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Re: Friday Five April 4
开云体育Well, it wasn't much like DOGE because the cuts were well thought out and done over the course of a few years. So, really, there has never been anything like DOGE before. I hope not. It's based on stupidity. No. They are ordinary vandals and should be prosecuted as such. Unfortunately I think it's Putin. Yes, if it is being promoted as a Mensa group. Otherwise, change the name of the group. Aloha, Celeste |
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Re: Friday Five April 4
1. Which American president in the 20th century convened a version of DOGE? Donald Trump? I am not sure who else as I have never paid much attention?to politics until the Apocalypse?started. 2.? Will DOGE survive Musk leaving? He would probably remain as a big influence. DOGE is a business-perspective tool and the Trump Administration is filled with businessmen. There will be someone to sit publically at the helm. 3.? Should the people who light Tesla cars on fire be charged as domestic terrorists? If they are committing criminal damage to people or property to pursue?a political agenda, then yes. 4.? Who is the most consequential world leader today? Vague...IMHO, Trump because of pot-stirring that keeps leading to so many interesting reactions! 5.? Should paid membership in Mensa be a requirement to post to this group?? No. We can benefit from intelligent and thoughtful contributions no matter what labels the write has. |
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Re: [PhilosophicalM] Friday Five April 4
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?1. Which American president in the 20th century convened a version of DOGE?
Calvin Coolidge.? He and his Treasure Secretary reduced the Federal budget by more than ten percent and paid off about 20% of the outstanding federal debt. 2.? Will DOGE survive Musk leaving? Hopefully - it is desperately needed if not appreciated. 3.? Should the people who light Tesla cars on fire be charged as domestic terrorists? Emphatically yes - along with the idiots who tried to destroy a Republican headquarters this week. 4.? Who is the most consequential world leader today? Without a doubt Putin 5.? Should paid membership in Mensa be a requirement to post to this group?? I personally have invited two non Mensans to join in this conversation. |
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Re: Friday Five April 4
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A recall petition is currently being circulated to recall her royal pain in our asses. Marvin ? 1. Which American president in the 20th century convened a version of DOGE?
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Reagan, if you're thinking of the Grace Commission. ?(I turned down a job working for Grace during the Reagan years.)
2.? Will DOGE survive Musk leaving? ?
Not in its present form, but someone else who starts cutting useless government programs will also draw a bunch of heat.? The media will glom onto some single parent thrown out of a Department of Education job, or a child whose program has been cut because the funding disappears, but no one will consider that the program was a make-work administrative chimera.
3.? Should the people who light Tesla cars on fire be charged as domestic terrorists? ?
I don't know if arsonists are trying to terrorize the population like someone who tries to take down an airplane, but it could probably qualify as a hate crime.? They hate Musk and anyone who has dared to buy a product made by his company is going to get it destroyed by an act of violence that could kill someone.? What if someone went around firebombing Mercedes Benzs because they represent wealth or perhaps because Hitler had a Mercedes?
4.? Who is the most consequential world leader today? ?
Trump, maybe Putin a close second.? I suppose "consequential" could mean?
5.? Should paid membership in Mensa be a requirement to post to this group?? ?
No, there are so many people quitting Mensa recently because of the lawsuit and the Chair's behavior that we would have a hard time updating the list.
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Ed
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On Fri, Apr 4, 2025 at 12:12?AM mrvnchpmn via <Chapman=[email protected]> wrote:
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Re: Friday Five April 4
1. Which American president in the 20th century convened a version of DOGE? Reagan, if you're thinking of the Grace Commission. ?(I turned down a job working for Grace during the Reagan years.) 2.? Will DOGE survive Musk leaving? Not in its present form, but someone else who starts cutting useless government programs will also draw a bunch of heat.? The media will glom onto some single parent thrown out of a Department of Education job, or a child whose program has been cut because the funding disappears, but no one will consider that the program was a make-work administrative chimera. 3.? Should the people who light Tesla cars on fire be charged as domestic terrorists? I don't know if arsonists are trying to terrorize the population like someone who tries to take down an airplane, but it could probably qualify as a hate crime.? They hate Musk and anyone who has dared to buy a product made by his company is going to get it destroyed by an act of violence that could kill someone.? What if someone went around firebombing Mercedes Benzs because they represent wealth or perhaps because Hitler had a Mercedes? 4.? Who is the most consequential world leader today? Trump, maybe Putin a close second.? I suppose "consequential" could mean? 5.? Should paid membership in Mensa be a requirement to post to this group?? No, there are so many people quitting Mensa recently because of the lawsuit and the Chair's behavior that we would have a hard time updating the list. Ed _._ On Fri, Apr 4, 2025 at 12:12?AM mrvnchpmn via <Chapman=[email protected]> wrote:
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Re: Friday Five April 4
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?1. Which American president in the 20th century convened a version of DOGE?
