Cutting Taxes Or Raising Them In My Blue Heaven?

Bill De Blasio was sworn in as mayor and progressives swooned - income inequality would be solved by this weekend and it was fashionable to bash the thieving rich!

But here's a plot twist - back in Albany, Gov. Andrew Cuomo is heading in a different direction, attempting to bolster his upstate and national stature by posing as a Republican:

Cuomo Proposes $2 Billion in Tax Cuts

By THOMAS KAPLAN and JESSE McKINLEY

ALBANY — Sounding a refrain that will most likely echo through his re-election campaign this year, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo on Monday announced a sweeping $2 billion tax relief proposal, a catchall of cuts for property and business owners, renters and upstate manufacturers.

The announcement, a peek into his goals for the coming legislative session, carried an unmistakable and oft-repeated message: New York’s reputation as a high-tax state cannot be tolerated, and tax reductions will be among his top priorities.

Hmm. Of course, this means it will be even harder for Cuomo to end his straddling and further alienate the left by approving fracking in New York.

The Times has more on the De Blasio/Cuomo divergence.

Comments

[peter]

DeBlasio will be a sistah souljah for Cuomo in his national aspirations

[Gmax]

Cuomo acting like a Republican? Why not. Brooks has made a living doing the same thing at the Times. Watch and see if any tax cuts actually get enacted or if he goes makes a few speechs and goes back to his mansion.

[Jane]

Bloomberg just gave $2.5 million to Harry Reid. Perhaps all New Yorkers are crackpots. (Apologies to Jimmy - but hey!0

Happy Birthday Janet Jr.!

[Captain Hate]

Levin calls him DiCommio

[jimmyk]

A pleasant surprise that most of Cuomo's proposal involves actual cuts in tax rates, as opposed to the usual NY style of income-based "credits." But it may just be for show if he knows that they won't get through the legislature.

[Threadkiller]

"Boehner Busted: Blocking Benghazi Select Committee; Obama Armed Al Qaeda 

Benghazi victim family members and dozens of military officers blast Speaker Boehner over Benghazigate..."

http://youtu.be/9gESUUNUW6E

See letter here:

http://www.birtherreport.com/2014/01/boehner-busted-blocking-select-committee.html?m=1

[Threadkiller]

Happy Birthday Janet!

[matt]

Hooray Janet!

[Threadkiller]

CNS News understands that the real story in the Blagojevich saga is not Rod Blagojevich, it’s former U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald.

Rod Blagojevich is just another crooked politician who under normal circumstances in Illinois would never have seen the inside of a courtroom, much less a jail cell.

However, a distraction was needed to cover up crimes the Bush administration was committing, and to clear the path for Barack Hussein Obama to lead the next puppet administration.

You heard right, Fitzgerald was covering up crimes for both Bush and Obama.

http://illinoispaytoplay.com/2014/01/06/cns-news-its-about-patrick-fitzgerald/#more-2847

[Captain Hate]

Interesting comment from a Wyoming Moron:

Gabe had it right today when he said politics in Wyoming is more local than most places. .5 million people spread out in alot of wide open space. It's like a big small town. When your Congresswoman says she'll see you around she means it. Pete and Alan Simpson and even Dick Cheney are a presence here in Laramie because they are UW almni. Liz could'nt break into this tight circle because she hadn't been around the state for years meeting folks and shaking hands but she tried to act like she had and that she knew better and it jst didn't fly here. It did put Enzi on his toes though and that was a good thing. I ike Liz a lot but she should have known this would have worked a whole lot better in Virginia than in a place like Wyoming.

Posted by: small town girl in wyoming at January 07, 2014 08:43 AM (ltNot)

[daddy]

Hard to believe that we are colder than London and Antwerp but we are. I think we are the same temperature as Anchorage 27F.

JiB,

A commenter at WUWT I think has it figured out:

It’s simple. The record cold spell across much of North America is weather. The record rainfall in parts of Great Britain is climate change.

[MarkO]

Boehner is a strange cat. Maybe an orange tiger.

[jimmyk]

So who was the Republican that put the Senate over the top in getting the 60th vote for extending unemployment benefits? More great strategery from the GOP.

