|
12/25 |
2012/10/17-12/4 [Politics/Domestic/California, Politics/Domestic/Election] UID:54503 Activity:nil |
10/17 This is how election photo ops are created. http://www.csua.org/u/xzu (news.yahoo.com) \_ "Soup kitchen in Ryan photo op losing donors" http://www.csua.org/u/y0z Thank you Ryan! Thank you very much! \_ http://americablog.com/2012/10/romney-ryan-supporters-destroy-photo-opp-soup-kitchen.html |
2012/10/12-12/4 [Politics/Domestic/California, Politics/Domestic/Election] UID:54497 Activity:nil |
10/12 "Climate Solution: Pay True Cost of Fossil Fuels, NASA Scientist Says" http://www.csua.org/u/xyg (news.yahoo.com) \_ Sounds great, but it would be easier (though by no means easy) to end the $5bn in fossil fuel tax subsidies the US has in place. And that's merely a third of what we as a nation spend to subsidize fossil fuels. \_ What other kind of subsidies are there? \_ The GOP will never let it happen. \_ It's strange that while the GOP supports low tax and small government spending in general, they support taxing for the purpose of subsidizing gasoline. Hypocracy? -- OP \_ Old Boy Network: protect the rich, and steal from the less rich. Cf. the I-didn't-need-gubmint-money malarkey. \_ you mean the Democraps can never make it happen because they're pussies? \_ You'd need a real slash-and-burn hard-nose reformer to do the job, and that would guarantee a one-term presidency. No career politician could do it (with the possible exception of Kucinich, but then we're just being silly). \_ It would require a filibuster proof majority in The Senate, along with The House and The Presidency. This ain't happening. |
2012/10/7-11/7 [Politics/Domestic/California] UID:54494 Activity:nil |
10/7 In practice, how long are HIGH SCHOOL transcript kept? I'm asking because I'm wondering if people can dig up my shady past. I was a bad kid. \_ I would doubt that they are ever destroyed. What would you do about it in any case? Try not to worry too much about things you have no control over. \_ Pretty much irrelevant once you have your degree, a job, and a decade between you and it, unless you want a job with the FBI, in which case they're going to get more info from your former schoolmates than your school is likely to share anyway. \_ what if I get into politics and someone digs up my transcript and history of shady things and post it online? \_ You can preemptively post your past at the beginning of your political career. Plus you can use your coming-clean and apparent "rebirth" as a selling point. --- !PP \_ If you get into politics and all it takes to get people to vote *against* you is your high school transcript, then you have provided utterly no reason for them to vote *for* you. \_ #1 mistake in politics: ignoring emotional appeals to Americans. \_ If Obama can hide his Harvard college transcripts this long, then I would imagine you would be able to keep your high school transcripts secret. \_ Repeat of previous answer: they're going to get more info from your former schoolmates than your school is likely to share. \_ my schoolmates love me, but my teachers hated me. so I guess I just need to wait eh? -op \_ Well, let's just say you don't want to run on what people thought of you in school, then. |
2012/6/22-7/20 [Politics/Domestic/California, Science/GlobalWarming] UID:54420 Activity:nil |
6/22 "Study: The U.S. could be powered by 80% green energy in 2050" http://www.csua.org/u/wtz (news.yahoo.com) \_ How many Republicans does it take to make green energy? -150,000,000! Ding ding ding! \_ Because having control of the White House and both houses of Congress wasn't enough (ie, the do nothing and blame the Republicans period after the 2008 elections) ? That's what it takes for the Democrats to get anything done? A complete absence of any opposition at all? Sure. \_ Never underestimate Dems ability to get nothing done if it requires cooperation, but ignoring repeated threats of filibuster on the part of the GOP and still blaming the Dems for getting nothing done is perverse. -!op \_ Obama spent far too long trying to get the GOP to sign off on some kind of health care reform, I agree. But even with 60 Dems, he could not get anything significant done on climate change because a few Democrats from coal states were not on board. |
2012/5/6-6/4 [Politics/Domestic/California] UID:54382 Activity:nil |
5/6 "'Positive Bias' May Be Hurting Minority Students" http://www.csua.org/u/wb0 (news.yahoo.com) |
2011/12/29-2012/2/6 [Politics/Domestic/California, Health/Disease/General] UID:54275 Activity:nil |
12/29 "Venezuela's Chavez: Did U.S. give Latin American leaders cancer?" http://www.csua.org/u/v3q Looks like Chavez has more faith in US technology than Americans do. |
2011/8/14-27 [Politics/Domestic/California, Politics/Domestic/President] UID:54163 Activity:nil |
8/11 What happened to the anti-government dude? "A recent report from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities showed that nearly all states will spend less on vital services in 2012 than they did in 2008, after inflation, even though there are more children in public schools and more poor people on the Medicaid rolls." http://www.cbpp.org/cms/index.cfm?fa=view&id=3550 You must be overjoyed with how the economy is going right now. \_ Starve the beast. |
2011/7/26-8/6 [Politics/Domestic/California, Politics/Domestic/Election] UID:54144 Activity:nil |
7/26 Oregon Congressman David Wu says he's resigning - Yahoo! News: http://www.csua.org/u/tvq "Democratic Rep. David Wu of Oregon has announced that he is resigning in the wake of allegations that he had a sexual encounter with an 18-year-old woman." Given that: 1. The Age of Consent in Oregon is 18, 2. He filed for separation from his wife two years ago, why did he need to resign? \_ You'll never get it. \_ By hook or by crook we will. \_ "allegations he engaged in 'aggressive and unwanted sexual behavior' with a young woman." http://www.csua.org/u/tvu (cbsnews) \_ I see. I guess Yahoo News (Associated Press) didn't tell the whole story. -- OP \_ I know I am a sick puppy, but what exactly went on here? I want details, the more lurid the better. \_ "Amid the frenzy of arm-twisting, debate and reporters swarming like bees in a sunflower garden, Representative David Wu, the Oregon Democrat who resigned this week amid a sex scandal, sat peacefully on the balcony off the speaker’s lobby, awaiting the last votes of his career and pulling on a stogie." http://is.gd/IMRgL9 [nytimes] |
2011/7/5-13 [Politics/Domestic/California, Reference/Law/Court] UID:54138 Activity:nil |
7/5 "Motorcyclist crashes in helmet law protest, dies" http://www.csua.org/u/tqr (news.yahoo.com) How ironic. He got what he fought for. |
2011/6/27-7/13 [Politics/Domestic/California] UID:54132 Activity:nil |
6/27 "Inflatable Shark Among 300 New Species Discovered in Philippines" http://www.csua.org/u/tp8 (beta.news.yahoo.com) No, not the rubber kind. |
2011/4/17-7/30 [Politics/Domestic/California, Reference/Tax] UID:54087 Activity:nil |
4/17 http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_no_taxes "The super rich pay a lot less taxes than they did a couple of decades ago, and nearly half of U.S. households pay no income taxes at all." And people are still complaining about taxes being too high. \_ yeah but only 3 out of the 5 people who aren't rich but complain are actually counted. |
2010/11/19-2011/1/13 [Politics/Domestic/California, Reference/Tax] UID:53989 Activity:nil |
11/19 "Millionaires to Obama: Tax us" - Yahoo! News: http://www.csua.org/u/s1d \_ People to Millionaires: "You can submit as much tax as you like!" http://www.fms.treas.gov/news/factsheets/gifts.html \_why pay more into SS if you are getting the same out of it as the other guy? \_ Your reading comprehension sucks. If they want to be taxed more, they're free to pay more in taxes without forcing other people to do so. I don't see anything in the original article about SS, do you? \_ That's about as clever as "if you don't like abortion, don't have one" or "gays can marry, they just can't marry people of the same sex." Actually, it's not even that clever. \_ What the millionaires mean is: "Tax *other* millionaires" \_ No, they mean tax all millionaires, including us. |
2010/11/15-2011/1/13 [Politics/Domestic/California, Politics/Domestic/Immigration] UID:53992 Activity:nil |
11/15 "CA Supreme Court ...... ruled that illegal immigrants are entitled to the same tuition breaks offered to in-state high school students to attend public colleges and universities." http://www.csua.org/u/s0a Not only do illigal immigrants enjoy the same benefits as citizens (not to mention legal immigrants), they can actually enjoy more benefits than some citizens. \_ Classic variable mislabeling error: you're confusing "citizens of the United States who reside in California" with "citizens of the United States," and failing to distinguish between "illegal immigrants who reside in California" and "illegal immigrants." Also, you're confusing "citizen" and "resident," as in "benefits of being a citizen of the United States" versus "benefits of being a resident of California." Of course, you could have avoided this confusion entirely by simply writing, "Achtung! Papers, please!" \_ I guess no UC funding comes from the Federal Government, right? -- OP \_ the clue is weak in this one |
2010/11/2-2011/1/13 [Politics/Domestic/California, Politics/Domestic/President/Reagan] UID:54001 Activity:nil |
11/2 California Uber Alles is such a great song \_ Yes, and it was written about Jerry Brown. I was thinking this as I cast my vote for Meg Whitman. I am independent, but I typically vote Democrat (e.g., I voted for Boxer). However, I can't believe we elected this retread. \_ You voted for the billionaire that ran HP into the ground and then tried to buy the job of CA governor? Really? I almost voted Green or Libertarian, but never once thought of voting for Whitman. \_ wrong billionaire. \_ Sorry, couldn't tell the difference. \_ Makes a big difference. I hated Fiorina when she was CEO at HP. I hate her even more now that I know her backwards politics. However, Whitman is a RINO. She endorsed Gore. She opposed Bush on global warming. She supported Boxer's 2004 campaign. I am not saying I love the woman, but *JERRY BROWN*? Been there, did that, was not that great. As for her money, I actually prefer people spend their own fortunes instead of owing a thousand political favors in exchange for donations. Face it, most candidates are trying to buy the election on some level and the ones that aren't don't get very far. You are so informed you couldn't even separate Whitman from Fiorina so I hope you didn't vote. \_ Your point about having a politician who is beholden to no one because she didnt need to accept any donations is interesting. I never thought of that one before. I really don't think she was qualified in anyway though. she flipflopped her way around WHILE running for governor and hadn't even voted for decades. On the plus side, she proved she will kick your ass, physically, if you mess with her. \_ After experiencing eight years of Bush I know enough to never vote for a Republican. \_ Sounds pretty closed-minded. I agree that Bush was an idiot, but I am not going to shut out 50% of candidates based solely on party affiliation. You'll realize how silly you sound if/when you grow up. \_ I am old enough to learn from my mistakes. When will you learn? \_ Voting for a candidate based solely on a D or R next their name means you have a long way to go. \_ No, the GOP has been universally venal and/or incompetent for a long time. I thought about it some more and decided that if the GOP somehow actually elects a decent leader (in spite of my vote against them) who ends up doing a good job tackling real problems, I would be willing to reconsider my stance. But after watching bad and then worse leadership from them, I have no confidence in their collective decision making. Give me a Republican president at least as good as Reagan or Clinton or a CA governor that is halfway decent and I give them another look. But it is hard to see this happening anytime soon. Btw, it is quite a bit of difference to "vote for a candidate based solely on [party affiliation]" and refusing to vote for a candidate based on party affiliation. Hopefully you can see the difference. I expect to vote for quite a few Green and Libertarian candidates in the future. \_ Wasn't Reagan a Republican President as good as Reagan? And GH Bush wasn't bad. GWB is the only bad example in the last 40 years. \_ Bush, Cheney, DeLay, Rove, the whole crowd has been terrible for at least a decade. And the ones I see them bringing up as future leaders (Palin, really?) seem even worse. Lincoln was a good Republican President too but he doesn't say much about the GOP today. Same with Reagan, he was elected what, almost 30 years ago? Today's Republican Party would run a common sense pragmatist like Reagan out of the party. \_ What about, I dunno, Meg Whitman?! \_ http://preview.tinyurl.com/2gyqr8d (LA Times) "Strikingly, almost one in five California voters said they would never cast a ballot for a Republican." Not that nutty an idea, it turns out. \_ The republican party got us into a (seemed a good idea at the time) war in Afghanistan and with my laser like hindsight a completely unecessary conflict in Iraq. And they accept no responsibility. And shitheads in SF riot over a baseball game, but not an election. \_ Dems in Congress were in favor of the wore on terra as well \_ Some Dems. A majority voted against it. Well against the Iraq invasion, at least. I think they all voted for the "Patriot" Act. |
12/25 |
2010/9/17-30 [Politics/Domestic/California, Politics/Domestic/Election] UID:53960 Activity:low |
9/17 "Report: Los Angeles spent $70 million in stimulus funds to create 7.76 jobs" Yes, that's seven-point-seven-six jobs. http://www.csua.org/u/rmu (news.yahoo.com) \_ It is Obama's fault? \_ Then: The Buck Stops Here Now: Is it my fault? \_ http://www.globalideasbank.org/site/bank/idea.php?ideaId=904 The Great Recession is even more sad when you realize they have the answer. \_ I like the turndown, so many things are cheap now, including maids, gardners, hookers 'n' blow! \_ It was the fact that the community or regional money could be used to pay taxes [...] that made it acceptable and successful. That is true for all currency, btw. The Fed is inflating the money supply as fast as it dares. \_ But they're not giving negative interest rates on the money. The whole point of Borgl was to make people spend. \_ I <3 my trustfund. Best times for it. :-) \_ Stimulus saved 3M+ jobs, kept economy from second recession says non-partisan CBO: http://preview.tinyurl.com/2bchjy8 |
2010/9/15-30 [Politics/Domestic/California, Politics/Domestic/Election] UID:53959 Activity:nil |
9/15 Obama, a Democrat, wants to cut tax, while Greenspan, a Republican, wants to raise tax. Go figure. http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20100915/ts_nm/us_greenspan \_ Every now and then wrestlers change from Face to Heel, it's all part of the Kayfabe. \_ Astonishingly enough, not every Republican nor every Democrat is in lockstep agreement on all issues. \_ But here we're talking about the top Democrat and the ex-top financial Republican. financial Republican. -- OP |
2010/8/29-9/30 [Politics/Domestic/California, Politics/Domestic/Immigration] UID:53942 Activity:kinda low |
8/29 OC turning liberal, maybe there is hope for CA afterall: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/30/us/politics/30orange.html \_ and the state is slowly turning conservative. Meg 2010! \_ We will see. Seems unlikely. \_ Yeah, because CA sure has a problem with not enough dems in power! If only dems had been running the state for the last 40 years! \_ Yes, if only they'd been running the state for the last 40 years without the GOP blocking every goddamn budget that made sense. Blaming the party in power when you keep holding them up is a shameful charade. \_ CA is doing pretty well compared to most of the nation, believe it or not. \_ Big parts of OC (like Stabba Ana) turning into a barrio does not bode well for California. \_ Sure it does, immigrants have always revitalized America. The newest wave is no different. \_ So you think that the entire State becoming a slum except for a few gated communities here and there is revitalization? Previous immigrants had much different values than the current immigrants do. I do agree that immigrants will help run our economic engine so that we don't become a dying nation like Japan, but the American standard-of-living is taking a dive as all of these Third World immigrants bring their Third World philosophies, diseases, and values into our nation. I see a big difference between Polish Jews, Irish, and even Chinese as compared to immigrants from Africa and Central America - and I don't mean skin color. \_ "Third World philosophies, diseases, and values" Er, WTF? \_ Diseases like tuberculosis are making a reappearance thanks to our new immigrant friends. Let's just say that immigrants from Japan and immigrants from El Salvador don't bring the same things to the table. There are very large cultural and religious differences. There are large differences in attitudes towards the treatment of women, human rights, education, the role of government, etc. It is part of the reason why these countries are they way thay they are. If this is these countries are the way they are. If this is not obvious to you I won't waste my time explaining. \_ You sound exactly like the Know Nothing bigots who hated the Irish and Italians at the turn of the 19th century. And the anti-Asian racists who had the Japanese put in internment camps during WW-II. The new immigrants will join American society just fine and renew America with the integration of their values with ours. This is especially true for Latin American immigrants. I don't know who all these African immigrants are that you claim are coming to America, but America still has a problem with race that needs working on. \_ As you point out yourself, America has a problem with race. It was much easier for Irish to assimilate than it will be for Africans and Latinos and this is one of the reasons (but not the only reason) why. \_ El Salvador? Are you nuts? The El Salvadoran immigrant population mostly fled dictators and death squads, and they're a hell of a lot more committed to a free and democratic US than you are. El Salvador is the way it is now because WE, the US, supported dictators and death squads. That's a matter of record. Look up declassified documents on the CIA in El Salvador in the 60s for more. \_ Yes, El Salvador would be a First World nation if not for US involvement in their affairs. Riiiiight. \_ Diseases like tb are making a resurgence because we have a failing health care system. Poor folks can't afford to get immunized, and rich folks are buying up Cipro-- and then not using the right doses to kill whatever bugs they do have, resulting in drug-resistant strains of tb. Also, do you know what you have to do to get a visa in the US? Get a raft of shots and medical exams. As for illegals, haven't you been reading that illegal immigrants have been returning to their countries of origins in record numbers? If any of this is not obvious to you, please, by all means, ask for more explanation. \_ Yeah, soon there won't be any illegal immigrants left here. You know, I have a bridge for sale you might be interested in. |
