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First 100 Days: Day 9 - Of Cocktails and Cocksuckers

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    Professor PhobosProfessor Phobos Registered User regular
    edited January 2009
    I wholeheartedly support the ideal of a liberal arts education. A diversity of experience benefits thought-processes in general, and there's always the possibility of inspiration crossing disciplines.

    Professor Phobos on
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    ScalfinScalfin __BANNED USERS regular
    edited January 2009
    mcdermott wrote: »
    Sentry wrote: »
    You don't see why learning things outside your discipline might have value? Because an engineer will never have to use English to write a report... and a reporter might never have to use math or speak another language?

    An engineer won't have to use the skills learned in the English class we're forced to take to write a report...it's a completely different style of writing. Also, I really don't think my course in Native American Studies is really going to benefit me in my career...however this "diversity" core class with required attendance did mean I got to miss the inauguration of the first minority president of this country. Because that makes sense.

    Oh, and my music class. Sure I'll be using that.

    My psychology class is iffy, and while it might benefit me as a person I don't see how it has any bearing on my career. So yeah.

    History? Same.

    Learning things outside my discipline may have value, but not so much value that I can understand requiring it. Absent these four core classes alone I could have already started work a couple months ago. Figure five months of salary at $22K, plus the $8K it's costing me to go, and I'm not seeing how I'm getting thirty fucking thousand dollars of value out of these courses. I wonder which stimulates the economy more...me spending $8K to go to school (much of it on your dime, no less) or me making (and spending) over $20K?

    It's a worthy cost to make sure there is one less Paultard out there. Of course, I'm from a culture which tends to prioritize knowledge and education more than most, so I might be biased.

    Scalfin on
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
    The rest of you, I fucking hate you for the fact that I now have a blue dot on this god awful thread.
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    s3rial ones3rial one Registered User regular
    edited January 2009
    geckahn wrote: »
    and here I am quoting myself, but . .

    undergrad is completely what you make of it. It's a chance to educate your mind to deal with new information and situations for the rest of your life. A lot of people spend 4 years boozing and never thinking about what they're doing, but trust me - I'm a much smarter and capable person for having gotten my BS in economics, and this applies to all areas of life, not just economic analysis.

    And I still had time to get hammered at least 3 nights a week =)

    This is a big part of the problem, though, isn't it? You spend four years learning and generally becoming a better person and more useful to society. Broheim Kegstandmaster joins a frat, and spends the next four years nailing frat mattresses and drinking himself into a near-coma three nights a week.

    You're educated, well-rounded, and useful. He's not. But he's got the same credentials you do.

    That's... not right.

    s3rial one on
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    geckahngeckahn Registered User regular
    edited January 2009
    My psych 101 class was easily the most valuable non-major class I took.

    History of Islam and the Dynamic Interior (geology) were also cool, but not that valuable to my life.

    geckahn on
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    geckahngeckahn Registered User regular
    edited January 2009
    s3rial one wrote: »
    geckahn wrote: »
    and here I am quoting myself, but . .

    undergrad is completely what you make of it. It's a chance to educate your mind to deal with new information and situations for the rest of your life. A lot of people spend 4 years boozing and never thinking about what they're doing, but trust me - I'm a much smarter and capable person for having gotten my BS in economics, and this applies to all areas of life, not just economic analysis.

    And I still had time to get hammered at least 3 nights a week =)

    This is a big part of the problem, though, isn't it? You spend four years learning and generally becoming a better person and more useful to society. Broheim Kegstandmaster joins a frat, and spends the next four years nailing frat mattresses and drinking himself into a near-coma three nights a week.

    You're educated, well-rounded, and useful. He's not. But he's got the same credentials you do.

    That's... not right.

    It only matters for your first job. What you do with the rest is completely up to you. My chances of success by that measure are far higher.

    geckahn on
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    mcdermottmcdermott Registered User regular
    edited January 2009
    Scalfin wrote: »
    mcdermott wrote: »
    Sentry wrote: »
    You don't see why learning things outside your discipline might have value? Because an engineer will never have to use English to write a report... and a reporter might never have to use math or speak another language?

    An engineer won't have to use the skills learned in the English class we're forced to take to write a report...it's a completely different style of writing. Also, I really don't think my course in Native American Studies is really going to benefit me in my career...however this "diversity" core class with required attendance did mean I got to miss the inauguration of the first minority president of this country. Because that makes sense.

    Oh, and my music class. Sure I'll be using that.

    My psychology class is iffy, and while it might benefit me as a person I don't see how it has any bearing on my career. So yeah.

    History? Same.

    Learning things outside my discipline may have value, but not so much value that I can understand requiring it. Absent these four core classes alone I could have already started work a couple months ago. Figure five months of salary at $22K, plus the $8K it's costing me to go, and I'm not seeing how I'm getting thirty fucking thousand dollars of value out of these courses. I wonder which stimulates the economy more...me spending $8K to go to school (much of it on your dime, no less) or me making (and spending) over $20K?

    It's a worthy cost to make sure there is one less Paultard out there. Of course, I'm from a culture which tends to prioritize knowledge and education more than most, so I might be biased.

    Except the Paultards still get through anyway. They study the minimum, pass the class, and go on to finish their intended major (while singing the benefits of Saint Ron). Plenty of Paultards in my English class, hell I know plenty that made it through my Economics class without opening their damn eyes.

    So it's not making sure of shit. Other than that I have a decent grasp on musical theory now. So I guess that's cool.

    mcdermott on
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    DuffelDuffel jacobkosh Registered User regular
    edited January 2009
    My paleontology class changed my outlook a lot.

