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On May 07 2013 03:34 JonnyBNoHo wrote:From Alphaville via Carl Lantz of Credit Suisse. ![[image loading]](http://ftalphaville.ft.com/files/2013/05/PayrollIncome-590x256.png) Seems "steady as she goes" is the best descriptor.
A better descriptor is "not getting better or worse." That growth isn't any better than precrisis levels, despite a rather large gap in potential GDP. This more or less fits in with other data, like employment-population ratios and GDP:
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/KkTdY2J.gif)
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/xL3axYv.png)
Our economy isn't dying, but it's not returning to it's previous strength.
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wtf 6% believe in Unicorns? Unless they also asked little kids, this is absolutly mind boggling.
In my opinion, this is also partly due to the education system not being centralized by the state.
I really think a uniform education system across a whole nation is superior to a regional system.
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On May 07 2013 04:52 aksfjh wrote:Show nested quote +On May 07 2013 03:34 JonnyBNoHo wrote:From Alphaville via Carl Lantz of Credit Suisse. Seems "steady as she goes" is the best descriptor. A better descriptor is "not getting better or worse." That growth isn't any better than precrisis levels, despite a rather large gap in potential GDP. This more or less fits in with other data, like employment-population ratios and GDP: + Show Spoiler +Our economy isn't dying, but it's not returning to it's previous strength.
Well, the economy is improving just not quickly enough. But still getting better.
My caption probably should have read "slow and steady as she goes" but I was trying to emphasize the steady aspect.
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On May 07 2013 05:11 Paljas wrote:
wtf 6% believe in Unicorns? Unless they also asked little kids, this is absolutly mind boggling.
In my opinion, this is also partly due to the education system not being centralized by the state.
I really think a uniform education system across a whole nation is superior to a regional system.
I doubt 6% really believe in unicorns.
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On May 07 2013 05:55 JonnyBNoHo wrote:Show nested quote +On May 07 2013 05:11 Paljas wrote:
wtf 6% believe in Unicorns? Unless they also asked little kids, this is absolutly mind boggling.
In my opinion, this is also partly due to the education system not being centralized by the state.
I really think a uniform education system across a whole nation is superior to a regional system. I doubt 6% really believe in unicorns.
yeah, would be kinda strange. Still quite mind boggling
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I'm from Louisiana
It's pretty bad outside the major cities.
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On May 07 2013 03:59 farvacola wrote:Show nested quote +On May 07 2013 03:41 ticklishmusic wrote:
Been posting a bit in HuffPo comment and such...
People there are legitimately stupider than rhesus monkeys. I would know, I work at a primate research lab. Well then this begs the question; he who argues with monkeys is __________? I'll let you fill in the blank 
It's not about arguing with stupid people. It's about persuading the outside parties who read the arguments.
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On May 07 2013 05:55 JonnyBNoHo wrote:Show nested quote +On May 07 2013 05:11 Paljas wrote:
wtf 6% believe in Unicorns? Unless they also asked little kids, this is absolutly mind boggling.
In my opinion, this is also partly due to the education system not being centralized by the state.
I really think a uniform education system across a whole nation is superior to a regional system. I doubt 6% really believe in unicorns.
Believing in unicorns isn't really that much stupider (if at all) than believing in Young Earth creationism.
Considering that 46% of Americans believe in Young Earth creationism, I don't think 6% believing in unicorns is much of a stretch.
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On May 07 2013 14:44 sunprince wrote:Show nested quote +On May 07 2013 05:55 JonnyBNoHo wrote:On May 07 2013 05:11 Paljas wrote:
wtf 6% believe in Unicorns? Unless they also asked little kids, this is absolutly mind boggling.
In my opinion, this is also partly due to the education system not being centralized by the state.
I really think a uniform education system across a whole nation is superior to a regional system. I doubt 6% really believe in unicorns. Believing in unicorns isn't really that much stupider (if at all) than believing in Young Earth creationism. Considering that 46% of Americans believe in Young Earth creationism, I don't think 6% believing in unicorns is much of a stretch.
Even more alarming, only 15% believe 'Humans evolved, but God had no part in the process'...
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On May 07 2013 14:57 kmillz wrote:Show nested quote +On May 07 2013 14:44 sunprince wrote:On May 07 2013 05:55 JonnyBNoHo wrote:On May 07 2013 05:11 Paljas wrote:
wtf 6% believe in Unicorns? Unless they also asked little kids, this is absolutly mind boggling.
