What Penn and Teller Do

What happens when you put a pickle up to a wall current? We got 240 volts here in NZ. Muahahaaha.

Anyway. Can someone please explain for me these terms:
Liberalist
Conservative
Repulican
Democrat


I have no idea what they mean when it comes to American political structure. Things are very different in New Zealand.
 
TheBoyPaj said:
Suggesting that the country couldn't survive without it is a bit like those people who question how one can have any morals if you don't follow the bible's teachings.
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To far too many Americans, there is no difference between the Bible and the Constitution.
 
treble_head said:
My opinion, but I know that if it weren't for Penn and Teller, I'd never be here...
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Same here. I've been a devoted fan of Penn and Teller since the early 80's.

Yes, they are entertainers.

I'd also call them teachers. Actually Teller was a teacher in a previous career.

They put me in tune with the BS going on in this world. Their interviews with James Randi brought me to this site and to all you lovely people.

Glad to be here!
 
DavoMan said:
What happens when you put a pickle up to a wall current? We got 240 volts here in NZ. Muahahaaha.

Anyway. Can someone please explain for me these terms:
Liberalist
Conservative
Repulican
Democrat
I have no idea what they mean when it comes to American political structure. Things are very different in New Zealand.
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Now THAT is a tough one. Probably best left to a separate thead. Nutshelled.

Left = Liberal = Democrat (many exceptions exist)
Right = Conservative = Republican (many exceptions exist)

Most (here) would consider Tony Blair to be a hard-left liberal. He could win an election though . . . I think.

We (really) only have two political parties, Dems and Reps. They are, for all practical purposes, the same. They say different things, they act somewhat differently, the hate each other, but they are the same in outcome.

Dems favor social programs that Reps hate.

Reps favor business programs that Dems hate.

Dems favor consellotory foreign policy that Reps hate.

Reps favor aggressive foreign policy that Dems hate.

Dems favor more personal freedom.

Reps favor more personal security.

Dems favor multiculturalism

Reps favor monoculturalism.

In the end a balance is met.

Everything else is window dressing.

The smart ones (like me ;) ) love the game but remain independent in the vote. I'm conservative in more things than I am liberal but I chalk that up to my obvious ignorance (that's one I give to those on the left that post after me . . . no need to dis' me, I don't care).
 
Calico said:
They put me in tune with the BS going on in this world. Their interviews with James Randi brought me to this site and to all you lovely people.

Glad to be here!
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I wonder how lovely you think we still are after we destroy your 1st post ego and what you think is logical thinking. I want evidence that you're glad to be here. What? No evidence?

Get OUT!

Kidding of course. Welcome to the skeptic's den. Feel free to converse but be advised that if you say something as fact and don't have the references or logic to back it up, you WILL be called on it. This is what this forum is all about. If it's just your opinion, let that be known somewhere in your text.

The Politics Forum is just about the only exception. You'll still be called on every fubar but that's politics.
 
Rob Lister said:
I wonder how lovely you think we still are after we destroy your 1st post ego and what you think is logical thinking. I want evidence that you're glad to be here. What? No evidence?

Get OUT!

Kidding of course. Welcome to the skeptic's den. Feel free to converse but be advised that if you say something as fact and don't have the references or logic to back it up, you WILL be called on it. This is what this forum is all about. If it's just your opinion, let that be known somewhere in your text.

The Politics Forum is just about the only exception. You'll still be called on every fubar but that's politics.
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Thank you for that warm and yet, rather chilling welcome, Rob.
 
Calico said:
Thank you for that warm and yet, rather chilling welcome, Rob.
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Chilling? How chilly? Warm? How warm? How can it be both? That seems contradictory, don't you think? For both warm and cold, please specify in F or C but be sure to specify units. I'm sure there is a margin of error so specify that as well. Let's get this down first so we can continue to the important stuff. :)
 
Anti_Hypeman said:
Did you watch the season 1 extras? THE TEETH AAHHHHHHH ITS AN ALIEN!
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Yes! I was frightened!
I didn't hear a word that that person said. I just kept staring at those choppers!
:D
 
Rob Lister said:
Now THAT is a tough one. Probably best left to a separate thead. Nutshelled.

Left = Liberal = Democrat (many exceptions exist)
Right = Conservative = Republican (many exceptions exist)

Most (here) would consider Tony Blair to be a hard-left liberal. He could win an election though . . . I think.

