Saturday Afternoon

A chilly, rainy day for golf and baseball.

Comments

[Buckeye]

And a mug of hot java

[henry]

Chilly, snow on the ground, but the sun is shining today.

[Buckeye]

We had a dusting this morning but gone now.

One of the new bridges downtown had a slick surface early, lots of bent metal.

[Beasts of England]

According to the weather station at Daniel Field in Augusta just now, it's 66° with winds at 18 mph and gusts of 23 mph. Only four players on the course are under par for the day, each of those at -1. Yikes!!

[Theo]

Ignatz R put up a very thoughtful and interesting (and somewhat long) post @11:25 on the prior thread on the differences between classical liberalism and social liberalism. I urge everyone interested in modern political philosophy to go back and check it out.

That having been said, I do not entirely agree that there was some "great struggle for the soul of the Democratic Party" in the 1960s which, unfortunately and unnecessarily social liberalism won.

I think that the move from classical liberalism (free markets, free trade, free expression) to social liberalism (outcomes determined for everyone based on the dictates of allegedly well meaning technocrats) was inevitable.

As I have said before, this is the nature of social movements. They start out just wanting to be left in peace by the dominant forces of society and end up trying to impose their will on everyone else. The early Christians just wanted to worship their own way in peace, but by the Middle Ages they imposed their beliefs on everyone in the most despotic way. The gay rights movement started with a plea to not put homosexuals in jail for following their innate desires and now threatens ruin on bakers who won't bake them a cake for their weddings and shame on anyone who thinks there should be gender specific restrooms. Martin Luther King wanted his children to be judged by the content of their character and not the color of their skin. Anyone who advocates such a thing today is denounced as a racist.

So it is with classical liberalism. It was a movement by the smart people of the time to break free of the stifling power grip of the landed hereditary aristocracy and all they wanted was to make money and freely express themselves.

But the self styled intelligentsia, like the other movements described above, was never going to be happy just to live in peace. The urge to control things is just too strong and too universal. So now we have social liberalism, which is basically just an attempt to bribe the masses to let the technocrats rule everything.

[lyle]

72F and gorgeous here. Ate lunch on the deck for the first time this year.

Having a party of ten tonight for a family who's mom who died Wed. She was 88. RIP, Connie. She's been a frequent dinner guest at our place over the years since her hub died and was just here for dinner a mere eight days ago in fine spirits. Things can change pretty damn quick. Hug all your family and friends--for Connie.

[Marlene]

Sunny and chilly here in the woods. The washing machine leaked this morning,so cleaning the flood was fun. : (
Hubby and doggy found bear tracks in the mud!

[Jack is Back!]

Catching after a long day of shopping. Went over to Riverhead to Dick's sporting goods and picked up a nice set of walking poles which when I use them at PT I am almost as quick as Usain Bolt.

Young Mr. Spieth, I see, continues to baffle the golf universe. Today pars are golden.

[Dave (in MA)]

I can't tell whether Drudge is trying to help or hurt Trump.

[Jack is Back!]

....catching up.... Of course.

[That's progress, I guess.]

Yeah, Iggy's was pretty good. My one liner: Liberals have become illiberal.

[Jacquee]

Spring has sprung in Idaho. April rain coming nest week to get the native flowers blooming.

[lyle]

Go Spieth!

[Dave (in MA)]

http://cltg.org/cltg/clt2016/16-04-09nr.htm One of my heroes has died.

[lyle]

Another JOM Idahonian delurks!

(Apologies if you've commented before and I've missed it, Jacquee)

[Oh, shaddap.]

Whoa, Dave, I caught a glimpse of Audrey Meadows there.

[peter]

j-i-b glad to hear you are mending well.

[Upright, as ever.]

Jack is off his back.

[Thomas Collins]

I'll miss Barbara Anderson, Dave (in MA). She relentlessly fought against the tendency of Massachusetts pols to solve any problem, real or imagined, with higher tax rates. I thought she must have been sick; otherwise, she would have had a greater public profile in trying to stop a higher marginal tax rate on high income individuals from being enshrined in the Massachusetts Constitution. Massachusetts voters can pay a tribute to her by voting that amendment down.

[Dave (in MA)]

TC, she had been active up until last week when she posted her last Eagle-Tribune column on Facebook & on the CLT site:

http://cltg.org/cltg/barbara/2016/16-03-27_High_walls_and_hard_lessons.htm

[Jack is Back!]

Lost a friend. Old client and friend at 93. André Benard.

On iPad but please google him.

[rich@gmu]

Posted by: Beasts of England | April 09, 2016 at 02:40 PM

hey Beasts.

[MaryD]

Dave and TC, as a former Mass. dweller, I join you in mourning this truly great Lady!

[Jack is Back!]

Taxes, did someone mention taxes?

