Little known fact- I spent a little more than a year that I can barely remember in a small Illinois town called Loda. But Loda was (is) so small, that the 'big town' everyone from Loda went to was Paxton. They had a grocer and a single screen movie theater. I went back there in 1999 (I think) and again in 2007 to see the old place.
My mom loves telling the story about seeing movies in that theater in 1971. Mainly, when a train went past, the place shook, and sometimes it shook so hard the movie cut out for a few seconds. It was comical to her.
Anyhow, not long after my most recent visit, the old theater apparently burned down. I was surfing YouTube and typed in 'Paxton Illinois' just to see what gem I might turn up. Poof.
It's funny how memory works. I distinctly remember nothing from those days. I was 2 years old. However, I clearly had some images etched into my mind. One is that of the logo of the Illinois Central railroad. I recall one day seeing an orange box car bearing the black circle with an 'IC' shaped like a rail, while I was stopped at a grade crossing for a passing train, was overwhelmed with emotion, and couldn't figure out for days why. (See the video below at about the :58 second mark.)
The other memory that similarly jumped right into my mind was of a three story old farm house. I was driving around somewhat aimlessly when all of a sudden I saw the farm house and absolutely knew that I had lived there. I drove up and talked to the folks living there, and sure enough, the owners knew the names of the people my parents rented the top floor from. I called my mom and described the house, and she confirmed it.
I want to find the pics I took in 1998. I find it hard to believe, but it seems that I didn't take any pics in 2007. Maybe I just can't find where I stored them. Yeah, that's more believable.
Tuesday, September 06, 2011
On Yer Belly!
If I've learned anything from the Andre Carson comments... and then the Jimmy Hoffa comments, and the rush by many on the left to defend said comments, it's that the same defenders have decided not to try to elevate discourse, but to accept the belly-crawling nature of it, and slither alongside. This is after watching exactly the same from the right, of course.
I keep waiting to see which side will take the high road. Neither is apparently up to the task.
I keep waiting to see which side will take the high road. Neither is apparently up to the task.
Thursday, September 01, 2011
Physician, Heal Thyself... Part 683
Looks like everybody in Indiana with a blog has something to say about Andre Carson's foot-in-mouth moment. Me too. Most of what I think about it has already been said by others. From RTV6:
As for everyone else? Indy Star's Matt Tully has some useful insights:
The reaction was typical. Those who have defended overheated rhetoric from the right condemned Carson. Those who have criticized the inappropriate words of tea party members became champions of Carson's irresponsible speech.
Along Tully's lines, here's what I observed yesterday over at Masson's Blog:
Maybe it's time to stop it with the 'gotchas'. Maybe it's time to stop it with political correctness. We'd do a lot better if we really did just focus on policy. Maybe that's asking too much. Maybe it's too much for me to ask those who demand political correctness of one side to demand it of their side too. Consistency has been woefully hard to come by in my lifetime. I've been pointing out, for instance, since early 2009 the disappearance of the anti-war left. Prior to that, from 2003-2008 I was pointing out the disappearance of the fiscally conservative right.
Yeah. Don't immune your side. Until that happens, we're going to have a LOT of bullshit in this country.
The tea party remarks contrasted those made by Carson earlier this year in the aftermath of the shooting of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, D-Arizona.I vaguely recalled these words yesterday as I was sifting through the muck. Abdul Hakim-Shabazz pointed out that Rep. Carson would have done well to heed his own words regarding rhetoric in the aftermath of the Giffords shooting. Yep. Physician, heal thyself.
"I think we have to recognize that we're all fellow human beings, one, and that we have philosophical differences, but those differences have to be met with some kind of civility," Carson said in that interview with 6News in January.
At the time, Carson said he believed debate should focus on policy and not rhetoric.
"It's unacceptable whether you're Democratic or Republican. We have to sit down and see how we can come together and debate and critique each other with civility, with respect and with honor," Carson said.
As for everyone else? Indy Star's Matt Tully has some useful insights:
The reaction was typical. Those who have defended overheated rhetoric from the right condemned Carson. Those who have criticized the inappropriate words of tea party members became champions of Carson's irresponsible speech.
Along Tully's lines, here's what I observed yesterday over at Masson's Blog:
-
Both right and left seem to think that a) Their side doesn’t make this kind of gaffe, b) When their side does, they justify or excuse it, c) When the other side does it they are shocked, Shocked, I tell you! or outraged, or both, and d) go on to explain how the media treats the other side better.
Well, when dehumanizing the other side so regularly, so completely, eventually it always comes back at your side- whichever side that is. Also, the price to be paid for being so vigilant in enforcing political correctness.
Maybe it's time to stop it with the 'gotchas'. Maybe it's time to stop it with political correctness. We'd do a lot better if we really did just focus on policy. Maybe that's asking too much. Maybe it's too much for me to ask those who demand political correctness of one side to demand it of their side too. Consistency has been woefully hard to come by in my lifetime. I've been pointing out, for instance, since early 2009 the disappearance of the anti-war left. Prior to that, from 2003-2008 I was pointing out the disappearance of the fiscally conservative right.
Yeah. Don't immune your side. Until that happens, we're going to have a LOT of bullshit in this country.
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Ready Made For Protest Rock
Guitar maker Gibson has been raided again by the Feds, who are on a quest to rid the world of American made guitars with illegally harvest woods. Ebony and Rosewood are the usual suspects.
This is lamentable stuff, overzealous bureaucracy without a shred of common sense, hard at work. But in a way, I kinda like the target. Young people, arty people are not going to rise up if, say, a manufacturer of hardwood flooring is raided, but beloved Gibson? Maker of the venerable Les Paul? The Atlantic has already strung the cognitive dissonance together in an blog post titled, "How To Turn Guitarists Into Tea Partiers", where they mined outrage at online musician forums.
Here's a link to the statement from Gibson's CEO, with a press conference clip on the page.
I tend to think of protection of living species that suffer from commercial harvesting in terms of jersey cows and rhinos, although in this case, let's say black walnut and ebony. Black walnut is legally farmed and harvested, and there is no shortage of the trees. People plant and protect them. Ebony suffers the classic 'Tragedy Of The Commons' in that harvesting is banned, so nobody farms them, and poachers run the risk and cut down the trees. It's really stupid policy. Let farmers be encouraged with financial incentives to plant these trees endlessly. They will nurture and protect the species, just as sure as the jersey cow and the black walnut tree is numerous.
This is lamentable stuff, overzealous bureaucracy without a shred of common sense, hard at work. But in a way, I kinda like the target. Young people, arty people are not going to rise up if, say, a manufacturer of hardwood flooring is raided, but beloved Gibson? Maker of the venerable Les Paul? The Atlantic has already strung the cognitive dissonance together in an blog post titled, "How To Turn Guitarists Into Tea Partiers", where they mined outrage at online musician forums.
You could spend an entire day reading the fire hose of angry comments on each of these otherwise politically neutral forums. Did Obama just unintentionally lose the guitar-shredding demographic?It isn't just Gibson that is potentially in trouble. Everybody with a guitar who wants to take it across borders or even state lines, i.e.: every touring band, best be ready for the phrase, "Papers, please." From the WSJ item:
I'd love to hear from my musician friends on this, as most I know are at least somewhat environmentalist in their thinking. Is this good policy? Is it overzealous law enforcement? Is it the latter because it hits home?It isn't just Gibson that is sweating. Musicians who play vintage guitars and other instruments made of environmentally protected materials are worried the authorities may be coming for them next.
If you are the lucky owner of a 1920s Martin guitar, it may well be made, in part, of Brazilian rosewood. Cross an international border with an instrument made of that now-restricted wood, and you better have correct and complete documentation proving the age of the instrument. Otherwise, you could lose it to a zealous customs agent—not to mention face fines and prosecution.
John Thomas, a law professor at Quinnipiac University and a blues and ragtime guitarist, says "there's a lot of anxiety, and it's well justified." Once upon a time, he would have taken one of his vintage guitars on his travels. Now, "I don't go out of the country with a wooden guitar."
Here's a link to the statement from Gibson's CEO, with a press conference clip on the page.
I tend to think of protection of living species that suffer from commercial harvesting in terms of jersey cows and rhinos, although in this case, let's say black walnut and ebony. Black walnut is legally farmed and harvested, and there is no shortage of the trees. People plant and protect them. Ebony suffers the classic 'Tragedy Of The Commons' in that harvesting is banned, so nobody farms them, and poachers run the risk and cut down the trees. It's really stupid policy. Let farmers be encouraged with financial incentives to plant these trees endlessly. They will nurture and protect the species, just as sure as the jersey cow and the black walnut tree is numerous.
