All Hank, all the time.

[Hank Chinaski]

Originally posted by sebastian_dangerfield
But the govt ought to be honest with people about the risks of certain behaviors. We should not allow people to operate under misapprehensions that they're going to fucking die from everything,

translation: Hezbollah ain't all bad.

[sebastian_dangerfield]

Originally posted by ltl/fb
OK, um, your responses on this seem mildly less stupid than what you have to say about pensions. But it may be just because I know more about pensions that health.

So its ok to lie to people for their own good?

[Penske_Account]

Originally posted by Tyrone Slothrop
The guy is maybe inarticulate,.

Dingle went to Georgetown for both undergrad and law....is that some sort of thinly veiled snide commentary on the education that one of America's finest Jesuit universities provides??!?! Why do you hate the Jesuits and by association their boss, Jesus?

[sebastian_dangerfield]

Originally posted by ltl/fb
OK, um, your responses on this seem mildly less stupid than what you have to say about pensions. But it may be just because I know more about pensions that health.

"Public health" seems to me to be Nanny State propaganda. I understand there's an economically sensible reason behind it, but doesn't it kind of creep you out that we're scaring people into monitoring their health? When society has to manipulate people into taking care of themselves, I think that's an indicator the people are a bit diminished.

But then, I live in Philly, where there's always at leat three imbeciles in spitting distance. Maybe the average American does need to be told when to wipe his ass.

[Diane_Keaton]

Originally posted by Tyrone Slothrop
The guy is maybe inarticulate, but in no way fucked up. What is unclear to me is why you, Rush, Victor Davis Hanson, and other conservatives think it's OK to smear people like this. In Hanson's case, it's clearly a determined effort to smear. Is it some sort of panic about the fall elections? Get a fucking grip. Penske does it to stir the pot, but the rest of you seem to be serious.

I've read the entire quote from the guy and I think his comments were poorly conceived, poorly thought out and poorly executed. Pointing out the retardness of the guy's comments (and bad timing there!) on a lawyers message board is therefore smearing him in some grave fashion like I'm "dividing the country?" WTF! Sounds like SOMEONE ELSE needs to get a grip.

As for Rush - I've never even seen the guy's show (or heard it on the radio). I have no interest in the guy. My understanding from newspapers and the internet is that he's a somethingorother-icain addict Fat who schtupped his former housekeeper or something. Apparently, he's "smeared" a lot of people. Who the fuck cares. I don't need someone else's spin on Dingell's comment to consider it for myself in full.

And by the way, Ty, I posted the article because of the odd way the analysis doesn't seem to match his conclusion. The Dingell quote in the beginning meant nothing to me in terms of my decision to post the Hanson article on the board. What I found interesting was his analysis somehow lead to the conclusion that we shouldn't worry about the continued state of Israel. At least that is what is being discuss IRL about the article (over here in these parts).

[sebastian_dangerfield]

Originally posted by Hank Chinaski
translation: Hezbollah ain't all bad.

I like Hezbollah; it makes me horny.

[sebastian_dangerfield]

Originally posted by Penske_Account
Dingle went to Georgetown for both undergrad and law....is that some sort of thinly veiled snide commentary on the education that one of America's finest Jesuit universities provides??!?! Why do you hate the Jesuits and by association their boss, Jesus?

Jesuits, eh? Agricola, agricolae, agricolarum...

I hate Jesuits.

[Replaced_Texan]

Originally posted by sebastian_dangerfield
My rant is against the misrepresentation of any fact to the public for any purpose, even keeping people healthy. If the public can't understand epidemiological data (which it obviously can't, since even the press, and an assumed educated sector of the public, seems incapable of understanding it), then it should be offered with caveats, such as:

"NOTE: MOST PEOPLE WHO [INSERT VICE OR UNHEALTHY BEHAVIOR] DO NOT GET DISEASE. THIS IS EPIDEMIOLOGICAL DATA, WHICH MEANS THAT WHEN WE SAY YOUR 'RISK' INCREASES TWOFOLD, WE MEAN IT INCREASES FROM 1 IN 100,000 TO 2 IN 100,000."

If people must read this kind of data, why would it be a bad thing for them to understand it? Couldn't it save us a good deal of hysteria about diseases? A person I worked with wore sunscreen every day, even in the winter, because she read somewhere that accumulated sunlight over a lifetime could give you cancer. The article, of course, failed to note that it was physically impossible to get a skin cancer from 300 years worth of two minute jaunts from the subway to her office building (which was about the extent of her daily exposure to the sun's rays). That's probably the press's fault, but I think the medical community has an obligation to make sure the press explains a story in full, instead of writing it in a manner to scare people. But no one does that, because they figure the hyper-vigilance of the deluded is good for the deluded's health. Seems like lying by ommission to me.

There are hypochondriacs everywhere. I thank god that my grandmother is in an HMO or else she'd be personally driving up Medicare to the tune of several million to get all the things that she thinks are wrong with her fixed. It escapes her notice that her parents both lived well into their ninties and that she's as healthy as a horse.

There is despite your assertions to the contrary, an increased incidence of lung cancer and other illnesses associated with exposure to second hand smoke. It is neither irresponsible nor an over-reaction for public health officials or other public officials to try to minimize the risk of exposure in areas that they control, citing health reasons. Same goes for ozone. Most of the time the warnings are issued as such: sitting unprotected in the sun for too long can lead to an increased risk for cancer, wrinkles, melasma (my particular sun-related curse), etc.

