1. Given what you've said about for-profit companies being the main source of medical innovations, do you think it's worthwhile to give money to private medical research foundations like the Michael J. Fox Parkinsons organization?
Depends on the foundation. In general, yes, I think funds directed towards research are well spent, but you have the responsibility to look at the foundation's operations and make sure they're good at what they do.
2. What do you think makes single women in their 30's decide to get pregnant on their own using a sperm donor? Do you think this phenomenon will continue to grow?
The answer to the first part of the question seems obvious: they wanted kids, and didn't meet the right man. As to the second part, I doubt it will stay even as popular as it is. Having kids is tough enough with a partner--even a deadbeat dad is usually more help than no dad at all. Having watched the experiences of women who've done this, not to mention my married friends with small children, I sure as hell wouldn't go the solo parenting route. I know a number of other single thirtysomethings who feel the same way.
3. What are your favorite parts of the Bible?
The Psalms. Also partial to Ecclesiastes, Acts, and the Book of Job.
4. How should unemployment benefits be improved?
They should be replaced with guaranteed government part time jobs. Only those who need it would take the benefit, and no one would stay on benefit longer than they had to.
5. I think Jonah Goldberg once said the invention of the automobile did more to disrupt traditional societies than any political or legal change. Do you agree?
Probably true. Certainly, it was the first step towards the sexual revolution. It also disaggregated communities, separating peoples' business interests from their residential interests. In my opinion, the latter was not a salutory development, and should have (but was not) been matched by larger regional government bodies to bring those interests back into alignment.
2. What do you think makes single women in their 30's decide to get pregnant on their own using a sperm donor? Do you think this phenomenon will continue to grow?
I'm going to say that recent court actions have shown that anonymous sperm donors can be on the hook for child support. Once that's the case you aren't going to find sperm donors.
"Certainly, it was the first step towards the sexual revolution."
Lets see how far back we can take this...
Walking upright (and thus, not being bent over) was the first step towards oral sex.
I'd say it's a tough call whether the phone or the automobile was a bigger disruption, but they both certainly dwarf almost any given political or legal changes. Slavery abolition comes close, but nothing else seems even remotely in the same league.
I'd say it's a tough call whether the phone or the automobile was a bigger disruption, but they both certainly dwarf almost any given political or legal changes. Slavery abolition comes close, but nothing else seems even remotely in the same league.
Other disrupters:
Air conditioning (made it possible to conduct business 12 months a year in the South)
Containerized shipping (made global trade and ultimately the development of rural China practical)
Jeez, for a big disruption, how about birth control pills? They completely changed life trajectories of men and women, dating, careers, marriage, you name it.
I'm really curious about how the details of 4 should work. Would the government be providing the jobs, and if so, doing what?
I like the government jobs/welfare idea. Good use of incentives. :)
Justin,
I would assume the government will simply have them do 40 hour/week busy work and get paid what they would by collecting for same. I doesn't matter what they're doing. They could be sweeping sidewalks and stuff like that. It doesn't matter.
The point is that act of doing such work will show them that the money isn't and free and they'll be given something to do in exchange for it. It will also incentivize them to find a real work...which is a good thing.
Hopefully some fool would intervene and demand it be paid more than it should or include full benefits.
Re: Jeez, for a big disruption, how about birth control pills? They completely changed life trajectories of men and women, dating, careers, marriage, you name it.
I disagree. Birth control pills simply accelerated changes already in process since the early 20th century.
Re: The point is that act of doing such work will show them that the money isn't and free and they'll be given something to do in exchange for it.
Anyone collecting unemployment has already been in the work force, and usually for some time. They do not need be "taught a lesson". They already know it, and have proven that they do. Unemployment benefits are not welfare-- they have in fact been earned and pre-paid.
JonF quotes and writes: "Re: The point is that act of doing such work will show them that the money isn't and free and they'll be given something to do in exchange for it.
Anyone collecting unemployment has already been in the work force, and usually for some time. They do not need be "taught a lesson". They already know it, and have proven that they do. Unemployment benefits are not welfare-- they have in fact been earned and pre-paid."
Exactly. Damn, I'm sick of the Age of Warmongering Cheapskates! Meatheads who can't tell the difference between welfare and unemployment should stay out of arguments that are miles over their heads.
Megan's comment wasn't much better, either - I love how these folks who claim to be for small government push poorly conceived policies which would actually increase the size of government significantly.
Re: Megan's comment wasn't much better, either
I actually don't have a problem with oublic jobs (even make-work jobs) for the long-term unemployed. I woudl suggest that everyone should be able to get six months of benefits as per now, but if they are still unemployed then they would be required to work for the benefits to continue.
I thought the accepted wisdom was that it was the BICYCLE that started off the sexual revolution.
All those maps showing the degree of inbreeding in various parts of Europe changed drastically in the 1880s-1900, before cars got any serious numbers.
JonF writes: "I woudl suggest that everyone should be able to get six months of benefits as per now, but if they are still unemployed then they would be required to work for the benefits to continue."
Think about the massive bureaucracy that would be needed to put that idea into action. It's a ridiculous idea when unemployment is relatively low.
That's why public work projects were used in the Great Depression - they only make sense in extreme circumstances.
It's surely a sign of the End Times: ML&J is making a more conservative argument than I am!
"the invention of the automobile did more to disrupt traditional societies than any political or legal change"
Jonah Goldberg may have said it, but Robert Heinlein said it much, much earlier. Probably before Jonah was born. Heinlein also said that he thought that something around at the time would have a similar impact, but he had no idea what it was, except possibly the personal computer.
I think that ubiquitous networked computers is that next major revolution. Without same, there would be no Wal-Mart, containerized shipping wouldn't be nearly as important, and it would be much harder for the socially marginal to find like-minded people, to name a few changes.