Comments for The Mad Carpenter http://www.themadcarpenter.com He's Mad! Sat, 21 Jan 2012 14:27:50 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 Comment on What kind of pie? Occupy by Norma http://www.themadcarpenter.com/2012/01/what-kind-of-pie-occupy/comment-page-1/#comment-1660 Norma Sat, 21 Jan 2012 14:27:50 +0000 http://www.themadcarpenter.com/?p=2647#comment-1660 Minimum wage here is $7.25 hr. which means about $13,000 a year--aka, extreme poverty. You are familiar enough with American politics to know the politicians have a "it's your own fault you are poor"---just work harder and stop sucking up other peoples money mentality. What drives me nuts, is far too many voters vote against their own best interest. It's the politics of fear here... Minimum wage here is $7.25 hr. which means about $13,000 a year–aka, extreme poverty. You are familiar enough with American politics to know the politicians have a “it’s your own fault you are poor”—just work harder and stop sucking up other peoples money mentality.

What drives me nuts, is far too many voters vote against their own best interest. It’s the politics of fear here…

]]> Comment on What kind of pie? Occupy by DMcGirr http://www.themadcarpenter.com/2012/01/what-kind-of-pie-occupy/comment-page-1/#comment-1659 DMcGirr Sat, 21 Jan 2012 01:56:01 +0000 http://www.themadcarpenter.com/?p=2647#comment-1659 You're probably right about the income tax. The thing about living here though is that the minimum wages are actually livable, and the unemployment payments are above the poverty line. They keep trying to chip away at it but nobody's going to let them. The last government lowered the minimum wage by 1 euro per hour. That government got voted out with extreme prejudice. You’re probably right about the income tax. The thing about living here though is that the minimum wages are actually livable, and the unemployment payments are above the poverty line.

They keep trying to chip away at it but nobody’s going to let them. The last government lowered the minimum wage by 1 euro per hour. That government got voted out with extreme prejudice.

]]> Comment on What kind of pie? Occupy by Norma http://www.themadcarpenter.com/2012/01/what-kind-of-pie-occupy/comment-page-1/#comment-1658 Norma Sat, 21 Jan 2012 01:01:38 +0000 http://www.themadcarpenter.com/?p=2647#comment-1658 Reading your posts, and talking to some others on that side of the pond, what is happening is you guys are becoming Americanized, specifically like the conservatives have done here. I pay a higher tax % on my modest income than someone that makes 10x's what I do. If I was not a Veteran, I would have no access to ordinary health care. Wages are not only stagnant, but declining. Have been since 1972. There is a reason you see all the GOP candidates screaming on TV about ending Unions. Unions built the middle class by demanding to be paid fair wages etc. They hate Govt also because there is no profit to be made for the bankers. What I really want to make clear is Americans are sort sighted about Taxes, I pay 34% of my income in Income Tax, I pay for my own health care, I pay for my own education and training. If I lose my job or get sick, I lose it all. I still owe over 40K for college, I will be paying that all my life. I would rather have taxes go to education and medicine for all. After the math is finished, you might have more of your incomes left over than I do, even with the higher taxes. Reading your posts, and talking to some others on that side of the pond, what is happening is you guys are becoming Americanized, specifically like the conservatives have done here. I pay a higher tax % on my modest income than someone that makes 10x’s what I do. If I was not a Veteran, I would have no access to ordinary health care. Wages are not only stagnant, but declining. Have been since 1972.

There is a reason you see all the GOP candidates screaming on TV about ending Unions. Unions built the middle class by demanding to be paid fair wages etc. They hate Govt also because there is no profit to be made for the bankers.

What I really want to make clear is Americans are sort sighted about Taxes, I pay 34% of my income in Income Tax, I pay for my own health care, I pay for my own education and training. If I lose my job or get sick, I lose it all. I still owe over 40K for college, I will be paying that all my life. I would rather have taxes go to education and medicine for all. After the math is finished, you might have more of your incomes left over than I do, even with the higher taxes.

]]> Comment on What kind of pie? Occupy by DMcGirr http://www.themadcarpenter.com/2012/01/what-kind-of-pie-occupy/comment-page-1/#comment-1657 DMcGirr Sat, 21 Jan 2012 00:35:55 +0000 http://www.themadcarpenter.com/?p=2647#comment-1657 I totally agree with nationalization for industries where a profit motive can be detrimental to the very idea of public service. Healthcare is a prime example of that. Bankers getting bonuses for building an economy on nothing but hopes, dreams and lies is unconscionable and nobody deserves a bonus for that. If anything there should be massive fines, let alone all the jail time that's deserved. Government can be an incredible purchasing engine when labour is abundant. Businesses often cut workers off at the knees because labour is abundant. Everyone needs to be in on this. That shit sandwich isn't getting any smaller. I totally agree with nationalization for industries where a profit motive can be detrimental to the very idea of public service. Healthcare is a prime example of that.