Tax his land,
>> Tax his bed,
>> Tax the table,
>> At which he's fed.
>>
>> Tax his tractor,
>> Tax his mule,
>> Teach him taxes
>> Are the rule.
>>
>> Tax his work,
>> Tax his pay,
>> He works for
>> peanuts anyway!
>>
>> Tax his cow,
>> Tax his goat,
>> Tax his pants,
>> Tax his coat.
>>
>> Tax his ties,
>> Tax his shirt,
>> Tax his work,
>> Tax his dirt.
>>
>> Tax his tobacco,
>> Tax his drink,
>> Tax him if he
>> Tries to think.
>>
>> Tax his cigars,
>> Tax his beers,
>> If he cries
>> Tax his tears.
>>
>> Tax his car,
>> Tax his gas,
>> Find other ways
>> Taxes to pass
>>
>> Tax all he has
>> Then let him know
>> That you won't be done
>> Till he has no dough.
>>
>> When he screams and hollers;
>> Then tax him some more,
>> Tax him till
>> He's good and sore.
>>
>> Then tax his coffin,
>> Tax his grave,
>> Tax the sod in
>> Which he's laid...
>>
>> Put these words
>> Upon his tomb,
>> 'Taxes drove me
>> to my doom...'
>>
>> When he's gone,
>> Do not relax,
>> Its time to apply
>> The inheritance tax.
>>
>> Accounts Receivable Tax
>> Building Permit Tax
>> CDL license Tax
>> Cigarette Tax
>> Corporate Income Tax
>> Dog License Tax
>> Excise Taxes
>> Federal Income Tax
>> Federal Unemployment Tax (FUTA)
>> Fishing License Tax
>> Food License Tax
>> Fuel Permit Tax
>> Gasoline Tax (currently 44.75 cents per gallon)
>> Gross Receipts Tax
>> Hunting License Tax
>> Inheritance Tax
>> Inventory Tax
>> IRS Interest Charges IRS Penalties (tax on top of tax)
>> Liquor Tax
>> Luxury Taxes
>> Marriage License Tax
>> Medicare Tax
>> Personal Property Tax
>> Property Tax
>> Real Estate Tax
>> Service Charge Tax
>> Social Security Tax
>> Road Usage Tax
>> Recreational Vehicle Tax
>> Sales Tax
>> School Tax
>> State Income Tax
>> State Unemployment Tax (SUTA)
>> Telephone Federal Excise Tax
>> Telephone Federal Universal Service Fee Tax
>> Telephone Federal, State and Local Surcharge Taxes
>> Telephone Minimum Usage Surcharge Tax
>> Telephone Recurring and Nonrecurring Charges Tax
>> Telephone State and Local Tax
>> Telephone Usage Charge Tax
>> Utility Taxes
>> Vehicle License Registration Tax
>> Vehicle Sales Tax
>> Watercraft Registration Tax
>> Well Permit Tax
>> Workers Compensation Tax

[Those transport guys.]

Was he a pipeline engineer for Shell? I see the Chunnel.

[Jack is Back!]

Kim,

At one time. Me too. But very smart engineer of the opus Magnus sort.

[rich@gmu]

pretty much everything else the Boston Globe publishes is fiction so how is this much different ... good grief, "The Smart Set"™ must want a Trump presidency ...

[rich@gmu]

sorry to read that lyle and condolences.

[rich@gmu]

this pork roast is smelling delicious ...

[His company dispatched that 'ittle bitty conduit up daddy's way.]

I knew a pipeline guy once who retired and cleaned up a whole state's highway system.

[lyle]

Thanks, rich. She had a pretty good run; was pretty active in the community for many years; a relentlous name-dropper and social climber but she loved coming over here with my wife's mom for dinner. None of her three kids live in town so we played surrogates. She'd LOVE to be here with us tonight. She is in spirit.

[lyle]

Wish we could hire a cesspool expert to clean out DC...

[Jack is Back!]

Lyle,

That's too dirty a job for a honey- dipper, doncha know.

Things tightening up at Augusta. Greens exerting their authority. But it's a battle between a 58 y.o. German evangelical and a 23 y.o. Longhorn.

Can't wait to see how all this unfolds. Once again shooting par at Augusta means good.

[MaryD]

Lyle, condolences on the loss of your friend. I think she was very fortunate to have you and your family in her life.
Have a very good time at your dinner party!

[Dave (in MA)]

Nobel Peace Prize update: Obama is sending B-52s over Iraq and Syria.

[Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki]

Cristina Kirchner reportedly charged with money laundering [the least of her crimes] in Argentina.

[Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki]

China tears down thousands of crucifixes.
Apparently upset with the pace Christianity is spreading the Chinese communists have apparently decided to accelerate its growth through the Roman persecution model.

[Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki]

Is that the sovereign, stable and self reliant Iraq he's sending them to, Dave?

[henry]

Are they dropping global warming leaflets?

[Dave (in MA)]

They found out that Iraq doesn't allow drag queens in the ladies' rooms.

[lyle]

Very kind if you, MaryD. Thanks. Now a houseful of libs is almost due...

[jimmyk]

This is the picture of Cruz that Time chose to put on its cover:

[lyle]

MFM, assholes

[jimmyk]

By contrast, their February cover of Hillary:

No bias there.

[jimmyk]

Oops, that came out a lot bigger than I thought. Sorry.

[rich@gmu]

the other Iraq Iggy. Nothing has gone wrong in Zero's world and he doesn't get the credit he deserves for all the good he has wanted to do.

[rich@gmu]

yikes jimmyk.

and the pork roast update: delicious.

You're Welcome.

[Jack is Back!]

Spieth opens a very wide door for anyone within 10 shots to win Masters. Watch out tomorrow. Could be memorable. Too many failed pitches, just un explainable for some one with his ability and skill. Wind and temp not a factor on those.

[lyle]

Drops three strokes in two holes. Ouch.

[Threadkiller]

He looks kinda like The Wiz.

With a hint of Quentin Tarantino and PeeWee Herman mixed in.

[jimmyk]

Not sure what The Wiz looks like, but I agree about the other two TK.

[Threadkiller]

The Wiz was a character from Seinfeld.

I'll look for a pic.

[MaryD]

RICH, Congratulations on your culinary success!I apologize if I missed it, but How did you roast the pork?

[Michael (fpa Patriot4Freedom)]

Lost a friend. Old client and friend at 93. André Benard.
Posted by: Jack is Back! | April 09, 2016 at 04:50 PM

JiB - Sorry for your loss.
From Resistance fighter, to international pipeline engineer, to Chunnel construction executive . . .
Sounds like he lived a marvelous, full life. May he RIP.

[Threadkiller]

.

[Threadkiller]

The better pic was too large.

[narciso]

condolescences, jib, and what a remarkable life he led,

[Dave (in MA)]

Oops, that came out a lot bigger than I thought. Sorry.

I shrunk it down for you. There may be some digital artifacts from resizing the lossy file format, though.

[narciso]

it occurred to me the first day, it's reminiscent of how frank underwood does things,

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2016/04/09/the-not-completely-crazy-theory-that-russia-leaked-the-panama-papers/

[narciso]

the house always wins, doc brown,

http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/sanders-wins-wyoming-caucus-but-a-delegate-split-favors-clinton/article/2588096

[narciso]

surprise, sur, well not really,

https://twitter.com/michaeldweiss/status/718820880990793728

[Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki]

Dave is a bad man.

[Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki]

The sad thing about Spieth's errors were they both came after amazing recovery shots from bad drives.
Puts himself in position for his short game and flubs two in a row in just the same way.

[narciso]

well that's one explanation, but not merely the most obvious one,

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2016/04/08/britain-s-pro-kremlin-pols-swayed-the-dutch-referendum-on-ukraine.html

[narciso]

you're welcome, suckers,

https://twitter.com/cerenomri/status/718483226348621824

[narciso]

that;s a lit of money on the line,

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Cfh4q3HW8AAsmg0.jpg:large

[Catsmeat]

Ok Dave, I looked and cannot unsee--but seemed a reasonable depiction nonetheless!

[caro]

DaveinMA! LOL Love it!

[narciso]

they really can't help themselves,

http://screenrant.com/suicide-squad-movie-batman-scenes/

[jimmyk]

LOL, Dave. Fortunately the person sitting next to me on the plane was sleeping when I opened that up.

This doesn't seem like a good sign:

http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/report-loans-and-most-withdrawals-stopped-at-puerto-ricos-biggest-bank/article/2588101

[narciso]

clearly, a possibility,

http://www.ghostofaflea.com/archives/022285.html

[lyle]

LOL! Dave. And you ARE A BAD MAN! (H/t you know who)

[narciso]

condolescences, lyle on your friend's passing,

[narciso]

the dog who is muzzled,

http://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2016/04/paris-bombing-suspect-spent-time-greek-refugee-camp-moving-belgium/

[narciso]

I'm glad I don't live anywhere near there, now,

http://babalublog.com/2016/04/09/public-hearing-monday-in-miami-beach-after-city-officials-invite-cubas-apartheid-dictatorship-to-open-embassy-there/

[Frau Flitzebogen]

Hillary! sez:
"I know what it's like to be knocked down."

Frau sez:
"Actually,the red Queen fell on her head and busted her crown."
Damaged goods.

