tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724124815715040118.comments2010-12-12T23:24:13.621-08:00Matthew Stavroshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00742226999004112408noreply@blogger.comBlogger97125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724124815715040118.post-38279962575416342522010-12-12T23:24:13.621-08:002010-12-12T23:24:13.621-08:00keep in touchedwikileakshttp://julianassangewikileaks.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724124815715040118.post-23555125207315706812010-12-12T07:34:18.325-08:002010-12-12T07:34:18.325-08:00I don&#39;t know. It&#39;s awfully hard to prove a counterfactual! ;-)<br />Why the idle and useless speculation?Ed Kimballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16279134988667424860noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724124815715040118.post-25925076424801690442010-12-01T13:05:51.500-08:002010-12-01T13:05:51.500-08:00Impressive.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724124815715040118.post-35215220133353818382010-11-30T11:33:16.216-08:002010-11-30T11:33:16.216-08:00The problem is not so much in the content of what was revealed, as in the fact that relationships of trust between countries (or their representatives) have been damaged. If countries can&#39;t count on information they have shared in confidence to remain secret, they&#39;ll stop sharing it. That could easily leave us worse off. See this column for more on this viewpoint.<br />(Previous comment deleted because the link in it to the column was incorrect.)Ed Kimballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16279134988667424860noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724124815715040118.post-4640212946156485282010-11-30T11:30:24.059-08:002010-11-30T11:30:24.059-08:00This comment has been removed by the author.Ed Kimballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16279134988667424860noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724124815715040118.post-45603675479166886112010-08-29T09:34:40.512-07:002010-08-29T09:34:40.512-07:00I was a little puzzled by one character&#39;s description of the Tokaido connecting Edo and Osaka...Rhiannonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724124815715040118.post-47673087506944657592010-08-22T20:33:54.662-07:002010-08-22T20:33:54.662-07:00I&#39;m rethinking the premise of this post. We didn&#39;t witness a swing to the right much at all. On the contrary, people who would have normally voted with Labor largely voted with the far more progressive (leftist) Greens. The election was a loss for Labor but NOT a win for the Libs (at least not very much).Matthew Stavroshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00742226999004112408noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724124815715040118.post-31872149810382712632010-08-22T20:06:36.089-07:002010-08-22T20:06:36.089-07:00I have often wondered if there were patterns like this but never thought it through. So here is a rough from memory view for the past 50 years taking each presidential election as marker and ignoring all distinctions between parties internationally, and their internal changes over that time.<br />I don&#39;t know about Spain and Japan has had no change until recently.<br />The only years in which the US, England and Australia are aligned are <br />1980, election of Reagan all conservative. (but Australia shortly to elect a Labor government to 1996.) <br />2008, election of Obama all liberal. (but followed by the changes you mention in UK and Oz).<br />US and Australia are aligned 7/13 years and; US and UK 7/13 (different) years.<br />It looks pretty random to me.Ninoxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02082123026298942123noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724124815715040118.post-27859132518760609752010-08-20T19:51:21.469-07:002010-08-20T19:51:21.469-07:00This has nothing to do with the clash. Google just hasn&#39;t come up with an editor that is mobile friendly. You can&#39;t even edit them on Android. And there have been other apps that let you edit and upload docs. Anyways, sounds like a great app, just wanted to clarify that Google has nothing against making quality stuff for Apple products, usually its Apple that blocks them.Superlink Xhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10402658564506563635noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724124815715040118.post-77010403731973948012010-08-09T06:31:11.726-07:002010-08-09T06:31:11.726-07:00I would think that starting with an interactive discussion, preferably face-to-face, but possibly online, would be more effective than having each discipline submit ideas independently and then trying to integrate them.Ed Kimballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16279134988667424860noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724124815715040118.post-63307452573030830322010-03-22T04:49:42.335-07:002010-03-22T04:49:42.335-07:00http://www.sangambayard-c-m.comevisionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16401973591243640672noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724124815715040118.post-88455157087774592702009-12-31T09:59:14.460-08:002009-12-31T09:59:14.460-08:00Your post was right on point. I totally agree. The direction this country is going into is selfish and non-democratic. If it were really about people&#39;s views, than the majority might have health coverage instead of wishing for it.Shanettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14708364380394933958noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724124815715040118.post-73399642344262364992009-07-27T04:57:51.669-07:002009-07-27T04:57:51.669-07:00Cannot wait sensei ^^Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724124815715040118.post-33446115226680251002009-04-19T08:00:00.000-07:002009-04-19T08:00:00.000-07:00While I generally agree with your comments about the "tea-baggers", your comments on DoD are a little off the mark. DoD accounts for less than 15% of Obama's budget, and Secretary Gates has proposed cutting several programs.<br />Furthermore, do you have evidence that DoD is any more "replete with corruption and cronyism" than any other part of the Federal government -- or academia?Ed Kimballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16279134988667424860noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724124815715040118.post-5761194088970123412009-03-26T08:14:00.000-07:002009-03-26T08:14:00.000-07:00On the other hand, without term limits, a politician (and not just a president) is tempted to focus on helping those who most contribute to his/her political campaigns. Those people tend to be better off than the typical citizen. <BR/>If a politician cannot serve another term, s/he might choose to focus on those issues that best polish her/his reputation, rather than those that support re-election.