While this video has raised quite a conversation did anyone else notice that this song sucks?

Guess no one else took a music appreciation course.

Just some context. The full story below:

http://www.billoreilly.com/b/Enabling-Evil/-886315675367237274.html

I don't really feel the need to comment on Bill O'Reilly, MSNBC, etc. If you need your 'news' and opinions spoon fed to you keep tuning in.

I'll stick to reading a variety of newspapers and thinking about them.

New jobs have been created in the last six years but the economy started at such a low point it has taken a long time to recover. Presidents and politicians, republican or democrat, have only limited control over local, national, and international economies.

Source: http://blogs.wsj.com/economics/2014/12/05/in-ranking-presidents-by-job-creation-obama-still-lags/

In regard to degree majors students just need to have realistic expectations of what each degree prepares them for career and earnings wise. Even though majoring in education does not return the highest income it is still valuable and important that people study it. Similarly all the majors you list are important, but they may not have a great return on investment. However of the majors you listed Animal Science, Psychology, and Hotel Management all easily transition into either real jobs or graduate work that leads to real jobs. You seem to have picked majors at random.

https://cew.georgetown.edu/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/whatsitworth-complete.pdf

On a more anecdotal note I am seeing more "Hiring" signs in local shops and restaurants than I have in the past five years.

I have noticed it, but most of the time it is tied to economics. IE taxes, jobs, fees, etc they feel they are being burdened with. The racial component is there, but it is just a part of overall disdain for the poor. They don't like paying taxes, perceive that 'others' are not paying their fair share and tie it to a racial comment. Yet, most of the people I hear complaining live an outstanding lifestyle with an abundance of free time and money.

That said - the speaker in this video confuses me. While his explanation of 'White Fragility' makes sense he doesn't tie it to Treyvon, Ferguson, Charleston, in a very convincing way.

What I keep seeing in the media and online is a constant battle about details and phrases. 'Thug', 'Terrorist', 'Racist', and confederate flags. They want to talk ad nauseam about these things instead of the overarching long term effects of economic disenfranchisement, gun control, and a broken criminal justice system that is difficult for both the police and the general public (e.g. drug prohibition and criminalization).

Online I see people figuratively shouting at each other and "picking sides". Some people have nothing but disdain for the police and some have nothing but disdain for minorities and poor people.

Instead we need to have disdain for bad ideas, policies, and actions.

President Obama's speech was very insightful. He recognizes the multiple obstacles to reducing violence and the limited political will to really effect change.

I found this article interesting:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1071634/

*dead

My wife and I went from a hodge podge of dull knives (Ikea, Target, etc) to some Shun knives from our wedding.

I have to say it does make cooking easier and more enjoyable. Good technique is helpful with cheap or expensive knives.

If you take care of good knives they should last a lifetime.

@GenjiKilpatrick

Not asking you to hug it out with him. I am suggesting that you don't incite him and goad him into responding to you in kind.

I hear your frustration - that is coming through loud and clear.

I've seen Bob make comments that are out of line - I have also seen him just share his perspective and opinion. Granted it is very different than my own or yours and generally not well represented on these forums.

Goading him isn't helpful. It won't serve you or him at all.

Consider that you could have a good open dialogue with someone you fundamentally disagree with and gain valuable insight into why he thinks the way he does. He may, in turn, begin to understand the way you think. That doesn't mean that either of you will change your opinions, but you both may understand the issue(s) from a different perspective. Most importantly, you may find common ground.

Bad behavior is bad behavior no matter if it is white, black, citizen, or police officer.

What is sad is that even though only a minority of protesters and police engage in bad behavior we and the media spend our time focusing on these individuals and nitpicking about the reasons instead of finding common ground and working together.

Certain communities and groups in this country need help more than others. We need less finger pointing and more helping hands.

The white people in that video? Thugs. The protesters who turned violent? Thugs. Police officers breaking the laws they are sworn to protect? Thugs. The definition of thug is "a violent criminal."

Trying to incite a flameware like @GenjiKilpatrick did above is not helpful and falls just short of an ad hominem attack. Do you think @bobknight33 and you really disagree about a bunch of white hoodlums knocking over portapottys or bankers stealing millions? If you take a step back you probably agree on more than you might think.

Meh. It isn't a great steak but it isn't Ruth Chris or Morton's prices either.

Haven't been to one in a decade but seemed ok for what it was.

That is on Elston Avenue in Chicago.

Pharma reps also often have a spending quota. You read that write, they HAVE to spend a certain amount of money on dinners etc each month.

They don't care if you are even a doctor in a specialty that could write for their drug.

@GaussZ

I've not been to Brick Lane but there are similar areas in Chicago. Chinatown has endless Chinese restaurants on the south side. Devon Avenue on the north has curry place after curry place.

These exist for a few reasons.

First, immigrants often naturally group together in certain areas of a city. This is very true of Chicago if you study the demographic profiles. It is not surprising that people want to open a business in the community they live in and eat food they are familiar with.

Second, these streets become destinations in and of themselves. "Let's go get some curry up on Devon Ave (Chicago) or Brick Lane (London)." You may not even have a particular restaurant in mind - you just go there and see what you find.

I would guess that those restaurants are able to survive because they exist in a community where there is high demand for their goods.

Those businesses are competing with each other but there is enough demand for their product in one area that they can all stay open.

Going back to the beach analogy it is like everyone on the beach wanting a LOT of ice cream AND people travelling to the beach because it is known for its great ice cream (presumably they know how to make the best ice cream, curry etc).

Back to my earlier comment, restaurants do like being next to one another and they would prefer if the product is different. Why?

Imagine there are two retail spaces available in a town that has no restaurants. You want to open a curry restaurant in one of the spaces and sign a lease with the landlord to do so. Ideally you are the ONLY restaurant in town. If people want to eat out they have to come to you. Now the landlord wants to lease out the other space - what would you like to see there most? Another Curry Restaurant, a pizza place, or an ice cream shop?

I can tell you for a fact that fast casual restaurants in the USA love being next to a Starbucks because people got to Starbucks everyday. That means if you sell sandwiches people know exactly where you are. They see you everyday and you are right next door to one of their favorite establishments etc.

@newtboy

That is pretty much correct. I've met with the Starbucks people a few times and know people who have worked there or with them.

It is similar to the restaurant discussion above. Everyone wants their coffee at the same time and they can only turn them out so fast.

In addition they want you going to Starbucks, not the Dunkin that is closer to your office.

They may also be in transition in that market - a corner spot may have opened up so they leased that in addition to their two other stores.

Every major retailer crunches a lot of data when picking stores. The metrics are usually very good at predicting sales / market share.

@ant This happens pretty frequently. It works when the market is big enough (demand) to support both of them.

Taking it back to the video - a very crowded beach could support two vendors right next to each other.

This is why retailers love good population density.