Yawns
I’m not trying to make you sleepy with this, honest, but I dare you not to yawn. I lasted until about halfway through.
I’m not trying to make you sleepy with this, honest, but I dare you not to yawn. I lasted until about halfway through.
2 | Charles Johnson Sat, Feb 16, 2013 5:40:35pm |
It’s kind of amazing how contagious yawning is. A subconscious response to a visual cue. I wonder what evolutionary purpose it serves?
5 | Hercules Grytpype-Thynneghazi Sat, Feb 16, 2013 5:43:03pm |
I was yawning just waiting for the damn video to load. Vimeo is very, very slow for me.
My favorite book as a child was Dr. Seuss’s Sleep Book:
A yawn is quite catching, you see, like a cough.
It takes just one yawn to set other yawns off.
Now the news has come in that some friends of Van Vleck’s
Are yawning so wide you can look down their necks.
At this moment, right now, under seven more noses
Great yawns are in blossom. They’re blooming like roses!”
6 | chadu Sat, Feb 16, 2013 5:43:17pm |
Do we even know what a yawn does?
What’s its purpose?
8 | calochortus Sat, Feb 16, 2013 5:46:11pm |
re: #6 chadu
One of life’s great mysteries. Social cue so everyone goes back to the cave as a group and doesn’t get ambushed? Cooling the brain? God’s little joke on humans?
9 | PhillyPretzel Sat, Feb 16, 2013 5:46:39pm |
re: #1 b_sharp
Me too. I loved it when the two tabbies yawned almost at the same time.
10 | Hercules Grytpype-Thynneghazi Sat, Feb 16, 2013 5:46:55pm |
re: #6 chadu
Do we even know what a yawn does?
What’s its purpose?
Wikipedia:
There are a number of theories that attempt to explain why animals and people yawn. It is likely that there are a number of triggers for the behavior. However, there are a few theories that attempt to explain the primary evolutionary reason for the yawn. None of them has been empirically substantiated.
11 | A Mom Anon Sat, Feb 16, 2013 5:47:23pm |
The dog trainer I hired to help with our rescue mutt told me once that sometimes yawns are a stress reliever for dogs. In my dog’s case, it’s when she’s trying very hard to focus and behave and she hears or sees another dog. She wants to bark and raise hell, but instead she lets out a huge yawn with lots of noise.
Maybe yawns are contagious because they represent relaxation and that stress release? Because we want/need that and our brains just react?
12 | wrenchwench Sat, Feb 16, 2013 5:52:16pm |
I’m already yawning and I can’t see the video. I’ll catch it at home, then take a nap.
Later, lizards.
13 | Skandal Sat, Feb 16, 2013 5:53:49pm |
According to one evolutionary theory I heard regarding yawning, when we get tired and, thus, more defenceless humans would yawn thereby baring one’s teeth in order to show potential enemies we are able to defend ourselves despite our tired condition.
15 | Mongo only pawn... in game of life. Sat, Feb 16, 2013 6:01:37pm |
re: #7 b_sharp
Boost oxygen to stay awake.
If staying awake involves not closing your eyes an old trick is to put a ball cap on backwards and pull down in front to eyebrow level. Then pull bill of cap downwards in back until eyelids cannot close. Eyes may roll either up or down to back of head depending on circumstances, but eyes will not shut. Got me thru the last 100 miles of 700/800 mile 16/18 hour days. Of course I was fine the next day after I stopped shaking and my eyes stopping going large and small and large and small. And I parked perfectly. All drug free! I yawned at the picture without even starting the video.
16 | chadu Sat, Feb 16, 2013 6:02:41pm |
17 | Dark_Falcon Sat, Feb 16, 2013 6:06:28pm |
re: #12 wrenchwench
I’m already yawning and I can’t see the video. I’ll catch it at home, then take a nap.
Later, lizards.
Cute little spikeball, isn’t he?
18 | Charles Johnson Sat, Feb 16, 2013 6:10:48pm |
re: #12 wrenchwench
I’m already yawning and I can’t see the video. I’ll catch it at home, then take a nap.
Later, lizards.
It’s a mammal thing.
20 | Kragar (Antichrist ) Sat, Feb 16, 2013 6:13:44pm |
I made it till I saw the word yawn.
21 | chadu Sat, Feb 16, 2013 6:15:08pm |
22 | chadu Sat, Feb 16, 2013 6:15:59pm |
re: #19 Charles Johnson
If they did, they’re ruining mammals’ turf!
23 | Gus Sat, Feb 16, 2013 6:16:10pm |
I read Atlas Shrugged once. It was horrible. #p2 #tlot #GrumpyCat twitter.com/Gus_802/status…— Gus (@Gus_802) February 17, 2013
24 | b_sharp Sat, Feb 16, 2013 6:32:40pm |
re: #20 Kragar (Antichrist )
I made it till I saw the word yawn.
Only when watching Celebrity Survivor.
26 | Kragar (Antichrist ) Sat, Feb 16, 2013 6:40:58pm |
re: #24 b_sharp
Only when watching Celebrity Survivor.
I stopped watching when I realized all of them were all going to live.
29 | prairiefire Sat, Feb 16, 2013 7:00:06pm |
re: #2 Charles Johnson
It’s kind of amazing how contagious yawning is. A subconscious response to a visual cue. I wonder what evolutionary purpose it serves?
Well, sleep is incredibly important, and often overlooked.
31 | Dark_Falcon Sat, Feb 16, 2013 7:09:39pm |
re: #28 b_sharp
Unidentified farting object?
No, just more proof that Gus is a Peronist Progressive.
///
32 | TedStriker Sat, Feb 16, 2013 7:13:15pm |
33 | b_sharp Sat, Feb 16, 2013 7:13:22pm |
re: #19 Charles Johnson
Did dinosaurs yawn?
Only when watching Celebrity Survivor.
(I just realized I answered the wrong comment)
34 | Gus Sat, Feb 16, 2013 7:14:35pm |
re: #31 Dark_Falcon
No, just more proof that Gus is a Peronist Progressive.
///
That was yesterday. Today, I’m with a different political party. Day after that? Only the future will tell.
//
35 | sattv4u2 Sat, Feb 16, 2013 7:17:11pm |
re: #34 Gus
That was yesterday. Today, I’m with a different political party. Day after that? Only the future will tell.
//
Party Pooper!
36 | Bubblehead II Sat, Feb 16, 2013 7:20:07pm |
//// Down Ding! I thought this place was a no yawning zone.
Charles, Lizards, May you have a good night.
Random Video.
Night Lizards.
37 | sattv4u2 Sat, Feb 16, 2013 7:20:14pm |
re: #33 b_sharp
(I just realized I answered the wrong comment)
And to compound the problem, you gave the wrong answer!!!
/
38 | Kronocide Sat, Feb 16, 2013 7:24:38pm |
Oh great. On one of my private professional forums the buys are ‘debating’ speaker burn in. I’m going to be in the trouble.
39 | b_sharp Sat, Feb 16, 2013 7:28:20pm |
re: #37 sattv4u2
(I just realized I answered the wrong comment)And to compound the problem, you gave the wrong answer!!!
/
That’s to be expected.
40 | b_sharp Sat, Feb 16, 2013 7:29:02pm |
re: #38 Kronocide
Oh great. On one of my private professional forums the buys are ‘debating’ speaker burn in. I’m going to be in the trouble.
Speaker burn in?
41 | Gus Sat, Feb 16, 2013 7:29:28pm |
Yikes, watching a video. Some parts of Detroit look like a war zone. So many abandoned homes, apartment buildings, crumbling buildings.
42 | Lidane Sat, Feb 16, 2013 7:36:03pm |
I made it all the way through the video without yawning. Then I got to the comments with everyone saying when they yawned. My resolve broke.
Ah well. :)
43 | sattv4u2 Sat, Feb 16, 2013 7:37:28pm |
re: #41 Gus
Yike, watching a video. Some parts of Detroit look like a war zone. So many abandoned homes, apartment buildings, crumbling buildings.
And Akron, and Cleveland, and ,,,
It’s really depressing. It hasn’t been called The Rust Belt for decades for nothing!!
45 | Gus Sat, Feb 16, 2013 7:40:29pm |
re: #43 sattv4u2
And Akron, and Cleveland, and ,,,
It’s really depressing. It hasn’t been called The Rust Belt for decades for nothing!!
Yeah, I used to live in New Jersey and would go by some of the cities. I was in South Jersey. Trenton was a trip. I couldn’t believe how run down and crazy it was in some places. Never saw its equal in Denver or San Francisco. It’s just amazing how we as society has allowed this to happen. The utter deterioration of communities and the families that fell in the cracks.
46 | sattv4u2 Sat, Feb 16, 2013 7:41:26pm |
47 | sattv4u2 Sat, Feb 16, 2013 7:43:03pm |
re: #45 Gus
Yeah, I used to live in New Jersey and would go by some of the cities. I was in South Jersey. Trenton was a trip. I couldn’t believe how run down and crazy it was in some places. Never saw its equal in Denver or San Francisco. It’s just amazing how we as society has allowed this to happen. The utter deterioration of communities and the families that fell in the cracks.
I spent a lot of time in the Bayonne/ Newark/ Elizabeth area in the early 80’s. I hear ya!
48 | Gus Sat, Feb 16, 2013 7:44:38pm |
re: #47 sattv4u2
I spent a lot of time in the Bayonne/ Newark/ Elizabeth area in the early 80’s. I hear ya!
I spent a month in Trenton. My brother’s house. Nice house and the immediate area was OK. But, I had to get around. Very depressing.
50 | Kronocide Sat, Feb 16, 2013 7:46:44pm |
re: #40 b_sharp
Speaker burn in?
The idea that speakers need to be played for long periods of time at specific levels of sound or with specific sounds to maximize their sound qualities. It’s myth.
It’s funny when engineering types suddenly have faith.
51 | sattv4u2 Sat, Feb 16, 2013 7:46:46pm |
re: #48 Gus
I spent a month in Trenton. My brother’s house. Nice house and the immediate area was OK. But, I had to get around. Very depressing.
Your brother was depressed because you stayed with him a month?
Well, can you BLAME him!?!?!
//
52 | chadu Sat, Feb 16, 2013 7:49:09pm |
re: #23 Gus
Reading Atlas Shrugged was like punching myself in the face.
53 | sattv4u2 Sat, Feb 16, 2013 7:49:40pm |
re: #52 chadu
Reading Atlas Shrugged was like punching myself in the face.
I think you should read it again while we watch!!
//
56 | Dark_Falcon Sat, Feb 16, 2013 7:52:45pm |
re: #45 Gus
Yeah, I used to live in New Jersey and would go by some of the cities. I was in South Jersey. Trenton was a trip. I couldn’t believe how run down and crazy it was in some places. Never saw its equal in Denver or San Francisco. It’s just amazing how we as society has allowed this to happen. The utter deterioration of communities and the families that fell in the cracks.
It’s less “fell through the cracks” than “lost their social order”. Detroit’s 1967 race riots scared many white residents into leaving the city and Detroit’s first black mayor made matters worse with a hostile policy towards non-blacks. The resultant ‘white flight’ gutted the city’s population tax base while the hammering the US auto industry took beginning in the 1970’s largely eliminated its commercial tax base. That plus the other effects of bad government made terminal decline inevitable.
