I actually love musicals but I admit most of them are a bit of a disappointment. The music is... not good enough. This is good.
Saturday, September 30, 2017
Puerto Rico's In America
When I was a kid we made racist Puerto Rican jokes. We made lots of racist jokes because there were a lot of racist jokes around and we were kids so we just echoed them. Not defending, just describing. We made jokes about Puerto Ricans. I doubt I knew a Puerto Rican. I doubt I knew where Puerto Rico was. I doubt I knew Puerto Rico was in America. I doubt I knew anything about Puerto Ricans at all. But we made Puerto Rican jokes like we made Polish jokes.
I Am Still Mad Online
Bush was very very bad and Trump only dreams of leaping over the high bar to be as bad as he was. Why do we forget this?
Who Cares What They Say
It's my job to read this stuff and I can go for weeks without reading a single NYT opinion column. I think that's good.
MEEEEE
No it is not about me but having a personal connection to a tragedy makes it more salient. It shouldn't be that way but we're humans and that's how we think. An acquaintance is trapped there and a Puerto Rican friend's mother lives there and while neither are that close to me I still have heard enough to know things are... bad.
Pivot
Trump got mad online at the Latina lady mayor of Puerto Rico and now we know what really happens when Donald Trump is president.
..and someone deleted the tweets. Fuck 2017.
..and someone deleted the tweets. Fuck 2017.
Friday, September 29, 2017
Afternoon Thread
Anybody else having a problem distinguishing between Price and Pruitt? Seems like they're in a contest to see which one can rack up the most all expensive, government paid excursions. Now we can also add in the Director of Verteran's Affairs. At least his name doesn't begin in "Pr." The swamp, it is overflowing.
I Am So Tired
The weight of the world does not really rest on my shoulders, but I can never tune it out. It is all horrible and I am so tired.
I Am Mad Online
My life's work - such as it is - was documenting how horrible the Bush administration was. Trump is horrible but most (not all!) of this is not new. Republicans are horrible (also, too, many Democrats).
We're All Friends Here
Politics is about power, and everyone who preaches the bipartisan-can't-we-all-get-along line is just defending the status quo of the people in power. A certain set of journalists hate it, but the development in US politics is the decades long re-alignment. The parties are no longer weird coalitions that make no sense. Even uninformed voters roughly know what Ds are and what Rs are.
Morning Thread
Derp de derp perfectly explains Price's offer to reimburse the government for his seat on the plane, but not the cost of the charter. I mean, what else can you say?
Thursday, September 28, 2017
The Grey Turtleneck
Once upon a time, back in the deep dark ages of 2004, a local journalist did a tiny profile of me and was kind enough to not reveal my SECRET IDENTITY even though I revealed it myself not long after. We had a brief chat/interview at a bar the night of the DEAN SCREAM. I saw in real time how normal people (me) saw it versus how journalists saw it. Jesse from Pandagon was there, also, too, for you old timers. He was like 13 at the time (ok probably 21).
I wore a grey turtleneck that my high school girlfriend had knitted for me (hi Carol!) because it was really cold that night. So my costumed superhero cape was born.
Jason Fagone was the journalist, and he has a new book out. I have not read it, but he is an excellent writer and you can read this piece about how fucking awful it is to be shot for free! Then buy his book about The Woman Who Smashed Codes.
I wore a grey turtleneck that my high school girlfriend had knitted for me (hi Carol!) because it was really cold that night. So my costumed superhero cape was born.
Jason Fagone was the journalist, and he has a new book out. I have not read it, but he is an excellent writer and you can read this piece about how fucking awful it is to be shot for free! Then buy his book about The Woman Who Smashed Codes.
Make America Great Again
Trump was right. It is not already great, except in jingoistic American exceptionalism terms. Life for people should be easier and better. Trump is not the one to make things better, of course, and only a Republican can run on an "America sucks (because of that black guy)" platform, but things should be better. Not nibbling around the edges means-tested filling out a 57 page form qualify better. Just better.
Listen To Me You Damn Kids
Bush was horrible. Horrible horrible horrible. Obama was also fucking horrible, but much better! The theater of Trump is more horrible than anything we could have imagined, but so far (Puerto Rico is big exception, but Katrina was Bush's Katrina) he's just a noisy gauche conservative who can't tie his own shoes. He says the quiet things out loud, but they all believe the quiet things.
Trump is bad. Trumpism is bad. But they aren't new.
Trump is bad. Trumpism is bad. But they aren't new.
2004
It sucked. We were here. In a way it was the peak of this stupid blog. We had boobies (w00t! sadly, I think they have all been lost to linkrot). I was never John Kerry's biggest fan, but even though he lost - and he did - he almost won. Almost beating George W. Bush in 2004 was... miraculous. I know those of us in left internetstan couldn't imagine him losing, but really it was insane that he came close to winning. And he did! O Hi O.
Broder's Boy
Bush II was not very popular then he was. He kept us safe during the 9/11 attacks and was then very popular. Then "we" went to war and he was still popular. Eventually people realized that no matter how many Friedman Units we had, the Iraq war was bad. If you did not live through 9/11-2007 or so it is impossible to explain it to you. The Trump era - which is fucking horrible - is actually (so far!) much more sane and reasonable than that time. Only a few crazy bloggers understand this, but it's actually not debatable. This is just fact. People don't know how bad the Bush era was because most people tuned out. It was bad! Really really really bad!
Eventually the people realized he was bad, but still the press wrote "comeback kid" stories similar to the perpetual "Trump pivot" stories.
The black president was always unpopular, even when he wasn't.
Eventually the people realized he was bad, but still the press wrote "comeback kid" stories similar to the perpetual "Trump pivot" stories.
The black president was always unpopular, even when he wasn't.
Nobody Ever Cared About The Deficit
The simplest proof of the fact that almost every political reporter was either dumb as rocks, happy to be lied to, or, most likely, was on board with the ideology that government spending money on anything except war is bad, was that they took deficit concerns seriously. Nobody cares about the deficit (and, mostly, they shouldn't!).
They don't care. They never cared. Republican presidents run up the deficit and Democratic ones bring it down, and after decades of this the Republicans are still the party of fiscal responsibility according to political journalists. Republicans hate spending any money for nice things and love tax cuts for rich people. That's it. I am a dumb blogger and I know this. You all get paid big salaries by our leading media outlets and you are stupid or liars.
For years, Republican lawmakers lamented the soaring national debt, pressing for spending cuts and clinging to the mantle of fiscal responsibility. But last week, Senate Republicans hammered out a deal to allow for as much as $1.5 trillion in tax cuts, betting that supercharged growth will make up for lost revenue, a potentially dubious prospect. The tax plan outlined Wednesday by the White House and Republican leaders in the House and Senate could cost more than $2 trillion over the next decade, according to a preliminary estimate by the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget.
They don't care. They never cared. Republican presidents run up the deficit and Democratic ones bring it down, and after decades of this the Republicans are still the party of fiscal responsibility according to political journalists. Republicans hate spending any money for nice things and love tax cuts for rich people. That's it. I am a dumb blogger and I know this. You all get paid big salaries by our leading media outlets and you are stupid or liars.
Wednesday, September 27, 2017
I Didn't Mean Me
A liberal thinkfluencer is a conservative thinkfluencer who has been hit by a minor raid on his/her wallet.
The Singularity
Filling me with confidence.
Self-driving car, artist's conception
Many people in Silicon Valley believe in the Singularity—the day in our near future when computers will surpass humans in intelligence and kick off a feedback loop of unfathomable change.
When that day comes, Anthony Levandowski will be firmly on the side of the machines. In September 2015, the multi-millionaire engineer at the heart of the patent and trade secrets lawsuit between Uber and Waymo, Google’s self-driving car company, founded a religious organization called Way of the Future. Its purpose, according to previously unreported state filings, is nothing less than to “develop and promote the realization of a Godhead based on Artificial Intelligence.”
Self-driving car, artist's conception
As Expected
Trump tax plan raises taxes on middle class people and cuts taxes on rich people. I wonder if Trump know this? I don't think Trump is a *good* guy with great concerns about the middle class, but I think at some level he wants to be seen as a good guy, at least by the Trumpkins (he wants to be liked by the people who like him, at least). I expect his people will lie to him, Trump will take to the twitters talking about the fake news, etc...
Loser
Trump "embarrassed and pissed" that Strange lost last night. Feels outdone by Bannon. Blaming McConnell. Per mult sources to CNN WH team.
— Jim Acosta (@Acosta) September 27, 2017
My first thought was that the sooner members of Congress realize working with Trump is toxic the better, but now I'm not so sure. Trump's people are totally incompetent and having them stick their short fingers into the pie probably hurts their Republican agenda. And the Trump agenda (to the extent that we can say there is one) is basically the Republican agenda, with some additional stupid commentary thrown in (the Republicans have a shit ton of stupid commentary already, but it's largely DC jargon that the press accepts as truthy if not quite true).
What This Country Needs Is A Party Of The Radical Center
Have we had that Tom Friedman column yet this election cycle?
Tuesday, September 26, 2017
The Noble Pursuit Of Amateurism
So shocked (that there was an investigation).
Though to the extent the money flows into the pockets of the students and their families...good.