[Captain Hate]

Maybe she had her cataracts fixed: http://shark-tank.net/2014/01/06/alan-graysons-wife-files-divorce/

[Threadkiller]

The six Republicans voting in favor were Sens. Kelly Ayotte (R-N.H.), Dan Coats (R-Ind.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), Dean Heller (R-Nev.), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) and Rob Portman (R-Ohio).

http://m.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-politics/wp/2014/01/07/unemployment-insurance-extension-clears-key-hurdle-in-senate/

[sbwaters]

Happy Birthday, Janet! Or Janet, Jr.! Or Both of you.

I'm so confused.

[Cecil Turner]

A pleasant surprise that most of Cuomo's proposal involves actual cuts in tax rates, as opposed to the usual NY style of income-based "credits."

That's not what I'm getting from those links. The Governor's plan isn't spelled out in detail, but the panel recommendations were 50% property tax relief (at least some of which were credits based on income). The only actual rate reduction I saw was for corporations north of the city.

The Mayor, however, was fairly explicit. I don't suppose Wall Street can easily relocate, but when reading stories like this I'm stuck between two reactions: "why should I care?"; and, "they must have a lot of rich idjits in that city."

[NK(withnewsoftware)]

60th Vote-- that was Democrat Arlen Specter.

Thanks CaptH for the Wyo commenter. 'Family Health' issues or no.. she didn't have the votes. Like the Wyo gal, I like Liz C and I'd wildly support Liz against Warner in Va... ooops she screwed the pooch with that by looking like a reverse carpetbagger. We need winning Repubs in Va.

[clarice]

I do not trust pay to play.

I think it's Naomi's birthday, not Janet's, but in any case Happy Birthday.

[daddy]

Miss Marple, an OT question.

This story posted at Drudge about Indy's serious cold snap has some quotes from your Mayor Greg Ballard.

I was in Indy for a layover a few years back when former Marine Officer Ballard won the Mayorship over the big favorite Dem, and I really loved listening to the local Talk Radio guys going bananas that day over his unexpected victory.

If you have an opinion and don't mind sharing it, where on a scale of 1 to 10 would you place him performance wise for you guys? I haven't followed him at all since that election day, but I hope he's been good for you folks.

[daddy]

Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska)

Didn't even have to look to know she was on the list.

[Captain Hate]

Maybe Portman was taking advice from his homo son again.

Is it Janet Jr's birthday? I only remember her talking about the lovely Naomi as an offspring.

NK, I particularly liked the comment about how she served to keep Enzi on his toes. I don't view primary challenges as bad things for exactly that reason, even against candidates I like.

[NK(withnewsoftware)]

Cecil Turner-- you are quite correct that Cuomo's plan is FAR less than meets the eye, and it will come to NOTHING when the Dem Lefties in the Assembly say NO to it, unless there are massive union give aways. NYS has lost its productive class over the last 45 years-- it's just like Calif now-- Turtles all the way down. Like Billy Clinton, Cuomo will convert to the Prog Army and try to scam some Soros swag.

Wall Street relocate?-- why yes it can, and it has been since 2008. In 5 years, NYC will be like Detroit with some very tall buildings. I'll be paid some 'defensive' fees for a while, then I'll start that landscaping business.

[JIB]

TK,

I signed that letter at 11:32 if you noticed:) Also a bunch of our USNA grads and vets here.

Now I await my IRS letter advising of an audit.

[rse]

I am going to crosspost my reply to jimmy's link from the previous thread since that one is winding down.

jimmy-when the Left's entire goal over the next 2 or so years is to make governments at all levels the dominant economic vehicle in the US and elsewhere and we all get how corrupt and wasteful that can be, that waste and corruption needs to be the point. Not "we need to reform government to better meet 21st century needs."

http://50plus20.org/film is the kind of anti-factual propaganda we are dealing with. We are making Cronyism's inefficiencies the reason to eliminate what genuine capitalism remains.

Henry's graduate alma is front and center in this. As are the Ivies and Sloan if you look at the credits. Borrow to get n elite degree that will only rwsult in a positive return if the degree holder pushes to eliminate capitalism and gains a place in the planning oligarchy.

In honor of the polar vortex, it's a fast sled to economic hell all around.

[Old Lurker]

Cecil "I don't suppose Wall Street can easily relocate"

Don't tell my commercial real estate pals in DC that, Cecil. I think the hollowing out started years ago and accelerated post 9/11. There is little reason to have more than a pretty front office in NYC these days.