2.? Will DOGE survive Musk leaving? 3.? Should the people who light Tesla cars on fire be charged as domestic terroists? 4.? Who is the most consequential world leader today? 5.? Should paid membership in Mensa be a requirement to post to this group?? |
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Re: Friday five March 28
开云体育If I've never heard of this person then I don't see how this question can be answered. Sorry... can't think of one. I don't know of any. I've been to North Pole (Alaska) several times. The last time was a couple of years ago. It is a major fuck-up. Aloha, Celeste Rogers |
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Re: Friday five March 28
1.? Who is the most prolific serial killer you never heard of? As soon as I hear "of" him, I will submit my report. 2.? What is the strangest? street sign you have ever seen? I tend to forget such things a moment after I see them, so I am not pulling anything up right now. I could Google strange street signs as I remember having glimpsed such collections online, but that seems a little silly... 3.? What is the most worthless college endowment?you?have ever heard of? I do not remember hearing about any endowments, but I also do not believe I have ever had any interest in such things and so I may have heard of some doozies and just dropped them from memory a moment later. See the Googling opinion in the last answer. 4.? What is the remotest place located by name in Google Earth you have ever been to:?? And when? We use Apple's mapping app as we travel the Continental U.S. but since they likely share a lot of data, I will not try to segregate Apple and Google. While I do not remember all the places we have visited, the answer would likely be a national or state park location somewhere within the Lower 48. We have been doing this lifestyle for about four years now.
5.? Is the released text messages from the Cabinet meeting about possible military action a major disaster or a tempest in a teapot? Certainly not a major disaster. I feel like it was a mistake by the person assembling the addressee list. I have seen (and made) embarrassing?professional mistakes myself, accepted my chastisement and taken action to?prevent recurrence. While the incident is definitely regrettable and likely caused some harm to this one minor operation, I assume (for lack of better information) that it has not had any direct impact on a larger scale. Given that, I vote for teapot storms because it will likely just lead to some personal and possible system improvement in the future. |
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Re: [PhilosophicalM] Friday five March 28
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1.? Who is the most prolific serial killer you never heard of?
The I 70 killer in Indiana and Ohio.? Turned out to be a mild manner middle aged white male who was married.? When his farm was searched the remains of at least twenty five people were found.? He killed himself a couple of days after the news of the discovery was released. 2.? What is the strangest? street sghn you have ever seen? Just outside of Piercce Idaho on the Forest Service 250 Rd is a sign that reads "next service 111 miles".? What they don't tell you is that the pavement ends in another six miles and from that point on it is a one - one and a half lane gravel road.? Beautiful drive but pack a lunch and a full tank of gas. 3.? What is the most worthless college endowment?you?have ever heard of? Probably Harvard - about 60 billion and yet they still charge high tuition. 4.? What is the remotest place located by name in Google Earth you have ever been to:?? And when? Moose City Idaho..? It is on a spur off the Forest Service 250 Rd and where I first worked as a construction inspector in 1979.? It is also where my ashe4s will be scattered when I wander off this mortal coil. 5.? Is the released text messages from the Cabinet meeting about possible military action a major disaster or a tempest in a teapot? Definitely a tempest in a teapot.? But the scary thing is that civilians not part of the cabinet were either delibeately or accidentally included in the message stream.? The real important question is whether or not it as delibearate and who did it - one of the recognized attendees for a staffer.? Also was it deliberate or not. ? |
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Re: Friday five March 28
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1.? Who is the most prolific serial killer you never heard of?
2.? What is the strangest? streeret sghn you have ever seen? 3.? What is the most worthless college endowment?you?have ever heard of? 4.? What is the remotest place located by name in Google Earth you have ever been to:?? And when? 5.? Is the released text messages from the Cabinet meeting about possible military action a major disaster or a tempest in a teapot? ? |
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Re: Friday Five March 21
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? 1.? T;rump has proposed that the US take over control of Ukrainian power plants - is this a good idea?