Assistant coaches at Arizona, Auburn, Oklahoma State and USC were all arrested and their programs are almost certainly in dire straights with both the Department of Justice (DOJ) and NCAA. The evidence here is based on an undercover FBI agent, wiretapped phones, recordings, written communication and financial transaction data. The feds win nearly every case for a reason. And the indicted haven’t even started flipping yet.
Though to the extent the money flows into the pockets of the students and their families...good.
Other Countries Are Nice
Other countries have their problems, also, too, and as a tourist or even short term visitor it's easy to focus on the nice things while the problems - some similar to our own, some different - are obscured. But a big chunk of the population of the greatest country in the world (that's us!) really does seem to believe that every other country in the world is a tyrannical shithole. Even people who manage to travel a bit - the weeklong tour bus or cruise ship visit - seem to think they're just visiting the museum part of the country, that the bits where people actually live are shitholes. But other countries do have nice things - some similar to ours, some different, and, yes, some much better. Life in England or France or Sweden or Italy or Spain or the Netherlands is recognizable and pretty good (I focus on Western Europe because that's mostly where I've been). Those places all differ from each other and from the US, and even I prefer some things about this great land of ours to some things about those countries, but lots of people have nice lives in them and mostly people have easier lives in them, and not just because of the better social insurance and worry-free (financially, anyway) medical care.
Your Moment of Zen
Trump on anthem protests: "To me, the NFL situation is a very important situation... I have plenty of time on my hands. All I do is work." pic.twitter.com/eZ14uNfqdM
— NBC News (@NBCNews) September 26, 2017
Well Then
It's insane all around but naturalized citizens are... citizens.
WASHINGTON – Federal officials are planning to collect social media information on all immigrants, including permanent residents and naturalized citizens, a move that has alarmed lawyers and privacy groups worried about how the information will be used.
Awkward, Elaine
Mitch is horrible, but he's competent (from a Republican perspective) horrible. Can't imagine who else in that playpen would be better.
Never work with Trump. Ever.
The Trump White House is gearing up to lay blame for a series of likely failures this week squarely at the feet of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), according to sources in and outside of the administration.
Never work with Trump. Ever.
Guess I'm Moving To Alaska
Canada might be the *one place in the rich world* where the super super rich might be less than thrilled with the health care system, otherwise every other American would be thrilled to have Canadian health care, whether they know it or not.
Pence warns Alaska that if Graham-Cassidy fails, they could end up with the health-care of "a place called Canada": https://t.co/EPpFbHDK19
— Daniel Dale (@ddale8) September 26, 2017
Monday, September 25, 2017
When The Tunnels Go
Lots of transit nerds didn't like the tunnel plan Christie killed and weren't too upset about it. They had good reasons! But more astute observers of politics, like me, knew that it wasn't a bad plan or a better plan. It was bad plan or probably no plan.
Eventually, no plan means no tunnels. And then...
The Gateway Project to construct two rail tunnels under the Hudson River between New Jersey and New York could take until 2030 to complete. But it might not even begin if federal funding is not forthcoming.
The states have agreed to contribute a total of 50 percent of the construction costs, but the U.S. government has made no commitment for the other half.
Eventually, no plan means no tunnels. And then...
Grassidy
Susan Collins says she's a no. I believe (you never know!) McCain's a real no. Rand Paul says he's no but he'll probably try to vote yes twice anyway. Cruz says he's a no but he'll yell "look at me!" in about 5 minutes, probably.
My point is people are saying it's dead, but, you know, not dead yet!
...I forgot Murkowski! Also probably a no, but...
My point is people are saying it's dead, but, you know, not dead yet!
...I forgot Murkowski! Also probably a no, but...
Where We Are
Fox News is now reporting that this missile launch never happened. The President got duped by an old video from 7 months ago. Good grief. https://t.co/AOoIgpj7av
— Brian Klaas (@brianklaas) September 25, 2017
Iran just test-fired a Ballistic Missile capable of reaching Israel.They are also working with North Korea.Not much of an agreement we have!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 23, 2017
Gotta Know Someone
I know too much relies on one or two of the right GOP members of Congress to have some personal experience which makes them see the light that their cold black hearts previously did not let them see, but the health care thing is a mystery. You gotta be pretty damn richie rich, and have pretty damn good richie rich insurance of the kind that most people with "good" insurance don't have, to not get that there is a big problem with our health care system. Most of these people have to have an old friend (maybe even a facebook friend! it's 2017) or a cousin or brother-in-law or whoever who has had an expensive tangle with our medical system. Sure some of the House Freedom Caucus genuinely believe if only we had FREEDOM then everybody would have cheap medical care, but most of the members of Congress aren't that...ok..not ALL of the members of Congress are that dumb.
Nobody Knows In America
It seems to be shifting a bit, but the lack of coverage of Puerto Rico has been astounding.
Weiner
The arc of life is weird sometimes.
BREAKING: Former U.S. Rep. Anthony Weiner sentenced to 21 months in sexting case that rocked presidential race.
— The Associated Press (@AP) September 25, 2017
The Tweetening
He won't shut up about sports and Puerto Rico is in crisis. Not enough people will care.
Puerto Rico is an island and there are messed up laws about which freight ships that can go there. Basically, international ships can't go there directly, only US ships.
“There will be no food in Puerto Rico,” Mr. Rivera predicted. “There is no more agriculture in Puerto Rico. And there won’t be any for a year or longer.”
Puerto Rico is an island and there are messed up laws about which freight ships that can go there. Basically, international ships can't go there directly, only US ships.
Monday Morning
The Republicans have five more days to try and get their piece of shit legislation passed with fifty votes. Five days.
Sunday, September 24, 2017
Ungrateful
My "favorite" conservative talking point is that the players are "ungrateful millionaires." Whatever one thinks of sportsball, these people get paid a shitload of money because people pay a lot of money to watch them do what they do. Nobody pays any money to see the owners. Without those "ungrateful millionaires" they'd be paying me 20 bucks a week to trip over my own feet.
Loyalty
Not a new point, but Trump always stresses how loyal he is, what a loyal guy he is. Of course in his narcissistic framework, he means "he expects loyalty from others to him."
He screws everybody who works with him.
He screws everybody who works with him.
And In More Pressing News
I generally disagree with the "don't talk about issue X, issue Y is more important!!!" especially as, you know, this little blog rarely controls the world, but we do have a very pressing issue and far as I can tell the federal government is doing almost nothing (not nothing, but not much).
"There is horror in the streets," San Juan Mayor Carmen YulÃn Cruz said in a raw, emotional interview with The Washington Post. "People are actually becoming prisoners in their own homes."
"Whenever I walk through San Juan," YulÃn said, she sees the "sheer pain in people's eyes. . . . They're kind of glazed, not because of what has happened but because of the difficulty of what will come," she said. "I know we're not going to get to everybody in time. . . . Two days ago I said I was concerned about that. Now I know we won't get to everybody in time."
Oscar Santiago, mayor of the northern coastal city of Vega Alta, said many of his community's families refused to evacuate their flooded homes. One little girl was standing barefoot with her family on a roof, which was littered with nails, he said. When he asked her to put on some sandals, she told him: "The hurricane took them."
Kneeling Day
I do love how conservatives (and often the media) always deflect issues. Everyone knows what's being protested (either originally, or now Trump), but they're all like how dare they disrespect the troops! The flag! A sick kid in the stands! (ok, not that last one, but probably be tomorrow).
Peaceful, Restful Sunday Morning Thread
Hahahaha! Just kidding. How can it possibly be peaceful when Commander in Chief of the largest military in the world threatens another leader, in a tweet. In an effing tweet. Alas, it's too early to start drinking.
Saturday, September 23, 2017
Maybe Somebody Should Do Something
This isn't a sustainable state of affairs.
A humanitarian crisis grew Saturday in Puerto Rico as towns were left without fresh water, fuel, power or phone service following Hurricane Maria's devastating passage across the island.
A group of anxious mayors arrived in the capital to meet with Gov. Ricardo Rossello to present a long list of items they urgently need. The north coastal town of Manati had run out of fuel and fresh water, Mayor Jose Sanchez Gonzalez said.
Liberal Tears
I get Trumpism but also I don't. He pisses off the libturds and that's enough for the 27 percenters. I get that part. But he's...repulsive and clearly incompetent and, well, you wouldn't want to have a beer with him even if he did drink. He's that guy at the party that no one wants to talk to.
The Way We Live Now
Not a deep or original thought, but trying to explain all of this even to ten years ago me would be difficult let alone 20 years ago me.
Can't Quite Figure Out Why
But Trump does not like it when black people don't show the appropriate amount of respect.
The Price Is Right
I actually don't care much if Important People take charter flights. It's dumb and they shouldn't but it really isn't the biggest deal in the world. The big deal is that they pose as defenders of taxpayers as they're robbing us every way they can.
Friday, September 22, 2017
Your Moment Of Zen
And here, we have video of Trump saying that Melania “really wanted to be here”...while she’s standing next to him. (h/t @MaverickofKain) pic.twitter.com/rvQCUo4RYB
— Holly O'Reilly (@AynRandPaulRyan) September 21, 2017
America's Worst Humans
Chris Cillizza.