[NK(withnewsoftware)]

CaptH-- you and I have reached a TP/TopMen harmonic convergence.. don't trust any of 'em and put them to regular truth tests. Enzi has now committed to the right positions, he has to be held to those. Primary challenges are good IF the TopMan and TP are both winnable candidates, if one is a loser, they are dangerous. LizC was a good challenge. I happen to agree with the Cham of Comm -- NO IDIOT NOMINEES, who give the Dems a Senate/Gov seat by default. BTW-- there are BOTH TopMen and TP idiots--- avoid all of them.

[Danube on iPad]

"However, a distraction was needed to cover up crimes the Bush administration was committing, and to clear the path for Barack Hussein Obama to lead the next puppet administration."

I get it. If Fitzgerald prosecutes Blagojevitch, all federal and state prosecuting authorities will be so distracted by the show that they'll stop prosecuting.

And the puppet masters of the puppet administraions of Bush and Obama are...the Dark Forces.

Works for me.

[daddy]

Happy Birthday, Janet! Or Janet, Jr.! Or Both of you.

That has me wondering why it seems so rare for a daughter to be given the same name as her mother, (off the top I can't think of one) whereas it is or it used to be quite normal for a son to be given the same name as his pop (ie) Robert Jr, or Robert Whatever the 3rd.

How come there's no Janet Jr's, or Janet Whatever the 3rd's?

[Danube on iPad]

Happy birthday, Janet.

[centralcal]

DoT - as Clarice noted earlier, it is Naomi's birthday (Janet's daughter - or as Hit called her, Janet Jr.).

[NK(withnewsoftware)]

HB Janet.

[NK(withnewsoftware)]

... JR (Naomi)

[Account Deleted]

"There is little reason to have more than a pretty front office in NYC these days."

Shhh... Let's talk about the return to peaceful tranquility in the Empire State. We really shouldn't encourage people to leave the plague ship, due to contagion risk environment in which they have found happiness.

[Ignatz]

--60th Vote-- that was Democrat Arlen Specter.--

The comment was about the recent unemployment benefits vote so unless Specter was buried in Chicago I'm doubting he cast a vote at all.

[JIB]

rse,

There is an excellent interview by Kathryn Lopez with Insty on his new book "The New School" over at NRO Corner. You may want to check it out.

[peter]

Ayotte, Rob Portman, Murkowski, Collins, and Coats (Indiana.)

[Old Lurker]

Rick, I was lounging in my nice hotel room last week in NYC laughing out loud at the glittzy TV commercials the state is running about how great the business climate is in the state for new and relocted businesses. I figured Rick Perry and the other Texans are running scared now.

I would love to compare the ROI on those ad dollars vs those spent on BozoCare.

[NK(withnewsoftware)]

OK-- got my wires crossed, somehow inferred it was about the ObummerCare 60th vote.

Murkowski is a creature of DC; she is Exhibit A of everything wrong with DC today... and always has been.

[narciso]

From the last thread;

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2010/jan/15/sarah-sells-out/

[Marlene]

Happy Birthday Naomi. daddy,I have the same first name as my mother,but I was never called by that name except at school.
Susan Collins is on the list, Maine is too dependent on unemployment and welfare.In fact,the Bangor Daily's editorial today bemoans Maine's stagnant population growth. We also have the oldest median age in the country. I guess our only hope is more people like Roger Goodell building mansions here. :)

[Threadkiller]

What gave you cause to distrust Illinois Pay-to-Play, Clarice?

[Threadkiller]

Naomi? Oops.

Happy Birthday Naomi!

[narciso]

Happy birthday Naomi,

[Truthbetold]

Clarice

Pay to play does not trust you! And they make a compelling case.

Clarice Feldman believes Dick Armitage is a liar, except….
http://illinoispaytoplay.com/2013/11/18/clarice-feldman-believes-dick-armitage-is-a-liar-except/

Make your case, Clarice

[NK(withnewsoftware)]

OL-- Cuomo's adverts about NYS 'business' are indeed embarassingly funny.. and not in a good way. Dems like Andy Cuomo are terrified; the Progs like MARIO Cuomo murdered the NYS economic host over the past 45 years, the Progs now OWN the Dem party in NYS, and now that the 1981-2007 'Wall Street' golden goose has died (mostly self-inflicted, rest by DoddFrank) OPM has run out entirely and Andy can't do anything. The NYC Progs don't want him, so he's trying to buy some producer votes. Very few of those left and the ones still here can't stand him. Nope, NYS goes the way of Camden, Newark, Gary Indiana Hartford and Providence.

