Artful Dodger: Yes they can.. But they don't have an audience being told God and Jesus is going to make them rich.

Artful Dodger: Yes... I hear a soundbite about a man who's worth $6.7 billion dollars. Has used his papers and other media outlets to make governments rise and fall depending on whether they will be 'his friend' and pay homage on results. He is rated by business magazine Forbes the 13TH most powerful person in the world.

"Not exclusively, but predominantly"

Meaningless!!

Artful Dodger: Is Murdoch a Liberal then?

Artful Dodger: I suppose then.. we have to blame them for the death of Kenny then!!

But is Kennys' death a fact??

Dark Prince: ... There are never ever any movies glorifying making money!!... ... ... Maybe that role has been moved to the Churches, seeing as many a TV preacher seems to be saying Jesus can make you rich!!

Ahhhhh the Liberals are everywhere according to Fox..... Even according to Eric Bolling using the New Muppet movie to promote communism.

Tim Dowling a blogger for the Guardian (it's a blogger, so he must be right) reports on how, with this new enlightenment he can look back and see all the old Muppet movies including this one are part of a long plot to overthrow the American dream and to brainwash young kiddies (just as the Cars movies did) into being left of left leftie liberals.

".....
The Muppet Movie (1979). The Muppets head for liberal Hollywood, portrayed here as some kind of collectivist paradise, while a businessman, a Colonel Sanders-type fast food magnate, is once again the antagonist. The notion of slaughtering a pig (in this case, Miss Piggy) is treated as if it were equivalent to murder. Thank you, veggie-nazis.

The Great Muppet Caper (1981). The Muppets travel to London, home of socialised medicine. Features some squatting.

The Muppets Take Manhattan (1984). I didn't see this one, but it's clearly about the Muppets joining some sort of terrorist network, which may sound funny to certain leftwing intellectual freedom-haters, but I think it's just sick.

The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992). Based on a story by Charles Dickens, whose other work was known to demonise workhouses, prisons and the wealthy. On the plus-side, the film itself promotes private charity over state intervention, but the overall message is that poor people got that way through no fault of their own, and need rich people to bail them out.

Muppet Treasure Island (1996). Treats the entrepreneurial wherewithal of freelance treasure hunters as "piracy". Why, for once, can't the bad guy turn out to be an overzealous environmental regulator?

Muppets From Space (1999). This film posits an essentially godless universe where certain Muppets turn out to be space aliens and is, in its own way, as anti-Christian as any Harry Potter film...."

Remember people... Liberals are everywhere!!

Bwild: It'll be interesting to see if prices do come down once the UK's new wealth of shale gas comes on the market. Personally I'd like to see more geothermal power systems built.

Yellowstone holds a lot of potential ;)

N' why is it that such firms as Southern Cross have to be regulated? Isn't it inherent as part of the service of running a care home organisation you'll not run up so much debt that the whole company collapses leaving 750 care homes and 30,000 residents exposed to closure..... Which is now the situation... leaving the public purse to have to do the right thing and keep them open till buyers can be found.

But.. now other care home providers are found to be in the same situation. If they fail.. The government of the UK will have to step in to safeguard the elderly and vulnerable.

Does the government need to babysit these firms and change the bedsheets of the directors who will just lose their job... Nothing to stop them moving onto another firm.

.... As it is.. You have more rights buying a kettle from Argos than being a resident in these care homes or indeed if your brand new home collapses from bad workmanship.

Our pensioners are told that the big power firms need to increase prices while already making record profits, leading to more "fuel poverty".

... Interesting history bit. One of the factors involved in the winning of WWI was the betting on the stock exchange in Wall Street on who would win. I imagine how pleased the Allied troops must have felt crossing no man's land, knowing that some some rich stockbroker just made a few thousand on how many of them will die that day.

Such is Capitalism.

Artful Dodger: Right.... That's why The UK has had to stop the bank system collapsing and millions of peoples savings lost of banks like the RBS. This would have had WORLD WIDE repercussions.

... the government didn't tell the bank to engage in a consortium to buy another bank. Nor did the government tell them to ignore warnings from their own people regarding the lack of full accounts, as it did not matter... The buying of the bank was already decided to go ahead regardless...