    It's one thing to know, academically, that the earth is 4.6 billion years old. It's another thing to study those years and how much the planet has changed throughout those years. It kind of puts humanity into perspective.

    Duffel on
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    ScalfinScalfin __BANNED USERS regular
    edited January 2009
    s3rial one wrote: »
    geckahn wrote: »
    and here I am quoting myself, but . .

    undergrad is completely what you make of it. It's a chance to educate your mind to deal with new information and situations for the rest of your life. A lot of people spend 4 years boozing and never thinking about what they're doing, but trust me - I'm a much smarter and capable person for having gotten my BS in economics, and this applies to all areas of life, not just economic analysis.

    And I still had time to get hammered at least 3 nights a week =)

    This is a big part of the problem, though, isn't it? You spend four years learning and generally becoming a better person and more useful to society. Broheim Kegstandmaster joins a frat, and spends the next four years nailing frat mattresses and drinking himself into a near-coma three nights a week.

    You're educated, well-rounded, and useful. He's not. But he's got the same credentials you do.

    That's... not right.

    But he, at least he's not getting wasted at a bar and going home to beat his wife while fantasizing about Sarah Palin.

    Scalfin on
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
    The rest of you, I fucking hate you for the fact that I now have a blue dot on this god awful thread.
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    OremLKOremLK Registered User regular
    edited January 2009
    s3rial one wrote: »
    geckahn wrote: »
    and here I am quoting myself, but . .

    undergrad is completely what you make of it. It's a chance to educate your mind to deal with new information and situations for the rest of your life. A lot of people spend 4 years boozing and never thinking about what they're doing, but trust me - I'm a much smarter and capable person for having gotten my BS in economics, and this applies to all areas of life, not just economic analysis.

    And I still had time to get hammered at least 3 nights a week =)

    This is a big part of the problem, though, isn't it? You spend four years learning and generally becoming a better person and more useful to society. Broheim Kegstandmaster joins a frat, and spends the next four years nailing frat mattresses and drinking himself into a near-coma three nights a week.

    You're educated, well-rounded, and useful. He's not. But he's got the same credentials you do.

    That's... not right.

    And what's worse, he's probably worse at his job than a bunch of people without those credentials.

    OremLK on
    My zombie survival life simulator They Don't Sleep is out now on Steam if you want to check it out.
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    DuffelDuffel jacobkosh Registered User regular
    edited January 2009
    Scalfin wrote: »
    But he, at least he's not getting wasted at a bar and going home to beat his wife while fantasizing about Sarah Palin.
    Actually, he probably is. I had to listen to one dumbass today talk about what a great president Hoover was and how shitty FDR was.

    Why? BOOTSTRAPS!

    Duffel on
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    monikermoniker Registered User regular
    edited January 2009
    44767542.jpg

    He's like Oprah. Everybody gets a pen!

    moniker on
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    DemiurgeDemiurge Registered User regular
    edited January 2009
    The argument that the stimulus might not do anything so why bother reminded me of this video. Its worth a watch just change "global warming" to "economic recession" :P

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zORv8wwiadQ

    Demiurge on
    DQ0uv.png 5E984.png
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    s3rial ones3rial one Registered User regular
    edited January 2009
    geckahn wrote: »
    s3rial one wrote: »
    geckahn wrote: »
    and here I am quoting myself, but . .

    undergrad is completely what you make of it. It's a chance to educate your mind to deal with new information and situations for the rest of your life. A lot of people spend 4 years boozing and never thinking about what they're doing, but trust me - I'm a much smarter and capable person for having gotten my BS in economics, and this applies to all areas of life, not just economic analysis.

    And I still had time to get hammered at least 3 nights a week =)

    This is a big part of the problem, though, isn't it? You spend four years learning and generally becoming a better person and more useful to society. Broheim Kegstandmaster joins a frat, and spends the next four years nailing frat mattresses and drinking himself into a near-coma three nights a week.

    You're educated, well-rounded, and useful. He's not. But he's got the same credentials you do.

    That's... not right.

    It only matters for your first job. What you do with the rest is completely up to you. My chances of success by that measure are far higher.

    I think it's worse than that.

    We, as a society, like to pat ourselves on the back, saying how we're improving education standards. But we're not, are we? We settled on the standards a long time ago: high school diplomas, GEDs, BAs and BSs, master's degrees, various doctorates, etc.

    We've spent the last two decades lowering the standards for getting any of those, while saying "hey, look how educated we are in the US! We have this many more college grads than we used to!"

    s3rial one on
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    GoslingGosling Looking Up Soccer In Mongolia Right Now, Probably Watertown, WIRegistered User regular
    edited January 2009
    So it appears that my personal politically impotent Congressman, Tom Petri, was one of the people Obama thought might defect on the stimulus vote. Needless to say he didn't.

    You look at the district and he really should have known better than that. This article's from Tuesday.
    Veteran Wisconsin Rep. Tom Petri has an unusual qualm with the economic booster shot due for House consideration on Wednesday.

    He is in the small minority of House Republicans — perhaps a caucus of one — who think the package spends too little on infrastructure projects.

    He is also among a clutch of about a dozen Republican moderates heading down Pennsylvania Avenue Tuesday to meet with White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel, a former Illinois congressman and President Obama’s informal top emissary to House Republicans.

    Petri’s vote is still in play.

    “I’m trying to get a better sense of how this all fits into the greater scheme of things,” Petri said, adding that he wants an explanation of the interplay between the stimulus and other financial recovery programs. “I’m still basically looking at it.”

