Nobody's Home

Ron Fournier takes on Ezra Klein and declares Obama to be the 'Superhero of Excuses'. Which provides an excuse for a song about "some insects called the human race".

Comments

[rse]

OK so a seminal part of the controversial School to Work ed fiasco/industrial policy legislation of the Clintons is to be renewed in a bi partisan effort. http://www.jff.org/news-media/long-sought-compromise-unites-parties-improve-us-workforce-development-system

As a practical matter this will force all high school to be vo-tech since you cannot have just the low skilled or poor on Career Pathways. Ga has already done this and Big Business and public institutions just adore having public ed to the training assuming the industries that exist are all that will ever be.

The Republicans truly are the "we'll just graze from the other side of the trough of public money" party if this goes through.

[cathyf]

It also came out when I decided I was capable of raking my yard given what someone wanted. I think in terms of books sold to get the amount after tax and put on my gloves.

There is a classic example of the Swedish doctor and the house painter. The idea is quite simple -- a Swedish doctor needs his house painted. The income tax rate in Sweden is 90%. The doctor's choices:

1) Doctor earns kr660,000 (~$100,000). Doctor pays kr594,000 in taxes to have kr66,000 left, which he pays to the painter. Painter pays kr59,400 in taxes to end up with kr6,600 (~$1,000)

OR

2) Doctor takes a couple of weeks unpaid leave and paints the house.

As long as the doctor gives up less than $100,000 in pay for the unpaid leave, doctor is ahead with option #2. The painter is screwed. And so is the government revenue...

True story: On average, Swedish doctors work approximately half the hours each year that doctors work on average in any other western country.

[Captain Hate]

Blows against the new Evil Empire:

http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2014/05/22/adam-carolla-says-he-called-out-nprs-attempt-to-ambush-him-in-truly-epic-fashion-well-see-if-he-has-the-balls-to-air-it/

[Carol Herman]

Nobody says they want Mitt Romney!

Nobody says they wish McCain had won the presidency.

And, I wouldn't be surprised that lots of people are happier with a president who fails in his quest to form a "New Society" than anything else.

Plus, the negative reviews don't give the republicans any bounce.

Over in India, with Modi's win, I saw a country with 1.5 billion people, actually sweep out their entrenched government. And, the new guy doesn't even have to compromise with coalitions.

Maybe, ahead, Modi will help Americans rewrite our political practices book?

[Carol Herman]

"If you like your physician, you'll be able to keep your physician."

Actually, what Obama says has "staying power."

[Old Lurker]

Interesting that Anonamom at 3:04 uses "NPR" and "Fertilize" in one sentence.

[Miss Marple]

Oh, Threadkiller!!!

Look what C-SPAN is promoting!

HAHAHAHAHA!

[daddy]

Yep, Captain. He ought to still be in jail and for a long, long time. My guess tho' is that if they're going all out to resurrect Nifong I think there's also got to be a campaign in the works to try to resurrect the career of anti-gun fraudster Michael Bellesiles, and his lying book "Arming America".

It's also depressing to me, since I go to so many used bookstores in my travels, to see how many copies of bogus books are out there for sale that you can tell from looking at have been well read. Two that spring to mind are Greg Mortenson's "Three Cups of Tea", and James Frey's "A Million Little Pieces."

[rse]

http://www.jff.org/blog/2014/05/22/federal-request-information-opportunity-public-and-private-stakeholders-contribute

Departments of Ed, Labor, and HHS working together for Career Pathways for all youth.

Now O'care will not help in the least in this view of our economic future.

[Danube on iPad]

French welfare state:

http://www.cbn.com/tv/3255110732001

[Man Tran on iPhone]

Matt,

I had the chance to attend the dedication of Kenefick Park next to what is now Omaha's baseball stadium for the collegiate World Series. They spotted a Big Boy next to a DD40X (6900 series) there. Never crawled around a steamer, but did ride a 6900.

My namesake uncle wrenched on NP steamers in Spokane, but nothing that big. His uncle was a Div. Engr. on the NP.

[Porchlight]

Did Obama eat his dog before or after it ate his homework?

henry. Ezra Klein says your expectations are just way too high.

[cathyf]

I know about a health care system that has been highly successful in containing costs, yet provides excellent care.

One of the things about this argument that the VA uses 20% of its resources to care for 90% of the patients, and 80% for 10% of the patients is that it's really easy to find spectacular success stories in the 80% of the VA that doesn't have a lot of work to do. All it takes are some dedicated interested people who have to luxury of the basically unlimited resources that are in the 80% of the VA that doesn't have much to do.