Thursday, August 25, 2011
Erika Smith, IndyGo Reporter
It seems like every time I see an article in the Star penned by Erika Smith, it shills for IndyGo or light rail, which I suppose would become an extension of IndyGo. It makes me wonder: Is she on the Star's payroll, or on IndyGo's? Or, is there a difference?
In Smith's latest ad, er, column, she points out something I point out about IndyGo with regularity- the combination of taxes and fares fails to cover the operating budget.
1. She promotes a tax hike
2. She fails to point out that taxes already make up about 80% of the IndyGo budget.
It would be nice if the promoters of mass transit were honest enough to read a balance sheet and to disclose how heavily subsidized it already is, rather than making it sound like the riders are bearing the huge burden of paying full fare, while the taxpayers stand by and admire the buses.
I've written many times on this subject. Here is a link to those many, wonderful, redundant posts- many of which have links to IndyGo balance sheets.
In Smith's latest ad, er, column, she points out something I point out about IndyGo with regularity- the combination of taxes and fares fails to cover the operating budget.
Smith then does two things I don't do.Another year, another shortfall.
This is IndyGo's story.
(Wait! Wait! Let's put on our surprised faces. Ready? OK, cool.)
This time around, the transit agency says it expects its budget to come up $6.4 million short in 2012. That's twice as big as the hole that IndyGo predicted and narrowly skirted last year.
Without an infusion of cash, possibly from a tax increase, fares could go up, bus routes could be eliminated and the frequency of service might be reduced.
1. She promotes a tax hike
2. She fails to point out that taxes already make up about 80% of the IndyGo budget.
My solution is to raise fares. The riders should pay for the service they use. Making those who do not ride pay to subsidize those who do ride is simply unjust. Now, THAT is too logical, I'm sure. It's the American Way anymore, to take from the majority and give to a small segment of the population. We wonder why we're in an economic freefall. To what extent is the fare a gift? Double it, and you still haven't reduced the operating ratio to half.It would be nice if the officials who say they support building a robust regional transit system would prove it by voting for a tax increase, but I'm not holding my breath. That solution is too logical.
So instead, I've come up with some -- shall we say? -- out-of-the-box solutions to IndyGo's funding woes. When logic fails, it's time for the ludicrous.
It would be nice if the promoters of mass transit were honest enough to read a balance sheet and to disclose how heavily subsidized it already is, rather than making it sound like the riders are bearing the huge burden of paying full fare, while the taxpayers stand by and admire the buses.
I've written many times on this subject. Here is a link to those many, wonderful, redundant posts- many of which have links to IndyGo balance sheets.
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
Email From Lugar
When the debt ceiling votes were before us, I emailed Senator Dick Lugar to ask him to vote against raising it, and to cut spending dramatically, primarily by ending the wars. Here's his response:
Obviously the US Senator isn't going to address me personally. I know that I have to expect a form response, since I haven't given him five figures lately. Or, ever. In fact, not even one figure. Still, this is a pretty lame response. What I was hoping for was a response that read, "Yes, Mr. Kole. I will vote against increasing the debt ceiling." Or, "Yes, I will vote to reduce the spending". Well, that would have required a timely response. Barring that, I would have settled for, "Mr. Kole, I voted against raising the debt ceiling".
Can you tell he's thinking ahead to the primary election, still some 9 months away? He blames the Democrats and President Obama, and brags on how he voted against Democratic legislation. Clearly, he is hoping I'll read this and remember it as I go to the Republican primary... something I would never do, being that I am not a partisan Republican. But, he voted to raise the debt ceiling! This, of course, is conveniently left out of his email, as were all of his votes supporting the Republican bloating of the debt during the Bush years.
Why cite all of this year's failed bills that he supported, when the thing that mattered- the item he voted for that passed into law- did the opposite of what I asked for? Simple: He's trying to bullshit me. A deception.
There really wasn't much chance that I was going to vote for Lugar if he makes it to the general election in November of 2012. Now there is no chance whatsoever.
If I didn't get this load of BS, I probably wouldn't have posted at all about my email exchange with the Senator's office. But since I did get a steaming load...
Dear Mr. Kole:Thank you for contacting me. Under President Obama and the Democratic Party controlled Senate, our federal debt has ballooned from $10.6 trillion to more than $14.3 trillion. This spending is unsustainable and unacceptable.
I have voted against numerous policies promoted by the Obama Administration which contributed directly to high deficits, including the so-called stimulus bill, the health care bill, the annual spending bills, and the bureaucratic financial regulatory reform bill.
I have cosponsored, supported, and voted for numerous Republican proposals to rein in spending including the Cut, Cap and Balance Plan and a Balanced Budget Amendment to the Constitution. I likewise supported the Ryan Budget and the Toomey Budget plans. I have supported and will continue to support efforts to overhaul, repeal, or restrain out of control spending policies.
On August 2, 2011, I voted for the Budget Control Act of 2011, the final default avoidance plan that substantially reduces government spending by at least $2.4 trillion and does not raise taxes. The legislation also advances the cause of a Balanced Budget Amendment to the Constitution, a measure I have supported 16 times since my election to the U.S. Senate. The passage of this legislation is a step toward long term spending reform, while also preventing a default on our nation's debts. Thank you, again, for contacting me.
Sincerely,
Richard G. Lugar
United States Senator
Obviously the US Senator isn't going to address me personally. I know that I have to expect a form response, since I haven't given him five figures lately. Or, ever. In fact, not even one figure. Still, this is a pretty lame response. What I was hoping for was a response that read, "Yes, Mr. Kole. I will vote against increasing the debt ceiling." Or, "Yes, I will vote to reduce the spending". Well, that would have required a timely response. Barring that, I would have settled for, "Mr. Kole, I voted against raising the debt ceiling".
Can you tell he's thinking ahead to the primary election, still some 9 months away? He blames the Democrats and President Obama, and brags on how he voted against Democratic legislation. Clearly, he is hoping I'll read this and remember it as I go to the Republican primary... something I would never do, being that I am not a partisan Republican. But, he voted to raise the debt ceiling! This, of course, is conveniently left out of his email, as were all of his votes supporting the Republican bloating of the debt during the Bush years.
Why cite all of this year's failed bills that he supported, when the thing that mattered- the item he voted for that passed into law- did the opposite of what I asked for? Simple: He's trying to bullshit me. A deception.
There really wasn't much chance that I was going to vote for Lugar if he makes it to the general election in November of 2012. Now there is no chance whatsoever.
If I didn't get this load of BS, I probably wouldn't have posted at all about my email exchange with the Senator's office. But since I did get a steaming load...
Sunday, August 21, 2011
Ed Coleman's Big Weekend
Ed Coleman is an Indianapolis City-County Councilman. He won election four years ago as a Republican running at-large, but before long, he grew very disenchanted with the Republican Party and the dictatorial leadership on the Council that wanted him to vote contrary to his principles and conscience, and toe the line. So, he defected to the Libertarian Party.
Ed is now running for re-election, as a Libertarian candidate, but this time running only for his district. The difference is gigantic, as an at-large candidate has to appeal to the entire city's voters, while a district candidate can focus attention within the boundaries.
This weekend, the Libertarian National Committee (LNC) made a significant contribution to Ed's campaign: $50,000. From the Libertarian Party of Indiana:
Ed is now running for re-election, as a Libertarian candidate, but this time running only for his district. The difference is gigantic, as an at-large candidate has to appeal to the entire city's voters, while a district candidate can focus attention within the boundaries.
This weekend, the Libertarian National Committee (LNC) made a significant contribution to Ed's campaign: $50,000. From the Libertarian Party of Indiana:
The Libertarian National Committee has voted to make a significant contribution to Re-election of Indianapolis City-County Councilor Ed Coleman. The LNC will contribute $50,000 to the highest ranking Libertarian official in the United States seeking to stay on the Council. Coleman was elected in 2007 to office as a Republican to an At-Large seat on the council, and switched after his punishment by the party for standing on libertarian principles.
“This is not just a game-changer for my race, but also for the entire Libertarian Party,” said Councilor Ed Coleman. “We hope this serves as a signal to all elected Republicans and Democrats that standing on principle doesn’t mean campaigning alone. The party of principle will work to help elect and re-elect Libertarians to make true change in the political arena. I would like to thank the LNC for recognizing this opportunity, and stepping up to keep the libertarian message moving forward.”