[Ignatz]

--OK-- got my wires crossed, somehow inferred it was about the ObummerCare 60th vote.--

Me too. Had to read it twice to figure out I wasn't stuck in a 2009 thread time warp. :)

[narciso]

Category error, telling a journalist, is different then having data leak out to other officials, but Armitage's unwillingness to lift a finger, for someone who saved him from a nasty slander suit,
back in the day,

the trail of crumbs from Rezko went all the way to Daley and farther out, yet Fitz circumscribed his
search.

[NK(withnewsoftware)]

Ignatz-- how scary is the Calif Drought situation?

[Old Lurker]

I usually skip right over the opinion pages in WaPo but for some reason I saw a series of letters to the editor today responding to some previous WaPo opinion piece that must have asked why one would be more comfortable with their personal data being in the hands of private company vs having that data kept by the NSA and other agencies of the government.

The best response was "because if the private company screws up I can sue them and recover my damages, but the government can use my information to take my things and put me in jail."

Pretty well sums it up doesn't it?

[Cecil Turner]

There is little reason to have more than a pretty front office in NYC these days.

Well, I actually meant they couldn't relocate "quickly" . . . but I suppose even that's a relative term. It seems to me that most folks who make more than $500,000 can afford to leave. And you wouldn't need a whole lot of 'em coming to that conclusion to make de Blasio's dream tax stunningly counterproductive.

Pass the popcorn, please.

[Threadkiller]

JIB, I applaud you.

[Account Deleted]

OL,

I'm sure Cuomo considers the return on taxpayers money spent to advertise "Look how hard I'm trying." efforts to be quite adequate. It's not as if success on the road to progressive perdition has ever been tied to actual results.

[Old Lurker]

Cecil, real estate guys think in terms of twenty year leases, mortgages and depreciation schedules... Lots can happen in that time frame.

[Old Lurker]

Proving your point about the target audience, Rick, I did wonder why the ads run in NYC but I have never seen one elsewhere.

Anyone?

[NK(withnewsoftware)]

OL-- but what doe the real estate guys' LENDERs think ;)

[daddy]

Marlene Jr,

Speaking of Bangor, my late Mom got I think her Masters in Library Science from Catholic University in DC when I was a kid growing up there. As I recall, her thesis or whatever you call it that she had to write was probably the driest thing ever written much less read: The title was something like "All the books printed in Bangor Maine prior to 1842." Zzzzzzzzzzz.

[Danube on iPad]

Happy birthday, Naomi.

[Old Lurker]

"Lenders" and "Think" are not linked as often these days as they used to be, NK, particularly if the lender hires Wesley Mouch as his man in DC.

(Narc was Wesley the right name from Atlas?)

[Cecil Turner]

Lots can happen in that time frame.

Including several elections.

[JIB]

Happy Birthday, Naomi.

Have Mom take you to the Palm in Tysons tonight for a nice steak and bottle of red:)

[mad jack]

OL: the ads have run in my area, Cape Cod. Not sure if it was a national run or not but they are laugh out loud funny. "You'll get a better deal in New York, trust us". Too f'n funny.

[narciso]

Yes it was, OL, on the local level, you have Frank Seddio, who just happens to be a local Democratic leader, help out Viverito, the Che loving Council speaker;

Between him and Blinder, they'are Vizzini'd out.

http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702304617404579304483562111024

[Marlene]

OL,I've seen those NY ads,maybe they are running regionally in the northeast?
daddy,that is interesting. Do you know if the publishing at that time had a connection to the Bangor Theoogical Seminary? Best known alum...Joshua Chamberlin.

[narciso]

Well actually, the ties are even higher up

http://nypost.com/2014/01/07/de-blasio-has-refi-ties-to-dem-boss-key-to-viverito-bid/

[Old Lurker]

Interesting, Marlene and Mad Jack.

Since the NE is such a hot bed of company creation, running his ads there is like selling dog food in the land of no dogs.

[Gmax]

I thought Chamberlain was an alum of Bowdoin?

[Marlene]

geez... theological. The wind here is so strong the dog is barking.

[DrJ]

I've seen the NY ads out here too. CA is probably the only place where NYS taxes would not seem absurd.