57 | chadu Sat, Feb 16, 2013 7:53:26pm |
re: #54 Gus
Oh, is he back in Hawaii? Going home is a different type of vacation, believe me.
58 | sattv4u2 Sat, Feb 16, 2013 7:53:51pm |
59 | chadu Sat, Feb 16, 2013 7:55:44pm |
re: #56 Dark_Falcon
I disagree with your characterizations, but your result is right, from what I know.
60 | Gus Sat, Feb 16, 2013 7:56:20pm |
re: #57 chadu
Oh, is he back in Hawaii? Going home is a different type of vacation, believe me.
Just Florida for the weekend. FLOTUS and the kids went somewhere else. It’s Presidents Day weekend and the White House is empty anyway. Fox News is concerned.
61 | chadu Sat, Feb 16, 2013 7:57:14pm |
62 | chadu Sat, Feb 16, 2013 7:58:29pm |
63 | sattv4u2 Sat, Feb 16, 2013 7:58:42pm |
re: #61 chadu
How, whut?
Two bucks a page and you have me in debt to start with?
Oh. I thought you were offering US two bucks per page to watch you read, then punch yourself in the face!!
66 | chadu Sat, Feb 16, 2013 8:02:56pm |
re: #63 sattv4u2
Oh. I thought you were offering US two bucks per page to watch you read, then punch yourself in the face!!
No, no, self-abuse costs, mon ami!
You and Gus should come over to the TR Zombie/Golem page. I want to have perfectly rational discussions about a stupid thing. (Hey, it;s the weekend.)
67 | sattv4u2 Sat, Feb 16, 2013 8:05:08pm |
re: #66 chadu
No, no, self-abuse costs, mon ami!
You and Gus should come over to the TR Zombie/Golem page. I want to have perfectly rational discussions about a stupid thing. (Hey, it;s the weekend.)
You’ll have to decide whether you want me and Gus, or a rational discussion!
68 | Gus Sat, Feb 16, 2013 8:13:24pm |
re: #67 sattv4u2
You’ll have to decide whether you want me and Gus, or a rational discussion!
I never argue with people about politics in the meat world. Have a friend that gets occasionally 9/11 truthy on me but I usually respond with “you don’t really believe that do you?” He’s a yeller. Typically, I just nod my head even when they say some of the craziest things. Internet is the internet. Occasionally I’ll get stupid in any direction.
69 | sattv4u2 Sat, Feb 16, 2013 8:24:10pm |
re: #68 Gus
I never argue with people about politics in the meat world. Have a friend that gets occasionally 9/11 truthy on me but I usually respond with “you don’t really believe that do you?” He’s a yeller. Typically, I just nod my head even when they say some of the craziest things. Internet is the internet. Occasionally I’ll get stupid in any direction.
heh
Had a very close long time friend start screaming, SCREAMING at me because I wouldn’t tell him who I voted for in the 2004 Pres. election (him, Kerry)
70 | chadu Sat, Feb 16, 2013 8:24:10pm |
re: #67 sattv4u2
You’ll have to decide whether you want me and Gus, or a rational discussion!
“Rational” discussion as I’m talking about the pros and cons of making ex-Presidents Zombies or animating statues of them.
Yeah, go for it. Give me the cost-benefit between zombie and golem.
71 | sattv4u2 Sat, Feb 16, 2013 8:25:31pm |
re: #70 chadu
“Rational” discussion as I’m talking about the pros and cons of making ex-Presidents Zombies or animating statues of them.
Yeah, go for it. Give me the cost-benefit between zombie and golem.
I’d really love to, but I think I have to rearrange my sock drawer tonight!
72 | Targetpractice Sat, Feb 16, 2013 8:25:52pm |
re: #68 Gus
I never argue with people about politics in the meat world. Have a friend that gets occasionally 9/11 truthy on me but I usually respond with “you don’t really believe that do you?” He’s a yeller. Typically, I just nod my head even when they say some of the craziest things. Internet is the internet. Occasionally I’ll get stupid in any direction.
One of the regulars at my shop is the very model of a 1%er, from being a rich business owner to thinking that helping the poor means throwing them to churches for charity. He’s run twice for elected office, once for the US Senate, another time for state legislature. First time he failed to get past the primary, second time he lost the election. He comes into the shop almost daily, and when I was a Bush stooge, I used to nod along with what he was saying. Now, it’s gotten so awkward, because he still thinks we’re on the same wavelength.
73 | freetoken Sat, Feb 16, 2013 8:29:52pm |
Working scientist lays the smackdown on the IDiots:
74 | Gus Sat, Feb 16, 2013 8:30:29pm |
re: #69 sattv4u2
heh
Had a very close long time friend start screaming, SCREAMING at me because I wouldn’t tell him who I voted for in the 2004 Pres. election (him, Kerry)
I don’t get the screaming bit. A lot of people will do that. I can encounter some of the biggest haters out there but won’t start screaming at them since I usually think to myself “fuck this guy” and never see him again. Did encounter one nut that called Bush Hitler and I challenged him on that and he totally flipped out.
75 | freetoken Sat, Feb 16, 2013 8:35:13pm |
Decaying from the inside:
Pope Benedict XVI’s leaked documents show fractured Vatican full of rivalries
Dan Brown would be proud.
77 | Mattand Sat, Feb 16, 2013 8:39:35pm |
re: #70 chadu
“Rational” discussion as I’m talking about the pros and cons of making ex-Presidents Zombies or animating statues of them.
Yeah, go for it. Give me the cost-benefit between zombie and golem.
I would imagine it would be impossible to make a golem out of Nixon. What with Tricky Dick being an anti-semite and what not.
78 | freetoken Sat, Feb 16, 2013 9:02:36pm |
“Foxtrot” from Shostakovich’s “Suite № 1 for Jazz Orchestra”:
80 | Targetpractice Sat, Feb 16, 2013 9:06:12pm |
Find myself wanting to download an old game from GOG that I haven’t played in forever. Says it’s compatible with Win7, but I’m not sure I wanna pay $10 just to find out otherwise.
81 | prairiefire Sat, Feb 16, 2013 9:10:46pm |
re: #79 freetoken
Music can be most malleable:
[Embedded content]
Hello! Hope you are well. Have you been harvesting?
82 | wrenchwench Sat, Feb 16, 2013 9:11:51pm |
83 | freetoken Sat, Feb 16, 2013 9:16:17pm |
84 | wrenchwench Sat, Feb 16, 2013 9:22:59pm |
Riding your bike is the cheapest anti-anxiety drug on the market ow.ly/hrpgO— Outside Magazine (@outsidemagazine) February 17, 2013
85 | freetoken Sat, Feb 16, 2013 9:23:27pm |
Our main event tonight: Nikolai Kornev and chorus with a recent (as far as these things go) recording of Tchaikovsky’s opus 41, his interpretation of the Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom:
86 | wrenchwench Sat, Feb 16, 2013 9:35:17pm |
87 | TedStriker Sat, Feb 16, 2013 9:40:05pm |
88 | LWNJ Sat, Feb 16, 2013 9:49:12pm |
re: #80 Targetpractice
Find myself wanting to download an old game from GOG that I haven’t played in forever. Says it’s compatible with Win7, but I’m not sure I wanna pay $10 just to find out otherwise.
Have you checked the gog forums? If there’s an incompatibility, they’ll probably discuss it there.
90 | Amory Blaine Sat, Feb 16, 2013 10:34:23pm |
I beat Far Cry 3 last week. Pretty good game. Currently playing Hitman 3 Absolution, meh. Also replaying The Witcher 2. Waiting for Metro: Last Light. Tomb Radier and the Stick of Truth also.
Anyone play Borderlands 2?
91 | Lidane Sat, Feb 16, 2013 10:37:44pm |
Just finished watching Iron Sky on Netflix:
It’s a completely ridiculous low-budget, cheesy movie. And an object lesson on why we should never, ever elect Sarah Palin to anything. Heh. Still, it’s only an hour and a half long. It’s not bad.
93 | Amory Blaine Sat, Feb 16, 2013 10:39:32pm |
I also saw a decent movie filmed in Iceland called Black’s Game. Good action/drug gang movie.
94 | Lidane Sat, Feb 16, 2013 10:39:39pm |
re: #90 Amory Blaine
Anyone play Borderlands 2?
I’ve watched my boyfriend play it a little. I still can’t decide if I like that little Claptrap or if I just enjoy his suffering. Haha.
96 | prairiefire Sun, Feb 17, 2013 12:03:22am |
re: #83 freetoken
Souls?
You are not quite that gruesome! As I understand it, local landscaping of sub-tropical trees, laden with fruit provides ample fuel for long walks.
98 | Gus Sun, Feb 17, 2013 12:05:01am |
Couldn’t sleep. Watched The Office. Don’t worry. I’ll BEHAVE MYSELF! :D
99 | Shvaughn Sun, Feb 17, 2013 12:09:47am |
re: #98 Gus
Couldn’t sleep. Watched The Office. Don’t worry. I’ll BEHAVE MYSELF! :D
Hey Gus, sorry to read that you’ve been having a stressful life lately. Hope things get better for you soon!
100 | Gus Sun, Feb 17, 2013 12:11:49am |
re: #99 Shvaughn
Hey Gus, sorry to read that you’ve been having a stressful life lately. Hope things get better for you soon!
Thanks. Hope so too and that’s up to me.
101 | OtterQueen Sun, Feb 17, 2013 12:12:09am |
re: #73 freetoken
Working scientist lays the smackdown on the IDiots:
Holy crap. That was good reading. Thanks!
102 | Kragar (Antichrist ) Sun, Feb 17, 2013 1:24:34am |
Finally finished the whole Dawnguard DLC, heading to do the Dragonborn DLC tomorrow. Maybe after that, I’ll get around to checking Bleakfalls Barrow.
104 | Glenn Beck's Grand Unifying Theory of Obdicut Sun, Feb 17, 2013 5:20:45am |
My own brother is blowing me off during a visit to NYC. I’m going to get to see him for a couple hours this afternoon, that’s all. I wonder if I did something to annoy him?
Ah well. I had a great time with my young cousin, instead.
105 | Dark_Falcon Sun, Feb 17, 2013 5:21:22am |
re: #103 dragonath
Trenton makes, the world takes!
Trenton doesn’t make much anymore, though in being the capital of the Garden State it does current possess the man who might change that, that man being Chris Christie.
106 | sattv4u2 Sun, Feb 17, 2013 5:32:27am |
re: #104 Glenn Beck’s Grand Unifying Theory of Obdicut
My own brother is blowing me off during a visit to NYC. I’m going to get to see him for a couple hours this afternoon, that’s all. I wonder if I did something to annoy him?
Ah well. I had a great time with my young cousin, instead.
Were you otherwise close prior to this visit? I know that my older sister and I have always been cordial, but never in each others social circles.
Also, is his visit to NYC for business or pleasure? If the former he may have time constraints (I know when I have to go back to New England for business I’ve at times had zero time for old friends/ family visits)
107 | Glenn Beck's Grand Unifying Theory of Obdicut Sun, Feb 17, 2013 5:36:33am |
re: #106 sattv4u2
We’re very close, he’s just super-casual about scheduling stuff and tends to get annoyed at little things and not tell me until a month after. Whatevs, no big.