    Petri’s vote has outsized value to Obama, a new president who campaigned on his ability to bridge partisan divides and unify the country. The stimulus bill is the first big test of Obama’s capacity to fulfill the campaign-trail promise to forge bipartisan coalitions.

    House Republicans predict there will be few defections to the Democratic side for a stimulus bill that, according to the 10-year projection of the Congressional Budget Office, would spend $606 billion and net $212 billion in tax cuts.

    If there are any green lights next to Republican names on the House scoreboard on Wednesday, one of those markers of a “yes” vote could flash up beside “Petri.”

    Petri says he hears the argument fellow Republicans make that much of the planned spending will not provide any immediate stimulus. He says he has little confidence that the bill will solve the nation’s problems. He also questions whether the wisest move is to inject spending into existing programs that are “good, bad and indifferent.”

    But he also believes the government should be providing more aid to states to cover programs as demand for assistance rises in a bad economy.

    First elected in 1979 in an east-central Wisconsin district that now runs from Sheboygan in the east past Marquette in the west and from the Waukesha County line in the south to north of Oshkosh, Petri has seen his share of national economic swings.

    The current downturn is pinching the outboard motor makers at Brunswick’s Mercury Marine in Fond du Lac and the domestic “severe duty” truck operation at Oshkosh Corporation, Petri said.

    The military side of Oshkosh’s business is doing well, Petri said, but orders for civilian vehicles, like fire trucks and cement mixers, has stagnated.

    “This is what people are confronting all across the economy,” he said.

    Government spending on infrastructure projects might spur demand for those trucks.

    His 6th District constituents aren’t all sure what to make of the stimulus, either.

    “People would like something done, but they’re basically concerned and confused and many are not convinced that this is the answer,” he said. “They’d like to believe it is.”

    He says he would like to see a stronger multi-year commitment to investment in highways, bridges, dams and other major infrastructure projects that he believes would have benefits for secondary and tertiary business, as well as boosting overall confidence in the state of the economy and leaving taxpayers with something tangible to show for the government’s spending decisions.

    “I really would like to see more robust and better thought-out program in the infrastructure investment area,” he said.

    He will have an opportunity to make that case to Emanuel on Tuesday, along with a handful of other moderate Republicans who have yet to declare how they will vote.

    Emanuel, you may begin the advertising. It's an R +5 district. Easily stealable with the right candidate.

    Gosling on
    I have a new soccer blog The Minnow Tank. Reading it psychically kicks Sepp Blatter in the bean bag.
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    LibrarianThorneLibrarianThorne Registered User regular
    edited January 2009
    I'm in a creative/critical thinking field, so my studies outside of my major helped me a lot.

    I think the most was probably studying Japan for about two and a half years. Two years to learn the language and history, and three months in the country itself. Really opened my eyes to a lot of shit, like the real value of public transportation.

    Ultimately, college is what you make it. It's worth $20,000 if you make it worth $20,000, but if you fuck around and don't apply yourself then it's worth precisely dick. A friend of mine constantly complains about how worthless his four year degree is but he never applied himself in classes and, after graduation, didn't have the stones to enter the field he'd spent four years studying.

    This is all OT, so howsabout that conference the Republicans are having now to find a new identity? Pretty gorram impressive that one candidate could so completely shatter the "permanent majority" to the point where that party doesn't even know what it's for any more.

    <3 Obama

    LibrarianThorne on
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    monikermoniker Registered User regular
    edited January 2009
    Demiurge wrote: »
    The argument that the stimulus might not do anything so why bother reminded me of this video. Its worth a watch just change "global warming" to "economic recession" :P

    So you're basically arguing Pascal's Wager? Only instead of getting into heaven we have improved infrastructure and potentially a less horrible recession?

    moniker on
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    Armored GorillaArmored Gorilla Registered User regular
    edited January 2009
    My rep, Kratovil (MD-01) is one of the blue dogs who voted against the stimulus bill. I knew this when I voted for him because he's technically better than Harris was, but goddammit. Narrow win in an R+ district will give you those kinds of results, I guess.

    Lousy.

    Armored Gorilla on
    "I'm a mad god. The Mad God, actually. It's a family title. Gets passed down from me to myself every few thousand years."
  • Options
    HorusHorus Los AngelesRegistered User regular
    edited January 2009
    geckahn wrote: »
    s3rial one wrote: »
    geckahn wrote: »
    and here I am quoting myself, but . .

    undergrad is completely what you make of it. It's a chance to educate your mind to deal with new information and situations for the rest of your life. A lot of people spend 4 years boozing and never thinking about what they're doing, but trust me - I'm a much smarter and capable person for having gotten my BS in economics, and this applies to all areas of life, not just economic analysis.

    And I still had time to get hammered at least 3 nights a week =)

    This is a big part of the problem, though, isn't it? You spend four years learning and generally becoming a better person and more useful to society. Broheim Kegstandmaster joins a frat, and spends the next four years nailing frat mattresses and drinking himself into a near-coma three nights a week.

    You're educated, well-rounded, and useful. He's not. But he's got the same credentials you do.

    That's... not right.

    It only matters for your first job. What you do with the rest is completely up to you. My chances of success by that measure are far higher.

    I feel my non-major courses really helped me a lot in my work experience. Its just that when you take a class you have to think what will you gain out of the course... Are you taking it for easy A? Want to see how this enhances your career plans? It matters on the person whether they want to absorb about their education and find ways to apply it in life.

