Sourdough Lounge

Kids asleep, wife at work. Bread needs to rise and I need to fall.

557 comments to Sourdough Lounge

  • avatar

    I have a bruise on my heel. Ouch.

    avatar
      up

    Ouch! I bruised my heel 17 years ago and can still feel the scar tissue in there!

    avatar
      up

    Oh for fuck sake, I didn’t want to hear that.

    avatar
      up

    It was a really bad bruise, and I don’t know how I got it because I was drunk.

    avatar
      up

    Mine isn’t even that bad, its just that I have to walk on it.

    avatar
      up

    I’ve played through it for about three months, kept getting better and worse. Three months might not be what you wanted to hear initially, but compared to oblique, I’m sure it sounds better

  • avatar

    I just saw the tagline: “Hooooooly crap I don’t even what is this but the division and winning and what” ~ whiteshoes40? whiteshoes40

    I hadn’t seen that before. I love it!

    avatar
      up

    one of my favorites

    "Once you go Kay there is no other way."- Bed
    avatar
      up

    From the last day of the 2012 season, right?

    avatar
      up

    yup

    "Once you go Kay there is no other way."- Bed
    avatar
      up

    One of the best, for sure.

    avatar
      up

    What happened to her?

  • avatar

    There’s water in the basement, and the pilot light is out.

    avatar
      up

    Please, come over to my basement.

  • avatar

    So Kasdan is mentoring on the Episode 7 script and handling one of their standalone concepts (his rumored to be a Han Solo story). Not sure I like any of this, but at least he’s the right person for the job.

  • avatar

    don’t you hate it when you think about what you will make your lounge title all day and then when its time to make one your forget it?

    In play, run(s)! Talk dirty to me gamecast, talk dirty. - Nevermoor
    avatar
      up

    Yes. It’s like thinking about masturbating all day and when you get home you’re too tired to get the job done.

    avatar
      up

    that’s when you enlist help

    And I have to say: mikev is one of my favorite people on here -slusser
    avatar
      up

    :D

    avatar
      up

    If I HAD help I wouldn’t be thinking about masturbating now would I?

    avatar
      up

    this.

    In play, run(s)! Talk dirty to me gamecast, talk dirty. - Nevermoor
    avatar
      up

    Most likely not.

    "Once you go Kay there is no other way."- Bed
    avatar
      up

    Why wait till you get home?

    avatar
      up

    You spent the whole day thinking about what to name your lounge? That’s the most adorable thing ever!

    avatar
      up

    yes. Most of the time it is how to work Lounge into song lyrics.

    Today it was AC/DC lyrics. I didn’t find a good fit

    In play, run(s)! Talk dirty to me gamecast, talk dirty. - Nevermoor
    avatar
      up

    Song lyrics are good. I also like to try with famous quotes.

    avatar
      up

    Well, hell’s bells.

    avatar
      up

    Also, sorry. I didn’t know you were making a lounge.

    avatar
      up

    I think about this most days. Most days I don’t make the lounge. Don’t worry about it.

    In play, run(s)! Talk dirty to me gamecast, talk dirty. - Nevermoor
    avatar
      up

    I feel like this isn’t the first time this has happened.

    avatar
      up

    Who creates the lounge isn’t a big deal.

    In play, run(s)! Talk dirty to me gamecast, talk dirty. - Nevermoor
    avatar
      up

    The only thing that really matters when it comes to creating a lounge is making sure your pants are off.

    avatar
      up

    I actually put pants on before I Lounged tonight.

    avatar
      up

    Whose pants?

    If this is His will, He's a son of a bitch.
    avatar
      up

    I don’t know. My neighbors throw things out on the sidewalk all the time. There was a loaf of French bread and some cheese a few weeks ago. Today there are onions. They are very generous people.

    avatar
      up

    Tell you what. If you think of it I’ll change the name of this one.

    avatar
      up

    He forgot the title.

    avatar
      up

    I know. If he remembers it again we can change the name of the lounge.

    avatar
      up

    I wouldn’t change a thing

    In play, run(s)! Talk dirty to me gamecast, talk dirty. - Nevermoor
  • avatar

    I had a puppy once.

    avatar
      up

    On sourdough?

    If this is His will, He's a son of a bitch.
    avatar
      up

    Mmm… hush baby, hush…

  • avatar

    Hi, sweetheart! The TC was all about salmon and sourdough in Alaska. I would have made a salmon and crab cioppino with toasted sourdough butter and parmigiano.

    avatar
      up

    i understood some of those words.

    And I have to say: mikev is one of my favorite people on here -slusser
    avatar
      up

    They might have been better if they where spelled right.

    avatar
      up

    Salmon is the most over rated fish to eat.

    TRUFAX!!

    In play, run(s)! Talk dirty to me gamecast, talk dirty. - Nevermoor
    avatar
      up

    That depends on which salmon you get to eat.

    Live king salmon is best, of course.

    avatar
      up

    Im down with Coho, king, and loch duart, but its just so meh.

    In play, run(s)! Talk dirty to me gamecast, talk dirty. - Nevermoor
    avatar
      up

    I’m also down with smoked chum. Yum!

    avatar
      up

    im not really into smoked.

    lox is better

    In play, run(s)! Talk dirty to me gamecast, talk dirty. - Nevermoor
    avatar
      up

    false.

    COOKED is the most over rated fish to eat.

    And I have to say: mikev is one of my favorite people on here -slusser
    avatar
      up

    naw. if you do it en papilote its great

    In play, run(s)! Talk dirty to me gamecast, talk dirty. - Nevermoor
    avatar
      up

    I understood some of those words

    And I have to say: mikev is one of my favorite people on here -slusser
    avatar
      up

    its fish in a parchment paper bag with fennel carrots potatoes celery butter and wine.

    Essentially the wine and butter steams the fish and creates a great jus

    In play, run(s)! Talk dirty to me gamecast, talk dirty. - Nevermoor
    avatar
      up

    It’s fish in a bag. Perfectly grilled, rubbed with salt, pepper, onion and garlic powder is better.

    avatar
      up

    Served with roasted red potatoes, with rosemary and garlic in olive oil and steamed broccoli with butter and salt.

    avatar
      up

    garlic powder is something i would not cook with.

    In play, run(s)! Talk dirty to me gamecast, talk dirty. - Nevermoor
    avatar
      up

    It’s great for smoking.

    avatar
      up

    not my style.

    In play, run(s)! Talk dirty to me gamecast, talk dirty. - Nevermoor
    avatar
      up

    FISH is the most over rated fish to eat.

    avatar
      up

    Should I be embarrassed that I still remember the bit from Desperately Seeking Susan where the cabbie is talking about getting some leftover sushi, and is asked how it was and responded “Not bad, I fried it up, tasted like fish”?

    avatar
      up

    Snerk.

    avatar
      up

    Agreed

    "There's never enough time to do all the nothing you want"
    avatar
      up

    Lox and salmon sushi are both delicious things.

    avatar
      up

    I make my own lox. they are amazing. I think you might have had them.

    In play, run(s)! Talk dirty to me gamecast, talk dirty. - Nevermoor
    avatar
      up

    I feel like I might have actually. Have you brought them to a tailgate?

    avatar
      up

    the Holoween party

    In play, run(s)! Talk dirty to me gamecast, talk dirty. - Nevermoor
    avatar
      up

    Ah there it is.

    avatar
      up

    I made enchiladas, which was a first for me. Onions, peppers, fake chicken, and black beans (cooked with cumin, chili powder, oregano, and a bay leaf). I was mostly winging it on the recipe, so the one spot where I got a little weird was adding balsamic vinegar to the enchilada sauce (I love balsamic vinegar in tomato soup). They were delicious!

  • avatar

    I often wonder what would have happened if I hadn’t dropped the suitcase.

    avatar
      up

    Well the eggs wouldn’t have cracked for sure.

    avatar
      up

    And the yolk wouldn’t have gotten on Miss Cooper’s shoes.

    avatar
      up

    Truf.

  • avatar

    I am so happy that baseball is back.

  • avatar

    I know an old lady who swallowed a horse…She died of course.

    avatar
      up

    She was British and thought it was a cow.

    If this is His will, He's a son of a bitch.
    avatar
      up

    she shouldn’t have been eating ready made meals

    In play, run(s)! Talk dirty to me gamecast, talk dirty. - Nevermoor
    avatar
      up

    Did you miss the part where she’s British?

    avatar
      up

    The British have some great chefs that I really enjoy and some impressive ethnic cuisine. No excuse

    In play, run(s)! Talk dirty to me gamecast, talk dirty. - Nevermoor
    avatar
      up

    At least she went out with a bang.

    avatar
      up

    Her last words were, “I’m raring to go.”

    avatar
      up

    Unless we’re including that horse-like neighing laugh she gave.

  • avatar

    So, you’re trying to get this yeastless dough to rise in the fridge? That doesn’t sound likely to work ever.

    avatar
      up

    Not in the fridge. Its following the idea put out in this book which involves and initial rise, then time in the fridge, then another rise before baking. Only I’m trying to leaven it with sourdough without adding any extra yeast.

    avatar
      up

    Sounds challenging. Good luck to you.

  • avatar

    I have to say, when the concept of the Lounge came over from **, I didn’t understand and I didn’t really like it. Now I love the lounge.

    avatar
      up

    Pretty much agree with that, and when I visited over there today there was a front-page post about people who met on ** and then formed significant IRL relationships. Not completely sure since I don’t drill down into the site but I thought it was ironic because as I understand it the atmosphere that allowed that to happen doesn’t exist anymore.

    avatar
      up

    spot on critique.

    In play, run(s)! Talk dirty to me gamecast, talk dirty. - Nevermoor
    avatar
      up

    I saw that cause either Gigs or Chickie linked it.

    Then I saw 14 paragraphs about baseballgirl and like 3 sentences about Gigs and Chickie.

    And I have to say: mikev is one of my favorite people on here -slusser
    avatar
      up

    BBG came to the last tailgate last year. It was hard to be civil.

    In play, run(s)! Talk dirty to me gamecast, talk dirty. - Nevermoor
    avatar
      up

    Did you put her to shame for ruining **?

    avatar
      up

    Really? I don’t agree. She was one of the main proponents for keeping AN as it was.

    avatar
      up

    She had a chance to step up and stop that bullshit and instead she backed ****. She deserves to wear that.

    avatar
      up

    Yup.

    "Once you go Kay there is no other way."- Bed
    avatar
      up

    I thought there was a real chance the guard would change at the end. It didn’t, and I haven’t been back.

    "There's never enough time to do all the nothing you want"
    avatar
      up

    Agreed.

    "Kraut will get you through times of no money better than money will get you through times of no kraut."
    avatar
      up

    She was in charge of banning me so she can go fk herself with a rusty rake.

    In play, run(s)! Talk dirty to me gamecast, talk dirty. - Nevermoor
    avatar
      up

    I don’t think it was that what she wanted you guys. In fact, I know it wasn’t. It’s time to let it go.

    avatar
      up

    If you think its the time to let shit go lynn maybe you should stop talking about it.

    BBG is a horrible human being who let people attack me personally for years and then banned me when they acknowledged that I violated no rules.

    In play, run(s)! Talk dirty to me gamecast, talk dirty. - Nevermoor
    avatar
      up

    Oh dear. Okay. But BBG is not a horrible human being.

    avatar
      up

    No she is, along with being a sycophant and a coward.

    In play, run(s)! Talk dirty to me gamecast, talk dirty. - Nevermoor
    avatar
      up

    Nope. I disagree. I think she cared about all you all. I don’t really care about whether you agree with that or not. I know it to be true.

    avatar
      up

    If she cared about us and did nothing she is a coward.

    If she didn’t care she is a bad person.