The billions of pounds that have gone on shoring up the financial system re RBS, Northern Rock and other banks... The loss that councils in the UK are reeling from due to banks in Europe that have collapsed taking investments with them..

.. it's all the governments fault. Banks and businesses do not in anyway have any influence on governments what so ever, or do they have the ability to run themselves.

..... Our governments do that... well in the UK at least.. 'own' many of them, or in principle the people do.

"Bank greed" ... ... That's the greed that cost the UK over £850,000,000,000

Artful Dodger: Greece is a strange case, due to much of the country being owned by the Greek Church. As a general example it's pretty crap. Yes in the UK we have problems.. as do all modern economies.

The failure of economies is due to the banks... a capitalist system with no or little regulation at the time, as we were told that they were trustworthy.

The USA is already bust. If it were not for the Chinese and others buying your debt it would be more evident. Something that was started back in the 80's under Raygun and no Pres or US government since has had the balls to stand upto those who choose to manipulate the US economic system just so 1% of Americans can get loads of extra cash.

In real terms the other 99% of Americans have had their income drop allowing for inflation, etc... just so 1% can see their income rise.

That could be said of the many attempts at a pure capitalist society. That is why Britain adopted some form of socialism when it came to the welfare of it's people.

It was found that even with Conservative Christian policies on giving to those in need (about a 10% donation) ... was not enough. It was the Quaker Bankers who contributed much and founded good society, and in some instances their rejection of capitalism still 100 years on has an impact and contribution to those seeking to better themselves.

If Bankers today went by the Quaker Banker code there would be honesty and none or little fraud, the Likes of Madoff would be unheard of.

btw.. it could be said going by recent events, that a pure capitalist society is just a destructive as a pure socialist state.

But seeing as both sides of the coin have been interfering with each other. Has there been any pure socialist/capitalist society in the last 100 years?

Artful Dodger: I'd rather trust Reuters then a blogger who takes his "facts" from Daily Mail. If we are to trust the word of the Daily Mail, then you have to accept (as your blogger does) as fact the view of the paper on Palin, Bachmann and many of your heros being complete morons living in la la land. :)

The Canadian government dismissed the Kyoto Protocol on climate change as a thing of the past on Monday, but declined to confirm a media report that Canada will formally withdraw from the protocol before the end of this year.

"Kyoto is the past," Environment Minister Peter Kent told reporters in Ottawa, describing the decision by Canada's previous Liberal government to sign up for the protocol as "one of the biggest blunders they made".

Andrew MacDougall, a spokesman for Prime Minister Stephen Harper declined to comment on Canada's plans, but said a protocol that doesn't include major greenhouse gas emitters China and the United States "will not work."

"Canada will not sign on to a new agreement that does not include all major emitters," he said.


>>it seems your sources lie Art<<

Artful Dodger: The BBC is engaged in a cover up!!..... .... maybe they just remember the effects of Acid Rain on the UK and Europe and therefore side on those who think pollution can effect our climate.

You've heard of that nice side effect of pollution haven't you?

Rain that'll kill trees. Or has that part of of human pollution history been missed in the USA??

"The UK Daily Mail has actually been doing real journalism"

Then their view that American Conservatism is nuts and corrupt holds true then?

Artful Dodger: Your blogger quotes 5,200 emails.... .... .... the actual figure stolen (and the police are investigating) was over 200,000 ....

"...which are encrypted, and no password is provided. Presumably, this is to protect the individuals involved - or simply because the material is so non-controversial or boring that it's not worth releasing..."

****From the Daily Mail****

All the emails date back to before 2009 and not as your blogger states... "shed light for the first time on an incestuous web of interlocking relationships between BBC journalists and the university’s scientists."

But seeing as many of those working at the BBC probably attended the University, it's no surprise there is a relationship. Just like we in the UK know there is a relationship between going to "OxBridge" and getting a good Civil service job.

Artful Dodger: .... In the UK we hear more about how News Corp took part in a systematic campaign of phone hacking and blackmail to get stories.

Last I heard James Murdoch faces a recall into accusations from witnesses he knew, despite him saying he didn't. That News Corp is willing to sacrifice The Sun and The Times if needed to save it's more lucrative satellite and internet business arms.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YO8eubj23dQ

Loophole???