    Like if your a guy and heading into a field where its more female oriented like nurse... might help to take a Womens course. But I bet majority of people just take a class whose prof has easy A ratings not considering anything else.


    Now on topic:
    I just saw videos on Huff post on Rep gagaing Rush. Its so sad that they prefer to please him than...... their people or just do a their job without influences.

    Horus on
    “You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose. You're on your own. And you know what you know. And YOU are the one who'll decide where to go...”
    ― Dr. Seuss, Oh, the Places You'll Go!
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    DemiurgeDemiurge Registered User regular
    edited January 2009
    moniker wrote: »
    Demiurge wrote: »
    The argument that the stimulus might not do anything so why bother reminded me of this video. Its worth a watch just change "global warming" to "economic recession" :P

    So you're basically arguing Pascal's Wager? Only instead of getting into heaven we have improved infrastructure and potentially a less horrible recession?

    Yes, thats pretty accurate.

    Demiurge on
    DQ0uv.png 5E984.png
  • Options
    ScalfinScalfin __BANNED USERS regular
    edited January 2009
    Gosling wrote: »
    So it appears that my personal politically impotent Congressman, Tom Petri, was one of the people Obama thought might defect on the stimulus vote. Needless to say he didn't.

    You look at the district and he really should have known better than that. This article's from Tuesday.
    Veteran Wisconsin Rep. Tom Petri has an unusual qualm with the economic booster shot due for House consideration on Wednesday.

    He is in the small minority of House Republicans — perhaps a caucus of one — who think the package spends too little on infrastructure projects.

    He is also among a clutch of about a dozen Republican moderates heading down Pennsylvania Avenue Tuesday to meet with White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel, a former Illinois congressman and President Obama’s informal top emissary to House Republicans.

    Petri’s vote is still in play.

    “I’m trying to get a better sense of how this all fits into the greater scheme of things,” Petri said, adding that he wants an explanation of the interplay between the stimulus and other financial recovery programs. “I’m still basically looking at it.”

    Petri’s vote has outsized value to Obama, a new president who campaigned on his ability to bridge partisan divides and unify the country. The stimulus bill is the first big test of Obama’s capacity to fulfill the campaign-trail promise to forge bipartisan coalitions.

    House Republicans predict there will be few defections to the Democratic side for a stimulus bill that, according to the 10-year projection of the Congressional Budget Office, would spend $606 billion and net $212 billion in tax cuts.

    If there are any green lights next to Republican names on the House scoreboard on Wednesday, one of those markers of a “yes” vote could flash up beside “Petri.”

    Petri says he hears the argument fellow Republicans make that much of the planned spending will not provide any immediate stimulus. He says he has little confidence that the bill will solve the nation’s problems. He also questions whether the wisest move is to inject spending into existing programs that are “good, bad and indifferent.”

    But he also believes the government should be providing more aid to states to cover programs as demand for assistance rises in a bad economy.

    First elected in 1979 in an east-central Wisconsin district that now runs from Sheboygan in the east past Marquette in the west and from the Waukesha County line in the south to north of Oshkosh, Petri has seen his share of national economic swings.

    The current downturn is pinching the outboard motor makers at Brunswick’s Mercury Marine in Fond du Lac and the domestic “severe duty” truck operation at Oshkosh Corporation, Petri said.

    The military side of Oshkosh’s business is doing well, Petri said, but orders for civilian vehicles, like fire trucks and cement mixers, has stagnated.

    “This is what people are confronting all across the economy,” he said.

    Government spending on infrastructure projects might spur demand for those trucks.

    His 6th District constituents aren’t all sure what to make of the stimulus, either.

    “People would like something done, but they’re basically concerned and confused and many are not convinced that this is the answer,” he said. “They’d like to believe it is.”

    He says he would like to see a stronger multi-year commitment to investment in highways, bridges, dams and other major infrastructure projects that he believes would have benefits for secondary and tertiary business, as well as boosting overall confidence in the state of the economy and leaving taxpayers with something tangible to show for the government’s spending decisions.

    “I really would like to see more robust and better thought-out program in the infrastructure investment area,” he said.

    He will have an opportunity to make that case to Emanuel on Tuesday, along with a handful of other moderate Republicans who have yet to declare how they will vote.

    Emanuel, you may begin the advertising. It's an R +5 district. Easily stealable with the right candidate.

    Eh, it be good to keep around a republican who refuses to vote for a dem bill because it compromises too much. That way, we can put him on display when we want to ram through something uncompromised.

    Scalfin on
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
    The rest of you, I fucking hate you for the fact that I now have a blue dot on this god awful thread.
  • Options
    GoslingGosling Looking Up Soccer In Mongolia Right Now, Probably Watertown, WIRegistered User regular
    edited January 2009
    Scalfin wrote: »
    Gosling wrote: »
    So it appears that my personal politically impotent Congressman, Tom Petri, was one of the people Obama thought might defect on the stimulus vote. Needless to say he didn't.

    You look at the district and he really should have known better than that. This article's from Tuesday.
    Veteran Wisconsin Rep. Tom Petri has an unusual qualm with the economic booster shot due for House consideration on Wednesday.

    He is in the small minority of House Republicans — perhaps a caucus of one — who think the package spends too little on infrastructure projects.

    He is also among a clutch of about a dozen Republican moderates heading down Pennsylvania Avenue Tuesday to meet with White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel, a former Illinois congressman and President Obama’s informal top emissary to House Republicans.

    Petri’s vote is still in play.

