Four Ways The Supreme Court Could Knock Out The Defense Of Marriage Act

Next week marks a rare moment in the Roberts Court’s history, an opportunity for this Supreme Court to actually make the law better than it was before they decided to weigh in on an issue. Although Justice Anthony Kennedy, the Court’s ostensible swing vote, is a hardline conservative on campaign finance, health care and corporate immunity to the law, his record on gay rights is relatively moderate. Kennedy authored two of the most important gay rights decisions in the Court’s history and is viewed as a likely vote to strike down the anti-gay Defense of Marriage Act.

As with so many things involving the Supreme Court, however, the devil is in the details. The Court’s decision in the DOMA case, United States v. Windsor, could extend the Constitution’s promise of marriage equality to all Americans, but it could just as easily reach a more narrow result or even sow significant seeds of confusion in the the law governing married couples. Broadly speaking, here are four ways the Supreme Court could halt DOMA, arranged in order from most desirable to least desirable:

Marriage Equality For All: The simplest, and most obvious solution, is for the justices to just follow the Constitution. The Constitution guarantees “the equal protection of the laws” to all people within the United States, and this guarantee is most robust when applied to groups that have experienced a “‘history of purposeful unequal treatment‘ or been subjected to unique disabilities on the basis of stereotyped characteristics not truly indicative of their abilities.” As LGBT Americans are undoubtedly such a group, the Court should simply strike down all marriage discrimination laws and declare that every state must come into compliance with the Constitution.Marriage Equality In New York, Punt On Alabama: Although marriage discrimination cannot be squared with the Constitution, Justice Kennedy has a history of deciding gay rights cases on very narrow grounds. Neither of his two leading gay rights opinions followed the ordinary framework applied to laws that deny equal rights to a group historically subject to irrational prejudice, instead relying on novel and narrow reasoning. For this reason, it is possible that the Court will strike DOMA — thus extending federal marriage rights to same-sex couples — but punt on the larger question of whether every state must comply with the Constitution. If this happens, a key question is whether the justices apply “heightened scrutiny” to DOMA, a kind of skeptical constitutional analysis that will make it very difficult for any anti-gay law to withstand court review in the future.No Jurisdiction: Easily the messiest way the justices can resolve this case is by ruling that they do not have jurisdiction to hear it in the first place — a real possibility in light of the fact that they scheduled 50 minutes of argument time on the question of whether the Court has jurisdiction. If the answer is “no,” the result could be a big, sloppy mess. Normally, when the Supreme Court decides that it lacks jurisdiction over a case, it also holds that the case should never have been brought in federal court to begin with. This case, however, presents an usual circumstance where the Supreme Court may not have jurisdiction to hear an appeal even though nearly everyone agrees that the trial court that sided with the plaintiff challenging DOMA was within its lawful authority when it did so.Because the circumstances of this case are so unusual, it’s not entirely clear what happens if the Court holds that they lack jurisdiction. One well-known attorney told ThinkProgress that it would mean DOMA is invalid in New York and New England, where federal appeals courts struck it down, but valid elsewhere. Professor Marty Lederman says the answer depends on why the Court concludes it lacks jurisdiction, but one possibility is that the administration could simply cease enforcement of DOMA “in the absence of any possibility of judicial resolution.” This is obviously a messy solution, and it is one that would lead to DOMA awkwardly lurching back to life if an anti-gay president takes office in the future.The Tenth Amendment Nonsense: The First Circuit’s decision striking down DOMA includes an odd states’ rights section that resembles some of the arguments conservatives used to challenge Medicaid. This kind of argument could resonate with Justice Kennedy or even Justice Clarence Thomas, who has previously described an anti-gay law as “uncommonly silly.” Indeed, if all five conservatives embrace this view, they could potentially do significant damage to the social safety net under cover of a decision that most progressives would celebrate. Nevertheless, this outcome is unlikely, as at least one member of the conservative bloc is unlikely to join any pro-gay decision.

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User:MarvinBea

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District Of Columbia Prohibits Insurance Companies From Discriminating Against Transgender People

Today, the DC Department of Insurance, Securities, and Banking (DISB) issued a bulletin clarifying key protections for transgender people in the District of Columbia. The bulletin provides a clear directive to insurers that discrimination on the basis of gender identity or expression is not an acceptable business practice in Washington.

The bulletin prohibits insurance companies from some of the most egregious practices that have been used to lock transgender people out of health care coverage, including:

Denying, cancelling, limiting, or refusing to renew an insurance policy.Limiting insurance coverage on the basis of gender identity or expression.Denying coverage for a procedure that is provided for the treatment of other conditions of illness. For example, if a plan covers hormone therapy for some diagnoses, it cannot categorically exclude coverage for hormone therapy related to gender identity disorder or other transition-related diagnosis.

DC joins a growing number of states, municipalities, and employers who recognize that equal access to health coverage is supported by medical science, improves the health of transgender people, and does not significantly increase costs. Ending arbitrary insurance discrimination against transgender people simply supports what expert medical bodies have been saying for years: transition-related health care is medically necessary for many transgender individuals whose health and well-being depends on bringing their physical body into alignment with their gender identity, and determination of what care an individual patient needs properly rests with medical providers, not insurance companies.

Read the full bulletin and the joint announcement from the Mayor’s Office of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender (GLBT) Affairs and the Department of Insurance, Securities, and Banking.

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FDA names Kathleen Uhl acting director, office of generic drugs

March 19 (Reuters) - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has named Dr. Kathleen Uhl acting director of its Office of Generic Drugs as it initiates a nationwide search for a full-time replacement for Dr. Gregory Geba, who resigned last week.

The announcement was made on Tuesday in a note to staff from Dr. Janet Woodcock, director of the FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. Dr. Uhl most recently served as Geba's senior adviser.

(Reporting by Toni Clarke in Washington; Editing by Gerald E. McCormick)

((toni.clarke@thomsonreuters.com)(617-856-4340)(Reuters

Messaging: toni.clarke.reuters.com@reuters.net))

Keywords: FDA GENERICS DIRECTOR/

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Essay:Greatest Conservative Movies

(Difference between revisions)|A small-town couple's world is turned upside-down by the discovery that their adult son is a Communist.|A small-town couple's world is turned upside-down by the discovery that their adult son is a Communist.|Sensational melodrama about the [[Hitler Youth]] of pre-WWII 1930s Nazi Germany, based on Gregor Ziemer's best selling ''Education for Death: The Making of A Nazi".|Sensational melodrama about the [[Hitler Youth]] of pre-WWII 1930s Nazi Germany, based on Gregor Ziemer's best selling ''Education for Death: The Making of A Nazi".|''[[For Greater Glory: The True Story of Cristiada]]''|A man within a liberal society (evideniced by acceptance of homosexuality and work-free spoiled existance) that kills everyone on their 30th claiming it's rebirth (see [[Liberal Denial]) escapes to find a world of hardwork and ageing.|A man within a liberal society (evideniced by acceptance of a work-free spoiled existance) that kills everyone on their 30th claiming it's rebirth (see [[Liberal Denial]) escapes to find a world of hardwork and ageing.|Titular [[New York City]] police detective (Michael Keaton) and his wife (Rene Russo) inherit a family-three small girls-when the detective's partner (Anthony Lapaglia) dies on duty. Has positive portrayals of law enforcers and clergy (one priest turns in money that was stolen from a drug dealer by the cop and left as a donation to his church and the girls talk about "going to Jesus"). Typical violent skirmishes mixed with tender sentimental ones, but also admissions of past adultery by the ill-fated partner, smoking, drinking, much profanity and, of course, illegal drugs.|Titular [[New York City]] police detective (Michael Keaton) and his wife (Rene Russo) inherit a family-three small girls-when the detective's partner (Anthony Lapaglia) dies on duty. Has positive portrayals of law enforcers and clergy (one priest turns in money that was stolen from a drug dealer by the cop and left as a donation to his church and the girls talk about "going to Jesus"). Typical violent skirmishes mixed with tender sentimental ones, but also admissions of past adultery by the ill-fated partner, smoking, drinking, much profanity and, of course, illegal drugs.

There have been many superb conservative films:

