Rock on.
Sunday, September 30, 2012
Danny Boy
When I was 19 or so I was doing summer office temping to earn my college beer money. Not that I drank beer then, of course, because that would have been illegal. I was just saving up for when I could drink it. Anyway, at one of my jobs another worker was engaged to Danny Bonaduce. I don't think they ever married, but he used to call all the time. I was the receptionist, manning the phones.
There is no point to this story other than I was reminded of it when somebody tried to eat his face.
There is no point to this story other than I was reminded of it when somebody tried to eat his face.
Reinvent It As A Nice Place To Live
One day cities will stop chasing tourists.
Don't get me wrong. Obviously a gambling city will always be a tourist destination, but with all that money pouring in you should figure out how to make some people want to live in your city by the beach.
Don't get me wrong. Obviously a gambling city will always be a tourist destination, but with all that money pouring in you should figure out how to make some people want to live in your city by the beach.
If It's Sunday
This Week has an EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH CHRIS CHRISTIE MUST CREDIT THIS WEEK, Plouffe, Barbour, and Dean.
Meet The Press has an EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH CHRIS CHRISTIE MUST CREDIT MEET THE PRESS, Ed Rendell.
Face the Nation has an EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH CHRIS CHRISTIE MUST CREDIT FACE THE NATION, Disgraced Former Speaker Newt Gingrich, and Marcia Blackburn.
Document the atrocities! Oh wait. I think I just did.
Meet The Press has an EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH CHRIS CHRISTIE MUST CREDIT MEET THE PRESS, Ed Rendell.
Face the Nation has an EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH CHRIS CHRISTIE MUST CREDIT FACE THE NATION, Disgraced Former Speaker Newt Gingrich, and Marcia Blackburn.
Document the atrocities! Oh wait. I think I just did.
Message: I Zing
We all know most "zing" moments in debates are pre-scripted, but why would you advertise that?
Really weird people.
Really weird people.
October Surprise
I'm not one who thinks this race is over. Things can change pretty fast. But I do find it interesting that I don't see the normal fretting from online Dems about some sort of October surprise. There's usually this sense that there's the +9 Spell Of Vanquishing sitting in Karl Rove's pocket, and we're just waiting for him to pull it out and use it. I don't see those concerns this time.
Questions
What would it take to get you to bail on the pres. line on your ballot? What could Team Dem line up on that would lead you to say "Fuck, no!"? I'd say something like reproductive rights, but the Senate Majority Leader is anti-choice.
I can't say anything related to "national security" because "Yay! Dead bin Laden" and the only people the drones kill are terrorists, and no, we're not gonna tell you who we killed because the fact we killed them is doubledownsecret, so STFU and get in line.
All we got is the New Deal social insurance systems, Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid (which is the backstop when they cash out your house to pay for the nursing home) and Unemployment Insurance. So maybe a good question to ask your elected officials running for office is whether reduction in these programs is off the table--despite Bowles-Simpson, and Dancin' Dave slavering after "pain."
I can't say anything related to "national security" because "Yay! Dead bin Laden" and the only people the drones kill are terrorists, and no, we're not gonna tell you who we killed because the fact we killed them is doubledownsecret, so STFU and get in line.
All we got is the New Deal social insurance systems, Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid (which is the backstop when they cash out your house to pay for the nursing home) and Unemployment Insurance. So maybe a good question to ask your elected officials running for office is whether reduction in these programs is off the table--despite Bowles-Simpson, and Dancin' Dave slavering after "pain."
Friday, September 28, 2012
They've Always Been Nuts
Not sure why people think Republicans are crazier than ever. I'm so old I remember when Jesse Helms was their elder statesman.
A Heartwarming Tale Of A Bake Sale And A Fundraising Concert
This enrages me. The other thing which enrages me are heartwarming local interest stories about a community and friends who got together and figured out how to raise the $180,000 needed to keep somebody's kid from dying of cancer or whatever. That people do this is heartwarming, that it is necessary means we're monsters.
Say Anything
For those who didn't live through or who understandably just tuned the whole thing out, it's probably hard to understand just how insane the coverage of the Clintons were. You could go on teevee and get away with accusing them of literally anything and everything. It's as if something like this was happening 24/7.
Dear Residents Of Philly
Yes there should be a regional rail stop at the zoo, but currently the 15 trolley will drop you right there.
City hall to the zoo, token+transfer = $2.55
Suck On It
It should go without saying (but it doesn't) that hostility to nonviolent public protests is hostility to democracy, hostility to the nobler parts of our history, hostility to our constitution and the right of free association, and basic contempt for the idea that the proles should have any meaningful way to express their grievances.
Asshole.
Asshole.
Progress
With all things immigration, it's deeds not words I look at, as that's one messed up system we have, but words are a start.
Same-sex couples will be considered “family relationships” in immigration proceedings, according to Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano, a move that could help stem the deportation of those in gay or lesbian binational relationships.
Close family ties to the United States are a factor considered by authorities in deportation cases, and gay and lesbian advocates have long argued for same-sex couples to have the same immigration rights as opposite-sex couples.
What's The Matter With Chicago
One interesting thing from the 2010 Census was that Chicago had lost quite a bit of population (-200K) since 2000, which was a bit weird given that from an outsider's perspective it seemed to be doing pretty well. And the central core - that an outsider like me is likely to see - is doing pretty well, but the other areas are emptying out.
Coverage
If the wingnut shock troops show up, the media coverage will be about the local African-American voters harassing true patriots.
Nobody Ever Took A Bus Before America
This is probably the stupidest thing I've ever read. Until tomorrow anyway.
First, Greyhound is actually owned by a British company at the moment.
Second, medium and long distance bus service is neither particularly American nor strange for Europe (it's common).
There are plenty of long distance bus rides in Yurp. You can even get from London to Paris for five pounds. On the bus. Which is not uniquely American. Because stupid.
First, Greyhound is actually owned by a British company at the moment.
Second, medium and long distance bus service is neither particularly American nor strange for Europe (it's common).
There are plenty of long distance bus rides in Yurp. You can even get from London to Paris for five pounds. On the bus. Which is not uniquely American. Because stupid.
There Is An Alternative!!
I know there isn't a realistically likely to happen alternative, but we should be careful not to mix the "won't happen" with the "can't happen."
The ECB should give lots of free money to the government, and then give lots of free money to the citizens. And they should throw a fabulous party! That would improve things.
In other words, the straight economics of the situation suggests that Spain doesn’t need more austerity. It shouldn’t throw a party, and, in fact, it probably has no alternative (short of euro exit) to a protracted period of hard times. But savage cuts to essential public services, to aid to the needy, and so on actually hurt the country’s prospects for successful adjustment.
The ECB should give lots of free money to the government, and then give lots of free money to the citizens. And they should throw a fabulous party! That would improve things.
Thursday, September 27, 2012
Peak
I love technology despite being a bit of a technology will save the world skeptic. It's late, so I'll keep this uncharacteristically brief, but even if they work as promised, self-driving cars don't do anything to help the peak commute congestion problem, which, aside from environmental issues, is the big car problem.
Own It
Polls aside, my take on Dems and various social issues has been that everybody "knows" the Dems are for mandatory abortions and for forcing you to gay marry your box turtle, so they might as well take ownership of it.
Now it finally seems that they are.
Now it finally seems that they are.
