Subject:
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Re: Finally--a use of public funding that I can really get behind!
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.off-topic.debate
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Date:
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Wed, 20 Aug 2003 18:05:59 GMT
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Viewed:
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657 times
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In lugnet.off-topic.debate, Dave Schuler wrote:
> On what basis do you make this anecdotal assertion, and for what reason? I'd
> like a name-by-name accounting of the PhD's that you deem non-functional, and
> also *why* you deem them non-functional, so that I can review your
> accusation.
Dave, that was awesome. Though honestly I think you're taking this a bit too
seriously.
> > Good example: seat belts. I wear one
> > because I know a bit about both physics and safety statistics. If I don't
> > wish to wear one, why should the government give a rat's patootie?
>
> Because, after you're brain damaged and/or paralyzed from the neck down, and
> you require $500K+ in annual medical costs, you're likely to seek government
> assistance in some form to help with costs.
Actually, while that's a good theory, I'm not sure it's exactly true. I recently
heard the stats on ... uh... Maine or New Hampshire's Motorcycle-Helmet law. Law
used to be you didn't need a helmet while riding on a motorcycle, and they
changed it to require cyclists to wear them.
Now, the motorcyclists themselves get into just as many accidents as they did
before. However, whereas before people would get into an accident and flat-out
die, now the helmet keeps them alive enough to need to mooch off of medicare and
whatnot. So it may actually be completely the opposite. You'd have to do a
study.
Regardless, I think people generally want to *force* people into not dying or
hurting themselves wherever possible, which I personally think is silly.
Prostitution, drugs, fighting, whatever. As long as you're not forcing it on
people unvoluntarily, I don't have a problem with it.
Doesn't mean I don't think their friends/family should help them "kick the
habit" so to speak, but I don't see it as the govermnent's business, until it
starts affecting them grossly with medicare and whatnot. But to balance that
out, I'm all for the government legalizing various things and taxing them to
pieces.
> > I'm thanking my lucky stars that it's Bush in office instead of Gore!
>
> I tried three different ways to ask politely if you're insane, but they all
> came out as insults, so I deleted them.
This is what makes these debates so priceless. But let's hope you put that in
for comedic flare rather than rhetorical or emotional intent debate-wise.
DaveE
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