Windfall Profits?

WHY RETAILERS LOVE GIFT CARDS: 19% of gift cards aren't redeemed at all, those who do redeem them spend 14% more than the face value of the card. AND some have expiration dates. --Jane Wells, CNBC, Friday, October 09, 2009 1:02 PM

Just ONE Climate Question - - -

- - - for ANY global warming advocate:

"Why was the soundbyte changed from 'Global Warming' to 'Climate Change'?" --L. Reichard White, Monday, December 07, 2009 11:52 AM

Smartest guy in the room?

Mr. Obama's Chief Economic Adviser, Larry Summers is regularly described as "the smartest guy in the room."

He is!

When he's the only guy in the room.

Or U.S. Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner is the other occupant. --L. Reichard White, November 3, 2009

Asymetrical separation

Separation of church and state means the government has nothing to say about religion, not that religion has nothing to say about the government. --l. reichard white, November 27, 2007

Notes on speaking the truth

You will know you have spoken the truth when you are angrily denounced; and you will know you have spoken both truly and well when you are visited by the police. -- J. B. R. Yant

Occam's Razor -- and Einstein's Caution

"All other things being equal, the simplest solution is the best." --William of Ockham (with apologies)

"Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler." --Albert Einstein

"Don't tell them, then it will not exist" --Goebbels

Debates Ignore Questions About Presidential Power and Civil Liberties

A new study by the watchdog group Media Matters has found that Democratic and Republican candidates have been asked few questions about their views on executive power, the Constitution, torture, wiretapping, or other civil liberties concerns during the first 17 presidential debates. According to Media Matters there has been only one question about wiretapping. Not a single question about the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act or renditions. The words "habeas corpus" have not once been spoken by a debate moderator. Candidates have also not been asked about whether telecoms should be granted immunity over their role in domestic spying. Last week's debate ended with Senator Hillary Clinton being asked whether she preferred diamonds or pearls. The question was asked by a UNLV student who has since said that she was forced by CNN to ask that question instead of a pre-approved query about the Yucca Mountain nuclear waste repository. --Democracy NOW! November 20, 2007