The terse writer aims at getting to the heart of the matter, to drive the point home. The verbose writer is just enamored with her own voice, each additional word a tribute to her own ego and not an aid to communication.
Fonts matter, too, of course, as do colors. Some writers ornament their words with orange, an obvious sign of intellectual stagnation. Cooler colors, such as baby blue, or powder blue, or even light blue, communicate the kind of seriousness that a serious writer needs to convey.
A writer at the peak of his powers will limit himself to 140 characters, with perhaps one associated link. Invective is important, as is frequent if calculated use of profanity. An occasional appearance of cats is the true signal of genius, as are pictures of grilled crustaceans.
The road traveled by the powder blue, cat-obsessed, crustacean crunching, one-liner generating author is the path that all others must follow. The ridiculousness of everyone else is apparent, their lack of humility on display.
Tuesday, April 30, 2013
Not Sure How Much It Really Matters
Or, even, if it's a new thing, but, yes, the elected Republicans are not servants of their base they are the base.
The Republican congressional delegation -- particularly the members of the House -- are completely creatures of the base. They are former state legislators and state senators who got elected to those offices espousing ideas that likely were further out there than the ones they're spouting now. In large part, they were raised within the base's political structures, both inside and outside of government. They are the product of a closed information society, with its own history and its own science and its own truth. To borrow a line from Jack Nicholson in The Last Detail, the Republican members of the House are the fking base, motherfker. They're not asking for permission to do the right thing, and they're certainly not waiting for this president to provide it. They're not posing. They are not doing what they're told. They're doing what they believe.
Gay People Are Everywhere!!!
Yes if you've ever been in a gym locker room where people change clothes, get naked, and shower in public or semi-public facilities you've already given a gay person an opportunity to check out your junk, whether they're interested in doing that or not.
The Otter Menace
Many people on the internets seem to think otters are cute and cuddly creatures.
My exposure to otters was to... giant otters. Those things are freaking scary.
My exposure to otters was to... giant otters. Those things are freaking scary.
Obedience and Control
Some people just do horrible things, but there's a strain of parental psychology such that (some) parents require extreme obedience from their children. It's weird.
Almost Verbatim Governor Corbett
Don't you understand that my state is filled with unemployed methheads?
Do Not Point And Laugh
People who express bigoted things must be respected!!!
Broussard didn't just say Jesus doesn't like gayness or that being gay was a sin, he said a gay person couldn't be a Christian. All kinds of sinners welcome, well almost all...
Broussard didn't just say Jesus doesn't like gayness or that being gay was a sin, he said a gay person couldn't be a Christian. All kinds of sinners welcome, well almost all...
Who Matters
Whom they care about:
The White House would not respond to a request for comment. Bill Burton, a former deputy White House press secretary for Obama, did not respond directly to Democrats’ concerns about the president’s move on entitlements.
”There is no doubt that Karl Rove and his allies will spend millions of dollars lying about what the President’s budget means in terms of the economic health of our country,” Burton, now a strategist for the Democratic public affairs firm Global Strategy Group, wrote in an email. “What we don’t know is just how much Democratic donors are going to stand up to those lies.”
Monday, April 29, 2013
Fancy Me
I actually went to El Celler de Can Roca, though years ago when it was a bit less well known and quite a bit less expensive.
Mussels, 5 different ways.
Mussels, 5 different ways.
Journamalism
I admit I find this to be deeply weird. Why the need for cut rate advertising to help them? You have the whole newspaper to do it for them.
Priorities
Our local weird curmudgeon has his annual diatribe against sidewalk seating out today.
He isn't totally wrong in that some restaurants do take more than they should away from pedestrians, but I'd prefer erring on the side of more outdoor seating rather than less. And it just isn't that important.
He isn't totally wrong in that some restaurants do take more than they should away from pedestrians, but I'd prefer erring on the side of more outdoor seating rather than less. And it just isn't that important.
I Have No Idea
Ed asks what can we do to improve Obamacare? I have no idea. Republicans aren't going to vote to improve it. HHS can do what it can to make the system as good as possible, especially for the states on the national exchange. Otherwise...?
It's another reason why a public option was key. Yes, of course, for liberals like me this was "stealth" single payer. Make a decent public option and eventually the rest of the system would whither away. But it was also important to make sure the administration had the power to make Obamacare good.
It's another reason why a public option was key. Yes, of course, for liberals like me this was "stealth" single payer. Make a decent public option and eventually the rest of the system would whither away. But it was also important to make sure the administration had the power to make Obamacare good.
Reporters Drive
And I get why they do, but it does mean that coverage of transportation issues is a wee bit skewed to the perspective of drivers, even in the ultimate urban hellhole, New York City.
It'll All Be Obamacare
The problem with the optimist's take on the implementation of Obamacare is that it leaves out the fact that our health insurance system sucks and at some point it will all be seen as Obamacare. Even if the legislation does genuinely improve the system overall, it'll still be a horrible system. A horrible system known as Obamacare.
Sunday, April 28, 2013
Austerity Forever
Sadly there's no hope for anything other than austerity. There are simple solutions to the problems in the economy and the people who rule us are uninterested in embracing them. So people suffer.
Elite fail.
Elite fail.
Time For Lunch?
It seems states are aggressively recruiting applicants for food stamps. Seems putting money in the local economies is a win/win.
XV
David Waldman's (@KagroX) weekly #gunFail compilation.
This week, instead of my count, his summary:
This week, instead of my count, his summary:
This week's compilation includes: three police-involved accidents, two of which occurred during gun training classes; three "home invasion shootings"( i.e., when one Patriot elects to share a Liberty Projectile with a neighbor, via a Freedom Wall, Window, Floor or Ceiling); five accidents while cleaning loaded guns; three hunting accidents; one concealed carry ninja who shot himself taking his gun out of his pocket, and one who was shot by a child reaching into his pocket. And speaking of the kids, there were nine victims of GunFAIL this week, aged 10 months, 2, 3, 4, 10, 11 and 14. You may have noticed that that's not nine ages. It was a particularly rough week for the 10-year-olds, of which we lost two, and saw one wounded.
Stories of particular note this week include that of the second Carolinian to leave a gun behind in a New York hotel this month; a tee-ball rage shooting; the opening of turkey hunting season (resulting in the shooting of two turkey hunters and an undetermined number of turkeys), and; a potential Idiot Hall of Fame entry involving the Florida man (of course) who tried to convert his BB gun to .40-caliber using nothing but household tape and American Exceptionalism. Why have a firing chamber? Why have a barrel? Let's cut out the middle man! Sure, it sounds stupid and you'll end up wounding yourself, but let's face it, put a suit on that guy and let his stupid idea cost jobs instead of bandages, and he'd be in line for a fat bonus.
Saturday, April 27, 2013
Friday, April 26, 2013
It's All Bad
Just in case we've forgotten, contractionary policy is contractionary. It's idiotic to cut spending in a recession. It's idiotic to try to trade a set of unpopular random cuts for a set of unpopular specific cuts. Also, too, it's bad to increase taxes right now (or cut "tax expenditures"), though of course some tax increases are more harmful than others.
