BS: The mudcat think tank

Subject: BS: The mudcat think tank
From: Donuel
Date: 29 May 06 - 09:17 AM

Think tanks. To me a think tank implies being seperated from reality. What an bizarre image. People sealed in a tank and thinking up new things...

Things like what to do with expensive storage of deadly nuclear waste?: Call it "Depleted", put it in bullets and bombs and use it to blow up Islamic countries.


How about solving the abortion issue via a typical think tank solution...

Buy the babies slated for abortion for $500 and delivery costs, raise them by the state for future military service. Feed them steroids and deploy fully grown adult soldies at age 14.

Yes it sounds far fetched and evil but actually no more so than depleted uranium thinking.

There are people here who have been part of what could be called the mudcat think tank who have had some great ideas that could and should be heard by the entire world. Sure we all have a great notion every once in awhile.

Can you think of any of these great ideas that could be focused in this thread?

Subject: RE: BS: The mudcat think tank
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 29 May 06 - 09:46 AM

Sodium Flouride is a highly deadly toxic waste product, formed in manufacturing things such as aluminium.

Hey, high flouride levels in drinking water may prevent tooth decay!

Let's con all the dentists to push for getting it in all drinking water! Then we'll be able to SELL it to people to put in teh drinling water, instead of having to pay somone to take it away and dump it somewhere... we just won't tell people of possible side effects of excess flouride intake levels...

Subject: RE: BS: The mudcat think tank
From: Peace
Date: 29 May 06 - 09:51 AM

Put all elected people on the moon. Place hydrogen bombs under their living quarters. When they make decisions to send kids to war or to rip people off a la Enron or they decide it's OK to forgive companies for polluting the hell out of this planet, push the button.

Subject: RE: BS: The mudcat think tank
From: Peace
Date: 29 May 06 - 09:52 AM

On second though, just put them on the moon and leave them there.

Subject: RE: BS: The mudcat think tank
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 29 May 06 - 09:58 AM

Hey, we got this great cheap stuff that we invented as a military poison, that some guy spilt in his face, and as he died, his last words were, "Hey guys, it's really sweet!".

Let's sell it as a sugar replacement - the rats don;t died is they only get the equivalent of a couple of teaspoons of sugar in a couple of cups of tea or coffee a day...

What? they put it in Coco-cola, and now they're drinking gallons of of it a day?

Where's me hat?

I'm not making this up you know....

Subject: RE: BS: The mudcat think tank
From: Bill D
Date: 29 May 06 - 11:37 AM

Set the experts in brain chemistry and bio-feedback and pharmaceuticals to researching what actually happens when the mind is active and creative, then work on producing a drug that causes uncontrollable itching when the brain is slow, lethargic and dull. Implant this drug in everyone about the age of three.

(Will Rogers once said, when asked about how to stop German submarines during WWII, "that's easy...boil the ocean!" When it was suggested that this was not easy, he replied.."hey, I'm an IDEA man! We have experts to work out the details!")

Subject: RE: BS: The mudcat think tank
From: beardedbruce
Date: 29 May 06 - 12:37 PM

Donuel,

"Things like what to do with expensive storage of deadly nuclear waste?: Call it "Depleted", put it in bullets and bombs and use it to blow up Islamic countries."

You obviously have no idea of what depleted uranium IS. Nor are you showing any knowledge of basic physics.

And it's use was developed to destroy SOVIET tanks and armoured vehicles, during the Cold War.

Subject: RE: BS: The mudcat think tank
From: The Curator
Date: 29 May 06 - 12:47 PM

If only man would put his head to better things this world would be a nicer place.

Subject: RE: BS: The mudcat think tank
From: Amos
Date: 29 May 06 - 01:01 PM

Bobert's Department of Peace, which is currently being promoted by Dennis Kucinich. I dunno if there is any connection, though!

A

Subject: RE: BS: The mudcat think tank
From: nutty
Date: 29 May 06 - 03:34 PM

Instead of spending billions on nuclear power, give the boffins a real opportunity to develop power from the only real 'green' alternative .... the sea or any other tidal flow.

It beggers belief that in the 21st century we have not yet been able to solve this one.

We could then use part of the energy produced to power the desalination plants that would alleviate the water crisis.

Subject: RE: BS: The mudcat think tank
From: jimmyt
Date: 29 May 06 - 05:40 PM

Robin, I am afraid you have overstated the SOdium FLuoride issue greatly. THe reality is that many things are dangerous at high levels but are therapeutic and helpful at much lower levels. The reality is that millions and millions of kids do not have toothaches now purely because of sodium fuoride in the drinking water.

