Saturday, December 05, 2015
Kinda Hard to Use More Than One at a Time
Gun gropers are often a bit obsessed.
I don't think gun obsessions are necessarily (though they can be!) all that different from any other obsession. As a species we seem to be pretty good at obsessing about stuff. Could be sports, or knitting, or video games, or whatever. Though there is one key difference. Guns are for killing people. I suppose those knitting needles can be dangerous too, but...
ROCHESTER HILLS, Mich. (wxyz) - A Rochester Hills man who owned 145 guns was arrested for allegedly shooting at his wife earlier this week.
I don't think gun obsessions are necessarily (though they can be!) all that different from any other obsession. As a species we seem to be pretty good at obsessing about stuff. Could be sports, or knitting, or video games, or whatever. Though there is one key difference. Guns are for killing people. I suppose those knitting needles can be dangerous too, but...
Area Fed Chief Does Not Understand Monetary Policy
Oh Jeebus.
Accordingly, I would like to see rates raised sooner rather than later. With an early start, we can better ensure that monetary accommodation is removed gradually and that inflation returns to the Fed’s 2 percent target smoothly. My fear is that the Federal Reserve risks losing its credibility and only adds uncertainty to the economic landscape the longer the Committee waits to begin normalizing policy.Raising rates is how we increase inflation now?
Friday, December 04, 2015
They Think It's Ok
It isn't surprising that people in power are racist assholes. I admit I'm slightly surprised that they don't feel any need to hide it.
Feeling The Rubiomentum
It seems like every other week or so a memo comes down from central planning and the press, in unison, all start pushing The Next Obvious Republican Frontrunner, no matter what the polls say.
Donald Trump is once again alone at the top of the Republican field, according to the latest CNN/ORC Poll, with 36% of registered Republicans and Republican-leaning independents behind him, while his nearest competitor trails by 20 points.
Three candidates cluster behind Trump in the mid-teens, including Texas Sen. Ted Cruz at 16%, former neurosurgeon Ben Carson at 14% and Florida Sen. Marco Rubio at 12%. All other candidates have the support of less than 5% of GOP voters in the race for the Republican Party's nomination for president.
The War Was Great, Everybody Got Rich
One big grift.
But we can't have any nice things at home.
The Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) is asking why a small Department of Defense task force charged with developing the Afghan economy spent nearly $150 million on private villas, security guards and luxury meals while operating in the country between 2010 and 2014.
But we can't have any nice things at home.
Thursday, December 03, 2015
Teatime Thread
The Los Angeles Times:
Farook and Malik used two assault rifles and two semi-automatic handguns in the attack on the party, all of which were purchased legally, according to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. A federal law enforcement source told the Los Angeles Times that the guns were bought at Annie's Get Your Gun, a firearms retailer in nearby Corona that advertises itself as a "family-friendly gun store."
They Don't Pray
What bothers me most is most people who mutter the incantation "thoughts and prayers" don't actually pray. I'm a cynical atheist/agnostic who doesn't see much point in prayer but if people find it helpful or therapeutic then good for them. What I hate is the pose. Most of these people aren't actually praying, they're just telling people that they are.
Wednesday, December 02, 2015
The Guns We Will Always Have With Us
I'll support any gun control legislation you can think up. When I am your benevolent dictator, I will, in fact, take all of your guns away. But as I've written a million times, I don't think any semi-realistic gun legislation is really going to solve the problem, because we aren't actually going to take all of the guns away. As I said, I would if I could. But it isn't going to happen. The best we can do, I think, is to treat gun gropers like the ridiculous, if dangerous, people that they are. Won't help much, but making people embarrassed to own guns, instead of proud, might help a bit.
9/11 Is The High Holy Day For Conservatives
Thought it had faded, but apparently it has not.
They do remember the good old days, when 3000 people died and libturds were on the run.
But fueled by voter fears about ISIS after the attacks in Paris — and a subsequent boost from the largest paper in one of the key early primary states — New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie is focusing on terrorism.
At a standing-room only town hall inside the firehouse in tiny Loudon, N.H., the crowd took the Pledge of Allegiance facing a poster of firefighters raising the American flag at the World Trade Center site on Sept. 11, 2001. And it was fear of another such attack that hung heavy over Christie's 36th town hall meeting here.
They do remember the good old days, when 3000 people died and libturds were on the run.
Because It Isn't Pointed Out Enough
While there are some anti-choice people who are vocal about opposing IVF, for the most part the anti-choice movement just pretends it doesn't exist. It's okay to kill "babies" in the name of having them, just not okay otherwise.