Yes, Wealthy People
I've seen some pushback on twitter and elsewhere about the idea that flying and visiting national parks are rich people activities. Sure people all across the economic spectrum do at some point in their lives fly and visit national parks. But to the extent that these are acute problems that must be fixed RIGHT NOW as opposed to, you know, funding head start or rental assistance programs, it's a wealthy people problem. Lower income people might fly occasionally in their lives, but if airline delays are messing with your life regularly you're probably not exactly poor.
Rich People Problems
On the twitterz Brian Beutler tells me the next sequestration fix will be national parks. Not as gross as protecting the poor tarmac sitters, but more gross than, say, head start or cancer patients.
Villager Priorities
Ladies and gentlemen, your liberal media.
Of course liberals don't oppose fixing the sequestration for the FAA, they just oppose fixing all the things which give rich people the sads while poor people keep getting kicked.
Still, rich and poor alike, will no longer be inconvenienced on the tarmac.
And, yes, I know not everybody who flies is "rich" but they're disproportionately wealthy.
Of course liberals don't oppose fixing the sequestration for the FAA, they just oppose fixing all the things which give rich people the sads while poor people keep getting kicked.
Still, rich and poor alike, will no longer be inconvenienced on the tarmac.
And, yes, I know not everybody who flies is "rich" but they're disproportionately wealthy.
Threatening
Lots of people are assholes on the internet, but few people actually send (or receive) genuinely threatening emails. If you do receive them, you forward them to the FBI, you don't whine about them in public.
Rich People Problems
I guess we can look forward to a series of sequestration fixes for things that inconvenience rich people, probably accompanied by some extra poors kicking just for fun.
Because America.
Because America.
Thursday, April 25, 2013
Owning It
The political danger has always been that Obama - and Dems - will own every single fucked up thing about our medical system.
And it is a fucked up medical system.
And it is a fucked up medical system.
Maybe Somebody Should Do Something?
I'm not one who subscribes to the notion that all the president has to do is give a few speeches and then magically legislation gets passed, but he's been on this grand bargain/austerity kick (with some exceptions) since 2010. He's part of the reason that all we do is talk about the need to cut the deficit, except when private jet flight plans are jeopardized.
Talking about jobs won't create them, but it wouldn't hurt either.
Talking about jobs won't create them, but it wouldn't hurt either.
Keep It Simple Stupid
While there are certainly some good things in Obamacare, and I remain mildly optimistic that it will mildly improve our health care system (at the cost of enshrining our horrible private insurance system forever), I do increasingly worry that implementation is going to an administrative nightmare that only health insurance companies could dream up. Oh, right, they did.
I Think I'll Spend The Day Ignoring Be Nice To Bush Day
My own way of looking forward, I suppose.
The full employment fairy will help, if it ever arrives, but I'm just not sure it can when we have a nation of low wage workers and a political class who has no understanding of what that's like.
The full employment fairy will help, if it ever arrives, but I'm just not sure it can when we have a nation of low wage workers and a political class who has no understanding of what that's like.
Seeing The Future
Which inconveniences rich people and/or defense contractors part of the sequester will we need to "fix" next?
Wednesday, April 24, 2013
Vo Dilun - Now A Bit More Fabulous
Good for them.
The state Senate voted 26 to 12 Wednesday to allow same-sex couples to marry in Rhode Island as early as Aug. 1. The bills, the latest in a long-line of gay marriage bills dating back to 1996, now go to the House, which voted 51 to 19 earlier this year to pass an earlier version of one of the bills.
Concerns Of The Elite
Next they'll be complaining that the sequester is interfering with their yacht moorings or delaying their imported wine shipments. All with no self-awareness or concern for, say, the homeless. Because the poors deserved to be kicked. Because poor. Cheers!
Everybody Knows How It Should Be Done
Having the Olympics be a net plus involves using at as an excuse to build infrastructure (rail lines, etc) that you want to build anyway, and housing and facilities that you can reuse or otherwise recycle afterwards. Also, too, don't let the IOC sue anyone who uses the word "olympics" without licensing it first.
Use it as an excuse to create stuff that will be useful when the games are gone. Now I don't have much faith in the ability of local authorities to actually manage it, but that's the way to do it.
Use it as an excuse to create stuff that will be useful when the games are gone. Now I don't have much faith in the ability of local authorities to actually manage it, but that's the way to do it.
The Real Problem
Everybody pretends to care about the deficit, even though nobody does.
They don't even pretend to care about unemployment.
They don't even pretend to care about unemployment.
Crossfire With Gingrich And Cutter
Oh boy. I used to actually care whether CNN sucked or not, whether it provided a decent news product. I don't really anymore, but it's going to be slightly fun to take a peak at its awfulness during the Zucker era.
A Mile Isn't Far
One (healthy, not disabled) can do a mile at a fairly leisurely pace in about 20+ minutes. And if you're walking in a place which is pedestrian-friendly, it isn't an arduous chore.
Victory!
A budget deficit that was more than 10 percent of GDP in 2009 is on track to be about half that this year. “The federal budget deficit is shrinking rapidly,” writes Jan Hatzius, the chief economist of Goldman Sachs, in an April 10 report. Goldman estimates that in the first three months of 2013 the deficit was running at 4.5 percent of GDP, and they forecast a deficit of 3 percent of GDP or less in the 2015 fiscal year. Hatzius adds that “there is still a great deal of room for the economic recovery to reduce the deficit for cyclical reasons.”Source: Goldman Sachs
In other words, if policymakers can just not blow it and keep the recovery on track, that alone will do a good bit of the heavy lifting of deficit reduction.Maybe not. Because, of course, nobody cares about the deficit (© atrios).
Via @deficitowl: "Run deficits, stupid."
Tuesday, April 23, 2013
Horse Trading
It's probably much better than the alternatives. Sure such deals stink of corruption, but they generally don't actually involve much money and sometimes manage to bring nice things to the people. Technocracy is a myth, Grand Bargains are neither grand nor bargains, and lacking a parliamentary system we can't have majority rule. Just "bribe" members of Congress with stuff they want, some of which is probably actually ok, and get the votes.
Filibuster+extreme partisanship from Republicans+no earmarks=nothing good. The alternative isn't pretty, but it's prettier than what we have.
Filibuster+extreme partisanship from Republicans+no earmarks=nothing good. The alternative isn't pretty, but it's prettier than what we have.
Free To Be Just Like Me
This isn't in response to anything in particular, but I've long been fascinated by the contradiction between our rhetoric of "FREEDOM" and the strong pressures to conform in this country. You're free to make choices, and these are the choices you must make.
Gibberish
It's right and you're all so smart, but it's wrong.
Translation: a policy which increased prosperity and caused much less economic suffering would be wrong, but have more support.
Striking statements were made by one of Europe's most powerful men on Monday night, when European Commission President José Manuel Barroso said the strict austerity measures thus far imposed on the EU's beleaguered economies may have reached their political limits.
Although this policy is "fundamentally right," it has nevertheless "reached its limits," he told a conference in Brussels. "A policy, to be successful, not only has to be properly designed, it has to have the minimum of political and social support," he added.
Translation: a policy which increased prosperity and caused much less economic suffering would be wrong, but have more support.
Monday, April 22, 2013
They Make Me Feel I'm Falling Down
As I've said, despite the fact that as your benevolent dictator I would take all of your guns away, I'm a bit skeptical that any gun legislation that would have any chance of passing and standing up to the scrutiny of the supremos would have any serious impact on gun violence in this country. Having said that, of course expanded background checks would be a good idea.