108 | Dark_Falcon Sun, Feb 17, 2013 5:38:45am |
re: #106 sattv4u2
Were you otherwise close prior to this visit? I know that my older sister and I have always been cordial, but never in each others social circles.
Also, is his visit to NYC for business or pleasure? If the former he may have time constraints (I know when I have to go back to New England for business I’ve at times had zero time for old friends/ family visits)
My dad didn’t let that become a barrier the one time a business trip of his took him near where members of his family were living. He cleared off time to see them, though that meant paying his own return airfare. Family came first. Though it should be noted that my dad was making enough money to do that at the time.
109 | Vicious Babushka Sun, Feb 17, 2013 5:38:57am |
I watched “7 Psychopaths” last night. It was not as funny as I expected it to be.
So what’s a good movie that’s out on Netflix or Amazon Prime?
110 | chadu Sun, Feb 17, 2013 5:42:05am |
re: #77 Mattand
I would imagine it would be impossible to make a golem out of Nixon. What with Tricky Dick being an anti-semite and what not.
That is an interesting question. I leave it to be answered by the Semites in the audience.
111 | Vicious Babushka Sun, Feb 17, 2013 5:46:11am |
re: #110 chadu
That is an interesting question. I leave it to be answered by the Semites in the audience.
Golem is definitely better than zombie. Worst problem with zombies is they can eat you. Worst problem with golem is they get out of control and keep repeating the last command you gave them.
Any good programmer can control a golem.
112 | chadu Sun, Feb 17, 2013 5:46:24am |
re: #101 OtterQueen
Agreed. (And an Inigo Montoya quote! BONUS!)
113 | sattv4u2 Sun, Feb 17, 2013 5:46:45am |
re: #107 Glenn Beck’s Grand Unifying Theory of Obdicut
We’re very close, he’s just super-casual about scheduling stuff and tends to get annoyed at little things and not tell me until a month after. Whatevs, no big.
Eh, then maybe he’ll be calling later in the visit to get together again while he’s there. My younger sister is like that. Spur of the moment/ whimsical scheduling
115 | Vicious Babushka Sun, Feb 17, 2013 5:48:58am |
re: #114 chadu
Intriguing. So it’s a GOTO problem?
It’s an endless loop problem. Who uses GOTO anymore?
116 | chadu Sun, Feb 17, 2013 5:49:44am |
Oh, crap. I missed something: instead of a zombie or golem TR, we could build a ROBOT TR, guys!
What could possibly go wrong?
117 | Vicious Babushka Sun, Feb 17, 2013 5:50:08am |
My very first job was cleaning up some other programmers old FORTRAN code and getting rid of any GOTO’s that I found.
118 | Dark_Falcon Sun, Feb 17, 2013 5:50:09am |
re: #111 Vicious Babushka
Golem is definitely better than zombie. Worst problem with zombies is they can eat you. Worst problem with golem is they get out of control and keep repeating the last command you gave them.
Any good programmer can control a golem.
The only problem is the lack of a good programming manual. I hear tell there a place in the Zionist Mall that has copies of the book, but they’ll only sell it under the counter.
///Having fun with the theme while giving your site a plug.
119 | Dark_Falcon Sun, Feb 17, 2013 5:54:52am |
re: #116 chadu
Oh, crap. I missed something: instead of a zombie or golem TR, we could build a ROBOT TR, guys!
What could possibly go wrong?
His personality isn’t compatible with the 3rd Law of Robotics. The risk-taking aspect of the Roosevelt personality cannot really be simulated within the limitations of the 3rd Law text: “A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Laws.”
120 | chadu Sun, Feb 17, 2013 5:55:19am |
re: #117 Vicious Babushka
My very first job was cleaning up some other programmers old FORTRAN code and getting rid of any GOTO’s that I found.
Oh, G-d. FORTRAN told me I was not cut out to be an engineer of any stripe. (Well, that and getting a D in the same Calculus course I had in HS.)
121 | Vicious Babushka Sun, Feb 17, 2013 5:55:30am |
re: #118 Dark_Falcon
The only problem is the lack of a good programming manual. I hear tell there a place in the Zionist Mall that has copies of the book, but they’ll only sell it under the counter.
///Having fun with the theme while giving your site a plug.
We tell everyone interested that it’s just a folk tale, nothing to see really, just move along.
122 | chadu Sun, Feb 17, 2013 5:56:23am |
re: #119 Dark_Falcon
Agreed. Dude killed a cougar with a knife. Definitely a violation of the Third Law.
123 | chadu Sun, Feb 17, 2013 5:57:50am |
re: #121 Vicious Babushka
I’ve read Kavalier and Clay; I know the secret.
124 | Vicious Babushka Sun, Feb 17, 2013 5:57:55am |
Hmmm, we do sell this. Set of audio lectures. You will probably fall asleep before learning the Seekrit of Programming a Golem.
125 | NJDhockeyfan Sun, Feb 17, 2013 5:57:59am |
re: #95 Gus
Panama Red - New Riders of the Purple Sage
[Embedded content]
Thanks! A friend of mine and myself hung out with those guys at a small bar in Ct one night :)
Good morning lizards!
126 | chadu Sun, Feb 17, 2013 5:59:30am |
re: #124 Vicious Babushka
That… looks kinda interesting. BOOKMARKED!
127 | lawhawk Sun, Feb 17, 2013 6:01:10am |
re: #47 sattv4u2
I went to Newark yesterday, seeing the Newark Museum (a real gem), and then did dinner in the Ironbound.
So, I asked Newark Mayor Cory Booker for advice on where to go. Next thing I know, I’ve got him responding and dozens of suggestions from his followers (just track my twitter from last night).
Oh, and I really expect him to be next Senator replacing the lamentable Lautenberg.
129 | NJDhockeyfan Sun, Feb 17, 2013 6:03:32am |
More meteor sightings…
Russian meteorite followed by claimed sightings in Cuba and California
130 | Vicious Babushka Sun, Feb 17, 2013 6:04:03am |
At the end of the Golem stories, Rabbi Loewe “kills” the Golem by removing the ROM chip.
In order to re-animate the Golem, you have to find that original ROM chip, or figure out the coding and hardware configuration to re-create it. Instructions are embedded in the Talmud and the Zohar. (25 volumes of Talmud, 5 of Zohar, go knock yourself out).
131 | Vicious Babushka Sun, Feb 17, 2013 6:05:05am |
Talmud & Zohar are written most in Aramaic.
132 | NJDhockeyfan Sun, Feb 17, 2013 6:05:09am |
re: #127 lawhawk
I went to Newark yesterday, seeing the Newark Museum (a real gem), and then did dinner in the Ironbound.
So, I asked Newark Mayor Cory Booker for advice on where to go. Next thing I know, I’ve got him responding and dozens of suggestions from his followers (just track my twitter from last night).
Oh, and I really expect him to be next Senator replacing the lamentable Lautenberg.
I hear they have a great hockey team there too.
133 | chadu Sun, Feb 17, 2013 6:06:08am |
Since we started talking about a robot TR, I’ve been analyzing him to fit him into the Monkey, Ninja, Pirate, Robot schema (I wrote the book/game on that).
“Was TR more a Ninja or a Pirate?” was really the only contentious point.
I have deliberated, within myself, and come to the conclusion that Teddy is a Pirate.
Opinions?
135 | dragonath Sun, Feb 17, 2013 6:06:49am |
I hope Booker has managed to weaken the Sharpe James machine. The city really has improved.
136 | chadu Sun, Feb 17, 2013 6:07:42am |
re: #130 Vicious Babushka
I guess the question is if “erasing/changing” the word on it’s forehead, or removing the tablet under it’s tongue, is enough.
137 | lawhawk Sun, Feb 17, 2013 6:08:14am |
re: #128 chadu
He’s genuine and really cares about Newark and the state. He gets that there are big problems facing the city and state and that it takes working across party lines to get things done. Some might see him as a shameless promoter, but I take that as doing what it takes to raise the profile of Newark and improving lives of folks who elected him. He takes the crime and violence personally - you could see it in that recent presser when a video surfaced showing a guy being stripped naked in Newark and beaten and robbed.
He also can make fun of himself and his persona as seen in a comedic video he shot with Gov. Christie that was for the state’s equivalent to the WH Correspondent’s Dinner.
138 | chadu Sun, Feb 17, 2013 6:08:37am |
re: #131 Vicious Babushka
I speak all human languages fluently, in a loud voice.
139 | chadu Sun, Feb 17, 2013 6:09:53am |
140 | lawhawk Sun, Feb 17, 2013 6:10:01am |
re: #132 NJDhockeyfan
They didn’t show it last night (losing to the Islanders), but they’re still ahead in the conference. The Prudential Center is a great place to see the Devils play. Last night Seton Hall lost to Syracuse at the Rock.
141 | NJDhockeyfan Sun, Feb 17, 2013 6:12:56am |
re: #140 lawhawk
They didn’t show it last night (losing to the Islanders), but they’re still ahead in the conference. The Prudential Center is a great place to see the Devils play. Last night Seton Hall lost to Syracuse at the Rock.
I want to see a game there one day. The last time I saw a home game was at the Meadowlands.
142 | Dark_Falcon Sun, Feb 17, 2013 6:13:22am |
re: #135 dragonath
I hope Booker has managed to weaken the Sharpe James machine. The city really has improved.
He has and in that he has the state government’s support. Even though cleaning out the slime risks strengthening rivals, Gov. Christie has supported such efforts, knowing them to be the best way forward for New Jersey.
Say what you like about Christie and Booker, both are firmly committed to their jobs and value proper governance over political gamesmanship. Would that all our nation’s governors and mayors were so dedicated.
143 | lawhawk Sun, Feb 17, 2013 6:26:08am |
As bad as Trenton is, and Newark has been, Camden is worse than the them - combined. In the shadows of Philly, it’s the epitome of an urban wasteland and inability to rise out of those ashes due to rampant crime, corruption, and failed policy at the local, state, and federal levels. Yet, Camden has one of the better aquariums in the region - and a great place to take kids because of its approachability and size.
144 | sattv4u2 Sun, Feb 17, 2013 6:31:44am |
re: #143 lawhawk
Camden has one of the better aquariums in the region - and a great place to take kids because of its approachability and size.
“Daddy. What kind of fish is that?”
“That’s not a fish sweety. It’s just a Camden resident who drinks like one!”
145 | lawhawk Sun, Feb 17, 2013 6:33:07am |
re: #142 Dark_Falcon
Say what you like about Christie and Booker, both are firmly committed to their jobs and value proper governance over political gamesmanship. Would that all our nation’s governors and mayors were so dedicated.
Christie’s policies are all over the map. While he’s shown himself to be pretty good in dealing with natural disasters, his actions in the recovery efforts aren’t nearly as good.
He’s failed when it comes to NJ Transit and their mass flooding of equipment (giving key executives a pass when they should have been canned for knowingly leaving hundreds of railcars in flood zones that means that the rail network is still operating on reduced schedules). He’s shown a willingness to use out-of-state services (Ash-Britt) to do disaster recovery that costs far more than other recovery services b/c of connections rather than skill/need.
And he’s prone to bombastic excess when a softer touch would work.
That doesn’t get into his waffling on climate change and pandering to the know-nothings in the GOP.
