Wednesday Open Thread
From the Rocky Mountain News :
In the end, President Bush's failure to heed the will of the people isn't so much an act of principle, but rather an outburst of sheer peevishness. With Democrats in control of Congress, he's no longer getting a blank check to fund his military adventures. He finds this frustrating, so he's stamping his foot, covering his ears, and taking his party down with him.
edit -- pico: Tony Blair is expected to resign within the next few weeks, as multiple UK sources are reporting. Comments on the BBC page seem to think that Blair's legacy will be overwhelmingly negative because of the Iraq debacle, for two reasons: the destructive foreign policy itself and the extent to which Blair defaulted to American leadership. However, Blair himself (and a minority of comments) situate his successes in Northern Ireland as his primary legacy. What do you think?
Comments :
My take is that they are trying to get the same outcome
from what happened in the 90's when Newt & the Repubs shut down the government. Clinton came out of it looking better than Newtie et al.
What Rove and the boys miss is that it was Newtie that was acting childish and petty and it was Clinton that was acting like a responsible leader. In this case, dubya is still looking like the spoiled petulant child and Nancy & Harry are looking like the responsible leaders that they were elected to be.
It's funny how they (Rove & the boys) willfully ignore important aspects of history lessons.
401k loans
I'm seriously considering taking out a moderat ($5-8k) loan from my 401k account. It'd be used to pay off a few debts which will clean up my credit history and to get my wife a bassoon (she's a classically trained orchestral musician but she hasn't had an instrument for some time which I think sucks).
Any good reasons not to? The interest is 9 point something percent but since you are essentially paying the interest to yourself that isn't really a factor other than determining how much disposable income we can afford to put towards it. I understand that while I have the money on loan it's not making it's usual interest, but 9% interest is almost assuredly better than whatever rate the rest of the money is getting so it's not like I'm screwing my retirement, I'm basically just forcing myself to contribute more towards it.
Any angles I'm not considering here?
As a second question anyone here very knowledgable about housing markets and the process of building a house?
I came. I saw. I posted.
Veni, Vidi, Bitchy.
See what you can get here first
http://www.prosper.com/
401(k) loans are pretty dangerous -- the rules on what happens if you fail to pay it back are ugly.
Good lord!
Did you look at their interest rates? based on the first page the average was 18.4%!
If I couldn't pay a 9.25% loan on my 401k how would I possibly pay that?
I was looking at the rules and it sounds like if you fail to pay the 401k loan the IRS treats it as an early withdrawal of the funds which is subject to some pretty stiff penalties, sure. But I can also have the payments made as direct deposits from my paycheck mhich makes it damn near impossible to miss a payment unless I lose my job.
I came. I saw. I posted.
Veni, Vidi, Bitchy.
I think those are the max rates
the borrower is willing to pay, which you can set. It appears to be like priceline, so maybe it can't hurt to try and see if someone (or a group of someones) will loan at a rate you're willing to pay. But I am not an accountant and all those standard disclaimers.
Come, my friends. 'Tis not too late to seek a newer world -- Tennyson
Depends on your credit score
People with good credit scores can get rates under 8%.
Good reason to like Tancredo
here
.
Come, my friends. 'Tis not too late to seek a newer world -- Tennyson
That's always been my answer.
I came. I saw. I posted.
Veni, Vidi, Bitchy.
His answer...
...violates the spirit and premise of the question-- if you had a boat, you wouldn't be "stranded" on a desert island.
The dumbest answers would have to be those who answered "Book", including the top 3 Democratic contenders... you can bet that after they've read thru that book for the third time, they're going to be wishing that they went for something else.
Those that wanted their wives know what side their bread is buttered on, but I just frankly don't believe them :-) Where's the honest candidate answering "Jessica Alba"? And their wives are "items?" Vaguely insulting. I don't think that these answers are true to the premise of the question either.
Brownback answer, "tarp" reveals someone who is too tightly wound for living. Come on, Sam... you can build shelter from palm fronds!
Personally, I'd go for a solar powered Bobcat. I'd build the biggest, most kick-ass sandcastle in history :-)
skymutt: wise and powerful... enlightened...
I'd prefer a nice
starship
.
