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Edited by Mrph1 on Nov 30th 2023 at 11:03:59 AM

EarlOfSandvich Since: Jun, 2011
#37051: Nov 6th 2012 at 8:42:21 AM

Just voted half an hour ago. Went for Johnson-Gray.

There's also a series of propositions on the education system (Idaho), and I voted against two of them while leaving a third proposition blank. One of the two I voted against concern the use of taxpayer-funded laptops for students (I'm not against technology or the use of laptops in schools, just how taxpayer dollars are in the equation which could not only be more expensive than say buying one from a store, but it can get out of hand; what if a student-issue laptop breaks when a student accidentally drops it or spills cola over the keyboard?), with the other concerning standardized test scores to merit pay (I agree with merit pay on principle, but not through this inflexible mean)

edited 6th Nov '12 8:43:11 AM by EarlOfSandvich

I now go by Graf von Tirol.
Fighteer Lost in Space from The Time Vortex (Time Abyss) Relationship Status: TV Tropes ruined my love life
Lost in Space
#37052: Nov 6th 2012 at 8:43:21 AM

Nate Silver had an amusing interview on The Colbert Report last night. Colbert buffeted him a bit on his assertion that his was the best model for predicting the outcome, and he replied that the bar has been set pretty low. He also said that in a hypothetical election between political pundits and the Ebola virus, he'd vote for the Ebola. Or third-party.

"It's Occam's Shuriken! If the answer is elusive, never rule out ninjas!"
AceofSpades Since: Apr, 2009 Relationship Status: Showing feelings of an almost human nature
#37053: Nov 6th 2012 at 8:52:09 AM

[up][up]It'd be cheaper through taxpayer money in that it's not an out of pocket expense for parents, some of which genuinely cannot afford to buy their children whatever kind of computer would be required by school system.(Basically they either have just the one home computer or rely on things like local library computers to get their business done.) This also allows the school system to buy in bulk and thus get discounts and other perks that way.

Also, merit pay is a bunch of crap.

edited 6th Nov '12 8:52:31 AM by AceofSpades

Fighteer Lost in Space from The Time Vortex (Time Abyss) Relationship Status: TV Tropes ruined my love life
Lost in Space
#37054: Nov 6th 2012 at 8:55:45 AM

It's kind of a derail, but I agree that using taxpayer money to buy laptops for school children is far more efficient than having parents do it individually. You save quite a bit of money through bulk purchasing, you can standardize your IT policy, and have administrative control over the computers. It's yet another case where the power of the government is vastly superior to the power of individual consumers.

In areas with well-off families where they can be presumed to have the money to buy their own laptops, go right ahead and let them. Have a blast. But make sure that if those one or two dirty little poor kids manage to slip in among the "upper crust", that you give them some kind of subsidy, so they can pretend to be as good as their peers.

edited 6th Nov '12 8:58:35 AM by Fighteer

"It's Occam's Shuriken! If the answer is elusive, never rule out ninjas!"
cutewithoutthe Góðberit Norðling Since: Nov, 2010 Relationship Status: Star-crossed
Góðberit Norðling
#37055: Nov 6th 2012 at 9:19:51 AM

I'm pissed off that this election is going to be //this// close, at all. Obama SHOULD be winning by a goddamn landslide. Obama's going to win, yes, but this just proves the country is beyond help now.

3of4 Just a harmless giant from a foreign land. from Five Seconds in the Future. Since: Jan, 2010 Relationship Status: GAR for Archer
Just a harmless giant from a foreign land.
#37056: Nov 6th 2012 at 9:22:45 AM

Hmm I just remembered, don't the Puerto Ricoans have a vote about statehood today?

"You can reply to this Message!"
Balmung Since: Oct, 2011
#37057: Nov 6th 2012 at 9:28:25 AM

[up][up]Bit pessimistic? Beyond help would be "Romney landslide"

deathpigeon Since: Jan, 2001 Relationship Status: One True Dodecahedron
#37058: Nov 6th 2012 at 9:29:09 AM

I just voted for the first time! :D I voted for Jill Stein.

LooseCannon The Groose Is Loose from Everywhere and Nowhere Since: Jun, 2012
The Groose Is Loose
#37059: Nov 6th 2012 at 9:29:21 AM

[up] x4 It's really not as close as the media is making it out to be.

edited 6th Nov '12 9:29:45 AM by LooseCannon

Burn the land and boil the sea, you can't take the sky from me.
cutewithoutthe Góðberit Norðling Since: Nov, 2010 Relationship Status: Star-crossed
Góðberit Norðling
#37060: Nov 6th 2012 at 9:29:42 AM

If ignorance and miscommunication can control the nation at large like this, what could possibly change it?