In my opinion, this is also partly due to the education system not being centralized by the state.
I really think a uniform education system across a whole nation is superior to a regional system. I doubt 6% really believe in unicorns. Believing in unicorns isn't really that much stupider (if at all) than believing in Young Earth creationism. Considering that 46% of Americans believe in Young Earth creationism, I don't think 6% believing in unicorns is much of a stretch. Even more alarming, only 15% believe 'Humans evolved, but God had no part in the process'...
Even more alarming is that you think that that is alarming.
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On May 07 2013 14:59 farvacola wrote:Show nested quote +On May 07 2013 14:57 kmillz wrote:On May 07 2013 14:44 sunprince wrote:On May 07 2013 05:55 JonnyBNoHo wrote:On May 07 2013 05:11 Paljas wrote:
wtf 6% believe in Unicorns? Unless they also asked little kids, this is absolutly mind boggling.
In my opinion, this is also partly due to the education system not being centralized by the state.
I really think a uniform education system across a whole nation is superior to a regional system. I doubt 6% really believe in unicorns. Believing in unicorns isn't really that much stupider (if at all) than believing in Young Earth creationism. Considering that 46% of Americans believe in Young Earth creationism, I don't think 6% believing in unicorns is much of a stretch. Even more alarming, only 15% believe 'Humans evolved, but God had no part in the process'... Even more alarming is that you think that that is alarming.
Even more alarming is that you think its alarming that I think that is alarming.
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On May 07 2013 15:00 kmillz wrote:Show nested quote +On May 07 2013 14:59 farvacola wrote:On May 07 2013 14:57 kmillz wrote:On May 07 2013 14:44 sunprince wrote:On May 07 2013 05:55 JonnyBNoHo wrote:On May 07 2013 05:11 Paljas wrote:
wtf 6% believe in Unicorns? Unless they also asked little kids, this is absolutly mind boggling.
In my opinion, this is also partly due to the education system not being centralized by the state.
I really think a uniform education system across a whole nation is superior to a regional system. I doubt 6% really believe in unicorns. Believing in unicorns isn't really that much stupider (if at all) than believing in Young Earth creationism. Considering that 46% of Americans believe in Young Earth creationism, I don't think 6% believing in unicorns is much of a stretch. Even more alarming, only 15% believe 'Humans evolved, but God had no part in the process'... Even more alarming is that you think that that is alarming. Even more alarming is that you think its alarming that I think that is alarming.
Apolitical belief in religious teachings has very rarely if ever correlated with a society in decline or a lack of progress. So I don't see what the big deal is except religion is the bogeyman.
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On May 07 2013 15:00 kmillz wrote:Show nested quote +On May 07 2013 14:59 farvacola wrote:On May 07 2013 14:57 kmillz wrote:On May 07 2013 14:44 sunprince wrote:On May 07 2013 05:55 JonnyBNoHo wrote:On May 07 2013 05:11 Paljas wrote:
wtf 6% believe in Unicorns? Unless they also asked little kids, this is absolutly mind boggling.
In my opinion, this is also partly due to the education system not being centralized by the state.
I really think a uniform education system across a whole nation is superior to a regional system. I doubt 6% really believe in unicorns. Believing in unicorns isn't really that much stupider (if at all) than believing in Young Earth creationism. Considering that 46% of Americans believe in Young Earth creationism, I don't think 6% believing in unicorns is much of a stretch. Even more alarming, only 15% believe 'Humans evolved, but God had no part in the process'... Even more alarming is that you think that that is alarming. Even more alarming is that you think its alarming that I think that is alarming.
Which is great, but that you think that the harmless and apolitical religious beliefs of others are in any way alarming speaks to a brand of judgmentalism that figures into the troubling nature of political discourse in this country in a big way.
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Stop it. It's too late to be talking like this! Changing the subject.
The Democratic-controlled Senate voted 69 to 27 to back the measure, which pits brick-and-mortar stores like Wal-Mart Stores Inc and cash-hungry state governments against such Web retailers as eBay Inc and Republicans wary of new tax measures.
"Call me a conservative, but I believe the right approach to tax fairness is to reduce rates — not force higher rates onto others," said Tom Graves, a House Republican from Georgia.