Parking
East Passyunk area has gone from being a pretty lifeless fading commercial corridor to a near-thriving one. I say near because it doesn't quite have the all day foot traffic it should have, but it's getting pretty close. And so there are now neighborhood parking problems. The nearby supermarket lot, which was an unofficial free municipal lot for people without Philly car registrations for years, has declared that they are actually going to start towing now as non-customers are crowding out the customers in the lot.
Hopefully things like this valet parking program provide a solution. It seems like too many in the city would choose "available parking" over "nice thriving commercial corridor."
Hopefully things like this valet parking program provide a solution. It seems like too many in the city would choose "available parking" over "nice thriving commercial corridor."
Priorities
What the Guardian tells us about Spain's latest budget.
Social spending will be the focus of the cuts says Santamaria.
...
She confirms that tomorrow we will learn the results of the analysis of Spain's banks before they ask for some of the €100bn of bailout money on offer to them.
And How Much Did They Spend
I'm not surprised Facebook is a hyperactive mess on the advertising side. They're the same on the user interface side.
Meanwhile, Adam Kmiec, the Global Director of Digital Marketing and Social Media at the Campbell Soup Company, said Facebook "is the most A.D.D. company I've ever seen."
Kmiec says Facebook has changed its ad products every few months, creating tremendous confusion among its clients. Kmiec suggested, for example, that Facebook may be about to kill "Reach Generator," a huge product it announced a huge launch conference earlier this year in New York. Until recently, Kmiec said, Facebook has also refused to share much data with its clients, making it "really tough for marketers and partners" to judge how their campaigns and content are doing.
The Great Blogger Ethics Panel Of Aught Three
It's fascinating how little attention the WSJ (and Fox) undisclosed conflict of interest issue has received. Back in 2003, the greatest threat to the Republic was that some blogger somewhere might have some undisclosed financial connection to something. Hell, back then, even disclosed connections caused the fainting couches to come out. Because ethics.
Kill This Law Already
Kudos to the people who are making the effort.
The state can't possibly issue all of the needed IDs, even if people do make the effort.
A DAY AFTER the state announced a streamlined process for getting a voting-only ID, long lines at some PennDOT offices forced patrons to wait for hours on Wednesday.
The state can't possibly issue all of the needed IDs, even if people do make the effort.
Wednesday, September 26, 2012
Of Course
Donald Trump is building a golf course. On top of a dump. On Buttrick Avenue. And it's spewing dangerous levels of gas.
Tenant Protections
I'm certainly one who thinks that greater availability of rental properties, and perhaps a larger long term renter class is a good thing, but it's hard to see how bulk buys of housing by investors doesn't just end in an abusive slumlord scenario.
We're going to need stronger tenant protections in most places, including some form of soft rent control for long term tenants, if that is going to work well...
We're going to need stronger tenant protections in most places, including some form of soft rent control for long term tenants, if that is going to work well...
Peak Car
It'll be interesting to see if the flat/downward trend continues or if it'll be reversed if and when unemployment is ever improved.
The peak of miles traveled was reached in 2007, but per capita miles traveled reached its peak in 2004.
The peak of miles traveled was reached in 2007, but per capita miles traveled reached its peak in 2004.
Wanker of the Day
Eric Posner.
People who wax wankerly about curtailing the first amendment know speech restrictions would never apply to them because they are who they are.
People who wax wankerly about curtailing the first amendment know speech restrictions would never apply to them because they are who they are.
Coverage
If Pennsylvania's voter suppression law remains on the books (which it might not), the media coverage will play out something like this. Thousands of African-Americans will not be able to vote, and a few elderly white Republican women in rural PA won't be able to either. Somehow this will be the fault of liberals and ACORN and will get all of the attention.
Keep Hope Alive
I suppose the Grand Poll Conspiracy is aimed at potential donors and voters who might lose hope and stay home?
Or maybe they're just nuts.
Or maybe they're just nuts.
Because They Can
Yes our Galtian Overlords are hitting the Full Asshole phase of their life cycles.
They'll probably start trying to rig the players' salaries, next.
They'll probably start trying to rig the players' salaries, next.
Tuesday, September 25, 2012
The Mirror Is Not The Universe
Holy entitled crap, batman.
Today’s teens and Millennials are often called the entitled generation for a reason. They expect to drive their very own fully-loaded luxury vehicle with retractable roof and multi-speaker audio system. If they can’t have their specific dream car, then they don’t want anything and won’t waste time getting a driver’s license. Past generations of young drivers, by comparison, were satisfied with any piece of metal that moved.
My brother and I, like many other Millennials, weren’t willing to downgrade, compromise, or to be forced to drive a parent’s vehicle. I received my license at age seventeen only after I had my red convertible sitting in the driveway. My brother refused to even look at the driver’s manual until he received his BMW at age eighteen. It is this sense of entitlement that is reshaping how automakers market and develop vehicles to appeal to Millennials. “It’s an entire soup-to-nuts makeover. The old recipe isn’t going to work,” says Hubert.
Foxy
Stay Classy.
The food stamp stuff pisses me off. I often see people buying things with food stamps, and it's quite clear that many of them are... not sure what the word is. Somewhat infirm? They can get around, but they have some semi-visible ailment which would make doing many types of jobs almost impossible. And, yes, you can earn some money and get food stamps so I'm not assuming all of these people are unemployed, just that I can imagine that for many of them most full time work really is not an option even if there are any jobs.
The food stamp stuff pisses me off. I often see people buying things with food stamps, and it's quite clear that many of them are... not sure what the word is. Somewhat infirm? They can get around, but they have some semi-visible ailment which would make doing many types of jobs almost impossible. And, yes, you can earn some money and get food stamps so I'm not assuming all of these people are unemployed, just that I can imagine that for many of them most full time work really is not an option even if there are any jobs.
What's That Buzzing Overhead
It's good to see someone address the issue of the inevitable trauma caused by living in a world where flying death robots blow shit up seemingly at random.
Turn It Off
If you don't like what the NFL is doing, stop watching.
...adding, you should do this even if you don't give a shit about the refs. This isn't a strike, it's a lockout. The NFL is serving you a crappy product.
...adding, you should do this even if you don't give a shit about the refs. This isn't a strike, it's a lockout. The NFL is serving you a crappy product.
People On The Internet Are Stupid
Put this in the category of "things which don't matter at all but are annoying me." I don't have an iPhone. I didn't even have any kind of smart phone until about a month ago. It doesn't matter to me if their new maps program is crap and doesn't have transit directions.
But it's amusing to see large numbers of people on the internets arguing that we all managed to get around fine before we had good maps and directions on our phones so what kind of idiot are you who needs that.
ok.
But it's amusing to see large numbers of people on the internets arguing that we all managed to get around fine before we had good maps and directions on our phones so what kind of idiot are you who needs that.
ok.
Silly Bloomberg
Don't you understand that we just need to look forward?
A defining feature of the 2008 financial crisis has been the dearth of criminal prosecutions. Rightly or wrongly, people have gotten the impression that the sheriff is asleep. The global Libor scandal has the potential to change that.
Morning Thread
Lots of unhappy football fans this morning. As Diane of Cab Drollery points out in comments, all of the teams are having to deal with the incompetence of the officiating. Maybe the owners should rethink their stance.
Monday, September 24, 2012
Oh The Suffering
I say a prayer and weep for bank executives every night.
As Wall Street has faced a string of scandals, bank executives, investors and customers have suffered. But one group is thriving: lawyers.
How Small Is Too Small
220 sq. ft. apartments won't be mandated, but they might be allowed.