Not really - it would not be as effective as reflagging Kuwiaiti tankers in 1985. 2.? Can Putin be trusted to uphold a truce agreement - if not what would you recommend as consequences of violation? Of course not.? SANCTIONS enforced rigidly.? Confiscation of all Russian owned assets in the US. 3.? Do you think housing prices are going to go down this year? I doubt it - but maybe new houses planned are going to be simpler and smaller. 4.? ?Should the US encourage immigrants to come who have high degrees of qualification in desired occupations? Yes - we are massively short of STEM graduates - and very long on idot majors like baketweving. 5.? Which Amercian presdent in the 20th century do you find the most interesting? Calvin Coolideg.? He was notorious for not saying much - but her did a lot. ? |
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Re: Friday Five March 21
1.? Trump has proposed that the US take over control of Ukrainian power plants - is this a good idea? No; it's making things less stable.? What would we do when a corrupt government in Ukraine that we don't support takes power? 2.? Can Putin be trusted to uphold a truce agreement - if not what would you recommend as consequences of violation? No, and there are no consequences short of going to war with Russia. 3.? Do you think housing prices are going to go down this year? It's hard to determine, since there are too many competing factors. 4.? ?Should the US encourage immigrants to come who have high degrees of qualification in desired occupations? We always have, I don't know why we should stop now. 5.? Which American president in the 20th century do you find the most interesting? Theodore Roosevelt by reading about him, Ronald Reagan by living as an adult while he was in office. Ed On Fri, Mar 21, 2025 at 5:17?AM mrvnchpmn via <Chapman=[email protected]> wrote:
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Re: Friday Five March 21
开云体育No. He should just provide aid to Ukraine as the U.S. has been doing. No. There's nothing short of nuclear annihilation that would deter Putin. No. They will continue to rise. Only if we can't fill positions with U.S. citizens. Franklin D. Roosevelt Aloha, Celeste Rogers |
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Re: Friday Five March 21
1.? Trump has proposed that the US take over control of Ukrainian power plants - is this a good idea? It seems problematic if it is an isolated initiative, but less so if it is part of a larger U.S. presence. I get the impression that the U.S. goal in Ukraine is based around opportunities to make a profit. If Ukraine is now an investment opportunity, then the answer to this question depends upon whether there is a viable business plan involved. I think there is no reason the U.S.?should assume any altruistic involvement when there are already more local forces in play.? 2.? Can Putin be trusted to uphold a truce agreement - if not what would you recommend as consequences of violation? I do not think any politician or national power can be trusted without enforcement. Nations?and similar entities are not in business to promote a trustworthy image as a primary product. Putin can be trusted to promote the profiting of Russia and of Putin. I am unsure what might be effective enforcement, especially since we do not want to escalate the scenario to open warfare and yet various economic and political sanctions are essentially toothless. Perhaps an effective enforcement might involve fast-tracking a NATO membership for Ukraine if Russia treads on a truce effort? I seem to remember Putin has risen to slap at any jabs made his way that involve supporting the NATO membership idea... 3.? Do you think housing prices are going to go down this year? I am not well informed on this. I do live in a travel trailer and I support tiny homes! Still, I am very wary of any suggestions of economic improvement...or meteorological improvement, or international affairs improvement, or of other improvements to the major categories of social stressors. Momentum seems to be gaining in the downhill?rush. 4.? ?Should the US encourage immigrants to come who have high degrees of qualification in desired occupations? I think the whole idea of successful immigration policies should be built around screening. Any population is going to broadly benefit from genetic diversity. I think it would also broadly benefit from social and philosophical diversity as these would add competing avenues for growth. That being said, filtering immigration candidates by their potential to add value to the lawful citizenry seems sensible to me. I do not mean that only the elite should be allowed to apply, but rather that policy and implementation should favor competition aimed at benefiting the U.S. society. I think this would definitely?include?encouraging those with "high degrees of qualification in desired occupations" as well as those with demonstrated performace?aptitudes across the academic and professional spectrums. I recognize this is sort of an attempt to brain-drain other societies, but I believe that is already an established practice? 5.? Which American president in the 20th century do you find the most interesting? Trump, I think. Fascinating to try and figure?him out. Taking the perspective that he is a business person rather than a politician helps, but sometimes?he still throws me. Given that, the only reason he is slightly ahead of Teddy Roosevelt is because Trump?is more current. I did a quick review of Roosevelt's life before writing this and I am reassured my admiration for the man is still founded. He was intelligent, physically?fit and active, concerned with human health and planetary health, assertive in his duties and courageous in pursuing them. I would say he was "a man's man" as that is how I framed him during my own youth, but I suspect such a depiction has fallen from social favor since then! I looked up to my image of him, though, and his influence did shape parts of my own boyhood and my entrance into adulthood. |
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Re: Friday Five March 21
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? 1.? T;rump has proposed that the US take over control of Ukrainian power plants - is this a good idea?