Coleman will use the additional funds to increase the footprint of his campaign. This is the most money that the national party has donated to a single candidate for their race.
“I am thrilled to see the LNC donate to the re-election of Ed,” said Sam Goldstein, Chairman of the Libertarian Party of Indiana. “I truly believe that this will become a watershed moment for the Libertarian Party in Indianapolis, Indiana, and on the national stage. Our party has made a statement that we are fully committed to electing and re-electing Libertarians to partisan office.”
This is a watershed moment of the second kind for me. The first goes back a few years to Andy Horning's run for US House in Indiana's 7th District, as a Republican.
Horning had been the face of the LPIN for many years, having run for Indy Mayor, Governor, and the same House seat as a Libertarian candidate before deciding that he'd had enough single digit returns, and he'd throw in with the GOP. His defection was a tough blow to take at the time. I thought the LP was in real trouble. If he won his race, the signal would be sent to any small-l libertarian: Run as a Republican. It's the way to win. I like Andy, and would have been thrilled it he had won, so I can't say 'Fortunately, he lost'. What I can say is, fortunately the GOP bungled that. They promised him support and didn't give it. They didn't give him money, didn't give him staffing, didn't work behind the scenes for him. Nothing. So that's what every small-l libertarian in Indiana learned. DON'T DRINK THE REPUBLICAN KOOL-AID!
Now this weekend stands in contrast. Ed Coleman wasn't promised a thing by the LNC. He wasn't promised anything by the LPIN or by then-County Chair Tim Maguire. If anything, Libertarian leadership warned Ed prior to jumping ship that life would be getting harder for him. But, when the moment of truth arrived, the LNC recognized the political landscape for what it is. Ed Coleman is the highest ranking elected Libertarian in the USA. So, the LNC put big money in his accounts.
Win or lose, the LNC sent a very different signal to small-l libertarians. Run as a Republican, you get the Andy Horning (or Ron Paul, Gary Johnson, etc) treatment. Run as a Libertarian, and you'll get serious backing.
This is a big deal for me. For years and years, I have been a part of an intra-party struggle to push the LNC towards being a serious, election-focused party. Since its inception, there had been elements with this attitude, but larger elements more interested in the endless fine point arguments that aren't ever going to get anyone elected.
Now it's up to Ed Coleman to do something with that money. In addition to the $50,000 from the LNC, he apparently earned another $15,000. While $65k is nothing for a national or statewide race, for City-County Council, it makes Ed one of the best-heeled candidates from any party. So, he has options before him: TV ads? Radio? Social networking? A little of everything?
Best wishes to Ed and his campaign team! What they do next could lead to something historic, both short term and long!
Cost Cutting, Bargain Seeking
The Indy Star ran an article this past week about how cable TV customers are increasingly cutting the cable services and keeping the internet, with the CATV company as ISP:
I didn't mind losing the cable at all. That was $60/month we began keeping in our pockets. For the last three years, it's another expense I was glad not to have as the work dried up.
But we discovered that you could watch an awful lot of programming online. If you don't absolutely have to watch current shows live, you could watch them two days later on the network's website. That's when I was convinced it was silly to pay for cable.
I actually got hooked on Kojak recently. This came out of seeing Telly Savalas on YouTube clips of old Dean Martin Roasts. All of the Kojak shows are available for free on Hulu. Sure, it's old stuff, but watching has been a fascinating trip down a past that seems like make-believe.
Wow, how much people smoked! Now, nobody I know of has a home where smoking is permitted inside. Then? Incredible how this has changed. Just seeing ashtrays on kitchen tables brought back a flood of memories, curiously. And the liquor! I love scenes in homes on Kojak. Whenever a man comes home, the little lady gets up to fix a drink. I only vaguely remember this kind of thing. My mom was a stay-at-home until I was 12, but my parents didn't drink. It's so foreign to today's world. I cook most of the meals. When either of us come home from a 12-hour day, the other hasn't been waiting with a meal and a cocktail for the moment we cross the threshold, and somehow we're ok with that.
The cars were HUGE. I crack up watching those early 70s boats jammed into Manhattan streets. It makes every scene look like a chase scene, and the actual car chase scenes are hilarious, with the rear-wheel drive beasts fishtailing at every turn.
The lingo is a trip, baby. So are the clothes.
Kojak has shot and killed a criminal in better than 2/3rds of the shows, and he hasn't had his gun taken away, hasn't been put on paid leave, and hasn't been directed to seek counseling. Is it just that today's cop shows add more realism? Or, was a Detective in the clear those days for a job well done?
About 10 episodes into the series, the Miranda Warnings were introduced. The Miranda case was in the late 60s, so maybe this was a late interjection of realism. I love the treatment in the first shows that included Miranda Warnings. Kojak is all old school, starts to read the rights, throws up his hands and has a younger detective or officer read them. Those damn kids!
Money is always good for a laugh. Kojak makes $20,000 for his work. A million dollars is the top heist so far after 17 or 18 episodes. A million! Every time they marvel over a million, I think of Dr. Evil. Most of the thefts are $5,000 - $10,000.
I like Savalas in the show. He has a strange collection of characteristics- old man with a hat, Greek, smoooooth with the ladies, chain smoker, wry humor, chuckling and amused, in charge.
So, who needs cable? I have this archaeological dig to enjoy.
We cut ours about 4 years ago. We were definitely in the minority then. At that point, I was extremely busy with my work- so much so that I never watched at all. My wife didn't like having it, because she tends to use TV like some use the radio, for background sound. With TV, though, you might start getting into the background to the extent that you stop doing what was in the foreground. And, with one little one, and another on the way, we just didn't want TV as the centerpiece of daily life. We even moved the TV out to the garage. That's the only one we have.Eric Thomas and his wife were looking for ways to cut expenses as they set out to tackle their credit card debt. Brandon Wilsman and his wife also were seeking a way to cut their monthly spending, saving up for a baby on the way.
Both Indianapolis-area families ended up pulling the plug on the same thing: their cable subscription.
They're not alone. Americans are canceling or passing on cable and satellite TV subscriptions in record numbers, according to an Associated Press analysis of the companies' quarterly earnings reports.
Experts say it's the combination of a difficult economy leading people to look for places to cut back and the accessibility of TV shows and movies online. But, they say, those cutting cable are in the minority.
I didn't mind losing the cable at all. That was $60/month we began keeping in our pockets. For the last three years, it's another expense I was glad not to have as the work dried up.
But we discovered that you could watch an awful lot of programming online. If you don't absolutely have to watch current shows live, you could watch them two days later on the network's website. That's when I was convinced it was silly to pay for cable.
I actually got hooked on Kojak recently. This came out of seeing Telly Savalas on YouTube clips of old Dean Martin Roasts. All of the Kojak shows are available for free on Hulu. Sure, it's old stuff, but watching has been a fascinating trip down a past that seems like make-believe.
Wow, how much people smoked! Now, nobody I know of has a home where smoking is permitted inside. Then? Incredible how this has changed. Just seeing ashtrays on kitchen tables brought back a flood of memories, curiously. And the liquor! I love scenes in homes on Kojak. Whenever a man comes home, the little lady gets up to fix a drink. I only vaguely remember this kind of thing. My mom was a stay-at-home until I was 12, but my parents didn't drink. It's so foreign to today's world. I cook most of the meals. When either of us come home from a 12-hour day, the other hasn't been waiting with a meal and a cocktail for the moment we cross the threshold, and somehow we're ok with that.
The cars were HUGE. I crack up watching those early 70s boats jammed into Manhattan streets. It makes every scene look like a chase scene, and the actual car chase scenes are hilarious, with the rear-wheel drive beasts fishtailing at every turn.
The lingo is a trip, baby. So are the clothes.
Kojak has shot and killed a criminal in better than 2/3rds of the shows, and he hasn't had his gun taken away, hasn't been put on paid leave, and hasn't been directed to seek counseling. Is it just that today's cop shows add more realism? Or, was a Detective in the clear those days for a job well done?
About 10 episodes into the series, the Miranda Warnings were introduced. The Miranda case was in the late 60s, so maybe this was a late interjection of realism. I love the treatment in the first shows that included Miranda Warnings. Kojak is all old school, starts to read the rights, throws up his hands and has a younger detective or officer read them. Those damn kids!