No you wouldn't
Lookin' in your eyes I see a paradise
This world that I've found is too good to be true
Standin' here beside ya, want so much to give you
This love in my heart that I'm feelin' for you
Let 'em say we're crazy, I don't care about that
Put your hand in my hand, baby, don't ever look back
Let the world around us just fall apart
Baby, we can make it if we're heart-to-heart
And we can build this dream together
Standing strong forever
Nothing's gonna stop us now
And if this world runs out of lovers
We'll still have each other
Nothing's gonna stop us, nothing's gonna stop us now, whoa no
I'm so glad I found you, I'm not gonna lose you
Whatever it takes, I will stay here with you
Take you to the good times, see you through the bad times
Whatever it takes is what I'm gonna do
Let 'em say we're crazy, what do they know?
Put your arms around me, baby, don't ever let go
Let the world around us just fall apart
Baby, we can make it if we're heart-to-heart
And we can build this dream together
Standing strong forever
Nothing's gonna stop us now
And if this world runs out of lovers
We'll still have each other
Nothing's gonna stop us, nothing's gonna stop us, ooh
All that I need is you
All that I ever need
All that I want to do
Is hold you forever, forever and ever
And we can build this dream together
Standing strong forever
Nothing's gonna stop us now
And if this world runs out of lovers
We'll still have each other
Nothing's gonna stop us, nothing's gonna stop us
Build this dream together
Standing strong forever
Nothing's gonna stop us now
And if this world runs out of lovers
We'll still have each other
Nothing's gonna stop us now
And we can build this dream together
Standing strong forever
Nothing's gonna stop us now
And if this world runs out of lovers
We'll still have each other
Nothing's gonna stop us, nothing's gonna stop us
-Nothing's gonna stop us now, Starship
I came. I saw. I posted.
Veni, Vidi, Bitchy.
I listened to the Jefferson Starship.
I was more of an Airplane fan because without Jorma, it wasn't as good a band.
Holey-Moley
that is a horrible song. Thanks for reminding me why I hated 80's music so much. :-)
I'd take a book.
But I'm funny like that. And I really could reread it indefinitely.
Saint, n. A dead sinner revised and edited. - Ambrose Bierce
Today's Wall Street Journal has an article written by
Harvey Mansfield titled "The Case for the Strong Executive;
Under some circumstances, the rule of law must yield to the need for energy." He basically says that Bush43 is right to be above the law and should be.
I'd seen it referanced at a few of my morning blog sites, but Glenn Greenwald's reply is too good to pass up
. So, for those of you who hate my rants, please move on to the next post.
For those of you who want to educate yourselves about the society we live in, and how this administration (and their enablers) would like to see this nation become a Kingdom, take the time to read both links.
At this point...
I think people are just running out the clock until 2008. At this point I'm like what can we do but read and get frustrated? We can write sternly-written letters, walk around and hold up signs in DC, but I've been reserved to just go to work and read what you guys say about the Unitary Executive. I can't get too emotional about it myself.
I'm sure one day it'll get better.
http://wealthweekly.blogspot.com
Wii FC:2805-8311-8040-2678
Brawl: 2277-7051-2186
Three and a half decades of corruption
Seem our friend Karl Rove got his start doing dirty tricks for the re-elect Nixon campaign. Apparently his very first foray into politics nearly got him arrested but he skated by due to friends in high places bending rules.
Not much changes, huh?
I should point out that this was in 1972. Karl Rove has been a** ****ing this country since before I was born.
http://wonkette.com/politics/i-learned-it-from-watching-you-dept%27/karl...
I came. I saw. I posted.
Veni, Vidi, Bitchy.
PS- Rove's emails subpoenad by the Senate.
http://www.realcities.com/mld/krwashington/need_to_map/17168279.htm
Suck it, Karl.
I came. I saw. I posted.
Veni, Vidi, Bitchy.
Please God let him go down hard
I read Bush's Brain and heartily agree.
Rove is the most spiteful vengeful man who will ruin your career and your life without thinking twice if you cross him.
I recall a story about his neighbor stepping on his tulips and Karl waiting 10 years to get even.
It is the economy, stupid.
I'm still holding out hope...
...that Rove's name will surface on the DC Madam's list :-)
skymutt: wise and powerful... enlightened...
I thought the DC Madame employed only women....
bawahhhhahahaha
I have always wondered about, (whisper) Alberto G.
Me I don't care about someone's orientation...... but the repubs have such apolpletic fits of rage over the issue....... it would serve em right for their blatant double standards.
Poor Madam and all her paying customers, and who gets whacked, not the men, no no no, they face no charges...... it is all the woman's fault. oh puke.
It is the economy, stupid.
Well...
