Now, something a little lighter

Mandate

Wondering what universal health care will look like?

Click here.

Enjoy.

Horrifying

Horrifying that a state government would allow this to go on, even after they knew it was happening.

I wonder what, if any, criminal charges will be filed. I have an idea.

None.

Remember this when you wonder why people don't trust the government. Remember this when you think criminals get too many rights. These scumbags put countless people in prison. Or worse.

Failing experiments

NASCAR season isn't off to a good start from a ratings perspective. The Bud Shootout ratings are off last year by 22%.

I normally would watch. Didn't this year; I didn't care. Why? Stupid rule changes, again. Instead of being all the pole winners from last year, plus folks who had won the Shootout in the past (usually a good 25 car field of top teams/drivers), NA$CAR had to change the format because of sponsorship (Coors Light now sponsors the pole award) So, now since qualifying is essentially meaningless, and there's no 'all star' race reward, the pole becomes even less important.

Anyway, instead of what it was, they took the top 6 teams by manufacturer, then added in some extras... too complicated to even care to understand. But pretty much every Dodge got in, since there are only 6-7 teams left.

Just dumb. So no one cares to watch.

Since the 150's don't matter any more, I'd bet ratings for those races yesterday were off, too. (I didn't watch, and didn't even bother to record them.)

Wow... just... wow.

"Would you have done that if McCain were elected?"
"No."

1000th post

1000 posts in a little over 4 years. How about that.

As I'm getting older, I'm becoming more resolved that what I say here (or anywhere else) really doesn't matter that much. I'm not going to change anyone's mind. I had this realization with lifting about a year ago, when I was spending way too much time trying to teach people who didn't want to learn about training. The power of the Bro is strong, and I can not overcome it. Same is true with the power of the majority in this country.

People think they have the right, through the government, to take other peoples' stuff and give that stuff to the more deserving. That's not going to change, we are too far down the road. So I have to focus on doing the best I can, and defend my rights to the best of my ability, realizing, of course, I can't fight the state. I'll get some satisfaction when they finally get what they want, and someone in the federal government is deciding they can't have that joint replacement because they don't deserve it. Hopefully I'll be able to afford to outside the system, then, assuming that's legal.

I'll keep doing good things, keep helping where I can, and work hard so I can get to the point I don't have to anymore.

The Solution

I've figured out the solution to the economic "crisis". I, alone, can save 500,000,000 jobs.

End Social Security. That's all. No stimulus package needed.

Think about it. You immediately give every working person 12% more money each year to spend. It's a "progressive" tax cut, as the rich don't pay as much as a percentage (the cutoff for wages taxed is about $100k). You also give people the option to take a lump sum of what they have paid in, or leave it for when they retire. Those who are already retired and drawing Social Security payments would not be affected, as they just draw down the Trust Fund (assuming it exists. If not, I'm pretty sure the total liability of retired people isn't the $1 Trillion the 'stimulus' package will cost).

Sure, you'd have to iron out some details for people nearing retirement, but all in all, I think it would work. I'd even be willing to forgo the lump sum - they can keep what they have, so maybe have a cutoff of age 40, where if you are under 40, the government keeps what they took, if you are over 50 you have the option to stay in the program.

Think of how well that would stimulate the Economy! And give us a little freedom back.

Real Change.

Rain Tomorrow

A quick read on the decline in clarity of business writing.

I work for a big corporation, and I see evidence of this every day. Not only are kids rewarded for using lots of words, we are rewarded in the workplace for using more words (and bigger words) than required, and certainly for using buzzwords.

"Speak to" drives me nuts.

Seriously. Simpletons

How do these idiots get elected?



Yes, that's correct. If we don't Do Something, we will lose more jobs than there are people in the United States. This truly is an unprecedented economic catastrophy, eliminating the jobs of people who do not yet exist.

And this wasn't a one off. She said it multiple times.

Self fulfilling..

Talking us into a depression at Coyote Blog. Interesting employment stat included.

To add some anectdotal evidence: I deal with a couple of small business owners on a regular basis, as well as some very large organizations. All of them are having trouble hiring.

That's right.

Seocnd hand, through them, I'm hearing an awful lot about people cutting back and slowing growth in anticipation of poor results. Business is fine, but they are cutting back anyway.

I think all this doom and gloom talk might have something to do with that behavior.

Simpletons

So much has been said about the insane spending bill about to be passed, I don't really have that much more to add, other than to remark we are governed by simpletons.

This kind of stuff amazes me. It amazes me it gets said, it amazes me people buy it.

President Barack Obama pounded Republicans Saturday for policies that fueled the economic crisis, while welcoming a Senate deal on his stimulus bill that ideologically split lawmakers hope to finish by mid-month.

Obama said quick action on the package was imperative to avoid catastrophe and praised the group of moderate senators from both political parties for coming up with a compromise.

Senate Democrats agreed late Friday to trim spending proposals and support tax cuts in a roughly $800 billion bill. They rolled back an earlier $937 billion proposal by culling what critics, mostly Republicans, called billions of dollars in unwarranted spending.

Doesn't anyone understand this bill is the policies of the last 8 years, just more? Anybody realise the actual 'stimulating' spending (without going into too much detail on why government spending isn't any more stimulating than non government spending) is on the back end of the bill, at the same time we'll be coming out of the recession if we do nothing?

