bjaiken

Going to Pasalaqua - Green Day

I don't know him any better than you do.

Yeah, Jonny has made me realize that everytime I hear a "blip" or a "clack" that there is potential to make it sound cool in a song. That guy is like a mad scientist.

I can't believe Balack is still around. Congrats! This has to be a record for most consecutive days witihout being banned. I need Balack to stay in the game, as I don't want to run this outfit.;)

Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic - The Police

Under The Bridge - R.H.C.P.

Finest Worksong - R.E.M.

Iris is a great song. The Goo Goo Dolls are one of my favorite bands. Despite the fact that they usually get hammered by the critics, I think they have written some of the best pure pop songs of the last decade.

Nope. Just don't care to engage in a dead-end debate. I have voiced my opinion, and I am done.

OY! I am out.

Look, we can debate every point ALL night long, and I don't have the patience for it. Can we simply agree that governments are not just terrorist organizations whose goal is to kill, steal, and destroy? For every example of abuse of government power, I can give you an example of corporate corruption. We are starting to get into topics of organizational theory and the human condition, and I don't want to debate forever. All I am asking for is fairness.

I do not agree. It violates one of the major principles of a free market economy: that there are many buyers and many sellers. You will have a messed up world if you allow for monopolies or oligopolies.

There are 1) political and 2) ethical/moral reasons for government involvement, however, since you are pressing me on profit, I will concentrate on the third reason, economic or market failures: 1. Government needs to be involved when private industry has a MONOPOLY. Government regulation is required in order to prevent artificially high prices. 2. Government needs to be involved when there are NEGATIVE EXTERNALITIES. For example, there is no fiscal incentive for a manufacturing plant to limit pollution. Government will tax and/or regulate in order to reduce the negative social costs of pollution. 3. Government needs to be involved when there is INFORMATION FAILURE. One of the basic assumptions of a market economy is "perfect information," and that buyers and sellers are acting rationally. Therefore, it is the government's responsibility to step in and provide this information (i.e. labels on food and drugs). 4. Government needs to be involved when you are dealing with a "PURE PUBLIC GOOD." These are goods that are 1) non-exhaustive (your consumption does not reduce the amount the I am able to consume) and 2) non-excludable (you and I can both consume at the same time). Private industry does not have the resources to produce ALL the public goods that the public demands. An example of a pure public good would be national defense. The fact that you are receiving protection does not reduce my ability to be protected (non-exhaustive), and you and I can both be protected by the military at the same time (non-excludable). Look, if you think that private industry has the capacity to provide for national defense, you and I simply disagree. Furthermore, private industry will exit any area that is not producing a profit. I don't know about you, but I still want national defense even if it is not producing a profit.

I disagree. Governments provide essential services that private industry cannot (cost prohibitive), or will not (no profit), supply. Are there problems with governments...absolutely! But let's not categorize all governments as terrorists or destructive entities.

Good question, tough topic. Without giving it too much thought, because I will go back and forth all day, one of my favorite sections is from "Black" by Pearl Jam: "I know someday you'll have a beautiful life, I know you'll be a star In somebody else's sky, but why, why, why Can't it be, can't it be mine"

My City Of Ruin - Bruce Springsteen

Pearl Jam sq

Under The Gun - The Killers

23 Stone Temple Pilots

Zoo Station - U2

Yellow Ledbetter - Pearl Jam

Queer - Garbage

Soundgarden

8 - Good song, but it is not the best on Day and Age IMO sq

Sorry to double post, but I was also thinking that listing the concerts I have been to sounded like I was bragging. What I was trying to illustrate is that Fix You is a song that has a palpable feeling to it when you see it live. As good as this video is, it still is not the same as seeing it live. In fact, watching the video only reminds me of what it was like to see it in-person. And seeing it multiple times in-person, I feel like I have a strong point of reference. That is what I was trying to convey. Note to self: work on reading AND writing.