146 | Glenn Beck's Grand Unifying Theory of Obdicut Sun, Feb 17, 2013 6:33:26am |
re: #144 sattv4u2
Only saltwater fish actually drink. True story.
147 | sattv4u2 Sun, Feb 17, 2013 6:35:48am |
re: #146 Glenn Beck’s Grand Unifying Theory of Obdicut
Only saltwater fish actually drink. True story.
Yeah, but except for margaritas I don’t like my alcohol with a lot of salt !
148 | Dark_Falcon Sun, Feb 17, 2013 6:43:20am |
re: #145 lawhawk
Christie can be bombastic at times, I agree, but his anger is born out of his desire to get the job done. It can’t really be separated from that drive, and it is that drive that makes him effective.
As for his use of connected firms: Christie does that to keep favor within the party and maintain his political funding base. New Jersey is an expensive state to run media campaigns in and his reelection campaign will need to spend millions. He also needs to keep the Super PACs onside.
149 | dragonath Sun, Feb 17, 2013 6:52:13am |
re: #148 Dark_Falcon
It’s interesting to see you defend cronyism when you routinely crucify Chicago pols for doing the same thing.
150 | Achilles Tang Sun, Feb 17, 2013 6:53:39am |
re: #129 NJDhockeyfan
More meteor sightings…
Russian meteorite followed by claimed sightings in Cuba and California
People are looking up more than usual is all.
152 | Dark_Falcon Sun, Feb 17, 2013 7:29:10am |
re: #149 dragonath
It’s interesting to see you defend cronyism when you routinely crucify Chicago pols for doing the same thing.
There’s a difference between hiring people within your circle to do a job you really intend them to do (even if at higher cost), and hiring people to do a job your never intend them to actually do.
153 | Mattand Sun, Feb 17, 2013 7:44:23am |
re: #148 Dark_Falcon
Christie can be bombastic at times, I agree, but his anger is born out of his desire to get the job done. It can’t really be separated from that drive, and it is that drive that makes him effective.
As for his use of connected firms: Christie does that to keep favor within the party and maintain his political funding base. New Jersey is an expensive state to run media campaigns in and his reelection campaign will need to spend millions. He also needs to keep the Super PACs onside.
His anger and drive are trying to get a 10% income tax cut passed here, with no explanation as to how to pay for it.
I would imagine his anger and drive will try to pay for said tax cut on the backs of people who can’t afford it.
In other words typical GOP bullshit.
As I’ve said before, he’s doing all he can for NJ in the wake of Sandy, to the point of being labeled a traitor for being bipartisan. I really do laud him for that.
At the end of the day, however, he still subscribes to many GOP policies that don’t work. It’s a bit of “Change the tone, not the policy” that many Republicans are clinging to. The only good thing is that he doesn’t seem to have that nasty misogynist/racist streak embraced/tolerated in the GOP today.
154 | Vicious Babushka Sun, Feb 17, 2013 7:50:42am |
re: #136 chadu
I guess the question is if “erasing/changing” the word on it’s forehead, or removing the tablet under it’s tongue, is enough.
“erasing/changing”=deleting or modifying the code
“removing the tablet”=taking out the memory chip
It’s gotta be in FORTRAN, that’s so old, it was the code G-D used to program the Universe. :)
155 | Dark_Falcon Sun, Feb 17, 2013 7:51:23am |
re: #153 Mattand
Cutting taxes is a way to make New jersey more attractive to high income individuals and businesses. More taxpayers can make up for lower tax rates, as can the reduction of waste and duplication of government function.
156 | Mattand Sun, Feb 17, 2013 7:55:55am |
re: #155 Dark_Falcon
Cutting taxes is a way to make New jersey more attractive to high income individuals and businesses. More taxpayers can make up for lower tax rates, as can the reduction of waste and duplication of government function.
And trickle-down-economics works like a charm.
Until Christie presents how he would pay for this other than hoping more people show up here, it’s typical GOP pandering.
157 | Gus Sun, Feb 17, 2013 8:05:35am |
It’s difficult to run a country, state, county, and city while at the same time trying to run the world.
158 | dragonath Sun, Feb 17, 2013 8:07:18am |
re: #152 Dark_Falcon
Not every state is like Illinois. however, that article shows the peril of privatizing municipal duties- a symptom of a much larger disease
There are about a thousand different reasons that make New Jersey more attractive to people than just low taxes. By your metric, Texas should be the most attractive state in the Union.
159 | Gus Sun, Feb 17, 2013 8:12:09am |
A nation swimming in cash with budget shortfalls at every corner. Too early to drink.
161 | dragonath Sun, Feb 17, 2013 8:13:32am |
Oh yeah, here’s a free iPhone app for all the Jersey lizards. The public services in New Jersey are a refreshing change from the wholesale budget cuts being levied over at the PA Fish and Game Service.
162 | Dark_Falcon Sun, Feb 17, 2013 8:16:41am |
re: #158 dragonath
Not every state is like Illinois. however, that article shows the peril of privatizing municipal duties- a symptom of a much larger disease
There are about a thousand different reasons that make New Jersey more attractive to people than just low taxes. By your metric, Texas should be the most attractive state in the Union.
That wasn’t a metric, it was a angle. I didn’t say it was the only one, all I said was that there were valid reasons for a high tax state like New Jersey to seek a tax cut.
163 | Mattand Sun, Feb 17, 2013 8:17:18am |
166 | Dark_Falcon Sun, Feb 17, 2013 8:19:23am |
re: #158 dragonath
Not every state is like Illinois. however, that article shows the peril of privatizing municipal duties- a symptom of a much larger disease
There are about a thousand different reasons that make New Jersey more attractive to people than just low taxes. By your metric, Texas should be the most attractive state in the Union.
I’d object to the point on privatisation, as I feel that private firms can be used successfully in services like garbage collection and road repair. But for other things like parking meters (Chicago is currently suffering from an extremely bad privatization deal on those), though, should remain under government employ.
167 | Vicious Babushka Sun, Feb 17, 2013 8:22:32am |
re: #164 Gus
A little pooped but OK. Mother tooth naked at last! Or was that teeth?
Too much Vicodin?
168 | Dark_Falcon Sun, Feb 17, 2013 8:26:11am |
re: #167 Vicious Babushka
Too much Vicodin?
It’s Gus. He’s silly by nature. It’s a part of his charm.
169 | dragonath Sun, Feb 17, 2013 8:26:17am |
re: #162 Dark_Falcon
It’s an angle, but I don’t think it’s a very good one. We’re talking about preserving livability standards in a high population density state, something that lowering the tax rates alone cannot accomplish.
170 | Gus Sun, Feb 17, 2013 8:26:45am |
re: #167 Vicious Babushka
Too much Vicodin?
Ran out of that a while back. Nah, just thinking to myself. Had some thoughts but just typed a bunch of words. The thoughts were about government, Democrats, Republicans, people, corporations and how the dialogue of today’s society seems to revolve solely on government.
172 | Dark_Falcon Sun, Feb 17, 2013 8:30:23am |
re: #170 Gus
Ran out of that a while back. Nah, just thinking to myself. Had some thoughts but just typed a bunch of words. The thoughts were about government, Democrats, Republicans, people, corporations and how the dialogue of today’s society seems to revolve solely on government.
That’s because government has gotten so intrusive. It needs to be pruned back in places.
173 | William Barnett-Lewis Sun, Feb 17, 2013 8:30:47am |
re: #166 Dark_Falcon
I’d object to the point on privatisation, as I feel that private firms can be used successfully in services like garbage collection and road repair. But for other things like parking meters (Chicago is currently suffering from an extremely bad privatization deal on those), though, should remain under government employ.
It has been my experience, here in Wisconsin over several decades and many governors, that Privatization=rip off the public. Every time it happened service quality decreased and cost increased.
It’s rather like knowing that when a contract for road construction is let only the Republican companies ever win the bids and never pay penalties for being late & over budget.
174 | Gus Sun, Feb 17, 2013 8:32:46am |
re: #172 Dark_Falcon
That’s because government has gotten so intrusive. It needs to be pruned back in places.
Yeah, but that’s, what’s the word… That becomes politics which boils down to “vote for this government by electing my candidate to cut government.” Kind of like anti-big-government-government.
175 | Dark_Falcon Sun, Feb 17, 2013 8:34:56am |
re: #173 William Barnett-Lewis
It has been my experience, here in Wisconsin over several decades and many governors, that Privatization=rip off the public. Every time it happened service quality decreased and cost increased.
It’s rather like knowing that when a contract for road construction is let only the Republican companies ever win the bids and never pay penalties for being late & over budget.
How was it when the Dems controlled the governors mansion? Because I can tell you that where I live it’s only companies owned by Democratic donors who “ever win the bids and never pay penalties for being late and over budget.”
I think the real answer to that problem is some type of non-partisan oversight, although who would watch that watchman is the difficult part.
176 | dragonath Sun, Feb 17, 2013 8:35:21am |
I find it kind of depressing how quickly things wither on the vine without government involvement. It kind of broke my heart to see a local landmark become choked with weeds after a major flood.
I suppose in the Ayn Rand philosophy, doing altruistic things to improve the livability of a community is verboten too.
We’re stuck between two poles of st00pid.
177 | Gus Sun, Feb 17, 2013 8:35:36am |
re: #172 Dark_Falcon
That’s because government has gotten so intrusive. It needs to be pruned back in places.
Maybe what I meant to say was politics rather than government. It’s not “big government” but “big politics instead.” Who knows. I am rambling.
178 | Dark_Falcon Sun, Feb 17, 2013 8:37:03am |
re: #176 dragonath
I find it kind of depressing how quickly things wither on the vine without government involvement. It kind of broke my heart to see a local landmark become choked with weeds after a major flood.
I suppose in the Ayn Rand philosophy, doing altruistic things to improve the livability of a community is verboten too.
We’re stuck between two poles of st00pid.
Rand hated altruism and both The Fountainhead and Atlas Shrugged savage it as a concept.
179 | Lidane Sun, Feb 17, 2013 8:37:19am |
I hate the part of the morning where I have to get out of bed and participate in real life.— Grumpy Cat (@ExtraGrumpyCat) February 17, 2013
180 | dragonath Sun, Feb 17, 2013 8:37:59am |
re: #175 Dark_Falcon
Be glad Chicago outsourced their stuff to a bunch of local chumps, and not to some international corporation.
181 | Lidane Sun, Feb 17, 2013 8:44:55am |
Pathological RT @huffingtonpost GOP Senator: Sacrifice Obamacare to avoid sequester huff.to/12X0HbV— Greg Sargent (@ThePlumLineGS) February 17, 2013
Agreed. These people are deranged. And Graham is a shameless coward. He’s so desperate to avoid a primary from the right that he’s parroting all their incoherent gibberish.
183 | dragonath Sun, Feb 17, 2013 8:47:00am |
re: #178 Dark_Falcon
Rand hated altruism and both The Fountainhead and Atlas Shrugged savage it as a concept.
Random acts of coolness are the things make life worth living. I don’t think Rand had a very good sense of absurdity, being absurd herself.
184 | Dark_Falcon Sun, Feb 17, 2013 8:47:17am |
re: #181 Lidane
How is that pathological? We’re wading in red ink, and scuttling an expensive new program would help balance the books.