Money is always good for a laugh. Kojak makes $20,000 for his work. A million dollars is the top heist so far after 17 or 18 episodes. A million! Every time they marvel over a million, I think of Dr. Evil. Most of the thefts are $5,000 - $10,000.
I like Savalas in the show. He has a strange collection of characteristics- old man with a hat, Greek, smoooooth with the ladies, chain smoker, wry humor, chuckling and amused, in charge.
So, who needs cable? I have this archaeological dig to enjoy.
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
WXNT, Post Abdul
I had to hit the road early Monday morning to get to a meeting in Jasper at 9am, so I was able to tune in to WXNT 1430-am in Indianapolis at 6am for the first post-Abdul broadcast.
No surprises here. The Wall Street Journal morning show has replaced him, and talked about the same things the newscast that preceded it talked about- the Ames, Iowa Republican straw poll. It said all of the same things I had just heard on the Fox News Report, in more detail, but saying nothing new.
I gave up after the first segment and switched to the iPod. I listened to a few editions of the Cato Daily Podcast, and then enjoyed the Thinking Fellers Union Local 282's very great EP called 'Admonishing The Bishops', and then Siouxsie & The Banshees' 'Join Hands' album.
It's a loss. WSJ isn't going to give us any local perspectives. They didn't even give us a financial markets perspective. One might have thought they might take an interest in delivering their news from that angle, being that's who they are, and is what they could and should bring to the table. Alas. It's just one more national show among hundreds.
No surprises here. The Wall Street Journal morning show has replaced him, and talked about the same things the newscast that preceded it talked about- the Ames, Iowa Republican straw poll. It said all of the same things I had just heard on the Fox News Report, in more detail, but saying nothing new.
I gave up after the first segment and switched to the iPod. I listened to a few editions of the Cato Daily Podcast, and then enjoyed the Thinking Fellers Union Local 282's very great EP called 'Admonishing The Bishops', and then Siouxsie & The Banshees' 'Join Hands' album.
It's a loss. WSJ isn't going to give us any local perspectives. They didn't even give us a financial markets perspective. One might have thought they might take an interest in delivering their news from that angle, being that's who they are, and is what they could and should bring to the table. Alas. It's just one more national show among hundreds.
Sunday, August 14, 2011
Low Opinion Of London
You may know that I keep an active Bucket List on many subjects. I am not feeling my mortality, but I've always taken the view that nobody is guaranteed tomorrow, so I'd better get after these things sooner rather than too late. I have a lot of interests, and if I want any chance at all at hitting even a quarter of it, well...
One part of my Bucket List relates to travel- a visit to all 50 states. Louisiana is one of the nine states I have not yet visited. There are four southern states- LA, AR, AL, MS- that I haven't gotten around to. The top destination in those states? New Orleans.
So, a few years ago, when Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans and other areas along the Gulf Coast, I came away with a very low opinion of New Orleans, in particular. I understand well after the fact that the reporting was sensationalized, politicized, and even flat out made up. All the same, my dim view of New Orleans is only mitigated by these realizations, not erased. My opinion was so low, that I resolved not to visit New Orleans at all when I got to the state. The Bayou is plenty unique and interesting, and would more than satisfy the Bucket List requirements, as flyovers and pass-throughs don't count in my travel world.
London is another such place. I'm so disgusted with what's going on in London, that I am very certain I will sooner go to New Orleans than London.
Looting always sickens me. In the case of Katrina victims, I can begrudgingly see it when the items sought are needs, like water or food. I don't justify it, but I do understand it. But in London? There was no natural disaster that suddenly created need. There was only mindlessness. From a Time article:
I have no respect whatsoever for these idiot criminals. I looked back into my past, because I'm the kind of person who has been fighting mad about some wrong my government, including police, has done. Not once did it seem appropriate to burn down some uninvolved 3rd party's property. Never once did it occur to me to smash the window of an electronics store to grab some high priced gear as a means to gaining a sense of justice. Hell, I've never even once entertained the idea of burning down a Post Office. For any reason.
Is the political situation there intolerable? Then fight the people who made it so. Don't burn down your neighbor's home! Run for office, file a lawsuit- don't become a criminal, and an idiot.
Best explanation, also from the Time article, offered from a grandmother to her grandchild:
And, if my blood wasn't simmering enough, I learned that one of my all-time favorite record labels, 4AD, suffered losses thanks to these criminal morons. Also from Time:
One part of my Bucket List relates to travel- a visit to all 50 states. Louisiana is one of the nine states I have not yet visited. There are four southern states- LA, AR, AL, MS- that I haven't gotten around to. The top destination in those states? New Orleans.
So, a few years ago, when Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans and other areas along the Gulf Coast, I came away with a very low opinion of New Orleans, in particular. I understand well after the fact that the reporting was sensationalized, politicized, and even flat out made up. All the same, my dim view of New Orleans is only mitigated by these realizations, not erased. My opinion was so low, that I resolved not to visit New Orleans at all when I got to the state. The Bayou is plenty unique and interesting, and would more than satisfy the Bucket List requirements, as flyovers and pass-throughs don't count in my travel world.
London is another such place. I'm so disgusted with what's going on in London, that I am very certain I will sooner go to New Orleans than London.
Looting always sickens me. In the case of Katrina victims, I can begrudgingly see it when the items sought are needs, like water or food. I don't justify it, but I do understand it. But in London? There was no natural disaster that suddenly created need. There was only mindlessness. From a Time article:
This, of course, is but one story of but one area set ablaze by rioters.It took 140 years to build up the House of Reeves furniture store, but only a few hours to destroy it. On Aug. 9, the morning after arsonists left the Croydon landmark in ruins, its owner put on a brave face for reporters. "It's been there since 1867, survived two wars, a depression. Yet the community seems to have burned it down," Maurice Reeves told news crews. "I'm 80 years old. It was my wedding anniversary yesterday. I don't know how I'm here today, but I am." On Aug. 10, Reeves paced around the wreckage — red bricks charred black, wooden planks split like toothpicks — but kept his eyes glued to the asphalt. Then, when a yellow bulldozer emblazoned with the word "Demolition" pulled up, Reeves walked away.
For a town recovering from the worst violence since bombs rained down during World War II, the destruction of the House of Reeves symbolizes the mindless thuggery that engulfed Croydon as well as cities and towns across England. Millions watched the Croydon blaze grow larger on live television; police couldn't ensure that the mob wouldn't attack the fire crews, so the firefighters were delayed and arrived too late to save the store. Rumors spread from neighbor to neighbor that the rioters had torched the building to distract authorities from the looting taking place in the town's shopping district.
I have no respect whatsoever for these idiot criminals. I looked back into my past, because I'm the kind of person who has been fighting mad about some wrong my government, including police, has done. Not once did it seem appropriate to burn down some uninvolved 3rd party's property. Never once did it occur to me to smash the window of an electronics store to grab some high priced gear as a means to gaining a sense of justice. Hell, I've never even once entertained the idea of burning down a Post Office. For any reason.
Is the political situation there intolerable? Then fight the people who made it so. Don't burn down your neighbor's home! Run for office, file a lawsuit- don't become a criminal, and an idiot.
Best explanation, also from the Time article, offered from a grandmother to her grandchild:
"My 9-year-old granddaughter said, 'Granny, what possesses these people to do things like this?' " Marilyn, a 60-year-old resident remembers. "I said to her, 'They're savages.' There's no other word."So, for what it's worth, London? You're off my travel list!
And, if my blood wasn't simmering enough, I learned that one of my all-time favorite record labels, 4AD, suffered losses thanks to these criminal morons. Also from Time:
Started by looters, the fire destroyed hundreds of thousands of CDs belonging to indie labels, as independent music group [PIAS] U.K. subcontracts its physical distribution to Sony DADC. Many leading independent film companies, including BFI and Artificial Eye (which releases the Three Colors trilogy, among many others) also lost DVDs in the blaze.
Affected music labels include XL (home to Adele), 4AD (Bon Iver) and Domino (Arctic Monkeys). Physical stock of Arctic Monkeys' new single, "The Hellcat Spangled Shalalala," is so depleted that it will no longer be distributed to record stores.
Over the course of the past week, I kept thinking of the great Dead Kennedys song, "Riot", singing just two lines to myself every time I heard or saw a news report:Tomorrow you're homelessNope. Can't go to a place where there is that much stupidity. Not as a tourist.
