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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>No thanks, Al. The bet you propose isn't well
formed enough to interest me.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>There is a non zero probability that George W Bush
might die, resign or </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>be impeached before 20 January 2009. And any of
those outcomes </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>*might* be to the net good. That's net American or
United States'ian </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>good (leaving the rest of the world out of it
except in so far as the US is</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>going to have to continue to be part of the world
after its 43rd President</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>is long gone). I'm still mulling that
over. His absence prior to 20 January</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>2009 could constitute a </FONT><FONT face=Arial
size=2>real </FONT><FONT face=Arial size=2>opportunity for improvement but could
also </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>introduce new areas of risk. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>My current reading of George W Bush is that he
genuinely wants to finish</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>what he started with respect to Iraq. He wants to
keep his promises </FONT><FONT face=Arial size=2>to </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>those </FONT><FONT face=Arial size=2>Iraqis that
voted in the election. He also wants to avoid </FONT><FONT face=Arial
size=2>impeachment.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>And </FONT><FONT face=Arial size=2>the shame
and historical approbium of having taken </FONT><FONT face=Arial
size=2>decisions </FONT><FONT face=Arial size=2>that did</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>more </FONT><FONT face=Arial size=2>harm than
good. I think he really *wants* to do some good on his </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>watch. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Brett Paatsch</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV>----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
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<DIV
style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: black"><B>From:</B>
<A title=kerry_prez@yahoo.com href="mailto:kerry_prez@yahoo.com">Al Brooks</A>
</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A
title=extropy-chat@lists.extropy.org
href="mailto:extropy-chat@lists.extropy.org">ExI chat list</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Tuesday, August 23, 2005 9:35
AM</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: [extropy-chat] a futurist
prediction</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV>good gravy! Did mean in fact to write January 20th 2009, the
date the FBNF informed me of-- a simple clerical error. But Bret,
now that you've taken the bait, would you care to wager an unmarked
futurist-extropian-transhumanist three dollar bill that the
administration sworn in on January 20th Two Thousand Nine inherits the Iraq
occupation from its predecessor the Bush administration? All wagers are
tax deductible.<BR><BR><B><I>Brett Paatsch
<bpaatsch@bigpond.net.au></I></B> wrote:
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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I'd be inclined to bet to the contrary Al. I
could be wrong but here's my</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>reasoning.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>The January inauguration will have to follow
the election which would </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>take place </FONT><FONT face=Arial size=2>on 2
November 2008. 4 years after 2 November 2004. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Brett Paatsch</FONT></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></DIV>
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