Myshkin57

Recent comments by this user

Save Our Starbucks Campaigns Launched: Is Starbucks Brilliant?

What a laugh. How is it that Starbucks crushed small businesses? By having lower prices (a la Wal-Mart)? Doesn't look like it. It's really annoying to hear people pining away for all these great mom and pop coffee shops. In my experience the small shops have done better because Starbucks made going to a coffee shop a part of mainstream culture. And, unlike the little shops, they didn't do it by taking advantage of the kids working for them. posted 07/20/2008 at 09:36:42

That same coffee is $2 at Starbucks as well. Do some research. posted 07/20/2008 at 09:35:09

New Texas Wind Power Project Is Massive

You're right! Let's get rid of those Socialist police and fire departments!!!! Down with public parks!!! Darned Socialists trying to prevent crime, stop fires, and have places for our children to play!!!! Down with them all!!! posted 07/20/2008 at 09:28:28

Still, I wonder why there hasn't been more focus on making rooftop solar and wind the focus. If all those big rooftops were in use, we'd need a lot less land to for the wind and solar. posted 07/20/2008 at 09:22:06

Top 10 Most Walkable Cities In America

I lived in Minneapolis. There are some great neighborhoods for walking. But the city's really not set up for walking to be your main/only means of transport. posted 07/20/2008 at 09:17:12

Yeah. LA is one of the least car or bike-friendly places on earth. What were they thinking? posted 07/20/2008 at 09:12:54

Elisabeth Hasselbeck Cries After Sparring With Whoopi Over N-Word (VIDEO)

I agree. Holding onto the use of the n-word is one of the self-defeating stances that has held back the progress of blacks. Of course, there are many other factors in the continuing inequality, but its just plain silly to continue to use that word with the misguided conception that it is somehow empowering to use it. posted 07/20/2008 at 12:16:08

Some Coffee Fans Take Grim Delight In Starbucks' Woes

Irrelevant. Cola predated Coca Cola and will outlast it (if that's possible) but you would not say that Coca Cola did not spread the drinking of Cola as a standard. posted 07/07/2008 at 16:46:10

Why did it go out of business? Because Starbucks was cheaper? Doubt it. posted 07/07/2008 at 16:46:08

Wal-mart puts smaller businesses out of business by offering a selection that smaller places can't at a price that smaller places cannot offer those products. Did Starbucks undercut the prices of its competitors or offer a selection their competitors couldn't? I doubt it. So your comparison makes no sense. posted 07/06/2008 at 19:12:36

I agree. How many jobs offer health insurance for part-time workers which include vision and dental?

Not many... get a few of these fictional millions of mom-and-pop coffee shops that Starbucks is putting out of business to do that and I'll go to those places everyday.

Until that happens, people need to stop romanticizing about mom-and-pop shops which take advantage of the kids working there more than the big, corporate bad guys at Starbucks. posted 07/06/2008 at 19:10:14

There are about 30 billion varieties of coffee at Starbucks. Different people will prefer different types. The article makes no mention of which type they tested. posted 07/06/2008 at 19:04:57

Not quite right. They own MOST of them. They do franchise a small percentage. posted 07/06/2008 at 19:00:15

They created the wave. That's a fact. Look at all the coffee shops that opened since Starbucks and you'll see they emulate the Starbucks menu. posted 07/06/2008 at 18:59:36

Pro-War Vet Group Helps McCain With Battleground State Ads

But they keep telling me that all the soldiers think they need to stay. Surely, they wouldn't lie about something like that. posted 07/07/2008 at 16:47:48

Because guys in the military need to feel like they achieved something. It's not their fault, but the U.S. military does not seem to have achieved anything and it's hard to admit when you've seen so many people killed and injured. posted 07/06/2008 at 18:32:21

Charlie Crist Isn't Gay, Okay?

Further, speculators read. Anyone who thinks about it realizes it is insane to invest in something based on something false. That whole argument of yours is silly and fallacious. posted 07/08/2008 at 00:23:52

That speculation stuff is a foolhardy lie they're telling people so that they're not angry at the oil companies and oil producers. What a load! posted 07/07/2008 at 16:49:11

Drilling offshore would not have ANY effect on the price of gas for at least a decade and likely would not make much difference then. He knows (like his presidential nominee buddy) that the drilling offshore stuff is just a gimmick. posted 07/06/2008 at 18:29:05

Great governor? What about the budget mess? We'll see how great everyone thinks he is after the effects of all the cuts that have to be made as a result of that stupid tax cut he kept pushing are all experienced. posted 07/06/2008 at 10:11:08