    “I’m trying to get a better sense of how this all fits into the greater scheme of things,” Petri said, adding that he wants an explanation of the interplay between the stimulus and other financial recovery programs. “I’m still basically looking at it.”

    Petri’s vote has outsized value to Obama, a new president who campaigned on his ability to bridge partisan divides and unify the country. The stimulus bill is the first big test of Obama’s capacity to fulfill the campaign-trail promise to forge bipartisan coalitions.

    House Republicans predict there will be few defections to the Democratic side for a stimulus bill that, according to the 10-year projection of the Congressional Budget Office, would spend $606 billion and net $212 billion in tax cuts.

    If there are any green lights next to Republican names on the House scoreboard on Wednesday, one of those markers of a “yes” vote could flash up beside “Petri.”

    Petri says he hears the argument fellow Republicans make that much of the planned spending will not provide any immediate stimulus. He says he has little confidence that the bill will solve the nation’s problems. He also questions whether the wisest move is to inject spending into existing programs that are “good, bad and indifferent.”

    But he also believes the government should be providing more aid to states to cover programs as demand for assistance rises in a bad economy.

    First elected in 1979 in an east-central Wisconsin district that now runs from Sheboygan in the east past Marquette in the west and from the Waukesha County line in the south to north of Oshkosh, Petri has seen his share of national economic swings.

    The current downturn is pinching the outboard motor makers at Brunswick’s Mercury Marine in Fond du Lac and the domestic “severe duty” truck operation at Oshkosh Corporation, Petri said.

    The military side of Oshkosh’s business is doing well, Petri said, but orders for civilian vehicles, like fire trucks and cement mixers, has stagnated.

    “This is what people are confronting all across the economy,” he said.

    Government spending on infrastructure projects might spur demand for those trucks.

    His 6th District constituents aren’t all sure what to make of the stimulus, either.

    “People would like something done, but they’re basically concerned and confused and many are not convinced that this is the answer,” he said. “They’d like to believe it is.”

    He says he would like to see a stronger multi-year commitment to investment in highways, bridges, dams and other major infrastructure projects that he believes would have benefits for secondary and tertiary business, as well as boosting overall confidence in the state of the economy and leaving taxpayers with something tangible to show for the government’s spending decisions.

    “I really would like to see more robust and better thought-out program in the infrastructure investment area,” he said.

    He will have an opportunity to make that case to Emanuel on Tuesday, along with a handful of other moderate Republicans who have yet to declare how they will vote.

    Emanuel, you may begin the advertising. It's an R +5 district. Easily stealable with the right candidate.

    Eh, it be good to keep around a republican who refuses to vote for a dem bill because it compromises too much. That way, we can put him on display when we want to ram through something uncompromised.
    Then use your district for that. I'd like some halfway decent representation for once. Before the 2000 redistricting, my House rep was Jim Sensenbrenner.

    Gosling on
    I have a new soccer blog The Minnow Tank. Reading it psychically kicks Sepp Blatter in the bean bag.
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    ScalfinScalfin __BANNED USERS regular
    edited January 2009
    Gosling wrote: »
    Scalfin wrote: »
    Gosling wrote: »
    So it appears that my personal politically impotent Congressman, Tom Petri, was one of the people Obama thought might defect on the stimulus vote. Needless to say he didn't.

    You look at the district and he really should have known better than that. This article's from Tuesday.
    Veteran Wisconsin Rep. Tom Petri has an unusual qualm with the economic booster shot due for House consideration on Wednesday.

    He is in the small minority of House Republicans — perhaps a caucus of one — who think the package spends too little on infrastructure projects.

    He is also among a clutch of about a dozen Republican moderates heading down Pennsylvania Avenue Tuesday to meet with White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel, a former Illinois congressman and President Obama’s informal top emissary to House Republicans.

    Petri’s vote is still in play.

    “I’m trying to get a better sense of how this all fits into the greater scheme of things,” Petri said, adding that he wants an explanation of the interplay between the stimulus and other financial recovery programs. “I’m still basically looking at it.”

    Petri’s vote has outsized value to Obama, a new president who campaigned on his ability to bridge partisan divides and unify the country. The stimulus bill is the first big test of Obama’s capacity to fulfill the campaign-trail promise to forge bipartisan coalitions.

    House Republicans predict there will be few defections to the Democratic side for a stimulus bill that, according to the 10-year projection of the Congressional Budget Office, would spend $606 billion and net $212 billion in tax cuts.

    If there are any green lights next to Republican names on the House scoreboard on Wednesday, one of those markers of a “yes” vote could flash up beside “Petri.”

    Petri says he hears the argument fellow Republicans make that much of the planned spending will not provide any immediate stimulus. He says he has little confidence that the bill will solve the nation’s problems. He also questions whether the wisest move is to inject spending into existing programs that are “good, bad and indifferent.”

    But he also believes the government should be providing more aid to states to cover programs as demand for assistance rises in a bad economy.

    First elected in 1979 in an east-central Wisconsin district that now runs from Sheboygan in the east past Marquette in the west and from the Waukesha County line in the south to north of Oshkosh, Petri has seen his share of national economic swings.

    The current downturn is pinching the outboard motor makers at Brunswick’s Mercury Marine in Fond du Lac and the domestic “severe duty” truck operation at Oshkosh Corporation, Petri said.

    The military side of Oshkosh’s business is doing well, Petri said, but orders for civilian vehicles, like fire trucks and cement mixers, has stagnated.

    “This is what people are confronting all across the economy,” he said.

    Government spending on infrastructure projects might spur demand for those trucks.