All good people in DC agree that failure to pass them is all due to Obummer not giving enough pretty speeches about the topic, which is silly. On the other hand, I'm sure Obama could do more. Pretty speeches won't do it, but breaking some knuckles (metaphorically) might. If only that mythical Rahmbo hardball could be employed against anyone other than the Professional Left.
All good people in DC agree that failure to pass them is all due to Obummer not giving enough pretty speeches about the topic, which is silly. On the other hand, I'm sure Obama could do more. Pretty speeches won't do it, but breaking some knuckles (metaphorically) might. If only that mythical Rahmbo hardball could be employed against anyone other than the Professional Left.
Useful Map
Where you need a visa to travel.
I'm always amused when xenophobic Americans get enraged that they aren't free to travel everywhere without some bureaucracy, especially when a big reason countries require visas from us is that we make it a giant pain in the ass for their citizens to travel here.
I forget which countries (Japan? Norway?), but a couple of times I've been hit with cash only exit fees. That's annoying!
I'm always amused when xenophobic Americans get enraged that they aren't free to travel everywhere without some bureaucracy, especially when a big reason countries require visas from us is that we make it a giant pain in the ass for their citizens to travel here.
I forget which countries (Japan? Norway?), but a couple of times I've been hit with cash only exit fees. That's annoying!
Why Did Driving Increase So Much?
I think that maybe the more interesting question is just why did people drive so much more in 1995 than they did in 1985? It's a huge increase at a time when I can't really think of any major infrastructure/cultural/technological changes. Sure the exurbs were beginning to grow, but so was closer by suburban employment. Disappearing mass transit had already disappeared.
Why Do People Start Smoking These Days?
Once upon a time you could smoke everywhere. Hell, high schools had smoking lounges. Everybody smoked. I actually remain a bit puzzled about why people start smoking these days. I'm not being judgmental, I'm just genuinely curious. When being a smoker involves always having to find a moment to duck out of wherever you are to light up outside, it just doesn't seem that fun anymore.
This is probably a good idea, but no strong feelings on the subject.
This is probably a good idea, but no strong feelings on the subject.
Feeling It At You
There aren't always solid facts in politics, but we do have these things called polls. And you can, if you're a pundit, make up numbers, or you can actually look up some polling data, like that gay wizard does.
Though facts are stupid things, I suppose.
Though facts are stupid things, I suppose.
Good morning
I hardly know what to say about this idea . I thought Republicans were supposed to be against that sort of thing.
Sunday, April 21, 2013
Loving Terrorists, Especially The Muslim Ones
All of the discourse plays out in a predictable fashion. Stupid hippie liberals talk about "rights" and "justice" not because we love terrorists, but because we care about, you know, rights and justice, with the category of justice including harsh punishment for those who deserve it. Conservatives insist that the only justice involves torture before trial, because otherwise TEH TERRORISTS WIN.
And on and on.
And on and on.
Good To Know
Not unexpected, but preferable to the alternative.
WASHINGTON (AP) — Boston Mayor Tom Menino says information he has indicates that the suspects in the Boston Marathon bombing acted alone.
I got your linkage right here
Since everyone else is on holiday for the weekend, I thought I'd mention that you can get lots and lots of links in this highly nutritious post.
Saturday, April 20, 2013
Friday, April 19, 2013
Can You Imagine?
I kind of feel bad for the Elvis impersonator who sent poison to the President.
Most weeks, that gets you noticed.
Echoes Of The Good Old Days
I can't quite make the case for this, but over the years there have been moments when it seems that the tv news people are jonesing for their past glories. I'd say the glory days of TV news in the last couple decades were OJ, Lewinsky, 9/11, and our great and glorious adventure in Iraq. Every now and then a story pops up which is an echo of those former stories, and old habits resurface.
Gideon's Folly
A ratings agency downgrading the UK has zero meaning except for the fact that Osborne regularly pointed to the importance of maintaining good ratings. Which he hasn't.
Also, too, mass unemployment and suffering.
Also, too, mass unemployment and suffering.
Everything Is Horrible
One of those crappy days for blogging. Don't want to contribute to the madness, feel like talking about anything else is just weird.
Morning Thread
Boston in complete lock down. It's like the Wild, Wild West.
Probably won't need that second cuppa.
Probably won't need that second cuppa.
Thursday, April 18, 2013
Thursday Crass Commercialism
That special day is almost here! My friend's book is being released next week. Here's a review.
Order it or the blog gets it.
Order it or the blog gets it.
Follow the Money
One really weird cultural thing in economics academia is the firm belief that all academic economists are completely ethical. This is despite the fact that economists assume people act out of self-interest. Provide incentives, and...
...adding, I think one of my PhD advisers, who has since passed away, was an exception to this. He thought (rightly!) that everyone is corrupt. Degrees of corruption, sure, but we all have our price...
...adding, I think one of my PhD advisers, who has since passed away, was an exception to this. He thought (rightly!) that everyone is corrupt. Degrees of corruption, sure, but we all have our price...
From Reddit to the Feds to the Media
This is increasingly likely. But no one ever burns their sources, no matter how much their sources burn them, so we'll never really know.
Owning It
I have no opinion about how the implementation of Obamacare will happen, but I do think that a big issue is that once it is in place, Obama and the Dems will essentially be responsible for our horrible health care system. Every insurance company nightmare can be laid at their feet.
Not entirely fair, but not entirely unfair either. There was another way.
Not entirely fair, but not entirely unfair either. There was another way.
8 Home Games
If done right - not that it usually is - one can come up with thin justifications for baseball stadium subsidies. They play a lot of games in those things. But the massive amount of taxpayer money spent on football stadiums completely mystifies me.
Investing In The Future
None of this is necessary. All they have to do is give people free money. The sociopaths who run the world like the idea of starving kids. It's the choice they've made.
ATHENS — As an elementary-school principal, Leonidas Nikas is used to seeing children play, laugh and dream about the future. But recently he has seen something altogether different, something he thought was impossible in Greece: children picking through school trash cans for food; needy youngsters asking playmates for leftovers; and an 11-year-old boy, Pantelis Petrakis, bent over with hunger pains.
Wednesday, April 17, 2013
Own Goal
If only there was some sort of leader who could discipline his caucus.
Or some way of changing Senate rules.
Or some way of changing Senate rules.
Speaking Of Journalisming
CNN reported an arrest, then walked it back, and...
Several times I've had journalists tell me that they'd out lying sources. I have only seen this happen once.
Several times I've had journalists tell me that they'd out lying sources. I have only seen this happen once.
Journalisming
I think it was late in the day on Monday when somebody on CNN congratulated his or her colleague for all of the "reporting" that had been done that day. And, well, I suppose its possible that there was some actual reporting done, but I bet that most of it was just getting access to information that would be universally released or, hell, tweeted, even if that reporter had spent the day home in bed. Most scoops really aren't.
Any Excuse To Kick The Poors
What's maddening is the complete indifference to needless human suffering.
There is a simple solution to problems - here and in Europe - at the moment. Give people free money. Easy and popular!
But beatings are more fun.
There is a simple solution to problems - here and in Europe - at the moment. Give people free money. Easy and popular!
But beatings are more fun.
Fortunately There's A Policy For That
Kick the poors some more.
