Messages

766

Off Topic / Re: What do you think of the minimum wage being lifted?

« on: July 30, 2014, 07:30:46 PM »

norway, sweden, finland, germany, italy, austria, and switzerland all have no minimum wage and yet they seem to be pretty ok

I think they are doing fairly well without a minimum wage because healthcare is subsidized or free or about free, and education is again subsidized, or free and high quality. Happiness is another factor, there is a lot to be happy about in many of the European countries (not all). In America, we have a poor quality education system which by the way isn't free for college, and healthcare is very expensive and not free at all. The middle class is taxed too much, and get nothing with their taxes. I think the middle class is the most important in American society, without them it is just the top earners left. The middle class is what drives people to America.

767

Games / Re: Blockland in Reboot Bundle 6.0 [€1.79]

« on: July 30, 2014, 07:27:56 PM »

That's really an amazing deal, I'll consider buying this bundle. We've been offered in so many cheap bundles recently, I bet Badspot is making a nice amount from these bundles.

768

Off Topic / Re: Death Penalty - Ye or Ne?

« on: July 30, 2014, 07:25:57 PM »

>norway
>longest sentence is 27 years
"Most murderers in Norway spend just 14 years behind bars."
- Norway Has Some Of The Lowest Murder Rates In The World: In 2009, Norway had .6 intentional homicides per 100,000 people. In the same year, the United States had 5 murders per 100,000 people, meaning that the U.S. proportionally has 8 times as many homicides.
- Norway’s Incarceration Rate Is A Fraction Of That Of The United States: 71 out of every 100,000 Norwegian citizens is incarcerated. In the United States, 743 out of every 100,000 citizens was incarcerated in 2009. The U.S. has the world’s highest incarceration rate.
- Norway’s Prisoner Recidivism Rate Is Much Lower Than The United States’: The recidivism rate for prisoners in Norway is around 20 percent. Meanwhile, it’s estimated that 67 percent of America’s prisoners are re-arrested and 52 percent are re-incarcerated.

Muslim, I hope you realize too that Norway is much smaller in proportion to the United States in terms of population.

769

Off Topic / Re: Free market or govt controlled economy?

« on: July 30, 2014, 07:15:48 PM »

or we can have lower taxes and not cater to people who aren't helping society w/e

What about contractors? Most of them are bringing in hundreds of K's per year, and yet they avoid payment of taxes and use loopholes and get away with it. Not to mention, when they have a new building built; they don't use their own money most of the time -- it is a loan taken out and a lot of the time it isn't paid back. That's another example of welfare abuse in a whole different context. I do think though, that there is a severe income inequality in America but the way it is being handled now is all wrong and should be thoroughly addressed.

that was done by congressional republicans and approved by bill clinton but obama made a mess out of it

http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/how-obama-has-gutted-welfore-reform/2012/09/06/885b0092-f835-11e1-8b93-c4f4ab1c8d13_story.html

Obama has made a mess of a lot of things. I used to support him, but he has proven to us that he cant lead. He cant even sit with Republicans or foreign leaders and have a dinner with them or even have the balls to invite them over to dinner.

And many adults work on minimum wage because they were born into conditions that didn't encourage education. Poor people aren't inherently stupid, and gifted education is a good thing because it actually gives smart kids the ability to actually compete academically. When you don't give gifted kids the ability to work on advanced material, they get bored in school and act out. This isn't just an issue of preventing smart kids from learning more stuff, it actually generates problems.

I still don't see what your beef is with gifted education. Having a gifted education program does not impair a school's special education program. "And the Academy award for 'Oversimplifying Complex Social Problems' goes to Caribou for his article: 'Poor People Are Poor Because They Aren't Open-Minded'"

And when you don't give high functioning disabled kids the chance to shine and compete with regular kids, they act out too just as the average kid would too. Also may I ask, where did I ever imply that poor people are poor because they aren't open-minded?

770

Off Topic / Re: What do you think of the minimum wage being lifted?

« on: July 30, 2014, 07:10:32 PM »

ugh al franken is annoying

Notice how he has stopped doing stand-up for 5 years. He really has proved to the people of the State of Minnesota that he can be taken seriously, which he is now.

Applying for citizenship in Switzerland when I am older and moving there when stuff goes deep. (2nd generation, so I just basically get it when I am 18).

Or Sweden.

Probably Sweden.... or Australia.

I know that the US will go downhill soon, and I wanna just get a dual-citizenship because I don't wanna loose my American citizenship. I'd either apply for New Zealander or Danish dual-US-citizenship.

771

Off Topic / Re: Free market or govt controlled economy?

« on: July 30, 2014, 07:08:26 PM »

well then maybe we should drop the minimum wage and cut welfare programs and get them to wake up and quit being stupid

I don't think that dropping the minimum wage will necessarily bring out a positive effect. Also don't even get me started on welfare programs. I do believe that people who need things like housing  assistance, general government aide, food support, and disability are entitled to those benefits if they are tax-payers but there has to be regulations. For example, if you are a grown man who is more than fit and healthy to go back to work and is on every welfare program known to mankind including disability and is unemployed and has 3 kids then he should be forced by the Government to go back to work, or else the Government takes away each and every welfare cheque he and his family receive each month. That is what I call mooching.