2010/8/17-9/7 [Politics/Domestic/California, Industry/Jobs] UID:53926 Activity:nil |
8/17 Private sector growing, public sector shrinking: http://finance.yahoo.com/news/If-Private-Sector-Is-Hiring-cnbc-4039402657.html?x=0 \_ starve the beast! \_ why do they never count the armed forces as employment |
2010/7/27-8/25 [Politics/Domestic/California, Reference/Tax] UID:53900 Activity:nil |
7/25 Is there a polite way to tell a recruiter "too busy at the moment but keep me in mind for future stuff." Or "not in that field at this exact moment but am switching positions over the next few months for your role, keep me in mind" ? Thx. \_ You know what, recruiters have thick skins. You won't hurt their feelings. Go ahead, try, you can't possibly get them down. Tell them you have a job, and you'll keep them in mind next time you are unemployed. \_ I think you have it right there. Recruiters in general don't mind it if you are direct with them. \_ I had THREE different recruiters from Amazon at different quarters. Each time, I tell them "Sorry I have no interest in going to Seattle." The third time, I told them "I hate Seattle and if you want to attract real talent, setup an office in Silicon Valley. Stop bothering me." I finally got them to stop. \_ A co-worker of mine requested to be transferred from here to the Seattle branch of the company in the '90s so that he could avoid paying state income tax and maybe state capital gain tax on his huge stock earnings. \_ Word. Not to mention stupid CA laws. \_ I know a few people who moved to .ca just for that reason too. |
2010/7/15-8/11 [Politics/Domestic/California] UID:53885 Activity:nil |
7/15 "Mom jailed over sex with 14-year-old son" http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/38217476/ns/us_news-crime_and_courts \_ I just bought a hot homeless teen runaway lunch. Am i going to jail? \_ Was she 18? \_ FYI people "MILF" doesn't always mean what you think it means. \_ What else can it mean? \_ Pirates with guns, for example. \_ Lol it don't mean that in California, and CA CA CA is the Standard Culture Defination! \_ ObTravel. \_ Why would I leave CA? \_ F. CA, Why would I leave SF? \_ Lol why would I leave Mission Bay? \_ I blog all the time from my room. \_ Reminds me of John Phillips and his daughter. |
2010/6/30-7/8 [Politics/Domestic/California] UID:53871 Activity:nil |
6/30 http://securityarms.com/20010315/galleryfiles/2100/2166.htm (is this legal in CA? asking because of the long barrel) |
2010/6/22-7/8 [Politics/Domestic/California] UID:53866 Activity:nil |
6/21 There are 7 Lee's Sandwiches in San Jose and one in Sunnyvale. Which one is the original one? \_ None of the above. "The family came together and developed this new concept and opened the first store in Southern California on Bolsa Avenue in Westminster, CA." http://leesandwiches.com/2008/main.php?act=introduct&content=intro Or you can check the "Open Since" dates for the current locations at http://leesandwiches.com/2008/main.php?act=store |
2010/6/9-30 [Politics/Domestic/California] UID:53857 Activity:nil |
6/8 I cannot believe Carly Fiorina is a legitimate candidate. I would sooooooo love to vote out Boxer, but Carly completely ruined HP. \_ The Republican party shall rise again! \_ Much as the left has realized that, in the realm of pundrity, they can field loud, ignorant, blowhards just as well as the right, so has the right evidently realized that they too can field an incompetent bitch to run for Senator. \_I would rather them have run Kim Polese: http://lib.store.yahoo.net/lib/demotivators/fortune3.jpeg |
2010/6/7-30 [Politics/Domestic/California] UID:53852 Activity:nil |
6/7 http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/06/05/MNSG1DQ1BL.DTL&feed=rss.news_pageone White population is declining. In other news, whities who are threatened by the hispanic population are moving to Arizona. News at 11. \_ B2C used to mean "business to consumer," now it means "Back to Cleveland" \_ Are Cleveland people as racist as people in Arizona? \- Do you know about FILTH: Failed in London, Try Hong Kong |
2010/5/28-6/30 [Politics/Domestic/California, Reference/Tax] UID:53846 Activity:nil |
5/28 Libertarians: yes yes yes charities do work! Screw government and taxes, rely on charities! http://media.npr.org/assets/blogs/planetmoney/images/2010/05/giftsdebt.png \_hun? What is your point here?? People haven't voluntarily donated a lot towards paying of our 13 trillion dollar fed. debt? This is directed at libertarians why? (I can assure you that they are not surprised at this fact). Do you think I should be donating to pay for your war/corporate welfare/etc.? The gubmnt has stolen enough from my children without me volunteering more of their money. Really, what the hell are you thinking? I don't get it. \_ Charity != voluntary overpayment of taxes |
2010/5/17-26 [Politics/Domestic/California] UID:53837 Activity:nil |
5/13 Any opinions on the new AZ law? I think it will negatively impact California. We need to pass our equivalent ASAP. \_ why don't you just leave the US if you hate freedom so much \_ Agreed. We deserve freedom of breaking laws. \_ Halt! Aus pass! Welkommen ein Kalifornia! \_ Kalifornia Uber Alles! \_ I doubt it will survive a Constitutional challange. \_ Really? So the equivalent federal law is also unconstitutional? \_ There is a federal law that says you have to surrender your papers to any cop if he suspects that you are illegal and that you are subject to arrest if you don't carry them? |
2010/5/17-26 [Politics/Domestic/California] UID:53832 Activity:nil |
5/14 Where's the guy who kept claiming that the CA state budget always grew faster than inflation adjusted per capita? |
2010/4/21-5/10 [Politics/Domestic/California, Computer/Networking] UID:53796 Activity:nil |
4/21 "Your fastest Internet in the world is found in Berkeley, CA" http://www.csua.org/u/qlt (arstechnica.com) \_ lies, damned lies, statistics, and pandering to the crowd. |
2010/4/15-5/10 [Politics/Domestic/California] UID:53786 Activity:nil |
4/15 Guess who is not on this list (States with worst projected deficits): http://www.cnbc.com/id/36510805?slide=1 \_ Don't know how CA missed that list; we're looking at a $20B deficit on $82.9B spending (24.1%) -tom \_ Even if that number is accurate, it makes California #7. That's enlightening given the attenion California has received. |
2010/2/21-3/9 [Politics/Domestic/California, Politics/Foreign/Asia/China] UID:53716 Activity:nil |
2/19 Gee. I thought Woods was half black and half Thai. But actually he's 1/4 Chinese + 1/4 Thai + 1/4 African American + 1/8 Native American + 1/8 Dutch. http://tigerwoods-information.com/family \_ Hybrid superiority. \_ This is why colonial food is more awesome than ethnic food. \_ I didn't know that Jimmy Page of the Yardbirds, Led Zeppelin, etc and a bazillion AWESOME rock riffs is.... 1/4 chinese. \_ URLp? |
2010/1/28-2/8 [Politics/Domestic/California, Computer/SW/Security] UID:53673 Activity:nil |
1/28 Asians on Facebook: http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/privacy_facebook_and_the_future_of_the_internet.php |
2010/1/11-19 [Politics/Domestic/California, Politics/Domestic/Election, Politics/Foreign/Europe] UID:53622 Activity:nil |
1/11 Social democracy and economic growth are not incompatible: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/11/opinion/11krugman.html \_ SOCIALISM ( yes i did read it ) \_ Krugman == socialist? \_ Obama = Socialist |
2009/12/25-2010/1/19 [Politics/Domestic/California, Politics/Domestic/President/Bush] UID:53603 Activity:nil |
12/24 Why San Francisco and union and government suck: http://globaleconomicanalysis.blogspot.com/2009/12/unions-graft-stunning-incompetence-make.html \_ http://www.burbed.com/2010/01/03/san-francisco-richer-and-richer-and-richer San Francisco to become richer and richer and richer. It's Disneyland for adults! YAY!!! \_ No doubt that there is plenty of corruption in San Francisco that should be cleaned up, but it is a drop in the bucket compared to the intitutionalized corruption that the GOP encouraged under the Bush Administration. Which Mish of course turned a blind eye to. SF is actually gaining public school students btw, and I am not clear as to why a city getting wealthier and wealthier is supposed to be a bad thing. \_ The link is a summary of the article in the SF Weekly. Maybe you shouldn't blame Bush for everything. Perhaps we can agree that corruption is bad, and try to address that? \_ That is what I said. Both parties are corrupt, the GOP even worse than the Democrats. What are you doing about it other than posting links to the motd? \_ the party that is in power or one that is powerful is usually the one that is corrupt. I give the D party 3 more years before it implodes just like the R party. \_ You are basically right, though I think it will take more like 12-14 years. How long was from the election of Reagan until Tom DeLay was brought down? |
2009/11/10-19 [Politics/Domestic/California, Politics/Domestic/SocialSecurity] UID:53516 Activity:low |
11/9 http://www.businessinsider.com/the-20-most-unemployed-cities-2009-11#15-san-francisco-california-6 http://www.businessinsider.com/the-20-most-unemployed-cities-2009-11#7-san-jose-california-14 http://www.businessinsider.com/the-20-most-unemployed-cities-2009-11#5-los-angeles-california-16 Most unemployed cities in America \_ The actual city of San Francisco has quite a bit lower unemployment rate, he must be using the metropolitan area (and the one that includes Oakland, not the one that includes San Mateo) \_ How about San Jose, is that including Gilroy? \_ are you a moron? San Jose - Sunnyvale - Santa Clara |
2009/11/9-19 [Politics/Domestic/California, Politics/Domestic/Election, Politics/Foreign/Europe] UID:53515 Activity:nil |
11/9 http://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2009/11/free-market-capitalism-gets-thumbs-down-in-27-countries-including-us.html Most people think Free Market is not fine the way it is and needs some adjustment/tuning. \_ Why don't you move to France, you Cheese Eating Surrender Monkey? \_ Tuning in their favor no doubt. \_ obviously. the emotion is not too different than that that which fueled the French revolution \_ I mean "tuned in their own favor" versus "for the common good". I think the French Revolution was more of the latter. \_ who determines that? the people who revolt or the people who were revolted? Do you give each individual an equal weight? \_ The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few. However, I think that these people who think the free market needs tuning are mostly thinking about themselves and not the common good. \_ don't you think most people in this world (e.g. most are 3rd world countries) think about themselves much more than they think about others? Have you been to China and Brazil? \_ Yes, I do think so, which is why I think the results of the poll are meaningless to use as a guideline to set economic policy. |
2009/10/22-11/3 [Politics/Domestic/California, Science/GlobalWarming] UID:53463 Activity:nil |
10/22 State of Utah saved $4.1M in one year by switching to 4day-10hr work weeks: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/ut_four_day_workweek (Not to mention the commute time saved.) Maybe the State of CA (a much bigger body) and our private employers can do the same. \_ We did this at work and maybe they saved money, but they also receive less for the money they spend. Lots of people were working 9 or 10 hours every day anyway. They still do, but now they just don't come in on Friday. Productivity seems way down. In fact, in order to meet a big deadline on a particular project that project's management made everyone on that task switch to a regular work week. What does that say? YMMV. \_ Do you work in a government office? I am guesing that most govt employees are not working 9-10 hours/day. \_ Actually, I do work for the government. However, I will agree this is probably atypical for the government. \_ The article says that the biggest savings for Utah came not from energy saving or janitoral service reduction, but from overtime pay saving. So it won't work for positions that don't pay overtime. \_ It assumes people were working paid overtime to begin with and now they will not because the work day is so long. However, I wouldn't argue that the productivity is the same. The article says: "They're getting what they need to get done in 10 hours and going home" with the implication being that they used to be there more than 40 hours but got no more work done in that time. I doubt it. I think money is being saved, but less work is being done as a result. People are not suddenly using their time more productively unless the whole overtime thing was a fiasco to begin with where people stayed to get time-and-a-half in which case they could have just as easily said: "No more overtime" and stayed on 5/40. This is not a benefit of the short work week per se. |
2009/10/20-11/3 [Politics/Domestic/California, Politics/Domestic/Crime] UID:53457 Activity:high |
10/20 "Ending death penalty could save US millions: study" http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20091020/ts_alt_afp/usexecutionjustice "...... the cost to the state to reach that one execution is 30 million dollars" I used to be pro death penalty because I thought it's cheaper than life without possibility of parole (p.s. especially with the health care cost of $40k/yr per prisoner that was in the news a couple months ago). But now I'm not sure. \_ It is clearly not cheaper. -tom \_ It would be cheaper if we just got on with it already. \_ But we can't and shouldn't, so it's clearly not cheaper. -tom \_ We can and we should. See how easy that is? \_ Yes, it's quite easy to execute innocent people. -tom \_ if DNA proves guilt, kill. if not, life sentence. \_ You think jailing innocent people for life is better? Let's just not jail anyone in case we made a mistake. \_ Plenty of innocent people "jailed for life" end up being released after new evidence comes to light. Hard to bring someone back to life though. \_ http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/innocence-list-those-freed-death-row 138 death-row inmates have been released since 1971. The failure cost of the death penalty is much higher than the failure cost of prison. -tom \_ I think I'd rather be wrongly executed than rot in prison for 60 years after being wrongly imprisoned. Jail and the people in it are that unpleasant. What *really* sits wrong with me is when criminals *beg* to be executed and we don't do it. Let's execute those people ASAP and set a reasonable period where evidence can be brought to light for everyone else: lets say 10 years. I don't want to pay for some "death row" type guy to be in prison from age 22 to 82. Charles Manson should not be an expense to me right now. \_ If you had a 10-year limit, you would only have executed 65 of the 138 innocent people. Good job! -tom \_ I'm not going to worry about 65 people out of the 2.5 million in jail. As I said, it's not any better to wrongly rot in jail. It's not like you are going to find all wrongfully convicted people with or without the death penalty. I believe the justice system works and works better than ever in this age of DNA evidence. Your argument is that the justice system makes a mistake 5% of the time in capital cases. I _really_ doubt that figure given the extensive appeals process. BTW, the average length of time between sentencing and exoneration for those wrongfully convicted is 7 years. So if you think 10 cuts it too close let's make it 20. I just threw a number out there. \_ At this point you're just trolling; if you were really wrongfully accused and had the option of 12 years in jail and instant death, you would take death? The idea is absurd. Let's leave it at, the death penalty is more expensive than life in prison and will remain so despite the efforts of nutjobs like you, so you can't argue that the death penalty costs less than the alternative. -tom \_ The death penalty is only more expensive because of nutjobs like you who are concerned that 65 out of millions of convictions over the last 30 years might actually be innocent. You waste a lot of money on such statistical insignificance. Accept that the justice system works and stop wasting time defending *tried and convicted* death row inmates. If this were 1709 I'd be right with you, but the system is not as corrupt as it used to be and works very well as your own numbers attest to. \_ Millions were convicted of murder? Probably not. I wonder what the false positive rate in convictions is. Any idea? \_ The article doesn't say. Is it also so expensive in Texas, where there do a lot of it? \_ You know why California has a prison problem? Because of fucking idiots like you who think it's cheaper to keep a person alive than to execute them. I have a better solution, just offshore the job to China. They can do it far more efficiently. It really pisses me off seeing a headline like this. Hand control of Oakland to China and the crime situation will disappear and innocent people will stop dying. Fucking US criminal justice system. \_ California has 678 death row inmates; you could execute them all tomorrow and we'd still have a prison problem. -tom \_ My point is we should execute a lot more people. Like the 10 or 20 who gang raped the Richmond school girl. A bullet in their head is the best message we can send to those fuckers in Richmond and Oakland. Innocent people suffer and die when you have a criminal justice system that doesn't get rid of scumbags. \_ I think we should get out the guilloitine and start chopping off the heads of all of Goldman Sachs and the CEOs of AGI, Bank of America and all the other the CEOs of AIG, Bank of America and all the other fools who have caused much more suffering than the Richmond rapists. But I am not holding my breath for the world to come around to my point of view. \_ http://www.economist.com/world/unitedstates/displayStory.cfm?story_id=14699746 |
