Ripe For A Limmerick.
Posted in Humorous
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RIP: Dick Trickle
My all-time favorite NASCAR driver, at least in name only, has died of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound in a North Carolina cemetery.
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What’s Next?
Given the news that Angelina Jolie had her breasts removed to avoid cancer, I envision The Onion reporting the following headline,
Fearing chronic, and potentially terminal, illness, Angelina Jolie has liver, heart and lungs removed.
Posted in Breast Cancer
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The Irony of Bees
Irony struck me this early this morning, when I learned the news that an abortion doctor in Philadelphia had been found guilty of murder for killing babies after he botched the initial abortion. Granted the whole ordeal turns my stomach in such a way that I don't really know the facts, and so I can't comment any further other than to ask, isn't it ironic, don't you think?
Then I came across news about the large loss of population in the nation's bee hives, between 31 and 45%. I know if this continues, it will be bad news for our agriculture, given the importance of bees in the life cycle of many plants. So I got to thinking about the bee.
Intelligent design? Here again we have an animal, apparently vital to the life of the biome, that is nearly always swatted at or killed if it gets in your house or car. I am unaware of any known pathogen carried by bees and transmitted to humans. Bees sting. Some people are deathly allergic to its toxin. Why in hell would such a vital animal be so reviled in isolation?
Isn't it ironic, don't you think?
Take it away, Satchmo.
Posted in Informative, Irony
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What To Do With The Bad Guy’s Body.
This stuff intrigues the hell out of me. I don't know why. We should be happy to bury these guys. After all, one of the things people want the most after a crime is for the bad guy to die.
Underneath the Boot Hill grave that bears his name…….
After I published this post, I came here to watch the video (much easier that way) and I recalled a couple of things. First of all, if you have the slightest inclination for the music of Billy Joel, then this Shea Stadium concert is worth the watch. It was meant to be his farewell show and it is simply amazing. The performance of this song is a definite highlight, but there are many others, including an appearance by Paul McCartney.
Second is that this song hit me between the eyes as a teenager in 1977. The Piano Man LP was among the initial 16 LPs I received as part of my first Columbia House binge. (Remember those?) Ballad of Billy the Kid rounds out side one, and it was largely on the basis of that one song that I became a Billy Joel fan. I loved the Western melody, the harmonica and the tongue clicks. It was the first time I ever felt like I was actually IN a song.
This performance brought that all back. Music is kinda cool that way, eh?
Posted in Informative, Music
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Section 501(c)4 and the Political Action Committee
The Internal Revenue Service has recently admitted that it has been targeting conservative-leaning non-profits for review, choosing to scrutinize groups with words like “tea party” and “patriot” in the name. This is certainly a serious problem for citizens of the United States. The IRS holds our collective nuts in a vice. It just has to crank a little and taxpayers squeal in pain. Any unfair targeting must be seriously investigated. Ezra Klein of the Washington Post says we should be upset about this, but not for the reasons you might think.
Groups formed under this section of the Internal Revenue Code are deemed “social welfare organizations,” and as such are for the good of everybody which means not for political means. Klein thinks the IRS should take a long hard look at all of these groups, not just conservative or libertarian. Why?
Nowhere does the IRS mention “an organization formed by top political operatives for the clear and obvious purpose of reelecting or defeating the president.” But that’s what 501(c)4s have become. According to data collected by OpenSecrets.org, 501(c)4s spent $92 million in the 2010 election. They spent $254 million in the 2012 election. That’s a lot of social welfare going to the good people who live in swing states and competitive districts.
The 501(c)4s aren’t superPACs. But many superPACs also have a 501(c)4. The reason? The 501(c)4s keep donors anonymous. “The only reason to have two of these is if you wanted to have one that allows people and entities to avoid disclosure,” explains Rick Hasen, an election-law expert at the University of California at Irvine.
Karl Rove is largely responsible for this. He came up with idea probably thinking that there is no way the IRS lets it fly. They did. So the use of these groups has flourished. Now it is probably too difficult for the IRS to step in lest it be deemed to be playing politics just as it finds itself right now.
The danger is that this experience will simply make the IRS even more terrified of regulating 501(c)4s. Recall that none of the tea party groups scrutinized by the agency actually lost the 501(c)4 designation. Even at their most attentive, the IRS is treating these groups with kid gloves. Now they’re going to be tempted to leave them almost entirely alone.
We shall all suffer the consequences of this every fall.
Posted in Politics, Taxes
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Rush Says…..
This is several days old, but it brings up some very tasty food for thought. In a nutshell, when confronted with energy savings data only on the labels, both liberals and conservatives were more likely to buy CFL light bulbs over incandescent bulbs regardless of price difference. But when the label also included a blurb about “good for the planet” or some such environmental claim, conservatives balked.
Why? Sullivan seems to think that conservatives are now defined by what they hear on talk radio. These environmental claims and the subsequent debunking are fodder for the talk radio guys and the conservative herd has swallowed the talking points as real policy. I agree completely. It is largely why mainstream conservatism is so damn ugly these days. It's not just the environment. It's guns. Obama. The Middle East. Benghazi. Think of a policy and you would be hard-pressed not to find conservatives who consider the talking point policy. It turns my stomach.
I understand being skeptical of the actual “good” accomplished by using CFLs, but it would not prevent me from buying the, to save money. Further, I find it by hard to believe that conservatives would not be for at least some degree of energy reform. Certainly when used in conjunction with our current fossil fuels. Who doesn't want to be the one to find that one source of sustainable, clean energy? Shouldn't conservatives be looking as well?
Posted in Climate Change, Politics
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Yes, It is. No, It Isn’t.
Andrew Sullivan links to this list of one-liners that one is supposed to use as a retort to certain claims made by those who question the role of humans in global climate change, or that the climate is even changing at all. Don't click the link, yet.
Climate change is one of the few things over which I have had a change of heart about in the past few years. I am still fairly skeptical, but I agree we need to act to drasticaly reduce emissions, regardless of its effectiveness. Actually I am fairly certain we need to do something/anything.
Ok, now this absurd list. I clicked the il hoping to find some insight into the science. What I found is a fifth grade level conversational tool. When I read that these were retorts to use when confronted with skepticism, I had some hope that perhaps I would learn something/anything. Instead get retorts such as this,
Statement: Antarctica is gaining ice.
Retort: Antarctica is losing ice.
Or this,
Ocean acidification isn't serious.
Ocean acidification is serious.
One more,
Hurricanes aren't linked to climate change.
Hurricanes are linked to climate change.
Granted that these are mostly paraphrased, but you get the point. Go there and check them out if you want to waste some time.
Todd Rundgren created a double album in the 70's on which he played all the instruments (except for the tracks on side four which I believe we're recorded in one take AKA live). The album is called Something/Anything and it remains a favorite of mine to this day. And among the myriad of great songs, is this fitting gem.
Posted in Climate Change
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