    Which choice you prefer matters not in the assement of her.

    In play, run(s)! Talk dirty to me gamecast, talk dirty. - Nevermoor
    avatar
      up

    God, you are so black and white. And you are such a drama queen. Grow up!

    avatar
      up

    Its really simple lynn

    If she cared about me as a person she would have stopped the repeated personal attacks against me.

    She didn’t.

    If she was a quality person she would have stopped the repeated personal attacks against me.

    She didn’t.

    If she cared about the site, she would have stood up to Napoleon during the exudes.

    She didn’t.

    She is a part of a regime that exploits peoples labor for profit.

    That makes you a bad person.

    Actions speak louder than your unfounded accusations against my character.

    In play, run(s)! Talk dirty to me gamecast, talk dirty. - Nevermoor
    avatar
      up

    Okay. Got it.

    avatar
      up

    You know, it’s remarkably easy to tell someone to grow up, but it’s never helpful. What went down over there, something that we all had a hand in creating got torn apart by a sycophant asshole and key people (including her)continued to support him. DFA (and several others of us) are still stung by that and we have every right to be. You want to stand up for a friend and I can respect that, but that friend also has to be accountable for their actions and not everyone here is going to particularly care whether she’s a bad person or not. And while she’s not, in the end that doesn’t change what she did and did not do when it matters.

    avatar
      up

    In retrospect, tho, we were all kinda naive to think we weren’t going to get hosed in the long run. It was just a matter of how many cuts it would take until the patient bled to death.

    "Once you go Kay there is no other way."- Bed
    avatar
      up

    Absolutely. All the signs were there. And many of us hit our limit before the true end, but yeah.

    avatar
      up

    And the way you are taking it is very immature. She disagreed with you. So what? Deal with it. Life is full of disagreements. How you deal with them shows how you deal with life shows how you are as a person. AN was a little thing. How you deal with the people of AN is way more important.

    I prefer to show love to you and everyone

    avatar
      up

    In what way is it immature? We’re not whining or crying or trolling them. They’re doing they’re thing and we’re doing ours. You’re being very opinionated about something that I don’t think you’re really paying more attention to and being very judgmental about it. There’s really no reason for you to voice an opinion over any of this and yet you continue to tell people to grow up or that they’re being immature. And it’s all over something that doesn’t concern you whatsoever.

    avatar
      up

    Youre sure doing a great job of showing us love lynn

    smh

    In play, run(s)! Talk dirty to me gamecast, talk dirty. - Nevermoor
    avatar
      up

    Don’t do that. I have always cared about you, and I have always showed my love for you. We can disagree about certain things, and still love each other. If that is not in your deal anymore, let me know.

    avatar
      up

    no. I was a bigger person. I hate being a bigger person.

    In play, run(s)! Talk dirty to me gamecast, talk dirty. - Nevermoor
    avatar
      up

    Haha! Please, DFA. You were never the bigger person…ever! I love you, but that is not true.

    avatar
      up

    I didn’t say a word to her when she intruded on our krautgate

    In play, run(s)! Talk dirty to me gamecast, talk dirty. - Nevermoor
    avatar
      up

    Yeah, that’s total crap, Lynn.

    avatar
      up

    appreciated dmoas

    In play, run(s)! Talk dirty to me gamecast, talk dirty. - Nevermoor
    avatar
      up

    No, it’s not. What’s total crap is the way that you all can’t seem to let anything go. It’s a blog! It’s about sports! Get over it!

    avatar
      up

    What’s important is how we all connected. We should could keep doing that.

    avatar
      up

    And she caused a fracture in that that almost irreparably damaged the relationships that made the whole thing worth it.

    In play, run(s)! Talk dirty to me gamecast, talk dirty. - Nevermoor
    avatar
      up

    We still are. They broke that connection, and they did it willfully.

    That’s the entire reason FK exists, doll: to maintain the connection we all have.

    They have their site now on AN, and it’s the way Blez envisioned his super duper sports blog empire. That’s cool, but it’s no longer the community that it used to be, because we are the ones that made it. We are 2 different places now, and that’s fine, but there were catalysts in the change and that need to be recognized as well.

    And I have to say: mikev is one of my favorite people on here -slusser
    avatar
      up

    To say that this is about sports is incredibly naive.

    In play, run(s)! Talk dirty to me gamecast, talk dirty. - Nevermoor
    avatar
      up

    To say this is about anything but sports is totally naive. And this is where y’all have a problem.

    avatar
      up

    Bullshit Lynn. Look at the lounge. Or the DLDs. Those were rarely about sports. Most of the tailgates, the group events, the conversations. They may have been connected by sports, but to say they were only about sports is complete and utter bullshit.

    avatar
      up

    Really? You think I went to Fanfest and tailgated but didn’t go inside because of sports and not because I wanted to see you people?

    And I have to say: mikev is one of my favorite people on here -slusser
    avatar
      up

    this

    In play, run(s)! Talk dirty to me gamecast, talk dirty. - Nevermoor
    avatar
      up

    I used to LOATHE the social element of **, and got quite upset when ** Day turned from Q&A sessions with top brass into parking lot tailgates. Back then, for me, it was ALL ABOUT SPORTS.

    But then I started giving a shit about people on the site… First it was Bloomie, then you and BerryJo, and then a slew of others. I understood then that it was about more than sports. It was about surrogate family and friends and activity partners and mixing with people whom you may not have all that much in common other than one very big important thing, and that very big important thing is enough to glue everybody together.

    If professional sports were banned today, never to return, many of the friendships and relationships forged amongst this group of people would endure, and that alone shows it’s about more than sports.

    I’m a distant cousin who visits once or twice a year saying this, so it’s gotta be more true for the people who are there in the parking lot 60-80 times a year.

    "Once you go Kay there is no other way."- Bed
    avatar
      up

    You can’t discuss all the shit that we discuss(ed) and say it’s just about sports, Lynn. And it IS total fking crap to say he’s never been the bigger man when DFA just got through saying he didn’t give her any crap for what she did. THAT is being the bigger man. And yet in yours observations you give DFA no credit whatsoever while attacking the rest of us for giving a shit about a place where we all fking met and was a very big part of our lives! If not for that place, NONE of us would be sitting here conversing right now and to say that doesn’t matter is complete and utter bullshit. How many people that we care about aren’t here talking to us because they weren’t willing to move on to a new blog after all that BS over there? That still continues to affect us.

    avatar
      up

    Maybe I’m wrong, but I’m reading an emotional subtone in her argument saying that from the perspective of having seen some fucked up shit go down in her life, this little blog schism is like two hookers fighting over a john, and we should let it go like the nothing it is.

    From a male perspective, I reply that there is always a constant testing of hornlocks amongst the rams to determine real-life pecking order, and this process never lets anyone slide, and nothing is ever nothing.

    Maybe it’s late and this is all a bunch of gibberish and I should go to bed.

    "Once you go Kay there is no other way."- Bed
    avatar
      up

    I have no problem with her feeling the former since there’s truth in it. But if that’s the view, skip the conversation altogether and move on. There’s a reason others choose to discuss it whether the later is true or not and they (we) have every right to do so without unnecessary recriminations.

    avatar
      up

    Wow Kay. Not gibberish at all.

    I have been going back and forth on saying anything here, but you hit too close to home for me not to. I’m having trouble on the homefront. And your second paragraph nails one small part of the issue. For a guy, once there is another person to be labeled “the bad guy” it doesnt matter how many times you try to say he isnt, he will be and you will consider him the enemy until it is over.

    Camelot sure fell apart, didn't it? -Steve McCatty
    avatar
      up

    In general it’s easier to handle a bad situation when there’s an entity (face) to focus it on. Otherwise it can really make you feel helpless.

    avatar
      up

    UGH.

    avatar
      up

    Yup. Gone. Gone and no longer allowed.

    avatar
      up

    But you allow Jenny. It’s the same thing.

    The only thing that matters is how we began. Grow up.

    avatar
      up

    Huh? I allow what in the what now? ** is gone. Whatever is they’re celebrating is a load of BS because it no longer exists. That has nothing to do with me whatsoever.

    avatar
      up

    This is a bunch of bullshit. Go gloss over that a handful of people ruined something we all enjoyed somewhere else.

    In play, run(s)! Talk dirty to me gamecast, talk dirty. - Nevermoor
    avatar
      up

    I believe he was talking about lounge type posts and interactions, which is now frowned upon and/or disallowed over there — not about specific people.

    And I have to say: mikev is one of my favorite people on here -slusser
    avatar
      up

    We allow everything. I think there was a failure to communicate here.

    "There's never enough time to do all the nothing you want"
    avatar
      up

    "Kraut will get you through times of no money better than money will get you through times of no kraut."
    avatar
      up

    The post is about BBG and OaktownPower, and gigs and Chickie.

    It isn't Dirty Dancing 'cuz it doesn't make you vomit.
    avatar
      up

    I know that; was chuckling at the subhead which leads with “So, did you know that ** doubles as a dating site?”

    avatar
      up

    Now, of course, given the new order there, it’s more of a divorce site.

    It isn't Dirty Dancing 'cuz it doesn't make you vomit.
    avatar
      up

    Only if you consider “dating” getting [censored][censored] in the back of an El Camino, then having to watch an advertisement for Yahoo! Sports afterwards.

    avatar
      up

    …go on

    And I have to say: mikev is one of my favorite people on here -slusser
    avatar
      up

    Then some turd hammer dressed up in a goat costume comes out from behind a dumpster and slaps your mother.

    avatar
      up

    Tagline!

    "Once you go Kay there is no other way."- Bed
    avatar
      up

    Done.

    avatar
      up

    It really is a good one. I feel your tagline-a-meter has been syncing well with mine lately.

    avatar
      up

    other than a couple of ones that didn’t pass my inner “Would Kyli want to slap me for taglining this?” test.

    "Once you go Kay there is no other way."- Bed
    avatar
      up

    LMAO.

    avatar
      up

    But those guys met before, way before, and in spite of. The important thing is that they met because of their love for the A’s. Nothing else matters.

    avatar
      up

    And of course, Napoleon decides to put in this winner. What an asshole.

    It isn't Dirty Dancing 'cuz it doesn't make you vomit.
    avatar
      up

    When you fuck goats you need STD testing and electroshock therapy

    In play, run(s)! Talk dirty to me gamecast, talk dirty. - Nevermoor
    avatar
      up

    You forgot the lobotomy.

    avatar
      up

    I had ignored the headline (other than to notice the irony of sanctioned front page meta), but based on this I just went and read it.

    Two LTRs in, what, 9 years? is nothing to be proud of. My running group boasts at least six in four years, that I know of (including my own).

    avatar
      up

    yeah, for the “largest A’s blog on the internet” its pretty sad.

    In play, run(s)! Talk dirty to me gamecast, talk dirty. - Nevermoor
    avatar
      up

    Why must I always have trollish thoughts? Havent read it yet, and most likely wont, but shouldnt someone pipe up and ask why in the heck is all of this non-Baseball stuff doing on the site? It will scare away fresh eyes…

    Camelot sure fell apart, didn't it? -Steve McCatty
    avatar
      up

    I’ve been very tempted…

    avatar
      up

    LOL, awesome idea

  • avatar

    I’ll be back in a minute, the lemurs have gotten into the parachutes again.

    avatar
      up

    LEMURCONKERS

    avatar
      up

    LEMURCHUTERS!

    avatar
      up

    OMG. One night, I got so drunk on LEMURSHOOTERS I crapped my neighbor’s pants.

    avatar
      up

    That would be more impressive if you weren’t wearing those pants at the time and it wasn’t about 5 minutes ago.

    avatar
      up

    Damn. It.

  • avatar

    What do people think about contributing to the presidential campaign fund on their taxes.

