jcd11235

Today, of course, the Feds announced an $85 billion bailout loan. Yep. I'm still betting they will survive, due largely to their insurance investments. Still, mortgage investments seem to have burned them. Sometimes, although we don't know that it was actuaries who directed the investments. Not really. There is definitely some overlap in the skill sets, but not as much as you might think. An actuary is closer to a sports book's oddsmaker, only they work with different data sets (and typically have much more extensive formal mathematics training). You're welcome.

completely agree, with the correction above Religious institution of marriage - religious ceremony which should have nothing to do with government preferences civil union Legal institution of marriage - legal contract between two people that might have certain preferences attached to it It was fine the way it was. I differentiated between the legal and religious institutions of marriage. I see no need to attach a PC label to marriages; it's not an offensive term, and the two institutions generally involve the same participants in the same relationship. Math tutoring available. Only $6! per hour! First lesson: Factorials!

Where I attend, in Florida, reasonable accommodations must be made to students w/r/t their religious practices. However, it is the student's responsibility to make suitable arrangements with their professors at the beginning of the semester. Students need not worry about losing points because an assignment was due or a test was scheduled on a religious holiday (not recognized by the university), but they can reasonably expect due/test dates to be adjusted only to the extent necessary to allow the religious observation. Math tutoring available. Only $6! per hour! First lesson: Factorials!

What's one of the Democrat's party planks? More welfare - i.e., "bread and circuses" As opposed to the corporate welfare (e.g. tax loopholes) supported by the Republican party? Every form of government has a good/bad dichotomy. A benevolent monarch is perhaps the very best government, but such a system will inevitably take the form of totalitarian dictator over time. A polity is a government of the people in which people vote based on what is best for the whole. As Heinlein (and others) pointed out, that will inevitably be replaced by a government of the people who vote for what is in their individual best interest, aka democracy. Math tutoring available. Only $6! per hour! First lesson: Factorials!

Yes. The redistribution should not necessarily be in the form of cash, but but those making a higher income should pay higher taxes than low income persons. It benefits the nation as a whole, which ultimately benefits those making higher incomes. Money trickles up, not down. Math tutoring available. Only $6! per hour! First lesson: Factorials!

It's rather ironic that Bush/Cheney did exactly that in 2000; don't you agree? Math tutoring available. Only $6! per hour! First lesson: Factorials!

Yet I continue to hear that Obama's economic plan (which has more specifics than McCain's) comes closer to balancing than his opponent's. McCain's plan cuts revenues over ten years by $4.2 trillion. Obama's cuts revenues by $2.8 trillion. So (very) basically Obama's plan helps more people and costs less. Interesting. Shhh … Don't let facts get in the way of an Obama bashing session. Math tutoring available. Only $6! per hour! First lesson: Factorials!

Less biased test Math tutoring available. Only $6! per hour! First lesson: Factorials!

You're right. It appears that it was McCain who suggested that Alaska's proximity to Russia qualifies her w/r/t foreign policy. Palin did, however, fail to answer Gibson's question. Math tutoring available. Only $6! per hour! First lesson: Factorials!

Yes. Math tutoring available. Only $6! per hour! First lesson: Factorials!

Correct. Opposing one indicates racism, while opposing the other indicates homophobia. On the 4th definition, it does mention homosexual marriage as a trial marriage. You'd better read that definition again. It lists homosexual marriage after trial marriage, not as trial marriage. Marriage will still mean exactly the same thing if same sex marriages are recognized. The only thing that changes is that homosexuals are no longer discriminated against w/r/t to their ability to have their marriages recognized by the law. What's wrong with "separate but equal" racially segregated schools? So, why the irrational fear of same sex marriage? The logical excuse would be homophobia, perhaps religiously indoctrinated homophobia. So you are saying you think gays should be discriminated against w/r/t the privilege of marriage. Got it. Personally, I think religion should have zero influence on the legal institute of marriage. If it's a religious institution, then the government should not recognize any marriage. If it's a legal institution, then there should be no discrimination against anyone due to their sexual orientation (or race, etc.). Math tutoring available. Only $6! per hour! First lesson: Factorials!

Way to fit in the Obama smear based on a quote taken out of context (and way overblown at that) of the reverend of his church. Math tutoring available. Only $6! per hour! First lesson: Factorials!

