"Make yourself an honest man, and then you may be sure there is one less rascal in the world."
-- Thomas Carlyle
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Quote Of The Day
June 7th, 2011
"There are three classes of men; lovers of wisdom, lovers of honor, and lovers of gain."
-- Plato
-- Plato
Monday, June 6, 2011
Quote Of The Day
June 6th, 2011
"Any idiot can face a crisis - it's day to day living that wears you out."
-- Anton Chekhov
-- Anton Chekhov
Sunday, June 5, 2011
Quote Of The Day
June 5th, 2011
"Bad politicians are sent to Washington by good people who don't vote." -- William E. Simon
Friday, June 3, 2011
Quote Of The Day
June 3rd, 2011
"In law a man is guilty when he violates the rights of others. In ethics he is guilty if he only thinks of doing so."
-- Immanuel Kant
-- Immanuel Kant
Thursday, June 2, 2011
Hartmann On The Valuation Of Work
June 2nd, 2011
Thom Hartmann examines the plutocratic valuation of work in contemporary America. I believe this is now no less than a moral issue.
Thom Hartmann examines the plutocratic valuation of work in contemporary America. I believe this is now no less than a moral issue.
Quote Of The Day
June 2nd, 2011
"Balancing a nominal budget will solve nothing, and attempting to achieve such a spurious balance will produce much mischief."
-- William Vickrey
-- William Vickrey
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Totally Random Let's All Stay Sane Moment
June 1st, 2011
First of all, I admit I am a fan. Second of all, I have been taking crap for being a fan of Justin Timberlake for years. Nuts to that. This is genius. Here is his explanation to Lorne Michaels as to why he "is not going to sing" on the season finale of SNL as its host.
First of all, I admit I am a fan. Second of all, I have been taking crap for being a fan of Justin Timberlake for years. Nuts to that. This is genius. Here is his explanation to Lorne Michaels as to why he "is not going to sing" on the season finale of SNL as its host.
Breitbart Can't Get Enough Weiner
June 1st, 2011
Not necessarily safe for work. HT to Jenni for humor support.
Since I pointed out yesterday that Breitbart is fixated on Weiner, Andy has gotten even more excited. He really loves Weiner. He is definitely behaving like a guy who has been waiting for this particular Weiner his whole life. Perhaps this Weiner completes him. One thing is certain, he is going to ride this Weiner as long as he can. After all, this Weiner thing is getting bigger and bigger.
And all this breathless excitement is over... this weener?
We still don't know if this is, in fact, Weiner's weener. All we know for sure is that it is somebody's weener. Let's say that, just maybe, this is Weiner's weener. Frankly, we all got a much better glimpse of Marky Mark's weener back in the day and it was on the side of a third of America's buses.
Maybe Stewart is right, and Weiner's "d**k is just not that big."
SO. How do we prove it? A lineup?
Sigh. I can't take all this spectacular salaciousness but I will say one more thing...
I am secretly longing for Dick Armey to come to the defense of Weiner. I think Andy's head would explode.
Not necessarily safe for work. HT to Jenni for humor support.
Since I pointed out yesterday that Breitbart is fixated on Weiner, Andy has gotten even more excited. He really loves Weiner. He is definitely behaving like a guy who has been waiting for this particular Weiner his whole life. Perhaps this Weiner completes him. One thing is certain, he is going to ride this Weiner as long as he can. After all, this Weiner thing is getting bigger and bigger.
And all this breathless excitement is over... this weener?
We still don't know if this is, in fact, Weiner's weener. All we know for sure is that it is somebody's weener. Let's say that, just maybe, this is Weiner's weener. Frankly, we all got a much better glimpse of Marky Mark's weener back in the day and it was on the side of a third of America's buses.
Maybe Stewart is right, and Weiner's "d**k is just not that big."
SO. How do we prove it? A lineup?
Sigh. I can't take all this spectacular salaciousness but I will say one more thing...
I am secretly longing for Dick Armey to come to the defense of Weiner. I think Andy's head would explode.
We're DOOMED... Again... No, Really
June 1st, 2011
I missed this a few weeks back. Thanks to one of my readers for bringing it to my attention. Eric Zorn of the Chicago Tribune has done us all a tremendous service. As we enter the next round of granny-bashing and hand wringing over the supposed looming doom that faces Medicare, it's worth noting that this is the same nonsense we have been hearing for decades from the Mises-spouting, "Austrian School" fanatics and Randian nitwits now dominating the discussion. Zorn has gone back and gathered some of the dire pronouncements from earlier days:
"Chicago Tribune July 2, 1969: The Medicare hospital trust fund faces bankruptcy by 1976 and taxes must either be raised or benefits reduced the senate finance committee was told today.
"Chicago Tribune July 2, 1969: The Medicare hospital trust fund faces bankruptcy by 1976 and taxes must either be raised or benefits reduced the senate finance committee was told today.
One More Time...
June 1st, 2011
The more the establishment Right doubles down on The Ryan Plan, the more I will continue to point out it's ridiculousness, it's corruption and it's plutocratic cruelty...
(via)
The more the establishment Right doubles down on The Ryan Plan, the more I will continue to point out it's ridiculousness, it's corruption and it's plutocratic cruelty...
(via)
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| Chart by Jarrod Barretto. Sources: CBPP, CBO |
I Keep Saying This...
June 1st, 2011
The crisis of American economy is one of willful design. Lawrence Mishel of The Economic Policy Institute published a paper a few weeks ago titled We're Not Broke Nor Will We Be that supports this view.