    Im for public funding but I think the current system is shitacular

    In play, run(s)! Talk dirty to me gamecast, talk dirty. - Nevermoor
    avatar
      up

    I think hell no.

    avatar
      up

    I think, it’s this or more bombs. So usually I say yes. But sometimes shitacular wins, especially in a year right after all the shitacularness happens.

    avatar
      up

    Well lets be honest its a choice of my pocket or public funding for elections because its a donation. Sooooooo…. i decided to do it again like every year, but it was harder this year.

    In play, run(s)! Talk dirty to me gamecast, talk dirty. - Nevermoor
    avatar
      up

    No, that is not correct. That’s why it says right there “checking this box will not increase your taxes.” Soaker has it right; spending $3 in the fed campaign fund is $3 the feds don’t get to use for something else.

    I’m surprised this is even a question for you. Public funding is the only possible antidote to the scourge of corporatocracy that our campaigns are otherwise.

    "Kraut will get you through times of no money better than money will get you through times of no kraut."
    avatar
      up

    The current funding system hurts candidates that choose it. It makes things worse.

    In play, run(s)! Talk dirty to me gamecast, talk dirty. - Nevermoor
    avatar
      up

    This. I think there are better public uses of my money, because this use is fucking shitty.

    The solution is to make public funding work better. Not throw money at the shitty version (or give up on public funding)

    "There's never enough time to do all the nothing you want"
    avatar
      up

    I don’t agree with this. A message candidate like Dennis Kucinich, for instance, would never get the chance to raise issues on the national campaign stage without the federal matching dollars.

    "Kraut will get you through times of no money better than money will get you through times of no kraut."
    avatar
      up

    No.

    And I have to say: mikev is one of my favorite people on here -slusser
    avatar
      up

    I don’t because it’s such a farce of a system.

    "There's never enough time to do all the nothing you want"
    avatar
      up

    Really? Absent public financing what’s left is Citizens United. I prefer to plug even one hole in the dike, regardless of how quixotic it may be.

    "Kraut will get you through times of no money better than money will get you through times of no kraut."
    avatar
      up

    All the $3 diversions in the world won’t convince candidates who matter to use the system.

    "There's never enough time to do all the nothing you want"
    avatar
      up

    Well, you seem to define “who matter” as “likely to at least win a nomination.” I’m not on board with that.

    "Kraut will get you through times of no money better than money will get you through times of no kraut."
    avatar
      up

    Well we disagree about that. Until we switch to some sort of ranked choice voting system, I don’t think never-gonna-win candidates do anyone any good.

    "There's never enough time to do all the nothing you want"
    avatar
      up

    ionno the never going to win candidates basically derailed the republican party in 12. thats a hell of a lot of good.

    In play, run(s)! Talk dirty to me gamecast, talk dirty. - Nevermoor
    avatar
      up

    That’s a poor-primary-strategy issue, not public funding.

    The better example is Nader in 2000.

    "There's never enough time to do all the nothing you want"
    avatar
      up

    I check yes, but I don’t think it makes any difference.

  • avatar

    You’re welcome, Lounge.

    avatar
      up

    Dude. Did you just fart?

    avatar
      up

    No, you’d know when that happened.

    avatar
      up

    That’s what I thought at first too, but it turns out it was just North Korea detonating a nuke.

  • avatar

    Hallo my large Loungelings!! What is everyone up to? Except DFA, because I know what he’s up to — making young ladies self-lubricate at the mere thought of him, even with his clothes on :P

    I think I am falling in love. Where were all these smoking hot 20-something guys when I was that age? Not that I am complaining, Universe.

    Did everyone who wanted to get the shit-hot Talking Heads Amsterdam 1980 concert I put up in the Grammys thread? It’s one of the ten best bootlegs I’ve ever heard and I have heard a few, with 14TB or so of music laying around here. Matrixes are the shit, where you integrate 2 different sources of the same show (here it’s a mono soundboard in the center and a front-of-house reel-to-reel stereo audience tape left and right) to make a monster jam of it, almost like a real live record in terms of depth and clarity. Plus the music is cooking with a polyrhythmic funk so deep you may have to change your undergarments after hearing it. I have done a few matrix projects and this one is so tight you can almost hear the mass quantities of cocaine disappearing up David Byrne’s nostrils :O

    New link:

    Heads up!

    Never suck on a Blow Pop with the microphone open.
    avatar
      up

    I was listening to his new album with St. Vincent today. There is only so long you can listen to it before you will go mad. That being said its pretty good while you can stand it.

    In play, run(s)! Talk dirty to me gamecast, talk dirty. - Nevermoor
    avatar
      up

    The album has continued to grow on me the more I listen. Their show last year was the best of the three post-Heads shows I’ve seen with Mr. Byrne. The show, like the album, was a lot more conceptual, a la Stop Making Sense, although not nearly at the same level of insanity. The only issue was that certain songs (mostly St. Vincent’s songs) got totally swallowed up in a concert hall and simply became noise. But that’s an issue with the venue, not the music.

    A soliloquy of fresh-sounding ideas which would probably be disastrous.
    avatar
      up

    Its interesting no doubt. The question is whether or not it is good.

    In play, run(s)! Talk dirty to me gamecast, talk dirty. - Nevermoor
    avatar
      up

    You must decide that for yourself.

    A soliloquy of fresh-sounding ideas which would probably be disastrous.
    avatar
      up

    im on the fence.

    as an artist. being interesting is probably better than being good. As a first time listener I would say the same thing. As a repeat listener I would say the opposite.

    In play, run(s)! Talk dirty to me gamecast, talk dirty. - Nevermoor
    avatar
      up

    I prefer St. Vincent or David Byrne to St. Vincent and David Byrne. That said, their live version of Burning Down the House was awesome.

    avatar
      up

    Agreed on the last point.

    A soliloquy of fresh-sounding ideas which would probably be disastrous.
    avatar
      up

    Youth is wasted on the young.

    "Kraut will get you through times of no money better than money will get you through times of no kraut."
  • avatar

    OK, I’m back. Turns out the lemurs were only messing with the parachutes because someone had forgotten to disarm the electric fence.

    avatar
      up

    Please tell me no one pissed on it.

    avatar
      up

    None of the lemurs did, and thank goodness for that.

  • avatar

    I don’t always hang out in the lounge, but when I do, I .. pretty much lurk because I don’t have anything terribly interesting to say. All the same, I hope everyone’s having a great evening!

    avatar
      up

    You need to speak up more. The whole point of the lounge is not having anything terribly interesting to say, but saying it anyway.

    avatar
      up

    Hmm. OK, I think I can get the hang of that.

    avatar
      up

    I second aardvark

    In play, run(s)! Talk dirty to me gamecast, talk dirty. - Nevermoor
    avatar
      up

    Aye, this.
    Back when these were just coming into vogue, I was of a similar persuasion. But then I witnessed bloomie, bed and ozz do the thing they (used to) do night after night and that was that. Also, the no-pants rule helps with that.

    avatar
      up

    If there’s anyone in the world who doesn’t shut up when he runs out of things to say, it’s me.

  • avatar

    I’ve embarked on a new diet, wherein I avoid the following: wheat/gluten, soy, dairy, eggs, pinto/kidney/navy/green beans, spelt, most nuts, and, tragically, lamb.

    avatar
      up

    why lamb?

    also wouldn’t it be easier to list what you can eat?

    In play, run(s)! Talk dirty to me gamecast, talk dirty. - Nevermoor
    avatar
      up

    why?

    And I have to say: mikev is one of my favorite people on here -slusser
    avatar
      up

    Feeling crappy for years, I went to a naturopath and they did a bunch of tests. This was the verdict for “foods I don’t tolerate well.”

    The “can eat” list isn’t bad, though – fish/poultry, almost all fruits/veggies, oats/corn/rice are all in. Beer and whiskey are out, but wine is in (red, for sure – white apparently may contain egg whites, which surprised me, but I like red more anyway), as is tequila. Not ideal, but doable.

    avatar
      up

    For me, giving up food I love would make me feel crappy.

    In play, run(s)! Talk dirty to me gamecast, talk dirty. - Nevermoor
    avatar
      up

    You should appreciate that you’re healthy and can eat those foods you love. While there are many things I love about my life, having my gut feel like shit all the time is not one of them.

    My hope is that after some time observing this diet, when my system calms down, some (most?) of these foods will make it back onto the “okay” list.

    avatar
      up

    Sorry that might have come across as being insensitive.

    I more meant that I would have to feel really shitty to give up things like lamb and beer because they give me such pleasure. Im sorry your system is haywire and I hope it returns to normal.

    In play, run(s)! Talk dirty to me gamecast, talk dirty. - Nevermoor
    avatar
      up

    No, it didn’t come across that way – I took for granted being able to eat anything I wanted, for a long time, and I hope to again, that’s all; I should’ve said it that way. Thanks for the wishes; I hope so too!

    avatar
      up

    I fear that I may be headed to the same place that you are. My gut just isn’t happy and I worry its the early stages of Chron’s disease or something.

    avatar
      up

    Oh man, I hope not. You might want to think about cutting out wheat & gluten immediately, since those are the most common and obvious culprits. I did that back in 2003-2006, and while it didn’t solve the problem, I did feel slightly better.

    Also, at least when I’m controlling my diet I feel like I’m doing something about it, rather than being controlled by my health. This counts for quite a bit.

    avatar
      up

    My best friend has Crohn’s, and what aggravates it varies from person to person and can even change over time. He can drink beer, but not hard liquor. Pot used to help, but now it irritates it. He can handle spicy foods, but not raw vegetables. It’s really strange.

    avatar
      up

    Raw vegetables is interesting; I’ve had a very hard time with raw veggies – especially leafy greens – in recent years. Crohn’s sounds absolutely awful. I don’t think that’s what I have; mine is a lot milder, and I’ve been tested for Crohn’s.

    avatar
      up

    Every couple of years, he goes through a bout where he ends up in the ER every few weeks for a couple of months, until he figures out some new thing that irritates his Crohn’s. It’s a nightmare, especially with 2 little kids who freak out because Daddy’s in the hospital. As I understand it, it’s basically an issue with scar tissue in his intestines. That portion of intestine can be removed and the problem solved, but insurance won’t pay for the surgery. They’ll pay all the other medical bills, though. It’s ridiculous.

    avatar
      up

    We’re not going to actually fix your problem but we’ll pay for dealing with the effects of your problem every couple of years. Boy, there’s some genius at work right there.

    avatar
      up

    I know. Insurance companies never cease to amaze me.

    avatar
      up

    Surprises me that there isn’t some recourse on that decision.

    "There's never enough time to do all the nothing you want"
    avatar
      up

    There may be, I haven’t pressed him for details on how he’s handled it.

    avatar
      up

    Isn’t there ongoing costs post surgery after the problem is “fixed” through removal?

    avatar
      up

    There may be, I don’t know.

    avatar
      up

    Yeah, in some cases losing parts of your intestine can basically be the end of ever eating solid food again.

    "Kraut will get you through times of no money better than money will get you through times of no kraut."
    avatar
      up

    It wouldn’t surprise me if it costed out to be more expensive for the on-going post surgery results than a day or two in the hospital treating it once year. Sucks ass either way and it really should be the patient’s call.

    avatar
      up

    That last sentence. If he and his doctor discuss it and decide it’s what he wants, and it means higher premiums for the rest of his life, he should be able to choose that.

    avatar
      up

    Just wow.

    avatar
      up

    Here’s hoping it works out like that.

    avatar
      up

    Ditto what DFA said; for me that would be a grievous loss.

    "Kraut will get you through times of no money better than money will get you through times of no kraut."
    avatar
      up

    I feel your pain. In my case, I have much less to miss. So I at least have that.

    avatar
      up

    Less to miss because some things have always been off limits, or just less is on the off-limits list now?