2.? Can Putin be trusted to uphold a truce agreement - if not what would you recommend as consequences of violation? 3.? Do you think housing prices are going to go down this year? 4.? ?Should the US encourage immigrants to come who have high degrees of qualification in desired occupations? 5.? Which Amercian presdent in the 20th century do you find the most intereesting? ? |
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Re: Fridaty Five March 14
开云体育I have no idea about either one. No. That's what Trump's unhinged behavior with tariffs would be expected to do. Hell no. Yes. We've been through this before and we've seen what happens when they're not. Until Trump becomes too disabled to carry on. Aloha, Celeste Rogers |
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Re: Fridaty Five March 14
1.? Does college tuition or childcare cost more? Beats me; I haven't paid tuition for decades and never paid for child care. 2.? Did the drop in the stock market surprise you? Nope; it's?long overdue. 3.? Should Ukraine sign a peace deal that does not return territory Russia captured in the war? It?depends on what else is in the deal. 4.? Do you think credit card interest rates should be limited by the federal government? Why not? There have been usury laws for a long time. 5.? ?How long do you think the tariff war is going to last? That's all subjective, but things should?stabilize within a year. Ed On Fri, Mar 14, 2025 at 5:44?PM mrvnchpmn via <Chapman=[email protected]> wrote:
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Re: Fridaty Five March 14
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1.? Does college tuition or childcare cost more? According to a recent study - child care costs on avearge about twice public college tuition. 2.? Did the drop in the stock market surprise you? I've been expecting it for five years - also a crsh in real estate.? So far the drop in the Dow doesn't even meet the definition of a correction. 3.? Should Ukraine sign a peace deal that does not return territory Russia captured in the war? Absolutely not - but they may not have a choice.? This is starting to look like WWI before Wilson threw the US into a fight among Queen Victoria's grandchildren 4.? Do you think credit card interest rates should be limited by the federal government? Only if they want to enrich loan sharks 5.? ?How long do you think the tariff war is going to last? Until someone flinches ? |
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Re: Fridaty Five March 14
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Actually in 38 states chilldcareis higher than public college tuition? - on avarage about twice ? 1.? Does college tuition or childcare cost more?
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Pretty sure the surprise answer is childcare, although I do not have conclusive proof. Still, I have heard friends with young children and jobs speak of the costs and I know it can cost hundreds?per week. I believe the average must be up around $15k annually, which is more than my community college undergrad work cost. I know from reading that some of the more expensive states top $20k annually, which would be $80 for a bachelor degree, or well above?a community college total.
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2.? Did the drop in the stock market surprise you? ?
No. I expect a bit?of chaos given the political?chaos.
3.? Should Ukraine sign a peace deal that does not return territory Russia captured in the war? ?
Depends upon the rest of the terms. Wars are notorious for being unfair and domineering playmates. The point is to win and if that is unlikely, then to the victor go the spoils. If Ukraine wants the spoils, then it must win either militarily or politically.
4.? Do you think credit card interest rates should be limited by the federal government? ?
I am unsure about this, but I do vote with my feet...or my cashier behaviors.
? 5.? ?How long do you think the tariff war is going to last?
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Until everyone involved?agrees on solutions that acceptably?save political face.
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Re: Fridaty Five March 14
1.? Does college tuition or childcare cost more? Pretty sure the surprise answer is childcare, although I do not have conclusive proof. Still, I have heard friends with young children and jobs speak of the costs and I know it can cost hundreds?per week. I believe the average must be up around $15k annually, which is more than my community college undergrad work cost. I know from reading that some of the more expensive states top $20k annually, which would be $80 for a bachelor degree, or well above?a community college total. 2.? Did the drop in the stock market surprise you? No. I expect a bit?of chaos given the political?chaos. 3.? Should Ukraine sign a peace deal that does not return territory Russia captured in the war? Depends upon the rest of the terms. Wars are notorious for being unfair and domineering playmates. The point is to win and if that is unlikely, then to the victor go the spoils. If Ukraine wants the spoils, then it must win either militarily or politically. 4.? Do you think credit card interest rates should be limited by the federal government? I am unsure about this, but I do vote with my feet...or my cashier behaviors.
5.? ?How long do you think the tariff war is going to last? Until everyone involved?agrees on solutions that acceptably?save political face. |
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