Which is what Congress should be doing. Nothing, other than cutting taxes. That's the only thing they can do to help the economy. The rest of it has to play out, and it will.

(By the way, this isn't the 'worst economy since the depression'. It isn't even close. But the more our President says it is, the more people act like it is, as he is the Messiah.)

SHOCKING BREAKING NEWS!!!

College kid smokes pot in his girlfriend's dorm room.

Don't we have something more important to worry about?

Sorry

I had to commute back and forth to Philly every day this week, so I only had time to drive, work, eat, and sleep.

I'm reading up on what's happening, and may have something to say later today or tomorrow.

Oh - government spending on social programs doesn't stimulate the economy. I hope y'all wake up and call your Senators before this mess passes.

Getting what you asked for

To quote a quite popular radio host (with whom I disagree quite often): Elections have consequences.

Republicans can complain all they want - this is their doing. This starts with the election of G. W. Bush in 2000, his reelection in 2004, and the nomination of McCain in 2008. Now, we have a President and a Congress who (rightfully) claim 'they won', and now will do what they want to do.

You want to make a statement? You want to get things under control? First, stop them. Stop helping load pork into these bills, and fillibuster them in the Senate. Second, recognize the big government Republicans in your midst, and get them out of office in the primary elections in 2010.

Of course, the treatment of Ron Paul shows us where the Republicans really stand, so I'm not holding my breath; I'm working on finding ways to ensure I can maintain my standard of living regardless of how much money the government takes from me.

By the way, on the "how much of an idiot do you really think I am" front:

Reid said a Congressional Budget Office report that says the stimulus funds won’t be pumped into the economy until 2010 doesn’t provide an accurate picture.

Republicans have used the report to back up their argument against a near $1 trillion package. But Reid said Obama Office of Management and Budget director Peter Orszag told them CBO only analyzed 40 percent of the bill.

He also said Orszag guaranteed “that at least 75 percent of the bill would go directly into the economy within the first 18 months.”

18 months is 2010, you moron.

Also, best combination of sentences I've seen today:

“How can you spend hundreds of millions of dollars on contraceptives?” Boehner asked. “How does that stimulate the economy?”

Boehner said congressional Republicans are also concerned about the size of the package.

*Chuckle* He said "package".

This stimulus bill is a bad thing. Plain and simple. It's loaded with pork (seriously, how does funding for contraceptives stimulate the economy?) and pet projects, and doesn't include the single most important stimulus: letting people keep more of their money. Taking my money and sending it to people who don't pay taxes doesn't stimulate the economy.

She "does not disagree"

Under the mayor of Baltimore's guidance, the city's top attorney is looking into making the taxpayers of the city pay for her legal defense.

Seriously, these folks have no shame. The goal is to put the policy on the books as soon as possible. Gee, I wonder why.

How about we compromise: want the city to pick up the tab, use the Public Defender's office. Seems those of us footing the bill ought to be able to pick the lawyers.

So far, so good

Two days in, and I'm pretty happy with President Obama's actions.

Yesterday, he made it clear he was reversing the course of government in keeping everything a secret by instructing his staff to find ways to better comply with FOA requests (a 180 of the Bush Administration's policy).

Today, he issued orders to close Gitmo and secret CIA prisons and to stop using torture. The new top intelligence dude said no more warrantless wiretapping. Seems the Obamanator read him some Constitutions.

Yeah, I know he's still working on the 'stimulus' package that's a pork laiden travesty, but were we going to do any better on that front with anyone else?

Hair of the dog

I agree with and liked this explanation on why government spending won't get us out of a recession.

One could make the argument that the money pumped into the economy won't come from bread baked today and taken from the baker, but is instead from bread baked in the future, and that in the future, there will be such economic growth that the baker will have lots of excess bread.

But isn't that (spending now what we will have to pay off in the future) what got us into this mess?

How to fix the Economy, in 60 seconds or less

Anyone listening?

Well said

A message from an inauguration party pooper.

I didn't see much of the coverage, as I didn't take the day off from producing goods and services that build wealth for my company, thus building wealth for shareholders, etc. What I did see was embarrassing.

I agree, if someone held a gun to my head and made me pick between Obama and McCain (thank goodness they didn't and I had a Libertarian on the ballot), I would have voted for Obama. My main concern isn't so much the creeping socialism or the insane 'stimulus' package, it's the troubling behavior of the media. The One can do no wrong. He is what you want Him to be. I fear the media may not fairly cover the inevitable missteps, mistakes, and unpopular choices. They certainly won't point out where He continues the "failed" policies of the Bush administration, for example.

They haven't pointed out the people he's putting in his cabinet are insiders, not agents of change. They are ignoring (as did the Senate) legitimate issues with Hilliary Clinton's fundraising and conflicts of interest, they are ignoring the tax cheat who is going to run the Treasury, and they ignored an Attorney general who supported freeing actual terrorists from prison. (This isn't necessarily a shot at the new President. He's a political animal, and he owes some people).

We are going to more and more have to rely on alternative media... I hope everyone realises that.

What a run

What was probably the best Ravens season comes to an end. Dissapointing loss, but face it, the Steelers are the better team.

The Ravens will be back next year, and they'll be better.

(Go Cardinals!)