POG Politics Thread

[kokiri]

yeah, i don't think much of that wiki page regarding khun, but feyer does look interesting.

Obviously it's all to science what historiography is to history, but my point was kuhn is much less conceptual than popper, and much more rooted in the practice of science. Not that either of those is inherently superior. I think that philosophy of science, in the uk at least, gets quite short shrift because we're historically all empiricists and like the doing, rather than the contintental naval gazing

[amplify]

The current wacky rumor going around:

Reliable word that Bank of America branch managers just received a
letter or memo from the USFed instructing them to perhaps be ready for
a one-week universal shut-down of the banking system, including access
to checking accounts, savings accounts and credit cards. Reliable word
has it that BofA bank branches received a shipment of signs last week,
reading “We're sorry, but due to circumstances beyond our control, we
cannot be open at this time.

[DustinG]

intended to cause a run on the banks? or just a prank?

regardless, if something was going to happen it certainly wouldn't be made known to every branch manager 1 week ahead of time

imo

[amplify]

I'm just passing along the wackiness. No reputable outlet has published this. It could be just to get hits.

[Zurvan]

Somebody wants to completely collapse the banking system?

[Zurvan]

That said, I wouldn't put it past King George

[DustinG]

interestingly, the wacky rumor that I heard was that FSB (which is like the KGB) reported that Bush was suspending the elections on the 5th.

I watched the tape of it but it was translated from Russian and I don't think any sort of reputable sources picked it up

[DustinG]

Originally Posted by Zurvan

Somebody wants to completely collapse the banking system?

its called problem-reaction-solution

they create the problem and then provide the solution and the solution is always more centralized control

I've already linked to a couple different articles where they are discussing the creation of a global financial authority.

[DustinG]

notice now that the language has changed on the bailout

CNBC is no longer calling it a bailout

it is now being called a rescue plan

[kokiri]

Originally Posted by DustinG

its called problem-reaction-solution

they create the problem and then provide the solution and the solution is always more centralized control

I read a book by pj orouke in which argues that politicians don't really benefit from solving problems. Rather, they benefit from being seen to act against problems, rather than the results. If a policy actually solves a problem too well, it makes the problem seem like it wasn't that bad, so the policy is less well regarded. If otoh, a policy half solves a problem, then it is working well against a serious problem, so must be a really good policy. Or something like that.

[Zurvan]

Dustin - I'm saying somebody is faking the "omg banks are shutting down" in the hopes that massive numbers of people withdraw their money from the banks, which the banks (obviously) don't have, collapsing the bank system. I would say it's a plot cooked up by some high college kids trying to fight the man, as opposed to adults with rational opposition to government and central banking.

[Zurvan]

Rather, they benefit from being seen to act against problems, rather than the results

This is so true, it kinda makes me want to barf

wtf, 30 second post delay now?

[DustinG]

Originally Posted by kokiri

I read a book by pj orouke in which argues that politicians don't really benefit from solving problems. Rather, they benefit from being seen to act against problems, rather than the results. If a policy actually solves a problem too well, it makes the problem seem like it wasn't that bad, so the policy is less well regarded. If otoh, a policy half solves a problem, then it is working well against a serious problem, so must be a really good policy. Or something like that.

that isn't really what I meant

What I mean is if they want to enact something thats politically unpopular one way to go about doing it is to create a problem and then provide the solution

[clowntable]

My sister went to the bank today and told me there were two elderly gentlemen that quite loudly demanded that all their savings be handed over to them and proceded to call the manager that was called a crooky-banker and went on a long profanity laden rant.
She estimated their age at 80+

The image of that made me lol.

[amplify]

Originally Posted by DustinG

interestingly, the wacky rumor that I heard was that FSB (which is like the KGB) reported that Bush was suspending the elections on the 5th.

I heard that as well but this would never happen. Suspending elections would make transparent how things really work. Holding elections allows the same power elite to remain in control behind a different puppet regime.

People floated the same rumors during teh last year of Reagan's second term. It's an understandable reaction, but misapplied..