Recent posts by sgman on Kongregate

Topic: Serious Discussion / Unions good or bad ?

Unions are no longer run by or represent the people they work for. They are nothing more than special interests with their own pocket books set as the ultimate goal.

Topic: Serious Discussion / Vegetarianism

Originally posted by EPR89:

But just because pigs and cows have not been tested does not mean that they can not have self awareness.

I’m sure they have been tested if things like Magpies have been tested.

Topic: Serious Discussion / Vegetarianism

I actually have two dogs rights now and have always had some sort of animal in my life.

links about self awareness: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Self-awareness#In_animals

“Humans are not the only creatures who are self-aware. Thus far, there is evidence that bottlenose dolphins, some apes, ¹⁵ and elephants have the capacity to be self-aware.¹⁶ Recent studies from the Goethe University Frankfurt show that magpies may also possess self-awareness. ¹⁷ Common speculation suggests that some other animals are self-aware.¹⁸”

http://ecolocalizer.com/2009/08/04/elephants-pass-self-awareness-test/

“Researchers (Plotnik, et al, reporting in the Proceeding of the National Academy of Science ) working with Asian elephants (Elephas maximus) at the Bronx zoo, conducted an MSR test.”

• Asian elephants are the only ones that have been tested I believe.

Oh, and add magpies to that list.

Topic: Serious Discussion / Vegetarianism

Last time I checked being drowned doesn’t fit under the definition of “a little pain.”

Here, I can make overblown, exaggerated statements too: How dare you! You want people to STARVE! You heartless monster!

Topic: Serious Discussion / Vegetarianism

After some research is seems that the general scientific consensus is that there are only about 5 animals so far that have been found to have self awareness. (bottlenose dolphins, Asian elephants, orangutans, chimpanzees, and humans)

Well, I am pretty sure animals can feel pain and discomfort.

This may sound cruel, but I really don’t care if a non self aware animal feels a little pain. Is there a reason that I should?

Topic: Serious Discussion / Vegetarianism

I am able to think about the future and ponder my situation in life while an animal is not. It has no idea whether it is happy or not.

Would you rather be a wild turkey and get to run around or be a captive one in a mass farm and be caged?

The very fact that you and I have the ability to ask that question shows the difference.

Topic: Serious Discussion / Vegetarianism

Do you have any proof that they are happier in the wild?

I have seen no proof for either side and therefor will assume they are equal.

Topic: Serious Discussion / Vegetarianism

I can see no reason to go vegetarian/vegan as opposed to a healthy balanced diet.

Topic: Serious Discussion / Vegetarianism

Proof that its more healthy? That’s the original claim anyway.

Topic: Serious Discussion / This is quite worrying.

This is where government is annoying. In any private company these teachers could easily be fired and removed because of their poor performance, but with tenure and all it will make it much more difficult.

Topic: Serious Discussion / double standard of racism

Its just as racist to assume a white person is being racist by using the word nigger as it is to assume a black person isn’t a racist by using the word nigger. (This isn’t what I really believe but seems to be the belief of most people on this board as shown by the other racism topic.)

Topic: Serious Discussion / Pick Your Taxes

If the best argument against it is multi family homes than it must be a pretty good idea.

Topic: Serious Discussion / Troubling survey among Republicans

Then why waste your time and our time by posting here? If you aren’t going to believe anything that anyone tells you then you aren’t looking for debate or enlightenment, you are looking for validation of your own entrenched beliefs.

So you do believe everything that opinionated websites tell you? Even when there is evidence to the contrary?

Topic: Serious Discussion / Troubling survey among Republicans

sgman, do you even read the sources? Seriously, I’m saying it for the third time on 3 pages. The methodology is right there on the data page in the OP.

I am saying that I just don’t believe them and based on the things I have seen on Research 2000 I have even less faith in it.

@burningcheez

I would assume that we are using the US as the frame of reference since that’s what we are talking about.

How about this: Is there any issue what-so-ever that Olbermann is on the right of center side of (compared to the rest of the US)? Off the top of my head I could list about 10 that he is on the left side of.

By that logic Glenn Beck is an extremist Republican because he is always attacking Democrats and never has Democratic ideas on his show.

He is an extremist…

Topic: Serious Discussion / Troubling survey among Republicans

There’s some guy on Fox News around 0:45 saying how they’re going to “teabag the whitehouse,” and several other examples. Teabaggers themselves referred to their actions as “teabagging,” otherwise it wouldn’t make any sense to refer to them as teabaggers. You might as well call anyone you disagree with a teabagger at that point.

That doesn’t change what I said. I still don’t know of any non far left individuals who use the term. (obviously in a derogatory manner)

And “far left?” Really? I think that’s quite a bit of a stretch. What makes Keith Olbermann far left?