    Pardon my curiosity, but the input helps.

    avatar
      up

    Mostly the former. But I’m not in any way a foodie and I don’t like the texture of a lot of foods so I’m not really missing a lot of items I’d otherwise be missing if I could have eaten them in the first place.

    avatar
      up

    This is where I am with everything that was once alive. Turns out, if you don’t know what you’re missing, you don’t miss it.

    avatar
      up

    Keep an eye on the oats, corn, and rice. You may need to eliminate those, as well.

    I don’t see what the problem would be with the nuts or beans, tho…

    Keep us posted.

    "Once you go Kay there is no other way."- Bed
    avatar
      up

    If it makes you feel any better I have over the last few years developed an allergy to non-organic bananas, watermelons, cantaloupes, and avocados. I’m guessing it’s the pesticides. Not that I mind buying organic, but it can be a pain in the ass finding these foods in their organic editions around here.

    avatar
      up

    Pro Tip: Move.

    avatar
      up

    I’m working on it.

    avatar
      up

    Yikes. I agree with dmoas.

    I’m in the middle of slowly reading The Omnivore’s Dilemma, and while I knew that the corn economy, pesticides and antibiotics were evil, I had no idea how interconnected they all were.

    avatar
      up

    I should probably read that.

  • avatar

    Anyone ever watch porn and think, “Holy shit, you should have a doctor look at that”? That just happened.

    avatar
      up

    No need if they just had a nurse look at it.

    If this is His will, He's a son of a bitch.
    avatar
      up

    I did. And I recommend they see a doctor.

    avatar
      up

    You can’t say stuff like that without providing a link.

  • avatar

    The San Diego chicken once bit my head. No joke.

  • avatar

    I got offered a job watching porn. That’s nice.

    avatar
      up

    Is it a work from home gig?

    avatar
      up

    How’s the pay

    And I have to say: mikev is one of my favorite people on here -slusser
    avatar
      up

    It comes and goes…?

    avatar
      up

    :O

    avatar
      up

    You got offered a job that involved watching porn, or you got offered a job while watching porn?

  • avatar

    Just did my taxes! Im getting 1900 buck back.

    Im trying to decide what to do with it. They offer you Type I bonds that you can buy with your refund. Im trying to decide if that was a good deal or not. I also have some debt I could buy down. I also want to do some actual investing. Thoughts?

    In play, run(s)! Talk dirty to me gamecast, talk dirty. - Nevermoor
    avatar
      up

    Debt, unless somehow your investments or bonds are going to grow at a higher rate than the debt.

    And I have to say: mikev is one of my favorite people on here -slusser
    avatar
      up

    This is what I was thinking. Also paying off my car rather than the lower rate college loans because theyre tax deductible.

    In play, run(s)! Talk dirty to me gamecast, talk dirty. - Nevermoor
    avatar
      up

    I mean it may not be the best financial decision but I try to pay off all my CC debt as fast as possible.

    Course, then I blow out a tire a week after I pay off 1800 bucks and have zero balance on my card, and have to put another 650 bucks worth of tires onto it. LOL.

    And I have to say: mikev is one of my favorite people on here -slusser
    avatar
      up

    I’ve never had a credit card.

    avatar
      up

    I don’t own a credit card. And don’t believe in consumer debt. A mortgage or student loans yeah. CC debt? nope.

    In play, run(s)! Talk dirty to me gamecast, talk dirty. - Nevermoor
    avatar
      up

    That’s pretty much where I stand too. I did (and would) take on a car loan. And I did take student loans. And I do have a mortgage. But i have never had any interest in a credit card. If I can’t pay it outright, I can’t afford it.

    avatar
      up

    I have a car loan. I have student debt.

    I do want to get a cc so that I can improve my credit tho. I closed accounts that i wasn’t paying off on time in college. Apparently while that is the responsible thing to do in real life its terrible for your credit.

    In play, run(s)! Talk dirty to me gamecast, talk dirty. - Nevermoor
    avatar
      up

    Yeah, my mortgage credit is enough for me. If my credit doesn’t look as pretty as it could be, meh. It’s not like I’m seeking to use credit anyway.

    avatar
      up

    I would eventually like to move in with a gorgeous girl who lets me cook for her

    That requires credit.

    In play, run(s)! Talk dirty to me gamecast, talk dirty. - Nevermoor
    avatar
      up

    Well sure, you don’t have the house yet, so credit kind of does matter for you much more than me.

    avatar
      up

    How do you improve your credit by having a credit card?

    avatar
      up

    By keeping your outstanding balance very low relative to the amount of available credit; i.e. if the credit limit is $5K don’t let the balance get to more than $1K.

    avatar
      up

    So that is better than not needing a credit card at all?

    avatar
      up

    Yes. Establishing a record of responsible use of credit is better for prospective lenders to see than having no record of ever using credit at all.

    avatar
      up

    OK, that actually makes some sense

    avatar
      up

    A lot better. And as you successfully take on and discharge debt it snowballs. After I got my first car loan and had about a year of payments under my belt institutions wanted to lend me all kinds of money.

    "Kraut will get you through times of no money better than money will get you through times of no kraut."
    avatar
      up

    The system itself is incredibly stupid.

    avatar
      up

    Well, I would never actually carry a balance from month to month and pay interest, and in fact I get $0.0166 worth of Southwest Airlines points in rebate for every dollar I charge (more than that for certain purchases). But yes, somebody like you who pays cash for everything pays higher prices to support the processing fees.

    avatar
      up

    I wouldn’t condemn it quite that completely…you trust people with loans who’ve proven they can handle debt responsibly. Before I went to college my dad told me to go to Sears to buy something I needed…a jacket, as I recall…and to take out a store credit card for the purchase, then pay it off when the first bill came. That was my entry into the world of good credit.

    "Kraut will get you through times of no money better than money will get you through times of no kraut."
    avatar
      up

    My first bit of advice on building credit was to get a card and use it for something that you always purchased — say, gas — and pay it off every month.

    And I have to say: mikev is one of my favorite people on here -slusser
    avatar
      up

    To me there’s two ways you should be able to show you’re a good bet. 1) You’ve taken on debts and effectively paid them off. 2) You’ve avoided extending yourself beyond your means so that you didn’t require debt and by doing so proven you’re capable of effectively managed your money. #2 basically has zero bearing in the system which is stupid. #1 puts too much weight on commercial debt and not enough on long term debts like car loans or mortgages. I get credit for the latter, but I shouldn’t be knocked for not having a credit card if I’m showing I’m capable of managing my finances so that I can both pay off a large loan and not put myself into more debt while doing it. Someone who pays off the credit card month-to-month is more risky (in my opinion) since they could accumulated debt and THEN be suddenly unable to pay it off whereas someone who has no credit cards could suddenly need one temporarily but has no current debt to compete with. I’m not saying you shouldn’t get credit for maintaining credit, but I am saying the system is broken if I don’t get credit for not having debt.

    avatar
      up

    Someone making their living exclusively off cash from poached recyclables also lives a debt-free life. The avoidance of debt doesn’t unto itself say anything about a person’s credit worthiness.

    "Kraut will get you through times of no money better than money will get you through times of no kraut."
    avatar
      up

    And that’s way they ask for pay stubs. Having continued debt just for the sake of debt doesn’t tell much either in grand scheme of things. Great, you can collect debt all month and then pay it off. Doesn’t mean you could do the same for bigger things.

    avatar
      up

    No but collecting debt and then paying it off on time proves you actually CAN do it.

    And I have to say: mikev is one of my favorite people on here -slusser
    avatar
      up

    I never denied that. Nor did I say that that shouldn’t be counted either. But take me for example. I have a mortgage, pay it off on time. So I’ve A) proved I can handle debt and B) proved that I can pay it off. But my score would be better if I took out a credit card and accumulated even more debt for the sake of debt. That to me is just stupid. I’ve had a student loan, a car loan, and a medical loan all paid off as well, all before taking on the bigger house loan, but because I don’t take on a credit card, my score is lower than it could be yet I’ve already proven I can handle the debt I’ve taken on and done so without over extending myself and putting the credit company at risk.

    avatar
      up

    I think that would fall under the amount of available credit you have, wouldn’t it?

    I may be wrong in the way its looked at, but loans are different than credit cards to me. One is a fixed payment for a fixed amount of time, the other can vary.

    And I have to say: mikev is one of my favorite people on here -slusser
    avatar
      up

    Not sure. I do know I’ve been told that as good as my score would be, it would be even better if I maintained a credit card which to me is BS. To me, there should be two separate scoring mechanisms. One based on short term loans and no based on long term. If that were the case, I should be very high on the latter and very low on the former and I’d entirely okay with that. But if you’re going to merge them together, it shouldn’t balance out like that.

    avatar
      up

    Disagree that #2 isn’t in there. When I graduated from law school with $###,### in debt, my credit scores were low because of it.

    "There's never enough time to do all the nothing you want"
    avatar
      up

    That’s more to being over extended in debt than it is having no credit. There’s correlation, sure, but it’s not quite the same thing as being credited with not having debt. It’s not much better than saying #2 is there because I failed to pay my debts and have low scores from that.

    avatar
      up

    But I didn’t fail to pay any debts. The system was (fairly) judging that I was pretty overextended, and would not be a good credit risk for additional loans.

    I understood that to be your point.

    "There's never enough time to do all the nothing you want"
    avatar
      up

    No, I’m fine with that part. The amount of debt you currently have should absolutely factor in. My problem is the debt you’re not taking in via not having credit cards factoring in when you have other debts, but aren’t over extended going against you.

    avatar
      up

    Above, DFA alluded to one of the stupidest parts of the credit rating system — cancelling a credit card, even if you haven’t been using it and don’t owe any money, has a large negative impact on your credit rating.

    avatar
      up

    Which is why I have 4 credit cards with a total credit limit of something like $40K. I went for the best deal at the time, then something better came along. I never even reach 10% of that credit limit. I’ll use the 3rd and 4th cards a couple times a year at the gas station just to keep the accounts from being completely dead.

    avatar
      up

    Yeah, I have an old credit card that is up to like a >10k limit, but I only use it to autopay my netflix bill.

    avatar
      up

    It was funny watching American Express keep giving me higher and higher limits. I think at one point they had moved the limit up to something stupid like 25K. I think it’s down to like 7 or something now.

    I think the most I’ve ever had on it at one time was like 6K. We got hella Costco money back that year. LOL.

    And I have to say: mikev is one of my favorite people on here -slusser
    avatar
      up

    Wow, I think I have 4K or something on mine. I don’t think I ever went above a thousand, though

    avatar
      up

    That said, AMEX sends those 0% interest for 12-18 months (but a 4% fee upfront) deals, which are far and away the best short term financing you can get.

    "There's never enough time to do all the nothing you want"
    avatar
      up

    Because it changes the ratio of available credit you have, right?

    And I have to say: mikev is one of my favorite people on here -slusser
    avatar
      up

    Yes, that’s exactly it. If I have two credit cards, each with $10K limit, and my balance is $5K on one and zero on the other, I’m using 25% of my available credit. If I just close out the zero-balance account, now I’m using 50% of my available credit.

    One good reason to close an empty account would be if you had a no annual fee card and then the bank tells you they are going to start charging you $60 a year for the card (which is exactly what Citi did a while back).

    avatar
      up

    length of accounts is one of the biggest factors. This is because if you are applying for new credit, they want to make sure that it isn’t because you are about to do something stupid, like open 8 accounts to live off of, or because your financial situation has changed. If you have had one account a million years it is likely you haven’t abused it.