I long for the day when I don't have to remember how to spell his name. Two ells two zees. fucking hell.
I long for the day when I don't have to remember how to spell his name. Two ells two zees. fucking hell.
I Want To Love You, Donald
I don't, really, but I keep coming back to the idea that it is so easy to be a popular Republican president in this country. Our entire propaganda media is desperate to shower love on an "Eisenhower Republican." Everybody knows that this is a center right country and center right Republicans are the true adults and patriots. I am not saying this is true, of course, but this is how our media establishment perceives things, and those assumptions are embedded in every bit of objective reporting they do.
Don't be such a horrible asshole and your approval will hit 55%. It is so easy.
Don't be such a horrible asshole and your approval will hit 55%. It is so easy.
Tech Bros
My response to most of the stories about Uber behaving badly was... why? As in, I do not think this is helping you make money, I just think you did this because you are sociopathic assholes who liked the idea of being sociopathic assholes. Too clever by half, basically. They spent a lot of money trying to be clever without much concern for what was legal or ethical.
Uber will not be issued a new private hire licence, Transport for London (TfL) has said.
TfL concluded the ride-hailing app firm was not fit and proper to hold a London private hire operator licence.
We're Broke
The most hilarious thing (not ha ha funny, but you know) about American politics is the conceit that we can't afford the things that every other somewhat rich country in the world manages to afford.
Thursday, September 21, 2017
Bad People Are Bad People
Once upon a time conservatives claimed to have better ideas for lifting up the plight of the blahs and the poors. They don't even bother pretending anymore. They hate the blahs and the poors. This is just fact and journalists should not shy from pointing this out.
Authoritah
Jimmy Kimmel has made opposing Repblicans on health care part of his thing. Good for him! This has inspired the usual very selective backlash from conservatives about how comedians don't know nothing and should shutup except when they are Dennis Miller and we feature him on teevee every night. Most pundits don't know anything about anything. Our entire model of journalism - especially punditry - is largely allergic to actual expertise. Sean Hannity is on the teevee night after night opining about shit he knows nothing about, but Kimmel should shutupShutUpSHUTUPSHUTUPSHUTUP.
I don't know if Kimmel is Good or Bad and he isn't any more of an expert than you or me but he's a guy with a platform and he's using it for good at the moment so good for him.
I don't know if Kimmel is Good or Bad and he isn't any more of an expert than you or me but he's a guy with a platform and he's using it for good at the moment so good for him.
It's Rube Goldberg's World
Years ago back when I had a bit of notoriety (my 15 respectable minutes - even the Colbert show called me though they did not have me on) for my crazy and controversial idea that maybe we could solve our retirement income problem by making Social Security just a bit more generous, I gave a talk at a conference about such issues. And really I was there to suggest the crazy idea that literally everybody else knew was totally true but could not say because of the politics of the issue. Everyone else had all of these ideas for addons and state plans and more savings tax credits and blahblahblah. They all knew it was bullshit, except for the token conservative who was there to pretend these ideas were serious when in fact he just wanted us all to give all of our money to Wall Street thieves (also bullshit, but a different kind). But because everyone knows that Social Security is going to go bankrupt, it was vital to propose alternative expensive complicated plans with additional layers of bureaucracy because is it too early to start drinking?
Keep. It. Simple. Stupid.
Keep. It. Simple. Stupid.
I Read The News Today
I just woke up and the CNN caption is "Maria Lashes Dominican Republic, Destroys Puerto Rico."
I hope that's a bit of hyperbole. 3.4 million people live in Puerto Rico.
I hope that's a bit of hyperbole. 3.4 million people live in Puerto Rico.
Wednesday, September 20, 2017
Mysteries
The "pivot to video" by lots of sites is hilariously dumb (goodbye, pivot to video sites), but more than that even mostly text-based sites are increasingly putting like 3 lines on a page. Have any of you people ever seen the internet? I do not want to scroll through a giant picture and/or video and/or image ad every 3 sentences.
Count
"Moving cars is more important than moving people" is dumb policy which applies in basically every American city, but in addition to that my take is that a lot of "moving cars" policies actually don't help move cars at all. Anything which encourages a lot of lane switching in times of heavy traffic probably slows down traffic quite a bit. Sometimes rules are actually better than chaos.
If cars are the priority (they shouldn't be, but obviously they are), run an experiment. Measure numbers/speed without shunting them into the bus lane, and do the same when you do. The results might be surprising. Or not!
If cars are the priority (they shouldn't be, but obviously they are), run an experiment. Measure numbers/speed without shunting them into the bus lane, and do the same when you do. The results might be surprising. Or not!
Good Tweets, NPR
I can be a bit critical of Nice Polite Republicans even though I know that in a lot of ways they are Good, so good tweeting NPR (click and follow the thread).
Sen @BillCassidy called our reading of his health care bill on pre-existing conditions false. Here’s how we read it: https://t.co/6vkONctK7B https://t.co/sA4wAEXvh3
— NPR (@NPR) September 20, 2017
The System
What I'm a bit puzzled about with the latest GOP attempt destroy our health care system is that it really seems like it would destroy our health care system. I know they don't think poors should have health care, but if you pull too many Jenga tiles out of the system the whole thing starts to come down. Rural hospitals are gone, for example. And rural hospitals aren't just for the poors in rural areas. All those big square red states have rural areas. Have to be pretty damn rich to take a helicopter to the hospital when you get sick.
Colony
This is not normal, as is fashionable to say these days.
Spanish national police have stormed ministries and buildings belonging to Catalonia's regional government to put a stop to the region's independence referendum.
The Guardia Civil, which acts with the authority of Madrid's interior ministry, is searching for evidence regarding the planned 1 October referendum on Catalan independence, which Spain's Constitutional Court has declared illegal.
In the early hours of the morning armed officers arrived at various Catalan ministries, including the economy department, foreign affairs department, and social affairs department, Spanish media reports.
America's Worst Humans
The Philadelphia DA's office.
While the DA liquidates many of the assets it seizes, other records obtained by City & State PA and Philly Weekly reveal the DA has long been loaning out forfeited cars to its office personnel. Cars – not unlike Geiger’s seized Buick – are routinely doled out to top deputies for work use, as take-home cars and, in one case, even as a plaything for the district attorney himself. These perks are in addition to those that staff already enjoy, like assigned downtown parking spots, free gas and repair work – all courtesy of Philadelphia taxpayers.
Yet even this unprecedented disclosure appears to represent only a fraction of the city’s civil asset forfeiture proceeds. In reports submitted annually to the Pennsylvania attorney general, the DAO previously claimed to have spent between $2 and $7 million in forfeiture funds each year – at least $5 million more than shown in the budget documents delivered to City&State PA and Philly Weekly. Officials declined to explain the multimillion-dollar discrepancy, despite multiple requests for comment.
Philly Is Closer To DC Than Dulles Is
That's not true, but close enough.
Forget the flight and take the Acela like a sensible human being.
Price’s spokespeople declined to comment on why he considered commercial travel to be unfeasible. On one leg of the trip – a sprint from Dulles International Airport to Philadelphia International Airport, a distance of 135 miles – there was a commercial flight that departed at roughly the same time: Price’s charter left Dulles at 8:27 a.m., and a United Airlines flight departed for Philadelphia at 8:22 a.m., according to airport records.
Forget the flight and take the Acela like a sensible human being.
Tuesday, September 19, 2017
Trump Is Broke
Rich people are cheap. I have had some limited time with rich people, and holy hell are they are cheap (#notallrichpeople). But the Trump grift can only be understood by acknowledging that Trump is broke. Not precisely, of course, but broke in the sense that he lives paycheck to paycheck and at the mercy of creditors like most of the rest of us if at a grander if short-fingered scale.
President Donald Trump is using money donated to his reelection campaign and the Republican National Committee to pay for his lawyers in the probe of alleged Russian interference in the U.S. election, according to two people familiar with the matter.
The U.S. Federal Election Commission allows the use of private campaign funds to pay legal bills arising from being a candidate or elected official.
While previous presidential campaigns have used these funds to pay for routine legal matters such as ballot access disputes and compliance requirements, Trump would be the first U.S. president in the modern campaign finance era to use such funds to cover the costs of responding to a criminal probe, said election law experts.
A World Without Ideology
Every policy has a purpose and ever policy has winners and at least relative (but probably absolute) losers. The fantasy of centrist technocracy is that there are "good" and "bad" policies even though this determination rarely hinges on any metric whatsoever. Eschew the vagaries of the "welfare function" and you eschew the concept of welfare itself.
At Least William F. Buckley Could Fake Being Smart
"Righteous many." "Wicked few."
— Chris Cillizza (@CillizzaCNN) September 19, 2017
A MUCH more poetic speech than Trump usually gives.
Unicorns
Free public college doesn't cost very much.
There's always money in the banana stand. We're the richest country in the universe (not really, but close enough). It's always about our priorities.
There's always money in the banana stand. We're the richest country in the universe (not really, but close enough). It's always about our priorities.
Morning Thread
Never a dull moment with this mal-administration. At least, now, we know what precipitated the tweet storm this weekend.
Monday, September 18, 2017
Crazy Times
Get your expert view elsewhere, but the Catalan government is trying to hold another independence referendum, and the national government, in Madrid, is not amused.