He doesn't have any growth strategy. He has a destroy the economy and lives strategy.
Unemployment jumped by 70,000 in the three months to the end of February and pay rises registered the lowest increase since 2001, adding to the mounting pressure on George Osborne to adopt a more aggressive growth strategy.
He doesn't have any growth strategy. He has a destroy the economy and lives strategy.
Tuesday, April 16, 2013
The Beatings Will Continue
As is the case with every other issue, the "stupid or evil" question will never be answered. Do austerians believe in austerity? Or is it just an excuse to kick the poors and olds, which is what they wanted to do anyway.
The Border
I don't think it's said enough that obsession with "securing" the Mexican border is basically insane, and not just because it's impossible. Sure people do cross the border illegally, but anti-immigrant activists obsessed with this really must live in some alternative universe. We let people in from all over the world all the time. Some need visas, many don't. Some are coming to be students. Some are coming to be temporary workers. Some are here for business travel. Some are tourists. And all of them can, if they want, easily overstay their visas or allowed time in the country.
Contractionary Policy Is Contractionary
I don't know why we continue to be surprised by this.
The IMF has suggested that George Osborne should relax his austerity plans in the light of Britain's poor growth. As the Press Association reports, the IMF cut its growth forecasts for the UK in a report issued at lunchtime. It cut this year's forecast growth from 1% to 0.7% and 2014's projection from 1.9% to 1.5% as it noted the recovery was "progressing slowly".
Monday, April 15, 2013
Overnight
Tomorrow we can engage in the really important internet activity... arguing about whether the perp was a right wing nut, a left wing nut, or an international nut.
Nothing To Do With Me
Presumably (hopefully) I don't have any connection to any of the victims, but while in grad school I did spend a lot of time working in a small gov't office in Copley Place in Boston. One tends to feel more connection to events that happen in places that you know, places that are familiar to you. Still nothing to do with me, really, but I know that particular spot in Boston quite well.
Reminder
If this was a bombing, it's "terrorism" no matter what the color of skin or country of origin of the perpetrator(s).
What Are People Supposed To Do
You're 55, you get laid off, you draw down your meager savings to cover your mortgage then you raid your retirement account to do the same. No one will hire you in an economy that has been crap for over 4 years.
Just what do our glorious rulers think you should do?
Just what do our glorious rulers think you should do?
The New Normal
As Dean says, the optimistic take is pretty damn pessimistic. Maybe I should just rebrand myself as an optimist, and declare that 8% unemployment forever is an optimistic forecast.
Warning Signs
I've never quite known how we're supposed to get a housing-led recovery when people don't have any money or jobs. Obviously there has been somewhat of a recovery from the bust - I'm not denying that - but that's different than the homebuilding sector cranking things up and bringing us out of recession.
And austerity is here.
And austerity is here.
Bitcoinery
It seems dafter than even the daftest techo-glibertarian fantasy. Some people are just allergic to anything called government, but happily embrace things like HOAs. Fiat money haters love fiat money as long as it isn't the government declaring it has value. Then it has as much value as beanie babies or hockey cards.
Sunday, April 14, 2013
My Cunning Plan
Get a jump on the 2016 version of Hot Soup, No Labels, Unity '08, Americans Elect, blah blah blah, and convince a bunch of stupid rich people to give me money to fund it.
Smart rich people could also give me lots of money, but that wouldn't require this particular grift.
Smart rich people could also give me lots of money, but that wouldn't require this particular grift.
Innovations in Testing
By design.
Some students have nicer boats, as in the greater parental involvement and private tutors that wealthier kids are more likely to have.
New York public school students and parents are, by now, accustomed to standardized tests. But a pall has settled over classrooms across the state because this year’s tests, which begin Tuesday, are unlike any exams the students have seen. They have been redesigned and are tougher. And they are likely to cover at least some material that has yet to make its way into the curriculum.
...
The sink-or-swim approach is of particular concern to students (and their parents) in the fourth and seventh grades, whose scores could determine where they go to middle or high school in 2014. “It really makes me nervous,” said Patrick Timoney, a seventh grader at Intermediate School 2, on Staten Island. “It’s a big deal and if you don’t get a good grade, it’s not the best.”
...
Statistically speaking, city officials said, people should not worry too much about falling marks because everyone is taking the same new tests. Schools, students and teachers will be judged against one another.
As Shael Polakow-Suransky, the city’s chief academic officer, told parents on Staten Island: “Everyone is in the same boat.”
Some students have nicer boats, as in the greater parental involvement and private tutors that wealthier kids are more likely to have.
Economy's Great, At Least For The Prettiest Flowers
I liked this comment at the Atlantic.
If you manage to do everything just right, and differentiate yourself from all of the losers who won't get jobs, then you too can manage to only be unemployed for "nearly a year" with a bit of luck. No doom and gloom at all!
This "doom and gloom" message isn't productive. I was let go back in August '11 and unemployed for nearly a year and got a job with another employer. I differentiated myself during the process and made sure they knew I was going to be an asset. Applying online isn't enough. You have to research the companies you want to work for and try and find a contact (a real person that works there) and show your value to them (reach out via email). Just have to be creative and stand out. This article's message makes it seem like you should just give up finding work after 6 months. Be different and you'll get a job.
If you manage to do everything just right, and differentiate yourself from all of the losers who won't get jobs, then you too can manage to only be unemployed for "nearly a year" with a bit of luck. No doom and gloom at all!
Got It Right The First Time
The long-term unemployed are practically unemployable in this economy.
Only employers who pay people lots of money to spend their days figuring out how to take advantage of tax incentives take advantage of tax incentives. We need to pay people to do stuff. There is no shortage of useful stuff to be done.
Let's be clear. Ghayad's field study shows employers discriminate against the long-term unemployed. All of the fake resumes he sent out were basically identical. But firms ignored the ones from people who'd been out of work for six months or longer -- even when they had better credentials. Employers look at how long you've been unemployed as a better proxy for skills than anything else on your resume. In other words, more jobs-training probably won't help the long-term unemployed all that much. Even a stronger economy will only help them years in the future, rather than many years in the future.
It's time for the government to start hiring the long-term unemployed. Or, at the least, start giving employers tax incentives to hire the long-term unemployed. The worst possible outcome for all of us is if the long-term unemployed become unemployable. That would permanently reduce our productive capacity.
Only employers who pay people lots of money to spend their days figuring out how to take advantage of tax incentives take advantage of tax incentives. We need to pay people to do stuff. There is no shortage of useful stuff to be done.
Jobs
Just the occasional reminder that all the "hard choices" wouldn't be necessary if we just put people back to work.
Of course then we wouldn't be able to pat ourselves on our backs for making "hard choices" that hurt other people, and that wouldn't be nearly as fun.
Of course then we wouldn't be able to pat ourselves on our backs for making "hard choices" that hurt other people, and that wouldn't be nearly as fun.
Austerity Bites
The people who rule the world don't care anything about the impact of their policies.
Benevolent technocrats are like unicorns.
Benevolent technocrats are like unicorns.
Fear
It's funny, I suppose--the citizens of the most powerful country in the world quaking under the sheets in paranoid terror.
Or not. Goering inevitably comes to mind....
With cat metaphors!
Or not. Goering inevitably comes to mind....
With cat metaphors!