Subject: RE: BS: The mudcat think tank
From: Amos
Date: 29 May 06 - 05:47 PM

Nutty:

Why would sea-current or tidal-current generators be any more "green" than solar or wind based schemes?

A

Subject: RE: BS: The mudcat think tank
From: frogprince
Date: 29 May 06 - 06:20 PM

I wouldn't say tidal power is "greener". But I've seen more days when the wind didn't blow than days without a high tide and low tide.

Subject: RE: BS: The mudcat think tank
From: Amos
Date: 29 May 06 - 06:34 PM

Depends on where you are. But greenness implies a criterion of renewability without harmful impact on the environment.

A

Subject: RE: BS: The mudcat think tank
From: TheBigPinkLad
Date: 29 May 06 - 06:38 PM

I believe our think tank would do well to expend mental energy on solving the problem of nuclear waste disposal.

Subject: RE: BS: The mudcat think tank
From: Peace
Date: 29 May 06 - 06:47 PM

Put the nuclear waste ON the moon with the damned politicians.

Subject: RE: BS: The mudcat think tank
From: Don Firth
Date: 29 May 06 - 06:48 PM

Naw. Just forget about tidal power. Dead end.

The moon is gradually drifting away from the earth at a rate of a few millimeters a year. In time, it will be too far away to affect the tides substantially, and any method of producing energy from tides will cease to function. Better just stick with oil. We know we have about forty years worth of that left. . . .

Jed Clampett

Subject: RE: BS: The mudcat think tank
From: GUEST
Date: 29 May 06 - 07:00 PM

TV remote locator,have small button on the side of the tv so when you loose the fecking thing you press it and the remote beeps so as your able to locate it.This matters it causes all sorts of conflict,and its always me that gets the fecking blame.

mac

Subject: RE: BS: The mudcat think tank
From: Peace
Date: 29 May 06 - 07:02 PM

THAT we can solve. Throw the remote away and change the channels by HAND. I recall doing that when I was younger. It seemed to work OK.

Subject: RE: BS: The mudcat think tank
From: GUEST
Date: 29 May 06 - 07:09 PM

I suppose theres always that teletext for the football?cricket,racing.
im telling you it would sell.But your right im a lazy slob sorry.


mac

Subject: RE: BS: The mudcat think tank
From: Peace
Date: 29 May 06 - 07:10 PM

LOLOL

Subject: RE: BS: The mudcat think tank
From: nutty
Date: 29 May 06 - 07:10 PM

Amos ... I considered tidal power generation to be 'greener' than wind or solar power because, on a large scale it does not cause the environmental disruption of the other two.

In the UK, huge towering windmills litter scenic moorland and coastal areas and solar powered farms, on the continent, appear to produce miles of black glass.

Subject: RE: BS: The mudcat think tank
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 29 May 06 - 07:28 PM

Jimmyt

I agree with you - but the bulk of 'council treated and supplied' 'water for drinking' is used to flush toilets, wash cars and water gardens, etc, so it is gradually polluting the environment, getting back into the sea, etc.

The only saving grace is that mankind will have topped himself long before that sort of pollution becomes a serious threat to all life...

Subject: RE: BS: The mudcat think tank
From: Metchosin
Date: 29 May 06 - 08:35 PM

Hey you'd better be careful guys, if you get too good at this you might get scooped up by Uncle Sam, just like Skunk Baxter formerly of Steely Dan and the Doobie Bros did.

Seems Skunk liked to fool around with missile defense senarios on his computer in his spare time and someone noticed he was thinking out of the box, so to speak. Apparently he knocked out a 5 page paper on the subject on his little Tandy 200 and the rest is history.

Skunk Baxter, missile defense expert ........and musician.

Subject: RE: BS: The mudcat think tank
From: Amos
Date: 29 May 06 - 08:43 PM

That is one awesome video.

A

Subject: RE: BS: The mudcat think tank
From: Metchosin
Date: 29 May 06 - 08:58 PM

Just goes to show ya that Nixon had good reason to be frightened of hippies. LOL

Subject: RE: BS: The mudcat think tank
From: Donuel
Date: 29 May 06 - 09:04 PM

bearded bruce, and to think I thought you were an ally and knew of the breadth of my actual knowledge of DU.

If you need some let me know.

Subject: RE: BS: The mudcat think tank
From: beardedbruce
Date: 31 May 06 - 06:39 AM

Nope. With a good thorium breeder reactor, I have no need of any DU.

But thanks for thinking of me.