if (window.showTocToggle) { var tocShowText = "show"; var tocHideText = "hide"; showTocToggle(); } Film Year Rating Comments Gross (Domestic) Praises moral virtue (hard-working teenager, devout aunt and well-meaning uncle) and pokes fun at liberals (entertainers and journalists). Hero chooses abstinence. This was one of the most profitable films ever made and had two sequels. A first-rate, compelling film that leaves no doubt about how wrong abortion is. Swedish film about the strength of religion. A brilliant movie that criticizes public schools. The true story of champion surfer 13-year-old Bethany Hamilton who loses her arm to a shark. Her Christian faith helps her overcome her handicap to surf once again. The true story of John McCain when he served valiantly in the Vietnam War. The Mill and the Cross (Polish original) Persecution of Christians in Flanders region of Belgium during the 16th Century Of Gods and Men (French original) Martyrdom of Trappist monks by Muslim terrorists in an impoverished Algerian community Highlights the virtues of strong moral values, with more substance than High Noon. A science fiction condemnation of Communism, produced for only $420,000 and remade successfully in three additional movies. (not for children) - A portrayal of pure evil against a positive characterization of Christianity. It broke the record for movie revenue and had several sequels and imitators, e.g. The Omen in 1976 and The Omen's sequels.... A candid look at professor values along with problems associated with lack of assimilation; liberals first praised the movie, but after realizing its conservative message, panned it. Loveable genius inventor Wayne Szalinski (Rick Moranis) accidentally shrinks his children and some of his neighbors's while testing his laser shrinking ray, sending them off on an adventure in their own yard against what would be mundane situations and creatures to normal sized people. Spawned two sequels, the obviously opposite Honey, I Blew up The Kid (1992) and video-made Honey, We Shrunk Ourselves (1997) Movie about the United States hockey team which won the gold medal in the 1980 Winter Olympics. Stresses the important of hard work, resiliency, selflessness and putting your best effort forward to reach an unseen goal. Celebrates a strongly feminine heroine who is the antithesis of a modern feminist, and held the record for top-grossing movie for decades. Celebrates honor and duty to family and country, with a pro-Christian ending, long held the record for the most Academy Awards. Big screen adaptation of the classic objectivist text. A young woman overcomes a materialistic, shallow society and finds true love. A powerful and immensely popular antidote to feminism, far better than the liberal movies churned out by Disney since. Every life had value and the most powerful men gave up their seats on lifeboats to women and children first; the media and a young RINO are rightly criticized; broke the record in movie revenues. (Not for children) - This German-language film is a stinging criticism of Communist East Germany from a liberal perspective. Title says it all: The story of Jesus (played excellently by Max Von Sydow). $8,000,000 (U.S.), $20,000,0000 (worldwide) Solid family entertainment about Austria's von Trapps before World War II. A thriller about the deceit surrounding water rights in southern California and L.A.'s water system, removing most of the water from the central valley. Sequel: "The Two Jakes" (1990) $ 30,000,000 (world wide estimate) Gary Cooper and Patricia Neal starring in Ayn Rand's classic story of the right of the individual to produce on their own terms. Italian-British-American production which features Burt Lancaster playing Moses the lawgiver. Less flamboyant than Cecil B. Demille's movie The Ten Commandments and focuses more on the Biblical figure of Moses. Originally a 6-part U.S. TV mini-series in 1975, but edited to make it a U.S. movie in 1976. The definitive film portrayal of Exodus. A tale of a good, simple man rising above the pressures of liberals to do the right thing. Features perhaps the best defense of the American political system ever committed to film. 1977-1983 and 1999-2005 serieses Simple truths about the triumph of good over evil. Ronald Reagan stars as a baseball pitcher who overcomes his problems to help his team win. This was one of Reagan's own favorites. 2 hour, 51 minute widescreen epic by the great director Nicholas Ray about Jesus and his promises of spiritual redemption, as contrasted with the story of the revolutionary leader Barabbas and his promises of worldly redemption. A young man's father, an Air Force pilot, is shot down over the Middle East and its up to the young man and an Air Force colonel to save him. Included three sequels in 1988, 1992 and 1995. Marlon Brando plays Terry Malloy, who under the inspiration of a Catholic priest (Father Barry, played by Karl Malden), becomes a Christ-like figure. Betrayed by his brother and almost killed by the gang, he finds the strength to overcome and redeem his people from the slavery to the mobsters who run the waterfront. In stunning contrast to the liberals who kept silent about the Communist subversion in Hollywood, the film portrays the informer as the hero; liberal Hollywood never forgave director Elia Kazan for his stunning film. In real life, Kazan, Malden and screenwriter Budd Schulberg all testified before Congress, along with Ronald Reagan. Together they broke the power of the Reds in Hollywood. A mystery centered around the balance between faith and science, as well as debate over the role of poverty in religion and religious orders. A young American soldier during WWI overcomes an unfounded religious objection to killing and becomes a war hero. Stars Ronald Reagan as corageous football player George Gipp, who dies before an important game. A young man overcomes many obstacles, including dyslexia, to play for the Notre Dame football team. Shows the value of hard work and never giving up. Much like the conservative text 1984 it promotes the idea that big government is wrong for this world. An animated telling of the life of Moses. Illustrates duty, honor, and the burden of command. A film by conservative writer and director John Milius about American high school students resisting a Soviet invasion through guerrilla warfare. Remade in 2012 Shows the courageousness of firefighters. A talented but down-on-his-luck fighter gets a chance to challenge himself to the ends of his ability. This film-and its sequels and remakes- reinforces man's ability to overcome challenges. Included four sequels and one remake. Four high school boys from a rural coal mining town, inspired by Sputnik, set out to build their own rockets and become rocket scientists. Shows the horrors of slave trade. Shows, in a comedic, accessible way, that no one mortal can successfully do God's job. Highlights the bravery of NYC's firemen and police in 9/11 Shows the bravery of the passengers on Flight 93, which was hijacked on September 11th, 2001, and crashed into a Pennsylvania field. The passengers fought back against the hijackers. In 16th Century England, statesman and philosopher Thomas More is forced to choose between his Catholic faith and his loyalty to the king. Winner of the Academy Awards for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Actor, Best Cinematography, and Best Costume Design in 1966. Stories of devout Scottish Christian Eric Liddell who wants to run for the glory of God and Jewish Harold Abrahams, struggling to overcome prejudice in 1924 Britain. That year's Olmypics Games was especially spiritual when Liddell refused the Prince of Wales' request that he perform his competition on a Sunday. The early Christian Church during the time of Nero's regime. Illustrates the dangers of alcohol abuse. Vivid defense of our troops' conduct in the Vietnam War. A small-town couple's world is turned upside-down by the discovery that their adult son is a Communist. Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn's best selling novel brought to film as Tom Courtneay is the titular prisoner in early 1950s Siberia as punishment for surrendering to the Nazis during World War II and his struggle for small comforts to ease the harsh injusticies of the Gulag. A smashing indictment of the Soviet system. Biopic World War II story of Corrie and Betsy (Elizabeth) ten Boom (Jeannette Clift, Julie Harris), who hid Jews in their Haarlem, Netherlands home's secret wall and were betrayed and imprisoned in Ravensbruck Women's concentration camp in Germany, until Betsy's death and Corrie's accidental release through what would years later be found to be a clerical mistake, as all the other women in Corrie's group of prisoners were gassed to death in January, 1945. A true lesson of "no pit is so deep that God's love is not deeper still". Produced by Billy Graham Evangelical Association's, World Wide Pictures. Sensational melodrama about the Hitler Youth of pre-WWII 1930s Nazi Germany, based on Gregor Ziemer's best selling Education for Death: The Making of A Nazi". Stars the future Republican governor of California, Arnold Schwarzenegger. Teaches conservative values like marital loyalty, and political incorrect facts such as the fact that most terrorists are Middle Eastern radicals who don't value human life. Pro-life statement against cloning to harvest organs. True story of Irish father's legal struggle to recover his kids from an orphanage. Western about defending a homesteading family. A true story about combating drug use, violence, and contempt for authority while exalting positive values like academic achievement and family values. Biodrama about Paterson, New Jersey's real life Joe Clark. [2] Even those with character flaws can do good. Film adaptation of Roald Dahl's children's novel of a bright little girl who uses her magical genius to free herself from the foolish, selfish people in her life-her self-absorbed parents, bratty brother and horrid public school principal. Fitting satire of an unfair (and likely liberal) professor, senseless academic research, paganism, and a villainous EPA regulator. Sample line by one of the stars (Dan Aykroyd) when asked to shift from the public to the private sector: “I don’t know about that. I’ve worked in the private sector. They expect results!” Followed by a sequel, "Ghostbusters 2" in 1989. Trust in God, let him take over, and good things will happen. The intellectual property of a hard-working, solitary inventor is promoted, and his children stuck by his side through enormous difficulties. Villains are running an anti-life conspiracy at a hospital. Acceptance of God's calling is rewarded, the faithful are vindicated, and naysayers are proven wrong. Had two sequels in 1980 and 1984. Positively portrays a strong U.S. president who takes an uncompromising stance against terrorism. Includes positive material about family, authority, the military and sacrifice. Clear distinction between good and evil with positive themes of friendship, bravery, honor, sacrifice and overcoming temptation. Strong portrayals of redemption and good over evil. Bravery, heroism, sacrifice and good ultimately triumphing over evil. Promotes many positive conservative values including faith in God, patriotism, duty, honor, respect for authority, discipline, bravery, sacrifice, and friendship. Based upon the Christian allegory written by C.S. Lewis. Promotes the theme that graduating from high school and having proper moral values are more important than becoming famous athletes. Starring Demi Moore, a fictional account of the return of Jesus to usher in the apocalypse and judge mankind. Catholic themed movie has Demi offering her life for the souls of others. A thrilling movie about the heroics of fighter pilots during World War II; used as an educational film for management training seminars. Drama about a doctor and near-death experience. A look into the life of an American bomb disposal regiment in Iraq risking their lives for their country and for the innocent by confronting evil. Rated R for violence and language. Based on a true story a group of East Berliners escaping harsh Communist rule and hatch a plan to help others escape that same oppressive regime. The real meaning of Christmas is discussed, as Linus quotes Luke 2:8-14. Decries the materialism that surrounds the Christmas holiday. Sally Fields is Betty Mahmoody, the U.S. wife who, along with her daughter, was tricked in 1984 by her Iranian born husband into traveling with him on what he said would be only two weeks in his homeland to visit his relatives (he lied bigtime about the two weeks part!). A celebration of tradition, faith, and the importance of family, against a historical background of the persecution of Russian Jews. Sequel to 2010's The Expendables starring returning Conservative action stars Stallone, Willis and Schwarzenegger as well as Chuck Norris. A condemnation of human genetic engineering, and a wonderful triumph of individualism in an extremely totalitarian regime. Unfortunately the movie ends with a materialistic message: "They say every atom in our bodies was once a part of a star. So, maybe I'm not leaving, maybe I'm going home" (A phrase said when the protagonist finally managed to go to space). A main message of the movie is honoring thy father, and the power-hungry main antagonist, once he becomes ruler, favors big government, pushes liberal values and destroys their territory. The overall message is about how science and faith do not have to be in opposition to one another. Honestly depicts 1950s America when boys acted like boys and girls acted like girls, wimps were taught to toughen up, and every boy had a chance to be great. No historical revisionism. In this classic by Alfred Hitchcock, a clergyman honors his sacred vow of confidentiality with respect to a confession despite intense pressure to disclose it. Christian allegory with message of not giving in to terrorists. Movie that depicts Occupy Wall Street esque protestors as terrorists and has a hero that does the right thing even when it is the harder thing to do. Bette Davis portrays a socialite whose life is ruined when she turns ugly with age. Anti-Nazi and anti-materialistic. An adaptation of the Book of Job set in 1950s Texas with a narrative structure based on the nature of human memory which many viewers will find confusing. In this Mexican film by Guillermo del Toro (Pan's Labyrinth, Hellboy), an elderly antiques dealer has a chance at immortality—but at the cost of being a leech to others. Mostly in Spanish with large parts in English. David Zucker's conservative comedy starring Kevin Farley, Kelsey Grammer, Jon Voight, Dennis Hopper, Trace Adkins and Leslie Nielson. The Catholic Cristeros Army fights back for religious freedom against a suppressive, leftist government. Based on the Cristeros War of the 1920's. Surprisingly takes on an anti-feminist theme by depicting the father as the good, righteous side in a courtroom divorce trial. Futuristic totalitarians plan titular annual televisied "games" as punishement on the descendants of failed revolutionaries from a past uprising. Contains messages of patriotism, perseverance and standing up to evil dictators. The film's protagonist Steve Rogers is also arguably the most conservative superhero of the Avengers universe. Last film produced by Marvel Studios before it's takeover by liberal parent Disney. Title says it all about this Biblical epic. Based on the true story of Stephen Glass (Hayden Christensen), a reporter in the late 90's for the liberal magazine The New Republic, lies and distorts news stories to make them entertaining. He begins by submitting an article about the Conservative Political Action Conference, in which he fabricated stories of drinking and sexual mischief. Then, after he writes a colorful but suspicious story on a superstar web hacker, a group from a small online news site begin to question his journalistic integrity. Spencer Tracy hilariously exposes budding feminist Katharine Hepburn's hypocritical double standards in the legal system. A daring rescue of Americans trapped in Iran during the Iranian Hostage Crisis. Also shows the incompetence of the Jimmy Carter administration in dealing with the hostage crisis. A man within a liberal society (evideniced by acceptance of a work-free spoiled existance) that kills everyone on their 30th claiming it's rebirth (see [[Liberal Denial]) escapes to find a world of hardwork and ageing. Even a little bee can change the world. Shows the destructiveness of environmentaslism (i.e. butting into natures problems un the name of helping her), espouces the reward of hard work. Film Year Rating Comments Gross (Domestic) Exposed political correctness, racial and ethnic politics in the academic setting. [4] This film explores the inception of Planned Parenthood as an organization created to exterminate African-Americans. It exposes the words of its' racist founder Margaret Sanger and their impact on black genocide more than a century later. [5] Documentary on the U.S.' failed public school system. Exposing the greatest fraud in the history of science. How the teachers' unions are destroying our public schools. [6] Christian film that traces Western history from Ancient Rome until 1976. A study of philosophic, scientific, and religious movements reflecting changing patterns. Film Year Rating Comments Gross (Domestic) Courageous, Duty, Patriotism. A defending of Western Civilization Downplays the Resurrection,[7] and strength of Christianity and omits powerful angels; instead exaggerates triumph of evil; film had little lasting effect on public or its producer; portrayed nails as through the hands rather than through the wrists as depicted by the Shroud of Turin and confirmed by modern science. Falsely teaches that humanism is what makes life worthwhile; marginalizes faith with a cartoonish depiction and demonizes capitalism as sadistic and greedy. A favorite of both Presidents Dwight Eisenhower and Bill Clinton; John Wayne said it was "the most un-American thing I've ever seen in my whole life";[8] though susceptible of various interpretations, most of all it seems to scare people into wanting more government. College students fight back against a campus where the administration promotes official diversity awareness weekends and radical feminism, veganism, and political correctness run amok, but a conservative group on campus is also portrayed just as negatively as the P.C. groups. A classic starring Rock Hudson and Doris Day in which conservative values triumph over liberal ones. There are no distortions by feminist ideology. Indeed, in one scene a leading man slaps the leading lady, but then is beaten up by dimwitted bystanders for it! Comedy musical. A story of redemption, "A mission from God", raising money to save a Catholic orphanage. R-rated movie for vulgar language, slap stick comedy. Vatican approved. [9] Unique in the way that it appears liberal to liberals while unintentionally sending a conservative message to young women. Pregnant sheriff with traditional American family values solves an elaborate criminal embezzlement, kidnapping and murder scheme. A pregnant teenage woman rejects abortion and decides for an adoptive birth instead. This movie pushes feminism and marginalizes the essential role of fatherhood. The famous jousting scene is a powerful display of Christian values and chivalry, but the movie seems lost afterward. The British biopic of Conservative Party leader and 1979-90 British Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher, showing the effects of conservative economic policy on Britain, helping to lift the country out of its recession. $ 80,554,188 (international including UK), $27,081,674 (US - domestic) Portrays the liberal EPA as a villainous and devious agency, and portrays the Government in general as intrusive and corrupt. Contains some conservative messages such as the triumph of chivalry as well as the negative effects of deviancy and drug/alcohol addiction, although the film also promotes negative values including premarital sexual activity and disregard for chasity. Included two sequels in 1989 and 1990. Criticizes the effects of research into genetic cloning, although the film's source material has been credited to inspiring further research into cloning. Included two sequels in 1997 and 2001 and a planned fouth entry in 2013. Political comedy depicts the Democratic candidate (Will Ferrell) as an obnoxious, drunken womanizer and satire of John Edwards, although the Republican candidate (Zach Galifinakis) is portrayed just as negatively as a corrupt capitalist. Unemployed, immature and childish 23-year old Ben Stone (Seth Rogen) has a one night stand with serious career woman Alison Scott (Katherine Heigl), with the unintended consequence of pregnancy. Alison's mother (Joanna Kerns) says she should get the pregnancy "taken care of", while Ben's best friend Jonah (Jonah Hill) suggests that "I won't say the A-word, but it rhymes with abortion." Alison decides to keep the child, while Ben decides to find a real job, grow up, and become a father. Film Year Rating Comments Gross (Domestic) A tragedy showing the corrosive effects of liberal values like alcoholism and adultery, while reflecting the conservative traits of charity, innovation (in banking) and support for small business. Michael Jordan uses the help of beloved children's characters from the 1950s (a simpler time in America's history) to beat back foreign invaders who wish to take away our freedoms. Titular New York City police detective (Michael Keaton) and his wife (Rene Russo) inherit a family-three small girls-when the detective's partner (Anthony Lapaglia) dies on duty. Has positive portrayals of law enforcers and clergy (one priest turns in money that was stolen from a drug dealer by the cop and left as a donation to his church and the girls talk about "going to Jesus"). Typical violent skirmishes mixed with tender sentimental ones, but also admissions of past adultery by the ill-fated partner, smoking, drinking, much profanity and, of course, illegal drugs.