    In play, run(s)! Talk dirty to me gamecast, talk dirty. - Nevermoor
    avatar
      up

    I don’t think that really matters that much actually

    And I have to say: mikev is one of my favorite people on here -slusser
    avatar
      up

    It does help to have one account for a million years with no delinquent payments showing, but closed accounts stay on your credit report for at least 7 years after you close them and you’ll be building up a record of on-time payments in your other accounts over that time. The flip side is that if you have an account with a number of delinquent payments, but you finally straighten things out and pay it off and then close that account, the delinquencies will still be a ding against your record for the next 7 years.

    avatar
      up

    this is what happened to me. stupid 19 yo dfa

    In play, run(s)! Talk dirty to me gamecast, talk dirty. - Nevermoor
    avatar
      up

    I get confused with all of this. For example, I still have my first credit card from college, but when they wouldn’t raise my limit (despite the massive jump in income that came with actually getting a job), I opened a new one with a different company. At this point, I haven’t touched that first credit card in almost two years, but I haven’t cancelled it either. I’m never going to use it again, but I don’t know if it’s better to keep it open anyway or to cancel it. It seems like if I’m not going to use it I should cancel it, but I also hear that cancelling is not a good move, so I’ve just let it sit.

    avatar
      up

    It’s better to keep it open and not use it, or do something like set your 8 dollar netflix autopayment up to use it and then set up auto bill pay to just pay that 8 bucks off every month.

    And I have to say: mikev is one of my favorite people on here -slusser
    avatar
      up

    I’ve heard the credit card company will eventually cancel it themselves if you don’t use it, so if they haven’t done it yet, perhaps I should do something like that Netflix idea. Bah, I’d rather not bother with this card at all, but there’s no fee with the card and it was my first, so I’ll do it if it’s better for my credit.

    avatar
      up

    If the credit limit on the unused card is low it probably doesn’t make much difference. Say the average balance on your bill on your new card is $2K, your limit on that card is $10K, and the limit on the college card is $2K. Closing the old one only changes your usage ratio from 16.66% to 20%. If you have a good record with the new company you might even ask them to raise your limit from $10K to $12K and then you would have no change at all.

    avatar
      up

    Basically this shit should be run by the government and the rules should be super clear.

    There should be a calculator that says if i do x my credit will be affected by y

    In play, run(s)! Talk dirty to me gamecast, talk dirty. - Nevermoor
    avatar
      up

    government

    credit

    LOLZ.

    And I have to say: mikev is one of my favorite people on here -slusser
    avatar
      up

    Credit scores.

    In play, run(s)! Talk dirty to me gamecast, talk dirty. - Nevermoor
    avatar
      up

    And credit reports. If I want to prevent anybody from looking at my report, which is an effective way to prevent people using a stolen identity from opening accounts in my name, I have to pay 3 companies $10 each to establish a credit freeze. Then, if I need to lift that freeze, say if I am moving and need to allow a landlord and utility companies to view my report, that’s another $10 to each of the 3 for lifting it.

    How nice of those companies to allow me to request the information they have on me for free once a year. Of course they wouldn’t do that until about 10 years ago when Congress forced them to.

    avatar
      up

    what about them

    And I have to say: mikev is one of my favorite people on here -slusser
    avatar
      up

    Not sure the government should be, but an independent entity certainly would be nice.

    avatar
      up

    I totally agree with DFA on this one. Knee jerk reactions about “government bureaucratic inefficiency” aside, is there anything good about the current rating system from the consumers side? There are 2-3 different companies that track credit ratings, creating confusion about who to even ask if you want to check on your own credit (or, heaven forbid, correct something). It’s opaque, which leads to discussions, like this very one, between people who trade credit tips based on hearsay. And these companies have incentives only to please the creditors.

    On a related note, every year at tax time I get irritated that the IRS doesn’t have one, and only one, official website for e-filing taxes. Instead, you are pointed to a page with various freefile and e-file (what’s the difference?) options that may or may not be free, depending on your income. I always end up just printing the paper forms and filling them out by hand. For comparison, I do my Massachusetts state taxes through a nice website set up by the MA dept of revenue and it works great.

    avatar
      up

    That’s because tax preparers are a powerful lobby. The IRS could easily send pre-filled-out forms that would be correct for most Americans.

    "There's never enough time to do all the nothing you want"
    avatar
      up

    The next time I see my dad, I’ll give him a hug, then give him a kick in the shins for making taxes so FKing complex.

    A soliloquy of fresh-sounding ideas which would probably be disastrous.
    avatar
      up

    The nuts. Kick him in the nuts. He’s not going to need to have children anymore.

    avatar
      up

    No, no children, but he’s dating a woman that sells oriental rugs. I’d like to encourage that relationship to continue if there’s a possibility of getting rugs at a discount.

    A soliloquy of fresh-sounding ideas which would probably be disastrous.
    avatar
      up

    Our society has too many tax preparers, too many prison guards, and not enough Arena Gladiators.

    "Once you go Kay there is no other way."- Bed
    avatar
      up

    Your first paragraph talks about knee jerk reactions to government inefficiency, then your second one talks about how inefficient the IRS is.

    I mean… cmon.

    And I have to say: mikev is one of my favorite people on here -slusser
    avatar
      up

    That’s not what I was trying to say. I think the IRS could easily make an efficient solution but they don’t because ZOMG gov’t trampling on the private sector. I think that nevermoor’s description of the situation is correct.

    avatar
      up

    Compared to private sector inefficiency Ill choose the government.

    In play, run(s)! Talk dirty to me gamecast, talk dirty. - Nevermoor
    avatar
      up

    For all the crap the government gets, private businesses really can be significantly worse.

    avatar
      up

    The government is excellent at things which would only be perverted by a profit motive (like insurance, statistical analysis, etc.)

    It is terrible at doing things which require vision/creativity, because there isn’t the profit upside that you get if you’re (say) Steve Jobs.

    "There's never enough time to do all the nothing you want"
    avatar
      up

    This is what annoys me — I want to get rid of one of my cards and switch to another with useful points, but it’s not worth the hit to my rating by cancelling the card.

    avatar
      up

    So just switch and don’t cancel the old one?

    And I have to say: mikev is one of my favorite people on here -slusser
    avatar
      up

    This is what I did. Not as satisfying, but it works.

    avatar
      up

    I already have 3 credit cards. I feel like that’s my emotional limit.

    avatar
      up

    I have one credit card. It’s good for emergencies, and it’s also my Coscto card and I get rebates.

    I considered getting a Discover card, because you get 5% cash back on all purchases.

    I try not to ever carry a balance though.

    And I have to say: mikev is one of my favorite people on here -slusser
    avatar
      up

    yeah this makes sense. have a card don’t carry a balance.

    In play, run(s)! Talk dirty to me gamecast, talk dirty. - Nevermoor
    avatar
      up

    I agree with this, but my wife is not so meticulous about it.

    "Once you go Kay there is no other way."- Bed
    avatar
      up

    I agree with this as well.

    avatar
      up

    That’s how I operate. It’s good for your credit rating and you can earn some points or whatnot. I’m happy to get a free flight for spending the money I’d be spending anyway.

    avatar
      up

    My family has a personal vendetta against Discover, so I won’t consider them. That said, I use a CC for essentially everything because the discount beats using other plastic or (worse) cash.

    "There's never enough time to do all the nothing you want"
    avatar
      up

    Almost certainly a great decision. CC interest rates are scary

    "There's never enough time to do all the nothing you want"
    avatar
      up

    I only ever had CC that allow you to repay the months payments in full, not in rates. Some actually don’t allow it here

    avatar
      up

    American Express used to be like that.

    And I have to say: mikev is one of my favorite people on here -slusser
    avatar
      up

    Not a lot of difference between that and a debit card (which is just a draw on your bank account).

    The revolving credit mechanism is a really really good thing, which is why if you get a liberal in the right mood, they might be willing to give on the national ID thing if the ID came with a very low amount of revolving credit.

    "There's never enough time to do all the nothing you want"
    avatar
      up

    Credit cards have better consumer protection than debit cards, in the US at least.

    TINSTAAFK
    avatar
      up

    Which is funny because if you use your debit card as a credit card you still (as far I’m aware) are protected by that whereas if you use the debit side you aren’t despite it drawing from the same account.

    avatar
      up

    This is true. That’s part of the reason I started using credit cards in the first place. Someone did nab my debit card info a while back (and signed up for about $450 worth of World of Warcraft accounts). I was able to get it refunded and dealt with, but being potentially on the hook for all that was not pleasant.

    avatar
      up

    lol thats a lot of wow

    In play, run(s)! Talk dirty to me gamecast, talk dirty. - Nevermoor
    avatar
      up

    In some ways I’m glad they did that rather than just like one or two accounts. It was easier to show identity theft going from pretty much using my debit card for ATM withdrawals and occasional small purchases to like 15 WoW accounts or whatever all at once. I like to be able to use “I mean, come on” when presenting my arguments.

    avatar
      up

    Thank you, Miss Warren.

    avatar
      up

    The difference is that CC are sometimes only accepted form of payment (that is basically also the only time I use them)

    avatar
      up

    The advantage of universal accessibility is quite pronounced in shady neighborhoods like mine. Not a great idea to walk around with more than a few bucks in cash.

    avatar
      up

    Now seems like a shitty time to buy bonds because there’s no return. If you want to invest, do an automatic index fund instead of a managed fund or (worse) individual stocks.

    "There's never enough time to do all the nothing you want"
    avatar
      up

    what are the advantage of an automatic index fund.

    In play, run(s)! Talk dirty to me gamecast, talk dirty. - Nevermoor
    avatar
      up

    dramatically lower fees, very similar (or better) fee-adjusted returns, maximum diversification.

    "There's never enough time to do all the nothing you want"
    avatar
      up

    Mike is completely right. There is nothing you can invest in right now that would provide better return than paying down existing loans.

    avatar
      up

    HOLY SHIT I SHOULD BE ONE OF THOSE FINANCIAL GURU GUYS. I COULD MAKE A MILLION DOLLARS.

    And I have to say: mikev is one of my favorite people on here -slusser
    avatar
      up

    Can I have $500?

    avatar
      up

    what kind of juice are you willing to pay?

    In play, run(s)! Talk dirty to me gamecast, talk dirty. - Nevermoor
    avatar
      up

    Orange?

    avatar
      up

    I’ll probably get more than triple that.

    avatar
      up

    rad

    In play, run(s)! Talk dirty to me gamecast, talk dirty. - Nevermoor
    avatar
      up

    It’s nice until all of it goes into medical costs within a month like the last two years.

    avatar
      up

    sorry dude.

    In play, run(s)! Talk dirty to me gamecast, talk dirty. - Nevermoor
    avatar
      up

    Bosnian proverb: I hope you win the lottery and spend it all on doctors

    avatar
      up

    That sounds like something… well pretty much anyone would say to me. I must be part Bosnian.

    avatar
      up

    Last year I had to pay. It sucked.

    "There's never enough time to do all the nothing you want"
    avatar
      up

    Last year I ended up having to write big fat checks to both the Feds and the State, for the first time ever except for the year I totally cheated and had nothing at all withheld and got caught. So this year I’m not even bothering to start my taxes until April, since I’m sure I’ll be writing big fat checks again.

    "Kraut will get you through times of no money better than money will get you through times of no kraut."
    avatar
      up

    what happened?

    In play, run(s)! Talk dirty to me gamecast, talk dirty. - Nevermoor
    avatar
      up

    Clearly he fought the law. And the law won.

    avatar
      up

    Nearly the same. I think I am going to be well past writing a check and may be at the point of asking how Uncle Same would like to give it to me monthly for the next year or so. I will probably do my taxes at the end of this month to figure out the damage but they will be sent in on 4/15 at 11:50 pm.