If you want to really get into an interesting public health discussion, start thinking about the DDT ban's contribution to the increased incidence of malaria in countries that can ill afford to have their populations and health care systems strained.

[Tyrone Slothrop]

Originally posted by Diane_Keaton
I've read the entire quote from the guy and I think his comments were poorly conceived, poorly thought out and poorly executed. Pointing out the retardness of the guy's comments (and bad timing there!) on a lawyers message board is therefore smearing him in some grave fashion like I'm "dividing the country?" WTF! Sounds like SOMEONE ELSE needs to get a grip.

What can I say? I've decided to try to learn from Penske.

As I think I said above more than once, I agree that the guy didn't state his views very well. But in light of the many other times that he has condemned Hezbollah, it's obvious that most of the attempts to smear him are just that. In your case, perhaps not.

As for Rush - I've never even seen the guy's show (or heard it on the radio). I have no interest in the guy. My understanding from newspapers and the internet is that he's a somethingorother-icain addict Fat who schtupped his former housekeeper or something. Apparently, he's "smeared" a lot of people. Who the fuck cares. I don't need someone else's spin on Dingell's comment to consider it for myself in full.

And by the way, Ty, I posted the article because of the odd way the analysis doesn't seem to match his conclusion. The Dingell quote in the beginning meant nothing to me in terms of my decision to post the Hanson article on the board. What I found interesting was his analysis somehow lead to the conclusion that we shouldn't worry about the continued state of Israel. At least that is what is being discuss IRL about the article (over here in these parts).

I read far enough into the article to see that Hanson, like Rush, was smearing Dingell by making him out to be a friend of Hezbollah. Sorry -- that's as far as I got.

[Penske_Account]

Originally posted by Tyrone Slothrop
What can I say? I've decided to try to learn from Penske.

Ty,

In fairness, you are not assimilating the lesson correctly. I support America and Israel and condemn their joint and several enemies, not the other way around. Do you read left to right or right to left?

[Diane_Keaton]

Originally posted by sebastian_dangerfield
I have no issue with people passing referendums to ban smoking because they don't like it or want it around them, even if it weren't bad for people. People can vote to do whatever they like.

Epidemiological information should contain caveats similar to free stock market info... disclaimers that this is macro info, and "ymmv."

Don't have much time for epidemiological information these days. But...I'd be totally fine if my pack of Benson & Hedges Ultra Lights had a cute little "YMMV" under the surgeon general warning box. I'm totally fine with that.

[Replaced_Texan]

Originally posted by sebastian_dangerfield
"Public health" seems to me to be Nanny State propaganda. I understand there's an economically sensible reason behind it, but doesn't it kind of creep you out that we're scaring people into monitoring their health? When society has to manipulate people into taking care of themselves, I think that's an indicator the people are a bit diminished.

But then, I live in Philly, where there's always at leat three imbeciles in spitting distance. Maybe the average American does need to be told when to wipe his ass.

Did you use condoms when you had non-monogomous sex? I mean, hey, the chances of getting HIV are pretty low, and it's not THAT likely that your partners had sex with homosexuals or IV drug users or Hatians or Africans. It certainly doesn't happen to everyone having unprotected sex, just a small unfortunate subset of very unlucky bastards. Yeah, the chances of herpes and HPV and ghonnaria are higher, but they not as life threatening.

[Penske_Account]

Originally posted by Replaced_Texan
Did you use condoms when you had non-monogomous sex?

Let's keep bareback hoggin' and cream pies on the FB. Thank you.

[Diane_Keaton]

Originally posted by Tyrone Slothrop
What can I say? I've decided to try to learn from Penske.

As I think I said above more than once, I agree that the guy didn't state his views very well. But in light of the many other times that he has condemned Hezbollah, it's obvious that most of the attempts to smear him are just that. In your case, perhaps not.

Now, now, it's not like YOU knew precisely what Dingell's pre-fuck up comments were about Hezbollah. It's good to find out after the fact what his comments have been historically, but there is nothing wrong in reporting on or criticizing the guy for making the dumb ass comments, which is what we're doing here and you are just being so stubborn about (or accusing us of being like Rush or some shit). I'm glad you posted the "other" comments he has made. It's good to think maybe he was having a bad day -- the day he acted like an assjack that is.

I read far enough into the article to see that Hanson, like Rush, was smearing Dingell by making him out to be a friend of Hezbollah. Sorry -- that's as far as I got.

Well, you didn't get very far then, since the Dingell comment was basically the first sentence. I, on the other hand, ignored the pithy quote and went to the text of what the guy said. In fairness, I did that because the person who sent me the link was talking about how folks feel about the continued existence of Israel. So now everyone can go have a smoke and catch some sleep.

[sebastian_dangerfield]

Originally posted by Replaced_Texan
Did you use condoms when you had non-monogomous sex? I mean, hey, the chances of getting HIV are pretty low, and it's not THAT likely that your partners had sex with homosexuals or IV drug users or Hatians or Africans. It certainly doesn't happen to everyone having unprotected sex, just a small unfortunate subset of very unlucky bastards. Yeah, the chances of herpes and HPV and ghonnaria are higher, but they not as life threatening.

I take the 5th.