Smackdown At 10pm! Greta Blasts "Marketing Experiment" Anderson: "Only One Anchor Wrote A Book And Thus Collected Money From Katrina"

That might seem right if his target audience were four-year-olds. The guy is just a talking head, not a journalist, and a pretty bad one at that. posted 07/08/2008 at 10:39:51

Lax Real Estate Decisions Hurt Starbucks

Starbuck's coffee is about the same price as at your Korean convenience store. You may prefer the convenience store coffee's taste, but the price difference is literally a few pennies. posted 07/05/2008 at 10:47:05

If you're getting coffee there, you're not paying $5. The regular coffee is about the same price as at the McDonald's or Dunkin' Donuts. posted 07/05/2008 at 10:42:39

Rachael Ray Anorexia Lawsuit: Employee Sues CBS For $1 Million

That would be a bad joke even if it were relevant. posted 07/06/2008 at 18:38:26

Anorexia and bulimia are different. posted 07/06/2008 at 18:35:59

Monica Crowley Caught Plagiarizing From a Single Mom And Her Baby

He doesn't have 3-4 from the left ever. He only has four total people on the show other than himself on every occasion. Buchanan and Clift are the most regular. Sometimes they have Zuckerman (who is probably centrist), sometimes the guy from Chicago, Crowley's been on every show for a few months, I believe. But, they pretty much never have more liberals than conservatives. posted 07/07/2008 at 16:58:23

A specialist on foreign policy? Get real. She regurgitates little points she reads in magazines. Read a few magazines on foreign policy then listen to what Crowley says the next week. You'll hear more than a few lines taken verbatim from someone else's column. posted 07/06/2008 at 18:49:54

Why will there be no fighting? Are we going to sign an armistice? If so, with whom? Oh yeah, there's nobody to sign one with. posted 07/06/2008 at 18:49:36

You don't have to have an official filing of a copyright for original material. Sorry - but you're wrong. posted 07/06/2008 at 18:45:52

At the very least, Crowley should have to admit the theft. Usually there is at least payment for the use of other people's material. posted 07/06/2008 at 18:44:26

Living Limbaugh: $400 Million Contract, Gulfstream, Scented Candles, And The "Business" Of Hating Liberals

"because Rush has a 20 million strong idiot audience right?"

Good insight. posted 07/02/2008 at 17:00:52

Hahahahahahahahahahahahaha posted 07/02/2008 at 17:00:30

Vanity Fair's Christopher Hitchens Undergoes Waterboarding

The point, however, of someone like Hitchens doing this is that he's widely known to be a skeptic on all sorts of issues. If he's convinced it's torture, that has more force than someone who is actively against the war saying it's torture or someone we have never seen before saying it's torture. posted 07/02/2008 at 17:43:05

Starbucks To Close 600 U.S. Stores

I'm a bit confused by many of the posts here. 600 UNDERPERFORMING stores are being closed. 200 stores are opening this year and that's not many for Starbuck's. So, there will be a net of 400 fewer stores. So, the demand for Starbuck's may not have gone done. Rather, they expanded more in the last year or two than they should have. But that does not indicate demand has gone done. It merely indicates that they predicted the demand would grow at a higher rate than it did. posted 07/02/2008 at 18:03:34

"Their prices were way over the top though."

I was uninformed that they were going out of business completely. posted 07/02/2008 at 18:02:00

Yeah... it's funny, though. My old roommate took a trip to Seattle and brought back some coffee from Seattle's Best, telling me how much better this place was than the big, corporate Starbuck's. I didn't have the heart to tell the numbskull the truth. posted 07/02/2008 at 18:00:09

Proof that too many middle schoolers are going to Starbuck's. posted 07/02/2008 at 17:51:24

But they choose to spend too much for coffee. Try to commute 40 miles without paying for gas. posted 07/02/2008 at 17:49:24

It already is. posted 07/02/2008 at 17:47:58

How many of those independent coffee houses provide health care for part time workers? Starbuck's does. And they pay greater than fair trade prices for their coffees, but do not get fair trade certified because it costs a lot to get it certified and would decrease the amount they pay for the coffee.

