Predatory Practices

Predatory Practices.

I don't know who came up with or whence it came from but quite frankly I don't care. It's a term generally used by populists and leftists looking to demonize or 'regulate' unfettered capitalism and the free-enterprise system. "Unfettered" capitalism. There's another good for nothing meaningless Marxist phrase.

It's a terrible way of thinking presupposing an all too popular belief among the left that businesses exist for profit strictly by exploiting and gouging.

To think this way is to not understand business and concepts like 'economies of scale' and the idea that prices generally tend to come down over time thanks to efficiencies in production and rising demand.

No company wants to keep prices up for its own sake. They try and follow price signals and go where the demand takes them. If they price themselves out they're out of business because of competitive forces.

Regulation aiming to cap and manage prices only worsen things since it generally slows down entrepreneurial process and natural competition by way of new entrants into a market.- http://friendlymisanthropist.blogspot.com/2017/11/phrases-i-hate_26.html

A Firing Line Debate: Resolved: That the Women's Movement Has Been Disastrous

Guests: Elizabeth Fox-Genovese, Arianna Stassinopoulos Huffington, Helen Alvare, Betty Friedan, Karen S. Burstein, Camille Paglia, Kathryn Kolbert

Recorded on December 7, 1994

Thank You For Not Breeding

"A short film by Nina Paley that explores the topic of human population growth and how it is affecting life on the planet. Using humor and some great clips featuring Les Knight of VHEMT.org, and Chris Korda of the Church of Euthanasia, Paley brings light to a topic that gets little attention in the traditional media." -from the YouTube video description.

Potoo Bird of Brazil

The Potoo bird of Brazil is nocturnal and hunts from a wooden perch. If it believes a threat is nearby it will freeze in place to avoid detection.

Do we have free will? Debate between Stephen Kershnar and John Keller

A debate between philosophers Stephen Kershnar and John Keller on October 22, 2015, at the University of Buffalo.

Q&A portion of Do we have free will? Debate between Stephen Kershnar and John Keller

1970 Pontiac GTO Judge

President of Coker Tires Wade Kawasaki stops by the garage to show Jay his 1970 Pontiac GTO Judge that was named after a popular character from the 60's Television show Laugh-In.

I'm posting this because I was randomly going through my blog and came across this old post: http://www.skepticaleye.com/2009/04/ponti-whacked.html. I featured an old GTO "The Judge" commercial in that post, and though I can't say I'm particular taken with that particular automobile, I do like old cars in general, and old muscle cars are really cool.

The one featured in the Jay Leno video above is a nice example of a near original. The car was in a garage for a couple of decades and only had 40-50,000 original miles. The interior is orignal, and in great condition, it just required a little cleaning. The body had no rust, so really, once the exterior and engine were restored, you have a Judge as it must have come from the factory when new.

More on Coker Tire:

Though Coker's products retain the appearance of the old tires by using the original, refurbished molds, or new molds built from original drawings, the tires are made with modern materials. Coker Tire was given manufacturing rights by the original tire brands, and also has acquired many different tire molds of the original obsolete tires they manufacture. Coker Tire also offers wheels for collector vehicles.- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coker_Tire

Firing Line with William F. Buckley Jr.: Bill Buckley and Firing Line Get Roasted with John Kenneth Galbraith, Harriet F. Pilpel, Henry Kissinger, Eugene J. McCarthy, Tom Wolfe, Jeff Greenfield

Recorded on January 14, 1986. Celebrating the 20th anniversary of the show, which first aired in 1966.

How the Grammys Became the R&B/Hip Hop Awards

The Grammys in New York took a weird turn this morning as the nominations were a shocker: Ed Sheeran’s best selling “Divide” did not get an Album of the Year nod, neither did albums by Lady Gaga or Kesha. Instead, the Grammys went mostly for R&B and rap: Jay Z, Bruno Mars, Kendrick Lamar and Childish Gambino, who is really the actor Donald Glover.-Grammy Awards Shocker for CBS as Top Pop Stars Ed Sheeran, Lady Gaga Snubbed, No Country Acts in Main Cateogories

"I don't see what the problem is. If the television advertisers are to be believed, white people like nothing better than advertisements featuring black people. Especially if those black people are implied to be having sex with white people."-Vox Day

Chesterton on Miracles

The historic case against miracles is also rather simple. It consists of calling miracles impossible, then saying that no one but a fool believes impossibilities: then declaring that there is no wise evidence on behalf of the miraculous. The whole trick is done by means of leaning alternately on the philosophical and historical objection. If we say miracles are theoretically possible, they say, “Yes, but there is no evidence for them.” When we take all the records of the human race and say, “Here is your evidence,” they say, “But these people were superstitious, they believed in impossible things."
--G.K. Chesterton

Hispanics Vote Left, What Else Is New?

Leftist challenger leads in Honduras presidential vote count

Look at the once great state of California. Since the mass invasion from south of the border, the state has become a left-wing Hell.