Subject: RE: BS: The mudcat think tank
From: Bobert
Date: 31 May 06 - 07:58 AM

Okay, I'll throw a few into the mix that I have brought up before:

1. Rebuild the residential areas of New Orleans on large barge/blocks that are so well disguised that you really don't think yer looking at a barge until the storm come and then the entire block floats...

2. Private/public parnerships between prisions and industries where inmates work fir specific companies witha portion of their income, when relevant, going toward restitution to the victims of families of vistims of the crimes they committed... When the inmate has done his time he or she moves right into the same position with the same company in the outside world.

3. Public financing of all political campaigns from dog cvatcher to president and every position in between... This is the only way to restore democracy...

4. A Department of Peace is long overdue...

Yeah those touch on a few that I have bvurnt up some gray matter over...

Now, as fir depleted uranium... The facts about the effects are being withheld... There was doctor at a VA hospital who was zeroing in on the physical effects of vets who had traces of DU in their bodies... When he brought it to the attention of the higher ups he was dismissed...

So, yeah, given the company line, DU isn't a threat... But, like many other comapny lines we've heard over the last few years is just that: a company "line"... There is a thread I started a couple years agop on this so there's no use thrying to highjack Donuel'as perfectly good thread over an issue that has been hashed out in the past...

Bobert

Subject: RE: BS: The mudcat think tank
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 31 May 06 - 08:06 AM

Bobert, sit down me lad, you're starting to make sense...

Have you been whacking the weeds again?

Subject: RE: BS: The mudcat think tank
From: Bobert
Date: 31 May 06 - 08:13 AM

A good whack never hurt anyone, fooles-t...

Subject: RE: BS: The mudcat think tank
From: beardedbruce
Date: 31 May 06 - 08:14 AM

Bobert,

1-4. - throw in term limits and I'll go for them all.

As for DU, Donuel brought it up, not me.
"Things like what to do with expensive storage of deadly nuclear waste?: Call it "Depleted", put it in bullets and bombs and use it to blow up Islamic countries."


"Things like what to do with expensive storage of deadly nuclear waste?"

GOOD topic for a thinktank



"Call it "Depleted", put it in bullets and bombs and use it to blow up Islamic countries"

Outright lies, obviously meant for political effect.

Subject: RE: BS: The mudcat think tank
From: Amos
Date: 31 May 06 - 10:50 AM

1. Establish a legalrequirement that bills should only include material relevant to their primary intent and the subjects related to it directly -- no hidden off-topic Bill creep allowed.

2. Throw out the entire tax code. Replace same with a national flat tax no greater than 12%, but with no exemptions, neither for church or foundation or school or farm.

   Define the distribution of that 12% to town, county, state and federal recipients and make it a Constituional right to pay no more than that total per year.

   This would so simplify the tax code that hundreds of thousands of qualified IRS employees would suddenly be superfluous. The IRS should place them at the disposal of the Government Accoutability Office, with the duty of analyzing cost-benefit and e3fficiency of government expenditures and eliminating waste and corruption in government finances. That would give gainful employment to half of 'em. The rest can be put to analyzing the economic fall-out from different policies over history -- for example, the costs of war, the costs of consitutional erosion, and other salient policies offered by the overheated loins of swell-headed politicians.

A

Subject: RE: BS: The mudcat think tank
From: Donuel
Date: 31 May 06 - 01:11 PM

Good tax ideas Amos but what would we do about taxing multinational corporations. The Corporate Headquarters of Halliburton for example is based in Bermuda and some other obscure Pacific Island so they are not subject to US taxation.

Subject: RE: BS: The mudcat think tank
From: beardedbruce
Date: 31 May 06 - 01:13 PM

Money earned here should be taxed here- if earned elsewhere, taxed by that place.

But easier said than implimented...

Subject: RE: BS: The mudcat think tank
From: Bobert
Date: 31 May 06 - 02:25 PM

Yeah, BB, I am a believer in federal term limits... This way folks give you their best and they ain't all concerned about gettin' re-elected...

6 years for president

8 years for Senators

6 years fir representative

On the local side, leave it up to them... Some places find it hard to get folks who even want to be on their town councils...

Subject: RE: BS: The mudcat think tank
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 31 May 06 - 07:14 PM

"Halliburton for example is based in Bermuda and some other obscure Pacific Island so they are not subject to US taxation"

Tax any import by them - if a 'foreign company'... :-)

Subject: RE: BS: The mudcat think tank
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 31 May 06 - 07:17 PM

One of the basic hassles with the US political system is the fixed terms - parties have planned things terms in advance - whereas when the elections can be called at any time, it's a lot harder to wind up people on just a few weeks notice on fake problems.