And independent coffee houses do exist in greater numbers where I live since Starbuck's. And the first Starbuck's in this town did open up next to one of the few independent coffee houses and that independent coffee house now does better business than ever in spite of bad service and bad coffee because the "I hate Starbuck's" crowd goes there to show how awesome they are. posted 07/01/2008 at 20:57:18

Stephen Baldwin On Fox News: If Obama Wins, I'll Leave The Country

No!!!! Stephen Baldwin is an American treasure! Wait... I mean American embarrassment... posted 07/02/2008 at 16:47:37

"Whistling Past Dixie" Author: Obama Will Lose The South

The latest poll has North Carolina at a 4% spread with four months to go. It could go either way. But, why would we assume it will go Republican? This is a fairly silly article by a reporter impressed by his ability to perform simple math tasks. posted 07/01/2008 at 10:48:23

Wesley Clark Stands By McCain Criticism

Clark is correct. He was not insulting and he told the truth. Clark has more military experience than McCain and should thus be taken as the authority if either of them is. But apparently General Clark's experience does not qualify him to speak about the military and McCain's does. That makes sense. posted 06/30/2008 at 22:58:50

Unintelligent Design

Where'd you get that fortune cookie from? posted 07/02/2008 at 17:05:23

Well, there's no clear line between species, so I actually think that you can't really make any assertions about where the dividing line is when something becomes another species. There's no real way to settle such questions.

However, wolves and other wild canines did spring forth dogs. Horses and donkeys have been bred to create mules. posted 07/02/2008 at 00:25:07

I agree that 'proof' is not an apt term, but I think it was merely a sloppy use of words here. What evolution has is evidence, though not proof.

However, intelligent design has no evidence. It's all just conjecture. There's nothing testable with intelligent design. posted 07/01/2008 at 13:33:41

How The Media Completely Distorted Wesley Clark

I wonder if the misrepresentation is calculated or the journalists are really just dim-witted. I've met plenty of aspiring journalists and I think it's a little of both. posted 07/01/2008 at 13:28:49

I guess telling the truth is considered a slip by Republicans. posted 06/30/2008 at 21:30:31

hehehehe. Good one. posted 06/30/2008 at 21:25:16

History is Made: New GI Bill Signed into Law

Now we just need to do something to improve the lives of all the homeless and forgotten vets. But, this is a great move in the right direction. posted 07/01/2008 at 11:28:06

Floyd Landis Loses Appeal On Stripped Tour De France Title

I don't remember any apology. Whether you believe him or not, he denied he had doped from the start. posted 07/01/2008 at 11:07:53

McCain Uses Swift Boat Vet Bud Day To Rebut Wesley Clark

I'm confused. I'm an American and I would use the phrases political opportunist, right-wing puppet, and shadow of his former self to describe Senator McCain.

For Senator Obama I would use intelligent, sensible and inspirational.

Are we living in the same America? posted 06/30/2008 at 15:48:56

Clark: McCain A Hero, But Lacks Command Experience

They may have done things that were heroic even if those actions were not. posted 06/30/2008 at 16:17:10

We don't know the exact circumstances.

Look. I'm not a McCain supporter, and I don't think his service per se qualifies him for anything politically. But, I will not assume things just to make him look worse. posted 06/30/2008 at 16:15:12

He was offered release from a POW camp and refused to leave until the other prisoners were released as well. For whatever else you say about him, I do think that's a pretty heroic act. posted 06/30/2008 at 15:59:08

Clar k is absolutely correct. M cC ain's military service does not make him qualified to be commander-in-chief. My father was in the Navy, but he's not qualified to be commander-in-chief. so why is Mc C ain?

Mc C ain served honorably and has made an extraordinary life for himself in spite of his time as a POW and that's definitely admirable. The ability to do that may make him someone who has some characteristic that indicates he may be a good leader. But his military service is not the type of military service that would qualify him to command the military more than anyone else. posted 06/30/2008 at 15:56:29

Romney McCain's Top Veep Pick

Wow... then he'd really have a lock on Utah! Brilliant! posted 06/30/2008 at 11:53:03

Costco, Wal-Mart's New Milk Jug: More Efficient, Less Popular

Depends on which option is more efficient in the end. posted 06/30/2008 at 16:12:05

Google And 'Family Guy' Creator Seth MacFarlane Strike Deal For Web Series

But who's laughing about that? posted 06/30/2008 at 23:10:27

McCains Defaulted On Home Taxes For Last Four Years, Newsweek Reports

Cindy McCain must not love America if she won't pay her taxes. I know that I've ALWAYS paid my property taxes because I'm proud of my country. posted 06/28/2008 at 21:12:22

Good one. posted 06/28/2008 at 21:09:47

Zimbabwe President's Thugs Shout: "Let's Kill The Baby"