LOL,,, perhaps it’s because Olberman dares to skewer those on the EXTREEEEEEEM right for their lunacy and by “association” this makes him appear (by comparison) “far left”. 0_~

Really? I mean, every single show he rants against republicans, he almost never has any republican/conservative view points on his show (while always having liberal viewpoints), his “worst person of the world” is almost ALWAYS a republican, etc, etc.

Let me give you an example:
“In Scott Brown we have an irresponsible, homophobic, racist, reactionary, ex-nude model, teabagging supporter of violence against woman and against politicians with whom he disagrees.” – Kieth Olbermann

Topic: Serious Discussion / Too far

This article is from 2006. I highly doubt they are still pursuing it.

Topic: Serious Discussion / Troubling survey among Republicans

Some of those are laughable.

like:
ILLINOIS
Chicago Tribune: B+0.6, K+0.3
Rasmussen: B+0.6, K+0.3
Research 2000: B-1.1, K-1.8
Survey USA: B+0.4, K+0.1

Topic: Serious Discussion / Troubling survey among Republicans

In the article they specifically quote a Rasmussen and Public Policy Poll that have the race much closer.

http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/elections2/election_2010/election_2010_senate_elections/massachusetts/election_2010_massachusetts_special_senate_election

and

http://publicpolicypolling.blogspot.com/2010/01/toss-up-in-massachusetts.html

Ironically they were touting how good Research 2000 was compared to these in their polling style. That poll was also done less than a week before the election.

Topic: Serious Discussion / Making Money as a Minor

Go to your school’s counselor/principle and tell them about your situation.

Topic: Serious Discussion / Troubling survey among Republicans

Isn’t it a little fishy to be that far off when other pollsters predicted a fairly large win for Brown? Especially when the poll was paid for by Blue Massachusetts Group. (A liberal PAC)

Topic: Serious Discussion / Troubling survey among Republicans

Here Research 2000 is predicting that Coakley will win in Mass… by 8 points.

http://www.bluemassgroup.com/diary/18361/exclusive-bmgresearch-2000-poll-coakley-leads-4941

Other than that all I can find are polls done for the Daily Kos.

Here is a discussion of a Daily Kos/Research 2000 poll

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/01/20/obama-backers-more-commit_n_429673.html

In the comments this comment was said, "Before too much is made of this poll, Research 2000 needs to come clean on their methods. A poll of 500 voters in Boston is not representative of the South Shore, which has quite a different political culture (nor is it representative of Western Mass. hilltowns, etc.). Research 2000 does not reveal how this sample was drawn or if it was stratified beyond the three respondent categories.

I have basic methodological questions and the answers are hidden on the Research 2000 site. Why is that? For all we know, this was a sample drawn entirely from, say, Charlestown or Dorchester."

Now I’m not saying this is 100% correct, but it also doesn’t seem like a crazy person.

They also don’t have the polls posted on their own site.

Topic: Serious Discussion / Troubling survey among Republicans

Can you verify your claim in any way?

“RESEARCH 2000 is a nonpartisan full service research firm that conducts surveys and focus groups for advocacy groups, trade associations, businesses and over 300 news media organizations.”

Strait form their about page. The group only does polling when they are specifically paid by some organization… and we all know that statistics are notoriously known for following the hand that feeds them.

And how does that mean anything? By your logic, anything presented on Fox News should be disregarded as right-wing propaganda. Oh wait….

I would consider any Fox News poll to be biased, but the majority of the polls that they show aren’t being paid for by them. Fox mostly just states polls from people like Gallup.

There’s a HUGE difference between a poll being stated on a biased place and having the poll be paid for by a biased place. I don’t trust that poll in the same way I don’t trust polls about cigarette cancer put out by cigarette companies.

Topic: Serious Discussion / Troubling survey among Republicans

After some research I have found that the group Research 2000 was hired by Daily Kos to do polling. So it wasn’t exactly done with them as much as for them.

Topic: Serious Discussion / Troubling survey among Republicans

If it was put up by a serious organization than they would be putting their own reputation on the line. I don’t believe that a self respecting news/political organization would do this and if they did than that very fact would give it credibility.

What are you suggesting anyway? That the Daily Kos completely made up the poll?

I wouldn’t be surprised at all if the sample wasn’t exactly random.

I literally can’t find a single article that puts republicans in a positive light.

Topic: Serious Discussion / Troubling survey among Republicans

I’m sorry I don’t trust a far-left website that’s sole purpose is to attack the republican party. If you can show me these numbers in any serious context than I will believe it.

*I would say the exact same thing if someone like Limbaugh put out a poll.