tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6762928.post3380166333641048992..comments2024-01-03T05:23:36.046-08:00Comments on The Citizens: Misrepresenting NumbersUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6762928.post-51378704513698274402008-11-11T20:00:00.000-08:002008-11-11T20:00:00.000-08:00LTG, my thoughts exactly! thanks, Monkeyman for th...LTG, my thoughts exactly! <BR/><BR/>thanks, Monkeyman for the kudos! Keep reading!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6762928.post-13746893939875020752008-11-11T10:08:00.000-08:002008-11-11T10:08:00.000-08:00You know what's really bizarre? Gingrich says "Ad...You know what's really bizarre? Gingrich says "Adolescence was invented in the 19th century to enable middle-class families to keep their children out of sweatshops." If true, what is the motivation for reversal? Do we want our kids in sweatshops? Are the jobs available to 14-year-olds today so terrific? No, they are clerks, janitors, all sorts of menial labor that they should, instead, be studying in school so they can rise above later. <BR/><BR/>Gingrich is wrong. Adolescence was always available as a training period for the upper class (who did not need economic productivity, just sufficient skill to take over the manor or business later), but was not extended to other classes until the late 19th century. <BR/><BR/>Now, why would middle class families want to do this if<BR/>the children were really little adults who would benefit from being in the workforce? The answer is that the 19th century middle class families were right, and so are we now. <BR/><BR/>The best outcomes in terms of education and income come from those who delay procreation. This is even more critical for women. The way to delay procreation is to delay adulthood and sexually repress teenagers. That was the Victorian strategy. The main difference between the middle and lower classes is the age of procreation. Longer generations ensure more success. <BR/><BR/>In the late 20the century, with the advent of birth control, we were able to shift away from sexual repression - with all its harmful effects - to prevention of pregnancy. Conservatives still prefer good old-fashioned repression. <BR/><BR/>If Gingrich were right and we returned to working at 13, this would impoverish the middle class both economically and intellectually. Since he's a conservative, I suspect that is his goal. A period of prolonged adolescence for teenagers allowed them the mental and economic space in college to effect the great social revolutions of the 1960s that Gingrich despises. Also it is those young people who elected Barack Obama. <BR/><BR/>Gingrich also is a shitty economist. If you added millions more young people to the workforce, all it would do is add to unemployment for those with families to support.The Law Talking Guyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17886791396468512490noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6762928.post-32672485478102120642008-11-11T05:54:00.000-08:002008-11-11T05:54:00.000-08:00UsWest, thanks for clarifying. I did not catch you...UsWest, thanks for clarifying. I did not catch your sarcasm, so I actually did think you want 50-somethings to retire. <BR/><BR/>By the way, although it doesn't quite belong here: I've been following this blog for a little while now, and you and the other citizens have been doing a great job. Thanks!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6762928.post-38548690624792815782008-11-10T16:34:00.000-08:002008-11-10T16:34:00.000-08:00Oh, and yes, my logic was bad on the 1 and 4 thing...Oh, and yes, my logic was bad on the 1 and 4 thing. My main point, had I quit when I was ahead, was that the more STDs you count, the higher the number will go. How you *present* this information provides the spin. If you only say 1 in every 4 girls without the proper definitions, you color people's impressions.USWesthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07572294996079264655noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6762928.post-58436644092201536782008-11-10T16:26:00.000-08:002008-11-10T16:26:00.000-08:00Monkeyman,asking people to retire by age 70 is not...Monkeyman,<BR/>asking people to retire by age 70 is not really asking them to retire early, but rather, on time. Society functions on the notion of cycles. Old cycle out, new cycle in. When less than productive 70 year olds sit in offices, they prevent younger people from moving up or taking responsibility. I was not indicating that 50 somethings should leave the workforce, nor do I really think that 14 years should be in the workforce. I was being sarcastic in my closing remarks in the post.<BR/><BR/>Rob, I agree that lurking in those numbers, provided they are accurate (The Bush Adminsiration has made a point of altering research that has appeared on teh CDC website, as well as research on other government sites for political purposes), are signs of race and poverty.<BR/><BR/>Not all teens are interested in going to college and they do need somethig more or better than Mickey Dees. So trade schools and and such need to be part of the mix.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6762928.post-90240469692896133102008-11-10T13:14:00.000-08:002008-11-10T13:14:00.000-08:00The four disesases mentioned in the study are "hum...The four disesases mentioned in the study are "human papillomavirus (HPV), chlamydia, herpes simplex virus, and trichomoniasis." esults of a nationally representative study show that genital herpes infection is common in the United States. <BR/><BR/>Here's what the CDC says about HSV. <BR/><BR/>"Nationwide, at least 45 million people ages 12 and older, or one out of five adolescents and adults, have had genital HSV infection. <B>Over the past decade, the percent of Americans with genital herpes infection in the U.S. has decreased.</B><BR/><BR/>Genital HSV-2 infection is more common in women (approximately one out of four women) than in men (almost one out of eight). This may be due to male-to-female transmission being more likely <BR/>than female-to-male transmission."<BR/><BR/>In other words, the teenage rate of STD is no different than that of their parents' generation. Given that more adults than teens are in long-term committed relationships, this is an interesting finding.The Law Talking Guyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17886791396468512490noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6762928.post-70650179030366950192008-11-10T10:54:00.000-08:002008-11-10T10:54:00.000-08:00Another thing: I think in your last paragraph you ...Another thing: I think in your last paragraph you lay out a nice program for becoming poorer as a society. If young people work earlier and old people retire earlier then we replace highly trained workers/employees by poorly trained labor. If we would decide to start working earlier, then this should be in addition to the current workers; in this case there would be a trade-off between producing more today and being better educated later. I don't think this should be done, but I very much think it beats your proposal.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6762928.post-5156819643139440612008-11-10T10:49:00.000-08:002008-11-10T10:49:00.000-08:00I agree with most of what you say, but there's one...I agree with most of what you say, but there's one point when I think you misrepresent the numbers yourself. If 25% of women have one out of the 4 most prevelant STDs, then more than 25% of women will have just any STD. Your post sounds (to me) like suggesting that less than 1 out of 4 women have any STD.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6762928.post-87756567502499355102008-11-10T10:29:00.000-08:002008-11-10T10:29:00.000-08:00I think there is definitely also a class and race ...I think there is definitely also a class and race issue here. Not with STDs, but a black woman is 4x more likely than a white woman to have an abortion.<BR/><BR/>Fixing this problem should also involve revitalizing low income neighborhoods. I agree providing jobs are part of the solution, but it can't just be McDonalds. It also needs to be higher quality jobs, for example green jobs, which also help fulfill the American dream...robhemphillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10200917779943985997noreply@blogger.com