kind. Thus leaving me to fend for myself. I scratched out a meager existence on roots and bugs, and eventually learned to hunt. At that point, being able to subsist on something more substantial, I had some leisure time to establish a form of written record keeping and then started developing knowledge through observation and experimentation. Finally, I built a small nuclear craft and sailed for civilization. On reaching shore, I immediately took equivalency tests for basic education, medicine, engineering, and, of course, Ape Family and Liberal Arts Studies. Thus my degrees are all earned on my own. Ah, so were you on the B ark? " . . . the lust for power can be just as completely satisfied by suggesting people into loving their servitude as by flogging them and kicking them into obedience." -- Aldous Huxley

If that were actually quantified with some numbers, you'd find "most" an extremely inaccurate term to use there. Since roughly half the population has employer sponsored insurance, and those plans are in general prohibited from declining or cancelling coverage for health reasons, the statement is patently untrue. Also, over half the states have guaranteed issue high risk pools for people that can not qualify; with the irony that they are so heavily subsidized in some places they are sometimes cheaper than the commercial plans. There are loopholes that are abused. Most of those are in place because of powerful special-interest employer or industry groups that got themselves exempted from many rules. The first thing that needs to be done to clean up health care and health care financing is to completely level the playing field. No more loopholes in the rules for certain employers, business groups, government employees, insurers, provider specialties, states, unions, etc. " . . . the lust for power can be just as completely satisfied by suggesting people into loving their servitude as by flogging them and kicking them into obedience." -- Aldous Huxley

I hear you. Our model of government was established to preserve freedom; designed to give people the freedom and liberty to succeed, not to parent people by directly feeding and clothing and doctoring those that make poor choices. In the extreme cases I agree, handicapped need a hand; but most of those whining are not handicapped. A free market economy is supposed to provide freedom to engage the markets and make choices as individuals. It guarantees things like free speech, due process, representation, etc. A socialist and centrally planned economy on the other hand guarantees food, clothes, a house, etc; and in the process decreases incentives to do better on one's own. I like the former much better. However, the issue at hand here seems to be long waits for urgent needs. That is definitely a problem, but is the result of how providers allocate their resources in response to the way services are requested and paid for. They are strapped by a system that gives way more care than anyone can pay. My take on health care is that the industry has a very unique problem in that it is capable of delivering care at a level and at a price that collectively we can not yet afford. It would be the equivalent of someone developing some high tech gadget way before it's time, and everybody complaining because they can not afford it. Crunching the numbers, IMO, really points in that direction. Take the total cost of all care, divide it into the population, and the number is staggering (as reflected by average family of 4 premiums that now approach $2K per month for a plan with a realistic deductible). If it were that gadget, the industry and the government would just say that each persaon can have one when they can personally afford it. But on an emotional topic like health care, which many people see as a right and not a personal responsibility, there is no easy solution. If we want designer drugs for every ailment, miracle cures, outrageous life-extending procedures for the elderly, fast easy access for everybody, million dollar rewards for each individual failed attempt, free care for the poor, coverage for experimental/unproven/highly questionable care, and so on and so forth - the price is $100's of dollars per month for every man, woman & child in the country. IMO, medical care has progressed much faster than society's ability to pay. (I had cervical vertabral fusion last summer. I was in the system for 30 hours, 24 of those spent just lying in a bed. The price tag was $44K. That's ridiculous). Interesting aside - - left off the short list of things a government should do: Protect our borders. To me, that is #1. " . . . the lust for power can be just as completely satisfied by suggesting people into loving their servitude as by flogging them and kicking them into obedience." -- Aldous Huxley

I have to agree in concept, but with the caviat that there is some point where these just become unlandable. Although it's only 2 square feet, it's still over 5% of the total size. I don't imagine he'll have a problem with it, but if we continue down this path of reasoning, "just a sq foot at a time", eventually we're at a 10 sq foot canopy. It's gotta give at some point. Thoughts? Ultimately the vertical decent rate will just be so much greater than the horizontal rate that it will make it unlandable...2 things allow a canopy to be landed safely: slow vertical decent, or fast horizontal decent. Once you start dropping out of the sky like a brick you will end up with a nasty outcome. Technology and talent are a cool combination, but physics will kick its ass everytime. Keep in mind I am plowed right now so I am not even sure if what i said makes sense. You did just fine, outside the use of "its." When I'm plowed I don't even try, I just fall over. " . . . the lust for power can be just as completely satisfied by suggesting people into loving their servitude as by flogging them and kicking them into obedience." -- Aldous Huxley

At least that one doesn't originate with a phrase meaning, "...to whack in the balls..." "You're very good at whacking people." " . . . the lust for power can be just as completely satisfied by suggesting people into loving their servitude as by flogging them and kicking them into obedience." -- Aldous Huxley

You think there's such a thing as correctly interpreted astrology? You just need to find a "good" astrologist. One who really knows what they are doing with such a poerful tool. " . . . the lust for power can be just as completely satisfied by suggesting people into loving their servitude as by flogging them and kicking them into obedience." -- Aldous Huxley