2009/9/24-10/8 [Politics/Domestic/California, Politics/Domestic/California/Arnold] UID:53398 Activity:nil |
9/24 WALKOUT! http://tinyurl.com/yerq8f5 \_ Education should be free, somebody else should pay for me! \_ the only "free" education is self-education. someone has to pay for it. \_ The person who receives it, of course. \_ Education is an investment in the future. The State of California spent a lot of money educating me, which I have already repaid many times. \_ Man, this article is full of all kinds of funnies. "I'm [trying to tell] that it's your right to walk out." It's also your right not to go to school, what's your point? "Faculty urged the walkout" ahhh, right. \_ Faculty did urge the walkout; it started as a letter from a UC-wide group of faculty, mostly complaining that the regents didn't listen to the academic senates, who wanted furloughs to include instructional days. But I'm not sure who they group today is really protesting against. (It should be Arnie and the rest of the Jarvisites). -tom \_ Sorry, by "ahhh, right." I meant "that explains a lot." |
2009/9/16-24 [Politics/Domestic/California] UID:53373 Activity:nil |
9/16 When installing a three-prong electric socket, should the ground prong be on the top, on the bottom, or either way? All the sockets at my home have the ground pins on the bottom, but a electrician told me that the ground pins should be on the top. Thanks. \_ It doesn't really matter, but most three-prong plugs will hang better with the ground prong on top. -tom \_ Wall warts hang a lot better with the ground prong on bottom. And a polorized wall wart without a ground pin hangs for shit if it's upsidedown. \_ The "traditional" way is to put the grounding prong on the bottom. Some electricians prefer to put it on top, with the reasoning that if something conductive slips between the plug and the wall, it will rest on the grounding prong and one live prong instead of both live prongs. \_ That's exactly what the electricial told me. Is there any Federal or CA law that says it has to be one way or the other? --- OP |
2009/9/11-21 [Politics/Domestic/California, Industry/Jobs] UID:53358 Activity:low |
9/10 Everyone, please nominate your favorite sysadm! I vote for Tom Holub aka tom@csua. http://www.boingboing.net/2009/09/10/sysadmin-of-the-year-1.html \_ bahahahahaha you're kidding right? \_ who is tom holub? \_ Aubie. |
2009/9/2-9 [Politics/Domestic/California, Politics/Domestic/California/Arnold] UID:53319 Activity:low |
9/2 California will survive its crackup: http://tinyurl.com/qfzdpn \_ not if we can help it. \_ I like the comparison with Italy. Maybe someday we can have dozens of political parties fighting! yay chaos!! \_ Do you think Italian people have a lower quality of life than Californians? -tom \_ Italian italians or immigrants? \_ Italians in Italy. -tom \_ Italian Italians or non-Italian immigrants in Italy? \_ Which Italians and which Californians? Overall, I'd say I prefer California to Italy for my particular situation. \_ have you traveleed? \_ Yes. I am always glad to be back in CA when I return even though I love to travel. Have you? \_ I have never left CA and I don't see a damn reason why I should leave it or travel! CA 4 LYFE!!!!!! |
2009/8/10-19 [Politics/Domestic/California, Politics/Domestic/California/Prop] UID:53259 Activity:high |
8/10 College ranking http://shine.yahoo.com/event/backtoschool/americas-best-college-497708 #10: StanfUrd #73: Cal Even if ranking public colleges separately, Cal still ranks only #8. (Though The top 3 are all military academies.) \_ Yeah, Cal isn't what it used to be anymore. Increasing bureaucracy and long lines really made it go downhill in the past decade and a half. That, and pissed off alum don't want to donate... \_ What the FUCK is Williams College? WTF? |_ Short for Williams and Sonoma College. \_ There is no such college. There is Williams-Sonoma, Inc. \_ We have now identified Mr. Pedant! \_ If you had gotten a better education, you would have heard of Williams College. \_ Conservatives in California have finally achieved their long desired dream of destroying public higer education. \_ Because conservatives have controlled the California state legislature for the past 4 decades, right? Or was it Bush's fault? \_ It's Pete Wilson's fault. Don't hide it. I know it. You know it. And the American People know it. \_ bullshit \_ It is the combo of Prop 13, "Three Strikes" and Prop 98 that has massacred higher ed funding in CA. These are all Conservative initiatives. The legistlature has very little control over the budget anymore, it is almost all set by Constitutional initiative. \_ I agree that Prop 13 and 3 strikes (I'm not that familiar with prop 98) are largely responsible for budget problems, but if you think those are the only major contributions to the budget problems, you have anti-conservative blinders on. And the state legislature does have control over the budget. That's their job. The fact that they've not done anything significant the past few decades because they're horribly deadlocked doesn't let them off the hook. \_ Prop 98 is 40% of the budget, corrections is now 15%. Interest on bond issues approved by voters is another 10%. Just those alone are 2/3 of the budget and all of that is out of the legislatures hands. \_ Prop 98 might be 40% of the budget, but that 40% is going to educate people for free. To steal money from K-12 kids with no other options to educate kids at UC seems disingenous. \_ It is still money that the Legislature does not have at its disposal, no matter how noble what it is being spent for. \_ Do you want to cut K-12 spending? I don't. Not even for UC. \_ These rankings are bogus. Nothing more to say than that. Mills College is ahead of Cal, Brown, Penn, *and* Dartmouth. Not. \_ Just like it is unreasonable to keep tweaking your ranking criteria and weights until it produces an ordering you like, it seems bogus to not feedback patently bogus orderings into refining your process. Perhaps the answer isnt more tweaking but just to limit what results to share ... for example a system which seeks a lot of resolving power at the top end may not do much in the middle of the pack ... like say in a sport tournament, you may not waste resources to separate #30 from number #31. |
2009/7/29-8/6 [Politics/Domestic/California, Politics/Domestic/RepublicanMedia] UID:53220 Activity:nil |
7/28 Cougars are swapping advice on dating young men: http://www.24-7pressrelease.com/press-release/national-single-cougars-convention-firstever-features-miss-cougar-america-contest-august-28-2009-in-palo-alto-ca-107209.php \_ Why didn't they have "cougars" when I was 21? \_ there have been cougars since the dawn of mankind, which is 1970. Dustin Hoffman and Mrs. Robinson. Your problem was that the cougars talked to each other, and they agreed that you were not something they wanted. |
2009/7/29-8/6 [Politics/Domestic/California, Politics/Domestic/Election] UID:53217 Activity:nil |
7/29 The inmates are threatening to take over the asylum in the GOP (story about birther controversy) http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0709/25444.html \_ cool! |
2009/7/27-8/6 [Politics/Domestic/California, Politics/Domestic/Crime] UID:53204 Activity:nil |
7/27 A very good reading from our own Piaw: http://piaw.blogspot.com/2009/07/politics.html |
2009/7/27-8/6 [Politics/Domestic/California] UID:53203 Activity:low |
7/27 I just heard on the radio that prisoners in California have better medical coverage than MediCal provides. How fair. \_ There's an reasonalbe argument that as wards of the state, the state owes prisoners decent care, just like the state owes them food and shelter. \_ The state owes them a minimal level of care, not care better than the status quo. \_ There's a reasonable argument that the state owes everyone a minimal level of care. \_ Only in Soviet Russia. \_ who gave sara palin a csua account? \_ I know you are mimicking the above poster, but "owe" is the wrong word here. \_ By feeding and providing medical care to prisons, The State is subsidizing crime. \_ By providing better medical care to prisoners than it provides to law-abiding Californians, the State is encouraging crime. |
2009/7/22-27 [Politics/Domestic/California, Politics/Domestic/SocialSecurity] UID:53184 Activity:nil |
7/22 Freepers plotting overthrow of the US government http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2295624/posts \_ so they make Hillary president?! Makes no sense |
2009/7/22-27 [Politics/Domestic/California, Politics/Domestic/California/Arnold] UID:53179 Activity:low |
7/22 "California Apologizes to Chinese Americans" http://news.yahoo.com/s/time/20090721/us_time/08599191198100 \_ That 1850 picture of that Chinese man is pretty damn good for a 1850 picture. In fact, too good for a 1850 picture. I'm willing to bet that it's a forgery. \_ where's the picture? \_ Oh weird, they took it out. It was there this morning \_ We have always been at war with east^Weurasia. |
2009/7/21-8/6 [Politics/Domestic/California, Science/GlobalWarming] UID:53176 Activity:nil |
7/21 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lnq-2BJwatE Stephenson @google booktour. it's pretty cool they have these recordings. \_ when is http://google.edu coming? \_ isn't that what google knol is? \_ http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/08/11/poor-google-knol-has-gone-from-a-wikipedia-killer-to-a-craigslist-wannabe \_ dead? \_ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ah9PyZNb4F8 (Salman Rushdie) \_ One thing I see with all these is just how arrogant and out touch the google employees are about life. I guess koresh's flock were out of touch as well as mansen's. |
2009/7/5-16 [Politics/Domestic/California, Reference/Tax] UID:53113 Activity:low |
7/5 Job A is completely unrelated to Job B. Job A is my main job, and job B is what I do for fun but can't make a living out of [yet]. Let's say job A provides me with 99% of my income. I just invested $20,000 for job B which currently makes only 1% of my income, but I hope to recuperate most of that in maybe 1-2 years. Is there any way deduct my tax rate that I make from job A using expenses from job B? \_ You can carry forward your Job B losses for 3-10 years. \_ why the nebulous 3-10 years? What determines that? \_ So that you look it up or talk to a tax advisor. motd is good to point you in the right direction, but you really shouldn't make tax decisions based on it. \_ you can also incorporate Job B and be a sole shareholder. I recommend Nolo Press. \_ I recommend you do not incorporate unless you like lots of expenses like taxes. For example a C corporation in California pays a minimum of $800 in franchise taxes. This is true if you do business in California, even if you incorporated in another state and even if you operate at a loss. I setup a corporation "just to learn how" for a hobby I did and it turned into a gigantic fustercluck. I am working to have it dissolved now. Please make it go away. \_ He wouldn't do a C Corp, he'd probably do an S Corp, which avoids double taxation and other issues with S Corps. But the Nolo books explain all of this. \_ S Corps still pay the greater of ($800 or 1.5% of net income) in franchise tax and are still double taxed in California. Do not incorporate unless you like paying money to lawyers, accountants, and the government and the laws change seemingly each year which means you will spend a lot of time figuring things out and ignorance is not accepted as an excuse. It makes a lot of sense to incorporate in some instances, but for a hobby I wouldn't do it. \_ wrong. \_ 100% correct. Please to be highlighting the part you think is wrong so that I may educate you. |
2009/5/23-6/1 [Politics/Domestic/California, Politics/Domestic/SocialSecurity] UID:53038 Activity:low |
5/23 Public opinion is basically pathological http://yglesias.thinkprogress.org/archives/2009/05/everything-is-unpopular.php \_ Yeah, voters are stupid. \_ I'm disheartened that the most popular program to cut is the space program. I think most people assume it gets a lot more money than it does. As this article says, its budget is tiny relative to the size of the federal government. I think if people realized what DoD spent they would realize it has to be #1 on the list. Either that, Social Security, or Medicare. Choose. My dad (who gets Social Security) said that if he were a person under 40 he'd lobby hard to reduce it given that we pay in and may never see that money again. I think most people would find defense most palatable. see that money againm but I think most people would find defense see that money again but I think most people would find defense cuts more palatable. (Pie chart of government spending: link:tinyurl.com/oanezb \_ They want stuff and don't want to pay for it. Nothing new to see here. This is, however, why welfare programs are broken. |
2009/5/19-25 [Politics/Domestic/California, Politics/Domestic/California/Prop] UID:53015 Activity:nil |
5/18 How did you vote? I voted: No on 1A-C, and Yes on 1D-F \_ I voted yes on 1A because I want tax to be as high as possible to increase our standard of living, and to get rid of people who are otherwise unfit to live in California-- they should move back to Arizona or other anti-tax states. Viva La California de Republica para Socialism! \_ I actually don't mind a small tax increase and I think a spending cap is a good idea, but I didn't like that the governor can override it whenever he wants and that we have to contribute to this "rainy day fund" even when we are having "rainy days". 12.5% also seems like an awfully large amount of the budget to set aside. With some changes I would have voted Yes on it. \_ I'm hoping for 15%, on top of much higher property tax, as well as 45-50% tax for the wealthiest Americans. Will that ever happen in America? Hell no. But somebody's gotta try. -pp \_ California and Arizona have the same overall tax burden: http://money.cnn.com/pf/features/lists/taxesbystate2005 But don't let facts get in the way of a good rant. \_ I voted no on 1C and yes on the rest. Pretty funny that you would ask how people voted and then censor their responses. \_ I'm the original poster and I didn't censor any responses. Must be someone else. I didn't even see any responses other than the very first, which I responded to. \_ I haven't voted yet, I'm still trying to decide on a couple. 1A: Not sure, the write-up seemed good, but the argument against was much stronger than the argument for. Very complex. \_ You do know that the arguments for/against were written by the same people, right? 1B: No. Schools never seem to have trouble getting money in good year. If the years are good, they'll get money, if not we years. If the years are good, they'll get money, if not we can't afford it. 1C: No. I hate the lotto. 1D: Not sure, transfer money from 1 child service to another? 1E: Not sure, transfer money from metal services for adults to kids? 1D: Yes, the yes argument is better. 1E: Yes, "" "" 1F: Sure, why not? Screw those guys. \_ No on everything. That should be the default position, and there's nothing compelling in this slate. -tom \_ Not sure that follows here. Props can only be adjustd by props, and that's basically what 1D and 1E are. \_ Agreed. 1D and 1E try and undo damage that previous props did. \_ Tom agrees with the Bay Guardian. \_ We may hold the same position on this; that doesn't mean I agree with them. -tom \_ Surprised he isn't pro-tax and pro-schools. \_ You got what you wanted. The cuts at the UC are going to be severe. \_ What I want is to get rid of the 2/3rds majority bullshit that we have right now. \_ I like it. \_ GO GALT!!!!!! |
2009/5/18-25 [Politics/Domestic/California] UID:53009 Activity:nil |
5/18 My company recently switched to electronic pay stubs, with no option to keep getting paper pay stubs. I've asked them to provide me with paper pay stubs, but they refuse. Their argument is that I can print them myself on the office printers. I don't want to have to run to the printer to prevent someone else from picking up my pay stub, or to deal with the hassle of printing it every two weeks. Is there some way I can convince them to offer paper again? I can find vague intimations that California requires paper pay stubs to be available, but no law backing that up. \_ it's 2009, deal with it. \_ Download it and print it at home. \_ Why print at all? I save the pdf in encrypted drives at multiple locations. I do the same for other online statements. |
2009/5/18-20 [Politics/Domestic/California] UID:53008 Activity:nil |
5/18 http://www.peterates.com/props-0509.shtml |
2009/5/12-18 [Politics/Domestic/California, Politics/Domestic/Election] UID:52987 Activity:nil |
5/10 John Yoo is now a newspaper columnist. http://www.philly.com/philly/opinion/20090510_Obama_needs_a_neutral_justice.html - danh \_ See also: "I don't want to go to jail." |
2009/5/4-6 [Politics/Domestic/California, Politics/Domestic/California/Prop] UID:52938 Activity:high |
