Saturday, June 01, 2013
Afternoon Thread
Here's Thers at Whiskey Fire on the Magdalene Laundries. And surprise, surprise, William Donohue of the Catholic League, will sell you a booklet for $5 that explains the laundries weren't really that bad. No, really!
No Opposition
Labour is unwilling to really make the case for what has to happen. Borrow, spend, improve economy.
Spent years watching Dems here play the "not quite as evil as the other guys" electoral strategy. It didn't work.
Spent years watching Dems here play the "not quite as evil as the other guys" electoral strategy. It didn't work.
Friday, May 31, 2013
It's The Economy
I'd seriously consider cutting cable if it wasn't semi-necessary for my "job" but even more importantly is that when bundled with internet, which is certainly necessary for my job, cable TV doesn't cost all that much. Bundling deals vary by provider and location (and your willingness to haggle on the phone of course), but if I'm already getting cable broadband then the additional fee for TV isn't all that much. It isn't nothing, but it isn't a giant expense. So, yes, I imagine cable cutting goes right along with home internet cutting and people just internet with their phones.
This Will Bring Down The Obama Presidency
Aside from the being shoddy, a big problem with the current right wing scandalmongers is that it's all turned up to 11. There's never any sense that, even if true, something might be a minor scandal but basically not a very big deal. Every little nugget they turn up is thing that will lead to impeachment, and then through some weird constitutional trick the installation of the Great And Glorious President Bachmann, or whoever their favorite is that week.
Finding examples of minor to moderate corruption shouldn't actually be that hard, if they were genuinely interested in doing so. But they're only interested in ending the presidency of B. Barry Bamz.
Finding examples of minor to moderate corruption shouldn't actually be that hard, if they were genuinely interested in doing so. But they're only interested in ending the presidency of B. Barry Bamz.
Not Winning
The economy isn't growing nearly as fast as it should be. And that's a choice that's been made.
Failure
No full employment, and inflation is too low.
Start mailing checks to everybody.
Over the past 12 months, inflation has risen just 0.7 percent, the smallest gain since October 2009 and pushing further below the Federal Reserve's 2 percent target. The index had increased 1.0 percent in the period through March.
Start mailing checks to everybody.
Thursday, May 30, 2013
Rules for the Masses
If you work on in teevee there's a pretty good chance that you work with women who get paid more than their partners, because teevee is a pretty good gig and sometimes they pay women do it. The supposed natural order is just for the little people, of course.
Escalate
I have no idea what should be done in Syria, but giving each "side" more and more weapons will have a pretty predictable outcome.
President Bashar al-Assad has said Russian anti-aircraft missiles have arrived in Syria, Lebanese TV reported, in a claim that is likely to dramatically increase tensions in the region and could provoke the Israelis to launch a strike against the weapons.
...
The deal between the Kremlin and the Syrian government has been in train for some time. But the S-300 shipment, if confirmed, appears to be Russian retaliation for the EU's decision this week to lift an arms embargo on Syria. Britain, France and others such as Turkey are seeking to arm the country's moderate opposition.
But MSNBC Isn't "Liberal" Most Of The Time
It's (broadly speaking) conservative in the morning, DC "center right" CW all day, and then liberal in the evenings. I'm sure they imagine that the daytime is 'straight news' or whatever but it also has a perspective, and one that isn't that appealing to liberals. Andrea Mitchell ain't liberal.
I have no idea if having a more consistent perspective throughout the day would help ratings, but it just isn't the case that there's a TV home for liberal news junkies.
I have no idea if having a more consistent perspective throughout the day would help ratings, but it just isn't the case that there's a TV home for liberal news junkies.
Mantra
At this point they just want any excuse to say "Benghazi," because it sends a shiver up the legs of their viewers and activates their haterade glands.
Wednesday, May 29, 2013
Meanwhile, In The Rob Ford Of Canadia Show
They really need to broadcast this one here.
Emails and telephone records in Mayor Rob Ford’s office are in danger of disappearing, the Star has learned.
The electronic records, which may reveal knowledge of discussions of the video scandal, were ordered destroyed this week. Sources say people who were told to delete the records are balking at the order.
Renting
I think the only way large scale single family home property management will actually work long term is if tenant protections are substantially increased. I suppose in theory this could be done through private contracting, but I'm not sure the legal team and the finance team are necessarily on the same page. Especially with single family homes you want to attract long term tenants, but the only way to attract long term tenants is if they have first right of renewal and at least some soft form of rent control. If those things are in place, then tenants have an incentive to maintain the properties themselves to some degree. Such protections wouldn't have to apply across the board for all rental properties, but perhaps for, say, anyone willing to sign an initial lease of 3 years.