Saturday, April 13, 2013
Always Some Extra Wrongness
As I always say, the internet faux "scandals" that people obsess about the most are the ones that are so obviously wrong that people like me enter full "SOMEBODY ON THE INTERNET IS WRONG" mode. A bunch of people with prominent media outlets who didn't cover a story started yelling at a bunch of other media outlets for not covering a story even though some of them did, and then somehow this is the fault of The Left, who of course covered the story when it first appeared two years ago.
It's a local story here, so there's been complete coverage of it, though there was a lot of time between the grand jury report and the now ongoing trial. But, yeah, local horrific inner city crime story. These types of things usually get big national play when America's Assignment Editor, Matt Drudge, brings them to the attention of our media.
It's a local story here, so there's been complete coverage of it, though there was a lot of time between the grand jury report and the now ongoing trial. But, yeah, local horrific inner city crime story. These types of things usually get big national play when America's Assignment Editor, Matt Drudge, brings them to the attention of our media.
Friday, April 12, 2013
Occasional Reminder
Median annual Social Security benefits for current retirees is about $13,500.
I point this out because I think many people really believe the program is a lot more generous than that. I regularly get surprised responses when I point it out. Not from you, dear readers, because you are smarter than the average Villager. And I hate Obama for making me almost link to a Juan Williams columns on Fox News defending Greg Walden for being fucking right. Which he is.
I point this out because I think many people really believe the program is a lot more generous than that. I regularly get surprised responses when I point it out. Not from you, dear readers, because you are smarter than the average Villager. And I hate Obama for making me almost link to a Juan Williams columns on Fox News defending Greg Walden for being fucking right. Which he is.
Austerity Bites
From a micro perspective the sequestration sucks because it cuts useful programs rather randomly and hurts the people who benefit from them. But from macro perspective, the sequestration and anything that would replace it suck equivalently. Contractionary policy is contractionary. Unemployment is still very high. People need jobs and money. The economy needs fiscal stimulus.
Yes, Illegal Abortions In Unsanitary Conditions Are Bad
I really don't understand what point conservatives are trying to make with their ZOMG COVERUP. The pro-choice movement is about making sure women have access to appropriate, safe, and affordable health care. It's about making sure women never have to seek out that kind of treatment.
Bigger Than Jesus
I don't think anything can tarnish Rhee's reputation. That's what having lots of billionaires in your pocket does for you.
Maybe Some More Austerity?
I know I'm a pessimist about the economy, but we've cheered on the recovery every winter, and then...
I'm sure if we kick the olds and poors a bit more everything will turn around.
(Reuters) - U.S. retail sales contracted in March for the second time in three months and consumer confidence tumbled in April, a sign that tax hikes early this year have stolen momentum from the American economy.
I'm sure if we kick the olds and poors a bit more everything will turn around.
Thursday, April 11, 2013
Very Serious People
I do my best to avoid mindreading, but there have been anecdotes here and there over the years that suggest that Obama really does put a lot of trust in the Men In Dark Suits, whether it's the rich guys who are determined to destroy the world or the military advisers who are determined to blow it up.
Why?
Certainly no fan of publicly funded stadiums, but I am still curious about why attendance at Marlins games is that bad?
The War On People On The Margins
The idea that anyone would voluntarily choose to live on a thousand bucks a month or so - after leaping through the numerous hurdles to get it - if they had any other realistic options is completely insane.
The problem with America now is, apparently, that the officially disabled have it too good.
The problem with America now is, apparently, that the officially disabled have it too good.
Greg Johnson Is Correct
If your job is trying to get people elected, you'd be insane to support cuts to Social Security.
Wednesday, April 10, 2013
If We Don't Do It, They Will
I've heard this kind of rhetoric with respect to Social Security for years, going back to my grad school days. Basically, the argument was that "something" has to be done to "fix" Social Security, and if the guys with the white hats don't do it, the guys with the black hats will.
No this never made any sense.
No this never made any sense.
Nobody Could Have Predicted
Well, everyone could have. I hope they keep this up. Some Dems might actually hear it.
Wednesday Crass Commercialism
My friend's book comes out in just under 2 weeks. Here are some goodreads reviews. Pre-order it or the blog gets it.
Grover Johnson Is Correct
Not enough attention has been paid to the increases taxes disproportionately on poorer and middle class people aspect of the chained-CPI switch.
Delusions
Who knows what people really believe, but this idea that all one has to do is pass a "Grand Bargain" and we put it all behind us forever is just madness. Congress gets to pass new budgets and laws whenever the hell it wants. No "compromise" is good for any time period longer than one second. It can all be revisited. If President Ryan and his Congress want to gut the welfare state, they'll do it, no matter how much Obama guts it first.
Saturday Mail Delivery Is Saved
I don't think the fate of civilization depends on whether or not there's Saturday mail delivery, but it's in the category of "nice things" and the only reason the post office is in "trouble" is because of onerous retirement prefunding requirements. But, anyway, Saturday mail service remains for now.
I've been a bit puzzled by this one. I doubt Republicans really want to kill the post office. Or, at least, they would also miss it when it's gone. They're not always so good at understanding the consequences of their actions.
I've been a bit puzzled by this one. I doubt Republicans really want to kill the post office. Or, at least, they would also miss it when it's gone. They're not always so good at understanding the consequences of their actions.
How Does That Happen
The Fed had to release their minutes early because they were supposedly leaked yesterday.
Uh, Duh?
Because people who love chained-cpi love it precisely because it lets them cut benefits and raise taxes on the poor and middle class while trying to pretend they aren't?
"Accuracy" is just their con.
"Accuracy" is just their con.
Humpday morning
I totally love Charlie Pierce, but I think he's wrong and Susie Madrak (who I also love) is right about this, because 80% of the country has said loud and clear that they don't want Obama's awful Grand Bargain.
So, yes, when it comes to some basic understanding of what the government should do, there's no red America or blue America, there's just the United States of America, and we don't want to destroy Social Security just so "we" can "compete" with China to be even more of a slave-labor nation than they are.
Social Security is good for us. It keeps money being injected into the economy, circulating and creating more positive activity. Never mind even that it also keeps old people from dying in our streets, it keeps money out there creating jobs. It's part of our real national security structure.
Social Security really does protect our freedoms, more certainly than the Department of Defense ever can.
Don't let them break it.
Tuesday, April 09, 2013
Not A Trade They Care About
Sure Republicans love furrowing their brows and kvetching about "entitlements." EVERYBODY in Washington does. It's how one demonstrates membership in The Very Serious People club, how one gets Dancing Dave to do a bit of gangnam in your honor. But in truth Republicans just don't care about cuts to Social Security. Sure they'd scrap the whole system if they were your malevolent dictators, but they aren't. Old people vote, they vote Republican, and risking the wrath of their voters over Social Security isn't worth hiking taxes on Jaime Dimon by one penny.
Having Democrats OWN cutting Social Security, that's a different story....
Having Democrats OWN cutting Social Security, that's a different story....
How Things Work
We all remember how Clinton did the "responsible" thing and cut the deficit to nothing. Sure he had some help from the tech boom, but when looking at dwindling deficits they didn't decide to spend a bunch of money on liberal priorities.
And the reward for this responsibility? Tax cuts for rich people.
That's how this game works.