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Econ 101: March 19, 2013

Welcome to ThinkProgress Economy’s morning link roundup. This is what we’re reading. Have you seen any interesting news? Let us know in the comments section. You can also follow ThinkProgress Economy on Twitter.

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Economics Lecture Thirteen

(Difference between revisions)This lecture is review of the course, in preparation of the final exam.  A student who took this class in 2007 sent me the following feedback from college:This lecture is the final review for this course, in preparation for the final exam.  A student who took this class in 2007 sent me the following feedback from college:{{cquote|My microeconomics class has been almost all review for me, because of the similar class I took from Mr. Andy Schlafly ....  Although other students who attended public schools may have taken 'economics' before, they have struggled with microeconomics this semester, because their high school classes completely ignored the free-market and Austrian economics"Austrian economics" is an approach to economics that emphasizes the free markets, minimizing governmental interference, respecting private property rights, and promoting gold as a monetary standard.  Beware, however, that Austrian economics organizations are often more libertarian than conservative on social issues, and Austrian economics itself has been slow in incorporating new economic insights such as the Coase theorem. which are taught [in college].}}{{cquote|My microeconomics class has been almost all review for me, because of the similar class I took from Mr. Andy Schlafly ....  Although other students who attended public schools may have taken 'economics' before, they have struggled with microeconomics this semester, because their high school classes completely ignored the free-market and Austrian economics"Austrian economics" is an approach to economics that emphasizes the free markets, minimizing governmental interference, respecting private property rights, and promoting gold as a monetary standard.  Beware, however, that Austrian economics organizations are often more libertarian than conservative on social issues, and Austrian economics itself has been slow in incorporating new economic insights such as the Coase theorem. which are taught [in college].}}Here is a list of the topics on the CLEP exam, along with how many questions are asked about each topic (as a percentage of the overall exam), and comments:Here is a list of the topics on the CLEP exam, along with how many questions are asked about each topic (as a percentage of the overall exam), plus tips about each concept:|cost measures (e.g., ATC, AFC, AVC) || 10% || FC is total cost when output is zero; convert to average costs by dividing by output and remember that ATC=AFC+AVC; know when a firm should shut down|cost measures (e.g., ATC, AFC, AVC) || 10% || FC is total cost when output is zero; convert to average costs by dividing by output.  Remember that ATC=AFC+AVC, and know when a firm should shut down.|Government policy || 10% || ''unbiased'': price ceilings cause shortages and taxes cause social (deadweight) loss;
''biased'': several pollution questions and the Lorenz curve (see discussion below)|Government policy || 10% || price ceilings cause shortages and taxes cause social (deadweight) loss; but beware of CLEP questions designed to make government regulation appear beneficial, as in reducing pollution|Inputs to a Firm (espec. labor) || 10% || key here is applying logic and other concepts to reason back from product demand to a firm's need for labor (workers); know effects of minimum wage laws; might also be asked about capital|Inputs to a Firm (espec. labor) || 10% || key here is applying logic and other concepts to reason back from product demand to a firm's need for labor (workers); know effects of minimum wage laws; might also be asked about capital|Perfect Competition || 6% || costs and profits and price are lowest for this market: P=MC=ATC and "economic profits" are squeezed to zero. If price falls, shut down in short run when PMC. P>ATC.  |Monopoly || 4% || the firm sets its price above marginal cost, but not higher than where MR=MC; economic profits are greater than zero; economic rent exists. P>MC. P>ATC.  |Demand Curve || 4% || what the public will pay; all firms in all kinds of markets are restrained by the Law of Demand|Demand Curve || 4% || what the public will pay; all firms in all kinds of markets are restrained by the Law of Demand|MC || 4% || marginal cost, which equals price in perfect competition.  For a monopoly P>MC but equals MR=MC|MC || 4% || marginal cost, which equals price in perfect competition.  For a monopoly P>MC but equals MR=MC|Public Goods || 3% || know the difference between these and private goods: public goods cannot exclude people from using the good|Public Goods || 3% || know the difference between these and private goods: public goods cannot exclude people from using the good without paying for it.|Returns to Scale || 2% || think Wal-Mart for increasing returns to scale; think a restaurant for decreasing returns to scale|Returns to Scale || 2% || think of Wal-Mart for increasing returns to scale; think of a kitchen for decreasing returns to scale ("too many cooks spoil the broth")|Consumer Surplus || 2% || what someone was willing to pay above what the good actually cost|Consumer Surplus || 2% || what someone was willing to pay above what the good actually cost|Imperfect Competition || 2% || P>MC for this market, which is "allocatively '''in'''efficient" (is not efficient in the allocation of resources); it takes perfect competition to drive P down to MC|Imperfect Competition || 2% || P>MC for this market, which is "allocatively '''in'''efficient" (is not efficient in the allocation of resources); it takes perfect competition to drive P down to MC|Utility || 2% || Overall satisfaction.  Recall our problem about hiking and reading? Marginal utility is your next bit of utility.  Indifference curve shows trade-off in utility.|Utility || 2% || overall satisfaction; recall our problem about hiking and reading. Marginal utility is your next bit of utility.  Indifference curve shows trade-off in utility.|Cross-Price Elasticity || 2% || Comparing change in demand for one good due to change in price for a ''different'' good|Cross-Price Elasticity || 2% || Comparing change in demand for one good due to change in price for a ''different'' good|Cartel || 1% || an oligopoly that illegally agrees to fix (set) prices, as OPEC does|Cartel || 1% || an oligopoly that illegally agrees to fix (set) prices, as OPEC does|Price discrimination || 1% || charging different prices for the good; only possible if the market allows the firm to set its own price|Price discrimination || 1% || charging different prices for the exact same good; only possible if the market allows the firm to set its own priceSome important topics are missing from the CLEP exam, such as the invisible hand, free market, charity, transaction costs, the time value of money, interest rates, the Coase theorem and Gresham's Law.  The reason is bias.  For example, once a student realizes how inefficient transaction costs are, he or she will probably not like government regulations much!  Instead of these concepts, the CLEP exam adds lots of questions about government regulation to try to make regulation look good.Some important topics are missing from the CLEP exam, such as the invisible hand, free market, charity, transaction costs, the time value of money, interest rates, the Coase theorem and Gresham's Law.  The reason is exam bias.  For example, once a student realizes how inefficient transaction costs are, he or she will probably not like government regulations much!  Instead of these concepts, the CLEP exam adds lots of questions about government regulation to try to make regulation look good.But other than bias in the selection of question, the CLEP exam does not have bias in its answers.  The rare exceptions are a few questions about government regulation.  For these few questions, the CLEP exam pretends that government regulation can make a market ''more'' efficient.  This is untrue, as proven by the Coase theorem, but the CLEP exam writers want people to think that government can somehow improve on the free market.But other than bias in the selection of question, the CLEP exam does not have bias in its answers.  The rare exceptions are one or two questions about government regulation.  For these few questions, the CLEP exam may pretend that government regulation can make a market ''more'' efficient.  That is untrue, as proven by the Coase theorem, but the CLEP exam writers want people to think that government can somehow improve on the free market.=== Exam Bias Concerning Regulation and Efficiency====== Exam Bias Concerning Regulation and Efficiency===

Economics Lectures - [1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7 - 8 - 9 - 10 - 11 - 12 - 13 - 14]

This lecture is the final review for this course, in preparation for the final exam. A student who took this class in 2007 sent me the following feedback from college:

My microeconomics class has been almost all review for me, because of the similar class I took from Mr. Andy Schlafly .... Although other students who attended public schools may have taken 'economics' before, they have struggled with microeconomics this semester, because their high school classes completely ignored the free-market and Austrian economics[1] which are taught [in college].

Let's begin this lecture by summarizing the percentages the CLEP exam devoted to particular topics. This will help organize the material we have covered in this course. Our online final exam next week will use a similar distribution in topics as the CLEP exam, but without over-emphasizing government policy as the CLEP exam does.

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Here is a list of the topics on the CLEP exam, along with how many questions are asked about each topic (as a percentage of the overall exam), plus tips about each concept:

cost measures (e.g., ATC, AFC, AVC) FC is total cost when output is zero; convert to average costs by dividing by output. Remember that ATC=AFC+AVC, and know when a firm should shut down. price ceilings cause shortages and taxes cause social (deadweight) loss; but beware of CLEP questions designed to make government regulation appear beneficial, as in reducing pollution Inputs to a Firm (espec. labor) key here is applying logic and other concepts to reason back from product demand to a firm's need for labor (workers); know effects of minimum wage laws; might also be asked about capital costs and profits and price are lowest for this type of market. P=MC=ATC and "economic profits" are squeezed to zero. If price falls, shut down in short run when PMC. P>ATC. what the public will pay; all firms in all kinds of markets are restrained by the Law of Demand marginal revenue is the increase in total revenue due to selling one more unit; profit maximized where MR=MC marginal cost, which equals price in perfect competition. For a monopoly P>MC but equals MR=MC know the difference between these and private goods: public goods cannot exclude people from using the good without paying for it. think of Wal-Mart for increasing returns to scale; think of a kitchen for decreasing returns to scale ("too many cooks spoil the broth") what someone was willing to pay above what the good actually cost nation with lower production costs should do what it does best only a few firms, like two gas stations at an intersection far away from any others; usually one Nash Equilibrium-type exam question P>MC for this market, which is "allocatively inefficient" (is not efficient in the allocation of resources); it takes perfect competition to drive P down to MC overall satisfaction; recall our problem about hiking and reading. Marginal utility is your next bit of utility. Indifference curve shows trade-off in utility. Comparing change in demand for one good due to change in price for a different good keep in mind that "economic costs" include opportunity costs in addition to actual out-of-pocket (accounting) costs think ketchup with french fries in the long run all costs are variable and can be minimized; short and long run mentioned in 20% of questions, to distinguish between quick changes and permanent ones two types: positive (music in an open-air park) and negative (pollution) when income goes up, demand for an inferior good or service goes down (e.g., demand for bankruptcy services) substitution and income effects increase in price means less demand because public uses substitutes (substitution effect of price increase) and becomes poorer (income effect of price increase) an oligopoly that illegally agrees to fix (set) prices, as OPEC does charging different prices for the exact same good; only possible if the market allows the firm to set its own price

Some important topics are missing from the CLEP exam, such as the invisible hand, free market, charity, transaction costs, the time value of money, interest rates, the Coase theorem and Gresham's Law. The reason is exam bias. For example, once a student realizes how inefficient transaction costs are, he or she will probably not like government regulations much! Instead of these concepts, the CLEP exam adds lots of questions about government regulation to try to make regulation look good.