On Tuesday, the Board of Supervisors will consider tweaking the city's building code, which requires newly constructed units to be at least 290 square feet.Curious what people think. This is in San Francisco.
Baby Steps
Except possibly for California, we're unlikely to see "true" HSR being built many places in this country, but if we can put a bit more money into it we can do small improvements here and there that can slowly nudge up top speeds on more and more track.
160MPH for the Acela is pretty good, but the key is to increase, where possible, the bits of track where anything even near that is possible.
160MPH for the Acela is pretty good, but the key is to increase, where possible, the bits of track where anything even near that is possible.
Obviously This Will Work
If I actually believed that this was simply a story about evil plutocrats stealing from the rest of us I'd at least have a bit of respect. Oddly I don't actually believe that. Sure there are evil plutocrats stealing from the rest of us, ones who know what they're doing, but I also think that a lot of the people who rule us are just idiots.
Recession-hit Spaniards will this week be told to swallow yet more austerity as the government prepares a fresh round of reforms and another budget filled with spending cuts and tax increases that will allow it to seek a bailout from eurozone partners.
Pension freezes are also expected to form part of a raft measures to prepare the way for the European Central Bank (ECB) to give Spain support to control borrowing costs that will eat up a large chunk of next year's budget.
Is This True?
It's certainly possible it's true in some sense, in that there's no course of study actually called "civics" but it'd be nice if Edsall provided some judgment about whether this guy is just mainlining Limbaugh or if he has an actual point.
City and state officials, he went on,
eliminated civics from our curriculum. The students don’t know about civics, they don’t know about our history, our government, our constitution. Politicians say they are going to give people things for free to get elected. That is what’s happening in Pennsylvania, especially in Lehigh Valley.
Balzer added that “the white guys got pushed out” of Allentown and neighboring communities, in part by a wave of Hispanic immigration. Balzer, who joined the exodus to areas outside of Allentown, said he and others want to “get away from the whole erosion of the country.”
Sunday, September 23, 2012
No Surprise
My basic observation during my time in academia was that women and minorities had to get over a higher bar to succeed. If they did get over that bar, they were treated pretty well. Basically I mean it was harder for them to join the club, but once they got in it was ok for them.
...adding, I didn't meant to suggest that once past the hiring and tenure stages academia becomes a shining example of utopian gender equality. I just meant that it was very clear to me that women did have to be that much better to succeed at those times. Post-tenure, from what I've seen, women are accepted members of the club, but that's not the same thing as saying that magically all of the gender issues disappear then. The original bit of this post incorporated low expectations too much, as in "well they're treated pretty well once they get over those hurdles," with "pretty well" meaning "not clear discrimination all the time."
...adding, I didn't meant to suggest that once past the hiring and tenure stages academia becomes a shining example of utopian gender equality. I just meant that it was very clear to me that women did have to be that much better to succeed at those times. Post-tenure, from what I've seen, women are accepted members of the club, but that's not the same thing as saying that magically all of the gender issues disappear then. The original bit of this post incorporated low expectations too much, as in "well they're treated pretty well once they get over those hurdles," with "pretty well" meaning "not clear discrimination all the time."
Team America
Juicing 12-year-olds are our priority.
One day she took home a permission slip. It said that to participate in the club or any school sport, she would have to consent to drug testing.
Sunday Bobbleheads
Meet the Press has Deval Patrick and Kelly Ayotte.
Face the Nation has the Clenis.
This Week has Axelrod and Priebus.
Document the atrocities!
Face the Nation has the Clenis.
This Week has Axelrod and Priebus.
Document the atrocities!
Avedon
When I'm feeling hopeless I listen to Avedon.
Update: h/t James Fallows. Elizabeth Drew on voter suppression.
Still feeling hopeless. But Helplessly Hoping.
Update: h/t James Fallows. Elizabeth Drew on voter suppression.
Still feeling hopeless. But Helplessly Hoping.
Saturday, September 22, 2012
Empty Parks
Preserving wilderness is great, though in doing so there's a question of how much human access you should allow to that wilderness. But urban parks aren't wilderness. They aren't really even nature, even though they might have have some grass and trees. They're spaces which should be welcoming to humans and human activity, though for some reason lots of people like to pretend they're bits of unspoiled wilderness. They aren't.
Friday, September 21, 2012
Now What
I'm not going to say this is an unjust sentence - and it could have been worse! - but the fact is that living without a car
UPPER PROVIDENCE, Pa. (CBS) — An elderly Montgomery County woman has been spared jail time after being convicted of leaving the scene of a crash in April of last year where a pedestrian was killed.
...
The judge also sentenced Maurer to five years’ probation and took away her driving privileges while she’s under court supervision — a total of seven years.
...in comments PJ informs me that she can't live in Upper Providence. I assumed that from the byline. It's actually worse, she lives near Gilbertsville (map fixed and changed).
I Don't Think They Know What They're Doing
No you are not going to get New Yorkers to come to Philadelphia to watch the orchestra in significant numbers.
But unlike the multimillion-dollar budgets that president Allison B. Vulgamore says have accompanied music-director launches at other orchestras, Philadelphia's came with only a small increase in the marketing and advertising budgets. The orchestra believes it can lure listeners from the New York area - even though it already maintains a Carnegie Hall season - and took out a full-page advertisement in the New York Times' fall arts-preview section. The ad was underwritten by an orchestra board member, Vulgamore said.
Money
I've held the somewhat heretical view that maybe all that Citizens United and related money (a lot of the spending doesn't actually have much to do with the decision, it's more that the decision seemed to cause a cultural shift for our billionaires) wouldn't actually be the worst thing in the world for liberal politics. I'm not going to say it doesn't matter at all, or that it will never matter, but it might not matter quite as much as people thought.
Important People Drive
It took a long time for transit directions to be incorporated into Google maps, but once they were it really became the "killer app" for smartphones for a certain portion of the population. You know, people who walk and use transit. Increasingly people have maps in their cars already.
I'm not surprised transit directions weren't a priority for Apple. This is what their new office park is going to look like.
Just not something on their minds.
I'm not surprised transit directions weren't a priority for Apple. This is what their new office park is going to look like.
Just not something on their minds.
They're Used To Controlling The Conversation
As I've said, when the Right kicks the soccer ball the press still chases after it, but now they occasionally then pause to ask why. In past years all they had to do was manufacture some bullshit and everyone would agree it was the most important thing ever for a few days, whether or not it made any sense. Now, if it doesn't make much sense, they only agree it's the most important thing ever for an hour or so and then move on.
Thursday, September 20, 2012
We're Doing It Live
Not a giant Les Miz fan, but that they're actually filming all of the singing live as they film it, instead of just recording it in the studio and then lip syncing, is an interesting innovation.
Bullshit Mountain
Good Daily Show segment. I like the inclusion of Craig T. Nelson saying, "I've been on food stamps and welfare, did anybody help me out? No." Because I think that quote really gets to the true core of bullshit mountain. One can never be quite sure how much conservatives believe their own bullshit, but my longstanding theory is that they believe there's some secret super generous welfare system that only black people have access to. When they had hard times, got their government handouts, their government handouts sucked. But the blahs are out there buying their t-bones and driving their cadillacs, so they must be getting the really good welfare. Nobody helped poor Craig out, because the food stamps and and welfare sucked. They don't understand that this is because food stamps and welfare do suck.
| The Daily Show with Jon Stewart | Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c | |||
| Chaos on Bulls**t Mountain | ||||
| ||||
Dude's Got Issues
I'm gonna go out on a limb and guess that Bill O'Reilly got laid at least a few times in his younger life, that he had sex with some ladies and was probably happy about it the time. The dude has serious weird issues now. I don't know how people resolve these things. Maybe it's just that all that power and money doesn't actually get him all the sexytime he thinks he's entitled to so the fact that other people are having some drives him insane.
