Fine the Candidates

I decided while watching the debate last night that presidential candidates should be fined for every provable falsehood that escapes their mouths.  They can be given some leeway with percentages, maybe a +/- 5% band...for instance, no fine if they say something decreased 30% and the actual figure is 34%...but there is a fine if they say it decreased 80%.

The fine schedule would have to be written in a firm way, but somehow account for the size of the misinformation.  The fines collected could be contributed to something that all candidates agree on like medicaid for the current candidates or "education" for everyone ever running for office.  Maybe it could be applied to our national debt.  Whatever the case. they appear to need incentives other than looking foolish upon review to keep their tongues in check.

Body Image

I just saw a flyer about a course that "will trace the evolution of the 'ideal' American woman from the pre-colonial period to the modern era..." and talk about "the pervasive cultural pressures stressing conformity to a single norm."

I'm certainly not an expert in the field, but I will argue that there are currently cultural pressures stressing conformity to multiple norms.  Take a look at "hipster chicks" with their tattoos, piercings, and atypical hair styles versus "sorority girls" who all need to be tan with blonde hair.  "Guidos" from Jersey Shore follow a different aesthetic than the "girl next door."  Athletes have different ideas of ideal, even among themselves: swimmer girls have wide shoulders and runners are thin.  Triathletes fall in the middle while roller derby girls try to get bigger.  "Nerdy girls" wear glasses and cardigans and "rich girls" wear expensive clothes and jewelry.  There is obviously not one standard.  In fact, there is a scene in Scrubs where JD is dating a black girl and asks Turk for advice.  Turk says that the only thing different about dating a black girl is that when she asks you if her butt looks big you reply "hell yeah!"

Any woman can be beautiful.  Self confidence is a major factor in projecting that beauty for others to see.  I think that each girl should do whatever makes her feel the best and most beautiful without trying to adhere to a single norm.  "Hippies" won't want to dye their hair blonde and wear expensive jewelry...in fact, that might not be the best option for them.  However, some girls will want to pull a mix-n-match of things that are found to be appealing by other groups.  A girl who is nerdy, athletic, and has tattoo sleeves can be very attractive.  I don't believe that there is a single norm, nor should there be.  Everyone ought to pursue their own path to beauty, even if that path does not lead very far.  Those without interest in beautification need not invest much time or effort in pursuit of physical appeal to others.

Warren Buffet Can Fix Debt Ceiling...

Warren Buffet has a great idea on partially repairing our nation's economy.  Warren knows a thing or two about finances.  Unfortunately, Warren's plan won't work unless and until people get involved.  Most of us are rationally apathetic, knowing that our voice will not matter unless united with those of many, many others.   See what you think about Warren's plan, laid out below.


Warren Buffett, in a recent interview with CNBC, offers one of the best quotes about the debt ceiling:

"I could end the deficit in 5 minutes," he told CNBC. "You just pass a law that says that anytime there is a deficit of more than 3% of...GDP, all sitting members of Congress are ineligible for re-election.

The 26th amendment (granting the right to vote for 18 year-olds) took only 3 months & 8 days to be ratified! Why? Simple! The people demanded it. That was in 1971 - before computers, e-mail, cell phones, etc.

Of the 27 amendments to the Constitution, seven (7) took one (1) year or less to become the law of the land - all because of public pressure.

Warren Buffet is asking each addressee to forward this email to a minimum of twenty people on their address list; in turn ask each of those to do likewise.

In three days, most people in The United States of America will have the message. This is one idea that really should be passed around.

Congressional Reform Act of 2012

1. No Tenure / No Pension.

A Congressman/woman collects a salary while in office and receives no pay when they're out of office.

2. Congress (past, present & future) participates in Social Security.

All funds in the Congressional retirement fund move to the Social Security system immediately. All future funds flow into the Social Security system, and Congress participates with the American people. It may not be used for any other purpose.

3. Congress can purchase their own retirement plan, just as all Americans do.

4. Congress will no longer vote themselves a pay raise. Congressional pay will rise by the lower of CPI or 3%.

5. Congress loses their current health care system and participates in the same health care system as the American people.

6. Congress must equally abide by all laws they impose on the American people.

7. All contracts with past and present Congressmen/women are void effective 12/1/12. The American people did not make this contract with Congressmen/women.

Congress made all these contracts for themselves. Serving in Congress is an honor, not a career. The Founding Fathers envisioned citizen legislators, so ours should serve their term(s), then go home and back to work.

If each person contacts a minimum of twenty people then it will only take three days for most people (in the U.S.) to receive the message. Don't you think it's time?

THIS IS HOW YOU FIX CONGRESS!

Dialogue: Job Security

Austin: Hey Larry, looks like you'e making a mess in there.

Larry (the janitor): Sometimes you've got to make a mess to clean a mess.

Austin:  That's what they call job security.

Pick #314

Sammy Kershaw - "She Don't Know She's Beautiful" (cover of a Dave Mason song)

Bad News About Honduran Private City

Looks like the dream is dead.  A slightly watered down version of this city might be realized, but I don't like what I've learned about adaptations to the original idea.  Paul Romer answers some questions on Marginal Revolution.

Private City in Honduras

I got pretty excited when I heard about a private city that is being built in Honduras.  The details are not all worked out yet, but I expect them to have open immigration policies like the good 'ol USA used to.  The only tax will be a property tax.  No income tax, no capital gains tax, no estate tax, no sales tax, etc.  I'm not sure how the tax structure will be designed, but I imagine a straight ad valorem setup where you pay about 5% of the value of your property each year...that way the government has an incentive to provide an area where people want to live.

Since there are not going to be many taxes, there won't be many public services.  I imagine that the garbage collectors will contract with each apartment building or office building or private residence.  Power will be generated by private companies and sold to individual customers.  It will be very easy to start a business.  There will not be a large police force, but I understand that the city can employ legitimate use of force from Honduras.  As an effort to provide stability, a 2/3 majority will be needed to change laws in the city.

The only "catch" that makes this place not "completely free" is one tiny little regulation that I personally have no problem with.  Each business will have to employ a minimum percentage of native Hondurans in order that a portion of the prosperity generated by this city benefits Hondurans.  I don't forsee this being a problem because the best and brightest ones will be hired and I anticipate that there will be an excess supply of highly qualified Honduran workers for at least a few years.

If this city fails like some haters think it might, then the only people who lose are the investors.  If the city performs well, it could transform that part of Honduras in much the same way that Hong Kong was transformed from a rocky island into a booming economy.

If this place turns out to be a success, maybe I can end up teaching at a university in this city...