House Speaker John Boehner plans to send the bill to the House Judiciary Committee, a senior Republican aide said. That will mean hearings ahead. The Senate uncharacteristically bypassed this step.
Judiciary Committee Chairman Robert Goodlatte, a Republican, has reservations about the legislation, including its complexity and potential impact on small businesses, a spokeswoman said.
Goodlatte has yet to schedule any hearings on it, she said.
Backers of the measure include major traditional retailers Wal-Mart and Best Buy Co Inc, as well as e-tailing giant Amazon.com Inc, which wants to simplify its U.S. state sales tax payments.
Opponents include many other online merchants such as eBay, Overstock.com Inc and anti-tax activist Grover Norquist. Lawmakers from states without sales taxes - like Montana, Oregon and New Hampshire - largely oppose the measure.
States that charge sales tax have largely been unable to require e-tailers to collect it from purchasers unless the e-tailer had a physical presence in the state. Otherwise, consumers are supposed to pay the tax, but very few do.
Some states have made separate arrangements with Amazon on the issue, while others have not.
The bill would let states require out-of-state retailers to collect sales tax on purchases made over the Internet, even if the e-tailer has no physical presence in the purchaser's state.
The bill would allow states to do this but not require them to do so. It would also exempt merchants with online annual out-of-state sales of $1 million or less.
Source
Personally, I already have to pay sales tax on most of this stuff, living in Texas and all. I'm sure people from California are in the same boat.
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On May 07 2013 15:09 aksfjh wrote:Stop it. It's too late to be talking like this! Changing the subject. Show nested quote +The Democratic-controlled Senate voted 69 to 27 to back the measure, which pits brick-and-mortar stores like Wal-Mart Stores Inc and cash-hungry state governments against such Web retailers as eBay Inc and Republicans wary of new tax measures.
"Call me a conservative, but I believe the right approach to tax fairness is to reduce rates — not force higher rates onto others," said Tom Graves, a House Republican from Georgia.
House Speaker John Boehner plans to send the bill to the House Judiciary Committee, a senior Republican aide said. That will mean hearings ahead. The Senate uncharacteristically bypassed this step.
Judiciary Committee Chairman Robert Goodlatte, a Republican, has reservations about the legislation, including its complexity and potential impact on small businesses, a spokeswoman said.
Goodlatte has yet to schedule any hearings on it, she said.
Backers of the measure include major traditional retailers Wal-Mart and Best Buy Co Inc, as well as e-tailing giant Amazon.com Inc, which wants to simplify its U.S. state sales tax payments.
Opponents include many other online merchants such as eBay, Overstock.com Inc and anti-tax activist Grover Norquist. Lawmakers from states without sales taxes - like Montana, Oregon and New Hampshire - largely oppose the measure.
States that charge sales tax have largely been unable to require e-tailers to collect it from purchasers unless the e-tailer had a physical presence in the state. Otherwise, consumers are supposed to pay the tax, but very few do.
Some states have made separate arrangements with Amazon on the issue, while others have not.
The bill would let states require out-of-state retailers to collect sales tax on purchases made over the Internet, even if the e-tailer has no physical presence in the purchaser's state.
The bill would allow states to do this but not require them to do so. It would also exempt merchants with online annual out-of-state sales of $1 million or less. SourcePersonally, I already have to pay sales tax on most of this stuff, living in Texas and all. I'm sure people from California are in the same boat.
I actually had a large discussion about taxing online retailers recently in a class.
I don't pay sales taxes cause I live in Oregon, but I would not be opposed to sales taxes on online goods. I think its a move in the right direction, no sales tax is not a problem at all when that money is staying local and you have other sources of revenue, but when its going online that money isn't going around it's entirely leaving.
I think that overall from a very rough understanding of the situation, this would probably help small businesses, since I for one would be more inclined to shop locally then just buy everything online. Would need to see more information.
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I'm definitely not a fan of over-taxation in states with already high sales tax, but it did always seem like a fair number of US businesses skirt by a lot of taxes that are rightfully owed to state governments. In any case, where Grover Norquist frowns I smile, so I hope it passes 
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On May 07 2013 15:05 farvacola wrote:Show nested quote +On May 07 2013 15:00 kmillz wrote:On May 07 2013 14:59 farvacola wrote:On May 07 2013 14:57 kmillz wrote:On May 07 2013 14:44 sunprince wrote:On May 07 2013 05:55 JonnyBNoHo wrote:On May 07 2013 05:11 Paljas wrote:
wtf 6% believe in Unicorns? Unless they also asked little kids, this is absolutly mind boggling.