Too much tenant protection can be problematic. My friends in Barcelona tell me (this is anecdote, nothing more) that because of the difficulty of evicting people with long term contracts, landlords increasingly are shifting to short term vacation rentals. And the stereotype of rent control where renters pay what they paid 50 years ago is certainly dumb. But limiting rent increases to some defined amount provides tenants with stability, and that stability gives them the incentive to be good tenants.
Too much tenant protection can be problematic. My friends in Barcelona tell me (this is anecdote, nothing more) that because of the difficulty of evicting people with long term contracts, landlords increasingly are shifting to short term vacation rentals. And the stereotype of rent control where renters pay what they paid 50 years ago is certainly dumb. But limiting rent increases to some defined amount provides tenants with stability, and that stability gives them the incentive to be good tenants.
And 90% Of A Roof Is 90% As Good As A Whole Roof
I don't know how one even deals with this kind of thinking. And I'm a car hater who wants to shut down all the roads and bridges.
We're Laughing At You
Conservatives live to piss of liberals these days, but they rarely understand what actually pisses us off. When we start mocking their assorted crazies they decide we're "outraged" when in fact, no, we're just laughing at you. We'll miss Michele Bachmann more than they will (not that she'll really go away, of course).
It's Called An Employment Agency
I'm sure it's possible to come up with a better employment agency, and perhaps Tom Friedman's daughter's college roommate has done just that, but employment agencies have been around forever. This is not new. I used to do temp work. In 1990. They tested me for computer skills with testing software.
Recovery Summer
I think this piece is a bit over-optimistic overall, but the conclusion is a bit closer to the mark.
The first one could happen, the second one is unlikely, and people can't spend what they don't have.
For the economy to continue growing even as the sequestration and tax increases have their full effects, higher housing prices will need to translate into more home construction, higher stock prices will need to translate into companies making new investments, and consumers’ higher level of confidence will need to translate into spending more money.
Until those things happen, there will not be the kind of full-throated economic boom that, four years since the great recession ended, America is still desperately waiting for.
The first one could happen, the second one is unlikely, and people can't spend what they don't have.
Tuesday, May 28, 2013
Mission Crackpossible
In the latest episode of this fascinating teevee show about "Canadia," the writer wants us to believe that no one told these characters about "copies" or "the cloud."
If this is a single season show, it'll inevitably end with the big reveal that the mayor had the video maker whacked. But, if this Rob Ford character proves to be popular enough with the viewers, they might just have to bring him back for season 2...
If this is a single season show, it'll inevitably end with the big reveal that the mayor had the video maker whacked. But, if this Rob Ford character proves to be popular enough with the viewers, they might just have to bring him back for season 2...
Occasional Reminder
A period of high unemployment at the zero lower bound was actually a tremendous opportunity to give a tremendous gift to "our children" everyone is always going on about. Fed-financed spending, otherwise known as a "free lunch," could have put people back to work, at zero cost to taxpayers. Those people could have made some nice things. For the children. For free.
I Give Them A Bit More Credit Than That
They are interested in giving all the moneys to their rich friends, which is a kind of governing, though it's maybe true that their rich friends are a slight different set of rich friends than the traditional republican rich person base.
This Sounds Like A Great TV Show
This Rob Ford character isn't believable, and neither is this place called "Canadia," but whoever is scripting this show is pretty damn creative. When's it going to be broadcast here?
Armageddon Averted
I've been somewhat amused by reading all of the absurd squealing about New York's new bikeshare program. That there was absurd squealing trumpeted by the press does not mean there was serious opposition to the program, but some of the stated reasons for opposing it were hilarious. I'm sure in about 6 months most people who opposed it will forget what they were so mad about.
Monday, May 27, 2013
Several Hours
I have no idea what the point of John McCain going to Syria is, though at least now his conspicuous absence from the Sunday shows has been explained.
I'm sure he's an expert now.
I'm sure he's an expert now.
Afternoon Thread
Priorities
If they aren't super accurate, who knows what might happen?
Nukes. Precision weapons.
The United States has about 180 B61 gravity nuclear bombs based in Europe. They are the detritus of the cold war, tactical weapons deployed in Belgium, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Turkey to protect NATO allies from the once-feared Soviet advantage in conventional arms. But the cold war is long over, and no American military commander can conceive of their ever being used. Even so, President Obama has put $537 million in his 2014 budget proposal to upgrade these bombs. When all is said and done, experts say, the cost of the rebuilding program is expected to total around $10 billion — $4 billion more than an earlier projection — and yield an estimated 400 weapons, fitted with new guided tail kits so that they are more reliable and accurate than the current ones.
Nukes. Precision weapons.
Sunday, May 26, 2013
The Civilitude Dodge
Helping to doom millions to widespread economic misery based on bullshit is, in my opinion, a pretty unvicivil thing to do.
But, yeah, it's your critics who are mean. LEAVE ROGAINE AND BRAVEHEART ALOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Assholes.
But, yeah, it's your critics who are mean. LEAVE ROGAINE AND BRAVEHEART ALOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Assholes.
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