Tonight it's a blast
Friday, August 12, 2011
The Post Office Gets It
I can't believe this, but for the second time in two weeks, I'm singing the praises of the US Postal Service. Why? Because they get it. Someone there understands that when you don't have the money, you don't ignore the fact and keep spending. You make cuts. From a CNNMoney report:
According to documents obtained by CNNMoney, the United States Postal Service is appealing to Congress to remove collective bargaining restrictions in order to lay off 120,000 workers. It also wants congressional approval to replace existing government health care and retirement plans.The post office claims it needs to eliminate 220,000 positions, or more than 30% of its staff by 2015, but only 100,000 of those positions can be made through attrition. The other 120,000 must come from lay offs, according to the documents.
"To restore the Postal Service to financial viability, it is imperative that we have the ability to reduce our workforce rapidly," the USPS wrote.
Two weeks ago, the USPS announced the plan to close 3,600 offices. Now plans to cut workforce. How about that. Nip at the edges to save the whole. Not raise the price of stamps, thereby driving away yet more customers. Cut costs. The picture will be complete if the USPS lowers the cost of postage. I won't hold my breath. How can I? I'm singing me some praises! Rah-rah, USPS! Dare I even dream of selling off this antiquated beast? That would be so appropriate, but hey, let's not get greedy. A move in the right direction warms the heart and clears the bleary eyes.
Feh. Congress will probably stand in the way.
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
Abdul Leaving WXNT
This was shocking, sad news to receive today. My friend Chris Ward texted me a few minutes after receiving Abdul Hakim-Shabazz's tweet that Friday would be his last show on WXNT, 1430-am. It's disappointing to me for several reasons.
First and foremost, Abdul was always very good to me personally. He had me on the show many, many times- as a candidate for Secretary of State in 2006 and County Council in 2010, as the opposition to light rail, and as a proponent of fair redistricting, as party to a lawsuit against the Town of Fishers for sitting on a valid petition, commenting on State of the Union and State of the State addresses, etc.
Abdul was always fair with the Libertarian Party in general. His motto of "I am an arms dealer" was applied to us in a very inclusive way. Libertarians aren't always included in media dialogue, unless it's to be a dog to be kicked. Abdul included us because we are a bona fide political party and on the ballot. That's fairness, and it has always been deeply appreciated.
But I'm a fan of live radio that focuses on local topics. This is something woefully scarce in Indianapolis media. I was spoiled in Cleveland, with live local talk on several full power stations, plus the college radio scene, which I was a part of. When I came to Indy some 10 years ago, it was immediately apparent that radio here SUCKED in comparison. All of the media, really. Being in the state capitol, it always appeared that the media was interested in covering 'big' statewide news, at the expense of local issues. If the Star put the staffing into a City Desk that it does into Sports, it would have something vibrant. Alas. So, Abdul- yes, a guy from Illinois and with a foot still very much in the door in Illinois- was bringing better, more interesting, more useful radio to Indianapolis than the natives were creating.
And now, because WXNT apparently doesn't get any money budgeted to it, will shed Abdul in favor of yet another nationally syndicated show. In other words, they're trashing their top asset, and replacing it with something utterly forgettable. *sigh* This is where I dream of having piles of riches in reserve, so that I could launch a real local radio station, just to show 'em what that's like.
And again, Abdul has always been very good to me. A friend. So, I wish him well in whatever he undertakes to put him back up to at least 3 jobs at once. A good man deserves as much.
First and foremost, Abdul was always very good to me personally. He had me on the show many, many times- as a candidate for Secretary of State in 2006 and County Council in 2010, as the opposition to light rail, and as a proponent of fair redistricting, as party to a lawsuit against the Town of Fishers for sitting on a valid petition, commenting on State of the Union and State of the State addresses, etc.
Abdul was always fair with the Libertarian Party in general. His motto of "I am an arms dealer" was applied to us in a very inclusive way. Libertarians aren't always included in media dialogue, unless it's to be a dog to be kicked. Abdul included us because we are a bona fide political party and on the ballot. That's fairness, and it has always been deeply appreciated.
But I'm a fan of live radio that focuses on local topics. This is something woefully scarce in Indianapolis media. I was spoiled in Cleveland, with live local talk on several full power stations, plus the college radio scene, which I was a part of. When I came to Indy some 10 years ago, it was immediately apparent that radio here SUCKED in comparison. All of the media, really. Being in the state capitol, it always appeared that the media was interested in covering 'big' statewide news, at the expense of local issues. If the Star put the staffing into a City Desk that it does into Sports, it would have something vibrant. Alas. So, Abdul- yes, a guy from Illinois and with a foot still very much in the door in Illinois- was bringing better, more interesting, more useful radio to Indianapolis than the natives were creating.
And now, because WXNT apparently doesn't get any money budgeted to it, will shed Abdul in favor of yet another nationally syndicated show. In other words, they're trashing their top asset, and replacing it with something utterly forgettable. *sigh* This is where I dream of having piles of riches in reserve, so that I could launch a real local radio station, just to show 'em what that's like.
And again, Abdul has always been very good to me. A friend. So, I wish him well in whatever he undertakes to put him back up to at least 3 jobs at once. A good man deserves as much.
Sunday, July 31, 2011
Predictably, Deal Struck
Without surprise, we are arriving at the 11th Hour, and voila! A debt deal is struck! Completely predictable. Let's see how it follows through, for I saw it coming thusly:
As for #3? Well, since the devil is always in the details, this may take a day or two to sort out, but I have no doubts it will play accordingly.
- A deal will be done.
- The chest thumping on both sides will continue right up to the moment when the Kumbaya press conference happens.
- The cuts to the budget will be heavier on symbolism than substance, by a ton.
As for #3? Well, since the devil is always in the details, this may take a day or two to sort out, but I have no doubts it will play accordingly.
The Nut Doesn't Fall Far From The Tree, Eh?
I always have to laugh when someone tells me that since I have kids, I'll have some more libertarians. That amusement ignores so many pertinent things, such as my wife's liberal influence, and the notion that I am the libertarian product of a Republican father and a Democratic (though less so all the the time) mother. I find that you can instill and instill, and at the end of the day, your kids are who they are. Ask my folks.
I was starkly reminded of such things this morning, as I was prepping for lunch. I have all the ingredients for really nice burgers- ground sirloin, fresh tomatoes and romaine lettuce, cheese slices, the works. So I asked the kids what they wanted on their burgers. I got sour faces.
Me: "What's the matter, Isabel?"
Isabel: "I don't want a burger."
Me: "Aren't you hungry."
Isabel: "Yeah. I don't like your burgers. I like McDonald's".
Ouch! Right in the crotch! It will hurt much less when they don't vote Libertarian.
I was starkly reminded of such things this morning, as I was prepping for lunch. I have all the ingredients for really nice burgers- ground sirloin, fresh tomatoes and romaine lettuce, cheese slices, the works. So I asked the kids what they wanted on their burgers. I got sour faces.
Me: "What's the matter, Isabel?"
Isabel: "I don't want a burger."
Me: "Aren't you hungry."
Isabel: "Yeah. I don't like your burgers. I like McDonald's".
Ouch! Right in the crotch! It will hurt much less when they don't vote Libertarian.
Friday, July 29, 2011
Bar Follies
Being that I've been underemployed over large stretches of the past three years, I have availed myself of the opportunity to do some odd jobs to pick up extra cash and generally keep like I'm a productive member of society. Usually, these are menial tasks. For instance, I recently sealcoated a friend's driveway. As much as anything, this served to remind me that sealcoating a driveway in 95 degree heat is a young man's gig. But it was satisfying to hustle and sweat, and especially to complete.
Another gig I picked up for a while was to work in a bar. A friend needed help plugging holes in his staff, so I lept into the breach.
I ended up doing everything except tend bar. You need a license to do that, so I made myself open to doing anything else. The one thing I really enjoyed was cooking. I like cooking at home, so why not? A cook failed a drug test, coming up positive for cocaine, so Mike The Cook was in demand.
It's different cooking in a bar. Everything I cook at home is from scratch, and I rarely use salt. I don't fry anything at home apart from eggs, and the majority of the menu was fried food. French fries, shrimp, cheese sticks, fish patties, and a whole lot more... pickles even- drop the basket into the oil, pull it up in 2 minutes, maybe 3, maybe 4. It hardly matters. Very little was from scratch, and much of it used salt. Even the burgers.
