Terminalcoffee discussion

I go to the "Ask Bun" thread.

I also like to attempt to verify what is being said. When I hear that "eating more vitamin x will make you skinny," I search for research about vitamin x. I also look for opposition research. Then I go with what seems to make the most sense.

I don't know how to sort out good information from bad. Each side has "experts" with opinions or outright recommendations. The Republicans' Medicare proposal isn't viable; Obama's raiding Medicare. Plenty of experts on both sides, with diametrically opposed views. Both can't be right. No way to know what ulterior motives drive the experts or the candidates.

Working with my mom on client accountings has given me a system that I didn't have ten years ago. We start with a known and proven fact--on 8/7/2011, the client had $1,000.00 in the joint checking account. Then we add more provable facts--the checks the client wrote during the last year, which totalled $2,000, the deposits made, which totalled $2,000, and the ending balance on 8/17/12, $500.00. Then we look at the most likely explanations to find the remaining $500.

I try to approach new information the same way. Does it start with a known and proven fact? Are more facts added and supported? What is the most likely explanation? And then I decide who or what to believe.

For example, what evidence is provided that "Obama is raiding Medicare?"

The SAVINGS in Medicare expenses are gained via NEGOTIATED reduced payments to service providers (esp. Medicare Advantage insurers). There are NO cuts in benefits for those on Medicare.

From NPR:

"By now, you should know all about the hypocrisy of Romney attacking Obama for cutting Medicare. Paul Ryan put the same cuts in his budget plan. And while Romney has insisted he'd restore them, his budget doesn't have room for that. If he's serious about his overall spending plan, then he'd surely have to cut Medicare by as much as Obama did. In fact, he'd probably have to cut it by even more. And that's just in the first ten years.

Still, the power of this ad is the appeal to senior citizens: Obama is taking your money and giving it somebody else. That's why Romney and his allies keep saying that Obama "raided" Medicare. But, under the Affordable Care Act, a chunk of the money that comes out of Medicare goes right back into it. It helps seniors pay for prescription drugs, filling in the donut hole from Medicare Part D. It also allows seniors to get preventative care without co-pays, which means they can get an annual wellness visit, cancer screenings, and the like with no out-of-pocket costs. In the first half of this year, according to the Department of Health and Human Services, more than a million seniors have saved an average of $629 on their drug bills because of this assistance."

I try to listen to both sides, I used to listen to both Lars Larson and NPR in the car on my way home. Lately I don't listen to anything, enjoying my peace and quiet time. (When not wanting to harpoon bad drivers)

I try to use common sense and not believe everything I read/hear, especially with regard to statistical data and figures.

I do use google and wikipedia, and snopes.com in the case of most scaremonger emails my mother-in-law forwards me.

And, I'm sure I (many times) get it wrong in any case. I try to keep that in mind when sharing my opinion. If I have failed with any of you and pretended that I know anything/everything...sorry.

BunWat wrote: "I don't mean in the sense of religious faith, or in the sense of whether you believe in the good intentions of your spouse or your friends. I suppose those questions are in some ways related, but ..."


I met a local nurse who said that when she was in her nusing training, she was taught that the pregnancy chances decrease because of the rape trauma. Some old outdated info doesn't get corrected.

I try to learn the history of the subject. I also try to follow where the money associated with the subject comes from and where it goes. This doesn’t work for every decision for me but does for many.

Experiences play a big role too.

where the money comes from ? If you look at the small donations, you will see that President Obama has many that are of unusual amounts. Americans usually give in even amounts 5-10-20-25-50 figures. Not the $23.17, and other odd amounts which indicate the foreign exchange rates. Check the campaign figures for yourself. Foreign donations are illegal under federal law.

David wrote: "where the money comes from ? If you look at the small donations, you will see that President Obama has many that are of unusual amounts. Americans usually give in even amounts 5-10-20-25-50 figur..."

I do not vote for politicians based on money flow.

Is the real problem the politicians? Or is it the political system?

Oh, the political system is broke, there is no denying that. The problem is still the politicians.

Most politicians look after their overpaid careers not their communities. [ full pay or 'retirement' for the rest of their lives ]. I call it criminal to abuse our children's economic future. It's only pennies of what they spend but it's the principal.

We really shouldn't blame the principal for what politicians do. What does he/she have to do with it?

BunWat wrote: "Conspiracy theory much?

I made a small donation of an unusual amount to the Obama campaign. It was the contents of my tip jar from a morning's work. I promise you I wasn't working in a foreign c..."

And Jews often donate in multiples of $18.