5/4 Why does The Netherlands have such a sustained lower unemployment \_ Why is it The Netherlands? Is it like an LA Freeway? rate and higher growth than the US? Maybe we can replicate their success here. \_ Start by not spending all your money on military and prisons. \_ They don't have as large a population of illegal immigrants -jblack \_Lots of Euro countries don't have this problem, they still mostly have double digit unemployment. \_ Timely Question: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/03/magazine/03european-t.html \_ jeesh, They really should not be paying this guy by the word. \_ So the government taxes you to death and then gives some of the money back if you have kids, for vacations, and so on. This "Big Brother" sort of society in which the government claims to know what you need more than you do is very anti-American to me, although staunch Democrats must love it because they could tell people what to do with their money. \_ My mother is Dutch and I still have family there. It's a wealthy nation, but very small. I don't see many opportunities to parallel their policies here successfully. \_ Why not? We should have economies of scale that they do not. \_ Because we are much larger and more diverse. I'm not sure that economies of scale play a large part in this. For instance, are there economies of scale for educating 1 million kids versus 100 kids? I'd argue not. In fact, I'd argue it would be cheaper (per kid) to educate the smaller number. \_ It is certainly cheaper to build 100 miles of road, than 10 roads, each 10 miles long. Why do you think that it is cheaper to educate smaller numbers of children? You can get some kinds of economy of scale even in education, with things like standard tests, school books, etc. \_ Examples of why it might cost more to educate more: higher administrative overhead higher probability of kids with special/unique needs more disparate learning abilities and backgrounds harder to find/recruit so many well-trained teachers. \_ Why would there be a higher percentage of kids with special needs? And why harder to find teachers? It should be the same percentage of population in both cases. \_ Because you don't judge these by percentage. Imagine there is a special need which occurs 1/10000th of the time. The school with 100 kids probably doesn't have to deal with it at all (or rarely), whereas the school with 1 million kids probably needs a whole program created to address it. For an example of this consider bilingual education. The Japanese kids at my public school did not have a class dedicated to them, but the South American kids did even though both were small percentage-wise. did. A single Spanish-speaking kid isn't a burden to instruct, but 1,000 is. \_ There is a lot of evidence (and probably literature) on the diseconomies of scale in education. Anecdotally, it explains why property values are significantly lower in parts of LA that are part of LAUSD, one of the largest and most inefficient school districts in the nation. (e.g. San Pedro vs. PV, Culver City vs. Palms, etc). Another way to look at the diseconomies of scale problem is to think of all the complaints against big government (gubment = BAD) or big companies (startups = rewl). \_ If there are diseconomies of scale, why are small private schools so much more expensive than public schools? -tom \_ It's not linear. There can be economies of scale which then translate into diseconomies. Do you really think that LAUSD is more efficient than, say, Berkeley USD? Tangentially related is the whole cherry-picking, charter school and/or voucher concept. Voucher/Charter folks like to really against large districts, but they get to cherry pick students. That said, I think http://greendot.org is pretty awesome and there is a lot to learn from these guys. They fix a lot of standard inner city problems just by "caring". I think it's hard to scale caring. \_ 1. They often provide a better product. 2. It varies by state and district, but many times private schools aren't more expensive for a similar product. California spent $8496 per student in 2005-2006, which was 29th in the nation. The US average was $9100. This figure excludes capital outlay, interest on school debt, and other subsidies. (Source: link:tinyurl.com/cyg468 I believe for example that most private schools (unless they are religious) pay property tax on their land while public schools do not. For this price you can find plenty of private schools for your kids to attend and this discounts scholarships that are often offered. I could not find the average cost of a private school in California, but nationwide in 2003-2004 (latest year I could find) it was $6400 for elementary schools and $13300 for high schools. (Source: http://tinyurl.com/cog8wj Clearly, this figure is not too different from the $9100 average for public schools. \_ You can't compare private schools in Des Moines to public schools in San Francisco. For example: Head-Royce school in Oakland is $19k/year for K-5, $21k/year for 6-8, $27k/year for high school. -tom \_ I am comparing the average national public expenditures to the average national private expenditures. I am not comparing Des Moines to SF. However, I assure you that you can find plenty of private schools even in urban California for less than $10K/year. The schools charging $20-30K per year are elite schools providing much more to their students than public schools do and that's why they cost more. My neighbor's son goes to Saint Francis High School in La Canada. It's a pretty good school. Tuition is $10324. I bet that's not much different from what the local public HS spends. Mater Dei tuition is $10950. Don Bosco Tech is $8600. Not every school is some elitist academy that costs more than Stanford. \_ Parochial schools may be subsidized by the church--you can't just look at tuition to know their costs. -tom \_ They may be, but they may not be and it's not clear to what extent. I went to a Christian school and it wasn't. Public schools receive money from other sources, too, like the PTA fundraisers and gifts. (The public middle school my nephew goes to just received $400K from a donor for a new tennis court.) Also, many students at private schools pay *less than* tuition because they receive financial assistance. I think it's reasonable to compare tuitions because public schools receive a lot of subsidies and private schools have expenses public schools do not (like advertising). I would argue they all wash out, which is why the average private tuition and public school expenditures are so similar to each other. \_ Even Communist Mainland China has a sustained higher growth rate than the US. \_ http://delong.typepad.com/sdj/2009/05/upward-mobility-reality-and-illusion.html \_ This one is great, take that Gold Bugs: link:tinyurl.com/d4lsch |
2009/4/25 [Politics/Domestic/California] UID:52905 Activity:nil |
4/25 Life is unfair: http://www.laalmanac.com/health/he06.htm |
2009/4/21-28 [Politics/Domestic/Immigration, Politics/Domestic/California] UID:52885 Activity:kinda low |
4/21 Real Per Capita spending in CA budget: http://www.lao.ca.gov/2008/spend_plan/fig_6.jpg Note that is is flat, which is the opposite of what we have been repeatedly told on the motd. \_ Does capita take in account for unaccounted illegal immigrants? -Dr. jblack \_ So the problem is we have too many deadbeats? Or a poorly designed tax system? \_ Or are spending far too much of it on prisons. \_ Our inflow is too variable, and the legistlature doesn't want to build a rainy day fund. The last time CA had a budget surplus of any size, the Jarvis crowd went into a lather and cut taxes via initiative, so you can see why they don't want to put anything aside. Maybe people have wizened up, but I doubt it. via initiative, so you can see why they don't want to put anything aside. Maybe people have wizened up, but I doubt it. \_ Damn those immigrants! -jblack \_ This chart is BullShit: Spending in nominal $$$ has roughtly doubled from 1997-8 to 2007-8 (http://www.dof.ca.gov/budgeting/budget_faqs/information/documents/CHART-A1.pdf Population has risen like 12% in that time. (http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0004986.html I don't know what kind of BS inflation numbers they are using to make this work out, but I can tell you that there was not THAT high inflation between 1997 and 2007. make this work out, but I can tell you that it was not THAT high. \_ Given 12% population increase those numbers give me about 1.5x per capita increase over 10 years, or about 4%/year. Seems about right. \_ It does seem kind of high, but 98 to 08 budget is up 80%, not 100%. Let me look at the numbers more closely. |
2009/4/3-5 [Finance/Banking, Politics/Domestic/California] UID:52791 Activity:nil |
4/3 LA homes are affordable again! 500K -> 200K. LA is where your American Dream comes true! http://www.cnn.com/2009/LIVING/04/02/foreclosure.dream.homes/index.html |
2009/3/15-19 [Politics/Domestic/California, Politics/Domestic/California/Arnold] UID:52714 Activity:low |
3/15 "California due to release 1970s radical Olson" http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090315/ap_on_re_us/sla_olson How did someone with such a rap sheet only get to serve seven years in prison? \_ How did someone with such a rap sheet only get to serve seven years in prison? \_ You may want to look up the difference between attempted and actually committed crimes. \_ You may want to look up the difference between attempted and actually committed crimes. \_ The difference is "she screwed up", not "she changed her mind". |
2009/3/13-19 [Politics/Domestic/California, Politics/Domestic/President/Bush] UID:52709 Activity:nil |
3/13 Whee! Now CA has an $8 Billion deficit! Wait, I thought we fixed that? link:tinyurl.com/aob98k \_ You must be new here. |
2009/3/11-17 [Politics/Domestic/California, Politics/Domestic/President/Bush] UID:52700 Activity:moderate |
3/10 Pelosi, you hypocritical bitch http://www.judicialwatch.org/news/2009/mar/judicial-watch-uncovers-documents-detailing-pelosis-repeated-requests-military-travel \_ http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/story?id=7057198&page=1 Let me guess, ABC is obivously just too liberal for words.s \_ Why do you hate America? \_ America: love it or leave it, traitor! \_ You ignorant fool. For one, she's third in line for the presidency. Third. Flying privately with a trusted party makes damn good sense. For another, she didn't request a large plane and only flew on it when no other options were available, opting instead to go for a 12-seater plane. Lastly, her family members aren't even allowed on the plane without compensating the military for the flight. This is not a flagrant abuse of tax dollars. Parent post, ignorant bitch. \_ Let them eat cake! \_ You idiot. Her flying in a private plane is reasonable for safety concerns. The 12-seater is a G5!!! It's a luxury plane. And she was damn particular about wanting the G5: "It is my understanding there are NO G5s available for the House during the Memorial Day recess. This is totally unacceptable," said Pelosi appointee Kay King in a May 10, 2007 message to the DOD. "The Speaker will want to know where the planes are." "This is not good news, and we will now have some very disappointed folks, as well as a very upset Speaker," King wrote in another message to DOD. \_ What would you prefer she ask for, an F-15? \_ If I were her, I'd request a C-5. You can play football in one of those. \_ Oh NOES, an appointee said mean things to staff! That means Pelosi's a corrupt beast! |
2009/3/3-11 [Politics/Domestic/California] UID:52667 Activity:nil |
3/3 Want to play lotto? Try this app first: http://tolearnflash.appspot.com/lotto \_ What? You're saying the lotto is a racket? Say it ain't so! \_ The random number generator seems to be fucked. I'm seeing numbers that way outside of expected outcomes. that are way outside of expected outcomes. \_ I wonder if it wouldn't be more productive to expand lotto opportunities to other social endeavors: lotto for transportation budgets, for example, or an additional five dollar fee at the DMV that enters you into a drawing; would people be more likely to register their vehicles? CA could certainly use the money. |
2009/3/2-5 [Politics/Domestic/California, Politics/Domestic/Gay, Politics/Domestic/Election] UID:52666 Activity:low |
3/2 http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/Business/story?id=6977202&page=1 Conservative states consume the most internet porn. Damn hypocritcal bastards. \_ The bigger question is how many are GAY porns? That's against Jesus Christ and God's belief. \_ Funny, then you would think conservatives would know what "teabagging" means. \_ Ha ha! I didn't know this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teabagging -- !OP \_ You know, I think Jesus would hate most American "Christians". \_ There is one other small problem with Edelman's efforts. His very first reference in the paper is built on a source long known to be completely false. On the second page of the report on his study published in the Journal of Economic Perspectives (Vol 23, #1, Winter 2009), Edelman relies on the claims of porn industry trade publication AVN Media Network that says the online porn industry made $2.8 billion dollars in 2006. AVN also claims that the entire porn industry pulled in nearly $13 billion in 2006. However, it has long been known that the numbers presented by AVN are in no way verifiable. Forbes Magazine took AVN.s claims to task back in 2001 (after one of AVN's earlier reports of porn industry takings) and found the numbers impossible to verify. In 2001 Forbes reckoned that the industry could not have made more than $4 billion, a number far less than the $10 billion AVN was then claiming. A 2007 Boing, Boing article also discussed the unverifiable AVN numbers. \_ What does that have to do with his original research using credit card data? \_ Give Conservatives a break. It's pretty lonely living in the farms and suburbia. |
2009/2/28-3/5 [Politics/Domestic/California, Politics/Domestic/Election] UID:52662 Activity:low |
2/28 Where's ZombieTime when we need him? http://washingtonindependent.com/31868/scenes-from-the-new-american-tea-party \_ In SF, as usual. It looks like this guy pretty much had it covered though. \_ You'd think they could come up with a better gimmick than "teabagging." \_ And why do they have the teenage boy holding up the sign encouraging teabagging? I wonder if he knows what he has been put up to do... |
2009/2/27-3/6 [Politics/Domestic/California, Reference/Tax] UID:52655 Activity:low |
2/27 CA unemployment increases from 9.3% to 10.1% for Jan \_ Good thing the legislature passed the biggest tax increase in history! That should solve it. \_ because cutting taxes has done such a great job so far! \_ it has.. giving mortgages to poor folks did us in \_ 100% horseshit. \_ Find me an economist who thinks raising taxes will help grow the economy. \_ States can't run a deficit AND because of our fucked up initiative system CA spending is pretty locked. There's not much choice. \_ I guess States need some of the stimulus money then because the Feds can run a deficit. Raising taxes right now is stupid. \_ Raising taxes might hurt the economy less than cutting services would. \_ Those are not the only two choices. \_ Once again, 100% horseshit. http://blogs.bellinghamherald.com/politics/?p=845 "Drawing upon economic theory, we believe reducing government spending will have a more deleterious effect on Washington s economy than would increasing revenue. Although both cuts in government spending and tax increases have the potential to slow economic growth, cutting government spending would likely have the most immediate impact by directly reducing consumption. Tax increases are less problematic because individual consumers, especially those with higher-incomes, are unlikely to reduce consumption by the full amount of the tax increase." (First hit on Google.) -tom \_ You do realize that all but a small handful of the economists who are urging for higher taxes rather than reduced government spending in that letter are government employees, right? 100% horseshit indeed. \_ You asked me to find you an economist who thinks raising taxes will grow the economy, and I found you 20+ on the first Google hit, \_ Uh, no. Those 20+ economist merely *said* raising taxes would grow the economy. Whether or not they actually *think* it will is completely different. As I pointed out, they were arguing for raising taxes in favor of cutting state spending. Just casually looking at where these people worked, all but 3-4 of them were easily identifiable as state employees. Do you want me to spell it out for you? \_ Well, gee, pretty much all the economists who say that raising taxes is bad are wealthy taxpayers, so I guess we can ignore their opinions. -tom \_ Before you were just dense. Now you're making imaginary arguments. \_ How is it any more imaginary than the argument that we should discount economists who work for the government? Economists who don't work for the government directly benefit from lower taxes; by your "logic," we should discount their opinions due to conflict of interest. -tom including several who are not government employees. So, yes, 100% horseshit. Want to try moving the yardsticks again? OK, here are some more: \_ These economists are comparing raising taxes versus cutting spending, which is not really the issue. Cutting spending right now would be suicide. The alternative to raising taxes is not cutting spending. It's running a deficit, which makes sense to do during lean economic times. During a Depression is not the time to balance the budget. \_ Nice job moving the yardsticks again. -tom \_ You have a really low hurdle for success if you want to take the original statement literally. http://www.nationaljournal.com/njmagazine/socialstudies.php \_ This article says nothing at all about taxes versus economic growth, but it does point out that federal spending as a % of GDP is higher than historical levels. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/25/business/economy/25leonhardt.html Please discount those, too. -tom \_ The guy in this article notes that the economy grew the fastest in the late 1990s when Clinton "briefly took federal taxes to 20% of GDP". There is no correlation between the taxes being high and the <DEAD>dot.com<DEAD> growth. I think raising taxes during boom periods is a smart idea, but the taxes were not the cause of the boom. At the article points out, when you raise taxes on cigarettes, consumption decreases. When you raise taxes on oil, consumption decreases. You think raising income taxes will not decrease consumption? Herbert Hoover raised taxes during the Depression and it was a horrible blunder. Read up about it. Let's not do that again. http://www.heritage.org/Research/Taxes/wm1835.cfm \_ Do you understand the difference between income tax and sales tax? \_ Do you understand the similarities? |