<BR/>In other words, there are advantages and disadvantages to term limits, like most choices in life. I personally do not find them necessary, but I understand the logic of those who do.Ed Kimballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16279134988667424860noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724124815715040118.post-67071967230682456452009-03-01T17:08:00.000-08:002009-03-01T17:08:00.000-08:00What scares me is the prospect of half-trillion dollar deficits through 2015. These are bigger than the biggest deficits of the Bush administration. I can support big deficits in FY 2009 and 2010, but we need to move the budget back toward balance beyond that, not a steady state of half-trillion dollar deficits. Clinton managed to balance the budget; Obama has to make a real effort to do the same.<BR/><BR/>I hope that Obama's longer term budget projections are just a starting point for negotiations. Otherwise, Obama is proposing change in the wrong direction.Ed Kimballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16279134988667424860noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724124815715040118.post-23510720300312906062009-03-01T16:40:00.000-08:002009-03-01T16:40:00.000-08:00Comments like this from Ryan are what makes blogging so rewarding. <BR/><BR/>I see the logic of your argument and can sympathize with some of it. <BR/><BR/>The idea that championing the poor keeps them poor, however, is uniquely American. In Europe and elsewhere, it is widely agreed that governments' single most important priority is to look after the weakest members of society, those who can't look out for themselves.<BR/><BR/>What I wish the special interests (and the rich) would realize is that directly helping the poor and middle class will definitely improve circumstances for them as well. Trickle down works to a certain extent but trickle up works much better. <BR/><BR/>Disjointed thoughts early in the morning.Matthew Stavroshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00742226999004112408noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724124815715040118.post-86421264593178848192009-03-01T11:33:00.000-08:002009-03-01T11:33:00.000-08:00I feel that this is the problem with politics in general, especially populist liberalism. <BR/><BR/>Class warfare creates more class envy. Championing the poor tends to keep them poor.<BR/><BR/>How about the idea that we can all work together despite our differences? Different socioeconomic groups may have opposing views but bating one against the other does nothing constructive for either group. <BR/><BR/>I would like to see Obama do a better job with conveying his message of helping the less fortunate while holding to his campaign theme of unifying the country.<BR/><BR/>RyanRyanhttp://cashwithatrueconscience.com/rbblognoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724124815715040118.post-11471834164851180602009-02-27T17:56:00.000-08:002009-02-27T17:56:00.000-08:00I suppose Japanese impressions of the US based on films is just as accurate!Ed Kimballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16279134988667424860noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724124815715040118.post-440887122690182612009-02-25T08:39:00.000-08:002009-02-25T08:39:00.000-08:00Matthew,<BR/>I hope that seeing me say this doesn't shock you, but -- I agree with you. <BR/><BR/>Reagan did the US a great disservice when he convinced so many people that "government isn't the solution; government is the problem." Government is not inherently either; it's more like a tool. Administered poorly (as Nixon and Carter did before Reagan), it's a problem. Administered well it's (at least part of) a solution.Ed Kimballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16279134988667424860noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724124815715040118.post-71042686430456059812009-01-28T10:34:00.000-08:002009-01-28T10:34:00.000-08:00For the most part, I agree with you. But I will be disappointed if what columnist Nat Hentoff claims proves true: that Obama will defend FISA.<BR/>http://www.dailynewstribune.com/opinion/x799538753/Hentoff-Obama-disables<BR/>We should have no need for warrantless wiretaps.Ed Kimballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16279134988667424860noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724124815715040118.post-63745914258168831102009-01-12T16:32:00.000-08:002009-01-12T16:32:00.000-08:00Even if that was said in jest, it brings to mind the ridiculous hubbub in the UK when a national hissey fit was thrown when Keating briefly touched the Queen's back.<BR/><BR/>But more than that I've never been happy about the convict comments, something one hears a lot of online. In Australian schools the convict origins are just treated as interesting neutral facts, but always used pejoratively by people from other countries (most irritatingly when done by Americans ignorant of their own history). The same sort of people who have no other knowledge or interest in Australian history, and certainly no idea about the massive waves of immigration.<BR/><BR/>Similarly, in other countries Australians seem to have a reputation for racism. This completely baffles me, it seems to have sprung from absolutely nowhere, and tends to be intoned by the most hypocritical of people.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724124815715040118.post-86687024192579966852009-01-10T16:29:00.000-08:002009-01-10T16:29:00.000-08:00Leave Howard be - he is the best PM we have ever had.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724124815715040118.post-90738629572475223472009-01-07T07:52:00.000-08:002009-01-07T07:52:00.000-08:00Congratulations! But look at what the <B>best</B> job in the US was.<BR/>Signed,<BR/>A mathematicianEd Kimballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16279134988667424860noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724124815715040118.post-30864854688338168492009-01-04T08:30:00.000-08:002009-01-04T08:30:00.000-08:00I basically agree with your assessment. The main reason to save the American auto industry is to avoid paying unemployment or welfare to the millions of workers employed, directly or indirectly, by the industry. Such payments seem likely to exceed the cost of saving the industry, at least as discussed so far. This problem has both short- and long-term aspects. The loans address the short-term aspects. The op-ed addresses possible long-term aspects, but I agree that (except possibly for solar panels) they are not likely to be practical or useful in any reasonable time-frame.Ed Kimballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16279134988667424860noreply@blogger.com