Something To Be Grateful For
I'm glad that one of the unintended consequences of the rise of cell phones is that nobody actually talks on the phone anymore.
Mystery
One thing that I would expect from Republicans is that they would hate their losers. I would expect them to hate Bob Dole for losing and to hate John McCain for losing. They hated Bush I for awhile, but that was because of taxes, not because he lost. There's never been complete love for McCain, but that was over his mavericky crap, and I didn't see a spike in McCain hate after he lost.
Stop Driving
People who have money can hire drivers. And anyone in New York can have a reasonably priced cab ride.
They're women, not girls, but the point is correct.
It probably makes me, like, a real drag, but I find the repeated drunk/stoned antics of young Hollywood stars in their cars really rather dispiriting. Just yesterday Lindsay Lohan (who already has a charge sheet thicker than her last script) was alleged to have driven off after tapping a pedestrian as she drove to a club in New York.
The day before, Amanda Bynes was, allegedly, finally separated by the police from the car she has driven under the influence in, crashed twice in hit and run incidents, and driven while having a suspended licence. These girls really know how to be role models for What Not To Do.
They're women, not girls, but the point is correct.
Wednesday, September 19, 2012
The Greatest Invention Ever Made
How to get from the Italian Market to the Philadelphia Zoo.
Not really, but the addition of mass transit directions/schedule information to the standard google maps system was a really really great thing for those of us who ride such things on a regular basis. I don't have an iphone, but removing that feature would certainly annoy me if I did.
The Worst People In The World
This is a pretty good column by Ezra. I'll add that almost nobody except the mentally ill and drug addicted "chooses" to be poor, to have income such that they qualify for what scant benefits our government might offer up, and obviously for those people their capacity to choose sensibly has been curtailed.
Yes I'm sure there are people who keep their incomes slightly deflated so they can keep their Medicaid or food stamp eligibility, but they're not choosing to be poor - they'll be poor regardless - they're just choosing to have just a bit less income so that the government will pay for their kids' doctor visits.
The missing empathy in Our Galtian Overlords is astounding. I'm increasingly convinced of my "too much lead exposure" theory of these assholes.
Yes I'm sure there are people who keep their incomes slightly deflated so they can keep their Medicaid or food stamp eligibility, but they're not choosing to be poor - they'll be poor regardless - they're just choosing to have just a bit less income so that the government will pay for their kids' doctor visits.
The missing empathy in Our Galtian Overlords is astounding. I'm increasingly convinced of my "too much lead exposure" theory of these assholes.
Cities Are Places For Tourists And The Poors
Atlantic city should be a nice place. It isn't, largely because they're focused almost entirely on building new places for tourists to come and light their money on fire. Think about making it a nice place to live.
Stooped
I've had handle on the reasons - bad or good - for a lot of the development trends, but I've actually never understood why the front porch disappeared.
Given typical lot sizes, people can have a big back whatever and a front porch. Mystery to me why that didn't happen.
Given typical lot sizes, people can have a big back whatever and a front porch. Mystery to me why that didn't happen.
Hurray! More Wars To Follow!
This won't end well.
NUUK, Greenland — With Arctic ice melting at record pace, the world’s superpowers are increasingly jockeying for political influence and economic position in outposts like this one, previously regarded as barren wastelands.
Tuesday, September 18, 2012
Your Moment Of Zen
This video (click link and then click "The Ground Game") of Peggy Noonan being a campaign volunteer for Bush '04 in Florida has long haunted me.
Strapping Young Bucks
Romney could spend the entire campaign talking about undeserving moochers taking your money. He just needs to keep it at a number like 13.1%, not 47%.
About Right
Onion:
“First and foremost, I would like to offer a heartfelt apology to all the whores, junkies, bums, and grime-covered derelicts out there who make up nearly half our nation,” a visibly contrite and solemn Romney said outside a campaign stop at a local high school. “Let me assure you that I in no way meant to offend any of the putrid-smelling, barefoot masses out there. My campaign is not about dividing this nation, but about bringing all sides together—the rich, elegant members of the upper class, as well as the 47 percent who are covered in flies and eat directly from back-alley dumpsters.”
“I am fully committed to building a better future for every American,” Romney continued, “and that means ensuring all 150 million grease-and-urine-soaked members of our society get a fair shake.”
Conservatives Is Weird
Nothing really wrong with this Reihan Salam piece, but I'm always struck by the need for conservatives to justify anything they support by arguing that it's... conservative! Liberals just don't do that for the most part. There's no need to shoehorn everything into that ideological box.
Better Trolls, Please
I can understand the business model that Newsweek is pursuing: trolling the internet. But they're not actually all that good at it. There are true, quality, artisan internet trolls who have decades of experience and who finally have a way to monetize their unique skills. Newsweek should hire them.
The Blahs
I'm not going to argue this is what Romney meant, but the whole "undeserving people taking your hard earned money" thing is central to the racial (and racist) politics of our country.
I deserve my government benefits, you are a moocher who is stealing my money.
I deserve my government benefits, you are a moocher who is stealing my money.
He's Been Running For President For Years
This has always been my issue. I'm less concerned about rich guy with dodgy tax issues than I am with guy running for president who was too stupid to clean up his dodgy tax issues.
Not that I like the dodgy tax issues, but it's really the stupidity that gets me.
Not that I like the dodgy tax issues, but it's really the stupidity that gets me.
Huzzah
Evil clusterfuck averted.
That's Pennsylvania.
...looks like it's going back to lower court. not sure what that means. Think they're ordering lower court to make another determination. Law might still be there.
...So, yes, clusterfuck not yet averted. Optimistic that it will be.
State Supreme Court vacates Voter ID law. Story to come.
That's Pennsylvania.
...looks like it's going back to lower court. not sure what that means. Think they're ordering lower court to make another determination. Law might still be there.
...So, yes, clusterfuck not yet averted. Optimistic that it will be.
Takers
I joked on the twitters that if the trend continues, indentured servitude will be a prominent GOP platform plank. Basically they're moving towards arguing that all value workers create actually belongs to the owners, so the workers should only be entitled to subsistence existence.
Not quite sure who they think is going to buy all the stuff they want to sell...
Not quite sure who they think is going to buy all the stuff they want to sell...
Writing Stuff Elsewhere
Doing a weekly online column for USA Today until the election. I'll use it to promote some crazy ideas.
Two Sides To Every Story
As long as there's a person and a viewpoint with wingnut welfare backing, NPR and PBS will give them a platform.
Taxes
It occurs to me now that the Romney-conservative viewpoint on income taxes is similar to their views of working women. Rich people shouldn't pay taxes, but poor people should. Rich women shouldn't work, but poor women should.
Time For A Blogger Ethics Panel
Foxy.
Detectives have evidence which suggests that a notorious private detective agency carried out a burglary while working for the News of the World.
Rich People Don't Need To Work At All
Some rich people work, but the whole point of being rich, or being a "maker," is that you don't have to do anything. You have a pile of money. You invest it, or pay other people to invest it for you. You earn income from it. You don't need to labor at all.
And these people have convinced themselves that they're the real workers of the economy.
They can't go Galt soon enough.
And these people have convinced themselves that they're the real workers of the economy.
