Couple of points in this that are absolutely laughable.

If the gov't can't borrow money, would it continue to function? Yes.
Would it require we immediately cut defense funding overnight, completely withdraw from Afghanistan and Iraq? Yes.
Would we have to become isolationist? Yes.
Would it destroy the US economy pretty quickly? Yes.

Look, even if you're a deficit hawk, if you actually understand economics, you'd know that even if you wanted to transition all gov't expenditure to pay as you go, you can't do it overnight. It's the economic equivalent of throwing someone suffering from hypothermia into a sauna to warm them back up.

The president has gone back on some of his promises like torture, etc. How in the hell is that of any relation to lowering the credit rating of the US gov't?! Yeah, Obama, just like every president in US history, lied, and that means that the national debt, which couldn't be paid back even in this decade, will never be paid back because of Obama, even though Obama would have been out of office for decades before those debts are paid. Why did creditors trust Bush after WMDs weren't found? Why did they trust Clinton after lying under oath about his affair? Why trust Bush Sr. after the "read my lips" gaffe? I think I know why. BECAUSE THEY WEREN'T RELEVANT TO THE US GOV'TS ABILITY TO PAY BACK DEBT!

The above clip is common sense? No, it's narrow minded partisan hackery with a large dose of absolute ignorance of economic policy, regardless of your ideology.

>> ^neatorama:

How could he not die from hypothermia?


They are way too busy being fucking awesome to have time for that.

How could he not die from hypothermia?

@westy

In that situation, however, you'd have someone else to spray it on for you. A coach or someone else. And I doubt they'd wear this because it doesn't seem all that aerodynamic to me. It looks very fluffy, not anything like the skin-tight suits that athletes wear.

Also, the more I think about it, the sillier a "booth" idea is. There's no way a booth can estimate your exact dimensions to properly give you a shirt, so you'll either end up with this in your hair, or have some form of tube top.

Also:

You:
"what are you on about vacume rapping ?"
"for example if u wanted to protect something as a way of rapping things quickly could be equivelent to vacume packing"

There's no way this material would be able to vacuum seal anything, it's a FABRIC, fabrics BREATHE. Even Astronauts space-suits have a layer of rubber and kevlar. Surgeons already have skin-tight gloves, it's a requirement, and how do you expect this to act as a raincoat when it doesn't repel water?

If you're in a survival situation, why wouldn't you already be prepared with thick gloves and a thick jacket, and even still, how would a paper-thin fabric retain enough heat to stave off either hypothermia or frostbite?

The only thing this opens up is field-bandaging, as anything else it basically flops.

Before you start opening up with more things it could do, think about that for a while. What practical use could it serve, and how would it achieve that?

I heard a guy talking on NPR that was there when this picture was taken. He said that this bird was still saved. They don't die just because they're covered in oil. They die of hypothermia because they can't leave the water or dry out their feathers.

Not trying to say this is a good thing. Just that there's some hope for some of them.

The enormous human was protected from the dangers of Hypothermia due to a thick layer of blubber.

And now, it's time for a Yo' mama joke.

>> ^Shepppard:

Dude, give it up. you can't prove the cat died of hypothermia, but you also can't prove it didn't, either.


The "you can't disprove it" argument? Give me a break.


The only thing the guy has to go on is that it was sent to a vet that he doesn't know, who said the most likely cause of death was uterine toxity. Now, many things could've happened there.
We don't know what made the kittens die, maybe it was complications, maybe it had something to do with why the cat froze to death, too.


No, we go with whatever explanation is more likely based on the evidence and keep it in context of the situation. And you are weighting the autopsy far, far down in reliability while simultaneously taking the "clean bill of health" the morning before as completely accurate. It's the pet equivalent of a doctor's checkup - it's not going to predict a stroke the next day or a thousand other serious conditions.