Some customers wanted their chicken wings crispy. Normally, the wings are cooked for 10-12 minutes. 15 makes for crispy. I had one customer ask me to double the cooking time, so that they were really crispy. After 30 minutes in the fryer, I couldn't see any appreciable difference. I couldn't imagine waiting 30 minutes for chicken wings.
One thing I learned about cooks who make $10/hour is that these aren't people who are paid enough to care. The job is simple enough. You have rushes at the dinner hour where you are jumping around trying to get all of the orders fulfilled without missing anything. But for the rest of the night, it's a pretty leisurely affair- an order here, and order there, plenty of time to do things like fill salad dressing cups or clean the surfaces.
Those are things cooks making $10/hour either don't or won't do unless browbeaten. I'm not sure why. It was boring as hell to stand around in the kitchen when orders weren't coming. Yes, I reconnected with Classic Rock Radio. But you can do that while refilling the kitchen freezer with portions, so that the next shift's cook isn't screwed when he comes in. I couldn't understand. All of the cooks bitched about how the shift before screwed them by leaving a mess and portion trays empty... and then they left things a mess, and the portion trays empty.
I took on one fryer as my special case. This was a pressure cooker that was used to make 'broasted chicken'. I don't eat fried chicken anymore as a general rule, but I decided to try the foods I was cooking, just to be able to talk about them if a customer asked questions. The broasted chicken was wonderfully delicious. I gained 8 pounds in the month I was there. Anyhow, this fryer had once caught fire, and there was a 24" black spot on the side, which was grease that was entombed onto it, burned by the fire.
First, I cleaned the caked on grease from a pressure meter on this fryer. It was remarkable! The thing looked like new, and it only took about 15 minutes with a liberal application of elbow grease to scrub it clean. I decided to not clean anything else on the fryer until someone noticed. One of the cooks finally did notice, and told me, "Looks like we got a new meter on this fryer. That's good, because it was getting hard to see the needle through the grease."
The hours are horrible, of course. Indiana bars can stay open until 3am, and this one does. The kitchen is open until 10pm Sunday through Thursday, but 2am on Friday and Saturday nights. Add another half-hour for clean up, and 40 minutes for me to drive home, and that made for comings and goings in the Kole house. I got about 2 hours sleep on Saturday nights before Ame had to go to work on Sunday morning.
Another gig I picked up for a while was to work in a bar. A friend needed help plugging holes in his staff, so I lept into the breach.
I ended up doing everything except tend bar. You need a license to do that, so I made myself open to doing anything else. The one thing I really enjoyed was cooking. I like cooking at home, so why not? A cook failed a drug test, coming up positive for cocaine, so Mike The Cook was in demand.
It's different cooking in a bar. Everything I cook at home is from scratch, and I rarely use salt. I don't fry anything at home apart from eggs, and the majority of the menu was fried food. French fries, shrimp, cheese sticks, fish patties, and a whole lot more... pickles even- drop the basket into the oil, pull it up in 2 minutes, maybe 3, maybe 4. It hardly matters. Very little was from scratch, and much of it used salt. Even the burgers.
Some customers wanted their chicken wings crispy. Normally, the wings are cooked for 10-12 minutes. 15 makes for crispy. I had one customer ask me to double the cooking time, so that they were really crispy. After 30 minutes in the fryer, I couldn't see any appreciable difference. I couldn't imagine waiting 30 minutes for chicken wings.
One thing I learned about cooks who make $10/hour is that these aren't people who are paid enough to care. The job is simple enough. You have rushes at the dinner hour where you are jumping around trying to get all of the orders fulfilled without missing anything. But for the rest of the night, it's a pretty leisurely affair- an order here, and order there, plenty of time to do things like fill salad dressing cups or clean the surfaces.
Those are things cooks making $10/hour either don't or won't do unless browbeaten. I'm not sure why. It was boring as hell to stand around in the kitchen when orders weren't coming. Yes, I reconnected with Classic Rock Radio. But you can do that while refilling the kitchen freezer with portions, so that the next shift's cook isn't screwed when he comes in. I couldn't understand. All of the cooks bitched about how the shift before screwed them by leaving a mess and portion trays empty... and then they left things a mess, and the portion trays empty.
I took on one fryer as my special case. This was a pressure cooker that was used to make 'broasted chicken'. I don't eat fried chicken anymore as a general rule, but I decided to try the foods I was cooking, just to be able to talk about them if a customer asked questions. The broasted chicken was wonderfully delicious. I gained 8 pounds in the month I was there. Anyhow, this fryer had once caught fire, and there was a 24" black spot on the side, which was grease that was entombed onto it, burned by the fire.
First, I cleaned the caked on grease from a pressure meter on this fryer. It was remarkable! The thing looked like new, and it only took about 15 minutes with a liberal application of elbow grease to scrub it clean. I decided to not clean anything else on the fryer until someone noticed. One of the cooks finally did notice, and told me, "Looks like we got a new meter on this fryer. That's good, because it was getting hard to see the needle through the grease."
The hours are horrible, of course. Indiana bars can stay open until 3am, and this one does. The kitchen is open until 10pm Sunday through Thursday, but 2am on Friday and Saturday nights. Add another half-hour for clean up, and 40 minutes for me to drive home, and that made for comings and goings in the Kole house. I got about 2 hours sleep on Saturday nights before Ame had to go to work on Sunday morning.
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Not Applied Across The Board
With the USPS faltering, somebody there seems to get economics. Rather than raise the prices of postage yet again, thereby driving away yet more business, the USPS has announced plans to cut a good number of retail outlets. From an Indy Star report:
Maybe, just maybe this kind of approach could be taken to much more of the Federal government.
Nearly 100 Indiana post offices are included in the U.S. Postal Service's list of facilities it will review as it looks to cut costs.Hmm. Austerity. Cut bits in order to preserve the whole. Huh. What novel thinking about a governmental agency. It's almost like a lesson was learned about how applying all the focus upon working to generate more revenue just results in scaring it away. Isn't that interesting? What next? Dropping the price of postage in the interests of increasing volume? That would be all kinds of crazy.
The financially-troubled agency announced today that it will study more than 3,600 offices, branches and stations for possible closing. Some sites might be replaced by stores, libraries or government offices that offer postal services.
...
The postal service lost $8 billion last year as more customers shifted to online mail and the recession cut advertising mail. It currently operates nearly 32,000 retail outlets across the country.
Maybe, just maybe this kind of approach could be taken to much more of the Federal government.
My Two Cents On The Debt Ceiling
Some essentials:
If anything, it shows me how successfully the forces for big government have won the debate. When the 'debate' is over whether to cut $30 billion or $60 billion, in the face of spending more than $2 trillion, it is clear that big government is committed to in full.
So, when I see pundits arguing strenuously about how we're about to eviscerate the government's social programs, or really tackling the tough issues, I'm left wondering if such efforts are a result of having no grasp on reality, no sense of perspective, or just propaganda.
Now, if at my Walter Mitty best, I woke up and found myself Obama, I would start by ending the wars. Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya? Done. Troops home in 90 days or less.
The public showed an appetite for ending Iraq 3 years ago, and elected a candidate who promised to end it. So make good. The public supported Afghanistan on the bogus pretext of getting Bin Laden. That's done, so the pretext is gone. And nobody was clamoring for a war in Libya. That looks like an attempt to distract, at best. So, over the 'harumpf harumpf' noises of the right, this could get done.
That isn't all that really needs to be cut, by any means. But if I was president, I'd have worked towards the kind of deal with ending the wars as the centerpiece, leaving the precious entitlements alone (as happened in 1995, because the GOP then realized that the big government conversation was settled), leaving the tax cuts in place, giving everybody a little something, but doing something that would really help our country in several ways.
As a side note, I'm still really surprised how Obama has emerged as a poor communicator. He had the press eating out of his hand by the time of his inauguration. He really didn't cultivate that the way he could have, just by having more frequent press conferences. To me, he appears to have been hiding from the press, which makes absolutely no sense.
- A deal will be done.
- The chest thumping on both sides will continue right up to the moment when the Kumbaya press conference happens.
- The cuts to the budget will be heavier on symbolism than substance, by a ton.
If anything, it shows me how successfully the forces for big government have won the debate. When the 'debate' is over whether to cut $30 billion or $60 billion, in the face of spending more than $2 trillion, it is clear that big government is committed to in full.
So, when I see pundits arguing strenuously about how we're about to eviscerate the government's social programs, or really tackling the tough issues, I'm left wondering if such efforts are a result of having no grasp on reality, no sense of perspective, or just propaganda.