[narciso]

Maybe this was what Furman was referring to;

http://minx.cc/?post=346251

[NK(withnewsoftware)]

Buy NY Post Stock-- the stories of diBlasio crew corruptions large and small will be endless, and the NY Post will write all of them. diBlasio shares the same Code as 18th Century Pirates: "steal that shit with 2 hands, all of it, never give nuthin' back."

There's 20 years of pent up NYC Dem corruption, they'll grab everything that isn't nailed down.

[Marlene]

Yes,Gmax he was, but he studied an additional three years at Bangor Theological Seminary,then returned to Bowdoin to teach.

[Beasts of England]

There are two guys out on the lake fishing. It's nine degrees. I had no idea we had 18kt bass in our lake...

[Marlene]

Beasts,are they ice fishing? :)

[peter]

One thing I can't figure out about those New York commercials--who is doing the voiceover? His voice is so familiar, but I can't place it--

[mad jack]

OL: Another reason I'm surprised the ads run here - No one from Mass could conceive of getting a good deal in NY. They know they are getting a bad deal here but better in NY? Not possible.

[Dave (in MA)]

The Boston Globe on the team with the racist name:

http://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/2013/12/29/redskins-wonder-what-name-the-answer-traces-back-boston/GmfYbPTnHx1Ht5NgqN1EOM/story.html

In the eyes of Uncle Sam, Lone Star Dietz, who indeed went on to recruit a number of native North Americans to play for his Boston Redskins, was nothing but an artful draft dodger. The government ultimately prevailed in its claim that he fabricated details of his Oglala Sioux heritage as a means to avoid serving military duty in World War I.

1919 fake Indian controversies? They're all over it. 2012 fake Indians who flip Oklahoma real estate thereby evicting families of active servicemen? Nothing to see here. (as pointed out by Howie Carr yesterday)

[Porchlight]

The title was something like "All the books printed in Bangor Maine prior to 1842." Zzzzzzzzzzz.

daddy,

My mother's life's work has been editing the short title catalogue of "all the books printed in English from 1641-1700" and also compiling and publishing same of "all the periodicals printed in English from 1641-1700." Also the first line index of the Osborn poetry collection at Yale.

Someone's got to do it, I guess - they are invaluable to the handful of people still doing primary source research in modern academia.

[rse]

Thanks jib. Just looked at it. I agree with some of what he says and wish he appreciated the implications of building online learning around Benjamin Bloom's Mastery Learning model. I am sure about that one as I have quizzed every presenter from a company pushing that and they all admit it is Bloom's work. With Bloom's work come Bloom's purposes for ML even if they are not appreciated or even known by advocates.

But then I have spent much time with the nitty gritty of all these people in the last few years. I still remember an interview with Sophie Bloom about how when she and Ben went to Communist China in the 80s they were treated "everywhere they went like royalty." Read it before I knew that much about Bloom and was trying to gain insights into outcomes based ed. After I read it, one of the things I pondered was why they would love ML and OBE so. Don't ponder that one anymore.

Will explain why as soon as I get over whatever I picked up after returning from beach. At least my brain doesn't feel like it is in moth balls today from grogginess.

[narciso]

One of the fresh Capitol Tribunes,

http://pjmedia.com/tatler/2014/01/07/democrats-tout-business-man-who-gets-subsidized-health-insurance-as-an-obamacare-success/

[Dave (in MA)]

One thing I can't figure out about those New York commercials--who is doing the voiceover? His voice is so familiar, but I can't place it--

You talkin' to me?

[NK(withnewsoftware)]

Wait.. what is the Dave(inMa) and MadJack connection?

[narciso]

Well they probably had the same dispatches in 1938?

http://www.algemeiner.com/2014/01/07/when-is-incitement-incitement/

[matt]

I found out yesterday that Jerry Brown "borrowed" billions of dollars from the state carbon tax fund to balance this year's budget, and now the dems are trying to "borrow" another 10-15 Billion for the train to nowhere.

New York has nothing on California these days for corruption.

[Old Lurker]

So tell me again why a Bill spending $6B on welfare originates in the Senate?

[jimmyk]

Ayotte, Rob Portman, Murkowski, Collins, and Coats (Indiana.)

While they're all guilty, I'd seen one news item saying that the D's were one vote short. Then a short while later they'd managed to get one more R. So I was curious who that last turncoat was.