But other than bias in the selection of question, the CLEP exam does not have bias in its answers. The rare exceptions are one or two questions about government regulation. For these few questions, the CLEP exam may pretend that government regulation can make a market more efficient. That is untrue, as proven by the Coase theorem, but the CLEP exam writers want people to think that government can somehow improve on the free market.

There are only two or three questions (out of nearly 100) on the CLEP exam that have biased answers. They concern regulation and efficiency. You can expect to see one or two CLEP questions where the correct answer is to support government regulation against pollution. The best way to think about pollution is in terms of its "negative externality," but the CLEP exam writers cast the issue in terms of an efficient use of resources. Under this view, pollution is inefficient because it results in inefficient harm to the environment. Laws against pollution supposedly increase efficiency by preventing harm to the "resource" of the environment. These regulations that prohibit pollution cause less output but supposedly ensure a more efficient use of environmental resources.

While most of us support a cleaner environment, efficiency is usually associated with greater output, not less output. Government regulations almost never improve efficiency; the free market does that best without government interference. That said, you can pick up one or two easy points on the CLEP exam by assuming that environmental regulation increases efficiency by protecting the "resource" of the environment for its better uses.

When companies are allowed to pollute without paying for it, their marginal cost (MC) is artificially lower than it should be. These companies are avoiding the cost of their own pollution. A lower MC means they will produce more goods than if their MC were higher. The term “marginal social cost” is used by economists to represent the true cost of their activities, including the cost of their pollution. Because companies produce more than they would if they had to pay for the cost of their pollution, some consider this to be inefficient. On the CLEP exam, it takes regulation to make it efficient by preventing the companies from putting out the pollution.

Outside the topic of government regulation, there are no biased answers. Do not choose one answer instead of another for reasons of bias except in one or two rare cases.

In areas unrelated to pollution, government establishes price floors, supports and ceilings. Do we all recall the differences? Price “ceilings” (or controls) are the easiest: the government says that the good cannot be sold for a higher price. Just as you cannot reach above your ceiling, the price is prohibited from rising above the ceiling that the government sets for it. It would be requiring gas to be sold for no more than $1.50, for example. The quantity supplied will decrease (move down the supply curve), while the quantity demanded will increase (move up the demand curve). Shortages result.

What is a price floor? Just the opposite of a ceiling. We cannot reach below the floor, and a price floor prevents the price from falling below a certain level. It would be a government law that prohibited milk from selling for less than $2 a gallon, for example. It would be intended to help the suppliers, such as dairy farmers. What happens when government imposes a price floor? There is a surplus of the good, as supply exceeds demand.

Now, how about a price support? That occurs when the government buys large quantities of good, such food, at prices higher than the competitive equilibrium. The government does this to “support” a higher price, instead of passing a law to require a higher price. A price support is designed to help the firms producing the goods, such as farmers. The rationale is that farmers are politically important and that pure competition is too brutal on their business and their lives, and also that foreign countries engage in the same practices. The effect of a “price support” is similar to a price floor: it creates a surplus of the good when the support is above the equilibrium price

When government regulates labor, the analysis is similar to its regulation of price. A “price floor” is created by the minimum wage: the buyer (an employer) must pay at least a certain amount for a service (labor). The minimum wage creates an oversupply of the service: too many workers. Not all of them will be able to obtain jobs at a wage higher than equilibrium. Unemployment results from a minimum wage that is higher than the equilibrium wage.

As always, be sure you fully understand the question before you answer it, and use common sense and logic. In fact, many of the questions can be answered correctly with basic reasoning skills.

Let's put our knowledge from this course to good use in studying for our final exam, and preparing for the CLEP exam. We maximize our utility by scoring as high as possible on these exams. To do so, we need to maximize our marginal utility in allocating our time towards the exam topics listed above. If we spend all our studying time on "price discrimination," which is only 1% of the exam, then we are not maximizing our marginal utility and will not reach our full potential.

This is similar to our homework problem earlier in the course about maximizing our marginal utility with respect to hiking and reading. This time, however, the decision each student must make is which topic to focus on first in the above list, and how much time to spend on it before moving on to another topic in the list. The answer may be different for each student.

This same challenge in optimizing strategy could be expressed as a problem of "allocative efficency": allocating resources (time and information) in the most efficient way. Just as efficiency is essential to successful businesses, efficiency is also important to becoming a successful student. Spending your time efficiently in preparing for the final exam, and preparing for the CLEP, is crucial to your ability to do well on them. Look at the above list of topics and how often they appear, and ask yourself: where should you focus first in order to pick up the most points in the shortest amount of time?

Should you simply start reviewing at the top of the list and work your way down to the bottom? That strategy has the advantage of focusing on the most important topics first. If you run out of time in reviewing, then you will miss only the less important topics. But you might improve further on that strategy by moving more quickly through topics that you already understand well. Alternative, there may be topics that you find too difficult to understand, and you might give up some points there in order to focus better on topics where you can pick up more points.

For the rest of this class this lecture will focus on topics which might provide the greatest marginal increase in your exam scores. This takes into consideration the topics we have already reviewed (you have the materials for those), and avoids duplication of that review. You, however, may decide for yourself that you can benefit most from reviewing those prior topics.

Your instructor emphasizes studying strategy for a reason. The biggest reason why some students do not succeed is a lack of effort. But the second biggest reason is poor studying and test-taking strategies, like a football team that runs ill-advised plays. Education, like business and perhaps even life itself, rewards good strategies and punishes misguided ones.

For many students, the most additional points can be obtained by reviewing the "Inputs to a Firm" category. It will be on 10% of the questions on the final exam and the CLEP exam. That's a significant chunk of these exams. Without review, these questions look hard and are easy to miss. But with some extra preparation, you should be able to answer nearly all of them correctly. In maximizing your score and making the best use of your time, this category may result in the biggest increase in correct answers with the least amount of effort. That's what maximizing marginal utility is all about.

Accordingly, in economic terms, the greatest marginal utility from studying for the exam is probably obtaining by focusing on this topic first. We've already covered the other two topics comprising 10% apiece of the exam (cost measures and government regulation), so there may not be many more points to pick up there. Realize that you will probably get some exam questions right without additional studying, and other questions you may get wrong no matter how much you study. But in this category of "inputs to a firm," you can pick up some points that you would otherwise miss. Let's review it now.

Questions about inputs to a firm focus on what a firm will do with its inputs (usually labor, but sometimes capital) in order to maximize its profits. The questions usually concern the following:

impact of improvement in technology on the production by a firm adjusting inputs to minimize the overall cost at a constant level of output the effect of minimum wage on the competition for labor comparing the cost of an input (usually labor) relative to the additional revenue that results why a firm's "demand for labor" is called a "derived demand" what causes an increase in demand for labor the relation between hiring additional workers and the marginal cost calculating overall costs (total cost and average variable cost) based on wages

Review the above list now. How many of the above 8 topics do you know well enough to answer a question about them correctly? Let's briefly review each of these concepts so you can maximize your score on this big part of the exam.

1. "the impact of an improvement in technology on the production by a firm"

If technology improves, as in helpful new inventions or advances in communication (like the internet), then this helps shift the Production Possibilities Frontier (Curve) outward. A firm can produce more output now. So an improvement in technology enables a firm to increase its output or its supply to the market.

2. "adjusting inputs to minimize the overall cost at a constant level of output"

How does a firm adjust its inputs (e.g., workers or equipment) so that it has reached the lowest possible overall cost? By making sure that he is getting the most "bang for his buck" for each input. In other words, the firm makes sure that each input is producing the most marginal product per dollar spent on that input. If one worker is producing more than another worker, and both are being paid the same, then the owner has not lowered his costs to a minimum. He could fire the lazy worker and hire a part-time worker like his good one, and then produce the same output at less cost. Summarizing the above, the firm minimizes its overall costs by making sure the marginal product per cost for each input is equal. If one input (e.g., one worker) is producing more marginal product per cost than another, then the overall costs are not minimized. The unproductive worker is wasting the firm's money.

3. "the effect of the minimum wage on the competition for labor"

Increasing the minimum wage has the effect of increasing unemployment. Workers who have jobs make more money when the minimum wage is increased, but firms can afford to hire fewer people. The number of the unemployed (the people who cannot get jobs) increases when the minimum wage is increased. Also, although this will never be asked on a CLEP exam, raising the minimum wage causes more high school students to drop out and pursue jobs rather than stay in school, which would enable them to obtain higher-paying jobs in the future. Sometimes the CLEP exam will twist the question about minimum wage to obscure its harmful effect, by asking what happens when the labor supply increases when there already is a minimum wage. This makes it look like the fault is an increase in the labor supply rather than the minimum wage law. The correct answer is the same in both cases: unemployment increases.

4. "comparing the cost of an input (usually labor) relative to the additional revenue that results"

This type of question probes how a firm increases its inputs in relation to the additional revenue that results from such an increase. The key here is to be very careful and very logical. A firm will increase an input (such as labor) until the value of the marginal product of that input equals the marginal cost of that input. Read that sentence over and over until you understand it. It simply means that the firm will equate the marginal cost of the additional input (such as an additional worker) to the marginal revenue that the additional input produces. Often students miss this type of question because they are not careful to compare dollars to dollars. If you have the marginal cost in terms of dollars (such as a wage rage for the additional worker), then you need to equate it to the marginal value of the marginal product of the labor (value is in dollar units), not the marginal product itself (which is a unit quantity).

5. "why a firm's "demand for labor" is called a "derived demand"

This is an easy point to pick up on an exam. A firm's demand for an input (such as labor) is called a "derived demand" because it depends on the demand for the goods produced by that input. For example, a restaurant's demand for waitresses is entirely dependent on the public's demand to be served at the restaurant. If there is no public demand to be waited on at the restaurant, then the restaurant (the firm) has no demand for waitresses!

6. "what causes an increase in demand for labor"

This is another easy issue, similar to the prior one above. If the public demand for the product of the labor increases, then there is an increase in demand for the labor itself. If more people want to eat McDonald's hamburgers, then there is more demand for workers to make McDonald's hamburgers. How do we know when the demand by the public for the product of certain labor increases? When the price of the good or service produced by the labor increases. When that price goes up, then there is an increase in demand for the workers who make that good or service.

7. "the relation between hiring additional workers and the marginal cost"

This is a more challenging issue that requires two steps rather than one in order to answer correctly. Marginal cost is additional cost to a firm for making one more unit. It is measured in dollars, not in units. Making sure you have the right measure (dollars or units) for your answer will help you reduce mistakes. The answer for any question about marginal cost must be in dollars (or cents) per unit. Accordingly, if you are told how many additional units are produced by each additional worker, then calculating the marginal cost requires dividing the cost of the additional worker by the additional number of units he produces. The more units an additional worker produces, the lower the marginal cost that results from adding that worker. Example: suppose a firm hires Tom and sees the output increase by 20 units, and then hires Mary at the same wage and sees the output increase by 15 units. When is the marginal cost of the firm the lowest? After it hires Tom, but before it hires Mary. That's because the marginal cost of hiring Tom is his wages divided by 20, while the marginal cost of hiring Mary is the same wage divided by 15. A wage divided by 20 is less than the same wage divided by 15, so the marginal cost to the firm after hiring Tom is less than after hiring Mary.

8. "calculating overall costs (total cost and average variable cost) based on wages"

The key here is simply to be careful in doing the calculations, and then double-check your answer. You need to be sure you are using the correct level of output before you calculate the total cost (TC) and average variable cost (AVC) at that level of output. To find the total cost, add the fixed cost (FC) to the labor cost (total wages times the number of workers), for a given level of output. Then, to find the average variable cost, find the total variable cost (TVC=TC-FC) and divide by that level of output. Example: a firm can produce 100 units with 5 workers and 200 units with 10 workers. Its fixed cost is $50 and its wage rate is $20 per worker. What is its total cost and average variable cost to produce 100 units? Answer: note first that the question asks about the costs at 100 units in output, not 200 units. Total cost at 100 units is the fixed cost ($50) plus the labor cost ($20 times 5 workers, or $100), for a total of $150. The average variable cost is the total cost ($150) minus the fixed cost ($50), divided by the output (100), for a total of $1 per unit.

