OT: Evaluating an Application

[Fairlight]

On Wed, Dec 18, 2019 at 03:58:40PM -0500, Jose Lerebours via Filepro-list thus spoke:
> I think we are behind most developed countries in Science and Math. 
> In fact, if not
> because "Indian and Asian" kids, we would not even be in the rankings.

Welcome to Common Core.

BUT...BUT!!!...they can tell you everythng A to Zed about recycling and
climate change!

> I am sure we rank pretty good in smoking weed, pop culture, living
> beyond our means,
> shooting up, abortion, keeping up with the Kardashians ... and
> watching naked and afraid.

Actually, I have a fair amount of friends around the world, and there's way
more consistent pot use in, say...Holland, from what I've seen.  Much more
across Europe, at least openly.

We're probably worse about things like meth and alcoholism, though.  

What you have to ask yourself is, "What is -so- wrong with our society that
we have so many people dying (literally, in many cases) for some...ANY form
of escapism they can get their hands on?"  Because that is one sick
society.  You can make everything illegal, but the problem won't go away
until you address the root cause.

Living beyond your means...  As long as you can meet your monthly
obligations, who gives a damn?  Our government -literally- 'creates'
currency by drawing on a bank account with a zero balance.  If any of us
did that, we'd spend significant time in prison, but -because it's the
bloody government-, it's fine.  Look, you can't take it with you, so as
long as you're not on the cuff past the point you can pay your monthly
installments, who cares?  My life insurance will pay off any outstanding
debt I currently hold, so I'm not even worried about it.  

Our currency has been fictional since the abolition of the gold standard,
and it's manipulable by -perception-.  Nothing has to -actually- happen.
Someone -anticipates- downward performance, and stocks drop.  In the
pinnacle of idiocy, the night of the 2016 election, the very -fear- of
Trump winning sent the markets tumbling massively.  By morning, he had won,
-and the markets were like 95%+ recovered by noon, even though the fears
had manifested as reality!!!  How much credence do you want me to give a
system -that- susceptible to perception, really?

In any event, you can live beyond your means, and still have a "Very Good"
(their term!) credit rating of 720+.  In fact, living beyond your means is
one way to -get- a credit rating up there, as long as you're responsible
about drawing the line and meeting your monthly obligations.

> Personally, I think that the moment "reality" TV became a "daily reality"
> to most, we reached the point of no return.

Eh, I watched like 1.5 seasons of Survivor, about seven seasons in, just
out of morbid curiosity, to see what all the fuss was about.  Not everyone
who has partaken is a lost cause.  I would never make a steady diet of it.
I certainly don't think it's 'reality'.

> God help us!

"Free Will."

We're doing it to ourselves; it's on us to sort our own issues, by and
large.  I believe you can ask for help, and you'll get it if the receiving
party is open to receiving it.  That said, I also believe that TPTB don't
interfere more than necessary.  In my experience, Free Will tends to be
like the Prime Directive for the parties of which my faith informs me.

m->
-- 
Audio panton, cogito singularis.