Artful Dodger: Hey.. I'm from England. We've had our time of Christianity being "it" and "untouchable"... what a mess that led us into!! lmao

Artful Dodger: True.. I've not read it all seeing as I've not bought it. But as you've said.

>>"Not being a huge fan of the deeper math concepts (because it's not a skill I possess) I still know enough to be fascinated with just how precise math can work and solve deep mysteries."<<>>"I don't understand the book fully"<<

........... so>>"and you can come to a full conclusion. Never mind that you haven't read his book or considered his ideas in any deep way."<<

I don't need to. I have no need to read a book to prove it's ok to believe in God.

Artful Dodger: He's not exactly using high level maths is he from what I saw in the Amazon preview...

... "Faith = (mind) + (heart) + (will)

imho ... he's just getting his bit of the Christianity gravy train than anything else. I can make similar easily enough.

God's faith = XY x 10^Z

Get him to answer that one ;)

Artful Dodger: Yet... there is no evidence at the moment that the laws of physics as they apply in this universe are a constant throughout all time and space. The evidence seems to support that this is one of billions of universes amongst myriads of dimensions.

So, how can this guy use maths to prove there is a God, when so much is still theoretical?

A link would be nice!!

Artful Dodger: You are confusing maths and physics.

We developed maths as a common language to be able to count, predict the seasons (as in the early days) .... and then more recently to describe the physics. We did not invent the physics, they are something set at the time of this particular universe.

A young banker decided to get his first tailor-made suit. As he tried it on, he reached down to put his hands in the pockets and to his surprise he found none. He mentioned this to the tailor who asked him, "You're a banker, right?" The young man answered, "Yes, I am." "Well, whoever heard of a banker with his hands in his own pockets?"

The ability to offer lower taxes and property tax reductions to businesses in Texas is paid for by massive cuts to the education and health budgets.

Ie the rich can stay rich and the poor can stay poor and uneducated, with little chance to better themselves. The state of Texas basically just wants a cheap labour force.

Texas ranks near the bottom or at the bottom in per capita health care and education funding and has among the highest rates of child poverty, infectious disease, and workplace fatalities.

But no matter, they have always a good supply of illegal immigrants to work for peanuts.

.. so if you want to better yourself from a poor background in Texas.... Move state.

yes.... but do you?

Artful Dodger: Yes.. just like you showed me years ago you do.

"If you really are interested in the various explanations for no WMDs and the possible why for that"

I have already looked, and it seems Bush went by gut feeling. Something you keep saying is not good enough. Maybe if he'd gone on facts... ... ..

But it seems he wanted to make up for his daddies failure on Iraq.

Übergeek 바둑이: Well, without big money and support from corporations or individuals nowadays in the US there is no effective election campaign.

I think maybe the US needs to take on a UK system regarding TV advertising. In the UK such advertising is limited but free. Even during a general election parties get just a few slots per week.

Thank God for that imho ;)

Artful Dodger: I would like to hear. It'd be interesting to see what the right neo cons invented to back up Bush.

But I'll guess it's a big zero.

Artful Dodger: Please explain. I'd like to hear your theories....

But.. if you know everything, why are there so "many possible explanations"?

Artful Dodger: Yes... he did. The ones that he used on Iran supplied via the US. But at the time of the Invasion of Iraq by Bush he did not, otherwise We'd have found them.

Iraq was just an easy victory... or was supposed to be.

Are you that clueless you don't know that?

Artful Dodger: Just looking back at how peoples views change Dan.

Like when you said Saddam had WMD's.... Like when you said you like Obama..

Politics (Artful Dodger, 2009-01-25 05:37:17)

Like Sarah Palin and the reported $250,000 the Republican party spent on her dresses during the 2008 campaign to make her look good.

But shhhhhhhhh it's not the point.

I wonder if Sarah Palin think everyone who's not Christian (or as some Christians say, specifically not a born again Christian) is going to Hell??

What do you think Dan?

Btw... my point of the radiation of Nuclear above ground tests...

The steel they need to make Geiger counters has to be from pre 1945 smelted steel. Basically, they scavenge off sunken WWII vessels.

Since 1945, the smelting process is using air contaminated with radioactive particles which makes the Geiger counter useless.