Master the above eight issues, and you'll convert 10% of the exam from wrong answers to correct ones. That could enable you to earn college credit.

You instructor wonders what topic will maximize our marginal utility next. About 20% of the exam is devoted to questions about different types of markets, ranging from the most advantageous for the public (perfect competition) to the least advantageous (monopoly). That's a large chunk of questions, and with some extra review here we can probably convert wrong answers to right ones.

The key to answering these questions correctly is to realize that the more competition there is, the lower the price of the goods and services and the lower the profits for the firms. Some of these questions are special cases and should simply be memorized: a cartel is an oligopoly that illegally agrees to fix (set) its prices, and an oligopoly is an industry where just a few firms dominate the market. When given a grid about where an oligopoly ends up selling its goods (its Nash Equilibrium), the answer is always symmetric (all firms sell at the same price) and usually not the highest price that a monopoly could sell at.

The monopoly questions look harder than they really are. The monopolist sets his price higher than marginal cost, which would be the optimal price from the standpoint of the public (or government). Instead, the monopolist price sets his price where marginal revenue equals marginal cost (MR=MC). If shown a graph, you may have to find the quantity where MR=MC, and then find the corresponding price on the demand curve. Note that a monopolist has no supply curve, because a supply curve represents many firms in an industry and a monopolist is the only firm in the industry.

There can be general questions about these markets. A perfectly competitive market uses resources in a perfectly efficient way. At the other end of the spectrum, a monopoly uses resources the least efficiently of all. Its high pricing causes a huge social loss ("deadweight loss") by eliminating consumer surplus. The monopoly reduces output in order to cause a scarcity that increases the price to an artificially high level. This is bad for everyone, except the owner of the monopoly, who enriches himself. This is how Bill Gates became the wealthiest person in the world.

Here is a puzzle to leave you with. What is the impact on quantity of a price ceiling in a competitive industry compared to a price ceiling in a monopoly? In which one (competitive v. monopoly) might a clever price ceiling actually increase quantity? Think about it, and learn to ask yourself questions like this in order to master economics. The answer is in this footnote.[2]

Be sure to spend time on the review sections in the prior lectures for more information about this and other topics on the exams.

A public good is a good which is nonexcludable and nondepletable. The first condition means that it is impossible to exclude consumers from partaking in the good, and the second condition means that one consumer's consumption of the good does not prevent others from consuming it.

Explained another way, a public good is available to all such that consumption by one person does not reduce its availability to others. An example of a public good is national defense, as it protects everyone and its benefits to one person does not diminish its benefits to others.

Other examples of public goods are law enforcement (protection by the police), public fireworks, clear air, street lights, radio and television transmissions, lighthouses, and some inventions. Some of these examples, such as lighthouses, are contested as to whether they must be a public good, as it is possible to charge ships port fees to pay for them. Also, while radio and television transmissions are available to all to receive them, it does cost money to buy radios and television sets, so these are not truly public goods either.

Liberals like to emphasize the concept of public goods on exams in order to support the argument for more government. Under this view public goods represent market failure and the need for government services supported by taxes.

Good test-taking techniques are particularly important to doing well on an economics exam. Simple questions are often intentionally disguised as something more complicated. It is easy to become confused and misguided in analyzing economic issues. 99% of the public would say that we would be better off if Congress put a price ceiling or cap on gasoline at $1 a gallon. It takes a bit more thought to realize that massive shortages would result, and we would all have to waste hours each week waiting in line for gasoline. Some who really need gas in hurry, such as people trying to take someone to a hospital, may not be able to obtain gas in time.

The ability to eliminate wrong answers can help. Let’s try the elimination technique on these questions:

Question: Consider the poverty-level of income for a family of four in America. Which of the following can be said about how the government defines this specific income level?

(A) It helps determine who is eligible for Social Security benefits. (B) It decreases when there is an increase in welfare benefits. (C) It proves that 50% of Americans live in poverty. (D) It is determined by tripling the cost of a nutritionally adequate diet by three. (E) Government does not adjust this number due to changes in the cost of living (inflation).

Virtually none of you would know the answer to this question at first glance. The question is not really appropriate for a microeconomics exam, but CLEP asks it anyway. Questions about poverty, gaps between the rich and poor, and government programs are always favorites among liberal educators. You will see many more questions about these issues than about the invisible hand or the creation of wealth.

So what do we do when faced with this question? Simply give up? Move to the next question and hope it is easier? Blindly guess at an answer? None of the above.

We can narrow the choices, and thereby reduce our risk of error, by eliminating wrong answers. Basic economic principles (or common sense) serve as our guide.

Let’s start with choice (C). Think about it: is half of our nation living in poverty? What would that mean for elections? Who would pay to run government? If we called half of us "poor", then what word would be use for the really poor? Choice (C) can't be true. Using common sense, we can eliminate this answer.

Let’s turn to choice (E). Why wouldn’t it be adjusted? Poverty must be relative to the cost of living. If the cost of living doubled, then the numbers in poverty would increase greatly. But failure to adjust for the cost of living would miss that effect. Again, common sense leads us to eliminate this answer.

Next we can turn to choice (A). That doesn't work either, because everyone who pays into Social Security has a right to receive benefits when they grow old, regardless of whether they are rich or poor. “Social security” is not “security only if you’re poor.” We can eliminate this choice.

We’re left with only two possibilities: (B) and (D). Realize that has increased our odds of choosing the right answer to 50% now. If you took the CLEP and at least narrowed every difficult question down to two choices, then you would likely pass the test. How do we next make our best choice among these final two options?

Option (D) seems to have the right amount of detail, and fits the question well grammatically. In contrast, Option (B) does not fit the question as well or make as much sense (definition of what the poverty level is should not change based on distributing some benefits). Even if you had no idea between (B) and (D), (D) is a better fit. It’s our best guess. (D), indeed, is correct.

It helps to choose an answer that gives the most meaning to the purpose of the question. The purpose of this question is to ask about how poverty-level income is calculated. Answer (D) most directly furthers that goal. It makes for a good guess if you did not otherwise know. You won’t always be able to guess the right answers, but by increasing your chances you can significantly increase your overall score.

Let’s try one more CLEP-inspired question, this time relating to labor:

Question: Assume a perfectly competitive market for both inputs and output. If capital is fixed and the price for the output increases, then a firm in the short run will increase its production by which of the following ways:

(A) increase capital until P=MR (B) increase labor until the value of the marginal product for workers equals the wage rate (C) increase capital until its average product equals the price of the additional capital (D) increase labor until its marginal product equals the wage rate (E) increase labor until the ratio of the price of the output to labor's marginal product equals the wage rate

This type of question benefits from being reread. “Capital is fixed,” according to the question. So capital cannot be increased. Answers (A) and (C) can be eliminated that easily. Sounds too obvious, but many students miss this. They fail to read and understand the question.

Only labor can be increased, which is possible under answers (B), (D) and (E). We've improved our odds of success to a 33% chance. Those are good odds on a difficult question like this. But we can improve our chances even more.

(B) and (D) look similar so let’s turn to (E) first. The “marginal product of labor” is the additional units (“product”) produced due to an additional unit of labor. Remember “MP”? The term does not include “revenue” or “price”, so it only gives you the quantity. We need to multiply that quantity by product price to obtain revenue, what the firm owner cares the most about. Choice (E) makes no sense by dividing terms that should be multiplied together. We can eliminate it.

Back to (B) and (D). The only difference between the two is the term “value of” in (B). Think about what “marginal product” is. It is a quantity, not a dollar amount. Yet we are comparing it to “wage rate,” which would be in dollars. We need to insert “value of” to convert a quantity into equivalent dollars. (B) is must be the correct choice because it compares dollars to dollars, while choice (D) does not.

The key to good test-taking, particularly on economics exams, is to make sure you fully understand each question before trying to answer it.

You have all learned a great deal of material in this course, information that will help you the rest of your lives. The insights and powerful concepts covered by this course can yield greater and greater benefits the more you think about them. Every week I see still something new and helpful in concepts taught in this course. Many students say that this is the best course they took from me, among other helpful courses. Use this course for your benefit.

If there is one unifying theme to this course, then I suggest it is summarized in Jesus's Parable of the Talents. Be productive, and God can multiply the benefits of your work. If you reach out, if you do more, if you make good use of your time, if you maximize your efficiency, if you consider the opportunity costs, and if you increase your output, then you give God more to work with. But if you bury your talents in the ground or if you are like the tree that does not bear fruit, then you give God less for His purpose.

Carpe diem. And be the good that drives out the bad as we discussed in connection with Gresham's Law.

Read this lecture and study for the final exam, which will be the first week in June. It will be 30 multiple-choice questions, similar in format to the quizzes.

? "Austrian economics" is an approach to economics that emphasizes the free markets, minimizing governmental interference, respecting private property rights, and promoting gold as a monetary standard. Beware, however, that Austrian economics organizations are often more libertarian than conservative on social issues, and Austrian economics itself has been slow in incorporating new economic insights such as the Coase theorem.? A price ceiling is a maximum price limitation, just as a real ceiling limits the height. A perfectly competitive industry is already selling at its maximum output, so a price ceiling can't help there. But a monopoly increases its price by reducing its output. If a price ceiling is imposed against a monopoly, then it must reduce its price and increase its output, for the benefit of the public.

View the original article here

What Happens When the Surgical Robot Malfunctions?

Like all computers, Intuitive Surgical's da Vinci can malfunction during surgery.

With the da Vinci, the most common event "involves instrument cable breaks," the company said in a recent statement. "These cable breaks render the instrument non-functional and require an instrument change, which can be accomplished quickly."

However, surgeons using the robot realize more serious malfunctions are a possibility.

In a court deposition related to alleged da Vinci complications in one of his surgeries, Washington urologist Scott Bildsten said, "One problem you can run into is sword fighting—you're clanging your arms together and fighting each other, in which case they can build up unnecessary tension."

A random review of da Vinci-related "adverse events" on the FDA database contains a number of reported incidents where robots seemingly malfunctioned, some with serious noteworthy results.

For example, during a hysterectomy on Jan. 2, according to the database, "It was stated that the arm jumped, causing the instrument … to stab an artery, which led to some bleeding that the surgeon was able to control without converting the procedure. The scheduled procedure was completed successfully."

In another hysterectomy, on Jan. 4, "the patient's ureter was damaged. During repair of the patient's ureter by the site's urologist, the urologist noted that the jaw on the EndoWrist instrument installed on the patient side manipulator arm was not articulating correctly. ... Unable to resolve the issue, the surgeons made the decision to repair patient's ureter and complete the surgical procedure using open surgical techniques."

And in yet another hysterectomy, on Dec. 28, "the bipolar instrument fired unintentionally during a procedure. ... The instrument tip did touch the patient's uterus [and] the customer was able to successfully complete the case plus two additional cases using the same generator with no further incidents."

Then there was a hysterectomy on Dec. 13. According to the FDA database, "It was reported ... the da Vinci system hit the patient in the face. It was unknown if the patient was injured during this time. The surgeon made the decision to convert the procedure to traditional open surgical techniques to complete the procedure."

It is important to note that submissions to the FDA database are voluntary, based only on reported cases and have not necessarily been investigated by the agency.

View the original article here

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A United States Senator finally says it: Barack H. Obama is throwing away his moral authority to lead. But in fact he never had legal authority to lead, either. [1]

Conservapedia pauses in prayer (not a liberal "moment of silence") in honor of Memorial Day.

RichardDawkins.net keeps getting smited! Has a plague of locusts eaten Richard Dawkins' daily website visitors?[2]

How long will you refuse to humble yourself before the Lord, Richard Dawkins?