They're going after printing shops, hunting for ballot boxes, shutting down access to websites (I don't have a news source on this, but I've been told), etc.. it's actually... bad. What could have been a mostly pointless nonbinding referendum (pointless in large part because it would have failed) has become a genuine conflict, with the Spanish state engaging in actions which we tend to condemn in other countries.
BARCELONA (Reuters) - More than 700 mayors from across Catalonia gathered in Barcelona on Saturday to confirm their support for a planned independence referendum that Madrid has declared illegal.
...
On Wednesday, Spanish prosecutors summoned for questioning more than 700 mayors who had said they would allow municipal spaces to be used for voting. If the mayors do not respond to the order, police should arrest them, the order said.
They're going after printing shops, hunting for ballot boxes, shutting down access to websites (I don't have a news source on this, but I've been told), etc.. it's actually... bad. What could have been a mostly pointless nonbinding referendum (pointless in large part because it would have failed) has become a genuine conflict, with the Spanish state engaging in actions which we tend to condemn in other countries.
MANAFORT
His name almost, but not quite, movie villain scary.
Life comes at us fast.
Also from the first article:
Dumbest crooks on the planet.
Washington (CNN)US investigators wiretapped former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort under secret court orders before and after the election, sources tell CNN, an extraordinary step involving a high-ranking campaign official now at the center of the Russia meddling probe.
The government snooping continued into early this year, including a period when Manafort was known to talk to President Donald Trump.
Life comes at us fast.
WASHINGTON — Paul J. Manafort was in bed early one morning in July when federal agents bearing a search warrant picked the lock on his front door and raided his Virginia home. They took binders stuffed with documents and copied his computer files, looking for evidence that Mr. Manafort, President Trump’s former campaign chairman, set up secret offshore bank accounts. They even photographed the expensive suits in his closet.
The special counsel, Robert S. Mueller III, then followed the house search with a warning: His prosecutors told Mr. Manafort they planned to indict him, said two people close to the investigation.
Also from the first article:
The conversations between Manafort and Trump continued after the President took office, long after the FBI investigation into Manafort was publicly known, the sources told CNN. They went on until lawyers for the President and Manafort insisted that they stop, according to the sources.
Dumbest crooks on the planet.
And Again
Surviving the latest health care bullshit relies on Rand Paul being completely full of shit (good bet!), McCain deciding he'll get more attention for opposing than supporting (possibly!), and Collins and Murkowski not voting in favor of a worse bill than the one they just opposed. 3 out of 4 of those, anyway.
Spicey
My maybe controversial opinion is that while Trump is a uniquely horrible human being who is eroding certain important norms by grifting during his presidency instead of after, as respectable people do now, the Trump administration, as of yet, has not yet proven itself to be worse than the Bush administration (yet!). The people he surrounds himself seem to be a lot less likely to know which fork to use with the appetizer, and are maybe a bit more stupid, but they are no more craven than the people who populated the Bush administration.
As for Spicey being "rehabilitated" on the Emmys, well, Spicey was a not very important low level toady who just happened to be on the television so people know who he is. His earlier incarnation, Ari Fleischer, was and is a worse human being in every way, except maybe for the fork etiquette, and he was never ejected from polite society. Henry Kissinger is everybody's buddy. The Washington Post editorial page is full the worst Bushies/apologists for the worst of the Bush era.
Many people slept through the Bush administration. I'm not quite sure why that is. 9/11 is probably a big reason, but not the only one. Trump is very bad and the Trump administration is very bad, but a lot of bad came before them which was all perfectly normal. A lot of the people who are now conservative anti-Trumpers should be about 5000 places behind Spicey in the "return to polite society" line.
Without going into the full details of the responsibility of each, the full horrors that these people unleashed on the world are far greater than anything the Trump administration has managed yet, and they've never stopped being people in good standing. That all is forgiven because Bill Kristol doesn't like Trump...
As for Spicey being "rehabilitated" on the Emmys, well, Spicey was a not very important low level toady who just happened to be on the television so people know who he is. His earlier incarnation, Ari Fleischer, was and is a worse human being in every way, except maybe for the fork etiquette, and he was never ejected from polite society. Henry Kissinger is everybody's buddy. The Washington Post editorial page is full the worst Bushies/apologists for the worst of the Bush era.
Many people slept through the Bush administration. I'm not quite sure why that is. 9/11 is probably a big reason, but not the only one. Trump is very bad and the Trump administration is very bad, but a lot of bad came before them which was all perfectly normal. A lot of the people who are now conservative anti-Trumpers should be about 5000 places behind Spicey in the "return to polite society" line.
On the flip side, it has to be a bit heartening that some conservatives who used to be sort of MSNBC “villains” are now on your network trashing a Republican president.
One of the most amazing outcomes of the Trump administration is the number of neo-conservatives that are now my friends and I am aligned with. I found myself agreeing on a panel with Bill Kristol. I agree more with Jennifer Rubin, David Frum, and Max Boot than I do with some people on the far left. I am shocked at the way that Donald Trump has brought people together. [Laughs.]
Without going into the full details of the responsibility of each, the full horrors that these people unleashed on the world are far greater than anything the Trump administration has managed yet, and they've never stopped being people in good standing. That all is forgiven because Bill Kristol doesn't like Trump...
Shouldn't We All Just Put Our Disagreements Aside?
One annoying thing about DC is that good people (supposedly) are friends with bad people (certainly). I don't mean in the sense that, well, yes, sometimes we have to be polite to people at cocktail parties. I mean actual friendships with people who advocate for wars everywhere, for destroying the poor, and for gutting public education. People who deny the existence of racism and say things like "All Lives Matter" as if it is profound. People who work for the very worst politicians or worst publications or worst "think tanks" and who have spent their careers doing evil any way they can.
I don't get it.
I don't get it.
Morning Thread
Another week and another attempt to deny millions health insurance coverage. Ho hum.
Here's Digby on this week's attempt.
Edited to add link.
Here's Digby on this week's attempt.
Edited to add link.
Sunday, September 17, 2017
Occasional Reminder
People disagree about stuff.
I don't know why this is a controversial concept in politics, the method by which we hopefully resolve some of our fundamental disagreements in a peaceful manner.
I don't know why this is a controversial concept in politics, the method by which we hopefully resolve some of our fundamental disagreements in a peaceful manner.
Where's The Profit
One weird thing missing from all the news about self-driving cars is... who is going to make money? The way to make money is to be first, best, and also have lots of patents. It seems like everybody is competing and/or partnering with each other. I get that there's a "even if you can't beat them you gotta join them" aspect to this, but when there are so many companies - both auto manufacturers and the various technology firms they partner with - claiming to be ready in about 3 years..um?
Saturday, September 16, 2017
He'll Be A Democrat By Christmas
(No I don't believe that).
NEW YORK—Trump administration officials said Saturday the U.S. wouldn’t pull out of the Paris Agreement, offering to re-engage in the international deal to fight climate change, according to the European Union’s top energy official.
The shift from President Donald Trump’s decision in June to renegotiate the landmark accord or craft a new deal came during a meeting of more than 30 ministers led by Canada, China and the European Union in Montreal.
I Guess White Working Class Voters Get To Veto Everything Now
The only voters who matter.
Any argument against actually doing anything for people. The white working class is skeptical that you will do anything for them because the government doesn't do shit for them (or anybody not rich) now, so probably best not to do anything for them. The true point here is the secret welfare system - WWC probably think that free college will be free for blah people, and not them. One way to make them trust that it is truly free is to, you know, MAKE IT TRULY FREE.
Admittedly "free college" is, of course, a slogan to some degree. What it means in practice is moving us towards the world that existed when I went college, or even before, when in a lot of places you could just about (maybe not quite!) pay for full time college (all of it) with a summer job and working a bit during the school years. "Free tuition at state schools (or even some state schools)" is more like it, and that still doesn't make college free (room, board, books, etc.). But it's a start, and it would do a lot for the blahs and the WWC, and as long as it was simple, straightforward, and generous, even the WWC might realize they benefit.
Funny to see the Washington Monthly revert to form.
...ah, I see this writer had previously solved our costly education problem.
What a great endorsement from Anne Kim, recipient of a badge icon "J.D. from the Duke University School of Law."
As opinion polls have well documented, Americans have increasingly lost faith in institutions, especially government and higher education. And this backlash has been the most severe among white working class Americans.
In a post-election poll by PRRI/The Atlantic, 54 percent of white working class Americans said getting a college education is “a risky gamble,” while just 44 percent said it’s “a smart investment.” Similarly, another survey by House Majority PAC this summer found that 57 percent of white working class voters said that “a college degree would result in more debt and little likelihood of landing a good paying job.”
Making college free would not erase these concerns. In fact, white working class voters specifically distrust the idea of “free college,” said Daniel Cox of PRRI, who was the lead researcher on the PPRI/Atlantic survey. “There was significant skepticism that those policies would actually work,” he said. “They didn’t trust that it would be truly free.”
Any argument against actually doing anything for people. The white working class is skeptical that you will do anything for them because the government doesn't do shit for them (or anybody not rich) now, so probably best not to do anything for them. The true point here is the secret welfare system - WWC probably think that free college will be free for blah people, and not them. One way to make them trust that it is truly free is to, you know, MAKE IT TRULY FREE.