I'm skeptical he got 40%. Compared to the Zimbabwean economy, we're in the salad days. With inflation at something like a million percent (literally), I very much doubt there's 40% support for the man. If he got 40%, it's likely out of fear. posted 06/28/2008 at 21:19:28

There is no reason Mugabe could not have been wrested from power with a legitimate coalition of the willing and I'm betting little to no actual force would need to be used. He's been a thug for a long, long time. This is nothing new. He is one of the few criminals more unlikable than the ones in office here. posted 06/28/2008 at 21:14:35

Obama Undercuts His Brand

The recent Supreme Court ruling along with other political issues of the past week have been strung together a bit too conveniently. They're trying to get Obama to take certain stands so that they can mobilize conservatives for McCain. It's a tough place for Obama to be in. He doesn't have a Supreme Court that he can manipulate. posted 06/28/2008 at 15:30:23

Senate Legislation Blocked Constantly By Obscure Political Maneuvers

Our country has devolved to this: political posturing at the expense of the people. How revolting. posted 06/28/2008 at 15:57:41

Commissioner: NFL Rookie Pay Scale "Ridiculous"

I agree that rookie players should get paid less. I also think that sports teams which are privately owned should not get huge subsidies for building new stadiums. The owners are big boys with big money. They should be paying their own way. posted 06/28/2008 at 16:13:47

Obama Asked For ID At DC Gym

I agree. I actually have no doubt that someone will try to get into places posing as Obama, that is if it hasn't happened already. posted 06/28/2008 at 21:29:39

Chevy Volt: "The Barack Obama Of Automobiles"

"A hydrogen powered car will not be good for the world until hydrogen can be produced with less energy input than output."

That's not necessarily true. It depends on the type of power used to create hydrogen and whether the power used to create the hydrogen would be usable for automobiles. A lot of the talk about hydrogen for a while centered on having places like Iceland with abundant and readily available geothermal energy used to create hydrogen. posted 06/29/2008 at 10:49:49

That "tailpipe to the smokestack" argument is incorrect. Even if the ultimate power source is a coal-fired power plant, the net release of CO2 into the atmosphere is less for an electric car than for a gasoline powered car.

It would depend on the exact amount of power needed to create hydrogen as to whether the same holds for fuel cell vehicles, but it seems likely it would. posted 06/29/2008 at 10:47:48

Yes, but who cares what the gas engine is used for? It's still going to pollute the same as current ones. You're right that the only engine that drives the car is electric, but it is effectively a hybrid in that it will pollute the same as a hybrid after 40 miles (if not more). posted 06/28/2008 at 21:45:10

I know that. My point is that they were not crushed because they had done so poorly commercially since they were never really available commercially. As far as the leases go, they had more people trying to lease them than they had cars to lease. posted 06/28/2008 at 21:03:27

I know the leases were canceled, but not by the lessees. Watch "Who Killed the Electric Car?" and you'll see the lessees getting pretty upset. posted 06/28/2008 at 19:02:38

"In the 1990s, he had worked on GM's EV1, an all-electric technological masterpiece that had done so poorly commercially that GM wound up crushing the cars amid a hail of public condemnation."

That's inaccurate. The cars were not crushed because of poor commercial performance. They were never even offered for sale, so I can't see how that could be. posted 06/28/2008 at 16:07:18

Top Republican VP Pick Jindal Lets Public Schools Teach Creationism

They stopped the effort...

http://www.nola.com/news/index.ssf/2008/06/jefferson_resident_drops_jinda.html posted 07/01/2008 at 12:54:56

Teaching all viewpoints is one thing. However, to teach Intelligent Design as science is disingenuous and an inaccurate representation. posted 06/27/2008 at 23:20:53

I was not arguing that Louisianans should all be taught that way. I was joking and saying that parents should be able to choose whether they go to a caveman riding dinosaurs school or not. posted 06/27/2008 at 18:31:38

But it's not the fault of the people of Louisiana. All the people who want kids taught that a spooky guy made us should have their own schools and the other people can have good schools. Then we'll see who out-competes who. posted 06/27/2008 at 16:59:18

You're right that it's a theory but many things we take to be facts are theories. It's a theory that there is a world outside my mind. I cannot be certain there is, but I still take it to be true that there is. Just throwing around the term 'theory' does not make something less likely to be true. posted 06/27/2008 at 16:57:11

The burden of proof is on the person asking that we expand our ontology (the set of things we believe exist). In the absence of evidence, it is more likely than not that it wasn't. posted 06/27/2008 at 16:56:34

All of science is "just a theory." It is technically just a theory (or the conclusion of a theory, anyway) that I'm currently typing at my computer. After all, I could be dreaming. We can be certain of very little. But we teach scientific theories because they have been tested and are closer to the truth than what we had before them.

