If those are the priorities of the right, they are poorly reflected in their actions.

Here in Canada, we have a government that is de-funding useful research programs, muzzling scientists, attempted to repeal banking regulations until the crisis hit (and then took credit for these same regulations keeping our economy from completely going down the toiltet), cutting education funding, reducing the government's ability to gather information about the populace so that informed decisions can be made...it's a long list.

In America, the right seems terribly interested in enacting policies that increase economic inequality, reduce oversight of corporations and generally make it easier for those with power and money to exploit everything around them.

You don't need anyone to tell you this, it's relatively obvious.

The religious like to think of the bible as a source of hermetic wisdom, something you can learn the answers to life's questions from if you are only open to the spirit. This is an easy way of dividing people into groups of "enlightened" or "unenlightened" based on whether or not they agree with you, with no need to explain oneself.

You can find nearly any answer you want in the bible, with a bit of knowledge and the ability to construct an interpretation. This makes it a terribly poor source of knowledge about anything more than the history of a particular religious group, and even that requires additional documents and research to provide context.

I was an Evangelical Christian. Read the bible a few times. I'm pretty familiar with how this argument works.

And whether or not you want coherent answers.

Perhaps you would care to illuminate what a cogent argument against characterizing "evolution, embryology, and the big bang theory as 'lies straight from the pit of Hell" would look like? In my experience, arguing with the willfully ignorant is less than productive.

He didn't call for anyone being censored, but he is absolutely correct that that kind of idiocy has no place in the very serious business of running a nation. This has nothing to do with right versus left politics and everything to do with having people represent us who are at least semi-educated.

Unless your preference really is for ignorant representation?

This is something I have never understood. What's good for the economy is a healthy workforce; with enough money to spend (but not so much that they can squirrel it away where it does nothing); the ability to get your kids an education (for the next round of workers); making sure those with power, be it political or financial, are kept in check (to maintain the level playing field so important to vibrant capitalism) and keeping the commons intact so that it can continue to be used.

Absolutely none of those are priorities of the right, and yet it's liberals that are supposed to be bad for the economy?

(Grammar nazis will have to accept the horrible abuse of the semi-colon.)

"Average" is a tough term, though. I don't think of the Boxster as an average vehicle. In many parts of North America range is going to be an issue, and for certain drivers, but I don't think this is being sold as a utility vehicle any more than other cars in the price range. This is aimed at people that have money for a luxury car, like performance, and aren't going to be taking it out for more than to work or a late night spin. At that, the Model S (apparently) is brilliant.

I'm not in the market for a Tesla (as far as cars they're currently putting out), but I'm damned interested in where it's going. I live in the country, make twice monthly trips into the city which is about an hour drive away. Slap this drive train and battery into something I can carry a month's worth of groceries in, and yeah, I'm interested. They can basically do that right now, it's just a matter of converting people from a pump to a charge. With less performance, an average interior and a big trunk, an electric vehicle would be ideal for me, and I'm an extremely average rural Alberta driver. I need something cheaper than the Model S, but I'm not buying any of the cars that were on the short list here, either.

Thing about vehicles is, one doesn't have to be perfect for the needs of every driver. I'm not in the market for a Dodge Ram. Doesn't mean that's not a successful truck. Sounds like the Model S is an excellent luxury car, electric or not. It hits the sweet spot for this market even though it has an entirely new way of carting all that energy around. That it's a step towards spewing less crap into the air is a nice bonus.

It's useful to look at longer time periods:
http://skepticalscience.com/still-going-down-the-up-escalator.html

You are arguing with a Paulian, someone who doesn't even understand the nature or import of currency.

I applaud your efforts, and appreciate your earlier summary. I think you've earned a stiff drink.

I have nothing to add, because this is all of it. Thank you.

It's difficult for people who have never smoked to understand how thoroughly, insidiously addicting smoking can be. That it's legal lends to the feeling that it's not that bad. I have a number of good, otherwise non-annoying friends that will ask on a semi regular basis if I'm still smoking. Like we don't know it's bad for us, or realize how much money is flushed down the toilet.

A very relevant sentence is that last one - "This neuronal brain alteration can persist for months after administration ceases.". That is the "physical addiction" that remains and does so for quite some time.

I've done a fair bit of reading on the addictiveness of smoking, but this surprised me. I quit cold-turkey once for six months, and the first cigarette I had after that long felt like eating for the first time in ages. Tasted nasty, but I was right back on them after that.

Congratulations on quitting - just did myself one month ago, with the aid of e-cigs. Haven't had a cigarette since the vapourizer arrived. I'd strongly recommend looking into them. Do some research, though. The ones you can buy at the corner store are crap. (A good starting point is the E-cigarette Forum or the /r/electronic_cigarette subreddit).

If the government was really serious about reducing smoking, they'd be pushing these things hard.

Also, fuck you and the horse you rode in on for making me, even obliquely, defend those assholes.

:) If you knew me, you'd know how funny that was - I really do apologize! For what it's worth, you put up a pretty left handed defense.

I tried to allude to the purely power oriented nature of all this:

The cynical among us might say that despite the Conservatives desire to repeal the Civil Marriage Act, they've seen that that's not the way the political winds are blowing, and aren't interested in threatening their position in power.

...but was perhaps too even handed. This all put me in mind of the abortion issue as well. They are doing a very good job of making it look like they're working for their social conservative base, without threatening the more moderate votes by actually having to do anything.

Every once in a while I hear what idiots Harper's Conservatives are; they are not. They are frighteningly politically savvy, and they are playing the game like no other party here is yet.

Oh NO! The government is trying to figure out the numbers in demographics, so it can help form policy.

'Twould be nice, but they killed the long form census.

This is more likely based on opinion polling.

What?! Where? I was too busy smoking banana peels to notice.

As a Canadian, I am glad that we don't have to deal with the same kind of nonsense on this issue as our neighbours to the south.

It should be noted, though, that this isn't out of any ethical conviction on the part of the Conservatives. After the last Liberal government passed the Civil Marriage Act in 2005, the Harper Conservatives campaigned on a promise to re-open the debate and hold a free vote (where members of parliament would be allowed to vote their conscience rather than along party lines). After they won a minority government, they introduced a motion to re-open the debate, which was defeated. Polls have been in favour of legalized same-sex marriage for some years. Harper has indicated he has no interest in revisiting the issue.

The cynical among us might say that despite the Conservatives desire to repeal the Civil Marriage Act, they've seen that that's not the way the political winds are blowing, and aren't interested in threatening their position in power.

I suppose one could see this as a victory for democracy, but it's not the kind of victory that gives me a warm, fuzzy feeling.

Nothing quantitative to back it up, but it feels like it's getting slower. I've been using it since the introduction, and while there were things I didn't like about it in 11.x, as of 12.04 I like it. Didn't quite realize how much I liked it until I switched to XFCE (which is good - not taking anything away from them). I miss the dash and the default way of accessing anything being through search. Forgot how much I hated digging through menus. I'm running underpowered hardware right now, but when I upgrade I'll switch back in a heartbeat.