They can't go Galt soon enough.
Hire A Driver
My big pet peeve is rich people who get busted for DUI.
Hire a car. Michael Turner is making 5 million bucks this year.
Hire a car. Michael Turner is making 5 million bucks this year.
I Kind of See Where the SNL Jokes Are Going
With respect to Duncan's comic suggestions...
Good Lord.
Monday, September 17, 2012
Smarter Comedy
It won't happen, but if I were a funnyguy SNL writer I'd do a repeat of the "I can't believe I'm losing to this guy" skit, though this time with Romney saying it. This time the joke wouldn't be about GHWB being a bit of a buffoon, it would be about Romney's sense of entitlement with respect to the Kenyan Muslim Socialist in the White House.
But I doubt they'd go there.
But I doubt they'd go there.
Mitt's Party
Awesome.
The 53% fundraiser was at Leder's place.
Not that there's anything wrong with consenting adults having sex parties. To me, anyway.
It was as if the Playboy Mansion met the East End at a wild party at private-equity titan Marc Leder's Bridgehampton estate, where guests cavorted nude in the pool and performed sex acts, scantily dressed Russians danced on platforms and men twirled lit torches to a booming techno beat.
The divorced Sun Capital Partners honcho rented a sprawling beachfront mansion on Surf Side Road for $500,000 for the month of July. Leder's weekly Friday and Saturday night parties have become the talk of the Hamptons -- and he ended them in style last weekend with his wildest bash yet.
The 53% fundraiser was at Leder's place.
Not that there's anything wrong with consenting adults having sex parties. To me, anyway.
Helping The Moochers
Romney spokesperson from the twitters:
But this is what he said:
"Mitt wants to help all struggling in Obama economy. he's concerned about growing number dependent on federal government."
But this is what he said:
"[M]y job is is not to worry about those people. I'll never convince them they should take personal responsibility and care for their lives."
Being Poor Sucks
Bring me to this fantasy world where the welfare gravy train just gives all the poor people free car elevators.
What Are Campaigns For
Too often lost in the discussion of certain aspects of our politics is that they aren't just about electing a candidate. They're also about launching careers and making people very rich. It's hard for me to fathom that Romney people are dishing so hard to the press, but I don't think like they do.
4 Terms
Jeebus knows Team D isn't perfect, and I could certainly be persuaded that at times divided government or even R rule has its merits due to the peculiarities of our formgovernment, but a few more terms of a D president would at least chip away a bit at the fact that, as I think Josh Marshall put it, DC is "wired for Republicans."
Sunday, September 16, 2012
Pope of the Jews
On Meet the Press, dancing dave informed the PM of Israel that he was the leader of the Jewish people. I am not sure who should find this to be the most offensively stupid.
Not Surprising
Driving is about expectations. Drivers can't have 360 degree awareness at all times, so having them be more attune to the existence of cyclists and pedestrians is important.
As the number of bicyclists on Philadelphia streets has risen, cyclists and city officials have seen a counterintuitive result: The number of bike crashes and deaths has declined.
This "safety in numbers" phenomenon has been documented elsewhere, and safety experts believe it is because motorists become more alert to cyclists when there are more of them.
Saturday, September 15, 2012
If It Ain't One Thing, It's Somethin' Else
Somehow a Buckaroo Banzai quote was needed here.
No matter where you go, there you are.
The national editor, Sam Sifton, rejected the argument. “There’s a lot of reasonable disagreement on both sides,” he said. One side says there’s not significant voter fraud; the other side says there’s not significant voter suppression.
“It’s not our job to litigate it in the paper,” Mr. Sifton said. “We need to state what each side says.”
Mr. Bronner agreed. “Both sides have become very angry and very suspicious about the other,” he said. “The purpose of this story was to step back and look at both sides, to lay it out.” While he agreed that there was “no known evidence of in-person voter fraud,” and that could have been included in this story, “I don’t think that’s the core issue here.”
No matter where you go, there you are.
Summer's Over
And as the heat recedes we'll start hearing more ZOMG IT'S SNOWING AL GORE IS FAT STOOPID GLOBAL WARMING HOAX jokes.
While they do that, we will plan for the greatest War on Christmas yet.
While they do that, we will plan for the greatest War on Christmas yet.
Credibility
Hopefully Krgthulu is kidding.
There's no cost to signing up for right wing crankery, no matter how destructive it is.
What you really have to wonder about is all the not-stupid economists who have aligned themselves with this guy and that crew. Probably they imagine that once the election is past sensible economics will return. But the odds are that they are wrong, and that they’re sacrificing their own credibility to put charlatans and cranks in the driver’s seat.
There's no cost to signing up for right wing crankery, no matter how destructive it is.
Exciting New Taxes
As a paid up member of the Gore-Soros World Domination Society I don't object to carbon taxes, but I do think the idea that Republicans might agree to an entirely new awesome tax with its own collections/enforcement agency to be unlikely.
Friday, September 14, 2012
Let's Keep Saying This Until It Doesn't Sound Crazy Anymore
WaPo's Zach Goldfarb:
I don't think Bernanke can legally start mailing checks to us, though I think when hits the "emergency powers" button he can probably do just about anything, but it isn't said often enough by the right people that there are alternatives to giving free money to banks, such as giving free money to me. At this particular point in time, those alternatives are clearly superior.
We have a problem that can be easily solved by giving free money to people, perhaps the most popular solution to a problem ever. And it isn't happening.
Zachary A. Goldfarb @Goldfarb
If Fed could print money and give it to near-prime borrowers, undwater homeowners, and nervous businesses, then we'd have another story.The Fed can print all the money it wants, but it can’t give it to the people who need it. Only banks, gov’t, Fannie/Freddie
Zachary A. Goldfarb I don't think Bernanke can legally start mailing checks to us, though I think when hits the "emergency powers" button he can probably do just about anything, but it isn't said often enough by the right people that there are alternatives to giving free money to banks, such as giving free money to me. At this particular point in time, those alternatives are clearly superior.
We have a problem that can be easily solved by giving free money to people, perhaps the most popular solution to a problem ever. And it isn't happening.
Villager Narrative
People like us who earn around $200,000 are struggling, people like them who earn $70,000 are overpaid.
Everybody Has It So Good
I guess it makes sense that Our Galtian Overlords think we can suffer a bit more because they think we have it really fucking good.
...transcript:
Hapless presidential candidate Mitt Romney defined “middle income” as people making between $200,000 and $250,000 a year, in an interview with “Good Morning America’s George Stephanopoulos.
...transcript:
MITT ROMNEY: Well, I said that there are five different studies that point out that we can get to a balanced budget without raising taxes on middle income people. Let me tell you, George, the fundamentals of my tax policy are these. Number one, reduce tax burdens on middle-income people. So no one can say my plan is going to raise taxes on middle-income people, because principle number one is keep the burden down on middle-income taxpayers.
GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: Is $100,000 middle income?
MITT ROMNEY: No, middle income is $200,000 to $250,000 and less. So number one, don’t reduce– or excuse me, don’t raise taxes on middle-income people, lower them. Number two, don’t reduce the share of taxes paid by the wealthiest. The top 5% will still pay the same share of taxes they pay today. That’s principle one, principle two. Principle three is create incentives for growth, make it easier for businesses to start and to add jobs. And finally, simplify the code, make it easier for people to pay their taxes than the way they have to now.
Now
As Krgthulu says for the millionth time, we could end this recession now.