Now, if at my Walter Mitty best, I woke up and found myself Obama, I would start by ending the wars. Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya? Done. Troops home in 90 days or less.
The public showed an appetite for ending Iraq 3 years ago, and elected a candidate who promised to end it. So make good. The public supported Afghanistan on the bogus pretext of getting Bin Laden. That's done, so the pretext is gone. And nobody was clamoring for a war in Libya. That looks like an attempt to distract, at best. So, over the 'harumpf harumpf' noises of the right, this could get done.
That isn't all that really needs to be cut, by any means. But if I was president, I'd have worked towards the kind of deal with ending the wars as the centerpiece, leaving the precious entitlements alone (as happened in 1995, because the GOP then realized that the big government conversation was settled), leaving the tax cuts in place, giving everybody a little something, but doing something that would really help our country in several ways.
As a side note, I'm still really surprised how Obama has emerged as a poor communicator. He had the press eating out of his hand by the time of his inauguration. He really didn't cultivate that the way he could have, just by having more frequent press conferences. To me, he appears to have been hiding from the press, which makes absolutely no sense.
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Why Cut Taxes? And When?
Let's hear it from someone familiar, at least historically.
Update: These are interesting days, when iconic figures run contrary to their parties' descendents. Huffington Post reports Democrats' gleefully using Ronald Reagan quotes about raising the debt ceiling, in the same way I used JFK above.
Update: These are interesting days, when iconic figures run contrary to their parties' descendents. Huffington Post reports Democrats' gleefully using Ronald Reagan quotes about raising the debt ceiling, in the same way I used JFK above.
Some days, politics actually is fun."I find myself these days quoting Ronald Reagan," said Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) at a news conference Wednesday. "'The full consequences of a default,' he said, 'or even the serious prospect of a default by the United States are impossible to predict and awesome to contemplate. Denigration of the full faith and credit of the United States would have substantial effects on the domestic financial markets and the value of the dollar in exchange markets. The nation can ill afford to allow such a result.'
"That's Ronald Reagan," Boxer emphasized, suggesting that Republicans recall that model. "All they have to do is look at their icon, Ronald Reagan, and understand you don't play with fire when it comes to the full faith and credit of the United States of America."
Changes in Federal Debt, Annually, By President
To follow up the previous post, here's a nice list that I've reduced from a wikipedia table with figures about the rates of increased federal debt. But ha! There is one exception! The federal debt went down one (ONE!) time since 1993. This time, I'll add the growth in GDP right next to the growth of the debt, and put an asterisk * after the years spending increase percentages outstrip growth of GDP.
1994 Clinton 4.6% GDP: 3.8%
1995 Clinton 3.4% GDP: 2.7%
1996 Clinton 3.0% GDP: 2.7%
1997 Clinton 1.7% GDP: 4.3%
1998 Clinton 1.0% GDP: 4.4%
1999 Clinton 0.8% GDP: 4.2%
2000 Clinton -2.1% GDP: 3.7%
2001 Clinton 0.2% GDP: 1.2% *
2002 Bush 5.5% GDP: 1.3% *
2003 Bush 6.2% GDP: 1.4% *
2004 Bush 5.7% GDP: 3.4%
2005 Bush 3.7% GDP: 2.6% *
2006 Bush 3.4% GDP: 2.9% *
2007 Bush 3.6% GDP: 2.8%
2008 Bush 5.0% GDP: 0% *
2009 Bush 5.5% GDP: 2.6% *
2010 Obama 12.5% GDP: -2.0% *
Can't say that the magic formula is Democratic President, Republican Congress anymore!
After isolating, it's interesting to go back and lay these two side by side, as the original table does. What can be observed?
1. Government consistently grows in cost.
2. The debt consistently grows.
3. Only in one of the Clinton years, his last, did the spending increases outstrip growth of GDP. In 6 of the 8 Bush years it did. Also, in Obama's first year. Were the smart years the Clinton years, or the Bush years? Looks like we can learn something from this.
I see a lot of criticism tying the lack of revenues to the Bush tax cuts. Ok, but is the lack of GDP growth no factor? After all, tax revenues are relative to the growth of GDP. If a person enjoys a tax cut to 20% and makes $100,000/year, he pays $20,000, while the person suffering a higher tax rate of 25% while making $50,000/year pays $12,500.
Maybe we should worry far less about tax rates, and worry a whole lot more about seeing to it that people can make more income. Taxing millionaires might yield satisfying rhetoric, but will cause your income to rise? Will it put 20 people into jobs? I mean jobs that expand GDP by creating wealth.
If we're really interested first and foremost about raising revenues, shouldn't we be trying to do everything we can to get fuller employment, and for people to earn more? We have 2.8 million millionaires. Meanwhile, we have 14.1 million unemployed. Nevermind the underemployed, like me. I'd rather see us get the unemployed into jobs, and the underemployed more work.
So, if the smart days were the Clinton years, we should observe that there is no GDP growth, so we should accordingly spend less. I mean, if that was smart then.
1994 Clinton 4.6% GDP: 3.8%
1995 Clinton 3.4% GDP: 2.7%
1996 Clinton 3.0% GDP: 2.7%
1997 Clinton 1.7% GDP: 4.3%
1998 Clinton 1.0% GDP: 4.4%
1999 Clinton 0.8% GDP: 4.2%
2000 Clinton -2.1% GDP: 3.7%
2001 Clinton 0.2% GDP: 1.2% *
2002 Bush 5.5% GDP: 1.3% *
2003 Bush 6.2% GDP: 1.4% *
2004 Bush 5.7% GDP: 3.4%
2005 Bush 3.7% GDP: 2.6% *
2006 Bush 3.4% GDP: 2.9% *
2007 Bush 3.6% GDP: 2.8%
2008 Bush 5.0% GDP: 0% *
2009 Bush 5.5% GDP: 2.6% *
2010 Obama 12.5% GDP: -2.0% *
Can't say that the magic formula is Democratic President, Republican Congress anymore!
After isolating, it's interesting to go back and lay these two side by side, as the original table does. What can be observed?
1. Government consistently grows in cost.
2. The debt consistently grows.
3. Only in one of the Clinton years, his last, did the spending increases outstrip growth of GDP. In 6 of the 8 Bush years it did. Also, in Obama's first year. Were the smart years the Clinton years, or the Bush years? Looks like we can learn something from this.
I see a lot of criticism tying the lack of revenues to the Bush tax cuts. Ok, but is the lack of GDP growth no factor? After all, tax revenues are relative to the growth of GDP. If a person enjoys a tax cut to 20% and makes $100,000/year, he pays $20,000, while the person suffering a higher tax rate of 25% while making $50,000/year pays $12,500.
Maybe we should worry far less about tax rates, and worry a whole lot more about seeing to it that people can make more income. Taxing millionaires might yield satisfying rhetoric, but will cause your income to rise? Will it put 20 people into jobs? I mean jobs that expand GDP by creating wealth.
If we're really interested first and foremost about raising revenues, shouldn't we be trying to do everything we can to get fuller employment, and for people to earn more? We have 2.8 million millionaires. Meanwhile, we have 14.1 million unemployed. Nevermind the underemployed, like me. I'd rather see us get the unemployed into jobs, and the underemployed more work.
So, if the smart days were the Clinton years, we should observe that there is no GDP growth, so we should accordingly spend less. I mean, if that was smart then.
Changes in Federal Spending, Annually, By President
I've been watching the partisans battle it out over the debt ceiling, and marveling at the way numbers are thrown around without particular regard for things like accuracy. I've had so many different articles and posts come up that caused immediate cognitive dissonance. When I get that sensation, I go for references.
So, here's a nice list that I've reduced from a wikipedia table with figures about the rates of increased spending. Yes, only increases. Since 1994, federal spending has only increased. The last time it actually decreased was 1993, under George HW Bush.
1994 Clinton 1.7%
1995 Clinton 1.2%
1996 Clinton 0.7%
1997 Clinton 0.7%
1998 Clinton 2.2%
1999 Clinton 1.9%
2000 Clinton 2.5%
2001 Clinton 1.8%
2002 Bush 6.0%
2003 Bush 4.6%
2004 Bush 3.2%
2005 Bush 4.0%
2006 Bush 3.9%
2007 Bush 0.6%
2008 Bush 4.6%
2009 Bush 3.6%
2010 Obama 1.4%
Seems like the magic formula is Democratic President, Republican Congress- not that any of them reduced the size of government in this time. They all grew it. But nothing grew it like Republican President, Republican Congress.
