Saturday Night

Rock on.

Afternoon

Not much going on, so here is one of my favorite chamber music pieces.

Welcome To The Nursing Home

Was in a cafe and they were playing (ha ha) "oldies" and Welcome To The Jungle (Guns N' Roses) came on. My memory was correct, as wikipedia confirmed, that it came out almost exactly 35 years ago.

It isn't weird that I'm old; it's weird that things I remember as new are. Not sure that makes sense.

Nothing Matters, Nothing Is Real

Sometimes I wonder if I am the weirdo? Basic things like, "women might die because a doctor can't treat them without risking jail," bother me a bit?

I know there's a sort of South Park "caring is the worst sin" ethos, along with the establishment of "virtue signalling" as a slur, but it doesn't seem to weird to see that as a problem?

And honestly I think I'm a bit of an asshole.

Morning

Slacker Saturday

Friday Night

Rock on.

Happy Hour

Rudy could be in prison soon!

Us

Journalists being too close to their sources is common, but elite legal journalism seems to have zero interrogation of these obvious problems.

Reaping

As I said, the good or bad of currency strength is complicated, but it does seem that 15 years of the UK punching itself in the face is coming to fruition. 

Is The Work Happening

Once upon a time, for various reasons, I was much more in tune with on the ground activism.  Voter registration and similar.  Now I have no idea. This is about my ignorance - I have no idea - but are people doing the work?

Lunch

Friday free for all

Shoupism

There isn't enough good public transit in the US, but this is greatly exacerbated by land use laws near rail stations.

Newsom, just back from an international climate conference in New York, announced in a video that he signed AB 2097, which frees developers of parking requirements for new housing and businesses located within a half-mile of a public transit stop. The regulation won’t prohibit developers from building parking in their projects but will ban local jurisdictions from imposing strict off-street parking allotments.

Philly, for example, had an extensive commuter rail systm which is kneecapped by local authorities wanting to preserve park-n-ride lots and low density development. Should have 5000 housing units within .5 miles of every station. At least allow it!

Their Problem

The Discourse always assumes the existence of Serious Conservatives, the previous generation who are less evil and insane than the current one. And who, somehow, still retain power despite not being in power. Tom Ridge is lurking in the background, ready to save us.

I don't believe in that, but I do think many Republicans can't be entirely thrilled with their Trump problem.

WHEEEEE

It isn't quite correct that a strong currency is good, but a plunging one does suggest there are some problems...

Morning

Friday freakout.

Thursday Night

Rock on.

Happy Hour

America's Mayor is still free.

Wait And See

I think the first time I really tried to follow legal arguments was in the post-2000 election fiasco. Details forgotten, but it was quite clear the Supremos would not rule as they eventually did because of clear precedents

Ah, well, nevertheless.

I don't follow legal arguments closely anymore.

The Simple Life

Why do people own 7 houses? Or keep working long after they have more money than they can ever spend?

I get that rich people can pay people to take of their problems, but hiring those people is itself stressful. OK so you have the one trusted guy who handles all the other guys, etc..., but these are all still things that come across your desk, eventually.

I guess, to me, money can buy a degree of freedom from hassle, yet so many people who have it choose to not use it that way.

Our Donald Problem, And Yours

I get the impediments to publicly betraying The Donald, but that elite conservatives generally - including judges - don't obviously want to quietly push him off stage is a bit of a mystery.

Sure they love Trumpism too, but not the guy!

Lunch Thread

eat

Who Matters

The political press had a collective freakout when some people showed up to Tucker's house once.

Tucker Carlson just named and showed pics of executives at a hospital that provides gender affirming care to trans teens, calling them criminals who deserve the bomb threats they receive. I won’t share the image, but I think we all know where this is headed…

— Shannon Watts (@shannonrwatts) September 22, 2022

They freak out when one of "them" is mildly inconvenienced, so it's always a useful signal about who is in the club.