Just stumbled across this image again. The damn Finnish lion, gets me every time. I nearly lost my shit in giggles just now. - http://edge.ebaumsworld.com/mediaFi...
Unchanged from the time Adam Smith wrote The Wealth of Nations, the essential cause of ruinous national debts and deficits in otherwise prosperous countries is war, or what we would euphemistically call defense spending.
Hell no. If I have to choose, I think the 14th Amendment and the Civil Rights Act is a lot more important than balanced budgets.
- Victor Ganata
Hmmm... Reading it now. So, in a state that strips convicted felons of the right to vote, those people ineligible to vote do not count as part of the population when it comes to apportioning Representatives to the House. Considering the high conviction rate in certain segments of the populace, I wonder if that's affected the number of seats for a state.
- DJF
My point mainly is that, we can cut every single social program in existence, but it won't make a damn difference if we don't reign in war expenditures. But if we can somehow buck the trend of history and in fact cut war expenditures drastically, paying for social programs won't be a problem.
- Victor Ganata
Aka Peter Malcolm Keene Crossett. I have been up since 7 am yesterday. More later! From my phone. Please pardon brevity and autocorrect.
- laura x
from email
"If you like Jamie Hyneman and Adam Savage, you’re going to be very happy about this: the Mythbusters hosts have announced that they’ll be producing a new show for Discovery called Unchained Reaction. The duo will serve as judges on the new show, which will pit two teams against each other while they build the most awesome Rube Goldberg device. And it looks like … yes. Yes, I read that right: there might be guillotines."
- NotdaBOTTurlokin4
from Bookmarklet
It does kind of sadden me that there are people who insist that there's absolutely no difference between face-to-face encounters and through-the-screen encounters. Like sight and sound are the only senses we have, and that touch and smell and all the subliminal cues from body language couldn't possibly convey any useful information whatsoever.
"A while back, we told you about Organ Trail, a zombie-filled webgame inspired by that classic work of morbid edutainment, Oregon Trail. Now the Organ Trail producers are expanding the original game and making it available on your computer and phone."
- NotdaBOTTurlokin4
from Bookmarklet
"I don't believe that any of the other candidates, except perhaps Huntsman, would cut the military-industrial complex as deeply as it needs to be cut. What Paul understands - and it's why he has so much young support - is that the world has changed. Seeking global hegemony in a world of growing regional powers among developing nations is a fool's game, destined to provoke as much backlash as lash, and financially disastrous as every failed empire in history has shown. We do not need tens of thousands of troops in Europe. We do not need to prevent China's rise, but to accommodate it as prudently as possible. We do need to get out of the Middle East to the maximum extent and return our relationship with Israel to one between individual nations, with different interests and common ideals, not some divine compact between two Zions. We do need a lighter, more focused, more lethal war against Jihadism - but this cannot ever again mean occupying countries we do not understand and cannot...
more...
- Paul Buchheit
from Bookmarklet
Sounds good. I hope the big media companies choose him.
- Bruce Lewis
If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. He sponsored a "life begins at conception" bill (making miscarriage illegal), wants to end birthright citizenship (you have to earn your citizenship?), and wants to eliminate federal environmental regulations (after you die from pollution you can simply sue the polluter).
- Gabe
And his opponents are offering a probable Iran War, an American economic collapse (as the result of that war), the creation of a full-throttle neocon total surveillance police state, and the eradication of much of the US Constitution and Bill of Rights. Trade-offs, trade-offs.... It all depends on how you prioritize your issues.
- Sean McBride
The more I learn about Ron Paul, the more wacko he turns out to be. Apparently he didn't actually know that his newsletter was be used as a fount of bigotry and racism: http://www.theatlantic.com/nationa...
- Gabe
If you learned anything about the current administration, you should know this, even if someone becomes president of the USA, they won't be able to do squat unless the rest of the government will back them. RP is so outside the GOP norm that they might treat him like Obama.
- NotdaBOTTurlokin4
Ron Paul would be the Ross Perot of 2012. Interesting, possibly 10 or 12 points interesting, but ultimately not electable.
