• Knockout Game

    From Lee Lofaso@2:203/2 to All on Sun Jul 13 00:01:51 2014
    Hello Everybody,

    I am sure that everybody has heard of the "Knockout Game" -
    as widely reported by CNN, FoxNews, and other cable networks.
    For those who are a total recluse and refuse to watch the
    boob tube, the story is that teenagers have run amok, run
    up and smack a total stranger on side the head in an attempt
    to knock them out with a single blow.

    I am sure teenagers have done this. But in epidemic proportions,
    as reported/suggested by cable news outlets? Of that I am not so
    sure.

    Kids will be kids, and will be dared by other kids to do stupid
    things, such as punching a total stranger in the face in broad
    daylight. But sooner or later, mommy and daddy will find out
    about it and put a quick end to their driving privileges and
    that will be the end of their budding knockout game career.

    Teenagers trying to bash people's skulls in. People who
    are usually bigger and stronger than them. And folks actually
    believed those cable news stories as fact.

    Such is the power of cable news outlets. Attempt to make
    the crimes fit a trend. Reporting a few true incidents in
    an effort to inspire a handful of copycat crimes, blown
    up totally out of proportion to appear as an epidemic.

    May we all live in a land of idiots.

    http://www.snopes.com/politics/crime/montgomery.asp

    --Lee

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  • From Gaylen Hintz@1:288/34 to Lee Lofaso on Sun Jul 13 22:30:30 2014
    For reasons unknown to us Lee Lofaso said thus to All:

    May we all live in a land of idiots.

    I'm sure we already do. :)
    "Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy, it's inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery"

    Winston Churchill

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  • From alexander koryagin@2:5020/2140.2 to Gaylen Hintz on Mon Jul 14 09:12:22 2014
    Hi, Gaylen Hintz!
    I read your message from 13.07.2014 22:30

    LL>> May we all live in a land of idiots.
    GH> I'm sure we already do. :)
    GH> "Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance,
    GH> and the gospel of envy, it's inherent virtue is the equal
    GH> sharing of misery" Winston Churchill

    But capitalism is the unequal sharing of welfare and creating misery and slaves artificially. ;-) It has been always clear for me that all people cannot and will never be out of misery in the capitalistic countries. If
    they will be out of it, it will be a nightmare scenario and the end of
    the potential difference that is necessary for survival of the
    capitalistic system.

    Bye, Gaylen!
    Alexander Koryagin
    fido7.debate 2014
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  • From Lee Lofaso@2:203/2 to alexander koryagin on Mon Jul 14 16:51:37 2014
    Hello Alexander,

    May we all live in a land of idiots.

    I'm sure we already do. :)
    "Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance,
    and the gospel of envy, it's inherent virtue is the equal
    sharing of misery" Winston Churchill

    But capitalism is the unequal sharing of welfare and creating
    misery and slaves artificially. ;-)

    The "cesspool capitalism" that Karl Marx described was very real
    in his day, but fortunately for all is a thing of the past.

    It has been always clear for me that all people cannot and
    will never be out of misery in the capitalistic countries.

    Capitalism is nothing more than another form/variant of feudalism.
    The same can be said of socialism or fascism or any other form
    of economic system used today or that has been used by man since
    Roman times.

    If they will be out of it, it will be a nightmare scenario
    and the end of the potential difference that is necessary for
    survival of the capitalistic system.

    And what kind of economic system will you replace it with?
    Assuming you had the power to do so. Would it be a blast to
    the past, with a "pure" form of feudalism such as the time
    when we had kings, nobles, lords, and serfs? Would it be a
    personality cult, such as Marlon Brando in Apocalypse Now,
    Josef Stalin in the USSR, Marshall Tito in Yugoslavia, Mao
    Tse Tung in China, or Adolf Hitler in Nazi Germany?

    How can we find out which economic system is best?
    Is there a way to test it before we use it in reality?
    Perhaps there is.

    Thanks to a college professor who loves to play games,
    especially with his students, this possibility truly exists.

    Bob Blain is the creator of COOPERATION: The Wealth of Nations
    Game. The game in computer form is free -

    http://www.siue.edu/~rblain/coopgame.htm

    Students who have played this game graded economic systems
    based on their experience of play -

    A - Autonomy
    B - Socialism
    C - Barter
    F - Capitalism

    Yes, students gave capitalism a failing grade.
    Not just any students, but AMERICAN students.

    Up to six can play in a game.

    There are four different kinds of games that can be played -

    BARTER (beginner's game)
    MAJORITY RULE (socialist game)
    MAKING MONEY (capitalist game)
    AUTONOMY (tournament game)

    Each player in the game manages a city of 20,000 people.

    Quite a bit of fun. A game that is both entertaining
    and educational. Even for adults who think they know it
    all. :)

    --Lee

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  • From Lee Lofaso@2:203/2 to Gaylen Hintz on Mon Jul 14 16:51:44 2014
    Hello Gaylen,

    May we all live in a land of idiots.

    I'm sure we already do. :)

    Idiots do serve a useful purpose.
    Now if only I could figure out what that useful purpose is ...

