[lit-ideas] Re: Providing a fair wine and tasting
- From: Andy Amago <aamago@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Mon, 15 Jan 2007 00:33:03 -0500 (GMT-05:00)
-----Original Message-----
>From: Paul Stone <pas@xxxxxxxxx>
>Sent: Jan 14, 2007 8:56 PM
>To: lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
>Subject: [lit-ideas] Re: Providing a fair wine and tasting
>
>
>>A.A. Unsilly perhaps, but not exactly pro-consumer or pro-earth either.
>
>what the Hell does "pro-Earth" mean? Another blatantly empty term.
>
It means doing things that lessen pollution.
>>A.A. What's stupid? You'd prefer that organic means anything anyone
>>wants it to mean?
>
>THAT's exactly what the USDA has done -- it's made it mean anything
>that anyone wants it to mean. Anyone = the USDA.
>
If anyone=USDA, then there is some sanity in the world. We agree. But the
USDA is underfunded and understaffed. The CDC was also cut 11% by Bush.
>>You are a good Republican.
>
>I'm NOT a Republican -- and quit calling me that. It's an insult.
>
Well, one would never know it based on our pharma discussions. It's pharma's
right to charge what they want, do what they want, etc. etc., and of course
they do. But it is encouraging that you're not a Republican. Hopefully the
Democrats will have something better to offer, but when one divides literally
billions of dollars in lobby money (source: Lou Dobbs) among 535 some people,
it's asking a lot for them to put their country above themselves. Needless to
say I'm pessimistic.
>>People have no idea what it is they're opposing when they oppose
>>regulation, standardization, definition.
>
>who are these "people"?
>
You're kidding right? Bush got elected on people knowing how best to spend
their money, etc. etc.. At least the same people who voted him in had the
smarts to not let him get rid of SS. The tax cuts [which only go to the ultra
wealthy] are still alive and well.
>>Regulation, standardization, definition means that when you buy
>>ketchup, it has a minimum amount of tomatoes instead of cornstarch
>>and flavoring/coloring. It means that whole milk has a certain
>>minimum of milk fat; etc. etc... It means that you don't have to
>>watch you step (literally) everywhere you go because all curbs are
>>the same height, all step risers are the same height, foundations
>>are a minimum certain depth so your house doesn't fall over, etc. etc.
>
>Except... they keep changing the 'standards' because of lobby groups.
>
That's the greed is good mentality, see above.
>>Imagine a world without regulation, definition, standardization,
>>Paul. I suspect it's not a world you'd prefer.
>
>oh, but you're wrong... it would be so much more exciting and this is
>where I'm SOOOOO not a Republican.
>
Government does a lot of good things, but it's not perfect. Sometimes it
backfires. For example (History Channel) before the Harrison Tax Act of 1914
medications were unregulated. Anybody could sell anything for any purpose.
Coca Cola for example used real cocaine in their drinks, laudanum was widely
used, leading to 5% of the American population being addicted to drugs. The
passage of the Harrison Tax Act and another act that created the FDA
standardized medications and virtually eliminated snake oil, some of it which
had been dangerous. It instituted standards of care in medicine, and also
standardized foodstuffs, all the things we take for granted today.
But, it also for the first time illegalized and immoralized drugs, and our
current drug wars began (not unlike Prohibition). It was well intended, but it
didn't work. (I'm not sure, I think in Europe drugs are available to addicts
in drugstores. Is this true?) In all fairness, mood altering drugs are a
different story. The reason they're so hard to eradicate is because there is a
huge profit margin, 1,700% in the case of cocaine. It literally costs $1 to
make X amount, $1,700 to sell the same amount on the street. Drugs
notwithstanding, though, regulation in other areas makes life much more
predictable and ultimately much more pleasant. The advent of the war on drugs
in the 30's and the propaganda that accompanied it also led to a lot of
scapegoating of blacks, especially in the South. That did not propel
civilization forward in this country. (In the 40's the Mafia deliberately sold
illegal drugs in Harlem (Manchild in the Promised Land), deliberately getting
people hooked. All that of course, eventually came back to haunt the rest of
NY and the country.
>>BTW, a lot of the standards are set by the U.N.
>
>fuck the U.N.
>
They're just run by humans, and humans blow it, sometimes big time. On
balance, though, it's much better to have a U.N. than not have a U.N. It needs
to be improved, not eliminated.
>>Before regulation people had to depend on people like Duncan Hines
>>who would write about dirty (due to no regulations) restaurants and
>>motels and praise the cleaner ones. Or by products getting the Good
>>Housekeeping Seal of Approval. Now we have inspectors so you're
>>pretty safe in most diners, most motels, etc.
>
>I have nothing against regulations per se, but 95% of "regulations"
>are unnecessary.
>
Be careful what you wish for. The reason Sharia is so popular in the Arab
world is because government is so corrupt and ineffective.
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