Vox Day and a supporter of the Question evolution! campaign agree: The speed at which the secular left is collapsing is happening at an unexpectedly fast rate. [3]

6 bellwethers showing liberal know it all-ism is unravelling. This will seriously affect Darwinism.[4]

Google USA estimates 101,000,000 search results for the search "Evolution and just so stories".[5]

Question #12 of the Question evolution! campaign has a LOT of potential when it is spread widely in 2013.[6][7]

A Middle East voice calls Barack Hussein Obama one of the weakest presidents in U.S history.[8] It doesn't look like the "liberal chosen one" is going to bring peace to the Middle East during his presidency.

The website of the American Atheists has been smited.[9]

Do you see what happens when you gnaw on the trouser legs of Christianity? Like an unruly drunkard and glutton, you get tasered and laughed at. See: American Atheists and their challenges with overweight leadership personnel and Decline of atheism

"President Obama forgets to salute," but the lamestream media downplay gaffes by liberals. [10]

A Tea Party activist urges Congress to seize the moment, now that Obama's luck seems to have run out. [11]

Another study finds that obesity may decrease brain function.[12] See also: Atheism and obesity and Lesbianism and obesity

Have liberal policies destroyed Sweden? "Stockholm rioting continues for fifth night." [13]

The inventor of the concept "Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder" admitted, before he died, that he made the whole thing up. Think about that when the school district tells you to drug your kids. [14]

Dems admit they lack the votes to pass their amnesty-for-illegal-aliens bill, where 60 votes are the minimum needed in the U.S. Senate. [15]

The cold temperatures this spring have even hurt the sale of sporting goods. [16] Yet liberal denial about the cold weather persists, in order to perpetrate a fictional global warming.

World's most popular site devoted to atheism/agnosticism sees a massive loss of global market share according to Alexa. Also, new Question evolution! campaign group leader expected to be installed in June of 2013.[17]

Obama's paternalistic, sexist reference Thursday to a heckler as a "young lady" is no problem for the liberal media, [18] but an Hispanic golfer's offhand racial quip about Tiger Woods is unforgivable.

7 creationist groups have now joined Project 200 plus. Also, 7 ways the Question evolution! campaign is strengthening itself.[19]

An IRS official takes the Fifth Amendment. Or does she? Besides botching her plea, she shows hypocrisy in claiming a freedom she does not grant to others. [20]

Liberal double standard: racist remarks by Joe Biden are no problem, but the lamestream media and Tiger Woods make a big deal about an offhand joke by an Hispanic golfer. [21] Will media bullying enable Tiger Woods to end nearly 5 years without his winning a major?

The BBC News opened a story with this nonsense: “A study of Neanderthal skulls suggests that they became extinct because they had larger eyes than our species.”[22] Why does Darwinism spawn such lame just so stories?

Thomas Sowell recommends parents having their children read the book The New Leviathan which has a number of essays which debunk various liberal sacred cows.[23]

Barack Hussein Obama's "I am an idiot" defense about his recent scandals undermines his "cult of expertise" and statist redemption fantasies that he has been peddling.[24]

Ask yourselves right now: is this still America? Representative Mike Kelly asked that of IRS Acting Commissioner Miller. We should ask it of ourselves. [25]

Contrast the regal behavior of Barack Hussein Obama with the humble behavior of George Washington. [26]

Expert says that the discovery of a 20-year long rainfall in Ireland points to the Great Flood of the Bible being historical.[27]

Why do so many faux Christians deny the Great Flood and try to turn it into a non-Great Flood?[28] Did Jesus, Peter and Moses lie?[29]

Animals are where they are today, not because they evolved there, nor yet because of continental drift, but because they went there after the Great Flood. [30]

A description of "Common Core Education," the harm it can do, and a list of New Jersey primary candidates pledged to stop it. [31]

15 young people are volunteering to read the second draft of the Question evolution! campaign book for middle school students. Also, a Christian is going into full time creation vs. evolution ministry in June of 2013 and is interesting in volunteering for the campaign.[32]

Outspokenly Christian Kevin Durant gives $1 million to the tornado victims. Durant uaually outscores LeBron, but the liberal media do not promote outspoken Christians.

Why does Glenn Beck, who loves to chart conspiracies on his famous chalkboards, ignore a conspiracy right under his nose? [33]

28 million Americans will be caught in a "massive game of health coverage pingpong" under ObamaCare, and even the liberal media are beginning to panic about this. [34]

Classic communist tactic by the Obama Administration: it files a document in court alleging that a reporter at Fox News is a possible co-conspirator in the "crime" of informing the public. [35] In fact this goes back further – to Henry II. Are we all Thomas Becket now? [36]

Teen awarded for improved capacitor - Intel gave a $50,000 scholarship to a girl whose titanium dioxide capacitor can store almost three times as much electrical energy as previous capacitors and is intended as a battery alternative. [37]

Most mainstream media got the story wrong, claiming incorrectly that her invention can charge a cell phone battery in 30 seconds. (Charging a battery too quickly reduces its life, which is why Motorola and Samsung and the rest keep the amperage low.)

Franklin Graham, one of America's most prominent evangelical Christians, says the targeting of conservative groups by the Internal Revenue Service included two of his ministries.[38]

Are many evangelical Christian churches primarily growing in America due to birth rates or due to evangelism?[39]

"Quiverfull" evangelical Christianity, which does not believe in contraception, is now spreading in the UK.[40] In the past 30 years, the number of Anabaptists in North America, including the Amish, has grown significantly, from 313,000 baptized members in 1978 to more than 535,000 in 2010. [41]

Unfortunately for militant atheists, secularist philosophy breeds sub-replacement levels of fertility. See: Decline of atheism

Obama says black men cannot use racism to explain away their failures. [42]

CDC says the number of children being diagnosed with mental disorders has been steadily growing. [43]

Reuters reports: "Europe is in the midst of its longest recession since it began keeping records in 1995 — even surpassing the calamity that hit the region in the financial crisis of 2008-2009."[44]

Biblical creationism is growing in Europe and its growth rate will accelerate amidst Europe's economic woes.[45]

The UK has experienced one lost economic decade, and it's about to enter a second. [46] When is the UK going to remove Charles Darwin off its currency?[47]

Turkey, a world leader in anti-evolutionism, had its Moody’s credit rating upgraded to investment-grade quality. [48][49]

Imagine how it would be doing if it adopted Christian creationism over Islamic creationism.[50] See: Protestant work ethic

More Question evolution! campaign news from Canada. The stomachs of Darwinists are going to be tied into knots in 2013. [51]

Question evolution! campaign book draft is off to California student readers tonight. Also, new proof and evidence that 2013 is a better year for creationism.[52]

In addition, an atheist wiki still appeals to atheist nerds.

What is the real IRS scandal? It's the tax code itself. [53]

Government-promoted "powerball" gambling exploits and takes millions from the poor, but does not fool conservatives.

A video was recently produced on the topic "Why Christianity and the Bible are true." [54]

Abortion: an indispensable right or violence against women?[55]

A New Jersey activist promotes the primarying of a RINO State Senator. See his side-by-side of a typical RINO and his challenger. [56]

The first rule of grassroots anti-evolution social movements: What's behind us in inane evolutionist commentary is NOT important![57]

Is the Question evolution! campaign entering a new phase? If so, what new tactics are being employed by a Question evolution campaign group?

Bradlee Dean has this scathing commentary on Minnesota's gay "marriage" law. [58]

The Great Flood gained an astronomical fix today. A veteran creation scientist teams up with a veteran CP administrator to use comets to vindicate the Bible – and settle the Biblical chronology dispute. [59]

One reason why Darwinism loving liberal Christianity and the agnosticism/atheism population are headed towards a collapse of their own doing.[60]

The Obama IRS problem just keeps getting bigger.

The director of the tax-exempt determinations office is an Obama donor: [61] IRS agents did what the bosses ordered: [62] IRS denied tax-exempt status of pro-life group on behalf of Planned Parenthood: [63] IRS refused tax-exempt status for pro-Israel and Christian groups; approved it for Muslim organizations: [64] IRS agents illegally seized 60 million medical records: [65] Did the IRS give Mitt Romney's tax returns to Harry Reid? [66]

New amber fossil finds further debunk evolution.[67] "They’re dead ringers for (modern) gall mites" — researcher David Grimaldi

Overrated Sports Star David Beckham was not even good enough to play on Britain's pathetic Olympic soccer team, yet he insists that he is "playing at the highest level" as he announces his retirement. [68] Now he can devote full time to being promoted by the lamestream media.

News update from a Question evolution! campaign blog: "May 15, 2013 was a very BAD day for Darwinism!"[69]

Also, as of today, a Question evolution! blog received 427,864 page views.

A major supply line to Darwinism just suffered a major reversal - college bubble is finally bursting. The infrastructure of Darwinism, atheism, agnosticism and liberalism is crumbling.[70]

Like many second term presidents, Barack Hussein Obama is having scandals arise and he is losing control of events.[71]

A new theory of why secularization occurs.[72]

Liberal politics = massive financial disaster for many California cities, with more bankruptcies expected. [73]

When you have RINOs in the way of real reform, primary them! [74]

The IRS scandal now includes nine Senators, and a liberal outfit that got sensitive information from the IRS on 31 conservative groups. Time for a serious look at tax reform: why do we even need an IRS? [75]

Al Gore still hypes his liberal alarmism: "Our very way of life" is at stake, he insists, "now more than ever before." [76] So why did he sell his TV station for big profits to Big Oil??

The "creationist blogspot squint" repeatedly defeats a timid agnostic and evolutionist who is afraid of debating the creationist biology student VivaYehshua. [77]

An evolutionist has been wildly swinging his rhetorical punches into the air, but he has been hitting thin air. Why is he so afraid of debating VivaYehshua?

Obama, Tyranny, and the Tax Man [78]

Drunken atheist Trekkie makes a bigger fool of himself. Yes, there is something lamer than an atheist who threatens a Bible believer with hellfire.[79]

5 things that will give atheists ulcers.[80]

What "Dr." Kermit Gosnell did in his house-of-horrors clinic is not an anomaly in the abortion industry; it is practice. [81]

A Tea Party activist writes an open letter to State legislators who vote away Second Amendment rights. [82]

PZ Myers, how will we know when atheism has a full-blown nerd crisis? [83]

Myers recently said that atheism is on the "cusp of crisis." Is there a full-blown atheist nerd crisis?

Atheist wiki continues to lose global market share. Also, many of their atheist nerd editors still lose ladies to creationist men![84]

The media already in bed with Obama simply cannot ignore this new scandal: The Obama Administration secretly seized phone records from the Associated Press just prior to the 2012 election. [85][86]

The chilly spring continues to prove the hoax of global warming: "Protect those plants, widespread chance of frost and freeze in N.J. tonight." [87]

Kermit Gosnell stands convicted. But how many others share his guilt? Mainstream Media, maybe? [88]

The scandal at the IRS gets wider every time. This could be the biggest scandal of all. [89]

"Orde Wingate and the Night Raiders: Bring 'em He...Heaven" by Bishop Bert [90]

Another amazing breakthrough for Adult stem cells: Growing Teeth. [91] Still no breakthroughs for immoral Embryonic stem cells.

The IRS is now caught red-handed, in targeting conservative, Tea Party, and pro-Israel groups – and lying about it. But did the Obama administration throw out this chum to distract people from the Benghazi affair? [92]

The homosexual agenda is being pushed into the immigration bill, and it is likely that Dems will cave to the gay demands. [93]

"Sergio Garcia rips Tiger Woods," observing that "he's not the nicest guy on tour." Yet the liberal media continue to cover for Woods, and even lash into Garcia for criticizing him. [94]

Talking animals in the Old Testament. Also, does Leviticus mention dinosaurs?[95]

5 truths that cause evolutionists and atheists to fly into uncontrollable bursts of rage. [96]

Is their anything more lame than an atheist threatening a Bible believer with hellfire?