[JIB]

Porchlight,

I have a number of specialized sports bibliographies including a 1984 edition of what is called Padwicks "A Bibliography of Cricket" which lists every book, periodical, handbill, etc ever written about cricket up to 1979. It is over 800+ pages of invaluable reference.

In the arcane vocation and interest of cricket, all books of reference are noted by their title and author and its number in Padwicks. I also have a very unique and rare edition of "Illustrated Sporting Books" from 1899. It includes an appendix of Prints Relating to Various Sports. For a sports historian and chronicler these bibliographies are absolutely invaluable.

My admiration for librarians, archivists and collection managers is unbound. Thank you and your Mother for all you do.

[peter]

LUN is the commercial I was referring to-- who is doing the voiceover? Is it Mayor Dinkins?

[jimmyk]

I found out yesterday that Jerry Brown "borrowed" billions of dollars from the state carbon tax fund to balance this year's budget

I always figured there was something fishy about that suddenly balanced budget. Too bad the press wasn't so busy falling all over itself to proclaim the Moonbeam Miracle to actually report how it was done.

[rse]

matt-apart from pushing a meme that cuts in government spending damage economies, the Left is pushing a meme that transportation infrastructure creates new economies. I get the daily newsletter and am just amazed by what is being pushed now. High speed rail is supposed to be the center of the new CA economy and tied to the idea that the entire West Coast, including BC, should feel more a part of Asia in the future than the US.

[cathyf]

I don't suppose Wall Street can easily relocate, but when reading stories like this I'm stuck between two reactions: "why should I care?"; and, "they must have a lot of rich idjits in that city."

I have pretty much the same two reactions, but would also point out that Wall Street is a lot more flexible than you think. A lot of it relocated to places like Stamford, CT, for the tax incentives. After 9/11 vaporized a bunch of financial district real estate, they were forced to make other arrangements, as well as convinced of the wisdom of spreading out operations so that they are not completely taken out by a local event. And, finally, as financial services has gone global, lots of people have already figured out how to do their jobs outside of lower Manhattan.

The commies always think that unimaginable riches are going to be under their total control. In real life, though, they discover that the rich are the most able to abandon their real estate and move their money somewhere else.

[narciso]

They have that backwards I think, infrastructure serves preexisting demand.

A microcosm of Tommy Boy Maduro's wonderland;

http://www.buzzfeed.com/adriancarrasquillo/former-miss-venezuela-monica-spear-shot-and-killed

[daddy]

Marlene and Porch,

I have no idea about what organization printed those books in Bangor back before 1842. I was probably 9 and 10 when she was getting her degree there so all I knew was the title and that it made no sense to me at all. As I got older every once in a while I'd rib her about it but she took it good naturedly and then would answer like Porch did above, and then start lecturing me and I'd say "Yes Mam", and quick try to change the subject:)

In addition to "All the books printed in Bangor Maine prior to 1842," by my Mom, I also had 2 Aunts who gave us these page-turners:
History of the First Baptist Church of Taylors, South Carolina, and

History of Jackson Grove United Methodist Church, 1831-1981 by Lou Alice Flynn Turner

As Mark Twain once said about The Book Of Mormon, It is chloroform in print.

[NK(withnewsoftware)]

Venezuela is really going to wind up like Beirut on the Caribbean

[Janet - advocate for the splenic chakra]

I haven't read the whole thread...but it itsn't my birthday or Naomi's birthday either. I'm not sure who Janet Jr. is...

[centralcal]

ha ha ha ha ha ha - Janet.

Did Hit screw up on the "list?"

[MarkO]

Accidentally caught a glimpse of the Hectorer in Chief. I refuse to be lectured any further by this lying incompetent.

[Old Lurker]

"Venezuela is really going to wind up like Beirut on the Caribbean"

That is an insult to the Lebanese. Never heard Caracas called the Paris of South America.

[daddy]

Are there any Football Bowl games still to go, and if so, are any of them tonight? Sorry, but I have been out of the loop.

[Captain Hate]

A microcosm of Tommy Boy Maduro's wonderland

I watched a DVD of the movie "Wonderland" a couple days ago. Not exactly an "up with life" portrait of LA awash in idiots and blow in the early 80s; although it ended on a semi positive note mentioning that the drugged up girl who'd fallen in with that scuzzbucket John Holmes actually cleaned her life up.