- Eric
What could be more wacko than making preparations to attack Iran after the multi-trillion dollar failures of the Iraq and Afghan Wars and the overall neocon policies that helped cause the financial collapse of 2008? THAT's wacko. Even former Mossad heads are warning that an Iran War could collapse the American and global economies. Hacking away at the US Constitution, Bill of Rights and...
more...
- Sean McBride
Anyway, I represent a model agency with some very high profile clients on our books. We're looking for girls just like you at the moment, but as you can imagine, the competition is quite fierce, so we're going to need to see some more. If you'd like to send more pictures, particularly with the pigtails (clothing is ENTIRELY up to you, of course) to genuinemodelagency.notaperv@slippylane.com we'll be sure and get right back to you.
- Slippy
Yay, the pigtails pic is back. I'm guessing you know by now that we all approve of this look. A lot. I hope you are still using it to your advantage :-)
- Slippy
I tried and it helped for awhile but now it's worse than before
- Just Katie
Oh, that stinks. I know a lot of stuff isn't covered, and it has a timeout that maybe I haven't hit yet. Plus, companies you do business with are exempt.
- Tinfoil 2.0
Go with a UPS Mailbox. They trash the junk mail for you. No need to worry about anyone picking up packages. Works well for me. :D
- NotdaBOTTurlokin4
CW but so many advertisers still have my home address.
- chrisofspades
No answer for you on that one. I never gave out my address that last time I moved. The only address anyone gets is the UPS Mailbox.
- NotdaBOTTurlokin4
So do you even have your utilities going to UPS?
- chrisofspades
Last night I dreamed that Steve was doing research on the copyright concerns of 19th century college students regarding the sheet music they sang from.
Turns out that they'd usually start a "Composer's Fund" in an old whiskey jug and deposit some set fee (often $.01 per per person present) each time they sang the song. The intent was to, at the end of each academic year, wire money to the various creators of the songs. In practice, by Thanksgiving the singing club would usually have broken the whiskey jug and spent the money on more whiskey, this providing a new empty jug and perpetuating the cycle. This was known as "Toasting the Composers."
- Your Neighbor Steve
As one might expect, litigation inevitably followed. Frances Crowley Burnand's lawsuit against Amherst College over unauthorized performances of "The Pig Song" led to an unusual out of court settlement, which is why Amherst cafeterias cannot serve bacon to this day.
- Your Neighbor Steve
This just in: Celine Dion announces new charitable foundation dedicated to long-term support for parents of ugly babbies. Unconfirmed rumors have surfaced suggesting that a special facility is also being constructed using "fast track design-build techniques" that will specialize in the ongoing treatment, disguise and subterranean sequestering of such infants.
- Mark J
Here's the conclusion I came to last night: This is my body. While it reserves the right to look slightly different on a daily basis and may look way different 3-6 months from now, it is mine and this is what I look like. I will stop hating it. I will love me for who I am not what I look like. If people want to judge or dislike me because....
...I have wide hips, an ass and some thick thighs, then they can go screw themselves. I'm tired of beating myself up. I have a good life. I have friends who love me. I have a man who loves me for me and doesn't care that I am soft in all the wrong/right places. I have a loving and supportive family. I have no idea why I make myself miserable other than it's always been that way, and I...
more...
- Mary Carmen
the old saying goes I am responsible for my happiness today. And you have alot of good things going on so enjoy them. Your man, your family, your FFers and of course yours shoes. Happy Good Friday my friend.
- just ZONED
I think you're beautiful, just as you are. And, if you think you're beautiful, then you will be. If you think you're ugly, then you will be. Your outsides reflect what you feel on the inside, so continue to be positive about your body, because there's nothing wrong with how you look.
- Cassandra
Good girl! You're a beautiful woman! It's always the hardest to clean out the junk between the ears than our houses. Continue your fabulousness!
- Hedgehog
*blushes* thank you all. could not do this at all without all your support.
