A Forum for Grinches and Ho-Ho-Hoes

[bilmore]

Originally posted by Tyrone Slothrop
Good God, man. He made a prediction in May that proved wrong. Clearly he's a mistake-riddled hack! And you defend the Bush Administration's statements about Iraqi WMD. Amazing.

Lordy, man. I make a post with a bunch of stuff about Nelson. You say you can't find any such stuff. I start citing it to show you that, yes, it's there. You take one cite, and say, geez, one problem?

(P.S. In an unrelated matter, I note that Leahy's own experts yesterday agreed that the Geneva Convention would NOT apply to captured Al Queda members. I bet the oh-so-pleasant Leahy ripped them new ones following that hearing.)

[bilmore]

A truly horrifying article from TNR that I somehow missed a few months ago - one that opines that taxing higher income types at 90% actually helps them achieve a better, happier life, as they are relieved from the constant stress induced by having to make all those horrible spending decisions:

http://www.tnr.com/doc.mhtml?pt=RWWY...023bb236246010

I have reconsidered. I am now in favor of political assassination and torture.

[Replaced_Texan]

Mark Cuban, owner of the Dallas Mavericks, is suggesting that Bush cancel all of the inauguration parties and give money to charity insteady*:

Start by cancelling your inauguration parties and festivities.

Could there be anything more confusing and shocking than to read that our country was offering $35mm in aid to the areas affected by the Tsunamis, but that the cost of inauguration parties would be about $40mm?

Does anyone else think that this is wrong?

I realize that the cost for the inauguration is being picked up by corporate sponsors and people purchasing outrageously priced tickets. The question is why.

Why are all these corporations and people spending all that money? Hey I love a good party, but there ain’t no party like a $10,000 per ticket party. It’s a 10k dollar ass kissing. As an accountant, fund raiser when asked about the high prices to attend the Inaugural events told the NY Times, “its the cost of playing the game”.

Mr President, its time to change the game.

In your re-election campaign, you talked a lot about leadership. Your ability to lead in times like these. Your ability to set an example. Mr President, it’s time to show that leadership. It’s time to set an example.

Cancel all but the most basic inauguration requirements.

It should be the easiest decision of your 2nd term.

You, Laura and the girls can still have family over and appreciate your blessings. I’m sure people who want to get out and have a good time, will still find a way to have fun. But that 40mm dollars can go a long way. Instead of shaking hands all night and being driven from party to party, send them a thank you card letting them know that the corporate and individual donations that had been earmarked for fun, was now going to help more people than they could ever imagine. Without the hangovers.

The impact of cancelling the frills would be staggering. You would immediately send the message that you as President and we as a country, really do know how to prioritize. That we will start accepting financial responsibility.

It would be hard for other politicians to not follow your lead. You could ask them to do the right thing and give up something they can do without, so that there are dollars available for those who really need them.

Leadership starts at the top. Culture change can start with some things that really are easy to do.

And 40mm dollars going to help those really in need can have a huge impact.

Do the right thing. Send the right message. Lead by example Mr President.

*NOTE: This blog entry was written on December 31, before the US upped its pledge from $35mm to $350mm. I agree that it's a bit déclassé to spend more on inaguration parties than disaster relief.

[Hank Chinaski]

Originally posted by Replaced_Texan
Mark Cuban, owner of the Dallas Mavericks, is suggesting that Bush cancel all of the inauguration parties and give money to charity insteady*:




*NOTE: This blog entry was written on December 31, before the US upped its pledge from $35mm to $350mm. I agree that it's a bit déclassé to spend more on inaguration parties than disaster relief.

How much does he pay his starting center?

[sgtclub]

Originally posted by bilmore
So could I, which means that I would completely trust any voting program which I wrote. And loaded into the machine. Which said machine I got to go through and wipe clean and test prior to loading. And which I could guard without fail from wiping to loading to voting to counting.

(But, it's not just the "secure" part. As long as the system isn't transparent - i.e., as long as people can't walk away absolutely KNOWING how they actually voted, and how the system recorded their vote, there's no solution. The perception of disenfranchisement - even by whackos - is enough to allow them to opt out of any sense of governance by the winner.)

Why can't we just do internet voting? Would that relieve your issues

[sgtclub]

Originally posted by Tyrone Slothrop
The Jerusalem Post reports, Sri Lanka requests more medical aid from Israel.

Beggars can't be choosers

[Greedy,Greedy,Greedy]

Originally posted by bilmore
A truly horrifying article from TNR that I somehow missed a few months ago - one that opines that taxing higher income types at 90% actually helps them achieve a better, happier life, as they are relieved from the constant stress induced by having to make all those horrible spending decisions:

http://www.tnr.com/doc.mhtml?pt=RWWY...023bb236246010

I have reconsidered. I am now in favor of political assassination and torture.

Even better, let's let the rich people torture him for fun.

Such sacrilege, suggesting that the net good in the world may be increased by 20 kids getting a college education rather than one rich dude spending his time shopping (let's see, maybe a blond for summer! to go with my yacht).

[Hank Chinaski]

the Mexican Government is publishing a guide to assist in safely sneaking into the US.

Mexico Provides Guide to Illegal Immigration
The 32-page booklet, free with popular comic books and advertised at bus stations and government offices south of the border, comes courtesy of the Mexican government.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,143433,00.html



The guide features illustrations and practical advice for how to enter the U.S. illegally and survive the journey on foot.

I'm sure the Bush administration- if it ran Mexico- would be urging abstinence from entering the country illegally.

[bilmore]

Originally posted by Greedy,Greedy,Greedy
Such sacrilege, suggesting that the net good in the world may be increased by 20 kids getting a college education rather than one rich dude spending his time shopping (let's see, maybe a blond for summer! to go with my yacht).

"Net good in the world"?

Not my job, man.

Maybe my choice, but not my obligation.

[sgtclub]

Originally posted by Greedy,Greedy,Greedy
Even better, let's let the rich people torture him for fun.

Such sacrilege, suggesting that the net good in the world may be increased by 20 kids getting a college education rather than one rich dude spending his time shopping (let's see, maybe a blond for summer! to go with my yacht).

What the fuck is "net good" in the world? In your world, isn't good relative?

[Replaced_Texan]

Originally posted by Hank Chinaski
How much does he pay his starting center?

Dunno, and I don't know how much he personally gave for tsunami relief. One hopes, though, that the tuna industry rethinks their "Under the Sea" themed inaguration party.

[Hank Chinaski]

Originally posted by Replaced_Texan
Dunno, and I don't know how much he personally gave for tsunami relief. One hopes, though, that the tuna industry rethinks their "Under the Sea" themed inaguration party.

would it be bad if the tuna industry just told SE Asia "Sorry Charlie!"

Hank- the un-PC.

[sgtclub]

Gavin is getting a divorce.

[sgtclub]

1 word - bold

[Gattigap]

Originally posted by bilmore
These genuinely repulsive, arrogant creatures survive only because the world's rich countries, the non-Turd World, allow them, too. We in the First World find it politically impossible to reveal their pronouncements as the cant they are. For many in Europe and among the New York Times crowd, helping maintain these mad vultures substitutes for genuine action, "The UN is on the job!"

Ya know, I don't think this State Department official really likes the UN at all.