    Camelot sure fell apart, didn't it? -Steve McCatty
    avatar
      up

    how did that end up? I mean if you use the regular allowances and don’t free lance it shouldn’t happen no?

    In play, run(s)! Talk dirty to me gamecast, talk dirty. - Nevermoor
    avatar
      up

    Wasnt expecting a hit on some debt cancellation. Knew it was possible, but didn’t think it would actually occur. I am not happy to wear it because of what it represents, but it is totlly legit and I still prefer it to the problems I had.

    Typically we get a few k back, so I figure it will eat up thaaat this year, and at the worst case I will make a few payments nd be back to normal by next year.

    Good news is with Mrs. Aces business officially off the ground we have more than normal to deduct. I may be able to put that Acct degree that has been gathering dust to good use.

    Camelot sure fell apart, didn't it? -Steve McCatty
    avatar
      up

    Im still not sure what that means really, but good luck.

    In play, run(s)! Talk dirty to me gamecast, talk dirty. - Nevermoor
    avatar
      up

    Thank you. And yeah-I’m vague because I hate making terrible choices, and I have done more than my share of that.

    Long story short-keep doing what you’re doing, listen to what everyone else has said here, and dont take any advice on $ from me (or anything else really) for a few years…

    Camelot sure fell apart, didn't it? -Steve McCatty
    avatar
      up

    I had to pay a pretty big chunk one year because of being on a fellowship that didn’t do automatic deductions. That was my own fault.

    avatar
      up

    I had to pay once because my boss didn’t properly deduct.

    In play, run(s)! Talk dirty to me gamecast, talk dirty. - Nevermoor
    avatar
      up

    My fiancee is getting $2900 back from the feds and hasn’t done state taxes yet. It’s the silver lining that you get for quitting your job partway through the year while simultaneously spending $20k on school.

    avatar
      up

    To answer DFA’s original question about I-bonds: those are U.S. savings bonds whose interest rate is the CPI for the trailing 6 months. You can’t cash them in for 12 months after purchase, and if you cash them in before 5 years after purchase you lose the last 3 months of interest. The interest is added to the bond’s principal and tax on that interest is deferred until the time you cash in the savings bond, at which time all of the interest is taxed.

    The present interest rate is 1.76%, which will be adjusted, quite possibly downward, after 6 months. Your total return, whenever you cash them in, would be the inflation rate since date of purchase minus the tax you pay on that interest.

    If you were thinking of taking the refund and putting it in a bank CD of at least 12 months, the interest on the I-bond would probably be a little bit better than what you could get on a CD. But that’s about the only situation where the I-bond option would be the right one. As stated by several above anyone with debt outstanding should almost certainly use a tax refund to pay down the debt.

    avatar
      up

    thanks

    In play, run(s)! Talk dirty to me gamecast, talk dirty. - Nevermoor
  • avatar

    Please let there be someone that loves The Walking Dead here.

    avatar
      up

    Lots of us, but careful with spoilers, I haven’t seen to new episode yet.

    "Kraut will get you through times of no money better than money will get you through times of no kraut."
    avatar
      up

    It makes me wish I still had cable, doll. :-(

    I’m over a season behind on it.

    And I have to say: mikev is one of my favorite people on here -slusser
    avatar
      up

    If you catch back up, the second season might (will) drag a bit, but it’ll be worth it for season 3.

    avatar
      up

    I saw S2. Missed all of S3, and didn’t S4 just start?

    And I have to say: mikev is one of my favorite people on here -slusser
    avatar
      up

    Second half of S3 started.

    avatar
      up

    I do, but I’m worried about this new season.

    "There's never enough time to do all the nothing you want"
    avatar
      up

    How so?

    avatar
      up

    I think they’re going to really emphasize some of the shittiest actors, and make a lot of stupid-but-plot-advancing decisions. But we’ll see. Last season was great.

    "There's never enough time to do all the nothing you want"
    avatar
      up

    One would hope they continue following the course set by the graphic novel. If they end the prison sequence anything like it, it would be nearly an entirely new cast so I guess that’s doubtful. But anything’s possible.

    avatar
      up

    We’ll see. I also really have never liked Merle, who I understand is not in the comic books (and neither is Darryl, who is A+)

    "There's never enough time to do all the nothing you want"
    avatar
      up

    Merle is there to be hated. Thankfully Darryl kind of takes the place of what Andrea should have been. She was may favorite character in the comic and least favorite in the show.

    avatar
      up

    I understand he’s a bad guy, but he’s a shitty bad guy.

    "There's never enough time to do all the nothing you want"
    avatar
      up

    He’s a henchman who gets way too much screen time. Hopefully Glenn will get to take him out later and all will be well.

    avatar
      up

    I don’t watch it. I haven’t watched a series on telly for about 15 years. I finally gave in recently and watched Newsroom, Veep and House of Cards

    avatar
      up

    Veep was fun, I’m looking forward to the new season sometime this year.

    "Kraut will get you through times of no money better than money will get you through times of no kraut."
    avatar
      up

    Veep is amazing.

    avatar
      up

    what is this veep

    In play, run(s)! Talk dirty to me gamecast, talk dirty. - Nevermoor
    avatar
      up

    Comedy (on HBO) starring Julia Louis-Dreyfus as the vice president. I’ve only seen a couple of episodes, but I thought it was funny. I think it’s the same people who did In the Loop, which was a similar styled take on British politics and was very good.

    avatar
      up

    Recommended.

  • avatar

    WOW I fall asleep and the thread goes wild with recriminations and accusations! And here I thought the Freedom Riders documentary I was watching on PBS was focused on the past!

    Truth be told, I feel so much better off in life without ** and those people, and have all the fun I need here where we are viewed as adults and can say what we want.

    Never suck on a Blow Pop with the microphone open.
  • avatar

    Please let there be someone that loves The Bronson Pinchot Project here.

    (snerk)

    Seriously tho, I love that show.

    "Once you go Kay there is no other way."- Bed
    avatar
      up

    Is that anything like Perfect Strangers?

    avatar
      up

    Yes, but it’s a home improvement show… and dude is insane.

    He collects salvaged pieces of old 1800′s farmhouses and uses them to renovate other 1800′s houses in rural Pennsylvania. He seems to have an aversion to painted surfaces and likes to leave the wood as weathered as possible, even in interior spaces. He hates anything that looks modern and goes to great lengths to hide appliances behind facades and cabinetry. Plus, he’s fabulously gay, but not at all flaming, and so are most of his workmen. He comes off like Bill Murray most of the time. Great show.

    "Once you go Kay there is no other way."- Bed
    avatar
      up

    Huh. That actually sounds kind of fun.

    avatar
      up

    DIY network. 2 seasons of 6 episodes each, so far, but they repeat them a lot.

    "Once you go Kay there is no other way."- Bed
    avatar
      up

    Turning my father-in-law onto that program could be a fun test of his limits. He’d certainly like the home improvement part, and while he is likely pro-gay rights in theory, I think watching gay men doing home improvement could make him squirm a little bit, particularly if there’s anything slightly risque in their dialogue. I’d like to see what wins out.

    A soliloquy of fresh-sounding ideas which would probably be disastrous.
    avatar
      up

    If he’s used to Bronson Pinchot’s schtick from Lethal Weapon or Perfect Strangers, it doesn’t necessarily come off as gay. If your dad can watch Match Game reruns, he can watch this.

    "Once you go Kay there is no other way."- Bed
    avatar
      up

    Then probably he can (and maybe does) watch it. And lest I come off as a cruel ass, my father-in-law is great, but he’s the best definition I know of a “fuddy-duddy.” Any public mention of bodily function, whether sexual or related to human waste, makes him insanely uncomfortable. Whereas I grew up in a household where excrement was a common dinner table topic, as my mom was a bacteriologist in a hospital. And sex, while not discussed regularly, was never taboo.

    Mrs. PDX is much better than her family, but still occasionally apologizes when she has to talk about menstruation or other such things. I still have to remind her that it doesn’t bother me in the least bit and I prefer that she not keep things secret.

    A soliloquy of fresh-sounding ideas which would probably be disastrous.
    avatar
      up

    Mrs. PDX is much better than her family, but still occasionally apologizes when she has to talk about menstruation

    And that appology was enough to prevent you from burning her at the stake for being a unclean witch?

    In play, run(s)! Talk dirty to me gamecast, talk dirty. - Nevermoor
    avatar
      up

    I was trying to come up with a snappy comeback about Jews not burning witches at the stake, but then I found this. Ugh. I’m glad my religion has evolved.

    A soliloquy of fresh-sounding ideas which would probably be disastrous.
    avatar
      up

    Im pretty sure every religion has burned witches at some point.

    In play, run(s)! Talk dirty to me gamecast, talk dirty. - Nevermoor
    avatar
      up

    Not mine!!

    avatar
      up

    I would say that witches have never burned other witches, but then I get wind of the infighting in my pagan friends’ covens and I’m not so sure.

    "Once you go Kay there is no other way."- Bed
    avatar
      up

    We didn’t burn them, we stoned them (to death). Proceed with your joke!

    avatar
      up

    Also im not sure a religion that bans bacon, cheeseburgers, and crab can be called “evolved”

    :-P

    In play, run(s)! Talk dirty to me gamecast, talk dirty. - Nevermoor
    avatar
      up

    Before I respond to your allegation, I’m gonna gargle so that you don’t smell the bean, bacon and onion chowder on my breath.

    A soliloquy of fresh-sounding ideas which would probably be disastrous.
    avatar
      up

    Does that mean that you want to make out?

    In play, run(s)! Talk dirty to me gamecast, talk dirty. - Nevermoor
    avatar
      up

    Everyone wants you to make out.

    avatar
      up

    Its a difficult predicament to be sure.

    In play, run(s)! Talk dirty to me gamecast, talk dirty. - Nevermoor
    avatar
      up

    I don’t make out with unclean witches. (Goes outside to search for stones).

    A soliloquy of fresh-sounding ideas which would probably be disastrous.
    avatar
      up

    I think your wife is going to find those comments offensive.

    In play, run(s)! Talk dirty to me gamecast, talk dirty. - Nevermoor
    avatar
      up

    I’m pretty sure my wife thinks that this whole freekraut business is silly and doesn’t care, or at least she thought so until I told her about ptbnl’s tickets.

    A soliloquy of fresh-sounding ideas which would probably be disastrous.
    avatar
      up

    I was joking and missed the tonal intent by a mile.

    :-(

    I have a one funny thing a week allowance. It was already used up.

    In play, run(s)! Talk dirty to me gamecast, talk dirty. - Nevermoor
    avatar
      up

    No offense taken in the least bit. If you work really hard, though, and ask, we might up your funny allowance to two a week. (This, and the fact that Spawn1 is approaching age 6, is making me recall my first 25 cent a week allowance and how nervous I was when I requested an increase to 50 cents a year or so later), which of course was granted. 50 cents was such a big deal at the time.

    A soliloquy of fresh-sounding ideas which would probably be disastrous.
    avatar
      up

    Dude. Im going to sign the Spawns up for representation so I can negotiate their allowances on their behalf. I can just hear the picket line now.

    Daddy Daddy youre no fair,
    treat your children like you care

    In play, run(s)! Talk dirty to me gamecast, talk dirty. - Nevermoor
    avatar
      up

    Leo, Leo, you want fair?
    Pick up your damn underwear!

    A soliloquy of fresh-sounding ideas which would probably be disastrous.
    avatar
      up

    Mommy, Mommy it’s no fair.
    Daddy’s wearing you’re good underwear!

    avatar
      up

    Boras, Boras, why do you ignore us?
    We wanna add your voice to the chorus!
    DFA hasn’t got us more pay,
    and no one will touch us at CAA
    I don’t wanna ride the Honey Boo Boo bore bus!