    His 6th District constituents aren’t all sure what to make of the stimulus, either.

    “People would like something done, but they’re basically concerned and confused and many are not convinced that this is the answer,” he said. “They’d like to believe it is.”

    He says he would like to see a stronger multi-year commitment to investment in highways, bridges, dams and other major infrastructure projects that he believes would have benefits for secondary and tertiary business, as well as boosting overall confidence in the state of the economy and leaving taxpayers with something tangible to show for the government’s spending decisions.

    “I really would like to see more robust and better thought-out program in the infrastructure investment area,” he said.

    He will have an opportunity to make that case to Emanuel on Tuesday, along with a handful of other moderate Republicans who have yet to declare how they will vote.

    Emanuel, you may begin the advertising. It's an R +5 district. Easily stealable with the right candidate.

    Eh, it be good to keep around a republican who refuses to vote for a dem bill because it compromises too much. That way, we can put him on display when we want to ram through something uncompromised.
    Then use your district for that. I'd like some halfway decent representation for once. Before the 2000 redistricting, my House rep was Jim Sensenbrenner.

    Honestly, he sounds like enough of a RINO that it isn't worth putting up with a blue dog. I'm going to stick with Frank, though.

    Scalfin on
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
    The rest of you, I fucking hate you for the fact that I now have a blue dot on this god awful thread.
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    SentrySentry Registered User regular
    edited January 2009
    mcdermott wrote: »
    Sentry wrote: »
    You don't see why learning things outside your discipline might have value? Because an engineer will never have to use English to write a report... and a reporter might never have to use math or speak another language?

    An engineer won't have to use the skills learned in the English class we're forced to take to write a report...it's a completely different style of writing. Also, I really don't think my course in Native American Studies is really going to benefit me in my career...however this "diversity" core class with required attendance did mean I got to miss the inauguration of the first minority president of this country. Because that makes sense.

    Oh, and my music class. Sure I'll be using that.

    My psychology class is iffy, and while it might benefit me as a person I don't see how it has any bearing on my career. So yeah.

    History? Same.

    Learning things outside my discipline may have value, but not so much value that I can understand requiring it. Absent these four core classes alone I could have already started work a couple months ago. Figure five months of salary at $22K, plus the $8K it's costing me to go, and I'm not seeing how I'm getting thirty fucking thousand dollars of value out of these courses. I wonder which stimulates the economy more...me spending $8K to go to school (much of it on your dime, no less) or me making (and spending) over $20K?

    I think of it as an investment in you being the awesome person you are mcdermott. I think you have a point, perhaps, on the number of classes required outside of someones degree, but I think the intent of requiring them is both noble and worth pursuing. Frankly, if an average student came to college and took Engineering classes from the moment they got there to the moment they left, they would probably blow thier brains out long before graduation day.

    Sentry on
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
    wrote:
    When I was a little kid, I always pretended I was the hero,' Skip said.
    'Fuck yeah, me too. What little kid ever pretended to be part of the lynch-mob?'
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    DarkCrawlerDarkCrawler Registered User regular
    edited January 2009
    Useful link for the OP?
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_the_Presidency_of_Barack_Obama

    Seriously, do all presidents do this much stuff during the first week? Seven days, and I've been following each of them...the idea of four years of same amount of constant bills, legislations, debates...it's like i'm never going to run out of stuff to follow. No wonder Daily Show gets so much source material for each day.

    Also, four years of being constantly entertained by the Republican Party.

    DarkCrawler on
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    Dr SnofeldDr Snofeld Registered User regular
    edited January 2009
    Sentry wrote: »
    mcdermott wrote: »
    Sentry wrote: »
    You don't see why learning things outside your discipline might have value? Because an engineer will never have to use English to write a report... and a reporter might never have to use math or speak another language?

    An engineer won't have to use the skills learned in the English class we're forced to take to write a report...it's a completely different style of writing. Also, I really don't think my course in Native American Studies is really going to benefit me in my career...however this "diversity" core class with required attendance did mean I got to miss the inauguration of the first minority president of this country. Because that makes sense.

    Oh, and my music class. Sure I'll be using that.

    My psychology class is iffy, and while it might benefit me as a person I don't see how it has any bearing on my career. So yeah.

    History? Same.

    Learning things outside my discipline may have value, but not so much value that I can understand requiring it. Absent these four core classes alone I could have already started work a couple months ago. Figure five months of salary at $22K, plus the $8K it's costing me to go, and I'm not seeing how I'm getting thirty fucking thousand dollars of value out of these courses. I wonder which stimulates the economy more...me spending $8K to go to school (much of it on your dime, no less) or me making (and spending) over $20K?

    I think of it as an investment in you being the awesome person you are mcdermott. I think you have a point, perhaps, on the number of classes required outside of someones degree, but I think the intent of requiring them is both noble and worth pursuing. Frankly, if an average student came to college and took Engineering classes from the moment they got there to the moment they left, they would probably blow thier brains out long before graduation day.

    That's what we do over here, and I've yet to see any splattered brains on the walls.

    Dr Snofeld on
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    ScalfinScalfin __BANNED USERS regular
    edited January 2009
    Dr Snofeld wrote: »
    Sentry wrote: »
    mcdermott wrote: »
    Sentry wrote: »
    You don't see why learning things outside your discipline might have value? Because an engineer will never have to use English to write a report... and a reporter might never have to use math or speak another language?

