U.S. Politics Thread

[DonQuigleone]

Originally Posted by Xellos-_^

basically unless you planning to move to the middle of nowhere (ie, iowa) there is always a job on the coastal states for a young engineer.

Is it equally true of all coastal states though? For instance, what about the Gulf vs. California vs. South east coast vs. New England?

Originally Posted by ArchmageXin

Mechanical is pretty down though (Unless u want to fix cars or build bombs for the U.S Mil), Aerospace for the same reason. Military research for a similar reason.

I'm in Mechanical, but I don't think Mechanical is that bad, it's the most versatile engineering, methinks.

Originally Posted by Archon_Wing

Interesting how the extremes of both sides leads to anti-intellectualism and violence.

I think some degree of anti-intellectualism isn't necessarily a bad thing. I think there are deep problems within the University system that need to be expunged, and many Universities do often house elitist attitudes.

[willx]

Originally Posted by GDB

350, not 35. Also, I'll gladly take 140k a year. Please. What kind of crystal palace do you live in if 140k isn't much for doing very little work?

Oh dear, my mistake, not sure how I misread that. As for my particular crystal palace .. it floats in the air and comes equipped with anti-aircraft missiles. That aside, I was more talking about the context of "High Frequency Trading" or other institutionalized arbitrage strategies, which require alpha in the range of tens/hundreds of millions to be worth the risk of "black swan" or "six sigma" events.

EDIT: Aha! NINJA EDIT! I was sure I didn't read that wrong

[ArchmageXin]

Originally Posted by willx

Oh dear, what strategy is that? Then again .. $35k x 12 = $420,000 a year split between 3 people ($140K) doesn't seem like a lot, especially after taxes.. Now if it is scalable ..

I meant to say 350K. Ninja edits!

Just remember, the two girls work less than a total of 20 hours a week, and just have the engineer adjust their trading machine loaded with my firm's servers. I also have to admit they are deadly hot with their glasses on.

[Archon_Wing]

Originally Posted by DonQuigleone

I think some degree of anti-intellectualism isn't necessarily a bad thing. I think there are deep problems within the University system that need to be expunged, and many Universities do often house elitist attitudes.

It is fine, but only on the sense that we should question everything which is the intellectual approach. Like the almost cult-like circle jerk of elitism up there. It should be questioned.

[willx]

Originally Posted by ArchmageXin

I meant to say 350K. Ninja edits!

Just remember, the two girls work less than a total of 20 hours a week, and just have the engineer adjust their trading machine loaded with my firm's servers. I also have to admit they are deadly hot with their glasses on.

Oh, I'll bet, I'd be happy to discuss at length (somewhere else) the beauty of the "finance girl" ..

There are days I can't believe I never dated or got engaged to one. la sigh...

[ArchmageXin]

Originally Posted by willx

Oh dear, my mistake, not sure how I misread that. As for my particular crystal palace .. it floats in the air and comes equipped with anti-aircraft missiles. That aside, I was more talking about the context of "High Frequency Trading" or other institutionalized arbitrage strategies, which require alpha in the range of tens/hundreds of millions to be worth the risk of "black swan" or "six sigma" events.

Yes, it is hellishly risky. And exploiting trades at high speed/high volume as well as ECN rebates (talking more would be disclosing trade secrets ) But if you can somehow breakeven after share charges, combine with a high-volume support firm like mine, you can get away with a ton of change.

[Xellos-_^]

Originally Posted by DonQuigleone

Is it equally true of all coastal states though? For instance, what about the Gulf vs. California vs. South east coast vs. New England?

probably more New England then the SE coast. but it is up and down the pacific coast.

I'm in Mechanical, but I don't think Mechanical is that bad, it's the most versatile engineering, methinks.

you could always take up oil drilling or fracking which does need mechanical engineers. But would put you in some of the Most Red States in the US.

[Archon_Wing]

At this point, I want to link to an arbitrary political test so I can fit everyone's beliefs into neat little boxes. Well, okay, just kidding, but just for fun: http://www.politicalcompass.org/test

[Someone have a better one? Obviously none of them can really match one's actual beliefs, but it's something I've always amused myself with.]

[ArchmageXin]

Originally Posted by willx

Oh, I'll bet, I'd be happy to discuss at length (somewhere else) the beauty of the "finance girl" ..

There are days I can't believe I never dated or got engaged to one. la sigh...

That is because most of them are chinese with an A or B-cup at most.

[kyp275]

Originally Posted by Archon_Wing

At this point, I want to link to an arbitrary political test so I can fit everyone's beliefs into neat little boxes. Well, okay, just kidding, but just for fun: http://www.politicalcompass.org/test

[Someone have a better one? Obviously none of them can really match one's actual beliefs, but it's something I've always amused myself with.]

heh, I landed in the green quadrant, -4 and -3.54 for economic/social respectively.

