A Forum for Grinches and Ho-Ho-Hoes

[Tyrone Slothrop]

Originally posted by bilmore
There's a change. What's the cause?

I'm guessing, after some thought, that my earlier meanderings might be it - if one could track Dem v. Repub enlistments, there would be a change equal to this "drop in black enlistment". This ain't a Dem's war, it belongs to Repubs. Since blacks are overwhelmingly Dem, and blacks are measured while party affiliation ain't, this is just the only available indicator of that.

I would think that a war would affect military recruitment by discouraging enlistment by those who fear death or dismemberment but increasing enlistment among those who feel called to service. Whether you're a Democrat or a Republican, I suspect that latter impulse is far outweighed by the former by now. This is surely more true among Democrats, but I don't think Republicans are flocking to the recruitment office to sign up to go man roadblocks between Baghdad and the airport.

[Gattigap]

Originally posted by bilmore
This was the crux of the Sidd/Ty/Gatto/SS/Panda attack on Hank's vote fraud points today. I bet you guys were hell on the playground while in groups.

Aww, Dad.

You almost made me feel bad for pointing out and complaining about something profoundly stupid and insulting I was told on the playground by the strange man with his hands in his pockets.

Almost.

[Hank Chinaski]

Originally posted by bilmore
This was the crux of the Sidd/Ty/Gatto/SS/Panda attack on Hank's vote fraud points today. I bet you guys were hell on the playground while in groups.

No worries- what I told you about being afraid of gangs of punks at the Warped Tour applies when they're in the hundreds. Those 5 I can handle- especially since Gatti and SS tend to flail around when they make arguments, and punch their teammates more than hurting me.

[Replaced_Texan]

The Dating Game, Sadly, No style

[Shape Shifter]

Originally posted by Spanky
I don't get it? I met you once and I remember you being my height and I am six feet tall. Do I have a fualty memory.

I represented the Republican Party in Santa Clara county at the office of the registrar. Everyone was sure I was going to see all sorts of nefarious stuff. If there was some fraud going on it was some pretty sophisticated stuff. You guys may know this but it was news to me (and maybe they only do this in Santa Clara). One third of the votes were absentee votes. The signature of every single absentee vote, was compared to the signature the person made when they registered. They had every registered voter in Santa Clara county's signature in the computer and the worker would scan the signature with an electronic pen and scan signature of the absentee ballot. They had a bunch of experts there to determine if one was a forgery if one looked suspicious. When the voting was done they did the same thing with the signatures people made when they signed the book when they voting at the polls. The ballot was touch screen, so we hired some Sun Micorsystems guy to make sure that was kosher (but even if it wasn't I don't see how the vote could then square with the signature check in the end). Needless to say he said he was very impresses with their computer system.

Well, that settles that.

[Shape Shifter]

Originally posted by sgtclub
Now granted, I haven't read the bill, but this statement is absurd:

• The record number of bankruptcies in America is not the fault of consumers so much as it's the fault of credit companies willing to extend credit to pretty much anyone, independent of their means or station. When I lived in Brooklyn, one of my roommates was unemployed for almost a full year. After six months of unemployment, he did an experiment and saved all the pre-approved credit offers he received. The result: in one month, this unemployed 26-year old was offered almost a hundred thousand dollars in preapproved credit. That the bankruptcy bill does zero to address this corporate malfeasance -- a major and easily-addressed cause of the bankruptcy rate -- is absurd.

Isn't the GOP the party of personal responsibility? To believe this statement, you must believe that the debtors are really the victims. PA-LEASE.

Why shouldn't creditors bear some personal responsibility for their actions?

[Shape Shifter]

Originally posted by Hank Chinaski
No worries- what I told you about being afraid of gangs of punks at the Warped Tour applies when they're in the hundreds. Those 5 I can handle- especially since Gatti and SS tend to flail around when they make arguments, and punch their teammates more than hurting me.

You're short.

[Hank Chinaski]

Originally posted by Shape Shifter
You're short.

And that's bad right? Explain why being short is bad for a guy.

[ltl/fb]

Originally posted by Hank Chinaski
And that's bad right? Explain why being short is bad for a guy.

Short guys cannot get Ftang.

[sgtclub]

Originally posted by Shape Shifter
Why shouldn't creditors bear some personal responsibility for their actions?

They are, their debtor just went b/k, so they get paid pennies on the dollar, if at all.

[Gattigap]

Originally posted by sgtclub
They are, their debtor just went b/k, so they get paid pennies on the dollar, if at all.

I see that Predatory Lending Is Welcome on The Island.

You should sell sponsorship opportunities. You'll be able to save that coconut mik in nifty Citi and Chase mugs.

[sgtclub]

Originally posted by Gattigap
I see that Predatory Lending Is Welcome on The Island.

You should sell sponsorship opportunities. You'll be able to save that coconut mik in nifty Citi and Chase mugs.

What is "predatory lending."

[ltl/fb]

Originally posted by sgtclub
They are, their debtor just went b/k, so they get paid pennies on the dollar, if at all.

They have pretty damn sophisticated systems -- they should be able to assess credit risk, given the bankruptcy system, and adjust their offers accordingly.

How do you feel about requiring them to disclose how long it will take to pay off the balance if only minimum payments are made?

[Shape Shifter]

Originally posted by sgtclub
They are, their debtor just went b/k, so they get paid pennies on the dollar, if at all.

Why should they gain preferential treatment in bankruptcy? Shouldn't this be reflected in the free marketplace, though interest rates and lending decisions?

[Gattigap]

Originally posted by sgtclub
What is "predatory lending."

Don't worry about it.

When negotiating with Chase for the sponsorship, go for the big canvas banner, and the insulated mugs -- they're the shit. Don't worry about reading the contract -- just sign at the bottom.