185 | Dark_Falcon Sun, Feb 17, 2013 8:48:00am |
re: #183 dragonath
Random acts of coolness are the things make life worth living. I don’t think Rand had a very good sense of absurdity, being absurd herself.
I’d agree with that, in both parts.
186 | Lidane Sun, Feb 17, 2013 8:49:53am |
re: #184 Dark_Falcon
How is that pathological? We’re wading in red ink, and scuttling an expensive new program would help balance the books.
How about listening to the Pentagon for once and scuttling all the bloated, wasteful programs they don’t want and don’t need?
Whining about Obamacare is pathological because it’s just pandering to the tebagger morons.
187 | William Barnett-Lewis Sun, Feb 17, 2013 8:50:28am |
re: #175 Dark_Falcon
How was it when the Dems controlled the governors mansion? Because I can tell you that where I live it’s only companies owned by Democratic donors who “ever win the bids and never pay penalties for being late and over budget.”
I think the real answer to that problem is some type of non-partisan oversight, although who would watch that watchman is the difficult part.
Only the republican firms ever get road contracts. If a Democratic governor tries otherwise, “problems” happen.
188 | William Barnett-Lewis Sun, Feb 17, 2013 8:51:39am |
re: #186 Lidane
How about listening to the Pentagon for once and scuttling all the bloated, wasteful programs they don’t want and don’t need?
Whining about Obamacare is pathological because it’s just pandering to the tebagger morons.
QFT.
189 | Lidane Sun, Feb 17, 2013 8:52:48am |
Speaking of pathological:
McCain goes after NBC host for questioning GOP’s Benghazi conspiracy theories: thkpr.gs/YzEE8E— ThinkProgress (@thinkprogress) February 17, 2013
190 | Mattand Sun, Feb 17, 2013 8:57:39am |
re: #176 dragonath
I find it kind of depressing how quickly things wither on the vine without government involvement. It kind of broke my heart to see a local landmark become choked with weeds after a major flood.
I suppose in the Ayn Rand philosophy, doing altruistic things to improve the livability of a community is verboten too.
We’re stuck between two poles of st00pid.
I don’t think this is quite right. I think the idea behind Objectivism is that you shouldn’t feel guilty about being selfish and only worrying about yourself. I don’t think it prohibits/discourages charity, only that it shouldn’t be forced on an individual. If you want to give, fine.
Having said that, the reason you see government intervene a lot in charity is because most businesses/people don’t, or they keep it to the bare minimum.
191 | Gus Sun, Feb 17, 2013 8:58:44am |
re: #190 Mattand
I don’t think this is quite right. I think the idea behind Objectivism is that you shouldn’t feel guilty about being selfish and only worrying about yourself. I don’t think it prohibits/discourages charity, only that it shouldn’t be forced on an individual. If you want to give, fine.
Having said that, the reason you see government intervene a lot in charity is because most businesses/people don’t, or they keep it to the bare minimum.
The Wal-Mart effect.
192 | Iwouldprefernotto Sun, Feb 17, 2013 9:00:04am |
re: #184 Dark_Falcon
How is that pathological? We’re wading in red ink, and scuttling an expensive new program would help balance the books.
No it wouldn’t. ACA is budget neutral. Republicans have no plan to help bring down healthcare costs. If you want to eliminate an expensive program try Medicare part D. Let insurance companies bargain with big pharma, just like the VA does. Plenty of places to save money, the ACA is not one of them.
193 | Mattand Sun, Feb 17, 2013 9:00:23am |
re: #184 Dark_Falcon
How is that pathological? We’re wading in red ink, and scuttling an expensive new program would help balance the books.
Seriously, ACA/Obamacare is a done deal. Get the eff over it.
And it needs to be pointed out again that the personal mandate was a conservative/Republican idea until the scary black man said “Let’s try this, then.”
195 | Lidane Sun, Feb 17, 2013 9:07:13am |
re: #193 Mattand
Seriously, ACA/Obamacare is a done deal. Get the eff over it.
And it needs to be pointed out again that the personal mandate was a conservative/Republican idea until the scary black man said “Let’s try this, then.”
EXACTLY. Obamacare is virtually indistinguishable from the health care reform plans the GOP was pushing before Barack Obama got elected. Funny how it suddenly became ZOMG SOSHULIST TYRANEE when a Democratic POTUS got it passed.
196 | sattv4u2 Sun, Feb 17, 2013 9:11:32am |
199 | Dark_Falcon Sun, Feb 17, 2013 9:16:20am |
re: #192 anonymous gun expert
No it wouldn’t. ACA is budget neutral. Republicans have no plan to help bring down healthcare costs. If you want to eliminate an expensive program try Medicare part D. Let insurance companies bargain with big pharma, just like the VA does. Plenty of places to save money, the ACA is not one of them.
If you think Obamacare is really budget neutral I’ve got some nice bottomland to sell you. Just don’t ask me what its at the bottom of.
201 | allegro Sun, Feb 17, 2013 9:17:13am |
re: #199 Dark_Falcon
If you think Obamacare is really budget neutral I’ve got some nice bottomland to sell you. Just don’t ask me what its at the bottom of.
Please cite your claim. Thanks!
202 | sattv4u2 Sun, Feb 17, 2013 9:18:02am |
203 | Lidane Sun, Feb 17, 2013 9:18:05am |
re: #199 Dark_Falcon
If you think Obamacare is really budget neutral I’ve got some nice bottomland to sell you. Just don’t ask me what its at the bottom of.
And if you think that cutting Obamacare would somehow be the miracle cure to salvage the economy, I’ve got oceanfront land in Nebraska to sell you.
204 | Lidane Sun, Feb 17, 2013 9:21:11am |
The latest outrage on the nutter right:
Facebook paid no taxes despite record profits peeped.co/?6j #tcot #tgdn #DumpFacebook— Sharon (@gbmegafan) February 17, 2013
And yet, record profits with no tax burden = GOP economics.
205 | Mattand Sun, Feb 17, 2013 9:25:00am |
re: #204 Lidane
The latest outrage on the nutter right:
And yet, record profits with no tax burden = GOP economics.
Seriously. I thought the whole point of Tea Bag/GOP governance was government so small you can drown it in the bathtub.
Cutting off revenue is one way to do it.
206 | Iwouldprefernotto Sun, Feb 17, 2013 9:26:48am |
re: #199 Dark_Falcon
If you think Obamacare is really budget neutral I’ve got some nice bottomland to sell you. Just don’t ask me what its at the bottom of.
So you only quote the CBO when it says what you agree with?
207 | Dark_Falcon Sun, Feb 17, 2013 9:27:27am |
re: #203 Lidane
And if you think that cutting Obamacare would somehow be the miracle cure to salvage the economy, I’ve got oceanfront land in Nebraska to sell you.
Miracle cure? Of course not. The real cost driver is programs like Medicare and Social Security, which can’t be abolished without creating havoc. They can, however, be reformed.
208 | A Mom Anon Sun, Feb 17, 2013 9:28:01am |
re: #184 Dark_Falcon
I thought we had budget problems before the ACA was passed. Medicare Part D could be thrown out and an allowance made for insurance companies to strike deals with the pharma companies and that would save a ton of money.
Congress could also scuttle several defense projects that the Pentagon have called useless and wasteful. That would save billions right there.
I seriously have no idea why people think money spent on health and education is wasteful and that it’s prudent to make people suffer.
209 | Dark_Falcon Sun, Feb 17, 2013 9:29:07am |
re: #206 anonymous gun expert
So you only quote the CBO when it says what you agree with?
The CBO is the sock puppet of Congress. It can only analyze the numbers Congress gives it.
210 | Lidane Sun, Feb 17, 2013 9:30:19am |
re: #207 Dark_Falcon
Miracle cure? Of course not. The real cost driver is programs like Medicare and Social Security, which can’t be abolished without creating havoc. They can, however, be reformed.
So there’s no waste in the defense budget at all?
Funny how you’re only pointing at social programs.
211 | A Mom Anon Sun, Feb 17, 2013 9:30:48am |
re: #207 Dark_Falcon
Raise the cap on income taxed for Social Security to the first 200K and there wouldn’t be a problem with it.
212 | Dark_Falcon Sun, Feb 17, 2013 9:31:13am |
re: #210 Lidane
So there’s no waste in the defense budget at all?
Funny how you’re only pointing at social programs.
Stop trying to put words in my mouth.
213 | allegro Sun, Feb 17, 2013 9:31:51am |
re: #211 A Mom Anon
Raise the cap on income taxed for Social Security to the first 200K and there wouldn’t be a problem with it.
Funny how that never seems to enter the list of options. It’s always raising the retirement age or cutting benefits.
214 | allegro Sun, Feb 17, 2013 9:32:32am |
re: #212 Dark_Falcon
Stop trying to put words in my mouth.
I’m still waiting for facts to support your ACA claims. Got any?
215 | sattv4u2 Sun, Feb 17, 2013 9:33:12am |
re: #210 Lidane
So there’s no waste in the defense budget at all?
he said that ,, where???
216 | A Mom Anon Sun, Feb 17, 2013 9:33:28am |
re: #212 Dark_Falcon
Step away from the social programs for a moment and give some other examples of where cuts could be made that would help bring the budget under control. I’m sure you also understand that there simply have to be ways to raise more revenue in this plan as well.
217 | Lidane Sun, Feb 17, 2013 9:33:53am |
re: #212 Dark_Falcon
Stop trying to put words in my mouth.
I’m just wondering why you’re ignoring the point that we could listen to the Pentagon and scuttle a bunch of obsolete, bloated, wasteful programs that they don’t want and don’t need and save billions.
Yes, Medicare and SS have ample room for reform. But they’re not the only targets. Focusing on them and on Obamacare to the exclusion of very real waste in defense spending is ridiculous.
218 | sattv4u2 Sun, Feb 17, 2013 9:34:47am |
re: #213 allegro
Funny how that never seems to enter the list of options. It’s always raising the retirement age or cutting benefits.
Both could/ should be done
Means test (although I think the rate should be higher than 200K for a married couple) AND slowly raise the start age
219 | allegro Sun, Feb 17, 2013 9:36:14am |
re: #218 sattv4u2
Both could/ should be done
Means test (although I think the rate should be higher than 200K for a married couple) AND slowly raise the start age
Raising the start age is wrong, IMO. It punishes those who work physical jobs who simply can’t do them until they’re 70. It also reduces the jobs for younger workers who need them.
220 | sattv4u2 Sun, Feb 17, 2013 9:36:23am |
re: #217 Lidane
we could listen to the Pentagon and scuttle a bunch of obsolete, bloated, wasteful programs that they don’t want and don’t need and save billions.
Why are those programs in the Pentagons budget? Who put them there? Who’s in charge of overseeing them?
221 | sattv4u2 Sun, Feb 17, 2013 9:37:05am |
re: #219 allegro
Raising the start age is wrong, IMO. It punishes those who work physical jobs who simply can’t do them until they’re 70. It also reduces the jobs for younger workers who need them.
Hence ,, “AND slowly “
222 | allegro Sun, Feb 17, 2013 9:37:17am |
re: #220 sattv4u2
we could listen to the Pentagon and scuttle a bunch of obsolete, bloated, wasteful programs that they don’t want and don’t need and save billions.