772

Off Topic / Re: Free market or govt controlled economy?

« on: July 30, 2014, 07:05:25 PM »

So are you gonna propose an explanation for why poorer children do worse on test scores, or just pretend like being stupid is inherently a part of being poor?
Probably because they are teenagers, and teenagers working fast food jobs are actually a pretty small portion of the total minimum-wage work force. Food service jobs are about half of the minimum wage workforce, and only 30% of the food service workers in the US are teenagers. Plus, 30% of the workforce has some college experience, meaning that teenagers are about ~15% of the total minimum wage workforce. The statistics speak for themselves, and no anecdotal evidence is necessary.

http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2013/07/19/who-makes-minimum-wage/
http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2013/08/more-than-a-quarter-of-fast-food-workers-are-raising-a-child/278424/

Many adults are forced to work on the minimum wage because of mistakes they've made in life, and that isn't anyone's fault but theirs. There are always ways to get back on track and to succeed, but some people aren't open to new ideas. Also I will have to restate what I said on page 3:

I never implied any particular class were smart. Poorer socioeconomic groups such as minorities predominantly do worse on tests because a lot of the time they come from families where there isn't much food put down onto the table, they experience a lot of violence, and/or come from incompetent households. Plain and simple. I think you may need a better clue of what you are talking about.

773

Off Topic / Re: What do you think of the minimum wage being lifted?

« on: July 30, 2014, 07:03:48 PM »

Since a lot of people here are complaining about poor families with lots of children (who by the way aren't the only people who work at the minimum wage), why not consider a change to the view that China have on children?
You can have a limit to how many children you have, with large fines for going over that limit (twins and so forth don't count).

Or even require some form of qualification to have children? Meeting a minimum age, minimum intelligence (not talking genius levels here, just smart enough to not be likely to abuse a child), having a job, etc...?
What's the minimum wage in the US? Is it the same all across the country or does it vary from state to state?

UK minimum wage is £6.31 ($10.67) an hour, for 21+, and £5.03 ($8.51) an hour for 18-20.
And that applies to all jobs, bar apprenticeships.

The minimum wage here is $7.25 I believe, but for the most part it will vary from state to state. The problem is states are in charge of too much here, rather than the Federal Government being the one fully in charge. I do think what China is doing is right, but for any society that has a democracy, it completely ruins the point of a democratic society. The US doesn't exactly need a one baby policy either. Keep in mind, the US is a relatively huge country and one of the biggest in the world, and only a very small portion of it is filled with people. That means that we really are not densely populated. There is still so much empty, and barren land left in the United States. I don't think limiting the amount of people here will solve the problem, and I don't think adding qualifications to who can have children and who cannot will either, because again: that would ruin the point of a proper democracy.

Yes, but of course we go back to the part where you are usually a burger-flipper if you are a student who just needs a part-time job or you dropped out of high school.
It varies from state to state, and apparently we have a lesser minimum wage.

Believe it or not, in New Zealand and Australia they have much higher minimum wages than both Britain and America. In NZ it is $14.25, and in AU it is well over $16.

If a large company can't afford a couple dollar h/ increase to support higher minimum wages, they're running on a broken business model.

I don't think so, many companies have a certain percent of profit they need to make to keep running, and if you have to pay all those workers more; you are forced to either lay a lot of those people off, or shutdown the company due to there being no room for profits to be made.

In my state it was $7.25 but I think they just changed it to $9.

I know one of your state Senator's Al Franken is a big proponent of increasing the minimum wage.

774

Off Topic / Re: What do you think of the minimum wage being lifted?

« on: July 30, 2014, 06:54:32 PM »

my point is obviously both sides have bias

While that is true, it is also true that some sides have more bias than others.

775

Off Topic / Re: Free market or govt controlled economy?

« on: July 30, 2014, 06:54:03 PM »

Predominantly geared towards college-kids.
So if the solution is just to let them use workbooks and the internet at libraries, then why is this even an issue to begin with? If the problem can just be solved by having people go to the library and study on the internet, then communities with libraries should have no socioeconomic gap in test scores. Of course they do, so you've refuted your own hypothesis.

Why wouldn't it be an issue? Kids don't wanna read, we live in a stupid dumbed down society where kids dream of getting new video game consoles, and listen to their Snoop Dogg and Wiz Khalifa. Most kids I know who have minimum wage jobs blow all of their money on new Jordan's, Nike's, iPhone's, video games, consoles, and tattoos.

great rebuttal

thnk u

776

Off Topic / Re: What do you think of the minimum wage being lifted?

« on: July 30, 2014, 06:51:35 PM »

Did you ever notice how people who argue that the minimum wage shouldn't be lifted don't have to live off of the minimum wage?