Now, despite all this, we will eventually recover. Over time there will be more equipment that needs replacing, more iPhone-like innovations that boost spending, and, in the long run, we will exit this economic trap. But, as Keynes famously pointed out in another context, in the long run we are all dead. To borrow a phrase from myself, why not end this depression now?
Perhaps people need to be reminded....
...that the American taxpayer puts doctors through med school.
Now, I'm not saying that's a bad thing - if done right, it's a very good thing indeed.
The point is that the modern interpretation of "free enterprise" isn't what does it; it's the same patients who then discover that they can't afford medical care because they can't pay for it, even though they already did, in many, many ways.
Now, I'm not saying that's a bad thing - if done right, it's a very good thing indeed.
The point is that the modern interpretation of "free enterprise" isn't what does it; it's the same patients who then discover that they can't afford medical care because they can't pay for it, even though they already did, in many, many ways.
Thursday, September 13, 2012
Try One More Time
NYT:
M is currently played by The Dench, who is all woman.
An earlier version of this article misstated the boss of James Bond. He is M, not Q.
M is currently played by The Dench, who is all woman.
Dear PR People
Occasional, if futile, reminder that I'm actually not really interested in most popular nonfiction books. I'd be much more likely to read and comment on fiction. Also, too, TV and movie screeners.
Clearly The People In Charge Know What They're Doing
It's working!!!
Unemployment in Greece is going from bad to worse, as official figures released by the Hellenic Statistical Authority (ELSTAT) on Thursday showed a 44 percent increase in the number of jobless in this year’s second quarter compared to the same period in 2011.
The April-June rate stood at 23.6 percent, against 22.6 percent in the year’s first quarter and 16.3 percent in the second quarter of 2011.
Goose
So we're going to have more goosing of financial asset prices. Bernanke said something about how we'll all go spend money when we see that our 401Ks are doing better. So a lot more money for rich people, a tiny bit more for some of the rest of us, and some hopey that it causes the economy to go WHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE.
So Much Parking
I don't have a simple solution. A lot of people will be coming by car to a 3000 seat music venue, despite the fact that it's right by subway and trolley stops. So, yes, you need parking for something like that. But all that parking takes up a lot of space and breaks up the urban fabric.
Better Than Not
I'm not super optimistic that shoveling more sacks of cash into the gaping maw of our dysfunctional and corrupt financial system will do a lot to improve things. Certainly giving people free money would be superior. But it's at least comforting that the powers that be might actually recognize that we have a problem.
We're Getting Richer
Yes there was a recession and yes growth is pretty sluggish, but all of the "everybody must suffer for the good of the nation" pundits need to answer why when the economy is growing most people are supposed to suck it up and accept that they need to be worse off.
The suffering of other people is what gives joy to many of our pundits.
The suffering of other people is what gives joy to many of our pundits.
Wednesday, September 12, 2012
RIP Tony Goldman
Don't know anything about the guy other than what's in the article, but he succeeded in making 13th st. a nice area.
Wednesday Night
Seen any good movies lately? Last two I saw were Hurt Locker and Carnage. Both were disappointments.
The News
And its power.
And then they pulled premature babies out of their incubators and barbecued some puppies.
Secret papers exposed a sophisticated attempt by police to shift the blame onto Liverpool fans by instructing officers to change statements and insinuating that many were drunken, and had histories of violence or criminality.
...
The Premier League club has long been angered that "The Sun" newspaper published a front page headline "The Truth" after the disaster with a story claiming fans had urinated on police officers resuscitating the dying and stolen from the dead.
And then they pulled premature babies out of their incubators and barbecued some puppies.
Silver Lining
I suppose if Joe Scar runs for president the rest of the media might suddenly remember that there's a conservative on MSNBC for 3 hours every day.
Remember That Glorious Era
When much of our major news media treated Sarah Palin as if she was the head of the Republican party, their inevitable nominee, and treated her every utterance as the Most Important News Of The Day.
The Greatest People On Earth
Days like this serve as a reminder that the people who brought us the Iraq war aren't shunned by polite society, but are in fact still being very well paid, advising a presidential candidate, and treated as Very Serious People by our serious media.
At my most cynical moments I don't think I imagined Dan Senor recovering from his time as Baghdad Dan.
At my most cynical moments I don't think I imagined Dan Senor recovering from his time as Baghdad Dan.
When Everything Was Great
On the twitters Ben Smith just wrote: "GOPer makes a good point: "Condi could save him." I assume this means Condi could rescue Mitt from his foreign policy disasters by using her credibility and reputation from that time when our foreign policy was truly awesome to defend him.
Wait, what?
Wait, what?
Making Stuff Up
We'll never really solve the 'idiots or liars' eternal question, but the speed at which bullshit travels through wingnuttia, from the peanut gallery up to their presidential candidate, is always impressive.
Tuesday, September 11, 2012
Twitterbot
Here's a twitterbot automatically spitting out the RSS feed for this blog if anybody is interested in such a thing. I only occasionally post links to this blog on my actual twittermachine.
The Worst Person In The World
I think I'll outsource my response to this to Drunk Hulk.
THEY SAY CHRIS BROWN GOT WORST TATTOO EVER! NO AGREE! DRUNK HULK THINK TATTOO GOT WORST PERSON EVER!
Mansplaining Their Way To War
It'd be somewhat amusing thinking about the condescending assholes who mansplained everybody about how very very serious that very serious threat of weapons of mass destruction was, and how anyway all very serious people know that the war is really necessary because [insert random nonsensical Great Game theory here] if any of them had any regret or shame or had lost any of their reputations or prestige. Also, too, if hundreds of thousands of people hadn't died.
So I guess not very amusing after all.
So I guess not very amusing after all.
Blame The Workers
I don't claim to know everything about what goes on in education, or specifically in Chicago, but I do know that here in Philadelphia there have been a series of obscenely paid administrators who existed in various points on the evil-incompetent spectrum and who have done nothing but fuck things up royally.
Blaming the unions is just a convenient way for management (the people in charge) to blame the workers (the people who obey orders).
Blaming the unions is just a convenient way for management (the people in charge) to blame the workers (the people who obey orders).
The Sociopath View Of Policymaking
This view of Ben Bernanke might be correct, but it also suggests he's a bigger monster than even I imagined. Massive widespread economic suffering so he can avoid saying "oopsy, my bad."
The Worst Person In The World
And legitimate news organizations still pay to put Ari Fleischer on teevee.
My soul is tormented by much smaller bad acts I've committed in my life.
My soul is tormented by much smaller bad acts I've committed in my life.
Elevated
Post-9/11 the worst people in the world, the worst most incompetent people in the world, were hailed as the strong daddies who kept us safe. After they let 9/11 happen due to gross incompetence and stupidity, and after they set in motion a chain of events which killed hundreds of thousands of people.
Bush Kept Us Safe
Uh whut?
But some in the administration considered the warning to be just bluster. An intelligence official and a member of the Bush administration both told me in interviews that the neoconservative leaders who had recently assumed power at the Pentagon were warning the White House that the C.I.A. had been fooled; according to this theory, Bin Laden was merely pretending to be planning an attack to distract the administration from Saddam Hussein, whom the neoconservatives saw as a greater threat. Intelligence officials, these sources said, protested that the idea of Bin Laden, an Islamic fundamentalist, conspiring with Mr. Hussein, an Iraqi secularist, was ridiculous, but the neoconservatives’ suspicions were nevertheless carrying the day.
In response, the C.I.A. prepared an analysis that all but pleaded with the White House to accept that the danger from Bin Laden was real.
