January, 2011 archive
When Texas Does Silly, It Does Silly Big 0
DFW officials are concerned that arrivals seeing a strip club as they leave airport property would create a bad first impression of Texas.
I’ve been to DFW.
The sight of anything indicating that you are leaving airport property is a welcome sight.
Update from the Foreclosure-Based Economy. Also, Dustbiters. 0
In a blow to the banking industry which sent bank stocks downward, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court has ruled that, when banks bring cases for foreclosures, actual evidence must be presented:
Wall Street bankers are stunned that what they say may not go and pledge large temper tantrums and whiny-fests until they get their way. Also, campaign contributions.
In other news, the FDIC shut down another bank: First Commercial Bank of Florida, Orlando, Florida. Sources indicate that actual evidence was involved.
Updates when if more banks bite the dust today.
Updated:
Another one bites the dust, leaving behind a legacy of universe-mastery:
Snakes on a Train 1
Life imitates art lavishly produced, badly written, poorly acted, over-the-top B-movies:
The woman became concerned that she could not find Penelope, her pet snake, as the train surfaced between Andrew and JFK/UMass stations. At the stop, the MBTA held the train for about four minutes as T employees helped search the car in which the woman was riding, but Penelope was nowhere to be found.
Penelope is apparently condemned to ride forever ‘neath the streets of Boston.
The Dons of Commerce 0
Bill Shein explains.
Cantor’s Cant (with a Chorus) 0
The larger issue is that Republicans are the used car salesmen of politics. All they are missing are the white belts and shoes.
They’ll say whatever sounds good to make a sale, and no warranties apply.
Shorter Scalia: Women Don’t Count 0
Ann Woolner, writing at Bloomberg, explains. A nugget:
When the Amendment was written, “Nobody ever thought that that’s what it meant,” Scalia said.
Here we have a perfect example of what’s so very wrong about so-called originalism, the theory Scalia claims to follow. The idea is that the Constitution should be interpreted according to its authors’ original intent, no changes allowed.
The 14th Amendment wasn’t meant to protect women, religious minorities, ethnic groups, and certainly not homosexuals. Written after the Civil War, its single aim was legal rights for newly freed slaves.
Newly freed MALE slaves, that is.
The leopard reveals his spots.
“Originalism” is to the law what the Laughable Curve is to economics: Fancy dress clothes for sacrificing the public good to the benefit of the privileged.
The Entitlement Society 3
“All these high CEOs and Wall Streeters getting bonuses on our tax dollars and . . . the government coming after public employees saying they’re the . . . cause of this . .”
Screenshot:
At the Guardian, Paul Harris comments on the anti-worker frenzy, pointing out the dipsy-doodle to distract persons from the real culprits:
All that was the work of the finance industry.
If You Buy Next Door to a Pig Farm, Don’t Complain about the Smell 0
Two examples today:
- Rich folks in Philly are trying to shut down a restaurant that has been in operation years longer than the building they occupy has existed.
- Folks in southside Virginia don’t want the Navy to use its airport (which it admittedly hasn’t been using) because they don’t like the sound of planes. Trainees have been flying to Florida to use an airport there (fuel conservation and costs anyone?).
Regarding the former, well, the arrogance of the well-heeled who are such delicate flowers of privilege that they are willing to destroy a popular business and put persons out of work because they are miffed by the sight and sound of the hoi polloi. Words fail me.
Regarding the latter, even though it is true that the military sometimes uses “military necessity” and “training purposes” to excuse lax and improper and even illegal practices (Google “benzene camp lejeune“), but, in this case, I mean, really. It is an airport, for Pete’s sake. It’s there to port air. Grow up.
Aside:
At dinner last night, some of the young whippersnappers revealed that they had never heard a sonic boom. Apparently, there was one in the area about a year ago caused by a natural phenomenon which resulted in a bit of consternation.
Back in the olden days of men of iron and ships of wood titanium, used to hear them all the time.
QOTD 0
At our pre-meeting TWUUG dinner last night, we had a new participant from Finland. One of the guys told a story of wearing a “Planet Hollywood Helsinki” tee shirt, which he bought as a souvenir of a visit to Finland, to the grocery store (I would have bought something a little more Finlandish than a U. S.-based restaurant chain tee shirt, but that’s me).
The checkout cherk asked him, “Where’s Helsinki?”
“Finland.”
Then she asked, “Is that a New England state?”
Thus today’s quote of the day, from Ambrose Bierce:
Working Dog 0
From Unspeakable Deeds to Speakable Ones 0
Democrats propose that a Senate filibuster actually include filibustering:
Makes sense to me. Suiting words to action and all that.
Via Hanlon, who observes quite accurately that
The awesome part is I know it’s gonna be Republicans that whine about it.
Nothing To Do, Nowhere To Go 0
Back over 400k, but still a slightly positive trend:
Firings have been waning in recent weeks, a necessary step toward gains in hiring that will help boost consumer spending, which accounts for 70 percent of the economy. A report tomorrow is projected to show employers added to payrolls in December for a third month as the U.S. expansion gained speed.
Update from the Foreclosure-Based Society 0
Discussing a proposal in Massachusetts to mandate mediation in foreclosure cases, Davd Abromowitz explains how short-term incentives militate against mortgate mediation:
And while foreclosure may yield less money for investors in the long run when all the costs are factored in, many of the foreclosure costs come “off the top’’ from the foreclosure sale, and are not borne by the servicer making the decisions.
In short, the mortgage pooling system that was set up to encourage private money to flow into mortgages and make them cheaper for consumers is now a virtual doomsday machine for the economy, pushing the process to foreclose on homes instead of modify loans.
In other words, kicking persons into the street is easier and more profitable than keeping them off the street.
Low-hanging fruit and all that.
Make TWUUG Your LUG 0
Learn about the wonderful world of free and open source.
What: Monthly TWUUG Meeting.
Who: Everyone in TideWater/Hampton Roads with interest in any/all flavors of Unix/Linux. There are no dues or signup requirements. All are welcome.
Where: Lake Taylor Transitional Care Hospital in Norfolk-Employee Cafeteria. See directions below. (Wireless and wired internet connection available.)
When: 7:30 PM till whenever (usually 9:30ish) on Thursday, January 6.
Directions: Lake Taylor Hospital-1309, Kempsville Road, Norfolk, 23502 (Kempsville Rd. at Lowry Rd.) 461-5001
Pre-Meeting Dinner at 6:00 PM (separate checks) at Uno Chicago Grill, Virginia Beach Blvd. & Military Highway (Janaf Shopping Center). Accessible through the Janaf parking lot or directly from the ramp from Virginia Beach Blvd. to Military Highway north.
Real Snakes on Real Planes 0
Or “How To Rethink Air Travel without the Help of the TSA.”
Radio Times reports. From the website:
Follow the link above or click here to listen (MP3).