I have a summer job now, and I am being paid the minimum wage of New York ($8). It's not much, but I am not rambling about how little it is because I know that as you progress in age past your youth, you get better jobs which pay more. Also maybe if people saved their money; they wouldn't be in such a tough spot.

The Government have a responsibility to represent and look after its people in a manner that the people agree on. The Government doesn't have any obligation to give out "free money" or set a higher standard for cheap labour, unless if the people agree that the benefit outweighs the cost in taxes.

Personally, I think America is in a tough spot. It's because of your lower wages that products are so incredibly cheap, which leads to big increases in exports and general sales. Sure, it's absolutely horrible what some people are living off, but I'm not sure how much the economy will suffer if you begin to increase wages and therefore product prices. The important thing right now is that there are more jobs, not high wages, because at least that way people are making *some* money and are able to survive to some degree.

There is a reason why America is an obese country; food is too cheap here. Notice in countries where food is harder to import and produce, obesity rates are lower since it is more expensive which causes people to buy less of what they have. It's interesting how humans rationalize.

Nothing wrong with wanting a wage you can support yourself with.

That is correct, there is most certainly nothing wrong with wanting a wage you can support yourself with -- but you also have to be realistic and use idealism here. You have to work for that wage as well.

777

Off Topic / Re: Free market or govt controlled economy?

« on: July 30, 2014, 06:46:16 PM »

There is not a shortage of gradeschool teachers. We have enough special education teachers, but the problem is the overall quality of the education in those programs. Remind me how dismantling gifted education and holding back an entire group of students working above grade-level is going to help disabled children again?

Furthermore, 'buying workbooks' and 'using the internet' requires money which many families do not have. Are you not seeing why this is an issue, or do you live in one of those gated communities that voluntarily rejects the existence of poor people and minorities?

You can get workbooks or study books at the library, and you can use the Internet at the library. It's either you cater to disabled kids, or you let many of them get worse and worse to the point where they are sent to a mental institution. I am talking about very disabled people (mainly mentally, and some physical too).

If they're too poor to afford living, then they shouldn't live.

10/10

778

Off Topic / Re: Death Penalty - Ye or Ne?

« on: July 30, 2014, 06:44:26 PM »

Reasons why no-no on the death penalty

The government shouldn't have the right to kill you.

Death penalty does not deter crime.

Death penalty on average costs more than a life sentence due to legal costs.

It's inhumane, and falls underneath things that are banned by the 8th amendment due to being a cruel and unusual punishment for the following reasons:

4% of people executed are innocent

It violates your 14th amendment rights: the law must apply equally to all groups. All criminals convicted of non-capital crimes are allowed to appeal the sentence at any time, even after the sentence is performed. For death row inmates, they cannot appeal the sentence after it's handed down.

It's inhumane? Lots of things are inhumane -- including crimes committed by people who are eligible for the death penalty.

779

Off Topic / Re: Free market or govt controlled economy?

« on: July 30, 2014, 06:41:16 PM »

Why would the government get involved?
They or a family member or a friend or someone should be able to walk to the store and buy some.
If this is a case where marijuana is still illegal which it shouldn't be, a private charity could be the one to raise money for the person's medical bill.

If the person doesn't have the money, then they simply cant get it. The Government has the legal grounds to look out for the well being of its people. Keep in mind, I think all recreational forms of any drug should be strictly looked down upon and criminalized but medical marijuana - no. It is blatant that it has many benefits, blatant.

Yes, actually. It has nothing to do with 'competing' with other students. You're just holding back an entire group of students by teaching them under a curriculum that moves too slowly. I know tons of people who had this problem, including me.
Are you implying that only rich kids are smart? What you're essentially doing right now is defending a paradigm that is partially responsible for why poorer socioeconomic groups do worse on tests and end up going to college less often. I'm starting to get a strong feeling that you know a whole lot of nothing about what you're talking about right now.
So what's the issue with gifted education again?

You are not holding back an entire group of students. What you are simply doing is helping the kids who need the help the most; which are the disabled. If they need to be pushed, then their parents can be involved and buy workbooks, or the kid can go to the library and educate him or her self there, or you know use the Internet as a learning space.

I never implied any particular class were smart. Poorer socioeconomic groups such as minorities predominantly do worse on tests because a lot of the time they come from families where there isn't much food put down onto the table, they experience a lot of violence, and/or come from incompetent households. Plain and simple. I think you may need a better clue of what you are talking about.

780

Off Topic / Re: Death Penalty - Ye or Ne?

« on: July 30, 2014, 06:36:16 PM »

I think the death penalty should be practiced under the appropriate moral circumstances of the crime and perpetrator of the crime. For major crimes, there is no reason why we shouldn't order the death penalty under some people. Why waste tax-payer money to keep soulless monsters in jail for life when we can put them down and that'd be the end of them? An example of a major crime: a student murders 12 of his fellow students, his brother, his mom, and his teacher. Are you saying that someone like this deserves a place in this world?