- Mary Carmen
That's awesome. It's going to sound really stupid, but I've been going through the same "overcoming body shame" thing too, lately. Right on, MC!!! (and for the record, you are way better than me at dressing in a flattering way)
- Lo the Baker
I continue to hold the opinion: *swoooooon*
- Johnny
We all have the right to be proud of however we look. Awesome on you for getting there! :)
- <3Heather<3
*gives MC a standing ovation with a few W00Ts thrown in*
- vicster
Great advice for anyone and a great new attitude!
- Paulette
Hi! I don't know you really, but we've 'talked' a couple of times, and I've lurked around a bit. Please forgive me when I tell you that I'm completely jealous of your haircut. It is soooooo cute. I have a weak chin (well 2 or 3 of them :) ), so I have never been able to rock a page boy. I'm sorry that you had a winter of corporal discontent, but you seem like you're recovering well!!! I think that since I can't manage the pretty hair, I will copy the pretty attitude. Happy Easter, and wonderful spring!
- Charleen Mullenweg
Thanks, Charleen! It's an asymmetrical bob and I love it. I part it way on the side and flat-iron it. I love it and I'm definitely asking my dude to cut it shorter next time. I think it is a haircut that a lot of different facial types can wear.
- Mary Carmen
Being comfortable in your own skin is the biggest challenge anyone can face. While self improvement is always a nice goal, loving yourself for being yourself is awesome. Congrats to you! </pseudo-philosophicalism>
- Mike Nayyar
This thread makes me incredibly happy and grateful for all you wonderful people.
- Mary Carmen
Here's the thing that I always yell at myself about: I've been through so much physically, you'd think I would just be happy to be breathing. But some days, I get all on myself about stupid shit.
- Mary Carmen
I can't be the only person who finds it impossible to be sympathetic to gigantic corporations who made extremely bad decisions which required the government to rescue them, and who are now awash in vast amounts of cash, but who won't lend it to anybody, and who are now trying to squeeze the little guy for every single cent they have.
NPR's coverage of the BofA fee this morning included an analyst talking about how "hard" it is for banks to make money. I was like, wait, what?
- The original Kevin
I really find the attempt to blame this on the unintended consequences of government regulation pathetic, since it's clear that all those regulations required the imprimatur of the banks in the first place. I find it impossible to believe that they didn't want this to happen.
- Victor Ganata
It's like the fuckers are only looking out for themselves. They aren't even doing right for their own company, because you can only screw customers around for so long before its gets ugly. These people need to be jarred back into reality somehow, so they remember what it's like to be human. But I'd be lying if I didn't want to know what it's like to be 'Awash in vast amounts of cash.'
- Morgan
Banks don't have high margins, and the regulations are actually very tight. And with the fed artificially keeping interests rate low, they cannot price their product in a way to be compensated for risk. They stock pile money to be able to weather all they loses from foreclosures on their books. Until interest rates go up or people stop defaulting on loans, they will continue to stock...
more...
- Dario Gomez
Victor, I'm not sympathetic, and I didn't place blame wholly on the shoulders of government regulation, this was an effect that could be seen by anyone who used a little common sense. The regulations weren't strict enough to prevent this, but any stricter and there would be other ramifications. The banks are in a position where they can side step just about any regulation put in place....
more...
- Jimminy, CoG of FF
Interest rates can't go up if everyone is stockpiling money and no one is creating value. It's a futile cycle.
- Victor Ganata
from iPhone
Dario, they would have less foreclosures if they would renegotiate payments. Many people would be able to keep paying if they could lower their payments temporarily. Otherwise, they walk away. My aunt and uncle did that. The bank wasn't richer for the experience.
- <3Heather<3
I don't have time for sympathy. I'm too busy working three low paying jobs, trying to keep my head above water.
- Vicarbott
"How many hours (or days) of your life have you spent trying to find parking spots? If you're in New Delhi or Bangalore, probably too many. But Chicago denizens deal with less parking pain than most, according to IBM's first ever Parking Index, a ranking of the emotional and economic toll of parking in 20 international cities."
- Shevonne
from Bookmarklet