Bombs Away
Britain's going to do some more freedom bombing in Syria because they're only a few more freedom bombs away from freedom. I'm not even sure who Britain is planning to bomb. I doubt Britain is either. I think the plan is to bomb enemies of Assad on days ending in 'y' and then bomb Assad on days containing the letter 'd'. This will surely help the Syrian people, much more than just giving them homes and food as they flee. That would be too expensive, anyway. Fortunately freedom bombs are free. It's right there in the name.
Has Rahm Deleted His Account Yet?
There are a lot of "bad Dems" but Emanuel is probably about the most despicable elected official, period. We all heard the charming story about how Rahm's dream job was to be mayor of Chicago. I guess his dream activity was doing his best to cover up for cops who murder black people.
The World's Worst Humans
David Cameron.
He's got the whole Murdoch empire to do that for him, but he just couldn't help himself.
He's got the whole Murdoch empire to do that for him, but he just couldn't help himself.
Early Morning.
I'm still working half way on Paris time, so woke up at 3:00 a.m. Too early, even for an early bird such as myself.
Tuesday, December 01, 2015
Evening Reading
From krgthulu.
Or buy Robert's book!
Krgthulu's come a long way (as I have, in my own somewhat different way.)
Or buy Robert's book!
Krgthulu's come a long way (as I have, in my own somewhat different way.)
This Time It's Different
Hillary Clinton should be thankful for Benghazi. I don't mean what happened there, I mean the BENGHAZI of the fever swamps. The scandal that wasn't a scandal.
That whole Libya intervention thing didn't work out so well. Benghazi (real and BENGHAZI) is a distraction from that.
We'll know better next time.
That whole Libya intervention thing didn't work out so well. Benghazi (real and BENGHAZI) is a distraction from that.
We'll know better next time.
Hippies to the Left of Me, Hippies to the Right
It's less of a thing than it used to be, but I'm still regularly struck by the desire of Democrats to claim to Not Be Like Those Other Democrats. I'm not talking about failing to march in lockstep with what isn't an organized political party. I'm talking about the pose. In the post-Bush Obama era it's actually much harder even to try to pose as a NotLikeOtherDemocrats, but still people do it. It's weird. None of us are like Those Democrats, because Those Democrats don't actually exist. It's silly. Stop posing.
There's Always A Holiday Somewhere
Keep dreaming.
The sale of $1 billion in government bonds — a key financing element to ensure there is sufficient funding to complete the American Dream Meadowlands shopping and entertainment complex — may not be issued until early next year, officials said.
Tony Armlin, vice president of development and construction for Triple Five, the Canada-based conglomerate that is building American Dream, had said in an interview in September that the bonds would be issued "in the next several weeks." But Debbie Patire, a Triple Five spokeswoman, confirmed Tuesday a revised timeline for issuing the bonds that executives at the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority first described last week.
That state agency is expected to issue about $350 million in bonds that will be repaid to institutional investors via the transfer of Triple Five’s annual tax savings through a state grant.
Actual Good News
I'm lucky that I lost my taste for soda (or PAAAWWP as people in Western PA call it) a long time ago. Think I have a coke about twice per year, some gatorade (not soda, but a sugary - if less sugary - drink) if I'm exercising on a hot day occasionally. Not claiming I live a perfectly healthy lifestyle eating only artisanal vegan air chips, just saying that cutting out what are likely (don't know!) serious contributors to the diabetes epidemic can't hurt. Aside from diet, I've heard stories from people with Type II diabetes who basically cured it by walking. Anecdotes are not data, and I claim no expertise on these issues (though many people who do claim expertise don't seem to know what they're talking about), but I do hope that there is truth to the latest round of advice on exercise. It used to be something like "do hard core cardio for 30 minutes 4 times per week or don't bother." That's a pretty high hurdle for many people. Now it's more just be more active. Walk 10,000 steps per day to send the diabetes away. That isn't actually hard if you have a bit of walking integrated into your life anyway (commute, shopping, etc.). It just requires a tiny bit of additional effort. Anyway, if relatively simple things can stop you from losing limbs late in life that's a good thing.
EUTAW, Ala. — After decades of relentless rise, the number of new cases of diabetes in the United States has finally started to decline.
The rate of new cases fell by about a fifth from 2008 to 2014, according to researchers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the first sustained decline since the disease started to explode in this country about 25 years ago.