[Texas Liberty Gal]

http://thefederalist.com/2016/04/08/everything-awful-about-donald-trumps-campaign-in-one-tweet/

Pretty much expresses my disike of Trump - he's basically a thug!

[jimmyk]

So #ResistCapitalism is topping the charts on Twitter. Wonder how much of it is snarky responses like this:

https://twitter.com/mrjoediamond/status/718972537007263745

[narciso]

about 50/50, jimmy,

https://twitter.com/hashtag/ResistCapitalism?src=hash

[GUS]

My brother witnessed the Human Teletubbie fall down.....er get knocked down, in the basement parking garage at State/Foggy bottom. Broker her arm in that "mis-hap". She's fallen down and had so many concussions that she thinks she played in the NFL.

[Threadkiller]

The Jersey Goons are like New Yorkers in the same way a Canadian is like an American.

Grow a pair, Limp wrisTed. Have Carly explain it to you.

[narciso]

andrew marr, daddy knows who he is, was somewhat prescient, in predicting how cameron's term would be shortened,

http://www.thecanary.co/2016/04/08/cameron-forced-office-less-24-hours/

[jimmyk]

Looks more like 80-20 snark, narciso.

David Burge ‏@iowahawkblog

#ResistCapitalism. Also, #ResistTheLawsofThermodynamics

[Texas Liberty Gal]

Dallas Stars are Division Champs!!!!! Woohoo!!!

[narciso]

well that's was a reasonable guess. jimmy, the globe did really jump the cthluthu leviathans, didn't they,

[narciso]

sorry, chtauri, alien hellspawn are so easily confused,

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/uk-world-news/large-hardon-collider-bbc-news-5468232#ShXKZvq3IlZfe4ZE.97

[narciso]

it really is reminiscent of the way, charles mccarry, depicted the left in both better angels and shelley's heart.

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/apr/09/hillary-clinton-winning-bernie-sanders-supporters-campaign-jill-abramson

[Cynic fka Joan]

Bit of hyperbole calling Trump a thug.

Definition of a thug: a violent person, especially a criminal.

Besides that, The Sopranos was a television show. Simply a television show. Millions of people watched it and enjoyed it. Might have been a poor choice to use the actors in a political tweet, but it in no way shows that Trump is a thug.

Again: I'm not fond of Trump. I wanted Walker or Cruz or Perry to be in the top of the voting. But the people who attack Trump seem to go overboard. And, again, I will vote Republican, no matter who is nominated. Anyone who thinks a Democrat, like Hillary Clinton or that socialist Sanders would be better than Trump, needs to brush up on the biographies and life examples of both of them.

[glasater]

Nice p-shopping there Dave in MA.. :-)

[Thomas Collins]

Congrats, Texas Liberty Gal. I'm glad at least one JOM hockey fan is happy tonight. Bruins lost and Philly won, so the Bruins are out of the Lord Stanley tourney this year. A second straight epic collapse for the Bruins.

I hope Tyler Seguin does well in the playoffs for your Stars. I think the Bruins gave up on him too soon.

[narciso]

does this mean corrections personnel.

https://au.news.yahoo.com/nsw/a/31312858/aussie-digger-critical-after-savage-attack-by-isis-supporter-inside-nsw-prison-cell/

[narciso]

if this is happening now, it's not a good sign,

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/3419272/posts

[Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki]

--But the people who attack Trump seem to go overboard.--

Trump's kid suggesting the Sopranos breaking a couple of Cruz knee caps is onboard?

Seems to me the moron kinda confirmed Cruz's point about New York values.

[jimmyk on iPhone]

I took it as a joke, not really worth getting in a huff.

Red Wings in playoffs for 25th straight year, but barely after losing last two games. Needed Bruins to lose.

[Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki]

--The Jersey Goons are like New Yorkers in the same way a Canadian is like an American.

Grow a pair, Limp wrisTed. Have Carly explain it to you.--

TK, I love ya, but what a load of shit.
Trump is the thinnest skinned twerp in the race and sending his little boy out to nip at Cruz's ankles isn't exactly the stuff of a man endowed with testes bigger than tsetses.
If ya wanna deal up loads of shit at least do it evenhandedly.

[Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki]

--I took it as a joke...--

Problem is the volume of statements out of the Trump camp requiring their treatment as jokes threatens to consume his entire campaign as one big one.

[RIF]

In related news, Eric won't even vote for his dad in the NY Republican primary.

For that matter, neither will Ivanka.

[clarice]

Nytol.Don't kill each other, please.

[GUS]

Donald Trump gave an interview about his political positions several years ago. In the interview he acknowledged several liberal stances and stated that the were a result of being a New Yorker born and raised. Including his position of PRO-CHOICE.

[Threadkiller]

I thought it was nuanced. The Jersey Goons are upset that Cruz has mistaken New York values for an obvious New Jersey trait.