Bingo! You are assuming cartesian space as opposed to non-Euclidean concept, such as a large sphere. the smaller the space on a sphere, the more approximately the angles on the triangle will approach 180 degrees. But the larger the area, the greater the sum of the angles of the three straight lines. Thus, the assumption is the catch. It is reasonable to assume that the three angles of a triangle can total 180 degrees. It is no less reasonable to assume that the three angles of a triangle can total in excess of 180 degrees. True, but you overlook that a triangle in non-Euclidian space does not imply a triangle in Euclidian space. His point was invalidated when he screwed up the Drake equation, the cornerstone of his argument, not unlike your own misrepresentations of claims made by science regarding global warming. That's exactly the problem when deniers try to counter objective scientific data with sophist rhetoric. Please, link to the peer reviewed studies claiming to tell us exactly what the world will be like in 2100. Or were you erecting yet another straw man? Yep, that how stochastic models work. Overall, they work well, but they are virtually never 100% accurate, nor are they represented as such. That doesn't make them useless; it just means that predictions are only approximate. They are. Then you should try reading the studies themselves, as well as the primary data. You'll find the answers you seek. That depends on the assumption. The scientific conclusions in the multitude of studies will generally state what assumptions have been made. Again, read the studies if you are not getting the information you desire from the media. That depends on how far in the past, and how precisely the makeup needs to be known. Knowledge isn't binary. Does the fact that you don't know every detail of the law an indication that you know nothing about the law? Of course not. You are able to perform your job competently with incomplete knowledge. Scientists do the same thing. Does PD need to wait until science understands the fundamental cause of gravity before they can build a parachute that allows skydivers to survive landing after exiting an in flight aircraft? It sure can, but when those making predictions are qualified in the relevant field, they can be very accurate and reliable. There's a reason that bookmakers tend to consistently make money above and beyond the vig. They know their field, and those that don't quickly go out of business. Likewise, there is a reason insurance companies consistently make money. They can generally predict their future costs, and can price their insurance premiums appropriately. (Incidentally, AIG will likely survive their current problems because of the reliability of their insurance underwriting.) Math tutoring available. Only $6! per hour! First lesson: Factorials!

Fair enough. It's suddenly a key issue because Palin decided to claim that Alaska's proximity to Russia gives her foreign policy experience. Of course, most intelligent Americans understand that such proximity doesn't matter, since it is the role of the federal government, not the state governments, to interact with other nation-states. Sure, they were forced. Sure, it was Clinton's fault a new industry was popular among investors and they over estimated future values of tech companies. Of course that was Clinton's fault also. Never mind that it happened it happened barely a month into his first term. At least he went after those responsible, and saw many of them prosecuted without killing thousands of additional people in the process. Yeah, the mujahideen organizations weren't happy about Clinton cutting off their US funding. What the fuck were Carter/Reagan/Bush thinking by giving jihadist terrorist organizations funding anyway? Oh wait, that's right, the USSR was fighting the mujahideen groups in Afghanistan, so we had to throw our support behind the freedom fighters terrorists. What could possibly be the harm? Of course Ruby Ridge was Clinton's fault. After all, he was campaigning for POTUS. Never mind that he hadn't yet been elected. Yep, Waco was handled poorly. Of course, the stage was set before Clinton took office. Unfortunately, McVeigh was motivated because of Waco. Remind us again, before Clinton, who was the last president to oversee three consecutive years of budget surpluses (plus W's first year with a budget signed by Clinton. When was the last time the Dow Jones Industrial Average nearly tripled during a single president's tenure? Math tutoring available. Only $6! per hour! First lesson: Factorials!

Perhaps you can show me where I claimed Clinton's tenure as governor of Arkansas gave him foreign policy experience. The last time we voted for a well educated, intelligent candidate, i.e. Clinton, things worked out well for the country. Math tutoring available. Only $6! per hour! First lesson: Factorials!

I would disagree (assuming the triangle is defined in cartesian space). I recommend that you read Richard Feynman's What Do You Care What Other People Think? before considering that decision to be based on good reasoning. No, it wasn't. The launch was performed outside the operating parameters of the components. Had the focus been on the science and engineering, rather than the policy, the launch would not have taken place. Science has a place in public debate and policy, but public debate has no place in science. Null hypotheses should be kept or rejected based on science, not political expedience. Math tutoring available. Only $6! per hour! First lesson: Factorials!