Admittedly "free college" is, of course, a slogan to some degree. What it means in practice is moving us towards the world that existed when I went college, or even before, when in a lot of places you could just about (maybe not quite!) pay for full time college (all of it) with a summer job and working a bit during the school years. "Free tuition at state schools (or even some state schools)" is more like it, and that still doesn't make college free (room, board, books, etc.). But it's a start, and it would do a lot for the blahs and the WWC, and as long as it was simple, straightforward, and generous, even the WWC might realize they benefit.
Funny to see the Washington Monthly revert to form.
...ah, I see this writer had previously solved our costly education problem.
Web browser maker Mozilla launched openbadges.org in 2011 to promote what they call “digital badges” to anyone who can demonstrate that they’ve mastered a specific skill. Much like Boy Scout merit badges, participants can earn their way up the badge ladder. Aspiring Web designers, for example, can earn a badge as a “Code Whisperer,” an “Editor,” a “Div Master,” or a “Super Styler,” depending on their ability to demonstrate their coding skills and to build their own Web projects. At the top are the “HTML Basic” and “I am a Webmaker” badges, stepping stones for becoming the Eagle Scout of the Mozilla digital badge world: a “Mozilla Webmaker Master.”
Each badge earned gets you an icon to display on your digital resume or as part of your online profile, which you can show to prospective employers. More than 1,000 groups and employers, including NASA, Disney-Pixar, the Smithsonian Institution, the New York City Department of Education, and Microsoft, are now offering or honoring badges recognizing a wide variety of skills. At the annual summit of the Clinton Global Initiative this summer, former President Bill Clinton endorsed the idea of badging and urged more employers to participate.
What a great endorsement from Anne Kim, recipient of a badge icon "J.D. from the Duke University School of Law."
Breixteers
One can't know everything perfectly from the outside, but it's hard not to conclude that Brexit is going to be a bigger clusterfuck than even hardcore pessimists thought. The continued ridiculous incompetence of the Tories is making it increasingly likely that there won't be a deal with the EU, and contrary to what some people seem to think, "no deal" doesn't mean the status quo, no deal means everything becomes chaos.
Good Things Are Actually Bad
Politics is depressingly weird these days, and not just because of the orange one.
Friday, September 15, 2017
Friday Funnies
We all ned something to cheer us up.
Our prison system is bad and nobody should be raped in prison (or anywhere, obviously), but otherwise not too unhappy about Pharma Bro having a bad time.
That could be the least of the inconveniences ahead for “Pharma Bro” Martin Shkreli, whose online rantings about Hillary Clinton prompted a judge this week to revoke his bail and put him in the Metropolitan Detention Center, a fortress-like federal jail that also houses terrorism and mob suspects.
MDC, as the Brooklyn lockup for 1,800 men and women is known, has over the years drawn complaints ranging from sexual assaults to the lack of fresh air, sunlight and recreation.
Our prison system is bad and nobody should be raped in prison (or anywhere, obviously), but otherwise not too unhappy about Pharma Bro having a bad time.
Some Powerless College Students Are The Greatest Threat To Free Speech The World Has Ever Known
Anyone who has spent a bit of time around especially elite college campuses knows that while, yes, sometimes students protest right wing speakers - sometimes this is perfectly right and good and sometimes you can argue that they go too far and the heckler's veto is rarely if ever appropriate but these things are always a bit more complicated than people make them out to be - it's pressure from the top that tends to discourage left wing speakers from coming to campus. There are academics and activists on the campus circuit who every knows are "controversial," quite often because of rather strong left wing views on things like war, carceral state, economics, racial issues, etc. Black "radicals," commies, Palestinian activists, etc. Watch those pots of money mysteriously disappear if you try to put your hands in them to fund a visit by one of these speakers. To put it simply, it's not controversial at all to advocate invading a country for lies, and then profiting handsomely off of that, but it is controversial to suggest that maybe, just maybe, when police are executing people in your communities that something more than accepting it quietly is necessary. Military and cops are good, the poor and the marginalized are suspect. And these are our liberal institutions!
Anyway, the administration and money have the power and more importantly the need to cater to power. The kids have protest. People get very upset about the kids. It's always revealing.
Anyway, the administration and money have the power and more importantly the need to cater to power. The kids have protest. People get very upset about the kids. It's always revealing.
New York Exceptionalism
New Yorkers are just weird.
On Thursday, Mnuchin also addressed this controversy, saying the trip was to see Fort Knox and not the eclipse.
“People in Kentucky took this stuff very seriously. Being a New Yorker, I don’t have any interest in watching the eclipse,” he said.
Just Say A Black Guy Did It
Everybody will believe you.
At about 9:30 Tuesday night, Ahlers, who is white, told St. Paul police that he’d been shot by a black man with a “short Afro” who was wearing a navy sweatshirt.
Within minutes, 55 officers swarmed the campus, along with four police dogs and a State Patrol aircraft to search for the suspect.
Ahlers was taken to the hospital and released, according to a statement posted on the St. Catherine website. He is expected to make a full recovery.
At a news conference, police spokesman Mike Ernster said the campus had been on lockdown with “1,800 student held captive in their dorm rooms.” Neighborhood residents, shaken by reports of a gunman at large, asked police officers to check their houses.
Thursday, September 14, 2017
I Want To Love You, Donald
Well, not really, but as I keep saying... it is so easy for a Republican president to be somewhat popular. Like slightly more popular than Obama popular. Just piss off the liberals with symbolic things that don't matter (much) and make a few Democrats happy with some things that do. American politics is so simple.
A Shelbyville Idea
Good luck with that!
At least we don't hear about PRTs anymore.
A futuristic, hyper fast transportation system may soon be coming to Columbus, after the city was chosen as one of 10 locations across the world that won the Hyperloop One Global Challenge.
Think of the small plastic pods that are used at banks to send a client's deposit slip from their car to the bank teller. The Hyperloop works on a similar principle, but the pods are much larger, and can send people and goods at upwards of 600 miles per hour.
At least we don't hear about PRTs anymore.
You Made The Rules
I'm one who thinks that it's best if social media platforms stay mostly out of the content editing business and give users all the control they need to avoid harassment etc (This does not work perfectly, either, but I think it's the best way to think about the issue. The starting place.). Still Facebook has long been in the content editing business, so that's the path they chose. It's a bit weird to delete posts of people breastfeeding (which they used to) and then take money for ads to target "Jew haters."
[self-censored my funny but wrong title for this post]
Nothing makes me happier than Jeffy Jeff being miserable.
Ashen and emotional, Mr. Sessions told the president he would quit and sent a resignation letter to the White House, according to four people who were told details of the meeting. Mr. Sessions would later tell associates that the demeaning way the president addressed him was the most humiliating experience in decades of public life.
DACA
I suppose one could waste a life trying to analyze our president, but for some reason it seems like...maybe he actually wants the DREAMers to be able to stay? I am actually curious about that.
Old Economy Evan
I couldn't find a precise number, but a reasonable guesstimate based on sourcing I did find was that tuition at BYU, when Evan went there, was about 3000 bucks per year.
Too many people my ageish and older don't get that things which were sort of affordable back in our day aren't affordable anymore. Health care was cheaper, also, too.
When the populists of the far left rise on the promise of 'free' college and single-choice health care for all, who will stand for liberty?
— Evan McMullin (@Evan_McMullin) September 14, 2017
Too many people my ageish and older don't get that things which were sort of affordable back in our day aren't affordable anymore. Health care was cheaper, also, too.
Get Out
I saw Get Out a couple of months ago. It is a good movie. You should see it. The best part of the movie (below the jump, SPOILERS):
No You're The Racist
I get a lot about dumb conservatives. Getting doesn't mean agreeing, it just means I understand the thought process that led to their stupidity. The idea that minorities are the real racists is too stupid for me to deal with.
I'll Start Early This Cycle
In 2018, vote for Democrats and they will ______?
It doesn't have to be real, but fill in the damn blank even with lies.
It doesn't have to be real, but fill in the damn blank even with lies.
Mysteries
One thing I have never understood is why big employers haven't been desperate to unload their health insurance problem.
That the health insurance industry opposes cutting their own profits I get. That everybody else wants to keep dealing with it...shruggy.
That the health insurance industry opposes cutting their own profits I get. That everybody else wants to keep dealing with it...shruggy.
Wednesday, September 13, 2017
LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL
He is so dumb.
Martin Shkreli got socked into jail Wednesday when a federal judge delivered a poetic punchline to the Pharma Bro's own Hillary Clinton jokes.
Brooklyn Federal Judge Kiyo Matsumoto revoked Shkreli's $5 million bail Wednesday evening, saying Shkreli's $5,000 bounty on Clinton's hair was the final straw.
The Deepest Thought
All politicians have done some bad things and how you think about those bad things depend on your priorities. Even though "we" (you and I, dear readers) probably agree on most things, we still don't prioritize them the same way.
It Is A Long Hard Slog
My "job" is easy but I have to get up every day and think about President Donald Trump. Pity me.