Subject: RE: BS: The mudcat think tank
From: dianavan
Date: 01 Jun 06 - 12:34 AM

Think tank?

I think all water should be metered, including car washes.

I think anyone wishing to set up alternate energy should be able to sell it to the grid.

I think nuclear anything should be banned until we find a way to deal with the waste.

I think all garbage should be recycled, re-used or reduced and that all cities should have a program to encourage it.

I think all cars entering a metropolitan area should have to pay a toll each and every time.

I think politicians should stop lying.

I also think that if a president declares war, his children should
have to serve in the military.

I think off-shore tax shelters should be against the law.

Subject: RE: BS: The mudcat think tank
From: freda underhill
Date: 01 Jun 06 - 10:47 AM

Promote extensive music sharing programs between children of different races, different nationalities, different religions.

Subject: RE: BS: The mudcat think tank
From: M.Ted
Date: 01 Jun 06 - 10:58 PM

I think people should be required to reap what they sow. It is supposed to work automatically, but lately a lot of folks have been allowed to slide--you can see the results--so let's make it mandatory!

Subject: RE: BS: The mudcat think tank
From: GUEST,Freddy
Date: 01 Jun 06 - 11:28 PM

Hey. What happened to Amos's Ode to Amos AKA the popularity of the Bush Administration?

Did someone tire of his blowhard drumbeat?

Subject: RE: BS: The mudcat think tank
From: Amos
Date: 01 Jun 06 - 11:47 PM

Freddy:

It was closed at my request because a small number of vituperous and rather dull-witted not-quite bright people kept trying to hijack the thread away from its purpose.

I don't recall doing any blowharding in it -- in fact if my name came up at all it was brought up by this small stupid crowd of negative nabobbery who had nothign to offer but hatefulness and stupidity.

If you like, we can start another one, though.

A

Subject: RE: BS: The mudcat think tank
From: GUEST,Freddy
Date: 02 Jun 06 - 12:25 AM

What was the purpose?

Subject: RE: BS: The mudcat think tank
From: GUEST,Mack
Date: 02 Jun 06 - 08:25 AM

Anybody that disagrees with Amos is vituperous and rather dull-witted not-quite bright people.

Conclusions:

A. Amos thinks he is smarter than anybody else.

B. He can dish it out but he can't take it.

Subject: RE: BS: The mudcat think tank
From: GUEST
Date: 02 Jun 06 - 04:51 PM

Amos IS smarter than you. That's a given.

Subject: RE: BS: The mudcat think tank
From: Bobert
Date: 02 Jun 06 - 05:10 PM

Dianavan,

Tolls are terribly regressive...

Case in point...

Laborer who works in the inner city for $10.00 hour makes $80.00 a day gross... Lets say the toll is $2.00 which equals...

...2.8% of the laborer' gross income for the day

Lawyer who works in the inner city makes $100.00 and hour for a gross of $800.00... He pays the same $2.00 toll whcih equals...

... 1/4th of 1% (.0025%)...

But I like yer other ideas...

Bobert

Subject: RE: BS: The mudcat think tank
From: Amos
Date: 02 Jun 06 - 06:04 PM

Actually, Amos knows a number of people who are clearly and unequivocally smarter than he is.

Usually they can be recognized by their contributions to intelligent conversations. They raise dialogue to higher levels of quality, rather than dragging it down into the grungy back alleys of generalized negativity and character assassination.

I have allowed myself to do a little character assassination on Bush, but -- hell, it was a victimless crime, as he had so little in the first place.

A

Subject: RE: BS: The mudcat think tank
From: GUEST
Date: 02 Jun 06 - 06:08 PM

"In America, anyone can be President. THAT'S the problem."

George Carlin

Subject: RE: BS: The mudcat think tank
From: Don Firth
Date: 02 Jun 06 - 09:55 PM

Amos is definitely on the upper end of the bell curve. I believe the purpose of the "Popularity of the Bush Administration" thread was to promote an informed electorate. Now, some folks object to that sort of thing ("I wonder why that is," he said, naïvely), but Thomas Jefferson thought it was a good idea. In fact, he said that democracy can't survive without it.

Another quote worth considering: "Never in our history has an incumbent administration relied so heavily on the intellectual sluggishness of the electorate." --Bill Maher. He may not have the status of Jefferson, but it's a helluva quote nevertheless.

But in the meantime, back to the Mudcat think-tank:   

I think that people with multiple personalities should share them with people who don't have any.

Don Firth