Oh, I see. The dealings don't have to be substantive. Well, that changes everything. I've spoken with several international students today. I guess that means I have experience in foreign relations. Heck, one of my roommates is from China. Maybe I'll be appointed as an ambassador. Interesting how you disregard the Constitution. Would you stop calling me Andy? It's not my name. I don't call you George, do I? I fear Palin in the White House, because I've seen what a disaster it is to have an unqualified person in the Oval Office. Everything the current POTUS has touched has turned to shit, and that's not a trend I want to see continue. What attacks are those? Pointing out that she is not qualified for the Oval Office? Math tutoring available. Only $6! per hour! First lesson: Factorials!

That's just funny. She is nowhere close to the public speaker that Obama is. If she has such great impromptu abilities, why isn't she allowed to talk with the press except under very controlled conditions? Yes, when an inexperienced pageant queen is promoted as being an experienced executive based on her small town mayor experience and her short stint as the governor of a state with a population smaller than many US cities, it is appropriate to consider the size of the populations which she governed. Math tutoring available. Only $6! per hour! First lesson: Factorials!

He was qualified in the sense that he's intelligent, charismatic, and a better option than his opponents. In office he proved himself to be far superior than his two predecessors, as well as his successor, who has proven himself to be a complete failure as POTUS. Palin is not a better option than her opponents, unless one supports extreme right wing, authoritarian government. Personally, I do not. I'm fond of personal (positive) liberty, which is why I favor Obama/Biden over McCain/Palin. Math tutoring available. Only $6! per hour! First lesson: Factorials!

They don't. Just like being governor of Alaska offers zero foreign relations experience, despite the close proximity of (remote parts of) the state with Russia. So you agree that being governor of Alaska doesn't offer any experience in foreign relations. The only thing I debunked was your faulty logic, upon which you based your assertions that somehow Palin actually has more relevant experience than Obama. Math tutoring available. Only $6! per hour! First lesson: Factorials!

Interesting assertion. I abandoned Libertarian ideology in favor of more liberal views precisely because of studying maths, economics, and finance. Math tutoring available. Only $6! per hour! First lesson: Factorials!

I haven't seen any indication in her experience or her rhetoric to suggest she is as qualified as Obama, Biden, or even McCain. As a state representative, Obama represented a district with more people than the entire state of Alaska. In US Congress, Obama has acquired more foreign policy experience than Palin. But, I'm sure Palin made life very difficult for Alaska's thirty state legislators as she reformed the state legislature. There are undoubtedly many high school teachers that would like to adapt her tactics in their classrooms. Obama, on the other hand, has experience working with the US Congress, which is much larger, and much more diverse. Math tutoring available. Only $6! per hour! First lesson: Factorials!

What foreign countries has she worked with? Proximity does not equal a working relationship. The POTUS deals with domestic policy for all fifty states. By your logic, since Alaska borders no states, Palin doesn't have sufficient experience. Are you suggesting, with your example, that Palin violated Article I Section 10 of the US Constitution? No State shall, without the Consent of Congress, lay any duty of Tonnage, keep Troops, or Ships of War in time of Peace, enter into any Agreement or Compact with another State, or with a foreign Power, or engage in War, unless actually invaded, or in such imminent Danger as will not admit of delay. I guess Palin didn't deserve those three points you credited her with after all. Math tutoring available. Only $6! per hour! First lesson: Factorials!

Hmmm … what data was that. I saw that you did post data consistent with his assertions. Did you subsequently provide some data that contradicted that data? Math tutoring available. Only $6! per hour! First lesson: Factorials!

You can see Mexico from Texas, but that hasn't helped GWB to be a competent POTUS, despite his experience as governor of the lone star state. If that somehow makes Palin more qualified in foreign policy, then, by the same logic, it makes her less qualified w/r/t domestic policy. How many treaties does Alaska have with Russia? Nevermind, such a treaty would be unconstitutional. I guess Alaska's proximity to Russia doesn't offer Palin any foreign policy experience, does it? Math tutoring available. Only $6! per hour! First lesson: Factorials!