Fighteer Lost in Space from The Time Vortex (Time Abyss) Relationship Status: TV Tropes ruined my love life
Lost in Space
#37061: Nov 6th 2012 at 9:30:31 AM

Look at other nations. It's not like we have a monopoly on stupidity. Take Greece. Or Pakistan, for goodness sake. The human species as a whole is balls-out terrible at acting rationally. Somehow we still muddle through, which is at the very least a reason for cautious optimism.

edited 6th Nov '12 9:31:09 AM by Fighteer

"It's Occam's Shuriken! If the answer is elusive, never rule out ninjas!"
GlennMagusHarvey Since: Jan, 2001
#37062: Nov 6th 2012 at 9:30:59 AM

Stupidity is not a private good by any means. It is a public bad. It is spread far and wide and everyone gets it for free.

edited 6th Nov '12 9:31:22 AM by GlennMagusHarvey

pvtnum11 OMG NO NOSECONES from Kerbin low orbit Since: Nov, 2009 Relationship Status: We finish each other's sandwiches
OMG NO NOSECONES
#37063: Nov 6th 2012 at 9:37:15 AM

A person is oftentimes intelligent, rational and capable of critical thinking.

People oftentimes, are not.

Happiness is zero-gee with a sinus cold.
pagad Sneering Imperialist from perfidious Albion Since: Jan, 2001 Relationship Status: Showing feelings of an almost human nature
Sneering Imperialist
#37064: Nov 6th 2012 at 9:45:03 AM

Or, as Men In Black put it...

"A person is smart. People are dumb, panicky, dangerous animals and you know it!"

With cannon shot and gun blast smash the alien. With laser beam and searing plasma scatter the alien to the stars.
DrTentacles Cephalopod Lothario from Land of the Deep Ones Since: Jul, 2012 Relationship Status: Having tea with Cthulhu
Cephalopod Lothario
#37065: Nov 6th 2012 at 9:47:39 AM

<Sigh> Goddamnit. Why do people I like have to be stupid? One of my favorite professers voted for Romney because she thinks it'll make America safer for her children. I didn't want to confront her on it, because I don't like starting political debates with people who aren't looking for a debate, but damn. Yes. Let's vote for the guy who's *more* likely to start wars in the middle east. Or the guy who's from the party that utterly failed at getting Osama.

edited 6th Nov '12 9:57:01 AM by DrTentacles

Sledgesaul Since: Oct, 2011
#37066: Nov 6th 2012 at 9:59:13 AM

I think this was here before, but I'll post it anyway. Obama extended the Patriot Act.

Yeah, glad I voted for Anderson.

edited 6th Nov '12 9:59:30 AM by Sledgesaul

RadicalTaoist scratching at .8, just hopin' from the #GUniverse Since: Jan, 2001
Fighteer Lost in Space from The Time Vortex (Time Abyss) Relationship Status: TV Tropes ruined my love life
Lost in Space
#37068: Nov 6th 2012 at 10:02:01 AM

[up][up]Which is interesting, but you know he won't be elected. And as I've said before, I'm more comfortable in my judgement that Obama will not abuse the Patriot Act than that Romney won't.

edited 6th Nov '12 10:02:06 AM by Fighteer

"It's Occam's Shuriken! If the answer is elusive, never rule out ninjas!"
DrTentacles Cephalopod Lothario from Land of the Deep Ones Since: Jul, 2012 Relationship Status: Having tea with Cthulhu
Cephalopod Lothario
#37069: Nov 6th 2012 at 10:05:10 AM

Yeah. I don't...understand principle voters. Why vote for someone who can't make a difference?

RadicalTaoist scratching at .8, just hopin' from the #GUniverse Since: Jan, 2001
scratching at .8, just hopin'
#37070: Nov 6th 2012 at 10:07:01 AM

I can. I absolutely endorse voting for Stein or Anderson in solid red district.tongue

Share it so that people can get into this conversation, 'cause we're not the only ones who think like this.
deathpigeon Since: Jan, 2001 Relationship Status: One True Dodecahedron
#37071: Nov 6th 2012 at 10:08:05 AM

You have more trust in Obama than I do...

3of4 Just a harmless giant from a foreign land. from Five Seconds in the Future. Since: Jan, 2010 Relationship Status: GAR for Archer
Just a harmless giant from a foreign land.
#37072: Nov 6th 2012 at 10:08:45 AM

Didn't we have this discussion about 10 pages back with Serocco?

I mean, I get you are not satisfied with the progress so far. But you behave like you want THIS BATTLE to be won and be the whole war (to use metaphors...) be lost because of it, damnit!!!

"You can reply to this Message!"
Sledgesaul Since: Oct, 2011
#37073: Nov 6th 2012 at 10:09:07 AM

[up][up][up][up] I counter with a question: why vote for someone who you know will rob you blind?

I voted for Anderson in Florida. He had candidate ballot access there.

edited 6th Nov '12 10:10:57 AM by Sledgesaul

vanthebaron Mystical Monkey Master from Carlyle, Il Since: Sep, 2010
Mystical Monkey Master
#37074: Nov 6th 2012 at 10:11:10 AM

I voted pure democrat today because my county is fucking red as shit.

Untitled Power Rangers Story
Thorn14 Gunpla is amazing! Since: Aug, 2010
Gunpla is amazing!
#37075: Nov 6th 2012 at 10:14:24 AM

I wouldn't even vote if I lived in something like that.


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