Why are those programs in the Pentagons budget? Who put them there? Who’s in charge of overseeing them?
Defense industries who are profiting from them and their lobbyists who buy Congress to pass the measures.
223 | Dark_Falcon Sun, Feb 17, 2013 9:37:38am |
re: #217 Lidane
I’m just wondering why you’re ignoring the point that we could listen to the Pentagon and scuttle a bunch of obsolete, bloated, wasteful programs that they don’t want and don’t need and save billions.
Yes, Medicare and SS have ample room for reform. But they’re not the only targets. Focusing on them and on Obamacare to the exclusion of very real waste in defense spending is ridiculous.
There actually aren’t that many such programs these days. And I don’t favor further base consolidation. Being too concentrated is too great a risk in the modern world.
224 | allegro Sun, Feb 17, 2013 9:37:41am |
225 | sattv4u2 Sun, Feb 17, 2013 9:38:45am |
re: #222 allegro
Defense industries who are profiting from them and their lobbyists who buy Congress to pass the measures.
So the problem lies in Congress. And for the record, it’s not just this (repub led) congress. It’s been a systemic problem for decades
BINGO ,,we have a winner
226 | allegro Sun, Feb 17, 2013 9:40:01am |
re: #225 sattv4u2
So the problem lies in Congress. And for the record, it’s not just this (repub led) congress. It’s been a systemic problem for decades
BINGO ,,we have a winner
Which does not address the fact that there are billions of dollars in the defense budget that can be cut. Bingo.
227 | sattv4u2 Sun, Feb 17, 2013 9:40:04am |
re: #224 allegro
How does slowly help?
Doesn’t put that undue strain on openings for younger workers you were worried about
Doesn’t add much on to older workers nearing that age you were worried about
228 | sattv4u2 Sun, Feb 17, 2013 9:41:31am |
re: #226 allegro
Which does not address the fact that there are billions of dollars in the defense budget that can be cut. Bingo.
So go to the source of the problem to get it down
Demand of your rep he shows you (his district) what/where/how/when (s)he is proposing as a cut
229 | sattv4u2 Sun, Feb 17, 2013 9:43:09am |
See
We send these people to Washington and then (for the most part) we don’t follow up on them. We figure we elected them so they are there doing what they campaigned on
230 | allegro Sun, Feb 17, 2013 9:43:34am |
re: #227 sattv4u2
Doesn’t put that undue strain on openings for younger workers you were worried about
Doesn’t add much on to older workers nearing that age you were worried about
It does both regardless of the speed. It screws today’s younger workers as they approach a reasonable retirement age.
231 | sattv4u2 Sun, Feb 17, 2013 9:45:00am |
re: #230 allegro
It does both regardless of the speed. It screws today’s younger workers as they approach a reasonable retirement age.
It can be rolled back SLOWLY if/when we approach solvency
If not, they won’t have to worry about it being there anyway 40 years from now
232 | Gus Sun, Feb 17, 2013 9:45:15am |
re: #229 sattv4u2
See
We send these people to Washington and then (for the most part) we don’t follow up on them. We figure we elected them so they are there doing what they campaigned on
If you Tweet hard enough congress will listen!
//
233 | A Mom Anon Sun, Feb 17, 2013 9:46:23am |
re: #225 sattv4u2
There’s also a problem with how the defense contracting system is set up. One project has multiple parts spread over many states. So when a project is cancelled or ends there’s an effect over many areas rather than one or two. Those job losses or cutbacks then translate into something that can be used to threaten someone’s terms in office, or make a villain out of a particular party or person. Hence the continuation of what can be bad, obsolete or simply unusable weapons, planes, transport vehicles etc.
My understanding is that there is also an off the books budget that Defense has that no one knows the amount of or what it’s spent on. I get that some of that is a National Security matter, but it would be interesting to at least know the amount of money being unaccounted for.
234 | sattv4u2 Sun, Feb 17, 2013 9:51:56am |
re: #233 A Mom Anon
then translate into something that can be used to threaten someone’s terms in office, or make a villain out of a particular party or person.
And therein the problem lies
EVERYONE says Congress is doing a shitty job! (just look at their approval rating over the last decade or so)
BUT ,,, the problem isn’t “our” guy, it’s all those other schlubbs. If only all those other districts would vote their guy out, we’d be okay!! !
(iirc, it’s about an 85% return rate to congress)
235 | dragonath Sun, Feb 17, 2013 9:52:30am |
It’s pretty amazing how much resistance there is to funding Social Security, which contributes to people’s well being, than to the military, which has never run a surplus. Social Security running a deficit is treated like the end of the world.
It was bad enough talking to Republicans during the campaign who were convinced Obama held back their annual cost-of-living “raise”.
236 | Dark_Falcon Sun, Feb 17, 2013 9:52:42am |
re: #233 A Mom Anon
There’s also a problem with how the defense contracting system is set up. One project has multiple parts spread over many states. So when a project is cancelled or ends there’s an effect over many areas rather than one or two. Those job losses or cutbacks then translate into something that can be used to threaten someone’s terms in office, or make a villain out of a particular party or person. Hence the continuation of what can be bad, obsolete or simply unusable weapons, planes, transport vehicles etc.
My understanding is that there is also an off the books budget that Defense has that no one knows the amount of or what it’s spent on. I get that some of that is a National Security matter, but it would be interesting to at least know the amount of money being unaccounted for.
About contracting, you are entirely right. I’ve been talking about that here for years, but I also know from my time selling defense conferences how unlikely the kind of reform that would really fix things is. Congress has a vested interest in the current system and Congress writes the laws.
238 | A Mom Anon Sun, Feb 17, 2013 9:56:43am |
re: #234 sattv4u2
I’m less than thrilled with my guy,lol. Not just party differences either, he’s gone into crazy town when he used to be at least somewhat open to bipartisan ideas. His constituent services leave a lot to be desired too. He runs unopposed every two years so there’s not even a choice to vote for anyone else. The last guy to run against him, maybe 8 yrs ago, was so over ran with GOP money the second he announced he was running that he never stood a chance in this bright red district.
239 | sattv4u2 Sun, Feb 17, 2013 10:00:09am |
re: #238 A Mom Anon
was so over ran with GOP money the second he announced he was running that he never stood a chance in this bright red district.
It’s a two way street
Districts are targeted (flooded) with money from both sides making it (nearly) impossible for the other to gain ground
Like you, I’m in Georgia
Unlike you, I used to live in Massachusetts and saw the other side of it many times
240 | Glenn Beck's Grand Unifying Theory of Obdicut Sun, Feb 17, 2013 10:02:29am |
re: #199 Dark_Falcon
If you think Obamacare is really budget neutral I’ve got some nice bottomland to sell you. Just don’t ask me what its at the bottom of.
Actually, the ACA saves money, Dark.
Why do you think otherwise?
241 | Kronocide Sun, Feb 17, 2013 10:03:11am |
re: #155 Dark_Falcon
Cutting taxes is a way to make New jersey more attractive to high income individuals and businesses. More taxpayers can make up for lower tax rates, as can the reduction of waste and duplication of government function.
So has this ever been proven out through actual math? It’s an article of faith oft repeated by conservatives.
Less taxes = more tax revenue
Because I’m running numbers on a spread sheet and it does not hold true unless you wildly inflate the population numbers.
242 | A Mom Anon Sun, Feb 17, 2013 10:04:50am |
re: #239 sattv4u2
Personally, if K Street shut down tomorrow, I would not shed a tear. IMO that’s the country’s heart of darkness. Lobbying Congress should NEVER involve an exchange of money or services for a vote. EVER. It should be illegal with severe penalties attached. House members spend an average of 30 hours a week dialing for dollars and going to fundraisers. Combine that with the long and frequent breaks they take, throw in the current hostile environment and it’s not really a shock that little if anything gets done.
243 | sattv4u2 Sun, Feb 17, 2013 10:06:57am |
244 | allegro Sun, Feb 17, 2013 10:08:40am |
re: #242 A Mom Anon
Personally, if K Street shut down tomorrow, I would not shed a tear. IMO that’s the country’s heart of darkness. Lobbying Congress should NEVER involve an exchange of money or services for a vote. EVER. It should be illegal with severe penalties attached. House members spend an average of 30 hours a week dialing for dollars and going to fundraisers. Combine that with the long and frequent breaks they take, throw in the current hostile environment and it’s not really a shock that little if anything gets done.
That’s why I think the first area of reform should be severe campaign finance reform with absolute top limits on allowable expenditures and the elimination of corporate financing. The corruption is out of control.
245 | sattv4u2 Sun, Feb 17, 2013 10:14:11am |
re: #244 allegro
That’s why I think the first area of reform should be severe campaign finance reform with absolute top limits on allowable expenditures and the elimination of corporate financing. The corruption is out of control.
And PACS and unions and ,,,,
You can’t just draw a line one place without someone wanting the same line drawn another
(NOTE: I am NOT saying corporate financing isn’t out of control, but so are some of the others)
246 | sattv4u2 Sun, Feb 17, 2013 10:15:50am |
247 | A Mom Anon Sun, Feb 17, 2013 10:16:26am |
re: #244 allegro
As a public service for basically owning the public airwaves TV and radio networks should have to donate a certain amount of time for candidates within a strict time frame during election seasons. If they find that too odious then NO political ads should be allowed. Debates and stuff should be commercial free anyway.
Citizens United needs to go, so does corporate financing of anything related to politics. How you get there though, when Congress knows it effects their personal bottom lines (and jobs after politics) is going to be nearly impossible unless millions of us mobilize and make the fuckers nervous.
248 | FemNaziBitch Sun, Feb 17, 2013 10:19:36am |
Hey all!
I started reading (listening to) AntiFragile last night. The author is so irritating I’m having a hard time focusing on the topic. At one point he is trying to make a point about entrepreneurship and the examples he chooses are a cab driver (male) a prostitute.
If the book wasn’t on the U of Chicago Booth School author tour list, I wouldn’t bother finishing it. The author claims to be a humanist and not affiliated with any political party, but I see a lot of fodder for the Fox News Crew.
How is your day going?
249 | allegro Sun, Feb 17, 2013 10:21:55am |
re: #247 A Mom Anon
As a public service for basically owning the public airwaves TV and radio networks should have to donate a certain amount of time for candidates within a strict time frame during election seasons. If they find that too odious then NO political ads should be allowed. Debates and stuff should be commercial free anyway.
Citizens United needs to go, so does corporate financing of anything related to politics. How you get there though, when Congress knows it effects their personal bottom lines (and jobs after politics) is going to be nearly impossible unless millions of us mobilize and make the fuckers nervous.
Absolutely agree. Like healthcare, politics and public service should not be a for-profit industry.
250 | dragonath Sun, Feb 17, 2013 10:22:07am |
If the Social Security retirement age gets changed, I’d imagine there would be a push towards mandatory minimum employment leave - which I’d expect to be opposed by the usual suspects.
Even China has mandatory vacation laws. Germany, the biggest economy in Europe, has 4 weeks.
251 | Kronocide Sun, Feb 17, 2013 10:23:40am |
re: #241 Kronocide
So has this ever been proven out through actual math? It’s an article of faith oft repeated by conservatives.
