Dakryn's Batshit Theory of the Week

[Dak]

http://slatestarcodex.com/2016/12/02/contra-robinson-on-schooling/

Really good writeup.

 

[rms]

I really don't get the anti-voucher movement tbh

Payday lenders aren’t charging outrageous interest rates so they can get fat off the profits. They’re charging outrageous interest rates because loaning money to poor people who often fail to pay back their loans is a hard business to break even on.

don't agree with this, though.

 

[Einherjar86]

Haha, that's actually one part of it that I remember definitely agreeing with. I mean, not in any ethical sense, just an economic one. It's the same for student loans. I agree that student loans are an outrageous amount and a tremendous burden to pay off, but they're tremendous because a growing number of students aren't getting the high-paying jobs to pay off those loans.

I'm against privatizing education, but my reasons are different than those discussed in the SSC post or the original article. As far as the piece goes, it is very good I think; but both authors seem to be assuming that "efficiency" is an agreed-upon objective, and that it's easily measurable. The problem with addressing the growing education crisis via the market is that educational efficiency (whatever it is, or whatever it looks like) isn't easily measurable in economic terms.

 

[Dak]

I don't understand disagreeing with the payday lender issue. The profit margin is the proof. You can argue that they "take advantage of poor people" because these people shouldn't be loaned money, but then that sort of orientation towards poor people has it's own issues.

 

[rms]

like the article suggests though, Starbucks is 9% profit and they are obviously doing damn fine. There's a surplus of those piece of shit loaning agencies near poor areas, I don't believe they are 'struggling' to stay afloat

 

[Dak]

like the article suggests though, Starbucks is 9% profit and they are obviously doing damn fine. There's a surplus of those piece of shit loaning agencies near poor areas, I don't believe they are 'struggling' to stay afloat

In a profitability analysis by Fordham Journal of Corporate & Financial Law, it was determined that the average profit margin from seven publicly traded payday lending companies (including pawn shops) in the U.S. was 7.63%, and for pure payday lenders it was 3.57%. These averages are less than those of other traditional lending institutions such as credit unions and banks. Comparatively the profit margin of Starbucks for the measured time period was just over 9%, and comparison lenders had an average profit margin of 13.04%. These comparison lenders were mainstream companies: Capital One, GE Capital, HSBC, Money Tree, and American Express Credit.

The profit margin averaged across 7 publically traded payday lending companies which included pawn shops were nearly 50% less and "pure" payday lenders were roughly 75% less profitable than "real" lenders, who have have an average of 13.04%. The payday lending companies may not be "hurting for business", but they aren't nearly as profitable as the "non-predatory" lenders. For every sobstory you hear about someone trying to pay back all this interest, you have a ton who don't pay it back.

Edit: Obviously the piece of that writeup I liked the most was talking about the opportunity for "small business home schools" through such a voucher program as he discussed.

 

[Dak]

http://nautil.us/issue/43/heroes/video-games-are-changing-the-hero

That mirror-image is reminiscent of a video-game avatar, which in effect provides an interactive form of this self-resemblance study. When we play, we absorb visual and auditory sensory information, while also dictating the pace and direction of our experience. Sit in a theater and you cannot ask the projector to stop the film; read a book and you can’t nudge the protagonist down that other alleyway. Tsakiris’ research suggests that such experiences can actually shape our concept of our self.

Right up your alley, Pat.

 

[Jimmy... Dead.]

I don't agree with everything the guy says but he's on to something here

 

[zabu of nΩd]

Alex Jones

 

[Dak]

THEY'RE TURNIN THE FRICKIN FROGS GAY

 

[Dak]

https://curryja.files.wordpress.com/2015/12/curry-senate-testimony-2015.pdf

Senate testimony by https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Judith_Curry

Skeptics have a right.

 

[Dak]

 

[rms]

dude has too many references haha he's gotta spread the love

 

[Dak]

I still think all evidence suggests 9/11 was an "inside job". I just have little clue as to exactly who was inside. I figure in like 50 years it'll all get declassified and everyone will either be too busy plowing with a horse and mule or too busy on their Gigapersonavision 5000s to give a shit. And I'll come back on this board and be all CAN'TSTANDYA about it.

 

[rms]

you on the insurance pay day inside job or create more destruction for a war in the middle east inside job?

 

[Dak]

you on the insurance pay day inside job or create more destruction for a war in the middle east inside job?

Yes.

 

[rms]

ok. you see that vid with kerry admitting they controll detonated da buildings?

 

[Dak]

Apparently missed that.

 

[rms]

been awhile since I looked into this shit but I think this is it;

 

[CiG]

Everybody knows Shaq took down the towers.