[NorthernFallout]

Originally Posted by Archon_Wing

At this point, I want to link to an arbitrary political test so I can fit everyone's beliefs into neat little boxes. Well, okay, just kidding, but just for fun: http://www.politicalcompass.org/test

Economic Left/Right: -6.62
Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -6.31

AKA far down to the left in the Green. Not surprised.

[willx]

Ha.. I'm a "high finance" banker and I am apparently:

Economic Left/Right: -1.12
Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -3.13

Just to the right of Nelson Mandela and just a bit down from Francois Hollande. Hmm....

[Archon_Wing]

http://www.politicalcompass.org/faq
as the scale may cause a bit of confusion relative to it defining left/right

Economic Left/Right: 1.00
Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -4.41

No cool people on my side. Wtf?

[DonQuigleone]

Originally Posted by Xellos-_^

probably more New England then the SE coast. but it is up and down the pacific coast.


you could always take up oil drilling or fracking which does need mechanical engineers. But would put you in some of the Most Red States in the US.

I'm not personally too worried about being in a Red State. For one thing, even in the most red of states, 35% of the people still voted Democrat. For another, I already spent a college year in Virginia, on exchange, and while it's a borderline Red/Blue State, I found the Libertarians, Republicans and Religious Christians very interesting to talk to. They helped me expand my mind far more then I ever would have talking to fellow center left Democrats.

So I wouldn't be too afraid of living in a "Red State". However, I wouldn't be particularly fond of living in the middle of nowhere far from Amenities... I'm a city boy at heart, and industrial towns filled with Engineers tend to be low on dating opportunities...

[mangamuscle]

Originally Posted by DonQuigleone

If Mexico lacks anti-immigrant sentiment, it's probably because very few people immigrate there (and of course, people are emigrating from Mexico).

I do not have the data at hand, but I remember Itherko mentioned that is no longer true (with the USA economic slump (=high unemployment)+Mexico's economic stability and high pitched USA anti-immigrant fervor, it figures) and we have had for several decades an influx of USA retired citizens (pension, cheaper food/housing/medical treatment+nice climate= win win) and there have been no spike. I will not vouch for the future and say that if there is a massive influx of non-latino USA citizens there will be no backlash, but so far in our history there is no such thing (IMO here there is no racism, there is classism (rich hates poor, poor hates rich, middle class want to be left in peace)).

[Kyuu]

Originally Posted by Archon_Wing

At this point, I want to link to an arbitrary political test so I can fit everyone's beliefs into neat little boxes. Well, okay, just kidding, but just for fun: http://www.politicalcompass.org/test

[Someone have a better one? Obviously none of them can really match one's actual beliefs, but it's something I've always amused myself with.]

Yea, I remember this test. My social views remained unchanged, despite joining a church. But wow, my economic views had gone more to the left these days.

Economic Left/Right: -7.25
Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -0.15

At the church level, social issues are very much to the right: no homosexuality, no abortion, etc. Being a part of it, I subscribe to it. At the same time, church values do not belong in government. Church values are just that - church values to be presented to convince others into it. However, they cannot be forced; in doing so, that kind of effort is fruitless. The promotion of church values has never ever been the job of government in the first place. It's the job of the church.

Yet, it is strange being a man, who had been voting Democratic among heavily Republican people.

[mangamuscle]

I am:

Economic Left/Right: -3.38
Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -4.46

But first and foremost I am the Iconoclast, an unconventional eccentric who marches to a different drummer...

[Ithekro]

As a historical note, when one talks of extremes, the Nazi Party is almost always brought up. It would probably be of interest to see what they stood for at the beginning.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Socialist_Program

The 25-point Program of the NSDAP

We demand the unification of all Germans in the Greater Germany on the basis of the people's right to self-determination.

We demand equality of rights for the German people in respect to the other nations; abrogation of the peace treaties of Versailles and St. Germain.

We demand land and territory (colonies) for the sustenance of our people, and colonization for our surplus population.

Only a member of the race can be a citizen. A member of the race can only be one who is of German blood, without consideration of creed. Consequently no Jew can be a member of the race.

Whoever has no citizenship is to be able to live in Germany only as a guest, and must be under the authority of legislation for foreigners.

The right to determine matters concerning administration and law belongs only to the citizen. Therefore we demand that every public office, of any sort whatsoever, whether in the Reich, the county or municipality, be filled only by citizens. We combat the corrupting parliamentary economy, office-holding only according to party inclinations without consideration of character or abilities.