Monday, September 10, 2012
Fun Times
Odds are there will be polling place violence which will inevitably be blamed on the victims.
That Sounded Like A Lot To Me
I saw a couple people on the twitters last night saying that the Chicago teachers were offered a 16% raise, though not the 19% that your liberal media standard bearer Terry Moran claimed. I thought "holy hell that's a lot" and then "holy hell there's no way that's true" because, you know, there's no fucking way teachers are getting a 16% raise in this day and age and no way they'd turn it down if they were. And, of course, it's 16% over 4 years (though it isn't really that - read the info at the link). Which is cost of living plus a little bit more. Greedy bastards!!!
Question is did Moran not know it was over 4 years? If he really believed it then wow he's living in another universe. Did he know it and not say it?
Idiots or liars....the eternal question.
Question is did Moran not know it was over 4 years? If he really believed it then wow he's living in another universe. Did he know it and not say it?
Idiots or liars....the eternal question.
Visiting The Jungle
There are clean and modern things in Mexico. This, apparently, is surprising to those who rule us.
I hear they finally have toilet paper in Europe, too, so no need to pack that when you visit.
MEXICO CITY — When the governor of Colorado came to Mexico on a trade mission this year to see the sights, “one of the most amazing” was a Costco.
“It was as big, clean and modern as any in America,” recalled Gov. John Hickenlooper (D), who found the aisles filled with shoppers bearing “nothing but positive feelings toward the United States.”
I hear they finally have toilet paper in Europe, too, so no need to pack that when you visit.
Downtown
One problem with the way we talk about cities is by talking about them if all they were is "downtown." The bit with the skyscrapers, the bit where the tourists tend to visit. We call it "center city" here. About 90,000 of the 1.5 million residents of Philadelphia (the city proper, not the metro area) live in center city (I don't, but I don't live too far from it), depending on where we draw the lines. Some of the city (NE bit) is more suburban in character, but most of the rest of the city is urban - good and bad - but not "downtown."
It reinforces the basic view that your choices are Midtown Manhattan or the suburbs and there's nothing in between. It isn't true.
It reinforces the basic view that your choices are Midtown Manhattan or the suburbs and there's nothing in between. It isn't true.
Culture of Truth
Translation and Exegesis. Although that's me reading in the voice segment.
To their, or I suppose I should say to @BetsyMTP's, credit it looks like most, perhaps all, of Fluffy's interview with the Romneys is up at the MTP web site, in pieces, but up.
To their, or I suppose I should say to @BetsyMTP's, credit it looks like most, perhaps all, of Fluffy's interview with the Romneys is up at the MTP web site, in pieces, but up.
Sunday, September 09, 2012
The Mighty Message Machine
It's a bit weird now, seeing the floundering Republican Noise Machine. I have some theories why they're such miserable failures these days, but not quite sure of any of them. They were never as powerful as we sometimes credited them, and the lack of an opposition helped, but they were at they very least pretty competent. I don't think the press, generally, is as quite in the tank as they used to be, but they're still pretty willing enablers most of them time. It used to be that when the Republicans would kick the soccer ball, the press would chase it and then coo "oooo, pretty soccer ball." Now they still chase the ball, but at least some of them might notice that it ain't so pretty. They don't always praise the ball, but they still follow it most of the time.
...adding, back during the Kerry campaign it was enough for Karl to suggest that they were going to run a REALLY SCARY AD SOON and then cable news would spend 3 days talking about JUST WHAT THAT SCARY AD MIGHT BE and HOW IT MIGHT AFFECT THE CAMPAIGN and then they'd run the web-only "ad" 5 million times and spend the next 10 days talking about it. It isn't like that now.
...adding, back during the Kerry campaign it was enough for Karl to suggest that they were going to run a REALLY SCARY AD SOON and then cable news would spend 3 days talking about JUST WHAT THAT SCARY AD MIGHT BE and HOW IT MIGHT AFFECT THE CAMPAIGN and then they'd run the web-only "ad" 5 million times and spend the next 10 days talking about it. It isn't like that now.
Complete Opposites
We must separate ourselves from the Bush agenda by fully embracing the Bush agenda.
But The Things The Voices In My Head Say Must Be True
The thing is, I bet Paul will never bother to check the numbers, will be out spouting the same nonsense tomorrow, and few will ever try to correct him.
Afternoon Thread
With a reminder, a woman's financial health is directly related to her not having to pop out a kid every year. Or not having to worry constantly about missed periods. So when the Republicans try to convince us that "social issues" aren't all that important, and that we need to concentrate on the economy, for women, the two one and the same.
Sunday Bobbleheads
This Week has PAUL RYAN.
Meet the Press has MITTENS.
Face the Nation has PAUL RYAN and Plouffe.
Document the atrocities.
Meet the Press has MITTENS.
Face the Nation has PAUL RYAN and Plouffe.
Document the atrocities.
Saturday, September 08, 2012
Torture
Let's call it what it is.
IN my public school 40 years ago, teachers didn’t lay their hands on students for bad behavior. They sent them to the principal’s office. But in today’s often overcrowded and underfunded schools, where one in eight students receive help for special learning needs, the use of physical restraints and seclusion rooms has become a common way to maintain order.
It’s a dangerous development, as I know from my daughter’s experience. At the age of 5, she was kept in a seclusion room for up to an hour at a time over the course of three months, until we discovered what was happening. The trauma was severe.
Saturday Night
Had to get in a car and drive out of the city today. You all know how traumatic that is for me.
Moral Leadership
Heckuva job.
Both Bishop Finn and Monsignor Murphy, as ministers, were required by law to report suspected child abuse to the civil authorities. But they were also required to report under policies that the American bishops put in place 10 years ago at the height of the scandal — policies that now hold the force of canon law.
This is an account of how, as recently as 2011, in violation of both church and civil laws, a bishop and church officials failed to stop a priest from pursuing his obsession with taking pornographic photographs of young girls. Eventually it was Monsignor Murphy, not Bishop Finn, who turned in Father Ratigan.
Friday, September 07, 2012
Who Chooses The Letters
A bit of a deal was made in convention videos about how Obama reads a small stack of letters from people. When a few of us sucky bloggers met with him awhile back, I asked him if he was happy with the federal response to the foreclosure crisis. One thing he said (from memory) was that he gets lots of letters from people about how they've been helped by HAMP.
Some people were helped by HAMP, but a lot of people were totally screwed by it.
Some people were helped by HAMP, but a lot of people were totally screwed by it.
Banksters
Normally this would be a crime, but for some reason it isn't.
Nobody has any concern about prosecutions. The article doesn't even raise the possibility.
TWENTYNINE PALMS (CBSLA.com) — The owners of a modest home near Twentynine Palms lost their cherished possessions after a bank mistakenly foreclosed their residence.
A crew broke into Alvin and Pat Tjosaas’ desert home and took everything after being directed by Wells Fargo to secure the structure.
Nobody has any concern about prosecutions. The article doesn't even raise the possibility.
They Don't Know Or Care
I didn't quite catch who it was, but it was refreshing to hear someone NPR point out that "undecided voters" don't know or care much about politics. I feel like our entire campaign coverage is directed at mythical people who spend months with furrowed brows studying every little bit of trivia about the campaigns before finally making their decisions. Most of them are stupid about politics and are barely interested.
Off To The Races
Primary season is the silliest season, but we're in the next silliest season, the time between the conventions and the election. Polls, electoral maps, the hissy fits and fake controversies, journalists perpetually wondering how much play something will get, pretending that such things aren't actually entirely up to them, stupid ads, etc.