The ONLY thing's we know about this video, guy sends a healthy pregnant kitty to someone else on a plane. Cat gets put on plane. Cat is dead and frozen (Twice) upon arrival. There's no middle ground there, we have no information on what happened while it was in the cargo hold of the plane, so for all we know, the landing gear didn't fully close and caused a small draft, at that altitude, the temperature would already be incredibly low, not to mention that it's winter.

We don't need that information, but it would be helpful. Also, have you noticed that most of your argument is actually speculation? What we know is:

1. Pregnant cat gets a checkup and deemed healthy
2. Dies during air travel
3. Described as frozen on arrival
4. Vetinarian's autopsy says the cat died of uterine toxicity from dead kittens.

What's more likely, the checkup couldn't catch that sort of death impending and "frozen" was rigor mortis plus a cooled body, OR, there was some sort of major mechanical failure in the aircraft AND the autopsy was wildy innacurate. Given the available information, it's much more likely to be uterine toxicity.



Now, if it was ME in this situation, and I not only sold a cat to someone for $2500, but one that I'd loved and had for years, I'd probably be pretty pissed off too. And being as the cat was healthy THAT MORNING, the only logical explanation is that something happened to it, more then likely while it was in the planes care. And if they can't prove misconduct on the airlines part, I believe they forfeit any rights to sue for the loss of not only his money, but his pet.


And you complained at me for attempting to "prove" it one way or another? I refuse to ever make a claim of absolute certainty and you just said that literally the only logical explanation was something happened to it.


So, yeah. I'd want my own autopsy on it, too.

The airline offered the cat so he could get his own autopsy but he declined.

>> ^Lieu:
This is why we humans fail so much. "...any evidence I could have gotten to prove death of hypothermia is out the window."
Talk about confirmation bias.
What an idiot. This guy decided long before the autopsy what the cause of death was. The autopsy, the best method by far of establishing unknown death, says uterine toxity from death of kittens? Too bad, there's no changing his mind now. Intuition and cognitive bias "triumphs" yet again. Intuition says cold = hypothermia. How about after any cause of death metabolism stops and the body cools to its surroundings? How about looking at all explanations objectively?
Depressing. Now Joe Average will watch this and think automatically the airline must have "done" something to the cat and pay no attention to the actual vet's diagnosis.



Dude, give it up. you can't prove the cat died of hypothermia, but you also can't prove it didn't, either.

The only thing the guy has to go on is that it was sent to a vet that he doesn't know, who said the most likely cause of death was uterine toxity. Now, many things could've happened there.

We don't know what made the kittens die, maybe it was complications, maybe it had something to do with why the cat froze to death, too.

The ONLY thing's we know about this video, guy sends a healthy pregnant kitty to someone else on a plane. Cat gets put on plane. Cat is dead and frozen (Twice) upon arrival. There's no middle ground there, we have no information on what happened while it was in the cargo hold of the plane, so for all we know, the landing gear didn't fully close and caused a small draft, at that altitude, the temperature would already be incredibly low, not to mention that it's winter.

Now, if it was ME in this situation, and I not only sold a cat to someone for $2500, but one that I'd loved and had for years, I'd probably be pretty pissed off too. And being as the cat was healthy THAT MORNING, the only logical explanation is that something happened to it, more then likely while it was in the planes care. And if they can't prove misconduct on the airlines part, I believe they forfeit any rights to sue for the loss of not only his money, but his pet. So, yeah. I'd want my own autopsy on it, too.

This is why we humans fail so much. "...any evidence I could have gotten to prove death of hypothermia is out the window."

Talk about confirmation bias.

What an idiot. This guy decided long before the autopsy what the cause of death was. The autopsy, the best method by far of establishing unknown death, says uterine toxity from death of kittens? Too bad, there's no changing his mind now. Intuition and cognitive bias "triumphs" yet again. Intuition says cold = hypothermia. How about after any cause of death metabolism stops and the body cools to its surroundings? How about looking at all explanations objectively?