5 reasons why Christian evangelism is more thoughtful and effective than Darwinist and atheist evangelism efforts. [97]

7 reasons why the growth prospects of the egotistical, socially challenged, atheist nerd population is bleak.[98]

We knew it all along, and now the Internal Revenue Service admits: the IRS plays favorites among applicants for tax exemptions. And a few "un-favorites" besides. [99]

A Tea Party activist asks: did Barack Obama and his administration commit manslaughter and obstruction of justice in the Benghazi affair? [100]

Sociologists say that the American Christian Right are the potters and American atheists are the clay. Also, get three coffins ready. [101]

The families of several Navy SEALs killed in action reveal some stunning – and criminal – acts by the Obama administration. [102]

The Benghazi affair blows up in the Obama administration's collective face. ABC News admits: the State Department sanitized what the CIA told them about it. The White House squirms. [103]

Andrew Schlafly speaks out against ObamaCare.[104]

Is the unborn child a person? What do the obstetricians think?[105]

Atheist wiki hit the socially challenged, atheist nerd ceiling! Their global market share has fallen in 2013.[106]

Christian winners vs. atheist losers. Who is going to win? [107]

The latest in ultrasound technology will benefit the Pro-life cause: 3-D holograms of children in the womb. [108]

A two front war on atheism? [109]

Are biblical creationists picking up the pace of their evangelism?[110]

Is a pack of ravenous biblical creation dire wolves on the prowl ripping big chunks of meat out of their Darwinist bunkum prey?

CBS News doesn't like one of its own making a thorough investigation into the Benghazi affair: [111]

Let's see how liberal pro-choicers spin this absolute insanity: [112]

Cal Thomas writes about the taxation of internet sales and the Marketplace Fairness Act bill being proposed. [113]

Violent video games, which liberal websites defend and promote despite the games' obvious connection with the Newtown massacre, continue to rack up billion-dollar profits. [114]

Ruth Bell Graham once said that if God does not judge America, He must apologize to Sodom. Apart from whether a man (or woman) can judge God, Mrs. Graham had a point. [115]

3 humorous creation vs. evolution events. [116]

Liberal "psychic" Sylvia Browne, the perennial guest of the Montel Williams Show, predicted in 2004 that Amanda Berry was dead. Yet she clams up after Amanda is rescued from a house of horror a couple days ago. [117]

Uh oh, liberal claptrap at HuffPost is not so great after all for AOL: "AOL Inc. (AOL), the digital publisher that owns the Huffington Post and TechCrunch, fell the most in five months after reporting first-quarter profit that missed estimates." [118]

The biblical creation attack dog is metamorphosizing into a fierce and tenacious dire wolf predator. Darwinism will be ripped to shreds. [119]

WHat does "honoring the office" of President of the United States mean, when the current officeholder behaves dishonorably? Theodore Roosevelt had an answer. [120]

Does Barack Obama love being a "divider-in-chief"? Or has he laid a deeper plan? A Tea Party activist examines all the actions of this de facto President and sees an ominous parallel. [121]

Will the Benghazi attack hearings change the game for Barack Obama? Or for Hillary Clinton? [122]

Liberal double standard, as they held Mitt Romney to a different standard than Al Gore, despite how the global warming alarmist Gore is now richer than Romney.[123]

Thomas Paine once made a ringing call to leadership. Where are the conservative leaders of today? [124]

"The 'House of David': Don't be quick to fault the Bible!" by Bishop Bert [125]

Tamerlan Tsarnaev died from "blunt trauma to his head and torso," presumably by being driven over by his own fleeing brother. [126] Yet still no word about drugs that were likely found in pot-smoker Dzhokhar's system.

Is school choice impossible in some States? Only if the voters let it stay that way. [127]

If you are not a biblical creationist, you are behaving illogically.[128]

"Even if all the data point to an intelligent designer, such an hypothesis is excluded from science because it is not naturalistic". - Evolutionist Dr. Scott Todd [129]

Naturalistic/atheistic thinkers, no matter how much they would like to think that it has lasted forever, inevitably come up against the fact that the very laws of the universe point to a supernatural beginning.[130]

Notice that the arguments for evolution amount to logical fallacy—and censorship, not true science. [131]

RINO Backer "Paul Ryan flip-flops, now supports gay adoption." [132] The Republican House leadership moves closer to quietly accepting same-sex marriage.

A Tea Party activist does some sober stock-taking on the battle for American liberty. [133]

Liberals will continue making billions by invading people's privacy, and block a California bill that would have protected the public: "Silicon Valley uses growing clout to kill a digital privacy bill." [134]

Traitors among us, in the United States Senate, who voted for the UN Arms Trade Treaty (which failed – so far). [135]

Overrated Sports Star "Kobe Bryant in court battle with mother over memorabilia." [136] His mother has been paying $1,500/mth to store it, but now the liberal-promoted player tries to stop his own mom from cashing in!

Record-setting May snowstorm blankets several states, further disproving the liberal hoax that there is a crisis of global warming. [137]

Free speech for Christianity wins, and Mikey Weinstein loses. The Pentagon announced today that service members will not be punished for sharing their religious faith. "Members of our military should not be denied the very freedoms they fight to defend. Freedom of religion and speech are paramount among those freedoms," said ADF Legal Counsel Joseph La Rue. [138]

"How to Not stone a Rebellious Son: Reforming according to the Word of God" by Bishop Bert [139]

After Barack Hussein Obama invoked God at a Planned Parenthood event, an activist sharply reminds him: had Margaret Sanger, founder of Planned Parenthood, had her way, he would not exist. [140]

The Ides of May 2013 is definitely going to be nightmare for evolutionists.[141]

British Darwinists, brace yourselves for the grand announcement of May 15, 2013 to be given at 5:00pm Greenwich Mean Time. You will not want to miss it!

A hate-filled atheist wants Christians stopped from sharing the Gospel in the military, under penalty of court-martial for "sedition and treason". [142] Could this be what Obama wants done? [143]

Theistic evolutionists are sleeping with the enemy and getting "fleas of doubt".[144] Leading theistic evolutionist says: "My belief in God is tinged with doubts...".

The New York Times says that the pro-evolution website Wikipedia has a sexism problem. Is there a nerd crisis at Wikipedia?[145]

Compare Sarah Palin and Michelle Obama side by side. Who is the elitist? [146]

Return of the Twinkies - No, they're not the flying monkeys from "The Wizard of Oz." The Hostess company is going back in business, after union demands forced them into bankruptcy last year. (WashTimes)

Which country was among those which tied for last place as being among the most corrupt countries in the world? An atheism and evolution loving country of course - North Korea.[147]

Give it up, liberals: "Arizona lawmakers pass bill making silver, gold legal tender." [148]

Young people love anti-evolution and pro-creation tracts, magazines and books. Darwinism indoctrination is stale and boring. [149]

The NFL has become just another politically correct, liberal organization, as it ostracizes the outspokenly Christian Tim Tebow. Why should the public approve paying for NFL stadiums, as in the upcoming vote in Miami?

Is the soul of America in jeopardy? Why is the military cleaning itself of Judeo-Christian influence? [150]

Obama administration threatening Benghazi whistleblowers (Washington Times, April 30, 2013)

Three of the Doolittle Raiders hold their last reunion on the base where they trained. [151]

Olé! Olé! Olé! Hispanic American creationism is winning mucho battles over Hispanic American Darwinism.[152]

Evolutionists, you will have a lot of splainin' to do on why you can't answer the 15 questions for evolutionists satisfactorily.

Time magazine reports that theological liberalism gained ground during sexual revolution, but conservative Christians are winning now through higher procreation and re-evangelization of West.[153]

Victory! Liberals are now openly admitting defeat! And they have no plan to turn things around!

China's atheist leaders are still panicking and trying to use heavy-handed measures to stop the explosive growth of Chinese Christianity.[154]

A fascinating look at an area in China with 70,000 hills from a global flood perspective.[155]

Liberal global warming scam is proven false, again: "more than 1,100 snowfall records and 3,400 cold records have been set across the nation so far in April." [156] That's not the global warming crisis that Al Gore and other liberals claimed.

Why won't the Republican Party of New Jersey even adopt the national Republican platform? A Tea Party activists sounds a RINO alert. [157]

Volunteers spent thousands of dollars on a successful Question evolution! campaign event and pro-biblical creation outreach. [158]

Kermit Gosnell's trial may go to the jury this week. But does he really do anything that abortion advocates would not want to see done? [159]

"Man stabs 4 choir members during Sunday mass at Albuquerque Catholic church." [160] It's unfortunate that parishioners did not have loaded guns to stop the stranger.

More bad news for liberals, pro-aborts and Darwinists - religioustolerance.org has lost a LOT of web traffic![161]

Why do people still believe what Barack Obama says? [162]

The ricin letters case has taken a strange new twist. Previous suspect (a Democrat) cleared; current suspect (a Republican) charged. Is there a personal feud between the two? [163]

Give it up, liberals: Kansas has the most conservative legislature in its history, and it's not going back to its "moderate", less successful past. [164]

A call back to God for Christians of every stripe, after the Boston Marathon Bombings. [165]

Secular Belgium is crumbling. A golden age of Belgium creationism is dawning.[166]

Also, North American creationism will continue to expand. Will the Harvard University evolutionary biology department, which was disgraced in 2011, be able to stop this?

Conservative trouncing of the liberal incumbents in Iceland in early election returns, pointing to a landslide repudiation of the ruling party and an end to plans to join the EU. [167]

An apologetic for Genesis 1-11, based on the best scientific models available. [168]

God's intelligent design is on display in the sky this weekend: "Saturn at its biggest and brightest Saturday." Many people cannot believe it when they see Saturn's rings for the first time through a telescope. [169]

Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky showed how abysmally stupid politicians often are. Here's the latest evidence on Barack Hussein Obama's true identity, the significance of which McConnell totally missed. [170]

Why is there only one God? [171]

"Comprehensive immigration reform" is a tool of fundamental change of America – a thing Barack Obama wants. [172]

Earth's core is proven to be as hot as the Sun, contradicting atheistic theories. [173] Biblical scientific foreknowledge predicted this, as Earth and heat were created prior to the Sun.

A new Black Robed Regiment forms in New Jersey, as pastors re-create a previously un-sung influence in the American Revolution. [174]

Lamestream media proven wrong again: "Economic growth, at 2.5%, falls below expectations." [175]

One more chapter to go before the newly revised Question evolution! campaign book for middle school students is sent to a second group of student reviewers. [176]

"In Turkey, a Muslim Lady fights for the Rights of Israel" (the Scientific Creationist Pro-Jewish movement and Al Qaeda in Collision) by Bishop Bert: [177]

Quickly, the Obama Administration and the liberal media try to change the subject from the Boston Marathon bombing to what Syria is allegedly doing halfway around the world. [178] Isn't Boston more important to America than Damascus??

"Yeah, I wanted to kill the people in the building and then smear a Chicken-fil-A sandwich on their face." It's the liberal Southern Poverty Law Center that's been credited by a liberal terrorist for providing the information for his attack on the Family Research Council. [179]

Education reform: a do-it-yourself guide. [180]

Liberals gotta love this one: Tamerlan Tsarnaev had trained himself to be an American-killing terrorist while getting welfare benefits at the same time. [181]

A Tea Party activist lays it on the line: Executive Orders are unconstitutional. [182]

Dem #6 announces his retirement from the U.S. Senate, rather than face reelection. [183] If liberal ideology is so great, then why are so many like Max Baucus quitting its political efforts?

A home schooling family from Germany will defend their rights to home school — in a United States court. The case of Romeike v. Holder comes before the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals today. [184]

The sometimes conservative Koch Brothers cause angst on the Left by considering buying liberal newspaper failures like the Chicago Tribune and Los Angeles Times. [185]

The Boston Marathon bombers were firm believers in liberalism ... meaning that the gun laws so championed by the left wing don't apply to them. [186]

Does that Saudi national know more about the Boston Marathon Bombing than he's telling? Why is the government spiriting him out of this country like a carrier of typhoid fever? Congress wants answers. Glenn Beck threatens to drop a bombshell today or tomorrow. [187] UPDATE: Glenn Beck drops the bombshell, and he's not the only one. Details: [188]

Dzhokhar Tsarnaev drove over his brother Tamerlan, which was possibly the real cause of his death. [189] Was Dzhokhar on drugs?