Lots Of Things Are Mysteries To Old Economy Steve
Why don't the kids today get married young and have children? Why don't they buy houses? Why do they spend money on cell phones? Why do they like "vintage" clothing?
The contemporary world is so puzzling. The answers are so elusive.
The contemporary world is so puzzling. The answers are so elusive.
Overnight/Early Morning
Here are some of the most beautiful nature photographs ever taken. Anyone of them would make a wonderful Christmas present for just about anyone on your list. Or, you can just enjoy them while sipping your first cuppa.
Monday, November 30, 2015
Not Interested In Your Club
This post contains no deep thoughts, but I've really never understood the "New Atheist" movement generally. I grew up without religion. All evangelism sounds pretty ridiculous to me. I don't feel any need to convince people of the existence of supernatural beings. I also don't feel any need to convince people of the lack of them. More importantly, I don't think that we godless types actually lack our own superstitions. Not subscribing to or identifying with any existing religious creed/organization does not mean that all of our deeply held beliefs are rooted in RATIONALITY. That's silly too. I admit I don't really I get why people subscribe to one religion over another, but I also don't get why some self-described atheists (and I am a self-described atheist or agnostic or whatever I don't really care) think their concept of everything is somehow based on things we KNOW. We don't actually know that much. Yes, for example, Christianity seems to be pretty silly to me, but I don't claim that my framework for the universe is all that solid either.
I don't think atheism needs to be rescued, I just don't know why people need to be assholes about this stuff. And, no, saying something "seems to be pretty silly" isn't actually being an asshole unless your feefees are way too tender. Happy for people to say atheism "seems to be pretty silly." Just don't ask me to say Christian grace before lunch, like my 5th grade public school teacher did.
I don't think atheism needs to be rescued, I just don't know why people need to be assholes about this stuff. And, no, saying something "seems to be pretty silly" isn't actually being an asshole unless your feefees are way too tender. Happy for people to say atheism "seems to be pretty silly." Just don't ask me to say Christian grace before lunch, like my 5th grade public school teacher did.
By Design
My middle school had a friggin planetarium. I think you had to pay to rent/buy an instrument, but group music instruction was free after about grade 4 or so (earlier grades had music, too, just not maybe on instruments). I think The Kids Today should learn some math, but the "failing schools" narrative due to testing is just about providing an excuse for the grifters to steal their bit. My guess is they'll move on to bigger grifts at some point, as there is only so much blood you can draw from a stone, but they'll leave destroyed school districts in their wake and it will be incredibly costly to rebuild them.
But to devote so much time to algebra, ninth graders are no longer taking art, music and health. Now Ms. Brady and the other teachers are trying to pare the curriculum to give the students more time for other subjects.
And some people wonder if it is all worth it.
Sunday, November 29, 2015
If It's Sunday
I think there's a pattern here. Anyone see it? Not quite sure I do... thinking...
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Guest lineups for the Sunday TV news shows:
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ABC's "This Week" - Republican presidential candidates Ben Carson and John Kasich.
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NBC's "Meet the Press" - Carson; Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump.
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CBS' "Face the Nation" - Carson; Republican presidential candidates Jeb Bush and Lindsey Graham; Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz.
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CNN's "State of the Union" - Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee; Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas.
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"Fox News Sunday" - Republican presidential candidate Carly Fiorina; Sen. Richard Burr, R-N.C.
The Good War
I know there have been so many recently, but the recent Good War (TM) supported by the Decent Left (TM) involved Libya. That was a great and glorious noble struggle to save the people and Libya from some guy who was our friend then our enemy then our friend then our enemy again because reasons. So we tipped over the apple cart to knock over the dominos of freedom to usher in the spring or whatever the hell the metaphors were at the time. Nobody could have predicted.
Of course nobody could have predicted precisely. Some of us just said that maybe we should just stop bombing people all the time because no matter how noble and pure our intentions are, no matter how shiny this shining city in the hill is, it probably won't end well.
I guess we can give it one more go. See you in a few Friedmans.
The leadership of the Islamic State, also known as ISIS or ISIL, is now clenching its grip on Surt so tightly that Western intelligence agencies say they fear the core group may be preparing to fall back to Libya as an alternative base if necessary, a haven where its jihadists could continue to fight from even if it was ousted from its original territories.
Of course nobody could have predicted precisely. Some of us just said that maybe we should just stop bombing people all the time because no matter how noble and pure our intentions are, no matter how shiny this shining city in the hill is, it probably won't end well.
I guess we can give it one more go. See you in a few Friedmans.
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