Depressing. Now Joe Average will watch this and think automatically the airline must have "done" something to the cat and pay no attention to the actual vet's diagnosis.

We don't HAVE TO stone them to death, they die of hypothermia.

^Wow. Looks absolutely beautiful, kulpims. I just love how the water is that striking aqua-blue color from the mineral sediments. The lakes in northern Montana were of this color, and it was a sight to behold. Just be careful of hypothermia. That sounds waaay to cold for me!

WTF!! Do any of these Republicans realize how insane they have become?? THe top candidate for the Presidential Primary (yet-to-announce) is saying Cuba is bad because mental institution used shock therapy??

Can anyone explain to him that Gitmo is IN CUBA?! He is implying Castro is a bad guy for wrongful imprisonment and torture? What the hell does that make Bush?

At least the Cuban film maker LIVED and was released after a few years. Sadly, as horrific a concept as this is.. I'd welcome shock therapy over what is done to US-held detainees. We are going from one dry-drunk, ex-coke addict.. to another.

“a 27-year-old Iraqi male died while being interrogated by Navy Seals on April 5, 2004, in Mosul, Iraq. During his confinement he was hooded, flex-cuffed, sleep deprived and subjected to hot and cold environmental conditions, including the use of cold water on his body and head. The exact cause of death was ‘undetermined’ although the autopsy stated that hypothermia may have contributed to his death.”
An overwhelming majority of the so-called “natural deaths” covered in the autopsies were attributed to “arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease” (heart attack). Persons under extreme stress and pain may have heart attacks as a result of the circumstances of their detainments.

The Department of Defense released the autopsy reports in response to a Freedom of Information Act request filed by the ACLU, the Center for Constitutional Rights, Physicians for Human Rights, Veterans for Common Sense, and Veterans for Peace.

One of forty-four U.S. military autopsy reports reads as follows: “Final Autopsy Report: DOD 003164, (Detainee) Died as a result of asphyxia (lack of oxygen to the brain) due to strangulation as evidenced by the recently fractured hyoid bone in the neck and soft tissue hemorrhage extending downward to the level of the right thyroid cartilage. Autopsy revealed bone fracture, rib fractures, contusions in mid abdomen, back and buttocks extending to the left flank, abrasions, lateral buttocks. Contusions, back of legs and knees; abrasions on knees, left fingers and encircling to left wrist. Lacerations and superficial cuts, right 4th and 5th fingers. Also, blunt force injuries, predominately recent contusions (bruises) on the torso and lower extremities. Abrasions on left wrist are consistent with use of restraints. No evidence of defense injuries or natural disease. Manner of death is homicide. Whitehorse Detainment Facility, Nasiriyah, Iraq.”

Those instruments they're using look absurdly antiquated. Also, I don't simply accept the assertion that anyone else trying the wet sheet thing would 'probably die' of hypothermia. Looks to me like they're just tensing their muscles! That could consume a large amount of energy. Where's the control experiment with athletes or eskimos or whatever? And who is this Herbert Benson guy? Apparently soneone hell bent on getting all manner of intercessory prayer, 'Qi energy', and 'mind-body' (read: woo-woo) type healing accepted by the mainstream. Nevermind the (well controlled) studies that continually refute this kind of nonsense. Sorry History Channel but you fail it. once again.

here's what i'm talking about:
http://www.videosift.com/video/MAN-VS-WILD-How-to-survive-hypothermia

Man vs Wild is an amazing series on Discovery channel. This guy has some serious balls going out to the most remote places on earth and forcing himself to find his way back to civilization armed only with shit like a knife. when he jumped into the that frozen lake on purpose, stayed in there for like a minute, got out and shed all his clothes in the freezing wind and sat naked by the fire, all to fight off hypothermia, this guy just made the list in my head for the ranking "most balls on earth"


SERIOUS props to Bear Grylls

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Man_vs_wild