Evil does exist: alleged Young Mass Murderer Dzhokhar Tsarnaev tweeted after the bombing, "Ain't no love in the heart of the city, stay safe people." [190]

Pro-evolution UK government is producing many second-rate secondary school graduates. [191]

Also, a 2012 study found that more and more U.S. liberal arts colleges are reforming themselves or are closing. See: Worst college majors

"The Binding of Isaac, the 'Akedah', and Jesus Christ" by Bishop Bert [192]

Two geneticists admit: life could never have become as complex as it is today, even in a long age of the earth. So they say life began before the earth! Why don't they just accept creation? [193]

College enrollment shows signs of slowing which means less post high school evolutionary indoctrination. Also, the ever shrinking role of tenured evolutionist professors and evolutionary biologists.[194] See also: Professor values

Secular humanist Paul Kurtz vs. the Christian Francis Schaeffer - Schaeffer wins hands down in the legacy department.[195]

Atheist Paul Kurtz's book The Turbulent Universe - a zero Amazon rating. The book Atheism for Dummies has a 4.5 Amazon star rating.[196] Are atheists smarter?

Also, another reason the so-called expansion of atheism is merely bluster and a mirage. See: Global atheism

More and more American public officials want creationism and/or anti-evolution material in schools. 7 reasons why 2014 will see an increase in anti-evolution legislation.[197]

Attended class and partied on Wednesday: the 19-year-old Boston bombing suspect fit right in on the atheistic, public college campus. [198]

The Obama Administration was informed at least two years ago about the danger posed by Tamerlan Tsarnaev, the leader of the Boston Marathon bombing, and supposedly had him under surveillance. "They knew what my son was doing," says his mother. [199]

Ancient astronomers kept a 360 day calendar for thousands of years. Why? Could it be because the earth did have a 360 day year once? Find out how. [200]

The atheist and evolutionist PZ Myers throws out Darwin. [201]

The intelligentsia know that an atheist wiki is vastly inferior to Creation.com.[202]

Fitch Ratings has downgraded the United Kingdom's long-term foreign and local currency issuer default ratings (IDR) to 'AA+' from 'AAA'.[203] How long will the British keep Charles Darwin on their currency?

Heavy metal conservative Bradlee Dean warns: governments often use terrorism to their own advantage. [204]

Violent video games likely played a key role in the development of the Boston Young Mass Murderers, but liberal censorship is working overtime to avoid mentioning it.
Meanwhile, video game companies announce profit increases. [205]

Boston Marathon Bombing: 1 suspect dead, another on the run, and yet another casualty. And the Obama administration has some explaining to do. [206]

The sister of the two young Boston bombing suspects stated that she has "no idea what's gotten into them." [207] Perhaps it was submersion into violent video games by the young men?

Leading website analyzer thinks atheist wiki editors produce low quality work.[208] It's time to renew your library cards atheists!

How many Americans are shot and killed each year by government agents?

The same 1994 law that temporarily banned the sale of assault weapons also required the federal government to compile data on police shootings nationwide. However, neither the Justice Department nor most local police departments have bothered to tally such occurrences. Jim Bovard, Washington Times

RINOs rule in New Jersey, and now the Tea Party will make New Jersey their test case. [209]

Impressive animated Christian children's tracts. Are animated dinosaur biblical creation tracts next?[210]

More shocking, unusual violence in Boston: an MIT campus police officer "was shot multiple times" and killed, and the murderer escaped. [211] We pray for the victim.
Yet Massachusetts has strict gun control and very harsh penalties for violations.
UPDATE: The two suspects in the Boston Marathon Bombings did that deed. One is dead; the other is still at large.

The agenda is more important to liberals than saving lives. It's why a monster named Gosnell was allowed to operate an abortion factory where born babies were murdered, and why the media chose to ignore it. [212]

How to reform education in this country: think outside the box. Meaning: don't let the government box you in to their schools. [213]

"US Senate Rejects Expanding Gun Background Checks." Defeated, sore loser Obama responds with liberal style by calling his opponents liars. [214] Hint: he is the liar, not they. [215]

Liberal media headline: "Let’s hope the Boston Marathon bomber is a white American" [216] If the bomber turns out to be part of some international terrorist conspiracy, then the USA might respond appropriately, and the article would rather blame white Americans. Separately: are they going to arrest someone or aren't they? [217]

America, will you follow the Nazi route? Remembering Martin Niemöller, John Adams, and Noah Webster as the attack on American values continues. [218]

British socialism drops to a new low: "Protesters along the funeral route turned their backs on Baroness Thatcher's coffin as it passed on its way to St Paul's Cathedral." [219]

LIBERAL DENIAL: an eyewitness reportedly tackled the suspect and turned him over to the police, but officials and the media now pretend they have no idea who committed the heinous crime at the Boston Marathon. [220] The public may never be told the truth, and certainly not soon, in order to avoid political embarrassment.

Was God's finished creation perfect? What did Augustine say about man's ability not to sin before the fall of man?[221]

Barack Obama's plan to destroy America was hatched at Columbia University. [222]

Evil is real, and tragic: 3 were killed, including an 8-year-old boy, and more than 130 hurt, many severely, in the Boston Marathon bombing. [223] Investigators are searching for a foreign-accented suspect seen in the vicinity of the crime.

May God help the victims. [224]

Once again, the leftists infesting the liberal media couldn't wait for the victims to be taken to hospitals before they blame the Boston bombing on the "right wing." [225][226]

Gold bubble bursts - After rising exponentially for a dozen years from $200 to nearly $1,800, the price for a troy ounce of gold dropped to $1,400 this month. [227] [228] [229]

The discovery of fossilized cells in north-west Scotland has forced a dramatic rewrite of the supposed evolutionary history of life on Earth.[230]

All those evolutionists who claimed to know how old life is on earth, must now admit they were very wrong. There are at least 101 reasons why the earth is young.[231]

The third Noah's Ark replica is being built by Hispanics near Miami, who hope the Pope will attend the inauguration. [232] Evidently the falsehoods of atheism continue to be rejected by many.

The National Secular Society says that aggressive French religious lobbies are in a sustained attack on French secularism.[233]

Message to the captain of the SS Secularism: Your ship is taking on more and more water and the waves are going to be bigger and more frequent.[234]

Are liberals going to go after marijuana smoke with the same gusto they have with tobacco smoke? [235]

Liberal teacher in a public school tells fourth-graders to give up Constitutional rights. [236]

Who wants Sheriff Joe dead? [237]

Statutory rape: the missing legal problem in abortion that now has the attention of a bunch of lawyers. [238]

"A Turkish delight: they think so in Israel too!" by Bishop Bert [239]

Russia calls American politicians "Russophobic", in apparent mockery of how liberals push their homosexual agenda on "homophobic" Russia. [240] Try "Biblophobic", a Best New Conservative Word.

Nanny State update: a busybody calls 911 to report a jogger who was running backwards, and the cops in Democrat Miami give him a ticket ... even though he's jogged backwards safely for six years. [241]

Congressman Chris Smith on liberal censorship: "Why the censorship" of the Philadelphia abortionist's "Jeffrey Dahmer-like murder trial?" [242]

Looking for things to see and do? See a beautiful landscape which Questions Evolution! Also, public library science books with Question evolution! campaign tracts placed inside them.[243]

A Tea Party activist sends an open letter to Senator Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania: Your bill looks good, but could be better. He suggests seven specific "fixes." [244]

The liberal media continue their attempt to drive conservative athlete Tim Tebow out of New York City, even for a voluntary off-season practice. "Get rid of Tim Tebow," shouts the headline. [245] Many liberals would rather lose than win with a conservative leader.

Message to PZ Myers and friends: Re-positioning the decades long "atheist nerd brand" is going to be close to impossible. Also, "golden age of internet atheism" is coming to an end. [246]

Without Darwin, some of the atrocities connected with evolution might not have been. But people of faith might have grown complacent, too. [247]

Liberal double standard: when Republicans tape-record Democrats (e.g., Watergate), there is media outrage, but not when Democrats tape-record Republicans, despite a Dem statement that a liberal group probably taped a GOP meeting. [248]

News from the land of atheism: "Margaret Thatcher death celebrations" sweep the faithless Great Britain. [249]

An article on the possible relationship between school shootings and violent video games was censored by the Huffington Post. [250]

The most famous "heavy metal conservative activist" warns: the Homosexual Agenda is real, and is destructive. He offers some explicit examples. [251]

Liberal logic: Hugo Chavez's successor promises, if elected, to hold a special investigation into whether Chavez was "inoculated with cancer cells," and hints that he suspects the "American Empire" was responsible. [252] The liberal media played into this accusation by promoting the fake claims and photo of Chavez's purported good health.

Vive la French Creationnisme! Long live French creationism! French creationists are coming aboard the Question Evolution! Campaign.[253]

"Texas student stabs at least 14 at Lone Star College." [254] Because of gun control, students were unarmed and unable to stop the attack sooner.

A Question evolution! campaign blog is rapidly approaching 400,000 page views. Christian blogosphere will soon be turbocharged via blog marketing expertise.[255]

Biola University posts the Christian apologist William Lane Craig vs. atheist philosopher Alex Rosenburg debate. [256]

Why did the atheist Alex Rosenburg appear to drink so much water in the debate relative to Dr. Craig? Dry mouth nervousness?

Margaret Thatcher, RIP. [257]

Dr. William Lane Craig beats the atheist philosopher Alex Rosenburg in a landslide debate victory.[258]

Why does Duke University still employ this atheist, nutjob professor? See: Professor values

An analysis of Walt Brown’s Flood model (hydroplate model of Noah's Flood). [259]

States are moving in very different directions politically on abortion and other fundamental issues. [260] But people are migrating to the conservative states and away from the liberal ones.

How the hockey stick crumbled. Like it or not, liberals, global warming is a proven farce: [261]

More bad news for liberal public schools: "Virtual learning bills gain momentum in Florida Legislature." [262]

Hollywood actress Drew Barrymore rejects liberal advice for women not to raise their own children: "Unfortunately, I was raised in this, like, generation of, like, 'Women can have it all,' and I don't think you can. I think some things fall off the table, the good news is, what does stay on the table becomes much more important" [raising children]. [263] Will Drew become a homeschooler?

Barack Hussein Obama tosses some pork to Florida with plans to capture an asteroid and bring it to orbit around the Moon. If the de facto President wants to worry about a big natural disaster, let him look closer to home. Details: [264]

"Le flop!" Overrated Sports Star David Beckham is "given 3/10 rating" by a candid French press, observing that the Brit "left fellow holding midfielder ... 'to fight for both of them.'" [265]

Massive cable ratings for "The Bible" miniseries on the History channel - much higher than CNN and the Fox News Channel. [266] So why does the lamestream media ignore the Good Book so much?

Can liberty win under seemingly long odds? It did before. A modern activists asks Americans to remember their history, and compare their strength now to their strength during the American Revolution. [267]

A Tea Party activist asks: are politicians really as stupid as they seem concerning the Second Amendment? Or do they have an agenda to deprive us of our rights under it? [268]

Jobs report is below expectations by more than 100,000, and "the participation rate in the workforce is the lowest since May 1979." [269] This is what the liberals told us would be an economic recovery???

How creation was reborn: the three lines of counterattack. [270]

When the American Civil Liberties Union says a new law by a Democrat threatens privacy, the Democrats know they have problems. The ACLU raises strong concerns about the latest gun control law in the Senate. [271]

Overrated Sports Star -- and longtime favorite of the liberal media -- Lance Armstrong is forced out of a swimming meet because of his past conduct. [272]

Self-centered liberals cannot let go of what they think is power: "Obama presses donors to help return Pelosi to speakership." [273]

How the long age view of the age of the earth gained credence. Offers clues to how to reverse that misconception. [274]

Liberal double standard: "Conservatives Shouldn't Own Newspapers?" [275]

The Department of Defense victimizes our fallen heroes, in the name of political correctness. [276]

Oh dear, it appears about 5-7% of American evolutionists believe that "shape-shifting alien reptilian people control our world by taking on human form".[277]

A 15 year-old girl leaves an anti-gun legislature speechless: [278]

"Guns are not the problem; people are." Gun control will not remove guns from society but rather make it harder for people to protect their lives.

What we get as as teachers when liberals control the education: A Weather Underground radical who once served two decades for an armed robbery that killed two cops and a guard is now a professor at Columbia University. [279]

The global warming hoax continued. In fact, it's entirely groundless: [280]

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