Fun fun fun fun.
Fun fun fun fun.
Too Many Onions
I was watching C-Span during the live coverage, but saw some post-event coverage on CNN where they showed Gabby Giffords without actually mentioning who she was or what happened to her.
I Liked That
Actually thought the convention was pretty good. Definitely a better product than the last two for the most part, though feel free to be as cynical as you want about rhetoric vs. reality.
B-S
Last night, when the President committed to the Bowles-Simpson framework for deficit reduction, he made a commitment to cutting Social Security benefits. That's a cornerstone to that particular version of the "grand bargain."
Thursday, September 06, 2012
The Judge Said Pay
So you gotta pay.
On Friday, the Golden Nugget took the gamblers to court and asked a judge to bar some of
them from cashing in the chips they won in a mini-baccarat game in April that featured unshuffled cards that repeated patterns. The judge ordered the Golden Nugget to pay up, a decision that angry casino officials vowed to appeal.
But later that day, Fertitta appeared to have a change of heart, claiming he'd blow off the advice of his lawyers and pay the gamblers and fulfill their dreams, if they signed a release agreeing to drop all their other claims. None of the gamblers budged, and on Tuesday the Golden Nugget's lawyers filed for an order to stay the judge's directive to pay up while they try to appeal.
People Walk There Too
Good that they're thinking and hopefully acting on these issues. It shouldn't just be about safety, either, but simply having pedestrian life be more pleasant.
Journamalism
Whenever we get a fact check that isn't (I don't mean something in error - we all make mistakes - I mean one which misses the concept entirely) or the weird spectacle of journalists effectively arguing that the truth isn't really their beat, it's as if (some) journalists are arguing that Colbert pretty much nailed their job description:
In other words, they aren't needed for anything at all.
He's the Decider. The press secretary announces those decisions, and you people of the press type those decisions down. Make, announce, type. Just put 'em through a spell check and go home. Get to know your family again. Make love to your wife. Write that novel you got kicking around in your head. You know, the one about the intrepid Washington reporter with the courage to stand up to the administration. You know — fiction.
In other words, they aren't needed for anything at all.
Really Not A Smart Thing To Do
Just do not fuck with airport security.
SOUTHWEST PHILADELPHIA - September 6, 2012 (WPVI) -- Philadelphia police and FBI authorities say it was a "pretty nasty trick" by a man's ex-girlfriend that resulted in a scare for passengers aboard a plane out of Philadelphia Thursday morning.
It was approximately 7:30 a.m. Thursday when a call was received at Philadelphia police airport headquarters from a person stating that a specific individual would attempt to get past TSA and board a flight to somewhere in Texas with a dangerous and hazardous substance.
Whose Bastards
Timing is everything. If they'd waited a bit longer we would have given them guns.
Human Rights Watch (HRW) has accused the US government of covering up the extent of waterboarding at secret CIA prisons, alleging that Libyan opponents of Muammar Gaddafi were subjected to the torture before being handed over to the former dictator's security police.
The New York-based human rights group has cast "serious doubt" on Washington's claim that only three people, all members of al-Qaida, were waterboarded in American custody, claiming in a new report to have fresh evidence that the CIA used the technique to simulate drowning on Libyans snatched from countries in Africa and Asia.
And The Consequences
One problem with the success of the Clinton years - whoever and whatever you think deserves the credit for them - was that they were associated with various neoliberal reforms. We were doing pretty well, and the rest of the world thought we must be something right.
And here we are today.
And here we are today.
Good Times
Whether or not he deserves any credit - and he certainly deserves a lot of credit for some bad things - what I think has been lost is the fact that the latter half of the Clinton years were good times. Good times in a way that that hadn't been experienced since the late 60s or so. I don't just mean in terms of purely quantifiable things - though the numbers there are good - it was also the case that there was a real sense of optimism. America, we're back, bitches! It wasn't all a horror story in the previous couple decades, but "morning in America" ads aside, there was a feeling of stagnation.
Dems have plenty of reasons to be mad at Bill Clinton, but for those wondering why there's fondness - it's because the economy boomed and he ultimately kicked their asses.
Dems have plenty of reasons to be mad at Bill Clinton, but for those wondering why there's fondness - it's because the economy boomed and he ultimately kicked their asses.
Wednesday, September 05, 2012
Late Night
Chuck Todd is stupid. That is all.
...ok, one more thing. How did I never know that Cecile Richards is the daughter of Ann?
...ok, one more thing. How did I never know that Cecile Richards is the daughter of Ann?
Flying Death Robots
Gotta watch out for spreading militancy.
ADEN, Yemen (Reuters) - A U.S. drone strike killed six suspected Islamist militants in eastern Yemen on Wednesday, a security official said, the latest sign of a Washington-backed campaign against al Qaeda-linked fighters in the impoverished country.
The drone fired eight missiles at a house where fighters were thought to be hiding in the Wadi al-Ain area of Hadramout province, a witness told Reuters. Eight people managed to escape, the witness added.
Washington, concerned about the spread of militancy in the Arabian Peninsula, has stepped up attacks by unmanned aircraft this year.
I'm Skeptical
I highly doubt self-driving cars will ever* be more than cruise control plus. And frankly cruise control plus isn't all that exciting. Neat, maybe, but not life altering. The dream fully automatic system could actual alter for the better a lot of things, including the evil parking, but I really just don't see it happening. Prove me wrong.
*Well eventually we'll be able to download ourselves into robot car bodies, but in my lifetime.
*Well eventually we'll be able to download ourselves into robot car bodies, but in my lifetime.
Yurpean Sociamalism
Was watching a bit of Chris Matthews blathering on last night, something about how last night was all about the Obamas saying we're not from some bizarre strange place like Norway, we're actually from Amurka. He wasn't actually knocking Europe, more just projecting the idea that Real Amurkans think it's weird and horrible.
I get that plenty of people can't afford to travel, and plenty who can afford it go elsewhere, but at least a few people in this country have actually been to Europe. And you know what? Most of it's pretty nice. I wouldn't import everything - and it isn't all the same of course - and generally there are probably some things American that Real Amurkans would prefer to keep as they are, but overall Yurp's pretty nice.
I get that plenty of people can't afford to travel, and plenty who can afford it go elsewhere, but at least a few people in this country have actually been to Europe. And you know what? Most of it's pretty nice. I wouldn't import everything - and it isn't all the same of course - and generally there are probably some things American that Real Amurkans would prefer to keep as they are, but overall Yurp's pretty nice.
Own It
This is a good development. I've been saying for years that "everybody knows" the Democratic party is the party of abortions and mandatory gay marriage. Trying to run from those issues or find "common ground" always just made them look like wimps, and those largely mythical swing voters hate wimps.
Tyrant
There really isn't a better word.
The unaccountable undemocratic forces are rising, with the general approval of the Very Serious People.
The unaccountable undemocratic forces are rising, with the general approval of the Very Serious People.
Don't You Have A Day Job?
I would have thought "mayor of Chicago" would keep one busy.
Chicago's not exactly doing super awesome at the moment.
Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, a legendary fundraiser and political strategist before he won elected office, has dropped his honorary chairmanship of the Obama campaign to help raise big-dollar contributions so that Democrats can compete with what is emerging as a clear GOP fundraising advantage this election cycle, according to campaign and fundraising individuals.
Chicago's not exactly doing super awesome at the moment.