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Today's wildlife count: 2 deer, 3 turkeys. This kind of thing never stops making me squee.
( Now on to links n such )
( Now on to links n such )
Brief Heroes & RadioTBQ
Sep. 29th, 2008 11:26 pmNon-spoilery Heroes comment: I want to have sex with the guy who wrote the ep. That sums up my feelings about said ep pretty nicely.
Now for some news/links. ( So... anything exciting happen today? )
Now for some news/links. ( So... anything exciting happen today? )
Blast from the past
Sep. 25th, 2008 10:39 pmCourtesy of Older Brother, a NYT article that provides a scary time capsule:
Fannie Mae Eases Credit to Aid Mortgage Lending:
In a move that could help increase home ownership rates among minorities and low-income consumers, the Fannie Mae Corporation is easing the credit requirements on loans that it will purchase from banks and other lenders.
[...]
In moving, even tentatively, into this new area of lending, Fannie Mae is taking on significantly more risk, which may not pose any difficulties during flush economic times. But the government-subsidized corporation may run into trouble in an economic downturn, prompting a government rescue similar to that of the savings and loan industry in the 1980's.
The article is from September 30, 1999. Little did they know, huh?
Fannie Mae Eases Credit to Aid Mortgage Lending:
In a move that could help increase home ownership rates among minorities and low-income consumers, the Fannie Mae Corporation is easing the credit requirements on loans that it will purchase from banks and other lenders.
[...]
In moving, even tentatively, into this new area of lending, Fannie Mae is taking on significantly more risk, which may not pose any difficulties during flush economic times. But the government-subsidized corporation may run into trouble in an economic downturn, prompting a government rescue similar to that of the savings and loan industry in the 1980's.
The article is from September 30, 1999. Little did they know, huh?
Late to the party but
Sep. 24th, 2008 07:59 pmIs McCain fucking kidding? Though how much do I love Obama?
"It's my belief that this is exactly the time when the American people need to hear from the person who, in approximately 40 days, will be responsible for dealing with this mess," Obama said at a news conference in Clearwater, Fla. "It's going to be part of the president's job to deal with more than one thing at once."
THIS MUCH. With extra props to Harry Reid for the whole "No, really, we're good." thing.
Here's the thing. There is some urgency to figuring out what the frak to do. It's fraked up the whole credit industry because nobody wants to do anything until they know what laws are going to change. Some of the companies themselves can't get credit and they need credit for pesky things like payroll (which applies from the executives all the way down to the person living paycheck to paycheck down in the mailroom.)
So it's not total bullshit to say that faster would be better than slow.
What is bullshit is hopping on the latest version of "DO THIS OR THE TERRORISTS WILL WIN" to say that we should basically give a $700B check which he could then use to bail out the economy or load himself up on all the Hummel figurines his Ebay searches can find. (I believe option #2 was the cornerstone of Reganomics.)
And damn near everyone with a brain is aware of this, and in addition to those with brains even Congress is aware of this (zing!) Also anyone with a brain would know that two extra senators, neither of whom are strong on economics, are not going to be the ones to walk in and find the solution after they also team up to solve crime.
My guess is that what McCain is actually doing - other than flushing his campaign down the toilet like a meth user hearing a police siren - is trying to do a Bush-style binary equation. He knows if anybody sat him down and asked for his economic views he'd flounder worse than a Filet-O-Fish. But if he can grab the mike and go "Hey, I could speechify on the subject but I'm too busy CARING ABOUT AMERICA." At which point he tries to push Obama into a corner where either he suspends his campaign too or he admits to using the American flag for toilet paper. Unfortunately for McCain Obama picked option C which was to call McCain on his bullshit. Which is why we love him.
I also suspect that McCain's move is a Republican party move - or at least Dubya's corner of the party - because it's an attempt to hold the presidential campaign hostage until the bill passes. A key quote stood out to me here: "It has become clear that no consensus has developed to support the administration's proposal." In other words, McCain thinks the best route is to back Bush. He's not even addressing the Hummel figure aspects of the plan, he just thinks we should back the plan. And if we don't back that plan we should back one that's only slightly modified, such as one that's the same thing but restricts Paulson from making ICanHasDiamondDickWiperNau as his Ebay username.
So what it really boils down to is that McCain's trying to pull a Dubya move and it is backfiring on him. Thank God.
"It's my belief that this is exactly the time when the American people need to hear from the person who, in approximately 40 days, will be responsible for dealing with this mess," Obama said at a news conference in Clearwater, Fla. "It's going to be part of the president's job to deal with more than one thing at once."
THIS MUCH. With extra props to Harry Reid for the whole "No, really, we're good." thing.
Here's the thing. There is some urgency to figuring out what the frak to do. It's fraked up the whole credit industry because nobody wants to do anything until they know what laws are going to change. Some of the companies themselves can't get credit and they need credit for pesky things like payroll (which applies from the executives all the way down to the person living paycheck to paycheck down in the mailroom.)
So it's not total bullshit to say that faster would be better than slow.