    An engineer won't have to use the skills learned in the English class we're forced to take to write a report...it's a completely different style of writing. Also, I really don't think my course in Native American Studies is really going to benefit me in my career...however this "diversity" core class with required attendance did mean I got to miss the inauguration of the first minority president of this country. Because that makes sense.

    Oh, and my music class. Sure I'll be using that.

    My psychology class is iffy, and while it might benefit me as a person I don't see how it has any bearing on my career. So yeah.

    History? Same.

    Learning things outside my discipline may have value, but not so much value that I can understand requiring it. Absent these four core classes alone I could have already started work a couple months ago. Figure five months of salary at $22K, plus the $8K it's costing me to go, and I'm not seeing how I'm getting thirty fucking thousand dollars of value out of these courses. I wonder which stimulates the economy more...me spending $8K to go to school (much of it on your dime, no less) or me making (and spending) over $20K?

    I think of it as an investment in you being the awesome person you are mcdermott. I think you have a point, perhaps, on the number of classes required outside of someones degree, but I think the intent of requiring them is both noble and worth pursuing. Frankly, if an average student came to college and took Engineering classes from the moment they got there to the moment they left, they would probably blow thier brains out long before graduation day.

    That's what we do over here, and I've yet to see any splattered brains on the walls.

    Well, given the field, they probably use lasers or something.

    Scalfin on
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
    The rest of you, I fucking hate you for the fact that I now have a blue dot on this god awful thread.
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    SithDrummerSithDrummer Registered User regular
    edited January 2009
    What's wrong with that Dallas overpass?

    SithDrummer on
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    urahonkyurahonky Resident FF7R hater Registered User regular
    edited January 2009
    e: My bad guys! Moving it to the real thread.

    urahonky on
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    monikermoniker Registered User regular
    edited January 2009
    Why are you guys still talking about your college experience? Quid made a thread for it.

    moniker on
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    ElJeffeElJeffe Not actually a mod. Roaming the streets, waving his gun around.Moderator, ClubPA mod
    edited January 2009
    Hey guys? No more college talk, please.

    There's a thread for that, now.

    ElJeffe on
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    enlightenedbumenlightenedbum Registered User regular
    edited January 2009
    Useful link for the OP?
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_the_Presidency_of_Barack_Obama

    Seriously, do all presidents do this much stuff during the first week? Seven days, and I've been following each of them...the idea of four years of same amount of constant bills, legislations, debates...it's like i'm never going to run out of stuff to follow. No wonder Daily Show gets so much source material for each day.

    Also, four years of being constantly entertained by the Republican Party.

    Presidents are most powerful early in their terms. And you can do a lot via executive orders early when you're overturning executive orders of the previous administration. Things are going to slow down reasonably soon. And it's partially because he's going to lose some popularity because the media's conventional wisdom types (Hi Mark Halperin!) have decided that he didn't concede enough to the Republicans and the easily manipulated types will believe that. Which is, of course, retarded. But that's how American politics work.

    Democrats try to accommodate Republicans, we get worse legislation that reflects more and more of the Republicans shitty ideas, Republicans attack the Democrats anyway for being too partisan. Just like the Republicans have a poor sense of cause and effect, Democrats are poor at pattern recognition.

    enlightenedbum on
    Self-righteousness is incompatible with coalition building.
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    QuidQuid Definitely not a banana Registered User regular
    edited January 2009
    What's wrong with that Dallas overpass?
    Which one? The high 5 they were talking about earlier? I'm curious myself.

    Quid on
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    genmacgenmac Registered User regular
    edited January 2009
    Demiurge wrote: »
    The argument that the stimulus might not do anything so why bother reminded me of this video. Its worth a watch just change "global warming" to "economic recession" :P

    Speaking of global warming.... I stumbled across this link that indicates a tampering with the last 8 years of climate change data, beginning in January of 2000: http://macsmind.com/wordpress/2007/08/08/climate-network-re-ranks-warmest-years/ The claim is that a huge number of the instruments used to measure temperatures were placed in contradiction to the survey network's own placement policies, and were basically intentionally placed (next to A/C, incinerators, on parking lots) so as to report a higher temperature (with over 50% of the instruments being off at least 5 degrees celsius). This could have a large impact, depending on how many climate change studies were done with incorrect data.
    NASA’s Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS) Surface Temperature Analysis data is a source used by many climate researchers in doing work in the field of climate change. GISS has now re-ranked the warmest years and as a result only one year since 2000 is in the top ten warmest years.

    The new top 10 warmest years are, warmest first: 1934, 1998, 1921, 2006, 1931, 1999, 1953, 1990, 1938, 1939

    You can check out the survey of the probes that measure temperatures at http://www.surfacestations.org/

    I haven't seen any topics about this here or at SA so I wasn't sure if it was worth a thread.

    genmac on
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    SentrySentry Registered User regular
    edited January 2009
    genmac wrote: »
    Demiurge wrote: »
    The argument that the stimulus might not do anything so why bother reminded me of this video. Its worth a watch just change "global warming" to "economic recession" :P

    Speaking of global warming.... I stumbled across this link that indicates a tampering with the last 8 years of climate change data, beginning in January of 2000: http://macsmind.com/wordpress/2007/08/08/climate-network-re-ranks-warmest-years/ The claim is that a huge number of the instruments used to measure temperatures were placed in contradiction to the survey network's own placement policies, and were basically intentionally placed (next to A/C, incinerators, on parking lots) so as to report a higher temperature (with over 50% of the instruments being off at least 5 degrees celsius). This could have a large impact, depending on how many climate change studies were done with incorrect data.
    NASA’s Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS) Surface Temperature Analysis data is a source used by many climate researchers in doing work in the field of climate change. GISS has now re-ranked the warmest years and as a result only one year since 2000 is in the top ten warmest years.