2009/2/27-3/5 [Politics/Domestic/California, Health/Women] UID:52654 Activity:moderate |
2/27 http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7914357.stm *shocking* allegations. China denounces US 'rights abuse': China has responded in detail to a US report published this week criticising China for alleged rights abuses. Beijing released its own report on the US, saying crime is a threat to many Americans and racial discrimination prevails in social life across the US. \_ Chinese obviously doesn't know much about America. American are actually very abusive in terms of human rights but we've just accept it as part of the norm. example, USA has the highest incarceration rate, relatively high murder rate, Blacks/Latinos being jailed for drug-related crime are disproportionally higher than the demographics of the drug users, etc, etc. And I haven't start talking about outsourcing tortures, prisoner abuse, detain people indefinitely without trial nor charges... I really don't know what is so special about China and their human rights. \_ We generally don't run over protestors with tanks here. -tom \_ All of China is not Bejing. \_ Virtually no one in the USA goes to jail for just using drugs. In fact, in California, even many small time dealers may be released off the hook if caught dealing the first time. Those minorities in jail you're talking about are not there for just drug use. Most of them are recedivist dealers who negotiated a plea deal where they accept a relatively small jail time for drug possession in exchange for the judges dropping the more serious charges. They do it because most of them know their case wouldn't stand in court, and they would have to go to jail for much longer time. Just go outside of campus and see who is dealing drugs. \_ This is not true. I will do some research and get back to you, but there are millions in jail in the US for possession only. \_ Yeah. Please do so. Find and post whacked liberal web site link of the week to support your liberal agenda. I know second hand from people who had known others who had gone through the system. \_ Well since you put it that way, I won't waste my time. Obviously your second hand anecdotal knowledge is superior than any kind of fact-based reasoning. \_ Please tell us about your facts. What are they? You have a proof that the vast majority of drug "users" were not jailed for dealing? No one goes to jail for using drugs in California. That's a fact "users" were not jailed for dealing? No one goes to jail for using drugs in California. That's a fact Even small time dealers get at worst a probation sentense. Anyone who has gone through this system will tell you this. People who are in jail for the most part are real criminals. No doubt about it. You will tell you this. People who are in jail for the most part are the hardened criminals. No doubt about it. You can't see who is dealing drugs in the Bay Area and elsewhere? You still need to do research on that? elsewhere? You need to do research on that? Puhhlease.. \_ "No one goes to jail in California for using drugs." Having a hard time tracking down CA-specific numbers, but Bureau of Justice reports 250k prisoners under jurisdiction of state correctional authorities for drug offenses in 2005: http://csua.org/u/nnz If you can find a breakdown of CA prison pop. that shows no drug offenders, your case is made. \_ I don't know if he's right or not, but surely you realize that your link doesn't actually answer his claim. (Maybe for the same reason as conspiracy theories are impossible to disprove, but still...) Especially since dealing is a drug offense... -!pp \_ Catch-22, then. I would like much clearer statistics, but the sources are hard to find. \_ Yeah, you'd need to find both: how many people are in jail _just_ for possession, and how many plea deals were struck to reduce dealing to possession. And, you'd have to take into account the DAs who use a dealing charge as a threat to get a plea on possession.... \_ http://mises.org/freemarket_detail.aspx?control=7 \_ You might be right, even the DEA is in favor of treatment over jail for first time posession: http://www.usdoj.gov/dea/demand/speakout/10so.htm There's your wacked out liberal site for you, DOJ. |
2009/2/26-3/5 [Politics/Domestic/California, Politics/Domestic/Election] UID:52650 Activity:nil |
2/26 "Fiscal conservatives" like Saxby Chambliss predictably uninterested in Obama's proposal to curtail ag subsidies: http://washingtontimes.com/news/2009/feb/26/lawmakers-hit-obama-proposal-to-cut-farm-aid |
2009/2/26-3/3 [Politics/Domestic/California, Politics/Domestic/Crime] UID:52644 Activity:nil |
2/26 If only Al Gore had had Norm Coleman's balls: http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/02/norm-coleman-maybe-we-need-a-do-over-election.php?ref=fp1 \_ yeah, I'm sure the Republican Congress and the stacked Supreme Court would have gone right along with another election... -tom |
2009/2/25-3/3 [Politics/Foreign/Europe, Politics/Domestic/California] UID:52634 Activity:nil |
2/25 Whoops, looks like SFCron is on the rocks. http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/02/24/BUannounce.DTL \_ Not surprised. They don't even run a full page of comics. Instead, they waste pages and pages on something called "news," which is almost always boring and depressing. |
2009/2/24-3/3 [Politics/Domestic/California, Politics/Domestic/Crime] UID:52631 Activity:nil |
2/24 Megan's Law doesn't work: http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2009/02/study_finds_megans_law_fails_t_1.html |
2009/2/17-22 [Politics/Domestic/California, Politics/Domestic/911] UID:52593 Activity:nil |
2/17 The CA budget compromise only includes $3.1 Billion of actual cuts. The rest are reductions of planned spending. http://www.flashreport.org/blog.php?postID=2009021716041678 |
2009/2/17-19 [Politics/Domestic/California, Politics/Domestic/California/Arnold] UID:52587 Activity:nil |
2/16 By the way, you had better hope you're not owed a CA state tax refund this year. You'll be getting an IOU instead: http://www.ftb.ca.gov/refund_delay_2008.shtml \_ It was less than $300 for me, so I just redirected it to 2009 estimated tax. \_ Mine was around 2 grand. Ouch! -op \_ File amended return. Apply to current year, then decrease your current withholdings by the same amount. You get your refund whether CA likes it or not. \_ What's the best web site to calculate the optimal W2 number for withhold? \_ who cares about 1 month delay? You living paycheck by paycheck? \_ I have no faith in Arnold and the idiots^H^H^H^H^HGOP in the ledge. |
2009/2/17-19 [Politics/Domestic/California, Industry/Jobs] UID:52585 Activity:moderate |
2/16 So California is going to lay off 20% of employees. Seems like a good idea, but won't all those people now get unemployment benefits? So we'll be paying something like 60% of their salaries (depends on their income) for 0% of their work. \_ It's a great idea because we're starving the beast. Who needs a big government? Every man should be self reliant for his own life style. Ya know, buy your own electric generator and sustain your own godamn lifestyle. -Republican troll \_ 500K people are losing their jobs per month. Should the government tax us more so that no one loses a gov't job? ^who still have jobs, \_ Definitely not. The government should tax foreigners who are taking most of the wealth that America trickled down to. \_ The last time CA had a big layoff was 1974. I think it's time. However, 20000 layoff notices doesn't mean 20000 layoffs. \_ Just to be clear: layoffs seem like a good idea, but paying people to not work seems like a bad idea. We should layoff when the economy is *good* so that people get off of unemployment quickly not when the economy is bad and people will have trouble finding other work. \_ That's very true. We should also save money in the good times to spend in the bad. Please call me if you have any inkling that any of these two things might actually happen. \_ San Francisco does it. I can't see why the State can't. |
2009/2/16-19 [Politics/Domestic/California, Politics/Domestic/Election] UID:52580 Activity:kinda low |
2/16 In spite of GOP claims, there is very little pork in the stimulus bill: http://tinyurl.com/bg56eo (TNR) \_ GOP lie and exaggerate? Never! \_ oh? http://tinyurl.com/cpzfnf (WaPo) \_ So you think that spending on High Speed Rail is pork? \_ It's not "stimulus", that's for sure. The spending won't apply to the short term. \_ I don't know about that. A lot of money could be spent on CAs high speed rail project in the next couple of years and I don't know what the condition of the other 11 projects mentioned, but I assume they could be accelerated as well. They are certainly not pork, in any case. |
2009/2/13-18 [Politics/Domestic/California, Computer/Rants] UID:52571 Activity:nil |
2/13 So much for letting us read the bill for 48 hours http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CvnwOjDjnH4 |
2009/2/9-15 [Politics/Domestic/California, Politics/Domestic/Election] UID:52538 Activity:low |
2/9 GOP may be "winning" stimulus debate on TeeVee, but they're losing quite badly with the public: http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/02/another-poll-shows-public-approving-obama-disapproving-gop-on-stimulus.php http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/02/poll-obama-way-ahead-of-gop-on-stimulus.php \_ Uh, the support for the pork package is falling, and now the CBO says we'll get out of the recession without a stimulus. \_ Is the fallback position for the GOP? First they claim that \_ Is this the fallback position for the GOP? First they claim that the stimulus bill will be a disaster, then after it works, they are going to claim "we would have gotten out of the recession anyway"? \_ No, they'll claim that the stimulus package prolonged the recession. They'll keep repeating it and repeating it until the dittoheads think it's a consensus view instead of the product of ideological wack jobs. (See: Conservative positions on FDR and the Depression). -tom \_ Oh, yah, UCLA is conservative. \_ Last I checked, CBO wasn't Republican. \_ Your track record of reliably reporting from other sources is suspect, at least to me. What is the URL to the CBO report in question? It is not an exaggeration to claim that almost every economist, no matter their political stripe, think that a stimulus package is warranted. stripe, thinks that a stimulus package is warranted. \_ There's a summary at: http://gatewaypundit.blogspot.com/2009/02/cbo-predicts-recession-will-end-in-2009.html But you'll dismiss that. So here's a link to the PDF from the CBO: http://www.cbo.gov/ftpdocs/99xx/doc9958/01-08-Outlook_Testimony.pdf \_ There is nothing in the CBO report that supports your claim. In fact, it actually says this: Principles for Fiscal Stimulus In the absence of any changes in policy, CBO projects that the economy will produce about $1 trillion less output per year than its estimated potential in each of 2009 and 2010 and significantly less than its potential in 2011 and 2012 as well (see Figure 12). The unemploy- ment rate is forecast to rise above 9 percent by early next year. Many economists believe that a stimulative fiscal policy (that is, an increase in spending or reduction in taxes designed to foster faster economic growth in the short run) is desirable under the current economic conditions. \_ You apparently have a different definition of the word "falling" than most people. \_ 62% Want Stimulus Plan to Have More Tax Cuts, Less Spending http://tinyurl.com/cajvyb [rasmussen] \_ Wow, just wow. So a 36 point approval gap means nothing to you? Keep drinking that Kool aid, man. \_ I was responding to the "different definition of falling" claim. Sorry for that linear logic. |
2009/2/8-12 [Politics/Domestic/California, Politics/Domestic/California/Arnold] UID:52533 Activity:moderate |
2/8 Why California budget is such a mess: link:www.mercurynews.com/ci_11649004 Most of it is frome the Republican favorites of prisons and tax cuts for car drivers. \_ Gray Davis is the one who caved to the prison guards union. \_ The GOP has been the "get tough on crime" party since the days of Nixon. \_ Maybe, but: 1. I don't see them Democrat-controlled Congress doing any different 2. The voters seem to agree when they vote for things like 3 strikes 3. Gray Davis is the one who thought prison guards need to make $150K per year. He's not a Republican. \_ Prison guards don't make $150k/yr. Why do you spread this kind of BS? They make the exact same as CHP officers, in fact (which might be too high, but it is nothing like your claim, it is more lik $80k/yr). I agree with you on the voter part. this kind of BS? The base pay for a senior guard is $73k/yr, which might be too high, but is no where near your claim. Starting salary is $43k/yr. I agree with you that "the voters" have agreed with the GOP on this issue, at least in the past. Now the chickens are coming home to roost from the irresponsible big government spending the GOP has pushed for. \_ I know a girl whose bf is a prison guard in the Central Valley. With overtime he routinely makes $120K-150K and even up to $200K some years. CHP can make almost as much, too. Certainly 6 figures. http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/state/20060227-2124-guards-staff.html \_ People routinely lie about their salaries. There is a public database that has all California State salaries. Show me a prison guard making $200k per year. Do you think that people who do overtime should not get paid for it? Your article claims that one in ten make 6 figures (with lots of overtime) and this is of course an entirely different claim than your original assertion that prison guards make $150k. "... the average year-end gross pay for a stateprison guard last year was $72,000." \_ My article shows one made $187K in 2006 so it is entirely possible. Maybe the average is not $150K but if 10-15% are making $100K+ (up to $187K) and the rest are making $70K I'd say you are splitting hairs. Yes, prison guards (at least some) do make $150K per year. That is not a lie. \_ The average is $72k so half (or so) are making less than this. Surely you know what an average is. From your article "An analysis of state payroll data shows the average base pay last year for a guard was $57,000." The guy making $150k must be working 90 hrs/wk or something. Hard to begrudge him getting paid twice as much if he does the work of two men, though perhaps the state should try and distribute the overtime more evenly. The claim that one (in 20000) prison guards makes $150k a year is pretty amazingly different from the claim that "prison guards make $150k/yr" and you are disingenuous to claim otherwise. distribute the overtime more evenly. you are disingenuouss to claim otherwise. you are disingenuous to state otherwise. |
2009/2/6 [Politics/Domestic/California] UID:52530 Activity:nil |
2/6 I'm hearing about "The worst CA drought in 20 years." Honestly, I can't seem to recall any year when I didn't hear about a drought in CA. Still, it seems to be raining more than last year. Does anyone have the numbers to show this drought is so bad? |
2009/2/6-12 [Politics/Domestic/California, Science/GlobalWarming] UID:52526 Activity:kinda low |
2/6 Chu says global warming will turn CA into a desert. Why can't I see any trend on Tahoe snowfall in the last 100 years? http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=pj0h2MODqj3hvJSHq8lYoEA \_ Because you're an idiot. \_ Wait, there IS a trend there? Can you point it out? \_ There does not appear to be a trend in that particular set of data, taken out of context. The fact that you think that is significant is why you are an idiot. \_ The context to me is that there has been warming over the last century, but no trend in the snowpack. Can you explain why that's not significant? -op \_ Your graph is snowfall, not snowpack. It's also picking only one spot, when mountain conditions vary wildly from one place to another. And the effects of global warming are not linear. -tom \_ Ah, thanks for pointing out my mistake of pack vs. fall. Far more useful than simply saying I'm an idiot. -op \_ That's not why you're an idiot. \_ FYI, your an idiot b/c you have dared to doubt \_ FYI, you're an idiot b/c you have dared to doubt the revealed truth of the prophet Gore. How dare you! Who are you to think unapproved thoughts! \_ The one good thing about Global Warming is that it might (might!) dry up some of that froth. |
2009/2/4-10 [Politics/Domestic/California] UID:52512 Activity:kinda low |
2/4 Another business flees California http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/02/04/AR2009020401632.html \_ this whole bribe businesses to "create" jobs is a crock of bs imo \_ Sure, but the end result is CA loses jobs. \_ well, no, it isn't. Other business replace them. -tom \_ May I suggest that when you make such asinine comments that you don't sign your name? You're only embarrasing yourself. \_ May I suggest that when you personally insult someone else that you sign your name? Coward. (And here's a hint: there are more jobs now in California than ever before). -tom \_ what is the point of having jobs in califoria when the state government can't get tax from them again? |
2009/1/22-27 [Politics/Domestic/California, Politics/Domestic/President/Clinton] UID:52446 Activity:nil |