Less taxes = more tax revenue
Because I’m running numbers on a spread sheet and it does not hold true unless you wildly inflate the population numbers.
Which is funny, because a higher rate brings in more tax revenue even with less people. A lot less… equivalent to the amount of people it would take to bring in more revenue with a lower tax rate.
Maths. Loves me some maths.
252 | allegro Sun, Feb 17, 2013 10:23:55am |
re: #250 dragonath
If the Social Security retirement age gets changed, I’d imagine there would be a push towards mandatory minimum employment leave - which I’d expect to be opposed by the usual suspects.
Even China has mandatory vacation laws. Germany, the biggest economy in Europe, has 4 weeks.
We don’t even have mandatory paid sick leave allowance. Mandatory vacation would appear to be a pipe dream of unfathomable proportions at present.
253 | dragonath Sun, Feb 17, 2013 10:26:40am |
re: #252 allegro
I was appalled that a local iron foundry only gives their workers two one and a half weeks of vacation after 10 years.
And that place was unionized!
254 | LWNJ Sun, Feb 17, 2013 10:31:13am |
re: #154 Vicious Babushka
“erasing/changing”=deleting or modifying the code
“removing the tablet”=taking out the memory chipIt’s gotta be in FORTRAN, that’s so old, it was the code G-D used to program the Universe. :)
HERESY! The universe was programmed in pure machine code, a symphony of zeroes and ones.
255 | FemNaziBitch Sun, Feb 17, 2013 10:31:16am |
re: #253 dragonath
I was appalled that a local iron foundry only gives their workers
twoone and a half weeks of vacation after 10 years.And that place was unionized!
Because employers will be generous to their employees if the government will get out of of the way
256 | Dark_Falcon Sun, Feb 17, 2013 10:31:35am |
re: #253 dragonath
I was appalled that a local iron foundry only gives their workers
twoone and a half weeks of vacation after 10 years.And that place was unionized!
Given the competition such foundries often face, their unions don’t fight for vacation time, because they know that the foundry can ill afford to have a lot of people absent. They’ll fight for health benefits and retirement, fight like Hell. But many such unions know that they and their bosses are in the same boat in terms of productivity: They need to run as fast as they can to stay in one place.
257 | Kronocide Sun, Feb 17, 2013 10:31:38am |
Meteor explodes, Pope resigns, Beiber buys $10k worth of Chinese food… coincidence?
258 | Dark_Falcon Sun, Feb 17, 2013 10:32:35am |
re: #247 A Mom Anon
As a public service for basically owning the public airwaves TV and radio networks should have to donate a certain amount of time for candidates within a strict time frame during election seasons. If they find that too odious then NO political ads should be allowed. Debates and stuff should be commercial free anyway.
Citizens United needs to go, so does corporate financing of anything related to politics. How you get there though, when Congress knows it effects their personal bottom lines (and jobs after politics) is going to be nearly impossible unless millions of us mobilize and make the fuckers nervous.
Political ads cannot be banned like that. It would violate the 1st Amendment.
259 | Gus Sun, Feb 17, 2013 10:34:37am |
re: #258 Dark_Falcon
Political ads cannot be banned like that. It would violate the 1st Amendment.
Aye.
260 | Glenn Beck's Grand Unifying Theory of Obdicut Sun, Feb 17, 2013 10:36:59am |
re: #241 Kronocide
So has this ever been proven out through actual math? It’s an article of faith oft repeated by conservatives.
Less taxes = more tax revenue
Because I’m running numbers on a spread sheet and it does not hold true unless you wildly inflate the population numbers.
It also handwaves how hard it is to cut out waste and duplication. Another word for duplication is redundancy. New York City doesn’t have, it turns out, a lot of redundancy in its flood control systems, but it does in its flood repair systems. The result of that was that a lot of damage got done, but it got fixed pretty damn quickly.
The problem is fixing that long-term will take flood protection, not flood repair. To do serious flood protection just New York and parts of New Jersey would probably cost a huge amount— like $50 billion dollars if it’s done expertly, maybe more like $150 billion to account for the risks of a project that big. But the economic damage from Sandy was at about $70 billion. It’s obviously worth it. But the cost of doing something goes on the budget, and the cost of doing nothing doesn’t.
That’s how the GOP tricks people into thinking that cutting budgets is fiscally responsible. They pretend that these costs, from disasters and the like, that could be prevented by government action, aren’t accountable. If you spend fifty billion to fix a problem, they’ll yell and scream even if the problem costs the nation a hundred billion, because the cost is born by the nation, not the government.
It’s a very bizarre worldview that I’ve never really been able to understand.
261 | Dark_Falcon Sun, Feb 17, 2013 10:38:09am |
262 | Iwouldprefernotto Sun, Feb 17, 2013 10:38:56am |
re: #260 Glenn Beck’s Grand Unifying Theory of Obdicut
It also handwaves how hard it is to cut out waste and duplication. Another word for duplication is redundancy. New York City doesn’t have, it turns out, a lot of redundancy in its flood control systems, but it does in its flood repair systems. The result of that was that a lot of damage got done, but it got fixed pretty damn quickly.
The problem is fixing that long-term will take flood protection, not flood reduction. To do serious flood protection just New York and parts of New Jersey would probably cost a huge amount— like $50 billion dollars if it’s done expertly, maybe more like $150 billion to account for the risks of a project that big. But the economic damage from Sandy was at about $70 billion. It’s obviously worth it. But the cost of doing something goes on the budget, and the cost of doing nothing doesn’t.
That’s how the GOP tricks people into thinking that cutting budgets is fiscally responsible. They pretend that these costs, from disasters and the like, that could be prevented by government action, aren’t accountable. If you spend fifty billion to fix a problem, they’ll yell and scream even if the problem costs the nation a hundred billion, because the cost is born by the nation, not the government.
It’s a very bizarre worldview that I’ve never really been able to understand.
re: #260 Glenn Beck’s Grand Unifying Theory of Obdicut
It also handwaves how hard it is to cut out waste and duplication. Another word for duplication is redundancy. New York City doesn’t have, it turns out, a lot of redundancy in its flood control systems, but it does in its flood repair systems. The result of that was that a lot of damage got done, but it got fixed pretty damn quickly.
The problem is fixing that long-term will take flood protection, not flood reduction. To do serious flood protection just New York and parts of New Jersey would probably cost a huge amount— like $50 billion dollars if it’s done expertly, maybe more like $150 billion to account for the risks of a project that big. But the economic damage from Sandy was at about $70 billion. It’s obviously worth it. But the cost of doing something goes on the budget, and the cost of doing nothing doesn’t.
That’s how the GOP tricks people into thinking that cutting budgets is fiscally responsible. They pretend that these costs, from disasters and the like, that could be prevented by government action, aren’t accountable. If you spend fifty billion to fix a problem, they’ll yell and scream even if the problem costs the nation a hundred billion, because the cost is born by the nation, not the government.
It’s a very bizarre worldview that I’ve never really been able to understand.
It’s the same with healthcare. We don’t want to provide health insurance, but we pay (a higher cost) when people use the emergency room.
264 | William Barnett-Lewis Sun, Feb 17, 2013 10:40:55am |
re: #258 Dark_Falcon
Political ads cannot be banned like that. It would violate the 1st Amendment.
Only if you accept the fantasy that corporations are people and have rights. Tell you what, I’ll believe corporations are people the day Texas executes one.
265 | dragonath Sun, Feb 17, 2013 10:41:21am |
re: #256 Dark_Falcon
Well I guess they didn’t run “fast” enough. The foundry liquidated its union workers and moved its production to Mexico.
How much do you know about a foundry? People lost their jobs operating the high speed grinders, hammering the sprues off hot castings, and making formaldehyde sand molds all day long, many of them being at the job for the last 10 or 20 years.
268 | Iwouldprefernotto Sun, Feb 17, 2013 10:43:41am |
OT. I will no longer be known as anonymous gun expert. It’s too much of a burden. Thanks in advance for your understanding.
269 | sattv4u2 Sun, Feb 17, 2013 10:45:17am |
re: #268 Iwouldprefernotto
OT. I will no longer be known as anonymous gun expert. It’s too much of a burden. Thanks in advance for your understanding.
????
270 | dragonath Sun, Feb 17, 2013 10:47:08am |
re: #247 A Mom Anon
You can thank that clown, James Buckley, for setting the precedent that led to unlimited amounts of private money in public campaigns.
By the way, that guy was William Buckley’s brother.
271 | Shiplord Kirel Sun, Feb 17, 2013 10:48:02am |
Outrageous Outrage, Obama playing golf again, freepers take note:
Report: Obama Golfing With Tiger Woods
Tiger swings both ways! Who knew?
He’s (“he” is presumably Tiger) just doing it to save his ass when the commies move in full force. He has a “can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em” attitude.
Yet, Ted Cruz has warned us that the Obama-commie-UN conspiracy is plotting to take over our golf courses. Maybe Tiger is lobbying for an exemption.
Historic day? As in a serial sex addict and marxist US president get together to play golf at the expense of the american taxpayer, to the tune of millions of dollars?
“Millions?” WTF? Where does this yokel think are they playing? The Moon?
I don’t suppose any GOP president ever took time out to play golf or relax.
I frankly don’t want a 20 hour a day workaholic with his finger on the nuclear trigger, lest he go nuts and decide to press it.
272 | sattv4u2 Sun, Feb 17, 2013 10:48:08am |
re: #268 Iwouldprefernotto
re: #269 sattv4u2
????
I mean, I’m not questioning nor disagreeing that you want/ need to do it,, BUT,,, ,IF you are a “gun expert” and there are a couple of dozen people chatting here at any given time and the topic is guns, wouldn’t your expertise be a welcome addition??
273 | FemNaziBitch Sun, Feb 17, 2013 10:49:04am |
re: #271 Shiplord Kirel
Outrageous Outrage, Obama playing golf again, freepers take note:
Report: Obama Golfing With Tiger Woods
Yet, Ted Cruz has warned us that the Obama-commie UN conspiracy is plotting to take over our golf courses. Maybe Tiger is lobbying for an exemption.
“Millions?” WTF? Where does this yokel think are they playing? The Moon?
I don’t suppose any GOP president ever took time out to play golf or relax.
I frankly don’t want a 20 hour a day workaholic with his finger on the nuclear trigger, lest he go nuts and decide to press it.
I learned a long time ago that a lot of WORK is conducted on the golf course.
274 | FemNaziBitch Sun, Feb 17, 2013 10:49:39am |
re: #272 sattv4u2
re: #269 sattv4u2
I mean, I’m not questioning nor disagreeing that you want/ need to do it,, BUT,,, ,IF you are a “gun expert” and there are a couple of dozen people chatting here at any given time and the topic is guns, wouldn’t your expertise be a welcome addition??
he would prefer not to.
275 | Targetpractice Sun, Feb 17, 2013 10:50:27am |
re: #271 Shiplord Kirel
Outrageous Outrage, Obama playing golf again, freepers take note:
Report: Obama Golfing With Tiger Woods
Yet, Ted Cruz has warned us that the Obama-commie UN conspiracy is plotting to take over our golf courses. Maybe Tiger is lobbying for an exemption.
“Millions?” WTF? Where does this yokel think are they playing? The Moon?
I don’t suppose any GOP president ever took time out to play golf or relax.