Bankers getting bonuses for building an economy on nothing but hopes, dreams and lies is unconscionable and nobody deserves a bonus for that. If anything there should be massive fines, let alone all the jail time that’s deserved.

Government can be an incredible purchasing engine when labour is abundant. Businesses often cut workers off at the knees because labour is abundant.

Everyone needs to be in on this. That shit sandwich isn’t getting any smaller.

]]> Comment on What kind of pie? Occupy by Clifton Bertram http://www.themadcarpenter.com/2012/01/what-kind-of-pie-occupy/comment-page-1/#comment-1656 Clifton Bertram Sat, 21 Jan 2012 00:23:09 +0000 http://www.themadcarpenter.com/?p=2647#comment-1656 "when the shit hit the fan everyone was now accountable. There is a level of personal responsibility that I hadn’t factored in." Despite what those on the far right have to say about welfare cheats and spongers, I think most of us are happy to take personal responsibility if everyone is indeed accountable. The bailouts were odious, but I also agree they were necessary. What really galls me, though, is to see the same financial execs responsible for creating the mess taking home major bonuses. "And what’s more collective than government? I’m going to pay the household tax and the water taxes for my mother because not only is it good for my family to avoid fines; it’s good for the country." I have paid taxes for more than 30 years now, and at a rate that many Americans say is crazy. I do so....maybe not happily, but without bitching too much, because I think it's good for the country as well. But once again, it would be nice to see everyone's shoulder put to the wheel. I can live with a federal tax rate of 30% to see things like universal health care paid for, but it burns my bacon to see our federal Tories reward their corporate buddies with tax decrease bringing their rate down to 16.5% from the 18% they were at. And it burns me even more when those same fuckers then turn around and demand a 50% wage reduction from their employees as Caterpillar has done at the Electro-Motive plant in London - saying, essentially, knuckle under or we'll take our ball and go home. I think it's time some of that pie was nationalized. “when the shit hit the fan everyone was now accountable. There is a level of personal responsibility that I hadn’t factored in.”

Despite what those on the far right have to say about welfare cheats and spongers, I think most of us are happy to take personal responsibility if everyone is indeed accountable. The bailouts were odious, but I also agree they were necessary. What really galls me, though, is to see the same financial execs responsible for creating the mess taking home major bonuses.

“And what’s more collective than government?

I’m going to pay the household tax and the water taxes for my mother because not only is it good for my family to avoid fines; it’s good for the country.”

I have paid taxes for more than 30 years now, and at a rate that many Americans say is crazy. I do so….maybe not happily, but without bitching too much, because I think it’s good for the country as well. But once again, it would be nice to see everyone’s shoulder put to the wheel. I can live with a federal tax rate of 30% to see things like universal health care paid for, but it burns my bacon to see our federal Tories reward their corporate buddies with tax decrease bringing their rate down to 16.5% from the 18% they were at. And it burns me even more when those same fuckers then turn around and demand a 50% wage reduction from their employees as Caterpillar has done at the Electro-Motive plant in London – saying, essentially, knuckle under or we’ll take our ball and go home.

I think it’s time some of that pie was nationalized.

]]> Comment on A poem, if I may by Susan http://www.themadcarpenter.com/2011/01/a-poem-if-i-may/comment-page-1/#comment-1655 Susan Tue, 10 Jan 2012 22:11:05 +0000 http://www.themadcarpenter.com/?p=2353#comment-1655 Hey Mad Carpenter! Interesting site. Some "If" enthusiasts, including myself, have put together a site that is devoted to the poem and its ideals. I was wondering if you would be willing to link to our site from underneath the poem. You can reach me at the above email. Thanks! Susan Hey Mad Carpenter! Interesting site. Some “If” enthusiasts, including myself, have put together a site that is devoted to the poem and its ideals. I was wondering if you would be willing to link to our site from underneath the poem. You can reach me at the above email.

