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June 7, 2007
Quotes
"Zigong asked: 'Is there any single word that could guide one's entire life?' The master said: 'Should it not be reciprocity? What you do not wish for yourself, do not do to others."
-- Analects of Confucius
"Why do you see the speck in your neighbor's eye, but do not notice the log in your own eye? ... You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your neighbor's eye."
-- Matthew 7:3-5
"Do not seek to have events happen as you want them to, but instead want them to happen as they do happen, and your life will go well."
-- Epictetus
"Happiness is as a butterfly which, when pursued, is always beyond our grasp, but which if you will sit down quietly, may alight upon you."
-- Nathaniel Hawthorne
"No one can live happily who has regard to himself alone and tranforms everything into a question of his own utility; you must live for your neighbor, if you would live for yourself."
-- Seneca
Posted by snackeru at June 7, 2007 12:45 PM
Comments
Oooh! Floor pie!
Posted by: Homer J. Simpson at June 7, 2007 2:21 PM
Madness has no purpose, or reason--but it may have a goal.
-Commander Spock
Posted by: Freealonzo at June 7, 2007 2:31 PM
There's a fine line between gardening and madness.
- Cliff Clavin
Posted by: DouglasG at June 7, 2007 2:39 PM
Why, a child of 5 could understand this.
Somebody fetch me a child of 5.
Posted by: Groucho Marx at June 7, 2007 3:11 PM
From the great philospher, Calvin... of Calvin and Hobbes
"A little rudeness and disrespect can elevate a meaningless interaction to a battle of wills and add drama to an otherwise dull day"
The new slogan for the Greet Machine.
Posted by: Cheesehead Craig at June 7, 2007 3:17 PM
"The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again (i.e. hijacking Shane's blog to share anti-tax/anti-stadium sentiments) and expecting different results."
- Albert Einstein
Posted by: Snyder at June 7, 2007 4:09 PM
"Have children and teach them baseball."
Advice from a Japanese baseball coach to his graduating seniors.
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Posted by: Rick Prescott at June 7, 2007 4:12 PM
Looks like Shane has a theme going to his quotes...
You know, some thinkers have a problem with the "golden rule" because it makes your own personal tolerances and preferences the basis for deciding how to treat others who may not share your sensibilities. (Masochists and sociopaths, I'm talking to you!)
Such thinkers would say that you must treat others according to a universal standard of dignity, kindness and fairness regardless of how you yourself prefer to be treated.
Unfortunately, that doesn't condense very easily into a memorable quote...
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Posted by: Rick at June 7, 2007 4:22 PM
but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish Luke
And just to respond to Tube, who at times is very conveniently obtuse;
While black and white maybe an over simplification of most issues, it does force people to deal with the heart of a disagreement rather than tap dance and "yea butting" around the peripheral "exceptions" that inevitably prove part of every debate.
Derek - I swear you're not going to wear me out. Your examples are wrong (Gutherie isn't private) and TIF just dedicates ADDITONAL taxes towards paying off infrastructure improvements (or whatever) and when they're paid off, the increased taxes ALWAYS go to the city or whoever granted the TIF.
Posted by: nibblearoundtheedges at June 7, 2007 4:25 PM
Um, the Guthrie certainly is private.
Now, it is a non-profit organization rather than a for-profit, but it's not publicly-owned like a certain facility being constructed on the former Rapid Park site, nor is it operated by a government entity, such as the Minnesota Ballpark Authority.
Posted by: Snyder at June 7, 2007 6:02 PM
Good point and another topic I wanted to touch on; Does anybody believe that this contrived public ownership structure and the "Ball Park Commission" was established for ANY other reason than to only comply with the letter of the tax law and the principles of taxation?
I know what the Met Council is for, and the Sports Facilities Commission and even the Public Utility Commission, but with the Twins responsible for building and managing the stadium, what fricken purpose does the Baseball Authority serve?
I WANT ANSWER!
Posted by: whatbenefit at June 7, 2007 6:44 PM
YOU CAN"T HANDLE ANSER!
Posted by: I Want Answer at June 7, 2007 7:03 PM
Since public money is being used to finance ballpark construction, it only makes sense that a public institution retain ownership of the completed facility.
The alternative to creating a separate entity (the Ballpark Authority) would have been to allow Hennepin County to own the facility. I can't exactly explain why that wasn't done, but I'm sure there's a very good, if esoteric reason.
The Twins certainly would have owned the park if they had paid for it themselves. Since we're paying for it, we (the public) should retain an ownership stake.
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Posted by: Rick at June 7, 2007 7:19 PM
Oh, I get that part of it. We paid for it, we should own it. But if all "ownership" gets us is the responsibility (and cost) of tearing it down in 30 years or less, I ask again; what's the point?
Posted by: Igotanswer at June 7, 2007 8:05 PM
"We're in a tight spot!"
Everett - "Oh brother, where art thou?"
Jeff T.
Posted by: Jeff T. at June 7, 2007 10:20 PM
STM, I hope I don't wear you out. You keep it lively here. But, you should go work for a pro sports team if you can actually convince people that TIF is some magical new money that would appear.
You KNOW that TIF is money that the gov't would have gotten to keep in most cases. It's not like these companies wouldn't build or would go somewhere else if they didn't get TIF.
Are you telling me that we HAVE to give TIF to Medtronic or else they are going to move their headquarters or expand their campus elsewhere? Not a chance! If we didn't give TIF, Medtronic wouldn't move (just like you suggest the Twins wouldn't), and they would probably reluctantly finance it themselves (JUST like you are suggesting the Twins eventually could).
I will give you that once the TIF period is over, that money goes to the government. But, so does the increased sales tax in HC in 30 years, or else it will go back down. So, even though you are on this TIF kick, suggesting these are "new" dollars that wouldn't be generated if not for...you are missing the bigger picture.
Posted by: Derek at June 9, 2007 4:34 PM
Derek,
You KNOW that TIF is money that the gov't would have gotten to keep in most cases.
TIF doesn't cost the gov't anything. What money would they be keeping? if there was no money laid out in the first place? The money they (gov't) eventually get is the increased property taxes as a result of the improvement. In TIF, all gov't is doing, is agreeing to NOT charge the company the INCREASE in property taxes their improvement brings, for a specified period of time.
It's not like these companies wouldn't build or would go somewhere else if they didn't get TIF.
That's called "speculation." However sound you may believe it is; it is still gambling that the business asking for TIF will proceed with its plans, without it.
I will give you that once the TIF period is over, that money goes to the government. But, so does the increased sales tax in HC in 30 years
The increased sales tax was imposed on the citizens. TIF costs the citizens nothing. Sales taxes imposed on people, takes money away from people. TIF granted to business defers additional taxes being collected from business, but costs citizens nothing.
Posted by: playingpoker at June 11, 2007 8:24 AM
