Afternoon Thread

The 80s was weird.

Vital Essence

I rarely get sick, but apparently my luck has run out. Sick.

Crazy Ideas

I'm so old I remember when only sucky bloggers living in basements said this kind of thing.

This election season offers an opportunity to reframe the debate over Social Security. It is necessary, of course, to ensure the program’s long-term health beyond 2034, when the system is projected to come up short. But this can’t be done by broadly cutting benefits. In fact, there’s mounting evidence that Social Security, which has become ever more important in retirement, needs to be expanded.

Bad Apples

If you want to be a racist homophobic asshole just own it, losers.

One bad apple and blame the whole group. Typical of people out there. THAT individual has been dealt with in house. #LoveGays #HappyNewYear

— Finnegan NYB (@FinneganNYB) January 2, 2016

People can read the internet, you stupid fucksticks.

Patriots

The most Merkin of Merkins.

A group of activists and militiamen protesting the federal prosecution of two ranchers occupied a remote federal building in the rural southeastern corner of Oregon, the authorities said.

The building seized by the group houses the offices of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, and is operated by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, about 30 miles southeast of Burns, in Harney County.

"Activists." The article neglects to mention that they are armed. I wonder how that happened.

Morning Thread

Mini-Movie Review

Creed's good if you like that kind of thing. Showed Philly, warts and all, without it being poverty porn. A bit like the new Star Wars in that it's kind of the same movie as the original, but in a good way.

Late Night

Rock on.

Inside the Minds of Gun Gropers

I read too much of the internet and I can't remember where I saw this, but somewhere there was a discussion of people carrying guns and some self-proclaimed liberal made the argument that the fact that he carries a gun makes it less likely for violent situations to escalate because the fact that he has a gun and knows he has a gun means that the price of escalation is too high. The example he gave was that if someone bumped his supermarket cart he would de-escalate the situation because if he didn't then the fact that he has a gun could lead to things getting out of hand.

Okay, so, uh, what the hell? I don't go through life worrying about whether someone bumping my supermarket cart might lead to violence. I don't go through life worrying about any situation leading to violence. I don't think I have since my drunken frat boy days when, yes, I knew people who liked to get drunk and fight. If someone bumps my supermarket cart I assume it's an accident and maybe they say excuse me or maybe we just smile and nod and go our merry way but whatever it's just a supermarket cart bumping and what the hell? I don't think every interaction with other humans - even if they piss me off - might lead to a violent confrontation. Because I'm not a rageaholic and assume most people aren't? I don't need to carry my detachable death penis to make me behave?

What the fucking fuck.

America's Worst Humans

Anthony Coskey.

Let's Arse It Up Some More

If only there was a simple and effective existing program which worked really well that we could make more generous. Maybe we could call it Social Security? No, we must create an entirely new plan because fucking hell I have no idea.

There is a retirement crisis. There's a simple fix. Make current and future social security benefits more generous, and lift the income cap on contributions. I have no idea why people think that adding an exciting new plan which is basically the same as an existing plan but it is new! and exciting! is progress. Social Security is awesome. Build on it. Until then, everyone get ready to take care of your parents (or, for parents, get ready to beg your kids to take care of you).

Social Security is popular with everybody except DC-centric pundits and journalists. Pretty sure it'll be popular with most of them once they near 65ish, too. But it makes Fred Hiatt, History's Greatest Monster, have a sad, so nobody has the guts to propose the obvious thing. MOOOOOOAAARRRR SOCIAL SECURITY.

The World's Worst Humans

David Cameron.

We can trust this, because if there’s one phrase that springs immediately to mind when we think of this Government’s attitude towards public services, it’s “money is no object”. Every community project and youth club ends up screaming at the Prime Minister to stop giving them money. “Please, Mister Cameron, there’s nowhere in the old people’s home to hang another Rembrandt. Keep a bit for yourself.”

Yet, strangely, Cameron’s Government had scrapped a flood defence plan in Leeds because it was “too expensive”. If you were a pedantic sort, I wonder if you might spot a contradiction between the two phrases “money is no object” and “too expensive.”

Buddy Pine

I'm not even that much of a Schumer hater (he certainly has his flaws) but this is hilarious.



Yes, the chief villain. Right wing talk radio and blogs do nothing but talk about Chuck Schumer all day long. Kudos to getting the NYT to type this up, though I suppose that isn't really so hard.

Taking My Head Out of the Sand

I admit I've mostly been ignoring primary season. Not entirely, of course, but doing my best not to focus on it at least. But, well, 2016 is here and I can't pretend it doesn't exist anymore. Let the games begin!

Friday Night

It's alright.

Assholes

We have this weird New Year's tradition here in Philadelphia, the Mummer's Parade. Parts of it are fun if mostly stupid, but a few of the clubs bring on the racism and the homophobia every year. That's made worse by the fact that most club members don't live in the city these days, they come in from South Jersey and DelCo to spit in the faces much of the city. Signs with Bruce Jenner on a Wheaties box and Caitlyn Jenner on a Fruit Loops box, side by side. Go home, assholes, you're drunk assholes.

America's Worst Humans

Rahm Emanuel.

Too Slowly

Still it's something to be thankful for.

The Bureau of Justice Statistics has released new evidence that mass incarceration continues to unwind in the United States. The rate of U.S. adults under some form of criminal justice supervision declined for the seventh straight year, dropping to a level not seen since 1996.

Morning Thread

Didn't make it till Midnight, but that's okay. The New Year came in anyway.

2016: The Year We Make Contact

Or something like that.