So, the rhetoric about the size of government not growing is bullshit. Likewise, the rhetoric about spending not growing is bullshit. And the rhetoric about Republicans being the party of smaller government is the biggest steaming pile of the purest, pungent, unmitigated bullshit ever foisted upon a gullible public.
So, here's a nice list that I've reduced from a wikipedia table with figures about the rates of increased spending. Yes, only increases. Since 1994, federal spending has only increased. The last time it actually decreased was 1993, under George HW Bush.
1994 Clinton 1.7%
1995 Clinton 1.2%
1996 Clinton 0.7%
1997 Clinton 0.7%
1998 Clinton 2.2%
1999 Clinton 1.9%
2000 Clinton 2.5%
2001 Clinton 1.8%
2002 Bush 6.0%
2003 Bush 4.6%
2004 Bush 3.2%
2005 Bush 4.0%
2006 Bush 3.9%
2007 Bush 0.6%
2008 Bush 4.6%
2009 Bush 3.6%
2010 Obama 1.4%
Seems like the magic formula is Democratic President, Republican Congress- not that any of them reduced the size of government in this time. They all grew it. But nothing grew it like Republican President, Republican Congress.
So, the rhetoric about the size of government not growing is bullshit. Likewise, the rhetoric about spending not growing is bullshit. And the rhetoric about Republicans being the party of smaller government is the biggest steaming pile of the purest, pungent, unmitigated bullshit ever foisted upon a gullible public.
A Phone Book?
I came home yesterday to find a phone book in my driveway. A phone book? I can't think of anything more useless. A pledge pin? I laughed hard when I read the text on the bag.
I can't remember the last time I used a phone book. Oh wait, I think it was two years ago. I needed to prop a door open. The goddamn thing is an environmental nightmare. All that paper for something that I will never use. I wonder how many people picked up their book and took it straight to the trash can. Thing is, I get several different editions. They rarely make it into the house beyond the staging location for trash & recyclables.
I can't believe businesses spend good money to advertise in the phone book still. I heard an ad on the radio for Ace Rent-A-Car. It's the same ad copy from 2002, when I came to Indy. It doesn't direct the listener to their website. It directs the listener to the Yellow Pages. That alone makes me never want to rent a car from Ace. If they can't update their ad copy in nine years, do they update their cars? Do they rent out 1962 A8/Marathons? (Think: Checker cabs)
Well, there was one truly useful line of text on the bag. It read:
I hope I never get another door prop, er, phone book again.
"Please recycle your outdated phone books."No shit. That's redundant. The phone book itself is outdated! I'm recycling this one straight away.
I can't remember the last time I used a phone book. Oh wait, I think it was two years ago. I needed to prop a door open. The goddamn thing is an environmental nightmare. All that paper for something that I will never use. I wonder how many people picked up their book and took it straight to the trash can. Thing is, I get several different editions. They rarely make it into the house beyond the staging location for trash & recyclables.
I can't believe businesses spend good money to advertise in the phone book still. I heard an ad on the radio for Ace Rent-A-Car. It's the same ad copy from 2002, when I came to Indy. It doesn't direct the listener to their website. It directs the listener to the Yellow Pages. That alone makes me never want to rent a car from Ace. If they can't update their ad copy in nine years, do they update their cars? Do they rent out 1962 A8/Marathons? (Think: Checker cabs)
Well, there was one truly useful line of text on the bag. It read:
"To opt out from future deliveries, visit www.yellowpagesoptout.com"So, I went there, and it turns out I was eligible for SEVEN different phone book editions! So, I opted out of all of the stupid things.
I hope I never get another door prop, er, phone book again.
Friday, July 15, 2011
Sad Stampede
This is what we've come to. This is our 'recovery'. There are so many people wanting to sign up for Section 8 housing assistance in Dallas, that they stampede in an effort to get into line to fill out a form.
Well, it was 'the Jesse Owens Memorial Complex' they were trying to get to.
The obvious reaction is to wonder if there was this kind of race to fill out job applications anywhere in Dallas. But then, this bullshit recover has been a jobless wonder, so I have to doubt it. I find it sad on so many counts. Sad that so many people in just that one area are in need. Sad for the injuries the ill-managed event resulted in. Sad for the desperation of it all.
And yeah- I'll make it political. Is all the public spending saving these people? No doubt, to some, it's proof we haven't spent enough. For me, it's proof that people aren't being equipped for self-sufficiency. Blame schools, blame parents, blame the individuals themselves- but that kind of mad rush to fill out a form for assistance looks like the kind of thing we might have seen on a news report of the third world, say 10-15 years ago.
Well, it was 'the Jesse Owens Memorial Complex' they were trying to get to.
The obvious reaction is to wonder if there was this kind of race to fill out job applications anywhere in Dallas. But then, this bullshit recover has been a jobless wonder, so I have to doubt it. I find it sad on so many counts. Sad that so many people in just that one area are in need. Sad for the injuries the ill-managed event resulted in. Sad for the desperation of it all.
And yeah- I'll make it political. Is all the public spending saving these people? No doubt, to some, it's proof we haven't spent enough. For me, it's proof that people aren't being equipped for self-sufficiency. Blame schools, blame parents, blame the individuals themselves- but that kind of mad rush to fill out a form for assistance looks like the kind of thing we might have seen on a news report of the third world, say 10-15 years ago.
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Oh, Do I Love NPR's Bias
I had seen a CNN article that said 42% of Americans were opposed to raising the debt ceiling. I didn't know if that meant that 58% were opposed, but since it referenced a Gallup Poll, I was thinking it there were probably at least two other categories- in favor, and unsure, at the very least.
So, I did a Google search for 'gallup poll debt ceiling'. The top result was an NPR article with the headline, "Gallup: Majority of Americans Still Oppose Raising Debt Ceiling". The article had today's date, so I clicked it. I need look no further than the first paragraph to see the bias like a kick in the crotch.
So, I did a Google search for 'gallup poll debt ceiling'. The top result was an NPR article with the headline, "Gallup: Majority of Americans Still Oppose Raising Debt Ceiling". The article had today's date, so I clicked it. I need look no further than the first paragraph to see the bias like a kick in the crotch.
It may say more about the state of economic education in the nation than anything else but a majority of Americans remain opposed raising the federal debt ceiling according to a new Gallup poll.
And that's despite dire warnings by policymakers and experts that a default by the U.S. government could be calamitous. It would likely cause higher interest rates not just for the federal government but throughout the economy.
I'd like to think I have a pretty good understanding of economics. I fancy myself as having a fair idea about government, and how it's supposed to work, too.
Despite this, I'm opposed to raising the debt ceiling. I am of the opinion that much of what the government does would be better done by individuals, or not at all. For instance, the wars in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Libya. I am of the opinion that government spending should be cut dramatically. Let's start with cutting the military in half. That would put a nice dent in things, as a starting position, without weakening our ability to defend our country.
So, am I an uneducated rube? Am I even desiring a default?
Hell, no. But I guess that's the kind of discourse we can expect anymore. You don't have a policy solution, Mr. Kole. You're an idiot.
I so often get to the point where there seems little point in making my points. I can't out-noise NPR, that devourer of community radio stations from sea to shining sea. But this bias of author Frank James seems typical of the discourse anymore. It isn't that he has a perspective. He has it, and you're flat out ignorant if you disagree. I just find it unworthy of response, for the most part... although I just spent 8 minutes doing just that.
Maybe I am an idiot.
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Right On, Michael Irvin
I had never thought much about anything former Dallas Cowboy star receiver Michael Irvin had to say, prior to today. He seemed like one of a multitude of look-at-me-me-me athletes. But he's done something to completely change my mind about him. He is on the cover of Out Magazine, and discusses his coming to acceptance of his gay brother. One quote stands out like a cool breeze on this sweltering summer day:
I have been repeatedly shocked at how one oppressed minority group can routinely oppress another minority group. This is an excellent statement by Irvin- one that comes at a time where 'gay' has repeatedly been used as a put-down by athletes in recent days.Irvin now believes the African-American community should support marriage equality.
"I don't see how any African-American, with any inkling of history, can say that you don't have the right to live your life how you want to live your life," he said, according to the magazine. "No one should be telling you who you should love, no one should be telling you who you should be spending the rest of your life with. When we start talking about equality, and everybody being treated equally, I don't want to know an African-American who will say everybody doesn't deserve equality."
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