Thanks!
Susan

]]> Comment on Rick Perry: The Anti-Science Candidate by Celestina http://www.themadcarpenter.com/2011/09/rick-perry-the-anti-science-candidate/comment-page-1/#comment-1629 Celestina Fri, 09 Sep 2011 03:20:03 +0000 http://www.themadcarpenter.com/?p=2612#comment-1629 Ultimately, the question here (both with regard to Perry and to his followers) isn't how you refute his points, but how do you argue against Faith? Because it's not as if he's debating whether abstinence education is resulting in lower teen pregnancy than instruction in proper birth control, nor is he arguing whether human action can avert further climate change. He's simply arguing that you shouldn't fuck before marriage because *God says so* and that we needn't worry about climate change because *God wouldn't do that to us*. You can't combat that with facts. He has no evidence to bring to the table, he's relying on faith. So. God gave man "dominion" over the planet in Genesis, and while you can debate the definition of that word all day long if you want to, it means both "responsibility" and "control" to Bible literalists. The best path to a successful argument with someone who wants to use the Bible as a shield is to bring up this point: according to the Bible (Gen 9:2-5), God gave us responsibility for maintaining the earth and our place in it. He created a balance. He trusted us, as a parent hands trust to a child who is reaching adulthood. We have to prove our ability to keep our own house. That's what God, clearly, wanted. Are we doing it? Are we taking care of what he gave us? The death penalty is clearly against Jesus's teachings (John 8:7). The core of the New Testament teachings is humility, and choosing to take the role of God in determining who is beyond redemption is an act of arrogance on par with naming oneself God. No true Christian should feel they can place themself on a level with God's wisdom. Abstinence and evolution, however, are pretty much lost causes with the faithful. Arguing against abstinence-only education relies on a pragmatic evaluation of life circumstances which lives on the other side of a gap they're not willing to even perceive. And evolution...if they're debating it can't be true because there are "holes" in the theory, they're deliberately ignorant of both the scientific method and the state of current research. The best you can do is argue for tolerance until the Rapture. Ultimately, the question here (both with regard to Perry and to his followers) isn’t how you refute his points, but how do you argue against Faith? Because it’s not as if he’s debating whether abstinence education is resulting in lower teen pregnancy than instruction in proper birth control, nor is he arguing whether human action can avert further climate change. He’s simply arguing that you shouldn’t fuck before marriage because *God says so* and that we needn’t worry about climate change because *God wouldn’t do that to us*. You can’t combat that with facts. He has no evidence to bring to the table, he’s relying on faith.
So. God gave man “dominion” over the planet in Genesis, and while you can debate the definition of that word all day long if you want to, it means both “responsibility” and “control” to Bible literalists. The best path to a successful argument with someone who wants to use the Bible as a shield is to bring up this point: according to the Bible (Gen 9:2-5), God gave us responsibility for maintaining the earth and our place in it. He created a balance. He trusted us, as a parent hands trust to a child who is reaching adulthood. We have to prove our ability to keep our own house. That’s what God, clearly, wanted. Are we doing it? Are we taking care of what he gave us?
The death penalty is clearly against Jesus’s teachings (John 8:7). The core of the New Testament teachings is humility, and choosing to take the role of God in determining who is beyond redemption is an act of arrogance on par with naming oneself God. No true Christian should feel they can place themself on a level with God’s wisdom.
Abstinence and evolution, however, are pretty much lost causes with the faithful. Arguing against abstinence-only education relies on a pragmatic evaluation of life circumstances which lives on the other side of a gap they’re not willing to even perceive. And evolution…if they’re debating it can’t be true because there are “holes” in the theory, they’re deliberately ignorant of both the scientific method and the state of current research. The best you can do is argue for tolerance until the Rapture.

]]> Comment on Silent Sunday by Kate http://www.themadcarpenter.com/2011/06/silent-sunday/comment-page-1/#comment-1586 Kate Sun, 12 Jun 2011 19:33:22 +0000 http://www.themadcarpenter.com/?p=2561#comment-1586 Lovely atmospheric shot Lovely atmospheric shot

]]> Comment on Silent Sunday by DMcGirr http://www.themadcarpenter.com/2011/05/silent-sunday-2/comment-page-1/#comment-1584 DMcGirr Sun, 29 May 2011 20:54:25 +0000 http://www.themadcarpenter.com/?p=2553#comment-1584 They are beer bottle tops yes. I've spent this week brewing my first ever batch of lager and bottling was yesterday. Ultimately got 45 bottles of beer and 1 bottle of yeast sludge out of it. They are beer bottle tops yes. I’ve spent this week brewing my first ever batch of lager and bottling was yesterday. Ultimately got 45 bottles of beer and 1 bottle of yeast sludge out of it.

]]> Comment on Silent Sunday by Lesley Ann http://www.themadcarpenter.com/2011/05/silent-sunday-2/comment-page-1/#comment-1583 Lesley Ann Sun, 29 May 2011 20:20:33 +0000 http://www.themadcarpenter.com/?p=2553#comment-1583 I'm intrigued. Is that beer bottle tops? Do you make your own, or just collect them. (or is that how many you drank in one day?? lol) I’m intrigued. Is that beer bottle tops? Do you make your own, or just collect them.

(or is that how many you drank in one day?? lol)

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