We (really) only have two political parties, Dems and Reps. They are, for all practical purposes, the same. They say different things, they act somewhat differently, the hate each other, but they are the same in outcome.

Dems favor social programs that Reps hate.

Reps favor business programs that Dems hate.

Dems favor consellotory foreign policy that Reps hate.

Reps favor aggressive foreign policy that Dems hate.

Dems favor more personal freedom.

Reps favor more personal security.

Dems favor multiculturalism

Reps favor monoculturalism.

In the end a balance is met.

Everything else is window dressing.

The smart ones (like me ;) ) love the game but remain independent in the vote. I'm conservative in more things than I am liberal but I chalk that up to my obvious ignorance (that's one I give to those on the left that post after me . . . no need to dis' me, I don't care).
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Thanks for the definitions. It seems you guys are really short on choices for your goverment. To me, it seems you need more political parties. What makes them opposites? Surely there is agreement by the parties on some issues. I mean there is no pure opposite when it comes to social opinion.
 
I'm John and I'm a Bulls#$t-aholic. I own season 1 and 2 on DVD as well as copies of the episodes on my computer so I can lend the DVDs out to people in order to "spread the word" while still enjoying the show myself. Whether you like the show or not is a matter of A) taste-lots of cursing/making fun of people and B) the topic- most skeptics would like a lot of the episodes since they deal with "woo" and "I didn't know it was woo" stuff. Other shows are more political in nature. I like the majority of these shows since I am Libertarian, as are Penn & Teller.
If you watch the show, you can tell that it is made by more than two guys who are "just entertainers". They never claim to be experts on the subject of the night, but always have "experts" (in quotes because some of the woo "experts" are downright laughable) to explain both sides of the story. Furthermore, from what I know regarding the background of this show, Penn & Teller were not "drafted" to do this show because they are good entertainers. Rather, they had been dying to do a show that exposed and mocked the "Bulls#$t" that people are fed for quite some time and only within the past few years have they found a producer/network willing to make it happen.
 
I agree. They said that they'd been dying to do a show like Bull$hit for ages. Ya can sorta see it coming in the way they've done their shows throughout the years.

If I ever meet P&T, I'll try & rub my ass on them. When they go 'what the fu(k?' I'll refer them to the episode on germs where they ask people to do that. :P
 
Just seen the episode on the Endangered Species Act. What a drawn-out appeal to emotion that was.

Sad though they are, was it really necessary to spend so long detailing the living conditions of the woman in the wheelchair, complete with heart-rending piano accompaniment , simply to make the point that she has lost out due to the ESA?

And don't the purchasers of land do some sort of survey first?
 
TheBoyPaj said:

And don't the purchasers of land do some sort of survey first?
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Yeah, they supposedly do. So why did WAL-FREAKING-MART get the ability to build on the same land, TWO LOTS AWAY... and she didn't?

Welcome to the American Business Model.
 
TheBoyPaj said:
Maybe no birds were found on the Walmart lot?
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Walmart had already captured them and resorted to locking them in the store overnight to eat the insects.
 
DavoMan said:
Thanks for the definitions. It seems you guys are really short on choices for your goverment. To me, it seems you need more political parties.
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Yep, we do. However federal and state laws make it somewhat difficult for new parties to get off the ground. That reason is strengthened by both parties instilling fear in people by telling them that it really is about voting against someone instead of for someone. When left-leaning third party candidates run, the Democrats say "we not as bad as the Republicans and if you don't vote for us then the worst candidate (the Republican one) will get elected."

Plus, a measurable percentage of the U.S. population are one-issue voters. The single issue may be things like outlawing abortion, limiting gun control, introducing prayer and scriptures to public schools, or preventing gay marriage. No matter how much they might dislike the economic policies, foreign relations views, or social program positions of a candidate, if the candidate in question agrees with that important single issue, then that candidate has earned a vote.

DavoMan said:
What makes them opposites? Surely there is agreement by the parties on some issues. I mean there is no pure opposite when it comes to social opinion.
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Both parties agree on being "tough on crime." Both parties support the "war on drugs." Both parties support the embargo on Cuba because the population of Cuban ex-pats lives almost exclusively in Florida and as a result of somewhat arcane federal election laws, carrying the state of Florida is very important in trying to win the presidency.
 
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