    "Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance,
    and the gospel of envy, it's inherent virtue is the equal sharing
    of misery"

    Winston Churchill

    At present, I am reading a biography of the great man entitled
    "Churchill", by Paul Johnson. This is a masterpiece of historical
    analysis. And only 170 pages.

    The above quote, while attributed to Churchill, does not accurately
    reflect his beliefs concerning economics or economic systems. He ran
    for office as both a liberal and a conservative, and while in office
    had to deal with issues that directly affected the British people.
    Especially as prime minister during the war.

    What most people today fail to realize is that immediately following
    the days of WWII the British people kicked Winston Churchill out of
    office.

    Which says a lot about what Britons thought about Churchill's
    economic policies.

    "Socialism is a philosophy of failure" is not a quote about
    socialism, but rather a form of capitalism known as "Boshevism" -
    made popular in Russia by Vladimir Lenin and other Bolsheviks.

    The Trotskyites attempted to get elected into office, but Joe
    Stalin quickly vetoed that idea ...

    --Lee

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  • From Roy Witt@1:387/22 to Lee Lofaso on Mon Jul 14 10:53:17 2014
    Greetings Lee!

    At present, I am reading a biography of the great man entitled "Churchill", by Paul Johnson. This is a masterpiece of historical analysis. And only 170 pages.

    The above quote, while attributed to Churchill, does not accurately reflect his beliefs concerning economics or economic systems.

    The quote wasn't about what he thought of 'socialism' outside of the
    Labour Party in GB, c1924...

    He ran for office as both a liberal and a conservative,

    But not at the same time. He was a conservative, turned liberal and back
    to conservative again, all before ww2.

    and while in office had to deal with issues that directly affected
    the British people.

    [????]

    Especially as prime minister during the war.

    What most people today fail to realize is that immediately following
    the days of WWII the British people kicked Winston Churchill out of office.

    "Many reasons for this have been given, key among them being that a desire
    for post-war reform was widespread amongst the population and that the man
    who had led Britain in war was not seen as the man to lead the nation in peace."

    However, Anthony Eden, his eventual successor, didn't get the nod from Churchill for another decade afterwards.

    Which says a lot about what Britons thought about Churchill's
    economic policies.

    Doesn't say anything about that. Churchill was 'appointed' PM when
    Chamberlain resigned that post in 1940. Churchill was appointed PM by
    George VI...

    "Socialism is a philosophy of failure" is not a quote about
    socialism, but rather a form of capitalism known as "Boshevism" -
    made popular in Russia by Vladimir Lenin and other Bolsheviks.

    According to one American visitor at the time of his appointment; "He was obviously respected. But no one felt he would be Prime Minister after the
    war. He was simply the right man in the right job at the right time. The
    time being the time of a desperate war with Britain's enemies."


    PS - If Churchill was so unpopular, why was he re-elected PM in 1951?


    Have a day!

    R\%/itt - K5RXT

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  • From BOB KLAHN@1:123/140 to LEE LOFASO on Mon Jul 21 20:48:00 2014

    ...

    I am sure that everybody has heard of the "Knockout Game" -
    as widely reported by CNN, FoxNews, and other cable
    networks. For those who are a total recluse and refuse to
    watch the

    Or have a real life.

    the crimes fit a trend. Reporting a few true incidents in
    an effort to inspire a handful of copycat crimes, blown
    up totally out of proportion to appear as an epidemic.

    Which is something there is good reason to suspect.



    BOB KLAHN bob.klahn@sev.org http://home.toltbbs.com/bobklahn

    ... PHENOMINAL ORATORY POWERS......itty bitty tagline space
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  • From BOB KLAHN@1:123/140 to GAYLEN HINTZ on Mon Jul 21 20:48:00 2014

    For reasons unknown to us Lee Lofaso said thus to All:

    May we all live in a land of idiots.

    I'm sure we already do. :)
    "Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of
    ignorance, and the gospel of envy, it's inherent virtue is
    the equal sharing of misery"

    Winston Churchill

    Capitalism is poverty shared among all but the top 1%.

    Socialism and capitalism are both failures, as far as bringing
    prosperity to the mass. Only a mix of both has ever provided
    real prosperity for the great mass of people.

    BOB KLAHN bob.klahn@sev.org http://home.toltbbs.com/bobklahn

    ... "the Bush administration saw the largest fiscal erosion in American history
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  • From BOB KLAHN@1:123/140 to ALEXANDER KORYAGIN on Mon Jul 21 20:48:00 2014

    GH>> "Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance,
    GH>> and the gospel of envy, it's inherent virtue is the equal
    GH>> sharing of misery" Winston Churchill

    But capitalism is the unequal sharing of welfare and
    creating misery and slaves artificially. ;-) It has been
    always clear for me that all people cannot and will never
    be out of misery in the capitalistic countries. If they
    will be out of it, it will be a nightmare scenario and the
    end of the potential difference that is necessary for
    survival of the capitalistic system.

    Both systems fail, a mix of both succeeds.

    BOB KLAHN bob.klahn@sev.org http://home.toltbbs.com/bobklahn

    ... Poverty goes up under Republican presidents, down under Democrats.
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