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Comment Re:If they're smart, they should (Score 5, Interesting) 611

Not really.

On principle, the goal of libertarianism is simply to preserve individual choice wherever possible. Smaller government that provides less direct interference or control over people's lives is the result, but it's certainly not a call for no government and there's no point at which it ceases to work...because it's simply a goal to preserve where possible. Any hint of "purism" would remove the "where possible" with "everywhere"...which is closer to anarchy.

Simple examples:

Schools. Preservation of choice would allow parents to decide that a particular school is a better fit for their child than another and have the choice to send them there. The schools can still be public schools, accessible to everyone...but the individual or the family has a choice rather than the location being forced on them.

Basic Income. Rather than welfare, food stamps and many different programs that have specific restrictions on what you can and can't do with the money a basic income actually fits libertarian philosophy because it puts the money in the hands of the individual and allows them to choose how to use it themselves.

Government. Federal laws essentially remove individuals from having any say in how they are governed. Having the law exist primarily at more localized levels (state, county and city) rather than federally allows for the maximum degree of freedom of governance for individuals. They have the ability to choose to move when legal objections are strong and the ability to contact politicians, run for local seats, etc to influence things directly. The state of California has a higher population than Canada...there's very little reason that California should primarily be legislating itself. There's also very little reason that California policy should be pushed in Nebraska.

These are clear, simple and straightforward principles that work in literally all scenarios because they are goals and not hard lines. Sometimes those things will not be possible, but as long as the respect for individual choices is a core tenant the results become better for everyone. The only place where these ideals don't work is for people who quite literally want to determine how other people should be forced to live their lives.

Comment It has to seem like background noise (Score 1) 145

When I worked in a cube I'd listen to music all the time just to filter out all of the conversations happening around me, but songs with lyrics wouldn't work. You've basically got to find something that you've heard so many time it's background noise. I know some people like techno for this type of thing. I'm a fan of most of the first Iron Man soundtrack.

It's a pick your poison situation. The only time I didn't have to have headphones to work in an office was when I was sitting next to a loud AC unit that took care of it for me.

Comment Re: One-eyed among the blind. (Score 1) 411

IMO what enables anti-vaccination stances is the almost feral response to even voicing concern. My children are both fully vaccinated but we were concerned about pediatric appointments where they were given more than two vaccines at the same time...so we worked with our pediatrician and spread the shots out. Instead of getting 4 in a single visit, we'd get 2 in a visit and then the next month get the other 2.

At no point did that seem unreasonable to either of us but the anti-anti-vax crowd attacked us as if we'd chosen not to vaccinate at all. It's as if taking a slight precaution somehow validated other people skipping vaccinations entirely.

That is where the conversation breaks down because specifically for autism...we have not positively identified the cause. As long as that remains true, there is an information vacuum that the general public will fill with speculation.

Comment Who fact checks the fact checkers? (Score 2) 240

First and foremost, you're probably looking at a major free speech concern the second something is listed incorrectly. You've got to quantify partial truths, exaggerations, etc. You've got to be able to fully reference the fact checkers themselves and on top of that you've got to monitor their sources for accuracy that could later change things. Verified vs unverified info gets crazy with journalist using anonymous sources or protecting their sources. Others, such as leaked info from inside an organization that leaves no means of actually fact checking it becomes even crazier.

Then you take a historical topic that requires a lot of study and context to fully understand what a statement on the subject even means and that's left to the devices/spare time of the people who are supposed to be doing it.

Distinctly complicated road to hoe.

Comment Locksmith told me Kwikset is unpickable (Score 2) 87

Not all Kwikset but apparently the new ones that you can re-key yourself. He said the tool that's supposed to let locksmiths pick them won't even work. Locked myself out one day and discovered that my only option was basically going to be to drill through it.

Made me both happy and sad at the same time....

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