Or as somebody said last night -- in the old Soviet Union you had a fabulous supply of left shoes and no right shoes and not much of anything else. If you keep a tight focus on those left shoes it all looks marvelous.

[MarkO on the road, closeted in a Marriott in Newark.]

Anyone notice that the excuse that the presidency is too complicated for just one man only surfaces when an Democrat is in office?

Obama's just not that smart.

[Old Lurker]

170 rounds of golf and counting.

How complicated can it be?

[Captain Hate]

Somebody needs to remind me how enlightened these vermin are: http://www.timesofisrael.com/radical-islamists-take-hammer-to-syrian-artifacts/

[Danube on iPad]

Anyone suppose Paul Krugman has ever set foot in a VA hospital?

[Porchlight]

suzy, Walker is tied in a Marquette poll of registered voters. He is up by 6 with likely voters.

Pretty sure the HotAir analysis noted that the poll sample (32D/24R) was 6 points more Democrat than the last Marquette poll sample two months ago (27D/25R) in which Walker led by 7 points among registered voters, 48-41.

FWIW, I know we are all a bit gunshy about being too skeptical of polls after 2012. But that is a significant change in sample *in the same poll* which I think merits mention. And Walker still enjoys a healthy lead among likely voters even with that changed sample.

[anonamom]

CR--just sent my young partner an email saying I attribute my children not growing up to be entitled brats--my biggest fear in life at the time-- to the fact that I had them clean ALL of the bathrooms every week when they lived under my roof.

Made the guys great shots as well.

Whoever posted the link to the Navy Seal commander's UT commencement address--thank you. Outstanding.

[Danube on iPad]

My great-nephew was in the UT Class of '14; he and my nephew were there, and said it was inspirational

Can you imagine McRaven ever whining about anything on this earth?

[narciso]

they gave Bellesiles another book contract, about the year 1876. no obvious fraud, but who really knows. there was another book by Olivia Wilde's parents, the Cockburns, which you can see in some libraries, it was the same tale that Gary Webb embellished on, a decade later,

[NKinNormandy]

greetings from Normandy, spent 2 days in Monfleur thus far... Omaha/Utah beaches tomorrow with a brit military history author as guide. he gave us a lecture tonight...eccentric. Norman culture -- and weather-- is very different from provence and northern Italy alpine culture. but the food is great and medieval towns always interest me. Bayeux sat, giverny sunday, mont st Michel Monday. bit hectic, but lovely. Hey did JEF fix the A, ObummerCare and the Debt in the 2 days I've been gone?

[centralcal]

Nah, NK - Preezy is out fund raising and playing golf - not fixing nuttin'.

[jimmyk]

But he's vowed to fix them, and he's really angry about it all.

[NKinNormandy]

Good, what harm can he do playing golf.

[Old Lurker]

He is really mad that they are not fixed. Really mad. Honest.

[narciso]

Everybody sees us as a mark, can't blame them;

http://hotair.com/archives/2014/05/22/rouhani-the-u-s-should-probably-pay-iran-reparations-for-all-the-damage-inflicted-on-us/

[Captain Hate]

He just read about those in the papers, NK. Have a great time!

[matt]

He takes full responsibility, but in what form we know not.

[GMax]

If you keep a tight focus on those left shoes it all looks marvelous.

At least to one legged left footed guys. The rest of us, not so much...

[Captain Hate]

NK, it's a bit hectic but those places aren't the most far flung areas of the world distance wise. Mt St Michel is nice because you can take everything in during the course of a day or so.

[Captain Hate]

It wasn't until I was reading Gibbon that I realized that the Normans were a bunch of transplanted Vikings (I'm not so good at connecting dots sometime) that weren't your garden variety surrender monkeys. No wonder it was a Norman woman who stabbed that asswipe Marat while he was pampering his oozing psoriasis sores that were an external manifestation of his internal rot.

[Dave (in MA)]

I read that 'Special' Ed Schultz' radio show is going off the air.

Ed Schultz has a radio show?

[narciso]

Yes, the Great Upheaval has great sketches of all the major figures, Marat, Danton, Robespierre,

[Danube on iPad]

Yeah, my grandmother's maiden name was Montague, and she had her ancestry traced back through the Normans to some Norsemen of the third century. After they came down to what is now Normandy (so named because of their roots) one of them, Sir Drogo de Monteacuit (Dragon of the Mountaintop), crossed the Channel with William the Conqueror and set up shop in Old Blighty.

