Disqus - Latest Comments for Utesfan100

Re: Cain’s Tax Plan May Work without a National Sales Tax

Ben Prather — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 14:16:30 -0000

The numbers above match Herman Cain's own numbers in his published scoring, fairly accurately. The 9% (really 9.1%) sales tax appears to be scored inclusively, so the higher values should be used.

http://www.hermancain.com/d...

One factor that I have not seen discussed is the "Poverty Grants" included under Table 6. Treating this as a 9.1% inclusive pre-bate of the poverty line income for each household generates a roughly $200 billion decrease in revenue. In fact, it looks like the table may have included this pre-bate three times over, once for each component, for the line generating the 9.1% rate. If this is true the rate sould be 7.9%, making this an 8-8-8 plan.As it is, Cain has $400 Billion to play with as he explores his idea of entitlement zones.

Re: http://mistergreene.tumblr.com/post/10992820532

Ben Prather — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 11:02:46 -0000

This song has always seemed to me to be more about finding what it is that the singer is looking for than all the things that have proven not to be sufficient.

This song is very similar in theme to Ecclesiastes, except without acknowledging what it is we are truly looking for. That, and the mullet, are why I like this song.

Re: Unions lose big in Wisconsin

Ben Prather — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 12:37:04 -0000

Unfortunately the stakes are much higher.

http://www.youtube.com/watc...

Re: Jewish body slams Republican Herman Cain on his utterances on the Middle East | AHN

Ben Prather — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 09:13:57 -0000

What about "You mess with Israel, you mess with US; Don't mess with US!" from his announcement speech? P.S. Cain used that same common idiom of trowing under the Bug in that same speech on the same day as Romney.

What about Cain's repeated statements that we need to know who are our enemies and who are our friends. Cain elaborates, Israel has been our most consistent friend in that region of the world.

Herman Cain admits having very limited foreign policy experience, but is 100% committed to strengthening our relationship with Israel.

I guess I missed Obama's excellent pro-Israel record.

Re: The Ultimate Warrior accuses Hulk Hogan of wife-swapping and cocaine use

Ben Prather — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 13:04:07 -0000

So are these two are gearing up the publicity for a geriatric wrestling match or what?

Re: Video: Herman Cain says, ‘I don’t want anybody else to label me’

Ben Prather — Wed, 18 May 2011 16:05:35 -0000

Mr. Cain opposes this movement...

http://www.rightsidenews.co...

That is his concern regarding Muslims.

Re: http://management.torontosun.com/2011/05/09/republican-white-house-contenders-in-2012?rendermode=previewnoinsite

Ben Prather — Mon, 09 May 2011 16:07:35 -0000

Did the writer of this not read the aftermath of last Thursday's debate? Herman Cain at least deserves a mention somewhere on the list.

Re: BYU leaving Mountain West, single-handily destroys WAC

Ben Prather — Sat, 21 Aug 2010 22:16:55 -0000

If BYU is serious about independence and the MWC does not allow BYU to be a non-football member it could happen.

Re: BYU leaving Mountain West, single-handily destroys WAC

Ben Prather — Sat, 21 Aug 2010 21:57:28 -0000

Here is how the numbers look with the changes we know will happen next year, with Boise State replacing Utah.

http://www.bcsevolution.com...

The statement the WAC is closer is two months obsolete. The link in the OP of this thread has some notes at the end of it describing how these numbers change with BYU leaving.

I am not sure the protocol for quoting yourself as an expert at another site, that has quoted you as an expert. I'll just use italics. :)

Let's be perfectly clear on this point. Fresno State and Nevada have very little impact on the MWC's BCS numbers. I will have the final numbers up once the final announcements settle and the rumors die down.

BYU, Fresno State nor Nevada were higher than Boise State in either of the past two years, so the highest ranked team metric will be unchanged. The MWC would lose some computer strength, but still gain on their next closest conference, the WAC, in the average ranking metric. The WAC would likely fall behind C-USA. In the top 25 performance metric the MWC would fall from #1 to #5, but be near 70% of the top team, well over the 50% cutoff.

The MWC would still be in the spot of being eligible for an exemption to an automatic qualification with a diminished, yet still strong, case.

Re: BYU leaving Mountain West, single-handily destroys WAC

Ben Prather — Sat, 21 Aug 2010 21:50:59 -0000

Utah left before Boise State joined

Re: Fanblogs Open Thread: Realignment-ageddon Edition

Ben Prather — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 15:09:33 -0000

Nice...

Re: Has Big Time College Football Outgrown the NCAA?

Ben Prather — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 10:18:46 -0000

Did I just get referenced twice in the same post as an expert source? Nice...

As an expert, I should clarify some of the issues in this argument :)

1) The BCS criteria are established and can be examined over the past two years to give a halftime score.
2) The MWC, with or without BYU, is on pace for a grey area where they can petition for an exemption to the requirements guaranteeing an AQ.

