tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-64682762009-09-23T11:32:51.093-04:00The future is now: <strong>Be Practical and Get Real!</strong> A forum for practical politics, economics, science, technology, social commentary, and lifestyle to help you form your own opinions...hosted by Edward and Brendan.nycebohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11906899269697187662noreply@blogger.comBlogger433125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6468276.post-1158072761265930492006-09-12T10:43:00.000-04:002006-09-12T10:52:41.296-04:00

There's a wonderful editorial by Bret Stephens in today's Wall Street Journal in which he describes the seeming paradox of European and American liberals' inability to act strongly against the Islamo-fanaticism of the Middle East. While on the one hand it has become their nature to stand for any and all races, creeds and cultures (perhaps the group-think here is that if you defend gay and black

nycebohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11906899269697187662noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6468276.post-1155217719564489032006-08-10T09:47:00.000-04:002006-08-10T09:48:39.596-04:00

Simply put, politicians will say virtually anything to get elected or remain in the public eye. While some of you may think that we at The Realist Party have exhausted this claim in our posts, here's a little more proof that will help to jade your perspective a little bit more, courtesy of Peter Schweizer at USA Today:Al Gore has spoken: The world must embrace a "carbon-neutral lifestyle." To do

nycebohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11906899269697187662noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6468276.post-1153833266215885922006-07-25T09:07:00.000-04:002006-07-25T09:14:26.236-04:00

It's time to turn to nuclear power and to spend the vast sums of money that are required to upgrade our decades old, and in some parts century old, electrical power grid to modern capacities. Otherwise, we are going to be hearing more and more about power failures and blackouts in Queens, St. Louis, and Los Angeles. Burning fossil fuels is so 1800s. It's time to make the leap into the 21st

nycebohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11906899269697187662noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6468276.post-1150215832418648352006-06-13T12:16:00.000-04:002006-06-13T12:23:52.440-04:00

These are actually fantastic blogs from a GM worker talking about the recent article in the NYT by Tom Friedman:The GM Blog's initial post in response to the Times' op-ed pieceThe GM Blog's reaction to the Times' subsequent responseOne of my favorites lines from the first post follows:"Don’t get me wrong. Toyota's a fine company. But like GM, Toyota offers a full range of cars and trucks to

nycebohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11906899269697187662noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6468276.post-1146838977238337902006-05-05T10:21:00.000-04:002006-05-05T10:22:57.273-04:00

It's tough to understand people when they speak in different languages. Accordingly, I have put together a helpful little guide when you find yourself in a tight spot and don't know what someone 'means' to 'say'. For example:When a Frenchman says, "Bon jour. Comme ca va?", he is saying, "Good day. How are you?"See how simple it is? Let's try another one.When a Mexican says, "Feliz cinco de

nycebohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11906899269697187662noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6468276.post-1145880361084398242006-04-24T08:04:00.000-04:002006-04-24T16:36:46.296-04:00

"In a poor country like ours, the alternative to low-paid jobs isn't well-paid ones; it's no jobs at all."-Jesús Reyes-Heroles, Mexico's Ambassador to the USA

nycebohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11906899269697187662noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6468276.post-1144774536881765902006-04-11T12:48:00.001-04:002006-04-11T12:56:28.170-04:00

(EDITOR'S NOTE: Mark Steyn, a columnist from the Chicago Sun Times, has this immigration problem solved: deport our politicians who spend more time quick fixes and sound bites than lasting solutions to legal immigration. In the interim, let's all remember that immigrants, who slave away for a chance to improve their lives, are a part of the engine that drives economic growth in this country.

nycebohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11906899269697187662noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6468276.post-1142339664616805752006-03-14T07:28:00.000-05:002006-03-14T07:34:24.626-05:00

Rich Karlgaard, the editor of Forbes Magazine, made a spectacular point in his January column (yes, I am a touch behind in my magazine reading). Basically, he opines that the mainstream media wallow in a zero-sum world. There can be only one top anchor at each station and one top editor at each newspaper. Consequently, alarming stories about job losses, trade and fiscal deficits, global

nycebohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11906899269697187662noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6468276.post-1140014451954349632006-02-15T09:34:00.000-05:002006-02-15T20:14:07.310-05:00