    "Once you go Kay there is no other way."- Bed
    avatar
      up

    Wow. Great work, Kay!

    avatar
      up

    That hurts kay

    In play, run(s)! Talk dirty to me gamecast, talk dirty. - Nevermoor
    avatar
      up

    Child Protective Services don’t you see? what my daddy did to me. I use to be a human being, but now Im only a machine. Hey Hey Hey Hey. Ho Ho Ho Ho.

    In play, run(s)! Talk dirty to me gamecast, talk dirty. - Nevermoor
    avatar
      up

    Daddy’s flown across the ocean
    Leaving just a memory
    Snapshot in the family album
    Daddy what else did you leave for me?

    A soliloquy of fresh-sounding ideas which would probably be disastrous.
    avatar
      up

    This is gold

    avatar
      up

    *Beverly Hills Cop. No, I’m Serious! I sell it myself!

    Camelot sure fell apart, didn't it? -Steve McCatty
    avatar
      up

    I believe you. Those movies all run together for me.

    "Once you go Kay there is no other way."- Bed
    avatar
      up

    I LOVE IT! I started watching it over Christmas break. Now I’m back at my apartment and don’t have TV.

    avatar
      up

    It’s one of the few shows I would miss if I didn’t have cable. Auction Hunters got ruined with the pawn shop, and Auction Kings is teetering with those stupid brothers being inserted into every other episode.

    Lost Girl is awesome, because it’s basically lipstick lesbian/pansexual softcore porn. I’m not really into watching it, but sociopolitically, I’m very glad it exists.

    "Once you go Kay there is no other way."- Bed
  • avatar

    Mrs. N and I just finished watching Freaks and Geeks. Not as good as I was wanting.

    "There's never enough time to do all the nothing you want"
    avatar
      up

    Really? I liked it.

    avatar
      up

    I thought it was great.

    avatar
      up

    Have you watched it recently? I doesn’t hold up as well as I would have thought.

    In play, run(s)! Talk dirty to me gamecast, talk dirty. - Nevermoor
    avatar
      up

    This is all I’m saying.

    "There's never enough time to do all the nothing you want"
    avatar
      up

    Its enjoyable. But its kinda like Sportsnight where it feels kinda dated.

    In play, run(s)! Talk dirty to me gamecast, talk dirty. - Nevermoor
    avatar
      up

    Sportsnight was kind of annoying when it aired. Innovative, but annoying.

    avatar
      up

    its a little too smug.

    In play, run(s)! Talk dirty to me gamecast, talk dirty. - Nevermoor
    avatar
      up

    Yeah. It’s good in a “wow, this is where WW came from” way, not a “wow, this is great on its own” way

    "There's never enough time to do all the nothing you want"
    avatar
      up

    Maybe I don’t understand this comment, but the show is supposed to be dated. It’s very specifically set in the early 80′s.

    avatar
      up

    Yeah, but it still hasn’t held up well over time.

    "There's never enough time to do all the nothing you want"
    avatar
      up

    the pizaz isn’t there because its no longer unique. its like watching the effects from the old star wars/trek. they just arent special anymore.

    In play, run(s)! Talk dirty to me gamecast, talk dirty. - Nevermoor
    avatar
      up

    It was probably 4-5 years ago.

    avatar
      up

    That’s about when I watched it too. I definitely enjoyed it then.

    avatar
      up

    I haven’t watched it since it aired, but part of the pleasure back then was in the fact that it was so much better and realer than anything else on TV at the time. That wouldn’t be as true today.

    avatar
      up

    I endorse this statement

    In play, run(s)! Talk dirty to me gamecast, talk dirty. - Nevermoor
    avatar
      up

    I also had the hots for Linda Cardellini. Still do, really.

    avatar
      up

    she is super hot.

    In play, run(s)! Talk dirty to me gamecast, talk dirty. - Nevermoor
    avatar
      up

    It’s important to put one’s contextual glasses on when revisiting edgy art of the past.

    "Once you go Kay there is no other way."- Bed
    avatar
      up

    I was going to say that this is relevant to the Talking Heads discussion above, except that the Talking Heads slay by the standards of any era.

    avatar
      up

    eh im not giving up my hipster glasses thankyouverymuch

    In play, run(s)! Talk dirty to me gamecast, talk dirty. - Nevermoor
    avatar
      up

    Fair

    "There's never enough time to do all the nothing you want"
  • avatar

    Dear Nurse Jennifer, I hurt my toe, please advise. :(

    avatar
      up

    Cut it off. I can do it for you if you’d like, let me just grab some scissors.

    avatar
      up

    I can get you a toe by 3 o’clock this afternoon. With nail polish.

    avatar
      up

    Find a hot guy with a toe-sucking fetish. Saliva has antibiotic qualities.

    "Kraut will get you through times of no money better than money will get you through times of no kraut."
    avatar
      up

    I couldn’t have said it any better myself.

    However, there is a corollary. A female dominance fetish would work just as well as a foot fetish in this instance, because the toes would be just as sucked, even though the motivation is different.

    "Once you go Kay there is no other way."- Bed
  • avatar

    FSU,

    hey, no time to stick around or do a proper search in case it’s already being talked about here… i’ll come back later to see what you say. big question, and i’m wondering if you have any insight, and if you want to share it with us.

    couple of weeks ago oakland OK’d paying an additional 250K of city money for a year of police consultation that will surely come back with the following recommendations: 1) hire more cops (probably from out of town, so that they can properly do their job of cost-effective savage-keeping in the city jungle without personal feelings or the sticky ethics of being on a first-name-basis with your target getting in the way, but that’s only my personal bent on it and you can ignore it for the sake of this question) and 2) hire us again to consult on hiring more cops, < --- does city hall / *how* does city hall reconcile that with ----> the $644K of federal money for job training that they have to give back due to non-use? especially when, lemme check again, oh yes, policing is a job and people have to be trained to do it, yes, especially when they *could* use that money to recruit and train oakland-local police officers, even hire a few, maybe engaging in an era of community-responsible policing, where the guy or gal walkin’ the beat is also your neighbor and will talk to you as such and you will talk to them as such. does the city NOT see this as two sides of the same issue? really, totally puzzled as to the thinking. and i realize there are hoops to jump through with “free” money, so that, no, probably you can’t just channel a few hundred extra K straight into community building, but if it’s emergency money and this is an emergency… WTF?

    avatar
      up

    A recommendation to “hire me to do even more work” is included in the report back from roughly 93% of all consultants hired by anyone, for anything. Doesn’t necessarily make the rest of their recommendations worthless. Bratton was hired to develop an immediate-term crime reduction strategy, more about the deployment patterns and practices and priorities of the beat cops. I’m sure he’ll say Oakland needs more cops, but that’s the overwhelmingly popular common wisdom in Oakland these days. Whether he has tactical suggestions which can meaningfully help reduce crime is the big question. Because the crime is really bad, at a time when most cities are doing much better.

    The job training grant was to hire people just out of prison; re-entry employment is by far the most important factor in reducing recidivism rates. That grant couldn’t have been used to hire cops, obviously.

    "Kraut will get you through times of no money better than money will get you through times of no kraut."
    avatar
      up

    well first of all, thanks, that’s just what i needed. the calm voice of someone who sees this daily to unhype me a little (i do declare these days, this early era of political facebooking, the instashallow indignation age ((sigh, jazz age was so much catchier…)), and i’m right there with the guiltier parties.). it lets me get rid of some baggage, the bad examples, the garden paths in the discourse.

    like, for example, i probably came off like i didn’t think the city needs the consulting company bratton works for. i think it does need advice, from police pros on tactics (among other recommendations from other groups that i hope don’t just exist in my imagination, such as some kind of cultural/statistical think tank holding proof that cops being nice is better than not.). and i think we do need more cops too, i wasn’t saying we didn’t by alluding to the recommendation coming back like that. i’m just saying it’s most obvs they’re going to say that. like the hire-me-back, which is obvious too and doesn’t invalidate the other recs.

    and i know that i’m spouting off unsupported sentiments about how to do policing, not ever having seen any numbers or evidence that a neighbor cop would be less, um, coppish (?) than one from over the hill. but i only bring those up because i’m scared of the immediate-term tactics you say they’re addressing, these other recs. and sure, i totally get that there’s an immediate need, but i really hope the recommended tactics aren’t bogus (since this company is on its second term with the city, are they the ones who came up with the 100 block thing?) and especially, i hope they don’t pick immediate-term solutions that don’t jibe with long-term ones (not to say these consultants are necessarily nearly the same, and i’m not saying they’re not, but i kinda suspect the riders also thought they were addressing an immediate need…).

    but the funny part is that if i was spouting off some unlikely stuff about using earmarked money for something else that would cure crime in some unsupported rosy colored dream of neighbor lambs and lions laying together, the real purpose of the free money they apparently passed on for bureaucratic reasons seems even more directly connected to the problem they’re trying to solve by spending the city’s own money on the other end. so while i’m more less-baggage about it, i’m even less more-understandy about how they can do that!

    avatar
      up

    The employment grant was botched to be sure.

    The problem with cop consultants is that you actually have to implement their plans. That’s the part OPD hasn’t been so good about in the past. Bratton has a strong rep, though (nothing to do with 100 blocks), so there’s a decent chance his recs will have some legs.

    "Kraut will get you through times of no money better than money will get you through times of no kraut."
    avatar
      up

    oh, i bet they implement some of the cooler recs. like, i’d bet 50 bucks there was a rec last year about buying the biggest SUV they could find in black with tinted windows.

    thanks, FS.

  • avatar

    So tonight Im going with my grandma to go see Al Gore after going to see Jeb Bush.

    I wonder when Gary Hart is coming to town.

    In play, run(s)! Talk dirty to me gamecast, talk dirty. - Nevermoor
    avatar
      up

    Depends on when Donna Rice is in town.

    It isn't Dirty Dancing 'cuz it doesn't make you vomit.
    avatar
      up

    FK that, y’all need to see Deukmejian.

    avatar
      up

    I would need to be able to spell that in order to make that joke

    In play, run(s)! Talk dirty to me gamecast, talk dirty. - Nevermoor
    avatar
      up

    Not gonna lie, I had to Google it.

    avatar
      up

    You and Gary Hart could totally got out looking for chicks together.

    "Kraut will get you through times of no money better than money will get you through times of no kraut."
    avatar
      up

    now that would be fun

    In play, run(s)! Talk dirty to me gamecast, talk dirty. - Nevermoor
    avatar
      up

    Until Clinton showed up.

  • avatar


    John’s new number is #5 !! Adios double digits ✌
    @ShannonBobel
    Shannon Bobel


    OBLIGATORY

    And I have to say: mikev is one of my favorite people on here -slusser
    avatar
      up

    That twitter photo of him looks like a beardy Chris Pratt. I approve.

    avatar
      up

    Your mother was a snowblower!

    avatar
      up

    If you didn’t say it, I would have.

    "Once you go Kay there is no other way."- Bed
  • avatar

    Al Gore in a nutshell: We are controlled by short term thinking and shitty power structures and are on the brink of destruction, but the internet and reason will save us.

    In play, run(s)! Talk dirty to me gamecast, talk dirty. - Nevermoor
    avatar
      up

    Obviously, since the Internet was his invention.

    It isn't Dirty Dancing 'cuz it doesn't make you vomit.
    avatar
      up

    He wrote the legislation that allowed for the modern internet to exist so yes he did create it.

    In play, run(s)! Talk dirty to me gamecast, talk dirty. - Nevermoor
    avatar
      up

    I know, but at the same time, since I’m closely related to one who did a lot of work on the internet in its early days, I always like making fun of Gore, even though he didn’t actually claim to have invented it.