Also it seems to forgotten about how leukaemia cases in children seemed to rise for no reason whatsoever.... or was it that Strontium-90 was being absorbed by kids bones....

..."The study's final results showed that children born in 1963 had levels of 90Sr in their deciduous teeth that was 50 times higher than that found in children born in 1950, before the advent of large-scale atomic testing. An article with the study's initial findings was circulated to U.S. President John F. Kennedy in 1961, and helped convince him to sign the Partial Nuclear Test Ban Treaty with the United Kingdom and Soviet Union, ending the above-ground nuclear weapons testing that placed the greatest amounts of nuclear fallout into the atmosphere."

IE... we poisoned our own children in order to look like big kids with big bombs.

Bernice: Like with WMD's.... but they were wrong about that. Al Qaeda was in league with Saddam... but they were wrong about that.

That everyone who was not a Christian (and only the born again type) was bound for hell... Someone here was so sure about that.

Even Glenn Beck was bound to hell by the views of this person and his worships a false prophet..

... but now they worship Glenn Beck.

How times change LMAO

Iamon lyme: Yep.. a few papers took hold of a few papers and said it proved that cooling was starting... despite that few papers being 7 and 44 saying global warming was a good probability.

Blame the press!! lol

As a biologist whose publications live or die by scientific rules of evidence, and who's also had to deal with more than my share of departmental politics, I'd like to talk about those two things a bit.

Papers are sent out for external review before publication. If you're writing drivel, they won't pass review no matter what your department's politics are. The politics involve people being snooty about how significant your work is, not how true it is. The scientific rules of evidence set the bar so high that it's possible to miss some truths, but next-to-impossible for most scientists in the field to show a finding is valid and yet have it be false.

So the real kicker is that 97% of CLIMATOLOGISTS are in agreement about anthropogenic climate change. At those levels of consensus, there's no hope that it's all just departmental politics. We're knackering the planet, and if you're younger than 40, you're probably guaranteed to suffer some serious effects.

What scientists in general have to say is less important. I've known physicists who are creationists. (And as a biologist and science fiction fan, I'm convinced we'll have faster than light travel some day :) .)

Source: Clean Technica (http://s.tt/12tD9)

Artful Dodger: You should know that in reality there is no real winning or losing on this board.

You've debunked nothing...

After all, they stopped Nuclear weapons testing over ground for what reason?

Artful Dodger: Nope... all that you've demonstrated that there is a 3%.

Sound bites do not count.

.. a 1 degree centigrade increase in sea temps does not mean more Hurricane, but it does mean that the odds of a major hurricane being created much higher.

Vikings: No, Dan's logic says so.

Artful Dodger: I 'll take the dodging as just another meaningless post.

hehehehehehe

Vikings: I posted figures from various polls and the like in 2009. I've asked Dan to find such that refutes these polls and surveys of those in the field in Climatology to back up his claim more scientists support his and your view.

Are you going to keep spinning?

You could try finding such stats... polls do seem to have been good enough for the conservative mindset in the past.... so what's changed??

Artful Dodger: Where? I see no polls, surveys and stats just sound bites.

Meaningless.

Artful Dodger: No Dan.. I see just sound bites, no sound surveys and statistics on what I aksed for.

Keep digging and keep dodging.. it is your name sake after all!!

....eheheheheh

Artful Dodger: mmmmm not enough time to find something that disproves it.....

..Dodging only works for so long.... eheheheheh

Artful Dodger: Then... show me figures that back up your claim from a reputable poll or survey.

I did post results from a 2009 gallup poll, which is more current then your 2006 60 scientists so...


.... nahhhhhh!!

Btw.. a 250,000 scientists scientific union is over 4100 times bigger.

so nahhhhh ... nahhhhhh

Artful Dodger: 3% of scientists is many?

That's hardly a balanced claim.

Artful Dodger: Then... to play a level field no scientists can be used here. HAHAHAHA

Got the scientific knowledge to back up and make a claim proving climate change is wrong?

... ok.. I know you don't ..... eheheheheh

Vikings: And you get that from where??? The scientists who said "duck and cover" is a good way to defend against nuclear war??

Sarcasm at those scientists intended!!

Artful Dodger: Wow.. the actual figure of scientists saying you are wrong gets to you that badly??