jcd11235

Because the whole purpose of the hypothetical scenario is to create a two option choice. While some clever third options have been presented, that really defeats the purpose of the question. The post wasn't intended to be a riddle that could be creatively solved. Math tutoring available. Only $6! per hour! First lesson: Factorials!

This thread provides a good amount of information regarding the effectiveness of torture (i.e. that experience suggests torture is an ineffective means of obtaining reliable intelligence). Math tutoring available. Only $6! per hour! First lesson: Factorials!

Ratified February 3, 1913, per requirements set forth in Article V of the Constitution of the united States of America: Amendment 16 The Congress shall have power to lay and collect taxes on incomes, from whatever source derived, without apportionment among the several States, and without regard to any census or enumeration. Someone recently posted exact US Code passages regarding income tax in this very forum. Indeed. Math tutoring available. Only $6! per hour! First lesson: Factorials!

Interesting scenario, but it doesn't ask the same question I'm interested in. Math tutoring available. Only $6! per hour! First lesson: Factorials!

My contrived scenario is admittedly limited. Whatever its flaws, the underlying question remains. I threw in the probabilities so the risk of an attack could be perceived the same for everyone reading. Math tutoring available. Only $6! per hour! First lesson: Factorials!

Not only is that assertion not clear, evidence suggests there is little to no truth in it at all. Evidence apparently substantiates that waterboarding revealed the plan for a terrorist attack on Los Angeles following 9/11 and it was successfully neutralized. Actually, no, the evidence doesn't substantiate that claim. The evidence suggests information that came off of the laptop of a particular detainee, who was subjected to water boarding, was found to be quite valuable, producing a lot of good intelligence. Math tutoring available. Only $6! per hour! First lesson: Factorials!

Clever, but it really only avoids the question I'm asking: When forced to choose, do you choose in favor of protecting your nation from probable attack from her enemies or in favor of ideals for which your nation stands despite understanding that the cost will most likely be in lives? Math tutoring available. Only $6! per hour! First lesson: Factorials!

Not only is that assertion not clear, evidence suggests there is little to no truth in it at all. The general consensus among experienced interrogators is that torture, including water boarding, is not an effective way to obtain reliable intelligence. The real world is nothing like 24, so we really needn't worry about what Jack Bauer would do. He'll do whatever the writers think will maximize total viewers. Math tutoring available. Only $6! per hour! First lesson: Factorials!

I was recently watching an episode of Lie To Me. At one point in the show, a moral dilemma was proposed that, along with [nerdgirl]'s allegiance thread, inspired this post. Here's the barely plausible, highly improbable scenario: Two cops, who I'll call Adam and Bill, are partners who were involved in a work related shooting. Adam incorrectly identified the suspect's cell phone as a gun and reacted by shooting the suspect, who I'll call Carl, twice, critically injuring him, but not killing him. Bill was the first one to the suspect, saw that the "gun" was actually a cell phone, and swapped it for a gun, quickly, before Adam was able to see that he had actually shot someone for pulling out their cell phone. It turns out that Bill is actually an undercover FBI agent, 16 months into an assignment to watch Adam (unbeknownst to the police department), who is known by the FBI to be a member of a sleeper cell of a known terrorist organization. The FBI have evidence of other cell members in the police department but have thus far only identified and confirmed Adam. The FBI have credible evidence of the cell's plans to carry out an attack within the next 6-9 months. Bill planted the gun to avoid any internal investigation of Adam, which might have the consequence of exposing Adam as a terrorist before the FBI is prepared to move on the whole cell. Unfortunately, poor Carl, after recovering from his gunshot wounds, is standing trial for attempted murder because he allegedly pulled a gun on two police officers. He maintains that he didn't have a gun, but the prosecution has the gun. The lack of fingerprints has been explained to the jury as being due to Carl wearing gloves, gloves which the prosecution has also entered into evidence. Carl is an innocent man, but faces highly probable conviction without evidence that the gun was planted. You have both the evidence to clear Carl (and inadvertently implicate Bill for planting the gun) and knowledge of the FBI investigation, including their knowledge of the planned attack. Neither the prosecuting nor defense attorney is aware of the evidence's existence. Please assume (for the sake of this discussion) the following: Carl is a law abiding citizen who is generally considered to be a good man by those who know him. The FBI's intelligence is accurate and the investigation is being handled competently. Without your evidence, Carl has a 99% chance of being convicted and sentenced to life in prison, with possibility of parole after 25 years in a best case scenario and without any possibility of parole in a worst case scenario. With your evidence, Carl will be acquitted, but the resulting investigation into the shooting and subsequent coverup will ruin the FBI's investigation, if not by blowing Bill's cover then by putting so much heat on Adam that the rest of the cells alienates him, eliminating the FBI's best source of intelligence. If the FBI investigation is ruined, there is a 90% chance of the terrorist cell attempting to carry out their attack. If attempted, there is a 60% chance of total success and a 10% chance of total failure. You have no knowledge of either the scale of the attack or the ideology of the terrorists. Their nationality is likewise unknown to you. Ultimately, you are put in a position in which you must choose between the safety of your nation and some of the important ideals for which you have longed believed your nation to stand. Do you present your evidence to prevent an innocent man's conviction and risk the attack on the nation, OR Do you withhold your evidence in order to allow the FBI to prevent the attack, taking the near certain risk of a man being convicted and receiving a life sentence for a crime that you know he did not commit? Why do you make the choice you make? Math tutoring available. Only $6! per hour! First lesson: Factorials!

