FamilyNet HQ: Telnet:www.family-bbs.net Kevin McGee wrote in a message to All:  KM ObSong: Georgia On My Ass. If she's too heavy for your ass, put her on a horse. Keep well Steve Hayes   WWW: http://www.geocities.com/Athens/7734/steve.htm   E-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it FamilyNet < Internet Gated Mail http://www.fmlynet.org

EVEN THOUGH WE ALL HAVE MADE MISTAKES IN THE PAST WHAT WE DO  FROM THIS DAY FORWARD IS WHAT COUNTS WILL THIS NOT BE WHAT WE WILL BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR LATER FOR WHEN YOU HAVE FULL UNDERSTANDING DO YOU  STILL HAVE CONSCIENCE

I hope the communists don't keep trying until they get it right!   Just a Jeanie

In other words, you want to weigh fire departments against preventive care, not kids (or cats). Etc. Actually, I didn't say that - I was simply asking about what we use to determine the value of something when contemplating a cost benefit analysis.  I used the examples of a child in a well and preventative health care.  Personally I do believe that we have the resources and ability to address the problems in our society far better than we do - and cheaper.  It's just that we're not at the point where we no longer have a choice - when we are we will be forced to change.  Until then, the price we pay as a society is one we are willing to pay. I guess another question I could ask is what is our purpose here on Earth?  As a society, what are our goals?  What should we be aiming for?  What should we be most concerned with?   yiwf, joan

Sometimes I wonder - what is more important - the preservation of a democracy or the preservation of capitalism?  Should individual rights be considered more important that economics?  I know it sounds cold of me, maybe a little outrageous but don't we put an awful lot of importance into cost-benefit analysis when it comes to healthcare and education? Actually, you sound neither cold nor outrageous, but merely ignorant.   What exactly is the alternative to cost-benefit analysis, Joan?  Consider the statement:   We should devote *all* the world's resources to improving education.  The counter-arguments to that assertion (e.g., maybe we should use some resources to produce food) use cost-benefit analysis.   People who think you can get by without cost-benefit analysis simply do not understand what they are talking about. The same is true of your use of the term economics. Tsk, tsk, this is not worthy of you.  What is the alternative for cost-benefit analysis?  The alternative is politics.  Cost-benefit analysis requires that the costs and benefits have quantified using commensurable metrics.  Agreement on values precedes cost/benefit analysis; agreement is a political act. Richard Harter, This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it http://www.tiac.net/users/cri A wise man praises modesty.  Your own horn is heard more clearly if no one else is tooting theirs.