His conclusion is both clear and actually somewhat entertaining:
"There is an old joke about the Lone Ranger, who turned to Tonto and said, "We’re surrounded by Indians," and Tonto responds, "What do you mean by 'we,' kimosabe?'" That same logic applies to policymakers who claim that "we're broke." It matters who is included in "we." We, collectively, have been gaining income and wealth and will continue to do so. "We," the broad middle class, have not been gaining wealth and have not received much of the income gains of the past 30 years. Whether the broad middle class prospers in the next 30 years does not hinge on whether there will be substantial income growth; there most definitely will be. The future prosperity of the broad middle class hinges on the economic policies and structures that determine how that income is generated and shared. Are our federal and state governments "broke"? They certainly face deficits. Whether those governments provide the services we need will totally depend upon the political decisions made regarding taxing and spending. Taxation and revenues have diminished, both due to policy choices and the impact of the Great Recession.
So, are we broke? Only if we choose to be."
His conclusion is both clear and actually somewhat entertaining:
"There is an old joke about the Lone Ranger, who turned to Tonto and said, "We’re surrounded by Indians," and Tonto responds, "What do you mean by 'we,' kimosabe?'" That same logic applies to policymakers who claim that "we're broke." It matters who is included in "we." We, collectively, have been gaining income and wealth and will continue to do so. "We," the broad middle class, have not been gaining wealth and have not received much of the income gains of the past 30 years. Whether the broad middle class prospers in the next 30 years does not hinge on whether there will be substantial income growth; there most definitely will be. The future prosperity of the broad middle class hinges on the economic policies and structures that determine how that income is generated and shared. Are our federal and state governments "broke"? They certainly face deficits. Whether those governments provide the services we need will totally depend upon the political decisions made regarding taxing and spending. Taxation and revenues have diminished, both due to policy choices and the impact of the Great Recession.
So, are we broke? Only if we choose to be."
Quote Of The Day - Here and Now Edition
June 1st, 2011
"As I see it, policy makers are sinking into a condition of learned helplessness on the jobs issue: the more they fail to do anything about the problem, the more they convince themselves that there’s nothing they could do."
"As I see it, policy makers are sinking into a condition of learned helplessness on the jobs issue: the more they fail to do anything about the problem, the more they convince themselves that there’s nothing they could do."
-- Paul Krugman yesterday
Totally Random Let's All Stay Sane Moment
June 1st, 2011
No matter how uncertain these times may be... you can always count on Western culture to produce these guys...
No matter how uncertain these times may be... you can always count on Western culture to produce these guys...
Quote Of The Day
June 1st, 2011
"Mere parsimony is not economy. Expense, and great expense, may be an essential part in true economy."
--Edmund Burke
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Desperate For Scandal
May 31st, 2011
Remember when the Breitbart media nexus devoted every single link on multiple sites to former Sen. John Ensign's (R-NV) affair, the subsequent payout of $100,000 in hush money and possible violations of federal law?
"(Rep. Anthony-D)Weiner, who has represented part of New York City since 1998, says online hacking led to a close-up shot of a man’s underwear being sent from his official Twitter account Saturday night."
Remember when the Breitbart media nexus devoted every single link on multiple sites to former Sen. John Ensign's (R-NV) affair, the subsequent payout of $100,000 in hush money and possible violations of federal law?
Neither do I.
Remember when Breitbart devoted every single link to former Gov. Mark Sanford's (R-SC) wild adventure in extramarital intrigue on the taxpayer's dime?
Neither do I.
This is because the very suggestion that provable Republican malfeasance would ever get that level of play from the so-called "Bigs" is absurd. Fast forward to "Weinergate." In case you've missed this unfolding bit of strangness, here's a recap from Politico:
Remember when Breitbart devoted every single link to former Gov. Mark Sanford's (R-SC) wild adventure in extramarital intrigue on the taxpayer's dime?
Neither do I.
This is because the very suggestion that provable Republican malfeasance would ever get that level of play from the so-called "Bigs" is absurd. Fast forward to "Weinergate." In case you've missed this unfolding bit of strangness, here's a recap from Politico:
"(Rep. Anthony-D)Weiner, who has represented part of New York City since 1998, says online hacking led to a close-up shot of a man’s underwear being sent from his official Twitter account Saturday night."
So far, this is pretty much all we know. Enjoy the following screenshots from Andy "The Journalist" Breitbart.
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| Screenshot of Breitbart's Big Government site 7pmCST 5/30/2011 |
It gets even better...
 |
| Screenshot of Breitbart's Big Journalism site 7pmCST 5/30/2011 |
That's 38 out of 40 "news" links devoted to this. 28 of those links say the word "weiner" in one form or another. Oh, and there are also two links peddling Andy's latest "book."
We don't know if Andy simply went nuts publishing the word "Weiner." Frankly, we don't even know whether this is Weiner's weiner.
Way to go, Andy. Way to go.
Quote Of The Day
May 31st, 2011
"The great constitutional corrective in the hands of the people against usurpation of power, or corruption by their agents is the right of suffrage; and this when used with calmness and deliberation will prove strong enough."
-- Andrew Jackson
-- Andrew Jackson
Monday, May 30, 2011
In Memorium
May 30th, 2011
It is with great humility that would should mark this day. Through centuries of conflict, we have risen again and again to the task of guaranteeing freedom as a commonality rather than as the privilege of a very few.
The fight is never finished. There are always winters in our nation's journey. But, there have also always been warriors from our humblest ranks who have fought not to avenge or to impose but to protect and to preserve. For them, I urge all Americans to take a moment of silence and give thanks. That these men and women are memorialized appropriately is our solemn duty.
I can think of no greater words than these upon which we might reflect.
"It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us -- that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion -- that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain"
"It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us -- that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion -- that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain"
-- excerpt from Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address
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