Tuesday, September 12, 2017
The Best Horrible Movie You Never Saw
Totally random (and an old piece), but like Alyssa I thought Southland Tales was sort of awesome. It isn't a good movie. But's a very interesting bad movie. I can't defend recommending it. You probably won't like it. But it's... sorta good (but also bad).
Dirtbag Neoliberal Sellout
There will be a lot of posing and support for different plans to muddy the waters, but by 2020 every democrat will claim to be for "single payer."
They won't all mean it, of course. Will be the job of activists to get them behind one plan instead of 7 different ones.
The Senate’s most conservative Democrat said Tuesday Congress should consider adopting a single-payer health-care system, a sign of how fast politics are shifting on what was once seen as a fringe issue on the left.
They won't all mean it, of course. Will be the job of activists to get them behind one plan instead of 7 different ones.
Once
Admire the optimism.
Just the pesky software...
Kyle Vogt, CEO and founder of Cruise Automation, revealed very big news for his company and its owner GM, which acquired the startup last year. The news is that they’re ready to mass produce a vehicle ready for self-driving, with everything on board they need to become fully autonomous vehicles once the software and regulatory environment is ready to make that happen.
Just the pesky software...
Carnival
Politics is weird. A wrong conceit perpetuated by the people who cover it is that being a successful politician requires charisma. Charisma is a multifaceted concept which obviously does not equal "hot" but nonetheless... have you seen some of the people in Congress? Probably the most charismatic Republican running for president in 2016 was Marco Rubio and that guy is neither hot nor charismatic. Discuss.
Having said that, how does a man like Ted Cruz manage to step over all of the other not charismatic cretins to become a senator for Texas? I get that you just gotta have a pulse and an R next to your name to win the general election, but Ted Cruz managed to beat all of the other Rs with a pulse to get there somehow. How did that happen?
Having said that, how does a man like Ted Cruz manage to step over all of the other not charismatic cretins to become a senator for Texas? I get that you just gotta have a pulse and an R next to your name to win the general election, but Ted Cruz managed to beat all of the other Rs with a pulse to get there somehow. How did that happen?
Development
This is a random memory...good enough for a blog post!
When I was an undergrad I took a course called "Economic Development." We had to write a paper. I was a dumb undergraduate. I'm not even quite sure what the paper I wrote was about or what it was supposed to be about. I actually did a lot of work for it, though a lot of work does not necessarily translate into a quality paper. I got a 'B' I think. One thing about going to a "shitty state school" is that there isn't any grade inflation, or at least there wasn't then.
Anyway, as I said, I did a lot of work, or at least what I thought was a lot of work. I also drank a lot of beer. I was an undergrad! Whatever. I remember the professor (I forget his name but he was great) commenting that my paper wasn't really about economics, but politics. He was right! Because everything I read (maybe the wrong things) about what we called third world countries at the time stressed the need for those countries to prove that they were credit worthy to first world banks and governments. Everything I read was about how those central banks needed to prove they would fight inflation, and that governments needed to prove they were credit worthy, and prove to businesses that they weren't going to go all commie and start nationalizing stuff.
It was a bad paper because I didn't get the assignment. But also it was a good paper because I think I got something right, even if I didn't understand it. Back then, economic development meant making pleasing noises to Uncle Sam, or so people thought. Nobody actually believes that anymore. Hi China!
When I was an undergrad I took a course called "Economic Development." We had to write a paper. I was a dumb undergraduate. I'm not even quite sure what the paper I wrote was about or what it was supposed to be about. I actually did a lot of work for it, though a lot of work does not necessarily translate into a quality paper. I got a 'B' I think. One thing about going to a "shitty state school" is that there isn't any grade inflation, or at least there wasn't then.
Anyway, as I said, I did a lot of work, or at least what I thought was a lot of work. I also drank a lot of beer. I was an undergrad! Whatever. I remember the professor (I forget his name but he was great) commenting that my paper wasn't really about economics, but politics. He was right! Because everything I read (maybe the wrong things) about what we called third world countries at the time stressed the need for those countries to prove that they were credit worthy to first world banks and governments. Everything I read was about how those central banks needed to prove they would fight inflation, and that governments needed to prove they were credit worthy, and prove to businesses that they weren't going to go all commie and start nationalizing stuff.
It was a bad paper because I didn't get the assignment. But also it was a good paper because I think I got something right, even if I didn't understand it. Back then, economic development meant making pleasing noises to Uncle Sam, or so people thought. Nobody actually believes that anymore. Hi China!
Monday, September 11, 2017
Everything Will Kill You
Did you know that duck-billed platypuses have venomous spines that probably won't kill you but will still fuck you up?
Australia is horrible.
Australia is horrible.
Those Were The Days
Once upon a time only weirdos like me (and you, dear readers) paid this much attention to politics. I documented the minutiae that most people weren't aware of. Now everybody knows! Social media has led to a kind of "bleed" such that everybody is aware of all of the stupid shit that once upon a time only weirdos like me (and you!) were aware of. Even if you aren't that interested in politics, the information comes at you like the Kardashians. I don't know if this is good or bad. Once upon a time it was easy to tune out politics. Now it is impossible.
Everything Was Fucked Up And Bullshit
It is impossible to communicate how insane this country was post-9/11 to people who did not live through it. Much more insane than President Donald Trump which is also pretty insane.
At Least
The post below is a joke, but it was something that was said repeatedly towards the end of the Bush administration, as his popularity cratered. "At least he kept us safe." They somehow turned 9/11 into a Bush worship day. It was so bizarre.
That was shitty decade.
That was shitty decade.
Sunday, September 10, 2017
License To Drive
I am a dumb blogger and even I understand the implications of this (click to embiggen).
Unpaid Player Concussion Game
College football is one of those great mysteries to me. I get that people root for their alma mater and maybe even their "home team" to the extent that there is such a thing (and, yes, I get that in many places the big college team is the home team), but college football in general... it's exploited 20 year olds getting their brains bashed in and middle aged adults feel comfortable passing judgment on them. "Big U's defense sucks this year!!!" Those are unpaid interns being exploited. Shut the fuck up.
Get the press release...Type the press release...
Political journalism is so dumb.
having said that, if Trump embraces his new caricature, things will be... slightly better. I think.
Update: @washingtonpost reporter, ten hours ago. @nytimes reporter, 7 hours ago. @AP, 9 hours ago. pic.twitter.com/onV0frAqQC
— Jay Rosen (@jayrosen_nyu) September 10, 2017
having said that, if Trump embraces his new caricature, things will be... slightly better. I think.
Saturday, September 09, 2017
Is We Capable Of Learning
If true, more awareness than I thought Trump had.
If Trump's primary goal is to be popular then for ONE MILLION DOLLARS I will tell him how. I won't tell him how to be a good Democrat. I will tell him how to please the majority of Republicans while adding another 10-15% of Dems to get him over the 50% line. It is so easy.
A Trump adviser says that after a tumultuous seven months in office, it had finally dawned on the president: "People really f@&@ing hate me." For someone who has spent his life lapping up adulation, however fake, it was a harsh realization. This is a man with an especially acute need for affirmation.
If Trump's primary goal is to be popular then for ONE MILLION DOLLARS I will tell him how. I won't tell him how to be a good Democrat. I will tell him how to please the majority of Republicans while adding another 10-15% of Dems to get him over the 50% line. It is so easy.
Tragic
I don't always think I'm obligated to comment on the tragic events in the lives of public figures I don't know, but since I dunked on the dude yesterday, I should say that I was genuinely saddened to hear that it has been reported that his son committed suicide (*adding that was what initial reports said but that might not be definitive, but while suicide is especially tragic I don't need to know) on Friday. I'm not such a big person that I can't feel a bit of schadenfreude at, say, someone being fired (obviously), but losing a child like that is a horror no one deserves.
I Don't Care Where Amazon Puts Its New Building
And I find it a bit ridiculous that it's seen as such a "prize" to be won (and therefore sought...), but I still found it to be an interesting exercise to think about which locations match the stated requirements. This is the best analysis I've read - most of the other ones are pretty dumb. One correction: Philly is no longer shrinking! But, yes, there are 2-3 locations in Philly which would be ideal, cheapish, and, sadly, the city would probably throw a bunch of money it does not have at them to get it.
I'd still bet money on the DC area - probably Tyson's Corner - for somewhat obvious reasons.
I'd still bet money on the DC area - probably Tyson's Corner - for somewhat obvious reasons.
Friday, September 08, 2017
Say Goodnight, Eric
So sad.
Fox News Channel will part ways with host Eric Bolling, a host and contributor whose on-air presence at the 21st Century Fox-owned network had been growing in recent months, after allegations surfaced that he had harassed colleagues there, the network confirmed Friday.
Should Be Fun
I don't have sympathy for these people, but it's still worth pointing out that this kind of thing is disruptive and expensive...
Special counsel Robert S. Mueller III has alerted the White House that his team will likely seek to interview six top current and former advisers to President Trump who were witnesses to several episodes relevant to the investigation of Russia’s meddling in the 2016 election, according to people familiar with the request.
Mueller’s interest in the aides, including trusted adviser Hope Hicks, ex-press secretary Sean Spicer and former chief of staff Reince Priebus, reflects how the probe that has dogged Trump’s presidency is starting to penetrate a closer circle of aides around the president.