And the reward for this responsibility? Tax cuts for rich people.
That's how this game works.
Fear
As Digby says, it's time to make some calls. You can call the DC offices and also call the local ones. On this issue it's worth calling your Republican reps and senators. They know who their voters are.
On A Pogo Stick
Things in the NYT that make me want to guzzle some of Pierce's antifreeze.
Or, you know, THE FUCKING BANKS.
Mrs. Thatcher’s prescription for Britain in the 1980s — faith in market forces, willingness to impose short-term austerity in the service of long-term prosperity, and skepticism or even hostility to the fiscal and social costs of the welfare state — prefigured some of the policies Germany and European regulators are still recommending, wrongly in the view of many economists, for the struggling Southern European countries.
But few of those nations, even in the hard-hit southern tier, have shown the political strength or will to face down the entrenched forces — unions, state-owned enterprises, encrusted political elites — that Mrs. Thatcher did, and the crisis drags on without resolution.
Or, you know, THE FUCKING BANKS.
Monday, April 08, 2013
Nice Work
One day I hope to join the 9 figure severance package club
....ah BI got this wrong. Actually rather small relative to the norm of these things.
If I Could
I'd sneak into the Oval Office and hang an 80s-style dot matrix printer banner (we thought those were so cool...and they kinda were, can't make banners at home easily now!):
CONTRACTIONARY POLICY IS CONTRACTIONARY
The Death Of A Famous Person Is An Opportunity For Me To Chastize My Political Opponents
On the 'speak ill of the dead' issue, I think it depends both on the degree to which someone is a public figure and the degree to which their death is a surprise. I don't like George Bush very much, but if he had, say, died in a helicopter accident while in office, my first impulse wouldn't have been to talk about all of the reasons George Bush sucks. I think at that type of moment respect for friends and family has a role. Presumably he'll have a relatively long life, his death, when it comes, won't be a huge surprise, and when he does die there won't be anything wrong with discussing his actual record, in opposition to the inevitable mountain of hagiography.
Stupid Tricks
Yes it's generally dumb to point to various things in the legacies of past conservatives to demonstrate that they're much more liberal than today's Republicans/conservatives. I think it's fine to point out some factual misconceptions that have formed around, for example, the Reagan myth, both in terms of policies he supported and their outcomes, but none of that puts any distance between Reagan and today's conservatives.
Because They Don't Care
And, yes, I'm pretty sure Tim knows that.
We also need daycare and universal pre-k in this country. Not a plan to provide incentives to encourage investment with subsidies on a sliding scale blah blah blah. Daycare. Pre-k.
Give people goodies. Make it happen.
We also need daycare and universal pre-k in this country. Not a plan to provide incentives to encourage investment with subsidies on a sliding scale blah blah blah. Daycare. Pre-k.
Give people goodies. Make it happen.
Sunday, April 07, 2013
An Actual Nice Day
Was a pretty crap winter here in the urban hellhole. It wasn't especially bad - it didn't ever get that cold and there wasn't really any snow - but it was prolonged and constant. No teaser Spring days in February, and actual Spring arrived basically today.
Wandered around the urban hellhole for a few hours. Much more foot traffic than expected in many areas, which is good. Cities are made of people and it's healthy to see people out and about all over the place.
Wandered around the urban hellhole for a few hours. Much more foot traffic than expected in many areas, which is good. Cities are made of people and it's healthy to see people out and about all over the place.
An Election About Nothing
That's how they like it.
They like it so much they brag about it to reporters.
Democratic Party officials believe that Kevin Strouse is exactly the kind of candidate who can help them retake the House next year.
He’s a smart, young former Army Ranger — good qualities for any aspiring politician. But what party leaders really like is that Strouse doesn’t have particularly strong views on the country’s hottest issues.
They like it so much they brag about it to reporters.
Saturday, April 06, 2013
Afternoon Thread
1) Attempt to get Ron Fournier and Fred Hiatt to write nice things about you
2) ???
3) profit!
2) ???
3) profit!
Stunts
Agree with Pareene. Rich guys giving up a bit of money they don't need is actually just kind of gross.
All in it together, rich and poor alike. Not.
All in it together, rich and poor alike. Not.
XII
KagroX's weekly #gunFAIL summary. 34 injured, 6 dead by my count. And several walls and windows blown out. David also notes this week that:
And by the way, if you ever find yourself overwhelmed by the volume, consider that CDC statistics on unintentional firearms injuries (which of course don't count near misses, forgotten guns, etc. the way we count them) for 2011 counted 14,675 incidents, which comes out to just over 282 such injuries each week. Which means the 35 or so accidental gunshot injuries I listed as having happened during the past week represent only about 12.5% of those we can statistically expect to have actually occurred.
Friday, April 05, 2013
How The World Works
I saw something around the internet a few times today that I haven't seen in awhile, which was the IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT LIBERALS FOR STAYING HOME DURING THE 2010 ELECTION reasoning.
I've never quite known what to make of this. I mean, yeah, parts of the Dem base tend to not vote as much as they should in non-presidential election years. Perhaps the people who collect and earn millions of dollars to run campaigns should figure out how to reach these people? Perhaps all the consultants who are convinced House races should be local personality-driven affairs should make the obvious inference that the difference between these elections and presidential-year elections is that the latter are run on nationwide party-wide themes and policies? If these people matter, perhaps you should stop punching them?
It's offered up as a rebuke to complaining liberals. Basically: it's the fault of you people! You didn't vote. Well, you know, I voted, not that Bob Brady needed my vote. I imagine just about every liberal person engaged in politics online voted. A few might have been pissed off enough not to, but these are basically phantom people. Pissed off internet political junkies who stayed home didn't swing a single election.
What I do remember about 2010 was that nobody was even trying. Vote Dem because.... (???) And, look, I'm on team D. They're still less evil than the other guys. I can make the case for voting Dem. The people whose job it was to make that case? They didn't bother to try.
I've never quite known what to make of this. I mean, yeah, parts of the Dem base tend to not vote as much as they should in non-presidential election years. Perhaps the people who collect and earn millions of dollars to run campaigns should figure out how to reach these people? Perhaps all the consultants who are convinced House races should be local personality-driven affairs should make the obvious inference that the difference between these elections and presidential-year elections is that the latter are run on nationwide party-wide themes and policies? If these people matter, perhaps you should stop punching them?
It's offered up as a rebuke to complaining liberals. Basically: it's the fault of you people! You didn't vote. Well, you know, I voted, not that Bob Brady needed my vote. I imagine just about every liberal person engaged in politics online voted. A few might have been pissed off enough not to, but these are basically phantom people. Pissed off internet political junkies who stayed home didn't swing a single election.
What I do remember about 2010 was that nobody was even trying. Vote Dem because.... (???) And, look, I'm on team D. They're still less evil than the other guys. I can make the case for voting Dem. The people whose job it was to make that case? They didn't bother to try.
And in another Friedman Unit
If, in six months, it is clear the economy is tanking due to austerity, will anyone in charge want to do anything about it?
Elderly Republican Voters Enraged By President's Plan To Cut Social Security
Sure it's the organized ("professional") Left that is making noise about Social Security at the moment. The organized Right won't chime in until campaign commercial time.
