tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7806136543904112143.post3114971837447317679..comments2023-10-30T09:23:42.803-05:00Comments on Some Assembly Required: SAR #10028Charles Kingsley Michaelson, IIIhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04364694465614330540noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7806136543904112143.post-20741939936641946372010-01-29T16:26:07.653-06:002010-01-29T16:26:07.653-06:00The common denominator for the state and local gov...The common denominator for the state and local government fiscal problems are the unfunded benefit programs. Government officials have ignored this problem for years, and have also exempted themselves of funding requirements they impose on corporate pension plans. <br /><br />But it's worse than that. All you folks in love with more government should read this: http://reason.com/archives/2010/01/12/class-warAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7806136543904112143.post-57504083215585354282010-01-29T07:35:42.511-06:002010-01-29T07:35:42.511-06:00re the character of John Edwards - CKM, you make s...re the character of John Edwards - CKM, you make some good points.mistah charley, ph.d,http://mistahcharley.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7806136543904112143.post-49960700296263408192010-01-29T00:00:19.230-06:002010-01-29T00:00:19.230-06:00re: Steel Yourself, while one can only wonder why ...re: Steel Yourself, while one can only wonder why we can't buy U.S. manufactured steel, The Economist points out that China ccounted for 49% of all steel produced in 2009.<br /><br />http://www.economist.com/daily/chartgallery/displaystory.cfm?story_id=15390343&fsrc=rss<br /><br />re: Assignment, when Elizabeth Warren says "If we don't fix this then it really IS game over", it's already 5 minutes to midnight and the Castle Ball has a hard stop.....TomOfTheNorthhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06480131003518342065noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7806136543904112143.post-41193786869200980412010-01-28T22:56:31.151-06:002010-01-28T22:56:31.151-06:00A lot of B.S. here . . . Oregon has the lowest net...A lot of B.S. here . . . Oregon has the lowest net business taxes in the country. <br /><br />Source: http://www.registerguard.com/csp/cms/sites/web/opinion/24326951-47/taxes-oregon-public-income-services.csp<br /><br />"In 2008, the international consulting firm Ernst & Young estimated state-level business taxes (as a share of state gross domestic product) and government expenditures benefiting businesses for all 50 states. The firm found that Oregon ranks dead last: the lowest net business taxes in the country."Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7806136543904112143.post-85484335387217062662010-01-28T22:38:29.306-06:002010-01-28T22:38:29.306-06:00Anonymous said: "The fact that Oregon needs t...<b>Anonymous said:</b> "The fact that Oregon needs to tax that much is s proof of governmental incompetence.<br /><br />Let's wait for the migration out of the state and see the slow motion financial meltdown of that nanny state."<br /><br />Substitute any state you wish and you'll find plenty of someones who'll agree with you. So the solution is to "let" government collapse. At this point I think were likely to "get" that outcome regardless but I fear there's a very large and ugly train wreck in the works down that particular track that will make us yearn for the good 'ol days of "wasteful" government.kwarknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7806136543904112143.post-56770721705799316152010-01-28T18:24:14.947-06:002010-01-28T18:24:14.947-06:00The fact that Oregon needs to tax that much is s p...The fact that Oregon needs to tax that much is s proof of governmental incompetence. <br /><br />Let's wait for the migration out of the state and see the slow motion financial meltdown of that nanny state.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7806136543904112143.post-77434127114763551702010-01-28T15:43:26.410-06:002010-01-28T15:43:26.410-06:00mcphd - It is interesting to see JE turned into a ...mcphd - It is interesting to see JE turned into a tragic Greek, but in the end not convincing. Yes, he had <i>reasons</i> - which sound more like excuses to the tone deaf like me - for behaving poorly. <br /><br />That does not change the fact of his behavior - which shows weakness of character. But running for public office is in itself fair evidence of several character flaws.<br /><br />As for the assumption that in order to cope we must rely on a crutch -'Drink, gamble, shop, drugs, religion'- perhaps s. I'd rather not find out. But I would hope I could keep on putting one foot in front of the other.<br /><br />We may not be "so different" one from the other, but there are differences, differences that matter.<br /><br />ckmCharles Kingsley Michaelson, IIIhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04364694465614330540noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7806136543904112143.post-15151006067722714262010-01-28T08:17:33.276-06:002010-01-28T08:17:33.276-06:00Re John and Elizabeth Edwards:
In a comment yest...Re John and Elizabeth Edwards: <br /><br />In a comment yesterday about <i>USA Today</i>'s story that Elizabeth Edwards is finally leaving John, <b>sidwell</b> stated, in part:<br /><br />"I think Elizabeth realizes that John is a good man in a bad situation. I feel sorry for him and her. Life has given them more grief than one family should ever have to bear. John had to bury a son and now he is facing burying a spouse. It is so obvious it was all too much for him. He wanted NORMALCY - what human being doesn't. He sought solace in sex with a woman that was normal and healthy. In those times, he didn't have to face his mortality, Elizabeth's mortality, or the grief over his dead son - he could just ESCAPE. This man was grieving and trying to numb his pain with the giddiness of a new relationship and sex. Why do people get another pet, when one pet dies? It is self medicating - it is attempting to numb pain. Human beings exist in a perpetual state of pain avoidance and he was no different. So you wouldn't have cheated on your terminally ill wife, but what WOULD or DID you do to cope? Drink, gamble, shop, drugs, religion?"<br /><br />This caught my attention because my beloved cat died last week, and today I found myself wondering, should I get another cat? I even searched the local animal shelter website for a cat as similar as possible (orange tabby, male neutered, adult - they don't have one listed as available right now, fortunately). Even as I did this, I thought it was a bit strange - we still have a remaining cat, and she is too old to count on her adjusting well to the presence of a new pet.<br /><br />As the Roman playwright Terence said, under the skin we're not so different (my very loose paraphrase of <i>"Homo sum, humani nihil a me alienum puto"</i>.)mistah charley, ph.d.https://www.blogger.com/profile/06303695341246058680noreply@blogger.com