Ponies
Times change.
It’s time for America to consider seriously a single-payer, government-run health system, says Max Baucus, Montana’s longest serving U.S. senator, former ambassador to China and one of the chief architects of Obamacare.
“My personal view is we’ve got to start looking at single-payer,” Baucus said Thursday night at Montana State University. “I think we should have hearings…. We’re getting there. It’s going to happen.”
Not Their Customer
Few of us are actually the customers of Equifax, and their "customer service line" should be called their "fraud and theft amelioration line." I (as far as I know) never voluntarily entered into any agreement with them. At best I consented to other companies to access my data, which I never voluntarily authorized Equifax to maintain.
Also, don't do anything with their site which at least for awhile was automatically signing you up for binding arbitration and now I believe is letting you "opt out" but, you know, fuck you. This should be an ex-company by tomorrow. They won't be, though, because capitalism or something.
Equifax first discovered the vulnerability in late July, though it chose not to publicly announced it until more than a month later. The company was widely criticized for its customer service approach in the aftermath of the hack, as users struggled to understand if their information had been affected. Others expressed frustration that three senior executives sold about $1.7 million in stock in the days following the discovery of the hack. A spokeswoman for Equifax said the men “had no knowledge that an intrusion had occurred at the time.”
Also, don't do anything with their site which at least for awhile was automatically signing you up for binding arbitration and now I believe is letting you "opt out" but, you know, fuck you. This should be an ex-company by tomorrow. They won't be, though, because capitalism or something.
You Fucked Up - You Trusted Us!
Obviously this is just Trump not taking responsibility for anything.
Anyone with a brain knew that the Republicans were always full of shit about "repeal and replace" because there was never any "replace" that wasn't basically Obamacare but shittier (and they hadn't even bothered to devise that). That's not to say it couldn't have happened. It almost did! But the reason it didn't happen was because it would have been a disaster, not just for the poors (who cares about them!) but for many other stakeholders (hospitals, insurance companies, etc.) that actually have a bit of power in DC.
Ultimately The Maverick did one more Mavericky thing with his vote, but I'm sure he had a few Republican colleagues in the Senate who egged him on because they really didn't want it to pass either. Whether that's 1,2,3,4... Republican senators, I don't know, but there were a few.
The president has told those close to him that he regrets choosing to tackle the repeal and replace of Barack Obama’s health care law as his first legislative push. He has singled out Ryan for blame, saying the speaker assured him it would pass and instead handed him an early, humiliating failure, before ultimate House passage of a revived bill, according to three White House and outside advisers familiar with the conversations but not authorized to speak about them publicly.
Anyone with a brain knew that the Republicans were always full of shit about "repeal and replace" because there was never any "replace" that wasn't basically Obamacare but shittier (and they hadn't even bothered to devise that). That's not to say it couldn't have happened. It almost did! But the reason it didn't happen was because it would have been a disaster, not just for the poors (who cares about them!) but for many other stakeholders (hospitals, insurance companies, etc.) that actually have a bit of power in DC.
Ultimately The Maverick did one more Mavericky thing with his vote, but I'm sure he had a few Republican colleagues in the Senate who egged him on because they really didn't want it to pass either. Whether that's 1,2,3,4... Republican senators, I don't know, but there were a few.
DREAM
The simple explanation is because the black guy couldn't get it done.
WASHINGTON ― House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said Thursday that President Donald Trump told her on two occasions that he supports and would sign a bill to give legal status to young undocumented immigrants who came to the U.S. as children.But, hey, if Trump can, why doesn't matter much...
“We made it very clear in the course of the conversation that the priority was to pass the Dream Act,” Pelosi said at a press briefing. “Obviously it has to be bipartisan. The president supports that, he would sign it. But we have to get it passed.”
Thursday, September 07, 2017
Donald and Chuck and Nancy
To be as popular as Obama (who was popular enough though not super popular), all Trump has to do is occasionally make nice with Democrats and occasionally not be the biggest asshole on the planet. It's not hard to be a popular enough Republican president. Democrats are suckers for A Good Republican, so much so that they don't have to be very good.
Destruction
If we aren't going to get serious about climate change (we aren't), we'd better get serious about ameliorating its impact. This is not a moral approach - as a rich country we can afford to do what other countries can't - but it is at least a practical one.
...and evacuation is not as practical as people think. Obviously people still have time to evacuate, so not everyone is stampeding out at rush hour on Friday, but highways just don't have the capacity that people think. I don't know anything about the transportation networks around Miami, but one lane of highway can carry about 43,000 cars per day at *peak* capacity. Obviously once congestion hits that number is reduced. Adding more cars means fewer cars move. And of course while an evacuation can be staggered, it won't be "1800 cars per hour per lane in perfect formation" staggered. 650,000 people is a lot.
That's before we get into issues of poverty and disability and...
...and evacuation is not as practical as people think. Obviously people still have time to evacuate, so not everyone is stampeding out at rush hour on Friday, but highways just don't have the capacity that people think. I don't know anything about the transportation networks around Miami, but one lane of highway can carry about 43,000 cars per day at *peak* capacity. Obviously once congestion hits that number is reduced. Adding more cars means fewer cars move. And of course while an evacuation can be staggered, it won't be "1800 cars per hour per lane in perfect formation" staggered. 650,000 people is a lot.
Over 650,000 residents are affected by the evacuation orders and being told to seek safety in other locations or at a county shelter.
That's before we get into issues of poverty and disability and...
Praise Jeebus For The House Freedom Caucus
Since 2011 they have prevented horrible things from happening by demanding that even more horrible things happen.
They're evil and crazy, but they're doing a wonderful job.
They're evil and crazy, but they're doing a wonderful job.
Please Bring Us Jobs, Amazon Overlord
Amazon is doing a Hunger Games contest (not really) for a second headquarters location
The thing is there just aren't many places that fit this.
50K jobs, million+metro area. There are some specific requirements about daily flight locations, too. I don't particularly care about where Bezos goes, but what are the options? Um..Denver? Minneapolis? LA? Philly? Baltimore? Houston? Dallas? DC? NYC and SF I guess but that would be sorta nuts. Where am I missing?
The thing is there just aren't many places that fit this.
Requirements:
Proximity to population center: 30 Miles
Proximity to International airport: Within approx. 45 Minutes
Proximity to major highways and arterial roads: Not more than 1-2 Miles
Close to major arterial roads to provide optimal access
Access to mass transit: At site
Direct access to rail, train, subway/metro, bus routes
50K jobs, million+metro area. There are some specific requirements about daily flight locations, too. I don't particularly care about where Bezos goes, but what are the options? Um..Denver? Minneapolis? LA? Philly? Baltimore? Houston? Dallas? DC? NYC and SF I guess but that would be sorta nuts. Where am I missing?
Wednesday, September 06, 2017
Nobody Knows In America
The Acela Corridor bubble isn't anything compared to the "US Territories Don't Even Exist" bubble. Not that the lives of US citizens are the only ones that matter, but they should at least matter some given the usual rules of media coverage. Irma's going to do a lot of damage before it hits Florida.
Lunch Thread
Some days I got nothin'. Like the "maybe Nazis are good!" days. I miss the dog whistles.
Sundown
Trying to figure out specifically what Trump will do 5 minutes from now, let alone 6 months, is not worth wasting time on. Some people get sweet and nice, some people get mean and nasty. That's your guide.
Tuesday, September 05, 2017
This Is Us
Polls show people are pretty in favor of the DREAMers if you spell it out to them, but polls also show that Americans elected Donald Trump president so, you know, shruggy.
Ephemeral
Is there any chance the governors of Texas and Florida and the current FEMA (I know nothing) can handle the devastation that has happened and the devastation that is likely to happen?
Lex Luthor in Florida, for all his faults, might, but I picture the governor of Texas being like "LOL your house is gone."
Lex Luthor in Florida, for all his faults, might, but I picture the governor of Texas being like "LOL your house is gone."
Savvy Beliefs
Lotsa of savvy people (this is not a compliment, though they aren't all people I would usually put in the joke "savvy" category) seem to be pretty sure that if Congress doesn't do something about DACA that Trump will just extend it again.
I would take the other side of this bet.
I would take the other side of this bet.
Will Move On Too Quickly
The "Acela corridor" bias is certainly real in a geographic sense. The national media will move on from Houston fairly quickly, and whatever horrors people continue to experience and whatever failures of government perpetuates them will largely be a local story.
Minor Reprieve
According to my deep sources on the twitter, the six month DACA "repeal delay" will let people with expiring status to continue to apply for 2 year renewals up until the 6 months is over. Bummer for those with status expiring in 7 months, but...it could have been worse.
Contours
Been sorta reported/rumored/suspected, that Trump's basically going to tell Congress to do a DACA for Wall money deal.
The Wall is hideously stupid and gross, though of course the border already has a Wall in many places, and there are bunch of landowners who are going to find the Republican commitment to private property to be, uh, not absolute...
Congress, get ready to do your job - DACA!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 5, 2017
The Wall is hideously stupid and gross, though of course the border already has a Wall in many places, and there are bunch of landowners who are going to find the Republican commitment to private property to be, uh, not absolute...