1/22 We now have more government workers than manufacturing Note the steady growth of gov't jobs http://fabiusmaximus.wordpress.com/2009/01/20/milestone \_ What is this guys source for data? Overall employment in the Federal Govt shrank during the Clinton years, but state govt may have more than made up for that, I don't know. \_ He says what his source is, right there on the page. \_ That source doesn't do it for me, but I tracked down the original data, which is from the US Census. Good enough for government work, right? The percentage of the population that has been employed by the government has been steady at 7% since 1980. The percentage employed in manufacturing has declined. \_ The numbers at http://www.bls.gov/emp/empmajorindustry.htm match OPs chart. (and btw, these show a 14% Gubment employment level, again not including tax attorneys and gubment contractors.) |
2009/1/12-15 [Politics/Domestic/California, Politics/Domestic/California/Arnold] UID:52362 Activity:moderate |
1/12 Californians fleeing to other states in record numbers: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090112/ap_on_re_us/fleeing_california \_ Thank god, I hope this will ease up with congestion. On the other hand, this may result in Latino explosion... hmmm.... \_ OH NOES! THE LATINOS ARE COMING! \_ I don't mind more Salma Hayek and Yurizan Beltran. \_ "...in fact, the state's population continues to increase overall" \_ Yay! \_ So you think California sucking ass is a good thing? Did you read the article? \_ I think that California could do with a little more fleeage. \_ I would flee CA if my job wasn't so awesome. \_ It's in the 60s in January here in SFBA. It's 16 in Kansas. Not moving. \_ It's in the 80s here in SoCal in January, which is why I did move. Arizona and Florida are also nice this time of year, so it's not all about weather. \_ But Arizona and Florida suck in the summer. \_ Suck in general. Sorry, can't stand most of non- California's attitude toward race and politics. \_ link:www.csua.org/u/nai \_ do you have a thick accent and wear People's republic of Berkeley tshirts? \_ what year are you living in, new england is fine. \_ Boston is the new Sunnyvale. \_ Somerville is the new Sunnyvale. |
2009/1/5-8 [Politics/Domestic/California] UID:52316 Activity:nil |
1/5 He's good enough, he's smart enough, and doggone it, people like him! \_ Well, the Sec of State likes him enough to steal the election. \_ I guess the Republican leaning election board liked him too. \_ Someone had to win. The error measurement of an election is greater than the difference of votes in these cases, so it is basically a toss-up. |
2008/12/28-2009/1/7 [Politics/Domestic/California, Politics/Foreign/MiddleEast/Iraq] UID:52300 Activity:moderate |
12/22 What the deal with flyng a confederate flag? I always assumed it was a symbol of racism, but some people seem to do it so casually that I'm not sure that's it anymore. \_ it's a southern heritage pride thing, which oftens involves the flag waver ignoring how pissed off a brown person might get about it. whatever, i don't care, i'll never live anywhere where people are stupid enough to still wave the rebel flag \_ Well, yeah, but I live in the bay area and there's a house down the street with one next to the US flag. WTF? \_ Maybe getting up in his face would help resolve the situation, especially if you are a minority or foreign born. \_ flying US flag == ok. flying rebel flag == not so ok. understand? \_ it's just a dukes of hazard thing \_ It's not typically about racism. It's about pride of independence. I went to the Jefferson Davis home and there were Confedertate flags everywhere (as you might guess) and race doesn't play any part in it. It might have 100 years ago, but not now. \_ Really? Do you know any black people that fly a confederate flay? Why not? flag? Why not? \_ I bought mine at a store in alabama from a black storekeeper. \_ I personally don't know *anyone* who flies a Confederate flag. However, like I said, I saw some flying at the home of Jefferson Davis. Do you think that's a statement on race? I don't. \_ I've seen it flown everwhere, from alabama to black rock city. You see what you want to see with it. YMMV \_ The problem with showing Ink Blob psychology pictures to a nation as diverse as America is that you're almost guaranteed to offend someone. \_ You're guaranteed to offend someone no matter what you do or don't do. I think a lot of Yankees find the Confederate flag offensive, but I'm not sure it's because of any racial issue. The Civil War wasn't really about race. I spent some time touring antebellum plantations this holiday and was told that almost nothing changed in terms of treatment or conditions for the 'slaves' after the Civil War ended except that they drew meager salaries which basically provided for their subsistence. Some of the 'slave's quarters' were used by sharecroppers up until the 1970's. Southerners were very classist, certainly. Maybe still are. However, the Confederate flag is not some blatant symbol of racism like, say, the Swastika is. If it makes people uncomfortable it's because it reopens wounds that still haven't completely healed (on both sides). Yankees like to play the race card more than Southerners do when it comes to the Civil War and the Confederacy which is, I think, how Lincoln and his cabinet crafted things to be. (History is written by the winners...) I've spent a lot of time in The South and Yankees are guilty of perpetuating a lot of ugly Southern stereotypes. It's just that in places like SF there's no one to call them on it and so it becomes fact to people who obtain all of their knowledge of The South from "The Dukes of Hazzard". \_ It's on TV, it's true. Moral of the story: if you start a war, you better make sure you win the war. WW2 turned a bunch of elitist Japanese into Western material worshipping, bukake loving wimps. \_ The Civil War was certainly about slavery, even if it wasn't about "race." Are you really this mis- informed about American history, or are you just trolling? Of course the Confederate flag is a symbol of racism, perhaps not when flying over a monument, but pretty much every racist group, including the Klan and skinhead groups, uses it as one of their symbols. You have a very simplistic view of The Reconstruction and aftermath as well, btw. The former slaves did not simply all turn into sharecroppers. I agree with what you say about many Californians idiotically assuming that everyone with a Southern accent must be stupid and uneducated. I was stationed in North Carolina for three years and people there are no dumber than anywhere else. If anything, race relations are probably a bit better in The South than in The Bay Area today. \_ The Civil War was not really about slavery. Lincoln didn't free the slaves until it was underway and not even in all states. That's not to say that slavery wasn't a contributing factor to the conflict. However, as you say, slavery isn't race. Lincoln himself believed in white supremacy. Many (most?) Yankees opposed to slavery were still racist and slavery was hardly a Southern North American phenomenon. Slavery hasn't been allowed for 140 years, but racism is still alive and well in this country. The Confederate flag isn't a symbol of racism any more than is the American flag which the Klan proudly displays at its rallies. BTW, I didn't say all slaves turned into sharecroppers. I mentioned that because it was clear that the Yankees didn't give a shit about what happened to the slaves they freed and many of them had the same (or worse) lives after the Civil War. That's not to say slaves preferred bondage, but it calls into question Yankee motives when there were people essentially working as paid slaves to wealthy landowners at least until the 1970s if not beyond. To be clear: I think the Confederate flag can rightfully be construed as offensive, but not because it represents racism. How would you feel about someone flying the flag of the USSR or North Korea? \_ Your broad brush ignores the thousands of "carpetbaggers" who risked everything to move to The South to help blacks gain the rights to vote and public education. Many of them ended up killed for their efforts. Not to mention the many northerners who stayed at home and supported Republican causes. While it is true that eventually most of the gains of the Civil War were rolled back, it is a stretch to lay this at the hands of "Yankees." It was mostly Southern voters who created things like Black Laws and Jim Crow. They had some support from Northerners, to be sure, but not generally a majority of them. In America today, wearing or displaying the Confederate flag is generally concered a statement supporting the ideals of the Southern Rebellion, which inculded support for slavery and the racism that implies. There are exceptions of course, and everything depends on circumstance (using one in a play about the antebellum South, for example), but a majority feels that way. You can argue until you are blue in the face but it won't change that fact. \_ Do you have any evidence to support your fact that a majority of people associate the Confederate flag with racism? How much of a majority: 51% to 49%? What if 88% of people don't see a problem with it, but 12% do? Is that still okay? What if those 12% are also blacks? I'd like to see some statistics here. \_ Do you need to see statistics that flying the flag of the Third Reich has implications of anti-semitism? The Confederacy was a government that wanted to assert its right to make decisions separately from the federal government, and the major issue the rebel states wanted self-determination about was slavery. It's disingenuous to say the Civil War wasn't about slavery just because the Emancipation Proclamation happened after it began; slavery was the #1 political issue of the time. -tom \_ The Third Reich incinerated lots of Jews and made no apologies. On the other hand, the Confederates didn't do anything the Yankees didn't. It's not like the Union was exclusively comprised of states that did not own slaves or that Northerners were not racist. So, yes, I need to some some statistics. I saw some hand-waving on the Internets about most people (even most black people) *not* being offended by the Confederate flag. Cited was a Harris poll taken in 1994, but Harris archives do not go back that far. Real data and not opinions taken as fact by Bay Area Yankees would be really useful. \_ People from California are generally \_ People from C[A] are generally not considered Yankees, or at least that is what I have been told by many Southerners. In any case, googling for "confederate flag gallup" gives you the results of a gallup poll in 1992 and 2000 on this topic. In 1992, 27% thought that displaying the Confederate Flag was primarily or partially racist, in 2000, the number was 37%. They have not done a poll since then. A majority of blacks in Alabama voted to remove the "stars and bars" from the state flag, while a majority of whites voted the opposite. Gallup poll responders were split on the issue in 2000. and bars" from the state flag, while a majority of whites voted the opposite. Gallup poll responders were split on the issue in 2000. \_ California was fighting on the side of the Union, so... Less than 40% of people consider it "partially racist". Therefore, most people do not consider it so. \_ Yes, I can do the math and I see that my claim is not supported by polls from 2000. I would like more recent numbers if possible, but in any case, you can see why it is a contentious issue. \_ This is not a symbol of racism: http://tinyurl.com/983av3 \_ I've noticed that hate websites really look like shit. This one isn't the worst I've seen, but is somewhat shitty. |
2008/12/12-17 [Politics/Domestic/California, Politics/Domestic/Election] UID:52237 Activity:high |
12/12 Turns out it was the Dems in the senate who stopped the bailout http://tinyurl.com/6yvf6k \_ Right. And the Democrats are the ones who got us into the War in Iraq. Uh huh. \_ Uh, the vote for cloture was 52, with 4 D's voting nay and 4 not voting. You think that's up for debate? \_ The vote was as follows: Democrats: 42 Y 4 N 4 A Republicans: 10 Y 40 N(and A) And your conclusion is that the Democrats "stopped the bailout" right? \_ Keep on pretending. \_ Good for them. I'm disappointed that more aren't against it. -tom \_ Woah, tom & I agree on something? -emarkp \_ tom, you, and I agree on this. But we're bound to agree on tautologies, like oxygen is necessary for living, drinking water is good for you, literacy is good etc. -pollux \_ Yes, I figured this was implicit in my comment--an issue on which there are legitimate opinions on either side. -emarkp \_ socialising failure and communism for the rich is not a legitimate reason. Historically this is chrysler bailout #2 so, so philosophically, morally, and historically this bailout shouldn't happen. -pollux \_ who cares if we bailed out Chrysler before. We bailed out the world of finance in the 80s, why did we bail them out again? \_ you had your socialist empire, it failed, leave us alone. No bailouts. \_ so we give 800 billion to the banks, and we cant give 15 bill to the industrial base? great. \_ If you want the government to invest in the country's industrial base, then is handing 15-34 billion to these three companies really the best way to go about it? Consider that this is more than these three companies put together are worth. \_ No, I think the idea is more that we can't afford another 1M unemployed right now. \_ It's time for poetic justice; we should have the auto makers declare bankruptcy, and give their assets to Amtrak, who will use them to develop trolley systems in cities nationwide. -tom \_ There are about, what, eight cities in the nation that would benefit by this? Fewer? And how many of those don't already have a trolley or similar? \_ I was joking, but every city would benefit by having a trolley system. Every city *did* benefit by having a trolley system; they were widespread in the early 20th century. They only were killed because of a typically unfortunate marriage of politics and greed. -tom \_ Only in the sense that every city would also benefit by having free public helicopter service. \_ The ROI on commuter rail in most American cities is better than ROI on roads. -tom \_ Why was the plan blocked? An e-mail message circulated among Senate Republicans declared ... an opportunity ... to "take their first shot against organized labor." \_ i can fake email headers too \_ http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/15/opinion/15kristol.html |
2008/12/9-12 [Politics/Domestic/California, Politics/Domestic/Election] UID:52217 Activity:nil |
12/9 The book burners of the left http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/07/opinion/07egan.html?_r=1&ref=opinion \_ What the fuck are you talking about? Are you insane or just retarded? \_ I think I'm stupider for having read that. \_ Your reading comprehension is poor. |
2008/12/3-7 [Politics/Domestic/California, Politics/Domestic/Election] UID:52155 Activity:nil |
12/3 Chambliss (R) wins in GA: http://preview.tinyurl.com/69ppdp [wash. post] |
2008/12/2-7 [Politics/Domestic/California] UID:52147 Activity:nil |
12/2 Joke: CA passed a law for bigger cages. What are they going to do with the smaller cages? http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/2008/11/californias-spl.html \_ Yes, that makes sense. The state with the most progressive civil union laws will cage gays. Sure. \_ It's a joke son. \_ A stupid joke. That ignores reality. \_ So a frog walks into a bar, slaps down a hundred dollar bill saying "give me a beer." Bartender hands over a beer and, thinking "what does a frog know anything about money?" says "That'll be $100 please." The frog gives him the money and starts drinking the beer. As he's sitting there the bartender starts to feel a bit guilty about ripping the frog off, so he makes some smalltalk. "We don't get many frogs around here" he says and the frog replys get many frogs in here" he says and the frog replys "At prices like that I'm surpised you get anyone." \_ A rabbi walks into a bar with a purple frog on his shoulder. The bartender says, "wow, where'd you get that?" The frog replies, "Brooklyn! There's hundreds of 'em." \_ And old man goes to confessional and says "Father, I'm 80 years old, I've been married for 55 years but last night I had sex 6 times with 18 year old twins" The priest asks "Ok. How long has it been since your last confession?" "Oh I've never been, I'm Jewish father." "Then why are you telling me?" "Are you kidding, I'm telling everyone!" \_ Q. What's brown and sticky? A. A stick Two muffins are sitting in an oven. One looks to the other and asks, "Dude, is it getting really hot in here?" The other replies, "HOLY SHIT! A talking muffin!" \_ Knock knock. \_ MOOOOOO! \_ What would make sense is to cage Mormons. I mean, they're already living in an overly sheltered world anyways, what difference will it make? |
2008/11/25-12/2 [Politics/Domestic/California] UID:52106 Activity:nil |
11/25 State of California decides that complaint against Mormon Church for violating political financing laws is worth investigation: http://tinyurl.com/6e6mxb (SF Gate) \_ There's an editorial in the Chronicle today from a high school student who is mad people said mean things to him when he went to a Yes in 8 rally. They were mean! MEAN I TELL YOU. \_ At least she wasn't beaten by two grown men: http://www.sfexaminer.com/local/33829524.html |
2008/11/21-28 [Politics/Domestic/California, Politics/Domestic/California/Prop] UID:52069 Activity:nil |
11/21 California now state with 3rd highest unemployment rate at 8.2% (behind Michigan and RI at 9.3%) \_ Just wait until Ahnold's new taxes kick in. \_ I'm looking forward to my new 11.25% sales tax rate. \_ Is this for reals or just a joke? URL? \_ REPEAL PROP 13!!! |
2008/11/21 [Politics/Domestic/California, Politics/Domestic/Election] UID:52064 Activity:nil |
11/21 Franken's continuing efforts to steal an election http://tinyurl.com/56sept |
2008/11/17 [Politics/Domestic/California, Finance/Investment] UID:52014 Activity:nil 72%like:51977 |
11/14 http://delong.typepad.com/sdj/2008/11/worst-economic.html PSOTO thinks we're all gonna die. \_ lulz lulz lulz lulz lulz lulz lulz lulz \_ does this sequence converge? \_ That's a pretty terrifying chart \_ "worst downturn since the Great Depression" - duh? we're all gonna die / mad max? I don't see that. |