(EDITOR’S NOTE: I’ve never gotten this bottled water fad that is blasting through the country faster than you can say ‘Ipod’. The United States has the cleanest public water supply in the world, uses fluoride to help protect against cavities and tooth decay, and has federal regulations to ensure the safety and purity of the product. Bottled water manufacturers often simply filter our own tap

nycebohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11906899269697187662noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6468276.post-1138112389048737552006-01-24T09:01:00.000-05:002006-01-24T09:19:49.123-05:00

It’s Macroeconomics 101: whenever the government gets involved, and I mean every time the government gets involved, output declines and prices increase. It’s a simple theory learned by first year college economics students the country over. Sadly, I had just resigned myself to this fact after living in the ‘real’ world for 14 years since graduation. Now and again, a reporter will reawaken my

nycebohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11906899269697187662noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6468276.post-1137694278955303252006-01-19T13:05:00.000-05:002006-01-19T13:11:18.970-05:00

We all do it: we're inconsiderate boobs when it comes time to using mobile phones. Hell, half my friends think I'm a boob for calling them mobile phones instead of cell phones. Whatever.In any event, Wired News has some great recommendations on how to use your 'mobile phone' without irritating everyone around you and possibly (and in New York City, very probably) inviting the wrath of some

nycebohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11906899269697187662noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6468276.post-1134660212683978582005-12-15T10:23:00.000-05:002005-12-15T10:23:56.413-05:00

Anyone living in and around New York City knows that a metro transit strike is imminent. Why? Subway workers want to get paid more, a lot more. How much more? The Wall Street Journal offers the following summary:...New York's poor, downtrodden transit workers, who earn an average of $55,000 a year and have gold-plated health and other benefits, [are] demanding 8%-a-year raises for each of the

nycebohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11906899269697187662noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6468276.post-1134411170076138712005-12-12T13:12:00.000-05:002005-12-12T13:12:50.136-05:00

The quest for a flat tax has basically come to a complete end since George Bush's administration has tabled tax reform for the foreseeable future. It's unfortunate because most of the people that would finally have come under the 'jurisdiction' of a flat tax are those who are supposed to pay taxes under the 'progressive' system but invariably pay none at all, thanks to tax credits and deductions

nycebohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11906899269697187662noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6468276.post-1134147437274143622005-12-09T11:57:00.000-05:002005-12-09T12:09:51.926-05:00

For a long time in my arguments with environmentalists and tree-huggers, I have urged them to modify their rallying cry from "Save Earth!" to "Save Humans!" in order to more accurately reflect their position. Sadly, my words are often ignored, or worse, met with a vehemence that would make a member of the mafia blush. You see, what most environmentalists are arguing for is keeping the Earth

nycebohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11906899269697187662noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6468276.post-1133878718769661472005-12-06T09:18:00.000-05:002005-12-06T10:06:53.530-05:00

Unions: as if they ever added any long-term value. Their contracts have been the downfall of this country.First, Delphi entered bankruptcy protection and threatens to fire most US-based workers if they don't accept market wages of $9.50 an hour excluding benefits vs. the $63.50 per hour package that they are (were?) currently earning. Frankly, this seems fair since most workers were simply

nycebohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11906899269697187662noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6468276.post-1133368924258098832005-11-30T11:42:00.000-05:002005-11-30T11:42:04.306-05:00

Toyota is laughing all the way to the bank. I have long wondered what kind of dope pays the absurd premium for a hybrid expecting to get any tangible benefit shy of the car's 10th birthday. Now, having read a column in the Wall Street Journal today, it appears that I'm not the only one: "Let us assure you that the Prius remains one of the most fuel-efficient cars on the road. Toyota applauds

nycebohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11906899269697187662noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6468276.post-1133287682887871022005-11-29T13:08:00.000-05:002005-11-29T13:08:02.926-05:00