Monday, September 04, 2017
Some Light Holiday Reading
An interview with Suki Kim, author of Without You, There is No Us: Undercover Among the Sons of North Korea's Elite.
Sure
They'll be free!!!
Of course they could just do this with Uber/Lyft, now, too...Actually I am going to do this with Uber/Lyft now too. Please give me 100 billion dollars for my idea.
It's Saturday night, and you're planning an evening out. You fire up a ridesharing app to head out to your favorite restaurant.
But then an ad appears, offering a free ride to a new Thai spot on the other side of town.
Suddenly, you're reconsidering plans: Why pay for a ride to one neighborhood when another is totally free? Ultimately, your favorite restaurant could lose a customer.
Of course they could just do this with Uber/Lyft, now, too...Actually I am going to do this with Uber/Lyft now too. Please give me 100 billion dollars for my idea.
They Love This Stuff
The problem with this kind of thing is that its audience doesn't care if it is true. They are pleasing stories. Pleasing for deranged racists, but still pleasing.
Sunday, September 03, 2017
Laughing All The Way To The Apocalypse
I veer from "haha Trump's a big dumdum" to "oh shit we're all going to die."
Crazy days.
Crazy days.
Your Moment of Zen
WATCH: President Trump loads a man's pickup truck with supplies in Houston https://t.co/GDf559LNXI
— NBC News (@NBCNews) September 2, 2017
Seoul
There were a bunch of pieces not that long ago about how, you know, bombing North Korea probably wouldn't mean THAT many dead people in Seoul. Haven't seen them recently, but keep your eyes out for them...
Saturday, September 02, 2017
Today Is The Day He Became President
I didn't really pay any attention to the coverage, but I assume so.
Say Your Name
Lately when I watch TV shows and movies I never remember any of the character names. I can't read an "episode recap" because I don't know who the hell they're talking about. I remember the characters and plots, just without any name attached to them.
Theory 1 (likely true, but boring): I am getting old and my brain is made of swiss cheese.
Theory 2 (probably not true, but more interesting): Being online all of the time there are a lot of people I don't associate with a name. I recognize people from their AVIs more often then not, and associate that with what I know about them. My brain has ceased to people/characters to names, and instead I link them to their faces or some other graphic representation of their identity.
Theory 1 (likely true, but boring): I am getting old and my brain is made of swiss cheese.
Theory 2 (probably not true, but more interesting): Being online all of the time there are a lot of people I don't associate with a name. I recognize people from their AVIs more often then not, and associate that with what I know about them. My brain has ceased to people/characters to names, and instead I link them to their faces or some other graphic representation of their identity.
The Inevitable
I do not know why people always think things which look neato in scifi movies would actually be neato in practice. A lot of them are really stupid, even they do, actually, look neato. Cool aesthetics do not equal functionality. Transparent screens for example. A head mounted display for another.
But he said that augmented reality on smartphones was a stopgap to the inevitable: wearing data in front of your face at all times through some kind of headset.
“If you look at science fiction, a lot of it has this characteristic of being always on and serendipitous,” he said. “You get a lot closer to that when you get a head-mounted display.”
President Donald Trump
As I keep saying, I don't think he remains in office for 4 years, but nor do I think 25th amendment (kinda crazy) or impeachment (hello Paul Ryan!) are going to happen anytime soon for obvious reasons.
As for what does happen if Mueller has the goods, well...
As for what does happen if Mueller has the goods, well...
Friday, September 01, 2017
New York Real Estate Magnate Not Concerned With New York Real Estate Prices
This point is not entirely wrong. If the New York City megalopolis can't afford a couple of tunnels, then who can (it's much more complicated than that in practice - no one taxing authority, for one)? Still, in practice, NYC and surrounding aren't going to do it themselves, and if those tunnels go...
Republican New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and Democratic New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo have said they expect the federal government to cover half the cost of the Gateway project, which also includes bridges and track improvements. The administration looks on such calls for funding as just the sort that they would like to curtail.
“There’s no people or economic activity in that region that could possibly cover the cost of that?” said the administration official, when asked about a recent appeal by Mr. Cuomo for federal aid for the project. “I think that’s a tough sell, would be my response.”
Afternoon Thread
Secure in the knowledge that Donald Trump is extremely angry because Harvey is getting more TV time than he is.
Correction
We made a mistake: 30.3% of surveyed Harvard freshmen are legacies, not 41.8%. https://t.co/VdrkznJJcC
— The Harvard Crimson (@thecrimson) September 1, 2017
(for this)
Je Ne Suis Pas Charlie
Obligatory disclaimer: of course I don't in any way condone the slaughter at the Charlie Hebdo offices which was a horrible event, but like Glenn I found the universal praise - and pressure to praise - Charlie Hebdo, as opposed to just recognizing the evil of the attack. was disturbing. Their "satire" was never funny, it was just racist and provocative. "I will spit in your face just because I can" level humor. Often there is nothing that is recognizable as a joke, not even a Homer Simpson "it's funny because it's true" joke.
Defenders of Hebdo say they're "irreverent" to everyone equally, not just Muslims (as is now obvious!), including the genuinely powerful. But the punching up/punching down distinction matters, especially when the punching down isn't even funny. I mean, sure, I get that even racist jokes can be funny (which does not defend them, just that you can mine anything for actual humor, whether or not you should), but again printing pictures of Mohammed is only funny if you think deliberately pissing people off is funny. And that's fine, I'm not calling for them to be shut down and certainly not to be slaughtered, but Eric Cartman has more sophisticated racist jokes than the Charlie Hebdo cartoons in question.
Defenders of Hebdo say they're "irreverent" to everyone equally, not just Muslims (as is now obvious!), including the genuinely powerful. But the punching up/punching down distinction matters, especially when the punching down isn't even funny. I mean, sure, I get that even racist jokes can be funny (which does not defend them, just that you can mine anything for actual humor, whether or not you should), but again printing pictures of Mohammed is only funny if you think deliberately pissing people off is funny. And that's fine, I'm not calling for them to be shut down and certainly not to be slaughtered, but Eric Cartman has more sophisticated racist jokes than the Charlie Hebdo cartoons in question.
Opioid Crisis is Over!
At least, we can stop talking about it now. This shouldn't just be on the WWC whisperers - hacks are gonna hack - but on all the journalists and editors who supposedly aren't hacks who promoted.
Philly (Kensington) gets attention for being the biggest heroin market in the world or some similar hyperbole. Since people finally realized that "heroin market" means it's a market...meaning, a lot of white people come from outside the city to buy drugs there, it started getting some attention aside from "lock everybody up" (though there's that, too). And that's a good thing, even though it shouldn't have taken the recognition that non-urban whites were also addicts to prompt that. But with Republicans in charge (Hi Jeff Sessions!) and Trump not pretending to care anymore, that trend will probably be reversed.
Philly (Kensington) gets attention for being the biggest heroin market in the world or some similar hyperbole. Since people finally realized that "heroin market" means it's a market...meaning, a lot of white people come from outside the city to buy drugs there, it started getting some attention aside from "lock everybody up" (though there's that, too). And that's a good thing, even though it shouldn't have taken the recognition that non-urban whites were also addicts to prompt that. But with Republicans in charge (Hi Jeff Sessions!) and Trump not pretending to care anymore, that trend will probably be reversed.
Our Meritocracy
(see correction here)
Our elite pundits obsess about elite schools (thinking they are the only ones) and somehow rarely bother to discuss this. Basically they think the mostly white legacy students are qualified and any minority affirmative action students (And affirmative action *barely exists* anywhere so they're obsessing about nothing) needed bonus points.
...on the twitter I already got the "well maybe their grades made them the most qualified students!" kind of responses. That just isn't how admissions works (and with 41% of students they sort of define the distribution). But even if they were "as qualified" in some sense, they still got a bit of a boost to comparable students. Who your parents are matters in an obvious and clear way that is undeniable, and mostly doesn't even require that they buy a library for the college.
41.2% of the freshman class at Harvard is legacy. pic.twitter.com/iqYBltT5dO
— James S. Murphy (@James_S_Murphy) September 1, 2017
Our elite pundits obsess about elite schools (thinking they are the only ones) and somehow rarely bother to discuss this. Basically they think the mostly white legacy students are qualified and any minority affirmative action students (And affirmative action *barely exists* anywhere so they're obsessing about nothing) needed bonus points.
...on the twitter I already got the "well maybe their grades made them the most qualified students!" kind of responses. That just isn't how admissions works (and with 41% of students they sort of define the distribution). But even if they were "as qualified" in some sense, they still got a bit of a boost to comparable students. Who your parents are matters in an obvious and clear way that is undeniable, and mostly doesn't even require that they buy a library for the college.
They Have All The Power
I guess the Tory strategy to save themselves politically from the inevitable Brexit disaster is to just whine about the big bad mean old EU and how mean they are and it's just not FFAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAIIIR.
The international trade secretary, Liam Fox, has ratcheted up the government’s war of words with the EU over Brexit by saying Britain will not be “blackmailed” into paying an excessive exit settlement to speed up a deal.
Fox’s comment follows a tense press conference in Brussels on Thursday after the third round of exit talks, in which the EU’s chief negotiator, Michel Barnier, accused the UK of being mired in “nostalgia” rather than taking a realistic approach.