In my opinion, this is also partly due to the education system not being centralized by the state.
I really think a uniform education system across a whole nation is superior to a regional system. I doubt 6% really believe in unicorns. Believing in unicorns isn't really that much stupider (if at all) than believing in Young Earth creationism. Considering that 46% of Americans believe in Young Earth creationism, I don't think 6% believing in unicorns is much of a stretch. Even more alarming, only 15% believe 'Humans evolved, but God had no part in the process'... Even more alarming is that you think that that is alarming. Even more alarming is that you think its alarming that I think that is alarming. Which is great, but that you think that the harmless and apolitical religious beliefs of others are in any way alarming speaks to a brand of judgmentalism that figures into the troubling nature of political discourse in this country in a big way.
I find it alarming, which could also mean shocking, that so few people believe that humans have evolved without the need of a higher power to cause it. I didn't say I find it tragic, or terrible, or horrible. I don't know what judgmentalist brands I am speaking to with my thoughts, but you seem to be highly judgmental of my opinions. It just really surprises me that we have advanced so much, thanks to science, yet so many people outright deny or disbelieve the evidence science has brought us in regards to evolution. It also surprises me that in spite of it being completely plausible for life to exist without the need of a creator, that people still err on the side of there being a creator. I'm not saying it's irrational to believe in a creator, only that given we know it could be possible for life to exist without one, it amazes me that so many people still believe in one. Before we had all of the advanced technology we have at our disposal, it was more understandable to me for an overwhelming majority to believe in one, because we didn't have so many of the answers to big questions that we now have the answers to.
Anyways..I for one hope somebody finds a unicorn some day. My wife is obsessed with them.
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On May 07 2013 14:44 sunprince wrote:Show nested quote +On May 07 2013 05:55 JonnyBNoHo wrote:On May 07 2013 05:11 Paljas wrote:
wtf 6% believe in Unicorns? Unless they also asked little kids, this is absolutly mind boggling.
In my opinion, this is also partly due to the education system not being centralized by the state.
I really think a uniform education system across a whole nation is superior to a regional system. I doubt 6% really believe in unicorns. Believing in unicorns isn't really that much stupider (if at all) than believing in Young Earth creationism. Considering that 46% of Americans believe in Young Earth creationism, I don't think 6% believing in unicorns is much of a stretch.
Now now, people aren't stupid just because they don't share the same religion as you.
On May 07 2013 15:09 aksfjh wrote:Stop it. It's too late to be talking like this! Changing the subject. Show nested quote +The Democratic-controlled Senate voted 69 to 27 to back the measure, which pits brick-and-mortar stores like Wal-Mart Stores Inc and cash-hungry state governments against such Web retailers as eBay Inc and Republicans wary of new tax measures.
"Call me a conservative, but I believe the right approach to tax fairness is to reduce rates — not force higher rates onto others," said Tom Graves, a House Republican from Georgia.
House Speaker John Boehner plans to send the bill to the House Judiciary Committee, a senior Republican aide said. That will mean hearings ahead. The Senate uncharacteristically bypassed this step.
Judiciary Committee Chairman Robert Goodlatte, a Republican, has reservations about the legislation, including its complexity and potential impact on small businesses, a spokeswoman said.
Goodlatte has yet to schedule any hearings on it, she said.
Backers of the measure include major traditional retailers Wal-Mart and Best Buy Co Inc, as well as e-tailing giant Amazon.com Inc, which wants to simplify its U.S. state sales tax payments.
Opponents include many other online merchants such as eBay, Overstock.com Inc and anti-tax activist Grover Norquist. Lawmakers from states without sales taxes - like Montana, Oregon and New Hampshire - largely oppose the measure.
States that charge sales tax have largely been unable to require e-tailers to collect it from purchasers unless the e-tailer had a physical presence in the state. Otherwise, consumers are supposed to pay the tax, but very few do.
Some states have made separate arrangements with Amazon on the issue, while others have not.