    It isn't Dirty Dancing 'cuz it doesn't make you vomit.
    avatar
      up

    How about saying that he played a significant role in accelerating the development of internet, instead of saying that he “created” it?

    avatar
      up

    It would not surprise me to learn that Al Gore actually believes we’re beyond saving.

    "Kraut will get you through times of no money better than money will get you through times of no kraut."
  • avatar

    I can’t believe I’m the only one on here watching the Westminster Kennel Club finals. Is it a replay and all y’all dog lovers have already seen it?

    avatar
      up

    I love dogs. I also wouldn’t watch that show if my life depended on it.

    It isn't Dirty Dancing 'cuz it doesn't make you vomit.
    avatar
      up

    I’m 1 for 2 on that front.

    "Once you go Kay there is no other way."- Bed
    avatar
      up

    Me too!

    avatar
      up

    I feel the same way about kids and dogs. I have a lot of love and respect for those who care for and treat their dogs/kids well, but a lot of people that have dogs and/or kids should have neither.

    "Once you go Kay there is no other way."- Bed
    avatar
      up

    Truf.

    avatar
      up

    agreed

    In play, run(s)! Talk dirty to me gamecast, talk dirty. - Nevermoor
    avatar
      up

    Let’s you and me reincarnate two or three lifetimes down the road as a midwestern pioneer couple in the 1840′s. We can do lots of roleplay in the bedroom while we breed our eight or so kids, and write erotic journals that will be discovered by distant descendants and published in the 2040′s, reading much like the contemporary fantasy romance of the day. We’ll get mad retroactive historical props, like Guided By Voices or Magnus Hirschfeld.

    "Once you go Kay there is no other way."- Bed
    avatar
      up

    I mean that sounds pretty good but Im pretty sure I would die of dysentery on the way out there.

    In play, run(s)! Talk dirty to me gamecast, talk dirty. - Nevermoor
    avatar
      up

    You’d have to be kind of a dirty kid to build up the proper immunities, but it would pay off in the prime of your life. You do realize we’d be bathing quarterly, right?

    "Once you go Kay there is no other way."- Bed
    avatar
      up

    If it makes you feel any better, I’d die of dysentery, a gun shot wound, the plague, and tripping over my two feet while we were buying the gear.

    avatar
      up

    TINSTAAFK
    avatar
      up

    Thank you for getting it.

    In play, run(s)! Talk dirty to me gamecast, talk dirty. - Nevermoor
    avatar
      up

    I think most of us got it.

    avatar
      up

    If you did, your joke would have been about fording the river.

    In play, run(s)! Talk dirty to me gamecast, talk dirty. - Nevermoor
    avatar
      up

    My joke was putting the cripple boy dying before you even select the what you’re going to buy from the start Fort.

    avatar
      up

    That shit is gross tbh. Kennels and super breeding is not something i support

    In play, run(s)! Talk dirty to me gamecast, talk dirty. - Nevermoor
    avatar
      up

    This. The first dog I had came from the Humane Society, and the second one from a lab rescue organization.

    It isn't Dirty Dancing 'cuz it doesn't make you vomit.
    avatar
      up

    first was out of the back of a pick up, the second was a breeder accident

    In play, run(s)! Talk dirty to me gamecast, talk dirty. - Nevermoor
    avatar
      up

    Oh hell, I love the mutts, but it is pretty fascinating to see the variety of dogs, all fine specimens. And the announcers, while not quite at the Fred Willard level of Best In Show, do make some pretty funny snarky comments.

    avatar
      up

    Agreed there–dogs are amazing creatures. I love the variety!

    avatar
      up

    It is a replay of earlier this evening, so don’t look at the front page of SFGate if you don’t want to know…

    avatar
      up

    I’m pissed off at Westminster for dumping Pedigree as their sponsor because Pedigree’s advertisements (where they advocate for adopting shelter dogs) are “too depressing.” Shame on them.

  • avatar

    He shall, from Time to Time…

  • avatar

    I tried to celebrate Mardi Gras. I bought beads and I got drunk. Not one boob was shown. That’s 10 bucks I’ll never see again.

    avatar
      up

    Sometimes you have to shoulder the load yourself.

    avatar
      up

    I almost showed my boobs to a girl with green hair who disputed my assertion that the carpet couldn’t possibly match the drapes.

    avatar
      up

    Shouldn’t she be the one showing you her boobs to prove that?

    avatar
      up

    If she had green hair on her boobs would you want to see it?

    Camelot sure fell apart, didn't it? -Steve McCatty
    avatar
      up

    To be honest. Kind of. I mean… it’s boobs. And it’s… green hair. You don’t see that every day.

    avatar
      up

    Where do you think the carpet is? Also, I figured tit for that.

    avatar
      up

    I know where the carpet is. I’m just hoping to see her boobs.

    avatar
      up

    ^^ gets it

    And I have to say: mikev is one of my favorite people on here -slusser
    avatar
      up

    Boobs are my first choice, but I’m happy to look at bush as well.

    avatar
      up

    Well, sure. I’d think that goes without saying.

    avatar
      up

    lightweight

    In play, run(s)! Talk dirty to me gamecast, talk dirty. - Nevermoor
    avatar
      up

    I really am. Which is great. Getting drunk is ridiculously cheap. Also, when people find out you don’t really drink, they line up to buy you drinks.

    avatar
      up

    Oh, and the 10 bucks I referred to was for the beads. I only spend 8 bucks on drinks, not counting tax and tip.

  • avatar

    So, it being the time of year to take a break from the Sierra winter, which actually hasn’t been very wintry for the last few weeks, I’m on the way to South Florida to sit on the beach and drink beer and check out beautiful women watch it rain for the next couple of days. The first rainout plan is to drive down through the keys and check out Key West for an afternoon. I’ll have a beer for you, nobody.

    avatar
      up

    Sounds like a nice plan, hope it doesn’t rain the whole time. Are you going to catch any grapefruit league action, or will you be coming back before it really gets going?

    avatar
      up

    I’ll be returning home a couple of days before the Grapefruit League starts. After about a week at home I’ll then head back out to Phoenix, whose airport I happen to be sitting in right now. South Florida weather does look dry after Friday night but it’s not quite what I had in mind for the start of a beach vacation.

    avatar
      up

    I’m sure you’ll be able to enjoy Key West rain or shine.

    avatar
      up

    Happy trails!

    "Kraut will get you through times of no money better than money will get you through times of no kraut."
  • avatar

    As part of their newsletter Berkeley PD just sent out this gem:

    avatar
      up

    I’m glad the Berkeley PD is giving out helpful hints to keep taggers out of the system and on the streets writing on stuff where they belong.

    "Once you go Kay there is no other way."- Bed
    avatar
      up

    It also doubles as a birthday/holiday gift guide. Very thoughtful, really.

    avatar
      up

    Please. That’s not even close to accurate. The pants are WAY too high. And that hoodie looks like it actually fits.

    avatar
      up

    I had three of those things in high school and never once tagged any public zone.

    avatar
      up

    I satisfy somewhere between 3 and 5 of those criteria today (and yesterday, and the day before that) and I’m 32 years old.

    avatar
      up

    Do all the taggers refer to you as “old man?”

    A soliloquy of fresh-sounding ideas which would probably be disastrous.
    avatar
      up

    hood — check
    gloves — check
    extra large Sharpie — check
    backpack — it’s a messenger bag, but no graffiti on it
    black book — I have a small black sketchpad that I use to keep to-do lists. I also have a larger lab notebook, but it’s not black.

    I don’t have any stencils.

    avatar
      up

    Yeah, the vast majority of those things would be in any house. Off the top of my head we have at home hood, gloves, bandana, art supplies galore, non-graffiti’d backpack (only because Spawn2 hasn’t had her way with it yet), extra large Sharpie, stencils, hat. We have plenty of sketchbooks of various sorts, but not a black one. Does a Hello Kitty or Angry Birds sketchbook count?

    A soliloquy of fresh-sounding ideas which would probably be disastrous.
    avatar
      up

    Yup,

    I pretty much fit the bill because I install art for a living and I havent been able to drop the backpack and notebook combo since I finished college.
    Hoodies are pretty much the best clothing invention of the last 50 years.

    avatar
      up

    Meet the Harka

    In play, run(s)! Talk dirty to me gamecast, talk dirty. - Nevermoor
    avatar
      up

    For some reason ‘Matrix casual’ keeps jumping out at me!

    avatar
      up

    Or when you have the irresistible need to dress up like a Jawa.

    Also…Vagisoft?

    "Kraut will get you through times of no money better than money will get you through times of no kraut."
    avatar
      up

    Heh, for some reason chips and salsa is the LAST thing I want to eat in bed, Mmm nothing like having small sharp crumbs under the covers.

    avatar
      up

    You can just wipe it off with your hand… or so I’ve heard.

    avatar
      up

    My best friend designed them. If I had the money and/or they didn’t keep selling out of my size I would totally buy one. They are amazing.

    In play, run(s)! Talk dirty to me gamecast, talk dirty. - Nevermoor
    avatar
      up

    Hood by itself doesn’t apply. You need the bandana and hat too.

    avatar
      up

    I was rocking the hood + beanie earlier this week, but it’s not as cold today.

    avatar
      up

    Also, I’m listening to Minor Threat, so that pretty much makes me BPD’s worst nightmare.

    avatar
      up

    X

    "Once you go Kay there is no other way."- Bed
    avatar
      up

    (on hand, not the band)

    "Once you go Kay there is no other way."- Bed
    avatar
      up

    That’s what the extra large sharpie is for!

    avatar
      up

    Its kind of funny how the biggest ‘smash the state’ vegan SE folks I knew growing up frequently post about bacon, ribs, fancy scotch/ craft beer, and bitch about their tech jobs on FB nowadays.

    avatar
      up

    It takes away for people to realize that the man isn’t corrupt. He’s just incompetent.

    avatar
      up

    sXe

    avatar
      up

    Heh, so true.

    avatar
      up

    Which is the DFA you cant make out with me signal

    In play, run(s)! Talk dirty to me gamecast, talk dirty. - Nevermoor
    avatar
      up

    The “not for test taking” is hilarious.
    Also, stencils???

  • avatar

    I think I finally understand what DFA was talking about when he said that it’s an ego boost when beautiful/cool people choose to go out with you. Someone who rejected my kind advances months ago has changed her mind. I am apparently in for a challenge, ‘cuz she’s super bright and creative and inquisitive and takes no bullshit from anybody. I think my wife will like her too, and that’s important. Kitty’s super non-jealous, so if she doesn’t like somebody, it’s usually because she can see some deep character flaws in them and throws up a red flag. I’ve proceeded (with her permission) in the face of these flags before, and wished I hadn’t, so I don’t anymore.

    "Once you go Kay there is no other way."- Bed
  • avatar

    I think if were ranking my all-time favorite Arkansans, it would go:

    1. Bed
    2. WJC
    3. Leonard

    avatar
      up

    Looks like there might be spoilers there. Day 2 hasn’t aired here because of SOTU yesterday.

    TINSTAAFK
    avatar
      up

    Didn’t know that. Sorry!

    avatar
      up

    No problem, I’m going to pretend I didn’t see anything.

    TINSTAAFK
    avatar
      up

    It’s too bad he’s not on real jeopardy and kept winning. Watch the fro go.

    avatar
      up

    I’d have to bump everyone else down and put The Reverend Billy Lard up there with Bed.

    "Once you go Kay there is no other way."- Bed
  • avatar

    Port-a-potty Meth Lav? Port-a-potty meth lav.

    avatar
      up

    This is old and probably has been posted before, but since it relates… http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/12/walmart-meth-lab-boaz-alabama_n_1421049.html

Leave a Reply