Blogging In The Glorious Age Of The Kenyan Muslim Socialist Revolution
One thing about doing this in the Obama era is you tend to get a lot of weird comments from "both sides," you know, the firebaggers and Obots. I'm just joking with those terms, I don't embrace them, and I don't spend a lot of time fighting with either side. Different people have different priorities, different perceptions of constraints on actions, and different perceptions about strategy and goals. Some of this is subjective, and knowing some of it requires mindreading.
Where I, personally, stand on the firebagger-Obot spectrum I don't really know, but I've never been particularly annoyed with people who, roughly speaking, like Obama more than I do or dislike him more than I do. I don't think they're naive, or idiots, or acting in bad faith generally. I just think they see things a bit differently than I do. They might be proved more fucking right than me on some things, and on others they just have different priorities. All that's fine with me.
But I get a lot of accusations of acting in bad faith and of having views I don't have an have never expressed. For lefties, yes, I admit it, I think President Obama was a better choice than President Romney. I think there are scenarios one can map out that suggest the opposite which aren't crazy. I think those scenarios are/were wrong, but not entirely crazy. For Obama partisans, the fact that the president has been talking about chained CPI forever, and I voted for him, doesn't mean that I can't be annoyed that he put it in an aspirational budget document.
I've been writing about Fear of A Grand Bargain forever. It's not like I just woke up to this stuff this morning.
Where I, personally, stand on the firebagger-Obot spectrum I don't really know, but I've never been particularly annoyed with people who, roughly speaking, like Obama more than I do or dislike him more than I do. I don't think they're naive, or idiots, or acting in bad faith generally. I just think they see things a bit differently than I do. They might be proved more fucking right than me on some things, and on others they just have different priorities. All that's fine with me.
But I get a lot of accusations of acting in bad faith and of having views I don't have an have never expressed. For lefties, yes, I admit it, I think President Obama was a better choice than President Romney. I think there are scenarios one can map out that suggest the opposite which aren't crazy. I think those scenarios are/were wrong, but not entirely crazy. For Obama partisans, the fact that the president has been talking about chained CPI forever, and I voted for him, doesn't mean that I can't be annoyed that he put it in an aspirational budget document.
I've been writing about Fear of A Grand Bargain forever. It's not like I just woke up to this stuff this morning.
Jobs
+88K. Crap.
7.6% unemployment. Improvement! But that's due to labor force participation dropping. So, not so good either.
7.6% unemployment. Improvement! But that's due to labor force participation dropping. So, not so good either.
Same As It Ever Was
Yesterday, Ezra gave a detailed explanation of how the GOP health care proposals may repeal ObamaCare, but certainly don't replace it.
Thursday, April 04, 2013
The Madness Of The Madness
Bullshit he believes or not? No idea.
How about not approving the pipeline and actually doing something that would actually help the economy. Or help people nearing retirement. Hey, cancel some goddamn student debt.
Mr. Obama appears to be leaning toward approval of the pipeline, although he did not specifically mention it to the donors. But he acknowledged that it is difficult to sell aggressive environmental action to Americans who are still struggling in a difficult economy to pay bills, buy gas and save for retirement.
“You may be concerned about the temperature of the planet, but it’s probably not rising to your number-one concern,” Mr. Obama said. “And if people think, well, that’s shortsighted, that’s what happens when you’re struggling to get by.”
How about not approving the pipeline and actually doing something that would actually help the economy. Or help people nearing retirement. Hey, cancel some goddamn student debt.
Transfer Fees Are Stupid
A smart payment system should come with a smart fare system. A bus fare should include the right to board any bus (or trolley) within an hour of initial payment, or similar. It really would make the whole system more attractive to people.
The Worst Place In the World
Suburban office parks, even fancy ones that look like someone from the 60s's idea of the future, are hell.
Shacking Up
I think that even when I graduated from college - 1993 - there was a bit of a social stigma attached to shacking up. Obviously lots of people did it, but there was a bit of "scared to tell my parents" still in there. Things change.
Three of four women in the U.S. have lived with a partner without being married by the age of 30, an increasing trend that suggests cohabitation is now a regular part of family life in the U.S., researchers said.
Jobs
Monthly report comes out tomorrow. I always feel like a Debbie Downer this time of year. What has happened every year, either due to reality or just problems with seasonal adjustment, is that there has been a couple strong months of growth sometime early in the year. Everyone thinks the recovery is finally here, and then it just goes away again. I'll steal Steve Benen's graph.
Obviously we have had job growth and some recovery, but not the recovery we should have (and could have) had.
Obviously we have had job growth and some recovery, but not the recovery we should have (and could have) had.
The Plan Is The Plan
Occasionally there's some value in taking conservative policy proposals seriously enough to point out that it's just the same old thing. But the more important thing to do is remind people of what "the same old thing" actually is. The solution to every problem, real or imagined, is to give more money to rich people and kick the poors (and olds if they can get away with kicking their own voters). It's the proper course when the economy is good and when the economy is bad. It's the proper course when the deficit is high, it's the proper course when the deficit is nonexistent. It's just the Republican agenda.
Wednesday, April 03, 2013
Better Luck Next Time
We've started to change the conversation about Social Security ever so slightly. Whether this blog flapping its wings had anything to do with it, I don't know, but in any case we've had several people in non-crazy blue blogs say that we need to increase Social Security benefits.
What struck me was that there has been an increasing acknowledgment that the 401K experiment was a failure. In response to this there was discussion of improvements to that system that might pay off for current 25-year-olds. Maybe we can re-run the experiment for another couple of generations and see how it works. But we also need to figure out how to deal the victims of this failed experiment. Soon.
What struck me was that there has been an increasing acknowledgment that the 401K experiment was a failure. In response to this there was discussion of improvements to that system that might pay off for current 25-year-olds. Maybe we can re-run the experiment for another couple of generations and see how it works. But we also need to figure out how to deal the victims of this failed experiment. Soon.
Not Very Bright
For awhile the Republican party was run by people who knew how to con the rubes. Now it's run by the rubes.
Who Are We Talking About
This is obviously not a new point, and it isn't entirely surprising that elite people in the elite media focus on the troubles of the elite, but sometimes I'm amazed by the complete lack of awareness of this by people doing it.
Discussions of higher education entirely involve Ivy-level schools. Discussions of the troubles of the "middle class" are about buying New York real estate and affording private school.
And I have no idea how those obsessed with precisely when young women put a ring on it and crank out a baby think that most people in this country right now can even think about supporting a child financially. Want people to get married and have babies? Give them some freaking child care.
Discussions of higher education entirely involve Ivy-level schools. Discussions of the troubles of the "middle class" are about buying New York real estate and affording private school.
And I have no idea how those obsessed with precisely when young women put a ring on it and crank out a baby think that most people in this country right now can even think about supporting a child financially. Want people to get married and have babies? Give them some freaking child care.
The Mark Penn Test
My mild Clinton aversion was in large part due to the Clintonites. Some of these are very respectable, but horrible, people. And some are some not very respectable and also horrible people.
But, yes, please, get some better people...
...link fixed
But, yes, please, get some better people...
...link fixed
Busting Out Everywhere
I haven't had a chance to look closely at this plan, but the big point is that expanding Social Security is necessary. The 401K system has failed. We can argue about precisely what to do about it, but we need to do something. And chained CPI isn't it.