The bill would let states require out-of-state retailers to collect sales tax on purchases made over the Internet, even if the e-tailer has no physical presence in the purchaser's state.
The bill would allow states to do this but not require them to do so. It would also exempt merchants with online annual out-of-state sales of $1 million or less. SourcePersonally, I already have to pay sales tax on most of this stuff, living in Texas and all. I'm sure people from California are in the same boat.
Should definitely be taxed. The small business exemptions may need to be beefed up until the logistics get easier.
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On May 07 2013 15:03 DeepElemBlues wrote:Show nested quote +On May 07 2013 15:00 kmillz wrote:On May 07 2013 14:59 farvacola wrote:On May 07 2013 14:57 kmillz wrote:On May 07 2013 14:44 sunprince wrote:On May 07 2013 05:55 JonnyBNoHo wrote:On May 07 2013 05:11 Paljas wrote:
wtf 6% believe in Unicorns? Unless they also asked little kids, this is absolutly mind boggling.
In my opinion, this is also partly due to the education system not being centralized by the state.
I really think a uniform education system across a whole nation is superior to a regional system. I doubt 6% really believe in unicorns. Believing in unicorns isn't really that much stupider (if at all) than believing in Young Earth creationism. Considering that 46% of Americans believe in Young Earth creationism, I don't think 6% believing in unicorns is much of a stretch. Even more alarming, only 15% believe 'Humans evolved, but God had no part in the process'... Even more alarming is that you think that that is alarming. Even more alarming is that you think its alarming that I think that is alarming. Apolitical belief in religious teachings has very rarely if ever correlated with a society in decline or a lack of progress. So I don't see what the big deal is except religion is the bogeyman.
This might have been the case historically when most societies were not ruled by representative governments... but religious extremists are now capable of voting. The attempts by the Christian Right to destroy the separation of church and state pretty much speak for themselves.
On May 07 2013 16:37 JonnyBNoHo wrote:Show nested quote +On May 07 2013 14:44 sunprince wrote:On May 07 2013 05:55 JonnyBNoHo wrote:On May 07 2013 05:11 Paljas wrote:
wtf 6% believe in Unicorns? Unless they also asked little kids, this is absolutly mind boggling.
In my opinion, this is also partly due to the education system not being centralized by the state.
I really think a uniform education system across a whole nation is superior to a regional system. I doubt 6% really believe in unicorns. Believing in unicorns isn't really that much stupider (if at all) than believing in Young Earth creationism. Considering that 46% of Americans believe in Young Earth creationism, I don't think 6% believing in unicorns is much of a stretch. Now now, people aren't stupid just because they don't share the same religion as you.
They're stupid if they use fairy tales of dudes floating in clouds to conclude that the Universe and all life in it were created 10,000 years ago in 144 hours.
The only difference between believing in unicorns and Young Earth creationism is an argumentum ad populum.
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On May 07 2013 16:50 sunprince wrote:Show nested quote +On May 07 2013 15:03 DeepElemBlues wrote:On May 07 2013 15:00 kmillz wrote:On May 07 2013 14:59 farvacola wrote:On May 07 2013 14:57 kmillz wrote:On May 07 2013 14:44 sunprince wrote:On May 07 2013 05:55 JonnyBNoHo wrote:On May 07 2013 05:11 Paljas wrote:
wtf 6% believe in Unicorns? Unless they also asked little kids, this is absolutly mind boggling.
In my opinion, this is also partly due to the education system not being centralized by the state.
I really think a uniform education system across a whole nation is superior to a regional system. I doubt 6% really believe in unicorns. Believing in unicorns isn't really that much stupider (if at all) than believing in Young Earth creationism. Considering that 46% of Americans believe in Young Earth creationism, I don't think 6% believing in unicorns is much of a stretch. Even more alarming, only 15% believe 'Humans evolved, but God had no part in the process'... Even more alarming is that you think that that is alarming. Even more alarming is that you think its alarming that I think that is alarming. Apolitical belief in religious teachings has very rarely if ever correlated with a society in decline or a lack of progress. So I don't see what the big deal is except religion is the bogeyman. This might have been the case historically when most societies were not ruled by representative governments... but religious extremists are now capable of voting. The attempts by the Christian Right to destroy the separation of church and state pretty much speak for themselves.
State religion is bad for both state and religion. I wish other christians would get that.
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