Fainting spell heh? Doesn't sound like an emergency to me; should have went to your clinic, or a clinic. If it was serious (bleeding from the ears, lost vision or hearing, painful rectal itch), and you were triaged improperly, then you might have a beef. " . . . the lust for power can be just as completely satisfied by suggesting people into loving their servitude as by flogging them and kicking them into obedience." -- Aldous Huxley

Is that how you feel about our democratic process? GET IT OVER WITH? Just giving you the business, it gave me a good laugh as I read it. Two and a half years of campaigning is way too much. " . . . the lust for power can be just as completely satisfied by suggesting people into loving their servitude as by flogging them and kicking them into obedience." -- Aldous Huxley

I like when he says things like that, but have become very cynical in thinking he often says what he thinks people want to hear. On this topic it is hard to reconcile with his previous comments about evolution. (He still thinks it is questionable). " . . . the lust for power can be just as completely satisfied by suggesting people into loving their servitude as by flogging them and kicking them into obedience." -- Aldous Huxley

It is amazing with whom and how often our leaders jump in and out of bed. The whores know no limits. The part the public should be appalled with, is that they claim to be doing so on our behalf. " . . . the lust for power can be just as completely satisfied by suggesting people into loving their servitude as by flogging them and kicking them into obedience." -- Aldous Huxley

The first signs of a decaying republic. The very processes instituted to establish a government of representation and protect our liberties have been usurped. They are now the tools of an industry of lobbyists that serve very special and very elite interests. This is a pattern that has repeated itself throughout history. As government becomes an industry in itself, it becomes all-corrupting, growing further away and identifying less all the time with the populace it was intended to serve. We haven't even put any new twists on it. Just another empire-building elitist-ruled nation that doesn't know when to stop. " . . . the lust for power can be just as completely satisfied by suggesting people into loving their servitude as by flogging them and kicking them into obedience." -- Aldous Huxley

I stopped at that point and made some guesses at how he'd rank best and worst. Absolutely no surprises at all. So then you have a tendence to: a dangerous blend of arrogance and ignorance! nope, a predilection ('predilectence' for you) for prediction supported by followup fact checking - yet still dangerous, as well as blended I take my predilections shaken, . . . not stirred. A person would have to be considered as lacking all social graces to blend them. " . . . the lust for power can be just as completely satisfied by suggesting people into loving their servitude as by flogging them and kicking them into obedience." -- Aldous Huxley

Sounds like a neat name for a new pizza delivery business. " . . . the lust for power can be just as completely satisfied by suggesting people into loving their servitude as by flogging them and kicking them into obedience." -- Aldous Huxley

I think we need mandatory education up to some certain level, and we need it to be taxpayer funded. My reason is because if it were voluntary (that is if you could opt out, including not paying the taxes to support it), way too many ignorant parents would do just that, with dire consequences for our future. " . . . the lust for power can be just as completely satisfied by suggesting people into loving their servitude as by flogging them and kicking them into obedience." -- Aldous Huxley

First let apologize as I am jumping in to this discussion and I have not read every post. I do believe the Middle Class pay the biggest share of the total taxes is this not correct? No. I believe what I've read is that the top 1/4 pays 3/4 of the tax burden. It's close to an 80/20 rule. (Supported by mnealtx's corrected post). The bottom pays almost nothing. Sure they have some payroll deduction, but a huge portion of that gets returned at the end of the year. " . . . the lust for power can be just as completely satisfied by suggesting people into loving their servitude as by flogging them and kicking them into obedience." -- Aldous Huxley

Good ole PJ - one of my favorite writers. I take it you've read Republican Party Reptile. One of his best stories, I think from the same book: Throngs of people at some sort of UN gathering in a 3rd world country, utter chaos and confusion. Somebody says to him, trying to be poignant "So this is what life is like in the entire 3rd world." To which he replies "No, this is what life is like anytime the UN is involved." Or something like that. The man has got some seriously funny wit. " . . . the lust for power can be just as completely satisfied by suggesting people into loving their servitude as by flogging them and kicking them into obedience." -- Aldous Huxley

Because that would mean ending programs and/or shutting down agencies. One thing about our mix of pork barrel politics and entitlement programs: Once one gets started, bringing it to an end is damn near impossible. Last time I looked (it has been a while , but . . . ) we still had a mohair subsidy. Now there is a critical industry in need of protection. " . . . the lust for power can be just as completely satisfied by suggesting people into loving their servitude as by flogging them and kicking them into obedience." -- Aldous Huxley

Then how would we satisfy the Dorito needs of pot smokers? Grind up and snort dried chiles. " . . . the lust for power can be just as completely satisfied by suggesting people into loving their servitude as by flogging them and kicking them into obedience." -- Aldous Huxley

So, you are one of those rich liberals! " . . . the lust for power can be just as completely satisfied by suggesting people into loving their servitude as by flogging them and kicking them into obedience." -- Aldous Huxley

There's plenty of research. This has been known for 30 years. I got it from some journal papers (real ones, not think tank BS), which I was pointed to by a freind who was in pharmacology school - 30 years ago. If anything, with improved technology, they have found out it is even worse than they thought it was then. IIRC, MJ smoke has over 200 gas phase toxic compounds - worse than cigs. " . . . the lust for power can be just as completely satisfied by suggesting people into loving their servitude as by flogging them and kicking them into obedience." -- Aldous Huxley