2008/11/16-17 [Politics/Domestic/California] UID:51998 Activity:nil |
11/17 Mormon Church claims it followed the law in Prop 8 spending reports: http://www.sltrib.com/ci_10982571 \_ ...and opponents say they didn't. Will be interested to see what the authorities conclude. |
2008/11/15-26 [Politics/Domestic/California, Politics/Domestic/911, Politics/Domestic/Election] UID:51994 Activity:nil |
11/16 America: not racist anymore! http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081116/ap_on_re_us/obama_racial \_ is that why people are celebrating, b/c their white guilt is over? |
2008/11/14-26 [Politics/Domestic/California, Finance/Investment] UID:51977 Activity:low 72%like:51974 72%like:52014 |
11/14 lulz http://delong.typepad.com/sdj/2008/11/worst-economic.html BDELONG thinks we're all gonna die. \_ lulz lulz lulz lulz lulz lulz lulz lulz \_ does this sequence converge? \_ That's a pretty terrifying chart \_ "worst downturn since the Great Depression" - duh? we're all gonna die / mad max? I don't see that. |
2008/11/14-26 [Politics/Domestic/California] UID:51975 Activity:nil |
11/13 lulz Hey lulz guy, if you delete this one more time, I am going to start nuking the motd. -#1 lulz guy fan http://tinyurl.com/68g36c Complaint filed against Mormon church for lying about campaign contributions to Prop 8. \_ that is a gay blog \_ I hope you report on the result when this ridiculous case is thrown out. Any lawsuits against other groups? How about Rev. Wright's church? How about any church that has had candidates behind the pulpit? \_ lulz \_ Why would he? Let those with that interest post their own junk. No one's stopping them. |
2008/11/14 [Politics/Domestic/California, Finance/Investment] UID:51974 Activity:nil 72%like:51977 |
11/14 http://delong.typepad.com/sdj/2008/11/worst-economic.html BDELONG thinks we're all gonna die. "lulz" |
2008/11/13 [Politics/Domestic/California, Politics/Domestic/Gay] UID:51963 Activity:nil |
11/13 http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081108/ap_on_re_us/mormon_backlash_boycott_2 |
2008/11/12-26 [Politics/Domestic/California, Reference/Military] UID:51955 Activity:nil 66%like:51950 |
11/12 http://preview.tinyurl.com/5ajv4e [la times] SCOTUS hates whales. \_ Save the whales - collect the entire set. For those who are interested, here is a link to the opinion: http://www.supremecourtus.gov/opinions/08pdf/07-1239.pdf |
2008/11/12-26 [Politics/Domestic/California] UID:51953 Activity:nil |
11/12 Democrat Begich takes 3-vote lead in Alaska Senate race http://preview.tinyurl.com/5d57to ...how would this not trick an automatic recount or special run-off election? \_ Aren't you supposed to be banging some hot 22 year old with an ass that melts butter or something? Did she dump you? \_ Did you even read your own article. \_ Of course not! |
2008/11/12 [Politics/Domestic/California, Reference/Military] UID:51950 Activity:nil 66%like:51955 |
11/12 http://www.latimes.com/business/la-na-scotus13-2008nov13,0,4304606.story USSC hates whales. |
2008/11/11-26 [Politics/Domestic/California, Politics/Domestic/Gay] UID:51921 Activity:nil |
11/11 Forces of tolerance in Palm Springs http://tinyurl.com/6x4dl7 (Fox affiliate news piece on old lady demanding to protest The Gay amidst Prop 8 opposition) \_ You shouldn't have to tolerate bigotry and hate \_ Yet we have to put up with you? |
2008/11/10-26 [Politics/Domestic/California, Politics/Domestic/President] UID:51904 Activity:nil |
11/10 Why $700B in bailout money? Here is one chart: http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h253/etzelo/control1.jpg \_ http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2008/10/30 Can't cut GS bonus money this year, can we? |
2008/11/7-13 [Politics/Domestic/California, Politics/Domestic/Gay] UID:51868 Activity:low |
11/7 Now that prop 8 looks like it's passed, does that mean all married gay couples have to file taxes separately again, and revert any other agreements from married to domestic partner (if it existed)? \_ Presumably not until after the case is heard. \_ I think it should be in effect the day the results are certified, unless there's an injuction. -op \_ Even if the courts ok it, it isn't clear what will happen to people who were married before the gay marriage man. \_ well, doesn't prop 8 define marriage as between a man and a woman \_ doesn't prop 8 define marriage as between a man and a woman \_ did some more reading. apparently the fact that it may (a) retroactively penalize individuals and (b) conflict with equal protection argues the "existing marriages still valid" case. -op \_ Uh, emancipation retroactively punished the slaveowners. \_ Uh, no. Since the human beings were no longer property, no penalty was accrued. Now, if the slaveowners had had to make reparations, that would have been punishment. \_ uh, they'd paid money for slaves. the slaves were then released. Where'd that investment go? \_ By the terms of emancipation, they could not own the slaves to begin with. There was no more investment here than there would be in purchasing uncontained oxygen. The risk that they assumed in purchasing slaves (i.e., that slavery would be abolished) was merely part of the cost, not a retroactive punishment. \_fascism is the name of an ancient way o f keeping a group t o g e t h e r ; unified against decadence-and-the-perils-of a-lost-society-built-on-the cult of ego worship; usury! so that w e can pursue holism i n seeking the path to truth hidden; this is but o n e veritas \_ Wow! What a subliminal message. |
2008/11/6-13 [Politics/Domestic/California, Politics/Foreign, Politics/Domestic/California/Prop] UID:51866 Activity:low |
11/6 SOCIALNETWORKISM \_ Yes? What about it? Young people today with nothing to lose but everything to gain from Socialism, embrace it. We're tired of having sucky infrastructures and unfairness. Let us all embrace socialism. \_ Why do you think they have nothing to lose? \_ Read Prop 13 history and ramifications \_ I presume you are free-market type. Please do tell me you oppose the 700 billion bail out package. Please tell me you do support the abolishment of - SEC - FDIC - FDA - minimum wage - child labor law - ban on human trafficking and let the invisible hand does everything. \_ Excellent straw man sir! \_ oh yeah? why don't you take a shot at it. Free Market right? do you support the 700 billion bail out? do you support government bail out of GM/Ford? do you support government in effect double our national debt by acquiring AIG (liability on AIG's book constitute as part of national debt). Do you support roll back of margin requirement regulations that imposed by FDR? Do let me know. Because *PERSONALLY* given the choice of government take over these failed companies versus just hand out free cash to them with little or no string attached, I prefer the former. If a company is too big to fail, then, it's to big. Let it fail as free market dictate, right? \_ You know, I'd say 8 of the top 10 nicest countries to live in in the world are socialist. \_ Which are the other two? Switzerland and Singapore? \_ Nicest for who? You need to think about that. \_ I'm the decider, and I decide what is best for the country. -GWB \_ Wow, I think this is the most efficent troll I have ever seen. Bravo! \_ Seconded. It takes the Art of Troll to the next level. Kudos! \_ Key word: socialism \_ BUD CORT doesn't like your tone. Obviously you've never \_ BUD CORT doesn't like your tone. Obviously you've never been served. |
2008/11/6-13 [Politics/Domestic/Gay, Politics/Domestic/California] UID:51863 Activity:moderate |
11/6 Does anyone know why most of the coastal counties are anti prop 8 and most of the inland counties are for prop 8? http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2008/results/individual/#CAI01 \_ Because people who live near the coast tend to be more wealthy and worldly, while people stuck inland tend to be landlocked hicks. \_ ^hick^yokel \_ racist! eh, yokelist! \_ Um, you did see that 70% blacks voted yes on 8? Not even Christians voted yes on it at that high of a rate. \_ Blacks have a tendency to exhibit hick-like behavior. \_ racist \_ The big cities are coastal. Urban centers tend to be more lefty. Besides, if you were to guess where gay people lived, wouldn't SF and LA be high up on your list? \_ No, just SF. LA's only gay spot is N Hollywood, which is nothing compared to SF. As for the rest like Orange County, it's very much a non-religious Republican stronghold with lots of people believing in family values. \_ It's WEST Hollywood. North Hollywood is a rough area in the valley. No self-respeting gay man would be caught dead there. \_ At that point, his location probably wouldn't be up to him. \_ Congratulations, you get the joke \_ "family values" in the OC include ignoring your children, cheating on your spouse, divorcing, and having abortions in other parts of CA so as to avoid running into someone you know at the clinic. Fuck OC. \_ I've heard so much about the OC. I've seen it in Desperate Housewives. But tell us more about the OC, I'd like to hear from someone who actually experienced it \_ Got a car? No? Don't bother. \_ I'd like to hear from someone who actually experienced *them*. |
2008/11/5 [Politics/Domestic/California, Politics/Foreign/Asia/Japan] UID:51845 Activity:nil |
11/5 RIP Michael Crichton: http://preview.tinyurl.com/5uo43y [cnn] |
2008/11/5 [Politics/Domestic/California] UID:51841 Activity:very high |
11/5 I can't believe Proposition 8 passed... further proof that California is full of ignorant people and bigots. \_ When flaming people for ignorance, run your comments through spell-check. [Don't delete this, please. This is a flame for your spelling.] \_ MORMON POWER! Don't mess with us! \_ ob why do you want public school to turn your kids gay \_ What I find strange is that on one hand Prop 8 passed, while on the other hand Californials voted for Obama over McCain by a wide margin. They seem contradictory. \_ Why, because Obama "married" a transgender "man"? \_ Because Prop 8 is a high-profile proposition and Obama opposes it. -- PP \_ He also opposes same-sex marriage. \_ Multi-tiered issue voting. \_ Blacks tend to be more religious and less accepting of homosexuality; they turned out in droves to vote for Obama. \_ Exit polls disagree with you. http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2008/results/polls/#CAI02p1 |
2008/11/4-5 [Politics/Domestic/California] UID:51828 Activity:high |
11/4 Regardless of the outcome, I'm very proud of all the Americans who voted today. We've come a long way and it's amazing that women & black men actually have a chance of winning. Something like this was unthinkable in the 60s. We've come a long way. \_ not really. they all suported the bailout which continues to come pouring out of our pockets. maybe it was necessary to win the election, but it's still fucked up. \_ Considering that we voted for a black president even though the population is 80% white and 13% black, yes we've come a long way. Or, Bush has come a long way to screw up his party that even a black candidate could beat the Republican nominee. black candidate (let alone the first major one in US history) could beat the Republican nominee. \_ You're proud of all who voted? That's incredibly vacuous. \- in 2004 when bush was re-elected, i was really demoralized that this wasnt just "four more years" but said something bigger and something awful about america and intolerance and parochialism and appeals to the "worse angels of out nature". now on the other hand i am amazed the first black president isnt a 65yrs old black man raised in a affulent suburb of new york city with a long moderate legislative history who only made it to the top after being tapped as VP or Secy State or other national office by "the establishment" or a distinguished military career [sort of a colin powell senario ... except it would be the yr 2052]. it is so amazing the man to took us here was is a young man, without any political connections and exceeding modest family background, a father from "exotic kenya", a mother with an odd lifestyle, who grew up in indonesia and hawaii, has the middle name "hussein", was a professor at an elite college ... pointinheaded, academically inclined university of chicago for crying out loud ... built a campaign apparatus against a consciousless, highly resourced heir apparent ... it is amazing epic story. with a sad and poignant "literary" turn at the very end with the death of the grandmother [the details of his relationship with her have their own amazing almost "literary" quality ... like thier greyhound trip across the country]. just amazing. --psb \_ Yes, except California is still full of biggots. Prop 8 passed. \_ And illiterates, apparently. \_ Yes, except California is still full of bigots. Prop 8 passed. \_ MORMON POWER!!! \_ Yes, except that the winner is still the one with X times (I think it's 8) campaign spending over the loser. think it's 7) campaign spending over the loser. \- this is not like corzine in new jersey. they fact that so much of the money came from people giving a continual stream of small donations suggested they were engaged rather than "throwing money at the problem". one reason for the strength of conversative causes like pro-lifers is they are willing to make ssacrifices for their beliefs, such as spending a afternoon agitating about their cause rather than drinking beers and playing pool. a better criticism might be "well all he had to do was beat Hilary (the extreme liar) and then coast to victory ... it doesnt say that much about america" but i dont agree with that either. although he does get more propers for beating a cockroach like her who would not go gently into the night and felt differnt rules applied to her. |
2008/11/4-5 [Politics/Domestic/California, Politics/Domestic/Election] UID:51823 Activity:nil |
11/4 What graphical/topo map web site do you guys use to track latest poll results live? Does it show trend, volumn, etc easily? \_ Where can I find live results for Prop 8? I really want to know where people stand on Prop 8, geographically. \_ http://maps.google.com/help/maps/elections/#2008_election \_ http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2008 \_ NYT iPhone dashboard (webpage, not a stupid, buggy app): http://www.nytimes.com/2008/results/dashboard.html Non-iPhone: http://elections.nytimes.com/2008/results/president/map.html |
2008/11/4 [Politics/Domestic/California, Computer/SW/WWW/Browsers] UID:51808 Activity:low |
11/4 reload this several thousand times today: http://maps.google.com/help/maps/elections/#2008_election \_ It seems to refresh automatically. \_ It's strange. I get the zoom buttons in IE7 but not Firefox 2, while I get maps for Alaska and Hawaii at the bottom left in Firefox 2 but not in IE7. |
2008/11/3 [Politics/Domestic/California] UID:51804 Activity:kinda low |
11/3 I just heard that Republicans are supposed to vote WEDNESDAY. Make sure you spread this news! \_ Republicans vote tomorrow; Dems vote Wednesday! \_ I just heard that Replblicans say that Democrats are supposed to vote Wednesday. Make sure you spread the news that Republicans are spraeding this news! |
2008/11/3 [Politics/Domestic/California] UID:51795 Activity:high |
11/3 Protect Marriage and vote YES ON EIGHT! Trickle down economy works. Let's cut tax till the beast is starving. Let California go bankrupt! Iraq War is good. God Bless. -Reagan loving zombie troll \_ What's Obama's position on CA Prop 8, or the same issue on national level? \_ Obama is anti-8 \_ Congratulations. You've made more No on 8 voters with your h0zery. |
2008/11/3 [Politics/Domestic/California, Politics/Domestic/Gay, Politics/Domestic/Election] UID:51788 Activity:moderate |
11/3 Obama, a former constitutional law professor, said last year that he would look for candidates with "the heart, the empathy, to recognize what it's like to be a teenage mom. The empathy to understand what it's like to be poor, or African American, or gay, or disabled, or old." Oh good, wouldn't want judges to just, you know, apply the law. \_ This was on the motd 6 days ago. \_ GOOD. I hate rich white people. They need to get the fuck out of MY California. \_ The implication is that under judges appointed by the GOP, the law has not been applied fairly to the people he lists. His appointments would bring balance to the Force. He is the vergence. |
2008/11/3-4 [Politics/Domestic/California] UID:51787 Activity:nil |
11/3 Dear Prop 8 fanatics: http://www.google.com/search?q=prop+8 Click on the advertisement that goes AGAINST your belief. Congrats! You've wasted your opponent 15-50 cents. Send this message to your friends!! \_ Desperation level plaid. |
2008/11/2-4 [Politics/Domestic/California, Politics/Domestic/California/Arnold] UID:51781 Activity:moderate |
11/2 EXTREMELY long rant against Proposition 8 and judicial activism relocated to /tmp/MarriageRant. Read it there. Leave it there. \_ The rant there is *for* prop 8 \_ Pro prop 8 guy needs to be squished. I'm voting against Prop 8 for the sake of giving conservatives my message: Get your entire fucking conservative family out of my state. Go back to Utah and Texas. \_ Yeah! No Free Speech for Facists! \_ Prop 8 guy needs to be squished for scripting the motd, not for his politics. \_ Since 61% voted for 22, I think you're the one in the wrong state. \_ eight years is a long time \_ Indeed, the judicial decision overturning Prop 22 was 4-3. \_ prime example of legislating from the Bench. the US is for the people by the people. .not by judges \_ Of course Arnold vetoed a bill allowing gay marriage saying it was something for the courts to rule on. But don't stop that from influencing your talking points. \_ The POWER of sed \_ TL:DR |
2008/10/31 [Politics/Domestic/California] UID:51763 Activity:high |
10/31 Look asshole, NO ONE cares what YOU think ok? Vote your vote, we don't care. Fucking asshole. If you want to post an essay over 24 lines, put it on a blog. We'll respond to it maturely. \_ Free speech for me, but not for thee, eh? \_ Cut/paste from other source is not free speech, it is abusing motd. Cut it out. \_ it's too long, dude - clip out your one favorite, short part, and link the rest \_ Seriously. It's a long ass rant that you are cutting and pasting. We all know how the web works, we are all capable of using a browser. |