What is bullshit is hopping on the latest version of "DO THIS OR THE TERRORISTS WILL WIN" to say that we should basically give a $700B check which he could then use to bail out the economy or load himself up on all the Hummel figurines his Ebay searches can find. (I believe option #2 was the cornerstone of Reganomics.)
And damn near everyone with a brain is aware of this, and in addition to those with brains even Congress is aware of this (zing!) Also anyone with a brain would know that two extra senators, neither of whom are strong on economics, are not going to be the ones to walk in and find the solution after they also team up to solve crime.
My guess is that what McCain is actually doing - other than flushing his campaign down the toilet like a meth user hearing a police siren - is trying to do a Bush-style binary equation. He knows if anybody sat him down and asked for his economic views he'd flounder worse than a Filet-O-Fish. But if he can grab the mike and go "Hey, I could speechify on the subject but I'm too busy CARING ABOUT AMERICA." At which point he tries to push Obama into a corner where either he suspends his campaign too or he admits to using the American flag for toilet paper. Unfortunately for McCain Obama picked option C which was to call McCain on his bullshit. Which is why we love him.
I also suspect that McCain's move is a Republican party move - or at least Dubya's corner of the party - because it's an attempt to hold the presidential campaign hostage until the bill passes. A key quote stood out to me here: "It has become clear that no consensus has developed to support the administration's proposal." In other words, McCain thinks the best route is to back Bush. He's not even addressing the Hummel figure aspects of the plan, he just thinks we should back the plan. And if we don't back that plan we should back one that's only slightly modified, such as one that's the same thing but restricts Paulson from making ICanHasDiamondDickWiperNau as his Ebay username.
So what it really boils down to is that McCain's trying to pull a Dubya move and it is backfiring on him. Thank God.
It's so nice to have vision again. Or as good a vision as I ever have ;). Today is displeasing me by being warm but until I figure out how to handle that I figured I'd do a round of links. Haven't done this in a while due to the whole difficulty seeing thing. Insert your own joke here about how that doesn't seem to stop some talking heads.
( As always, tags indicate subjects )
And this one is important enough that it goes outside the cut tag:
You have until September 25th to get your comments in to HHS regarding allowing doctors to refuse to provide birth control. The ACLU has a handy form that you can use with just a few clicks.
( As always, tags indicate subjects )
And this one is important enough that it goes outside the cut tag:
You have until September 25th to get your comments in to HHS regarding allowing doctors to refuse to provide birth control. The ACLU has a handy form that you can use with just a few clicks.
Vacation and links
Aug. 16th, 2008 04:52 pmVacation, day one. Already I have done knitting and cuddling with kitties. There's been other stuff too but c'mon. Priorities.
Some links for you all! Including one I think is a must-see for everyone who is... what's the word I'm looking for? Oh yeah, alive. You can view Killing Us Softly 3, Advertising's Image of Women online thanks to googlevideo. It's a few years old but very sad how much has yet to change. (See also: Wrangler uses dead women to sell jeans. Which is from THIS WEEK WTF.) As Jean says, advertising sells more than products. Of note is how she also discusses racism. There's plenty of examples for that intersectionality that IBARW was talking about.
( More links behind the cut... for after you've watched the above movie, of course )
Some links for you all! Including one I think is a must-see for everyone who is... what's the word I'm looking for? Oh yeah, alive. You can view Killing Us Softly 3, Advertising's Image of Women online thanks to googlevideo. It's a few years old but very sad how much has yet to change. (See also: Wrangler uses dead women to sell jeans. Which is from THIS WEEK WTF.) As Jean says, advertising sells more than products. Of note is how she also discusses racism. There's plenty of examples for that intersectionality that IBARW was talking about.
( More links behind the cut... for after you've watched the above movie, of course )
So work basically kicked my ass today. In a good way, with much praise being heaped upon yours truly for both the work I'd put into a certain project, and for ordering awesome food for lunch (I have no doubts it was the latter that had the greatest impact ;) ). Which is all well and good but afterwards I went into an adrenaline crash that has yet to leave me. It also may or may not have any relation to the physical crash I experienced when picking up dinner and did not notice a HUGE step between the door and the floor, and startled the ever-loving Hell out of the poor kitchen staff. (All of whom were very nice about checking on me.) (Me: "I'm fine. I just thought I'd drop in for some food?")
So I am battered and bruised both mentally and physically. Which is why I bring interesting links and then slink off into the night to snuggle with cats and read and probably go to bed early.
( I now present: links )
And that's it for me. Tomorrow starts the family reunion so I'll probably be scarse over the weekend. I'll miss you!
So I am battered and bruised both mentally and physically. Which is why I bring interesting links and then slink off into the night to snuggle with cats and read and probably go to bed early.
( I now present: links )
And that's it for me. Tomorrow starts the family reunion so I'll probably be scarse over the weekend. I'll miss you!
RadioTBQ: July8, 2008
Jul. 9th, 2008 10:52 pmOkay, so another round of me sharing the links that I find during the day and any comments I may have on them.
( The tags should indicate the topics )
( The tags should indicate the topics )