[narciso]

Forget it, Jake, it's just Biloxi'

http://legalinsurrection.com/2014/05/more-arrests-in-photographing-of-thad-cochrans-wife-in-nursing-home/

[Danube on iPad]

Very nice one-page summary of the origins of the Normans and their surprisingly slight influence on English culture after the Conquest:

https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20071107112853AAFEcfl

[Dave (in MA)]

Benedict Cumberbatch is going to play Billy Bulger in Johnny Depp's movie. I guess they can have him walk around in a trench like the Scott of the Antarctic sketch,

[narciso]

that's just silly, Dave, nearly at that Python level, I note how the Departed was much more satisfying an ending,then how the Bulger saga ended up, which another series, Rizzoli and Isles has breached.

[narciso]

So McTurtle wants to hand the filibuster back to the Dems, so they can slap us like a wet mackerel with it.

[Janet - the districts lie fallow, while the Capitol gorges itself]

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_FIRINGS_TRANSGENDER_COMMENTS?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2014-05-22-15-16-41

New York radio hosts fired for transgender remarks

[Janet - the districts lie fallow, while the Capitol gorges itself]

Looks like the petition was from Change.org.
http://www.change.org/petitions/mike-danger-remove-kimberly-and-beck-as-hosts-of-the-breakfast-buzz

4,000 signatures....supposedly
Does anyone check if the online signatures are valid?

[Jim Eagle]

BTW, the big Barrett-Jackson Car Auction from Palm Beach is this Friday thru Sunday - 6 separate sessions - on Fox Sports for you guys and gals with cable or satellite.

NK, glad you are having fun and enjoying Normandy. One of my favoirte parts of France. My B-I-L has a beach house in St. Malo and my S-i-L lives in Bourdeaux and Dax. Dax is meh because of all the Basque separtists terrorists who use it as a hide out but Bordeaux is pretty special. Maybe the most conservative part of France.

Now lets all go to Netflix tonight and watch "The Longest Day" just for NK:)

[Janet - the districts lie fallow, while the Capitol gorges itself]

We are done as a free nation....

[anonamom]

daddy--just got an email asking for money to support Sarah Palin for Senate in Alaska.
Keep us updated.

[Extraneus]

What do we suppose Obama does to Michelle if she serves lentils instead of the goat meat he asked for?

[rse]

Did you ever have people who came to you for advice and could not piece it together and you explained how it fit because it matters so much for this "free nation" as Janet put it swirling in the toilet?

And they couldn't even give you a hat tip?

I may become a hermit.

[Extraneus]

Or dog meat.

[narciso]

It's not a real thing, anonamon, she doesn't endorse the effort,

[henry]

I may become a hermit.

We're gonna need a really big island.

[maryrose]

anonamon:
I salute you in your efforts to have your kids clean the bathrooms while they were growing up. During our vacation I read the riot act to my 2 young adults about what I wanted the bathroom to look like when I returned from vacation. I was pleasantly surprised.
Also Rse: 2 comments. I was shocked and appalled to read the newsletter of the high school I first worked at in the 70's has gone to Common Core.And yes, I have a daughter who says Mom... in a drawn out way and repeats it ad nauseum. I am glad I am not alone.
Janet: We are not quite doomed yet. I see things changing and the false mask dems wear slipping as they try to convince voters that they have solutions and are capable of governing. The folks just aren't buying it anymore.
CH. and Matt:
I have seen that big train engine you are talking about. I saw some trains in St Louis and in Cheyenne Wyoming. They are massively impressive. as the daughter of a railroad fireman and then engineer, the Collinwood yards always fascinated me. My husband was a gandy dancer during his summers in his college years. He worked for B& O as well.

[Danube on iPad]

Say goodbye, Greg.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2636843/Fox-anchor-taken-heavy-painkillers-drinking-vodka-three-hours-arrested-airport-bar-shouting-f-cops-just-released-rehab.html

Never liked him that much anyway.

[narciso]

Meanwhile back at the ranch

http://www.interpretermag.com/ukraine-liveblog-day-94-russian-backed-separatists-launch-attacks-near-donetsk/

[Extraneus]

I never knew how great the New Deal was until I read what they're teaching my son in 11th grade. Why, if only everyone worked for the government, there'd be gleaming new parks in every town and we'd all be rich!