2008/10/31 [Politics/Domestic/California] UID:51758 Activity:nil |
10/31 [vote no on everything] |
2008/10/31 [Politics/Domestic/California] UID:51757 Activity:high |
10/31 Who is the fuckstick that keeps spamming the motd with that california proposition trash? Go eat a bag of dicks, shitstain. -anti-free speech sadan |
2008/10/30-31 [Politics/Domestic/California] UID:51743 Activity:nil |
10/30 Why is a vote for Barack Obama a vote for the death of Israel? \_ I'm excited about President Blackman \_ Because he has no Holocaust Guilt. |
2008/10/29 [Politics/Domestic/California] UID:51730 Activity:nil |
10/29 People of Southern California unite and say yes to 8!!! \_ ob what about nocal |
2008/10/28-31 [Politics/Domestic/California] UID:51715 Activity:nil |
10/28 If Measure R passes, how will the bankrupt CA pay for billion $$$? \_ Isn't that an LA measure? Why would it bankrupt CA? \_ I'm pretty sure Measure R is going to be funded by an increase in sales tax which is controlled by the county. |
2008/10/28-30 [Politics/Domestic/Election, Politics/Domestic/California] UID:51710 Activity:nil |
10/27 More massive republican voter fraud http://hamptonroads.com/2008/10/phony-flier-says-virginians-vote-different-days |
2008/10/27-30 [Politics/Domestic/California, Industry/Jobs] UID:51698 Activity:nil |
10/27 Tech layoff list http://news.cnet.com/tech-layoffs/?tag=nl.e501 \_ Qimonda is laying off 3000 people? I have never even heard of these guys before. The funniest thing is that two different companies have contacted me via LinkedIn to see if I wanted to interview for a VP job at their startup just in the last week or so. \_ Qimonda is a German company. Is this supposed to be a world-wide list of layoffs or something? |
2008/10/27 [Politics/Domestic/California, Politics/Domestic] UID:51695 Activity:nil |
10/27 Tech layoffs http://news.cnet.com/tech-layoffs/?tag=nl.e501 |
2008/10/25-28 [Politics/Domestic/California, Politics/Domestic/California/Arnold] UID:51684 Activity:nil |
10/25 Voted today down at the Alameda Registrar (courthouse between 13th and 12th, on Oak in Oakland). Easy to do, highly recommended. Exactly the same as filling out an Absentee Ballot. --erikred \_ Can I do this on a sunday? \_ Absolutely: http://www.acgov.org/rov/earlyvoting.htm Saturday and Sunday: 10:00 am to 3:00 pm \_ How do i do this in San Francisco? \_ Civic center. \_ More details on Early Voting on http://SFGate.com: http://preview.tinyurl.com/55b4kx |
2008/10/25-28 [Politics/Domestic/California, Politics/Domestic] UID:51680 Activity:nil |
10/25 I embrace socialism and white women. Seriously. \- you may wish to see: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1105762 \_ same here. I am young, hard working, and smart, yet I'm not getting the same piece of piece as the older generation. Why? Because capitalism IS NOT WORKING. I have nothing to lose and everything to gain by voting for Socialism. Bring it on. Young people of American, let's all vote for socialism NOW!!! |
2008/10/25-28 [Politics/Domestic/California] UID:51678 Activity:nil |
10/25 REAL Vote fraud^H^H^H^H^Hintimidation, courtesy the New Mexico GOP http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2008/10/is_new_mexico_gop_lawyer_hirin.php |
2008/10/23-27 [Reference/Religion, Politics/Domestic/California] UID:51650 Activity:nil |
10/23 Actually, Mormons contributing 77% of pro-prop 8 funds http://www.advocate.com/news_detail_ektid64163.asp \_ what would Jesus ban? -tom \_ Apparently, someone felt it was important to censor my comment that the Mormon church has taken up the torch of intolerance. Truth hurts, eh? How about trying to justify Mormons as being 'pro family'? You'd be wrong, but at least you wouldn't be a censorfuck. --PeterM \_ Since this comment is still here, you were probably just squished. Get over it. |
2008/10/23-28 [Politics/Domestic/California, Reference/Tax] UID:51646 Activity:nil |
10/23 House Dems want to remove 401K tax-break, and use proceeds for more Social Secuirty. http://www.workforce.com/section/00/article/25/83/58.php \_ EXTERIOR: SPACE AROUND THE DEATH STAR. The three TIE fighters move ever closer, closing in on Luke and Biggs The three TIE fighters move ever closer, closing in on Luke and Biggs \_ What proceeds? It just means people will save less for retirement. If I contribute $100/month now I will contribute $70/month then (or whatever the math is) to make my take home about the same. |
2008/10/22-27 [Politics/Domestic/California, Politics/Domestic/Gay] UID:51636 Activity:nil |
10/22 Mormon church bankrolling pro-prop 8 effort http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122463078466356397.html |
2008/10/21-22 [Politics/Domestic/California, Politics/Domestic/Election] UID:51606 Activity:nil |
10/21 I think McCain's only going to win Alaska and Arizona \_ REAL AMERICANS \_ No, he'll get Texas too. I think it'll be 300 votes for Obama, no more. Wouldn't put money on it though. --PM \_ 380 -Liberal Elitist http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/maps/obama_vs_mccain/?map=10 Plus add IN and WV. \_ he's got Alaska, Arizona, Texas, Utah and New Hampshire LOCKED UP \_ Palin is KICKING SERIOUS ASS in Nevada. That's gotta be 3 or 4 electoral votes right there. |
2008/10/21-22 [Politics/Domestic/California, Politics/Domestic/Election] UID:51601 Activity:kinda low |
10/21 why does Palin say things like 'my fellow alaskans were given the opportunity to finally vote on the possibility of an amendment to their constitution in this great state of Alaska!'? it drives me crazy. \_ You don't know that this is the first time that citizens of a state in Russia can vote on the possibility of an amendment to their constitution? Palin the Russian state governor knows that. constitution? |
2008/10/20-22 [Politics/Domestic/California] UID:51590 Activity:nil |
10/20 GOP: Vote Fraud! Vote Fraud....Vote Fra....oh...errr.... quick, look over there! http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2008/10/rnc_on_new_mexico_voter_fraud.php |
2008/10/19-21 [Politics/Domestic/California] UID:51581 Activity:low |
10/19 Real voter fraud by a serial fraudster: link:www.mercurynews.com/ci_10762949 \_ But child molester haters SHOULD in fact get 2 votes! I mean, what kind of American does not want to impose stiffer child molester laws? Liberals? \_ NAMBLA members. |
2008/10/17 [Politics/Domestic/California, Reference/Law/Court] UID:51556 Activity:moderate |
10/16 ACORN really is the biggest threat to democracy? Holy shit. Who knew get out the vote drives were so dangerous. \_ Uh, didn't know it was "the biggest". You might want to check out the situation in Ohio though. \_ "We need to know the full extent of Sen. Obama's relationship with ACORN, who is now on the verge of maybe perpetrating one of the greatest frauds in voter history in this country, maybe destroying the fabric of democracy." The fact the McCain is morally bankrupt enough to say this in a debate is just... well.. wow. \_ The GOP is playing a very dangerous game here, by threatening violence if they lose. They could really end up in a very big hole for a very long time if they follow through on that threat. \_ What, where the supreme court agreed that the voter \_ What, where the supreme court unanimously agreed that the voter \_ What, where the supreme court unanimously agreed that voter disenfranchisment is not a valid campagin tactic? |
2008/10/16-20 [Politics/Domestic/California, Politics/Domestic/Election] UID:51549 Activity:nil |
10/15 Nope, no Republican Racism here! http://www.pe.com/localnews/inland/stories/PE_News_Local_S_buck16.3d67d4a.html |
2008/10/16-20 [Politics/Domestic/California, Politics/Domestic/911] UID:51544 Activity:nil |
10/16 Here we go...last gasp attempt to use FBI/DOJ to suppress the vote http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/237716.php http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/V/VOTER_FRAUD_FBI?SITE=ORROS&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT |
2008/10/15-17 [Politics/Domestic/California, Politics/Domestic/Election, Politics/Domestic/SocialSecurity] UID:51539 Activity:nil |
10/15 What. The. Hell. http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D93R8IE00&show_article=1 |
2008/10/14-17 [Politics/Domestic/Election, Politics/Domestic/California] UID:51531 Activity:nil 80%like:51524 |
10/14 This is what election fraud looks like http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2008/10/what-actual-election-fraud-looks-like.html |
2008/10/14 [Politics/Domestic/Election, Politics/Domestic/California] UID:51524 Activity:nil 80%like:51531 |
10/14 This is what election fraud looks like \_ http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2008/10/what-actual-election-fraud-looks-like.html |
2008/10/14-16 [Politics/Domestic/California] UID:51516 Activity:nil |
10/14 What are some of the safer CA muni bond fund you guys have? Just researching right now into 1-5 year safe investments that would hopefully beat CDs... |
2008/10/13-16 [Politics/Domestic/California] UID:51508 Activity:nil |
10/13 I'm interested in buying CA bonds http://buycaliforniabonds.com What's a good broker to use? Etrade is not listed. \_ Why? CA is likely to default. \_ What the hell does this mean? Can American default? \_ Yes. T-bills are now insured for the first time. CA is marching towards bankruptcy. Every other state facing budget shortfalls is cutting spending, except CA of course. \_ ETrade sells CA bonds. I have bought them there many times. |
2008/10/13-16 [Politics/Domestic/California, Politics/Domestic/Election] UID:51505 Activity:nil |
10/13 Tom Foley's replacement has his own sex scandal http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/story?id=5997043&page=1 |
2008/10/11-15 [Politics/Domestic/California, Politics/Domestic/Election] UID:51475 Activity:low |
10/11 Hilarious Acorn slimey lawyer. What a dirtbag. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=goTICiFQoeE \_ Josh Marshall has the clearest explanation for all this, but I'm sure it won't penetrate your tinfoil hat: http://talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/223436.php \_ What it comes down to is the whole Acorn story is another dangerous mistruth being spread by the McCain campaign. McCain has proven over and over again he has no problem with telling massive lies if he thinks it will help him. \_ The gist is that Acorn pays unemployed and sometimes even homeless people to collect signatures. This is a dubious tactic, because the collectors have a huge incentive to produce fake registration documents in return for cold cash. This is is why the Democratic party doesn't associate with Acorn. However, it's not a sign of a nefarious plot of any kind, and in fact there has never been a documented instance of anyone trying to *use* these fake registrations. If you register as a member of the Dallas Cowboys or Mickey Mouse, you're not going to be able to vote. Vote fraud occurs only if you *try* to make an illegal *vote*. Acorn in fact reported a lot of the fake registrations *themselves*. The fact is that the right is trying to make a huge deal out of this because they know they're going to lose and they want to deligitamize the results. A coordinated vote fraud effort of the sort suggested by the right is a tinfoil hat fantasy that would be next to impossible to pull off, and years of investigations by Bush justice department officials have never turned up anything. \_ We need to find a way to turn right wing nutjob paniced desperation into energy. It could get us off foreign oil in days. How do you fall for this premptive THEY STOLE THE ELECTION bullshit? Are you that stupid? Here's a hint. Every voter registration drive gets bullshit registrations. That's why they are looked over by the state. Acron does flag some as pretty obvious fakes but STILL HAVE TO SUBMIT THEM. You are not allowed to collect voter registrations and then throw some of them out. Otherwise you would have sleazy registration drives where people who "register" people and then decide "hey all these registrations for the party I don't like, I think they are 'invalid'". (Although that's more of a Republican tactic, consdidering the Republican party seems to think legal disenfrancisment of legitimate minorty voters an acceptable tactic.) \_ What made me laugh about this guy is how he'd complain about anyone interrupting, but constantly interrupted Fund. And whenever he was factually called on issues (by the Dem official in NV for instance) he's just spin and divert. Slimey lawyer. Acorn is in trouble, seeing as it's being investigated in 12 states, and this guy isn't helping. -op \_ Investigated by an administration that has turned the justice department into a political tool. Investigated by an adminstration the illegally fired federal prosecutors who told them they weren't going to proscecute bogus voter fraud cases. Investigated by an adminstration whose party has tried time and time to illegally disenfrancise minority voters purely because they tend to vote for the other party. People who worry about a vast brown person voter fraud army are one step below Ron Paul supporters. Then again, you do watch Fox and Friends and think it is legit news. \_ Actually, no I don't. But nice conspiracy theory there, speaking of tinfoil hats. -op \_ Then why did you post a Fox and Friends clip as if was legit? \_ Uh, the conversation took place, no? \_ When did you stop beating your wife? |
2008/10/10-15 [Politics/Domestic/California, Politics/Domestic/Election] UID:51466 Activity:nil |
10/9 The gist of the ACORN story http://talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/223436.php \_ Do you think the Wingers are trying to whip their crowd into violence? \_ http://www.city-journal.org/2008/eon1009jl.html |
2008/10/9-15 [Politics/Domestic/California] UID:51461 Activity:high |
10/9 If I were STILL in equities now (let's say a relative said FUCK-O, YOU WERE RIGHT! and gave me control of his account), I would liquidate 50% at the bell, and liquidate the rest of the 50% on any bounce over the next month. The bounce I am looking for is Treasury participating in the LEH CDS auction Friday or announcing imminent injection of capital into a couple willing banks, or most likely, some international agreement over the weekend. \_ All you Chicken Littles are beyond ridiculous. There is no fundamental reason for a broad selloff right now. It's just FUD. Buy when the market is fearful. \_ the market has been calmly selling off on fundamentals. I don't think real panic selling has set in. \_ I had a good day today buying MS, GE, and GS near the lows. What about you? \_ expecting a bounce with some international agreement over the weekend -op \_ Already doubled my MS price. Today was a good day. \_ Very nice. Are you going to dump it soon? \_ In @ 7.78, Out @ 18.00 \_ "Stocks have finished their worst week ever with an eighth straight day of losses." You don't think that history making losses have anything to do with panic selling? \_ all right, some people are selling in a panic. but my thesis is: you haven't seen real panic selling yet, and you just might. Regardless, you will still see a continuing sell-off on fundamentals over time. \_ Any idea why PCG (PG&E) fell 10% today? \_ At one point it was down 20%. \_ Or why CA Munis paying 6% tax free fell 5% today? \_ CA is bankrupt so I understand that one. \_ No, that is not why they dropped so far on one day. I actually think I do know, and I was kind of wondering if you have figured it out, too. Assuming that you are the same LEH CDS guy who has been calling (correctly, so far) for everyone to pull out. I think we are overdue for a severe correction. to pull out of the market. \_ No idea why. Do tell. \_ I think this is due to hedge fund margin calls. They are selling the only good assets they have on their books. \_ Selling at the bell would have been a bad strategy today. What we are seeing is called "flushing out the weak hands." \_ yep, I was thinking a better idea was to sell into an end of day rally, but the idea was that I would have 50% more to get rid of on a larger multi-week rally. -op |
2008/10/9 [Politics/Domestic/California, Recreation/Food] UID:51455 Activity:high |
10/9 What's the point of treating animals nicely and then kill them for consumption at the end? \_ Because some people care about not causing suffering. Just because they are going to be food doesn't mean they need to live painful, miserable lives until then. \_ So how is the new CA prop going to affect prices at Ruth's Chris? -animal lover. yummy \_ I don't know about this prop myself. I generally figure chicken farmers know more about chickens than I do. The guy I talked to said that chickes seem to prefer individual smallish cages, there's no fighting for one thing. I'm not sure how small you can go before it's too small though. I've noticed that animal right's types tend to over anthropromorphize animals. I haven't fully read the prop yet either though. \_ I don't know how I'm voting on 2 (I suspect I'm going to vote no on the hate initiatives that are made feel good vote no on the hate initiatives that are made to feel good platform.) But I do understand giving a shit about how food animals are raised. \_ Nicely raised animals probably yeild more/higher quality meat b/c they get sufficient nourishment and can better fight off diseases. But on a purely philosophical level, there is no point. -vegetarian \_ Animals that are stressed do not yield high quality products. Kobe beef get a lot of special care and look at the prices versus the poor cows made to wallow in their own shit. The Kobe beef has a lot of marbling that other beef does not. If you've ever raised animals you'd know that you need to take care of them or else you will get sick, stressed animals. Maybe you want to eat sick animals which are then pumped full of antibiotics to 'heal' them but I don't. \_ People die too eventually -- why treat them nicely? \_ I didn't know there are cannibals on soda. -- !OP \_ Why does it make a difference whether you eat the dead thing or not? |
12/25 |