The problem with intelligent design being taught as science is that IT ISN'T SCIENCE. Science is characterized by a particular methodology for coming to conclusions. Intelligent Design is not verifiable, falsifiable, or testable in any way. That's why it isn't science. posted 06/27/2008 at 16:52:27

"Man, would I LOVE for McCain to pick Jindal as his running mate! Oh lordy, the fun we would have with this guy! All we would have to do is keep describing his positions and legislative record and repeating the phrase, "Imagine this man as your president....""

But what if he actually helped McCain? Wouldn't you just get extremely depressed? I would. posted 06/27/2008 at 16:48:43

The light was created at different distances at the same time. duh! Next you're gonna tell me that women are not made from the ribs of men. How silly can you get?! posted 06/27/2008 at 16:45:15

Grover Norquist: Obama "John Kerry With A Tan"

Grover Norquist is Comic Book Guy (from The Simpsons) with glasses. Worst tax plan ever... posted 06/27/2008 at 19:03:00

Why does Norquist have a job? This guy is a waste of space. posted 06/27/2008 at 16:43:07

FCC Says It May Crack Down On Product Placements In TV Shows

I have no problem with this type of advertising provided it does not detract from the show. It's really the only way we will continue to get any free programming as DVRs get more and more widespread. Regular commercial advertising will be dead soon. posted 06/28/2008 at 15:28:43

McCain-Backing DNC Delegate Fights To Keep Spot

I don't care at this point if she votes for Obama at the convention. She should have her credentials stripped. She clearly doesn't understand the issues. We can't require citizens to be informed to vote in an election but surely the DNC can require that only informed party members can vote at the convention. posted 06/27/2008 at 10:22:26

Disneyland-Las Vegas Levitating Train Just $12B Away

Sure... I agree. But if they do all they "getting stuff figured out" work, then maybe we can get more high speed rail across the country. No one wants to be the first, because it might fail. if we have one working example in the U.S. to point to (Don't try pointing to Europe. No one pays attention to that.) then maybe we can get support for them. posted 06/29/2008 at 11:06:53

US Department of Energy to Invest $90 Million in Advanced Geothermal Research

I don't know the details, but it probably has to be a significantly different design to work somewhere that doesn't have tons of geothermal energy near the surface like Iceland. posted 06/28/2008 at 21:04:06

Greening Our Airports

Along the same lines, I am continually baffled as to why waterless urinals are not used at every public restroom. posted 06/28/2008 at 21:52:12

Fox News Back On Top, Wins Second Quarter Ratings After Q1 Loss To CNN

Fictional films do better than documentaries. Why shouldn't fictional news do better than actual news? posted 06/28/2008 at 16:05:19

That was quite possibly the least funny thing I've ever seen. It shouldn't be that hard to make fun of us liberals and they couldn't. We have Matthews, Carville, Bill Clinton... it should be easy pickins. I was absolutely horrified at what they thought was humor. posted 06/28/2008 at 16:02:53

I thought it was a joke about stereotypes of liberals... posted 06/28/2008 at 16:00:49

Supreme Court Upholds Right To Own Guns For Self-Defense

That makes no sense. Even criminals who own guns do not all kill someone. Owning a gun can lead to death even if it does not do so every time. And, all those gun deaths that occur from illegally obtained guns occur because those guns were at one time legally purchased. posted 06/27/2008 at 18:58:29

If guns are outlawed, there are no guns available for purchase. All guns are originally purchased legally. Of course, there would still be existing guns, but they would have a limited lifespan since ammo would be needed but not sold. posted 06/27/2008 at 18:47:37

Sure... but the Declaration of Independence set out their intentions. posted 06/27/2008 at 18:36:05

I was responding to Regularfolk. I'm with you. My point is that if there is a rise in violent crime without guns it is still better if there are fewer deaths. posted 06/27/2008 at 16:25:36

Exactly. Thank you. posted 06/27/2008 at 14:51:04

Did the death rate go down? It is better to have some increase in violence if that increase also accompanies fewer deaths. posted 06/27/2008 at 14:50:39

It was qualified. How childish. posted 06/27/2008 at 14:47:08

Right... even the writers of the Constitution went out of their way to specify that there are only 3 rights that can NEVER be taken: life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. That's what it means when they are called 'inalienable.' All other rights are alienable. posted 06/27/2008 at 14:39:48