Btw, did Hoover ever use the term "trickle down economics?" Maybe JimmyK knows.

[henry]

Ext, maybe trickle down electricity or some dam thing.

[maryrose]

narciso:
McConnell is just saying that to get re-elected. We will keep the nuclear option when we retake the Senate. When A repub wins in 2016 we will then put Sup[reme Court Justices with conservative views on the SC when Ginsberg goes.Grassley first mentioned this ploy when Hairy Reid went nuclear. What goes around,comes around...
Special Report says Benghazi- Bammy goes to Vegas Veterans Hospitals -he goes fundraising. He doesn't give a --it.

[Jim Eagle]

We're gonna need a really big island.

How about Greenland? Because if you believe Gore and his ilk it is a going to be a tropical paradise as long as we can find a nice high ground.

I lived there as a young man at BW8 or Sanderstrom AFB. Its great sledding.

[centralcal]

Just listened to a 27 year old woman - voted for Obama, thought Obamacare was just a wonderful thing - on talk radio to tell her horror story about her Obamacare insurance coverage under Covered California.

Needed tendon surgery on her hand - turned down by ALL doctors (48-50 of them) on her Silver Plan list (insurer Anthem Blue Cross), saying: 1) they were not in the network; 2) had opted out of the network; 3) were in the process of opting out of the network; or 4) were once upon a time in the network, but no longer and the list was old.

She is not an Obamacare fan now.

[Jim Eagle]

Big news for soccer fans. Klinsman leaves Landon Donovan off the US world cup team. Terrible decision. You need an experienced leader not a bunch of rookies. Unbeliebable.

[henry]

Not sure JiB. Consider the group of death. Nigeria: big, physical, fast. Portugal: fast, delightful ball skills. Germany: big, physical, great ball movement. Donovan is small and slowing. The US needs to go big & fast to survive here, although Donovan would be fine in later rounds he can't get the team to later rounds. I love Landon's game, but it doesn't fit against that group. Kinsman will take a lot of flack for this, but it makes sense to me.

[MarkO on the road, closeted in a Marriott in Newark.]

Donovan is the team. This is worse than when other Germans bombed Pearl Harbor.

[Jim Eagle]

henry,

What about leadership? It has its place. And his experience and accomplishments on stage are impressive. The young guys respect him. Sometimes physicality must take a back seat to the intrincis skills.

BTW, new thread where I am the only presence.

[Jane on Ipad]

Boy that Greg Jarrett video was painful to watch.

[Skoot]

Chuck Todd on the VA scandal this morning just stammering for an answer! That harridan Cutter red-faced and stuttering this evening! Obama is going to feel like that little boy dumped on his grandparents again pretty soon.

"Needed tendon surgery on her hand"

Even before Voxcare, Good hand surgeons didn't participate in insurance plans. You don't want to go to the ones that do (she could have at least been treated before though).

[henry]

JiB, yes leadership is a big intangible. They were without Landon in the early CONCACAF rounds and learned they could depend on other leaders-- Bradley may surprise you there. Landon's creativity would be great in a different WC group, this one needs physical pounding and speed to get through. Very different from CONCACAF.

[clarice]

well, daddy, I imagine most of those books are read by expats or kids on their jr year abroad. Do you imagine these types to be looking for books that praise the US?

[daddy]

Do you imagine these types to be looking for books that praise the US?

Nope Clarice. Over there, even tho' Obama's books are now bottom of the shelf and not prominent as previous, anti-American stuff (coast of Normandy excepted) still seems to be the current popular attitude over in Paris and Cambridge, the overseas places I hang out at in Europe.

I'm guessing stateside that the reason I see so many of the 3 Cups of Tea and One Million Little Pieces trash is because both were pushed by Oprah and her Book Club.

[nextcube]

Miss Marple:

Yeah, the President came to Cooperstown today. His helicopter parade went right over my house both times, since AF1 landed at the former Griffiss Air Force Base (known best for being an alternate Space Shuttle landing site and the first Air Force base to get the Air Launched Cruise Missile in the 80's). His speech was scheduled to be 45 minutes, so I reckon he spent twice that on the chopper between Griffiss and Cooperstown, and another four times that flying from National to Griffiss. And how we're supposed to make tourism into a working concern when people can't take vacations because they're unemployed is utterly beyond me.

[daddy]

Next,

Good to see you posting again after a long hiatus. Cheers and please post more!

[cathyf]

Does anyone check if the online signatures are valid?

Of course they are! It's a valid, working python script, ya know?