You're only technically correct. And I have every respect for a voter who votes for a candidate based on the "who" of the candidate, not the party. But I still think that there's a huge portion of the electorate - my sense is that it's better than 50% - for whom the partyy of the candidate is is the #1 or close #2 reason for voting for that candidate. That's the basis for my position. I certainly agree that many, if not most, voters cast ballots based on party affiliation. However, that isn't how the system is designed. If their voting strategy backfires, the onus should not be on the elected official; it should be on the electorate, IMO. Math tutoring available. Only $6! per hour! First lesson: Factorials!

M&M's Gillette McDonald's Math tutoring available. Only $6! per hour! First lesson: Factorials!

A few more that I don't remember having been mentioned: The Hustler (B&W, Newman, Gleason, 1961) The 51st State The Last Castle The Green Mile Math tutoring available. Only $6! per hour! First lesson: Factorials!

While I understand your concern, I disagree that Specter's switch defrauded the electorate who voted for him. We select candidates when we cast our ballots, not parties. While some people may base their choice of candidate on the political party with which he/she is affiliated, the vote is cast for an individual, by an individual. Math tutoring available. Only $6! per hour! First lesson: Factorials!

Of the two, my allegiance to the nation is much stronger than my allegiance to any state I've lived in. I consider myself a world citizen before a US citizen, though. Math tutoring available. Only $6! per hour! First lesson: Factorials!

Well there are guys who are into that sort of thing too...furries http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Furry_fandom Furry fandom (also known as furrydom, furridom, fur fandom or furdom) refers to the fandom for fictional anthropomorphic animal characters with human personalities and characteristics.[1] Examples of anthropomorphic attributes include exhibiting human intelligence and facial expressions, the ability to speak, walk on two legs, and wear clothes. Furry fandom is also used to refer to the community of artists, writers, role players and general fans of the furry art forms who gather on the net and at conventions.[2][3] Jessica Rabbit is actually an animated human. I think she falls under a completely different fetish. Go look up the history of Disney Studios.. and the artists who have worked there. The censors were all over them for many many years. Many of them were "attracted" to the characters... furry or otherwise. ??? What does Disney have to do with it? Who Framed Roger Rabbit wasn't produced by Disney. Math tutoring available. Only $6! per hour! First lesson: Factorials!

Well there are guys who are into that sort of thing too...furries http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Furry_fandom Furry fandom (also known as furrydom, furridom, fur fandom or furdom) refers to the fandom for fictional anthropomorphic animal characters with human personalities and characteristics.[1] Examples of anthropomorphic attributes include exhibiting human intelligence and facial expressions, the ability to speak, walk on two legs, and wear clothes. Furry fandom is also used to refer to the community of artists, writers, role players and general fans of the furry art forms who gather on the net and at conventions.[2][3] Jessica Rabbit is actually an animated human. I think she falls under a completely different fetish. Math tutoring available. Only $6! per hour! First lesson: Factorials!

A few in no particular order: Snatch Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels The Score A Bronx Tale Pulp Fiction The Sting Confidence Catch Me If You Can Blow Identity Gran Torino Wall-E Office Space M*A*S*H The Bucket List The Negotiator The Shawshank Redemption Math tutoring available. Only $6! per hour! First lesson: Factorials!

just bored - but there you go again, "I'm not doing, You are" nicely played I'll wait while you post something relevant to the topic so that we might engage in courteous debate. Math tutoring available. Only $6! per hour! First lesson: Factorials!

Nice straw man. My question was asked in a reasonable, respectful manner about his particular situation in order to give Tom the opportunity to provide the data necessary to support his assertion. I suspect that you lack any understanding of what the discussion is actually about, since, rather than productively participate, you've chosen only to heckle the participants. You appear to be the only one in this thread that does have a problem with courteous debate. Why do you keep complaining about it? Math tutoring available. Only $6! per hour! First lesson: Factorials!

Agreed. I'm still waiting on relevant information to make that possible. Why debate when mathematical methods can be used instead? If Tom's assertion is correct, the maths will show it. That's a wholly different impression than what I'm getting. I've only seen evasion of questions. Math tutoring available. Only $6! per hour! First lesson: Factorials!

Perhaps we should make sure ours our current before we criticize how the money is "squandered," especially considering our permanent seat in the UNSC. Math tutoring available. Only $6! per hour! First lesson: Factorials!

Perhaps they've had issues collecting dues. Math tutoring available. Only $6! per hour! First lesson: Factorials!

Right. I attempted to acquire the necessary data to test Tom's claims for mathematical consistency. If money is a useful measure of value, value should be quantifiable. Math tutoring available. Only $6! per hour! First lesson: Factorials!

That's signature worthy material right there. That's better than Skymama complimenting someone's scrotum. Math tutoring available. Only $6! per hour! First lesson: Factorials!

It's going to be different for every person. … The shape of your personal demand curve (for anything) is going to be pretty complex and idiosyncratic. No one can define that function for you, aside from you. Right, that's why I asked you about yours, rather than the demand of someone else. Math tutoring available. Only $6! per hour! First lesson: Factorials!