breaking: the washington post doesn't understand basic economics

[Ogie Oglethorpe]

I'm fairly confident that the post orginator clearly understands the underlying motive for the 'punative' actions against BP. Moreover I believe he was deriding WAPO for:

a) Intellectual dishonesty
b) Their stupidity
c) Their arrogance in thinking others stupid enough to fall for their explanation
d) all of the above

[Kuciwalker]

The point anyway which I made originally is Kuci's saying of "THE WASHINGTON POST DOESN'T UNDERSTAND BASIC ECONOMICS!" is silly because those who would be in favor of banning BP probably don't give a **** about whether it has any effect on BP. They want to do it out of 'principle', an understanding of economics is irrelevant.

If the Washington Post runs an article above the fold on the front page essentially advocating that the federal government cut off business with BP for punitive reasons, and the editorial staff actually knows that this will be an inconsequential, symbolic gesture, don't they have some kind of basic journalistic obligation to mention that somewhere in the article?

[Al B. Sure!]

If the Washington Post runs an article above the fold on the front page essentially advocating that the federal government cut off business with BP for punitive reasons, and the editorial staff actually knows that this will be an inconsequential, symbolic gesture, don't they have some kind of basic journalistic obligation to mention that somewhere in the article?

journalistic obligations

[Kuciwalker]

Occam's razor suggests that R. Jeffrey Smith and his editor are both idiots.

[KrazyHorse]

I find that's usually the explanation that sticks when people say **** that doesn't make any sense....

[Al B. Sure!]

Occam's razor suggests that R. Jeffrey Smith and his editor are both idiots.

Umm... no, apparently, R. Jeffrey Smith is an intelligent man. The simplest explanation isn't that he's an idiot. How many idiots have degrees from Duke and Columbia and have won a Pulitzer Prize?

R. Jeffrey Smith is a reporter at the Washington Post and was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Investigative Reporting in 2006.
Smith has an B.A. in Political Science and Public Policy Studies from Duke University and a M.S. in Journalism from Columbia University. He was journalist-in-residence at the School of Advanced International Studies, Johns Hopkins University in 2002. He is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and the International Institute for Strategic Studies.

[Wiglaf]

He is a ****ing political science and journalism major. That confirms it

[Al B. Sure!]

He is a ****ing political science and journalism major. That confirms it

The sad thing is that's probably the response Kuci and KH will have. Anyone who studied a discipline not grounded in mathematical rigor is inferior!

[Asher]

Listen to Wiglaf, Alby. For Wiglaf is always right.

[KrazyHorse]

Umm... no, apparently, R. Jeffrey Smith is an intelligent man. The simplest explanation isn't that he's an idiot. How many idiots have degrees from Duke and Columbia and have won a Pulitzer Prize?

All 3 of those exact things? Probably just one.

[Hauldren Collider]

well said KH

[KrazyHorse]

The sad thing is that's probably the response Kuci and KH will have. Anyone who studied a discipline not grounded in mathematical rigor is inferior!

I don't believe that the statement is 1-1, but there is a correlation in that direction.

[Al B. Sure!]

I don't believe that the statement is 1-1, but there is a correlation in that direction.

Tell that to all the doctors and lawyers.

[KrazyHorse]

Doctors and lawyers are significantly less intelligent, as groups, than are most people with doctorates in any mathematical discipline.

[flash9286]

Why couldn't this hurt BP? I mean the contracts could call for an selling price above the current market rate. Or would that be too unusual. Of course the damages the DOD would have to pay for a breach would cancel out any gains.