Tag: Modest proposal
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Old idea
Noticed while looking for something else. Back in 2013 I came up with a pretty decent idea, then forgot about it. = = = = = START REPRINT: Was thinking about idiot Repooflican opposition to the Online Sales Tax, when a bigger point struck me. Our entire tax system is designed to discourage local production.…
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The Sonnabend solution
Thinking about Hudson led to a random thought about governments. Studebaker and Packard made plenty of identifiable constant mistakes, obvious to outsiders at the time, not just in hindsight. Above all Studie overpaid shareholders and underpaid factories and research. Packard kept trying to compete in luxury cars after Cadillac unquestionably owned the niche, and outsourced…
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Got my wish
A while ago somebody was writing about presidential debates sponsored by the Commission for Presidential debates, or CPD. The writer was complaining that the current candidates weren’t going through CPD. I wrote a “clever” comment: I don’t want CPD debates, I want CBD debates. Force both candidates to eat gummies, then let er rip. You…
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What do they really owe?
Compact mag says colleges owe students transparency about the actions and investments of their endowments. Maybe, but that’s not the FIRST thing colleges owe students. For 70 years all media and culture and corporations have been falsely advertising college as necessary for life and work. Purely false, and most parents and youngsters have figured it…
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Pointless peeve
I’m tired of seeing water bottles in every goddamn podcast and TED talk. Everyone unscrews the cap, sips tap water from disposable plastic, then screws the cap back on every goddamn time. There’s no reason to screw the cap on. You’re not going to put the bottle back in the refrigerator when you’re done. We…
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Demobilize
Here’s a modest proposal. We did it in 1920, and we did it in 1945, but then soon went backwards. We can do it again. We still have significant industrial capacity, but it’s mostly making weapons and surveillance equipment. Humans are MASSIVELY SUFFERING because there aren’t nearly enough USEFUL PHYSICAL JOBS FOR MEN. Demobilize. Stop…
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If they meant it
Whenever a Repooflican is serving as the current puppet, musicians love to perform parodies of the Star-Strangled Banner. When the current puppet wears the D team shirt, musicians perform it normally and proudly. No need for stupid guitar buzz sounds. If a musician REALLY wanted to parody the song, he could simply go back to…
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If government had NOT been murderous
Last week I wrote what might be the most important thing I ever wrote, and didn’t hit it hard enough. (I’m in a dull futile mood lately.) This item is my best and most crucial answer to the Thiel question: What’s something you know that nobody else agrees with? = = = = = START…
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Murphy for journalism
Undoubtedly a stupid idea, but haven’t heard it anywhere else. I tried to give Newsweek a chance. I know how real fairness sounds from long experience with old radio. Newsweek failed the test quickly and decisively. In real production of cars or soap or software, real companies hire beta testers to wring out the bugs…
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An opportunity if they want it
Businesses don’t really want to do business. Rushfield at the Ankler writes another incisive piece on the failure of the movie industry. The decline started a LONG time ago after WW2 when young folks moved into the suburbs, had kids, and the theaters didn’t follow them. Cable TV and its newer web-based streaming versions, plus…
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Fairness Dayctrine
Today is Copyright Law Day. Today is Public Domain Day. Great idea! Simplify the thousands of stupid Days and Weeks and Months by placing opposite causes on the same day. Black History Month and White History Month together. Sugar Week and Vinegar Week together. Dwarf Awareness Month and Giant Awareness Month together. lowercase day and…
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Let’s do both!
The Dems have been removing Trump from ballots. Now the Texas lieutenant governor is playing footsie by asking to remove Biden from ballots. DO BOTH!!!!! Ideal solution! Then the dozen COMPETENT candidates could have a real election.
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Misdirected
Big Entertainment is fading. The tech tyrants who bought it know it’s fading. They’re happy to let it fade. That’s why they bought it. LBO. The Hollywood unions acquired solid contracts from the dying dinosaur, but the contracts don’t mean much. The contracts will help the dinosaur to fade, and the tech tyrants will be…
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Mirror image
A few days ago Terry Mattingly, an experienced religion reporter, was complaining that media doesn’t want to know anything about religion. The NYTimes recently advertised for a religion writer who had absolutely no connection or knowledge about religion. Today Ted Gioia, an experienced music writer, complains about the EXACT OPPOSITE situation. He says music critics…
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Political warranties
Random stupid thought, impossible and unenforceable. Politicians would be more reliable if they had warranties. Donations would pay for specific promises. Breaking the promise would require refunds of the donations for this promise. If you donated to Tulsi to oppose Biden, or donated to Trump to oppose Wall Street, you should get your money back.…