So I'm reading along an article in the New York Post about how PETA is absurd and hypocritical. It's always a great way to get myself riled up by reading about these far left groups that purport to care about the world while they sit in the back of their limousines and wax absurdly about poor ferrets and foxes bred specifically for their fur. Note the following: "Their credibility really has

nycebohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11906899269697187662noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6468276.post-1132932072838993642005-11-25T10:21:00.000-05:002005-11-30T08:46:42.136-05:00

Here's the deal: I was once in a motorcycle accident. Why, you might ask? Simple, a driver (I won't mention the driver's sex for fear of starting a flame war) in a 'ginormous' SUV ran a red light on Park Avenue and stopped in the middle of intersection when the driver saw me. My options were to slam on the breaks and low-side it (that means slide out and crash) or try to weave around the SUV

nycebohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11906899269697187662noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6468276.post-1130946978083971382005-11-02T10:56:00.000-05:002005-11-02T12:06:38.056-05:00

It often seems that the American public forgets that we live in a free market economy. Recent calls for taxes on 'windfall profits' demonstate just how little the average citizen understands the notion of supply and demand, well at least when it is removed from the ridiculous demand for SUVs or beanie babies. As usual, politicians sense an opportunity to spend other people's finances while

nycebohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11906899269697187662noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6468276.post-1129645971314126552005-10-18T10:25:00.000-04:002005-10-18T10:32:51.323-04:00

It's understandable that people would want to take reasonable steps to stay clean, but anti-bacterial cleansers are like bringing bazookas to a fox hunt. Simple soap and water will most certainly do the trick on a daily basis. An increased number of people must be carrying portable antibacterial cleansers, such as Purel, as evidenced by my recent sojourn to the bathroom at a NY Jets game

nycebohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11906899269697187662noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6468276.post-1128698246955866082005-10-07T11:05:00.000-04:002005-10-07T11:38:24.483-04:00

It seems that the U.S. Federal budget deficit for 2005 will be approximately $301 billion compared with a $412 billion deficit in 2004 (Source: US Treasury). One might view this as cause for celebration, but your humble friends here at the Realist Party do not share the sentiments.While receipts did increase 14% in the past year, despite the oft-maligned tax cuts, or in my humble opinion because

nycebohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11906899269697187662noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6468276.post-1128518352502287472005-10-05T09:14:00.000-04:002005-10-05T09:20:08.433-04:00

The New York Times reported the results of an IRS report today:After falling for two years, the share of income going to the richest slice of Americans -- the top tenth of 1% -- grew significantly in 2003 while the share going to 99% of Americans fell, according to tax data released yesterday and reported by the New York Times. At the same time, the effective income tax-rates paid by the top

nycebohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11906899269697187662noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6468276.post-1127998838129938142005-09-29T09:00:00.000-04:002005-09-29T09:00:38.186-04:00

It's interesting to consider why young men in the lower class today seem increasingly predisposed towards crime. Charles Murray, from American Enterprise Institute, offers the following theory in theWall Street Journal: Why has the proportion of unsocialized young males risen so relentlessly? In large part, I would argue, because the proportion of young males who have grown up without fathers

nycebohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11906899269697187662noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6468276.post-1127395853293712942005-09-22T09:26:00.000-04:002005-09-22T09:30:53.300-04:00

Harvard University has finally agreed to allow military recruiters on campus. Indeed, this news came as some surprise to me considering the halls of ivy have always maintained a rather distant approach to honor as it pertains to country. However, an editorial in The Wall Street Journal today cleared up any misconceptions on my part as to why Harvard finally acquiesced:The news is that Harvard

nycebohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11906899269697187662noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6468276.post-1120572586341263292005-07-05T10:09:00.000-04:002005-07-05T10:09:46.383-04:00

If our readers thought that only US citizens tried to make ridiculous and frivolous lawsuits, one need look no further than Russia, courtesy of AP: NASA's mission that sent a space probe smashing into a comet raised more than cosmic dust - it also brought a lawsuit from a Russian astrologer. Marina Bai has sued the U.S. space agency, claiming the Deep Impact probe that punched a crater into the

nycebohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11906899269697187662noreply@blogger.com0