Re: Fanblogs Open Thread: Realignment-ageddon Edition

Ben Prather — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 09:59:26 -0000

Actually 16 decimal = 10 hexadecimal.

16 = 0 would be very bad fro arithmetic. That said, 2=1.

Let A=B.
A^2 = AB, multiplying by A.
A^2 - B^2 = AB - B^2, subtracting B^2.
(A+B)(A-B) = A(A-B), factoring.
A+B=B, cancelling A-B.
but A=B
B+B=B
2B=B
2=1, dividing by B.

Re: Michigan to Play Alabama at JerryWorld in 2012?

Ben Prather — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 09:42:25 -0000

You are forgetting one important stat.

For these early season exhibition games a key ingredient is how many fans a team can pack into a stadium.

Michigan has a stadium of 100K+. It is usually full.

This means $$$, which means they are a top pick for any game able to get them.

Re: Michigan to Play Alabama at JerryWorld in 2012?

Ben Prather — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 09:42:22 -0000

You are forgetting one important stat.

For these early season exhibition games a key ingredient is how many fans a team can pack into a stadium.

Michigan has a stadium of 100K+. It is usually full.

This means $$$, which means they are a top pick for any game able to get them.

Re: Who is the biggest sleeper team this year?

Ben Prather — Sat, 07 Aug 2010 12:16:17 -0000

No good reason, but I'll take UCF.

Re: Has Big Time College Football Outgrown the NCAA?

Ben Prather — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 12:56:09 -0000

Regan, thought you might like this "Flexible Final" idea, from Mike Slive.

http://ncaafootball.fanhous...

Re: Has Big Time College Football Outgrown the NCAA?

Ben Prather — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 23:22:30 -0000

Ah, the courage of the lion, the heart of the tin man and the looks of the scarecrow.

I'll take what I can get.

Re: Has Big Time College Football Outgrown the NCAA?

Ben Prather — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 16:07:31 -0000

Have I discussed my tier based plus-one here yet?

I really think you would like it.

Re: Has Big Time College Football Outgrown the NCAA?

Ben Prather — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 16:04:15 -0000

It sure would be nice if the athletic sides of most universities did not receive significant portions of their funds from the general university funds.

Until universities stop subsidizing athletics the neat line you draw between athletic and academic funds is not as rosy as you make it.

Once that stops the athletic side becomes a separate financial entity that, outside of the protection of the academic cover, would become a tax target.

Where else is pure harmonious capitalism in action not taxed?

College football without politics would just be another sport. Politics in action is what make college football the best sport in the world :)

Re: Has Big Time College Football Outgrown the NCAA?

Ben Prather — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 13:12:30 -0000

Is Quid Pro Quo when you build a straw man argument out of opposing views and bash them mercilessly into smithereens with colorful use of Ad Hominem?

Proof by verbosity. That is the method I usually see you stick with in discussions.

Re: Has Big Time College Football Outgrown the NCAA?

Ben Prather — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 12:58:37 -0000

I think BC like to ruffle TE's feathers.

Two one line posts, and look at the fire drawn. It is not like BC is new to the frey.

Re: Has Big Time College Football Outgrown the NCAA?

Ben Prather — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 12:56:59 -0000

Wait...

The Sugar Bowl was not an even playing field?

Re: Has Big Time College Football Outgrown the NCAA?

Ben Prather — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 14:55:00 -0000

Our universities have a mission, beyond their academic mission, to prepare their students for civic roles in our society. Professional athletes have been taking on an increasingly prominent role in our society and our universities have failed to prepare many of their former students for the high profile role they have taken.

The amateur student athlete model fails to properly address today's reality that athletes tend to be a significantly poorer than average student financially and academically and the exorbitant pay of professional sports. The current system fails to prepare student athletes in the skills needed to be professional athletes.

Imagine if student engineers were not being given the skills needed to succeed as professional engineers. Oil rigs would blow up in the Gulf of Mexico and major tunnels would collapse in Boston. Ok, bad examples.

I like the idea of allowing the universities to act like the agents for the athletes. This would likely force the NCAA to tell the FBS to leave. One could argue the current crackdowns may be the NCAA inviting the FBS to leave.

Either way, I think a split would be a good move.

Who are kids going to trust more to represent them, a prominent state university or a seedy agent offering back room deals?

This idea does not have to be limited to future professional careers. It could include endorsement deals with local companies. The athletes would be eligible for a fair cut of the revenue generated, with the universities commission going to the general athletic scholarship fund.

If a kid knew that becoming the bar brawling sexual predator would end their revenue stream they might think twice before acting stupid. Not to put too much emphasis on the bad apples, but that is at least once more than many athletes some appear to give these thoughts.

At least in this model student athletes would have an opportunity to learn the importance of public relations and have some finances to manage to learn fiscal responsibility.

Re: Has Big Time College Football Outgrown the NCAA?

Ben Prather — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 14:35:43 -0000

I am going to have to employ civil disobedience in regards to this new rule.