We demand that the state be charged first with providing the opportunity for a livelihood and way of life for the citizens. If it is impossible to sustain the total population of the State, then the members of foreign nations (non-citizens) are to be expelled from the Reich.

Any further immigration of non-citizens is to be prevented. We demand that all non-Germans, who have immigrated to Germany since 2 August 1914, be forced immediately to leave the Reich.

All citizens must have equal rights and obligations.

The first obligation of every citizen must be to work both spiritually and physically. The activity of individuals is not to counteract the interests of the universality, but must have its result within the framework of the whole for the benefit of all. Consequently we demand:

Abolition of unearned (work and labour) incomes. Breaking of debt (interest)-slavery.

In consideration of the monstrous sacrifice in property and blood that each war demands of the people, personal enrichment through a war must be designated as a crime against the people. Therefore we demand the total confiscation of all war profits.

We demand the nationalisation of all (previous) associated industries (trusts).

We demand a division of profits of all heavy industries.

We demand an expansion on a large scale of old age welfare.

We demand the creation of a healthy middle class and its conservation, immediate communalization of the great warehouses and their being leased at low cost to small firms, the utmost consideration of all small firms in contracts with the State, county or municipality.

We demand a land reform suitable to our needs, provision of a law for the free expropriation of land for the purposes of public utility, abolition of taxes on land and prevention of all speculation in land.

We demand struggle without consideration against those whose activity is injurious to the general interest. Common national criminals, usurers, profiteers and so forth are to be punished with death, without consideration of confession or race.

We demand substitution of a German common law in place of the Roman Law serving a materialistic world-order.

The state is to be responsible for a fundamental reconstruction of our whole national education program, to enable every capable and industrious German to obtain higher education and subsequently introduction into leading positions. The plans of instruction of all educational institutions are to conform with the experiences of practical life. The comprehension of the concept of the State must be striven for by the school [Staatsbuergerkunde] as early as the beginning of understanding. We demand the education at the expense of the State of outstanding intellectually gifted children of poor parents without consideration of position or profession.

The State is to care for the elevating national health by protecting the mother and child, by outlawing child-labor, by the encouragement of physical fitness, by means of the legal establishment of a gymnastic and sport obligation, by the utmost support of all organizations concerned with the physical instruction of the young.

We demand abolition of the mercenary troops and formation of a national army.

We demand legal opposition to known lies and their promulgation through the press. In order to enable the provision of a German press, we demand, that: a. All writers and employees of the newspapers appearing in the German language be members of the race; b. Non-German newspapers be required to have the express permission of the State to be published. They may not be printed in the German language; c. Non-Germans are forbidden by law any financial interest in German publications, or any influence on them, and as punishment for violations the closing of such a publication as well as the immediate expulsion from the Reich of the non-German concerned. Publications which are counter to the general good are to be forbidden. We demand legal prosecution of artistic and literary forms which exert a destructive influence on our national life, and the closure of organizations opposing the above made demands.

We demand freedom of religion for all religious denominations within the state so long as they do not endanger its existence or oppose the moral senses of the Germanic race. The Party as such advocates the standpoint of a positive Christianity without binding itself confessionally to any one denomination. It combats the Jewish-materialistic spirit within and around us, and is convinced that a lasting recovery of our nation can only succeed from within on the framework: The good of the state before the good of the individual.

For the execution of all of this we demand the formation of a strong central power in the Reich. Unlimited authority of the central parliament over the whole Reich and its organizations in general. The forming of state and profession chambers for the execution of the laws made by the Reich within the various states of the confederation. The leaders of the Party promise, if necessary by sacrificing their own lives, to support by the execution of the points set forth above without consideration

[Vexx]

Originally Posted by ogon_bat

I am:

Economic Left/Right: -3.38
Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -4.46

But first and foremost I am the Iconoclast, an unconventional eccentric who marches to a different drummer...

The test has gotten a lot more detailed over the last few years, I'll call that a good thing (the original test was far too simplistic).

Well .... hmmm. It says I'm

Economic Left/Right: -6.88
Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -5.59

I find the International Leader Chart disturbing but not surprising (like how Obama and Romney - being both corporatist driven end up pretty close to each other on the chart). It would be interesting to see where Eisenhower would sit.

I'm not too unhappy to be sitting over with the "Llama".

[Kyuu]

Originally Posted by Ithekro

As a historical note, when one talks of extremes, the Nazi Party is almost always brought up. It would probably be of interest to see what they stood for at the beginning.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Socialist_Program

Yet, people often misunderstand the reasons why the Nazis and the Communists hated each other. Of course, we live in a culture that condemns both.