Sins Of Their Own
Happy to be wrong, but conservative voters generally aren't all that concerned with the sins of their own tribe. Sanford's big mistake was resigning in the first place.*
*Commenter E reminds me he didn't resign as governor, just as chair of the Republican Governors Association.
*Commenter E reminds me he didn't resign as governor, just as chair of the Republican Governors Association.
Crosswalks
There are pedestrians who behave badly. I think crossing mid block or against a light is fine (do not do this in Los Angeles) as long as no driver is in any way affected by this (shouldn't have to slow if driving appropriate speed, shouldn't even have to think about whether they should slow). But pedestrians behaving aren't likely to hurt anyone else. Drivers...
One harrowing take-away from the report is that no area, it seems, can be entirely safe. Six percent of pedestrians were injured while on a sidewalk. Of those injured on the street, 44 percent used a crosswalk, with the signal, compared with 23 percent who crossed midblock and 9 percent who crossed against the signal. The remaining injuries resulted from a variety of less frequent circumstances, like pedestrians standing in the road while waiting to cross, traffic officers being struck while policing a street, and travelers being hit while getting into or out of a vehicle.
Tuesday, April 02, 2013
You and them fight
The Tories have been masterful at turning the middle class against the poor. Take away or ruin the goodies middle class people get from the gov and then point to all the free stuff the poor get (mostly housing benefit). Gonna be a changed country.
Aren't They?
I mean, I don't believe there is one aligned league of evil plotting in some boardroom somewhere, but isn't attempting to own and rule the world the game?
Pretty sure there's something to that lizard people thing, too.
Turning to world domination, 9% think fluoride is added to drinking water for sinister reasons, and 28% believe a shadowy elite are conspiring to form world government.
But almost no one – just 4% of respondents — believes shape-shifting lizard people control the world.
Pretty sure there's something to that lizard people thing, too.
Austerity Forever
Arguably countries like Spain and Greece have nothing but bad choices, but the UK isn't on the Euro, has low borrowing costs, and can do what they want. What they're doing is cutting taxes for rich people and kicking the poors any way they can. The former might at least be a bit of stimulus, though offset by the poors kicking.
Sixty Million Dollars
So that's what a rail station at the zoo would cost. The 683 spot parking garage they just built cost $24 million.
Am a bit puzzled why they don't push the trolley more. It isn't a one seat ride to center city, but is still an easy trip to make.
Am a bit puzzled why they don't push the trolley more. It isn't a one seat ride to center city, but is still an easy trip to make.
Fortunately There's A Policy For That
More austerity!
PARIS — Unemployment in the euro zone rose to yet another record high in the first two months of the year, official data showed Tuesday, providing confirmation that the economy remains in a deep freeze.
Oligarchs
There are few areas where the corruption of the national media is more apparent than in its treatment of Social Security. Most of the elite media have made it clear in both their opinion and news pages that they want to see benefits cut. In keeping with this position they highlight the views of political figures who push cuts to the program, treating them as responsible, while those who oppose cuts are ignored or mocked.
"Elite"? I think oligarch fits better:
This is a clear case of the elite lining up together against the bases of both political parties. If the chained CPI were put to a vote of the people it would lose in a landslide. But the elites are prepared to use their control of the political process and the media to do everything they can to push this cut forward.
The battle over the chained CPI provides a great case study in the state of American democracy. We will get to see whether the rich and powerful are able to attack a program that is vital to the security of almost all working people, even when the vast majority in both parties stand against them.
Monday, April 01, 2013
Credit Where Credit Is Due
Was curious if Bob Casey would flip on marriage. He hasn't really been a conservative culture warrior, but he has I think tried to leave the impression that he is his father's successor on such things even if his heart wasn't in it. Small city Pennsylvania Catholic. Anyway, good for him. Unlike some he probably had some excuses for not flipping earlier.
Everything
Was a bit flippant in the post below, but it is sad how the most "liberal" approach is a complicated mess. Want to increase aggregate demand? Give people money. Want to reduce poverty? Give poor people money. Want to give people jobs? Hire them to do stuff. Want to give everybody health insurance? Tax them and give it to them. Ditto retirement.
I get all of the arguments about the politics of things. I've sometimes been on the other side of these arguments, in that I get that "giving money to poor people" is less politically popular than, say, "programs to help poor people help themselves" and thus the latter are more likely to be passed. But at some point people - liberals, and conservative who aren't total assholes - should get that more complicated isn't necessarily better, either in terms of fairness or efficiency. We waste a lot of money on all of this stuff because, I dunno, freedom or centrism or whatever I guess. People get less help for more money.
I get all of the arguments about the politics of things. I've sometimes been on the other side of these arguments, in that I get that "giving money to poor people" is less politically popular than, say, "programs to help poor people help themselves" and thus the latter are more likely to be passed. But at some point people - liberals, and conservative who aren't total assholes - should get that more complicated isn't necessarily better, either in terms of fairness or efficiency. We waste a lot of money on all of this stuff because, I dunno, freedom or centrism or whatever I guess. People get less help for more money.
Simple Solutions To Horrible Problems
Big Media Matt isn't a new convert to this plan, but it's still good to see more people explicitly advocate for the "free money solves our problems" solution. I think there are plenty of economist types who would be on board with it but who haven't really actually quite come out and said it.
There's a shortage of demand because people have no jobs and no money. The simple solution is to give people money. Just give everybody 10 grand.
There's a shortage of demand because people have no jobs and no money. The simple solution is to give people money. Just give everybody 10 grand.
High School?
I knew who David Stockman was when I was 9. I was watching a Bob Hope holiday special, and he made what I thought was the most hilarious joke ever. It was something along the lines of "President Reagan is enjoying his holiday. His Stockman is hanging by the fire." Whatever the merits of the joke, I got it!
Winning April Fools
I suppose this is more in the just making a joke category than the fooling people category, but Netflix wins for this kind of thing today.
Click for the embiggening.
Click for the embiggening.
What Is An Infrastructure Bank?
I've asked this question a few times, and never had an answer. It seems to involve a small amount of government money which can obtain magical leverage (how?) from the free market ponies that then build infrastructure and after stealing all of our underpants there is profit.
At a time when the government can borrow for negative real interest rates.
At a time when the government can borrow for negative real interest rates.
Waking Up From A Long Crazy
Obviously not everyone will wake up, but I sorta think that when it comes to same-sex marriage we've all woken up from some long hallucination. We thought what? And we cared, why?
What's long puzzled me is that the issue had any kind of intensity. Change is weird and for a long time gay people barely existed to most people, so I get why why people opposed it. I just never understood why they cared much.
What's long puzzled me is that the issue had any kind of intensity. Change is weird and for a long time gay people barely existed to most people, so I get why why people opposed it. I just never understood why they cared much.
What Could Go Wrong
If we get through the next couple of years without completely destroying the water supply in much of the country it will be a miracle.
Wastewater disposal wells like this one are becoming a common landmark in the drilling regions of Texas as the water-intensive practice of hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, continues to spread. In the fracking process, several million gallons of water, combined with sand and chemicals, are sent down a well to break up rock and retrieve oil and gas. Some of the fluid comes back up, along with additional underground water.
Most of this wastewater is trucked to disposal wells and injected thousands of feet underground for permanent storage. But those wells have caused concern about truck traffic, accidents and the possibility for spills and groundwater contamination.
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