I frankly don’t want a 20 hour a day workaholic with his finger on the nuclear trigger, lest he go nuts and decide to press it.
It’s simply unconscionable that Obama would take time off to play golf when work could be getting done. Unlike the workaholic Congress, who’s out for 10 days for President’s Day.
///
276 | allegro Sun, Feb 17, 2013 10:50:42am |
re: #273 FemNaziBitch
Also why is it assumed that the taxpayers are picking up the tab?
277 | A Mom Anon Sun, Feb 17, 2013 10:51:17am |
re: #258 Dark_Falcon
It’s not banning anything. Let me rephrase that a little. I’m just saying that if a tv or radio station doesn’t want to provide free air time during election season because of financial concerns, then tough. Don’t run the ads then. It’s not banning speech. On the contrary, it might force candidates to participate and face the people they want to elect them. There were elections and politicians before there was tv and radio. And somehow we managed. Too much time and money is being spent on ads which simply pollutes the process. Remove the money and make media owners do an actual public service by giving up some free air time to all sides in the elections process if you’re going to use media.
278 | sattv4u2 Sun, Feb 17, 2013 10:52:15am |
279 | Gus Sun, Feb 17, 2013 10:52:32am |
Corporations represent an organization of people starting from the CEO all the way down to the employees of that corporation. The success of that corporation is vital for said employees of that corporation. Think of it as a nation state. AIPAC representing Israel and thus Israelis. Unions representing their workers. GM representing their corporate executives, shareholders, and UAW workers interests. You can’t single out any single organization because of your own personal ideology.
280 | sattv4u2 Sun, Feb 17, 2013 10:53:30am |
re: #279 Gus
Corporations represent an organization of people starting from the CEO all the way down to the employees of that corporation. The success of that corporation is vital for said employees of that corporation. Think of it as a nation state. AIPAC representing Israel and thus Israelis. Unions representing their workers. GM representing their corporate executives, shareholders, and UAW workers interests. You can’t single out any single organization because of your own personal ideology.
hence #245
281 | Gus Sun, Feb 17, 2013 11:00:10am |
re: #280 sattv4u2
hence #245
Yep. All that’s required is transparency. Most of the time it’s pretty obvious who is funding a particular political ad. If they’re hidden in mega PACs that’s a different story. I’m sure people wouldn’t complain if Siemens was funding political ads in favor of wind farms or Tesla (if it ever goes into the black) for more electric car infrastructure.
282 | Glenn Beck's Grand Unifying Theory of Obdicut Sun, Feb 17, 2013 11:00:59am |
re: #279 Gus
Corporations represent an organization of people starting from the CEO all the way down to the employees of that corporation. The success of that corporation is vital for said employees of that corporation. Think of it as a nation state. AIPAC representing Israel and thus Israelis. Unions representing their workers. GM representing their corporate executives, shareholders, and UAW workers interests. You can’t single out any single organization because of your own personal ideology.
Corporations are not like nation states and if you treat them as though they are, they will act like it, and that would actually be really fucking terrible.
283 | A Mom Anon Sun, Feb 17, 2013 11:01:52am |
re: #279 Gus
Here’s the problem though, those corporations usually aren’t lobbying Congress for anything other than tax breaks and lax rules for their industry. With less than 15 percent of workers in this country belonging to unions, I don’t see the power they have as opposed to even a couple of decades ago. I’m not discriminating here, I think all big money lobbying interests need to GO. Take the profit motive out of the whole process and watch to see how many of our”devoted public servants” keep running for office.
I’m not unrealistic, there have always been backroom deals and money under the table. It is totally out of control now and there need to be some VERY strict rules that cut off the money hose, at least to even the playing field somewhat.
284 | Glenn Beck's Grand Unifying Theory of Obdicut Sun, Feb 17, 2013 11:01:54am |
re: #282 Glenn Beck’s Grand Unifying Theory of Obdicut
EA had no right to speak for me or claim that it was when I was an employee of EA. I did a job of work; they paid me for it. I wasn’t a citizen of EA, I had no buy-in to decision-making at EA, it was a contractual relationship.
285 | FemNaziBitch Sun, Feb 17, 2013 11:02:55am |
re: #282 Glenn Beck’s Grand Unifying Theory of Obdicut
Corporations are not like nation states and if you treat them as though they are, they will act like it, and that would actually be really fucking terrible.
Unfortunately, Corporations seem to be the only entities that have a sort of global citizenship. At least the really big ones. They have contacts, employees and loyalties (profits) in many countries.
It’s a strange thing.
286 | Gus Sun, Feb 17, 2013 11:05:34am |
The success of a corporation is vital to the interests of its employees.
287 | Glenn Beck's Grand Unifying Theory of Obdicut Sun, Feb 17, 2013 11:06:57am |
re: #285 FemNaziBitch
The whole ‘culture’ thing at corporations has always freaked me out. Some companies have a natural culture from the people who started it or some aspect of the business, an organic culture that grows out of the way people there work. But most companies don’t have that, instead, they look at these companies that have genuine cultures and they think “We should have that”, and instead of doing the hard job of trying to figure out how to get it to happen organically, they try to top-down announce what the culture is, and come up with stupid acronyms, and have dumb slogans, and they pretend everyone takes it seriously and that it’s all working fine and if you question this whole culture thing, well, obviously you’re not a good fit for the culture.
The difference between working at a company with a real, actual feel to it, a culture, and a fake-ass one is extreme. It’s so much less stressful and less bullshit at the ones that are genuine.
But it’s always amazing how much corporations can get workers to sacrifice on behalf of the company when they’ve made a contract establishing how much they should be allowed to sacrifice. But companies coerce extra hours out of workers all the time, it’s basically the norm these days.
288 | Gus Sun, Feb 17, 2013 11:07:00am |
The success of General Motors was vital to the interests of the people of Detroit.
289 | Iwouldprefernotto Sun, Feb 17, 2013 11:07:34am |
re: #272 sattv4u2
re: #269 sattv4u2
I mean, I’m not questioning nor disagreeing that you want/ need to do it,, BUT,,, ,IF you are a “gun expert” and there are a couple of dozen people chatting here at any given time and the topic is guns, wouldn’t your expertise be a welcome addition??
Sorry. I changed my name because someone on the right was quoting an “anonymous gun expert” in articles about the recent shootings. It was in fun. I think all the gun experts are mostly full of shit. You can spend the entire day defining what an assault weapon is and what constitutes a high capacity magazine, but in the meantime citizens are being slaughtered by these weapons and too many experts are defending them and not willing to even consider reasonable regulations.
/rant
290 | Glenn Beck's Grand Unifying Theory of Obdicut Sun, Feb 17, 2013 11:08:11am |
re: #286 Gus
The success of a corporation is vital to the interests of its employees.
That’s not always true, though, Gus. It’s not true if there are other healthy corporations around to take advantage of the failure of that company. If company B goes under because their executives spent all the money on coke, and then Company A can hire those workers and gain market share. This happens all the time when a company goes out of business and has a lot of valuable employees— they get scooped up. A company going out of business does not destroy the demand for whatever it was in business for.
291 | William Barnett-Lewis Sun, Feb 17, 2013 11:09:54am |
re: #280 sattv4u2
hence #245
Fine. End all non-individual donations with a maximum of $100 per person to all candidates per campaign period. Make public financing required.
But stop the BS that corporations have any rights whatsoever.
292 | Glenn Beck's Grand Unifying Theory of Obdicut Sun, Feb 17, 2013 11:10:06am |
re: #288 Gus
The success of General Motors was vital to the interests of the people of Detroit.
The success of the automobile industry was vital, not the success of general motors in particular. The bailout was because the crisis was industry-wide.
293 | Gus Sun, Feb 17, 2013 11:10:29am |
re: #290 Glenn Beck’s Grand Unifying Theory of Obdicut
That’s not true, though, Gus. It’s not true if there are other healthy corporations around to take advantage of the failure of that company. If company B goes under because their executives spent all the money on coke, and then Company A can hire those workers and gain market share. This happens all the time when a company goes out of business and has a lot of valuable employees— they get scooped up. A company going out of business does not destroy the demand for whatever it was in business for.
Unions can do the same thing and have. Corporate cannibalism is a different argument. If “corporations can do evil” at some points then we can’t see things without a biased view.
294 | Gus Sun, Feb 17, 2013 11:11:44am |
re: #292 Glenn Beck’s Grand Unifying Theory of Obdicut
The success of the automobile industry was vital, not the success of general motors in particular. The bailout was because the crisis was industry-wide.
An “industry” which is made up of other smaller “corporations” and businesses. All the way down the line.
295 | chadu Sun, Feb 17, 2013 11:12:54am |
re: #154 Vicious Babushka
Nah, I think G-d coded the universe in BASIC. That’s why it’s so buggy.
296 | Glenn Beck's Grand Unifying Theory of Obdicut Sun, Feb 17, 2013 11:13:44am |
re: #293 Gus
Unions can do the same thing and have. Corporate cannibalism is a different argument. If “corporations can do evil” at some points then we can’t see things without a biased view.
Nothing in my above post was about corporations doing evil. At all. And unions have their own set of problems, in some cases similar to, in others different, than corporations. Some of the regulation of them should be the same, some should be different. And unions can definitely have far too much political power— in California, the prison guards union is one of the main barriers to progress on prison reform. They have far too much power and they are not even representing their members interests, they’re representing their elite-high paid member’s interests.
298 | Glenn Beck's Grand Unifying Theory of Obdicut Sun, Feb 17, 2013 11:19:56am |
re: #294 Gus
An “industry” which is made up of other smaller “corporations” and businesses. All the way down the line.
Yes. That was part of my point— an individual company going out of business is not a huge deal. It is only a huge deal if there are very few businesses competing with each other, or the problem is industry-wide. The former is normally a problem with lack of regulation allowing monopolies to develop and strangle the workplace, and the latter usually requires government help to shore up the industry. In a healthy economy, a place can go out of business because it’s badly run and the workers and customers will be accommodated by a healthy business.
Like, in San Francisco, restaurants go out of business all the time. When they do, the waiters and bartenders and restaurant managers find a new job— often with the new restaurant opening in the same spot. It can suck a bit, but the corporation is not the job— that’s the main reason I’m pushing back on you on this, is because to me it seems like you’re crediting the corporation for the existence of the job; the demand exists with or without that particular corporation.
300 | Feline Fearless Leader Sun, Feb 17, 2013 2:30:03pm |
re: #254 LWNJ
HERESY! The universe was programmed in pure machine code, a symphony of zeroes and ones.
It’s COBOL all the way down if you follow the right Holy Book.
;)
301 | jamesfirecat Sun, Feb 17, 2013 2:46:41pm |
re: #172 Dark_Falcon
That’s because government has gotten so intrusive. It needs to be pruned back in places.
Name them.
302 | jamesfirecat Sun, Feb 17, 2013 2:48:42pm |
re: #184 Dark_Falcon
How is that pathological? We’re wading in red ink, and scuttling an expensive new program would help balance the books.
Because in the long run Obamacare saves money rather than costing us money because we will not have as many people getting treated at EC rooms who can not pay for it.
Also it is pathological because it makes it seem as if the GOP’s standard answer to everything is kill Obamacare the house has passed how many bills along those lines recently?