When these men's soon-to-be-ex-wives strip them of every dime they are worth in the most messy and public divorces humanly imaginable, it's going to be hard for me to say that they have not been punished enough :-)
skymutt: wise and powerful... enlightened...
Funniest comment of the week! (nt)
"Perplexity is the beginning of knowledge" -- Kahlil Gibran
Uhm
let's move on...
Come, my friends. 'Tis not too late to seek a newer world -- Tennyson
Personally...
...I'd prefer not to face the mental images that story would evoke. Thanks.
I came. I saw. I posted.
Veni, Vidi, Bitchy.
Hot and sweaty and pasty white :)
It is the economy, stupid.
You. Suck.
I came. I saw. I posted.
Veni, Vidi, Bitchy.
Thanks! I do my best! %=I
It is the economy, stupid.
That was uncalled for!
...that being said, you forgot the part about the pendulous man-breasts lapping over the distended, sagging stomach, which in turn laps over his... well, never mind, enough damage has been done here....
skymutt: wise and powerful... enlightened...
Rove is a genius,
an evil, maniacal genius, but I have to hand it to the guy. He is the Machiavelli of this generation. It took us a long time to beat him, and if the War in Iraq hadn't gone so bad, he might've completed the one-party system of domination he sought.
Of course, it may take another generation to undue the damage to our system he created.
If he was a genious
Democrats would have the House and the Congress.
At some point people get sick and tired of the you're evil and I'm not.
He knows how to throw a sucker punch. Hopefully his undoing will be his hubris and his arrogance.
Have you ever read the book 'Bush's Brain', or wathced the movie. He has made a lot of enemies, and many of them are Republicans who got stepped on.
Slipping out of the treason charge twice. Once for Bush 41 and more narrowly from Bush 43.
It is the economy, stupid.
was out most of today
ugh - I hate meetings at different offices where I have to drive for a while. I see you guys are having fun :)
"To discuss evil in a manner implying neutrality, is to sanction it." AR
also I'll write
a little response to Larry's diary to clarify some things, and because it is entertaining - so I'll crosspost it.
"To discuss evil in a manner implying neutrality, is to sanction it." AR
Brilliant solution to the Iraq funding issue
this thread from TPM talks about options for the dems moving forward with the budget supplemental:
http://electioncentral.tpmcafe.com/blog/electioncentral/2007/may/02/iraq
The best idea is in the comments though: send up a bill that authorizes all the funds with benchmarks (not a timetable) and a PAYGO tax increase.
Hence you say, "Mr. President you can have your funds as soon as you sign off on the tax increase to pay for them."
Hilarity ensues as the GOP tries to argue that they should be entitled to deficit spend as much as they want on their war, or something. meanwhile the actual cost of the war is more meaningfully felt by the people so that they are more interested in ending it.
I came. I saw. I posted.
Veni, Vidi, Bitchy.
Nice!
It is the economy, stupid.
Or.....
tell them if they don't want to raise taxes to pay for the war, tell them to suggest how to cut $125 billion from existing programs.
qui tacet consentire
Arrest warrants issued over Darfur
Sudan's arguments sounds remarkably like Bush's argument against the ICC, doesn't it?
Link
qui tacet consentire
No new thread up yet. Hey! You East coasters...Get up
already!
I'm sure yesterday everyone saw the posts about the military restricting posting to blogs and e-mails without clearing the post/e-mail through a "supervisor".
Well, it turns out it's much more than that
(via wired.com). Apparently, FAMILY MEMBERS or military folks, civilians employed by the military & contracted workers for the military can't post to a blog, or e-mail someone without having the military OK it. I thought that was a little too expansive a take on the directives at first. But if you look at the order 
(.pdf) it's written so vaguely that it could conceivably cover the whole kit & kaboodle.
What's up with that?
Sorry, gimme a sec
or gripe at Spector, that's why we hired him =)
Come, my friends. 'Tis not too late to seek a newer world -- Tennyson
Sorry
I'm on mountain time, and today was the first day I've slept in for weeks. I was up late digging up evidence for Bush lies.
Does this mean I'm already on double-secret probation?
We'll let it slide
just this once :p
Enjoy the well-earned relaxation!
Come, my friends. 'Tis not too late to seek a newer world -- Tennyson
I think you'll earn double pay
if you can convince GoRight with whatever you dug up.
"Perplexity is the beginning of knowledge" -- Kahlil Gibran
Yeah
it seems to be a challenge at the moment. It's like he went to political-spin judo school while he was on vacation.