    The new top 10 warmest years are, warmest first: 1934, 1998, 1921, 2006, 1931, 1999, 1953, 1990, 1938, 1939

    You can check out the survey of the probes that measure temperatures at http://www.surfacestations.org/

    I haven't seen any topics about this here or at SA so I wasn't sure if it was worth a thread.

    If you are trying to debunk global climate change, then no, it's not worth its own thread. Frankly, it's not worth your post, either.

    Sentry on
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
    wrote:
    When I was a little kid, I always pretended I was the hero,' Skip said.
    'Fuck yeah, me too. What little kid ever pretended to be part of the lynch-mob?'
  • Options
    SithDrummerSithDrummer Registered User regular
    edited January 2009
    Quid wrote: »
    What's wrong with that Dallas overpass?
    Which one? The high 5 they were talking about earlier? I'm curious myself.
    Yeah, where 75 and 635 meet. It's efficient and has plenty of signs to tell you where to go; granted there's a ton of traffic slowdown but that's due to 635 in general - they already have four lanes in each direction and not much room to expand in certain areas, so I don't see how that could be fixed.

    SithDrummer on
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    AngelHedgieAngelHedgie Registered User regular
    edited January 2009
    AngelHedgie on
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    wwtMaskwwtMask Registered User regular
    edited January 2009
    Sentry wrote: »
    genmac wrote: »
    Demiurge wrote: »
    The argument that the stimulus might not do anything so why bother reminded me of this video. Its worth a watch just change "global warming" to "economic recession" :P

    Speaking of global warming.... I stumbled across this link that indicates a tampering with the last 8 years of climate change data, beginning in January of 2000: http://macsmind.com/wordpress/2007/08/08/climate-network-re-ranks-warmest-years/ The claim is that a huge number of the instruments used to measure temperatures were placed in contradiction to the survey network's own placement policies, and were basically intentionally placed (next to A/C, incinerators, on parking lots) so as to report a higher temperature (with over 50% of the instruments being off at least 5 degrees celsius). This could have a large impact, depending on how many climate change studies were done with incorrect data.
    NASA’s Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS) Surface Temperature Analysis data is a source used by many climate researchers in doing work in the field of climate change. GISS has now re-ranked the warmest years and as a result only one year since 2000 is in the top ten warmest years.

    The new top 10 warmest years are, warmest first: 1934, 1998, 1921, 2006, 1931, 1999, 1953, 1990, 1938, 1939

    You can check out the survey of the probes that measure temperatures at http://www.surfacestations.org/

    I haven't seen any topics about this here or at SA so I wasn't sure if it was worth a thread.

    If you are trying to debunk global climate change, then no, it's not worth its own thread. Frankly, it's not worth your post, either.

    For reals. I mean, it's totally normal for glaciers to melt so fucking fast that they disappear in decades (despite being thousands of years old). All of that climate data indicating that the planet is warming is clearly doctored.

    wwtMask on
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    QuidQuid Definitely not a banana Registered User regular
    edited January 2009
    Quid wrote: »
    What's wrong with that Dallas overpass?
    Which one? The high 5 they were talking about earlier? I'm curious myself.
    Yeah, where 75 and 635 meet. It's efficient and has plenty of signs to tell you where to go; granted there's a ton of traffic slowdown but that's due to 635 in general - they already have four lanes in each direction and not much room to expand in certain areas, so I don't see how that could be fixed.
    I was going to say, it looks like pretty much every overpass in the area. The only time I've ever had trouble with overpasses in Dallas was when I wasn't familiar with the area and the fact that they have a tendency to put signs only a quarter mile away from where you need to transfer.

    Quid on
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    YamiNoSenshiYamiNoSenshi A point called Z In the complex planeRegistered User regular
    edited January 2009
    Quid wrote: »
    What's wrong with that Dallas overpass?
    Which one? The high 5 they were talking about earlier? I'm curious myself.
    Yeah, where 75 and 635 meet. It's efficient and has plenty of signs to tell you where to go; granted there's a ton of traffic slowdown but that's due to 635 in general - they already have four lanes in each direction and not much room to expand in certain areas, so I don't see how that could be fixed.

    It looks pretty normal to me. There's only so many way you can have two major highways intersect and let everybody go any way they need to. Now, the turnpike and 78 in NJ is fun. Going to 78, you can only go east. If you want to go west, get your butt off the highway and turn around on the local roads.

    YamiNoSenshi on
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    The Raging PlatypusThe Raging Platypus Registered User regular
    edited January 2009
    Quid wrote: »
    What's wrong with that Dallas overpass?
    Which one? The high 5 they were talking about earlier? I'm curious myself.
    Yeah, where 75 and 635 meet. It's efficient and has plenty of signs to tell you where to go; granted there's a ton of traffic slowdown but that's due to 635 in general - they already have four lanes in each direction and not much room to expand in certain areas, so I don't see how that could be fixed.

    It looks pretty normal to me. There's only so many way you can have two major highways intersect and let everybody go any way they need to. Now, the turnpike and 78 in NJ is fun. Going to 78, you can only go east. If you want to go west, get your butt off the highway and turn around on the local roads.

    Let us not speak of the horror of Jersey driving, Yami, lest we tempt all bounds of sanity.

    The Raging Platypus on
    Quid wrote: »
    YOU'RE A GOD DAMN PLATYPUS.
    PSN Name: MusingPlatypus
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